Starchild (COMPLETED)

Chapter 1 - Gladiator

As anticipated there was no time to mourn for as soon as the paladin's bones had been re-aligned and their cuts mopped up, the castle ship had been landed on the nearby moon colony, Rou'x Tau for repair.

It was a desolate place, composed of crushed minerals and finely ground dust. The atmosphere itself was as hellish as the right arm of Voltron, burning the lungs of any intruder - friend or foe.

To Lance it meant they were even further away from his home by the shore of Earth's endless oceans while Keith had been overwhelmed with a sense of relief, having spent his life on Earth's parched deserts.

Despite the simplistic nature of their live, voltron's victory had not gone unheard of and even as the paladins were forced from the premises the alien colony had surrounded the ship, their lips spilling cheers as they voiced their gratitude.

However it happened, the paladins - including Allura and Coran - found themselves seated at the victor's table sharing in an exquisitely prepared feast, celebrating the final minutes of Zarkon's defeat.

Despite the organized entertainment and impressive display of food dictating the colony's wealth - due mostly to their successful trading business - no one missed the heavy tension laying waste for any chance of a relaxed evening.

After all were there not meant to be five paladins?

A few did whisper this question only to have a cup of wine thrust into their hands until incoherent babbling became the common tongue amongst them.

While both Pidge and Hunk engaged in minimal conversation - the most words spoken being 'no, no it's okay thanks' - Keith had detached his self from all activities, his naturally intimidating and stoic appearance warding off any possibilities of interaction.

That was until Coran wandered aloud "Anyone see Lance?"

For once the blue paladin had done something useful, Keith thought using his disappearance as an excuse to remove himself from the overwhelming scene.

The red paladin could feel both Pidge's and Hunk's envy roll off them like waves as they wished to take his place. Hunk made to get up but Allura's steely grip on his arm forced his stay.

He may have been a giant by human standards but Allura was an altean.

A colour changing, size altering, battle wise princess.

Much to his disappointment Keith barely had far to walk as a mop of brown hair stood out from the earthly brown of rock it's owner was perched against.

"Shiro..."

While Lance sobbed into his open hand Keith had knelt beside him, drawing the younger paladin into the warmth of his embrace.

While Keith was just as heartbroken he couldn't shake off the humorous tickling which lingered at the back of his throat.

Never had he imagined himself comforting this man - the same man who possessed an inappropriate sense of humor and a sexual attraction to anything as beautiful as he himself claimed to be. This man with an ego to fill the entirety of space and who deliberately picked fights with him over any inconvenient thing.

The scene in which Keith found himself in was ridiculous as it was laughable.

Shiro had finally done it.

He had united them through his own tragic ending.

~

Lotor's rage had grown immense, his expression hardening while his gaze remained fixed upon the prisoner.

Had the executioners not been such cowards he'd have arranged for Haggar's death almost instantly. Of course, he could always perform the deed himself but haste would gain him nothing, besides he'd yet to win the favor of the remaining Galran empire.

"They will expect you to make a public example of this wretch" Haggar spat venomously, her words like toxin searing the skin of his ears.

She despised him as an ever-faithful servant to his father, no doubt she herself was engaged in an intense mental battle to restrain her burning desire to kill the disgraced prince.

Taking his silence as warning of his growing annoyance of her unwanted presence, Haggar left his side melting into the shadows. Lotor barely acknowledged the Altean sorceress as all his attention was drawn to his subdued prisoner.

His arms were raised, wrists cuffed to the wall above his head forcing his body in an unnaturally lax upright stance.

The scars criss-crossing over his exposed skin was enough to entice the young prince into the cell, resembling a predator stalking its prey.

His warm hands held the prisoner's cheeks in an almost caring manner, his thumb stroking the prominent scar shallowly cut across his nose.

His intention was far from caring.

Disappointment took form as bile burning his throat as he trailed over the prisoner's right arm finding his flesh had been cut off from the shoulder, replaced by the cold metal of the druid's weaponized bionics.

The prisoner shifted barely, a flutter of movement indicating that he was very much alive.

A smile tugged at Lotor's lips as his hands once again found their rightful place against the prisoner's cheeks.

"We will meet again Gladiator. In the arena."