Original message to: lionsmom@spaceport.net
From: hunkyellowlion@castlearus.com
Re: Happy Mother's Day

Hi Ma!

Surprise! I hope the shock of getting a cyber-letter from me didn't make you keel over or anything. I know that I don't write as often as I should, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you and Dad, because I do-constantly. I loved the last batch of family pics, by the way, and the new headbands. Tell little Rosie I said thanks a lot and that I've worn a different one every day. It's nice to have a choice for a change.

Hope the shop's still doing okay financially and all- I know the price of silk thread went sky high (thanks to old Fish Ear's raids on Peking II) and of course I know you guys won't use less than the best for your customers no matter how bad business gets...so enclosed along with this letter is a whole case of the stuff. Enjoy!

I wish I could take the credit for tracking the thread down, but I can't-it was Nanny, the infamous Royal governess, who found it for me. You know, for all her crotchetiness and snobby talk about the guys and me being commoners and hooligans, she's got a soft spot in her heart for us, I can tell. She's almost maternal with us, really. But still I was surprised. Don't know how or why she did it-just glad she did. Well, now that I think about, maybe I do know...or at least I have strong suspicions as to why.

Which brings me to something I want to tell you about because I am hoping it will make you proud of me for something besides flying a titanium cat and carving up RoBeasts. ( By the way, no one here knows about this except the Princess and me, so I'd appreciate you keeping it under your hat when you write Pidge. Thanks.)

It all came two days ago when I had some morning down time. I went to visit the castle library to get a gander at the latest issue of 'Popular Mecha' (a most excellent issue by the way, and tell Roxie if she reads the section on dilithium crystals, she'll have no trouble with Professor Hoyme's midterm.)

Anyway, as I was walking to the library, I had to pass by the Princess' quarters. Usually it seems as dull as a tomb down there because no one but a handful of trusted insiders are allowed access to it, and because Princess usually is off somewhere doing Royal type things. So that's why, as I walked past the hallway, I was shocked to hear her shouting at someone at the top of her lungs, and then see her come storming out of her quarters.

Let me tell you, I have never seen her so mad, Ma. I hope I never do anything to make the veins in her forehead pop out like that . Even so, she still managed a decent sounding 'Hello, Hunk' as she rocketed by. Heh, she never ceases to amaze me...even when madder than a wet hen, she's a lady- grace under pressure, and all that.

Well anyway, like I said, she didn't stop to chat, but headed down the hall and into the Solarium next to the library. Then the next thing I know, I'm hearing the sound of running feet and Nanny rushes by me-without a word, because she's totally sobbing. She takes a left at the corridor that leads to her quarters.

That's when I did something I have made it a personal policy never to do when it comes to the Princess. I think it was Nanny's tortured expression that did it for me-it made it pretty clear that this was not one of their usual 'what's proper for a Princess' fights. This went a lot deeper than protocol. Without giving myself time to change my mind, I headed for the Solarium to do some unprecedented meddling in Allura's personal affairs.

I found her sitting on a bench next to a giant planter full of Terran wildflowers, her chin resting on her up-drawn knees, and looking mighty uptight. She seemed surprised and not too thrilled to see me, but as I'd hoped, her polite nature kept her from saying I wasn't welcome, and she invited me to sit down.

This is the part where being the oldest in a family of eight came in handy-I figured if I could negotiate truces among my seven hotheaded siblings, (sorry, Ma, but you know it's true. Just be glad it comes from Dad's side, heh,) then getting Allura and Nanny together should be a cakewalk.

I was right; after a couple of sympathetic observations from me, she spilled the whole sad story.

Nanny had pushed her too far with the protective routine; without saying a word to Allura, she had taken steps to ensure that Princess was never left alone again. In an official request to Coran, Nanny had asked that Princess be kept sequestered in the castle, and that a round the clock guard be posted to her. This rotating guard would stick to her like glue wherever she went, even when she had to use the biff. Seems Lotor's last (and almost successful) attempt to grab her darling Allura had really shook her up enough to take this extreme action.

Ma, I swear I will never complain about being lonely again. Can you imagine having a life where you are never allowed to get away from it all, where there is someone watching every dang thing you do, 24/7 ? I'd go insane!

And the real irony is, even though Allura is the ruler of an entire planet, makes life or death decisions on almost a daily basis, and has a ton of other responsibilities, Nanny and Coran still have the right to order her to take any steps that they deem necessary to preserve her safety because she's not married and not a Queen yet.

You know, Ma, Allura's life as a Royal is not as glamorous as you think; there are nonstop demands on her time and energy, and she has a strict code of complicated rules to adhere to (and I thought the GG was bad!). Then there's the matter of her laying her life on the line by flying in combat; protecting her subjects is almost an obsession with her, otherwise I don't think she'd have taken Blue out the way she did after Sven got hurt. However, through all of this she has always managed to squeeze in some solitary time hidden in the catacombs or relaxing with us guys, two things, as she puts it, that always 'renew her spirit'. Now all that was about to be taken away from her. I didn't blame her one bit for being mad.

At this point she was literally crying on my shoulder. I was glad that I had practice with that too, or I might have felt stupid about hugging her. I always feel protective of her, of course, but the feeling was extra strong right then, just like I feel about family.

As I held her, I suddenly started thinking about the time you tricked me into going for a ride in the new hovercraft, and then drove me out into the boonies to Aunt Jez's llama farm, hoping that with the total lack of access to space technology and Auntie keeping me busy raising her llamas that I would find another calling and forget all about taking the Space Academy exams that afternoon. Jeez, I was so mad at you right then I coulda spit nails. Luckily for me (and Aunt Jez) after only two hours after dropping me off, you came back, apologized, and took me straight to the exams.

You said that day that you loved me so much it had forced you go to extremes to shield me from the dangers and atrocities of making war, that you wanted me to have my own children and live to see them grow up. But you also told me that after you had left me you couldn't stop thinking about the high aspirations I held for myself, my gift for understanding and fixing complex technology, and how life with Auntie was not what I wanted, if you could judge by the expression on my face when you left me. You said you realized then that a simple, stress free life with Jez and the llamas would've made me feel empty and bitter, two things that you felt would be much more lethal to my soul than the Academy, and that you could give me the gift of life twice in letting me follow my dreams.

Which is when the realization hit me; as sorry as I felt for Princess, I had to make her see past the injustice of the actions to what they were based on; a love equal to that of a mother desperate to keep her child safe whether the child hated them for it or not.

Nanny's family had been wiped out in the raids. She had never married, either, so she had no kids of her own to love and care for. Then came Allura, who she has cared for since infancy. Allura is as much her legacy as I am yours, Ma. That's why she acts so crazy sometimes, she just wants the best for her baby, even if it isn't what Princess wants. Just like you, Ma.

Anyway, after Allura stopped crying and wiped her eyes on my hanky, I told her about our big episode and how I had felt. And then I told her what you did and said when you came back. At first she wasn't too receptive to my message, but I was patient.

I knew the minute she finally 'got it' because those big baby blues of hers went wide, and she looked completely staggered by the realization.

'We do fight like a mother and daughter, don't we?' She says to me. I tell her yes, exactly, and she can trust that I'm a total expert on the subject because I lived with you and four sisters. (She smiled and giggled at that.)

After a while she looked upset again, and confessed to me that she had said some horrible things to a person who, although sometimes was misguided, had shown her only love and kindness. She didn't know if or how she could fix things between them. I suggested she try an apology first, followed by a long talk, because I had a feeling that Nanny would not want to cut herself off from the most important person in her life. I told her about the Terran tradition of observing Mother's Day, and suggested she pick some flowers for Nanny, and while giving them, tell her governess how important a role she had played in her life, and most importantly, to say I love you.

She liked that idea a lot, so much so in fact, that she had kissed me soundly and was running around the Solarium picking flowers before I even had turned to leave her. (On the cheek, Ma, the cheek! I know what you've been hoping for since the Love Bridge incident, and there's just no chance of that! She's crazy in love with Keith- and trust me, he more than returns the sentiment.)

So anyway, back to the story. I don't know exactly what transpired between Princess and Nanny after that, but I can tell you that later that day Nanny made a point of searching me out (in the lion bay!) to give me a big hug, and ask about my family.

So that's the story of how you got the thread.

I gotta run, Keith's called an extra Lion practice. You can never be too prepared these days, given the fact that Prince Lotor is constantly after Princess. Try not to worry so much, okay? Remember, I am with the best of the best...and that my life, should it end tomorrow, has been filled with more love, honor and adventure than most people could experience in two lifetimes.

And I owe it all to you.
I love you Ma. Have a Happy Mother's Day.

Hugs and a kiss, (and the same to Dad)
Hunk

P.S. Since I figure you're feeling all warm and mushy about me right now, could I ask you to send some new mangas and six dozen 'Oatmeal Scotchies' with your next space post? Thanks! :)