Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shiro ran, pulling the seven year old girl behind him. He was going to get them both out.

He turned to the raven haired girl, “Anka, come on. Climb on my back, we’ll be faster that way.”

She looked at him, her amethyst eyes welling with tears, “Shiro, both of us won’t make it. They’re going to catch up to us.”

Shiro felt his heart sink as he realised what she was about to do, “Anka, no!”

She pushed him, making him fall into the ditch gave him a teary smile, “Reach the stars for me, okay? Reach them and never let go.”

With that she turned around and ran. She ran in the opposite direction of their pursuers, leading them away. His last view of her was as she stumbled from being shot in the leg. He slowly lost consciousness and made a silent promise to not let her sacrifice go to waste.

Chapter Text

Keith stared down the witch in front of her. She wouldn’t yield. She wouldn’t break. She didn’t break after ten years of torture at the hands of humans. She could last another four and who knows how long under the witches thumb.

The witch snarled, “What is your secret, child? How do you block my control? How do you endure pain that others of your kind did not?”

Keith froze. The witch said “others of your kind”. Her mind flashed to Shiro. "Please, don't let it be him." The thought was desperate and unchecked as it hit her.

The witch smiled, a cruel and evil smile, “So, you know the Champion. It is unfortunate he has escaped. I could use him to break you.”

With that ominous comment, the witch gave a nod to the guard. Pain filled Keith as electricity raced across every nerve in her body. She bit back a scream and merely grunted at the pain. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of hearing her screams. She relaxed, after what felt like an eternity, when they turned the electricity off. Black filled her vision, and she briefly wondered if it was the end. Once she was out, the witch ordered her to be returned to her cell. The guard gently took the eighteen year old out of the room. He looked around and took her to a communication room. He put in communication for people who were most definitely not the Empire.

Once it connected, the galra spoke, “Leader, I have found the Red Lion. It is in my location.”

The man on the other end gave a noise of acknowledgement, “We shall come to retrieve both you and it.”

The male spoke up, “Leader, there is one of Haggar’s experiments here. She has been here for four years.”

The leader narrowed his eyes, “We are not rescuing any more prisoners.”

The galra shook his head, “You don’t understand. She’s human, like the Paladins.”

The leader’s eyes widened, “What?”

A brief nod and the galra glanced at Keith’s sleeping form, “Haggar said that she knew the Champion, or, as we know him, the Black Paladin.”

After a moment of silence the leader spoke, “We will rescue her also. Be ready.”

“How soon?”

“Give us two vargas.”

The galra gave a nod of acknowledgement, “Yes, Leader. We shall be waiting.”

Two vargas later, the ship shook and the Red Lion was loaded onto a transport, and the galra carried, a still unconscious, Keith onboard.

The leader established communications with their allies and was greeted by Shiro, “Kolivan, how can we help you?”

The leader, Kolivan, spoke, “Paladins, we need you to meet us at the base.” He glanced back at the sleeping human in his comrade's arms, “We found a human on board the same ship as the Red Lion. It appears she has been there for four years.”

The Paladins all gasped at what that meant, “We will be there.”

Kolivan turned to the galra, still holding Keith, “She is going to be in for quite the shock when she wakes up.”

Chapter Text

Keith slowly pried her eyes open and saw several galra staring at her. She screamed in fright before she thought to stay silent. One of them stepped forward, he seemed familiar.

His hands were held out, revealing he held no weapons, “My name is Ulaz. I am a member of the Blade of Marmora, a resistance group against the Empire.”

She backed away from them on the bed. Why was it so big?, “Stay away from me. Stay away.”

Ulaz looked to the male at his right, “She’s panicking, Kolivan.”

Kolivan took a step forward just as his com went off, notifying him of the Paladin's arrival. He looked at Ulaz, “Stay here. We need to do a medical examination to determine what they did to her and what injuries could be life threatening.”

He walked off to meet the frantic Paladins. The Black Paladin looked at Kolivan, “Where is the human?”

“In our medical wing.”

The Green Paladin, Pidge, spoke, “Did you leave her in there alone?”

Kolivan looked at her, “No, Ulaz is with her.”

Matt, a member of the rebellion who had been visiting his sister Pidge on the Castle of Lions, stepped toward Kolivan, “You left her with a galra when you just rescued her from galra that had been torturing her?”

Just then, a Blade ran up to Kolivan, “Sir, we have a problem. The human has a blade and is threatening anyone who comes close to her with it.”

Kolivan’s eyes widened, “Where did she get a blade from?”

The Blade shrugged, “No one knows. Everyone has their blades. It appears it had been in her possession the entire time.”

The group ran to the medical wing and heard Keith shouting, “Stay away! Don’t you dare come any closer!”

There were many Blades that could be heard saying, “I thought Ulaz said she had been a prisoner. How did she get a weapon, let alone a blade?”

Shiro stopped in his tracks as he heard Keith’s voice, “Anka?”

The others turned toward him, and Kolivan glanced at him, “What did you say?”

Shiro grabbed Kolivan’s arm, “Order your Blades back if you don’t want them to be harmed. If the person in there is who I think it is, she can easily take out several of them before you could restrain her.”

Kolivan called out, “Fall back. Everyone but Ulaz, leave the room.”

A path formed in the crowd, and Shiro ran forward calling, “Anka!”

Keith turned to Shiro’s voice and cried, “Shiro? Shiro!”

Shiro pulled her into a hug, and she pulled back, “What are you doing here? How are you here? Earth doesn’t have the technology to reach the edge of the Milky Way, let alone here.”

Shiro chuckled, “I could ask the same thing of you. The last time I saw you, you were shoving me into a ditch, so I could escape.”

She gave him a sad look, “Four years ago there was a small landing of galra scouts looking for something. I wasn’t there initially when the others attacked them. I was too busy trying to get out of my restraints.”

Shiro paled, “You were still there? Seven years after you shoved me into the ditch?”

Keith nodded, “Yeah. Oh, by the way, it’s actually Keith.”

Shiro blinked at her and broke into a laugh, “You didn’t tell me after three years, but eleven years later, you tell me. You’re crazy.” He stopped laughing and looked at Keith, “Did Arata get taken by the galra with you? Was he a prisoner too?”

Keith shook her head, “He’s dead Shiro. The humans killed him before the galra arrived. That’s why I was restrained.”

Shiro’s shoulders slumped and felt Lance place his hand on his shoulder, “Oh, Keith. This is my adoptive brother Lance.”

Keith gave Lance a hard stare, “So you’re Lance.” She turned to Shiro, “Not as impressive as I had imagined him being based on your description.”

Lance gasped in fake offence, “Insulted by a beautiful woman.” He gave her a flirtatious smirk, “I guess I’ll just have to convince you I am an amazing person to have as a friend.”

She gave him a confused look, “I merely stated fact. I did not intend to insult you. Also, why do you wish to convince me that you are an amazing friend?”

They heard a snort from Pidge and Matt. They were holding their sides in laughter.

Lance gave a small smile, “Looks like I’ll have to work extra hard to convince you, my lovely lady.”

Keith glared at Lance and stood. She was just a few inches shorter than Lance, but had an intimidating presence all the same. In one smooth motion, she punched him in the face, “What is truly insulting is someone not calling you by your name when they know it. Stop calling me-what was it- “lovely lady”. I don’t appreciate it.”

At that, some Blades snickered. She shot them a glare, and they quieted down, leaving Matt and Pidge laughing at Lance’s expression.

Matt was laughing hard, but Pidge had managed to get herself under control enough to speak, “Lance, your face. Thank you so much for that, Keith. He flirts nonstop with girls. It is truly amazing to see his ego taken down a notch.”

Keith gave them a small smile, “Hi, what are your names?”

Pidge straightened, “Katie Holt, but please, call me Pidge.”

Keith nodded and turned to Matt, “And your name, Mr. Holt?”

Matt smiled, “You guessed the last name because Pidge and I look so similar?” At Keith’s nod he gave a hearty laugh, “Well, the name is Matt.”

Keith nodded and turned to Hunk, “You’re name?”

Hunk gave her a friendly smile, “The name’s Hunk. So I have a few questions. First, Have you eaten yet? Any allergies or problems with certain foods? Do you have a favorite food? Also, can I give you a hug?”

Keith blinked for a moment and replied, “No, I’m lactose intolerant, I love strawberries, and you want to give me a what?”

Hunk gave Pidge a hug and turned back to Keith, “A hug. I just gave one to Pidge.”

Keith nodded, surprised at Hunk’s kindness, “Uh, yeah.”

He gave her a tight hug, and she slowly melted in acceptance of the hug. Once he stepped back, she turned to Shiro, “Protect him. A kind heart like that is all but destined to be crushed during a war.”

Shiro smiled and gave her a nod before turning to Hunk, “It seems you triggered her protective instinct. It took me about a year and a half before I triggered it for her.”

Keith raised an eyebrow and sarcastically replied, “Well, sorry Mr. Seven years older than me.”

Shiro smiled, “Sarcastic as ever I see.”

Keith shot a hand out and poked him in the side, making him flinch and snort out a laugh. She smiled, “As slow and as ticklish as ever I see.”

At the stunned silence around her she inquired, “What?”

Matt spoke first, “What? Shiro is ticklish?”

She nodded and Shiro pointed a warning finger at her, “Don’t you dare tell him where.”

She looked at Matt, mouthing “We’ll talk later.”

Everyone jumped as Kolivan marched into the room, “Where did you get that blade? Who did you steal it from?”

She got herself into her fighting position, “I didn’t steal it. I’ve had it since I was a child.”

Shiro nodded, “She’s had it since I met her when she was four.”

The others looked shocked, but Kolivan didn’t even flinch, “Well, you can not keep it. Hand it over.”

Keith gripped it tighter, “No, it’s the last thing my father handed me before he was killed. I am not giving it up. If you want it, you’ll have to take it from my cold dead hands.”

Kolivan took a step toward her, and she activated the blade. It grew into a sword and everyone froze in shock.

Shiro blinked, “When did you activate your blade?”

She shrugged, “When I was eight. Approximately nine months, two days, five hours, and six minutes after you escaped.”

Kolivan looked at her with steel in his eyes, “The only way you could have activated that blade is if you had galra blood in your veins.”

Keith gave a cold laugh, “You had better be joking. I am not galra.”

Ulaz shook his head, “What he said is true. The only way to activate a blade is if you are at least part galra.”

Keith sat down hard. Her body went cold with shock, and she looked at her blade. She couldn’t believe it. The very species that tortured her for four years was also her species.

She looked at Shiro, “I guess that explains a lot.”

Shiro nodded and sat down next to her, “You okay?”

She raised an eyebrow, “Did you seriously just ask me if I’m okay?”

He nodded, “Yeah.”

She gave him a look of disbelief, “Shiro, I have endured ten years of both mental physical torture to the point where any wounds short of death I barely feel the pain for. Then I endured four more years of someone digging into my head while torturing me. I think I can handle the news that I am not completely human. At least this tells me there actually isn't something wrong with me. After all, humans don’t normally need physical contact to survive.”

Shiro nodded, “How are you doing with that?”

She shrugged, “I built it up to the point where any form of contact holds off any serious consequences, so I’ve dealt.”

Shiro turned to Kolivan, Ulaz, and the masked Blade behind him, “We’ll take her to the Castle of Lions to use a pod.”

Kolivan nodded and looked at the Blades beside him, “We’ll go with you. The Red Lion still needs delivered.”

Keith nodded to Shiro’s questioning look, “I’m good with that, Shiro. The only reason I was freaking out was because I didn’t know where I was. You trusting them tells me they are at least okay people.”

With that they all headed out, Matt staying close enough to provide support, and Keith subconsciously accepting it.

Chapter Text

Keith found herself falling asleep on the trip back to the Castle. She hadn't had a full night's sleep since she was four. Her head rested on Matt's shoulder and he remained still. His sister raised an eyebrow at him just sitting there, but he ignored it. The raven haired girl whose head was on his shoulder had caused a protective instinct to take over. It wasn't quite like with his sister. He couldn't explain it, so he didn't try. The quiet conversations around him lulled him into sleep, and his head rested on top of Keith's. The ride back to the castle was uneventful, so Matt only woke when they landed in the Castle. He became concerned when Keith didn't wake. He could tell she was a light sleeper.

He looked up, "Guys, I think we have a problem."

Shiro looked over and saw her still asleep, an arm curled around Matt's, "I can't believe it."

Matt looked at him, panicking, "What is it Shiro?"

Shiro's eyes were wide as he said, "Either she is comfortable enough with you to fall into a deep sleep, her wounds are catching up to her, or a combination of both."

Matt gently scooped her into his arms and carried her out with the others. Allura was standing with Coran and Romelle, Lance's girlfriend, waiting for their arrival. Everyone filed out, and Lance was greeted with a kiss from Romelle. As Matt walked out with Keith still asleep in his arms, Coran gasped, “What happened to her?”

Kolivan grunted, “Haggar.”

Allura gave a small gasp and started directing Matt, “Take her to the infirmary. We can put her into a pod.”

The infirmary was crowded as Coran looked over the scans. His eyes were filled with concern and sympathy. After what felt like an eternity to Matt, Coran spoke, “She will be out in about two quintants. The pod may try to fix some scarring, but it should only be about that long.”

Lance turned to Shiro, an eyebrow raised, “So you knew her. Called her Anka. Care to explain?”

Shiro sighed and sat down, “I can’t tell you everything. I only know what happened to her until she was seven, but I’ll explain what I can.”

~~~

Once everyone was settled, Shiro began, “She grew up never knowing her mother, and her father was human. She was happy until she was four. That was when a group of humans killed her father in front of her. They took her back to their hideout and shoved her into a room. She was terrified but was determined to escape. I was kidnapped at around the same time. When they shoved me into the room, she was curled up in a corner. The moment I went to approach her, she pointed a blade at me and told me to stay away.”

He gave a small smile and looked at Keith’s sleeping form in the pod, “She never told me her name. That’s why I called her Anka. She avoided me for weeks. I did eventually earn an uneasy sense of trust from her. It was out of necessity.”

Shiro sighed and looked at his galran arm, “They tried to train us to be killers. She had a photographic memory, so she was able to learn the moves fast. She helped me with it. I wouldn’t have survived without her. In that place, if you didn’t learn it, you died.”

Shiro’s eyes became distant, and Allura placed a gentle hand on his arm. He gave her a soft smile and continued, “When she was five, I think, they were training her, and she barely messed up a block. They stabbed her in the heart. I still don’t know how she survived. That was when we really became close. She was on bedrest for months. It got worse for her after that. When she was seven, and I was fourteen, we finally managed to get out.”

He closed his eyes and stood, walking up to the pod and placed a hand on it, “We were so close to finally escaping, but they realised we were gone really fast. Despite all the training, it was hard for her to keep up. She realised that only one of us could escape.”

He closed his eyes, as if that would shove aside the memory, “She pushed me into a ditch that I couldn’t get out of very fast without help. I think I hit my head. I was able to barely see over the edge, and when I looked up, I saw her get hit in the leg by a bullet. She stumbled, but kept running, drawing them away from me so I could escape. I didn’t see her again until today.”

Everyone stood in shocked silence until Hunk spoke, “I think I am going to make a lot of food. Anyone want to throw a ‘Yay! You’re free!’ party for her with me?”

Matt snorted out a laugh, “I don’t think we want to call it that.” He turned to Pidge, “Pidge, what day is it on Earth?”

She consulted her laptop and tilted her head, “October twentieth, why?”

Matt turned his attention to Shiro, “Any idea when her birthday is?”

Shiro wrinkled his eyebrows in thought, “Well there was this one week. I had said she was five on the nineteenth, and on the twenty fourth, when I made the same comment, she corrected me saying she was six.”

Matt smiled, “So, going off of Hunk’s great idea, why don’t we throw a birthday party?”

Allura leaned forward, surprisingly, jumping on the party train, “I have the feeling she wouldn’t want too crowded of a space. Let’s do it in one of the lions’ hangers.”

Kolivan stared at the paladins. They were accepting a stranger that they just met, and they were trying to cheer her up. He smiled. It was small, and if anyone were to comment on it, he would deny it profusely. He figured the universe was in good hands.

~~~

Keith stumbled out of the pod only to be caught by Matt. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. She was in an unfamiliar room, but she saw the Paladins and Matt. After a few moments of silence, Hunk walked up to her and gave her a hug. She smiled slightly at Hunk’s kindness.

He grabbed her arm lightly, “You must be starving. Follow me. We are getting you something to eat.”

Lance chuckled, “That should be easy. You have been cooking up a storm.”

This comment drew her attention to Romelle at his side, “Who is this?”

Lance chuckled, “This is my beautiful girlfriend, Romelle.”

Keith sent daggered glares at Lance, “If you have a girlfriend, why were you flirting with me?”

Lance sent a return glare, “I was flirting as a friend. I do not approve of you assuming I would cheat.”

Keith looked at Romelle for confirmation, and she sent an amused smile, “He is telling the truth. He even flirts with Hunk.”

Keith nodded and heard Shiro mutter, “Add Romelle to list of who she is protective of.”

Just then, Coran entered the room. Energy was practically pouring off of him, and he walked straight up to her, “Hello young lady. The name is Coran, advisor to Princess Allura of Altea, and grandson of the wonderful man that built the very ship you are standing in.”

Keith looked at Pidge, someone that seemed like a similar soul, “Is he always this energetic?”

Pidge nodded, “Yep, if you ever get worn out by his constant energy, just find a place to hide out alone. It helps.”

Keith nodded and turned to Allura, who was walking in, “I am going to guess you are Princess Allura, due to the fact you are the only person that I haven’t met and you look like you are the same species as Coran.”

Allura smiled and with a faint british accent said, “Yes, I hope you are feeling well. You were in there for two quintants.”

Keith nodded. She felt a draw toward something in the ship. It was just a feeling, but following her feelings was the only way she survived. She was also very uncomfortable with the fact she didn’t know this ship.

Looking at Shiro, she said, “I am just going to wander. I won’t be able to eat if I don’t know my way around.”

Shiro nodded, and she walked off, leaving Shiro to explain the situation. The pull led her further and further into the ship. The halls were well lit, but she kept her guard up. There was no way of knowing what was going to come walking around the corner. She turned the corner to find the door to a hanger open. She slowly approached, red flags screaming in her head. Something was going on, and she had no idea what it was. There was no way of knowing what was in there. The tug yanked hard, and she found herself walking into the room. The Red Lion sat there, proud and strong. She walked up to the shield. Nothing happened and she shook her head. Why was she drawn here? By some force other than her own, her hand reached up and touched the shield. Within a blink, it was gone and the lion roared. The final piece had fallen into place. Voltron was finally ready to fight this war.

Chapter Text

Everyone heard the roar that shook the Castle. The only one that wasn’t in the infirmary was Keith. They took off at a dead run until they reached the hanger. Keith was just standing there, eyes wide.

“Seems like you are joining the team,” Shiro commented, placing a hand on her shoulders.

They all turned in shock as a wall opened in the hallway, revealing the Black Lion.

Allura’s eyes shone with pure joy, “Finally. The Black Lion is free.”

Shiro walked up to the Black Lion. The acceptance wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t sudden. The lion just settled down gently and opened his mouth, letting Shiro in. Everyone gaped in surprise at the calm welcome. Shiro walked into the lion, ready to try forming a connection. The others waited, and Keith tried to comprehend what was happening. She didn’t know what Voltron was. She had been a prisoner; the galra didn’t tell her anything about Voltron. She backed away from the group, drawing Matt’s attention. He carefully withdrew himself from the group and joined her.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes as he whispered, “Are you alright?”

Keith sighed heavily, “No, I-I don’t understand. What is the significance of the lion? You all know this, but I have no clue. I just feel,” she paused, trying to read her feelings, “confused. I guess that’s it. Maybe . . . I guess I’m scared.”

Matt pulled her into a hug, surprising them both, but spoke when she hugged him back, “I completely understand. It is alright you’re scared. Heaven knows, all of us are. When I first found out about the galra, I was taken prisoner. I was terrified.”

Keith sniffled a little. She was surprised she felt comfortable with him enough to show her emotions, “I completely understand that. It was the same thing for me. One minute, the worst thing I was dealing with were humans. Now, there are also aliens.”

Matt tightened his grip a bit and released her. He took a step back and smiled, “Let’s go sit down, and I’ll have Allura explain Voltron.”

Keith nodded and allowed Matt to pull her toward the group and Allura. After a whispered conversation with Allura, they left with her. The others remained in the hanger, not realising they were gone until they returned. By the time they returned, Shiro had exited Black. He was giving an amused smile to Pidge, who was pestering him with questions.

Allura smiled and spoke, “Well, today has been eventful. I believe Keith needs to eat, and we all need to rest. Tomorrow, training beings. Team building will take a lot of work.”

Everyone drifted off to their own areas. Tomorrow was going to be interesting.

~~~

Keith woke in a cold sweat. Her nightmare burning her eyes as she fought back tears. She buried her head in her hands and took several deep, shuddering breaths.

“It’s just in your head,” she whispered, “it isn’t real. You’re safe. It’s not real.”

A knock sounded and Matt’s voice called through the door, “Hey, it’s Matt. You up?”

She stood on wobbling legs and calmed herself before she opened the door, “I’m up. Time for breakfast?”

He nodded and looked at her closely. She just raised an eyebrow, and effectively deterred him from asking any questions. They continued to the kitchen for breakfast, with Matt shooting concerned glances. It was really touching that Matt was concerned, but the fact he was trying to be subtle, and failing miserably, was slightly irritating. She sighed and turned to look at him, mere feet from the doors.

Her arms crossed, she asked dryly, “Do you have something you want to ask?”

Matt immediately looked toward the kitchen doors, as if hoping someone would come out and save him from her scrutiny. His voice was slightly higher than normal because of his nerves as he replied, “Who? Me? No, why would you think that?”

She sighed and silently hoped for more patience than she had at that moment. She always wakes up with little to no patience when she has a nightmare, “Let’s see. You have been glancing at me the entire way here, and your voice was higher when you replied.”

Matt opened his mouth, about to say something that could have ticked her off, when Hunk walked out, on his way to get them. He took one look at the situation and grabbed Matt, “Let’s head in and eat.”

They all sat down, the paladins lining one side of the table. Coran gave them all a smile as he cuffed their hands to each other. Each paladin made varying comments of protest, only to be ignored by Coran.

“What is this? We can’t eat with our hands cuffed to each other!” Lance exclaimed.

Allura smiled, “The excersise is to have you feed each other.”

Keith raised an eyebrow in silent challenge. The cuffs may not be like those on Earth, but she had spent enough time learning how to find weak ponts in cuffs long enough it wasn’t hard to find the weak point.

She gave a cool smile to the princess, “Lance, can you do me a favor?”

Lance gave her an uneasy look. His blue eyes darted toward her and then toward the princess, “What?”

Keith finally turned her head toward Lance, “Hold your arm completely still.”

He wrinkled his brow in confusion, but nodded, stiffining his arm.

Keith turned to Pidge on her right, “I’m going to need to use this arm, so can you remain loose and stay as close to me as possible?”

Pidge nodded, pressing against Keith’s side. In one smooth motion, Keith yanked the cuff and brought the metal spoon right onto the weak point, disabling the cuff. It sent a wave through the other cuffs and disabled them also. Allura openly gaped at her, and she stood.

Keith’s voice was filled with barely repressed anger as she spoke, “You may have our best intentions at heart, but I would recommend never cuffing me again. It will not end well for anyone involved. This is your only warning.”

With that, she walked off, leaving her food untouched and everyone shocked by her reaction. She stalked off to the training deck, and the others glanced at each other.

Allura looked at the others, “I assume I offended in some way.”

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, that isn’t exactly what happened.”

Matt looked at Shiro. He had no idea what was going on, but he was concerned. What would cause that kind of reaction?

Shiro sighed and stood, "Alright, training in the lions starts in a varga. Clean up and be ready."

~~~

Keith sat on her bunk, glaring down at her hands. It didn't matter that she knew she was safe. Her mind kept on returning to her time on Earth and as Haggar's prisoner. She took a deep breath in and held it. Calming her nerves. She knew she had to distract herself. If she didn't she would get stuck back there in her mind. She thought of the others. Lance seemed alright, despite being a huge flirt. Pidge seemed like a kindred spirit in the fact they preferred more quiet and alone locations. Allura seemed okay. Keith was still uneasy about her because of the cuff thing though. Coran was alright, if a bit too energetic for her to be around constantly. Then there was Shiro. She couldn't believe he was here. He was up in space, fighting a war that he had no part in before he wound up in space. She smiled. He was still the kind person he was before. If anything, he seemed to be the dad of this ragtag group of people. Then, her mind drifted to Matt. He was kind, and he made sure to spend time with his sister and still had time for the others. She thought he might be a good friend to have.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, “Hey, Keith? It’s Matt. Can I come in?”

She felt her breath catch in her throat in surprise as she was jerked out of her thoughts before she replied, “Uh, yeah. Come in.”

He walked in and sat on the edge of her bed, “Are you okay? You seemed a bit off as you left earlier.”

She nodded, “Yeah, I just didn’t appreciate being restrained.”

Matt nodded, “I get it. I still have problems with some stuff because of being Zarkon’s prisoner. Shiro does too.”

She nodded, “Thanks, Matt.”

Matt nodded, “Not a problem. Oh, Shiro said that you guys were training with your lions in a varga. I’ll leave you to get ready.” He stood and started to walk out before he looked back and said, “If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me. Despite being a goofball at times, I’m a pretty good listener.”

She nodded, “I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks.”

Matt gave her a nod and left, the door shutting behind him. She stood and looked at her armor. She had grabbed it before she came in here. As she looked at the helmet, she saw the reflection of her eyes. She glanced at the door, remembering what Matt had said about him and Shiro. She and Zarkon were going to have some words if they ever met face to face.

Chapter Text

They were all flying, and Keith was about to lose her temper, “Lance, please, shut your mouth.”

“Hey! Just because you have silent and lonely mastered, doesn’t mean we have to be silent.” He protested.

There was an audible groan from Shiro as he said, “Please, try to get along.”

“It’s not my fault Keith doesn’t see the bigger picture.” Lance protested.

“Lance!” Pidge scolded, understanding that, that was over the line despite being socially awkward.

Lance didn’t have the time to respond before Keith growled, “I see the bigger picture just fine. I was Haggar’s prisoner in case you forgot. I know the importance of taking down the empire. I asked you to shut up because you were giving me a headache, and I am trying to focus! I want to form Voltron, but we all need to be able to focus. I understand we all need to adapt to each other’s unique traits and actions, but I am not quite there yet. So, please, for the love of the universe, shut up!”

The coms grew silent at the end of her rant. No one knew what had just happened. Hunk opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Allura contacting from the Castle.

“Paladins, I hope you succeded in forming Voltron because we have a Galra fleet incoming.” Her voice was tense and concerned.

Just then, the fleet arrived. The team quickly took off working together attacking fighters and tearing apart ships. However, they were quickly being overrun.

“Okay, it’s now or never. Form Voltron!” Shiro shouted.

They quickly wiped out the fleet, leaving one small cruiser. They dismantled and shot toward it. Keith leading the way. Within moments a cannon appeared and fired, shooting straight at Keith.

“Keith!” The team screamed as she was hit.

Her screams echoed over the coms and druid magic mixed with the blast, worsening her injuries. Lance growled and slammed into the cannon, moving it just enough to get it off of Keith. Shiro swooped in and grabbed the Red lion, leaving the cruiser to the others. It was finished off quickly, and they rushed back to the castle. By the time the rest of the team reached the castle, Keith was in the infirmary, and Coran had examined her.

“It appears there is no burns or muscle damage. It is simply remarkable. She will need to rest, but she should recover without a pod,” Coran told Shiro.

They decided to leave her in the infirmary in case she worsened. The others were ushered out, leaving Matt and Shiro in the room.

Matt placed a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, “Go, take a shower and get some rest. I’ll keep an eye on her. You look terrible.”

Shiro nodded numbly and left, leaving Matt, who sunk into the chair next to the cot.

“You know,” He murmured, “you have been here more in the past quintant than I have in the time I’ve been here. You really scared us.”

He sat there, quietly taking in her relaxed face. Assuring himself that she was there and alive. He had heard her scream over the comms and feared the worst. The scream was going to haunt his nightmares for decaphoebes to come. 

Matt woke with a start when he heard the cot creak. Keith was up, and had just stood.

“Whoa! I don’t think that is such a good idea. You just woke up.” He exclaimed.

She looked at him, lingering fear haunting her eyes.

“Oh Keith,” Matt whispered. He opened his arms, “Come on, you need a hug.”

She quickly entered his embrace and hugged him. He held her as she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. She cried for several minutes and then backed up.

She wiped the remnants of her tears from her face, “Sorry, I don’t know what that was.”

Matt shrugged, “It’s fine. You just went through a traumatic experience. I’d be worried if you hadn’t reacted. If you don’t want me to tell anyone about this I won’t.”

She nodded her thanks and started toward the door, “I’m going to get food. I never did eat breakfast.”

Matt hurried up to her, “Hold up. Grab my arm for support.”

She glared at him, “I don’t need support.”

He sighed, “Well, do it for me then? It would set my mind at ease and, hopefully, ensure I don’t get killed by Shiro for letting you walk there by yourself.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed softly, grabbing his arm, “Fine. Just don’t expect me to continue holding it when we get through the doors.”

Matt nodded, and they set off toward the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Keith jerked awake, a cold sweat coating her skin. Her breathing was labored as her nightmare faded from her mind. It was a combination of the past and the present. She took a shuddering breath and went to look for Pidge and Matt. They normally were up late, so she figured it was alright. With a few short steps, she was out her bedroom door and down the hallway, only for her to run into a wall. She stumbled back and a hand grabbed her arm to steady her.

“Careful, are you alright?” A deep voice admonished.

Keith blinked, realising the wall she ran into was Kolivan, “Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I was going to see if Matt and Pidge are up.”

“They do stay up far later than they should,” the male paused, “Keith, you are seven years younger than Shiro, correct?”

“Yes,” Keith said, eying him warily, “Why does it matter?”

Kolivan didn’t reply, checking and rechecking the math in his head, “That would make you eighteen, correct?”

She huffed and replied, “Yes, why does it matter? I am an adult.” Kolivan scooped her up causing a protesting shriek to erupt from her, “What are you doing? Are you a lunatic ? You don’t just pick people up!”

Kolivan reached a set of doors and waited for it open, revealing Ulaz and two other men.

Keith started kicking, attempting to get out of his hold, “That is enough ! Put me down!” When Kolivan hesitated, she muttered, “Alright, no more Miss Nice Girl.” 

She dropped her weight and pushed her arms forward, throwing Kolivan off balance. She followed it with a swift kick to his knee, causing him to crash to one knee, planting her feet on the ground. She drew her knee up and shoved it against the arms in front of her, making them release her. It was done in a matter of seconds, and she was out the door. Kolivan recovered quickly and took off after her, the others chasing after him, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. She took a hard right at the nearest hallway and continued until she found a vent. Hooking her fingers in the grate of the vent, she pulled it off and hauled herself in crawling until she couldn’t be seen. She curled up against the wall and listened. She heard Kolivan speaking to the biggest of the group. The one that always wore a mask and had a tail.

“Antok, she is only eighteen. She is just a kit!”

Ulaz spoke up, “Kolivan, Shiro is twenty five. They are adults on their planet.”

Kolivan shook his head, “Keith is part Galra. She activated her blade.”

The last one spoke up, “She has a blade? How did she get a blade?”

“Thace, why are you focusing on that? She is just a kit!” Kolivan replied exasperatedly.

Ulaz sighed, “Yes, a kit that you just terrified. She had no idea what was going on, and after she got out of your grip, you chased her.”

There was a long groan, and Kolivan said in a defeated voice, “I messed up.”

He was met with three people saying, “Definitely.”

Thace sighed, “Let’s get the Paladins. They should be able to find her, and she seems to trust them.”

They walked off, their footsteps echoing down the hallway. She quickly continued crawling until she was at the hallway outside the hanger doors. Quickly, she exited the vent and headed for Red. Red immediately knew what happened and opened for her paladin. Keith needed time to think and to rest. She was going to stand guard and keep everyone out until her paladin was ready.

Chapter Text

Keith remained in Red for the rest of the night. She slept fitfully, jerking awake after only twenty minutes each time. The others chose to wait until morning in the hope Keith would join them for breakfast. That hope was dashed quickly, however, when she did not show up.

Lance slammed his fork on the table, glaring at the Blade members, “Okay, I am sick of waiting. What did you do to Keith that freaked her out so badly she has disappeared?” His voice was filled with irritation and warning.

“I would like to know that too,” Pidge added.

Kolivan scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, “Well… I may have run into her in the hallway and clarified her age, picked her up, and carried her to my pack.”

“Don’t forget that you chased her after she got away from you,” Thace added drily.

The others stared at him in shock. Why would he do that ? It made no sense to them. Keith was an adult on Earth, so that was no reason to react like that.

“I don’t understand,” Hunk said, “Keith is eighteen, so she is an adult. Why would you react like that?”

Ulaz leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table, and said, “Well, Galra age differently. We live longer than humans. To us, Keith is still the age of a child. If she had grown up in our culture, she would still have to be with an adult whenever she left the pack room.”

“What?” Shiro exclaimed in disbelief, “that’s crazy!”

“Well, it is the truth. I may have overreacted before, but it wasn’t my intention to scare her,” Kolivan said. 

The paladins all groaned and stood. They were going to find Keith because it was very likely that Keith would stay hiding until the next quintant. They all separated, quickly going from room to room. It was Shiro that thought to look in the red lion. It was the one place that she would have gone that only she had control over. The others didn’t even notice when he left and headed toward the hangars. Keith had woken up by this time and was realising that she probably overreacted. Despite the fact that she had still been dealing with a nightmare, she felt she had acted harshly. Kolivan had only been wanting to help. With this thought in mind, she left the comfort and safety of the Red Lion in search of the others. That was where she saw Shiro. They didn’t say anything. All she did was hug him, and he hugged her. They just stood there for a long time until Shiro backed up.

“We need to head back to the others. They are very worried about you.” His tone was soft but firm, “We all were worried about you.”

She looked down in shame. “Sorry,” was her mumbled response, “I overreacted last night.”

Shiro tugged her toward the door as he asked, “What happened? I already heard Kolivan’s point of view. What is yours?”

She sighed, “I woke up from a nightmare and went to look for Pidge or Matt. Kolivan was in the hallway, and I ran into him. He asked me my age. Then, he freaked out about it and picked me up. I reacted and ran.”

Shiro nodded at her explanation, and they continued in silence until they reached Matt. Matt did not stay silent as he rambled on about how worried he was before he pulled her into a hug. She sighed as she relaxed into the hug, drawing comfort from Matt. It went like that until they reached the lounge where the Galra’s were waiting. Kolivan was the first to stand.

“I must apologize for my behavior last night,” Kolivan said, “Even though you are merely a child to us, you are considered an adult to humans, and I must respect that.”

“I must apologize too,” she replied, “you just wanted to try to help.”

This eased much of the tension that had blanketed the room without them knowing. They all knew that boundaries had to be set, not just for Keith and the Galras, but for everyone. This made everyone sit and talk to each other. They were going to be a team. There can’t be a thousand miles apart. So, that was what they did for the rest of the day. They learned about each other and set their boundaries. There were still things that they didn’t know, but that was okay because now they were finally getting closer to being a family.

Chapter Text

The team did not talk much on the fact that Keith was, by all technicalities, a baby to the Galra. This just gave them more reasons to train. After all, Keith had instincts that would help them on missions. Suppressed instincts, yes, but they were still there. At the moment, they were working on her sense of smell combined with sound. She was blindfolded and set in a maze of walls. The team was all in their suits. She was to keep from getting it and still fight them off. It was a struggle. When she focused on her other senses, it became overwhelming. The thrum of the ship sent stabs of noise into her skull and nearly overpowered the slight noise from the others. The smell was worse. She could smell the undeniable smell of home cooked food that was Hunk. She could smell Lance’s ridiculous skin-care products and metal from Pidge. She felt so overwhelmed. It made no sense to do it like this. Gradual adaptation would be better. She heard the shuffle of feet behind her and lunged to the left a stun blast flying past her right ear. She turned and charged at the place where the blast had come from, ramming into what felt to be Shiro. They went sprawling, and she scrambled up her feet and took off running. In three steps, Shiro caught up to her and lifted her off of her feet. She drew her knee up then sent it back, her foot slamming into his knee. He stumbled and dropped her. She took off again, listening for the telltale sound of the door’s location. She turned right and left and right and left. She met several dead ends before reaching the door. Once she slammed her hand on the scanner, it opened, and she was out, removing the blindfold. She hadn’t expected to do so well on her first try, but she knew that there was more that she had to do. The maze melted down, revealing the other’s locations. Lance had been near the center with the others placed one the edges. They went up to her with congratulations and tips on how to do better before Kolivan walked up to her.

“You did well, kit. There is room for improvement, but I think that this is good for today,” he praised and walked off. 

Matt came running up to her, “You were awesome Keith!” 

He picked her up at the waist before spinning her around. She let out a laugh of surprise before he set her down with more compliments spilling from his lips. Their bubble of happiness was broken with Allura coming over the comms to announce a transmission from a Galran vessel. The team ran to the bridge to see what it was. They found a very stiff Allura waiting for them. 

“It was Lotor, Prince of the Galra Empire. He says he has information for us in return for asylum. I want all of your opinions,” She stated in a clearly false calm.

“Has he shown any reason to be untrustworthy other than being the prince?” Keith inquired.

“No,” Allura replied.

“So,” Pidge began, “Do we question him?”

“I don’t know,” Shiro murmured.

“What if we let him on?” Hunk said.

He was then clarified by Lance saying, “But we follow him.”

It appeared to be a good plan. They sent out a transmission where they asked him several questions. Once they felt confident that he wasn’t a threat at the moment, they granted him access. The surprisingly small ship landed in the hangar bay, and he was met with the paladins in full armor with Matt, Romelle, and the Blades. He had a resigned look on his face, as if his very soul had been crushed and reformed. They were surprised by it. 

“Paladins, I have come to offer you information on how to take down my father and his witch. All that I ask of you is to let me rebuild the empire into what it once was. Before my father’s tyranny,” He began, “The people are not responsible for the Generals and my father’s actions.”

Keith and the rest of the Blades looked at each other. Each was trying to imagine a universe where their people could be seen for good and light instead of this eternal darkness. They wanted that world. With that thought they looked toward Allura with eyes full of hope. She gave a smile. 

“We agree, Lotor. However, we do not fully trust you, so we are going to give you some guards.” She replied. 

He nodded and they left to go to the bridge. It was time for them to hear Lotor’s information. They all hoped to end this as fast as possible. His information was their last hope for a quick fight, instead of an all out war with more casualties. The truth was, Lotor was an ally in an unlikely place, but he was a good one.

Chapter Text

I am so sorry that I have not been posting! I lent my laptop to my brother so that my mother could have her laptop for work, and my phone is not the best for writing. I do have the next chapter in progress and other works are being worked on. Again, I am so sorry that it has been so long! It will be a few more weeks at the least before I will have the chance to post the new chapter. Please forgive me! Thank you so much for the support! Have a great day (or night for my fellow insomniacs) and stay safe!

Chapter Text

Keith couldn’t believe it. The intel was right. They had Zarkon and the witch’s location. They could end this. Her emotions were rolling within her, and she wished that Matt was with her. He had become a rock for her. She still didn’t know what to feel about Lotor turning on his father, but she wanted to talk to Matt about it. He always helped her find understanding. 

“Ah, red paladin,” a cool, accented voice called behind her. “I am glad I have caught you without your companion.”

Keith turned to look at Lotor before replying, “Is there a reason you wanted to catch me alone?”

Lotor approached, and Keith felt a kit’s whine rise in her throat. She shoved it down harshly. Lotor was an ally. There was no reason for her instincts to call him an enemy.

A cruel smile crossed Lotor’s lips, “I thought you may want to talk to someone like you? After all, we are both half-breeds.”

Keith scoffed and turned to walk away, “There is nothing alike about us, Lotor. Even if you were an outcast, you still had a place in the society you grew up in.” She paused before remembering her manners and continued, “I appreciate your attempt at helping me, but it didn’t help.”

She stormed off to get ready for the fight. It was going to be complicated. There were so many things that could go wrong. She didn’t need a creepy, pushy jerk bothering her. She was still fuming as the hangar came into view. The anger, however, melted away as she saw Matt waiting by Red. He had been there to wish her luck. She hugged him and took a deep breath. She felt safe in his arms. With a smile, she stepped back.

“Good luck,” she whispered. 

He smiled before hugging her quickly once more and murmuring into her hair, “I wish I could be out there with you. Just know that my hope is going with you. My faith in you is going with you. Just come back, okay? Just come back.”

She nodded into his chest before pulling back and entering Red. It was time to end the tyrant's rule. The lions exploded out of the hangers toward the Galra ship in the distance. The element of surprise being on their side was their only advantage. They were outgunned and outmanned. The only thing they could do was try. Keith took a fortifying breath and urged Red forward. She could do this. They could do this. 

Lance came over the com, "So, I know we may die and all--"

"Lance!" They all chastised.

"Okay! Okay! I just want to do the cheer. Just this once!"

He was met with a groan and eventual agreement.

"Yes! Okay! I say 'Vol' you say 'tron'. Vol."

"Tron." Everyone replied. 

Lance whooped in joy and patted Blue's console. Everyone grew silent as they drew closer to the ship. It was almost time. They were all surprised that there hadn't been any attacks yet.

At that moment Keith spoke up, “Guys I have a bad feeling.”

Shiro nodded, “Same. Proceed with caution.”

The others all gave noises of affirmation, and they continued forward until a swarm of Galra fighters flew out from behind the ship at them.

“They were waiting for us!” Hunk yelled as everyone flew their ships in opposite directions to get around the swarm. 

Keith growled in annoyance. She sent red flying down before jerking up under a ship and firing off a shot. The ship exploded, and she swerved around one flying straight at her. She spun around and shot at the ship, grazing the wing. The ship spun out of control and crashed into the one closest to it.

“Guys, shoot or the wings. They are more likely to take each other out that way,” she told the team. 

Spinning around she picked off three more ships before she felt one crash into the side of Red. She was sent flying off course with no means of stopping. Roll after roll, her stomach threatened to come out of her throat as the seatbelt jerked into it before she came to a sudden stop. Looking out the front window in confusion, she saw that she had been stuck in a beam of light that was drawing her toward the ship. She heard her team screaming at her through the coms as she put the thrusters to max, trying to get out of it. Red was roaring in her head, and she was growling out words that her father would have washed her mouth out for if he had been alive and there. With a scream, she changed direction, forcing herself forward instead of back, firing on the source of the beam as she did so. An explosion was heard and the Galra ships paused for a moment. Silence reigned as what was left of the command ship drifted apart. That was until Voltron heard a whoop over their comms from Keith.

“That was awesome!” She yelled. “Woohoo!” 

The battle after that was easy. The enemy had no leader, no backup and no chance. When they returned, Matt swept Keith up in his arms and held her tight, whispering “you did it” over and over. Keith realized that they did do it. They really did. They managed to defeat Zarkon and his witch. She could hardly believe it. She laughed with joy and hugged him back fiercely. She relished in the fact that the creature that had tortured her for years was dead. She—and the rest of the universe—was free from her clutches. No one else had to worry about becoming an experiment of Hagar’s. They were free. She was safe and loved. She almost thought this was a dream, but if it was, she did not want it to end. She wanted to stay here where she was safe, warm, and protected. That broke through the barrier of her emotions that she had erected all those years ago. For the first time since she shoved Shiro in that ditch, she cried. She broke down. She let go. 

Chapter Text

I am so sorry it has been so long since I posted anything to this! I am still working on it. I just keep on getting writer's block. I am almost done with the next chapter, so look forward to the next one! Again, sorry I haven't been updating!

Chapter Text

Keith smiled as she watched the rest of the coalition celebrate the freedom that they had gained. There was still a lot of work to do, cities and civilizations to rebuild and all that, but they deserved this moment of joy and freedom. The fight was not completely over with the fact that they would have to fight to get Lotor on the throne and fixing things. Zarkon had butchered the tradition that led to the new emperor. It used to be a battle of both mind and body. The leader had to be both an intelligent person and strong. There was no in-between. The fight was the first test, and then it was a battle of the mind. Now, all it was, was a blood bath to reach a platform. There was not much that could be done with it until someone new came into power, but it made a few people nervous. Keith approached Lotor, determination in her steps before she reached him and turned back to the crowd. 

“I know you are nervous about Kral Zera,” she said simply. “You are used to being the biggest and strongest in the room and the opposite is what is happening now.”

Lotor gritted his teeth, “What about it?”

She gave a slight smile and tilted her head, “Well, I know a bit about being smaller and weaker than everyone in a fight. I can give you some tips. Meet me in the training room tonight for me to give you some tips if you want them.”

She then walked away, leaving a baffled Lotor staring after her.

~~~~~

The ship was silent as Lotor approached the training room. He had no idea why he was taking her up on her offer. The way she said it had given him the impression that she was not casting judgment or pity. That was what ultimately convinced him to enter the doors. Keith was just sitting there with her eyes closed and her blade next to her. 

“I am surprised you came. I didn’t expect you to take me up on my offer,” she said before opening her eyes. “Let’s get started.”

She turned to him and gestured for him to join her in the center of the room. What followed was the most grueling and embarrassing vargas of his life. Keith consistently took him down over and over. When he tried to use his size to his advantage, she turned it on him by using her small size to get in close. When he tried to use his strength, she used that too, taking his momentum and force to throw him off balance. There were occasional times where he almost won, but she managed to get the upper hand. Armed with the skills that she taught him, he walked onto the site of Kral Zera with a confidence he did not feel. It was time to win this.

Chapter Text

They all stood watching as galra after galra fell on their way to the platform. Tall mountains of men crumpled and small saplings warriors fell. The cries and blood coated the landscape as each and every person fought to be the new ruler. Blaster fire pierced the air and flesh. Swords clashed and clanged. The cacophony was deafening to all that had the time to listen. Lotor was grateful for the lessons that Keith had given him. He surely would have struggled more if not perished by this point without her lessons. He was nearly to the platform. As silent as those that relied on his victory. He heard thunderous steps as someone noticed him and charged. He swung around as they passed, escaping their reaching arms, and kicked the back of their knee–sending them to the ground. They growled out profanities and stumbled to their feet, hurrying in the hopes of attacking again. They never got the chance as his blade appeared in their chest. They collapsed, never having fully regained their footing. He spun around and rushed up the stairs, ignoring yet another life he had taken. He would have time to deal with the blood on his hands from this battle later. For now, he had to get to the torch. He had to end this before more of his people’s lives were lost. 

He heard another angry voice and sensed their incoming murderous intent. He was only three feet away. He was almost there. It was almost over. His hand closed over the rough torch, and just before the figure made impact, he touched the flame to the pool. Light sprung into existence, halting all on the battlefield. He only had a moment to feel relief as the crushing weight slammed into his side. Pain overtook his senses like fire ants on an intruder. The air escaped his lungs and refused to return for a few brief seconds. Then, the weight was being hauled off of him and people were cheering. He was the new ruler. He was the one that would now lead his people–to peace or war they did not know. 

“My people,” He called, forcing himself to his feet despite the pain. “I have lit the fire of Kral zera! I am now your Emperor!”

Thunder roared as the voices of the fighters echoed in his ears. It was over. The universe was free. Now maybe they will have the chance to rebuild. Maybe they can now heal.

~~~~~

Kolivan stared at the burning flames, the expected elation that he expected nowhere to be found. Yes, he was happy that it was over. He was happy that all he had fought for was finally coming to fruition. However, there were so many that lay dead. There were so many that suffered with the torment of what had happened to them. There were so many broken. He glanced around the room at all those that fought and suffered and strived for this moment. Few actually showed the elation that anyone was expecting. Too many were gone for that, but perhaps, enough survived that they could eventually reach that point. Perhaps these world-weary, battle-hardened soldiers could finally find rest. 

As he looked at the Alteans that had lost everything 10,000 years before, he thought, perhaps now they could find a home.

~~~~~

Keith smiled at the sight before her. Matt and Pidge were hugging their parents–as was everyone else with their families. They were finally home. They were all finally free from fighting and suffering in a war. Perhaps, she thought, this is when the stories say that they lived happily ever after.

It would make sense, everyone was happy. Everyone was at the peak of their relief and joy. There were no more expected fights. There was just peace planned for the future. She smiled as Matt gestured for her to join him. Yeah, she could see it. There was still much work left to do. There was so much left to rebuild, but for now, she is going to enjoy the happiness that she had found. The peace that had been drawn into everyone’s lives. For now, she was going to rest.