Disclaimer: I don’t own Voltron: Legendary Defender. Only the lost princess is mine, in a way. I would place this before the episodes concerning Oriande.
Chapter One- Mysterious Dreams
Three laser blasts sounded in quick succession and three gladiator bots fell just as quickly. Lance grinned at his marksmanship as he swung his blaster around and nailed another one that had come up behind his training partner, Keith, who was tangling with a different bot. Normally, Lance wouldn’t train on his own time but when he saw Keith heading for the training deck, he elected to join him out of interest and to make sure Keith didn’t over train, something he was prone to do- a lot.
“Start training level fifteen!” Keith called.
“End training session,” Lance countered and the deck powered down.
Keith turned to him with clear irritation. “I’m not done.”
“Yes, you are. Look, I’m all for training, but you tend to overdo it.”
Keith sighed as he lowered his Marmora blade and it returned to its knife form. “I hate to admit it, but you’re right. It’s just I can’t think of anything else to do.”
“I can. There’s the pool, or getting a bite to eat, or taking a nap. I sometimes strengthen my bond with my lion.”
“Blue or Red?”
“Both. Hey, how about we both bond with Red?”
“Sure. Okay.” The two paladins left the training deck and headed for Red’s hangar. Lance was thrilled that Keith agreed to leave the training deck. He loved Keith and the half-Galra knew that as well as Lance’s view on his excessive training. Keith’s unique heritage had caused a little tension between him and Allura, the latter because of her intense dislike for the Galra race.
Lance also had love for Allura, practically from the moment he first saw her. He had been a bit put off by her comment about his ears but he got over it and she, in turn, had grown accustomed to human ears. He had made overtures to Allura that she, at first, had ignored or rejected but she soon warmed up to him and accepted his affections. Keith and Allura both thought it odd that Lance loved them both and agreed to not be rivals for his love.
They arrived at Red’s hangar and they seated themselves on the floor before closing their eyes to focus on the bond while Red lowered her barrier. Lance thought back to when Shiro had vanished from Black during a battle with Zarkon. It had left the team one paladin short and it resulted in a lion shuffle. Black chose Keith as her paladin while Red chose Lance and Blue chose Allura. Shiro’s return didn’t cause the new bonds to break; they remained strong and so Black, Red, and Blue now had two paladins: A primary and a secondary. The team thought this was a wonderful thing. They would be able to form Voltron in almost any given situation. Lance had, at first, trouble in adjusting to Red’s crazy speed but gradually he became accustomed to it and learned to control how fast Red could go. He was able to see why Red and Keith were such a good match.
Lance reached through his bond and thought-spoke, “Hey, Red. Thought we stop by for some bonding time. It’s been pretty quiet for a change.”
“And that pleases you?” Red asked.
“Not really. I’d rather be fighting Galra and freeing more planets.”
“That’s not all you’re feeling. I sense a hidden sadness.”
Lance sighed. “I miss my family and the things I love to do on Earth.” Lance lapsed into a thoughtful silence and then said, “Red, can I tell you something private?”
“Of course. I will not speak of it to anyone.”
“I’ve been having a bizarre dream. Understand, it’s the same dream but I’ve been having it a few times over the last few weeks. I see the planet Altea and an old-style castle. There are Alteans gathered near a balcony and on that balcony is a gorgeous woman. I think she was a princess; she was certainly dressed like one.”
“You had a dream of Altea before King Alfor’s rule. I don’t know why or what it means, though.”
“That’s okay. I just wanted you to listen. You know, you could tell Blue if you want to.”
“No need,” came Blue’s voice. “I heard every word you said about the dream.”
“Blue! Didn’t anyone tell you it’s not polite to eavesdrop?”
“You are connected to Red and me. What Red hears from you, I hear as well. Lance, you may want to tell Coran about the dreams or maybe explore the library. I refuse to believe that this is just some weird dream.”
“Maybe I will check the library. Find out about this princess and then ask Coran about the dream. Maybe even tell Allura about it too.” Lance felt relaxed and sleepy as he tended to feel when he spoke to his lions. He heard Blue purring thought their bond, soothing in its sound. His head slumped forward and he fell asleep, gently snoring.
Keith heard snoring and briefly broke his bond with Red to locate the source. He saw Lance sitting up, fast asleep, and snoring. He went back to his bond and said with amusement, “Lance is asleep.”
“I think your training session tired him out more than either of you realized.”
“We only did fourteen levels.”
“Fourteen!?” Red hissed. “You train way too much, my paladin.”
“I’m half-Galra, Red. I can handle more than most people can.”
“Then, how do you explain Lance? Fourteen levels is too much for a normal human.”
“Lance isn’t a normal human. He’s a complex guy. Brave, impulsive, adventurous, kind, sensitive, reflective…”
“And someone you love deeply,” Red cut in slyly.
“It’s…that obvious, huh?”
“It is to me, if not to anyone else.”
“Oh, Lance knows and so does Allura who Lance also loves.”
“Not very picky, is he? He loves men and women.”
“I think he’s more of a lady’s man. He’s certainly charming.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“No because I know he loves me a lot and I noticed that he’s not flirting with the women as much as he used to.”
“Has he? He didn’t tell me that.”
Keith didn’t ask what Lance did say as Keith is a private person and he valued privacy highly. He knew that Lance would ask Red to not repeat anything he told her in confidence.
“Well, you can tell him anything we talked about. He’s asleep right now.”
While Keith and Red talked, Lance was deep asleep and he was dreaming again. He saw Ancient Altea and that castle again. He sensed he was walking down a beautiful hallway decorated with vases or busts on pedestals, tapestries on the wall as well as paintings and mirrors. He didn’t know why he was there and yet he felt as if he lived there; like it was home.
“Lance,” said a woman’s voice.
He turned to see the woman he had dreamed about. She was a little taller than him with the dark skin, markings, and pointed ears of an Altean. She had long, thick copper-brown hair, and deep blue-purple eyes that was complemented by her blue and white princess dress and the gold tiara on her head.
Lance jerked awake to see he was alone but he was dwelling on the dream as he rose and headed for the library.
Chapter Two- Legend
Lance dug through the files of Altea history, the woman’s image locked in his mind. He wanted to know more about her and why he was dreaming about her. He found the files of King Alfor’s rule which included the origin of Voltron. He steered the search back to history and saw the images of other royal Alteans but none matched the one he saw. He stared down at the computer bank. What does this mean? Is that woman just a figment of my imagination, conjured up by my love for Allura?
“Number three?”
Lance turned to see a quizzical Coran enter the room and come up to him. “I must say I rarely see you here.”
“Yeah, well. I’ve been having dreams of what looks like an Altean princess but I can’t find her in the history files.”
“Indeed? Describe her to me.”
“Well, she had long thick copper-brown hair and deep blue-purple eyes. Her marking are pale blue.”
Coran’s fingers flew over the controls as he input the parameters for the search. Coran studied the screen in front of him. He frowned a little. “I found one with the description you gave but she appears to be more of a myth; a story.”
“A myth? So, she’s not real?”
“No, no. She was real. She was a princess, a special one. She is referred to as the legendary lost princess as her name varies.”
“Legendary lost princess?” Lance repeated.
“Yes. She resurfaces every now and again with the special powers of her previous lifetimes and gains a new power within the time period she arrives in. It is stated that when she is ready to come again, dreams of her are had by one special person. Normally, an Altean woman would have these dreams so for a human man to have them must mean you are very special.”
“So, this princess will be coming again?”
“Yes, indeed. I’ll let Allura know of the good news.” Coran bustled from the library, leaving Lance to absorb what he had learned.
So, she’s a legendary lost princess. The time of her arrival is marked by dreams and she will come with the power of her past lives and will acquire a new one in this life. She doesn’t have one name which would mean that she gains a new one each time she returns. She maybe be able to help us defeat the Galra Empire once and for all.
Allura stared at Coran in shock, awe, and sadness. “Lance has been having dreams of the legendary lost princess?”
“Yes! She will soon return and the timing could not be better!” Coran’s smile faltered at Allura’s expression. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Coran, my father told me stories of the lost princess. She was cursed to wander the space-ways forever, so the stories say, until the wavelength of a person’s spirit matches her own. It is at that point that the dreams begin. As Lance is the one having the dreams, that means he will become the next princess in this sad curse.”
“Do you mean that we’ll lose Lance?”
“No, no! Lance will still be Lance, but he’ll change into a female Altean for the rest of his life. When he does die, the princess’ spirit will leave him and resume her wanderings.”
“When will Lance change?”
“I don’t know. Father never-,” Allura began but stopped when the ship’s alarms went off. She brought up the sensors. “A fleet of Galra ships and they’re heading our way.”
“Send out the team.”
She nodded and went on the intercom. “Voltron Force, Galra ships are coming. Get to your lions!”
The team went out to meet the fleet. Space was alive with blasts, short-lived fires, explosions, and laser blasts. The Galra fleet was being whittled down due to the lions’ teamwork. There were some close calls very close ones.
“Watch your back, Lance,” Shiro said as Black Lion’s tail laser slicked through a ship that had been creeping up on Blue Lion who was eliminating some fighters in front of her.
“I’m on it, Shiro,” Lance replied as his ion cannon blasted two ships apart. Blue zipped through the fight, but not as fast as Red or Green. Size-wise, Blue was the third biggest lion which made sense as she was one of Voltron’s legs. Red and Green were the arms and thus were the smaller. That’s why Red felt faster when I first flew her. She’s smaller than Blue so naturally she’s faster.
A concussion blast in front of Blue sent the lion spinning away and knocking Lance unconscious. The hit Blue took did not go unnoticed. It attracted Keith’s attention and it angered to see his boyfriend attacked. The attack angered Red too and she viciously attacked the ship responsible with her magma cannon. The fire destroyed it and some other ships as well. Keith’s eyes took on a Galra look as he reveled in the attack. He wanted more destruction, more exploding ships.
“Keith! Enough!” Shiro’s voice snapped out. “Return to the castle!”
Keith blinked and his eyes returned to normal. The remaining ships were fleeing and he saw Black and Yellow carrying Blue to the castle. Keith quickly flew Red to her hanger and rushed to the main bay where Blue had been carried. He almost collided with Shiro who was carrying Lance. He saw burns along the lower jaw on both sides and his head lolled on Shiro’s arm.
The Black paladin saw the stricken look on his face and as they continued walking, said, “He’ll be fine once he’s in a healing pod.”
The pair got to the infirmary and began putting Lance in the healing suit as Coran hurried in to set the pod up. In almost no time, Lance was in the pod which was setting in healing the burns and other physical injuries. Shiro and Keith stood before it, still impressed with Altean technology.
“Shiro, Keith,” came Allura’s voice from the doorway and they turned to face her. “I need to see the rest of the team in the lounge. Now.” They reluctantly left the room and followed her through the corridors to the lounge, Hunk and Pidge already there.
“Coran told me earlier that Lance has been having dreams of an Altean princess who lived a long time ago. These dreams are a sign of a legend. In the distant past, a witch cursed her to wander the universe forever as a spirit until the wavelength of a person’s spirit matches her own. She would have the person have dreams about her and then she would merge with the person for her entire life. While she has the princess’ appearance, she is still the same as before only with a set of legendary powers and the memories of past lives. She is simply called the legendary lost princess as she takes on the name of the person she merges with and will gain another special power to add to the others.”
“Wait,” Shiro said. “You mean Lance will become a woman and an Altean for life because his spirit’s wavelength matches the princess’.”
Allura nodded. “I don’t know when that will be, but I suspect soon as Coran gave me a description which indicates a change soon.”
The room fell silent as each digested the information, Keith most of all. So, this explains Lance’s drop in girl flirting. He’s becoming a girl himself. I wonder if he knows. He probably does so when he changes, it won’t be such a shock. “Allura, Lance knows, right?”
“Uh, no,” she said and Keith thought, Oh, boy.
Chapter Three- Reborn
Keith stood in the infirmary and stared at his sleeping boyfriend. The burns were gone, his body in perfect health. When he gets out, I’m gonna sit him down and tell him everything Allura told us. It’ll be a shock to him, but at least he’ll be ready when it happens.
Lance was in a void and while he seemed to be alone, he knew he wasn’t. “Hello?” he called. “Who’s out there?” His call was answered by a ball of white light. The ball changed to become the princess, but transparent instead of solid. She smiled at him. “Lance,” she said.
“Are you really the legendary lost princess?” he asked.
“I am and it is time for me to return.” She floated over to Lance and sank herself into him.
Keith yelped and backed up, shielding his eyes from the bright golden glow coming from Lance’s pod. “What’s going on?” he demanded of Coran who checked the controls.
“A huge surge of quintessence!” he shouted. “It’s not hurting Lance, but it’s still weird.”
The glow faded and Keith hurried to the pod to see a different face. It was an Altean woman. She had the same skin tone and pointed ears like Allura, but the markings were pale blue. “I think that surge was the princess returning. Lance is a woman now.”
The pod’s front vanished and Lance fell, Keith catching her and easing both of them to the floor. He stared down at the unconscious woman. Her hair was longer and thick now as well as a copper-brown color. Her body was slim but he knew there was strength in it. He gently brushed back some stray hairs and she stirred from the touch. Her eyes opened to show that they were a deep blue-purple that were captivating. They focused on Keith and a feminine version of Lance’s grin appeared. “Hey, Mullet,” she said in a mature voice.
Keith almost fainted in relief and the full effect of Lance’s looks and voice. Allura was right. She’s still Lance and she’s gorgeous. “How do you feel, Lance?”
Lance sat up and then grabbed her head. “Oh,” she groaned. “My head.” Her eyes flew open and a hand went to her throat. “What happened to my voice?” She looked down to see her body and let out a loud scream.
Her scream brought the rest of the castle running. They entered to see Lance tossing herself from side to side while Keith held her arms. “Lance, calm down!” he ordered.
“Calm down?” she choked. “Keith, I’m a girl now.”
“Well, yes, but there’s a reason. It’s because of the princess. Allura just told us about her. You having the dreams meant you were to merge with her spirit and be a princess until you die.”
Lance stopped her thrashing as Keith talked. “So,” she said. “I’m Lance and the lost princess?”
“You are. I guess that means you are Princess Lance.”
Lance raised a hand and traced a pointed ear before looking at Allura. “Could you help me, Allura? I don’t know anything about being a woman, much less a princess.”
“Of course, Lance. We can start by getting you some new clothes.”
Lance wanted to protest the idea, but stopped herself. I’m a woman and a princess until I die so I shouldn’t be against dresses and heels. She rose to her feet, swaying a little before stabilizing. She followed Allura out with a graceful walk.
Allura glanced back at Lance as she led the way to her room. She already walked with the grace and poise of a princess. Her memories and training must have fully returned now. “Lance, do you have any memories that aren’t really yours?” she asked as they entered her room.
“I do. I remember past lives that I didn’t live through and yet I feel like I did. Is there a possibility that these memories could make me act like the princess did when she really lived?”
“No,” Allura said gently as she went to the closet and opened it. “They may give you the training of a princess and a woman, though. The memories you received are simply being added to your own and when she next comes, she will have a copy of your memories and power. Speaking of powers…”
Lance shook her head. “It hasn’t revealed itself yet. It will come in time, no doubt of that. I could learn to pilot the ship, though. I am Altean royalty, after all.”
Allura smiled back over her shoulder before facing the closet again. “Yes, you could and I’d be happy to teach you.” She pulled out a jumpsuit and held it up against Lance. “Oh, yes. This complements your eyes and hair.”
Lance looked down at the cream-colored suit that had blue and white accents on the legs, arms, and torso. “It reminds me of the dress I wore back in my time. The blue and white, I mean.”
Allura heard the wording and reasoned that as Lance absorbed her new memories, she would draw on them as if they were her own. And at the same time, Lance’s memories are being copied and added to the others. Out loud she said, “I didn’t know that. Well, this works out for you.”
Several minutes later, Lance stepped out of the bathroom wearing boots and the suit. Her hair was pulled back and clipped back at the base of her head. She smiled at Allura who smiled back. “It fits perfectly,” Lance commented. “It’s like a second skin.”
Allura kept a friendly smile on her face as they headed for the bridge but inside she was concerned. Very few details were known about the lost princess and even with what Alfor had told her, it still left a lot of questions. She knew that a merge of spirits occurred and that the chosen would assume the princess’ appearance and, in effect, be the lost princess while still retaining her own memories and sense of self.
Lance has become the princess in body and in the process of absorbing a few lifetimes’ worth of memories. It will take Lance some time to fully integrate them into her mind.
Lance was lost in thought, flicking through the memories and experiences she had inherited. She found that before her, the princess had only resurfaced four times. While it lend creditability to the legendary part that was four lifetimes to remember and one of them was her original life. She felt strange. She had taken the body of a human male and shaped it into her own body. She had also assumed his name and learned everything about him: His family, the war with the Galra, and the paladins, especially Keith who was half-Galra and Lance’s boyfriend.
Lance shook her head slightly. I’m thinking more like the princess than myself. Yes, I have her appearance and heritage, but I am still me. I will not think of myself as a separate person.
Lance stood beside Allura as she talked her through ship operations. She showed her how to activate the defenses, the weapons, and how to open a wormhole. She was on the point of teaching her about the propulsion systems when a message came in. Allura flipped it on and read the message.
“Hmm, the Balmera are asking for another offering of quintessence,” she said. “Well, I certainly can’t refuse them.”
While Allura spoke, Lance’s eyes flared white briefly, completely unnoticed.
“Allura, I could help with the offering.”
“What?”
“It’s one of my past powers. I too can harness and channel quintessence.”
Allura was shocked and amazed. Generating and using quintessence was a draining aspect but it always made her feel good to use it for the benefit of those who truly needed it. She was also intrigued of when Lance gained this power.
“Lance, let’s open a wormhole to Balmera and you can tell me when you got this power.” She moved aside and gestured to the controls. “You take the helm and demonstrate the opening of a wormhole.” Lance smiled as she took control of the ship.
Chapter Four- Past and Present Lives
“So, the princess assisted the Balmera in the past? They called upon her?” Allura asked as Lance landed the ship.
“Yes, I did. They called me,” she said, stressing I and me. “Allura, I am the princess just as much as I am Lance. All her memories and powers are mine now. I admit that it scared me when I started to think of myself as a separate person, just another past life. But when I got that flash of my quintessence power, that’s when everything became clear. I am Princess Lance, the blue paladin, and the legendary lost princess of Altea.”
Allura smiled at her, relieved that Lance had a handle on her identity. “Well, then, princess, let us head out there and present our offerings.”
The Balmera’s greeting of her gave Allura a warm feeling. Lance’s greeting was silent but turned friendly when Allura presented her as Princess Lance who shared her power of quintessence. A loud cheer went up at having two princesses to offer quintessence to their home. “Do you need any guidance?” Allura whispered as they prepared their offerings.
“No, I’ve got it. I’ve done it at least twice.”
“Which life was that?”
“It was my second one.” She knelt on the ground on one knee, put her hands on the ground, and closed her eyes with Allura following suite. The ground of Balmera was soon aglow with quintessence and it spread across the living planet.
Keith sat at his station, watching the offering. It never failed to impress him with how Allura could channel quintessence and it was always something he liked to watch. But, seeing Lance also doing it was a bit unnerving to him. Get used to it, he told himself. Lance is an Altean princess now. She will likely have more duties to perform and less time to spend with me. A sudden thought occurred to him. The princess must have resurfaced during the Galra Empire’s rule and conquest. She may have a hate of the Galra to rival the one Allura had and if so, then how does she view me?
“Keith?”
The Red Paladin turned to see Shiro nearby. He faced forward as Shiro came up beside him. “I was just watching the offering.”
“I can see that. It would seem that Lance can also channel quintessence. Must be a power from her past or it could be the one she was granted this time. We could ask her.”
Keith nodded and Shiro added, “Is something bothering you?”
“I’m…concerned that Lance may hate me now.”
“Hate you? Why would she hate you? Last time I checked, she loves you still.”
“Well, I’m sure she resurfaced during the rule and conquest of the Galra Empire and she likely has a hate for Galra like the one Allura had.”
“Keith, she is still Lance. Yes, she may have seen the empire grow and disliked what she witnessed. If she did hate you, she wouldn’t have let you near her or even touch her. I suggest that if you are that concerned about it, then you should talk to her.”
Keith smiled up at him. “Yeah. I’ll do that.”
&&&&
Lance staggered to her room, tired out. She had forgotten how draining it was to channel the quintessence, but the end result felt good. The Balmerans were appreciative of the offerings and permitted the ship to stay so both princesses could rest and recover. She entered her room and laid on her bed with a soft sigh. The chime at the door sounded and she said, “Come in.” The door opened and she heard Keith rather than saw him as her eyes were closed. “Is this a bad time?”
She opened her eyes, sat up, and turned to flash a bright smile. “Keith! No, it’s not a bad time. I mean, I’m tired but I can still talk.”
Her smile and happy tone gave him hope and seemed to prove Shiro was right about her feelings for him. He sat beside her. “I watched you and Allura make the offerings. Was that your new power?”
“Oh, no. I gained that one the first time I returned. That would be my second life.”
“I understood that your race was effectively wiped out about 10,000 deca-phoebs ago. I’m afraid I don’t see how you could have returned before now.”
Lance nodded. “I lived four lives before now. Two were before King Alfor and two were after. A secret colony of Alteans had existed until the midst of my fourth life. The Galra had found the colony and the people convinced me to flee and as I flew away, I saw the colony wiped out.” A tear escaped her eye.
“I’m sorry. So, I guess you hate all Galra because of that.”
Lance stared at him for a moment before she put a hand on his. “Keith, I don’t hate all Galra. I never have. I hate Zarkon; just him. I still love you.” She leaned forward to put her forehead to his.
“I guess it was silly for me to worry. I mean with all those memories, I thought they would alter your perceptions of this life.”
“My body may have changed and I now know of lifetimes long gone, but I am still the Lance you know and love.”
Keith knew Lance was telling the truth. She had never lied to him when their relationship began and she had no reason to lie now. “I know. It’s just when you talk of the past, you talk as if you were there and slipping into someone I don’t know.”
She frowned thoughtfully. “It does feel that way when I draw on those memories. I should feel scared of being a woman and a princess as I technically have never been either one, but with four lifetimes in me, it’s not scary and I feel comfortable like this. I just wonder what my family will think once we explain this, that is.”
“Yeah, they’ll be surprised to find they have another daughter, sister, sister-in-law, and aunt.”
“I was planning to introduce you as my boyfriend.”
“What about Allura?”
Lance was silent. She had been in love with Keith and Allura, the latter at first sight. As she was a woman and a princess, her first life made it obvious that she was to marry a man. Her current upbringing was quite liberal. She was free to love men and women. Before she changed, she enjoyed having two relationships with both lovers not competing for her love. But now…
“I think I love Allura like a sister and fellow princess,” she said at last. “I had felt my interest in her fading as the dreams continued while my love for you got stronger. I would like to have you as my boyfriend and a consort.”
“Consort? Is it like being engaged?”
“I guess so. Sorry, my upbringing as a princess made it clear that I was expected to marry.”
“I’m guessing that didn’t happen.”
Lance shook her head. “No. The witch cursed me when I was only eighteen deca-phoebs and then she killed me after laying it. I am cursed to wander the universe as a teenage spirit. I tried to live out my life three other times before, but I always ended up dying before I hit thirty.”
“Thirty? Is that an important number?”
“No, it’s a random one. Keith, if I could marry, have a child, and dies as an old woman, the curse will break, and my spirit could move on. I learned that during my second life.”
Keith looked into Lance’s pleading eyes and knew he would do what he had to in order to help her move on. “All right. I’ll help you move on.”
Lance sighed as her eyes slid shut. “Thank you,” she murmured as she fell asleep against Keith who eased them both onto the bed. He lightly kissed her forehead. “You’re welcome.”
Chapter Five- Trap
“If she can live a full life, the curse will break and her spirit can move on?” Allura asked the next day when Keith went to see her privately.
Keith nodded. “That’s what she said. She tried the last three times but she ended up dying young and her spirit reverted to its teenage form.”
“I always thought it was sad that she could not move on but now it’s even sadder as there is a way to break it but she has not achieved it yet.”
“I don’t know if she was close at some point but I am determined to make sure it happens this time. She deserves to rest.”
“Yes, she does but before that happens, we could use her help and experiences in defeating the empire.”
“Well, liberating planets is one way to go.”
“It is and that happens to be where we are going soon: To free another planet from Galra rule.”
Keith felt excitement at freeing another planet as he left Allura’s presence. But until then, I think I’ll go bond with Black. He headed down to Black’s hangar, went a few feet in, and stopped. Lance was kneeling before Black whose barrier was down and her eyes were glowing. Keith approached Lance and sat beside her to see her eyes closed. “Lance?” he asked softly.
Her eyes opened and she smiled at him. “Hi. I thought I would just talk to Black and I ended up talking to all five.”
“All five? Really?”
“Yes and…Keith, I gained my new power.”
“That’s great. So, what is it?”
“I can fly any of the lions. If something happens to Pidge or Hunk, I can step in and cover for them. As long as both aren’t out of commission, we can Voltron any time.”
“Wonderful. This new power is well-suited for this time period.”
“Yes. It’s also cool that I can bond with all five lions.”
“The timing of that is good as Allura just told me that we’ll be freeing another planet soon.”
“We will? Yes!” Lance leaped to her feet and hugged Keith who had also stood. He laughed and hugged her back. While they were embraced, Lance’s eyes flared again and her markings glowed for a moment. I just remembered a time in my third life. I had gained entry to Oriande and was deemed worthy to know the secrets of Altean alchemy. I gained the knowledge and learned all of the secrets of alchemy; to manipulate matter through controlled quintessence. I had been heading back to the colony when Galra ships attacked me and I was killed.
“Paladins, to your lions!” called Allura’s voice, ending Lance’s recollection and the hug.
“We can’t be there already,” Lance commented.
“I agree. Let’s head out and see what happened.” The couple left for their own lions as Shiro rushed in and headed for Black.
It turned out that Allura had discovered a small but rich deposit of quintessence that the Galra would surely want to harvest and they wanted to protect it from the Galra. It was located in a deep chasm on a planet that was devoid of life despite it being capable of supporting it. Lance thought it strange that the Galra would miss it, considering it was far from one of their conquered planets. One would think they would be thorough in their search for it.
The lions landed at the bottom of the chasm to find that there were five tunnels there. The team disembarked and Lance moved back and forth in front of the tunnels. She could sense quintessence in all of them and told Shiro as much. “All right, then,” he said. “We’ll split up, but stay in touch.”
The other four nodded before all five took a separate tunnel. Lance gripped her bayard firmly as she proceeded down her tunnel. She felt confident in her ability to defend herself. Her shooting skills were as sharp as ever and if she did get into trouble, she could call the others for help and of course, her bond with Blue would bring her lion running to her aid.
The tunnel came out in a round chamber that was a dead end. The quintessence she had sensed was coming from a box sitting on a pedestal. The construction of the box was definitely Galra and it told her that the planet had been harvested of its quintessence. She inhaled sharply at the conclusion she was drawing: A trap!
“Paladins, retreat! It’s a trap!” Shiro’s voice snapped out over her mic. Lance turned and found Galra soldiers blocking the way out. She activated her bayard and, to her momentary surprise, it transformed into an Altean broadsword. She didn’t let her surprise show as she began to fight her way out. The soldiers were well-trained but she was no slouch even when fighting in a different body. She deflected the blasts and sliced through the weapons. She was pleased with herself until she felt a blow from behind. She jerked from the jolt and blackness surrounded her.
Shiro panted as he reached the lions. He had had an easier time getting past his attackers as he had been in the tunnel and had glimpsed the setup. He knew that any quintessence field would not be already boxed up read to be picked up. He felt alarm at the setup and turned on his mic. “Paladins, retreat! It’s a trap!” he called before spinning around and heading back, battling through the soldiers that had appeared in the tunnel. His robotic arm glowed with energy as he used it to punch his opponents. He let a very powerful punch fly and it blew a hole in the chest of a soldier, exposing circuitry and sparks before it fell.
A robot? Shiro thought. He looked at the others he had to fight through. Are they all robots? Shiro began to plow ruthlessly through his opponents, revealing that they were all robots. It is a trap: One designed to capture only one of us, but who and why? He now stood with the lions, their barriers up save for Black as her paladin was back.
Keith, Pidge, and Hunk emerged from their tunnels and their lions dropped their barriers. “Robots,” Keith said in disgust. “They were all robots. What kind of trap was this?”
“Good question,” Pidge said. “I was able to scan the box I found and while it gives off the signature of quintessence, it’s only a light source.”
“We were lured here for the purpose of capturing one of us and it is clear now who that was,” Shiro said. “Lance.”
Keith looked at the tunnel Lance had gone down before running into it. “Lance!” he called as he ran. He met no resistance as he burst into the chamber. He saw the sliced remains of weapons but no bodies in the room. He turned in a circle and saw an object that made his heart stop: Lance’s bayard.
No, he thought in horror as he seized the bayard and hurried back to the others, fear and terror clutching at his insides and refusing to let go. His girlfriend was missing, no, captured. But, why? Is it possible they know about the legend of the princess and decided to capture Lance to learn what she knows and then kill her? Keith emerged from the tunnel and silently held up the bayard.
“Why?” Hunk finally asked. “Why her?”
“They may want to know how she channels quintessence and use that power. The process they may use for that purpose could kill her,” Shiro theorized.
“We can’t let that happen! We need to save her!” Keith said. The team nodded as they flew back, Blue carried on Black’s back.
Chapter Six- Escape
Lance’s eyes fluttered open and she groaned from where the jolt had struck her. Fortunately, Paladin armor is tough; otherwise that jolt would have really hurt. She focused her eyes on her surroundings as she sat up. She found herself alone in a cell and her ears heard the distant sound of engines. As I thought. I’m a prisoner but it seems I am alone. It means either the others escaped or I was the only target. She watched as soldiers patrolled the corridors, some of them giving her appraising looks as they passed. She soon realized that most of the guards were hybrids. They definitely looked Galra, but they also had features that she knew weren’t Galra. Her vast knowledge helped her identify races she did not know in this lifetime. I think I know whose ship I’m on: Lotor’s. He has the look of a hybrid and I believe half is Altean as his ears are like mine. Lance frowned as she thought of the prince. He had put on an act that everyone had fallen for: He pretended to want to help Voltron defeat his father and free those under Galra rule. Instead, he had plotted to overthrow his father and was letting Voltron do his dirty work so Lotor could take over and continue Zarkon’s reign of terror with him as Emperor.
“So, we captured the princess?” came Lotor’s voice as well as footsteps that were heading her way.
“Yes, my prince. Your plan worked perfectly.”
“As I knew it would. I plan to ransom her eventually but first she will help me whether she want to or not.” Lotor appeared at her door and stared at her in disbelief.
“What is this?” he raged at the guard who cowered. “This is not Princess Allura!”
“But she is an Altean woman and she is wearing Paladin armor.”
Lance stood and drew herself up, her princess upbringing coming to the forefront. “I am Princess Lance of Altea and I demand you release me.”
Lotor’s eyes went to her hair which was in a bun, to her ears, to the markings, to her eyes, and finally her face and armor. His own eyes went wide and he said in awe, “Lance!? The Blue Paladin of Voltron?”
Lance nodded. “That too.” She saw the prince’s eyes glitter evilly and she felt worried.
“The legendary lost princess,” he said softly. “Hagger told me about your story for years. You have returned for the fifth time and you are a far better prize than Allura.”
Lance arched an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“Well, as the legendary princess, surely you have been to Oriande. I want you to lead me there so that I can learn Altean alchemy.”
“You will not enter Oriande. You must have The Mark of the Chosen and even then you will be tested to see if you are worthy to know the secrets.”
“But you do know where it is, don’t you my dear? Tell me where the entrance is.”
“I’d rather die and be reborn than tell you where the entrance is!”
Lotor waggled a finger. “Well, we can’t have that. I am determined to get to Oriande.”
Lance then smirked. “Ah, but Lotor, what makes you think I’ve been to Oriande? Suppose I merely have heard where the entrance is and what is involved in knowing the secrets? I was told the stories ever since I was a little girl.”
“You must have been there! You’re the legendary princess! You will tell me what I want to know! I will bring you to Hagger and she will force the truth from you and trust me, you won’t like it.” Lotor turned on his heel and stormed down the corridor.
Lance took a seat in the center of her cell and closed her eyes before reaching through her bond to her lion. “Blue, hear me. I need your help.”
“I hear you, princess,” came the reply. “I’m coming.” In the castle hangar, Blue’s eyes glowed.
The sensors went off and Allura brought up the system. “The door to Blue’s hangar is opening! I don’t-,” Allura trailed off, her eyes glazed for a moment.
“Princess?” Shiro asked as Allura blinked.
“Lance has reached out to Blue and she is going to her. Blue just told me, but that is impossible.”
“It’s not,” Keith said. “She gained her new power before we fell into the trap. She has a bond with all the lions and she can fly any of them should Pidge or Hunk be unable to.” The sound of engines was heard before Blue took off past them, roaring.
“Follow that lion,” Shiro said and Allura angled the ship after Blue.
Lance remained in her contemplative pose, sensing the approach of her lion and her freedom. She didn’t react as the ship shuddered and shook suddenly. She heard the alarmed shouts and the sounds of weapons being unleashed. The roar of a lion sounded as well as metal tearing. She stood and turned to the right as the mouth of a lion appeared before opening. She smiled as she went in. “Hey, Blue.”
Blue backed out of the opening she created and Lance steered her away from the ship. She saw escape pods exiting the ship before the vessel exploded. She leaned back in her seat and slowly exhaled. “Thanks for the save, girl. I appreciate it.”
“You are my paladin. I only regret that I didn’t come sooner.”
“It’s all right. I had a backup plan. I would have used the Altean alchemy I learned to escape my cell and the ship.” A beep on the panel brought Lance out of her bond and she focused on it to see that the castle ship was approaching her position. She stayed where she was and when the ship arrived, she flew Blue into her hangar. When she exited, she was greeted by her friends, Keith the most relieved. He ran to her and embraced her. “Lance! I was so worried.”
“I gather that,” Lance said with a laugh.
“Lance, what happened?” Shiro asked.
“It was a trap set by Lotor but his target was Allura. He intended to have her lead him to Oriande.”
“To where?” Shiro asked.
“Oriande,” Allura said. “A place of myth in Altean folklore where the secrets of Altean alchemy reside, but only those with The Mark of the Chosen can enter and I clearly do not have that.”
“I was there in my third life. When Lotor realized I was the legendary princess, he was certain I had been there. I refused to tell where it is and hinted that I may have simply heard stories about it when I was little. He had planned to have Hagger force me to reveal it.”
“Then you sent for Blue. Keith revealed that you could fly any of the lions as your new power as well as bond with all five.”
Lance snuggled Keith as the two laid in Keith’s bed that night. “You were worried about me, hmm?” she asked.
“Of course I was. I love you.”
“I love you too and I hope to grow old with you.”
“So do I. I also want to help you break the curse.”
“I appreciate that and I want to tell you about my past lives.”
“I look forward to hearing about them.” Keith felt Lance snuggled closer and he smiled. She is completely comfortable with being a reborn princess. I am also fine with it. She is still Lance, just with a different body and the knowledge of four lifetimes in her. In time, we will marry, have a family, and die old so that the curse will finally break. Until then, I will get to know the new Lance, the legendary lost princess of Altea.
