The fighting was still going on, but the forces at the Castle seemed to be winning. The Voltron Force was mopping up the attack craft and Castle security was rounding up Zarkon's troops. Still, Allura was missing. Somehow, she had disappeared and no one knew how. The last they saw of her she was dancing with a tall stranger.
Everyone was over the strange spell that had come over them, rending them into a period of forgetfulness. Coran and Nanny especially felt guilty, for they felt they had failed in watching over the princess.
Keith Akira flew Black Lion overhead and spotted the large Doom flagship in the clearing near the woods.
He thought, ..Prince Lotor! I should have known!!
Suddenly he saw a figure carrying another running out of the cruiser. He thought...It's Lotor! And he's got Allura! But what is he doing? He's running towards the castle!
Keith swooped Black Lion down towards them, but suddenly, the battle cruiser took off and started firing upon his Black Lion. Keith had a fight on his hands!
..Dammit! he thought,I don't have time for this! Got to rescue Allura!..
But he had no choice nut to engage the cruiser in battle.Keith gritted his teeth and fought.
Lotor ran with Allura in his arms to the castle. Surprisingly, there was no resistance. If there had been, he would have killed them with his lasersword. Allura started to moan, and he held her more tightly, worried sick. They were inside now. Dammit! Where was that medwing? He had no idea!
Then,he recognized Coran, the prime minister a way down the hall.He yelled, "Coran!"
Lotor saw the prime minister's look of shock and then anger. "Prince Lotor! So you were behind this!"
Lotor said angrily, "I have no time for this! Allura's poisoned!! Where's the medwing? I know you have one!"
Coran ran to them. "I will take her, you monster!"
Lotor yelled, "No! Hagar did this! I didn't know. I will take her! Show me now! She's dying!"
Coran saw the fear in Lotor's eyes and was shocked. He didn't think Lotor was afraid of anything. Something told him to let this enemy of theirs carry the princess to Dr. Gorma. Coran said, "I'll lead the way!"
They ran to the medwing and Dr. Gorma's eyes grew wide as he saw who was carrying Allura. All he could do was motion Lotor to place Allura on medscan table. Throughout Dr. Gorma's exam, Lotor held Allura's hand. Coran looked on mutely. He let the prince hold her hand - as long as he didn't try to take her again.
Meanwhile the fighting ended. It turned out it had all been just a ruse to kidnap Allura. The lions came back along with Black Lion. Keith's fight with the cruiser had been brief. The cruiser took off quickly towards Doom. Keith smirked and thought, ..looks Lotor's ride took off without him!..now we have him!
He flew back and went back to the Castle, where he found the rest of the Force in the medwing, watching incredulously as Prince Lotor, their sworn enemy, the one who was cruel and who tried to kill them all many times, hold the hand of their Princess. They all watched him, making sure he made no moves. He did not.
After questioning the prince about the flowers, which he admitted he had brought in disguise to the ball, Dr. Gorma knew of the cure, for which Lotor was thankful. Evidently, Hagar had lied to him. She probably intended to. Dr. Gorma immediately gave the princess the hyposhot of the cure, and immediately, the color came back into her face.
Lotor smiled. She would be all right! Then he frowned. She would be lost to him again as she always seemed to be.
Allura opened her eyes and saw Lotor. She asked, "What-what are you doing here?"
He said, "I had to take you back here to your friends.I wish it could have been different, Allura."
She shifted a little and she said, "Thank you, Lotor,for not taking me to Doom."
He said, "I couldn't.I know my father."
She smiled weakly and said, "We all do.Perhaps there is hope for you yet, Lotor."
He smirked and said, "Maybe..."
The prince saw the Voltron Force around him get edgy. He wished that he could take her with him, but he couldn't - not in this sitution. He had to get out of here.
Hagar, that lying witch, wouldn't leave him here. His father, although he had been angry with him at late, would be furious at her for leaving him in the hands of the Voltron Force.
Part of him wished that he could stay here-but he knew he didn't belong here and she didn't belong in his world. If only there was a world for them alone.
Maybe, we can create our own... the prince mused to himself.
Lotor continued to hold her hand, she did not draw it away, but merely closed her eyes.
Keith Akira came up and said, "Lotor, you're under arrest by order of the Garrison for high crimes against the Alliance..."
Lotor smirked and said, "Do you think you can cage me, Akira?"
Keith's brown eyes flared with anger. "You seem to be outnumbered here, Lotor! This is our turf here!"
Lotor continued to smirk.
Suddenly, the emergency claxons rang throughout the castle and everyone jumped. One of castle guards ran in and said, "There's a robeast outside the castle!" The Voltron Force quickly ran out along with Coran. In the heat of the moment, they forgot Prince Lotor. He smirked and looked at Allura again. She still looked weak, but he knew he could not attempt to steal her away again this time.
He bent to kiss her goodbye, and to his suprise, he found she still clutched the music box he had given her. He smiled and whispered, "I love you, Allura -and Merry.." hmm, what was that blasted word the Terrans used? Christmas! That was it!
Allura's eyes briefly opened and he was glad, for her eyes didn't hold their usual revulsion and fear.Instead, her eyes were soft, compassionate...
Perhaps -loving?
Lotor cupped her chin and said, "Allura, I will love you forever."
Lotor kissed her and he said, "Merry Christmas."
She smiled and closed her eyes.
It wrenched his heart to leave her again, but he did. He vowed once agaiin that she would be his someday.
Lotor escaped the castle and boarded the cruiser which he knew would be waiting. He went back to Doom to face his father's anger once again, this time heart filled with a renewed hope.
"Far away, long ago.....Growing dim like an ember.....Things my heart used to know.....Things it yearns to remember......And a song someone sings.....Once upon a December...."
Allura was recuperating in her room. She awoke and for the first time in days,felt much better. She sat up and saw Keith, dozing in the chair beside her. He looked like he hadn't shaved in days. He certainly looked much different than he had at the Christmas Ball.
..The Christmas Ball...strange-it seemed like kind of a dream to her.She remembered dancing with a handsome stranger.(Bokar....no, it was Prince Lotor...) The white roses he gave her. Allura smiled and blushed. She remembered his kiss. So like..who..(Lotor's, you ninny!...) She couldn't quite remember.
Frowning, she looked around her room and sighed, She had missed Christmas, that Terran tradition that had been brought here when they first colonized this galaxy. More than likely though, they would hold it for her. She smiled again. She just bet Hunk was dying for Nanny's Christmas dinner!
Allura happened to glance at her bedside table and saw it. A small oval jewel box. She reached over and held it. She had a vague memory of Bokar(oLotor..) giving it to her. It was so beautiful and dainty. It gave her pleasure just to look at it. She opened the lid and the tiny couple danced to the tinkling music. The tune was familar:
..On the winds, cross the seas..Hear this song and remember..Soon you'll be home with me..Once upon a December..
She sang softly to it, remembering the soft deep voice of the one who sang it her..on a ship..far away..a million years ago. Memory came to her and she knew it had been Lotor. Strangely, she did not mind. He had brought her back, despite the fact that he knew he would not have her. There seemed to be a gallantry in him, hidden under the surface of cruelty and ruthlessness.
She looked to Keith and wondered if he were the son of a tyrant like Zarkon, would he have been the same? She didn't know.
To her alarm, Keith seemed to stir. She closed the music box and placed it in her nightstand drawer. Keith awoke and stretched. He looked at her and smiled. "Hello, Princess...Merry Christmas..."
Allura said, "Merry Christmas to you, Keith. Have you been sitting there all this time?"
Keith combed back his thick black hair with his hands and said sheepishly, "Well, uh yeah...Coran and everybody's been in..glad you're ok."
Allura smiled. Keith always did have a hard time with expressing himself. Today she didn't mind. Allura said, "Well, I think I am ready for Christmas, Keith..how about you?"
Keith stood and stretched again, scratching his day-old growth of beard. "Are you sure, Allura? "
She sat up and said, "I feel great-and besides I've been in bed long enough."
Keith said with a smile, "You ready to fly Blue Lion?"
Allura gave him an annoyed look and said, "Keith!"
He smiled, "You're better all right! I'll go and let everyone know. Nanny will be relieved. Hunk's been on kitchen prowl again and he's driving her crazy..Um, I'll go and let you change..."
Keith quickly left her and she stretched and smiled. It was good to be surrounded by friends. Then she frowned. She wondered how Lotor was doing. He would not be surrounded by loved ones or friends, eating Christmas dinner until he couldn't move. Opening gifts and laughing. Singing Terran carols and doing all the traditional things of Christmas. He would not be doing these things on Doom-his father's planet. She felt sorry for him-or was it something else?
She opened her nightstand and held the lovely music box. She opened it and closed her eyes, remembering it all - the dance that went on and on. She whispered, "Merry Christmas, Lotor." and she closed the music box and placed it in her secret drawer, where she kept her private things.
She had just finished dressing when she heard what had to be Hunk banging on her door, saying, "Hey, Princess! We're all waitin' on you! We can't start dinner without you! And boy, I'm starved!"
Allura laughed. Hunk was always starving! She called back, "I'm coming, Hunk!"And so went another Christmas at the Castle of Lions...
"Dancing bears, painted wings..Things I almost remember..And a song someone sings..Once upon a December..Someone holds me safe and warm..Horses prance through a silver storm..Figures dancing gracefully..Across my memory..Far away, long ago..Growing dim like an ember..Things my heart used to know..And a song someone sings..Once upon a December..