Voltron New Beginnings

Chapter one

Starting a new

By Cindra

Notes: September 13, 1998 was the Original date when I posted the first chapter on the net, but the original creation date would be somewhere around the late 1980's when the writing bug bit me after taking my first creative writing class. After that I was hooked to writing my saga in notebooks. It wasn't until my big brother convinced me years later to post them on the net, that I took on the task of converting what I'd written in dozens of notebooks and binders, into digital documents on the computer. The result is a journey that I have enjoyed sharing with all of my readers both new and old.

The planet Arus, a beautiful jewel of a planet until the war with Planet Doom, can now finally rest after the defeat of the evil King Zarcon and his son, Prince Lotor. The heroic Voltron force managed to end this long terrible war and kicked Lotor and Hagar out of the far galaxy. Unfortunately, when our young Heroes returned to their home, they found that their planet was in ruins. Almost every town, village, and city had been nearly destroyed during an attack while they were away fighting the battle on Planet Doom.

(Weeks later)

(We find the entire planet is once again at peace and that everyone has begun rebuilding the fallen cities and villages. Our champions have returned home to the Castle of Lions after a long day of rebuilding the city...)

"Boy, am I beat after all of that work that we did today!" Hunk groaned, collapsing into a nearby chair. "It really stinks! Only Zarcon would pull a rotten trick by attacking while we were away on Planet Doom. Those monsters destroyed nearly every city and half of the planet!"

"Tell me about it, Hunk. We knew the risk of leaving Arus unguarded and we explained the situation to the people before we left. So if they wanna blame us then it's as much their fault as it is ours." Lance grumbled from where he was sprawled out on the couch in the sunroom.

Pidge stood up and glared at his extremely grouchy friends. "One thing is for sure though, all the people should be proud that they defeated Zarcon without our help."

"I wonder where Keith and Princess disappeared to." Hunk frowned. "I haven't seen them all day."

Lance got up to look out at the castle lawn. "You know that he hasn't let Princess out of his sight, since that old hag kidnapped her. I wonder if there's something going on that we don't know about?"

Hunk walked over, as the two in question came into view. "Well, Well, Well..." He grinned slyly.

"Are my eyes deceiving me or are they holding hands." Pidge grinned.

"Next thing ya know, he'll be kissing her in public." Hunk teased, as all three of them watched them stroll along the lakeside.

"Well, it had to happen sooner or later, we all saw it coming. I wonder what Nanny and Koran think about our two lovebirds?" Lance smirked, his voice oozing of sarcasm, as he looked at his two friends still gawking at the window.

"Oh, cut it out, Lance. You're just jealous, because she chose Keith and not you." Pidge joked and nudged him on the arm.

"I am not jealous!" Lance snarled, as he glared murderously at his two friends.

"C'mon, Lance. You know that he's just joking with you. Besides, we both know that you have a thing for Lady Farla or was that Nanny that you have a crush on?" Hunk's grin widened, as Lance's face turned a bright shade of red.

"Guys, will you just drop the subject, before I'm forced to kill the both of you!" Lance barked before stalking out of the room.

"What did we say?" Pidge and Hunk looked at each other before breaking out into laughter.

The two young lovers sat cuddled in each other's arms, as they watched the sun set over the lake. Neither of them had any idea that they were missed that day in the city, as well as the castle. The two had decided to play hooky and ditched their duties for the day. They both needed a rest with no interruptions and time to spend alone with each other. After all, the sun had been shining, spring was in the air, and love was in bloom as they admitted their true feelings for each other.

"This has been the most heavenly day of my life." Allura sighed, as she leaned back in Keith's arms.

Keith rested his chin on the top of her silky blonde head and sighed, "I couldn't agree with you more, Allura. Having you in my arms is the closest thing that a guy could get to heaven." He tightened his arms around her waist and held her even closer to him.

Allura turned in his arms and smiled up at his face, "I can't believe that it took us almost to die, to admit our feelings for each other. I've loved you since the very day that you knelt down on one knee, kissed my hand, and then vowed to me that you would save my people with or without Voltron."

"I knew that you were the one for me when you appeared on the staircase in the old Castle of Lions. But, it didn't hit me until you joined the team and I had to watch you get hurt in battle after battle. When I almost lost you, it almost killed me inside." Keith declared, kissing her thoroughly.

"I'm the happiest princess in the three galaxies." She sighed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"Princess...I mean, Allura...what I'm trying to say is, uh...will you marry me?" Keith mumbled nervously, after they had broken their extremely long kiss.

"Oh Keith!" She cried, as tears streamed down her face, "I would love to marry you! It would be my fondest wish for me to become your wife!"

"I love you, Princess Allura of Arus, and I will love you for all eternity." He vowed and sealed their love with another heart melting kiss.

Later that night in the Castle a storm was brewing and it was about to explode, as the newly engaged couple broke their joyous news to their friends.

"Koran, Nanny, Guys. Allura and I have something that we want to tell you." Keith grinned at Allura from across the dining room table.

"Yes we do," Allura beamed happily, "Keith and I are getting married!"

Silence came over the entire room, as all eyes stared at the happy couple.

"You're what!" Koran glared at the happy couple.

"Koran, I'm a grown woman and can marry whomever I choose and I have chosen Keith to be my husband!"

"Have you forgotten about your duty and that Keith is not a prince!?" Nanny growled at her charge, clearly distressed about the entire situation.

"So what if he isn't a prince!" Allura cried, as Keith went over to take her in his arms. "I don't care! I'm going to marry him with or without your blessing!"

"Who says that he's not a prince? He never knew who his family was, so for all we know he could very well be a prince!" Pidge defended his friend.

"That is not the point, Pidge. She is the crowned princess of Arus, and she must marry a prince." Koran glared at all of them, "That is the law." Koran stated before he stalked out of the dining hall.

"Don't worry, Allura. We'll think of something, but I'll be damned if anyone stops me from making you my wife." Keith vowed, kissing her in front of everyone.

"If I have to give up the throne to marry you I will, because I don't want to live without you!" Allura sobbed, as Keith held her in his arms.

"You won't have to, love... You won't have to." Keith crooned softly, as he led her out of the room.

(Somewhere in hiding on Planet Arus)

Lotor had been plotting his revenge for many, many weeks and was finally ready to put his plan into action. He had found a nice place to hide out on Arus, while he plotted his evil scheme.

"So Allura thinks that she can marry that fool Space Explorer does she?" Lotor snarled savagely, "Not as long as I'm alive she won't! She is going to my Queen or marries no one at all!"

"Leave it to me, your highness. I will make her become your Queen." Hagar cackled, as she worked on the downfall of the Voltron Force. "Just look at those fools! Here we are plotting their destruction, while they try to rebuild this pitiful excuse for a planet!"

"I wish that you would leave, old witch!" Lotor was not pleased that she was still hanging around him, "I don't ever want to rely on any of your pathetic magic again!" And with a shove Lotor pushed her aside.

"I may not be as powerful as I was on Planet Doom, but can still get you the princess!" Hagar backed away from Lotor, as he lunged at her with his sword.

"Because of you my father and my planet no longer exist!" Lotor roared down at her, "If I need any more help from you, it would be for you to cast a spell to make yourself disappear!"

"That was as much your fault as it was mine, you pathetic minded fool!" Hagar screeched back at him in defense.

"Fool! Don't forget that I allowed you to live!" Lotor roared at his constant shadow, "I'm leaving, old witch. Be gone when I return!"

(A few nights later at the Castle of Lions)

Princess Allura gave up trying to get any sleep and decided to wander the halls for a while. She pulled on her robe and slipped past the snoozing guard outside her doorway. *I wonder if Keith is still up?* She thought, as she headed for his quarters.

Keith was pacing his quarters trying to find someway to make Koran see reason. The Captain was so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't even notice that his love was standing inside the doorway of his room.

"Keith?" Allura whispered softly.

"Allura," Keith said startled out of his thoughts. "Is something wrong? Why are you up so late?" Keith couldn't help but notice that she was wearing a silk robe and nightgown.

"I couldn't sleep." She whispered softly, looking soulfully up at him, her beautiful cerulean eyes filled with emotion. "Or maybe I was just lonely." She took in the sight of him in nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms.

"Don't worry, love. I can promise you that you'll never be lonely again." He smiled down at her and she flew into his arms. "Sweetheart, maybe I should escort you back to your quarters, before Koran or Nanny find you in here."

"I want to be here with you." Allura whispered huskily, as she placed feather soft lingering kisses across his shoulder blades. "I could care less how either Koran or Nanny feel about us. I love you and you love me, we are all that matters."

Keith tried to keep things from getting out of hand, but the princess seemed to have other ideas, as she ran her nails up his well toned chest. "Yes, well, maybe we should..." His protest was cut off.

Allura let her robe and nightgown fall to the floor in a pool of silk.

"Allura, this really isn't a good idea..." He rasped hoarsely, as she slinked up against him wrapping her arms around his neck. "The hell with reason..." He groaned against her mouth and the two of them tumbled onto his bed.

Later on that morning Nanny was humming to herself, as she bustled down the corridor to the princess's chambers, with Allura's morning breakfast tray. "Good morning, gentlemen. Did anything happen last night?" She asked the two guards posted outside the door.

"No, ma'am, everything was quite." They answered in unison and let Nanny into the princess's room.

"Good Morning, Princess." She called out brightly, as she usually did each morning, however this time she was not there to return Nanny's greeting. The only ones that were sleeping in Allura's bed were the Space mice.

Nanny, now startled out of her mind with thoughts of her precious baby being kidnapped, ran out of the room screaming "Koran! Koran! Someone has taken the princess!"

Koran, who had also been on his way to check on Allura, frowned down at the hysterical female in front of him. "Are you sure, Nanny?"

"She's not in her room! Something terrible has happened, Koran! I just know it!"

"Calm down, Nanny. She probably couldn't sleep and went for a walk." Koran tried to calm her down.

"Then I demand that you send one of the boys to go look for her! It is not proper for a royal princess to be running around in her nightgown and robe!"

"I'll go awaken Keith and see if he can go find her." Koran felt a major headache beginning to form behind his eyes, but aspirin would have to wait until he woke up Keith and the princess had been found.

Meanwhile, the Space Mice had gone to warn Keith and Allura that Koran was on his way and were pulling frantically on Allura's arm.

"Go away." Keith muttered, as he pushed away the annoying pest trying to wake him up.

"Hmmm…" Princess yawned, as she snuggled deeper into Keith's arms.

"It's nothing, love." Keith yawned, opening one eye to glare at the frantic little mice. "It's just your furry friends, the mice paying us a visit."

"That's nice, Keith..." Allura yawned sleepily, but awakened instantly when she realized that the mice were trying to warn them. "Did you say that Cheezy and Chedder are in here?" She hissed into Keith's ear.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that we have to panic. Those little mice go everywhere in the castle." Keith, now fully awake, had decided to attack his princess with mind numbing kisses.

"Don't panic, darling, but this means that Koran knows that I didn't sleep in my bed, and is coming to wake you up to go find me." Allura tried to sit up, but Keith had his arms securely around her waist.

"Nice try, my love." He was exploring her face with feather soft kisses.

"Keith, I'm serious! Koran is going to be here any second now!" She was definitely losing this battle and was on the verge of surrendering. "We have to get up," She cried softly.

Keith finally looked up into her frantic eyes and only then did he let what Allura was telling him sink in. "You're serious?" He sat up and frowned down at her.

"Completely serious," She grinned, highly amused that her calm cool Captain was losing his cool.

Keith jumped out of bed and hastily grabbed some of his clothes. "Don't just lie there smirking at me! Get dressed!" He scowled down at her, as he picked her robe and nightgown off the floor, and threw it at her.

"Now look whose panicking." She giggled at him, as she slipped the nightgown over her head.

"I am not panicking, Allura! I just don't want Koran to..." His growl was cut off by Koran knocking on his door.

"Keith?" Koran called through the door.

"Told ya so!" Princess stuck her tongue out at him.

"Not funny, Allura Danielle!" Keith glared down at her, as she began to giggle.

"Keith, is there someone in there with you?" Koran did not sound at all pleased.

"In here with me?" Keith yawned, "Koran, what gave you that idea?" Sweat was now creasing his brow and Allura was enjoying every second of it. "I was just, uh, muttering to myself about something. Nope, no one is in here but me and maybe two of Ally's little friends." Keith tried his best to do the one thing that he was terrible at and that was lying to anyone about anything.

"Keith! I'm not in the mood for games this morning! I distinctly heard you talking with someone and it was not the mice! Now open this door at once!" Koran pounded on the door.

"Alright, Koran, you win." Keith sighed in defeat, "Don't have a coronary. You can come in." He opened the door, after making sure that the picture was perfect of course.

"Hi Koran! Isn't it absolutely beautiful outside this morning" Allura waved at him from where she was standing behind Keith.

"Princess, what are you doing in here?!" Koran glared down at her.

"Now, Koran, don't overreact. I was just out wandering the castle grounds last night and Keith..." She never got to finish her cover story, because Koran took her by the arm and dragged her out of Keith's room.

"Come along, Princess!" Koran ordered sharply.

"Let go of me, Koran! I am not a child!" She ordered furiously, her face flushed crimson with temper and embarrassment at being treated like a little girl.

"Not until you come to your senses!" Koran snarled back noticing that her nightgown was inside out.

Keith, not liking the way that Koran was treating her, took matters into his own hands. "Let her go, Koran. She isn't a child, she is a grown woman!" Keith ordered the older man and was surprised when Koran did as he had asked.

"Young man, do you have any idea what you are saying?" He was clearly not pleased with the way that this morning was starting out.

"Yeah, I do, Koran! It's about time that all of you realized that Allura and I are going to get married, whether you like it or not! I already went down to her father's crypt and got his blessing, so live with it!" Keith was through with them standing in the way of their future.

"Yes!" Allura jumped for joy, racing over to Keith, so that she could throw her arms around him, and give him a kiss that he returned in kind.

"Fine, Captain, but I expect the two of you to behave yourselves until the wedding takes place. Do I make myself clear?" He glared at the two in question, who still hadn't come up for air. "Or I call General Edwards to come rein you in!"

The two reluctantly broke their good morning kiss. "Crystal clear, Koran, but I make no promises and that goes for even if Dad came here to rein me in. In other words, we're gonna kiss or cuddle anytime we feel like it and you're just gonna have to get used to it." Keith left him to ponder those words, as they went in search of some breakfast.

Lotor was already starting to implement stage one of his diabolical plan, by kidnapping a young girl. He had found a way to bring Keith to his knees, by discovering his long lost family, and using that knowledge to his full advantage. "She's the perfect bait for my trap." Lotor grinned evilly.

"Just think, Lotor, all of this time she was right under all of our noses and we never even knew it." Hagar cackled gleefully.

Lotor was so pleased with himself that he didn't even snarl at the old witch. "Who would ever have guessed that Keith was related to one of the most powerful ruling houses in the three galaxies? No matter, he won't live to see any of his family again."

Keith sat on watch staring at several different images on several different screens in the castle's main control room. "Everything is quite, Koran, nothing but the usual commercial and civilian traffic at the space port." He reported yawning sleepily, as he stretched out his stiff muscles.

*Man! Who knew that Koran could be such a hard-ass by calling up my Dad and getting me stranded on graveyard for nearly three weeks? Then to add to my misery conveniently arranging for Allura to be off world with Queen Orla visiting Romelle during my entire sentence! I haven't had time to sleep, let alone spend even five minutes talking with Allura. All because he'd caught the two of them seriously making out in Black Lion, instead of attending another boring Council of Elders meeting, regarding everything that he needed to know about becoming the next King! It had surprised even him that he seemed to be a natural at it and that hadn't gone over well with Koran. Thank god, that this is my last turn on graveyard. Ally is due back tomorrow, so I can recharge and make up for lost time with her.* Keith thought to himself.

"Keith, I brought you some coffee." Pidge yawned, handing the steaming hot mug to his friend.

"No coffee...need sleep...you're all on your own today." Keith mumbled sleepily, as he stumbled out the door and sleepwalked past Allura.

"Keith, I'm back!" She wanted to surprise him, but it was as if he didn't even know she was there. "I was hoping that we could go riding and have a picnic today." She followed him down the corridor.

"Hmm...Not possible, my love, maybe tomorrow…" Keith was dead on his feet, all he could think of was crawling into bed and sleeping for eight hours straight. It didn't even dawn on him that Allura was back and frowning worriedly at him.

"Keith, what on Arus is wrong with you. Why are you dead on your feet?" She took him by the arm and helped him to his room.

"Welcome home, sweetheart. I'd kiss you, but it's not really possible at the moment. You see, he's had me go about my usual routine and on graveyard for the past three weeks while you were off visiting with Romelle." Keith yawned, as he blinked owlishly at her. "Not like I had a choice, it was either that or Dad was gonna come here personally and rein me in. I preferred that than getting reamed by my adopted father."

*He did what?! I'll tear him apart with my bare hands!* She guided him towards his bed. "Don't worry, I'm here now. I'll take care of you."

"Ssss...nice I'd like that." Keith smiled in his sleep, as he sat down on his bed.

*When I get my hands on Koran I'm gonna strangle him! * Allura fumed inwardly, when she saw the dark circles under her man's eyes.

"All I want is sleep…" Keith sighed happily, as kicked off his boots, before sprawling out on his bed.

"I will leave orders for you not to be disturbed until further notice." Allura promised him, as she bent to cover him up with a blanket.

"Yes, sleep... Wonderful sleep..."

"Sleep well, my love." Allura whispered, as she kissed him.

"I missed you soooo much…Love you forever, Allura." Keith growled huskily in his sleep, unconsciously pulled her down into his arms, kissing her back threefold, before drifting off into a deep dreamless sleep. "Mine…"

"Keith?" She whispered against his chest, trying to carefully wriggle out of his arms, only to find that he had no intention of letting her go. "Oh well, I can't think of a better way to enjoy my morning. This way I can make sure that no one disturbs you." She sighed contently and decided to take a nap with him.

Koran smiled to himself, as he watched the screen in his office. *Michael and Orla are right. The two of them are completely devoted to each other. If he can declare his eternal love for Allura, even while dead on his feet, then the two of them have my blessing.* Koran thought, as he reached over to call Nanny on the Tele-viewer.

"Yes, Koran?" Nanny smiled at him from the screen.

"The princess and Keith are not to be disturbed while they both get a much needed rest and Nanny I want you to start on planning the wedding immediately." He ordered the startled-faced woman.

"Koran, let's not rush them into anything!" Nanny sputtered in protest.

"Nanny, they have the Council of Elders, King Alfor's, Queen Orla's, and now my blessing! The boy is a natural ruler and the people love him! We've put it off long enough, now do as I say!" Koran ordered.

Lotor eyed his beautiful captive, as she paced the floor of her cage. She was a breathtakingly beautiful tall willowy young woman with a mane of raven black hair, dark chocolate brown eyes fringed with heavy black lashes, beautiful classical features, and flawless ivory skin. He also couldn't help but notice that she had curves in all of the right places, and she was furious.

"You're a pretty little thing aren't you?" Lotor taunted his guest.

"How dare you kidnap me?" Cassandra glared at her captor.

"I'm Prince Lotor, princess. I can do whatever I feel like." Lotor laughed at her.

"Well! Prince or no prince you are one dead man when my father gets his hands on you!" She hissed angrily at him.

"On the contrary, my dear, the only one who will be dead is your brother." Lotor flashed his patented evil grin.

"I don't have a brother, you idiot! He died when I was little!" She screamed at him in frustration.

"Well, my dear, have I got news for you. He's very much alive, Captain of the Voltron force, and soon to be the husband of Princess Allura." Lotor snarled.

"He's alive! My big brother is alive!" She cried happily.

"Yes, but not for long."

"I'll never let you hurt him, you monster!"

"Oh, but you already have, princess. You see, little one, you're the bait for my fatal little trap."

"No!" She fell to her knees helpless to do anything, but curl up in a corner and pray that he was wrong. *I will die before I let my parents go through that again! I was little, but I know how much the loss of their first born and only son still haunts them to this day! Prince Wimp has another thing coming, if he thinks that all I am is a meek little kitten! Give me the chance, you bastard, and I'll show you my very sharp claws!*

Keith relived the nightmare that had plagued him for as long as he could remember.

He's a boy of about ten years of age brooding about something. He can see Alliance City far below him from the window seat on some high-class shuttle. Then this colossal explosion rocks the ship and they begin freefalling in a fiery ball of flames towards the space port. He's lifted up by someone and hurriedly placed into an escape pod. It's almost too late and his pod crashes near the wreckage of the shuttle. He'd hit his head, when he crashed, and the last thing that he remembered seeing was the face of a young officer... Before blacking out...

"Why can't I remember anything? What's with the dignitary class shuttle? It has to mean something…" Keith muttered in his sleep.

Allura had been trying to wake him up ever since the nightmare had begun and was ready to throw water in his face in order to wake him from his terror. She had never seen him vulnerable like this and in so much agony. "Keith, wake up!" She shook him as hard as she could.

Keith shot straight up in bed; completely drenched with sweat. "Not that dream again! It's been so long! Why haunt me with it again and still leave me with no answers?" He muttered in frustration, as he ran shaking fingers through his raven sleep tossed hair.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream?" Allura asked softly from where she sat curled up in a corner of his bed.

"Allura, you're back!" Keith blinked at the princess in surprise. "What are you doing in here?"

"Yes, I know. I got you all tucked in, bent to kiss you goodnight, and you pulled me in here with you. Now tell me why that dream has terrified you so?" Allura pleaded with him with beautiful azure blue eyes.

Keith took a deep calming breath and pulled her back into his arms. "I'm a little boy again and the shuttle that I'm in crashes. I'm the only one who makes it out alive. I don't have any memory of who I am or why I was in the shuttle. The General is the officer that finds me in the wreckage of my escape pod and I black out, only to wake up with no memory and no past."

"This really happened to you didn't it?" Allura whispered softly, as she looked into his tormented amber brown eyes. "The General is the man who ended up adopting you and raising you to be the man you are today."

"It was an unscheduled flight and there was no record of who was supposed to have been on it. So they couldn't tell me who I was, because they had nothing to go on except for a gold Id bracelet that I had around my wrist, with the name Keith Michael inlaid on it." Keith felt old wounds of not knowing who he was beginning to open up again. "It's a dignitary class shuttle that crashes and the bracelet has to mean something too…"

The castle alarms started blaring before she could say anything to comfort him.

He immediately got out of bed, pulled on his boots, and went to see what was wrong.

"This isn't over, you know," Allura told him, as they ran down the corridor. "We are going to talk more about this later."

"Look, Allura, it was a very long time ago, maybe its better that I forget about that stupid dream, and focus on my life with you. I don't even know why the dream came back again." Keith stopped her before they entered the control room.

"It isn't stupid if it disturbs you the way it did a few minutes ago!" She snapped at him, "It took me a forever to wake you up! I was ready to go get Koran!"

"I'm fine!" Keith snarled down at her, clearly not pleased that she wasn't going to leave well enough alone. "Now, let's go find out why Koran set off the alarm!" He stalked into the control room, leaving her fuming outside the room.

"Why the hell did someone set off the castle alarms!" Keith roared at the rest of the gang, as he entered the control room.

"Man, Keith, what side of the bed did you wake up on?" Lance frowned at his friend.

"Yeah, Keith, you look like you're ready to kill someone." After seeing the mood that their leader was in Pidge hid behind Hunk.

Keith glared at the screen and at his father's face. "Well? What do you want, Dad? Are ya gonna make my life hell again for another three weeks!" He snarled at the General.

"Keith!" Koran frowned at him in disapproval.

"Hello, Allura." General Michael Edwards smiled at his soon to be daughter-in-law.

Hunk, Lance, and Pidge gapped opened mouthed and goggled eyed at their fearless leader.

"Don't let my son's actions change your mind about marrying him. He usually is a very well mannered boy." He glared at his son. "Keep it up, Keith Michael, and it can be arranged!"

"I won't, General Edwards, because I'm back now so neither of you are going to be able to pick on him anymore. I also know what caused his rotten mood and the two of us are going to discuss it later. Aren't we, Keith Michael?" Allura smiled at the General before marching over and glaring up at her husband-to-be.

"Yes..." Keith muttered under his breath.

"What was that, darling?" Allura asked sweetly.

"I said yes, Allura, we will talk about this later!" Keith glowered down at her smiling face.

"That's more like it." She stood up on tiptoe and gave him a kiss, before turning to address Keith's father. "Now what can we do for you, General Edwards?"

"Princess Cassandra of the planet Zaire has been kidnapped by a man that fits Lotor's description. He was last seen heading for your planet. I would like you to find Lotor and rescue her, that's if it isn't too much of a problem for my son." Michael explained to all of them.

"Alright, Dad, I get your point." Keith glared at his father, "I just had a really bad dream a little while ago. And that combined with the three weeks away from Allura and yours and Koran's idea of reining me in didn't help my mood any, okay."

"Are you having the dream again?" Michael eyed him with a worried frown.

"That isn't important, finding Princess Cassandra is." Keith willed himself to go into what Lance called his 'Fearless Leader' mode. "Do they know why he would want to kidnap the princess?"

"King Oran remained neutral during the entire war, so it can't be because of revenge. No, Lotor must have some sort of evil plot in store for someone." Michael told him.

"Cassie wouldn't hurt anyone!" Allura cried out with concern for her friend.

"You know her?" Keith frowned down at his princess.

"Yes, we went to school together, before the war broke out with Planet Doom. She is the kindest gentlest person I know."

"The only thing that makes since is that Lotor is using her as some sort of pawn, in order to get something he wants from someone in her family or someone on this planet." Lance frowned.

"That isn't possible, Lance. She only has a little sister and as far as I know isn't related to anyone on this planet." Allura was pulled into Keith's arms.

"Don't worry, Princess. We'll get her back safely." Keith vowed against her hair.

"Does she have an older brother that could have angered Lotor?" Pidge was also trying to figure out what Lotor's motive for taking the princess could be.

"No, her only brother died when his shuttle crashed on Earth, when she was very young. I think that she was about five at the time and her brother was..." She stopped in mid-sentence. "Ten-years-old…"

"Don't go jumping to any conclusions, Allura." Keith frowned at his fiancé.

"What are we standing around here for, people?" Lance was in the mood to kick Lotor's sorry butt out of the galaxy again. "We have a princess to rescue!" He punched a button on the main console to activate the tram system to their lions.

"Where exactly do you plan on searching, Lance?" Keith snapped at his friend. "We have no idea what we're getting into or where to begin looking for Princess Cassandra. Hell, this could be some kind of trap."

"Keith's got a point, Lance. We need to do a complete scan of the planet, before any of us go anywhere." Pidge sat down at the console and began using the computer to scan the planet for Lotor's location.

It didn't take very long before the computer had verified Lotor's latest hideout. "It looks like Lotor is hiding out in the old mountain catacombs." Koran frowned at the readout on the computer screen.

"We have a location, so what are we still standing around here for?" Lance was once again raring to go kick some butt.

Keith paced the control room floor, as he tried to figure out what his old enemy was up to. "What else does the computer say about his location, Koran?"

"We are picking up two life forms and a lot of robot activity."

Keith stopped pacing and turned to eye the rest of his team, "Let's go, but remember to stay alert, this could very well be a trap."

Lance rolled his eyes at his fearless leader, "If anyone needs to stay alert, fearless leader, then it is you, after all you haven't had any sleep for weeks."

"Hey, Lance, that was a really cheap shot!" Hunk snapped.

"Yes, Lance, that was absolutely uncalled for!" Allura snapped.

"No. Lance is right, Allura." Keith was just too tired to argue with Lance and gave in without a fight. "If anyone wants me I will be in the Ready Room. Oh, and if the three of you get captured don't say that I didn't warn you."

"Three!" Allura glowered at Keith, who retreated back a couple steps very quickly.

"Sorry, love, I guess I do need more sleep." Keith turned around and walked over to kiss her good luck. "Do me a favor and make sure that they stay out of trouble." Keith then remembered that his father was still on one of the screens and went to end their conversation, "Don't worry, Dad, we'll get her back safe and sound."

"Are you sure that sending them off alone is such a good idea?" Michael frowned at his son, not completely convinced that Keith had made the right decision.

"Well, if I'm not then old hot-head there will have learned a valuable lesson." Keith nodded toward Lance, "I'll talk to you later when this is all over." He ended the call. "Have fun, you guys, and remember if something happens to Allura I'm gonna take it out of your hides." He stalked from the room.

"It looks like Keith's decided to let us handle this one, so lets try not to blow it." Hunk grinned.

"We'll be fine." Pidge activated his tram.

"No problem, this will be easy." Lance winked at Allura.

"Grow up, Lance, nothing is ever simple where Lotor is concerned, and in my opinion we need Keith!" She hissed at him, as she activated the tram to her lion.

"Good luck, team." Koran had a very bad feeling about all of this.

"Koran, give me four hours then wake me." Keith's image appeared on the screen.

"Do you think they're flying into a trap?"

"Oh, it's a trap all right. I just hope that they don't get themselves killed. I meant what I said to the guys, if Allura gets hurt they're dead."

"They'll be fine, Keith." Koran assured the young man on the screen, "Now you should try and get some more rest."

"Let us hope that I'm wrong, Koran," was Keith's final remark before going back to sleep. *Please keep my love and my friends safe* Keith prayed, as he drifted off to sleep.

The four lions headed for the Allurian Mountains and straight into Lotor's trap. But instead of a Robeast, they encountered a very powerful magnetic field so strong, that they didn't even have time to radio back to the castle before all four of the lions went down. Red, Green, and Yellow lions all smashed into the mountain side. While Blue lion managed to crash-land in a nearby field.

"Lance! Pidge! Hunk! Do any of you guys read me?" Allura called into her com, but received no answer.

"Are you guys hurt?" She tried once more to reach her friends. "Please answer me!"

"Next time I stay home with Keith safe and sound in bed!" She muttered to herself, as she tried to see how badly she was injured. "Ow! It hurts!" She cried out in pain when she tried to move her right shoulder or left ankle. "This is Princess Allura calling, Koran. Are you there, Koran?" There was no response, but the constant sound of static from her lion's com unit.

"Great, now what am I going to do!" She fought off the urge to panic, "Keith, I need you!" She sobbed miserably. *Please Keith, come and find me* She prayed with all of her might.

Next

Chapter 2

I in no way own any of the original characters of Voltron in this story...However, the new characters are mine and are not to be used by anyone for any reason.

©Cindra 1998-2014