Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron/Go Lion or any of their characters. They are the property of WEP and Devil's Due Comic and Toei Animation. All other characters are mine. This is written purely for entertainment purposes and I am not monetarily compensated in any way.

A/N: This story contains spoilers, particularly for Razor's Edge.

I have long been fascinated by the character of Lotor's mother. She is the character that we know the least about, yet has had, arguably the biggest impact on the Voltron universe of any character. In canon, she was an anonymous Altean/Arusian woman. Most think she was a slave. And maybe she was. But in GoLion, she clearly had significant influence over Zarkon and she was murdered by him for refusing marriage. Or for trying to negotiate on behalf of Altean/Arusian slaves. Well, that's Haggar's/Honerva's version of events and she's as unreliable a narrator as I've ever seen. But what we do know for sure is that she was the paramour of Zarkon, the birth mother of Lotor and her violent end was the source of the rift between father and son and consequently Lotor's oedipal obsession with Allura, who reminded him of her so much. So, without further ado, here is her story, in her own words.

Ok, a little more ado. Sorry. I had originally planned to post this story after I had completed both Razor's Edge and Rites of Passage. However a circumstance has arisen that forces me to move ahead with this much faster than planned. A few days ago, I sent this very chapter to [REDACTED]. Well, she's not the only person who's ever read it, and this morning I was informed by them of a new story by a brand new author with a very similar historical premise. A rather strange co-incidence, no? (Someone once said, "There are no co-incidences." I do hope that someone is wrong.) But, since I would hate to be accused of stealing another person's intellectual property, so I will begin posting now. You know, just incase of additional coincidences.

Edit: Someone is wrong. It was just a co-incidence. Yay! And I decided to switch up the title a bit. More dramatic like this, no?

A Lady's Place: Memoirs of Aurora,

The Lost Duchess of New Rhinelind and Mother of King Lotor I

Edit: I edited to add additional page breaks that were eaten by ff dot net to show more clearly that each diary entry is separated by date and time of day. Apologies for any confusion. -DB

09.15.2461

06:22

I can't believe it! I really can't! Everything is happening so quickly. First, my engagement to Alfor, Archduke of Leon and Crown Prince of Altea has been made official and now the trip to Terra for my trousseau! I'm so excited! I've been practicing my Terran for the last two weeks. Nanny says I won't need it because everyone on Terra speaks Common Trade, but I don't want to appear like a colonial bumpkin.

I am bursting with anticipation but the trip is still weeks away. It is absolute torture! They say that Terra is very much like Altea in size and atmosphere, but that nearly every inch of land is developed. From space the continents glitter with man made light like they are covered with jewels. Mother is not coming with me (thanks be to God!) but my brother Joshua will also be going to see to Papa's business affairs. Nanny and two of my maids will accompany me and so I will not be left 'at the mercy of my own foolishness' as Mother likes to say. She thinks my 'impulsive and headstrong ways' will get me into trouble. She says no lady of royal birth should ever be without a chaperone. Especially when travelling in the company of men. It would ruin her reputation. I disagree. She has such outdated notions! You wouldn't believe the things she says a lady must never do!

Although the customs of our forefathers still have strong influences on our culture, Altea is a modern world now. I plan to pay great attention to everything on Terra. I will keep careful notes so that when I am queen (Ah! Queen! First HRH and then HRM! It makes me giddy to think about it!) I can use my station to bring about modern changes to Altea. That is, I mean, with my lord husband's permission of course.

I am sure that he will go along with it. Although I've only met him briefly in person, we correspond nearly everyday. He also feels that many of Altea's restrictive social customs and separatism from the Alliance hold the kingdom back. My maids tell me that I am lucky to be marrying such a progressive minded man. He has promised me that we will usher in a new era of prosperity for Altea and equality for all. Just the thought brings joy to my heart and it is my most hopeful prayer that he is right.

But for now, I must finish making my shopping list. The first thing I plan on exerting my influence on is Altean fashion.

09.17.2461

14:07

Oh! There is no creature in the Near Universe more abominable than a sister! Ariella is such a troublesome brat. Her impertinence knows no boundaries! Nanny said it was my fault because I'm the eldest and should have more dignity and patience. But, truthfully she is just a brat! I caught her trying on my dresses and playing with my hairpins and cosmetics again. (Which I obviously did not hide well enough! Mother and Nanny and everyone else say it is unseemly for well bred maidens to paint their faces! It is a mark of vanity…and the only adornment a young woman needs is a pure heart! What old fashioned nonsense!)

She always makes such a dreadful mess of things that I can't find anything and what I can find is mismatched or ruined. When I scolded her (perhaps I was a little shrill, but that's beside the point) she screwed her face up at me and told me that I wasn't a queen yet and had no business ordering her around. She is a duchess the same as I. She went on to say that I'll probably never be queen because I'm a tall, scrawny pulley bean and that once Alfor sees that I have knees like a favi he'd send me back to mother and father and they'll lock me in a Hospice. Then I said that she has no room to talk because no one will ever see my knees; but no amount of fabric can cover up what fat, squat little toad she is! And of course she burst into tears and ran crying to Nanny. So, here I am to spend the evening confined to my rooms in contrite reflection on the duties of an eldest child and the sinfulness of vanity and selfishness.

But that is truthfully the furthest thing from my mind. Nothing can dampen my excitement for my trip. I keep imagining how wonderful it will be to go to the country of my ancestors and see the history of it all. Where we came from, Terra, once called Earth. Although I wasn't born there and I can hardly think of it as home, I still feel a strong connection. The place where humanity first gazed up at the heavens and then after many centuries of longing launched itself into the black eternity of space with nothing but faith, engineering and luck.

My family and many of the residents of Altea are from a country called Germany on the European continent. It has existed as a sovereign state for thousands of years. There are castles there that were built before humanity had sailed all the oceans! And roads that were originally paved by the Caesars of long ancient Rome (wherever that was!) Here on Altea nothing is older than two hundred years. For most the first century the First Settlers lived in the interstellar ship that brought them here from Terra until the land was made viable and territories could be mapped and explored. And what buildings that were constructed were destroyed during the First War of Succession. The few walls left standing were made out of concrete and are starting to crumble due to burrow mites that eat the lime in the mortar. It is a constant battle to save our history, what precious little we have of it.

But I've also seen from holos that Terra is like a terribly crowded city that stretches on from one end of the continent to the other. And that there are people who never have seen trees growing naturally from the ground or felt grass under their feet. Their sole experience with nature is to look straight up and see a glimpse of sky between the towering buildings. How amazing that must look! Canyons of mirrored glass and steel shining in the sun soaring straight up in to the sky! And at night the city lights are as bright as day and shine with every color of the rainbow! I can't wait! I really can't!

09.17.2461

16:39

Uhg! So there IS a creature more terrible and abominable than a sister! It's Nanny! She had spied on me in my rooms and saw that I was not prayerfully reflecting but arranging my hair in some Terran styles I had displayed in a fashion magazine. And trying to see if I could alter some of my gowns to the shorter hemlines that are more in line with the styles there. You could have heard her shrieking on Korrinoth!

She promptly informed Mother of my lack of contrition for what everyone says is my foul temper so I am banned from communications for a week. Oh, could they be more awful? A week! A whole week without speaking to my beloved! It is torture and they are cruel! I can't stop weeping. By the time I'm allowed to talk to him again my eyes will be so red and swollen that he won't even recognize me! Or worse what if, in my absence, of not responding to his messages, he finds another and breaks our engagement? I can't bear the thought. If he does, I will shut my self up in here forever! I'm sure I will never love another like I do him.

09.18.2461

08:45

Oh! Why are parents so cruel?! I begged Mother to let me at least send Alfor one message so that he would not worry or become offended but she refused! She said I was being ridiculous, that I needed to stop acting like a 'love sick ninny' and remember my dignity. Then she adds that it's best that Alfor not know the real reason for my being unavailable. It would not improve his opinion of me in the least. So I asked what she meant, by "improve his opinion of me" And she answered that' he does not need to think of you as more of a child than he already does.'

Oh! How her words stung causing me to burst into fresh tears. Which only earned me another admonishment and then began The Lecture….on duty, on remembering that I must put my own feelings aside and think only for the good of our nation and that of the citizens of Altea that I would be charged with caring for and setting a good moral example for…and if I would be a queen then I must learn to carry myself like one…and on and on. And on.

I know she is right. It is the cost of my birthright, to always put the needs of my people before my own. But it is so hard sometimes. There are times, like now, when just the thought of the burden overwhelms me. Times when I wish I could be like anyone else and just devote my life to my own pursuits.

09.20.2461

13:19

Good news! My 'week' of punishment is finally lifted! Not through any relenting of those Harridans Nanny or Mother, but by a wonderful quasar! A happy little accident had occurred in deep space billions of years ago and now blasts of gamma radiation will be bombarding the quadrant for the next three months or so. The radiation will interfere with communications via the planet and the ship making a launch all but impossible. It could also affect the electronics of the ship board computers fouling them up completely. So we are leaving ahead of schedule because to delay until it has passed would not bring me back from Terra in time for my wedding.

I depart in three days. There is so much to do.

Oh! And I spoke to Alfor finally! He does not think of me as a child at all! He says I have a vivacious spirit. So there, Mother.