Arus, The Castle of Lions
Dr. Baile Gorma was taking a break in the rec area when he saw his friend Coran walking with R'issa. Baile thought he never saw a man more in love-even if he didn't admit it to himself.
They approached and Baile noted with interest that R'issa had the same look on her face too when she was with Cory.
Hmm...it's about time...he thought.
"Hi, Baile, taking a break?" R'issa asked.
Baile leaned back on the couch and said, "Yep, lovely lady, I am. Even docs need a break now and then."
Baile noticed Cor bristled when he called R'issa a "lovely lady,"
...oh ho! He's jealous! Baile thought with amusement.
Coran gave him a warning look.
Baile, in turn,thought,Uh oh! I'm in the doghouse again! Baile thought wryly. Perhaps he had better not rag his friend today...give him a break.
Baile leaned forward and said, "Well, Cor, heard anything from ol Zark lately?"
Coran frowned slightly. "No, Baile, I was just talking to R'iss about it and,"
..oh, so it's R'iss, now, is it? I wonder if they-nah! I could tell if they did...
Coran continued,"itis unusual, no troop movements,but we have not heard from any of our spies on Doom. I am afraid Zarkon might have had them purged, but we are not sure. We're going to have to send someone undercover to Doom to see what happened. We have to keep track of Zarkon's movements for Arus' and Allura's sake.."
Baile stretched and said, "Sounds risky, Cory. Don't you think so, R'issa?"
The pretty doctor nodded. "Yes, but from what I have heard about Zarkon, anything is worth the risk. I'm just sorry that Pidge and Hunk are taking so long in recovery. They want to go out and fight but nothing is the same for them anymore. They tell me they have nightmares constantly..."she said worriedly.
Coran put his arm around R'issa and said, "You just keep on with them, R'iss. I know you can help them - you have helped me." Coran noted Baile's eyebrow quirk.
Oh no...I'll never hear the end of that! But Baile said nothing-for once.
There is a god...and he loves me...Coran thought with relief.
Baile unfolded his tall frame off the couch and stretched again. "Well, you two, I better get back to work. Cory-let me know if you hear anything-R'iss, see you later!"
Baile thought he saw relief in Coran's eyes as he left. He wants to be alone with her....hoo! hoo! Won't be long now...methinks I hear wedding bells...
Evening
Later, that evening, Coran and R'issa were sharing dinner again in her sitting room area, when R'issa said, "Cory, what would you say if I stayed on Arus after Pidge and Hunk are better?"
Coran ran his hand through his hair nervously and said. "I don't think that would be a good idea, R'iss..with all this uncertainty. I already worry so much about you."
R'issa looked like that wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "Why, Cory, don't you want me around-or is it that you just like me as a friend?"
Oh boy...why do women always want to know stuff like this?
He cleared his throat. "R'issa, you know I care about you-very much. I worry about your safety-I worry about it a lot."
R'issa arose and said, "Cory, lets sit down on the couch-the dishes can wait a bit."
Coran stretched, rose and walked to the couch with R'issa. They sat down together and R'issa took his hand.
"Albert, I know you worry about me-you worry about everyone so. It's like you're taking responsibility for everyone's safety - except your own. Cory, I want to stay with you, no matter what the danger."
Coran sighed heavily. "R'issa, the last woman that wanted to do that died horribly. I can't go through that again.I would rather die."
R'issa thought, he must be talking about his wife, Lida.
Coran looked into her eyes and said, "You know I told you about Lida-how I thought you looked rather like her when I first saw you-well.."
R'issa knew now he was going to tell her. Baile had said Cory's wife had been murdered, but didn't give any details. R'issa remained silent-she would let him talk..he looked like he needed to.
Coran sighed heavily again and said, "This is hard for me, R'issa....I havent spoke to anyone about it for about twenty years. I don't know if I can."
R'issa smiled gently and squeezed his hand, encouraging him.
Coran took a deep breath and began, "Alida was the love of my life...we knew each other as children. She was King Alfor's sister and Alfor was my best friend. When we were children, we had such fun together-getting into trouble." Coran said with a slight smile, remeniscing.
"Well, we grew up. Alfor became king, and I became his prime minister and advisor - after I quit med school. We were still best friends. We played poker together-he always knew when I had a winning hand-he could read me like a book, Alfor could. Alida, or Lida as we called her, grew up to be a beautiful princess. She had a special glow about her, a pressence - a glamour. Allura reminds me of her at times.
Anyway, she was beautiful with light chestnut hair and blue eyes. She was tall, graceful, smart as a whip and she loved the outdoors-she hated being cooped up-"being a lady" she called it. Come to think of it, Allura's that way, too." He paused for a breath. "I guess that is why I care for Allura like she was my own- she reminds of Alfor and Aleda."
Leda was known for her beauty all over, even though she never made an issue of it. I was in love with her, but I figured she was a princess and I just a prime minister- a childhood friend, no more than that. I didn't know it, but Lida loved me too. One day we were strolling together on the paths of the castle, and she just told me-just like that. I was shocked. I never suspected a thing. Of course, then I told her I felt the same. We were both very happy. We knew Alfor would bless our union together. We made plans to marry in the spring,but during the fall of that year, King Avian of Pollux came to Arus. Our planets had been estranged for years-not at war, but not friends either. Alfor invited Avian to Arus to seal a friendship together - trying to patch things up. I didn't trust Avian, there was just something about him-something just under the surface, lurking.
At the royal ball in his honor, he hovered over Leda like a vulture-I didn't like that at all. I could see in his eyes how he lusted over her. Leda hated him but was gracious because she knew he would be leaving soon. Leda told me later that Avian had forced her in a corner and tried to have his way with her. She scratched his face and ran off before he could do much.
The next day, before Avian left, he asked-well, actually demanded Leda's hand in marriage in exchange for his planet's friendship with Arus. Alfor said no, his sister was not for sale and that she was already engaged. Avian was enraged. He declared war on Arus that very moment, and vowed he would get back at Alfor for refusing his offer. Avian went back to Pollux, and we didn't hear anything at all from him. We figured that he was just blowing smoke and wouldn't do anything." Coran paused. "but he did.'
"That spring, as we were planning our wedding, Avian's armies from Pollux attacked Arus. They were ruthless, shooting at everyone in sight, destroying buildings. Avian let his troops run all over Arus, raping, killing and pillaging. Alfor secured the castle, but ordered Leda to go in hiding with the other women under the castle in the secret tunnels. Lida didn't want to go. She wanted to stay with me, for she was afraid I would be killed. All the other women had left by then-she was the only one left. I pleaded with her to go for my sake...she finally left. Right when she turned to go through the passageway that led to the underground tunnels, the ceiling collasped on top of the entrance. Lida was almost killed! There was another entrance to the tunnels, but it was outside, near the gardens-well hidden, but she would be exposed for a few seconds. I was going to take her there myself, but she insisted she would be all right and left. I wish I had now....that's why I get so upset when Allura does that sort of thing.Anyway, she left and Alfor and I thought she was safe. Suddenly, within a matter of minutes, the attack broke off. The Polluxians left. Everyone came back except Lida. We looked for her-even her body, but there was nothing but some torn pieces of her dress near the garden entrance. The ladies underground said she never came in."
"In the two years following Lida's disappearance, Alfor tried to find out what happened to Lida. He had suspected that Avian kidnapped Lida,(he wouldn't mention it to me-but I knew) but couldn't prove it. Pollux would not cooperate at all. Avian shut himself and his planet away from everyone."
Coran paused and asked R'issa, "Still with me?" R'issa smiled and nodded yes.
Coran continued. "So-about two years passed, life went on, Arus had it's own problems to deal with, and I buried myself in my work. I still mourned for Lida after all this time..wasn't interested in anyone else. Oh, I had some flings-but they were short-term. Then Alfor married Meryll, then along came Allura.
On the very day she was born, a battered, old Polluxian ship crashed through our atmosphere. It was damaged, as if it had been fired upon. The pilot somehow manuvered it into some shallow water, and there it crashed. You should have seen my face when Castle security brought the pilot in - it was Lida! She wasn't badly injured, but she had been beaten. She recovered and we renewed our relationship. It was the same but not the same. Lida had not said much about where she had been all this time, but her eyes were haunted - we knew now Avian had abducted her.
Alfor wanted to send troops to Pollux to bring Avian back for his crimes against Arus, but he was stretched to the limit-having to deal with an upstart named Zarkon and building the robot, Voltron. He couldn't do it all. I asked Lida to marry me and she did. We weren't married for very long when Lida became pregnant with our son Garrett-it was such a happy time for both of us! When Garrett was born, Allura was oh-about ten months old and Alfor threw a wonderful party for us. Although Lida was happy over Garrett, she never lost that haunted look. I wished I could have killed Avian for what he did to her."
Coran paused and then said, "This part's the hardest to say, R'issa-so I will just plow ahead." he sighed. "When Garrett was about two months of age, I had to go to a summit meeting of the surrounding planets. I had no choice-I was the only one qualified to. I didn't want to leave Lida or Garrett, but she said she and Garrett would be safe around the castle, no one would dare do anything with so much security. I left, with misgivings. When I came back, Alfor told me Leda and Garrett were missing, but he had everyone looking for them. He told me to retire to my rooms, as I wouldn't be much help as upset as I was. I did. Sometime later, Alfor came. I knew, R'issa, I knew somehow that Lida and Garrett were dead before he told me. Alfor said that they found Lida in the woods behind the castle. I found out later she had been found nude, her body battered,a gag in her mouth, her hands tied-staked out like an animal. She had been raped repeatly, then she was strangled with her own stockings. Garrett was gone, they never found his body. I went crazy, R'issa. Alfor had to hold me down to keep from flying to Pollux to kill Avian-for I knew he did it. For a long time, I felt like a piece of glass-like I would shatter. I buried myself in my work, never allowed myself to dwell on what happened to Lida and Garrett-it hurt too much. So the years went by, other things occupied my mind. Arus was increasingly under pressure from King Zarkon to 'join' his empire. Alfor finished Voltron and he pushed back Zarkon's forces with ease. Peace came, we thought we would be safe.Then Voltron basically died, split into five pieces and fell back to Arus by Witch Hagar. With Voltron gone, Zarkon began to relentlessly attack Arus, laying seige. Allura grew up during this time, beautiful and charming-headstrong, too - like Lida. Alfor worried constantly about her. He wanted to send her away, but Allura didn't want to leave. Then Queen Meryll died in one of the attacks-and it was my turn to comfort Alfor.
The attacks intensified after Meryll's death. Zarkon constantly made threats against Alfor and Allura-especially Allura. Alfor was going crazy, trying to hold Arus together, and preparing everything before his death."
Coran stopped. R'issa looked puzzled at what he said.
Coran said, "Alfor knew he was going to die, R'issa. He had nightmares of it-of Zarkon taking Allura-and.." Coran swallowed. This was hitting too close to home...Coran went on."Alfor knew he would face Zarkon one last time in battle and die. He prepared everything for Allura to help her defend Arus. He hoped and prayed for a miracle to come.....then Zarkon killed him in the Valley of Zohar".
"Everyone mourned Alfor, but we could not give the royal burial he deserved, for the citizens were scattered in the caves and Doom soldiers and ships were everywhere. We buried him in the royal vault under the castle. As per his will, the five keys of Voltron were buried with him. Zarkon continued his attacks, aiming for the castle, trying to get to Allura as he had promised. He demanded her to surrender-that he would give her to his son, Prince Lotor. That she could not rule herself-such a girl.
Allura would not give in. Zarkon's assult became relentless...then the miracle came...Five young men from Earth in search of Voltron came and found him. They formed him again with the five lions and saved Arus. Allura later joined them in fighting after Sven was injured. I really feared for her then. I was afraid she would end up like Leda -in the embrace of a mad man, and sure enough, Zarkon's son, Prince Lotor chased her and tried to bully her into marriage. He was obsessed with marrying her - still is.
Then one fateful day, Zarkon and Prince Lotor visited Pollux, who wished to align itself with Doom so that Avian could conquer Arus now that Alfor was dead. Old Avian volunteered his oldest son, Avok to become a robeast to fight Voltron. Avok was the son of his first wife, I believe, and he was trained as Pollux's finest warrior. His sister, Rommelle turned out to be Allura's twin! Prince Lotor took an interest in her because of this....and Bandor? Bandor is the youngest and heir to the Polluxian throne. He is a few years older-I think-that Garrett would have been now." Coran choked on this. R'issa squeezed his hand again in sympathy. "Garrett would have been about 18-19 years old now.
Avian died at the hands of his own son, Avok for something or other the night before he was to become a robeast. Avok fought Voltron, lost and died under the Pollux Shadow Sea. Lotor left, but not without kidnapping Princess Romelle.
Lotor kept her there on Doom for months until she was thrown in the Pit of Skulls for attacking Lotor and refusing his marriage proposal. She was saved by Sven Ericsson, -who had been hiding on Planet Doom since he was given up for dead as a slave. Sven returned her to Pollux, where they are today,friends of Arus...we know now that Allura and Rommelle are distant cousins,but I know that they really are cousins,for Romelle and Bandor are Leda's too.He took my Lida, raped her, made her bear his children and then he killed her when she couldn't take his abuse anymore.
I think Avian's seed carries madness...when I look at Romelle..sometimes I think I see the shadow of Avian...the bastard who raped my wife and killed her and killed my only son."
Coran broke down and wept for the first time in almost twenty years about Lida and Garrett.
R'issa put her arms around him for comfort.
He calmed down and said. "Can't you see, R'issa...I have enough to worry about- Allura, Arus, everything - and now you. If something happened to you, I would rather be dead, R'issa. I love you dearly. You've brought laughter back in my life in such a short time - even through this mess we're in with Zarkon.I don't want you to go, but I won't be selfish. I want you safe."
R'issa looked deep into Coran's eyes and said, "Cory, I-I love you too, but I am not going to leave you." Coran groaned.
"Let me finish, Cory. You cannot be responsible for everyone's welfare. You are not God, you can't be everywhere. What happened to Alfor, Leda and even Allura is not your fault. You're doing the best you can in a very bad situation. I admire you for it.Any lesser man would have crumbled by now. Cory, I would rather spend a minute with you and die, than spend years in safety without you.You are that special to me."
With this, R'issa leaned over and kissed Coran.
Coran didn't know what to say. He was speechless. R'issa really loved him-really loved him like Lida did. She was right-he couldn't control everything. All he could do was all he could do and no more, no less.
Coran gathered R'issa into his arms and they just sat there on the couch and cuddled. Coran suddenly looked at R'issa and said, "R'issa...?"
She looked up at him and said, "Yes, Cory?'
He smiled then blushed, suddenly shy. "Would you marry me?"
R'issa looked at him shocked. "You mean that, Cory? Really, really mean that?" she asked.
He smiled. "Yes, I really, really mean that...I think."
R'issa laughed at that, then she became serious and said. "Ok, Cory, yes I will-I will happy to marry you..."
Coran's face busted out in a big smile. R'issa just had to laugh at the expression on his face-he was beaming! They both got up, stretched and then cleaned up the neglected dishes on the table. It was pretty late by then, so Coran felt he needed to go and let R'issa get some sleep. They would talk more tommorrow. Coran was about to kiss R'issa goodbye when she whispered, "Cory,would you like to get a headstart on our honeymoon now?" and then she kissed him passionately. Coran couldn't refuse her.
As he walked with her towards her bedroom, he ruefully thought, ....Baile's gonna to give me hell tommorrow....ah well...he looked at R'issa through the corner of his eye,.....she is worth it...and so they went in, closed the door, and there they stayed until morning.