A Woman Grown - Six

The klaxons blared at Castle Control and to Coran's alarm, he saw that the approaching ship was unmistakably Prince Lotor's.

Nanny ran in and gasped. "Oh no! Keith didn't make it to her on time!"

"And the others aren't back yet." Coran's face was grim. They were in trouble now.

"Incoming transmission...." The com beeped and then Coran saw Lotor's face. He didn't look like himself at all. His face was grim and streaked with dirt.

"Castle of Lions, I have your Princess.." Lotor said.

"Oh no.." Nanny looked like she was ready to faint.

"She's injured and so I request to land so that she can get medical care."

"What?" Coran's eyes were wide. Was this a trick? Lotor seemed to be able to read his reactions, for his next words were, "I assure you that this is not a trick. Allura has taken a lazon weapon at close range to her shoulder. Fortunately my sword deflected the blow."

"You monster!" Nanny yelled. "How dare you hurt my baby!"

Lotor's eyes flickered with anger but what Coran noticed mostly was that Lotor looked tired.

"Allow me to land or I'll just land myself." Lotor said simply.

Coran looked at Nanny. "I'll send our Royal Guards out to meet them at the entrance."

"But, but.." Nanny was frightened for Allura.

"It'll be all right. You know that Lotor has never tried to hurt the Princess." Coran said evenly. "Prince Lotor, you're cleared to land at these coordinates. A medical team and guards will be waiting."

Lotor nodded and a few moments later landed his craft. When the medical team finally wheeled Allura in on a stretcher, Nanny rushed to her, sobbing. "Oh my baby!! What has he done to you?"

Lotor followed, flanked by several guards. To Coran's surprise, they had his lasersword and Lotor's hands were shackled.

"He willingly surrended it to us, sir." The guard said.

Coran raised a brow at Lotor, who shrugged. "My safety isn't the issue here, it's hers."

"Where is Captain Keith? Did you -?" Coran started to ask.

"No, he's not dead, nor is he wounded. He is back at the Painted Caves for all I know." Lotor's eyes were angry. "It was he who wounded the Princess Allura."

"What?" Nanny exclaimed, lifting her head. "You're lying!"

"No." Lotor looked at the woman with disdain. "Your Captain tried to kill me - and I was naked and unarmed."

"N - naked?" Nanny's eyes widened as she looked to where Allura was covered with sheet. Her shoulders were bare and her hair was loose. Suddenly she launched herself at Lotor.

"You - rapist!!" She shrieked and Coran had to call the guards to restrain her.

"Did you rape the Princess?" Coran asked, If Lotor did, so help him..

"Why should I answer that? You won't believe the truth." Lotor's eyes were hooded.

"You will tell us, Prince Lotor." Coran said evenly.

"She - asked me to make love to her. There, happy?" Lotor didn't care if they believed it or not.

"Liar!" Nanny shrieked.

"Lotor.." Allura mumbled as everyone turned to look over at her.

"Let me go to her." Lotor's eyes were pleading. "Do with me what you want, but let me go to her."

Coran nodded and Lotor went to her, flanked by two guards. He bent down to where she was half conscious.

"What love?" He asked gently.

She smiled. "Thank you.."

He kissed her forehead. "Just get well." He looked at the medical staff, which had finished adjusting her IV's. "Hurry. Her wound is cautherized, but we all know the effects of lazon pistol fire, don't we?"

The medics gulped at the way Lotor was looking at them and they hurried Allura off to the medical ward. Nanny sobbed as she left and the guards released her and she ran after them. Coran was thankful that she was gone so that he could talk to Lotor alone. Somehow he believed his story, for the way Allura had called for him would not have been the way she would have reacted to a man that had raped her.

"Take his cuffs off." Coran gestured to the guards that flanked Lotor.

"But sir."

"That was an order." Coran said shortly and the guard released Lotor from his restraints.

"Now, if you would please tell me the whole story, Prince Lotor." Coran sat down and offered another seat to Lotor, who looked quite surprised.

"You - believe me?" He sat down.

"Allura would never act that way to a man who did her harm." Coran said simply. "Just tell me the truth of what happened."

Lotor took a deep breath. This man was not like his father. He did not need to cover his words up or play games. He loved Allura and he loved the gift she had given of herself to him. If he never touched her again, he would remember their time together even when he was a doddering old man. But he wanted to touch her again and again, hear her cries, her sighs and feel her body next to his own. He would do anything for her, anything and if this man wanted the truth then he would give it - unvarnished and to the point.

And so he did.

Chapter Seven
Adventure and Romance Menu
Beyond Denubian Home