Welcome to Choices of the Heart.

I consider myself a Keith/Allura writer, but every once in a while, a writer, even an amateur as myself, needs to expand, challenge herself and explore new worlds.

Merla has always been a favorite of mine. She is smart, sexy, and wild. I adore her. So, why not let her have a story of her own…and why not let her take a more prominent role!

I hope you enjoy reading Choices of the Heart…I really enjoyed writing it.

Chapter 1: Illusions

The night breeze attempted to calm Keith Kogane's nerves as he stood by the castle balcony overlooking the bright moon of Arus. The pool of light that emanated from the orb hanging in the dark sky casted down the lake below, allowing him to see silhouettes of the landscape around him, despite the grey-black clouds that ominously tried to cover it.

Normally a night so relaxing, so peaceful, would calm the storms that battled within him. Tonight would not be such a night. He would not find the peace needed to calm the battle brooding within him. His mind raced as thoughts of the day's earlier events replayed in his mind.

Keith shook his head in frustration. "King of Arus….more like a puppet," he whispered. "How could I-"

"Keith." A woman's voice interrupted what was to become his soliloquy. He turned to find Allura, Princess of Arus walk toward. Not willing to meet his gaze, she wrapped her arms around her fiancé's waist as soon as she could make contact. Stiffening at her touch, Keith took a deep breath to calm himself. Never one to be impulsive, he wouldn't allow his anger to get the better of him. The princess ignored his actions and placed her head on his chest, "Please try to understand."

"Understand?" He questioned her, "Please help me understand how you could make such a drastic decision without consulting me? Help me understand why you decided to speak to the admiral without me. Tell me why you lied to my team and announced this decision as if we made it together!" His voice rose at the end. "Allura, the Alliance meets for the Summit Conference in two weeks. The bylaws state that everyone in the galaxy has a right to participate, even Drule nations. You've managed to kick them out for no reason. What you did…it's just low, Allura."

Feeling his body become even more rigid as he spoke, Allura pulled away from him and stood meeting his gaze. Dark angry brown eyes met equally angry dark aqua blues, neither backed down. Keith's words didn't faze Allura as much as they infuriated her, "I did what I had to do. Don't you understand that we need to destroy all of them in order to regain the freedom of the Denubian Galaxy?"

Turning around, unable to face her, the Captain of the Voltron Force looked at the darkness of Arus once again, "Not all of them are the enemy Allura. You're the one who doesn't understand that the real enemy within the Denubian is Zarkon and Lotor. The fight should be against them, not every Drule in the galaxy. Most of them don't want anything to do with Zarkon."

Raising her voice and losing her tolerance, Allura began yelling, "And you want to take the risk? Keith, how do you know that? What if this is just some trick? What if they are all like that sick bastard? And this group you speak of…how can you trust them?"

Looking back at her with a ferocious glare, he answered her, "So what are you telling me Allura? That you're willing to risk destroying an entire civilization on a theory that they may all be like Zarkon?" Keith felt the loss of his patience as he heard his voice rising.

"And you are willing to keep them alive on the hope that they're not?" she challenged.

"I don't have hope Allura!" He threw back at her, "I have proof!"

"From a Drule!" the princess shouted back, "Very convincing Keith."

No longer keeping his temper in check, Keith began to walk away from her, "Speaking to you is useless."

"Where are you going?" She suddenly shouted.

"What do you care?" Keith snarled before walking out of the balcony and exiting the bedroom.

In the silvery darkness around her, Allura wept.

VVVVVVVVVV

The next morning, whistling a jovial tune as he walked down the hallway, Lance made his way to the captain's office, hoping he'd catch Keith there. Morning storms had caused the captain to call off lion practice. Rather than tormenting them with other drills, he allowed his team to sleep through the morning. Seldom did Keith provide them with such luxury, but they were due for one. They worked hard and he knew it. Taking advantage, Lance made the decision to milk the benefit as much as he could. He slept most of the morning and woke up actually feeling his twenty-four years. It was refreshing.

Punching in the security code to Keith's office, he smoothly and casually walked in smiling at the captain, who sat reading through a datapad. "Morning Cap."

"I changed the security code three days ago," Keith looked up from the datapad, slightly annoyed.

"Yes, I know." Lance smirked, "I changed it back because I found it slightly annoying that I had to learn another code." He shrugged. "Besides, you don't keep any secrets in here, do you?"

"No. You are right, no secrets. But I do like to have a place where I don't have to find my intrepid friend lingering around. Especially when I don't feel like speaking to him." Keith turned back to his datapad and continued working.

Lance whistled as he shook his head, "Another fight with Allura, huh?"

Keith snorted.

"Yep. Another fight. That explains why you pulled a double shift with Black last night. This doesn't have to do with the announcement that she made last night at dinner, does it?"

Keith stood up from his chair and walked over to the large window that faced more of the greenery landscape of Arus. Leaning against the window, he faced Lance, "How can she destroy an entire civilization based on the mistakes of one man?"

"Keith, that one man killed her entire family," Lance reminded him.

"So everyone needs to pay?" Keith suddenly ranted. "These are people who have also suffered under Zarkon's reign. People with families, children…they are not at fault."

Sitting down on the chair across Keith's desk, Lance sighed. "I understand, but you know Allura. She has always thought ill of the Drules. They killed her parents right in front of her. I hate to say it, but they traumatized her in more ways that you'll probably ever know."

"She's cold Lance," Keith finished. "Her emotions lately are getting the better of her."

"Are you sure they are just her emotions?" Looking questionably at his friend, Lance continued, "Keith, you are my best friend and I wouldn't hurt you, but…." he sighed, preparing mentally for what he was going to tell him, "Do you really love Allura?"

"What the hell type of question is that?"

"Do you?" Lance repeated.

"Of course I do." Keith immediately replied, "You, out of all people should know that."

Lance shrugged, "I know that she loves you. I feel that…..well, maybe in some alternate universe you two belong together. But here, now…you are like oil and water."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the captain snorted.

Standing up and walking to his friend, Lance touched his shoulders affectionately, "You know what I mean. You two are walking down the aisle in a couple of months. I just want to make sure that you are making the right decision, that's all."

Taking a deep breath, Keith nodded, "I know what I'm doing. She angers me…at times, but I know I love her. I'm sure once the stress of the Summit is over, we'll be able to work things out."

Smiling sadly, Lance nodded, "Sure you will. Just make sure at the end, you are happy and satisfied with the decision you made. Remember Keith, no matter how much you try to mix oil and water…it just doesn't man, it just doesn't."

VVVVVVVV

Later that day as Keith walked to the gym, he ran into Hunk along the hallway, "Hey, Cap." The big man smiled as he greeted his friend, "Another fight with the princess?"

Shocked, Keith looked back at him, "What makes you say that?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, "other than you pulling double duty last night. Oh, and the fact that you both missed lunch this afternoon, kind of gave me another hint." Hunk told him as they walked together, apparently toward the same destination.

"That obvious?"

"That obvious," the bigger man confirmed. "But, I guess it's understandable. This Summit meeting has taken a life of its own." The big man was right about the Summit. The conference met once a year and listened to planets around the Denubian Galaxy who wanted to become members of the Alliance. They pleaded their case and offered their services to current member planets that had the power to allow them in.

The war grew potentially more dangerous with every passing year. Lately, Zarkon's technology and weaponry increased to frightening levels and even though the Alliance kept up with the competition, at times it still lagged. The amount of Alliance soldiers dying in combat had tripled in the last year. Voltron evened out the situation, but Keith realized that it wasn't enough to protect the entire galaxy. They needed more. He was hoping that some of the Drule planets could potentially provide such help. They had been trying for months to meet with the Alliance in secret, too afraid to know what would happen if Zarkon found out. Allura wasn't making things any easier.

"I'm guessing that you weren't too happy with Allura's decision to exclude Drule nations at the conference," Hunk continued.

Nodding in agreement, Keith answered, "More than I can say. If she could just understand. This could mean an immense advantage over Zarkon's forces. We're at a disadvantage as it is…the drules could even us out."

"What about that new rebel group?" the bigger man asked. "The Allied Forces?" He had heard of them from previous small conversations with Keith, but really didn't know much about them.

"Yes, them," Keith sighed.

"You don't sound very confident about them."

"I'm actually very confident that they can help." The captain stated firmly, "They are a new group that would like rights to enter into the Summit and work with us to end Zarkon for good."

Looking questionably at his friend, Hunk shook his head lightly, "I'm not understanding what the problem is…"

Keith answered, "The Allied Forces are a Drule movement group."

"Oh." Hunk immediately stated when he heard Keith's answer, "Drule? That would become a problem."

"Hence the argument," Keith continued, "Allura is adamant about not letting them in. She wants nothing to do with them other than to destroy and wipe away their existence."

"I know this is something you don't want to do," Hunk answered. He knew that Keith spent a year abroad at different Drule planets during his third year at the Academy. He learned their culture, language, and customs. When he returned, Keith told Hunk, along with the rest of his group, the misconception so many people had of Drules and their planets. It was this learning experience that made Hunk realize how much Drules had changed Keith's perceptions. Apparently, time had not changed anything. "So what now?"

"I don't know…continue convincing her of doing otherwise. Maybe speak with the admiral." Keith shrugged, "All I know is that I have to make this happen. I have to find some way of including the Allied Forces at the Summit."

"You'll find a way," Hunk assured him. He knew that Keith was as persistent as he was convincing. "So, care to wrestle or spar?"

The captain smiled at his friend, "We'll spar. Last time we wrestled, you kicked the crap out of me."

Laughing, Hunk answered, "That's because you did the same when we sparred last week. Well, how about a truce? Weight lifting."

Keith rolled his eyes, "I see you kicking my butt again, but whatever. You're on."

XXXXXXXXXX

Before he knew it, dinnertime arrived. After a long day in his office reading over endless forms for the Alliance, working out with Hunk at the gym followed by yet another meeting with Coran to finalize the details of the Summit, Keith didn't realize how fast the day went.

Walking out of Coran's office with the intent of heading to his room to freshen up before dinner, he suddenly received a call from the most unexpected person.

Detaching his comm. unit from the belt of his pants, he answered with a sigh, "Yes Allura."

"Would you please come to my office?" She asked a bit guardedly.

"Sure," Keith replied, not wanting to sound angry. He put the comm. unit back on his belt and walked to Allura's office. A minute or two later he arrived to find Allura at her desk, typing on her datapad. She looked up when he walked in. "You wanted to see me?" Keith asked neutrally.

"Yes," she nodded. "I…I wanted to apologize for last night." The princess paused for a moment before continuing, "I thought a lot about what I did and…I should have consulted with you first before speaking on your behalf...or making a decision without including you. I'm sorry, Keith."

Surprised by her sudden action, Keith felt the loss of words come to him. He wasn't expecting this from Allura.

Looking at him worriedly, Allura stood up, "Keith? I really am sorry. Please forgive me. I promise that from now on I'll work on including you in the decisions made for Arus and the Alliance."

Allura walked toward him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. Everything that had just happened was unexpected, but more than that, Keith felt the apology came from her heart. Allura felt sorry for what she had done and that meant the world to him. He found himself hugging her back. "I'm sorry…for walking out on you the way that I did."

Smiling at him, she answered, "I deserved it. I was….pretty bad."

He laughed before kissing her. Allura returned the kiss with such passion that Keith felt breathless. With the sudden shift in their breathing, the princess wasted no time in unbuttoning his shirt and exposing his bare chest. "I want you." She said between kisses, caressing his chest gently with her hand. "Make love to me now." Allura finished as she peeled off the rest of the shirt off his body.

Breathing hard, Keith didn't answer her. Instead, he lifted and carried his princess to the couch in the living area of her office. Lying on top of her, Keith kissed her deeply before his mouth moved to her cheeks and then her ear. His tongue brushed her delicate lobe. He blew a light breath over the moist spot making Allura shiver before she let out a gasp of satisfaction.

Keith's hand roamed under her skirt, caressing her toned leg as he simultaneously kissed her neck then her cheek, until he reached her mouth once more. Allura felt her need for him intensify as he suddenly lifted her up and began undressing her. He took off her blouse leaving only her bra. And she, in turn, did not detach her lips from his while he began to remove her skirt. Knowing that she had to help him, Allura stood and coaxed Keith to do the same. As he finished removing the skirt, she worked on unbuttoning his pants. Soon the rest of their clothes vanished from their bodies.

Returning to the sofa, Allura laid down first. Keith smiled, admiring the perfect contours of her body; the beauty he had inherited. Allura was a goddess in perfect human form. "What are you waiting for?" she flirted.

"I love you," he suddenly told her. The princess smiled broadly. Sometimes it was hard to understand why they fought so much. Why she was so hard and callous at times, and the epitome of an angel at others. Keith laid on top of her and kissed her on the lips with all the gentleness she required and asked of him. Opening herself to him, Allura begged, bucking her hips against his.

Reading her thoughts, Keith thrust himself into her. Allura sighed heavily in ecstasy, enjoying the feel of him inside of her. Keith couldn't control himself, so his thrusts became faster. Allura closed her eyes, trying to keep her rhythm within his, "Keith….slower….slower," she ordered. Controlling himself, he slowed his pace, making sure she'd receive the satisfaction she craved.

The thrusts became slower, smoother, gentler. Allura, unable to control herself any longer, grabbed onto Keith and cried out. Keith, on the other hand, continued, making sure not to hurt her. Moments later, he joined her then fell on her.

Both breathing heavily, they rested on top of each other without speaking. After some moments, Keith spoke first, "Dinner will be served soon."

"Hmmm," was Allura's only answer.

"We should get dressed before Nanny barges in," Keith said, kissing her forehead.

Smiling Allura answered, "I locked the door."

Looking at her rather curiously, "You had this planned, didn't you?"

The princess giggled, "No, of course not."

"You little witch," he told her tickling her. Allura laughed and tried to get away, "No, you don't." he joked as he grabbed her.

The princess wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much," she told him, looking straight into his eyes.

Smiling at her, he kissed her once more before replying, "I love you too, sweetheart. I love you too."