An Officer's Response

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Voltron Characters. This is for fun only.

Author's Notes:
This story was written as part of the KAEX Gift Exchange. I selected the Prompt: A story in which either Keith of Allura does something unexpected. This is the second part of the story. The first part is "A Royal Misdirection." This 'gift' was for Sapphire. :-)

Setting: DotU. Rating is T.

}-'-,-

Using her staff, Allura vigorously attacked her sparring partner causing him to back up hastily. The barrage of blows had Keith almost to the wall and Allura could sense her victory but then Keith acted unexpectedly. He dropped his staff, stepped in close and grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. Caught off-guard by Keith's move, she was off-balance which allowed him to spin her around to the wall. Allura barely had time to bring her staff up between them before his body pressed against hers effectively pinning her to the wall.

Panting and short of breath, Allura said, "That… was unfair… Keith."

Keith stared at the princess and watched a drop of sweat move along her jaw line. Watching the droplet, his breathing became more ragged. Since he was used to sparring as part of his Garrison training, it wasn't the exercise that made him short of breath; instead, it was the enchanting woman he was currently pressing intimately against.

"Keith, I said that… was unfair."

Clicking back into his training mode, he said, "You know Lotor won't fight fair. I'm just trying to prepare you for whatever might happen." Keith stayed pressed against her as her eyes dropped.

"I know, Keith. I'm sorry."

"If you really want to apologize then I think we should kiss and make up," he said as she looked up startled. He didn't wait but leaned in to capture her lips with his own.

It was Allura who broke the kiss and looked frantically over Keith's shoulder as he backed away. "What if someone had seen us, Keith?"

Keith frowned at her. "Would it be so bad, Allura, for others to know that we're involved?"

Allura moved to put her staff away and then over to where he was standing. "You know how Nanny and Coran will react-"

"Do I, Allura?" He waved his hand in the air. "Nanny, yes. I understand that she will go ballistic when she finds out, but what about everyone else? I know Coran respects me-"

"Of course he respects you, but I think he may be tied too much to the old ways."

Keith stepped forward and grasped both her hands. "I don't think you give him or your people enough credit, Allura. Nanny is the only one I have ever heard mention that you need to marry a prince." He shrugged. "Sure, they'd love for you to marry a prince or a king but I think you'll find that Arus isn't opposed to you marrying the Voltron Commander who loves you with all his heart." His voice became quiet and he stepped closer to whisper in her ear, "I love you, Allura."

Allura's breath caught in her throat as she tried to respond, "Keith-"

The door to the room opened and the two broke apart quickly as Lance came in. He paused with his eyes wide and motioned between the two other occupants of the room. "Sorry. Did I interrupt something? Because if I did, I'd be happy to leave."

"No."

"No, not at all-"

Lance turned on his heel and made for the door. "That's it. I'm leaving. You two continue whatever it was that you were doing that involved hand-holding." The doors swooshed closed behind him.

Keith groaned and put a hand to his head, "He'll be after me later."

"Tell him."

Keith turned surprised dark eyes to her. "Tell him?"

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"I want to tell everyone."

Allura smiled sheepishly. "Small steps?"

Keith walked over to the door and he could feel her questioning gaze as he set the lock. Moving back to the princess, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his head to hers. "Small steps but I'm not stopping with Lance." His lips brushed hers. "I'm going to tell the team." His lips captured hers again and then he said, "And then I'm going to tell the world."

"Shut up and kiss me, Keith," Allura responded as she pulled his lips back to hers.

}-'-,-

"So how long has this been going on?" Hunk asked at the team meeting.

Keith looked to Allura and smiled at the memory of her ruse with the tarnerberries. "A month."

"Any reason you waited to tell us?" Lance asked as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It was me," Allura said. "I'm afraid of people finding out and forbidding us to-"

"To what, Allura? Not love each other?" Keith asked with exasperation.

She frowned at him and crossed her arms. "To forbid our relationship. Obviously they can't control our feelings."

"Well, they shouldn't be able to control who you want to date either," Pidge piped up.

Allura turned to the youngest team member in surprise. "They don't control who I date," she said emphatically.

"Really?" Keith asked with a raised eyebrow. "If they don't then why are you worried about people finding out?"

Allura put both her hands to her temples and massaged. "I don't- I mean, they don't-" Argh! "They shouldn't but I have let them control me in the past."

"Maybe you did, but now you don't," Keith said as he moved to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her. "I remember you declaring that you would fight in Blue Lion and I know that Nanny and Coran couldn't stop you. It's the same with this."

Turning in his arms to face him, Allura said, "But what if they order you to leave and send a replacement?"

Keith laughed softly. "Do you really think that Coran would send me away?" A large smile covered his face as he tilted her face up to look at him. "And seriously, Allura, Garrison hasn't even sent a replacement for Sven yet."

Allura couldn't help but laugh at the logic of that statement.

Keith's expression turned serious. "While I haven't said it in words, Coran knows how I feel about you. He knows that I would give my life to keep you safe. He would never send me away."

The team quietly exited the room as the commander and princess kissed.

}-'-,-

Two months later.

"Princess, you look beautiful!" Nanny said as she clapped her hands together. "You look just like one of the princesses that were spoken of in the old stories! Your subjects will adore you even more!"

Allura gave herself an appraising look and smiled at her Nanny's reflection in the mirror. "I do look like one of those princesses, and it's all because of you, Nanny." Allura would rather her people admire her for her work as princess or the pilot of Blue Lion and not because of her looks but she wouldn't spoil the older woman's happiness. The festival and parade on this day were to celebrate what the people of Arus had accomplished over the last year and appearing on the balcony to give a speech was part of the event. And she admitted to herself that she wanted to inspire her people and she thought that she would.

Looking into the mirror Allura saw someone who didn't resemble the teenage princess in the old-fashioned gown who wasn't sure of herself. Today she looked older, more mature. The floor-length dress of sky blue silk was done with a halter neck. The dress was A-line giving it a touch of the older style gown, but the cut was more flattering and not as full and had a slit in the side that let glimpses of her leg peek through. Her long blonde hair was piled on top of her head and pins with crystal beads were holding her curls in place. Besides the Arusian crowns and her circlet, the diamond necklace and earrings that she wore were the only royal jewelry pieces left. Looking at her reflection one last time, Allura said, "Thank you, Nanny. It's time for me to speak to our people."

}-'-,-

Keith nervously pulled at the collar of his dress uniform with one hand while the other held tightly to the small box in his pocket. "You're sure, Coran?"

The royal advisor laughed and patted Keith on the back. "If you didn't think the people would respond positively, then why did you propose this? No pun intended," he said with a laugh.

"It seemed like a good idea when I told you my feelings for Allura, but now-"

"The people love you, Keith. More importantly, Allura loves you. When the people see that, any doubts will be erased."

Keith pulled the ring box from his pocket and opened it. He had gone to an Arusian jeweler who was just beginning to set back up her shop and purchased the ring. The older woman had smiled at him and patted his hand and told him that the princess would love it. He had been surprised that she had guessed and had sworn her to secrecy. While he hadn't wanted anyone but the team and Coran to know, he had felt justified in his thoughts about how the Arusian people would see the relationship. It was obvious that the jeweler approved. And while he wouldn't give Allura the ring today, he wanted it with him as he put his plea before the people. He snapped the box closed and put it in his pocket. He could hear the roar of the crowd.

"Allura should be on the balcony now," Coran said as Keith stood still. "She'll be waiting for us to join her shortly."

Keith drew in a deep breath and smiled at Coran. "Let's go."

}-'-,-

Keith and Coran stood with other staff just inside the Castle and behind the princess as she finished her speech.

"I pledge to continue to serve you as Princess of Arus and the pilot of Blue Lion," her voice rang strong and true through the air to the cheers of the populace gathered below. It was Keith and Coran's cue and they stepped up on either side of the princess.

Allura glanced to Keith and did a double take and frowned slightly. Is he wearing his Garrison dress uniform? Her thoughts were disrupted as Coran began to speak.

"People of Arus, your princess has pledged her life to rebuilding our world and protecting her people. But she is more than a princess, she is a young woman who is much admired and sought after. As her guardian and royal advisor, I have come to announce that a worthy suitor has asked to court your princess." Loud murmuring began to spread and Coran raised his hands to quiet them.

In the brief moment, Allura turned to Keith. "Do you know what's going on? Who is this suitor? Why wasn't I consulted?"

Keith only looked seriously at her and said, "Coran has deemed him suitable. I think you should listen."

Looking appalled, Allura couldn't believe Keith and so turned to speak to Coran instead but he was once again speaking to the crowd. Boy will he get an earful from me! She angrily thought.

"Thank you," Coran was saying to the people. "I think that you will be pleased with the suitor." Coran turned and smiled affectionately at the obviously furious princess before speaking to Keith. "Commander, please continue."

Allura spun to face Keith again and found that he had stepped closer and reached to take her hands. "I, Keith Kogane, Commander of the Voltron Force ask to court you, Princess Allura of Arus. I pledge to help you rebuild this world, to protect your people, and I promise to protect you with my very life." The reaction of the crowd to the announcement was deafening as the two embraced for a passionate kiss in front of those gathered below.

}-'-,-

Hours later, Allura and Keith stood on that same balcony in the moonlight. Allura shivered slightly in the cooling air and Keith removed his jacket and wrapped it around her and then pulled her into his arms. It was their first time being alone since the announcement.

"Why? How?" she asked.

"Why? I think you know the answer to that one. How? I spoke to Coran a month ago and he gave his consent and blessing."

She tilted her head back to look up into his face. "But why didn't you tell me?"

He smiled broadly and kissed the tip of her nose before answering. "You remember a certain incident with tarnerberries?"

"Yes," Allura said as her brows drew together in confusion. "But I don't see how that connects to this except for the fact that it started everything."

"Ah, well, I seem to remember you challenging me as you entered the castle after our impromptu swim." Keith looked at her and said, "I believe it was something like, 'I've done the unexpected, Commander. Now it's your turn.'" At her laugh he said, "Ah, so you do remember."

Allura hugged him tightly burying her head against his chest. "I never you expected to do something THIS unexpected."

"Well let this be a lesson to you. Be careful what you challenge me to do, Allura, because I'll probably go above and beyond your expectations," he said with a laugh.

Allura thought for a moment and then pushed back slightly from him, "In that case, I think I should challenge you to kiss me like I've never been kissed before."

Keith's eyes sparked as he leaned down. Before capturing her lips with his, he whispered, "Challenge accepted."

}-'-,-

Comments posted on the exchange gift site:

- Nice stories, I thought that maybe you were going to have Keith pop the question on the balcony. Could we maybe see a sequel stem from this?
- I would love to read a sequel too!
- I love it!
- Loved it! Romantic and well written. Perfect pacing. I love the switch from Allura to Keith yet the connection between the two.
- This was great! Love the differing perspectives, and it's sweet and romantic!
- Awwww, this was so sweet!