No one in the Diamond Galaxy knew more about the meaning of duty and honor and took it more seriously than the members of the Voltron Force, and nothing could ever rival the thrill they experienced after scoring another victory over their enemies on Planet Doom. None of the pilots would ever surrender their right to fight for all that was good and just. Nothing could replace knowing that they were successfully protecting innocent lives.

In spite of all that, Keith, Allura, Lance, Hunk and Pidge found it depressing to contemplate that as soon they walked into the Castle, they would return to their official duties and life would become complicated once again. For that reason they put off reality as long as they could, and played as hard as they fought until, with a great deal of reluctance and more than a hint of melancholy, they finally yielded to the waning light of day, and decided to head for home.

As the sun made a belated but spectacular appearance above the line of the horizon, the Princess found herself hiking along between Lance and Keith, who kept her laughing merrily at their absurd verbal sparring. Pidge and Hunk trudged ahead of them, lugging the sleds and tray, absorbed in deep conversation.

The red-gold rays of the sunset now bathed everything in a deceptively warm looking glow, and the snow sparkled brightly as the faint beams of light stretched over the surface of the landscape with festive cheer. However, signs of nightfall were impossible to miss; the bordering tree lines were now receding into a huddled mass in the dusk, and Castle Hill itself seemed to abandon its brightly lit hospitality to become a dark, lifeless silhouette as they left it behind.

For a while, the light-hearted magic of the afternoon lingered among the tired but content group of sliders, and they conversed cheerfully. As the shadows of the imposing Castle spires loomed over them, however, the group became quiet, each of them privately mourning the end of such a perfect afternoon.

Keith stole covert looks from time to time at the Princess who blithely tromped along, oblivious to the fact that she had struck the match that ignited the desire now burning inside him. It was frustrating and exhilarating all at once to remember how good and right she had felt rubbing against his body, and how her pert little tongue had caressed his with abandon.

The Voltron Captain's eyes narrowed with anticipation as he admitted to himself that he was looking forward to the next time they were alone together; he couldn't wait to tap into the ardor he now knew was simmering beneath her tranquil exterior. It was a heady thing for him to realize that he alone had brought out the frank sensuality lurking beneath her regal poise, proper manners, and innocence. A feeling of intense pleasure expanded within him, mixed with the sharp pangs of regret that he had been so hesitant to do half the things he had wanted to do with her.

Lance felt a different type of remorse as he eyed the discoloration on Allura's cheek for the umpteenth time. She hadn't complained once, but he knew that bruise had to be throbbing painfully by now. It was all because of his cursed lack of common sense (and atrocious aim) that she had been injured, although she had graciously laughed it off as an accident and had even teased him about it.

As he gazed at the Princess, it occurred to him that he was lucky, that most women in that situation would have been hopping mad or worse. That wasn't the case for the compassionate Allura, though, who always was such a damn good sport, especially when it came to his antics. Unfortunately, thinking about that fact only served to make him feel like even more of a cad for pelting her. He sighed heavily, and then continued to chide himself as his eyes roamed the curves of her otherwise perfect profile.

As if she sensed his inspection, the golden head turned toward him and her dazzling eyes regarded him inquiringly from under the gray fur of her hood.

"I'm really so very sorry about the slush ball, Princess, I should have been more careful," he blurted out.. His obvious distress was revealed in his tone; in the way he ran a gloved hand over wavy, chestnut colored hair, and in how his blue eyes shimmered with profound regret.

To his amazement, she blushed, and then smiled kindly at him. "Please don't apologize any more, Lance, it was all in fun, and I wouldn't change anything that happened this afternoon for the world." As she spoke, Allura sent a darting, sideways look to the right, curious to see what Keith's reaction would be to her bold statement. She thought she saw a faint smile touch his lips, but he wasn't looking directly at her, so she couldn't be sure. She sighed and turned her full attention to her apologetic friend.

"No Princess, I hurt you, and that bothers me," Lance insisted earnestly. "How can I make it up to you? Just tell me what to do and I'll do it, I swear." He finished, while giving her the boldly affectionate look that he reserved for the people that were most important to him.

Allura returned the look and then chuckled. "Lance, if you're serious about this, do you realize just what you're getting yourself into by asking for penance? Wouldn't you want to know what favors I need before you offer your services... " Her voice trailed off and the Princess cringed inwardly as she sensed that a vivid red now stained her heated cheeks. She was getting so self-conscious lately, and she knew why; every word she uttered had seemed to take on double meaning since Keith had kissed her. Lance didn't know that, of course, but he was still bound to pick out the general innuendo behind her words. She risked a glance at him.

As she expected, her teammate had raised his eyebrows to his hairline, and was giving her a very mischievous look. "Yes, Princess? Please, don't stop now, that was a very interesting thought you were sharing! I'd like to hear all about servicing your needs," He teased, and laughed when her face went a delightfully rosy red.

Allura's wavering gaze shifted uneasily to her other companion, as Keith spoke up. "Yes, I'd like to hear too, Princess," he said silkily, quiet humor flashing in his dark eyes as he met her gaze. "What do you need?"

She stared at him, nonplussed. Although his overall expression was benign, his smile had a distinctly feral quality, which unnerved her completely.

"Well?" He prompted, raising one eyebrow at her befuddlement.

Yes, his smile had definitely taken on an edge.

"I'm a Princess, I live in a castle, I'm a pilot and a member of the Voltron Force..." she began, in a flustered tone, and then stopped, averting her gaze. "What more could I wish for, or need?"

"What indeed...?" Keith drawled softly, his eyes caressing her face. "Maybe the questions shouldn't be what you need, but what you want?"

Lance leaned forward to give his friend a baffled look. ~Jeez, is Keith trying to get her all hot and bothered or what? God, look at him smile, he looks like he's ready to pounce! Poor Princess!~

He turned a sympathetic gaze to his Royal friend who had the look of a confused doe caught in the headlights. His intuition told him he shouldn't interfere in whatever was transpiring, but only he knew, as a former roommate, about Keith's strange moods and the challenge of dealing with them; the Princess might need backup. He observed her closely, looking for any telltale signs of trouble.

Allura could feel the two of them staring at her, and her cheeks burned. She tried, and partially succeeded, to shake off the effects of their combined scrutiny on her thought processes. "It's really not necessary- the penance, I mean. A sincere apology was more than enough for me to begin with."

"So you can't even think of something you'd like to... have? " Keith asked wickedly, his eyes dancing with laughter as he took note of her prim, rigid posture and blatant avoidance of his gaze.

She shook her head, still not looking at him. She reached up and pulled her hood forward to hide her face. The defensive gesture only provoked him into going a little further. He knew he was being a tease right now, but some primal urge was egging him on, for the express reason that if he couldn't have her in his arms, at least he could stoke the fire a little.

He leaned in toward her as they walked. "I can think of something you might want, " he murmured, just loud enough for her ears only.

"What's that?" She asked smartly, but just as quietly.

"Ask me that again when we're alone, and I'll show you." He replied, his voice low and intimate.

She stumbled, as a surge of what she could only term as lust, rocketed through every fiber of her body.

"Careful, Princess," he said, and quickly steadied her with a courteous hand around her upper arm.

The knowledge that Keith was touching her zoomed from her arm to her brain, then back down to her gut, triggering little explosions of physical awareness; a sensation at once both pleasurable and terrifying. A small gasp escaped her as his shoulder brushed hers; a wild urge to grab him, throw him down into the snow so she could sit on him and kiss him, hard and long, welled up inside her. Her lips tingled at the thought, but she pushed it away.

Keith had heard the swift intake of air, and knew immediately what had caused it and what she was thinking of right now.. He averted his gaze briefly to hide the primitive male satisfaction glinting in his eyes, all the while thinking about their next kiss, and what it was sure to be like now that he knew he could rile her like this.

"Are you feeling all right, Allura?" He couldn't resist asking.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks." She replied shortly. His hand was still curled around her arm and his gloved knuckles brushed against the side of her chest, tormenting her with possibilities. "You can let go now."

"Well, if you're sure..." he responded, reluctantly releasing his hold.

The Lieutenant had watched the entire exchange with burgeoning interest. There were some vibes flowing between the Chief and Allura, and if he didn't know better, he'd swear they were sexual.

~Maybe I should let Keith be the one to make amends, he looks like he has a few interesting ideas bouncing around under that mop of his.~ He thought in reluctant admiration.

The Princess had other thoughts on the subject, as her pace quickened. Both Keith and Lance had to break stride a little to catch up. but she didn't notice.

~Why is he doing this to me? I'm sure there are tons of women who would love, and could handle being teased like this, but I'm not one of them!~ She thought in irritation.

The conversation had come to a screeching halt, and because the tension had just about reached the oppressive stage, Lance decided enough was enough.

"Princess, you wound me," he announced soberly, placing a hand over his heart, though his eyes danced with mischief. "Have I offended you so greatly that you won't even grant me a chance to redeem myself? You still haven't answered my question, you know. Aren't you going to tell me what I can do for you?"

Allura shook her head wordlessly, and Lance immediately sensed he needed an ally if he wanted to get his wish. He did want to do something for her, and he needed to convince her that he meant what he said, despite all of his teasing.

Making swift eye contact with Keith behind her back, he jerked his head repeatedly toward the unsuspecting Princess while giving his friend an intensely beseeching look. The Captain only smiled wryly in response and shook his head. Lance clasped his hands together in supplication and rapidly mouthed 'please' several times, but Keith hardened his heart and mouthed a decisive 'no way' right back.

He should have known Lance was not so easily put off. After enduring several minutes of covert pleading and increasingly desperate pantomiming from the Lieutenant, the Black Lion pilot's resistance crumbled, and he added his support to the cause, albeit rather grudgingly. ~Sheesh, he's worse than my six year old nephews,~ Keith thought dryly, as he watched Lance's face light up like a Christmas tree at his affirmative nod.

He addressed the Princess in a sober tone. "He's right, you know, I think you should give Lance an opportunity to make things better. It's a matter of honor."

She turned her head and he saw the mild surprise flickering in her eyes. " Really? Are you serious?"

"Yes I am," the Captain replied firmly, all the while privately wondering why he was buying into Lance's romantic schlock. ~I guess it's okay with me, just as long as you don't ask him to kiss it better, Princess.~

"You too?" She asked, turning to look at the Lieutenant.

"Dead serious, Princess," Lance added solemnly. And he was, she could see it in his eyes.

"Well... all right, then, I do have one request." Allura gave in. She quit walking and looked Lance square in the face as he came to a halt in front of her. "How does this sound, Lieutenant? Find me some Terran mistletoe before tomorrow night and you will be absolved of all wrongdoing." A small, calculating smile touched her lips as she uttered her request.

Keith, feeling rather smug at having successfully secured a favor for his friend, missed a step and came to a stumbling halt as his startled brain processed her demand. His complacency fled as his thoughts zoomed back to Lance's comments about teaching Allura about mistletoe, and then to the library, the computer, and his own impetuous, special order...if Lance used the same source, which he was absolutely sure his well informed friend would, he knew with certainty that he was as good as busted in regards to his feelings for Her Highness, and that the subsequent hounding for details would be relentless. His mind raced, trying to find a way to avert a catastrophe; it was too late to cancel anything, because Garrison Quartermaster Howard would have already picked up his email by now. His only chance was to email again and tell Howard to send his order to Lance instead, under the guise of helping his friend out.

The Captain cursed silently to himself, as he envisioned the merciless teasing and stupid pranks he'd have to endure if Lance ever discovered his leader's intended surprise for the Princess. It would be like their days as Academy roommates all over again; no privacy, and no holds barred. Many of his potential girlfriends had been scared off by the outspokenness and sly pranks of his best friend, but it wasn't going to happen this time, uh-uh, no way. Somehow, he just had to keep Lance from finding out, or even suspecting how he felt, and giving up the mistletoe he had ordered seemed the only way of doing that.

Right now, Lance was more interested in his own quest. "Well, well, I have to say I think this is one order that will be easy to fill! Don't you think so, Chief?" Behind Allura's head, he mouthed the words 'I'll email Howard' to his leader.

Keith just smiled, and shrugged non-committally. "Maybe. We'd better get going so you can see to it then, don't you think?"

"Yeah, time's a-wastin'!"

They jogged to catch up to Hunk and Pidge, who were now fondly reminiscing about Pidge's daring exploits on 'The Blender.'

After catching his breath, Lance filled the two in on his quest and they chuckled.

"Good luck, you're going to need it," Pidge laughed.

"It's impossible, where are you going to get it around here?" Hunk scoffed.

"I have my ways," Lance retorted, then asked, in an offhand tone that fooled absolutely no one, "So, Princess, what do you intend to do with the mistletoe once you have it?"

"Well, use it, of course." She gave the Black Lion pilot a teasing sidelong glance, which he pointedly ignored, keeping his gaze on the path ahead.

"Do you have anyone in particular in mind?" The Lieutenant said slyly, with a wink at Keith. The Black Lion pilot rolled his eyes and snorted as if he couldn't care less who she used it on.

The Princess, now more than slightly perturbed, smiled brightly at Lance and saucily said, "That's for me to know, Lieutenant, and possibly, for you to find out if you can locate some!"

Out of the corner of her right eye, Allura saw Keith's head abruptly turn- towards her. Although she couldn't bring herself to make eye contact, the feel of his glare seared through her and his exasperated 'huh!' was music to her ears. She smiled to herself. That would teach him not to trifle with her!

"What better motivation could a man have?" Lance responded gallantly, with a grin.

Keith gave another sarcastic snort, but still said nothing. He felt an increasing surge of irritation at their byplay and tried to dismiss it; after all, Lance and Allura had always flirted like this, it was nothing new, and certainly nothing to get worked up over. He just needed to ignore it like he always had, there was no reason to think...suddenly, the unwelcome image of Allura standing under a sprig of mistletoe being thoroughly kissed by his best friend broke into his train of thought. The Captain's jaw clenched, and his expression hardened, as the infamous green-eyed monster gleefully rushed in to stake out fresh territory.

He suffered the invasion in silence, gamely containing his jealousy as his teammates continued to banter about possible uses for mistletoe. However, when he heard Allura laughing shyly and telling Lance not to count his chickens before they were hatched, the Captain could take no more and cut in.

"Don't worry about it, Princess, you'll get your mistletoe. Lance and I know someone in the Garrison who can help." He informed her politely. His manner was controlled in every way, but a strong undercurrent hummed under the facade of civility.

"Thank you," Allura replied uncertainly, not liking the blankness she saw in his usually captivating eyes.

His second-in-command shot Keith a sharp-eyed look, immediately detecting the intense irritation underlying his leader's words, but the Captain's bland expression gave no clues to what was bothering him, so Lance decided not to press the issue. Something was definitely amiss, though, and he intended to get to the bottom of it-later.

Using a carefully neutral tone, he said, "Right! We'll get on it as soon as we get back to the Castle."

Allura sighed, her expression darkening. "I don't want to go back," she declared passionately. "I wish we could've stayed on Castle Hill forever! Today has been...just fantastic!"

Lance and Keith quietly agreed with her. Both felt the tension subside at her complaint. It had been a terrific outing, and neither of them wanted to spoil that.

Hearing her lament, Hunk turned around and walked backwards as he eagerly related the idea that had just popped into his mind. "Hey you guys, and Princess, I was thinking, if everything still checks out security wise and we're not needed yet, how about if we go for some hot chocolate before getting back to the grind? It would be right in keeping with the traditions of Barracks Number Five!"

Smiles broke out all around.

"That's a wonderful suggestion!" The Princess exclaimed. A chorus of agreement came from the others and Hunk looked gratified at their enthusiastic response.

"Just off the top of my head, no big deal." the big man smilingly shrugged.

"Maybe so, but we appreciate it just the same, thank you." Allura told him, approvingly.

Hunk felt a dull flush creep up his neck, a direct result of the Princess' warm smile and sparkling eyes. "You're welcome," he said, simply.

"The sledding was his idea too, Princess! You know, big guy, if you keep these morale boosters coming, I could foresee lots of mistletoe being used in your future." Pidge teased.

A brief silence ensued, before Hunk said with a smirk, "Why, Splat Boy, I didn't know you cared!"

Laughter rang out, loud and long into the crisp, cold air.

To be continued....:)