Chapter Text
So what if Allura wanted to cut her hair? That was her choice, not theirs. They weren't even her friends. She didn't need their opinion on what she did, it was her life.
...Then why did it affect her so much? She knew it didn't mean anything. She knew that they were just being plain blank bullies. But it still hurt to hear them taunt and whisper about her behind her back. The mean girls would giggle when they saw her eyes tear up and she had to brave it through the day. She thought she had to go through this in high school but apparently, eight-year-olds were just as merciless.
"They're just jealous, dear," her mother cooed, stroking her hair back from her face. "No one can be as pretty as my daughter." Her mother's vibrant pink eyes scrutinized her. A very peculiar and rather rare eye color. "You're a really special girl, you know that?"
Allura huffed as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "You're just saying that cause I'm your daughter."
Her mother laughed and warmth immediately filled Allura. Her mother's laugh made everything better, "No, no, Lura. You are truly special. I know you will accomplish amazing things one day. I can see the potential in you."
Allura didn't see it. She spent the next few minutes looking in the mirror, trying to see what her mother was on about but couldn't pinpoint the so-called 'potential'. She just saw a girl who didn't enjoy big formal dresses, ponies, and sunshine. She loved the wild side of life, freedom and rainy days. Coran - their butler who always behaved more like an uncle to her - said she was a 'tomboy'. A girl who wasn't... well - girly .
She liked the phrase and carried it proudly. She always told herself she didn't need to look into what the other girls say. As long as she was happy, everything was easy.
Well... if there wasn't a border she was forced not to cross.
"Allura!" Her father hurried to pick her up and twisted away from the forest like deflecting a bullet. He carried her back to the large field full of flowers and put her back down. "What were you thinking!? Running off like that? You could've gotten hurt!"
Allura gasped at her father's tone. He never raised his voice to her. When discipline was necessary, he would always go about it calmly. A stern warning. He never yelled at her. He never looked at her with such panic. Allura held her arm and bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry, father."
Her father took a deep breath to calm himself and kneeled before her. "Do not cross that border, my dear. It's dangerous there. You are never to cross to the other side."
Allura looked up at him with curiosity, "What's on the other side, father?"
Her father looked off toward the pretty woods she was about to enter. A faraway look painted on his features. Like he was experiencing an old memory. Allura couldn't tell if it was a good one or not. "Daibazaal." He said after a few more seconds of silence. "Good people do not live along their border. They call themselves Galra." He turned to her with a more serious expression. "We do not trust Galra. They like to cause... unnecessary panic. You should stay far away from the Galra, my dear."
"Have you..." Allura faltered. "Have you met the Galra before, father?"
Her father got another flash of memory but he shook it off, "Once. But that isn't important. We should not ruin our day with what the Galra are up to." He glared at the dense woods that suddenly became a lot more scarier. "Their no longer our concern." He grabbed Allura's hand and walked off. "Come now, Lura."
But Allura couldn't stop looking at the border of Daibazaal. A pretty blue butterfly flew through the trees and Allura tried to capture it for her own. What if father didn't see me run in? What if I went deeper into the trees? Would the galra have found me?
Allura couldn't sleep that night. Their house was built so close to the border. What if one of them saw her? What if they will come to get her? Her family rules Altea after all. Would they want to start more 'unnecessary panic' by taking the princess hostage?
Don't think that! She reprimanded herself. That is just fictional thoughts. They won't come to get you. They didn't see you. This isn't a fairy tale.
Despite what she was trying to think to reassure herself, she couldn't sleep alone. She climbed out of bed and headed toward her parents' bedroom. She knocked on the door, the banging echoing through the large hallway. She hugged herself and looked both ways down the hall; expecting to see a foreign Altean on the other side. A galra.
She knocked on the door again but no one replied. She gulped down her fear and nudged open the door. She peeked inside but saw no sign of her parents. "Mother... father?" She gasped in surprise when she heard loud voices from downstairs. She left their bedroom and slowly approached the stairs. She peeked through the railings and saw her parents fighting.
"You could've scared her! My Lord, she's probably scared out of her mind as it is," her mother scolded her father. Anger shining on her usually happy face.
Alfor shot from the chair, "It's best she knows. If I didn't get to her in time, he would've found her. I would have to have lived the rest of my life knowing I could've saved her. If she knows, she will be more careful."
" You looked away because of your work !" her mother argued.
"I have a world to look after!" Alfor fought back. "Almost an entire continent of people who needs my guidance."
"You have a daughter that needs your guidance!" Melenor shouted. Allura stepped away from the railing and hurried up the stairs. Her parents' voices echoing behind her. She ran down the hall but didn't go to her bedroom. She knocked on Coran's door and waited eagerly for him to answer.
A second later, the man stepped out from his room. "Miss Allura! What brings you here in the middle of the night?"
She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his legs, tears instantly spilling over her cheeks. Coran kneeled to return the embrace. "What's the matter, dear girl?"
"M-mother and father," She mumbled into his shoulder. "They... They're fighting. About m-me."
Coran pulled away and looked at her with concern, "Is this about Daibazaal?"
Allura sniffed and nodded her head. "Father thinks it's best I know, but mother didn't want me knowing."
"It's a heavy subject," Coran agreed. "Don't you worry, Princess. There is nothing for you to fear. They know to stay away and so do we. There's nothing to worry about. You want to rest here?"
Allura nodded her head. "Thank you, Coran."
Mud splattered all over her pink dress. Allura looked up at the laughing girls that pushed her into the dirt. Her eyes already started to brim with tears.
"Didn't you know this was a girl's school?" Aya taunted and her friends started to laugh. They walked off, hanging on each other's shoulders and continuing their teasing. Allura huffed, reaching a hand into her short hair. It isn't that bad... is it?
"Are you okay?" Allura glanced up at the voice. A boy stood there with dark hair and unique eyes. His hand was outstretched toward her. She hesitantly excepted his hand and he helped her up. She silently nodded at his question. The boy tilted his head at her and smiled, "I like your hair."
Her eyes widened in surprise. That was the first compliment she got from other people. "Th-thank you."
"You're welcome," The boy brightened. There was an odd marking on the side of his face. It looked like a slash; a scar perhaps. His clothes also seemed very different from Altean wear. A dark scratched up hoodie with a strange symbol and combat boots. There wasn't much of that on Altea. Scratch that, there wasn't any of that on Altea. "Are you sure you're okay?" the boy drove her out of her thoughts.
"Y-yes, of course, I am," Allura argued.
The boy pouted at her, "Then why are you looking at me funny?"
Allura crossed her arms and strutted off, "No reason." Before she passed through the gate someone grabbed her by the arm. She jumped in shock and saw the boy stand there looking sheepish.
"I'm sorry," He mumbled. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's fine," Allura straightened. "I wasn't scared."
The boy blinked at her. "O-okay. I just wanted to say... well - you can't go into school looking like that." Allura looked offended and the boy tensed. "I mean, you're full of mud. That could be uncomfortable. I have some clothes you can borrow for the day. Only if you want to... I'd understand if you don't."
Allura considered his offer. She looked down at her mud-splattered dress. She'd get into big trouble with the teachers if she came in looking like that. She stared at the boy in thought. "Sure. Thank you."
The boy slipped off his bag and handed it to her. "Here. There's not anything else important in that bag."
Allura took it from his hand with a smile. "What's your name?"
"M-my name?" The boy looked unsure. "Um - Keith. You?"
"Allura," she replied.
Keith smiled at her timidly, "Just make sure to return those tomorrow, Allura. I won't let you off just cause you're a princess."
Allura's eyes widened, "You know I'm a princess?"
Keith nodded, "Of course, I do. Almost everyone in D- a-Altea does. Take care, Princess." He waved over his shoulder and walked down the sidewalk. Allura smiled at the odd boy and entered the school grounds.
The clothes were much more comfortable than her dress. A plain black shirt and sweatpants. Not that it fit with her vibrant pink flats or make the other girls look at her any better. But at least she didn't get into trouble with the teachers.
"A boy gave you those?" Her father asked in shock when she returned home.
"He was nice," Allura said with a pout. "The other girls pushed me into some mud and he offered to help." She smiled brightly. "He even complimented my hair!"
Melenor chuckled, "Was he a cute boy?"
Allura's smile dropped and her nose wrinkled in disgust, "What? How should I know? Maybe I'll ask him next time I see him."
Her father looked a bit nauseous at the suggestion. "M-maybe don't ask him that."
"Why?" Allura tilted her head in confusion.
"Nevermind that," Alfor sighed. "Coran! Can you prepare the princess a bath?"
"Of course, sir," Coran bowed and hurried up the stairs. Alfor pouted. " He knows bowing isn't necessary ," he mumbled to himself.
Melenor changed the subject, "So, you're seeing him tomorrow?"
Allura nodded, "Mmm-hmm. I have to. I need to return the clothes he lent me. He said 'I won't let you off just cause you're a princess'."
"Isn't that a little disrespectful, darling?" Melenor asked with a furrow in her brow. "You are a princess after all."
Allura pouted, "I like that he treated me like a person. Being a princess is just my title. I don't want people treating me differently just cause I'm royalty."
Melenor chuckled once again, "You sure are one out of many, my dear."
"Go upstairs and wash up now," Alfor smiled. "Put those away for tomorrow."
"Alright, father," Allura said cheerily, picking up the boy's backpack and running up the stairs.
Allura couldn't find him the next day. He wasn't outside before or after school. She tried looking for him around the streets and in the parks but he was nowhere in sight. It was almost like he was a once in a lifetime ghost. She sighed, defeated, and turned back to go home. She'll just try again tomorrow.
But tomorrow's Saturday! I won't be going to school tomorrow , Allura pouted at her thoughts. She shook her head and returned home. Maybe she'll see him again on Monday.
On Sunday, Allura went to take a walk around Altea. She looked at the large green trees and the wide blue skies. The fresh air was relaxing and the breeze soothed the heat from the sun. Just another perfect day on Altea. She froze in her tracks when she spotted the Daibazaal border. It was such a pretty forest but it held so many scary secrets.
She looked around and noticed no other Alteans in the streets. She stepped into the field and walked toward the edge of the trees. She peered through the wood and tried to see what it was like on the inside. But it just looked like a regular forest. She huffed before her eyes caught something moving in the corner of her eye. The blue butterfly from before fluttered out of the forest, completely... unharmed.
It's a butterfly , he told herself. Not an altean . She sighed at the little creature as it flapped toward a faraway rock. She wished she could see what that pretty thing saw. How it looked like in Daibazaal. How the people - or Galra - there were. Did they change? Or were they the same as her father said?
"Hey, little miss thief," She gasped when a voice spoke to her from the woods. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Keith standing there, a pout on his lips and his arms crossed. He wore the same clothes as before. "What took you so long?" He asked with a tilt of his head.
Allura glared at him, "What took you so long? I looked for you everywhere but I couldn't find you."
"I was waiting outside the schoolyard," Keith leaned against the tree. "You didn't show."
Allura crossed her arms as well, "Well, I didn't see you. After or before school. I even tried checking the town."
Keith cocked an eyebrow at her, "Why would I be in the town?"
Allura shook her head. "Maybe you just missed me. How late were you there? Like... one o'clock, right?"
He shook his head, "No. Why would I arrive early? Someone would've called me out for stalking on an Altean Girl School. And believe me, that's kinda creepy."
Allura blinked at him. "Well, our school ends at one on Fridays."
"Wait, what?" Keith stood straight. "That doesn't make sense. What makes Fridays so important?"
"Well," Allura crossed her arms. "It's the start of the weekend. We get off early to go have break."
Keith blinked at her and shook his head. He muttered something to himself. "Well, other than school talk - it's not like you can give me those back." He gestured towards her.
Allura looked down. Right, she was wearing those clothes today. "Oh... I can give them back! Just stay here and I'll bring them to you." She said as she backed up.
"Th-that's not needed!" Keith said hurriedly but she was already running off. She ran home and changed into another dress, throwing his clothes into his bag and sprinted back. Her father looked at her in complete confusion, but she didn't hear his question.
She came back to him where he was leaned against a tree, playing with his nails. She held out the bag with a grin. He studied her and then the bag. He took it from her and slipped it onto his back. "I said it wasn't needed. You could've just given it back to me tomorrow."
Allura blushed, "Right. But you were here and I knew you were here so..."
Keith rolled his eyes in amusement, "Thanks anyway."
Allura nodded then got concerned. "What are you doing standing there? You know how dangerous it is to cross the border?"
Keith looked at her perplexed, "Um... border?"
"Between Altea and Daibazaal," She pointed out. Keith looked down and narrowed his eyes like he was waiting for an invisible line to present itself. "Aren't you... aren't you worried about the galra?"
Keith looked back up and shook his head, "No. Why would I worry about them?"
Allura was confused. This boy made no sense. Why wasn't he worried about the galra when her father made such a big deal about it? Were they nothing to worry about? Or was...
She looked at Keith in a new light. "A-are you galra?"
Keith seemed concerned about her frightful eyes. "Yes. Are you Altean?" he mocked. She stepped back in fear making Keith even more confused. "What's up with you? Saw a ghost or something?" He glanced back like he was expecting something to be there.
"You were in Altea," Allura breathed.
"Yes," Keith stepped back as well. "Did the mud incident rattle you that much? I asked if you were o - hey! Where are you going?" Allura ran off before he could finish what he was saying.
The guards searched Altea for any sign of galra but found none. Allura was accompanied by two bodyguards around the school and the town. The bright side was that no bullies came near her. The downside? She couldn't enjoy a nice quiet walk without a clang of metal sounding next to her ear. She spent most of her time in her bedroom so that she could be alone for once.
But the entirety of Altea was on lockdown. Everyone expected to see a galra at their back and it was all Keith's fault! How dare he enter her land? Make her perfect world go under such a disaster. This went on for a whole month before the guards dispersed. After another week, everything was back to normal.
Allura could enjoy her walks alone and without guards breathing down her neck. There were a few people still paranoid but everyone relaxed. But the bullying started up again. When will those girl's learn to leave her alone? On another school day, they were taunting her. As usual.
"You should be a better princess," Aya said matter-o-factly. "You don't behave as one should." She grinned, flicking back her long dark hair. "I would be the ideal queen ."
"Well, you're not! Deal with it," Allura wished she could say she said that, but she didn't. The girls looked back and glowered at... at...
"And what say do you have in this, boy ," Anastasia questioned.
"Awww, little miss screw up has a boyfriend," Tiffany mocked.
The four girls started to laugh. Keith glowered at them, "Where I come from, violent action is encouraged . No matter what gender you are."
The girls quieted. "Wh-where you come from?" Tiffany asked. "You... you... GALRA !!" The four girls ran off but Allura didn't have the strength to move. Those indigo eyes pinned her to the wall, his glower still as heated as before. Maybe a little more.
"You have some nerve," Keith hissed, stepping toward her. "Calling out my race like a pest entered your bedroom. After I helped you, you still dared to sell me out to your government. Some princess you are."
Allura glared at him, "Don't get any closer! If you take one step near me I will make sure the guards see you! Then you'll be in trouble."
"I told you before," Keith snarled at her. "I won't let you off just cause you're a princess. Royalty means nothing to me." He turned away from her and called over his back. "Maybe work on your diplomacy skills. Not all of my kind are as bad as your king makes us out to be."
He left before anyone else could see him. Allura looked down in thought. His words stuck with her.