The Greatest Gift A Voltron Christmas Tale
Chapter Six
Meeting the King
Keith's mind was still swimming from drink, and thoughts of his guardian angel, … Guardian angel… he chuckled at that. He paused before reentering the arena. "So, tell me, Al…" A smile coming to his lips. "I see you wear a sword at your hip, but I've never heard of a sword wielding angel. Do you know how to use it or is it just decorative?"
Al grinned at Keith. "Do you think YOUR guardian angel wouldn't know his way around a sword? Come now Captain, give us some credit."
"So you will fight?"
"If it means I get to cross swords with some Doom scum. Well, I think you'd have a hard time stopping me!" Al laughed.
"You sure you're an Angel?"
"We don't all play harps, if that's what you mean." He patted Keith on the shoulder. "Come, let us go in."
Keith and Al entered the ring as the audience above was just beginning to file in. Keith looked around. It was exactly like the arena on Doom. "You said Zarkon built this?"
"Yes." Al gestured, taking in the expanse of the ring. "He thought it was the least he could do for his Son. He is very proud of him."
Keith turned to face Al. "Zarkon? Proud of Lotor? You're joking?"
"No no. His son is a legend! Word of his accomplishments has grown across the galaxies. He has even been able to gain a truce with the Drule Empire, something his father could never do."
Keith shook his head bewildered. Lotor?
They were quickly approached by an arena beast. Al leaned over and whispered into Keith's ear. "Remember your part, Keith. You are just like Lotor." A smile soon tugged at Keith's lips.
The creature stood a good two feet taller than either of them looking more like a mountain than a man, a beast-man. His red leather-like skin was clad in armor and he carried an axe in his hand. The man-beast laughed, a laugh that Keith felt more than heard. "What are a couple of puny humans doing here? Oh, this shouldn't take long. Yurak! These two are mine!"
Yurak approached them laughing. "They're all yours then. You'll be up second."
Keith started to chuckle. "Now, do you really think that's fair?" Yurak and the warrior turned to him staring. Keith smiled. "I mean really, there are two of us and only one of you. Do you have any friends you could call on for help?"
Al stepped up beside Keith. "My lord, would you like me to take the first round? You could wait until the real opponents show up."
Keith turned to Al, ignoring the other two men. "Well, yes that's a thought. You wouldn't mind such an easy bout?"
"No, my lord. I've been wanting to practice a new attack. Better to practice such a thing on an easy target first."
Yurak loudly cleared his throat but Keith continued to ignore him. "Do you think they're all going to be like this fellow? All brawn, and no…" He tapped his forehead.
"That does it human!" Yurak fumed. "Lord or not, you insult us without even proving your skill. Today's combat, instead of elimination rounds, will be a mêlée. Last man standing wins. And I will suggest to all the combatants that they target the two of you!"
Keith slowly turned to Yurak grinning from ear to ear and purred. "That sounds perfect!"
The royal box sat high at one side of the ring, more of a place to be seen than to see from. As far as its regal occupant was concerned, that's all he was there for. He knew the importance of being seen by his people so as to the usual ritual he took a moment to regard his people who had all risen to their feet to greet their King. He raised his goblet to them in his customary fashion and drunk a toast to them, his face beaming as they cheered his name. He then moved to his throne at the back of the box, dropping into it, now obscured in the shadows by the canopy over his head, his facade dropped as well.
King Lotor was bored, He was a true master of turning on and off the fake charm and never forced it one moment longer than he had to. Every week it was the same thing, an arena battle to find worthy warriors to fight at his side. He never got a taste for watching these contests. No, that was his father's love. That was just like his father, ever willing to watch but never willing to fight himself. No, he was not his father. Unlike him Lotor always wanted to be in the thick of it, not up in a royal box as a spectator. And that is how he had lived his life. He sees it, he wants it, and he, he himself goes and gets it! No, he was not his father, his lazy, pathetic, leach of a father. Yet, in spite of all that he knew the necessity of being here. The morale of his people demanded his presence.
Everything had always come easily to Lotor, everything he had ever set his sights on became his. At least for a little while. He glanced over to the shadowy figures hidden behind a translucent black fabric screen off to the side of the royal box. He downed the rest of his drink, slamming the goblet down beside him, his eyes seeking out one particular silhouette. Finding it, a foul taste came to his mouth. "More wine!" A scrambling of servants quickly refilled his goblet while also producing a tray full of delicacies.
"Your Highness." Yurak entered the royal box, bowing before his king. "I have arranged a special treat for you today."
Lotor grumbled, fidgeting in his seat. "You always say that Yurak and it's always the same."
"This morning is different. There are two human upstarts fighting today, I know how much you love to toy with their kind."
Lotor grumbled and waved him off. Finding the refilled goblet in his hand, he drained it and slammed it down. "Let's just get this over with."
Yurak turned to the Arena. "Set the stage!" He bellowed.
The crowd cheered as the floor started to shift as a jungle gym of obstacles grew from the floor. Various raised platforms with ropes, planks, and ramps interconnecting them all appeared.
"Combatants, you have fifteen minutes to prepare." Yurak turned back to Lotor as many servants rushed about tending to Lotor's entourage in the royal box. "They are a pair of cocky humans and should prove to put on a good show for the people. Well, for as long as they last anyway. And you will be happy to know that instead of our usual bouts there is only going to be one round today. Last one standing wins."
"Good, this shouldn't take long then." Lotor picked up his refreshed goblet raising it to the black screen. "Princess? Did you hear? Yurak's got some more of your kin for you to watch. I'm sure that should please you." A slight shadowy figure turned away from him from behind the drape. Lotor laughed. "Ah memories, eh Princess?" He raised his goblet to her then took a sip.
Behind the screen that separated Lotor's prizes from the guests in the box a wisp of a woman clenched every muscle in her slight frame. He never could resist twisting that knife whenever he could, reminding her at every opportunity of how her actions brought about the needless torture of her people. Those who refused to assimilate were either thrown into the ring with his gladiators for sport or tossed into his Pit of Sculls to die in their own time. She swallowed at the thought of two more about to meet their end as she again was being forced to watch.
Her eyes begin to scan the arena looking for a pair of underground resistance fighters, those who had fled into the wild to eek out an existence on the land living a life more wild than civilized. Animal men, Lotor called them. What her eyes found was nothing like what she expected. They were not the wild men of the mountains, with wild untamed hair, clad in the skins of the beasts that Lotor had released upon her planet to "naturally" take care of the underground population. These men were different. Noble in stature, offworlders? She focused on one of them. Clad in blue with a red cape and a sword at his hip, his brown shoulder length hair flopping around his head in the slight morning breeze. She couldn't take her eyes off him, something about him was so familiar but he was too far away to see his face closely. She was silently thankful as deep in her gut she knew she knows this man and she would rather not be able to put a name to the face, considering the fate that awaited him.
She forced her gaze from him landing on the other man. He did not have any sense of familiarity about him. But there was something, something different, something about him was drawing her to him but what? Whatever it was she had no words for. All she knew is that now that her eyes had found him she could not pry them free. He was tall, that much she could tell and he walked with the grace of a cat. His lithe body was clad in red and black, his uniform accentuating his muscular build. His long raven hair and huge black billowing cape flowed behind him, a long curved blade hugged his hip.
Suddenly the man in red spun to stair straight at her, his black cape whipping around him. Allura recoiled as if she was physically struck. Slowly shaking it off she remembered the black screen and that there was no way he could really see her. She again tried to focus on him. His eyes, even from the distance, somehow seemed to be looking right into hers, but how? How can he see her through the cover of the drape? She could feel it, feel his eyes burning into her even though he was several hundred feet away. Who are you?
She watched as the raven haired man spoke to his companion, both men now looking in her direction, the brown haired man placing a hand on the other's shoulder as they exchanged words. Her brows furrowed when the raven haired stranger drops his gaze from her to the ground, seemingly in defeat. She let out a sigh of her own, suddenly feeling his sense of utter frustration as if she herself was felling it. How? Allura, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, had to fight back the tears that were suddenly threatening to rain down upon her cheeks. Tears? She hadn't had any tears for years, long ago crying her last. But, today they suddenly threatened to rain again, but why? She forcibly broke her gaze away from the man in order to retreat back into her safe cocoon. No, Lotor cannot see me cry.
Keith and Al watched in amazement as the ground beneath the arena began to shift, doors opened and several platforms began to rise up from the ground. Keith rubbed his now stumbled chin. "Well now, that's new." Several robots begin shuffling around connecting ropes, ramps, and planks interconnecting the platforms which were now all at different heights. The two men stood off to the side watching the proceedings, studying the setup, and also taking the time to study their opponents. The first was the red beast-man they met earlier. Huge and burly, about eight feet tall and wielding an axe. Then there was a giant green lizard beast the size of an elephant, but so huge there was no way he could traverse the obstacles. Next there was a blue scaly beast. It stood about twelve feet tall with a long tail which looked like a mace, definitely something to avoid. Last was well, a giant fur ball with legs. One could only guess what was under its long coat of fur? One of the attendants approached them taking their guns away. They would have to rely on skill and steel alone. And that sounded just fine to the two of them.
Looking around the arena again, Keith suddenly went rigid. "She's here!"
"Who's here?"
"Allur…uh…hm… the princess."
Al hid his smile, which soon turned into a frown. He was going to have to divert Keith's mind from his thoughts of her at least until they were in Lotor's inner circle.
Keith spun around to look up to the royal box. "She's up there, I can feel her again. I can feel her!"
Al turned, putting a hand on Keith's shoulder and following his eyes up to the royal box. "Yes, Allura is here. But, she is not the Allura you knew, just remember that. She never met you. She is not your Allura."
Keith let out a heavy sigh, his head drooping.
Al patted him on the back. "Come now, son, we've got work to do!"
Keith's cocked his head at Al. "Son?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Just how old are you?"
"Old enough." Al winked as he scanned the arena again. "Looks to me that up there is the place to be." He pointed up to the uppermost platform in the center of the arena.
Keith turned. "Yes, only one ramp up and too narrow for those oversized buffoons to traverse easily."
Al smiled, his potion seemed to be working again at keeping Keith's mind focused on the task at hand. His continual suggestions for Keith to act like Lotor seem to still be working. Now was not the time for Keith to be his usual compassionate self. He just had to keep his mind off Allura.
"My King, we are ready." Yurak turned and bowed to Lotor who stood up and walked forward to survey the crowd.
Lotor forced a grin on his face as he gestured to the crowd. Raising his goblet high in the air, he cast his eyes downward into the arena and to the six contestants who were all kneeling before him as the crowd loudly cheered them on. "Rise!" Lotor bellowed and the combatants came to their feet as did everyone watching and everyone in the royal box. "We salute you!" Each person raised their drink to the arena floor. "For the glory of Arus!" Lotor bellowed. The crowd chimed it back, all toasting to the arena. A few of the combatants let out a roar of appreciation while the two humans just stood staring back at the king. "Die well." Lotor muttered under his breath so only the closest could hear, bringing a smile to Yurak's face. The shadowy figure of the princess turned her head away in disgust.
"To your places!" Yurak roared.
Al grinned. "Well this is it, my Lord." They turned and walked to the outer perimeter of the ring, finding their starting mark. "So tell me Keith, are all your dreams this vivid?"
Keith's eyes twinkled as he turned to Al. "Sometimes yeah, but then I'm normally not soused."
Al grinned wider. And still are. He mused to himself and he needed to stay that way to keep focused. He produced two full glasses from out of nowhere and handed one to Keith keeping one himself. "Why stop now Captain?" He raised his glass to Keith who returned the gesture. "To victory!"
"To victory." Keith answered, their glasses clinking together as they downed their drinks, drawing many a glare from the others in the ring.
"Ready!" They heard Yurak bellow from above, and they exchanged gleeful expressions as the four other contenders eyed the two of them. "Begin!"
The roar of the crowd was deafening as they all charged for the center of the ring, Keith and Al easily reaching it first and gracefully climbing, leaping and swinging to the uppermost platform before anyone else could get close. Once there, they stood back to back both studying their prey.
"I want the red one." Al pointed.
"But I wanted him." Keith protested. "Oh alright, since you called him first. But that green one is mine."
"Oh yes the green one, excellent choice. Whoever's done first then gets the blue one."
"You're on!" Keith grinned and drew out his scimitar giving it a flip, feeling its weight. "Looser gets furball!" He flashed Al a smile then charged down the lone ramp heading down from the uppermost platform to a lower one where the large blue beast was cautiously approaching using its tail to balance precariously on the narrow swaying platform. Keith charged as the beast readied its claws but at the last minute Keith dove under the creature coming up to stand right behind it, shoving it hard enough to take it off balance and send the creature crashing to the ground below with a resounding thud. Then before Keith loomed the red beast-man which was grinning boldly back at him. Keith smiled. "Sorry, I promised you to another." He leapt into the air avoiding a swipe of its ax and flipped off of the platform grabbing onto a nearby rope with his free hand. Finding his prey, he flipped again landing on the ground right in front on the huge green beast. "Hello, lizard breath!" He grinned up at the creature readying his sword. "You looking for me?"
The green thing stood a good ten feet taller than Keith, with its long claws gleaming in the sunlight. The beast didn't hesitate, slashing out with its claws. Keith spun to evade, deftly bringing his sword around behind him as if it were a part of him, catching the beast's arm and cutting it deeply. "Aw, did that hurt?" Keith cooed, then thrust the point of his blade into its foot. The wail that came from the creature was deafening. Pulling his sword free and dodging the good arm of the beast, Keith jumped behind it and slashed the back of one of its calves cutting right through its ligaments with an audible snap, dropping the beast to its knees. Keith moved to the front of the thing and lined up his shot. He let loose a swift kick to its nose, putting so much force behind it that he knocked the thing out cold.
Keith straightened up, a comical pout on his face. "That's it?" He poked the fallen creature with his blade. "Hello?" He soon felt hot breath on the back of his neck and the sound of deep agitated snorting. He waved his hand behind him without turning. "With you in a sec." He then, feeling the air change, instinctively leapt into the air, landing like a cat onto the fallen green beast, just evading a devastating whip of the blue beast's mace-like tail. "I told you. It's not your turn yet." The tail came again only this time from above. Keith waited till the last second before flipping clear, the tail crashing down brutally onto the fallen beast. "Oh, now that wasn't nice." Keith tisked. The blue beast drew near bearing its teeth as it crawled over the now corpse of the green beast. As its hot breath reached Keith's face he grimaced, fanning his face. He glanced up and smiled as he caught a glimpse of Al, kicking the now unconscious red man-beast from the top platform.
Al glanced down in Keith's direction. "Oh, now that's not fair, you beat me!"
Keith grinned back, slowly backing away from the blue beast, flipping his blood drenched sword he yelled back. "Maybe next time, my friend." The blue beast again swung its tail. Keith leaped over it this time releasing a vicious cut as the tail passed beneath him driving the sword so deep it stuck. He held on tight as the thing swung around roaring in pain and flicked its tail, snapping Keith sword and all free, and sending him into a tumbling roll to absorb the momentum. He came to rest under the platform that Al was now atop of engaged in battle with the hairy beast.
Keith first looked at his opponent who is busy nursing its nearly severed tail then looked back up to the bottom of the platform, to listen to Al, who in obviously toying with his foe. He could hear his taunts as a chunk of fur fell down from above, only able to imagine the scene as Al's voice continued.
"Oh yes, that's much better and…" There was the swish of steel. "A little more off the sides. Oh yes, much better." Another chunk of fur fell to the ground.
Keith then realized exactly how much fur was on the ground and how bald the critter must be he let loose a chuckle as his eyes again landed on the blue beast, who was now cautiously approaching him. Keith stood up brushing off some fur and then shifted his weight to lean on his sword awaiting his foe. He began checking his nails in spite of his gloved hands to kill the time. The beast slowly drew nearer and nearer snarling the whole way, but Keith refused to react. It was so close now, almost in range, when there was a sudden thud snapping Keith's full attention to the creature. He took a deep breath his fists finding his hips, his jaw set. There before him lay the blue beast, lying face planted in the dirt, unconscious, with another unconscious half bald creature sprawled out atop it.
"Oh sorry." Al's smart-aleck voice called from above. "Did you want that one?"
Keith walked up to the pile inspecting it. "Remind me not to let you near my hair." Keith chuckled as he scrutinized the beast's haircut.
Al was soon down at Keith's side, with not a scratch on him. "So, I win. I got three."
"Three? No way that one counts, if I hadn't lured him there…"
"Okay two and a half then."
Keith wiped his sword clean on the pile. "I disagree, No way a half, maybe a third "
"A third!"
The two were so focused on their debate that they remained oblivious to the roar of the crowd and the unmistakable sound of laughter coming from the royal box as the now standing King Lotor was lost in a roar of laughter. Yurak on the other hand was fuming as those were his best beasts and now…His skin was begin turning a more purplish hue with his rage.
"What's the matter Yurak. Did a couple of puny humans show up your best beasts? Ha ha ha…" Lotor continued to laugh. "They made fools of us all!" Lotor grinned. "What did you think of that, dear Princess?"
Allura didn't answer for she was still transfixed. Since the contest began she hadn't taken her eyes off him. Something about the dark haired stranger was calling to her and she couldn't look away. The way he fought, the way he moved, it was like watching a cat or…a lion. Her adoration was not missed by the king, even through the drape. He followed her gaze back to the two humans. "Yurak! Are you going to let them show us up like that or are you going to do something about it?"
"It would be my pleasure, Majesty." Yurak sneered as he jumped over the railing of the box, leaping all the way down to the ground below. He strode towards the still bickering pair, drawing his laser sword.
"Twenty-eight sixtieths and that is as much as I'm giving you!"
"Bah!" Al tossed his arms in the air.
Yurak stood before them growling to get their attention.
"One minute." Keith barked turning his back on Yurak.
Enraged, Yurak quickly took a swing at Keith's head, but Keith felt it coming and dropped to the ground, avoiding the blade. Keith countered, and spin kicked around dropping Yurak onto his rear. Keith's eyes were fuming as he stood. "I said…one minute!" Keith turned back to Al. "So, you're saying you want twenty-nine sixtieths? No, no, no!"
Yurak got up, completely enraged, his knuckles turning white around the grip of his sword.
Al continued. "My Lord twenty-nine sixtieths is completely reasonable I will accept no less."
"You steal my opponent and then want twenty-nine sixtieths? I think not!"
Yurak stomped over, grabbed Keith's arm and whipped him around, trying to push his sword to Keith's neck. But Keith again evaded twisting in such a way to grab Yurak's free arm into an arm lock as he moved behind him and then grabbed the other, forcing Yurak's own sword to its owner's neck. "Did you not hear me?" Keith sneered into Yurak's long pointed ear. "I will be with you in a moment." He threw Yurak to the ground. "Really!" Keith brushed his hands together.
"My Lord, what about him?" Al gestured to Yurak with his thumb.
"Him?"
"Yes, why don't you fight that one?"
"That one is not worth the effort!"
"Enough!" Yurak bellowed, getting to his feet. "You will fight me, Lord Kogane."
"Fight you?" Keith laughed. "Come, isn't there a slave around here that's more your speed?"
"No, please… I insist." A new voice chimed in. A voice Keith knew very well.
"Majesty." Yurak dropped to his knees before his king.
Keith and Al exchanged a look and then did the same, but not subserviently like Yurak. Instead they knelt with all the grace and dignity as if they too were kings. Keith stood back up to addresses the king. "King Lotor, I presume?"
Lotor smirked. "And you?"
"I am Lord Kogane."
"It is truly a pleasure." Lotor smiled. "Would you mind showing my commander here that a sword is more than a cleaver?"
"As you command, your majesty." Keith bowed, his eyes gleefully seeking out Yurak.
Lotor and Al stepped away giving the men room and watched intently as the two begin to circle one another.
"A puny human will not beat me!" Yurak sneered at Keith as he drew his laser sword. "Well…human, what are you waiting for? Attack me!"
Keith smiled dashingly back, his sword still sheathed. "Oh no, please you first." He bowed slightly to Yurak, gesturing to the ground with a flourish.
"That's it!" Yurak bellowed and charged at Keith, his sword held high above his head ready to strike.
Keith waited till the last moment, sidestepping the obvious attack while drawing his sword and, in the process, slapped Yurak hard on the rear with the flat of his blade with a resounding thwack.
"Ohhhh, that's gonna leave a mark." Al laughed.
"My you do have a short fuse, don't you?" Keith smiled as he flexed his blade in his hands.
Yurak's face twisted into a grimace, his eyes watering from the obvious pain he was in. "ARRRRRR…" He growled as he charged again, but with a little less spring in his step. "Die human!" Again he went for the same overhead strike. But this time Keith stood his ground catching the oncoming blade he pushed it away and then quickly countered with a slash to Yurak's cheek, just deep enough to draw blood. Yurak, enraged, swung at Keith from the side. Keith effortlessly blocked the attack and used Yurak's blade to slide his own along it, gliding the point of his sword towards Yurak, then with a sight flick he cleanly cut his opponent's wrist.
Yurak bellowed in pain and clutched his wrist, pulling away as his sword nearly dropped from his injured hand.
Keith stood up to his full height and flicked his sword in the air to fling the blood from his blade. "Finished yet?" He smiled.
Yurak was now almost fuchsia, his face burning with anger and pain. He grabbed his sword with both hands tightly and charged in again, letting out a blood curding cry. "You will die!" This time he charged in point first.
Keith shook his head in disbelief as Yurak obviously was too committed to his attack. He extended his own blade out. As Yurak's arrived, Keith easily slid his point around it, pushing Yurak's blade aside and slid up it, his own point finally stopping just short of piercing Yurak's throat. Yurak's hand, no longer able to hold the blade, dropped it to the ground, blood pouring from his wrist. Keith's eyes pierced into his like daggers. "Majesty? Do you wish to keep this one or do you wish me to dispatch him for you?"
"As gratifying as that sounds, I think I would rather keep him alive if just to remind him of the day he was bested by a human. But if I change my mind, he can always be Robeast bait." Lotor laughed, Keith and Al joining him.
Yurak, clutching at his bloodied wrist grew even more furious but knew better than to act kept quiet.
Lotor extended his arm to Keith. "Come, you must dine with me."
Keith took it, each clasping the forearm of the other. "It would be an honor, your Majesty."
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