Lotor liked the mice, they were friendly enough, always chittering cheerfully. He had seen them scuttering around the ship unable to really study them until they were stationed comfortably on the Altean Princess's shoulders. They seemed to like him too, something Lotor was foreign to, having spent most of his time around his generals who, he was unsure actually shared any kind of friendly feelings. Lotor had found the Altean animals raiding the food the Yellow Paladin had left out to cool and had comically frozen at the sight of the Galra Prince staring wide-eyed at them, surprised by their mischief side. Lotor himself was amused by their reaction and made his way over ignoring the mice's flinches as he swiped a crumb from the tray. The mice seemed to lose a small amount of tension as Lotor popped it into his mouth and leant casually against the counter.

"I see why you have such an appetite for the food." Lotor smiled at the sudden ecstatic mice. "Yes, I am also a fan of what the fleshling can cook."

Lotor found himself talking with the small mammals. He assumed if anyone heard it would appear he was speaking with himself but he wasn't currently bothered by his current companions and found himself feeling a little lighter than he had since, since...well, ten thousand years ago. One of the mice noticed the change in the Prince and padded over and placed its small clawed hand on the man's larger finger.

"It is odd to find comfort in tiny mice." Lotor complemented. The mice grunted in annoyance and folded their arms in unison which had Lotor letting out a small chuckle. "I am sorry for the disrespect. It was not my intention."

The mice nodded once a piece before they began devouring the food offering the Galra some every so often. Before long the food was gone and the mice leant back gently rubbing their stomachs that seemed inflated by the meal.

"Lotor?"

The voice called out and the Prince turned to find Keith appear, standing at the door.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up." Lotor folded his arms. "I want to apologise for earlier."

"I was wondering- Wait, what?" Keith blinked, furrowing his brow at the Prince as he approached.

"It was rude to insinuate that the only reason you wish for your mother back is for but one selfish desire." Lotor picked at his nails. "I know a thing or two about such things."

"What's in the Ulippa system?" Keith addressed instead of acknowledging the apology. He was never good with them, accepting them was always awkward and he never knew what to say.

"It is a frozen wasteland with nothing but carnivorous ice worms. Why?" Lotor glanced down slightly to catch the look in the boy's eye and knew exactly what the paladin was planning. "You are not thinking of retrieving Rarg are you?"

"Of course I am." Keith took a step back as the Galra attempted to place a hand on his shoulder.

"You cannot leave, you have a responsibility. Voltron can't be formed without you." Lotor squeezed his temple between his fingers before sighing heavily. This boy knew how to push his buttons and alter all his strategies. "As I have told you my generals are on mission to obtain him."

"Look Lotor, as much as I want to trust you, I can't trust that you'll be willing to help without some kind of catch," Keith spoke honestly. "I'm going and I was going to ask if you wanted to come but clearly you don't want to."

"You wish for me to come?" Lotor rose a brow in happy confusion. "You don't assume I will take off as soon as we arrive?"

"No," Keith answered with little emotion before he turned on his heel and left an emotional confused Galra Prince behind.

***

It took some convincing before Shiro succumbed to Keith's natural persuasion skills. The tilt of his head and the way the Red Paladin's eyes could produce so much emotional pain was always too much for the Black Paladin. Allura seemed reluctant at first until Keith mentioned Lotor would be accompanying him and she quickly agreed. Both because she no longer wanted him on her ship but it would also be a test to see whether the Prince was indeed their true ally.

Somehow Hunk had convinced Keith himself that he was needed for this trip and when the Red Paladin felt someone staring at him he glanced behind to see the Galra Prince smiling knowingly at him. Keith flushed red and took a step away from the Yellow Paladin and shoved his new helmet over his head in annoyance.

"Alright Hunk, you're in."

"Oh, for real?!" Hunk grinned, Keith watched as he lit up and the Red Paladin couldn't help the sharp smile that seemed to appear. He caught Lotor's eye and quickly shook his head, attempting to shove all the thoughts the Prince was currently projecting onto him away. Keith managed to clear his mind until he glanced back to the dark-skinned Paladin and found himself admiring him and he mentally announced that he hated Lotor.

"Yup, come on," Keith mumbled turning on his heel and heading for his Lion, pinching himself as he went. A small part was thankful that Hunk insisted on riding with Pidge but he was also agitated at being stuck with the Galra Prince who still hadn't wiped his roguish smirk from his mouth.

"If you say a word about Hunk," Keith warned him as he noticed the prince open his mouth to speak.

"Luckily for you, I was not thinking of such a trivial matter." Lotor lied huffing out a small bout of laughter at the small blush of embarrassment that appeared unwillingly on the boy's neck. "Perhaps you wish to talk about him?"

"No!" Keith exclaimed rather loudly before he coughed awkwardly. "No... No, I don't want to talk about him."

"Very well," Lotor nodded, "We will not speak of it again."

"Thank you." Keith sighed, suddenly finding some sort of peace in the silence between them.

"Keith, what's that up ahead?"

Keith squinted in an attempt to figure out what Pidge was speaking about only for his eyes to snap open and pull hard on Red controls forcing her to a stop.

"Ummm, Lotor?" Keith called him over.

"What?" Lotor was suddenly by his side, staring at the large ship heading their way. "We must flee. Immediately."

Give up Prince Lotor and the Red Paladin and this will not end in your execution.

The words that vibrated through Red sent a shiver down Keith's spine and he glanced to the side to find the Green Lion refusing to move. It was obvious that Pidge wouldn't give him up, a caring thought that had a warm feeling sweep through him.

"Fight or retreat?"

Keith tilted his head to the Prince who seemed a little worried by the present company and had ignored what Pidge had asked. The fear in the Galra's eye had Keith second-guessing himself. Sure the man could be bluffing and be saving the men on the ship but the way Lotor's hands began to shake had Keith pulling back.

"Retreat, we'll go around them."

"Okay, I've sent a warning to the Castle, they'll be ready if they cross paths."

The Lions managed to dodge the few attacks that were shot their way, retreating with relative ease before tracking back towards the Ulippa system. It was a quiet journey, for the most part, Pidge and Hunk's chatter background noise in Keith's ears. His main concern was Lotor, he had been silent since they left the Galra behind and the way the Prince was clawing at his uniform had Keith biting his tongue.

"Lotor, are you alright?"

The Prince didn't seem to hear him and the Red Paladin bit his lip in worry. What had the Galra so spooked? The ship looked like any other Galra cruiser, perhaps the commander was someone Lotor knew? Or was it that it finally hit the Prince he was now officially a traitor to the Empire? Whatever it was it was making Keith himself nervous.

"Keith look out!"

Keith gasped and jutted his lions controls barely dodging the enormous worm-like creature that swam past them. He had been so engrossed with what Lotor could be thinking that he had unconsciously faded his surrounding into the background. However, by avoiding making a possibly fatal mistake, the Galra Prince came back to life.

"No wonder you were forcibly excluded from the Garrison."

Keith couldn't hide the shock before he furrowed his brow and huffed out in annoyance.

"Lance?"

"Indeed." Lotor nodded in amusement before gazing out the Lion noticing several more ice worms swimming past. "We are close, do your suits have heaters because it's about to become quite unbearably cold."

***

I have recently made a Facebook page. It'll basically be me telling you guys when I'm updating, sneak peaks, answering any questions you guys have. That kind of thing.

I'd appreciate the followers.

https://www.facebook.com/AvatarRoku32/

If not, all g.