It was a surprise to all of us. A Gala? Like a big dance?
Oh well, it should be fun.
"Solaris, you must come with me." Fira told me as she grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the room with my friends following close behind us.
"Wait a minute, what's going on? Where are you taking Phoenix?" Pidge shouted as they followed us.
"Oh yes, we'll need to get all of you into formal wear for tonight." Fira muttered. We turned the corner and she walked us down the hall until we reached another room.
She opened the door and what we saw was amazing.
The room was filled to the ceiling with beautiful cloth and dresses, however, unlike a normal changing room, there was a sewing machine on a table in the center of the large room.
Fira twisted me around and made me face her, "Now, Solaris, I understand that this is short notice, but you'll to pick out or make a dress suited for the gala tonight."
"W-What? A dress?" I stuttered out. Fira nodded happily, "But, what about my friends? Some of them don't have any formal wear."
"Do not worry about your friends, I'll have some of the maids and servants care for them and fit them into formal wear."
Fira let go of my hands and rushed out of the room with the others being pushed out by her.
"Good luck, my niece." She said before closing the door and leaving me to my own devices.
I was slightly overwhelmed. All the amazing dresses in the room, the beautiful fabrics, it reminded me of when I was little when I would dream about being a princess.
I laughed to myself, "Who would've thought I would actually be a princess." I said to myself.
I spent a little while looking over some of the already completed dresses. None of them suited me very well.
Some were too bright. Some were too dark. Too large. Too small. Too long, too short.
None of them seemed right. I haven't worn a dress in such a long time, that when I finally saw all these dresses, I was extremely picky.
After looking through all these dresses, I finally realized that I would have to get creative.
On one of the walls of the room were several types of cloth in all kind of colors, some of which I have never seen before in my life.
Blue? No.
Green? Wouldn't look right with my hair.
Purple? Not my best color.
Suddenly, I saw a fabric that changed as I looked at it. I walked over to the fabric and took it from its place. It was so soft and gentle to the touch. The color was amazing as it changed, and was so warm.
It was perfect.
I took the fabric and sat down in front of the sewing table, ready to get to work.
~~~Keith POV~~~
Fira dragged us out of the room she left Phoenix in and took us to another room.
"The boys shall change in here." She said, separating us guys from Allura and Pidge.
"The girls shall come with me. The men inside shall take your measurements and find suitable formal wear for you."
We nodded, still a little surprised by the way Fira dragged us away from Phoenix like that.
We went inside the room and four men were standing in matching uniforms, just like the guards Fira was surrounded by before we entered the castle.
"Gentlemen, it is an honor to meet friends of the Empress Solaris." The one on the far right said as all four of them bowed respectively.
"Please, if you men shall follow us, we'll get started on your measurements." The one three spaces to the left said, gesturing to the large mirrors around the room.
We did as they told us, standing in front of the mirrors as they surrounded us with measuring tapes and pins.
As I looked anxiously around the room, I noticed that Lance, Shiro and Coran were comfortable with all this measuring stuff.
"How can you guys be so comfortable with all this going on?" I asked.
"Yeah, this is kinda weird." Hunk added.
Shiro smiled and chuckled, "I've had my fair share of formal parties once in a while."
"And I've been apart of many formal galas and balls on Altea." Coran added.
"And in my family, you've gotta dress fancy for every Quinceañera and party." Lance said.
I sighed and watched as the men around us kept measuring.
"I wonder how the girls are doing?" Hunk wondered aloud.
"I'm sure the princess and Pidge are just fine." Coran said.
~~~Allura POV~~~
Lady Fira dragged us to another room. She opened the door and three woman in red uniforms stood within the center of the room.
"Now ladies, these fine guests will need proper attire for the gala tonight. Please take care of them." Fira said.
"Of course, my lady." The woman in the middle said as they all bowed.
Fira smiled and left the room to us. The three women walked up to us and brought us to the mirrors in the far corners of the room.
"This fields weird." Pidge said as one of the women took our measurements.
"Do not worry young lady, we are experts at our craft. You two will look amazing." The woman tending to Pidge said.
"Yes, both of you shall be as beautiful as jewels." The women attending to me said with a smile.
After a few more minutes of taking our measurements, the three women left us to find dresses for us, walking through another doorway into what I suppose is a room of clothes.
"I wonder how Phoenix is doing." Pidge wondered aloud, "I mean, Fira say that she would have to either pick out or make a dress for the gala."
I smiled and chuckled softly, "I'm sure she'll be just fine. If Solaris can fight on her own against the Galra for eleven years, then she can handle finding a dress for a party."
Pidge sighed and smiled, "Yeah, you're right."
"We're back ladies!" The women said happily, walking back from the separate room with two dresses in their arms.
"These are the perfect dresses for you and just the right sizes as well." The one holding a blue dress exclaimed.
"You two will look amazing." The one holding the green dress said.
We stood up and let the women help us prepare for the gala.
~~~~Phoenix's POV~~~~
Hours had passed since I was left in this room to make or decide on a dress for the gala. Once in a while, my Aunt Fira would come in and check on my progress, but I would barely notice her since I was busy working on my dress.
"Finally!" I exclaimed happily as I put the final stitch on one of the gems on my dress.
I stood up and lifted my dress up to see it. Smiling in satisfaction, I walked over to the mirror and held the dress over my body.
It was perfect. I walked over to the changing screen and slipping off my clothes. I set my clothes on the floor and put on my brand new dress.
It fit perfectly and felt amazing on me. Never during my eleven almost twelve years of being in space, have I ever felt something as amazing as this dress.
Or did I? My flash flushed red as I thought to a certain Red Paladin. I shook my head to rid myself of those thoughts and continued to finish off my look.
As I was taking in the multiple sets of jewelry laid out for me, I noticed the ring on my finger that Keith had given me.
I smiled at the beautiful red coolor from the gem, but realized that a ring wouldn't be so good for me. Thinking for a moment, I saw a gold hair clip. I gasped as a new thought came to mind and I got back to work.
Meanwhile, with the others, the boys had just come out of the room wearing fancy suits and ties colored to match their paladin colors. Although, Coran had a light Orange colored tie.
Keith tugged a little on his collar while Hunk tugged his sleeves down ans straightened his tie.
"This is gonna kill me." Keith muttered, "Why do we have to wear these things anyway, it's just a party."
Shiro chuckled as he straightened his tie, "Looks can do a lot more than you think. Just bear with it for the time being, Keith."
"Yeah, don't complain. We're doing this for Phoenix, so lighten up." Lance said.
"Wonder where the girls are?" Hunk asked.
"We're right here." A voice called from down the hall.
The boys all turned towards the voice and saw the Allura and Pidge. To say that they are impressed would barely be an understatement.
Allura had her hair in a curled ponytail with a small braid going down into it. Her dress was a beautiful shade of royal blue with sparkling diamonds starting at the chest top and slowly spreading as they traveled down. Her feet were adorned with silver heels that made her look a little taller.
Pidge, for the first time in years was wearing a dress, and she looked beautiful in it. Her hair, whatever was left of it, was tied into a small bun om the back of her head with a light green satin ribbon tying it together. Her dress was an emerald green shade with a crystal broach in the center. Instead of heels, she wore gree flats.
The boys couldn't help but state ay the girls as they came closer.
"Wow, you two look amazing." Shiro complimented.
"Yeah~ You two look great. Especially you, Princess." Lance tried to flirt, but was ultimately rejected as always.
"Hey, have you guys seen Phoenix?" Keith asked.
Pidge shook her head, "Nope. We haven't seen her yet. I wonder what shell look like."
"I bet she'll look amazing!" Hunk said dreamily.
From around the corner, Fira, in a more extravagant dress, came and smiled at the newly dressed paladins and princess.
"Good, you all are ready!" She exclaimed, "Quickly follow me, we must hurry before the celebrations begin without us."
They followed Fira to a large door leading to the grand ballroom. She opened the doors and everyone was surprised to see the room filled with well dressed Solarians.
People were talking, mingling with others, children running around the room in their fancy clothes, and servants and maids bringing our refreshments and last minute touches.
"This is amazing!" Coran said as they walked down the small lfight of stairs in front of them and stopping at the railing.
"It is, how did you plan this on such short notice?" Allura asked.
Fira smiled as she looked down at the large crowd of guests, "Our people are willing to help each other in any and all ways that they can. Once word got out that we were throwing a gala, every hime was busy with preparing food and decorations for the event."
The paladins were surprised by the statement about the Solarians. They had never thought that such selfless and helpful people existed in the universe, until they came here.
The door behund us opened and a man with a red uniform came out, rushing to Fira.
He whispered something in her ear that made her smile. She nodded and whispered something back. The man nodded and ran off back towards the door.
Behind the door, stood me, completely dressed and ready to be presented. I fiddled with my new stone around my neck, nervous about being seen like this so soon.
"Lady Solaris." The man in front of me said, "It is time. Your Aunt shall make a small speech and then you shall be presented properly. Are you ready?"
I took a deep breath and slowly let out my nerves. I nodded and stared at the golden doors in front of me, ready as I could ever be.
Fira stood proudly at the rails and held her hand up, the crowd quickly silencing themselves to hear her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for attending this gala on such short notice." She said, "Today is a special day with a bit of sad news. My brother, your Emperor Kane Fiammenta, has sadly passed away years ago. But, he has left his final will to our next ruler. An Empress who will, when she takes her throne, shall rule with a good heart and a strong mind and will. People of Solaria, I present to you your future Empress. Empress Solaris Phoenix Fiammenta!"
Fira gestured to the large golden doors behind and above as they opened. I opened my eyes and smiled softly as the lights from the room shone on me.
The crowd was cheering loudly as I was finally shown to the world. I looked down at my friends and saw most of the boys blushing, all excpet for Shiro were bright red.
I lifted my dress a little so I wouldn't trip, I smiled brighter as the dress changed color as the might hit it.
Once I got down the stairs, the cheers stopped, the people waiting for me to speak.
"People of Solaria," I started, "I thank you so much for being here. I never know much abiut my father's past, but now that I have learned so much more about him, I understand why he was who he was. His last words were to me were to keep fighting for the greater good, and for the past eleven years, that is exactly what I've done. True to my promise to him, I will do what ever is in my power to free this universe, so that you, and everyone in the universe can be free to live in peace and no longer be subjected to hiding. I make this promise as your future Empress and as a Palaidn of Voltron!"
The peoole cheered even louder and the band struck up. I sighed and turned back towards my friends.
They all smiled at me, as most of the boys blushed profusely. I laughed at their expressions. I could tell that this would be a good night.