The Greatest Gift Part Three
A Christmas WeddingHome, Fan Fiction, The Greatest Gift, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
The Greatest Gift
A Voltron Adaptation by MoiraOriginal story by Philip Van Doren Stern
Story adaptation for the big screen by Frank Capra
Further adapted by me, borrowing from both the authors’ classic tails.
This is a stand alone tale, not pertaining to any other story I have done.Legal Stuff
Voltron, Defender of the Universe and its characters property of World Events Productions, Ltd. ‘The Greatest Gift’ originally written by Philip Van Doren Stern. Story adapted for the big screen by Frank Capra. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Original characters and storyline are property of the author, please do not use, reproduce, or repost without permission.Rating NC17
The NC17 rating due to sexual situations, violence, drug use, and strong language.
So, if you don’t care for that kind of stuff, stop now! You’ve been warned.
And yes, even with all that, is really is a Christmas tale.So, if you dare, grab a fresh box of Kleenex, a cup of cider, dim the lights, and dive in.
The Greatest Gift
A Voltron Christmas Tale
Part Three
A Christmas Wedding
It is a week before Christmas and Princess Allura is in her garden hiding behind a hedge of berry bushes that are lightly covered in a blanket of snow, pretending to be picking the last of the seasons berries, all of which have been striped clean minutes ago. She still goes through the motions however, listening intently over the hedge to a conversation going on between her visiting aunt, Queen Orla, and one of her maids, Kit.“So tell me my child, is there anything else you would like me to say tonight?” The queen asks.
“No, thank you your majesty. It is truly gift enough that you will be performing my wedding.”
“Nonsense child, there is nothing that brings me more joy than uniting two lives. With all that your mother did for my sister, it is the least I can do to show my gratitude. So it’s all decided. I will see you tonight at the eleventh hour.”
“Thank you so much Queen Orla.”
“You’re welcome my child. Now, you promised me that I would get to see your dress.”
“Oh yes, your majesty. Come I’ll show it to you. The princess gave me one of her old gowns and with some help from Nanny we were able too…” The voices slowly fade as they walk back towards the castle.
Allura sighs. Kit is one of the maids she loves the most. She is the daughter of one of Allura’s mother’s head maids as well as her close friend. The thought of her wedding being held under a canopy of trees in the moonlight with the snow glistening all around them is just breathtaking. She closes her eyes to imagine the scene.
“Boo!” A mans voice whispers in her ear making her jump. Allura spins quickly around griping her chest and almost falling backward into the bushes. He quickly shoots an arm out catching her before she completely falls. Pulling her back to her feet then he steps away chuckling.
“Keith! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
“You shouldn’t let me. You were a little distracted there.” He crosses his arms across his chest. “I know that look and it isn’t good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh don’t play all innocent with me, Princess. You’re sneaking out tonight aren’t you? Going to a wedding?” He smirks.
“No! Of course not! Coran specifically ordered me not to go and…”
“And you’re going to sneak out anyway.”
“Keith…No…I…” He just looks at her raising his brow. Pulling her wrap closed tight she growls out. “You can be so frustrating.” She spins and storms off.
“Forget something Princess?” He holds up her basket full of berries with one finger.
She storms back over to him ripping the basket away from him and turns on her heel stomping back to the castle.
“Have a nice day, Princess.” He calls after her.
Have a nice day! Great how am I going to sneak out now? He’s going to be watching me like a hawk. Allura thinks to herself as she makes her way inside. She turns to look back at him but he is gone from where they were. She scans the garden and finds him sitting on a cold bench kicking at the snow with his boots, seemingly lost again in his melancholy. She leans up against the doorway to watch him. He hasn’t been his usual self lately. He has been a lot more withdrawn, not even taking meals with the team. She had asked Lance about it at dinner last night. All he said as he pointed up to the large wreath hanging over the table was ‘Christmas.’ And that struck a nerve in her. Every year Keith has lived on Arus, he has shunned everything to do with the Christmas celebrations, Allura’s favorite holiday. He has been unwilling to participate in anything and this year was no different. Allura has been busily planning an elaborate party for all the children in the castle and needed everyone’s help. Everyone was pitching in, doing their part, everyone but Keith. And that fact, that Keith, usually the most compassionate and helpful to her of anyone on the team, refused to help, angered her to no end. Yesterday morning after practice she finally had had enough. When they all got back to control she unleashed her fury on him, telling him how disappointed she was in his avoiding anything to do with the celebrations. She flushes now thinking of all the hurtful things she said, wishing she could now take them back. He never said a word, just turned his back to her and stormed away. But now, the more she thinks about it, how out of character this is for him the more curious she gets. What is Keith’s problem with Christmas?
Keith plods his way down the hall to the kitchens keeping his eyes on the floor, the only surface in the castle that has been spared the humiliation of being decorated for Christmas. He still can’t fathom it. He becomes a space explorer to go out into space to get away from stupid traditions like Christmas and where does he end up but here. On a planet that was settled by people who brought that tradition with them in spades. It seems Christmas is as important to the people of Arus as it is to the people of earth. And worse than that, is how by some amazing coincidence Arus’ seasons and Earth’s are almost identical, the seasons matching in timing and length. And, where the castle is situated on Arus, the climate matches that of the town he grew up in, making it all the more unbearable. But the worst part of it all is the fact that the Princess of the planet, the woman he has sworn to protect and serve, the woman that he never wants to fail, is the Christmas Queen of Arus. She lives for this holiday. Therefore, everywhere he goes, everywhere he turns, there is Christmas. Yesterday after practice, when she finally unleashed her wrath on him for not being any help with the party, really hit him hard. The last thing he ever wants to do is let her down like that, not her, not Allura. He wishes he had the guts to tell her what’s wrong but he can’t. He must be strong, not show any weakness. He is the commander of Voltron. How can he possibly tell her that at Christmas, he still has disturbing nightmares every night about his family’s death? How everything about Christmas, only takes him back to that pain? Why can’t I tell her? He has been able to confide in her about everything else. Everything that is, but his true feelings for her. And that is most likely why her angry words bit him so hard yesterday. To let down the woman he cares so deeply for, who he secretly loves. All he could do was storm out the room before anyone could see the pain on his face, or the tears coming to his eyes. I’m sorry Princess but I just can’t help. I can’t deal with Christmas.
He finally reaches the kitchen but the smell emanating from it instantly sends him running for the nearest restroom. He barely reaches it as his stomach empties its contents into the closest sink. He stays hovering over the sink for a moment trying to breathe. He turns on the faucet and splashes his face with cold water. Without bothering to dry his face he sides down to the floor of the restroom. Hugging his legs in tight and he tries to shake off the memories. Something about the smell of gingerbread sends him right back to his childhood, right back to hell.
It is dinnertime and the whole team has gathered to take their meal together including Coran and Allura’s visiting aunt Queen Orla. Only Keith is absent. Allura, in the middle of the meal looks over to Lance and asks. “Why does Keith hate Christmas?” She has decided to stop beating around the subject and just ask directly.Lance swallows his food and stares at his plate for a while then looks up at her. “Allura it’s not something he has ever really talked to me about. He’s always denied anything’s wrong when I’ve asked him about it before. Hell, he almost took my head off one year back at the academy when I kept asking.” He looks back at his plate. “I don’t ask anymore.”
“Oh.” Allura drops her eyes and then looks back at Lance. “Do you think I should ask?”
“Oh no Allura! Please don’t. It’s best just to let him be. Once Christmas is past he’ll be back to his usual charming self. Well, as charming as Keith normally is anyway.” Lance gives her a wink. “You know, the guy you miss so much.”
Allura flushes. “Lance I… I don’t…”
“Exactly.” Lance grins. Hunk and Pidge erupt into chuckles, Lance joining them.
Coran loudly clears his throat bringing order back to the room. “The Captain’s private life is his own business and I suggest we all stay out of it.” His intense gaze lands on Allura. “All of us.” He then drops his eyes and resumes eating, the room growing quiet. Queen Orla sits back studying her niece for a moment and then continues eating her meal in silence. Allura just forks at her food. Why do you hate Christmas Keith?
A small blue flash races down the hallway darting around a corner and scrambling up the person hiding there. Climbing into her delicate hand it begins to animatedly squeak. Allura smiles at her co-conspirator. “So the laundry’s empty and you haven’t seen Keith anywhere?” The mouse smiles and nods. She listens down the hall for any noise, but all is quiet so they quietly make their way to the laundry, Cheesy taking point. They enter the dimly lit room leaving the lights out so as not to alert anyone to their presence. Allura goes to the storeroom where they keep various extra clothes that they hand out to the more needy villagers when needed, looking for a plain peasant dress to wear. “I should be able to sneak out undetected if I can blend in with the crowd.” She whispers to Cheesy. “What do you think of this one?” She holds up a basic drab green dress in front of her. “Yes, I believe this is the one.” Cheesy starts looking rather bored with the proceedings. “Alright my friend you can go. Thanks for your help.” She turns and goes about finding boots and a wrap.
The mouse happily scurries up a pipe to the raised storage loft above, leaping onto an access landing. When looking back to the princess, Cheesy runs right into the white boot of the Voltron Captain who is sitting there. Keith puts his finger to his lips to silence the mouse. Cheesy is frozen, petrified at the sight of Keith. Keith smiles and whispers. “Don’t worry little one. I’m not going to stop her. She should go to this wedding.” The mouse suddenly looks concerned. Keith extends his hand down to Cheesy, who climbs in and is lifted up to Keith’s eye level. “Don’t worry little friend, I’ll follow her. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her either, you know that.” The mouse nods and squeaks out a response but Keith is no longer looking at him, his eyes now transfixed on something else. The mouse regards him for a moment seeing his mouth parted and that his breathing is now much heavier. Cheesy follows Keith’s gaze to find Allura now striped out of her pink dress and only in her undergarments, slowly unlacing her corset.
If there was any doubt in the little mouse’s mind about the attraction shared between these two people it is now extinguished. The mouse grins at the look on the Captains face, enraptured would be way to describe it. A look it has seen on a certain princess’ face many times while watching this very man when she thought no one was looking. The corset loosened she slowly wiggles her way out of it turning so as only to give glimpses of her form through her very sheer chemise. Cheesy hears Keith swallow hard as she then turns to pick up the green dress giving him a brief but full view. The mouse starts to giggle. Snapping Keith out of his stare. He looks to the mouse now rolling in his hand and flushes brightly turning his head away. Cheesy races up his arm scrabbling into his hair and swings over kissing him on the cheek. Leaping down it quickly scurries away.
Keith has made his way out into the garden wrapped in a huge fur lined dappled gray cloak with the hood pulled up over his head. He has taken her lead and after she left the laundry also found something drab to wear. Now wearing a pair of brown pants and boots and a drab green sweater under the cloak. He watches the door of the castle as the procession is gathering, spotting Allura amongst them. They all seem oblivious to who she really is. A smile comes to his face at her disguise. Heck, I probably wouldn’t have recognized her either. She has removed all her trappings of royalty and let her hair all down so it cascades all around her face, partially obscuring it. She has even changed her posture to match the dowdy dress that she is wearing. Being a wedding party no one seems concerned at the stranger in their midst, no one expecting to know everyone present. The group each of them carrying a lantern or candle starts to make their way to the bridge leading from the castle into the forest collectively singing a song calling for all the spirits to join them. Keith falls in behind them following them across the bridge. As they approach the end of the bridge and the monument he looks up to the lion perched atop it, the lion who always greets him with a rumble. Keith mentally calls out to it. ‘Please my friend, don’t give me away…Please?’ The lion ignores his plea and lets out an ear shattering roar as the group passes beneath it sending Allura to quickly scan the area. Keith hunkers over a bit to hide his face. ‘Thanks a lot, bubby!’
“Did you hear that?” One of the people shouts happily to the bride and groom. “The Lions also bless your union!” Everyone cheers waving their arms up to the Black as they continue on their way into the snow-covered woods. Keith shakes his head; luckily Allura seemed to go along with that reasoning, and he disappears into the group as well.
As Allura reaches the site of the wedding the air has turned colder and now she is furious at herself for not also finding a heavy cloak to wear. The peasant dress and wrap are not nearly warm enough now that the night air has a bite to it. As she starts to take in the scene before her however, she soon feels warm as her love for her planet and its customs wash over her. The wedding will be in a sacred spot, a circular clearing under a thicket of trees, all of which have lost their leaves and are now just a tangle of branches. The moon is full, casting an ethereal glow to the whole scene. The circular area is rimed with bonfires, their happy flames dancing in the night. The seats for the guests are all arranged around the perimeter several rows deep and at its center is an open area where the ceremony will take place. There is a sound of a low bell chiming, sending everyone to slowly find their seats. She finds a seat in the back ring near one of the fires hoping to gain some warmth from it, away from the other guests trying to keep her anonymity.“I should just let you sit there and shiver all night.” A voice whispers in her ear but before she can turn around an already warmed, heavy fur-lined cloak drapes over her shoulders. “You get extra points for the peasant clothes but I’ll have to deduct for not being prepared for the cold.” He smiles down to her.
She drops her head pulling in the warm cloak tight. “Keith, I’m sorry I lied to you about coming.” She moves to stand up but he puts his hand on her shoulder and holds her in her seat. She looks at him curiously. “We’re not going?”
“You know, you could have just asked. I would have come with you.” He sits down beside her hugging his arms in tight to keep warm.
She sighs. “I didn’t want to bother you. You’ve been so miserable lately that… well…” Her voice tapers off as he looks away from her. She then notices he is just in a sweater and is obviously freezing. She scoots in closer to him opening up one side of the cloak. “Keith please, can we drop the protocol tonight? It’s not right for you to freeze on account of my stupidity.”
He looks back to her eyes looking a little lost. “Princess, I can’t.”
“Why not? And tonight if you haven’t noticed, I’m not a princess.” She shoots a pout at him but it soon dissolves into a smile. “If you catch cold I’ll never forgive myself.”
He buries his face in his hand chuckling. “You’re not going to quit, are you?”
“No.” She giggles and slides over next to him draping the cloak over his shoulders then she reaches around the front of him grabbing it and pulling it tight around him. He hasn’t moved, hand still covering his face. Slowly he turns his face to her and their eyes meet. She is instantly lost in his them, being so close to him suddenly hitting her. His eyes don’t break from hers either. She had wanted more than anything to ask him right now, right here, why he as been acting the way he has but now, lost in his eyes, they seem to tell her not to. She manages to break the spell and leans in against him so as to avoid his gaze pulling the cloak in around them tighter against the cold. She instead casts her eyes to the heavens.
His eyes follow hers also needing a distraction. “Look a shooting star.”
“Oh how beautiful.” She coos. “Quick make a wish.”
Keith laughs. “What should I wish for?”
She smiles at him. “Whatever you want. Go on.”
He thinks a moment about what he truly wants. He can see it right beside him, smiling at him. He instead plays it safe. ”I wished for peace and for that damn Lotor to give up already and leave you alone and for…” He stops mid-sentence seeing Allura’s closed eyes and a soft grin tugging at her lips, lips he desperately wants to taste. Allura’s eyes flutter open. He looks at her curiously. “What did you wish for, Princess?”
Allura glances up to him with a sly grin, then turns away.
He lets loose a nervous chuckle growing more anxious. “What'd you wish for?”
An elderly man sitting a few rows away smirks now listening intently to them.
“Come on, tell me.” He pulls her around to face him.
“If I told you it might not come true.” She turns away again and looks up to the heavens and smiles.
“What is it you want, Princess? Tell me what you want?” They together look back up to the sky. He lets out a deep sigh. “I wish I could just fly up there and fix it all for you. I truly wish I could.”
“So, what if you could? “She turns to him. ”Then what?”
“Well, then you could walk your own world as we are tonight and not be afraid.” His voice growing excited. “You could go anywhere you want without having to have someone around you all the time. You could finally sleep knowing your people are safe…You could …” Keith pauses dropping his head suddenly embarrassed. “Am I talking too much?”
“Yes!” The elderly man who had been watching them yells from his seat two rows away. “Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?”
“What?” Keith’s face falls flat, eyes snapping to the man.
“Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?”
Keith’s face flushes brightly as he turns away. Allura’s, now a bright pink, intently studies the ground.
The old man gets to his feet and totters away. “Aw, youth is wasted on the wrong people.”
The two sit in a stunned silence for the longest time neither knowing what to do or say, thankfully the family members have begun to file in to their places at the center ring of seats and Allura’s aunt, Queen Orla, soon walks into the center of the circle to greet all the family members. Giving them something else to focus on.
Keith’s voice is low and very throaty. “So do you mind explaining what’s happening? Arus’ wedding customs are new to me.”
Allura looks up to him surprised. “You really want to know?”
“Well I’d like to know what you’re making me sit through.”
She chuckles. “Well, this is just one type of ceremony there are many others.”
“Like on earth, every culture and religion has its own customs.”
“Really how many?”
“More than I’m aware of, thousands I imagine.”
“Well, this ceremony is about marrying of the spirit. A priestess must officiate the ceremony.”
“Your aunt’s a priestess?”
“Yes. A quite accomplished one at that.”
“How is it I didn’t know that?”
“Keith, it’s not something you go around advertising. They usually keep pretty quiet about it. So, here’s what’s going to happen; she will summon the spirits of the ancestors to join us in the circle so that they too, can bless the union. Then she will call on the spirits of the couple to unite them in the spirit world.”
“Sounds a little far fetched, if you don’t mind me saying.”
Allura grins. “Yeah, it’s more of a myth than anything, but the ritual has survived over the generations and it is a beautiful idea. It gives people hope believing that there is more than just our mortal lives here and that our ancestors are here watching over us.”
He smiles back at her. “I like that idea.”
“Well I sure can’t argue with it. My father has been visiting me ever since he passed.”
“That he has.”
“Keith, Thank you for coming.”
“I had a choice?”
“Well you could have sent someone else to gather me up.”
“And miss my chance to hold it over you? Forget it. No one else gets that honor but me. And, my Princess,” He looks back into her eyes. “You will owe me big for this one.” He grins.
Allura blushes, dropping her eyes and leans back against him. They both grow quiet as they watch Orla finish readying the circle. Allura closes her eyes loosing herself in the closeness of him. She snuggles in more, seeking his warmth and… she can’t deny it… him.
“Are you still cold Princess?” He asks softly. And then at first she thinks she must be fantasizing, but it is really happening. He puts his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer to him, his other hand pulling the cloak in tight around them. “Better?”
She can’t answer him, her voice is lost all she can do is turn her head up to him, her eyes searching his for any hint of what he is thinking. Is he thinking the same thing she is? Does he…could he… feel about me the way I feel about him? I love you… Keith Paladin. His eyes suddenly drop meeting hers questioningly, startling her. A soft smile comes to his lips as he shakes his head and turns back to the circle tightening his hold on her.
Orla walked around the open center area murmuring a chant, blessing the ground and then calling for the couple to join her. They approach and kneel before her on a rug, which had been placed in the circle. Orla reaches out placing her hands on their heads. “May I ask all of you to join me in the calling of the ancestors. Please take hands and focus on the couple with me.”
A shiver shoots down Allura ‘s body and she stiffens up. Neither of them move for the longest time. Then she feels a finger run along the back of her hand under the cover of the cloak, making her shiver all the more. He turns his face to her as she tentatively takes his hand in hers. She reaches up with her other hand taking hold of his other hand on her shoulder. Neither of them speak they just look at one another as their hands move to interlace in each others. Orla calls out to the guests. “Now everyone close your eyes and focus. Focus on your loved ones. Bring them here to be with us tonight to bless this union.” She begins to chant.
Allura and Keith still sit staring at one another. Allura is lost in his eyes again. She has never seen them darker than they seem now in the moonlight. His eyes suddenly drop from her eyes to her lips lingering there for a moment before he darts them away. Allura can’t breathe, Did he… was he going to… No, it had have been her imagination, the romantic setting going to her head. She straightens up closing her eyes. She tries to fight what her body is feeling and do as Orla instructed, trying to focus on her parents, but she can’t. Her mind keeps going to the man whose arms she is surrounded in and whose hands are in hers. She listens to Orla’s chanting song floating lyrically in the air. Soon taking her mind elsewhere, her body starts to sway and she listlessly leans in against him for support, the song seems to envelop her as her mind blurs even more.
When Keith opens his eyes he is in a dark shadowy wood. He can make out the castle across the water. The whole scene seems so unreal, almost ethereal. It is no longer cold; looking himself over he is dressed in his usual red. He picks his way through the shadowy brush only able to see maybe fifteen feet ahead of him. He can hear singing, the same song Orla was chanting, and moves towards it where he sees Allura moving down the overgrown path ahead of him. He tries to call to her but his voice won’t cooperate. He looses track of her in the darkness but continues making his way into the direction he last saw her. Suddenly someone leaps out from behind him catching him with something at his neck. He spins to see Allura who has him roped with a long ribbon. Her eyes are alive and daring, freezing him in his tracks. She silently leads him deeper into the woods, finding a small opening she slowly descends to the ground. Seductively looking up to her catch she slowly begins to reel him down to her with the ribbon.
He is wordless. Words would just break the glorious quiet of the magical woods. She has him now right in front of her. She closes her eyes angling her head up to him and he obliges, taking her lips. Soon kneeling on the ground before her, tasting her, loosing himself in her lips. He can’t help himself. He has wanted to know her for so long but has never dared do anything about it, afraid to let love in his life, afraid to let someone into his heart. But somehow, wherever he is now, none of that matters. He leans closer as ever so slowly she lowers backwards to the ground and he follows her every inch of the way, lips dancing with hers. Eventually she lies in a pile of leaves and he is looming over her. More aggressively kissing her, consuming her. He needs her. She is kissing him back with the same heated abandon, feeding his desires. Her tongue now dancing with his, her hands raking across his back. He fully lowers himself down to her, his body pushing hard up against her wanting more of her, all of her. His breath coming more and more ragged as his need for her grows. He feels her lips leave his now staring to kiss a trail down his neck and he blissfully lifts his head to accommodate her journey.
The scene around them dissolves away. It feels as if they are floating on the air, nothing around them, nothing but them. Any barrier that was between their bodies has also dissolved away leaving them both bare. Now as they float their bodies come together skin touching skin, his desire to have her unbearable. She wraps herself around him, arms and legs pulling him to her, sending their bodies spinning in the air. He grabs onto her tightly frantically finding her lips, when they meet he gives in to his body’s desires and takes her. The sensation of pleasure that overtakes him is almost unbearable as his body instinctively finds the home it has so long been seeking. A blindingly bright light engulfs them as their bodies dance and spin in the air, their two bodies now one. The sensations he is now feeling bombarding his mind, overwhelming it, eventually reaching a crescendo. When he finally releases the light around them also explodes becoming even brighter and seeming to shimmer as it slowly fades. They slowly descend from the air, still a tangled mass of limbs, holding onto each other tightly, still coupled, mouths still dancing.
Allura snaps to and finds herself still sitting near the fire with Keith’s arm around her, hands interlaced in both of his. She is disoriented, fighting for breath and drenched in sweat. Panicked, she quickly glances around to find Orla sitting right in front of them watching intently. Flushing, she looks to Keith who seems as exhausted and unsettled as she. They quickly let go of one another, only then realizing that the rest of the guests are gone and the only ones left in the clearing are the two of them and Queen Orla.
“Where were you?” Orla asks with a sly grin. Neither of them can answer. “You were both gone the whole ceremony. It seems Allura you also have the gift. Like your mother and I.” Orla smiles at Allura.
Allura is still reeling from what she just experienced and can’t really comprehend Orla’s words. She looks over to Keith only to find him staring at her. When noticed, he quickly turns his head away. Could that really have been him? He tosses open the cloak and gets up, walking away. “Keith?” She softly calls after him when she can get the breath to summon it. He slowly turns to face her, his heavy breath visible in the night air. The look on his face and in his dilated midnight eyes is a mixture of shock and shame answering her question for her. It was him.
Orla stands up. “Well, I think we should head back to the castle before they send out a search party. “Will you two ride with me in my coach?” Allura slowly stands wrapping herself up in Keith’s cloak and nods. Orla smiles putting an arm around her. “Come, this way.” She heads to where her carriage waits. “Captain will you please ride with us?”
He wraps his arms tight around himself looking down. “No, I don’t…”
“Captain. Please. You are hardly dressed to walk back on your own. Orla grabs his arm as they pass, pulling him along with them. He is still to disorientated to truly resist. As they reach the carriage the footman helps Orla and Allura into the carriage.
Orla smiles out the door to Keith. “Come, sir. You wouldn’t let two ladies travel so late unescorted would you?” At that he drops his head and climbs in sitting across from them. Soon the carriage is underway.
Orla looks across at Keith who is staring out the window, arms still wrapped tightly around his body. She starts to chuckle. “I never would have imagined you coming out so unprepared for the cold.”
He glances over at Allura. “Well I guess I just forgot.” The tension in the air is easing a little. He shrugs slightly dropping his eyes, a slight smile puling at his lips. Allura lets out a slight hiccup of a giggle snapping her hand to her mouth and drops her head, both of them now intently studying the floor of the carriage.
Orla smiles at them. “So tell me Allura, how long have you had this power?”
Allura looks up and at her aunt confused. “Power?”
“Yes, you have the gift. How long have you noticed it? It must be strong in you in order for you to take him with you.”
“I… I don’t know what you’re asking Orla. I went somewhere yes, but…”
“Have you been seeing spirits? Seeing visions?”
“Well I have always seen my father. He often comes to me in my dreams.”
“Anything else, seeing things, hearing thoughts?”
“Well, there was that time when Keith called me.”
Orla leans in. “Tell me what happened.”
“It was when he and the team went to Pidge’s home world to try and save it and the Blue Lion and I stayed behind. Do you remember Keith?”
He looks over to her but doesn’t meet her eyes. “We were in trouble. I thought we were goners. I called out to her in my frustration.”
“And I heard him and answered.”
“Hold on!” Orla snaps, suddenly fully alert and scrutinizing Keith. “You projected to her?”
“Projected?” Keith’s brow furrows.
Orla grabs for him. “And you were clear on another planet?”
He pulls away from her intense scrutiny. “Yes.”
Orla snaps her gaze to Allura. “And you heard him?”
Allura cocks her head in confusion. “Yes.”
“From another planet?”
Allura looks across at Keith who is looking as bewildered as she. “Orla? What?”
Instead of answering, Orla takes Keith’s hand and holds it in hers, closing her eyes. Slowly she opens them then snaps her head to Allura. “Give me your hand.” Allura panics, at Orla’s urgency. Orla reaches into the cloak grabbing one of Allura’s hands and closes her eyes again only to suddenly snap them open, dropping their hands as if they burned her and retreats to the corner of the carriage.
The two watch her as she recoils into herself and then look at one another and at their hands both completely bewildered. Keith feeling the chill, wraps himself back up in his arms in a futile effort to keep warm. Allura forgetting herself seeing his discomfort, quickly shifts to the other side of the carriage throwing a side of the cloak over him before he can object. He feels like ice. She wraps an arm around him rubbing his shoulder. “Keith you’re freezing!” She whispers to him.
He looks at Allura smirking at her, his teeth chattering. “Yeah, well next time I’ll bring two cloaks.” His eyes then go back to Orla who is still lost in her thoughts. Allura snuggles in against him trying to warm him up, her eyes also looking at Orla. He lowers his lips to her ear and whispers. “Allura what was that that happened back there? I…I mean…did we… was that you?” Allura just snuggles in tighter shivering and nods her head. He whispers again “And, Just now, what did she see Allura? What was she talking about...Projecting?”
There is a low grumble from overhead as the carriage begins to pass under the Lion Monument snapping Orla out of her thoughts. “Keith, your soul…” They both look at Orla curiously and then Allura turns to look into Keith’s eyes, which suddenly seem frightened. Orla continues. “Your soul…it is crying.... empty…lost. Such pain you carry with you.” Keith turns away, looking out the window towards the lake. Orla then looks at Allura. “Tell me what happened at the ceremony.”
Allura feels Keith’s body tense and turns away too, looking at the back of Keith’s head. “I don’t know what happened.” She moves her hand to his back under the cover of the cloak in an attempt to comfort him and whispers. “I don’t remember.”
Orla continues to prod. “What about you Keith, what do you remember?”
“Nothing.” He breathes out the window. “I don’t remember anything.”
The carriage pulls up to the doors of the castle and stops, Orla quickly climbs down she looks back in at the pair smiling. “Well, it’s a shame that you don’t remember, because it was beautiful.” Leaving the two pale and dumb struck.
The coachman looks in. “Highness?”
“Give us a minute.” Allura answers. He bows politely and walks away. Allura is trembling as she slowly drops her hand from his back. “Keith I do remember… I remember everything.”
He turns around slowly. “Allura, I’m sorry I don’t know what happened. I… I had no control over myself. I was just…” He drops his head.
“Keith, I was just as … uninhibited as you I…” She looks up to him and their eyes instantly lock. “Keith I…” She starts to tremble even more as he leans into her, his eyes targeting her lips. She closes her eyes and feels his breath on her lips then nothing. She opens her eyes just as his cheek brushes against hers and he pulls her into an embrace instead.
“I’m sorry Princess. I… I can’t do this.”
“Keith? Why? Why not?” She clutches at his chest. “I thought that you … I mean with what just happened…”
He grabs at her hair, voice choking up. “Allura, my life and love don’t mix.”
She pushes him back. “So you do admit to love?”
He swallows hard. “I can’t.” He drops his eyes.
Allura grabs his face in her hands forcing him to look at her, his eyes shimmering. “Keith?” And in that instant he takes her lips, ravenously consuming them. Wrapping his hands around her head deepening the kiss and she looses herself in him.
When he pulls away tears are pouring down his face. “I …can’t!” He bolts from the carriage leaving Allura alone clutching at air.
Much later he is walking down the quiet corridor to his room. What in the hell was I thinking? I kissed her! How could I let myself loose control like that? Love is a novelty I can’t have in my life, I won’t have in my life! And at the wedding, what was that? Were we really together like that? Did our spirits actually make love? Or was that just all in my head? Either way, it can’t happen again! No, I wont let it! I can’t do that to her. Not to her. His eyes then target in on a colorful ornament hanging from the ceiling of the hall. He leaps up grabbing it, ripping it down and slam-dunks it into a nearby trash-can. “Stupid Christmas.”
He reaches his room and falls onto the sofa lying back. He grabs a throw from the back of it curling up into a ball. I can’t let my guard down like that ever again. I am a soldier. Commander of Voltron, We’re at war. I can’t have love in my life! What kind of life would that be for her… for our children? Children? Keith hits himself in the head. Quit dreaming! You can’t have children! I can’t live through loosing my whole life again. I can’t let love in my life! He keeps repeating it over and over in his head as he slowly drifts off mumbling “I can’t let… love in my life… love… in my life…”
He is holding Allura in his arms floating on air, nothing around them. nothing but them, bare skin touching skin. She wraps herself around him, arms and legs pulling him to her sending their bodies to spin and dance in the air. He grabs onto her tightly frantically finding her lip’s when they meet he gives in to his body’s desires and takes her. A blindingly bright light engulfs them as their bodes dance in the air, their two bodies becoming one. The sensations he is now feeling bombarding his mind, overwhelming it, eventually reaching a climax he releases and the light around them also explodes even brighter…then darkness. He closes his eyes, when he reopens them he is again a little boy running through the snow. He reaches his dark house. Bursting open the door he runs in. Inside the house is all aglow for the season. The tree is twinkling, the fire is burning bright, candles are lit everywhere. His heart starts to race. “Mommy! Daddy!” But then what he sees freezes him cold, there on the sofa lie the bloody bodies of his parents half beaten and half charred. He spins around to the playpen and in it are the mangled bodies of his sisters. Their ruined remains shimmering in the lights from the tree. Keith moves to the middle of the room, spinning from one horror to the next dizzying himself he drops to the floor sobbing “Mommy! Daddy! Don’t leave me!” Looking up again he sees the tree looming over him, laughing at him, twinkling cheerfully. He hears distant voices. “Open your present, Keith. Yes Keith, open your present.” He looks under the gaudy tree and sees a big red package. Apprehensively, he pulls it out and begins unwrapping it, opening the box. He reaches in and pulls out a mangled stuffed black lion dripping with blood. His small hands tighten around it in his anger, blood dripping onto his little fingers and down his arms. He cradles the lion to his chest and sobs again rocking back and forth hugging his lion. The old clock in the hall clicks and starts to chime. It rings out into the dead house… twelve times.
Simultaneously in another room of the castle Allura wakes up with a start, clutching at her chest looking for the lion that isn’t there. She gasps for air. That dream was so vivid. She trembles, pulling up her blanket to cuddle up in. She was little and it was Christmas in beautiful house she didn’t know. It was beautifully decked out for the season, but all around her was death. She looks at her hands still able to see the blood on them. She curls up into a ball and tries to forget, but the images are burnt into her mind. She rocks herself slowly, trying to quiet her mind and tries to go back to sleep but she can’t.
Orla is unable to calm herself from the night’s events so she decides to go for a walk eventually making her way down to the tomb of King Alfor that lies deep under the castle. Entering, she moves to his tomb and kneels before it and begins to pray, to pray for her niece and the man she loves, one who obviously loves her in return. Please, if you can find a way to make him come out of his shell and work through the darkness that has hold of his soul. Please, he is a good man who doesn’t deserve this torment. Finished she stands.A low voice comes from behind her. “I thought someone was down here. You’re up awfully late. How did the ceremony go?”
Orla turns to find Coran standing behind her and she smiles at him. “It was beautiful I have never felt such energy. The couple’s soul’s joined together.”
“Don’t they always join?”
“No, sometimes never. Sometimes at the ceremony, like tonight and sometimes, very rarely, the souls are already one and they are fighting desperately to unite even though their owners deny it.”
Coran’s brow furrows for a moment thinking on what she said. Shaking off whatever thought was there. “Come, I happen to know where we can find some hot chocolate and biscuits.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
End of Part Three.
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