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Allura squinted at the mirror as she pushed back the hair that curled into her face. She turned her face from side to side, scrutinising her make-up. When she was satisfied, she sighed heavily.
“Are you excited?” Her lady-in-waiting, Kathryn, always came off brasher than she intended to be. It wasn’t anything Allura wasn’t used to receiving from her, but she definitely wasn’t used to it in general. Not many people would dare to speak to a princess that way. Kathryn, however, was a force to be reckoned with. She treated each person with as much respect as she thought they deserved. Even at the top of her list, Allura wasn’t treated as royalty should be.
“Will you be at the ball, Lady Kathryn?” Allura asked, eyes forlorn. She loved social gatherings, but they would be nothing without her best friend by her side.
“For the hundredth time, I’ve told you to call me Pidge.”
“But that isn’t even part of your name!” Allura retorted.
“Fine, call me Katie. As much as it absolutely pains me , I won’t be at the ball. I have family matters to take care of.”
Katie’s brother, Matthew, had gone missing years ago when he went off on a mission with one of the royal guards as his escort. The royal guard, Takashi Shirogane, returned a year later. Matthew did not. A few months after, and Katie stopped searching for her brother. Even though she hated going to royal engagements, she wouldn’t have passed it up unless she found a lead on her brother. That was how Allura knew that Katie was lying each time she said that she had a family matter to resolve.
Katie definitely received classified instructions directly from King Alfor. Allura just never knew what they were exactly. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the importance of secrecy. She was just tired of being kept in the dark.
“You are never going to tell me what it truly is about, are you? Katie, if there’s anything that my family and connections can assist you with--”
“Allura, this isn’t something that you can help me with. Just know that when I’m resolving these problems, I have your best interest at heart.” Katie walked over to the stool that Allura was sitting on and pressed a kiss onto the crown of her head. “Well, I’ll be off now.”
Then, she was gone, only to return when Allura needed her around. Never when she wanted.
She leaned over her dresser, resting her face in her left hand. With her right hand, she absent-mindedly smoothed down the wrinkles in her dress. Soon, there was a knock on the door to let her know that her bodyguard had arrived.
“Princess?” Shiro’s voice was soft, unassuming, “Are you ready to make your entrance?”
Allura stood up quickly, suddenly feeling the weight of the hair piled high atop her head, and the layers of fabric that pulled her shoulders into a hunch.
“Walk tall, princess. You represent the whole nation of Altea, after all.”
She crossed the room to him, holding her head high and pulling her shoulders back. She was ready.
As they entered the ballroom, Allura was dazzled by the opulence of the decor. Coran had done a wonderful job in putting the entire the event together. It was required of him to have it nothing short of perfect and each time, he delivered.
While her father tried to keep her ignorant about the strained relationship between Altea and the other nations, Allura knew that the situation was far from ideal. The Galra Empire had been pressuring Altea into conceding to their demands to march into Olkarion for months. That was why, with a heavy heart, Alfor started the search for a suitor for Allura. If they could get an alliance out of the arrangement, perhaps the Galra Empire wouldn’t be too quick to attack Altea.
Given the choice, Allura wouldn’t have chosen that fate for herself. She was a practical woman, but she was also a romantic at heart. Still, she had a responsibility to her subjects. She tried her best to coax herself into accepting it, until she saw him.
His lavender skin glowed under the soft lights from the chandelier hanging above him. His posture was stiff, but the sorrow in his deep blue eyes was not to be stifled. He was looking straight at her. Her breath hitched.
She blinked away surprise, then gracefully tilted her head to the side, leaning into Shiro. She whispered, “Who is he?”
“Who?”
“The one standing under the chandelier.”
“Coran? … LOTOR?”
“Keep your voice down,” Allura chided him. “Wait, why do I know that name?”
“He’s the prince of the Galra Empire. He’s second in line to the throne.”
Of course it was. Back when Altea’s relationship with the Galra Empire were a touch more amicable, she remembered that the Galran royal family used to visit frequently. She spent hours in the garden with the prince, tying the flowers they found into crowns. It had been years since she’d even heard of him, let alone seen him.
“If I chose him,” she approached cautiously, “Would it look like a transparent bid for peace between our nations?”
“It’s no secret that his parents despise the air he breathes. I don’t think anyone would be ignorant enough to assume that of you, or of Altea. However…” Shiro glanced around covertly. “He may have his own agenda.”
The tension building around Allura’s shoulders was released with a deep sigh.
“You’re absolutely right, Shiro.”
“That… that being said, it’s nothing that Kei-- his bodyguard is aware of. I don’t think it would be too… disadvantageous… if you were, say, to dance with him tonight.”
Allura’s eyes darted around the room before finally settling on Lotor. God, he was breathtaking. Appearances were not everything, but she was under no illusion that other monarchs chose suitors because of the stimulating company they could provide. She knew that if she chose him, her father would never object. However, it definitely would not have been the most politically savvy choice she could make. Not for the first time, she wished that she didn’t have to consider the happiness of an entire nation alongside her own.
“Princess?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I just need… some air.”
“I’ll escort you to the balcony.”
“Thank you, Shiro.”
The air outside was windless, yet icy. Noticing her discomfort, Shiro quickly pulled off his coat and wrapped it around her. Then, he pulled the curtains shut to give her the privacy she needed.
She pulled the loose-hanging coat tighter around her waist. It didn’t do much to ward off the cold, but at least her hands were no longer shaking.
“Mother,” she whispered, “If you can hear me, please guide me.”
“Princess?”
She shivered as she heard the unfamiliar voice. She didn’t even need to turn around to know exactly who it was. Of course the prince had a voice like that, all soothing and velvety.
“Lotor?”
“I knew from the moment I saw you enter...” he breathed, “but I had to be sure. It’s really you, Allura.”
“It is.” Allura realised that it was a silly thing to say, but she was compelled to say it regardless. “It’s been so long.”
“Yes,” steam escaped Lotor’s mouth as he exhaled forcefully.
The initial surprise may have thrown her off, but Allura was not to be fooled. Childhood friend or not, he remained the wayward prince of the Galra Empire.
“Why are you here?” her voice turned accusatory.
“I had to see you. I’ve begged my father for years to allow me to visit you, but he refused every time. When I heard that you were looking for a suitor, I knew it was my last chance.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m not asking you to! All I ask is that you allow me one dance. After that, if you so wish, you shall never need to see me again.”
“One dance?” she raised an eyebrow.
“It’s all I ask.”
There was just so much earnestness in his request, that Allura couldn’t flat out deny it. She was wary of him, but one dance was hardly an imposition. She did want to dance, she just hadn’t found a partner in the midst of worrying over finding a suitor. Perhaps one dance was just what she needed to clear her head.
“Very well then,” she said.
As he gasped, Lotor’s face melted into a smile. He took a step forward and held out his hand. Hesitantly, she placed her own hand in his. She tried to still her heart as he lifted her hand to his lips.
“Thank you, your highness.”
“The… the pleasure is mine.”
She re-entered the castle, quickly removing Shiro’s coat and giving it back to him. He bowed as he took it. When he lifted his head, his eyes were staring straight at Lotor, warning him against doing anything to hurt the lady he’d sworn to protect.
Lotor led her back into the ballroom, his hand barely pressing on the side of her waist. Even then, she could feel the warmth emanating from his palm. Steady , she reminded herself.
As she stepped onto the ballroom floor, the dancing and music came to a halt. The other occupants of the floor sidestepped to make room for them to pass through. Her heart pounded as she felt the other eyes in the room on her, watching her every move. She has chosen , she heard them whisper. Her arms tensed up.
“Relax, Lallura. Let yourself go,” Lotor muttered.
“La-- it’s what you used to call me.” She couldn’t help but smile.
“It is.”