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She had known the risks when she joined up with Prince Lotor, son of Zarkon, Emperor of the Galra Empire. Known that Lotor had plans that went against his orders and duties and that there was a very real chance that their entire group could be murdered at any point in time. Narti knew that more than the other generals Lotor had picked up and named.
She had known Lotor the longest out of all generals; Zethrid proclaiming her loyalty to Lotor decaphoebs after Lotor and Narti started wandering around the outskirts of the Galra Empire and Acxa and Ezor joined a little after that incident.
But Narti had been with Lotor at his most vulnerable, when he had been exiled the first time away from his home and she had been nothing more than a slave trapped in two cages. She couldn’t see what he had done, but she heard the sounds of a blade breaking through someone’s bones, the gurgle as a throat suddenly had an extra hole it didn’t need. She couldn’t even imagine what Lotor had seen on that planet, what horrors plagued his mind for phoebs afterwards. That was one benefit of her lack of sight; she could be spared from the images that haunted the others.
After Lotor had dragged her out of the cage, wrapping one of his hands over her shoulders to keep himself steady and she swung her tail to his hip to make sure he wouldn’t leave, they found a hideaway in a cave far outside the main city where the slave trades took place. Neither of them cried, but they huddled close together for the comfort it brought them. Children weren’t meant to be by themselves, that’s what every Galra learnt from their families. Yet here they were, alone with nothing but each other and barely a few thoughts of how they would survive.
Lotor told Narti in a hushed whisper about his mother, Honerva, who had been Altean but came to the Galra Empire because of her love for Emperor Zarkon before he had started on his expansion plan. About her research and her passion for learning things no one could explain. Of how his mother was mostly gone now, changed into a Witch that had his mother’s face. But from time to time, in a few snatched moments, Honerva would surface, and those were the moments Lotor loved most.
Narti used her hands and telepathy to explain how she had been born blind and never learned how to speak. Her father had been Galra, but her mother unknown; all she knew was that her father had left her in Galra territory before leaving to parts unknown. Narti had been claimed by orphanages and then slavers who would use her for her telepathic abilities to crush their enemies. From what she could overhear from her recently late masters, they had been ready to go out on a raid the next morning when Lotor had found her.
It was like something out of a story. An exiled prince, with enough strength to slaughter his enemies, numerous as they were. Lotor laughed and told Narti to save the praises, even if his exile was rescinded, he didn’t want to go back. And he didn’t end up fighting most of the slavers; they had turned on each other with barely a few words from Lotor, and he only had to take down a few who had charged at him.
Narti never forgot the day she could finally “see”. Soon after Lotor and Narti started traveling together, they managed to bargain for an old interstellar transport ship and get off the planet they had been stranded on. Lotor managed to do the impossible and sneak the ship aboard the main Galra Crown Fleet with Narti in tow, and hide within the spacious design of Emperor Zarkon’s ship itself. He was exiled he told her, what did it matter if he lived or died now, if he couldn’t take some risks for his only friend?
After many quintants of hiding in the shadows of the ship and at one point, stealing armor from a storage room to march down a fully patrolled hallway - Narti could hear dozens of Galra droids and officers - Lotor found what he had been looking for. He placed something with sharp claws and four furry legs on her shoulders and told her to reach out to the cat telepathically. Narti heard a meow and for the first time in her life, the world came into focus.
Lotor looked so tiny and young, in the armor meant for a fully-fledged Galra adult warrior. But he was smiling as Narti looked upon him for the first time.
“This is Kova,” Lotor pointed at Narti’s shoulder and Narti felt a presence in her mind asking to communicate, “They used to belong to my mother before the Witch claimed them. I believe they have agreed to assist you, although you could probably ask and be sure yourself.”
Narti sent an inquiry through her new bond and purred acceptance answered back. Kova made themselves comfortable on Narti’s shoulders.
I do not mind traveling with you, young psychic. I shall not be missed for some time.
After that, Lotor and Narti and Kova snuck out and continued traveling outside the Galra Empire. Narti and Kova watched as Lotor grew; grew taller and more confident in himself, growing more proficient in weapons of steel and words, as they visited different worlds and learned about the different cultures still free from the ever-growing Empire. Narti had never looked much like a traditional Galra, and with Lotor’s interesting ability to change the color of his skin at will, neither did he.
Narti didn’t know how long they had been companions when Lotor’s exile was lifted and he was called back home to see his Father. She traveled with him, of course she did, and said nothing as Lotor tried to hide his shaking hands from her.
“I am afraid the Witch might take Kova from you.” Lotor admitted. “Her magic is strong but I know how happy Kova makes you.” Narti signed with her fingers to Lotor; their own personal communications method once Narti had been able to see. She would be fine if that happened; Narti had survived before and Lotor would take care of her. They both knew the risks when deciding to add Kova to their group.
In the end, it didn’t even matter. Emperor Zarkon barely spoke to Lotor, only stating that he hoped Lotor would no longer be a disappointment before dismissing him. The Witch had been in attendance and she looked once at Narti and Kova and didn’t give them a second glance. Narti could sense Kova’s sorrow and her gaze strayed on the Witch even as Lotor and Narti turned around and marched out of the throne room.
They both knew this leniency wouldn’t last. Not with who Lotor’s parents were and not with what Lotor had started planning.
So they left and stuck to the outskirts of the Galra Empire, expanding the rule to unknown far-off planets to use at outposts as commanded. Along the way, Lotor found Zethrid, fighting alone against a resistance group since her squad deserted her in the middle of nowhere. Narti was fast, faster than Lotor by far, and slipped behind the opposing army to take them out from behind while Lotor joined the half-Galra, who was effectively barbaric in her fighting style. Then there was Acxa and Exor who have always been together and decided to join Lotor’s team together as well. Narti thought that if one of them had not wanted to go, then neither of them would have. She could understand that sentiment; she felt the same after traveling with Lotor for so many decaphoebs.
As per always, Narti was the only one who ever accompanied Lotor to the main flagship for meetings with Emperor Zarkon or the Witch. Lotor didn’t want to bring unnecessary attention to his newer Generals, but the Command ship was already used to seeing Narti follow dutifully behind Lotor, Kova pressed comfortably against her helmet. Usually, Lotor would dock, seek an audience with his father, usually with the Witch standing on the side, and then be dismissed with orders to stay on the outskirts of the fleet. After the whole rise of the paladins of Voltron, the fall of Zarkon and the brief reign of Lotor as the head of the Empire, Narti knew this visit would be different.
Everything was mostly the same. The only thing that changed was the Witch; where before her eyes would pass over Narti before fixating on Lotor, now she looked at Narti for most of the conversation. Where Narti never saw the Witch outside of the throne room for these discussions, Kova turned and saw the Witch standing on the platform above the door, her eyes glowing. Whispers echoed in Narti’s mind and she recognized it as the Witch’s voice commanding her entrance to Narti’s mind. Kova tried to pull away, but Haggar’s voice grew louder and binded the feline to Narti and herself with her will.
Narti thought she was stronger than this. Knew that if this situation were to ever take place, she would last at least a few dobashes against the Witch, not barely a few ticks. The Witch hooked her mind with hers, seeing out of Kova’s eyes and hearing what Narti heard. It was like Narti was seeing through a looking glass, everything looked muddled and sounded muffled. She felt sluggish but she could still move under her own power. With a hand, she stroked Kova’s fur, her fingers signing the word for close, hoping Kova would shut their eyes.
Narti didn’t expect it to hurt so much when Kova continued to watch, their eyes never leaving Lotor who was walking in front of them. She wanted to go back to being blind, to leave this nightmare situation where she was going against Lotor after being with him for so long. Narti didn’t want to be able to see Lotor when it would only hurt him.
It didn’t take long for Lotor to notice something was wrong. To notice that Narti was too far back from the rest of the group, her eyes taking in everything all at once even as the base started shaking from the blasts. He noticed her fingers touching together and her wrist twisting to bare her forearm; a sign she and Lotor had come up with as an emergency. Narti saw Lotor’s eyes widen with realization and pain, but he didn’t hesitate and Narti loved him for that.
“We need to come up with a sign, a codeword of sorts, for when one of us has been compromised.” It had been so long ago when the two of them sat on a fallen branch in some forest on some planet, working on hand signals. “This one can be Help.” Two fingers pointed horizontally and the wrist flapped inwards. “This one can be Kill.” Fingertips touched together, and the wrist rotated halfway around.
Narti smiled as Lotor’s blade cut into her neck. The first thing she had ever seen in her life was Lotor; it was only fitting that the last thing she saw was Lotor, sword in his hand and flying in to save her once more.
Thank you. She sent to him as she felt the Witch’s screams of frustration echo before the connection was broken and she landed on the floor. Thank you for always being there.
Narti had known the risks of staying with Lotor. And she regretted nothing.