Chapter Twenty-Four
Doom Castle
Devonn, now dressed and in his throne room, raged at Hagar, who sighed. Same old thing. His father had done the same thing. She remained quiet and let him rage. She wasn't in too a mood either. Bengale had escaped her again! Ah well, it wasn't like he was that good anyway. Still, a witch has to have companionship too. She shifted on her feet and wished that he would shut up. If anything, he was more long winded than Zarkon ever was.
Devonn fumed and raged. Damned Lotor! If Bengale had obeyed him, none of this would have happened. If he ever got his hands on Bengale, he would flay his wrinkled skin off of him! Devonn was angry- very angry. This was all Lotor's fault! He was fortunate that he didn't lose his new found
Empire, but he would have to clamp down now and he would have to reorganize things. It would take months. Lotor would pay for taking Allura. He would pay dearly for it! He would personally see that Lotor was gelded.
Devonn had heard that he had claimed the Canesian throne. Well let him have that pitiful throne! It still amazed Devonn that Canesian was now in this galaxy. He grimly smiled. It would make his revenge easier.
He paced the floor of the throne room. A nameless slave brought the drink he had requested.
Devonn gulped down the drink and then he yelled, "I said I wanted Tyrusian Brandy, you fool!"
He jerked the hapless slave up and snapped his neck, killing him. He let the slave drop to the floor. Devonn yelled at a guard, "Get rid of it!!" The guard quickly complied, not wanting to be King Devonn's next victim.
Devonn threw the glass he had been drinking out of against the wall. It broke with a shattering sound, which did not satisify him. He wanted to feel Lotor's neck snap under his bare hands and hear his dying gasp. Oh yes..that and Allura pleading for him to stop. He wanted to see the horror in her face when he stepped over his dead body and gathered her into his arms. He wanted to feel her fear, taste her terror.He wanted her submission. She nearly had when that - that half-brother of his! He couldn't even say his name! Well, when he was through here on Doom, he would pay a visit to Arus or perhaps Canesian. He smiled evily. No..Arus would be better. He would arrange for Hagar to create some magic where he would pass unoticed. Perhaps he could snatch her away again under their very noses! After all, she was still his and he had to admit, he still wanted her. As for his half-brother, he would exact his revenge and it would be sweet. He would make his plans, lay low, let them think what they would, then he would strike.
Arus: three months later...
It had been about three months since her arrival back on Arus, and Allura was still listless and tired. Dr. Gorma had attributed it to her ordeal on Doom, Keith thought it was because of Lotor, and Nanny, well - she suspected something else, but she really couldn't get herself to believe that about her baby.
Keith had ordered that she not fly Blue Lion for awhile, that Sven would take over her duties until she was fully recovered. Although Allura protested, Keith was adamant. He would not budge on the issue.
She began feeling sick in the mornings. Although she tried to hide it from the others, Nanny noticed and fretted over her. It was bad enough that she fussed over the baby Skye so. Allura sighed, Skye was about the only thing that kept her going these days ever since -
Lotor's death...she reminded herself.
Lately, it had been more difficult to hide how nauseated she felt sometimes. Yesterday at breakfast, she was doing just fine until Hunk made one of his "special" sandwiches - much to Nanny's displeasure. Hunk hummed a tune offkey while all the guys made faces and comments as usual.
From Lance: "Aw, Hunk, how can you eat that?"
Pidge: "Hey, he's got a cast-iron stomach!"
Even Sven made a comment, "Vell, dat samvich he's making vill eat a hole in it!"
Everyone laughed as Hunk gave them a glare. He said, "Hey, this a waker-upper! Puts hair on your chest!" Hunk proudly displayed his creation: a bacon, egg , peanut butter, onion and ketchup sandwich! When she had taken a whiff of that particular sandwich, she jumped, mumbled an excuse, and promptly ran to the nearest bathroom. She almost didn't make it!
She was in her garden, in the sunshine. Dr. Gorma had insisted that she get plenty of rest, and sunshine. He did not like her pale complexion and had insisted that she not tax herself with her royal duties and let Coran take it over for awhile. Allura wasn't used to having nothing to do, but she just didn't have the same drive anymore. Her heart, it seemed lost the will to go on.
Without him... she thought sadly, tears running down her face.
Suddenly, she felt violently ill, and she vomited. At that moment, Nanny came looking for her and ran to her. Allura kept retching, feeling cold and clammy all over as she broke out in a sweat. Nanny held her head down as she did so, much as she had done when she was a little girl. When she stopped, her body shook.
Nanny gently brought her up and said quietly, "Princess, you're going to see Dr. Gorma."
Allura weakly protested, "No.I'm fine! Really.It's nothing."
Nanny shook her head and said in her no-nonsense voice, "Don't tell me it's nothing! I have watched you, and you are not well! You're going, and that is final!"
Allura was too tired to protest as Nanny took her to see her court physician.
She felt better, although she was getting rather uncomfortable lying on the medscan table so long. After what seemed an enternity, Dr. Gorma came in. He smiled faintly at her and looked at her charts.
Allura said, "Dr. Gorma, I'm fine, aren't I? It's nothing, isn't it?"
Dr. Gorma cleared his throat and said, "Well,Princess, we have ran every diagnostic test upon you and all results are negative. You are in good health despite your symptoms of nausea." He paused and said, "However, one test did check out positive - but before I tell you the results, would you want someone here with you?" He smiled at her and said, "Of course, it is your decision, Princess. Nothing said will go out of this room."
Allura thought for a moment and said, "I want Nanny to be here."
Dr. Gorma nodded and went to let Nanny into the room with her. Nanny bustled in and said worriedly, "Well, Dr. Gorma, is she all right? Please tell us!"
Allura said, "Please, Nanny..let him say.."
Dr. Gorma cleared his throat again and said to Nanny, "As I informed the princess, Alice, all tests we have ran on her have been negative - except one."
Nanny, clutching Allura's hand in fear, said, "What test is that, Dr. Gorma?"
He looked at the both of them and said, "Pregnancy...the test came out positive."
Allura and Nanny both gasped. Nanny said, "How - ah - are you sure?"
Dr. Gorma nodded, "Yes, the pregnancy tests are 99.9% accurate - you are about three months along, Allura."
Allura felt numb at first and then her face just lit up with joy. She cried, "Nanny, do you know what this means? A baby! I'm going to have his baby!"
Nanny's eyes grew wide as she looked at Allura. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. She didn't want to say what she was thinking, but she had to. She said, "I - I thought they rescued you before that - that..oh god, my poor baby!"
Nanny started to sob. Allura looked puzzled at first and then she placed an arm around Nanny and said, "Nanny! No.no..it's not what you think..Devonn never got to.."
She frowned at the memory and then she said, "No, Nanny, it's my husband's.."
Nanny said, "Your - your husband's?" Allura then remembered and tears ran down her cheeks. She said, "He's - he's dead, Nanny..Devonn killed - h-him on Canesia.."
She started to sob and Nanny held her as she cried, "Why, oh why did he have to die and leave me?" She screamed, "Why?"
Nanny looked alarmed. She glanced at Dr. Gorma and whispered, "You must give her something."
He said, "I can give her a light sedative, but nothing stronger because of the baby. "
Nanny continued to hold Allura, who was now sobbing hysterically. "Then do so!"
Nanny continued to hold the one who was so precious to her and wished she could take her pain away.