Chapter Twenty-Five
Canesian: Lotor the King
It had seemed that an eternity had passed since he had arrived on Canesian instead of eight months ago. Lotor was now the King of Canesian. They had his coronation not long after his battle on Doom. He was considered a widower, for he had just let everyone believe that his wife had died on Doom. It hurt too much to explain that the one he loved was alive and on the planet that they were orbiting.
It was not easy to be a fair King, for the habits of a lifetime on Doom had influenced him. However, after the battle on Doom, he had made Pasqu'all his advisor, for the man had known his father well enough to have given him guidelines on how to run the planet's affairs.
Surprisingly,Lotor also had help from Coran,which he took seriously, although he made great pains not to ask about Allura and contact her. The promise he had made Akira weighed upon him like a stone, but he had broken many promises in his life, and he swore he wouldn't break this one - even if it meant a life of lonliness.
It wasn't that he would lack for company. Many women flirted with him, offered themselves to him, and although they were beautiful, and he was tempted, he could not. He could not pretend that they were her. He had held her in his arms. He had made love to her and she to him, and he could not pretend. His heart would not allow it. He loved her too much.
When they had raided Doom, some of the women of his harem begged to go to Canesian, for they feared Devonn. They had expected to be ensconced in Lotor's castle, but he placed them in various villages, where they had secured husbands. He did not want to take up that lifestyle again, however tempting it was.
Every day he thought..she should be here with me...
Thinking of his Princess, he would also think of the baby. He wondered how she was,what Allura named her. He just bet that she picked out a beautiful name.
Lotor sighed and paused to look at the large portrait he had made of her. Each day he gazed upon it and wished that he could go to her on Arus. Had she forgotten about him? Perhaps Akira had taken his place in her heart. Lotor felt a pang of jealousy. Oh how he wished he had never made that promise! He reached out with his hand and touched the painted face upon the canvas. He could almost feel the silk of her skin under his fingertips again. He sighed and withdrew his hand.
He knew that someday he would have to marry to produce an heir to the throne, but he knew that it would be an empty marriage - with only the form and not the substance- something he had at many times tried to force upon Allura.
Lotor walked away from the portrait, his face sad as it always was. He felt dead inside. He lived and breathed,but he was a dead man with his heart in the grave.
King Devonn of the Doom Empire had bided his time. He had clamped down on his holdings after Lotor's raid on Doom. He let everyone in his Empire know that he was much more ruthless than his father Zarkon had ever been, and for the most part everyone agreed. He raided other planets, but for some reason, he left Arus and it's orbiting moon,Canesian, alone. All knew his vedetta against Lotor, but Devonn laid low while he plotted and planned.
Since he was ruler of the Empire, he had his pick of female slaves. He chose many,but all became reluctant , for he was brutal with them and he, in his many rages would sometimes kill them. All feared him. All knew that Zarkon's rule had been benevolent compared to his, but nothing was said, for Devonn's spies were everywhere, and one could never be too careful.
Devonn dressed carefully. He was immaculate in his black uniform. He was going to pay a visit to his dear wife on Arus and bring her back where she belonged. He could not free his mind of her. She would visit him in his dreams, teasing him, taunting him, and in his dreams he would take her over and over again. All the while she would cry out his name in passion. Oh no, he did not love her. He could love no one, for it was not in his nature to. But he had been thwarted in his desire for her too many times and he was convinced that he was her rightful husband. It didn't matter that Lotor had claimed her first on Canesian. He had claimed her in front of the entire universe, and no one took what was his.
Devonn felt rage at the thought of his half-brother playing King on Canesian. His spies had informed him that he pretended he had a dead wife. In doing so, he left Allura alone on Arus,free for him to take.
As for Lotor, he would have him captured and brought to Doom to his throne room. He could see it now: He would have Allura in his lap, drugging with the aphrodisiac Chrysalis. He would watch with delight the agony on Lotor's face as his beloved Allura whispered his name and begged for his touch. Lotor would try to struggle against his chains, but it would be no use. Devonn would delight in his suffering. He would mark his handsome face and make it a ruin! Perhaps he would give him to Hagar as a love slave! Devonn laughed with glee at the thought. Lotor would beg for death then!
Thinking of this put Devonn in a good mood.
He went to Hagar's laboratory and without knocking, he bellowed, "Hagar! Is the potion ready?"
The old witch cackled as she turned from the crystal she had been purusing.She said, "Yes sire, it is ready!"
Devonn said, "Good, Hagar..this had better work!"
The old witch glared at him, "Of course it will, sire! I have been a master of the Black Arts since before you were born! I know my craft!" She handed him a small flask and said, "With this, you will be able to shift from the form of a snake to your true form!"
The old witch cackled and added, "The snake is native to Arus and is non- poisonous, but of course you would be." The witch paused and cackled again, "Poisonous, that is!!"
Devonn asked impatiently, "Where is she?"
Hagar peered into her crystal and said, "She is in her garden, sire, lying on a couch sleeping. At the moment she is with Captain Akira and the veiled woman with a brat."
Devonn snarled under his breath, "It must be Giselle...I will have to wait for Allura to be alone."
The old witch said, "Oh,she will be, sire!"
Devonn opened the flask and drank the potion. A few minutes later, he tried it. He found to his satisfaction that he could change forms quickly and easily.
Changing back to his true form, he smiled and said, "You do good work, Hagar." He smiled and said, "Perhaps I will bring you back a blue-skinned love slave from Canesia!"
He laughed and Hagar cackled with him,though for another reason. Devonn left without another word from Hagar's lab and the old witch peered into the crystal again, looking at the very pregnant Princess Allura. The old witch cackled and thought that she couldn't wait to see the look on Devonn's face when he discovered his Queen pregnant with Lotor's brat! It would be worth the chewing out afterwards!