Castle Doom:
For Allura, Queen of Planet Doom and the Empress of the Ninth Kingdom Empire, life on Doom actually had a routine to it-at least in the couple of days that she had been here.
Her husband would either escort her down to breakfast or they would have breakfast in their chambers-depending upon what kind of wake up from him she had. Usually, it was the latter of the two. Allura found that she was lucky if he let her get up from the bed in the mornings.
As on their honeymoon, he still kept leaving gifts for her, priceless, exquisite things that meant nothing to her. Allura learned to smile and thank him when he would come into the doors of their chambers unannounced. She was thrilled/repelled when he would smile at her, his alien eyes so like another's...
In the daytime, she could be on her own,although she could never leave the castle - not that she desired to see Doom's blighted landscape. Instead she found a library which suprised her. Inside were rare collected works of many worlds, including Terran. She would sit quietly and read, trying to take herself away from the world she was now in. On a few occassions, Z'aale would take time out and take her walking in the enclosed garden he had made for her.(Doom had no viable plantlife-it was all artificial)
He would talk of his plans, his dreams to her, and she would listen. Of course, he always took this silence as agreement. She never protested, for she knew it would do no good.
One night, he arranged their dinner in a small ballroom in the castle. It reminded her errily of the last night she had with him-with Lotor. Of course, the decor, the surroundings were entirely different. The music was different too. They had had a quiet dinner, served by slaves, of course.
Then Z'aale danced a waltz with her, and told her about the ball that he would hold for her.
As always, Allura did not fight him, for he had his mind made up. And then, as in an unremembered dream she had once had, Z'aale had waltzed her to a wall, and leaning up against her, had released the combs holding her hair. They had made love on one of the couches in the room, and as usual, their passion together divided, slowly killing her. She hated him and she hated herself.
It was the day before her ball would be held. Z'aale had given her the dress that she would wear. It was a dress reminiscent of Terra's past-but from an eariler time. It was a reproduction of a dress from the dawn of Terra's 20th century. The original dress was said to have been worn on an ancient vessel called the Titanic.
It was a beautiful black velvet. It clung to the body, and it was long.- a ballgown of course. The most unusual thing about the dress was the fact that the train that draped from it was a deep blood red-the same color as Z'aale's royal robes. No one else had ever worn that color, not even his son. Allura had thanked him for the dress and of course, as always he was pleased.
He nearly carried her off to bed when he remembered he had to meet with some delegates from some of his other planets. Kissing her goodbye, he promised he would be back soon, and left. Allura was both relieved and disappointed.
She walked in the artificial gardens, soaking in the artificial sunshine-the closest she could get to here on this dismal planet.
Suddenly, she heard a step behind her. She whirled, still remembering the training that Keith had given her eons ago. Allura was alert and ready.
"Who's there?" she said.
At that moment, the tall form of Jarius S'aaul Tianus stepped out from behind a tall herbavore plant. Allura gasped. For one brief moment, she thought he was Lotor, for his build was the same.
Jarius noticed his Queen's reaction and smirked, thinking, ..yes, she sees my cousin in me...this will work to my advantage..."
She looked at him cooly and said, "Commander S'aaul, what are you doing here?"
Jarius smiled and said, "Why, Your Majesty, I am in charge of your safety. I am simply doing what I have been commanded."
Allura said, "I see.So you are protecting me from a garden?"
Jarius thought to himself, Good, she is intelligent-never could abide stupidity.
Jarius walked closer,took her hand and kissed it.
"Your Royal Highness, you would be suprised how many dangers can lurk in a garden."
Allura thought, ...You're the only danger I see...
To her discomfort, Jarius still held her hand. "Commander S'aaul, you may let go of my hand now."
He smirked at her, making her think, ....dear god, he smirks like Lotor! Oh - how I miss you...
Jarius noticed again the look that she gave him.
He said softly, "Please, Your Majesty...I am but a poor soldier-it is an honor to serve one such as yourself-I can serve in many ways."
Allura tried pulling her hand away, and then said, "I order you to let go and leave me, Commander S'aaul!"
Jarius' eyes narrowed and he jerked her to him, holding her by the waist. He said in a low voice, "Does not Your Majesty appreciate what I can do for her?" He smiled cruelly. "Such as release her from the husband she obviously doesn't love?" Allura struggled but his grip was strong.
...like Lotor's...she thought.
She hissed, "Leave me!"
Jarius continued to hold her tightly. "I will not. Your Highness-you will listen to me. I have a proposition for you-one that will get us both what we desire. You will have freedom from your husband and I will have his throne."
Allura was horrified. "I won't listen!"
She struggled again, but Jarius reached his hand up and slapped her hard, making her see stars. She nearly fell, but Jarius caught her, and in a low voice amazingly like Lotor's, he said, "You will listen, Your Majesty. I will make sure of that!"
He held her tightly, pinning her against one of the low talya bushes. Allura said bravely, "My husband--" Jarius laughed,
"Your husband is currently in the throne room with his delagates! He will be occupied for awhile yet.We have time for our business!"
Allura thought..Oh god, this place is a nest of vipers!..
Jarius looked into her face and said, "Now, Your Highness, you will listen to my proposition: I will rid you of Zarkon, free you of his claim. In return, you will marry me and I will take his throne - being his closest relative of course!"
Allura looked at him, his face so like another's and said, "Why would I want to exchange one prison for another? You're insane, Commander."
Jarius smiled down at her as if she were a stupid child and said, "Please, Your Majesty...Allura...call me Jarius.I know we shall soon be great friends.In answer to your question....Why? My dear-it is quite simple. If you do not marry me, then when I take over, you will become a spoil of war. You do know what happens to spoils of war, don't you, my dear?"
By the look on her face, he could see she knew and laughed softly. "Yes, I thought so."
She spat back. "How can you be his closest relative? They were all murdered!"
Jarius took his hand and caressed her face. He said, "Not all.I know you have noticed the resemblance between myself and a certain deceased cousin of mine?"
Allura thought..A cousin! No wonder!..
Jarius smiled and said, "Yes, Zarkon is my uncle, or rather half-uncle. When he dies, you will be heir to his kingdom. Marrying you would seal my domination of his Empire."
Allura was amazed. Never had she realized that there was so much intrigue and plotting!
Her attention was again centered on Jarius when his hand slid her down her waist and his lips kissed her neck gently. Allura shivered...so much like Lotor....it would be so easy to pretend, but falling to this creep would only make things worse.
Jarius lifted his head and said, "Allura,I would make it very pleasant for you.I know who I remind you of and you'll soon find that I am the better man."
He kissed her mouth, a long, passionate kiss-so much like Lotor's that for a moment she thought she was really with him. Her arms rose up and encircled his neck. She kissed back, wanting this to be really him-really Lotor. But it wasn't-it wasn't! He was dead! With a strangled sob, she pulled away from his lips, tears falling from her face, their arms still around one another.
Jarius looked at her and murmured "No wonder my king spends so much time in his bedchambers.You loved my cousin, didn't you? So much the better."
He made his way to kiss her again.
Allura sobbed, "Don't! Please don't!"
Jarius smiled, "You only resist because you know you cannot stand against me..."
Allura looked at him and whispered, "I will tell my husband if you do not go."
Jarius smiled knowingly. "You will not tell him, Allura..you want to be free of him -I can see the sadness in your eyes...no, you'll not tell."
Before she could stop him, he kissed her again, his lips roaming from her mouth, down her neck, a slight groan escaping him. He rose up and looked at her face.
He whispered, "Did you know, Allura, how much you glow when you are being loved? You are a bewitcher....I know."
Allura didn't know what he was talking about. He kissed her again, knowing and thrilling to the danger of it. Allura wanted to weep, for he was Lotor but he wasn't and she knew it.
He stopped kissing her for a moment and said, "I will expect an answer to my proposition the night of your ball, Allura."
He kissed her again, and she felt like just giving in, for she hated Z'aale and she hated the division in her when he touched her. She knew this Jarius would be no better, but it would be easier for although he and Lotor were not twins as she and Rommelle seemed to be, there was enough there to make her believe. Believe that he was alive, that he was there with her.
Oh Lotor...where are you now?
Tears continued to fall from her face as Jarius S'aaul held her.
Allura whispered, "Commander-Jarius...please stop."
Jarius lifted his head and smiled at her, "Are you sure, Allura? Are you sure you want me to? I will be glad to go further-much further.."
Allura shivered, knowing that deep inside, she desired him to. She said quietly, "Yes, I want you to stop."
He looked into her eyes, so starry, luminous and he thought that perhaps he would simply ignore her request and take her there among the flowers and plants of the garden, but he restrained himself. He knew it wouldn't take much for her to give in to him. For the first time in his life, Jarius was glad he resembled his cousin.
Still, before he left her, he would leave a reminder of him. He whispered, "I will stop for now, Allura, but remember, think about what I have said. I will want your answer tommorrow night at the Ball. I hope that it will be the right one -for your sake.I will leave you now, but before I go, I must properly kiss you goodbye." His hands gripped her waist tightly and he kissed her hard and passionately as he pressed himself against her.
And just as before, she melted, half-believing he was Lotor, who was now dead, and yet alive. Jarius knew this and pressed his advantage.
He liked the danger of her, for she was a bewitcher who was strong-who was not of a weakened line. Her power wasn't kept under control by a slave's chain of magik. This one's unyried power was unrestrained and it added to his lust.
Jarius let Allura go reluctantly, and backed away.
He said, "Remember,Your Highness, tommorrow night I expect your answer. Perhaps we can continue where we left off here in our little piece of Ed'aan.(Eden)..I know you would enjoy that-as would I... he smirked, his eyes showing victory. Gazing at her, he bowed at her regally and said, "Till we meet again, Your Highness, I am your humble servant." He left. Allura sank down on her knees and wept bitter tears.
Rise Into The Abyss:Chapter Seven