To Build A Home

Chapter 24- To Leave Behind

   "I'll leave tonight..." Krolia told Steven as she gathered the few things that were hers. She had changed out of her armor, feeling much more comfortable in her tank top and pants than her uncomfortable and stiff armor. "It's safest time for all of us."
   "I know you have to go... But I don't understand why you can't simply defend the Blue Lion whenever they might come back." Steven questioned, stroking his son's arm as the child slept cozily in his crib.
   "Because it's too risky...!"
   Keith began fussing quietly, startled by the sudden noise.
   "I'm sorry, Keith..." instantly, she picked up her son, cradling him in her arms. "Mama didn't mean to startle you."
   "Alright... So maybe it's risky... But is that not what we have been doin' for the past many months."
   "That was before they found the lion..."
"What's the difference...?!"
"The difference is that they know where to look now! They've sent two scouting troops here and both of which have never returned! That's very suspicious!"
This sudden increases in volume and tension scared Keith. He didn't like it one bit. Doing what he could to silence his parents, he let out a few whimpers.
"You're scarin' him...! Keep your voice down...!"
"I know, and I'm sorry, Keith..." kissing the top of her son's head, she continued, "but your father has to understand just how dangerous life on this planet has become. I can't stay here..."
"I thought you said that Zarkon didn't care about simple scouts..."
"He does when they're searching for the lions of Voltron! They're going to be sending an entire fleet here if someone doesn't tell them not to! I have to go! I need to protect you two!"
Terrified cries came from the infant. He hated loud noises, and hated his parents' yelling even more. He began squirming in his mother's arms, somewhat begging her to be silent.
"Krolia! You're upsetting him...! You don't want his final memory of you to be this poorly tempered, yelling woman, do you?!"
Her eyes filled with disappointment and sorrow. "I cannot believe you said that.... And here I thought you would understand..." Krolia left the room in silence, carrying the crying infant in her arms.
Steven moved to stop her, but seeing her completely focused on their child prompted him to give her some time to cool off.
"Shh..." She stroked the child's arm gently, holding him close to her chest. "You're okay... Mama and Daddy were just discussing something important... There's no need to cry..." her tone was as kind as ever, soothing and calm.
   Keith quieted down after a while, snuggling into his mother's chest for comfort, resting his little head against her shoulder.
   Krolia stroked the back of her son's head soothingly as she took a seat on the couch. "Keith... I know you're scared and confused... But Mama has something very important to tell you..."
   The infant slowly lifted his head, his violet eyes fixed on his mother.
   "Something has happened... Something very bad and scary. So scary that Mama..." she saw the confusion in her son's eyes, knowing he didn't understand any of what she was telling him. "Mama has to go... Mama doesn't want to leave, but there's no other option..."
   "Aaahh... Mmaaammaa...."
   Forcing herself to smile almost pushed her over the edge, she felt tears brimming in her eyes, and for the first time in a long, long while, she felt as though she would cry. The kind of crying one couldn't stop just by taking a deep breath. This would be a regretful, grievous, and sorrowful crying, and with every passing second, her emotions ate away at her calm composure, tearing her down, nearly forcing her to just start sobbing. "Mama has to go bye-bye for a bit. Just like Daddy does when he goes to work... But... When Mama goes bye-bye, I won't be back for a while... I don't even know how long I'll be gone..."
   Keith was about to look away when something caught his attention. He noticed his mother was crying, whimpering just like he does when he needs something. "Mmaaammaa....." Reaching his tiny hand towards her face, he felt his finger touch a tear on her cheek. "Aaaahhh...." The child knew what his parents did when he cried, and he desperately wanted to help his mother. He was more or less so copying their actions by handing his mother his lion plush, hoping it would do the same for her as it did for him.
   "Oh, Keith..." Krolia shook her head pushing the toy back into her son's arms. "Little Blue belongs to you, not Mama."
   He understood what she was doing, she was giving Little Blue black to him, but didn't understand why. "Aaaahh! Mama!"
   "Is that your way of saying no?"
   The child placed his lion on his mother's shoulder, defiantly looking up at her. "Mamma...!" Iih boo... Mama...!"
   "Okay... I'll keep her for now..."
   Keith seemed pleased with her cooperation. His smile was tiny, but he was undoubtedly happy with the current situation. Although, he still had no idea why his mother had started crying in the first place.
Unlike Krolia, Keith did not know that his time with his mother was limited to about fifteen hours. Nor did he know that he might never see her again after today.
Both of his parents knew these things, and both were trying to come to terms with the reality of it all.
Krolia sat on the couch with her son for nearly half an hour. She was simply talking to him, telling him about the Blue Lion, about the beauty of space, and how much she and his father loved him. Of course, many other things entered their rather one sided conversation, but the majority of it portrayed her love for her son.
Regardless off what his mother said or did, the child still did not understand why she was saying all of these things. It just made no sense.
Why now?
Why not before?
Why?
Keith didn't understand any of it, and he certainly didn't understand why it was just him and his mother. The child, by now, had forgotten the argument that had happened between his parents. He just wanted his mother and father. Not one or the other.