"THE LAW ACCORDING TO LOVE."
A combined story written by Moira and Adele.
Completed, April 30, 2004
Allura leads Sweetheart through a dense section of wood, soon arriving at a clearing. There before her is a beautiful sight. A spring fed pond surround by a clearing of grasses interspersed with wildflowers. A few giant trees are interspersed in the landscape.
In the far distance are the glowing lights of the Castle, the last place she wants to be right now. Allura lets go of Sweetheart to allow her to graze. She finds a tree to sit by leans up against it...and looks up into the starry sky.
Why? Why did this have to happen this way?
She lifts her head up to the sky and suddenly...lets out a scream. "WHY! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHY CAN'T I BE HAPPY??"
*********
Sitting near a running stream, Keith lifts his head up. He had been leaning up against another tree in the same forest, when he hears the cry coming from the distance. It was unintelligible...at least, to him. And he cared little of its source...at least, right now.
He had been sitting there for nearly twenty minutes, when he heard the shout, coming from deep within the woods. It was probably some teenagers, out having a good time, he would tell himself. Something he wishes had happened tonight.
His steed was tied in some nearby bushes. He sits up and leans against the tree, wiping the tears from his face. Keith realizes that he had acted on his emotions in leaving the restaurant...something he often tries to temper.
"Just who does Nanny think she is, anyway?
Accusing me of being a...a... sex maniac?
I've saved the Princess...more times than
I'd care to count! I can't believe that she
would actually think that I could ever...
ever do... ARRGHGHGGGGGG!!!"
Keith suddenly slams his fist into the dirt
ground. "SHE'S CRAZY! That's what she is!
CRAZY!"
Then... he takes in several deep breaths of air...trying to control his emotions and regain some calmness. But the more he thinks about it...the angrier he becomes.
"She's got some nerve!" Keith grumbles to himself about Nanny. "And this planet...and its ridiculous laws! How can they be so ridged...so narrow-minded! I know I love her...
heck...everyone knows that! But I CAN'T love her! And that's the problem! I can't...
because I'm not a prince! I'm just an ordinary guy from Planet Earth...a ordinary guy...whose hopelessly in love with a woman I can NEVER have!! And NO ONE seems to get that!"
Shaking his head, he then looks to the water...and sees how freely its flowing. If only he and Allura could flow that freely...together. How many times, he's fancied the idea of kissing her... taking her in his arms...sweeping her off of her feet...
"DREAMS!" Keith shouts out loud. "Nothing but, DREAMS!"
His head drops once again...and silence fills the air...except for the sound of the running stream.
***************
"Allura..."
Allura looks up, hearing her name being called. She recognizes who it is...
"Father?" she replies. "I need your counsel."
Suddenly...the image of King Alfor
appears before her. Allura wipes
her eyes of the tears and stands to
address the ghostly image. "Father... "
"Speak, my daughter."
"Father...I...I'm afraid...afraid that I'll lose the only man I've ever loved...before I can even have a chance to be all that he needs me to be!"
"Yes my daughter. I am aware of what has transpired between you and young Keith. But, he is right he cannot marry you. The law..."
"Law?" Allura looks at him. "Is there really such a law...prohibiting me from marrying anyone except a prince?"
"There is, my child."
Allura suddenly becomes angry. "How can a law be so unfair, that it restricts me from being with the man I truly love?"
"Daughter...the laws and traditions of our planet have been well designed, and kept for many years. You are subject to them...just as I was...just as the people are. To break the law would set a president of rebellion."
"But Father... the law is bad, when it does harm to those who are subjected to it!" Allura argues. "What good is a law, if it is not fair?"
"To this time, it has been fair." Alfor's ghost replies.
"Yes...but that's because no one has ever challenged it! There's never been a need to!" Allura says.
"Then...perhaps...it is time." Alfor says to her.
"Time? Time for what?" Allura asks him, somewhat bewildered.
"Perhaps...it is time to challenge that which you do not agree with." Alfor replies.
"Father...I don't' understand..."
"My child... when a citizen comes to you, challenging a law or ordinance...what is your reply?"
"Well...I look it over and decide if the law is far or not. If it is not fair, I petition it to be changed by the Arusian counsel of elders."
"And what is the function of the council?"
"They are the law enforcers. They apply the law as I have instructed."
"And...when you advise, that a law is unfair..."
"Father...why do you quiz me on things, that you, yourself, already know the answers to?" Allura sighs in frustration.
"Daughter...answer the question. When you advise that the law is unfair...what is the next logical step?"
"I ask the council to change the law." Allura says in reply.
Alfor remains silent...allowing Allura to ponder her resolve.
Then...as if a revelation had been discovered, she suddenly looks at her father's image...with a renewed hope in her eyes and slowly repeats "Then...I ask them to change it!"
Alfor smiles in his silence.
"I ask them to change it!" she repeats, yet again.
"But...are you not required to show just cause as to why the law should be changed?"
"Of course," Allura replies.
"Then, my daughter...it appears as if you have your answer. You are the just cause and reason why the law should be changed. When a law is unfair to those it is meant to protectas Princess of Arus, it is your right to petition an amendment to the law."
"But...what if they won't listen to me?" Allura asks.
"Then... you must live with the law." Alfor replies.
"But...I can't! Father...I love Keith!"
"Farewell, daughter."
"NO! FATHER STAY! Help me figure this out!!!"
"You can find your counsel from another...when he returns to the Castle. Speak to him, Allura...for this concerns him as well."
"But Father...he hasn't even really admitted that he loves me! How can I ask Keith to come with me before the council?"
Alfor's image disappears without further word. Allura pauses...and the tears begin to flow.
"But...what if he doesn't love me? He's only said he can't love me? It's not the same... it's just...not the same..."
Allura bows her head and walks over to where Sweetheart is grazing. Its time to go home. She wants to return...to a place she knows well... a place she hopes to find Keith at.
His special bench...in her garden.
*******************
Allura returns back to the Castle of Lions on the back of Sweetheart. Anxiously, she summons one of her pageboys to return to the stable with Sweetheart and bed her down properly.
She then hurriedly runs through the Castle... to the outer gardens, located just outside the left wing. Carelessly, she runs through the doors, making an enormous ruckus, as she quickly runs in to find Keith in the garden, in the only place that she was sure he would be... his favorite bench.
As she rounds the corner along the tiny path... she finds his bench...setting squarely in the middle of the garden.
But...no Keith.
Her hearts sinks quickly. "He's...he's not here." Allura whispers breathlessly. "Where could he be?"
Exhausted from the run, she makes her way over to the wooden bench and takes a seat on it. Her heart is downcast...she wants desperately to see him...to talk to him...to explain things...and to find out more about this, so called, 'Law' that she's heard so much of, and yet, knows nothing about.
But...conveniently...he is no where to be found.
She drops her head, catching her breath...
************
"Did you have a good ride, Commander Keith?" the stable hand asks him.
"It was...for a time." Keith replies, somewhat flippantly. "It took a turn for the worse a short time ago."
Keith looks to his right... and then, he sees another stable attendant rubbing down Sweetheart...Allura's horse. She has evidentially returned to the Castle.
"Trouble, sir?" the stable hand asks him, seeing him staring at the Princess's horse.
Keith takes a quick, deep breath of air before turning back to the boy... "You might say that."
"I'm sorry, sir. Anything I can do?"
"Not unless you can make my dreams come true." Keith replies.
The stable hand pauses...suddenly confused by his answer. "Sir?" he says to Keith.
Keith laughs, shaking his head a bit. "Nothing... it was a joke."
"Oh...I see..." the boy replies... now even more confused them before.
"I see that the Princess has returned." Keith says. "When was that?"
"I'm guessing about twenty or so minutes ago, sir. The Princess delivered her horse to a Castle pageboy, who in turn brought the mare here. Did you need me to send someone to find her for you..."
"No, no. I was just wondering if she had returned." Keith replies, before slipping his hands into his jeans pockets. "Just...take care of my horse, please."
"Yes sir." the young lad replies, reaching out and accepting the reigns.
Keith turns and begins to make his way to the Castle. He needs to think...but what is there left to think about? Things are, as they are. There is no changing royal custom...or...the law.
He decides to go to the one place he likes to go to, whenever he needs time to himself. A place he often visits...for sometimes, hours on end...a place, where he was free of duty...
free of command... free...to be himself.
A place of peace and quiet... The garden...and his bench.
**********
Allura is still sitting on the bench... hoping that Keith would show up, yet. But...perhaps...he wasn't back yet.
"Oh Romelle..." Allura sighes, as her eyes suddenly gaze up into the night...finding the tiny light in the sky that is Planet Pollux. "I know you meant well... but...you have no idea of the heartache that you and Sven have unintentionally committed. This law... what is this law? I would really like to know why Coran never brought it to my attention before! What kind of a law bars a person of their freedom? If being Princess means being denied the opportunity of loving the man I choose... then..."
She felt as if her world were crushing her very existence. And still, Keith had not come...
She suddenly begins to cry... racking sobs of anguish.
**************
Keith silently enters the garden...
The starry sky and moonlit night act as a light to guide him. His old friend...the moon...the keeper of a great many of his secrets. He spent many waking nights, proclaiming his heartache to his silent, celestial friend. If only...this law weren't in the way... then he and Allura would be free to...
Suddenly... he pauses in mid step. He can see the spot where his favorite bench is... just over the tops of the bushes. But...he can also now see that someone is seated at the bench... a blond haired figure...
"Oh, great." Keith groans inwardly. "What's SHE doing here?"
Then... as his frustrations had reached maximum... he was now becoming aware of an all-too-familiar sound...
Allura's tears.
She is crying.
His head bows in both shame and bitter anguish. He was part of the reason why she is now in tears. Why did he leave her, standing like that, in the middle of the road? He was so angry...so eager to get away... get away from the bickering...from the accusing...
He ran and left her standing in the shadows of the moon at the restaurant. He wanted to leave her... for staying would have only broken his heart even more.
Keith thinks to himself, as his ears settled on her sobbing in the distance.
"Oh Allura...why was I so fortunate to be blessed by your love...and yet...forbidden to love you back, in return? If only...I could tell you... if only...it were proper...I would love you, as no other man ever could. If only...you weren't a Princess...then...I could love you. Oh, Allura...why is it that... "
He suddenly stops in mid-thought...and wondered if he should go over and comfort her...but no. That wouldn't be proper at all. He would want to take her in his arms, calm her fears... hold her... rock her gently in his embrace... kiss her...
NO! I CAN'T DO THAT!
His mind is made up. He turns and leaves the garden... as quickly as he had come. He will retreat to his room...the only other safe haven he had left on Arus.
***********
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she suddenly decides to go back to the stable... perhaps...
Keith would return and she could catch him there...
***********
A lone figure makes his way silently through the corridors of the Castle of Lions. His direction is detoured, however. Keith decides that he needs something to occupy his mind. So, he decides to check in the Castle Control room...just a quick check to make sure all is well in Arusian airspace...then...he would retire for the evening.
Back to his silent quarters...safe in his self-chosen solitude.
************
"You say, Commander Keith's has been back for nearly twenty-five minutes?"
Princess Allura vigorously questions a young stable handthe same one, that Keith himself, had questioned regarding the Princess's return.
"Yes, Your Highness." the stable hand replies. "Commander Keith arrived...um...maybe twenty or so minutes after you did."
"Did he see my horse?"
"Well...yes Princess...as a matter of fact, he did. He asked about you too."
"Asked about me?" the curious Princess repeats. "What did he say?"
"Nothing really...except to inquire about the time in which you had returned." The boy replies back.
"Thank you." Allura says, kindly. She then turns around quickly and exits the stable.
As she walks the lonely path that leads to the Castle, she suddenly finds her thoughts turning from sadness to infuriation. "If he knew I was here...why didn't he come and try to find me? Just what kind of game is he playing with me?"
Allura suddenly runs back to the Castle. As she enters, she activates the person locator program on the wall COM panel.
"Computer...how long has Commander Keith been here in the Castle of Lions?"
"COMMANDER KEITH HAD ARRIVED IN THE CASTLE OF LIONS AT TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED HOURS, SIXTEEN MINUTES."
"Eleven-sixteen." Allura repeats. "That means...he's been in the Castle, at least, fifteen minutes. He's been here...and hasn't made a move to find me! Well...have I got a thing or two to talk over with him!! And I'll just bet I know where's off and hiding at!"
She immediately begins to power walk straight to Keith's quarters. It was time for some answers.
"That's It! He's run away from this for the last time." Allura thinks to herself as she storms down the hall to Keith's room. "I can't take this! He's going to give me a straight answer and I won't leave until I get a definite one! Either he loves me or he doesn't. Why won't he answer that simple question?" She reaches his door and freezes, poised to knock. "Am I really ready for his answer? What if..."
"Allura?" Keith's voice comes up from behind her. "What... what are you doing here?"
Allura takes a breath and turns to face him. "Keith, I know you need to cool off but..."
He crosses his arms across his chest. "But..."
"I need to know..."
Keith shakes his head, he pushes past her...opening his door and walks in. "Allura, can we just not talk about this anymore? I'm really tired of it."
He moves to his desk.
She follows him in, the door closing behind her. "I'm tired of it too...tired of you and your evasiveness! Why won't you answer a simple question? Either you have feelings for meor you don't. Don't keep leading me on like this."
"Leading you on? Leading you on! Allura," He walks up to face her. "I have been very up front with you on this. I can't love you! Why isn't that clear?" He grabs her by the shoulders firmly and looks solidly into her eyes. "Allura, I can't love you!"
She pushes his hands off. "I didn't ask if you COULD. I asked if you DID!" She then turns away.
"Why does that matter? Why are you playing with me like this?" He pulls her around to face him. "You do know I have a heart...don't you? I am in fact, human!" His hands becoming fists in front of him. "You are causing me more pain with this insistent and pointless inquiry, than I think Lotor has ever inflicted on me!" He flings his fists down to his sideshis hands moving to his hips. "The facts are...that I can't have you!"
"Facts? What Facts?!" Allura's fists mimic his, going to her hips.
"The laws, Allura! What do you mean, 'what facts'? Don't tell me you've conveniently forgotten your own stupid planets ridiculous, outdated, archaic, self-serving and self-destructing code!"
"Keith what are you talking about? What laws! Why won't anyone tell me?!"
Keith storms back over to his desk ripping open a drawer and pulls out a stack of books. "These! These laws, Allura!" He grabs one and marches up to her flipping it open to a book marked page and shoves it in her face.
Allura is forced to grab it from him. She moves it out to a comfortable reading distance. "Keith...what are you..." Her eyes lock on the title of the page. "Chapter 105 of the Constitution of Arus; Article 8, Section 19, Subsection (a) Marriages of Royal Person(s) What? What is this, Keith?"
"Oh don't joke with me, Princess. You now full well what it is."
"No, Keith I don't." She continues to read. "In order that bloodlines remain pure, untarnished, and completely traceable for a minimum of ten (10) generations and ties with alliances and possible alliances, remain strong and undaunted through alliances, arrangements, contracts, agreements, and nuptials with other Royal Houses, it is the primary function of the Royal House of Arus (hereinafter the "Heir") to arrange, contract, and maintain ties through means of matrimonious agreements and arrangements with others befitting the minimum standards of the Royal House of Arus..." Allura's head is soon spinning. "Keith what is this?"
"It's your stupid planet...and you don't know?"
"No Keith, I don't. Enlighten me!"
"Ha! Very funny! You really should get an acting award, you know that?" He snatches the book away. "In short..." He snaps it closed. "It says you have to marry someone of holding." Then he throws against the wall in anger.
"What! Keith!? What does one book..."
"One! One?!? What about this one or this one or these here!" He goes to his bed, reaching under his mattress and pulls yet another book. "This is my favorite...Ahem... Understanding the Contractual Marital Obligations of The Heir " He shows her the book and then flips open to a chapter that is obviously been place marked. He begins to read. "When studying Chapter 105 of the Constitution of Arus; Article 8, Section 19, Subsection (a) Marriages of Royal Person(s) [Cited as: 105 Arus; Artc. 8, 19(a)] one must also consider subsections (d) Failure to Provide an Heir Apparent Within One Year's Time; and subsection (g) Forfeiture of the Crown in the Event of an Unsuitable Matrimonious Arrangement; dissolutions notwithstanding. This very small, yet extremely important subsection discusses the inevitable forfeiture of the crown by any ruling Heir that makes an unsuitable matrimonial arrangement or agreement. For purposes of the Constitution and for this discussion, an unsuitable matrimonial arrangement or agreement is any matching of a Ruling Member of the Royal House of Arus (the "Heir") with a person deemed to be of lesser station, i.e. one who's lineage cannot be traced back through royal birth for the requisite ten (10) generations. For purposes of the Constitution, matrimonial arrangement or agreement includes, but is not limited to engagements, betrothals, and other promises of marriage."
Every bit of color leaves Allura's face as Keith reads.
He looks up to her pausing to study her dazed expression.
"Keith...I honestly I had no idea about all this. I..." She looks around to all the books, walking up to the stack he placed on his desk, running her hand down their spines each about Arus's royal code. Each with many slips of paper hanging out of them with his scribbling all over them. She picks one up, taking note of all his bookmarks. "Keith? Why do you why are you reading all this?" She asks, setting it back down.
He paces around the room a bit, book still in hand. "Why? Why?" He stops but doesn't face her. "I've been trying to find a loophole! All right?"
She looks at him in utter disbelief. All this time he's been trying to trying to find a way that they "Keith? I...I don't know what to say, you mean that you really..."
He slowly turns to look at her. "Allura...stop." He takes a deep breath. "Look...all that this has proven to me is that there is just no way."
She takes a step towards him. "Keith, we could appeal. If the laws are that archaic..."
He drops his head fingering the book in hand. "No Allura. T here's just too many. It wouldn't work."
"Yes it would." She moves to him grabbing the book from him and tries to find his eyes. "They'd have to listen. It's only logical that you should be..." She keeps trying to read his eyes but he won't let her. She continues. "Unless...unless..."
He finally looks at her. "Unless...what?"
"Unless...you're really just afraid?" She studies him intently. " Afraid of being King?"
"What! What are you talking about? Afraid?" He tries to pull away, but her blue eyed gaze has him trapped.
"You are afraid of the responsibility aren't you?" she says to him, her gaze growing more piercing. "That's why you're finding all these..." She holds the book up in front of him. "These obstacles!"
Keith glares at her. "Allura! How dare you! Afraid...What are you talking about? Exactly what about being the King would be different than what I am doing now?" He begins to gesture wildly with his hands. "Am I not filling that role now? I'm I not now doing all the things that your King would do? Commanding Voltron, leading your people, negotiating treaties, managing the castle, and leading relief efforts? I'm not afraid of the job now." His hands come again to rest on his hips. "So, you tell me, Princess! What would I be afraid of? What would your King do that I'm not doing now?!"
She slowly looks up and meets his intense questioning eyes. "Love me..." she mutters.
"Again, I ask you. What would your King do that I'm not doing now?!"
Allura just looks at him dumbfounded. Was that a confession?
Keith shakes his head in utter frustration. "Allura, look...just forget it...I...I've got a report to write! We'll talk about this...some other time." He takes the book away from her, takes her arm, and escorts her to his door. He opens it and she steps outside.
"Keith! Don't you dare leave it like this! I will not talk about it, some other time! Do you hear me? Keith!"
Keith steps back from the door and into his quarters... and it starts to close...
"KEITH! I'm warning you! I need to know...Ugghahhh! That's it! When that door closes on me...this discussion over! For GOOD!!!"
The door slides closed, leaving Allura standing in front of it...
Allura bows her head, and prepares to turn and walk awaywhen suddenly...
The sound of a swish fills her ears, as the door opens...and Keith comes out, takes her by the arm, and yanks her inside, with the door closing behind them. He quickly turns her around, pulls her up against him firmly, and kisses her full on the mouth... in a long, passionate kiss... one that makes Allura's body go totally limp in his arms and tingle from the top of her head, to the tips of her toes.
When he eventually breaks the kiss, he pulls back slightly leaving one hand holding her firmly to him at the curve of her lower back, the other lifting to touch her now swollen lips.
"Allura, I...I thought you knew." he whispers to her. "Listen to me. There is nothing my heart wants more than to be your king in every facet that job entails."
"Kei...Keith?" Allura strains to even speak.
"Shhhhh, let me finish. Allura, I love you. I always have I always will. I have always dreamed of our future, you and I, side by side, our children all around... I've imagined us growing old together, telling our grandchildren all about our great adventures. But that's all it is Allura...a dream...a silly pilot's dream. I'm sorry if I mislead you. It'sits just I..." His eyes start to shimmer as he looks into hers. "I love you so much, my Princess." He moves in closer again. So close, he can almost taste her... "Forgive me for loving what I cannot have." He closes his eyes. "Forgive me" and steals another kiss. Their lips just brush, but the passion there is tangible.
He pulls back before he loses himself completely.
She looks back up to him with all the love she has for him, her eyes alive with ardor. She reaches up to wipe the streak of a tear from his cheek.
"How can I forgive you, when I am just as guilty? Keith I..." She is utterly transfixed, lost in all that's him, they then dissolve completely into one another.
For the next few hours they forget...forget who they are...forget their responsibilities... forget everything and just be...be the couple they should be... but the laws would not allow.
For one night...they have love...and each other.
The End.
