Hello, this is the second story in the Cinderella Chronicles series. While the first one was all about romance, I decided to give my humorous side a little leeway in this one. No worries, there is some romance toward the end.

This story also marks a goal for me. Fifty-two stories and one million words posted on fanfiction since I started writing in 2008. Whoop! It took me quite a while to get there. :)

Enjoy.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP character.

Cinderella Chronicles: The fairytale continues

Today is the day. Keith tosses the box in the air and catches it again. Today, if everything goes as planned, will be the happiest day of his life. Well, the happiest day until the next one comes along. Hearing steps behind him, Keith palms the box.

"Hey, you get it?"

Glancing behind him to find Lance, he replies, "Yes, and keep it down."

"Allura is stuck in a meeting with Coran, it's safe."

Keith glances around them, "Yet, the gossips always seem to hear everything."

Turning the corner, they run into Hunk and Pidge. Hunk's gaze searches him as he asks, "Did you get it?"

"I never should have told you guys anything. Keep your voices down."

"Yeah, Keith is worried about the…" he uses his fingers to do quotes, "gossips finding out."

"Makes sense," Pidge replies before Keith can say anything. "He wouldn't want Allura to find out before he can ask her to marry him."

Rolling his eyes, Keith orders, "Enough. I'm going to change. Let's meet in the gym in ten minutes."

Ignoring their groans, he walks away and heads to his room. Rounding the corner, Keith spots a maid walking toward him. Sticking the box in his pocket, he nods to her and keeps moving. Opening the door to his room, he pauses when his comm unit goes off. Pulling it off his belt, he replies, "Kogane."

"Commander, the advisor and princess would like you to join them in the control room."

Grimacing, Keith replies, "Tell them I'm on my way."

"Roger that."

He hooks his comm unit back onto his belt, then slips off his jacket. Leaving it on the back of his desk chair, Keith hurries from the room.

Grumbling under his breath about jerk friends that make him work his ass off, Lance heads down to the laundry level. Even though Keith didn't join them in the gym, he ordered them to complete a full workout. What a waste of two hours. He needs a pick me up. Entering the room, a smile slips across his face, "Hello Alice."

The maid gasps as she turns around to face him. Her cheeks brighten as she replies, "Hello Lieutenant McClain."

"I thought we were past formalities," he says as he closes the distance between them. "Call me Lance."

When she only gives him a shy smile in return, he continues, "How about a walk in the gardens?"

Alice picks up a jacket and holds it in front of her, "I can't. These were just brought down and I have to have it all washed and returned before dinner."

"So, start a load and let's go for a short walk," Lance suggests, his fingers sliding across the folding table to her.

She tightens her hold on the jacket, "I can't. If Mistress Meryl found out…"

Lance doesn't hear her next words as a box falls out of the jacket and lands on the floor. He picks it up before Alice gets a good look at it, "Huh."

"Oh, that must be the commander's."

"Yes, yes it is," Lance says, the smile on his face growing.

"I should return it to him."

Shaking his head while pocketing the box, Lance replies, "I'll get it back to him." He gives her another smooth smile, "How about a walk after dinner tonight?"

He remembered it during the meeting. God, what an idiot he is. He had to remind himself over and over again the ring is safe in his pocket. What can happen to it? It seemed like Coran would never stop talking. Allura kept giving him funny looks when he had to ask Coran to repeat a question or when he fidgeted in his chair. Which happened often.

Keith all but jumped up from his chair and ran out of the room when Coran finished. He manages not to run down the hall, barely. Ignoring the funny looks from the guards and maids he passes, Keith rushes to his room. Entering, he swears when the jacket isn't on the chair where he left it.

Where the hell could it have gone? If the jacket were there, but the box gone, he'd know exactly where to look. But with the jacket gone…

Laundry.

Racing out of the room, Keith heads down to the laundry level. Entering the room, he spots the woman who runs the room hanging his jacket up, "Hello Meryl. I think I left something in my jacket pocket that I'd like to retrieve."

"There was nothing in the pockets, Commander," she replies as she picks up the steamer, "My workers have strict orders if anything is found in the pockets to bring it to me immediately."

His stomach drops, and it becomes hard to breathe.

She glances back at him, "Are you all right, Commander?"

"No…Yes…I mean, I must have left it somewhere else then."

She gives him a strange look then goes back to her work, "I'll have your things brought up shortly."

"Thanks." Without another word, Keith turns around and leaves the laundry. It had to be in the pocket. Or did it fall out when he hung up his jacket? His head full of possibilities, Keith heads back up to his room. Time for a search.

"I can't wait to see his face!"

Working at his desk, Pidge shakes his head at his friend. Lance can be a total ass sometimes. Messing with Keith on an important day like today is one of them. "Just give it back to him, Lance. He's nervous enough."

"No way! If he was dumb enough to lose it, I should have some fun with him about it."

Shaking his head, Pidge turns his attention back to the screen and starts typing.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing to me if you have the chance."

Pidge turns his chair around to face him again, "That's different. You'd deserve it."

Rolling his eyes, Lance tosses the box in the air and catches it again.

"Hey, have you two seen Keith?"

As Allura walks up to them, Lance stuffs the box in his pocket before turning around to face her. "Nope. What's going on?"

"He was acting funny earlier. I'm worried about him."

"Funny how?"

As Allura describes Keith's distracted state during their meeting with Coran, Pidge reaches into Lance's pocket and slides the box out without either of them noticing. Setting it in the chair behind him, he looks up just as Lance replies, "I'm sure it's nothing, Allura." Lance looks back at Pidge, "Right, pipsqueak?"

"No, I'm sure everything is fine, Princess."

She nods to them, even though she doesn't look convinced. "All right. I guess I'll get back to work then."

Once she leaves the room, Lance glances back at Pidge, "That was close."

"Yeah."

Ignoring him, Pidge turns back around to face his screen.

"Since you're such a bore, I'm going to find Keith. Can't wait to see the panic when he realizes the ring is gone."

Once he is out of earshot, Pidge whispers, "Pity I won't see your panic when you can't find it."

Climbing out from under his desk, Keith mumbles under his breath. Where the hell could it have gone? It isn't in his room. He searched the whole thing. Under his bed, his desk. Hell, he even checked his closet and bathroom. He retraced his steps already from the entry to his room. Maybe it fell out of the pocket as the maids took his jacket down to the laundry.

"What the heck are you doing?"

Standing up, Keith finds Lance leaning against his open door, "Nothing. What the do you want?"

He receives a raised eyebrow, "That doesn't look like nothing. You're crawling around on the floor."

"Mind your own business, Lance."

A snide smile slips across his friend's face, "By any chance, did you lose something?"

Glaring at him, Keith holds out his hand and demands, "Give it to me."

"Give you what?"

"You know damn well what. Give me back the ring."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The hell you don't."

Lance reaches into his pockets, "A man tries to help his buddy and the ungrateful bastard gives him hell for it." He pulls his hand out just as quick and pats both pockets, "What the hell?

"Where's the ring, Lance?"

"I just had it. I was down in the laundry flirting with Alice when it fell out of your jacket pocket. I grabbed it so the whole castle wouldn't know before you got a chance to ask Allura."

"Ask me about what?"

Both men turn around to find Allura standing in the open door. His heart hammering in his throat, Keith tosses out the first thing he can think of, "It's nothing. Just a request."

"For?"

"It was for me," Lance says, "Just a little bribery for a lady I know."

Allura arches an eyebrow at him and crosses her arms, "How many times have I told you not to use your position against a woman?"

"It wasn't that kind of bribe, Allura."

"What kind is it then?"

Jesus, this is going downhill fast. Keith smiles at her and makes up something, "Seriously, Allura. It's nothing. A request for a playground for the orphanage in Alisplains."

"If I recall, the lady running that orphanage is a widow and rather beautiful?" Allura remarks, her gaze on Lance narrowing.

"Allura, it's for the kids," Lance says, holding his hands out.

"I'll think about it," she says, then turns her attention back to Keith. "Are you all right? You seemed a little distracted earlier."

He offers her another smile, "Just the usual."

Her gaze searches his. Damn her intuition. Taking a step toward her, he finishes, "I'll see you at dinner. I should get back to my office and finish my work."

"Okay." Allura leans up on her toes and kisses his cheek before turning around and leaving the room.

Shutting the door behind her, Keith turns back to Lance and glares at him, "Where the hell did it go?"

"I honestly don't know. I had it when I was talking to Pidge. I'll go double back."

Swearing under his breath, they both stop when there is a knock at the door. He opens it to reveal Allura again. She arches an eyebrow at him, "Weren't you going back to your office?"

"Yes, I was just finishing my discussion with Lance."

"Oh, well, I forgot I was supposed to go over those numbers with you from Coran."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Keith replies, "Sure."

"Okay, well, I'll see you two at dinner," Lance says as he pushes past them and hurries down the hall.

Holding his arm out for Allura, Keith leads them down the hall while she grumbles, "How can he use something for kids to bribe a woman?"

"I don't know that was his intent," Keith replies, "He has a thing for a woman down in the laundry room right now."

"He has a thing for anything with a pretty face."

"That he does," Keith replies in an absent tone, his mind on the missing ring.

Looking at the time in the corner of his screen, Pidge sighs. He needs to go find Keith and give him back his ring. He saves his work and logs out of the system. Rising, he stops when his pager goes off. Pulling the device from his belt, he answers, "Stoker."

"Hey little buddy, I've done what I can, but you need to check the programming on your lion's control system. Keith wants us to test that this afternoon."

"I'll be there soon."

He takes the nearest elevator down to the repair bay. Approaching the lion, Pidge glances down, shocked to realize he still has the ring box in his hand. Damn it, he was going to stop by Keith's office. Oh well, he is here now. Might as well check the system, then he can go find Keith. Pidge sets the ring box on the tool bench and heads for the lion.

Whistling and wiping his hands on a towel as he exits the bathroom, Hunk heads back to Green Lion. Pidge should be down soon. His stomach growls. Damn, with his head buried in the lion, he didn't get up to lunch. He approaches the lion, no one around yet. Maybe Pidge got distracted. Happens with the kid, a lot. Deciding to run for a bite to eat, Hunk turns around but stops when his gaze drops to the box on the tool bench.

What the heck?

He tosses the towel in a bin, then picks up the box. Opening it, his mouth drops open. Keith's ring? What the heck is it doing down here? Lance pulling a sick prank on today of all days? Again, Hunk looks around the bay. Finding no one, he takes the ring with him and heads for the elevators. His stomach rumbles again. He'll get something to eat, then find Keith.

Nodding his head as his fingers move over the keys, Pidge finishes programming the control system, then tests it again. Satisfied, he closes the remote terminal, picks it up, and heads for the side-hatch. Jumping to the ground, he walks back to the workbench and sets the terminal down. His gaze moves over the empty bench.

"Where is the ring?"

Freaking out, Pidge moves everything on the bench as he looks for it. He could have sworn he set it right here.

Entering the kitchen, Hunk smiles at Nanny as she places her hands on her hips and says, "I noticed you missed lunch. I suppose you think I should feed you now?"

"Just a little something, Nanny?"

She glances at the clock, "Dinner is in an hour. You can't wait?"

His stomach rumbles again, the sound loud enough for Nanny to arch an eyebrow, "I see you can't."

Hunk rubs his belly with his free hand, "Probably not."

"One moment."

As she heads across the kitchen, Hunk sets the ring box down on the counter. Just a little food and he'll go find Keith. He sniffs the air. Smells like dinner will be delicious tonight. His gaze moves across the room to a woman rolling out a pastry. Oh yeah, he can't wait for that. Suzette approaches him with a smile on her face. Hunk smiles back. What a nice woman. She slips him extra desserts when she can get away with it.

"I'm making those cookies you like for tomorrow's luncheon."

"Oh?"

"Yes," she replies, her hand dropping on top of his, "I can save you a few, if you'd like."

"That would be fabulous."

Suzette winks at him and continues on her way. Hunk ignores another worker that brushes past him as he watches Suzette leave. The sway of her hips…

"Here you go."

Startled, Hunk feels himself blush. Facing Nanny, he accepts the plate with half a sandwich on it and mumbles his thanks. The embarrassment fades when Nanny walks away. His gaze drops to the half sandwich. It doesn't seem like much. Maybe it's just as well. He doesn't want to be too full to enjoy dinner.

"Hunk!"

Turning around with the sandwich in his hand, Hunk spots Lance walking into the room. He prays his bulk hides the box sitting on the counter behind him. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Pidge?"

He shifts to the side to make room for two ladies carrying trays to get by. "Not since this morning, why?"

"I lost…something. I'm hoping he knows where it is."

Yeah, sure he lost something. Hunk manages not to snort. Shrugging, he replies, "He was supposed to come down to the repair bay, but I haven't seen him."

"I'll check there. Thanks."

Smiling to himself as Lance leaves the room, Hunk takes a bite of his sandwich as he turns around. He almost chokes on the bite a moment later. Where the heck did the box go?

Sitting at her dressing table as Nanny styles her hair, Allura stares into the mirror without seeing. It has been a strange but busy day. Nanny tugs on her hair, "You seem very distracted tonight."

Allura smiles up at her old governess, "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Keith and the others have been acting weird all day."

"Maybe it's nothing."

"Maybe…" Allura replies. Her gaze narrows on Nanny, "Is Keith planning something?"

"Like what?"

"Come on, Nanny. You're not supposed to keep secrets from me."

She receives a smile, "I'm not keeping a secret from you."

Even if she was, she wouldn't tell her. Allura huffs, then another thought comes to her. "This dinner tonight. It's just Keith and I. Is there something about that?"

"I know as much as you do. The commander asked for dinner to be served for the two of you out in the gardens. Nothing he hasn't done before."

True. They have had such dinners before. Keith called it dating. She enjoys them too. Just the two of them. Still, something is going on.

"Come now, if the commander is planning something, you'll find out soon enough," Nanny says, patting Allura on the shoulders, "Let's get you dressed."

Rising from her dressing table, Allura faces her governess, "Are you sure you wouldn't keep a secret from me?"

She receives another one of those amused smiles. Nanny turns away from her and walks over to the wardrobe. She pulls out her blue evening gown, "I think you should wear this one."

Royal blue with a halter top tied with thin strands of fabric, it flares at the waist into a floor-length skirt topped with chiffon. It makes her feel elegant and beautiful. Beyond earrings and a bracelet, the lightly beaded top needs no necklaces to enhance or distract from its beauty.

Nodding her approval, Allura moves toward Nanny. It doesn't pay to keep prodding her. Whatever she knows, Nanny isn't going to tell. She'll find out what Keith has planned soon.

Tugging on the hem of his jacket, Keith gives himself one more glance in the mirror. It won't be the perfect night he imagined, but he can still ask her. The ring can be replaced. At least, that is what he keeps telling himself. Damn it to hell, how could it have gotten lost like that? How the hell could Lance, Pidge and Hunk have all lost it?

Forcing the thoughts from his mind as his anger threatens to boil over again, Keith gives his jacket one last impatient tug. He just has to make the best of it. He loves Allura. She loves him. It isn't about the ring. It is about joining their lives together, which the ring represents.

Damn it all to hell!

Annoyed with himself, Keith turns around and leaves his room. His feet carry him down the halls until he reaches the royal quarters. After knocking on her door, Keith takes several deep breaths to calm his nerves.

The smile on Allura's face when she opens the door causes his heart rate to escalate. How does she always do this to him? Her gaze slides over him then narrows, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Keith says as he holds his arm out to her.

"I know you, Keith Kogane. Something has upset you."

Upset, that is putting it mildly. Taking her hand, placing it on his arm, and leading her down the hall, he replies, "Nothing that matters in the long term."

"It has upset you in the short term."

Ah, his princess. Too determined for her own good sometimes. "We'll talk about it later. For the rest of tonight, I want to focus on us."

"That is an answer I can live with. For now."

Yeah, way too determined. The first real smile since losing the ring slips across his face. Everything is always better when Allura is near. He leads her down the steps into the royal gardens, then pauses when she gasps. Nanny and her crew really outdid themselves.

Fairy lights twinkle from the trees and bushes that line the path, beckoning them along. Smaller lights highlight the spectacular color of flowering bushes. Nearing the center of the garden, a series of lighted flowered trellises welcome them. They step into the center to find a table for two lit with candles and a wonderful flowered centerpiece. Soft violin music drifts along the breeze.

"Oh, this is wonderful."

Keith squeezes Allura's hand, "I wish I could take the credit."

"Nanny…" Allura exclaims, "She lied to me when she claimed she knew nothing."

"Well, she couldn't give away the surprise," Keith whispers as he leans in to kiss her on the cheek.

"What's the occasion?" Allura asks.

Leading her over to her seat, Keith holds out the chair and waits for her to sit. "I can't surprise you without needing a reason?"

She sits then gives him that suspicious look he has grown to love, "With you, Keith Kogane, there is always a reason for everything."

He can't help it, Keith laughs as he takes his seat. "Maybe it is because I love you and want to see you smile?"

"Perhaps." Allura gives him that suspicious look once more, then a bright smile. It makes Keith laugh all the more.

They are interrupted when the maids roll a cart in and set domed dishes on the table in front of them. His nerves abated, Keith says, "I've been waiting all day for this."

Her gaze meets his, "She made the Lobster Bisque?"

"Yes, she made me beg." Her laughter causes his heart to race. Gathering himself, he says, "Tonight is special though."

"How so?"

He shifts his gaze to the maids as they finish setting dishes on the table. Allura nods to him, understanding he wants to be alone before answering. Lifting the cover from his plate, Keith's breath catches in his throat. Above his bowl of soup lays the ring box. A small note on top reads, "Be more careful with your things, Commander. Some things are too precious to lose."

From the balcony above, Nanny watches as the commander rises from his chair. He lowers himself to one knee in front of the princess and holds up the box; the ring glistening from the light of the candles. She smiles to herself as Allura throws her arms around Keith and they kiss. Yes, all is well.