“Kind friend, help me remember who I am...” ~Indigo Girls

Lost and Found

By Meghan Elizabeth Brunner

~in honor of my heartkin. You know who you are~

“HEEEYAAAAHHHH!” Lance ran at his captain with a vigorous shout.

Keith, waited, frowning, and at the last moment swept his attacker’s feet out from under him.

Lance tumbled over, rolling to get up, but Keith pivoted smoothly to launch himself at his opponant, who, caught from behind, fell flat on his face. Keith grabbed Lance’s hair and very nearly bashed his forehead into the ground. They remained so for a moment, panting, before Keith released Lance and stood, offering his combatant a hand up. Lance gratefully accepted, allowed his friend to pull him to his feet. They turned to where Hunk, Pidge, and Allura stood not far away.

Princess nodded, stepping forward. “I think I’ve got it.”

“Okay. Get ready!” Keith warned — and charged.

Allura readied herself for battle, started to trip him. . . and got her foot tangled with his, losing her own balance in the process. Arms flailing, she latched on to the first available handhold, and the two fell to the ground with startled yelps.

A stunned silence enveloped the group.

Allura and Keith blinked at one another in wide-eyed startlement; she had him pinned to the ground, their noses so close they almost touched.

“Are- are you all right?” she asked breathlessly, unable to look away, intensely aware of his nearness, of his warmth, of his slightly ragged breathing in counterpoint to her own.

“Yeah. You?”

“Mmmm-hmmm.”

A moment or two more of silence, brown eyes and blue gently embracing. Wisps golden hair had worked loose from Allura’s bun; the sun’s backlighting made them glow like a radiant aura around her. She looked not quite real, but she held him captive, and she felt real enough. . . Keith abruptly closed his eyes, clearing his throat to break the spell.

“Of course, I would normally expect you to take advantage of this situation,” he instructed in his best teacher voice, but swiftly realized his mistaken phrasing when the crests of Allura’s cheeks turned bright pink. He wished the ground would swallow him up. “I mean. . . uh. . . .”

Pidge, Lance, and Hunk burst out laughing.

The two hurriedly disentangled themselves and scrambled to their feet, dusting their hands on their pants and studiously looking anywhere but at one another. Keith ran a hand through his already disheveled black hair; Princess decorously attempted to tuck disobedient locks back into place. They accidentally caught glances again and turned even more crimson. Which, of course, only made their friends laugh louder.

And in the midst of such meriment the world exploded in a battle-cry of rage.

Instinctively Keith whirled to face the threat, thrust Allura protectively behind him. A tall man with a bluish tinge to his skin landed, faced off with the Captain. His long, stark white hair lashed in the wind.

“Get out of my way!” he demanded.

“Lotor!” Allura gasped as he drew his sword; the blade glowed a menacing blue. There was no way they could defend themselves against that -- their judo outfits didn’t have any weapons on them. She prepared to throw herself in front of Keith; Lotor wouldn’t harm her, she knew. Before she could move, a guard attempted to grab her from behind. She flipped him easily. The potential captor landed with an inelegant thud. Princess made good her training and rammed his face into the dirt, then grabbed his lazar sword and tossed it to her comrade. “Keith! Catch!”

Effortlessly he snagged the weapon mid-air and glared defiantly at his opponant. “Not a chance, Lotor!”

“Then fight -- and die!” So saying, the evil Prince attacked.

The charged weapons met again and again in a crackle, hiss, and whine of energies. Lotor had Keith outmatched for strength, but Keith was quicker. Allura wished there was something she could do, but couldn’t think of anything. She gasped as a hand clasped her wrist, almost fought until she realized it was Pidge.

“Come on, Princess! Keith’s holding them off so we can get to the lions!” he cried, tugging her along.

She nodded reluctantly, asceeding the point though she did not like it. Pidge let go and they sped on. Princess squeezed her eyes against the sounds of battle behind her, but it was too much to bear. She risked a quick glance back. . . and promptly caught her toe on a rock. Gasping, she braced herself for impact, only to have thick hands pull her upright again. She smiled at Hunk, who winked.

“Careful, Princess,” was all he said -- and all he had time to say.

Doom soldiers poured around them, blasters aimed and ready. Hunk pulled the Princess close, but they both knew it was too late. Rough hands grabbed them, blasters drove into their backs. One cry and they knew they’d be dead before help could come. Hunk bit back a nasty oath as they were “escorted” away, tried to give Allura a reassuring smile, but she did not see him. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, her skin pale with apprehension and fury.

* * *

Keith fended off another of Lotor’s blows before flipping high in the air, coming down with a boot aimed right for Lotor’s head.

To his utter astonishment, Lotor deenergized his sword and fled.

The captain landed, stared warily after his nemisis. He didn’t trust it -- why ambush and then leave? Unless it had just been a distraction. . . . But Allura had gotten back to the castle with the others, Keih was certain of it. He’d heard Pidge drag her off, and hadn’t heard any fighting to indicate something had gone amiss. Still. . . he quickly deenergized his sword and sprinted off for the castle and his lion, heart in his throat.

* * *

“I thought they were with you!” Lance cried over his lion’s comm-link.

Keith shook his head vigorously, trying to quell the panic rising within him. “I heard Pidge grab her and run off -- I assumed she made it back to the lions. And Hunk I haven’t seen since practice!”

“I don’t know about Hunk,” Pidge put in, “but as soon as Princess looked like she agreed with me I let go of her. I figured she’d be able to run better without me hanging on.”

Keith bowed his head for a moment, then looked up, a grim set to his expression. “It can only mean that somehow Lotor’s captured them.”

“How?” Pidge demanded. “I didn’t hear a fight!”

“I don’t know, Pidge,” Lance said, “but it’s the only explanation.”

“Right. Keith to Castle Control!”

The aging, careworn face of Arus’s prime minister appeared on their view screens. “Castle Control here.”

“We’re going on a rescue mission, Coran -- Hunk and the Princess have been captured,” Keith informed him, and heard a loud gasp in the background, followed by wailing protests.

“Quiet, Nanny!” Coran reprimanded someone off screen. “Princess Allura is quite capable of taking herself, and besides, Hunk’s there to protect her. I’m sure he won’t let-”

A woman’s pudgy face filled the view screen. She did not look happy. “And if she could take care of herself so well, and Hunk was protecting her, then why did she get captured? Tell me that! Oh, my poor baby, up there all alone with that awful man! She should never have gone off with you to practice; she should have been here, in the castle, taking care of her duties like a proper Princess! You young men march right over there and -”

The members of the Voltron force let the tirade wash over them -- Nanny believed in speaking her mind. . . and did so. Frequently. It was nothing they hadn’t heard time and time again. They just had to wait until she wound down or started sobbing. Trying to get a word in edgewise was worse than futile.

At long last, Coran’s dignified -- if somewhat strained -- visage regained its position on the screen. “I trust you know how much is riding on your success.”

The captain nodded, dark fire in his eyes. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna get ‘em back!”

* * *

Allura and Hunk jerked to attention at the familiar turbulance of landing.

“How long do you think it’s been?” Hunk asked idly.

“I don’t know,” Princess admitted. “Too long, though I’ve got a bad feeling that this holding cell is a lot better than where we’ll end up.”

The sturdy warrior placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Princess. We’ll figure a way out. We always do. Why, I’ll bet Keith and the others are formulating a rescue plan right now!”

Allura smiled wanly at the forced cheerfulness of his tone. “Thanks, Hunk. Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

The immediate, unquestioning, ernest response got a genuine smile from her. She’d expected no less -- Hunk was nothing if not loyal to the last. Which was precicely why she had to make him promise. “Don’t do anything that will get yourself killed on my account. We just have to hold them off till we can get help, remember?” she added quickly, forestalling his protest.

“Yeah, but, Princess -”

“Promise.”

“Keith’ll -”

“Keith would say the same thing if he was in my shoes, and you know it. I’m a big girl, Hunk. After all the training you boys have given me, I’m capable of taking care of myself. I appreciate that you want to protect me, but it won’t do either of us any good throwing our lives away, because that’s just what it would be. Promise me, Hunk!”

He hesitated, torn, and obviously unhappy, but finally gave in. “I promise.”

She favored him with a dazzling smile, all the brighter for their dank surroundings. “Thank you.”

The doors whooshed open, revealing one guard-captain and several robotic underlings, all armed with blasters of considerable size. “Move it, you two!” the captain commanded. “The fat one goes to the dungeons; he’ll be delt with later. For now, the Prince wishes to entertain the beauty -- in his quarters.” He grinned lewdly.

Allura felt her insides turn to ice at the thought and almost, almost let Hunk get away with planting himself firmly in front of her, fists raised for a fight.

“That creep ain’t touchin’ her! Not while I’m around!”

It was so tempting to let him defend her. . . but to what end? He would fight very bravely -- and die very quickly -- and she’d still end up in Lotor’s bedchamber. A Princess’s first duty was to her people. “Hunk,” she said quietly. “Remember your promise.”

He blinked, bewildered, and deflated. He hung his head, and let the guards push him aside, restraining his impulse to fight back with visible effort.

Princess clasped his hand briefly, then walked out with a proud tilt to her chin and a defiant glint in her eyes, for all the world as if she were out for a stroll and the mechanized mercenaries her honor guard.

* * *

Keith removed the key from the ignition and took a deep breath, bracing himself. He hated it when Allura got captured. Lotor wanted all of them, true, and he didn’t like it when any of his other teammates fell into his hands, either. But Lotor’s hands would most certainly behave differently with the Princess in them than one of the others. The evil Prince made no bones about his intentions towards Allura, and that’s what worried Keith most. He knew Allura could take care of herself, he knew Lotor would not kill her. But there were some things worse than death -

The captain firmly cut off his line of thinking. Worrying would do him no good, and Allura none either. It would just distract him, and that could get them both in a world of trouble. He closed his eyes, an image of the lovely Princess smiling at him in his mind. Hold on, Princess. We’re on our way.

Keith fixed his thoughts on the goal ahead -- some people thought he was too linear, but a lot of it was just mental self-defence -- and hopped from the cockpit to meet his friends on the ground.

“We’re going to have to split up -- it’ll increase our chances of finding them and decrease the chances of all of us being caught. Lance, you and Pidge stick together.”

Pidge looked like he was going to protest, so Lance trod hard on his foot. “Gotcha, Keith.” He hoped his captain found the Princess first. It would do them both good for Keith to do a little White Knighting. “Radio when we’ve found somebody?”

Keith nodded. “Right. Let’s go!”

* * *

Allura sat despondantly on the floor, leaning against the bed and trying hard to formulate a plan. Nothing was coming, and her rear end was sore. True, the bed would have been significantly more comfortable. . . but it was his bed. Compared to that, even the unforgiving steel floor felt like a feather pillow.

She’d tried the door -- locked from the outside, and her fists hurt from futile attempts at pounding on it. There were no windows. She had toyed with the idea of ambushing a servant, but no one had entered. She sighed again. The mechanism to the door began a preparatory whirr and she scrambled to her feet, determined to maintain dignity to the end. And end it might well be, if her guess was correct.

It was.

The door swished shut.

Lotor towered over her with that horrible, predatory smile.

“Ah. . . my beautiful princess. . .” he reached one gloved hand to stroke her cheek; she batted it away defiantly.

“I am not yours, nor never will be!” she spat, flashing blue eyes meeting insidious yellow like the clash of lazar swords.

And then that laugh. That horrible, mocking laugh that sent chills down her spine and almost made the Princess take a step back despite herself -- maybe she should have -- but then it was too late, his arms were around her. “Such spirit,” he murmured in that oily voice, his breath a rank breeze on her face; before she could struggle his lips crushed hers, his hands pulled her tighter to him.

On pure reflex she brought her knee up hard -- he released her, doubled over in pain. She stood panting, sickened, tensed for attack. “I -- will -- not -- submit!” She aimed a hard kick at his gut -- he caught her foot in his hands and pulled her off balance. With an indignant shriek she toppled onto the bed, clawing, scrambling to be free.

“Come now, Princess,” he panted as he pinned her, one hand clapped over her mouth. “Why all the fuss? You know you -AAAAAHH!” he yelped as she bit him hard; he recoiled slightly and she managed to get upright for about half a second before he backhanded her hard enough that she slammed into a nearby wall. Vision dancing, it was all she could do to remember to breathe as she crumpled to the floor.

A long, tense moment passed. She could hear him breathing. She wondered when he’d try again. She wondered if she’d still be able to fend him off. She heard the door swish open and the acrid stench of sulfur and the sickly sweet smell of rotting things that marked Hagar’s presence. She looked up with the most defiant glare she could muster. . . and was mesmerized by the weird green glow surrounding her staff. Allura tried to look away but was caught in the swirl. . . whimpered as she felt her soul trying to rip free of her body. Her world began to dim and fade and crumble around the edges until there was nothing but the ill-making glow, Lotor’s voice, and the memory of Keith’s quicksilver grin.

Even when the blackness finally claimed her, a vague smile shaped her lips.

* * *

Pace. Pace. Pace. Stop. Turn. Pace. Pace. Pace. Stop. Turn.

Hunk’s steps were muted, the sound of bare feet upon steel. His thoughts, however, raged as hot as his temper. Every footfall timed to an emphatic mental Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.

He’d been captured before and escaped -- that didn’t bother him. There wasn’t much they could to do him. His real concern was for the Princess.

Damn. He paused to strike a fist against unforgiving steel. Should’a been able to protect her. Damn.

He wished a guard would hurry up and come so he could take out some pent-up frustrations... and escape while he was at it.

* * *

Lance and Pidge peeked around the corner of the next hallway. No one in sight, but better to go into it separately so they wouldn’t both be taken by surprise if they were wrong. There’d still be someone for backup.

“I’ll go,” Pidge whispered, and pattered quietly around the corner and down the stretch of corridor.

Lance peeked out again. Pidge was at the far corner and waving an “all clear.” Lance hurried to catch up when his ears detected the ominous sound of an automatic door. Pidge’s eyes widened, but before either of them could move, the open space contracted like an iris -- and sealed. Lance banged on it futily, cursed in a couple different languages, and opened his comm link.

“Pidge, you okay?” he asked, hushed.

“Yeah. I think someone knows we’re here, though; a door on the other end just shut, too, so I’m trapped.”

“Trapped?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, though -- I see a ventilation shaft I think I can crawl through.”

“Do you know where it leads?”

“No clue,” came the cheerful response, “but I guess I’ll find out. Over and out!” The comm winked off.

Lance sighed, but there really was nothing for it. More cautiously this time, he set off.

* * *

“Keith!!!”

Her own desparate shriek was enough to rip the last layers of Magick that held her unconsccious; Allura clawed her way to sitting but slouched back, dizzy and disoriented.

“Hush. . . hush, milady.” A woman’s voice, urgent but kind. Gentle hands soothing her. In the dim light Allura could see the woman’s coppery tresses.

She’s not much older than me! “Where. . .”

“Not important. Yet. Who is this Keith?”

Memories. . . flashing, fleeting, there and then gone. “I don’t. . . someone important. . . to me, I think. . .”

“Well, it’s a start. Who is Lotor?”

Stark terror raced through her veins. Her expression must’ve showed it; the woman smiled in grim pleasure. “Even better. Listen, we don’t have much time. I’ll get you out of here, but you have to play by my rules. Lotor had his witch try to brainwash you, but evidently it didn’t work right. He doesn’t know it, though, so your only chance is to play along with anything Lotor says or does because if he finds out. . .”

Allura, though still bleary, shuddered -- left unsaid it was even more potent a threat. “I trust you,” she said simply. And she did, though she wasn’t sure quite why.

“Good. Let’s get you dressed.” She strode to a wardrobe, and the Princess watched with a sort of detached curiosity as she ruffled through the contents. “Here, this should do nicely.” She turned around.

The Princess came fully awake at the sight of the sheer robe. “Where’s the rest of it?!”

The woman shrugged. “You have to be believable -- if you aren’t, you’ll spend the rest of your life in one of these things -- when you’re not in less -- and liking it.”

Allura’s cheeks heated but she said nothing, only demurely allowed the woman to garb her in what little clothing there was. And not a moment too soon. Allura was seated on the bed, the woman was still brushing out the princess’s long, golden tresses when the door whirred open and Lotor strode in with a goblet and a bottle of red liquid in hand.

“Sleeping beauty wakens. . .” he leered, allowing himself a full look at her well-endowed (and well-revealed) figure.

Allura concentrated on keeping her eyes cast subserviantly down. She felt the other woman back away in defference to her master. She heard Lotor smash the top from the bottle, heard the liquid stream into the glass, nearly gagged as he tipped up her chin and forced her to drink.

“Forgive me, my dear, but it is better to be safe. . .”

At long last he released her; Allura swayed slightly, reeling from the effects of the potent, bitter-tasting Doom spirits. Before long he pulled her up and pressed her to him, kissed her full on the lips, making little sounds of pleasure as he lingered. The princess trembled with the repressed urge to fight; repulsed almost to retching she pulled out the oldest trick in the book.

She pretended to swoon.

Lotor, feeling her go limp, broke contact and carried her tenderly to the bed and tucked her in, the predatory gleam brightening his eyes to resemble a demented cat’s. “My beautiful prize. . . mine will be the first face you see when you wake.” He perched on the bed, traced with a forefinger the proud cheekbones, the soft curve of her neck. . .

Allura blinked muzzily, tried to sit up but crumpled back with an intentional whimper.

“My love. . . ?” His voice actually held a note of concern.

“Please. . . I must rest. . .” she whispered.

Conflict warred on the evil Prince’s face before it slipped to a blank mask. “So be it. Kiera!”

The waiting-woman stepped from the corner, eyes cast down. “Yes, master?”

“She sleeps. Stay with her -- I have important business to attend to. I wish to be notified the instant she’s awake.”

“Yes, master.”

With a satisfied nod and a grunt he stood, strode out the door.

Silence.

Then, “You may open your eyes now.”

Allura struggled out of the bed, shuddering, as Kiera walked to her. “Here, we must hurry. Put these on.” With alacrity she helped pour the half-incoherent princess into a woolen tunic and britches and throw a heavy cloak around her shoulders. “No one will recognize you in this -- just keep the hood up. He won’t find out you’re gone until you’re safely out of reach, with any luck at all.” She gave brief, simple directions to the nearest servants’ exit; Princess nodded vaguely and Kiera could only hope she understood. “Good luck,” she whispered as she propelled her charge out the door.

The princess looked back into the woman’s eyes and caught a flash of a warrior’s spirit. “Kiera. . . ?”

“Yeah?”

“Come too.”

“I’ll follow,” she said with quiet assurance, though a part of her was sure she’d never have the chance. She brushed away the thought -- she’d willingly accepted that possibility long ago. “Now go.”

“Thank you,” Princess Allura whispered before staggering off.

* * *

Keith smiled grimly. The dungeons. He’d never been to these particular dungeons before, but if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. One or both of his teammates would likely be down here, if he could just figure which door. He wished that evil overlords had kept the quaint mideival custom of a small barred opening at the top of the door -- it would make it so much easier to figure out which cell belonged to the person you were trying to rescue. Which, he reflected, was probably why they did away with it. Scowling, he strode along, hoping for inspiration to hit when his eye caught a piece of paper mounted to the wall. He paused to examine it, and his face slowly creased into a jaunty grin. He followed the colemn down until he found the listing “Space Explorerer, HIGHLY DANGEROUS” double-checked he had the cell number correct, then went down the hall to find it. The last one I tried. Figures, he thought wryly as he reached the end of the block. He removed a small square device from his belt and placed it over the key console and crouched down, waiting for it to chitter and squeek its way to the correct combination. Just walking in would be a bad idea; whichever of his friends resided within would more than likely attempt to escape. Getting knocked out cold was not his idea of a good time.

The device paused, then beeped obligingly, and shut down. Keith removed it as the door swished open and peeked inside -- lowly -- to find Hunk tensed for attack. He grinned -- he knew his friends pretty well. “Hunk,” he called as loud as he dared. “Down here!”

The big man looked down, and chuckled. “Whatcha doin?”

“Rescuing you, and avoiding getting hit,” he answered as he straigntened and Hunk strolled out. “Where’s Princess?”

His teammate’s face darkened. “Lotor’s got her in his chambers. Or, at least, that’s what the guards said.”

A flash of fury passed Kieth’s expression, then was gone. He opened his comlink. He waited a couple seconds for Lance’s face to flash onto the monitor. “Found Hunk,” the captain explained without preamble. “He says Princess is in Lotor’s chambers.”

Lance nodded matter-of-factly, though there was death in his eyes as well. “Pidge and I got separated -- he’s taking a ventilation shaft to somewhere. I’ll radio him, then look for the Princess.”

“Copy. Keith out,” Keith affirmed, then snapped off his comm link. “C’mon, Hunk. Let’s go save the Princess.”

* * *

Kiera looked up sharply at the sound of the doors sliding open, tried not to let the fear show in her eyes as Lotor strode in purposefully. She rose smoothly, stood before the bed.

“My master,” she began, eyes cast humbly down, “the girl has not yet wakened -- it is too soon -”

“I must see her!” he declared, shoving her roughly aside. His manner then changed completely as he knelt at the bedside, tenderly pulled back the covers to reveal a stack of pillows.

Kiera began to count her life in seconds.

The evil prince sprang to his feet, whirled to face his trembling servant. “Where is she?!”

“I do not know, master -”

“Liar!” the word cracked out almost as loudly as the sharp contact of flesh on flesh.

The woman tried to dodge -- she knew she was no match in strength, knew also that no help would come. No one would hear her scream -- but she would not, no, pride forbade it! But every second she detained him bought the golden-haired woman another moment closer to freedom, another inch closer to her Keith.

“Tell me where she is!” Lotor raged, slapped her hard when no answer was forthcoming.

“I told you -- I don’t know!” It was the truth. She could be anywhere by now. Kiera could not stop the tears of pain from coursing down her cheeks.

“You helped!” His fingers dug into her soft upper arms; he slammed her into a wall. “Traitor!” Again. “Traitor!” Again. “Traitor!”

After a bit some of the rage cleared; Lotor fumed, but this slumped, useless woman would gain him no information. Every second he stayed, his true love slipped further and further away. He released the slave girl, paid little attention as she crumpled to the floor and weakly tried to crawl away. Absently he stepped over her on his way out.

Distantly, Kiera hoped that whoever he was, this Keith loved the girl, too.

The doors swished shut.

* * *

The staccato clack of bootheels echoed down the hall; Lance quickly ducked into a darkened corner and flatened himself against the wall, praying the footfalls were loud enough to cover the frantic beating of his heart. No matter how many times he did this, and no matter how he loved the adventure, there was always a sense of gnawing unease -- maybe even fear -- in the pit of his stomach. He supposed it was reasonable, supposed his teammates felt the same. After all, they were vastly outnumbered in an enemy fortress on a mission to rescue two friends who may or may not still be alive and well. Any reasonable person would be at least a little concerned.

Prince Lotor strode by; Lance could tell by his posture, step, and the fire in his eyes that he was not pleased about something. Probably Princess, he thought with a small smile, remembering what a spitfire she could be when angered. Probably on his way to find Hagar and get some spell to help out. The realization chilled his blood. He waited until the sharp sound of footsteps faded, then hurried in the direction from which the evil Prince had come.

Not far down the hall was a dead end and a single door, to Lotor’s chambers, he guessed. Don’t worry, Princess, I’ll get you out of there. Just hang on. He took a small square device from his belt and placed it over the locking mechanism. It chittered and purred quietly. Lance tapped his foot. After a small eternity it beeped happily at him and shut down. The door whirred open obligingly. He retrieved his device and stepped cautiously inside.

And halted dead in his tracks.

A woman with hair the color of burnished copper huddled face-down on the floor, sobbing.

The pilot hurried over to her, knelt at her side. “Hey. . . uh, Miss? Are. . . are you all right?”

She raised a tearstreaked face to meet his brown eyes with her own, the color of moss on the forest floor. Dark, angry bruises were beginning to stand out against her fair skin. “Better now than I will be when he returns, I’m sure,” she whispered in a cracked voice. With a wince she pushed herself up, managed to sit cross-legged on the floor. She raked a hand through her long, disordered tresses, made an attempt at pulling herself together. “Name’s Kiera. And you are. . . ?”

Lance’s eyes widened at the almost non-existant clothing that scarcely covered her generous assets. He tried not to stare. “Um. . . Lance. What happened?”

“I helped one of his captives escape. I’d stuffed the bed and stayed in hopes that he would think her still sleeping when he came and give her more time to escape, but he wanted to see her again. I’ve done it before and never gotten caught at it, though I had a feeling that after helping this one I’d better leave too. He cared more about her than the others. She should be outside by now, though, and safe. As long as he doesn’t find her again.” She eyed his white and blue uniform critically. “You’re one of the Voltron Force, aren’t you?”

He nodded, brushing it off. “This captive, what did she look like?” he asked, though in his heart he already knew.

“Pretty -- long blonde hair, blue eyes. Couldn’t get her name; Lotor’d brain-washed her before I got the chance to ask. I don’t think it worked all the way, though. She must have some willpower to stand up to Hagar’s Magick.”

Every one of Lance’s vital organs dropped into his boots with a dizzying rush.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” he said, shaking it off and rising. “I came here to rescue her, me and my friends. Come on, I can’t leave you here. Can you stand?”

“Mmmhmm,” she said, taking his proffered hand and allowing him to haul her to her feet. She was beginning to be brusies all over, and Lance winced.

“If you managed to get other people out, why did you stay to let him beat you like that?” he asked, hushed.

She shrugged. “There’s little for me out there. My family was all killed. Some of these girls -- they have families. Lovers. People who want them back. It was worth getting knocked around a little bit to keep him from getting his filthy hands on them,” she spat out, eyes flashing, and shuddered involuntarily.

Lance gazed at her in wonder, enchanted by her bravery and fire as well as her beauty. To subject herself to that, just to help others. . . Roughly he shook himself from reverie, reminding himself that this was neither the time nor place. He opened his comm link. “Keith, you there?”

His leader’s face flashed in the view screen. “What is it, Lance?”

“Princess escaped -- I tracked down Lotor’s chambers and found a lady named Kiera who helped her out. She thinks Princess probably made it out of the castle by now. I’m bringing her with me -- let’s all meet outside and we can search from there.”

“I read you. Get out of there before Lotor gets back -- I’ll radio Pidge. Keith out.”

The viewscreen snapped to black.

Lance turned to meet Kiera’s wide-eyed stare. “What is it?”

“She’s a Princess?”

He nodded. “Princess Alura, ruler of Arus and pilot of the Blue Lion.”

She let out a low whistle. “No wonder Lotor was so intent! Come on, your friend has a point. Let’s get out of here. I know how -- I’ll lead the way.”

He caught her arm. “Wait -- you can’t go out like that. It’s cold out there -- you’ll freeze!”

Kiera laughed hollowly. “I don’t have much choice. The only heavy clothes I had I gave to your Princess friend.” She tried to shrug it off. “Not like it’s any big loss if I freeze. What’s one harlot slave girl more or less? Who would care about that?”

Lance pressed a gloved hand to her cheek. Reluctantly she looked up. Their gazes caught. “I care.”

She tried to pull away. “No, Lance. Why should you?”

“Hey!” he reprimanded gently but firmly, shaking her a little. “You are a very courageous woman, Keira. Not many people could do what you did. Not and keep their sanity. Every woman you’ve saved, every life you’ve touched has helped other people. Whether they know it or not, they care. The world would be a lot worse off without you, so I don’t want to hear you talking like that, understood?”

Kiera gazed at him mutely for a long space before gently pulling his face down to hers and kissing him.

After a second he pulled away. “Kiera, don’t. I’m not like that. . . Just because I saved you, doesn’t mean -”

“Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s not the reason, okay?”

He nodded dumbly, his eyes full of her.

“Just so we’ve got that cleared up. Now let’s get out of here -- this room has enough bad memories. I’d rather not add our deaths to them.”

Lance nodded. “All right. Come on, I’ll clobber a guard on our way out and you can swipe his clothes.”

She chuckled, well pleased with the thought.

The mechanical doors swooshed open, and shut. And they were gone.

* * *

Pidge rubbed his hands vigorously in an attempt to warm them. As the smallest, he was more temperature sensitive than the rest of the team. It was something he’d learned to endure. . . but that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it. He wished the others would hurry up.

He frowned, squinting into the distance. Someone in a heavy brown cloak picked a careful path away from the castle. Escaped slave? Servant? He sat back on his heels, trying to decide if the person needed help or if he’d get himself captured for his trouble.

The figure stumbled, and that decided it. He jumped from concealment to offer support. “Are you o-” he asked softly, but cut off with a gasp as he looked up and caught sight of the face within the cowl. “Princess?!”

She blinked, frowning slightly as if trying to bring her thoughts to coherency. Her eyes refused to focus. Drugged! his mind whispered in horror. Or under one of Hagar’s spells! His hand instinctively reached for his comm link as he began to lead his companion to the rocks. “Hey, guys, I found the Princess! Let’s meet at -”

ZANG!

The metalic, electric sound of a blaster caused both heads to snap up, Pidge’s a split second before he cried out as a burning pain grazed his calf. The comm link tumbled from his fingers, skittered twenty feet away as Pidge lost his balance and fell, smacking his head on one of the rocks with a sharp crack!

“Pidge!” the cry ripped from Princess’s heart without thought. She dove to the ground and snatched his blaster, then turned and fired on the robotic guard. He exploded in flame as the lazar ripped through his circuitry, but was as soon forgotten.

Adrenaline had momentarily cleared Princess’s head. She knelt at her teammate’s side, her chest tight with fear. He was so still. . . ! “Can. . . can you hear me?” she whispered, strained, as she hesitantly smoothed back his hair and adjusted his glasses. He opened his eyes momentarily, smiled weakly. He captured one of her hands in his and gave it a faint squeeze before he slid back to unconscousness.

Allura gently scooped him up -- Pidge was light enough that even she could carry him. Shelter. The thought drifted through her mind as fat, cold snowflakes began to fall. A quick scan of the area revealed a cave not far distant. She rose and stumbled off in that direction.

Twenty feet away, Pidge’s comm link crackled with static and Keith’s voice.

* * *

“Pidge? Pidge! Do you read me, Pidge?! Come in!” Keith demanded roughly, smacking the comm link hard.

Static. Nothing more.

“Damn,” he cursed uncharacteristically, slamming the link closed and viciously jamming it back over the buckle clasp of his utility belt. He looked up at Hunk. “Come on -- we’ve gotta get out there.”

Hunk nodded. “They’re in trouble -- let’s go.”

They hurried down the twisted halls with soft steps and swift feet; a thick sense of repressed urgency hung around them like a shroud, just barely keeping them from sprinting for the exit for fear they might be discovered. Suddenly Hunk grabbed Keith’s arm.

“Did you hear that?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“No, what?”

“Shhh... listen.”

It came again, barely audible. “Help.... me....”

“There’s someone over there!” Hunk exclaimed in a hushed voice. Then, slightly louder, “Keep talkin’; we’ll find ya.”

A few minutes of tracking later, they came to the robed body lying prone on the floor. Hunk knelt by the person’s side as Keith looked over his shoulder.

“What happened? Are you okay?” the captain asked. The figure’s head raised.

“Princess!” Hunk cried.

“No!” Keith grabbed at his partner’s arm to pull him back as he caught the gaze of eyes that flashed briefly yellow.

Too late.

* * *

Kiera frowned, trying unsuccesfully to roll up her sleeves at the cuffs as she led Lance through the labrynthian corridors. She was gaining new respect for the royal guards; their uniforms were terribly uncomfotatble. She wasn’t used to having so much material on her, and moreover, the nasty stuff was stiff -- nearly impossible to cuff the sleeves with one hand. Still, she had to admit it would keep her from freezing outside.

“Here, let me.”

She whipped around, startled at Lance’s hand on her shoulder. “What?”

“You look like you’re having a little trouble,” he said, indicating the troublesome cuffs with a nod of his head. “Kind of hard to do one-handed. Want help?”

She blinked a couple times, trying to grasp this kindness. “Um. . . okay. Sure. Thanks.” She extended her hands to him and he deftly rolled them to fit properly. His touch, though fleeting, sent shivers down her spine. She quickly turned away. “We- we’re almost there. To the exit, I mean.”

He nodded. “Lead on.”

But she did not lead more than two hallways before she turned a corner and immediately doubled back, pressing Lance to a wall and shushing him fiercely.

“What is it?” he querried in barely more than a whisper.
“Hagar. She’s ensorceled two people I’m assuming are your teammates from the way they’re dressed.”

Kiera hadn’t time for another word before her companion was around the bend, lazar gun drawn and ready. She scrambled after him.

Lance stood a moment, stunned and horrified at the sight of his friends, held in suspended animation by an ill-making green glow as the old witch chanted sinisterly. Almost without thought he aimed and fired.

Hagar shrieked horribly as the blast ruptured her forcefield and disrupted her spell, though the shot did not contact her. She whirled on Lance.

“Lookout!” Kiera howled to him, throwing herself in a flying tackle at the hag.... who disappeared an instant before contact. Kiera thudded heavily to the ground, the breath knocked from her. Silver sparks danced before her eyes.

“You okay?” Lance asked, rushing to her side.

She heaved herself up, coughed roughly, shook her head to clear it, and fixed Lance with a wry half-grin. “What’s another bruise to add to the collection, huh?” She winced, but managed to stand. “You guys okay?” she asked Keith and Hunk, who were shaking off the aftereffects of Hagar’s other spell.

“Yeah,” Keith affirmed, with a nod from Hunk. “Thanks for the rescue. I take it you’re Kiera?”

She nodded. Lance gestured to his teammates. “Kiera, these are my teammates: Commander Keith, Hunk.”

“Good ta know ya,” Hunk grinned. “Now let’s get outta here before she comes back with reinforcements!”

* * *

Snow. It was the only thought Princess Allura could wrangle out of her fractured and fuzzy mind as she gazed blankly out the mouth of the cave. Lots of snow.

She looked down at the shivering figure on her lap -- a boy with toussled brown hair and glasses. He was in shock, but beyond holding him with her valuminous brown cloak wrapped around them both to conserve body heat there was nothing she could do. She knew she should know his name, but all she could manage was the vague idea that he was a friend and that more friends must be nearby. People who would eventually find them if she could just hold on long enough.

The world spun away from her again, as it had a nasty habit of doing whenever she kept her eyes open too long. She closed them and bowed her head, trying not to shiver.

* * *

Lance rested a hand on his commander’s shoulder. The entire group halted in their tracks.

“Hmmm?”

“Keith, we’ve gotta take a break. We could rest in the cave over there, set up a fire, figure out a plan.”

Keith hesitated, torn, and finally lowered his head for an instant before addressing the group. “Okay, gang, we’ll break long enough to warm up and set a course of action. Lance is right -- we won’t do Pidge and Princess any good if we freeze out here. Head for the cave over there.” He led the way, mentally kicking himself for his singlemindedness. He’d been so worried about his missing teammates (especially Allura, he secretly admitted) that he’d forgotten to tend to those still with him.

“Anyone here?” Hunk called, peering in the cave’s entrance as Lance scanned the interior with his flashlight. Kiera went to the back wall and gathered the wood, flint, and tinder left there for emergencies.

The illumination came to rest upon a huddled, cloaked form.

Keith gasped at some familiar golden locks that escaped from under the cowl. He removed his helmet and, almost stumbling, hurried to kneel beside the figure. With trembling hands he lifted back the hood. “Allura,” he whispered, pained. Her face was ashen, eyes closed in sleep or-

A sudden rush of panic overtook him; Keith frantically searched for her lifebeat and bit back a cry of relief, let his fingers rest thankfully on the faint, irregular pulse fluttering under his touch like a bird. She was alive. Tenderly he pressed a hand to her cheek, flinched at the chill of her skin. He traced one fine eyebrow with his thumb. “Princess? Come on, open your eyes. Wake up, Allura, please. . .”

She whimpered quietly, snuggling her face into Kieth’s palm.

“That’s it -- I know you’re all right, Allura. Open those pretty blue eyes and come back to us.”

With a regretful sigh she muzzily blinked herself awake and lifted her head, tried to focus on the face before her. The beautiful, dark eyes, disheveled jet hair. . . he looked like the hero out of some faerie-story, but more familiar. . . he was the one from the vision she had held tight to protect her from Hagar’s magic and a fading memory. Only now the smile was faint, his brow creased in worry. But still the same person. . . She reached out to touch his face, hesitated. Surely he’s not real.

But the hand that clasped hers, strong and warm though gloved, was very real. Her eyes widened as memory started to trickle back. “Keith?” she whispered.

He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, heard it echoed by Lance and Hunk behind him. Keith hadn’t even noticed their approach. “Right here, Allura. Welcome back to the world -- you had me worried for a minute there,” he said with a relieved smile.

Princess’s eyes pooled with tears of joy, but she didn’t allow time for that. She peeled back her cloak to reveal Pidge. “He’s hurt; a blaster shot grazed him on the leg, and I think he hit his head when he fell,” she explained haltingly.

Hunk reached down to collect his “little buddy,” smiled reassuringly to the Princess. “He’ll be fine, Princess. Thanks for takin’ care of him.”

“I’ll go see if Kiera has any first aid supplies in here,” Lance said with a nod. “Glad we found you, Princess.”

“Me too.” She smiled a bit distantly as he turned and sauntered to where the other woman was tending the fire, Hunk lumbering after him.

“How about you?” Keith asked quietly, holding her hands between his two to warm them.

She shivered involuntarily. “Cold,” she said, as if to herself. “So tired. . .”

A deep tenderness stole into Keith’s expression. Gently, so gently, he picked her up and carried her nearer the fire, sat down cross-legged with his back against the cave wall for support and his love cradled on his lap, and arranged the cloak so it covered them both. She snuggled closer, nestling her head under his chin and sighing in contentment.

“You’re not. . . hurt. . . are you?” Keith asked lowly.

She took inventory, found nothing major. “I fought. . . Lotor” yes, that was his name “but I don’t think. . .” she shook her head to clear it. “What was I trying to say?”

Keith frowned slightly, tipped her chin up so her eyes met his. They wouldn’t quite focus. “Princess, did he give you anything to eat or drink?”

“Hmmm?” She blinked, trying to keep herself in the present and only moderately succeeding. Had he said something?

“Come on, stay with me, here.” He shook her gently. “Don’t fade out, Allura. This is important. Did -- he -- drug -- you?”

She thought hard. “I. . . don’t remember. . . ” She closed her eyes against another wave of dizziness.

He tightened his protective embrace instinctively as his heart skipped a beat and a half before he took a deep breath and forced himself to think rationally. Lotor wouldn’t give her anything dangerous. For all his cold-blooded, ruthless tendencies, Keith had to admit the man would never harm her. In any event, there was nothing he could do until they got back to Arus.

“Warming up any?” Keith asked softly, absently stroking long golden tresses.

“Mmm-hmm,” came the fuzzy, half-conscious response as she cuddled back the way she’d been before. “Warm here.” She pressed a hand over his heart. “Here, too.”

Keith allowed himself an unseen smile as he tucked the cloak more tightly around her. “Sweet dreams, Princess,” he whispered, covering the slim hand over his heart with one of his own.

Within moments her breathing settled into the gentle rhythm of deep slumber.

The captain gazed at the others. “How’s Pidge?”

“Okay for now, but he needs more help than we can give him here.” Lance shrugged, then quirked a half-serious, half-playful smile his way. “Princess?”

“Same. Maybe Lotor drugged her, but I can’t imagine him giving her anything poisonous. She’s mostly just cold, I think.”

Kiera chuckled. “Not anymore, I bet.”

Keith let it pass, though he couldn’t help smiling. His expression turned quickly sober. “Someone needs to get one of the lions. We won’t all be able to make it -- especially not carrying Princess and Pidge.”

“I’ll go,” Lance volunteered. “I’m faster than Hunk, and you should probably stay with the Princess.” Again, that half-mischevious glint in his eyes.

Keith nodded solemnly.

“Be careful,” Kiera warned, and Lance gave her a cocky smile before jogging out the door.

* * *

“Keith? Keith!”

“Hmmmwha?” the captain hauled himself to consciousness, his head snapping up.

Lance chuckled. . . their proud captain had an intricate web of lines imprinted across one side of his face from falling asleep with his cheek rested on Allura’s golden hair. Lance had almost hated to wake him; they’d both looked so peaceful. . .

Keith realized why his friend was laughing and winced, head falling back against the cave wall. “I can’t believe I just did that,” he groaned.

Lance shrugged, a lop-sided grin painting his face. “Can’t say as I blame ya!” He bit back another chuckle at the dismayed look on his teammate’s face. It wasn’t fair, really, to tease him when he wasn’t fully awake yet. . . on the other hand, Keith rarely provided such a wonderful opportunity. “Come on, Romeo” he said, deciding to be nice. Well, mostly. “It’s time to head home.”

With a sigh and some effort Keith managed to stand, still holding the Princess. He grimaced as he shook his feet out one at a time. “Bad position -- foot’s asleep. Both of ‘em.”

Really, Keith was playing into this far too much. “I dunno. . . you didn’t look like you minded,” Hunk observed, beating Lance to the punch.

The captain didn’t dignify it with a reply -- he was pretty sure he’d just dig himself in deeper. He hunched protectively over Allura’s inert form in an attempt to shield her from the biting cold and hurried to the shelter of Red Lion.

They rode in silence back to the other lions. Keira stayed with Lance, and Hunk took over Green Lion, carrying its pilot with him. Keith, predictably, returned to his Black Lion, settling Allura as comfortably as he could in the back. He brushed her forehead gently with a kiss before strapping himself into the pilot’s chair and inserting his key.

“Keith to Castle Control: mission accomplished! Have a med team ready for us when we land!”

As one, three lions took to the skies...

* * *

Coran stood straight and dignified at the drawbridge’s end, outward composure belying the turmoil within. He felt more like Nannly looked; the matronly woman’s brows were knitted in concern as she wrung her hands and mumured prayers and laments under her breath. She was holding up remarkably well, all things considered. Coran had half expected hysterics by now. Or maybe she’d just gotten those done with when the news came in.

A roar filled the air as three lions appeared in the sky; Coran could almost feel Nanny and the med team behind him lean forward in anticipation as the great Black Lion landed, Red and Green flanking it. The power cut, and for several heartbeats everything was so still that the clicks from the space mice’s claws on the steel drawbridge were deafening.

Red Lion’s hatch opened first, Lance bounding out and helping an oddly-dressed woman down behind him. The Green Lion was next to yield its occupants, Hunk landing heavily on the ground and quickly carrying Pidge to one of the waiting gurneys. Another moment, then two, and Keith carefully descended from Black Lion, the still-sleeping Princess in his arms, and rapidly strode to them. He looked for all the world like a faerie-tale hero with his head high, black mane of hair tangling in the wind and a fierce, protective light in his eyes. Coran took a step forward, but stopped when Nanny ran tearfully to meet the commander, clucking and moaning over “her little Princess” as ever so gently Keith placed Allura on the stretcher. He gazed down at her, lost to the outside world, and brushed a few wisps of hair from her eyes. He clasped her hand for an instant, whispered something too low to hear before letting go and taking a silent step backwards. The med team sped their Princess off to the infirmary, Nanny trailing behind. Coran glanced around; Hunk, Lance, and the woman were meandering up the drawbridge, evidently not overly worried about their friends. Well, that was a good sign. Had the Princess and Pidge been in jepordy, the others would not have looked so sanguine. The Prime Minister let his gaze light on Keith; the captain had not moved since the med team had whisked the Princess away. His head was bowed, fists clenched and held stiffly at his sides as if fighting some inner battle. After a time he slowly looked up and loosened his hands, then calmly strode after his friends. In his eyes though. . . a fierce intensity.

Coran smiled slightly to himself. He did not always approve of the Princess’s actions, but he usually understood them. He would rather she not run off fighting battles and jeapordizing her safety. . . but she was decended from a line of very stubborn warriors, and he couldn’t reasonably expect her to sit idly in the castle. He had hoped she would marry a Prince, too, but. . . Well, one couldn’t always be picky. Coran didn’t have it in him to ask her to marry without her heart, and from what he’d seen, her heart belonged to the young commander. Keith was honorable and valiant; he had fought well for their planet. And evidently was as smitten with the Princess as she was with him. It was a good match. And if it wasn’t quite as noble as he’d hoped for Alfor’s daughter. . . well, there were more important things than bloodlines.

He watched Keith’s retreating form and smiled again. Yes, Keith would take good care of her. The Princess and the Commander. The people of Arus would be overjoyed. Now, if only she and Keith would quit hiding behind smiles and glances and get on with a real courtship. . .

* * *

Allura hmmmed contentedly, nuzzling into her pillow, and frowned. Something was not right. A little disoriented, she opened her eyes. The light was dim, but she could make out her bedroom. How did I get here? Last thing I remember is Keith, in the cave. . . . She sat up fast and swayed slightly as her world spun ‘round.

“Careful, Princess,” a kind voice cautioned; a hand reached out to steady her.

She closed her eyes a moment. Someone perched on the edge of her bed. She looked up to see the face from her dreams peering at her in concern. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in a night or two, but he still made her heart skip a beat. “Keith,” she said with a smile.

He grinned at the quiet light in her eyes. “Nice dreams? You were smiling.”

The Princess nodded, though she couldn’t remember specifics anymore. She shivered slightly.

“Cold?”

Princess bit her bottom lip against a smile and dropped her gaze. “Yeah, a little.”

He hesitated a moment, torn between desire and propriety. Decorum won out. “Um. . . do you want. . .” he trailed off, gesturing to the closet.

Allura couldn’t help looking a little crestfallen, but there was no way out, really. “Okay.”

Keith sprung up, rifled through her closet. And was profoundly glad she didn’t keep any of her underthings in there or he would’ve been as pink as the robe he eventually pulled out. “This one good?”

“Yeah,” she said without really looking, and got out of bed so she could put it on. And discovered her balance hadn’t really recovered yet.

Keith dropped the robe in his haste to steady his friend. “You okay?” he asked, a note of alarm in his voice. “Maybe I should get Dr -”

“No!”

Keith raised one eyebrow questioningly.

“I- I just got up a little fast.”

“You shouldn’t even be out of bed,” he tenderly admonished, scooping her up in his arms.

Allura snuggled against him. “You’re better than a robe anyway,” she murmured, blushing at her forwardness. Are you still drugged?! What on Arus do you think you’re doing? a voice in the back of her mind berated. She ignored it with regal authority.

Keith chuckled lowly; she could feel it rumble in his chest. He didn’t protest, though, and sat on the bed again with her on his lap.

After a moment, Allura looked up at him. “How’s Pidge?”

“A-okay. He’s got a nice lump from hitting his head, and he’ll be on crutches until his leg heals, but he’s up and about already. You did real well back there; he might not have made it without you.”

Allura glowed at the praise. “I’m glad he’s all right. How long have I been asleep?”

“About a day and a half, I’d say. They had to pry Nanny out of here with a stick; even exhausted she puts up a good fight,” he chuckled. Then, softer, “I would’ve been here, but Nanny wouldn’t let anyone in.”

Her breath caught. She smiled, gently tracing the shadows under his eyes. “You look like you didn’t sleep anyway.”

He flushed slightly. “Guilty as charged. You had me. . . I mean, us. . . worried, though.”

“What happened?”

“Well, there’s not much to tell, really. . . Lance, Pidge, and I went off to rescue you and Hunk, and got Hunk, but you’d already gone. We ended up split up and Pidge was waiting for us outside -- you found him. Lance, Hunk, me, and Keira -- she’s the lady that helped you out -- got into a bit of a tangle with Hagar, and then we trudged around in the snow looking for you and Pidge. You know the rest,” he shrugged, then hesitated. “We. . . weren’t real sure if you’d recognize us when we found you. Keira. . . Keira said Lotor’d tried to brainwash you with Hagar’s magic. We thought. . . I mean, I wondered. . . how. . .” he trailed off, at a loss.

“Why it didn’t work?”

“Yeah.” He grinned a little sheepishly. “I mean, Hagar’s pretty powerful. That must’ve been really hard.”

Princess considered a minute, then quirked a smile at him. “Not really, if you just keep in mind something worth fighting for.”

He blinked in astonishment and wonder at this incredible woman. “That easy, huh?”

She nodded, met his eyes again. And forgot to breathe for a long span.

He looked away abruptly, mentally shaking off silly dreams, and raked a hand through his hair. “I suppose a kingdom is a pretty important thing to fight for, huh?”

She laughed quietly. “That wasn’t the thought that saved me, Keith.”

He risked a glance back at her, then focused on the quilt spread over her bed. Tried not to think too hard that his heart’s desire was cuddled on his lap. “What could be more important than a kingdom to a Princess?”

She gently freed herself, knelt on the floor before him, captured his hands in hers and held them tightly. Keith glanced up, startled and wary, trying to beat down hope, and found himself helplessly lost. Allura glowed, her heart in her eyes. Her voice, though quiet, trembled slightly. “You are, Keith.”

After a startled instant a euphoric smile lit Keith’s face. He slowly raised Allura’s hands to his lips and gently kissed them, his gaze never breaking from hers.

* * *