Between Two Evils - Chapter 24 (?)
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Allura was still fuming as Lotor escorted her out into a chilly January morning.
In the weeks they had been apart, Allura had often imagined how it would be when they finally saw one another again. She would be cool, sophisticated. He would be reluctantly impressed by his discarded bride, thriving in his absence. They would discuss whatever needed to be discussed. Perhaps he would feel a spark of renewed interest, fleeting and purely carnal, but somehow she would always be a little beyond his reach, and then he would leave. Alone.
And how had it gone? Let’s recap: she had ripped off her clothes and begged for his… Allura’s cheeks warmed as her memory helpfully provided her with its one hundredth instant replay. My! Perhaps she had a second career as a fortune teller. Her eyes squeezed shut. Absolutely brilliant…
“What was that, my sweet?” Her eyes opened as familiar hands closed around her waist, and then she was lifted into the air as though gravity did not apply to the Prince Imperial quite as it did to lesser beings.
She took the opportunity to look down at him as he set her on the wing of his ship. He had many, many serious faults, but at that moment she decided to hate him just because he was beautiful.
The bells on her comb rang faintly as she tucked her feet under her and stood.
“I see that you like my gift,” Lotor said from behind her, as she walked to stand beside the cockpit.
Allura folded her arms across her chest. “I treasure it. It reminds me of something important.”
There was a moment of taut silence. “Dare I ask?”
“It reminds me that your affections are… excitingly changeable.”
“My affections for you did not undergo a change, Allura.”
Allura forced herself to turn and face him. “Enlighten me. What then inspired you to treat me so coldly and cavort with other women?”
“I… I was angry.”
He looked over the castle grounds toward the lake.
“And there has been no…”
He scowled down at his spotless sleeve, plucked at it.
“...actual cavorting.”
Allura was not soothed, not even a little. “Well, the cavorting was very strongly implied. And for what?” Allura flung up a hand. “Did you blame me for Captain Kogane’s actions?”
Now he looked at her. He looked like a very large, very surly cat. “Your creative interpretation of a Captain’s duties were also very strongly implied.”
“Oh! Was that my crime? That you were jealous?”
To her surprise he actually hissed with displeasure. He took a step toward her. “Your crime was that you did not believe me! I have upheld my side of our agreement, Allura." He stabbed a finger at her. "Time and time again. You cannot deny this. Killing or maiming Kogane--” Lotor stabbed a finger toward the castle now, “--as enjoyable as it would be, and as much as he does court it, Gods does he court it-- would violate that agreement on no uncertain terms!”
He seemed to check himself then, glanced away, took a deep breath. When he went on he sounded calm, but there was an edge to his voice, a bitter curl to his lip. “If you have so little faith in me to protect this little rock you hold so dear, then I must wonder how long even your honor will hold you to such a poor bargain...”
Your crime was that you did not believe me.
Allura gaped at him. Your crime was that you did not believe me. All of this time he had been nursing bruised feelings like some fantastically huge and deadly eight-year-old. All of this time.
“You have behaved like an outrageous brat!” she cried. That got his attention.
“You sulk and-and you are petty and sadistic. You deal in threats and ultimatums and then you expect trust in return!” Another life, another time, the look on his face would have been comic. “What? The Prince Imperial has never been called a brat before? What an honor to be first!”
The leather of his gauntlets creaked. His eyes were wide now and staring in his set face. Finally he spoke. “I have given you far more than threats and ultimatums, Allura.”
Hah! Allura tipped back her head, letting the bells chime her laughter. “Whatever you imagine you feel for me, you love your own pride more.”
It was his turn to be incredulous. “Why? Because I have not thrown it at your feet like everything else!?”
Allura took a step toward him; she felt incandescent with outrage. “I thought you had tired of me. I could have accepted that. I expected it! When we had a bargain and nothing more. But you encouraged me to care for you. You encouraged me to care for you, and then you used that against me like a dagger.” She pressed a fist to her breast as though it could soothe the ache that still lived there. “You’ll be pleased to know that it hurt. Badly.”
Lotor stilled at her words.
She could not look away from him. He had been openly angry just a moment before, but now his expression told her nothing.
“That was your intention was it not?” she asked.
An emotion flickered across his face. For a moment she thought he might be about to speak.
Allura was too angry to feel the cold, or to hear, at first, the faint sound of voices. She looked toward the castle and saw that Keith and Hunk had emerged and were looking in their direction. It must be obvious that she and Lotor were arguing. Allura put her fingertips to her closed eyes for a moment.
It seemed Lotor still had that charming effect on her temper.
She glanced at him. He was looking at their audience as well. “Shall we go?” he said, his voice cool and faintly impatient.
Allura took a deep breath and looked back at the castle, relieved to see that the ‘rescue party’ was not advancing. She smiled and waved. “I-Yes, please.”
He dealt with the hatch release in record time. Allura ducked under the rising canopy and hopped down into the cockpit, shifting herself as far over on the seat as she could. Lotor was right behind her. In moments they were in the air.
***
Allura looked out. She loved to fly, but at the moment her attention wasn’t really on the view. She was aware of his slight movements as he piloted the ship, but he said nothing.
In a short time, the silver shield of atmosphere fell away below them and the darkness of space blossomed above. It wasn’t until the upper atmosphere was far behind that Lotor sat back with a sigh, and spoke.
“I had already decided that my actions were counterproductive and should not be repeated,” he said, in a rather stilted tone.
Allura’s brows snapped together. She shifted around to face him. He was regarding her steadily in the dim light of the instruments, his pupils blown wide by the darkness.
“Is that an ‘Imperial’ apology?”
She saw a hint of his familiar smirk, but his gaze was watchful.
“So. Captain Kogane returned from his, ah… reconnaissance mission with all of his limbs because you were keeping faith with me,” she ventured.
She glanced away. “There is another possible explanation, of course. They think you are scheming about the lions. I feel I should warn you that all of my fellow pilots now believe they can taunt you with impunity.”
Lotor seemed to consider that for a moment. “Color me forewarned.” Then, “What about you? Aren’t you concerned?”
“About which?”
“My scheming.”
“Your bizarre plan to infuriate me into turning over the keys to you?” Allura sniffed. “Your bed skills are good, but not that good. Don’t let me dissuade you though from trying. Everyone needs a dream.”
Lotor was silent for a moment, and then he laughed.
Allura gave him her very best look of disdain. Then she gave him a couple of thumps with her fist for good measure. It had no effect and after a moment she watched him openly, bemused.
The look on his face as his laughter faded, it made her ache. It was difficult to be angry with him when he looked at her that way, yet he was not forgiven. “I have missed you, Allura,” he said, his voice low and rough, as he gathered her close. “Gods, so much.” Allura closed her eyes and accepted the embrace. She had missed him as well, this most of all.
“I missed some parts of you,” she grumbled. Her eyes became wet, and she dried them on his tunic, her hands making fists in the fabric.
“Mmm, I could tell,” he said.
“You know that’s not what I meant!”
“Do I?”
“If you missed me so much, perhaps I would have seen you sooner.”
“It was not possible.” His expression struck her. It was almost - weary. His energy and confidence was always so boundless...
Allura was still fuming as Lotor escorted her out into a chilly January morning.
In the weeks they had been apart, Allura had often imagined how it would be when they finally saw one another again. She would be cool, sophisticated. He would be reluctantly impressed by his discarded bride, thriving in his absence. They would discuss whatever needed to be discussed. Perhaps he would feel a spark of renewed interest, fleeting and purely carnal, but somehow she would always be a little beyond his reach, and then he would leave. Alone.
And how had it gone? Let’s recap: she had ripped off her clothes and begged for his… Allura’s cheeks warmed as her memory helpfully provided her with its one hundredth instant replay. My! Perhaps she had a second career as a fortune teller. Her eyes squeezed shut. Absolutely brilliant…
“What was that, my sweet?” Her eyes opened as familiar hands closed around her waist, and then she was lifted into the air as though gravity did not apply to the Prince Imperial quite as it did to lesser beings.
She took the opportunity to look down at him as he set her on the wing of his ship. He had many, many serious faults, but at that moment she decided to hate him just because he was beautiful.
The bells on her comb rang faintly as she tucked her feet under her and stood.
“I see that you like my gift,” Lotor said from behind her, as she walked to stand beside the cockpit.
Allura folded her arms across her chest. “I treasure it. It reminds me of something important.”
There was a moment of taut silence. “Dare I ask?”
“It reminds me that your affections are… excitingly changeable.”
“My affections for you did not undergo a change, Allura.”
Allura forced herself to turn and face him. “Enlighten me. What then inspired you to treat me so coldly and cavort with other women?”
“I… I was angry.”
He looked over the castle grounds toward the lake.
“And there has been no…”
He scowled down at his spotless sleeve, plucked at it.
“...actual cavorting.”
Allura was not soothed, not even a little. “Well, the cavorting was very strongly implied. And for what?” Allura flung up a hand. “Did you blame me for Captain Kogane’s actions?”
Now he looked at her. He looked like a very large, very surly cat. “Your creative interpretation of a Captain’s duties were also very strongly implied.”
“Oh! Was that my crime? That you were jealous?”
To her surprise he actually hissed with displeasure. He took a step toward her. “Your crime was that you did not believe me! I have upheld my side of our agreement, Allura." He stabbed a finger at her. "Time and time again. You cannot deny this. Killing or maiming Kogane--” Lotor stabbed a finger toward the castle now, “--as enjoyable as it would be, and as much as he does court it, Gods does he court it-- would violate that agreement on no uncertain terms!”
He seemed to check himself then, glanced away, took a deep breath. When he went on he sounded calm, but there was an edge to his voice, a bitter curl to his lip. “If you have so little faith in me to protect this little rock you hold so dear, then I must wonder how long even your honor will hold you to such a poor bargain...”
Your crime was that you did not believe me.
Allura gaped at him. Your crime was that you did not believe me. All of this time he had been nursing bruised feelings like some fantastically huge and deadly eight-year-old. All of this time.
“You have behaved like an outrageous brat!” she cried. That got his attention.
“You sulk and-and you are petty and sadistic. You deal in threats and ultimatums and then you expect trust in return!” Another life, another time, the look on his face would have been comic. “What? The Prince Imperial has never been called a brat before? What an honor to be first!”
The leather of his gauntlets creaked. His eyes were wide now and staring in his set face. Finally he spoke. “I have given you far more than threats and ultimatums, Allura.”
Hah! Allura tipped back her head, letting the bells chime her laughter. “Whatever you imagine you feel for me, you love your own pride more.”
It was his turn to be incredulous. “Why? Because I have not thrown it at your feet like everything else!?”
Allura took a step toward him; she felt incandescent with outrage. “I thought you had tired of me. I could have accepted that. I expected it! When we had a bargain and nothing more. But you encouraged me to care for you. You encouraged me to care for you, and then you used that against me like a dagger.” She pressed a fist to her breast as though it could soothe the ache that still lived there. “You’ll be pleased to know that it hurt. Badly.”
Lotor stilled at her words.
She could not look away from him. He had been openly angry just a moment before, but now his expression told her nothing.
“That was your intention was it not?” she asked.
An emotion flickered across his face. For a moment she thought he might be about to speak.
Allura was too angry to feel the cold, or to hear, at first, the faint sound of voices. She looked toward the castle and saw that Keith and Hunk had emerged and were looking in their direction. It must be obvious that she and Lotor were arguing. Allura put her fingertips to her closed eyes for a moment.
It seemed Lotor still had that charming effect on her temper.
She glanced at him. He was looking at their audience as well. “Shall we go?” he said, his voice cool and faintly impatient.
Allura took a deep breath and looked back at the castle, relieved to see that the ‘rescue party’ was not advancing. She smiled and waved. “I-Yes, please.”
He dealt with the hatch release in record time. Allura ducked under the rising canopy and hopped down into the cockpit, shifting herself as far over on the seat as she could. Lotor was right behind her. In moments they were in the air.
***
Allura looked out. She loved to fly, but at the moment her attention wasn’t really on the view. She was aware of his slight movements as he piloted the ship, but he said nothing.
In a short time, the silver shield of atmosphere fell away below them and the darkness of space blossomed above. It wasn’t until the upper atmosphere was far behind that Lotor sat back with a sigh, and spoke.
“I had already decided that my actions were counterproductive and should not be repeated,” he said, in a rather stilted tone.
Allura’s brows snapped together. She shifted around to face him. He was regarding her steadily in the dim light of the instruments, his pupils blown wide by the darkness.
“Is that an ‘Imperial’ apology?”
She saw a hint of his familiar smirk, but his gaze was watchful.
“So. Captain Kogane returned from his, ah… reconnaissance mission with all of his limbs because you were keeping faith with me,” she ventured.
She glanced away. “There is another possible explanation, of course. They think you are scheming about the lions. I feel I should warn you that all of my fellow pilots now believe they can taunt you with impunity.”
Lotor seemed to consider that for a moment. “Color me forewarned.” Then, “What about you? Aren’t you concerned?”
“About which?”
“My scheming.”
“Your bizarre plan to infuriate me into turning over the keys to you?” Allura sniffed. “Your bed skills are good, but not that good. Don’t let me dissuade you though from trying. Everyone needs a dream.”
Lotor was silent for a moment, and then he laughed.
Allura gave him her very best look of disdain. Then she gave him a couple of thumps with her fist for good measure. It had no effect and after a moment she watched him openly, bemused.
The look on his face as his laughter faded, it made her ache. It was difficult to be angry with him when he looked at her that way, yet he was not forgiven. “I have missed you, Allura,” he said, his voice low and rough, as he gathered her close. “Gods, so much.” Allura closed her eyes and accepted the embrace. She had missed him as well, this most of all.
“I missed some parts of you,” she grumbled. Her eyes became wet, and she dried them on his tunic, her hands making fists in the fabric.
“Mmm, I could tell,” he said.
“You know that’s not what I meant!”
“Do I?”
“If you missed me so much, perhaps I would have seen you sooner.”
“It was not possible.” His expression struck her. It was almost - weary. His energy and confidence was always so boundless...