Chapter 25

It took almost a week to get the rest of the way down the mountain.  By
this time, Allura had claimed Lotor as her personal masseur, which he really
didn't mind!  Lotor and Keith had started talking to each other more often,
and more civilly, and eventually decided they didn't want to kill each other
any more.  Everyone, however, shied away from the subject of what would happen
when, no one ever said "if", they got back.
At the foot of the mountains was a gorge with a rocky river running
through it.  In the river was a large raft, securely tied to a large boulder
on shore.  The consensus reached by the travelers was that they had come to a
fork in the road.  They could choose to cross the river and keep heading west
on land; or, they could chance loading the wagon onto the raft and floating
it down stream.  By now they were all leary of the water, but the raft's
presence seemed to imply that they were supposed to go downstream.  As the
beach was too narrow to drive the wagon along, they finally decided to try
thr raft.
The most difficult task turned out to be convincing the animals to come
onto the raft.  The oxen rolled their eyes and lowed noisily.  Finally, they
had to be escorted one by one onto the constantly shifting raft.  Of the
original twelve, two had drowned in the river accident and a further three
had frozen in the blizzard, leaving them with seven.  The stallion was bribed
onto the raft with a lump of sugar; and, much to everyone's surprise, it was
the mild-mannered palamino that refused to budge.  In the end they had take
Sven's handkerchief and blindfolded it, so as to lead it onto the raft.  Even
after it was on the raft it shuffled constantly and whinnied nervously.  They
tied one end of the rope to his halter and one to the back of the wagon, in
case he should fall off.
They did not launch the raft until the next morning.  With a grating
shudder, it pulled of the bank and began to move swiftly down the river.  The
passengers took turns poling the raft away from rocks and shallows.  On her
breaks, Allura liked to go and visit Sugar and try to clam him.  Once, Lotor
went with her.  He put a hand on her shoulder as she approached the horse.
"He looks even more edgy than usual," he said, scrutinizing the animal,
"maybe you should let him be."
"Don't be silly!  Wouldn't you want someone to comfort you in the same
circumstance?"
She edged her way up to the horse and reached out her hand.  As she
touched his shoulder, Sugar reared and, losing his balance on the shifting
raft, fell into the churning water!  The rope began running off into the
water with terrifying speed! Allura had not noticed she was standing in a
loop-but Lotor had.  He shoved her out of the way and she had just enough
time to turn and see the look of shock on his face as the rope tightened
around his own ankle and dragged him over the side!
Allura opened her mouth to scream; but all that came from her throat was
a small gurgle.  As Lotor's black Stetson fluttered to the deck she
reflexively caught it and shook herself out of her shock.
"Keith!" she called at the top of her lungs.  He was there within seconds.
"What happened?"  Allura was sobbing hysterically.  Keith tried to calm
her down.  Meanwhile, Tori was in her usual perch on top of Keiths head.
Suddenly she reached down and patted Keith's cheek-he ignored her.  She
pulled his hair.
"What, Tori!?"  Then he saw them.  Sugar was swimming quickly,
desperately trying to keep his head out of the water.  Clinging to his bridle
and gasping for air was Lotor.  Keith grabbed a hold of the rope and began to
pull, Allura followed suit.  They hauled Lotor on first, he lay there gasping
while they dragged Sugar by the bridle until he found his footing and heaved
himself back onto the raft.
"Oh, Lotor!  I thought you had drowned for sure!"  Allura rushed over to
the very wet and bedraggled Prince of Doom.
"My ankle," he said grimacing, "how bad is it?"  Allura pulled his boot
off the rapidly swelling joint.  The rope had cut into the flesh and deep
bruising was all ready apparent.
"Well. . ."
"Is my foot still attached to my leg?"
"Yes."
"Then it's not too bad," he managed a smirk through the blinding pain and
added a few moments later, "I hate rope!"

Chapter 26

They had spotted a dock along the riverbank ahead by the time the sun
began to set.  The was a small hill behind it.  Keith had climbed the rise
beyond the dock and quickly called the others over.  They all gasped at the
sight before them.  It was the plain in front of the castle of lions!
"That's impossible," Allura gasped, "that's the spot we dissappeared
from!"
"No," Keith shook his head, "where's the castle of lions, and Lotor's
cruiser?"
"Maybe,"  Sven mused, "ve have to be standing where ve vere when ve
disappeared."  All agreed that this sounded reasonable, and they agreed to
try it the next morning.  No one ate well that evening, they wre all worried
about the next day.  They all hoped that Sven's idea would work-but what if
it didn't?  After picking at his dinner, Lotor stood up shakily and limped
off to the top of the rise.  Allura began to follow him, but was stopped by a
hand on her shoulder.
"What is it exactly," Keith asked quietly, "that you suddenly find so
fascinating about him?"
"Everything."  She smiled strangely at him and continued toward the now
sitting shape of Lotor.
"She really does love him," Keith thought to himself in surprise, "who'd
have thought that would ever happen?"
Allura sat down next to Lotor and noted the pensive look on his face.  He
was staring off in to space, sighing occasionally.
"Penny for your thoughts, Lotor."
"I was just thinking about tomorrow," he turned and faced Allura, "Hagar
said it would be as if we had never left.  Does that mean that we won't
remember any of this at all?"
Allura gazed deep into those troubled yellow eyes and could find no
answer.  Finally she turned to him again.
"You know, you've saved my life several times on this trip."
"So?"
"I usually give a little reward to people who save my life. . ."
"I really don't want any thanks," he insisted.
"You want this one," she smiled, "believe me."  She took his face in her
hands and kissed him deeply on the lips.  Allura scooted closer to Lotor,
placed his arm around her shoulders, and laid her head on his arm.  They sat
there together late into the night, saying nothing because there was no need
for words.
(Author's note:  There it was folks, THE romantic scene!  I apologize to all
of you who expected a little more than that, I'm not too great at writing
romantic stuff.)