Catch the Stars ||Keith Kogane||

39

Keith had been almost right. It's not that she couldn't stop him, it's that she didn't. There was nothing stopping her from locking him outside the hangar while she took the pod on her own. Nothing except some invisible force that wouldn't let her hit him.

But having him around made working the pod a little easier. He'd taken one with Allura before when they left the team short a paladin and an escape plan. So Trip didn't have to do anything other than tell him where to land when they finally arrived at the planet she called home.

She sat in the second seat of the small round capsule, legs crossed and staring as they lowered themselves onto the field of polyflowers.Haron was already walking out of the trees and into the clearing to greet them, Jester leads in one hand. He had three since Trip had informed him that she was bringing one guest with her to witness the challenge.

But she didn't move as quickly as she normally did when she got home. She had missed Haron, greatly, and Haylie. And the baby. But the situation was heavier than it had been when she'd returned before. Even heavier than when she'd come back after being a war prisoner. Right now, everyone would be waiting for her to make a mistake, giving them a reason to side with Braut.

She and Keith get onto the platform in silence, him standing with his arms over his chest and her pressing her knuckles into her thighs to try and get every uncomfortable bubble out of her joints.

"I always forget how terrifying he looks," Keith says just loud enough for her to hear when they break into open air and see Haron waiting for them.

Trip looks at her best friend, trying to see him the way outsiders might. A hardened soldier wearing heavy armor with scars and an unbite that could kill. It's how she had seen him at one point. But now, all she saw was a loving father and husband and loyal friend. But she could admit that he looked like his only emotion was anger.

"He's got a face like a pile of bricks," she agrees.

Keith snorts, their platform landing on the ground and squishing some of the polyflowers. They would have just enough time to regrow strongly before the castle or another pod would crush them back down.

Haron walks up to them, not wasting any time shoving the reigns of the jesters in their hands, "we can't waste any time," he informs them, "Braut's about to start a riot if you don't accept his challenge in person today."

Trip doesn't miss the look he sends in Keith's direction. He was probably wondering why she thought bringing a stranger with her was going to win her any brownie points. An outsider had never been present for a challenge before, it was usually kept for just Olympians to witness. But she would tell him later that she literally had no choice in the matter.

"When did he start?" She asks him, hooking a foot into the jester's saddle to hoist herself up, "how long has he been talking about a challenge?"

Haron grunts, "since you were throned."

Trip rolls her eyes, "you know what I meant."

How long had he been talking about actively challenging her? He'd always told her as kids that she wasn't worthy of the throne. He'd always told her what everyone else didn't want to say. She'd respected him for that. But he hadn't had the nerve to go against her commands since she'd become Heda.

"Two days," Haron correct himself, letting Trip take the lead of the small party that was going towards the town, "he demanded to speak to you directly this morning."

Trip's cape felt heavy on her shoulders, feeling like it was weighing her down. But the Jester moved naturally, it's eyeless face turning every few seconds to take in a new scent. They were probably checking out the new smell of Keith at the back of the line. Trip jerks the reigns, keeping the creature on task.