His Beautiful Nightmare 》Voltron [Voltron WA 2017]

Chapter 30

The Jaspanian castle was beautiful on the inside. Dark green halls were lined with different vines and flowers on almost every inch.

Coran wasn't kidding when he said Jaspanians had a nature-oriented lifestyle. Plants are everywhere.

But he wasn't really studying the plants like everyone else was.
His mind was already preoccupied.

Was Azalea okay?
They'd been gone for a few hours now when Feornae decided to give them a tour of the castle.

She hadn't been left alone this long for months.

Calm down, Keith told himself, She's probably in the training room. Or, more likely, asleep.

"And this is our dining hall", Feornae said, gesturing to an expansive room to their left. The table itself seemed to be the size of Voltron.

Keith could practically feel Hunk's excitement.

"What's this?", Lance asked. He knocked on a wide wooden door just down the hall.

"Lance don't touch that!", Shiro and Allura scolded at the same time.

Brenan chuckled.
"No, it's fine!", he said as he pulled a set of keys from his pocket, "Lance here is just curious to see our Hall of Saviors."

"Hall of Saviors?", Pidge asked skeptically.

They walked into the long hall. On each wall was a long stretch of paintings, continuing until the end of the hall.

"Yes, our Hall of Saviors", Feornae said while taking the lead.
They walked past painting after painting.
They all depicted a different Jaspanian,  and sometimes a different creature entirely.

"Our Hall is dedicated to those who have helped Jaspen in one way or another. Once a week, local Jaspanians are allowed to come in and place flowers under their favorite Savior", Piflin explained.

Keith was surprised that someone so young could speak so well.

Then he gave a low whistle at the amount of flowers under one particular painting.
It took up the space under it, and spread out halfway into the middle of the hall.

"Hey, she's human!", Hunk exclaimed,  pointing at the painting.

Keith examined it himself.

A young Hispanic girl looked back at him.
She couldn't have been more than a preteen.
Jet black hair cascaded past a round, caramel face. Wide black eyes were emphasized by the dark freckles on her nose, and the huge smile she wore.

"She's so cute, awe", Lance cooed.

But Keith couldn't stop staring into her eyes. Something unsettling was there, and he couldn't put a finger on it.

Where have I seen her before?

Brenan smiled sadly as he took his own flower crown off of his head and gently placed it under the painting.

"Yes, my beautiful flower", he said wistfully, "She is our kingdom's favorite Savior, to say at the least. Her highness,  and the young babe Piflin and I were captured by the Galra some years ago. I befriended her, and she was the one who risked her life to save us."

Feornae put a hand on her nephew's shoulder.

"Commander Brenan has been looking for the girl ever since, hoping that she's alive. We all hope that she's alive."

"I want to see, Azalea", Piflin said sadly.

Keith's head snapped towards the little boy.

Azalea.

He looked at the portrait again, and it all fit in suddenly.

Those dark eyes...

They are Azalea's.

That is Azalea.

Keith suddenly remembers Brenan too, from her stories.
The alien boy she became friends with.

Now a burning sensation filled his chest as he remembered what Brenan called her.

"My beautiful flower."

"We have something to tell you", Allura smiled.

"No we don't, Princess", Keith suddenly interjected.

He didn't want Azalea anywhere near this stuck-up Commander.

He wanted her to stay hidden on their castle.

Where she could still be his.

And his alone.

"What is it?", Feornae asked.

"We believe we have already found your lost savior", Shiro said,  ignoring Keith's protests.

"Impossible!", Feornae exclaimed.

"Its true!", Lance said happily.

YOU AREN'T HELPING ME LANCE!

"You're looking for Azalea Korraine, right?", Pidge asked.

PIDGE!!!

Brenan's eyes lit up.
"You found her? My flower? Where is she?!"

"She's on our ship, Bucko", Lance smirked.

"I must see her at once!", Brenan announced, and ran out of the room. Even Feornae was grinning from ear to ear, and she grabbed her son's hand and ran out too.

Keith clenched his fists as he watched the others follow just as enthusiastically.

So much for not letting them know we have Azalea,  he thought angrily.

The feeling in his chest burned more.

What was this feeling?
Rage?
Jealousy?

Psh, why would I be jealous?
I just need to calm down.
What could go wrong?