I Am The Red Paladin

An Honour

Everything was set, Coran along with a few unwanted but needed modifications from Slav had the giant wormhole ready to go. Kolivan was still waiting to hear from Thace and voiced it more than once to the paladins. Allura was still ignorant of Keith and completely blanked him when she thanked Hunk for his work with the Weblum. Hunk had voiced that Keith was also there and was the one who actually gathered the scaultrite but was ignored. The time to strike was approaching quickly and Thace had still not contacted them. Dread began to make its way into Kolivan and Antok which had them voicing to abort the mission. With the loud protest from the princess, Keith was beginning to expect the worst. If Thace was unable to make contact then how were they going to infect the virus into the system? Obviously, someone needed to infiltrate and manually do it themselves. However, only Galra were able to interact with Galra technology and the Marmora's were needed here alongside the princess. Shiro was needed in the black lion as bait so that left only himself. Keith knew what needed to be done and had boldly stated so.

"You can't, we need you in the red lion," Hunk exclaimed. "We can't form Voltron without you."

"I know but if we don't shut down their systems then this was all for nothing." Keith stood up.

"It's too dangerous." Shiro's voice announced, taking his position as leader. "Something could go wrong."

"It is a suicide mission." Kolivan rounded on the red paladin. "I would never command someone so inexperienced to venture on such a dangerous mission."

"No one's commanding me." Keith narrowed his eyes. "I'm doing it."

"Pidge set up the pod," Shiro spoke going along with Keith's plan knowing no one would ever get the stubborn paladin to see sense.

"Very well then you will need this." Kolivan approached him handing over a small device. "If my suspicions are correct they will have destroyed the code I gave Thace. Take this to their main communications room and upload it there."

Keith nodded to Kolivan and pocketed the device glancing up when the Galra grasped his arm.

"If you find Thace while you're there, leave him," Kolivan spoke sullenly. "You are needed out here, we can't afford any distractions."

Pidge didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Keith before Allura interrupted them, slowly leaving the two alone hoping to overhear what the princess had to say. Allura herself was horrified with herself, how could she have treated Keith the way she had? Yes, the Galra stole everything from her and destroyed her life but Keith. Well, Keith was the paladin that stayed by her side when the castle was attacked and overturned, he was the man who put the others above himself when he assumed that he was the reason Zarkon was able to locate them. The paladin who saved her when their ship blew up and refused to let go until his lion swallowed them.

So when the words flowed from her mouth, speaking of what the Galra did and how despite knowing he was Galra she still felt like he was family, finding out he was Galra had her wanting to hate him but a small part of her was unable to even fathom it, making her lash out at him. Her anger had blindsided her and as she spoke those words she couldn't help but throw herself at Keith, letting her eyes close hoping her feelings were coming across. As Keith raised his arms to encircle the girl the words that floated into the air had him sighing in relief.

"I'm so sorry I misjudged you. You've proven it's not what's in your blood but it's who you are that counts." Allura broke away from him and placed her darkened hard on the boy's jaw. "Please come back to us."

Keith leant a little into the princess's palm before grasping it tightly with his hand. "I will."

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