A/N: It's been really long time since I last updated this story and I'll be honest, I'm not sure exactly what to do with this story. While I could follow along with the episodes, I know that will take more time and commitment than I'm able to give. So, I don't think I'll do that and the other option is I let this story fade out, which I don't want to do or just keep the updates really spread out. Odds are I'll keep them spread out with them between episodes.

Thank you for all the support and patience! I greatly appreciate it!

Summary: Allura has been hiding a secret from the Paladins, something painful from her past forced her to remain quiet. However that all changes when she finds a beloved object of someone she held dear. A simple pendant that hangs around the Blue Paladin's neck. Altean!Lance

Chapter Eighteen

Casimir was feeling proud of himself, he stood beside the Red Lion with a confident and smug look on his face. The flying test he had been given, though it had some tougher obstacles, he handled them without much of a problem. If he wouldn't be allowed to remain a paladin, it would have nothing to do with his capabilities behind the wheel of the Red Lion and everything to do with the fact of him being thirteen. The young prince stood before the paladins with an expectant look, waiting for them to say something.

His gaze flickered to the leader, well the current leader of the paladins that is. Keith had kept his expression neutral throughout the test, but Casimir could tell he was impressed. How Casimir knew that, he wasn't sure, he had a feeling that it must have been from the part of him that used to Lance McClain. At the thought of the teenager he didn't know, his grip tightened around his arms. Had he still been that teenager, he would still be a paladin. Anger flared in his chest as he recalled the argument he had with Allura the previous night about him flying the red lion and returning to his position as red paladin.

"I forbid you to go through with it!"

"You can't forbid me to do anything. I have just as much of a right to fight as you do. Why don't you believe in me?"

"I do believe in you, but you should not be fighting," Allura argued, her tone exasperated, "Don't you understand? You can remain in the safety of the castle, you would be our escape route and back up."

Casimir scoffed, "Coran can do that just fine on his own."

"You are not the red paladin anymore Casimir," Allura said sharply.

Casimir shrugged his shoulders, "I'm flying that lion tomorrow and proving to you that you're wrong and you can't stop me."

"You will not fly," Allura told him sternly.

Casimir narrowed his gaze, "Watch me."

"Well," Casimir said when none of the paladins spoke, "I bonded with the lion, I executed the maneuvers, we formed Voltron, I beat three of you in hand to hand combat, I see no reason why I am not considering the red paladin yet."

Keith smirked weakly at the prince's words, "My decision is that you are the red paladin. However, I can tell our fellow paladins do not appear sold on the idea besides Pidge."

Casimir frowned at this, his gaze turned to the yellow paladin first, "From what I've been told, you and my uh past life you could say were great friends. You feel that I'm not good enough to do this?"

"It's not that," Hunk reassured after a short pause, "It's just- it's as if my best friend died and putting you in the red lion, I don't know, just the idea of it doesn't sit well with me. You proved you can handle it. You do have my vote to be on the team. I support you."

Casimir felt his body relax or well sag at those words. A personal reason, that was why the yellow paladin wasn't supporting his movement to take the red lion as his own. That was unfortunare and it hurt, a bit mroe than Casimir thought it would if he was being honest. However he could understand where the paladin was coming from because in a way, Casimir felt as if he was taking someone's place, someone who was gone forever in a way. The Altean prince couldn't focus much on it, his gaze skipped over Allura, knowing full well what she would say on the matter.

Their argument was fresh in his mind. While he knew that thousands of years had passed, to him it felt as if it had only been a few days and for him, this week had been nothing but fighting between him and his sister. He knew she was just afraid for him, of what could go wrong and him getting hurt, but this was war time. Every soldier that could be out there, needed to go. The Galaxy needed Voltron and he would be part of it.

"What about you," Casimir questioned looking at Shiro, "You feel I'm not good enough or have a personal reason against it?"

Casimir didn't miss how Shiro glanced at his sister quickly, it was hardly noticeable if you weren't looking. Since Casimir had walked in on their discussion after his less than pleasant reaction to things, he was starting to notice something. It was as if there was something going on between the two. Though Casimir couldn't say it bothered him, he found it somewhat interesting though he was uncertain what to make of it. The prince imagined that Shiro didn't want to send him out there for two reasons, he was a child and because of his sister.

"You've shown you're capable in these drills, but that doesn't change the fact that you are still young, too young to be fighting in the front lines of war," Shiro said, his mouth set in a line.

Casimir clenched and unclenched his jaws, "It's war. Tough decisions have to be made, we need every warrior on the front lines and the galaxy needs Voltron."

"Shiro, Allura, I get your concerns," Keith started, "But he's proven that he can fight and fly the lion. His age doesn't matter now. What matters is forming Voltron and getting back out there. Besides, we have that issue with Lotor."

Casimir's eyes flashed at the name, he had heard the name mentioned from Zarkon himself what felt like months ago instead of centuries. When Zarkon and his wife, Honerva, had been close with the Altean royals, Casimir remembered the discussion of his aunt and uncle having children one day. This excited Casimir as he would essentially have a younger cousin. Well now he supposed older cousin and enemy given the circumstances. Or perhaps looking at him as a cousin in any regard would be too much.

Allura looked annoyed, arms folded her chest. She wanted to to continue arguing, but she couldn't deny Keith's words. There was too much happening in the universe, too many issues that only Voltron could handle, it didn't matter so much who was driving the lions, so long as there were pilots. Of course she would have preferred Shiro take back the Black lion and Keith in the Red lion, but it was battle she couldn't really win now without delaying the inevitable. Her eyes shifted to her younger brother, who looked torn between understanding and defeated.

The younger Altean took a deep breath, "Listen... I understand that you each have lost someone dear to you and most of you have gained a stranger in his place, but we are in a war. The Black and Green Paladins have missing people out there that I need to help them find, Lotor is an ever growing issue that Voltron needs to deal with and soon. So, please, let's get to work."

There were no furhter objections made then, but Casimir knew based on his sister's accepting expression that the conversation would be tabled for now. That was as much of a victory that he could get, he would take it.