The last song ended and Allura stepped away from Lance. The pilot eyed her with concern as she began to look a little teary eyed. He knew why she was crying of course. Keith hadn't showed up. He said he was going to dance with her, but he didn't show up. Lance knew that his friend was serious about keeping his distance, but he went too far this time.

"I wonder where he is," she whispered. "You don't think anything's happened, do you?"

Lance shook his head, his mouth set in a grimace. "Not to him. The only person that can sneak up on Keith is…" he paused then grinned. "Well, see. I can't even think of anyone who can."

Allura smiled weakly. "I guess I'll say goodnight to everyone now."

Lance escorted her to the top of the staircase descending into the ballroom. She said her goodnights to her guests, trying to put up a happy front, but everyone could see that she was wilted. She had been distracted during the whole party, taking quick looks at the door, her eyes searching. They couldn't guess who she was waiting for, but it was apparent that she was waiting for someone. Judging from her present state, it could be seen that she had been greatly disappointed.

The moment the last guest had left, Allura went in search of Keith. Lance did the same, but in the opposite direction. He was hoping to find him first so that he could knock some sense into him. He would probably lost a few teeth when Keith retaliated, but he could barely rein in his temper. The Princess fought back tears and she raced through the corridors, her eyes scanning for signs of his familiar form.

She caught sight of a white flash from the corner of her eye.

"Keith!" she called, jogging after him.

She pursued him through the maze of corridors. He didn't seem to hear her and she didn't catch up with him until they reached the gardens. He had his back turned to her, and she put a hand on his shoulder. A blackness seemed to envelop her until she knew no more.

Keith woke with a large headache. He sat up groggily, and his eyes widened with realization. He wasn't in his bed, he wasn't even in the castle or on Arus anymore. He could tell by the vibration beneath his hands that he was on a ship. And his eyes told him he was in a dungeon cell.

Allura.

He stood, ignoring the vertigo that threatened to force him back down. There were no windows and only the door was the obvious way out of the place. He shuffled to it and ran his hands on its surface. It was smooth.

He leaned against the damp wall, cursing himself for his lapse in concentration. The one time that he let his mind wander, had to be the one time that Lotor decided to attack. He bit back a string of expletives and hoped that Allura was safe, muttering the thought to himself.

"She's far from it," said a voice from one dark corner.

Keith's head shot up and he would have rushed to the emerging figure had he not suddenly doubled over and retched.

"The proud Commander finally on his knees before me," Lotor sneered. "How I've longed for this day."

Keith looked up, his dark eyes defiant, his expression thunderous. He struggled to his feet, one hand on the wall.

"Never," he spat. "What have you done with Allura?"

Lotor laughed, a disturbing gleam in his cat-like eyes. "Let's just say that I did everything I wanted to do."

"NO!!!"

Lotor laughed louder as Keith lunged for him and he neatly stepped aside, causing the younger man to smash into the wall behind him. Breathing hard, the Voltron commander cursed Lotor with every interjection he could think of. The prince only smiled evilly.

"I am everything she needs, Keith. I'm a prince, something you'll never be. I can marry her. You can't."

With that last shot, Lotor left the cell. Keith slid to the ground, curled up in a ball.

I'm so sorry, my Love.

He wondered if death could be any worse that this.