Star Crossed (Keith/Lotor fic)

Chapter Seven

  "If we agree to get on this ship to get Keith, how do we know this isn't some sort of trap?" The yellow paladin asked.

  "You don't." The prince shrugged. "Plain and simple, I can't expect any of you to trust me, but I want Keith back safe, and you want Keith back safe, which is why I ask that we put our differences aside and work together. I will do what is necessary for you to trust me temporarily if it means we can rescue him."

  The blue, yellow, and green paladins looked to the princess, who then looked to the black paladin. Both him and the princess seemed wary of Lotor, which he understood, but if he could get them to help him then it didn't matter. He just wanted Keith back. Finally, Allura spoke up.

  "Fine, Lotor. You're coming with us, and you're leaving your generals here." She said, eyeing the girls.

  "Absolutely not." Acxa said immediately.

  "You're crazy if you think the prince is going alone." Zethrid said seriously.

  "He either goes alone or he doesn't go at all." Allura told them, dead set on her decision. They looked to Lotor, who sighed and crossed his arms.

  "If that is what you insist, then okay, they will stay here." He said.

  "Are you insane?" Ezor asked.

  "Do not worry, it's going to be fine." He assured them. Acxa wasn't at all convinced though.

  "My lord, with all due respect, this is ridiculous!" She snapped. "You're putting yourself in danger for what?! The affections of that boy?!" Almost immediately all eyes were directed to Lotor, but he refused to let on that he was at all flustered.

  "This has nothing to do with that. No matter my feelings for Keith, I only want to make sure he's safe." He said as professionally as he could. He swore he heard the green paladin snicker. "I will be fine, we'll return in no time."

  "You're prince will get back just fine, can we just get going?" The blue paladin asked, crossing his arms. His generals seemed hesitant, but Acxa finally relented.

  "Alright, fine." She said. Lotor wondered since when he needed any of their permission to do something, but if it kept them calm then so be it.

 ***

  It had been nearly 14 quintants, filled with countless whippings, electrocutions, beatings, and that gag mangling his mouth, and the kit still had yet to give in. Commander Almuna asked him every single day if he was ready to, she would remove that gag and let him heal if he would tell her what he wanted, but he still didn't submit. She had broken the strongest Galra in maybe a quintant or two, but this boy was almost impressing her.

  She had been told he was part human, a half breed mutt the half breed prince had been keeping, but when she had first seen him she found it hard to believe there was any Galra in him at all, his skin, his hair color, his size and build all pointed to human, but now she knew better. The stubbornness, the strong will, that fierce glint in his eyes. There was a Galra in there, and he wasn't going to give in to her.

   She had been hesitant at first to carry out this interrogation. Never had she come across someone she couldn't mutilate as she wished, gender, rank, relation to her, it never mattered. But this was a kit, just a child. Not even 20 deca-phoebs yet, which may be adult by human standards but to her he was still far too young to be put in this situation. He didn't know this was her being merciful, and she cursed the prince for keeping a kit for a pet, and had she not been so devoted to her lord, she would've cursed the emperor himself for making her do this to get information on his son. She would've much rather torture the halfling prince himself.