Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron for any related characters, WEP does.

The room was dark. It was not a cold or lonesome type of dark, but a cool velvety darkness that was just barely pierced by the soft orange glow of the room's only light. The forms of the room's furniture, which was made of fine dark woods and covered in rich fabrics of crimson and azure color, could just barely be seen. The soft ticking of a clock was the only sound that could be heard.

"Your Highness," said Haggar in her scratchy, unpleasant voice.

Temporally ignoring his adviser, King Zarkon reached for the bottle filled with red wine resting on the nearby desk and poured himself a glass.

"Yes, Haggar?" replied Zarkon completely uninterested in the old hag. He had known from the moment she asked to speak with him what this little talk was going to be about. In fact, he had many such talks with his advisors and members of the court since the beginning of the week. All of them just like the other, blurring together into an indistinguishable blob in his memory. Those nobles had gotten too bold for his taste. Only fifty years ago none of them would have dared question his word, now they were calling his latest decision insane to his face.

"Perhaps I have gotten a bit soft on them in the past few decades. Maybe I should behead a dozen of them, that usually shuts them all up."

"You know that I am not one to normally question your judgment, but your latest decision about-"

Hoping that offending her would make Haggar go away, the king of Doom made loud slurping sounds as he drank. Haggar's facial muscles tightened in disgust and anger at the king's immature and crude behavior. She had been around him long enough to know that acts like this were Zarkon's way of showing his complete indifference to what someone was saying. Well, she certainly was not going let behavior more appropriate for a teenage boy silence her this time.

"Your decision about allowing Prince Lotor to return home will cause an uproar among the commanders and your other son," she continued with her voice slightly raised and her tone serious. "No one here wants that abomination disgracing our planet with his presence."

"Do you seriously think I want to see that mistake again?" said Zarkon flatly. Long bony fingers tightened their grasp on the wine glass at the thought of the son he had with that weak human fool of a slave. Even as a child, Lotor looked like a monster, a hideous combination of two races.

"Well, no, not really." he admitted to himself. If Zarkon's memory was correct, under normal circumstances Lotor would be considered a charming looking young man. However, it was the idea that Doomite blood had been tainted by that of a human was what made him so ugly in the eyes of others. Due to how different the races were genetically, a child between the two was rare. Why did it have to happen to him? The only reason he had allowed the child to live was because Lotor was one of only a few children he managed to sire.

He placed the now empty wine glass back on the desk and then looked Haggar straight in the eyes.

"Despite this, I cannot not deny his usefulness."

Zarkon almost sighed as he said those words. It was a shame to every other leader in his vast army how successful Lotor had been in his battles. It had been almost two centuries since he had successfully freed his world from the exploitive grasp of those cursed Drules, but those creatures would just not give up. Zarkon supposed it was pride that drove them on for so long despite the heavy losses on both sides. No matter what the cause, the Drule Empire was making yet another attempt to retake Doom by invading through the western borders of the empire. After Lotor had graduated from his schooling, Zarkon had assigned him to that area in order to keep the boy busy and away from Doom. Fortune seemed to smile on the boy for once, for he quickly took command of the Doomite forces and steadily began to drive the Drules back. Technically, Lotor was now invading Drule territory, the Eighth Kingdom to be exact, and taking planets in the name of Doom. A part of the ancient ruler was delighted by this, but the other half was bitter at the fact that a half breed was performing much better than the heir to the throne.

All that work and talent was going to be wasted and forgotten because of lineage. Zarkon pitied Lotor, but there was nothing he could do about his people's bigotry.

While Zarkon was lost in his own thoughts, Haggar sighed to herself. He was hell-bent on having his way, meaning that this was going to be an up hill struggle to the bitter end. But at least it seemed that he detested the prince as much as she did. However, she knew Lotor's military record just as well as Zarkon did, therefore she also knew that would hard to argue against Zarkon's last statement.

"But think of all the unnecessary trouble you are causing yourself! Not only are you allowing him back here, you are going to assign him the important task of re-conquering Arus! Why not assign some other commander? What of your other son? How about your heir for the throne, Prince Tunar?"

"Are you afraid that Lotor will fail?" Zarkon asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No, I am afraid of what will happen if Prince Lotor succeeds. When you first mentioned him a week ago, after yet another one of Yurak's humiliating defeats, I found all the data I could on him. The campaigns that you have placed him in charge of, at the far ends of the Doom Empire, have been a huge success. He has been driving back the Drule and conquering one planet after the other at an incredible pace."

"Then why is the fact I am sending him to Arus partially sending you into hysterics?"

"It is because I fear the exact opposite," snapped Haggar, clearly upset by Zarkon's last remark. "A victory over Voltron by that thing will be a disgrace to our race. I fear the anger of everyone in your court when they are all out shined by some half-breed right before their eyes. Just think of all the trouble they'll cause."

The king's yellow eyes widened in surprise. That was not an answer that he was expecting out of anyone.

"Ah, but think about the what else will happen, Haggar." he said in with an edge of excitement in his voice. "When they are out shined by some half breed right before their eyes, everyone on this world will circle around him like a pack of vultures and then tare him to pieces in a jealous rage. Those nobles may be soft and near useless, but their acid tongues can be lethal and they excel at back stabbing. He'll be left too broken to feel any pride. But even if he is not broken, as soon as he finishes with Arus I'll send him back into deep space where he belongs."

Haggar's mood suddenly became gleeful at Zarkon's words. Yes, she knew first hand how those court members could be. When she first began serving Zarkon , she was the target of much of their ridicule and hatred. Now their fear of her power scared them into silence. For a moment, Haggar almost felt a pang of sympathy for the prince, as people once had similar attitudes towards her. That feeling quickly vanished at the wonderful thought of finally being able to inflict that kind of cruelty on someone else for once.

Judging by the delighted smile on Haggar's face, Zarkon knew that his reply had pleased her. He really did not want that to happen to Lotor, but a least the prospect of it happening would shut the witch up.

Haggar was about to praise Zarkon for his brilliance when the both of them heard the door creak open.

"Who's there?!" Zarkon demanded, his voice low and threatening. "I thought I gave orders not to be disturbed!"

"That's what the guards told me, but I felt it best that I made my presence known to you as soon as possible." the unwelcomed visitor replied as it stepped into the room.

The intruder was a young male in his mid twenties. He was tall, over six feet, and had large muscular build. Haggar looked at the man with a mix of surprise, disgust and curiosity. She did not think it was possible, but Prince Lotor had managed to get even uglier over the years. He had inherited many of his mother's human features, a glaring testament to his dirty linage. Those features mixed with the few Doomite ones served as mockery to her race.

Zarkon, on the other hand, had to keep himself from laughing at the irony of Haggar cringing at someone's appearance.

The witch look at Zarkon questionably, for she wondered if he was going to tolerate Lotor being here. Zarkon's face was twisted into a strange expression, as if he was not certain how to react to the current situation.

"According to the message you sent me, you are going to have me retake a planet named Arus. It also said something about its legendary protector, Voltron, returning once again and defeating your forces. If you would be so kind, please use this moment to enlighten me further on the situation. Everyone here must know, but I don't get that much news in to the dark little corner that you shoved in, father." Lotor spat somewhat bitterly before taking a sip of the red wine. He hoped to cut to the point so this meeting would be over as quickly as possible.

Fortunately for him, it seemed that King Zarkon wished for the same thing.

"Arus was a planet that I conquered about seven years ago after I killed its ruler, King Alfor. I considered the planet dead, for Haggar had broken Voltron to pieces with her magic, most of its people were enslaved, and the central government was destroyed. But, to make a long story short, five space explorers sent by Galaxy Garrison along with the help the planet's current leader, Princess Allura, have revived Voltron. Commander Yurak's attempts to retake the planet have been met with crushing defeat, thus leaving me to believe that I need someone more competent than my current batch of fools to defeat this thorn in my side." Zarkon explained.

"Then what about after I get Arus for you once again?" Lotor snapped, unable to control his temper. "I suppose that you will reward me with no recognition and then send me back to the ends of the galaxy for you to forget about again. Maybe you should you have Prince Tunar do it. I am sure that would actually make you proud. Wait, I forgot, he does not have the ability to do it."

Zarkon looked at his son with an unreadable expression on his face before forcibly grabbing him by the collar. The truth of Lotor's insult had burned him to the core. Crown Prince Tunar, heir to the Doom throne and of the purest Doomite blood, had very little talent for much of anything. He was soft in every way possible. Tunar was little more than sloth that wanted to do nothing but have everyone cater to his every whim.

"Do you know how much it pains me to know that some incomplete being is superior to the empire's heir in every way? This is the only time I will ever complement you Lotor, so you best listen. I often wonder why such talents as your were wasted on you. Why couldn't you have been the son of my deceased wife instead of that slave? If you were not the monster you are, you would be just what I would want in my heir. Sadly, I got cursed with you as you are." growled Zarkon bitterly. This bitterness, however, seemed to be directed at himself rather than Lotor.

They remained there, staring at each other intensely for a few moments. It was impossible to tell what the other was thinking.

"I'm sorry, dear father." Lotor spat sarcastically. Though the fact that his father actually said something positive about him for once did make his head swim with pride, the fact that he could not do it would making Lotor feeling sorry for the fact that he existed equally infuriated him. He had long acknowledged that he would always be hated, but he had never been able to accept it. He did not need another reminder.

Zarkon's faced darkened with anger and frustration. He hands began to tremble before they suddenly released Lotor from their grip and pushed the prince away from himself in the process. He going to give that boy a beating for his attitude, but then he thought better of it. For his son's own good, he was going to show Lotor something that would make him want to leave this world as quickly as possible.

"You are to come to the throne room first thing tomorrow morning. It is only proper that we introduce you to your subjects during your stay here."

Haggar almost cracked in delight at those words. Her king was about to feed that mistake to the wolves.

Chapter Two

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