Allura backed away until she could back away no further. He towered over her as he always did and his aura of masculinity overwhelmed her. A thrill of fear went through her. There was nowhere to go and the guys in the lions were busy contending with several robeasts terrorizing Arus.

"Nowhere to run to, my lovely.." Lotor smirked.

Allura only glared at him. Lotor laughed and bent to kiss her. Allura gasped and she drew back with her hand to slap him and hit -

Air.

Lotor had dodged out of the way before her hand could make contact.

"Don't you think that's getting OLD by now, Princess?"

Allura spat. "I hate you!"

"That's getting old too.." he smirked.

"It's true and I won't marry you!" she cried.

"Not even if your people suffered?" He quirked an eyebrow.

Her shoulders slumped. He knew her weakness was her people and he would harm them to get to her.

"All right. You know I will do anything for my people, Lotor - even marry you. But I won't love you!"

Suddenly he laughed - a genuine laugh. This puzzled her and it made her angry. Here she was sacrificing herself for his selfishness and he was laughing.

"Do you KNOW how many times we have HAD this conversation?" His eyes danced with mischievousness.

"I don't care! You're a monster! You're a fiend! And you're - " her face froze in realization. "We HAVE had this conversation before!"

"Exactly. Now aren't you tired of it?"

"Lotor.." she sighed. "That doesn't have anything to do with anything! Once again you're forcing me to choose between marrying you and the safety of my people."

"Maybe because if I didn't, you'd settle for the wooden-headed Captain Keith? I've seen more affection from my FATHER, and that is saying a lot!"

Allura hotly defended Keith. "He's not wooden-headed!"

Lotor only smirked and reached out to touch a loose strand of her hair. "Ah but you didn't dispute the fact that he is afraid to show his feelings?"

"He - he's NOT afraid! He just thinks he doesn't have a chance because he's a pilot and I'm a princess!"

"Does he?" Lotor leaned closer.

"No! I mean yes! I mean - what the hell am I telling YOU for?" she exclaimed.

He smirked which only made her angrier.

"Damn you! You've won! Why are you doing this?"

He leaned her against the hull of the ship now and Allura was very aware of him. Very aware their physical differences. She shivered a little. She had never been so close - not like this.

Lotor's hand went up to her face and his fingertips gently caressed her chin.

"Tell me. Look me straight in the eye and tell me you love Captain Keith and I will let you go. I will never chase you nor force you in any way again."

"I don't believe you!" She wanted to slap his hand away, but somehow the fingers on her chin felt - nice.

"You never believe me, princess. But it's either answering me truthfully or Hagar will be planning our wedding. Now, answer me."

Allura swallowed. Was this a chance? All she had to do was answer him truthfully. She knew what the truth was. A picture of Keith's handsome face came to her mind, his tousled hair and his eyes so serious and concerned. Yes. The truth was...

"Princess, I'm waiting." He said.

Allura looked straight into those fascinating eyes. Eyes that she had seen angry and arrogant. Once or twice she had seen them this way - serious, questioning, a yearning. Now she would tell him the truth and perhaps he would keep his word though she doubted it.

"Yes, Lotor. I love Keith."

He closed his eyes for only a moment, hiding the hurt and the rage he felt. His fingers left her chin.

"Very well. You may go. I will withdraw my forces, although I cannot guarantee the safety of your friends. I will never seek you out again, Allura. You are free."

Free? She looked at him startled. Surely this was a trick.

He looked at her, a mask over his raging emotions. He wanted to shake her. Better yet, he wanted to drag her to the floor and rape her. Take what was his and then leave her to weep ad she had left him many times.

But he could not do those things - not to her.

"Did you hear what I said, Princess? GO! If your Keith lives then go and love him. I give you my blessings - though I doubt you'll take them." he sneered.

He turned away and heard her step. She was leaving and he felt like he was being raked over hot coals. His insides burned and his face felt flushed. He knew that after she left he would drink until he did not know who he was or where he was or what he lost - for the last time.

A touch. He felt it on his back. Gentle as a butterfly's wing. He turned and looked at Allura.

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm tired, my dear. Tired. You don't understand me. You think everything must be black and white with no grey in between. You look at me and you see my father. I have done and I will do things that are ruthless. That is my way. But I love you, I have from the first and I will until I die. It is a curse to love you, to chase you, to beg you, to even demand anymore and so I can't. I give you your paradise with Captain Keith, Allura. Consider it a parting gift."

"I lied." Lotor heard her say.

"What?" He looked shocked.

"I lied." She looked up at him.

"You - lied?" He stood stock still. Surely this was a ploy until her friends could rescue her - again.

"Yes, I did. I - I don't love Keith." she bowed her head.

"I see." He did not dare to hope. After all she said she hated him.

She looked up and her blue eyes met his. "I always thought I loved Keith. He came like a gallant knight to Arus. Right on the day that your father's forces nearly destroyed Arus. He was like a savior and even more so when you threatened Arus. Everyone approved of him, even though he was a pilot and I a princess. It was romantic and he was noble and kind."

"Happily ever after.." he frowned.

She sighed. "He looks at me sometimes and I can see that he feels something for me, but I don't know what. You on the other hand, I've always known how you felt."

"And that is?" he crossed his arms elegantly.

"You want to possess me, to be your slave-Queen. You'll use me and then you'll have what you want."

"Use you.." his eyes narrowed. "Allura, if I wanted to simply use you, you would not be standing here right now. You'd be on your back and I would at least be getting something for all my efforts!"

Allura turned crimson with his meaning.

"That's what I'd expect you to say.." she said.

"Expect?" he raised a brow and went towards her. "Do you even care to know me, Allura? I promise I am not predictable at times. I have a temper. Sometimes I am very proud of it, sometimes not. I have a full range of emotions - more than Keith would ever allow himself to have. At least I am honest with what I feel for you."

"And that is?"

She was actually asking him?

He took a deep breath and without hesitance said, "I love you."

"No. You don't. You're just saying that. You don't know what love is."

His eyes snapped in anger. "And you DO?"

"Yes!" Allura yelled. "It's self-sacrifice and caring and loving the other enough to die for them!"

"Is it?" Lotor roared and suddenly took out his lasersword. Allura flinched.

"You think I'd hurt you?" Lotor glared at her and placed the lasersword near his mid-section. "You want me to die, Allura? Will that suit you and the galaxy? I know it'd suit my father. Save him the trouble. Say it. Say it, Allura and I will rid you of my foul presence."

Allura stared at him. Surely he was joking. Surely this was all some elaborate trick. He'd never do that.

She gasped as she saw Lotor suddenly take the lasersword and run it quickly across his mid- section, only enough to open his uniform and cut into his skin.

"No!" She came forward quickly to stop him and Lotor nearly hit her with his sword.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. He dropped his sword and in reflex pulled his arms around her.

Her arms were around his waist and she looked up at him.

"Don't. Please don't do that."

"You don't want me to die?" a small tug of a smile played on his lips.

"No." Allura shivered as she felt his blood stain her uniform. He held her close, enjoying the fact that she did not stand stiffly or coldly. Just stood there naturally, her arms around him.

She pulled away and she said, "Need to treat your wound."

"It's only a scratch.." he shrugged.

"You really meant what you said, didn't you?"

"Yes. I did."

Suddenly she reached up and kissed him gently - the first kiss she had ever freely given him. Lotor thought it would end there but it did not. Allura gently lifted her hand up and touched the smooth planes of his face and then kissed him again. This time he held her close, not forcefully, but naturally. She pulled away, her eyes dark with confusion - but a good confusion.

She smiled suddenly. "Now I know why I always said no."

"Why?"

"Because it would have been easy to say yes..."

He was about to bend over to kiss her when his ships com beeped.

It was Keith.

"Lotor, we have you surrounded! Release the Princess at once!"

Lotor's eyes knitted in anger. Again they would interfere! He was about to stalk over and make his usual threats when Allura placed a fingertip on his lips to silence his angry words.

She went over to the com and said, "Keith, back off. We're negotiating a peace treaty."

"Princess! Are you alright? Has he hurt you?"

"I'm fine. Go back to the castle. I will arrive shortly with Lotor."

"Allura, are you crazy? Lotor's forcing you again isn't he? We'll get you out of there!"

"That's an order, Keith. A ROYAL order. Tell Coran I am fine. Lotor and I are discussing a peace treaty."

"Allura!" Keith protested.

"NOW, Keith." her voice held that "don'tmesswiththeprincess" tone.

She knew Keith and the others would probably back away but never really retreat. As long as they left them alone for a bit, it would work out. She shut off the com and came back to Lotor.

"You're NOT leaving?" he looked incredulous.

"We're negotiating a peace treaty aren't we?"

"Uh..yes?" He'd go along with anything she said at this point.

"Good." she smiled and slipped her arms around his waist.

He couldn't help but smirk. "VERY good.."

"Not as good as this.." she reached up on tiptoe and kissed him again.

"Allura, do you really mean - ?" he asked.

"I don't know yet, Lotor. I want peace for Arus and I want peace for us. Us is a good place to start.."

"Yes, it is.." he smiled and bent to kiss her, his heart overflowing with a billion emotions all at once. Never did he think this raid would amount to this.

Their peace-making negotiations lasted throughout the evening and night, but eventually they hammered out the small details. Within a week they were wed and the universe still turned despite Keith's protests to the contrary.

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