Chapter 5
A Time of Serenity?
Prince Lotor was just returning to his base. After his little talk with his father he really wasn't in a very good mood. All he wanted to do now was go home and relax; but also talk to his guest. He smiled at the thought. It was hard to believe that when he returned she would be there. That was good enough reason for him to return quickly.
As his ship landed in the docking bay, Lahana ran to greet her master.
"Sire," she smiled and curtsied to her prince. He climbed out of his cruiser and came to stand before her.
"Lahana. How have things been here at the base? The princess?"
"Fine, Sire. The princess was quiet at first but she began to enjoy herself I think."
He smiled, "Good. I suppose she's in her chambers. I think I'll pay her a visit."
Lahana watched her master walk away with mixed emotions. She was angry with him for leaving when he did and the way that he did, but she knew that he wasn't to blame. But she couldn't help thinking that he could of done something more to make the Arusian princess more at home. He doesn't think he can win her over like this. Or does he? She asked herself. The young woman shrugged and turned her eyes to the hall that her prince had disappeared into, "I guess it's none of my business anyhow," she said softly.
Lotor approached the chamber quietly, not wanting to disturb the young woman within. There was no need to startle her. Like his last visit to the chamber, he paused at the door and reached for the knob, but he let his hand fall back to his side. Inside, he could hear someone singing softly. This made him smile. He raised his hand a second time and knocked softly. The singing, to his dismay, stopped. There was the sound of movement behind the door and then a simple cheerful, "Enter." Lotor opened the door and slowly stepped inside. Allura turned around smiling until she realized that it was him. She quickly looked away, suddenly rigid. He walked slowly over beside the bed where she was sitting.
"That was beautiful singing you know? I've never heard such a beautiful voice."
"I'm flattered," she said sarcastically. Lotor realized this was going to be more difficult than he thought. He doubted he would get anywhere with soft words and gentle comments, so he tried something else.
"Allura, you will surrender to me. There is no way around it. Your Voltron is gone. Why must you always refuse to accept your fate?"
"I won't ever surrender to you Prince Lotor!" she yelled turning to glare at him. He gave a cruel and sinister smile and she turned her eyes away from his and back to the corner of the room she had been staring at when he first entered.
"Oh, you will princess, you will eventually. There's no way around it. You see, you are here, with me, and now you don't have anyone to rescue you." She turned around on the bed and glared at him once more.
"I'd kill myself before I'd ever marry you. Besides, there is still the Alliance to stop you."
"I'm afraid not," his tone was sharp. "The reason I left in the first place was to get rid of that annoyance. Galaxy Garrison is totally destroyed, along with Gram, Hawkins, and the rest of the officers." Allura's resolve disintegrated visibly as she dropped her eyes from his.
"Then I guess there is no hope. . ." she hadn't meant for him to hear that but he did. His harsh and angry expression softened and without warning he sat down on the bed beside her.
"It all depends on how you look at it," the prince said with surprising gentleness. The princess wasn't sure what to make of his comment. She wasn't sure whether he was trying to be sincere or whether he was just trying to be rude. It could easily be either.
"And what do you mean by that?"
"That maybe things are not always as they seem." Lotor moved his hand to take hers not unlike the many times before, and attempted to bring her hand to his lips. And just as before his attempted gesture was rewarded with a slap across the face that left his cheek flushing angrily. He scowled and rubbed his face, his anger having returned.
"You don't have any idea what you're talking about! You lie in order to get the things you want regardless of the people you hurt!"
"I don't understand why you insist in acting in this way, princess. It's not going to get you anywhere." His voice was too soft for comfort but she glared at him angrily anyhow.
"I'd rather be put back in that musty dungeon than be here with you! Anyplace would be better than where I am now!" Lotor stood abruptly and headed for the door. He stepped outside and was about to shut the door when he stepped back in to yell at her.
"If you continue to act this way you may just end up in one, so be careful what you wish for!" He slammed the door loudly behind him. The noise startled Allura but her nerves quickly calmed. I could have been killed arguing with him like that. It's a wonder he didn't try. She turned and stared at the door and slowly back to that one particular corner. She was beginning to be all too familiar with it.
Lotor was raging mad! He rapidly paced back and forth across the bridge as he was want to do when angry. He began talking to himself oblivious to the others in the room.
"Why must she always be so difficult? I try to be kind for once, try to be a hospitable host, but no, she won't have it! I try to show her some respect and what does she do? Turn around and insult me! What an ungrateful wench! I spared her life when I told my father she was dead. Why do I even bother?"
Luckily, Lotor began to calm down. He went back to his usual position and sat down to a glass of wine. This, he knew, would help him in one way or another. After a couple of long drawn out sips, he closed his eyes for a moment in thought. Slowly opening his eyes and taking another small sip, he began to think out loud speaking almost below a whisper even though there was no one else in the room.
"There must be some way to get through to her. Some way...but how? She despises me, and yet...I sense there is something there. I've tried everything to win her. Riches, power, glory, even peace, but what is it that she wants?" he paused for a moment to take another drink. "Ahhh, yes, what was it she was saying, 'you cannot force one to love you, they must give it freely' I believe that was it. So she thinks me incapable of love. Well, this may be harder than I thought." The dark prince quietly returned to the comfort of his drink.
Once again the young princess was thinking of her lost friends. Only this time on more of a happy yet bitter note. She had been thinking about all the good times they had shared, and Keith. Keith, the one whom she thought she had fallen in love with. What had happened to him? She hated to think that he had befallen the same fate as the others. Allura had always wondered what would have happened if she and Keith had pursued the "thing" (as everyone had secretly called it) that they had for one another. Maybe things would have worked out differently. Of course now she would never know.
Lotor; at the mere thought of his name she shuddered. Allura had once thought of him as a misguided soul but now having witnessed her friends' murders she wasn't sure there was any hope for him -- possibly no chance of him ever changing. She had come to the conclusion that he was just as evil as his father if not more so. And to think I thought there might have been a way to change him for the better. I know that's not possible now. He cannot be helped. She stood and walked across the room to the mirror. Gazing at her reflection, she wondered exactly what it was about her that drove him to capture her so. Of course she had been told she was beautiful but she thought herself to be only as special as any other woman. Once again she walked back to her bed and sat down to think.
. . . Then again, he did sound sincere until I insulted him. I really wonder if he was actually trying to be a helpful. Is it not impossible for him? Maybe he was really trying to help. She gave a heavy sigh. It terrifies me to think of it, but maybe, just maybe there is a way to save him after all, to end this horrid war. I suppose I shall see if he was being sincere. What is there left to lose?
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