The New Prince

Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Return of the Prodigal Son

When Keith arrived to his chambers, he immediately threw himself on to the bed. Physically and emotionally drained, he closed his eyes wondering why the pain in his body continued. It had been a while since he remembered Haggar telling him the pain would go away, but it still lingered and now felt stronger.

The prince sighed heavily, his head ached and he felt pulses all over his body. He stood up from the bed, walked over to the mirror and stared at himself for a moment. He looked extremely tired. Inside, however, he felt sick.

He had achieved a second victory for Doom. He had captured Voltron and annihilated a potentially powerful adversary in just under a few days. What Lotor couldn't do in two years, he had done it in a matter of weeks. No wonder Zarkon was proud. Keith smiled a little remembering how his 'Father' gloated and boasted in front of everyone at the assembly.

His mind shifted again to the members of the Voltron Force when they kneeled before him. He didn't know why, but something felt wrong about the situation. They were the enemy…that he knew. Keith remembered everything about them and a sort of friendship he had with them. But, that felt so foreign to him. As if that life with them had never existed and yet somehow it did. "This doesn't make sense." he said aloud. "How can they be friends and enemies at the same time?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Slightly annoyed, he walked across the room. When he opened the door, he saw a couple of guards waiting in front.

"I thought I said I didn't want any interruptions tonight." Keith irritably told them.

"Our apologies, your Highness, but your father ordered us to bring you a cocktail for the evening."

Keith rolled his eyes, "I said I didn't want any cocktails tonight. Take her back." He replied, not bothering to see the woman who stood behind the guard.

Instead of walking away, the guard continued his taunt. "But sire, are you sure you don't want this cocktail?" He asked as he pushed Allura from behind him and showed her to Keith.

Dressed in an extremely tight black slip dress, Allura stood in front of him. Her golden hair was delicately brushed and hung straight down her back. Keith detected her perfume emitting around them. She smelled of lilies.

Although the perfume was enticing, he somehow remembered that Allura always smelled like vanilla, not lilies. He didn't understand why he seemed to notice something as trivial as he studied the princess. Allura looked at Keith, frightened at first, but her features soften a bit at the sight of him.

"Father brought me Princess Allura?" Keith asked in condescending tone. "I thought she belonged to Lotor." He stated looking at her and smiled at her with mockery.

"She no longer belongs to Lotor. The king ordered that you should have first choice in regards to the princess. Part of your reward for the victory you brought him."

"And if I refuse?" He asked, still maliciously smiling at her.

"The princess will be brought to the guards in the dungeon tonight."

At the sound of that, Allura's face paled and she began to tremble. She noticed how Keith stared at her coldly and darkly, enjoying her fear. The princess knew then that hope was lost for her. She was quickly surprised however, when instead of dismissing her, Keith raised his hand and extended it to her. "My Lady, would you do me the honor of joining me tonight?"

Sighing with relief, Allura took his hand and allow him to lead her inside the room. Once he shut the door, a new terror emerged when he continued to stare at her with those dark, distant eyes that felt so unfamiliar to her. She knew that once again hope was lost.