Feeling Blue -- (VLD)

The Advisor and his Princess

No one had seen Allura for the better part of four hours now. They weren't worried for her safety, they knew that the princess could handle herself. Besides, it was just them in the castle, they had searched every inch after the breach, just in case.

No one really knew how to approach the princess about what had happened. Even Shiro seemed just as clueless as everyone else on board, Lance had the sinking feeling that their leader hadn't done much comforting, or been comforted for that matter, in a very long time. He doubted that emotional support was allowed amongst Galra captives.

Lance pulled his thoughts from the older man and turned them instead towards Coran, who was looking longingly at the door, as desperate to find and comfort the princess as Lance himself was. It must have been hard to finally get her father back, only to lose him again. Lance longed for his own mother and father, and a twinge of sadness struck his soul. Stamping down the growing feeling, he turned to the Altean.

"Hey, Blue took some damage, can you help me have a look at her, Coran?"

The man twitched slightly at his name, switching his eyes from the door to Lance.

"I'm free now" He said with a nod, beckoning for lance to follow him as he walked out. Together they left the room, Lance shivering as they left behind them a room filled with worry and apprehension.

"Now, what damages did she take, My boy?"

Lance was suddenly wrenched back to reality. He smiled at Coran before answering.

"Nothing I can't fix myself."

Coran raised an eyebrow in disbelief "Then what--"

"Do you have any idea where the princess would be?" Lance asked, getting straight to the point.

Coran's moustache raised slightly as he smiled. Lance rather liked the advisor's moustache, it tended to be very expressive.

It seemed that Coran knew the princess quite well, for they found her in the first place they looked. Lance liked this room. It was painted a light golden shade, the colour familiar to Lance, but it wasn't until he observed the pictures on the wall that he realised where in the castle they were.

The King's Quarters held many a framed photos on it's walls, but the tiny photograph of two young men seemed to be prized more than the rest. Lance smiled at the much younger looking Coran and Alfor that laughed at him from the simple wooden frame. It was the only decoration on the dusty bedside table, and Lance found it charming.

Lance saw Coran's eyes flicker to the picture, and the redhead's moustache raised again. But Coran ignored it in favour of gently pulling back the covers on the luxurious bed.

"Come now, Princess." He murmured, giving her hair a gentle stroke. Lance noticed that the touch seemed to soothe her.

Before he could ponder this more, the princess dived at Coran, wrapping him in a tight- and probably rib breaking- hug. Coran showed no discomfort, and the blue paladin began to wonder exactly what sort of relationship the two had. It seemed much closer than that of princess and advisor. He felt the agonising stab of loneliness again, but forced it down so he could support the two Alteans.

"It hurts, Unca Coran." Allura sobbed, as if she had somehow intended to answer Lance's unspoken question. Lance hastily brushed aside the remainder of his loneliness, ashamed of himself for being selfish when the princess obviously needed them.

He sat quietly, being careful to make at least some noise so that he wouldn't unintentionally startle the princess with his presence. It was an ingrained habit of his, cultivated from both his sensitive little sister, and his friendship with Hunk.

Coran smiled at him in approval, obviously pleased with Lance's approach. Although he hadn't done all that much really, merely informed the princess he was there too.

"I know Allu, I know. But we will get through it- like your father always used to say. When the world says give in--"

"Hope whispers to keep going." Allura finished. Tightening her hold around her esteemed 'Unca Coran's' neck.

They sat like that for a while, Lance remaining silent as Coran shared stories of his youth with Alfor. Some were funny, some were sad, but Allura began to cry less and that was what really mattered.

"I remember when he first discovered how to braid hair, and he practised on you for hours before finally showing you off to the other noblemen and women." Coran reminisced, stroking the princess' white hair as he did so.

"Can you braid it Unca? Please?" She begged, straightening so that she might be able to look into his eyes.

"I am afraid that I know not how little Allu." Coran said, a sad smile adorning his face. Tentatively Lance looked over to the two.

"If you would allow it princess, I would be honoured to braid your hair for you" Lance offered, smiling gently as Allura turned and gave him a watery smile.

"Please." she agreed, shifting in order to give Lance better access to her flowing locks.

When Lance was done, Allura thanked both him and Coran.

"-And I'm sorry you had to see me like this..." she said, rubbing at her eye with the heel of her hand. "It's not really the best way to see a Princess--"

"I won't tell anyone." Lance said solemnly.

"Thank you." She gave a small smile, turning to attend to her duties elsewhere in the castle.

"You did well, my boy. May I ask where you learned to braid?" Coran asked Lance as they rose from the bed and began the long walk back to the common areas a short while after Allura had left.

"I saw my older sister doing it when I was seven and begged her to teach me." Lance said, smiling fondly at the memory "She did- but only on the condition that I braid her hair for her. She always found it difficult to do it on her own."

Coran gave his shoulder a light touch, and Lance sent him a massive grin back.

"I could teach you how, but only if you beat me back to the kitchen!" Lance bet, confident in his speed, but also not caring if he lost. Coran smiled back at him and nodded quickly in agreement.

"You're on number three!" Coran shouted gleefully, sprinting down the hall with Lance hot on his heels. It made him feel young again, as if nothing had changed. Any minute now Alfor would appear at the end of the hall, jeering at him as he struggled to keep up with the much taller child.

Suddenly Coran didn't feel so cheerful anymore.

Lance stopped when Coran did, nearly crashing into the back of the Altean. The man, mere moments ago running like a carefree child, had paused when the world around him still spun, his expression making him seem so much older than the ten thousand years ever did.

"Are you okay, Coran?"

Coran flashed a fake smile in Lance's direction, a futile attempt to divert the paladins worry.

"Tell me more about your family, Lance"

Lance raised an eyebrow but complied, launching into story after story as they did laps around the castle halls.

Coran's eyes grew brighter with each glue incident and embarrassing situation lance described, the haunted look within them fading as Lance continued on.

Lance supposed that Coran had needed distracting, something else to focus on than the bittersweet memories that must have been taken from their dusty shelf during their talk with Allura. And Lance was more than happy to provide that distraction.

Even if every story slowly crushed his heart to pieces.