His Rival

Letting Go

Hey guys, Jess here!

This chapter is back to the normal length (17.9 pages/ 6,073 words), so please take breaks as needed.

If you have any questions or comments about this chapter, let me know; I'd like to hear from you!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

A few more weeks after the explosion on Olkarion, your team was getting back into the usual swing of things. When you weren't going on missions and ran out of projects to do, your team had started playing Monsters and Mana, an Altean version of Dungeons and Dragons, to pass the time. You were about to head to the control room when Lotor approached you in the hallway, carrying a white object that drew your attention.

"(Y/n), I have something that may interest you" he announced, presenting the book with a flourish. It was so ancient that the leather casing had faded to an ivory, its silver details glistening as he placed it into your hands. "It's the diary of Clarice, your predecessor. I believe I've mentioned this to you before; I rediscovered it while sorting through Haggar's lair. It remains unclear how she gained possession of such an artifact, but if it should belong to anyone, it should be be you.

"Thank you" you chimed in reply, showing your appreciation with a grin before diving in. As you flipped through the pages, your feet began moving of their own accord, taking you back to your room. It was such an immersive read; you just couldn't take your eyes off of it. It was written in some blend of cursive and print, and yet still managed to be legible. And the further you progressed in the journal, the more you saw how that font reflected her personality.

"What do you have there?" Allura asked, peeking over her shoulder as she entered. "Is that Altean manuscript?" It wasn't unusual for her to visit you like this; she'd always come to you whenever she felt like gushing over Lotor.

"Clarice's journal, you know, the silver paladin you've told us about before?" you answered without looking up from the page. The previous paladins had been another common topic discussion as of late, especially after you revealed how Clarice was involved in Haggar's discovery of your lion's powers.

"Yes, I remember the stories my father told about her in particular" she reminisced, sitting beside you on the bed. "You'll come to find that Clarice was quite the unusual fit for silver. She was a bit of a free spirit, and she would always break the rules. But she did that for all the right reasons." With all that in mind, you probably weren't the only silver paladin who ever felt insecure about her role.

"Yeah, there was something about her swiping food from some fancy party she was at to give to an older lady who lived on the street" you summarized. "She seemed to be good friends with her actually. And look, there's something here about her sneaking out at night to go on a secret mission with Alfor."

"Oh, I remember this one, especially the part where Zarkon and the other paladins track them down and join the fight."

"Hey, no spoilers!" you interjected, jabbing her side as she smirked at you.

"Well, you can continue reading later, right now-"

"No" you interrupted, all your previous warmth vanishing in an instant as you further buried your head into the book, pursing your lips. "I already know what you're gonna ask, and the answer is no."

"Come on (Y/n), we've been through this a thousand times!" she exclaimed. "It's been two entire months, and there shouldn't be much of an issue now that your hand is healed."

"You're forgetting that the last time I tried, I set a forest on fire" you reminded her, glaring up as she shut the book on you. Your jaw clenched as she took it from your hands, sliding it under a pillow behind her.