I Am The Red Paladin

Character, Not Race

Emerging from the depths of a dark labyrinth to a clear sky with no sign of a pasting storm surfacing, Pidge and Lotor with a lifeless Rarg nestled in the Galra Prince's arms took off, the small blinker on Pidge's device as their new destination. Pidge glanced at the man in Lotor's hold and bit the inside of her cheek in curiosity. The Druid was Altean, the same as Haggar, perhaps all the druids were Altean? It was a question for another time as Lotor staggered, Pidge hastily bringing her arms up to help steady the Prince and his unconscious patient. Lotor nodded hesitantly in thanks ensuring the Druid was stable within his grasp before he continued after the retreating Green Paladin.

As they closed the distance between themselves and her friends, Pidge noticed a silhouette in the distance. The body was slouch lightly, seemingly straining to haul something up from over the edge of the small steep cliff. As they edged closer the features became clearer, the burgundy and white armour belonged to the Red Paladin, to what Keith was pulling at swiftly became clear as a white and yellow helmet appeared from below, Hunk's hands grasping frantically at the Red Paladin's wrists. Pidge stifled a laugh as Keith took several steps back as he managed to heaved Hunk up on the soft snow, falling straight onto his buttocks from the sudden lack of an opposing force. Pidge and Lotor watched Hunk shuffle to his feet, promptly helping the fallen Keith before the Yellow Paladin glanced beyond him and his eyes lit up with glee.

"Pidge!"

The voice almost didn't reach her ears but she jumped up as down in joy as she scampered through the thick snow, waving her hands frantically in the air. Hunk left Keith almost instantly bounding down the snowing plain, almost suffocating the girl in a bear hug as they crashed together.

"Oh, it's so good to see your face." Hunk rubbed their cheeks together in affection causing Pidge to laugh. "Don't ever fly off into a raging snowstorm again!"

"That was us, Hunk." Keith appeared beside them, his breath knocked from his lungs as Pidge wrapped her hands around his chest after Hunk reluctantly let her go. Pidge suddenly snapped herself away as if burnt by Keith's touch and the boy's watched her as she scrambled around them before backtracking towards Prince Lotor who was trudging in the snow, uninterested in their reunion. Keith noticed the body cradled in the Galra's arms and rushed to the man's side as Hunk scrambled after Pidge.

"Is this Rarg?" Keith rose his head to find Lotor nodding in answer. The Red Paladin inspected the Druids features and found himself hitching his breath at the familiar small strips of colour on the man's cheekbones. "He's Altean."

"That is an astute observation, Keith." Lotor snapped mockingly before shifting his hold. "Obvious speculation can wait, Rarg needs medical attention."

"Let's get back to our Lion's," Keith ignored the petulant tone of the Galra knowing it was disguising the terror that was currently racking the Prince's body. "Coran will help him, Lotor."

"I can only hope it will not be too late." Lotor's brow pinched in worry deciding to let a small amount of emotion seep through hoping that this would motivate the Red Paladin to insist his fellow comrades to stop frolicking in the snow.

"Pidge, Hunk, come on," Keith called out before pausing as the Green Paladin pulled a recognizable helmet from the snow.

"I threw it away when Hunk called my name," Pidge bowed her head in embarrassment. "I remembered when I hugged you."

Keith approached the Green Paladin gently grazing his fingers against his missed helmet and thanked the girl before glancing at Hunk, who was currently unearthing Keith's armour. The white and red armour that still held the large gaping blackened hole, where Haggar's spell had hit him, caused the Red Paladin to unintentionally shiver.