"How do you know that name?!"

Keith struggled against Lotor's hold, eyes widening in fear as his vision began to blur. He couldn't breathe and the Prince wasn't loosening his death grip. The red paladin wheezed out Lotor's name, pleading for him to stop, scratching anywhere he could get to, his Galra claws drawing the prince's blood.

"Prince Lotor! What are you doing?!"

The Prince was dragged off the injured paladin unwillingly and swiftly changed his attention on the intruder pushing the man against the wall, threatening to crush the man's windpipe.

"Prince Lotor, please."

The prince suddenly snapped from his hot anger and released his target seeing clearly that a druid had stopped him from killing the man who had previously saved his life. Lotor turned to the paladin who was grasping his own neck, gulping in hulks of air his face stricken with terror.

"Don't you even say that name again, next time you won't be so lucky." The prince's scowl turned venomous and Keith knew that Lotor's threat was serious. The prince turned to the druid and poked him harshly in the chest. "Do not ever touch me again Rarg."

Keith's eyes widened when his mind clicked at the familiar name and watched as the druid bowed low to the prince waiting for the Galra to leave before raising himself, flicking his cloak slightly and headed towards the paladin.

"Stay away," Keith warned eyes narrowing in resentment. The druid stopped in his tracks which surprised Keith and the red paladin dared himself to relax slightly.

"I am here to check your injuries." The druid explained, "If you permit me, I'd like to do my job."

Keith didn't know why he nodded, maybe the fact that his dream had shown Rarg helping his mother and perhaps he could possibly even trust the masked man. He let the druid redress his wounds and Keith decided to ignore Lotor's threatening advice and ask Rarg about his probable mother.

"Where is Nara?"

Keith knew he hit a nerve when the druid froze for a second, the tension that spiked in him had Keith raising a brow in triumph. The druid turned away replacing his tool before answering calmly.

"If you are referring to Princess Nara then I'm not at liberty to discuss such a touchy subject with an enemy."

"Why is she such a touchy subject?" Keith hissed lightly as the druid purposely padded a little too hard on his side wound.

"History."

"What history?"

"Why are you so interested in her highness?" Rarg asked, his brow narrowed under his mask, he hadn't heard that name for some time and was suspicious as to how this man knew of her existence.

"She's a person of interest that's all." Keith lied.

"Well, I'm afraid I cannot help you." The druid finished up, leaving the paladin alone but not before giving some advice. "I suggest keeping that name to yourself, Galra don't take kindly to others speaking of individuals we no longer associate with us."

  ***  

"My Emperor, might I suggest another use of the paladin?" Haggar offered carefully watching her Emperor stand rigid after another unsuccessful link to the black lion.

"What would that be Haggar?" Zarkon spoke impatiently.

"Perhaps we could locate the black lion through the red lion," Haggar suggested. "Since they are all kept in the same area, locating the red lion will give away Allura's position."

"Bring the paladin to me."

It wasn't long until Keith was forced through the doors his scowl deepening at the sight of Zarkon leering amusingly at him. He was pushed to his knees in respect for their Emperor, his tongue, however, was the one thing they couldn't control.

"What do you want now?" Keith growled. "Can't you just let me rot in peace?"

"You are going to find the red lion."

"And how am I supposed to do that? It's galaxies away by now."

"My druids will strengthen your connection able for you to connect with your lion despite the distance," Zarkon explained, motioning for his soldiers to drag the paladin forward. Keith's eyes widened as he glanced over the edge of the ship, five floating platforms were being occupied by five druids and they were circling one large empty platform below. So this is how Zarkon kept finding them, so why did he need Keith? Perhaps he was unable to locate the black lion, which meant Shiro was now fully in control of the Black Lion. Keith smirked in victory before turning to the Emperor.

"I won't do it."

"Perhaps a little persuasion will make you more cooperative."

Shock crossed Keith's features as Matt was pushed forward limbs bound together supporting a rather large black eye. The brunette knelt rigid between two soldiers eyes finding Keith and found him gasping a little in surprise. The red paladin cocked his brow in confusion yelping out slightly as Zarkon motioned for a soldier to inflict a punch to Matt's stomach. Matt hunched over yelping in pain as he received another blow. Keith struggled against his captors attempting to fight his way to his hurting friend. After a rather harsh strike and a howling scream from Matt, Keith bowed his head in defeat and shouted out angrily.

"Fine, I'll do it." Zarkon lifted his hand causing the soldier to stop and move away. "Don't you dare touch another hair on his head."

Keith stood unsteadily with his wrists bound on the empty platform watching as Haggar took her place before grinning maliciously sending a bolt towards him. The bolt was soon joined with four others and Keith was on his knees screaming in agony.

"Now paladin, focus on your lion." Haggar's voice ordered over the crackles of the bolts. Keith gritted his teeth, his mind ignoring the pain, numbing it out as he focused on his lion. "Do you see it?"

Keith's eyes exploded his mind taking him on a split-second journey to his lion that was being watched by the green and yellow paladin. They were in the castle as expected which to Keith's surprise was closing in on their location. The paladin's eyes smiled as the red lion suddenly activated giving Pidge and Hunk a small scare and the two watched as the lion fled the castle. Keith was suddenly taken back to his current position, overcome with fatigue at the overuse of energy he just employed.

"Where's the lion paladin?"

"In the castle," Keith answered skeptically, he had to delay the Emperor a little while longer and he sneered in amusement as Zarkon snarled loudly at him.

"Do not play around boy! Tell me where it is!" Zarkon grasped Matt by his hair and lifted the gasping boy into the air. "Where is the black lion?!"

"I don't know, I only know where the red lion is." Keith tiptoed around the answer choking out a yelp as Zarkon draped Matt over the edge of the ship, threatening to drop him.

"Where is the lion paladin?"

When the purr shot through Keith's body and he grinned with glee, Zarkon to Keith's horror released Matt who yelled out alarm flinging his limbs out lashing out in thin air. Keith didn't think twice before leaping off the platform reaching out for the panicked brunette. They grasped at each other Matt almost hugging the teen to death as they slowly floated away from the ship hearing the loud deep chuckle coming from Zarkon. The laugh was cut short and was replaced with extreme rage as a spark in the distance soon closed in revealing the red lion swallowing its pilot and his friend.

"Don't just stand there!" Zarkon boomed. "Shoot it down!"

Keith found himself grinning in smugness glancing beside him to find Matt shaking but smiling.

"Let's get out of here Red."

The lion internally roared before she began her retreat expertly out manoeuvring the druids powerful lightning.

  ***  

"What do you mean the red lion is gone?" Allura exclaimed as Pidge and Hunk burst into the bridge.

"It just activated and swoosh," Hunk motioned with his arms. "Gone."

"Where do you think it's going?" Lance pondered out loud.

"Well according to the lion's thermal console it has two beating hearts on board." Coran analysed the lion's systems.

"Two?"

"Ummm, hello?"

The voice that echoed through the castle had everyone shocked none more so than the green paladin herself.

"Hello. This is Princess Allura. Who is this?"

"Umm, my names Matt Holt. Your friend saved me, Kieth isn't it? He's in a bad way. How do I control this thing?"

"You can't but we'll have someone meet you at your coordinates." Allura smiled.

"Matt?" Pidge's voice seemed barely over a whisper but the boy heard and his voice seemed to crack.

"Katie?"