Zarkon waits at the end of where the tunnel lets out, not knowing any of what just transpired. He can hear people coming up toward the hatch, and he pulls out his blade, his mouth set in a grim

line.

Only it isn't Tailor and Keith that come from the hatch. It's two other men, and Zarkon has seen them on wanted posters too.

Coughing, the first growls, "I'll kill him, Sendak. I'll kill that Sharpshooter!"

"We'll cut him off at the kingdom, Haxus." Sendak replies, coughing as well, "Get back the crown. Come on."

Zarkon smirks, and steps out of the shadows, carefully hiding his knife, "Boys. Perhaps you want to stop acting like wild dogs chasing their tails and think for a moment."

When Zarkon holds up the satchel, the two of them rush to pull out their swords. Zarkon just laughs and tosses the bag to them, "Oh. No need for that."

They scuffle as they try to open the bag, but when they finally do, they see the crown is still inside, and they grin at one another. Zarkon sighs, "Well, if that's all you desire then be on your way. I was going to offer you something worth one thousand crowns, it would have made you rich beyond belief, and that's not even the best part!" Zarkon shrugs then turns around, "Oh well!Enjoy your crown!"

Sendak narrows his eyes but steps closer, "And what's the best part?"

Zarkon turns around, his smile sharp and deadly, "It comes with revenge on Tailor Sharpshooter." Sendak and Haxus grin at one another, and Zarkon knows he has them.

A fire is burning brightly as Keith gently wraps his hair around Lance's hand. Lance is frowning,

"So you're being rather cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injured hand."

Lance winces and Keith bites his lip, "Sorry. Just, don't freak out, okay?"

Lance looks down at his hand, then back up at Keith. His expression already reads freaked out. Keith sighs softly, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine."

Lance watches as Keith's hair lights up, follows the light until it reaches where it's wrapped gently around his hand. "Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design, save what has been lost."

Lance glances away and Pidge whistles sharply, gesturing with her hand for him to look back.

Lance does, glancing first at Keith's face, illuminated by his hair, then back down at his hand,

"Bring back what once was mine, what once was mine."

Keith stops singing and looks up at Lance from beneath his eye lashes. Lance takes a breath and slowly unwraps the hair from his hand. The injury is gone, not even a scar is left, his hand is perfect and smooth like it never even happened.

"Aaah." Lance breathes quietly, he can feel the shock building, and he opens his mouth to scream.

"Please don't freak out!" Keith whisper-shouts at him.

"Aaaaah- I'm not freaking out! Why would I be freaking out? Are you freaking out? No I'm just very interested in your hair and the magically qualities it possesses." Lance wraps his arms around his middle, rocking slightly, aware he's speaking much too quickly, "How long has it been doing that exactly?"

"Uh," Keith laughs softly, "Forever, I guess? My father says when I was a baby, people tried to cut it. They wanted to take it for themselves."

Keith pulls his hair back to reveal a previously hidden shorter strand of dark hair, "But, once its cut, it turns black and loses its power."

Lance relaxes a little, and leans closer to Keith.

"A gift like that..." Keith sighs, "It has to be protected. That's why father never let me- That's why I never left..."

Lance moves a little closer, "You never left that tower?" Keith looks over at him, and his expression is so sad, Lance can feel his heart breaking, "And you're still going to go back?"

"No!" Keith replies, then he frowns, "Yes. I don't know. It's complicated." Pidge lands gently on

Keith's shoulder and nuzzles in against his neck. He covers his face with his hands and lets her

rest there.

After a few moments Keith pushes his hands up through his hair and sighs, his lips twitching into a smile, "So, Lance McClain, huh?"

Lance snorts out a laugh, "Yeah, well, I'll spare you the sob story of poor orphan Lance McClain. It's a little bit of a... Well it's a little bit of a downer."

Keith scoots closer to Lance and smiles at him, urging him to tell the story.

Lance laughs softly, "There was this book! A book I used to read every night to all the younger kids, The Adventures of the Tailor! Sharpshooter, richest man alive, not bad with the ladies either, not that he would brag about it, of course."

"Was he a thief too?" Keith questions.

"Well, no. Actually he had enough money to do anything he wanted to do. He could go anywhere he wanted to go!" Lance's face falls a little, "And for a kid with nothing? I don't know, it just seemed like the better option."

Keith laughs softly, and Lance turns to him, gently touching his arm, "You can't tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation."

Keith grins and leans a little closer, "We wouldn't want that."

"Well a fake reputation is all the man has." Lance smiles in return.

Keith laughs softly again, and Lance looks at him, really looks at him. His purple-blue eyes are wide and shining in the fire light. His whole face opens up when he smiles and he's just so- Lance clears his throat, and stands abruptly, "Well I should- I should get some more firewood."

"Hey." Keith calls gently to Lance's retreating back. The man stops and turns around. Keith smiles, "For the record, I like Lance McClain much better than Tailor Sharpshooter."

Lance smiles back, but it's a little sad, "Well, then you'd be the first, but thank you."

Keith smiles softly as Lance disappears into the forest. He feels at ease here, safe even, when

Lance is around. He-

"Well!" A voice interrupts his thoughts, "I thought he'd never leave!"

Keith eyes widen and he spins around, "Father?"

"Hello, son."

"But I-I-I don't-" Keith stutters, as his father pulls him into a hug, "How did you find me?"

"It wasn't hard. I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that." Zarkon replies, patting his hair gently.

Keith sighs, and it hurts, but he fights through, "Father."

"We're going home, Keith. Now." Zarkon pulls away and grasps Keith's wrist, pulling him as they walk towards the forest.

"You don't understand!" Keith tugs back, "I've been on this incredible journey... I've seen and learned so many things about the world already! I even met someone."

"The wanted thief? Yes. I'm so proud." Zarkon snarls, "Come on, Keith."

"Father!" Keith snaps and he's dragged toward the forest again, but he pulls and he manages to get his arm back, "Wait. I think- I think he likes me."

"Like you? Please, Keith, that's demented!" Zarkon laughs.

"But father, I-"

"This is why you never should have left!" Zarkon tells him, "Son, this whole romance you've invented just proves you're too naive to be here." Keith frowns and looks at the ground.

Zarkon gently grabs a handful of his hair, "Why would be like you? Come on now, really. Look at you, you think that he's impressed?"

Keith swallows hard and wraps his arms around himself. Zarkon ignores the pained expression on his face and drops his hair, "Don't be a dummy, come with papi. Father knows-"

Keith squares his jaw as he thinks about what he and Lance have been through, "No!"

Zarkon arches a brow, then smiles dangerously, "No? Oh. I see how it is! Keith knows best,

Keith's so mature now. Such a clever, grown-up boy."

Keith flinches as Zarkon pats him on the head, "Keith knows best! Fine, if you're so sure now, go ahead then, give him this!"

Keith gasps as Zarkon pulls of the satchel that he had left hidden in the tower. "How did you-"

Zarkon waves the crown at Keith, "This is why he's here! Don't let him deceive you! Give it to him, watch, you'll see!"

Keith catches the crown as Zarkon throws it to him, "I will!"

"Trust me, son," Zarkon smirks, "That's how fast he'll leave you, I won't say I told you so." Keith looks at the crown in his hands and doubt swirls in his chest.

"No, Keith knows best! So if he's such a dreamboat, go and put him to the test!"

Zarkon is heading back toward the forest, and despite himself Keith stumbles after, "No, father, wait!"

"If he's lying, don't come crying! Father knows best!" With a whirl of his cloak, Zarkon vanishes into the forest. Keith is breathing hard, looking into the darkness after him, but he can't see anything.

"So!" Lance calls, "Can I ask you something?"

Keith panics and hides the crown back in the bag, stuffing it under the tree root they've been using as a seat.

"Is there any chance that I'm going to get super strength in my hand now? Because, I'm not going to lie, that would be awesome." Lance frowns, "Is everything okay?"

Keith forces a smile onto his face, "Oh. Sorry, yes. Just... Lost in thought I guess."

Lance arches a brow at him then shrugs, "I mean cause here's the thing, super human good looks?

I've always had them! Born with it! But super human strength? Imagine the possibilities!"

Keith nods along, but can't stop himself from thinking about the hastily hidden satchel and if Lance really will leave him the moment he has the crown back.