As the strains of a Spanish guitar playing a soulful rendition of a Christmas hymn filled the silent room, four pairs of eyes fixed on the angelic vision before them, whose sparkling, azure gaze traveled eagerly from face to face, taking in their astonished expressions.

Golden hair fell like a halo of light around a lovely face that wore an expression of utter delight. An enchanting smile parted her sweetly curved lips, and a flush of pleasure covered her cheeks, (one of which bore no sign of a bruise, an amazed Lance noted with gratitude). The delicate pink glow that dusted her face extended down past her graceful throat to the expanse of smooth skin above the velvet bodice of her dress, the skirt of which formed a soft pool of deepest green around her kneeling form.

Their Princess looked so lovely in that moment, the thunderstruck Space Explorers' thoughts were immediately transported back to the day they had first laid eyes on the valiant young beauty that had been all but buried alive in the stony ruins of a deserted, war-ravaged castle. Although impossibly fragile looking at first sight, as the days rolled by Allura had proven herself more than equal to the task of defending and rebuilding her world, earning her new teammates' deepest respect and devotion.

Yes, Planet Arus, her people and her ruler had come back from the brink of total extinction in a remarkably short time, but not with out a great deal of personal suffering and sacrifice. Each of the lion pilots thought of Sven, and the bleak hours spent grieving when they all thought he had been killed. Thankfully it turned out he was alive, well, and helping to defend Planet Pollux with Princess Romelle, but thinking of what Sven, Allura and they had endured together in a few short months made the peaceful and joyous looking tableau before them seem even more miraculous.

Coran still had not moved from his position near the door, preferring to stay in the background so he could take in and enjoy the effect of the surprise. It was the proper diplomat's way, he quickly told himself. Stay behind the scenes, and privately reflect on a job well done.

But as he gazed at the grateful, delighted expressions of the young men standing before him, tears sprang to his eyes and a lump formed in his throat at the utter joy he saw in their faces- faces that, at least for a little while, no longer showed the strain and stress of constant battle.

~Come on, be honest with yourself for once El-Estad, you know it's more than business as usual! You think of these four as part of your family, and have done so for a long time. So does Nanny, whether she will admit it or not. No one could ask for finer sons than these boys.~

His quiet voice, filled with affection, interrupted the introspective silence. "Gentlemen- a very Merry Christmas to you all!"

"Merry Christmas!" They echoed automatically.

"I would like to hear your verdict on our decorations? I hope that we got it right?"

"It's exactly right," Pidge exclaimed, immediately. He was grinning from ear to ear. "The tree is amazing!"

"It's all beautiful, and all I can say is, someone pinch me, I think I'm dreamin'," Hunk added, and then yelped as his little buddy quickly obliged him. "OW! Jeez, it was just an expression, Pidge!"

Everyone laughed as Hunk rubbed his arm and gave the Green Lion pilot a mock glare.

"Oh yeah," Lance breathed, nodding emphatically, his awestruck gaze fastened on the magnificent tree. "It really looks like home. This is just- just- incred..." His voice caught on the last word and a suspicious shine appeared in his eyes. He turned away abruptly, swallowing hard. "Anyway, this was a fantastic idea! Who thought of it?"

Coran found he had to clear his throat before he could speak. "The Princess realized how difficult this time of year has been for you, and it was she who thought of this celebration," He informed them, his voice rather unsteady. "She came to me to ask that I aid her in obtaining all that you see here. The credit should go entirely to her."

Allura felt her face heat up under admiring masculine stares and the fervent 'thank you's' from her friends, as their attention focused on her once more.

Her gaze connected with Keith's; the Captain of Voltron was smiling broadly, and shaking his head in wide-eyed wonder.

"I should've known you'd realize how much this holiday means to us. It's just so like you." He said quietly, his eyes full of warmth as they met hers. "Thank you so much, Princess."

Although she still smiled, Allura's eyes suddenly welled with tears. "Please- it was the least we could do, and you four certainly deserve so much more. Even though you boys never complain to me, I do know that it is very hard for you all to be away from the people and traditions you love. Your own and your families' unselfish, personal sacrifices have given us a gift we can never repay." She declared softly. "I also must say I simply couldn't have done it at all without Coran and Nanny's help. I just researched and ran interference with you four so you wouldn't find out what was up while they took care of all the preparations, and in a unbelievably short amount of time, too! " She cast a grateful look at her Guardian.

Hearing this, The four pilots turned to Coran. A chorus of fervent 'thank you sirs', were acknowledged with a gracious nod and warm smile.

"But where is Nanny?" Pidge asked suddenly. "We'd like to thank her too."

"She'll be along shortly, she had some matters to attend to for the Christmas feast." Coran explained smoothly.

"You mean, there's more food comin' besides this?" Hunk asked incredulously, as he looked from the smiling Royal Advisor to the tables of treats and back again.

Allura laughed. "Of course, we found out each of your favorite traditional meals, and the kitchen staff is putting the finishing touches on. smoked salmon, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, ham, roast turkey and sweet potatoes, scones, Cornish game hen and wild rice-"

"This is too much!" Hunk interrupted, as the Princess paused for breath. "You people are just the best!" A single tear trickled down his cheek, and others were threatening to follow.

His teammates murmured their agreement.

"You boys are the ones that are the best!" Allura responded warmly. "Now, why don't you guys grab some goodies and a beverage and join me by the tree?"

She and Coran laughed as their guests of honor bumped, jostled, and practically climbed over one another in following her suggestion. Coran walked over to Allura, assisting the Princess to her feet. The four pilots paused politely to let their hosts explain where everything was, and then they all dug in, chatting excitedly.

"Look, a chocolate yule log with a robin on top!"

"Omigosh, how'd they know how to make fattiman?"

"More gingerbread, yeah!"

"I can't believe it, they even have the special Alaskan maple doughnuts my Nana used to make!" Keith observed excitedly, as he and Lance loaded up the holly embossed china provided for their use. "I bet Allura found the recipe. I caught her doing galaxynet research on our holiday customs in the library yesterday but I never dreamed it was for this! How can we ever properly express our gratitude?"

Lance shifted his gaze to the package that he had temporarily set on a nearby chair. "Bet I know how you can thank her." He grinned slyly. "I'm pretty sure that package is the mistletoe I ordered. Why don't you go and open it up, and use it the way man intended it to be used? It'll be my present to you-and to her too." He chuckled knowingly, as he glanced at the smiling Princess, who was helping Pidge and Hunk by holding their soft drinks as they settled themselves.

The Captain gazed at her as well, his heart in his eyes, before taking a quick look at his grinning best friend.

"Thanks Lance, but it's for your quest; you were the one who promised the Princess that you would find it. I wouldn't dream of taking the honor of presenting it to her from you." Keith replied, with a wink and smile. He then spun around and walked over to the beverage table before the Red Lion pilot could argue.

"You won't escape destiny that easily, O Fearless One," Lance murmured under his breath, following in his friend's wake.

There was no further discussion, however, as the two friends each grabbed a cup of wassail and joined Hunk and Pidge, who had disdained the couch in favor of sitting on the floor by the tree.

It took Coran and Allura a bit longer to load up their plates, but soon they joined the others.

The Terrans ate and drank with gusto, while reminiscing about Academy Christmases past. Allura and Coran hung on their every recollection, and offered humorous anecdotes of their own Arusian celebrations. For several minutes, the room resounded with laughter and cheer.

It was when Hunk was going back for thirds and Lance was moaning about probably having to have his jacket resized that they heard the tromping of boots and the jingling of bells out in the corridor.

"What the heck was that?" Lance asked inelegantly, sitting bolt upright. He turned to stare at the Princess who shrugged nonchalantly.

Before anyone could respond, a deep, accent-less voice echoed down the hallway. "HO! HO! HO! MERRRRYYYY CHRISTMAS!" It boomed.

Seconds later the owner of the voice- a short, white bearded, portly figure- appeared in the doorway carrying a large brown sack and looking extremely jolly. His blue eyes were twinkling, and his nose and his cheeks were a bright cherry red. The crimson velvet robe and his hat were opulently decorated with fur, and the broad black belt that cinched the stout waist held a cluster of sleigh bells that jingled gaily with the visitor's movements.

"HO! HO! HO! SEASON'S GREETINGS TO YOU ALL!"

"I don't believe it- it's SANTA!" Pidge yelled, already up on his feet and running to the door. "Get him some cookies and milk!"

"No need for that," Santa chuckled in a deep voice. "I'll get plenty of those later, but thank you for the thought."

Lance just gawked, for once completely unable to come up with a smart remark.

Hunk, who had whirled around at the sound of the sleigh bells, almost dropped his plate at the sight of their visitor. "Well I'll be, if it isn't Saint Nick!" He grinned, setting his half filled plate down, all thoughts of eating forgotten.

"Santa? You got Santa to come here?" Keith echoed, first staring at the unmistakable likeness of Saint Nicholas and then peeking at the grinning Princess.

"Yes, I thought it would amuse you all, especially Pidge who doesn't get the luxury of acting his age very much; I especially wanted to make him happy!" She replied, gleefully.

And Pidge was happy. His excitement was clearly apparent in his shining, doe-like eyes and permeated his voice as he welcomed Santa to the celebration.

Allura watched with tender amusement as 'Santa' gently ruffled the Green Lion pilot's hair and then swaggered into the room with an undeniably manly air. ~She's doing a great job, and if I didn't know it was Nanny under all that hair and bluster, I wouldn't ever guess it was a woman!~

Santa's identity apparently was uppermost in Lance's mind as well. He leaned over to the Princess. "So who is it under the suit, Princess? I bet it's Haraldsen from Maintenance, he's short, and walks with that squatty little strut just like Santa there."

"No, it's not Haraldsen," she responded airily, taking a dainty nibble of gingerbread.

"Then it's gotta be McCready from Supplies! Am I right?" He pressed her.

"I'm not telling you who it is," the Princess shot back primly. "You'll just have to wonder." She glanced at Coran, who hid a grin at the usually astute Red Lion pilot's obvious chagrin at not being able to discern who Santa was.

He tried again. "Is it Alby Fenster from Ops? Or Bosley from the night watch?"

"I told you, I'm not telling!"

Lance appealed to his grinning leader. "C'mon Keith, help me out here, Princess isn't cooper-"

His plea was interrupted by a loud, almost obnoxiously booming laugh.

"Well of course Santa smells like peppermint, young Pidge, after all, my favorite treats are candy canes!" Santa quickly reached in pulled said treats out of one deep pocket, and then tossed them out, one by one.

As Allura caught hers, she used the cover of the gesture to give Nanny a broad wink, the signal for her to start handing out gifts. To the Princess' chagrin, however, the disguised governess vehemently waved off the signal, giving her charge a broad wink in return.

Coran and Allura exchanged bemused glances. ~Now what is going on? She's just supposed to be here for a few minutes- she only wanted to be here for a few minutes!~ Allura thought. An unwelcome recollection then struck the Princess. ~Oh no! I forgot the schnapps back in her suite, I hope she didn't have any more! To be relaxed is one thing, but to-~

"Is something wrong Allura?" Keith asked softly from her right, breaking into her anxious thoughts. "You look worried."

Immediately the Princess schooled her expression into one of unconcern. "Everything's fine, I just remembered I forgot to order egg nog."

"With all the food you have here, it won't be missed, so don't worry," he replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, that's good," she replied weakly, her eyes still following Santa's expansive gestures and incessant tummy patting, as 'he' chatted a few moments longer with the enthralled Pidge.

"I'll hand out your gifts from the Princess in a minute, but first Santa has some unfinished business to attend to!" The jolly old elf finally declared, while making a beeline for a an overstuffed chair. The Green Lion pilot trailed along behind, hefting the brown sack on his back.

Amidst numerous jocular 'ho-ho-ho's' and 'hee-hee-hee's', Saint Nick seated himself in the chair with a resounding plop. Pidge set the bag down within easy reach.

"Now then, Pidge, come here, don't be shy- sit on my knee and tell me what you've been up to this year. Have you been good?"

Allura gaped at the unexpected invitation, then took a huge bite of gingerbread to stifle the nervous giggles that were threatening to erupt from deep inside her.

The youth didn't wait for a second invitation; he swiftly clambered onto Santa's lap. "I've been super good this year," he began, earnestly.

"That depends on your definition of 'super' and 'good'," Lance chortled as Pidge glared at him from atop Santa's knees. "The little guy's definitions are much more vague than ours. Just ask him to explain the 'tadpole incident'!"

Santa turned to give him an eerily familiar glare, though Lance still couldn't place it. "Be patient and wait your turn, young man. Santa only has one lap and it's occupied, as is Santa's attention!"

'He' paused to let the titters and snickers subside.

"I'm sure someone has told you before that it's very naughty to interrupt your elders, Lieutenant, and I do carry switches and coal for emergencies- don't make me use them," the Not-So-Jolly-Elf finished, sternly.

There was a brief, pregnant pause.

"Well?" The faux Saint Nick prompted.

"Sorry, Santa, I'll behave," Lance finally replied, in a thoroughly cowed tone.

Shouts of laughter filled the room for quite a while; even the stoic Coran had a tough time composing himself. Nanny was certainly outdoing herself in going the extra mile for the boys; at times like this, he was extra glad she had such a strong spirit.

Santa Nanny was now reaching into her sack to present Pidge with a brightly wrapped gift. "This is for you, Pidge, but don't open it until the others have theirs. By the way, Santa already knew you've been very good! The Princess told me so in her report."

"She did? That's so great- thanks Santa!" Pidge smiled happily at Allura, who winked. He then hopped off the well-cushioned lap, and returned to his place near the tree, shaking and tapping the box in an effort to guess what was in his package.

"All right, Red Lion, now it's your turn!" Saint Nicholas announced.

With a sheepish smile playing about his lips, Lance got to his feet and walked over to the Merry Old Elf.

"I'm a bad boy," he said meekly, looking down at the Elf's big black boots. He noted with interest that the toes appeared to be stuffed with cotton, judging from the numerous indentations and bumps. Hm, that meant whoever Santa was had abnormally small feet, for the boots were of an average man's size. So intrigued was he at this discovery, he failed to anticipate what was to happen next.

"Well, now, just sit down right here and tell old Santa Claus all about it!"

With those words, a wickedly grinning Nanny tugged hard at Lance's arm, putting him off balance, and making him fall onto her lap.

Coran almost choked at the sight, as did Allura. The rest of the room's occupants howled with laughter.

Lance struggled to sit upright, finally succeeding, but the surprisingly strong arm across his waist prevented him from standing up.

"Comfy?" Santa asked cheerfully, playfully bouncing his knees a little, earning more laughs.

"Uh, sure."

"Good! Now, let me see. When you said you were a bad boy, Lieutenant, were you referring to all the teasing you inflict on your friends, your constant challenges to authority or about how you like to flirt with the maids? " Santa asked in a droll tone, eliciting even more hilarity from the onlookers.

Lance shook his head, smiling in spite of himself. "Now, Santa, that's not quite fair-"

"I know!" His jolly Inquisitor interrupted. "You were thinking of all the grief and smart talk you have given that nice, respectable old governess of the Princess!"

"I haven't given her that bad of a time!" Lance protested plaintively. "Have I?" He appealed to his friends, who collectively gave him a unconvinced look as they continued to laugh. "Don't answer that," he said ruefully. "I guess I do give her a hard time sometimes. If I promise to do better for her, will I get back in your good graces?"

Allura was laughing so hard, she had to lean against Keith. Not that he minded. He unobtrusively slipped an arm behind her, on pretext of supporting her. Hunk noticed the gesture and smiled at the lovely picture they made. ~Good thing Nanny isn't here, or the Skipper would never be able to do that!~

"Well of course you are in back in my good graces- because even if you are a scalawag, you are also a caring, courageous young man!" Santa responded heartily to the Red Lion pilot's question. "And to show that I knew all along what a good person lies under all that sass, here's a gift for you."

Lance accepted the small box with a surprise and a sincerely grateful 'thanks'. As he looked down into the twinkling blue eyes, and rosy cheeks, he couldn't help but think that he knew, and very well, the person chuckling behind the beard. How else would they know about his little foibles?

~Short, kind of round, small feet, deep voice...blue eyes...~ He mused silently. ~Who the heck is this?~

"As much as I liked chatting with you, Lieutenant, Santa's legs are getting numb so I will send you off now," the voice was saying.

"Oh right, sorry!" Lance immediately vacated his perch. "Thank you, Mr. Claus!"

"You are welcome. Who's next?" Santa Nanny called out.

"Me!" Hunk exclaimed, striding over to the chair and looming over the diminutive figure ensconced within it, which sized him up with widening eyes.

"I fear my lap size is unequal to the task in this case, young man. I know that you are a very good boy anyway, and so I think I had better just hand you your gift."

"That's quite all right. Thanks Santa," Hunk chuckled as he received his rather sizeable package. "Merry Christmas!" He returned to the tree with a broad grin and a wink for Allura as he sat down opposite her and Keith.

"Last but not least, we have the Captain, who looks like he could be my helper in that red flight suit!"

Keith stood up, amidst soft giggles. "Anytime you need help just let me know, Santa! I'll be sure to put Voltron at your disposal! " He announced with a half-smile, as he walked up to Saint Nick.

"That's so kind of you!" Santa chuckled, then hesitated. "I received no report on your behavior, Captain, but I am sure it has been exemplary! Would you concur, Princess?"

Keith felt his face heat up, as he heard Allura answer laughingly,

"Oh, yes. Keith is exceptionally good."

Although he avoided everyone's eyes, the Captain could still feel Lance, Pidge and Hunk's amused gazes boring into his back. He didn't even dare take a glance at Coran.

"Here is your gift, Captain, with my personal thanks for taking such good care of the Princess." Santa said jovially.

"Thank you sir." Keith replied, his blush deepening. The box that was handed to him was surprisingly heavy. He accepted it with a small bow and returned to his seat, briefly shooting a wry look at the Princess who grinned cheekily in response.

"Now- go ahead and open your gifts!" Santa ordered, with aplomb.

The sounds of rustling and ripping paper filled the air.

"Oh wow, a fur-lined bomber jacket and silk scarf!" Pidge exclaimed. "It even matches my 'Splatboy' goggles!"

"There is something that goes with that," Allura told him. She rose and glided over to pull a large circular tray out from under a nearby sofa. She held it up so that the Green Lion pilot could see its front. A brass plate had been affixed to its center.

"Since this tray helped him conquer Castle Hill, it should belong to Splatboy. I took the liberty of having an inscription plate put on it to commemorate the event." The Princess said warmly, handing over the gift to an awestruck Pidge.

The boy read the engraving aloud. "To Splatboy , King of the Hills, for his daring and courageous sledding exploits. You are a kindred spirit, Pidge; thank you for an afternoon I will forever remember with joy. All my love- Allura."

"I hope you like it, Pidge," the Princess said softly. "You may hang it up anywhere in the castle, if you wish."

"I don't just like it, I love it!" Pidge responded, removing his glasses and drawing an arm across his eyes to soak up the moisture that had spilled forth. "Thanks Allura, I can't believe you did that just for me!"

Allura blew him a kiss and he blushed, looking even more jubilant.

"Why wouldn't she? You're a heck of a guy, Splatboy! " Hunk verbally and literally patted his best friend's back. "We'll find a proper hanger for it and put 'er up."

"Yes, we can start a new sledding tradition of honor right here, just like we had at the academy!" Lance agreed enthusiastically.

"It'll be awesome," Keith added, smiling. "Especially if you put it in the Pilot's lounge for all of us to appreciate."

"I think I'd like it hanging in here. " Pidge said shyly. "Now Hunk, it's your turn. What did you get?"

The big man wasted no time in ripping the paper off his gift and opening the box. When he saw what was inside, his mouth dropped open. "Snowshoes! And top notch ones too! Princess, how did you know? I went snow shoeing all the time at the Academy- it was one of my favorite activities!"

"Actually, I didn't know that," Allura admitted to him. "I just noticed yesterday how hard it was for anyone, especially a big man like yourself, to wade through the deep snow. I thought these would help. My father had the same problem, and these were made by hand, especially for him. All that needs to be done is have you fitted for bindings, to replace the old ones."

Hunk was beaming from ear to ear as he examined the shoes' superior craftsmanship. "This is so great! I literally will be walking in King Alfor's shoes!" He informed his astonished teammates and Coran, who chuckled appreciatively.

"I am sure our King would have approved." The Diplomat told him warmly.

"Thanks Coran! And thank you so much Princess, I'll treasure these always, not only because they were the King's, but because they are from you!" The Big Man then rose, reached for Allura's hand and kissed it, all the while executing a graceful, highly proper bow to her. The chivalrous gesture amazed all of them, except a proud looking Pidge and Santa Nanny, who was smiling widely behind her beard.

To be immediately continued in the next posting....:)