Circlet of Queens Part II
The White Lion roared, pouncing on the two figures entering the bejeweled caves leading to Oriande, fangs bared and tail lashing like a whip.
“Look out!” Screamed Allura, throwing up an arm to guard Acxa as her general stumbled against the rocky ground, her cerulean eyes flashing like ice in the glow off the White Lion. “Acxa!”
The White Lion’s mouth snapped down on Allura’s arm, slamming past the guard and crashing into the Red Paladin with a fury that rivalled her own Lion. Allura let out a howl of pain as the Lion smashed her into the ground, dragging her through the rock until the stones ripped through her skin. Allura bit back a growl as she reached for her bayard, but the White Lion’s eyes glowed like rubies and clamping down on her arm and flinging her from the cave.
“Allura!” Screamed Acxa as her love arced through the square of fire she had cut out, the White Lion snarling and bounding after her. “Get away from her, you murder cloud!”
Acxa whipped out her gun, training three shots on the Lion in quick succession as it leapt through the square after Allura. She held her breath, the lasers firing true to their mark, and she braced her feet to dash out after her love. She had to be quick, had to get to Allura in case the gate of flames closed again soon; she had to make sure they made it through this. She had to give them a chance at that future they wanted together.
But the shots phased through the White Lion harmlessly, and its tail had barely flickered out of the cave when the gate of flames roared back to life again.
“No!” Roared Acxa, charging for the gate as her eyes darted around the cave; where had her luxite blade gone? “Allura!”
The fire surged in front of her face, sealing the exit shut with a faint hiss as Acxa skidded to a halt, a scream ripping from her lips as tears glossed over her eyes. “Allura!”
Allura barely had time to draw her shield when the White Lion tore out of the cave, her bayard flashing to her hand with a desperate flick of the wrist as the Lion bore down on her. She could still remember the glimmer of the astral plane where she had fought the Black Lion, where corrupted quintessence had almost ripped them to shreds, where everything had felt so close to hopelessness she almost couldn’t breathe.
And, this time, she was alone.
Acxa nearly screamed again when a quick search revealed that the luxite blade had been knocked outside of the cave. She had been given that by Krolia! When the two had first come aboard the Castle of Lions, they had bonded with a speed that almost alarmed Acxa. It had been so natural talking to her, like they had known each other once upon a time, and Krolia had told her so many stories of Earth and her husband. Acxa would never forget Krolia’s hand, so warm it brought tears to her eyes when it lay on her shoulder, running through her head as the taller woman smiled with a strange pain in her eyes. Just be yourself, she advised. And say everything you ever wish to say to the princess quickly. We are in a war…and we do not always get that chance.
Krolia had slid a knife from her pocket and tucked it into Acxa’s hands, hesitation lacing each movement, but pure faith when she locked eyes with Acxa and smiled like a sunrise. Keep it, Krolia had insisted when Acxa made to hand it back to her, the one it was made for is long gone…but you are still here. So live like you are going to die, and love like it will be gone tomorrow.
And now it was gone. Krolia had felt so soft against her, like the mother she had lost before she could remember, but those words felt like everything she had ever wanted a mother to say. Although Acxa had yet to properly activate her Blade, that small acknowledgement that she was enough—that, regardless of skin color or hair composition, she was still Galra—it was something she had been searching for as long as she could remember.
The only thing she had ever wanted more was Allura’s hand in her own.
Allura dove, her spine rolling across the ground as she darted under the White Lion’s charge, her armor skidding against the stones and her shield throwing up blue sparks. The White Lion gave a shuddering roar, and Allura’s chest heaved with the effort of breathing. A strand of hair slid from her braid, and her teeth snapped together as the faint shine of the luxite blade caught her eye.
The White Lion plowed into her, head pounding into her stomach once more, blowing all the air from her lungs and launching her into the air. Its fangs caught her ankle then, hurling her across the asteroid once more and lashing its tail as it stationed itself between her and the entrance. Allura skidded against the ground, her shoulders bouncing off the ground as she slid through the rocks only to be stopped by a boulder to the back. A howl of pain whipped from her lips, her head arching just shy of the rock and shield dissolving as the White Lion crouched for another pounce.
Acxa paced the tunnel, periodically pounding at its walls in the vague hope that it would give way enough for her to escape without being buried alive. Her gun wouldn’t do anything, the lasers were too weak to get through the walls and useless against the enchanted fire and, while she could withstand shoving her hand into flames, she was by no means fireproof. Walking through fire was agonizing, even if she was healed rapidly, and alchemical fire might have completely unpredictable effects. She couldn’t do that to Allura, she couldn’t put her through that horror; just placing her hand in the fire before had twisted her princess’ face in too much pain for her to ever bear putting the love of her life through.
Okay, okay, she just needed to calm down. Think things through. Find the rational solution. It was what had carried her through decaphoebs of war, through conspiracies against the very Empire she worked for, through death and flames and ice and insanity, through this crazy life she couldn’t even begin to account for; it had never failed her. It wouldn’t now, either. So Allura had already fought one of the celestial lions (the one considered the strongest too!), and she had walked out with minimal damage and a victory on her shoulders. She could probably defeat the White Lion too, probably even had a strategy, probably…was facing a completely different challenge against this alchemical Lion.
Uh, maybe rationality wasn’t her friend this time around after all.
Allura groaned, propping herself up on her elbows as the asteroid spun around her, black dots flashing in and out of her vision. Huh. Not great.
The White Lion snarled, paws drawing together a split tick before it leapt, and Allura felt all the air rush from her lungs once more. She rolled across the ground, tumbling free just a tick before the White Lion would have smashed her into a pulp and veering desperately through the rocks on her stomach. She slid out next to her map, the arrows still cutting through the ground, and her crystalline eyes fell on them as the White Lion stalked towards her, that faint triumphant tilt to its lips that brought back Red’s first victories with her as the pilot back to mind. She couldn’t believe she was going to let her down now, so far from the pilot’s seat that she could barely see her Lion when she raised her head, tears swimming in her eyes.
“Acxa…” she breathed, grabbing her bayard with her free hand and, as the White Lion lunged towards her with a roar, she snapped it against the luxite blade with a deafening CRACK, sending it spinning through the air towards the cave entrance; Allura’s eyes shone as she reached after it, fingers brushing against the dusty air symbol as they fell. “Go free, my love.”
Acxa shrieked as the luxite blade shot into the cave, the handle snapping straight to her grasp, and the flames parting reluctantly after it. The metal shone even in the dim light of the cave as a rush of homecoming flooded Acxa’s veins even when the general could almost feel Allura’s pain rippling through the air. Her knuckles went white around the knife, and she turned towards the fire gate with glowing yellow eyes. She couldn’t take two extra cuts like they had done earlier, she had to pull this off in one. She had one shot at this if she wanted to get there in time, if she wanted to save Allura, if she wanted them to walk out of this alive.
And there was nothing Acxa had ever wanted more in her life.
Allura’s eyes lit up a vibrant blue, her mouth curving into a perfect circle as the symbol for air lit up under her fingers, swirling around her hands and curving towards her elbows in miniaturized tornados. And, as the White Lion arced down on her, she did the only thing she could.
Fingers turning to steal, wind whipping up a frenzy across her arms, and boots digging craters in the ground, she caught the White Lion’s head.
Acxa seized the handle, eyes turning slitted and sclera crackling with a blazing yellow as the luxite blade glowed hot white, her nails elongating into talons and her teeth sharpening into fangs as she let out a battle roar.
No matter what, we will survive this.
“We’re both going home!”
And as she dove into the flames, slashing through them, her blade exploded in a blaze of white light. It flashed icy white beams into the flames, blowing them apart as Acxa charged through, her eyes glowing like a cat’s and growl seeping from her lips as the flames parted for her. Because she had dived in front of enemy fire before for Lotor, she had dived in front of soldiers for her street family, she had dived in front of leaders for Ezor, in front of street brawlers for Narti, in front of diplomatic ensembles for Zethrid, in front of the world for her family before a thousand times, she would not let this be the last time.
No matter what…
Purple laced itself across her forehead, and the light around Acxa’s knife shattered like glass breaking in the face of a storm, revealing a long serrated Galran broadsword, and her irises flashed like a lion’s at dawn.
We’ll survive!
Her lasilh burned across her forehead, a swooping line dancing from one edge of her forehead to the other, and she charged towards the White Lion ticks away from crushing her future wife.
We will survive this…together!
Allura let out a fractured gasp as the White Lion’s mind flooded into hers, tumbling over Red in a flurry of lightning tall hair and yowls between the two giant cats. It crouched, growling at Allura, and she knelt carefully to extend a hand.
“Greetings,” she murmured, switching from modern Altean to the ancient language, “I have come to Oriande to learn the secrets of alchemy, to learn how to protect my family and this universe from destruction. I mean you no harm, I only want to save those who are dear to me.”
“So they all do,” snarled the White Lion, venom dripping from its voice. “Until their idea of protection is taking another’s life. Tell me, how far are you willing to go to save the universe? Who will you sacrifice to achieve your goals?”
Acxa drew back her luxite blade, but Allura let out a warning cry, and the general hesitated for a split tick.
“Do not!” Begged her princess, her fingers softening around the White Lion as it stared down at her with a softer glow in its eyes than a few dobashes ago. “Please, wait! I believe I can explain the situation to the White Lion!”
Acxa wondered if Allura could include Acxa’s burning desire to destroy the White Lion in that explanation without compromising the diplomatic platform they were getting, and pursed her lips. They nicked against her newly developed fangs.
“I will not sacrifice,” stated Allura without hesitation, not rising to the bait even as Red growled low beside her. “I will lead. I will carry those around me through battle, I will inspire them to keep fighting, and I shall be by their sides for every tick of the battle. I will not ask anyone of a sacrifice I am unwilling to make; I will inspire them to give their all to protecting our universe, nothing more, nothing less. I am the Queen of the Voltron Alliance, and I will not let our universe fall to cruel hands, never again. Those include my own.”
Acxa slid into a fighting stance, a faint growl on her lips, and she glanced back at the gate of flames behind her. Extinguished. Huh.
The luxite sword was heavy in her palm, far heavier than her old knife, and she twisted it to study the serrated edge with a faint grimace. Those were beyond brutal in battle, and a faint memory of Zethrid passing something with a similar edge to Ezor in the kitchen that ended with a lot of shrieking, band-aids, and kisses surfaced. Sooo maybe this was one weapon she didn’t show Zethrid until the war was over and she was slightly more…pacified.
Acxa just wanted Krolia to be proud of it.
“Please, you must believe me,” begged Allura, reaching out for the White Lion with soft fingers as she threaded them through its fur and brought their foreheads together. “Look inside me. If you think I would only bring more damage to the universe, then I will go without any further fight. But if you think there is even the smallest chance I could help someone…” she begged, memories of Lance’s smile flashing behind her eyes along with a fresh wave of tears, “…then please trust in me.”
Acxa’s legs started to burn from her fighting stance (which she hadn’t thought was possible after decaphoebs of training, but none of this seemed possible, so oh well) and her eyes were starting to ache from glaring at the White Lion hovering over her partner, but she didn’t drop either action. The Lion had been pressed to Allura’s forehead, eyes closed with a growingly peaceful expression for the past ten dobashes, and her princess’ forehead had been losing some of the lines that were drawn on it when worry clouded her life. Acxa just hoped that wasn’t a false peace.
The White Lion’s eyes flashed, a sharp golden light that blew Allura off her feet with a shout, and she spiraled back into her body fully as the great Lion loomed over her, its paws light beside her.
“I will take you to Oriande. We have been awaiting you, Allura.”
The Lion knelt, offering its back to the princess, and turned to Acxa with a raised eyebrow. “Is your mate coming?”
Allura could barely move, her breath still hammering away in her rib cage, and she turned to lock eyes with Acxa’s bewildered ones. She wished she had a better grasp of what had just happened too.
“Er, yes, we are both coming,” said Allura loudly, giving Acxa a quick nod as she scrambled to her feet.
Acxa flicked her sword back into its knife form, the faint burn of her lasilh comforting on her forehead, and she dashed across the asteroid to tackle Allura in a hug. Her princess lurched backwards, knees nearly buckling under the force of the hug, but her arms were steady when she held Acxa close to her with a choking sob.
“Stay close to me,” murmured Allura, pulling Acxa tight to her as a single tear fell onto Acxa’s shoulder. “I cannot bear to lose you too.”
Acxa shuddered in Allura’s embrace, tucking her princess close to her and pressing a kiss into her disheveled braid.
“And I could never lose you, Ally.”
Riding the White Lion was exhilarating. Allura whooped, the wind washing away her injuries as they plunged further into Oriande. Everywhere she turned, purple stones glittered and gleamed, lines of pink crystals cutting through them. Balmera crystals lined the tunnels, and she could occasionally spot the different colors of Voltron if she kept a close enough eye out. The White Lion bounded down the tunnels, laughter rumbling low in its stomach at the exclamations of both girls, Acxa’s fear giving way quickly at the experience of flying for the first time. When they came to that first cavern and White leapt over it effortlessly, Acxa’s squeal had absolutely melted Allura’s heart. And she got the feeling from the vague purr under her that hers wasn’t the only heart Acxa had melted.
“We are close,” murmured the White Lion, bounding up a pillar of crystallized stones with the faintest hint of greenery lining its curves. “Once we arrive, Acxa must remain with me so that Allura alone may be blessed with Oriande’s secrets.”
Acxa’s mouth curved into a vicious hook, and Allura lay a hand on her arm softly, their eyes locking in a silent exchange. Yes, it was risky. Yes, it was everything they didn’t want. But they had come so far, had endured so much already; they weren’t stopping now because of a bit of separation anxiety.
“Understood.”
The White Lion chuckled, soaring from one floating island to another.
“Oriande is quite vast,” the White Lion replied to Allura’s unspoken question. “It is customized depending upon the one who comes seeking the secrets. It will reveal what you need to know, nothing more or less. However, when that meant entire civilizations coming at a time, that meant a lot more space than we need anymore.”
Allura nodded, her neck growing sore from bobbing along, and Acxa intertwined their fingers soundlessly in a comforting squeeze. She didn’t even need to be told to sense Allura’s discomfort. It was one of the things that had drawn Allura to Acxa; this silent understanding of each other’s needs, their moods, their…everything. They had been connected from the start by a quintessence link, but the relationship that had blossomed afterwards was theirs alone. They had built it from the ground up, from blushing terrible flirting to stammered meetings to exhausted nights passed out together to fellow diplomats to supporting each other through the Battle for Earth, to living their lives alongside each other, hand-in-hand, smiles matching and joy exploding in their eyes every time they looked at each other.
And their silent understanding had only grown stronger.
So, when Allura stood up on the White Lion’s back, Acxa pressed a final kiss to her knuckles, bit back a flurry of fears and tears, and let her princess slip away from her grasp. The White Lion pulled to a stop, tail swishing through the air, and tilted its head up with something akin to a smirk on its face.
“Your carriage, princess,” the White Lion teased, bowing its head slightly so Allura could see in front of them, and a faint gasp fled from her lips.
“A white hole,” she breathed, staring at the swirling mist, sparkles trailing from its tendrils and a spire of light spearing the inaccessible tunnel like a strike through the heart of the universe. “Nothing may enter them; how are we supposed to get through?”
The White Lion chuckled, its tail flicking Allura’s markings and a soft smile on its face as they lit up brighter than the cosmos.
“You hold that key inside yourself, little princess,” it replied, shaking its head slowly and settling on a dais below the white hole. “Go beyond what those around you have always considered possible. Go be who you have always known you could be,” it added, turning glowing eyes on her with an immeasurable fire burning within. “Be more than they knew.”
Allura pressed her fingers to the shining marks on her cheeks, twin beams of light shooting from them, and tilted her chin. One of the rays caught the white hole, ripping through it, and Acxa’s breath fractured as it left her lips. The White Lion let out a low rumble, and Allura crouched, her jet pack flaring to life behind her.
“I’ll go beyond even what you know,” promised Allura, her blue eyes blazing under the light of the white hole and marks exploding into twin juniberry blossoms on her cheeks as she blasted off of the White Lion. “I will not let your faith down!”
The White Lion chuckled as she shot towards the white hole, Altean markings glowing like supernovas, burning through the white hole as it tried to throw her back, to reject her, to block her from the greatest secrets in the universe. Acxa clasped her hands in a silent prayer, placing them over her heart as lightning crackled through the white hole, Allura’s markings searing through each gust of cosmic wind, and a roar exploding from her lips.
“You can do this, my princess,” she whispered, placing her lips to her knuckles as if they would transfer the kiss over to the one she loved.
Allura’s hair whipped in the current of the white hole, the barrette yanking on her twin dutch braids, and her battle cry grew more guttural as her markings scorched through the white hole, her eyes filled with a wild tornado of pain and hope.
“Do not worry, Red Kit,” murmured the White Lion, kneeling to bow properly before the rightful Queen of Altea. “You have already gone beyond my greatest dreams of our future.”
Allura’s markings scalded against her cheeks, drawing a hint of pain into her roar, but her eyes burned brighter than any magic in the universe, her barrette whipping in the wind and her jet pack spewing white fire as she punched through the white hole. Acxa let out a battle cry below, her sweet voice swirling into Allura’s as her quintessence searing against the wind, the White Lion’s roar blending in as she slammed her head through the white hole to join her fist, rolling through the white hole just as her Altean marks sputtered out, leaving deep pink juniberry blossoms on her cheeks instead of the seeds that had been there all this time.
She had grown beyond just a seed.
Allura spread her arms as she floated through the white hole, feet skimming the stars as the world around her melted away. She was surrounded by endless colors, the fabric of the cosmos under her fingertips as the universe opened up to her. It felt like the last time they had formed Voltron, the complete connection she had with each and every one of them, so hard earned and burned into them, now stretched out from her fingertips to connect her to everything. Because the universe was just like Voltron; it was the connection between everyone. A connection that she now had a chance to take part in. She could feel the stars passing through her, brushing over her blossomed markings and trailing through her fingers as if embracing her, welcoming her, loving her already because they knew her. They had known her all along. And they loved her like she was their own blood because the quintessence of the cosmos flowed through her veins, flowed through everyone’s. It was just as Pidge said: they were all connected. And what stronger bond was there than love?
“Allura,” called a voice all too familiar, all too soft and warm, all too much like her own for tears not to spring to her eyes before she had even turned. “My daughter.”
Allura couldn’t breathe. Her sunset armor seemed suddenly heavy on her chest as she spun, crystalline eyes reflected in the two people she had most wanted to see, had most despaired of having lost forever, had loved more openly than anyone else. Her mother smiled tenderly, tears already sliding down her cheeks as she threw open her arms, voice choked as she called out for her only daughter.
“We’ve missed you, Ally.”
Tears overflowed from Allura’s eyes, spilling down her cheeks as a sob caught in her throat, nearly tripping as she dashed for her parents. Of course; Oriande was the land of ancestors. It was where all quintessence went upon death; of course it held her parents’ souls. Because only Oriande would ever allow Allura to leap into her parents’ arms again, flinging her own around their necks as they held each other so tight, so tight, like they would never let go again. Allura let out a broken sob as she clung to them, shoulders heaving under their touch, and her mother pressed a kiss to her cheek as her father stroked her head tenderly.
“I have missed you both,” cried Allura, tears soaking into her mother’s gown. “I have missed you both so much.”
“We have never left you, Allura,” promised Alfor, pressing his forehead to the crown of his daughter’s. “We have been here the whole time, watching over you. We never lost sight of our little princess.”
Allura hiccuped, clutching them so tight they let out little wheezes that were probably attempts to breathe, before stepping back to take both of their hands, her eyes still swimming with tears.
“You have seen it all?” She asked, practically pleading as a fresh stream of tears ran down her cheeks. “There has been so much I’ve wanted to share with you, so many things I wanted to show you, so much I wished you could hear……did you see all of it?”
“Every tick,” swore Melenor, stroking Allura’s cheek and letting her touch linger over Allura’s bloomed markings. “We would not have missed it for the universe.”
Allura let out a sobbing laugh, sinking into her mother’s touch as her father rested a hand on her shoulder.
“No parent could be prouder than we are of you,” he said, tears fresh on his face. “You have done more than we could ever dream of; you will make a magnificent queen, Allura.”
“Though if I had been there during that wormhole stunt you pulled, you would have gotten a right timeout, young lady,” teased Melenor, pressing a kiss to Allura’s cheek. “You have amazed us endlessly. Who would have imagined you could have made an alliance with the infamous Mevucs?”
Allura laughed, shaking her head as if to shake off the tears, her lips trembling even as they drew up into a smile at the mention of the trial that had led to the tattoo on her forearm.
“And a tattoo before twenty,” groaned Alfor as if reading her mind. “Oh, my heart.”
Melenor joined Allura in a melody of laughter, and Alfor’s booming laugh was quick to transform it into a symphony. Allura couldn’t stop giggling, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she smiled at her parents again, drawing them into a softer hug.
“It is so good to see you again,” she breathed, her heart racing a thousand beats per tick even as it swelled painfully.
Melenor chuckled softly, tapping her circlet against Allura’s with a faint ding.
“And just in time, too,” she said with a quiet laugh, pulling a bouquet of juniberries from the cosmic dust and pressing them into Allura’s hands with a smile that exploded like fireworks in her eyes. “I have been growing these all this time; I am so glad you came here before wedding Acxa. Our ceremony is not complete without this, after all.”
Allura’s breath caught and shattered in her throat as she stared down at the flowers she had never thought she would have the chance to give Acxa. She glanced back up at her mother, and she pressed a kiss to Allura’s forehead with a teary smile.
“Be happy, my love,” she whispered. “Be happy with Acxa and……be happy with the McClains, please.”
Allura’s heart plummeted down to her boots, and she jerked her head up so fast she nearly clipped Melenor’s chin.
“I—I never forgot about you guys,” she cried, tears blooming in her eyes. “I never once stopped loving you! You are my parents, you’re my family! And…” she hiccuped, tears overflowing as Alfor cupped her face, matching concern in her parents’ faces, “I will never forget you. How could I be anyone’s daughter but yours?”
“Oh, sweetie,” cooed Melenor, brushing away Allura’s tears softly. “You will always be our daughter. But you should know better than anyone that you can have two families.
“But—!”
“Allura,” interrupted Alfor, cradling her cheek softly as he fixed his eyes on hers, a gentle curve to his mouth. “You are not betraying us by moving on.”
All the breath rushed out of Allura’s body, and her throat closed like all the space within her body had been sucked out. She felt light-headed—no, light-bodied—like she had somehow been lifted above some dreadful agony she had just gotten used to. Alfor smiled. “You are not disrespecting our memory by accepting the love of the McClains. Lance is your brother, he is your family. His parents are yours now too, just as we are his. We always wanted a brother for you, after all.”
“Speak for yourself,” teased Melenor, squeezing Allura’s hand. “I was quite satisfied with one child. Especially when that one is the most extraordinary girl to ever breathe.”
Allura wasn’t sure she was breathing right then, but Melenor just smiled. “We gave life to you so that you could live it,” she insisted, pulling Allura into a tight hug. “You didn’t die with us, and we don’t want your life to stop for us either. We want to watch you grow. We want to see you marry Acxa, to watch Mrs. McClain walk you down the aisle, to cheer when your victory means that you may live a long and prosperous life after this war. We want you to live, Allura. So go out there and live with your families, all of them, because our love for you will never die. You are not replacing us, you are stepping forward into the future we want for you. Never, ever, hold yourself back on our account.”
She cradled Allura’s sobbing form close to her as Alfor stepped in, Oriande’s light flooding Allura’s body as the ceremony completed in their arms, the power of the cosmos glowing on her fingertips as her heart finally flew free.
“Seize your happiness, Allura.”
Allura cried until she felt her very bones run dry, until her body ached from sobs, until her throat scratched from the wails that had torn from her lips because she hadn’t wanted to hurt them. She had stopped herself so many times from thinking of Lance’s home as her own, from claiming her place beside him there, from truly sinking into Mrs. McClain’s warmth because how could she abandon her parents so easily? She had stepped back for so long, had refused to let herself be that happy because what right did she have to that bliss when her parents weren’t beside her? She hadn’t known what she would even do after the war, hadn’t had any clue as to how to move forwards because then she wasn’t just completing her family’s work, wasn’t just protecting the universe and her new family’s futures, so what was she supposed to do?
Now, though, safe in the arms of her parents for one final time as the power of the universe pumped through her veins, the answer came as easily as breathing.
Live. She would live.
She would learn to live a life free of war again, one family’s hands in her own, another’s soft against her back, and a third’s waiting for her when she came home again. She would learn how to live with her parents’ deaths in her new mother’s bone-splintering hugs, in her space family’s cuddle piles, in her lover’s embrace. She would learn to live with it so that she could live beyond it.
And, as Allura pulled back and dried her face one final time, her mother smiled.
“Here, my final present to you,” she murmured, sliding her hands over Allura’s destroyed braids. “A hairstyle fit for a queen.”
Under her gentle touch, Allura’s hair sprang free, the braids flying out in a waterfall of curls, and reappearing at the top of her head. They folded back, the ghost of Acxa’s fingers weaving them over the crown of her head in a perfect part. Her curls waved out behind her, tight and glorious, as the top half of her hair tied off the braids, winding the long strands left out of the dutch braids into small twin buns atop her head. Melenor smiled, stepping behind Allura with a soft sigh of bliss as she clipped the sparkling pink barrette (freshly free of acid burns) between the buns where it could best catch the light of a ballroom.
“You look beautiful, Allura,” murmured Alfor, tears filling his eyes again as his wife stepped back to his side. “You are ready.”
“I know,” managed Allura, tears still in her own eyes even as she tried desperately to crush them out. “I will not let you down.”
“We are not worried,” replied Melenor, smiling gently. “Now, go, my love. Go, be great.”
Allura smiled, sunshine glowing in the dimples forming on her cheeks, and she captured her parents in one more tight, treasured hug.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Her mother and father held her close, hiding their tears in her armor, and she let them fall freely one final time before kissing each of their foreheads. “I love you both so much.”
“And we love you, Allura,” promised Alfor, smile curving up to meet his tears. “Never forget that.”
“We love you with our whole hearts,” said Melenor, squeezing Allura’s hands as she fought valiantly against her tears, smile wrinkling her Altean marks with pride and joy. “You are our whole world. Now, go make your own.”
Allura nodded, smile breaking free as she turned and dashed for the white hole, her eyes fixed ahead, the flowers on her cheeks lighting up to burn through the white hole. She had to move forward, carrying their love in her heart and her hands, carrying them with her as she dashed into the future. She…she wanted to become her own Queen. She wanted to make her own new family. And she would, if it was the last thing she ever did.
So, as she turned one last time to drink in the sight of her parents standing there, arms around each other, pride in their smiles and love in their eyes, she raised her head high.
“I love you!” She cried. “I love you, Mom! I love you, Dad!”
Alfor’s shaking hand rose to cover his mouth, and Melenor wiped a tear from her cheek as Allura smiled brighter than anything they had ever seen, one final time. “Thank you for everything. Goodbye.”
Allura leapt through the white hole, jet pack blowing white flames out behind her so that she could land lightly in Acxa’s arms, presenting the juniberry flowers to her future wife as the White Lion’s proud roars filling up Oriande, for another Altean alchemist had finally emerged. Acxa just smiled.
“Welcome back, Allura,” she breathed. “Welcome home.”
Allura let out a choked laugh, pressing her circlet to Acxa’s forehead because, before it even appeared, she knew another circlet would soon adorn her love’s head. They had always been soulmates, from the tick they were born till they found each other in their arms, finally, finally, finally home. And, as she captured Acxa’s lips in a slow kiss, she whispered the words she had never thought she would get the chance to say again.
“I’m home,” she breathed, the words soft against Acxa’s lips. “I’m home, Acxa.”
And there was nowhere else she’d rather be.