Something warm pressed against her cheek. And there was a scent, a familiar scent. The feeling was all she got, there were actually no coherent thoughts. Except... the far off song. A woman's voice. How sweet!

There would still be you and me...

Someone was touching her. There were fingers on her neck. They were trembling. They pressed hard into her flesh and burned there even after they were removed. She opened her eyes....

The musician was seated in his chair at center stage. The small theater was dark, only a beam of light from the morning sun escaped through the cracked wall and showered him in its light. He thought that he only played for himself, no doubt, but the young Princess was among his audience so often when he thought this. She watched him quietly. Slowly he lifted his instrument up to his lips and it began to croon. His head swayed with passion to the sad melody. Romelle closed her eyes and imagined words to the morose tune which filled her head. Her head to began to sway. She feared opening her eyes... fear that he was watching her.

Once, only once, entranced by the beautiful music she begun to sing aloud and he stopped to listen. In a panic she fled from the theater and did not find the courage to return for many weeks. If he had known who it was watching him, a peasant.... But, there was a woman’s voice now. Rich and sweet.... and getting farther away. It was almost a whisper. Maybe it was her own. She closed her eyes once more and tried to take a deep breath.

Fire raged in her chest. Her eye lids opened slightly at the pain, but only one opened, the other was swollen shut. There was no theater... there was no musician... there wasn't even music or singing, there was pain. There was nothing to look at except far above her a night sky. So far away! The stars swung in her vision. One star became two.. three... then blackness. This is heaven?

Had she fallen down? Where was she? She let her head roll to the side. There were foot steps. Coming or going? The picture of someone formed in her mind. A handsome man, he had blue skin and the softest hair. But there was no longer much to worry about. There was something, something to say, but she couldn't quite follow it, couldn't remember what it was. Footsteps. They were not getting closer. Hadn't someone already been here? Falling. Had she fallen down? Breathing became hard and she wanted to grasp her throat, but her arms didn't move at the command. The blue man... they fought... then he pushed her over the great cliff! Oh no, someone had been here! Someone touched her! Maybe he was help! Did he leave her for dead? Would she die slowly down here, or worse be eaten by hungry animals?

Don't go! Don't go! Her mind said the words, but they did not form on her lips. She instinctively flexed her fingers. The earth was not hard beneath her, it was soft, gooey, muddy. Don't go! Her mouth moved with the words but still no sound. She concentrated harder... she made a sound, but only loud enough for her to hear. She drew in a breath; violently her body tensed up and she retched. A horrible sound erupted from her throat. She was vomiting, but couldn't move from her back. She began choking.

The foot steps were getting faster, but they were coming back towards her. There were hands on her face. Instinctively, with a mind of their own, her muddy hands went up to protect her face from beating. The stranger rolled her over as the stars swung from view and her cheek lay in the mud. The contents of her throat dripped from her mouth and on to the muddy earth. The hands on her face were brushing away mud caked hair. She grasped a handful of mud once more and began to cry.

The pain was now so great that it could not be given an origin. The hands still brushed at her muddy hair... big hands.. strong hands. Don't leave me.. don't leave me. Someone whispered in her ear, "You muz bee kiet!" She tried to reach up and feel the face, for she could no longer see. I'm going to die! No I want to see the stars again!

"I wish I could make a song so sweet that no man or woman of any planet could resist it," he said to her with a smile. He held his instrument at his side with his left hand as they stood in their hall.. She felt the blood rise in her cheeks. I have no doubt you will.

"Do you think there is a dance so simple, yet full of grace, that all the people of the world could do it?' sang a soft voice from behind her. She spun to see her young cousin sitting on the grass beside her. Would she ever be able to look at this girl without guilt? Her wild hair blew in the wind and gave her the appearance of a great lion. Do these Arusians have no shame? They let their maidens go about with hair untied!

She felt her self pressed in to someone’s body. The world was slowly forming around her. Her mouth rested upon a dirty shirt. She realized her entire body trembled and she moaned ever so slightly with each quiver. The man pressed his fingers into the skin around her mouth and pushed her tighter against him.

She could feel he was scared. His heart beat fast. She was laying across his lap, she could feel the strong muscles in his thighs flex as he pressed hard against something his self. Through the one eye which wasn't pressed shut against his chest she saw a reflection of a light on the wall across from them. Voices. There were voices too. Men. Lotors guards! He had sent them down after her. Why would he do something like that? It was a freak of nature that the rain had made the cave floor moist enough to soften her fall.

She gripped the bare arms of her savior and whimpered at the thought of being taken back to Lotor. His hand tightened around her mouth as terror seized her. They were coming towards them. The light on the wall in front of them became stronger as the guards moved closer. They were hidden by a tall rock, therefore concealed for now, but they kept coming closer. The man holding her grasped a rock in the hand which wasn’t covering her mouth. Hadn't she already tried that. She prayed that this mans arm was better than hers.

The light stopped right beside them. "There's nothing here. She was probably dragged off by some animal." The voice seemed so close! “This place gives me the creeps! Let’s go.” Then the light on the wall became dim, and she fell back into oblivion.

He was pressing a rock to her face. Her eyes remained closed. What did he want? "Drink it." he whispered. She let her mouth open and a small flow of liquid ran into her mouth. It tasted horrible. She squeezed her eyes and rolled her head away at the pain of it running down her throat. "More!"

Later she awoke, and thought at first to be alone. But then she felt his hands on her stomach. Her bare stomach. She was too dizzied and drunken by what he had given her to drink to think about the fact he had undressed her. The pain in her body had become a dull throb, but her eyes were still unable to focus. She felt his warm hands on her stomach , then hips.... then gasped in pain. She felt the pain all to greatly now. She felt a hand under her head and another on her bare back.

Slowly she was lifted into a sitting position. She felt as if she might vomit again. She let her arm fall around the man's arm and he leaned her chin on his shoulder. She looked at her hand laying on the strangers back. It was wrapped in a cloth. Her fingers peeked out over the top of it and she realized she could not move that hand. It had been broken and he set it for her! There was a tightness around her abdomen. He was wrapping her ribs. He gently laid her back down on the ground. There was something soft beneath her. Her dress. Allura's wedding dress. She drifted off into sleep again. When next she woke, he sat over her, wiping at her face with a wet cloth. There was a torch stuck in the ground beside him and she could see this man for the first time. The expression on his face was as if he were looking at a ghost. She lay on her back, and look up at him. A long, dark beard concealed what she thought to be a smooth white face, and long dark hair hung just past his shoulders. There was a scar across his temple which dove into the hair of his cheek.

Trembling, he threw his hands in to his face. Was he crying? He turned, took his torch and left her. She panicked. Don't go!

Romelle slept , or stayed unconscious, most of the time. It became impossible to tell the passing of time; at one point when she was sober enough and clear headed enough to think about it she figured that she had been there at least a month, maybe even more. The strange man gave her that horrible liquid which made her sleepy and confused. She realized that it was some sort of pain reliever, if the effect was only to drunken her, it worked pleasantly.

The strange man stayed away from her, out of sight, most of the time when she was awake, but she could hear his breath and knew him to be near. Sometimes there were voices of otherds, too, but she never saw them. Often, when he thought she sleep she felt him checking her bandages, and all to often touching her face. Every attempt at speaking to the man had failed. He would take his light and extinguish it and move beyond her sight.

Once he came to her and said, "You must heal quickly and walk! The guards have been here two times looking for you! You must walk , then run!" The intensity of his words startled her. They had a mad quality about them, but when she looked into his eyes they seemed calm. Often, she watched him sitting on the far side of their grotto, elbows on knees, chin resting one one hand. He seemed to be deep in thought. He even thought with a mad intensity! She didn't dare speak out to him at these time, for he would throw something at the wall and put out his fire. He seemed to be a very angry man.

Another time, she awoke in his arms, he was rocking her back and forth, and she realized she had been crying. A dream. What about, she couldn't remember. But she was in his arms and felt as safe as if Avoc had been the very man holding her.

Cimerone speaks...

My brother told me to wait for him to come and get me , but after waiting many hours I left to find him myself. I’d often suspected of my brothers manner, but after the Lady Allura stayed with us I thought it all to be my imagination. The resemblance between her and Lady Romelle is quite amazing, though that is as far as the likeness goes. Romelle seems self absorbed, almost depressed. I don’t think she was happy about marring my brother. She never spoke much to me, even as I helped her dress (for which I volunteered myself quite often. It can get lonely on my brothers ship full of men, none of which will have anything to do with me. I believe that he may have threatened them if they come near me) But, the Lady Allura, though she was nervous, seemed to be happy. She loves my brother and I think she could be a true friend. I regret that she had to leave so suddenly.

After my humiliation in my fathers court, I was told my brother had returned. Lotor always made everything right again. But, as I came nearer to his chambers I heard that awful crying and screaming. Never guessing what I would see around the corner I hurried to the aide of the poor woman. Thinking back on it now, I’m still not even sure what went through my mind when I watched him strike her. And the way she looked at me!

After many hours I left my room. Lotor did not look well and I feared for him as well as the Lady Romelle. Many people informed me that he left the castle with the woman. I finally found him by the old pit outside the castle. He was face down in the mud, and alone. I feared the worst for the Lady. Later, with out my brothers knowledge, I sent my men down to find her, and if by some odd chance she survived I would have sent her home. But she was nowhere to be found. Not even a body.

I wiped at my brothers face with my sleeve, and never before in my life had I felt more sorry for him. When he awoke I was crying and he was terribly ill. I could see by his eyes that he had overdosed on the spice once more. A dangerous habit of his. He clung to me and I think maybe we both cried together. It was a desolate spot where we sat, we were quite alone. Behind us, far into the horror of a great darkness, gleamed the palace lights. Like eyes of a monster they came alive. I could feel the evil and horrendous of that dark place creeping into me, as I feared it already had him. I could feel it flowing through my veins. I felt cold. And a sudden terror overcame me.

“Lotor! Lotor! We have to leave here!” I screamed rocking him in my arms. “This place is evil! It’s swallowing us! Repent and we’ll be free!”

It’s too late! It’s far too late for repentance, Cimerone!” hissed an evil voice beside her. I could not tell if it was Lotor who spoke to me of or the evil spirits of the wind running through my head again!

“No! No!” I screamed!

“Too late! You can never be clean! You were born evil and you will stay that way!”

“No! Lotor!,” I wailed taking tight hold of his face and shaking him till his eyes locked with mine. “You promised me! You promised me you would take me home. I want to see my home, with you! I feel evil here! We’re lost, let’s leave here before it’s too late! You promised! You promised.....”

I think then I must have screamed so loud that the great castle in the distance shuddered. My brother grabbed me and enfolded me into his great arms and we lay together in the mud. Crying. Then finally he whispered into my ear....

“I promised you. I promised. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

When we stood, I felt a great weight had been lifted from our shoulders. And when I looked upon my fathers castle in the distance, I knew in my heart that it would be the last time I would do so.

Once back Lotors chamber I undressed him and put him to bathe. I then made the preparations for our departure. After cleaning my self, I dressed his cuts, I could only wonder what he had gotten himself into this time. I knew leaving that horrible place would be good for him. Sometimes I felt he was on the verge of madness and needed despirately to leave here. He had his planets and armies on that distant end of the universe to keep him occupied. As he lay in bed I rubbed his temple in order for him to relax. His muscles were knots and I knew his head throbbed, but yet he remained silent. I guess he felt that he deserved the pain as much as I did.

After I thought him to be long asleep, he reached up and took my hand and brought it too his lips. “Is your suitor still here?” he whispered. When he opened his eyes he saw my tears and looked troubled. ”No” I whispered. He pulled me down beside him and our heads shared a single pillow. “Where?”

I knew as soon as I opened my mouth pathetic sobs would escape me, and I would feel horrible again, but I told him. The Prince of Iseult had come to pay respects to father, I believe him to be a distant cousin. Oh! His beauty! His skin held the blue hue that Lotor’s does and his eyes were a deep brown. And when he spoke to me, he held my hand and gently played with my fingers. When Lotor was ready to leave for one of his planets, I begged for the first time for him to allow me to stay here. The thought of leaving Belloc was unbearable! Then finally one night, as we sat in my fathers drawing room he kissed me for the first time and whispered “tomorrow, when your father holds court, I will ask him, in front of all, for your hand, my darling.”

“When he asked there ‘in front of all’,” I said between sobs,” the King looked down at us and said “I have no daughter there fore I grant no permission. There will be no marriage.” Belloc dropped my hand and stepped back from me. I followed him from the throne room and once out of sight I threw myself at him.”

“Cimerone!” my brother exclaimed in horror. I know he would never thow himself at anyone.

“But, he pushed me away! I told him we didn’t need my fathers permission to marry, only yours . Zarcon cared not what I did with my self! He doesn’t want an outsider to hold any sort of claim over him in years later! He said that it did not matter now. and he left me there.”

At that point my brother rolled away from me and reached for his sword which hung over the bed post. I threw myself at him in a panic before he could stand, thankful for once that he was quite sick. Killing him would solve nothing , I couldn’t believe that he would even think of that! He turned to me and took me back into his arms and asked me to stay with him that night. He feared for me to stay alone. I think he feared for himself as much as for me. He held me to his breast, the only person in all the universe who truly loves me, and we slept. I felt like a child again when he would come to me in the night after I woke screaming with nightmares.

I think how lucky he is to have the beautiful Allura to love him for himself instead of his power. She did tell me she would marry my brother if he would denounce his father and give up his territories. Didn’t she? When morning came he only hesitated for one brief moment.

“What of my Queen?”

“She’ll come, if she loves you,” I said not knowing if there were any truth behind my words. In fact, his words scared me. There was no Queen. He really was going mad.

“Will she ever forgive me?” he said putting his head into his hands.

Now we’re almost there. He looks sad, I don’t think I’ve seen him smile from his heart in years. Often when I was younger Lotor told me stories about my mother and her mysterious home. Time meant nothing and there was always music and laughter. When you were tired you slept, when you were hungry you ate, and when you were happy you laughed or wept with joy!

“She used to sing to me ,” he said with a far off look. “ She had the sweetest voice.” I had never been jealous of my brother before until he said this. And why should I be jealous. Even though our father acknowledges him, it’s more often with beatings and more humiliation. He’s as innocent as any of the rest of us. Born in to a bad situation: I don’t’ think he likes it as much as he often pretends to.

I have wondered why he didn’t take me home before this. I knew I was in the way and a horrible burden . He could have easily dropped me off and be done with me. But now I know that even though he raised me and cared for me these past years, I’ve raised him and card for him the same.

I love my brother.

“I am truly evil,” she thought to herself as she sat upon her throne. The Throne room was disheartening and vacant, the only light provided by the small flames she set in the sacramental Grails. She examined the dark lines of soot that lined her hands as she passed them over the fires.

Go with him! Stay with him! But be prepared to bleed! That evil threatening voice had hissed at her in her sleep. Who had been the one to criticize her such? It sent shudders down her spine just thinking about it.

“In every good heart there is evil and in every evil heart there is good,” her father once told her. But what evil dwelled in his heart? She always knew that there was something he had done to her mother that eh felt guilty for, but she was to young to understand it at the time.

She turned her thoughts to her Champion. He would be coming soon with his answer. he had been with Coran for such a long time. But thoughts of him only made her despair deeper. She knew if she threw her self at his noble feet he would only step over her, them maybe scold her for loosing balance. Then there was the matter of this Callie! or was it Cassie? What ever her name was! When she asked Lance who she was, Pidge jumped out from behind her and yelled, "Keith’s little girlfriend from the city!" So Keith had a girlfriend in the town! The thought passed her mind that she should forbid them relations with her people, with the exception of herself (of course) but that was absurd!

She grasped the armrest of her royal seat and began to feel the heaviness of the double crown which rested upon her head. It was hers, if not officially, but in theory. She still had eight years to wait to be crowned. If I live that long... Very seldom she ever dare put it on, but sometimes just to sit at her throne and to wear her regal finery and crown made her feel at ease. Especially at this moment , when she thought she could have never felt so low.

She thought of a saying of the Old Folk commonly used for people who felt nothing. They said that someone had put their heart in winter. Winter only met Arus every four years, and at that time the Old Folk said that, if you were lucky, you could find it again. It's time to put my heart in winter she thought as she fought back tears. All these thought of love were distracting her from her purpose.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard Keith come to the auxiliary postern. "Sir, you may only bear metal. No other weapons are allowed in Her Majesty’s presence at this time."

She could see him through closed eyelids as he removed his gun. She knew he wore his Imperial Protocol uniform. Only once before when they had visited Prince Tristan had he worn it. How handsome he was then! She kept her eyes closed. She knew if she looked upon his face his eyes would tell her her answer. What a horrible day!! She had carried that horrible feeling of apprehension around with her for weeks and thought that it would be eased after today, but it was not.

She could feel him kneel down in front of her.

When Coran had finally left her alone in the room to seek out Keith did he know how she would cry? I'm only seventeen! Seventeen and writing a Will! Planning my death already! She knew that most people felt that at the rate she was going she would not live to be Queen. Who else in seventeen years had had three coffins prepared for them? Two in the past year!! She realized that her depression began when Coran mention she do this. Mortality was a horrible burden.

Heaven forbid that she should die before she produced an heir. She knew there would be war like never seen before if she did not make official a ruler. If only Romelle could be trusted.

Keith was her only hope if Arus was not to fall back into the hands of Pollux of Zarcon. Keith would predominate as their dux bellorum. There was no family left alive that Allura could trust. Of course there were the people who showed up at the castle every so often to claim that they were cousins or daughters and sons of so and so. But they could not be trusted. There was no doubt in her mind that her people would not think twice of following Keith into war. As War Lord of Arus , or Duke of War, he would keep order and peace in case of the absence of a ruler. Of course, Galaxy Garrison had protested at first. They begged to be able to send someone older, someone with more war experience, but she politely refused. No one could fly the Black Lion better and her people adored him. He and his men restored hope to an almost dead and depressed people. Who cared where they came from, they were a shining new candle which stood in the place of a burnt out one. Coran would stand behind him and be his experience. Listen to me! I speak as if I were already dead!

In days long past, when the Queen ruled the land, Duke of War was the highest honor given to a man , who was her husband. The Queen ruled while the King dealt only in matters of war. And if a male was born eldest, then the throne was passed onto his sisters child upon his death, not his own. It was the only way to keep the royal blood clean. But those days were long over. That religion long dead. At least the custom of the Queen granting knighthood withstood.

Slowly she opened her eyes. Was that a smile on his face? He kneeled down in his uniform before her like she had seen and looked up at her ardently. It was astonishing how his dark and somber face could take on the guise of a sweet child with a single smile. Was that pride ,too, that she saw? How could she think that he would deny her? Who wouldn't be honored to hold such a high position?

Smiling back she rose from her throne and stepped forward. "My Princess," he gasped, reaching for her hand. He was a bit nervous. Would he remember all that Coran told him he must say? As he brought it to his lips she saw that he was thunderstruck. Not something she saw often in him.

"You accept my offer, my Knight and Champion?"

"Yes, and swear that till the day I die it will never come to pass."

"Do you swear upon the faith of your body to be always faithful and just, and to serve the throne and the righteous cause always?"

"I swear upon the faith of my body."

At that, Allura drew her majestic sword and placed the tip of the blade on the floor between them. He kissed the point where the jeweled hilt met the blade before she gestured him to stand.

"May you forever seek the paths enlightenment and one day enter the realm of Annwyn and become aware of all possibilities." She took a step closer. "The four directions," she said placing her finger tips on his forehead, then gently closing the right eye, then left, then rested her two fingers on his lips. "The four elements, your mind..."she said pressing her lips to his forehead...."your light shadow....," she pressed her lips to his right eye.... "your dark shadow...," she pressed her lips to his left eye... "and your heart." There was but one brief moment of hesitation before their lips met.

The moment seemed to last forever. He wasn’t sure when everything else in the room disappeared. As far as he was concerned if it wasn't her it wasn’t there. His heart beat faster until it felt it could fly from his chest. When she pulled away all he could think of were his hands on her hips. How did they get there?

“...the breath of life...."

"... and the four winds are bound together and through their interaction the final gift of enpowerment takes place."

She stopped and they stared at each other for a long moment. Her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed more beautiful to him that any woman living. She seemed to glow. A white light surrounded her, she was a goddess!

"Hand me your belt."

He quickly unbuckled it and placed the sheath with his sword into her two outstretched hands. "Draw your sword."

After doing so she turned and walked - no floated- to her throne. She knelt down on one knee and opened a compartment beneath the divan. When she turned she held a new belt in her hand. The new scabbard was exquisite, a dark crimson velvet with silver symbols sewn into it.

She gracefully fell back to one knee and lifted the scabbard above her head, which humbly looked toward the floor. As he took it from her she returned to standing. "For you my hero," she said with a smile. "My prince, guard it well, for I think my hands will never touch another spinning wheel for as long as I live."

"Thank you , my Princess. May I bear it only and always in your service. What is it you ask of me?"

"To aide in returning my fathers sword into my hands. When that is done my people will be free and land at peace once more."

"I accept."

For one moment they looked at one another , hands held between them. She could see respect and pride mixed into his face in one heartfelt expression. And she, in her tall crown and white robes was no longer Princess Allura, but a Goddess! He thought that if he was to ever witness another soul take these vows he would careen with jealousy.

She broke their rapture when she caught Keith in a tight embrace. A simple embrace from friend to friend. She was Allura again. "We will do this once more I front of my people when the time is right."

"Sit , please," she asked pulling him down to sit on the steps beside her. The moment had been ruined for him. "Tell me how your work goes."

"It goes well. We have 12 squadrons recovered from your moon. Four of which are in working condition and ready for battle. Pidge has been working night and day on the models and recovering the unfinished plans your father began."

"Excellent. And pilots?"

"We will begin recruiting for pilots as soon as possible. For now the men we have will have to suffice. Along with Voltron."

"Yes, but Voltron can't take down an entire fleet of Zarcon’s before a complete city is destroyed. Your making excellent progress Captain, or is it now Lord?

"Lord to you Lady. My friends can call me Keith." he said with a laugh. "Allura, I have a class to teach in the city tonight, would you do me the honor of escorting me?" He didn’t dare mention that that had been Coran’s' idea. The man was truly worried for the young Princess' mental well being.

"Why Keith, I would be delighted," she said twisting a small curl around her delicate fingers. "Should I change?"

"No! Go as you are, with the exception of the crown. There is someone I want you to meet," he exclaimed as he stood to gather a few of her men to accompany them.

Her innocent smile turned to a frown. Someone who wants to meet me! His girlfriend no doubt! She clutched an angry handful of her white robe as she stood.