Lotor came back into the room as if nothing had happened. Allura came to him and looked him over.
She asked, "Lotor are you all right?"
Lotor placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled, "Yes, it was nothing-just a slight headache..don't worry yourself."
Allura gave him a skeptical look and said, "If that was a slight headache, I would hate to see your migraines!"
Lotor laughed but Allura remained skeptical. She knew he was lying. There was something else wrong-she just didn't know what.
Lotor guided her back to the couch and they sat down. Allura began to get nervous again as he gazed at her.
She snapped, "Please, Lotor! You're making me nervous!"
Lotor smirked,reached out gently to touch her face and said, "And just why am I making you nervous, dear Allura?" Ahh..he thought, it felt so good to be this way again-in control, teasing, flirting as he had so long ago!
Allura scooted away from him a little as he scooted towards her.
Allura said, "Lotor, please.."
He said, "Please what, Allura?" Allura saw the look on his face and started to rise. She knew that look! Before she could, he grabbed her waist and leaned into her. Before she could protest, he kissed her longingly, stirringly.
He pulled away and said, "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."
Allura said, "Lotor..I don't..."
He kissed her again, and this time she responded, her arms around his neck. He held her tightly, not wanting to let go.
He murmured, "You do love me, you do..Allura.." He kissed her wildly now, making her gasp.
Allura said, "Lotor, wait, stop.."
He wouldn't listen. She loved him! He knew it! He knew it! All the pain and the struggle he had gone through was worth it.
Allura took her hands from his neck and pushed him back. He was out of control. She had had to stop him. Lotor, still holding her, said, "Allura, say you'll mine. Say you love me. I know you do. We can be so happy..."
Allura said, "Lotor, I don't love you.."
His eyes narrowed. "Yes, you do! You keep denying it, but you do!"
Allura tried to disengage his hands from her waist, but he was too strong. "Lotor, physical attraction isn't love."
His eyes twinkled, "Ah ha! See, you do love me! I knew this would work!"
Allura didn't understand. "Lotor, there is more to love than physical.."
He cut her off, angry. "Tell me, Allura, would you prefer the monster I was? Could you kiss my cold metal face without feeling revulsion? Or endure the embrace of cold, unfeeling machinery? That is what your so-called merciful Alliance doctors gave to me! "
He let her go abruptly, got up and paced the floor. He said, "They should have let me die, Allura, but instead they put me back together-a man with desire, love, hate inside a body of a monster, and who did it? Voltron! Yes! Not only did I go to prison, but I had to endure living in a body not my own! Cursed to a life of lonliness without you!"
He whirled around to face her. "It would have been more merciful for them to let me die, for then I wouldn't be cursed with loving you so!"
Allura gasped, "Lotor, don't-" He cut her off. "Don't what, Princess, don't tell you I love you? Don't tell you how I dream of you each night? How every time I try to destroy Voltron, I pray that you won't be killed? I love you, Allura,and now that I am what I should be, you will stay with me and love me. I will give you all you desire. With Voltron destroyed, I will conquer this galaxy and you will be my Queen as you should have been long ago!"
Allura stood up and raised her voice, "So, that's what you intended all along, isn't it? You never intended to tell me about where the lazon was! You lied to me! You knew I would come, and you lied to me! I'm leaving!"
Allura picked up her skirts and ran towards the exit. Lotor grabbed her and said, "You little fool! You don't know the way back to your lion! And even if you did, I guarantee any number of slave traders would spot you and you would be on the block before the night was through!"
Allura struggled and said,"I don't care!" Lotor shook her and said, "You are stubborn, Allura! Yes! I lied! You wouldn't come if I asked to! Your friends certainly wouldn't allow it! You will stay here with me, and you will be my bride!"
Allura looked into his determined eyes and said, "Be your bride!? What kind of life would I have with you here? In hiding, away from my home,my people? You're a fugitive, Lotor!"
Allura started to weep,"Oh, Lotor, wny,oh why won't you listen? Give yourself up, tell them where the lazon is. I will vouch for you.You can start anew."
Lotor hated to see her tears but he said, "Start anew? With Voltron hovering over my shoulder? The symbol of all my defeats? Never!"
Allura looked into his face and said, "Lotor, Voltron didn't do this to you.Your father.."
Lotor's eyes blazed. He was angry again. "My father! Oh yes,the do-gooder! The most respected man in the galaxy! So you believe his charade too, Allura?"
Allura couldn't hide the expression on her face. Lotor smirked and said, "So, you don't quite trust my father either, do you? It's well that you don't."
Allura said quietly, "Your bitterness is killing you, Lotor."
He said, "My bitterness? What in the world do I have to bitter about, Allura? Let's see..I've lost an empire, I lost my body and became a hideous monster, Voltron still exists and, oh yes, I don't have you..of course that's changed now, hasn't it?" He smirked and tried to kiss her again.
Allura's hand reached out to slap him. "No! It hasn't changed, Lotor! You can't force someone to love you! You think you can, but you can't!" She looked comtempuously at his handsome face and said, "You may be handsome again, Lotor, but there's still ugliness inside. Can't you feel that?"
His eyes became angry again and he said, "That is what I have you for, isn't it, Allura? To forget." He kissed her hard, bending her backwards. He broke away, "You are mine. You were always meant to be mine, Allura.I won't let you leave here. I swear it. You will love me and you will admit it." He kissed her again, this time gently and once again she responded. He lifted her up and smiled, "I love you, Allura-and you will love me too.."
She sighed. He wouldn't listen to her. The only thing to do now was to play along and find a way out of here.She was sure now that since he lied to her about the lazon, then the communications she had with Coran was probably also faked. She felt like a fool for coming here. She should have listened to her head and not her heart.
Lotor interrupted her thoughts and said, "Hmm..it is getting late. I will show you to your room, Allura.."Lotor put her doen and then he took her arm and they left the room.
Hagar watched them leave, unoticed. She smiled. The fool actually thought he had a chance with her! Her stubborness was what she had counted on. Her prescence here would be a distraction to him-as usual. She cackled softly and thought how good it felt to be so bad!
Galaxy Garrison HQ:
"Commander Amalgamus, this is Zarkon, I am sorry to disturb you, but I have a matter to discuss with you."
"No, you haven't disturbed me, Zarkon. By the way, have you made any headway on the location of Princess Allura? Her people are worried. "
"I do have some leads and my men are following up on them. I am sure she will be found very soon, but as I said before, this is another matter."
"Yes, by all means, Zarkon, go ahead.."
"Amalgamus....Nightshade...Doom's Dawn...did you hear that, my friend?"
"--------------"
"Amalgamus, answer me, my friend.."
"Yes, I hear you, my master."
"Good, my old friend, for the time being, you may call me Zarkon as you have done before. Now, I will instruct you on what you must do for our wonderful Alliance."
"Yes, Zarkon, It will be done."Amalgamus replied.
"Good, that is what I like to hear. It is like music to my ears."
"Sir?"
"Oh, never mind, my friend, it is nothing." Zarkon replied back."I will give your instructions now, and you will obey them to the letter. You will report to me regularly on your progress using a frequency I will download into your neural net. In public you will act as you always have-I want no suspiscion, my friend. Is that clear?"
"Affirmative, Zarkon."
"Good,Amalgamus..I will download the information - now."
And so, the dark flower began to blossom.