Don't Ever Cross the Queen of Darkness

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Don't Ever Cross the Queen of Darkness

The following is a story of Voltron I made up based on the T.V. cartoon Voltron by World Events Productions. I did not have World Events Productions' permission to do the story and therefore it does not have World Events Productions' endorsement.

Far below on Planet Arus, Witch Hagar had been awaiting the outcome of the final battle between Lotor as a robeast and Voltron as the white lion. Hagar had known just a little bit about a white lion having some sort of connection with King Alfor. And, she had used the information once as a lure for Allura, getting the then Princess of Arus to believe that her father had come back to her as a white lion. But Hagar had had no idea that a white lion had anything to do with Voltron. And then, just after the white lion had destroyed Lotor and during the very instant Hagar realized the loss, she felt a warmth flow through her like an electric shock. It started from some virtually nonexistent place in her dead-cold heart and flowed through every essence of her being before it was gone as suddenly as it had started. It had been a minis quell piece of what was left of who she used to be that caused it to happen. That virtually nonexistent piece of her was once Lotor's mother, before she became Hagar, aging her hundreds of years beyond who she once was. The warmth that flowed through her and then was gone like an electric shock was the mourning of Lotor's mother over the loss of her only child. But no sooner had Hagar experienced the noxious painful feeling of warmth throughout her, then it was gone. She was ice cold again, colder than death, as if nothing had happened to her at all. Then she simply entered her space coffin and speedily headed back for Planet Doom, feeling secure in her safety to do so. For after Lotor had been destroyed, the white lion soon reverted back into Voltron. The white lion tail simply disappeared as black lion and the front legs instantly transformed back to their regular size, then the regular colors of lions were back, the head of black lion opened revealing the head of Voltron, and then the mighty robot stood up in regular stance. Then Voltron split into the five lions and returned to the dens on Arus. So without threat, Witch Hagar freely returned to Planet Doom. Before her arrival, she relayed to Zarkon the fate of Lotor.

Once Hagar was on Doom, she went straight away to King Zarkon's throne room to see what sort of plans he may have now that the demise of his only son had happened. Along the way, Merla stood in the hallway with her vulture on her shoulder, awaiting the witch's return. Hagar paid little attention to Merla, and walked right on passed her, but they happened to brush each other as Hagar walked by. Then Merla knew the awful truth she was bitterly expecting would happen. Lotor was gone. Immediately she was distraught and heartbroken. Hagar immediately turned just after brushing by Merla, and stared at the Queen of Darkness in disbelief. Not for any reason of knowing the queen had once again read her mind and not because of the uncharacteristic grief Merla was displaying, but because of information Hagar had suddenly become aware of that not even Merla herself knew about. But Merla hadn't noticed the witch's interest in her. Instead, she was oblivious to it and had her vulture leave her, preferring to be alone in her misery as she departed from the scene to go to the solitude of her room.

Though Merla's vulture was more precious to her than Lotor ever had been, at least she had never lost him. She had gone through agonizing sorrow during the time when she was on the verge of losing her bird. The fact that his peril was a result of her own doings made it even worse. But, in a way it was worse to lose Lotor because she had no control over the situation. She had certainly tried, but to no avail. Not even her strongest powers of mind control would have changed his decision to become a robeast. She knew that. She had even pulled a far better ploy, but not even under the guise of Allura herself, could she keep Lotor.

Hagar watched briefly as Merla turned and walked away without her vulture, as if in a grief stricken daze. Then Hagar turned and walked away in the opposite direction, continuing on for Zarkon's throne room.

Before Hagar's made her entrance into the king's throne room, Zarkon was deep in thought. He was surprised to find himself thinking anything at all over the death of his only son, Lotor, even though his thoughts were of a joyous nature. "All for the best," he thought silently to himself. "The kid just couldn't cut the mustard of ever hoping to be the evil successful dictator I've always been anyway. The evil gods have blessed me by doing away with that curse to the empire son of mine. I'm finally free of trying prepare an evil ruler out of someone with a hopeless sense of heart."

His gleeful thoughts were disrupted as Witch Hagar approached his throne where he was sitting high atop a flight of stairs.

"What brings you here now, old witch?" the king inquired unemotionally and without expectation.

Hagar smiled to herself over the news she had just discovered only moments before, and then she revealed, "It's about Queen Merla, your highness."

"What!" roared Zarkon, enraged over the very idea of it, his blissful state of mind shattered. He paused a moment and then said, "Ahh, it all makes sense now. She planted that idea about becoming a robeast into the head of that numbskull son of mine to bump him off. Thinking this child of hers would then be considered heir to the throne without question as to whether it's really Lotor's. All in effort to establish herself as the undisputable Queen of Doom. Well she's got another thing coming." Zarkon paused again, seething in anger, and then summoned, "Robeasts!"

Two, twice as large as a person sized robeasts came lumbering in before the presence of the king.

Just as the robeasts were leaving to accomplish their mission, Hagar broke in saying, "Sire, I'm not so sure that's such a . . . "

"Silence, witch!" demanded Zarkon. "I'll get to the bottom of this outrage at once!"

Merla, alone and deep in thought over her loss of Lotor, was secluded in the bedroom she used to share with the Prince of Doom within the castle. She blamed Lotor more than anyone , for his own death. She was furious, yet so completely grieved over him. She didn't blame Hagar, because she knew the witch had done her best to insure Lotor victory. She didn't even blame the Voltron force, though her anger toward them all certainly hadn't changed. Her subconscious and even part of her consciousness wouldn't allow her to blame them, because she knew from concern she read in Allura when the Queen of Arus offered to help her save her vulture after he almost perished, that they cared very much about her. And since Merla wasn't completely evil, her conscience wouldn't allow her to completely discount that profound kindness Allura had expressed. But although she didn't blame the Voltron force for Lotor's death, she continued to hate them all with ease. Her goal to enslave Arus and get rid of Voltron, remained the same. So it was Lotor alone that Merla was thinking so deeply over. He was the one who set himself up for his own death and getting what he deserved for his folly, especially after he had completely abandoned her and her efforts to stop him. But her anger with Lotor was nothing in comparison to her immense emotional grief over the loss of Lotor that she was struggling to come to terms with. And she was facing her emotions over Lotor straight on, without the unconscious defense mechanism of placing blame elsewhere interfering in any way.

The robeasts said nothing, and the door closed behind them. As they approached her, Merla set herself into a fighting stance. From outside the closed door of the room, shrieks of anger could be heard from Merla as she struggled against the robeasts trying to subdue her.

Not long later, the robeasts had traveled back before the throne of the King of Doom, dragging the still struggling Queen of Darkness with them. Each was holding fast onto her arms on either side of her. The long pink braid that had always trailed down her back had come undone, her hair then askew in crimps of braid curl, some of it falling down the front of her shoulders. Somehow her crown had managed to stay intact. Hagar was still there in the presence of Zarkon to witness all that was happening.

Zarkon just laughed a little before saying smugly, "I don't see how." Then he slyly revealed, "I want get to the bottom of some rumors I've been hearing about you."

"You proved yourself to be the greatest warrior ever of the Drule Empire. Are you insisting I take you on in a duel? If you are, you must know I'm not afraid."

Suddenly Zarkon withdrew a dagger from under his cloak and let out a war cry as he stood up from his throne and leapt from the top of the stairs to the very bottom where Merla was. In one swift step forward, he was holding the tip of the blade under Merla's chin just barely not touching her skin. His face was just inches from hers as he stared at her. Merla didn't flinch or show a trace of fear as she coldly stared right back. Her reaction was to spit in his face, but her cool logic stopped her, telling her there was likely a better way to pay him back if only she'd wait it out to find out what it was really all about.

"Dear woman," began Zarkon, "two robeasts couldn't even begin to hold me as they have you restrained now. It wouldn't even be sporting for me to fight you. Unless . . . Are you demanding me of the challenge? Despite what Lotor may have told you, I won't spare you if you do."

Merla said nothing, but continued her cold stare. Biding for whatever time it took for the King of Doom to reveal what it was really all about. She dared not try to reach him with her mind. Such an attempt could have unforeseen dangers. Right then she opted for steadfast patience as the better way to go.

"I thought not," stated Zarkon after a period of silence. Abruptly he pulled back the blade from under Merla's chin, leaving her unscathed, and slipped the dagger back into a place under his cloak. Then he turned and in one powerful leap he stood at the top step just before his throne. There he swiftly turned and sat down.

"Merla," he spoke on, "you know well that there are two ways of attaining my throne: defeat me, or through bloodline. With Lotor gone, so is the bloodline. But I hear you seek to deceive me in regards to that."

"Now that is a plan," complimented Merla coolly, still not foreseeing the grand scheme of all that Zarkon suspected. "I wish I had thought of it first."

"Yes, sire," complied the witch, and she began to approach Merla, instinctively going about what she thought Zarkon would have her to do next, and rightly so.

"And what do you have to do with all this, old witch?" inquired Merla when Hagar was just in front of her.

The witch answered nothing in reply, but went about her business. Hagar continued to speak nothing as she waved the top of her staff in circles in front of Merla's belly, as the robeasts were still holding securely onto Merla's arms. Then a pink glow occurred from Merla's belly. Hargar stopped her movements and watched the glow.

"Uhhhhh!" Merla let out a scream of wrath mixed with some pain. The glow dissipated and then so did Merla's pain.

"Surely I don't need to explain to you about the 'birds and the bees,' do I sire?"

Merla suddenly knew what the whole situation was all about just after Hagar had announced 'It's Lotor's . . .' and she was furious! She was also a bit shocked to know she was pregnant, but more than anything she was furious.

"And you . . . " she began coolly but in a tone of seething anger. "You thought it wouldn't be Lotor's."

In the next instant Merla's mind reached out in an enraged fury, even as it began as an unconscious reaction, and mercilessly attacked Zarkon's mind.

"Ahhhhhh!" yelled Zarkon suddenly in tortured agony, and in the next moment his hands flew up to hold the temples of his excruciatingly throbbing head.

He stood up from his throne, his eyes closed from pain, and then went tumbling down the stairs to his left that led up to his throne. There were three sets of stairs leading to his throne with usually only the central stairs being put to use, but he went tumbling head over heals down the set of stairs to his left. Then at the bottom of the stairs, he was kneeling with his head bowed down, and his hands on his temples. He continued writhing in pain as he'd roll over to one side and then be kneeling again and then roll to his other side and then kneel again. All the while he moaned in agony and kept his hands on his temples.

"Merla!" yelled Hagar, deeply distressed and wanting the queen to stop. She then immediately took a step forward to rush for the queen and make her stop. But at that same instant, Hagar suddenly felt herself choking, and like Zarkon was under the mind control power of Merla, and she dropped to her knees onto the floor, grabbing her throat with her hands, and gasping for breath.

In all his pain, the King of Doom was somehow keenly aware of all that was going on, even seeing what happened to Hagar.

The robeasts complied, and Merla was free. But at that moment, the King of Doom's pain intensified even more as Merla strode over closer to him. So great was the pain, that he felt as though he couldn't even move as he was stuck there on his knees with his head bowed and his hands on his temples.

Merla reached within his cloak and pulled out his dagger. Then she knelt down in front of him and taking his chin in her left hand with its hauntingly looking darkly webbed lines, she tilted his head up to face her. Then, while holding his head there and his horrified eyes looking straight at her, she took his own dagger and held it under his chin just allowing the blade to touch enough so he could feel it. For Zarkon , the pain of it was nothing; it was the realization of his impending death that was everything.

As Merla so coldly stared back at King Zarkon, she practically growled, "Don't ever cross the Queen of Darkness."

Then there was an evil flash of light that illuminated her yellow eyes for the first time, and then was gone. It was just like the flash of light that Hagar's and Kitty's eyes sometimes did since they were servants of darkness entangled in the grips of evil magic. Also Zarkon's eyes were known to get such a flash in them from time to time since he too was sustained by powers of darkness through Hagar's magic, and it had even happened before to his son Lotor as a "side effect" that would sometimes happen as a result of drinking mean potion. Other than that, it was also a common effect to be seen among all the many robot soldiers of Doom simply as a reaction of the energy within them which coincided with their evilly programmed thoughts that were somewhat independent. After that flash left her eyes, Merla simply let Zarkon's head drop, as well as the dagger. The cold deadly sharp blade could be clearly heard as it clanged loudly to the floor, and fortunately for Zarkon, he missed hitting it all together as he collapsed to the floor hitting his head soundly. The moment the flash was gone from Merla's eyes, the torture in Zarkon's mind was instantly gone as suddenly as it had come. He was still alive, yet moaning outstretched on the floor as he was recovering from the psychological effects of all the agony he had experienced. At that moment when he'd been released from his torture, Hagar too had been released and she was coughing and gasping productively for the air she was finally freely receiving again. Merla, after she had dropped Zarkon, had simply swiftly turned away and strode out of the throne room. She most certainly could have attained what she had for so long desired. She could have slit Zarkon's throat and then been the undisputed ruler of Doom and Queen of the Drule Empire with only the Emperor due any respect if she chose to give him any. But during her evil madness, she foresaw Zarkon would be of greater service to her alive than he would be as a corpse. So she spared him, for she had proven she was really his ruler. But during the whole experience and thinking back on it, she was shocked over the incredible power she had displayed. It was certainly more than she had thought herself capable of.

Just after Merla was gone from the throne room, King Zarkon had gathered himself to being up on his hands and knees. He glanced over at Hagar who was continuing to breath deeply as she was still on her knees, but her posture was straight. The old witch was speechless as she stared back at the king. Then Zarkon looked back to where Merla had exited the throne room.

"Well, I won't be crossing her again," he said in a cocky tone, showing he felt no loss of dignity over the whole experience, and indeed he felt just as much a ruler over the empire as what he ever had. Then he simply brushed himself off, and casually ascending the stairs, he seated himself back on his throne.

Hagar stood up and watched, and then continued to stare at him for a while in silent befuddled awe over his attitude that was as if nothing had happened. Then she just simply left the room.

Commentary: Many thanks to a reader for mentioning what sort of vengeance Merla must feel against the Voltron force after destroying Lotor. It was then that I realized I had left a huge hole for explanation as to why Merla wouldn't feel any greater vengeance against the Voltron force. So I've added that explanation to this story as to what feelings Merla is really struggling to come to terms with. Got to wondering how Merla's hair would look down, and what situation would cause it to happen. So then this story came to mind. It was also fun to write about Merla's demonstration of her power of mind control. I tried to demonstrate that it was now stronger than when it once was because of her deeper entanglement with darkness. She also used mind control in the animated series. In this story I have her choose not to have her try to read Zarkon's thoughts saying it was because it could present unseen dangers. I really don't know what those dangers would be, but it sounded like a good excuse for Merla to wait it out and listen to what Zarkon had to say. My thought was maybe Merla would be alert to the possibility of Zarkon recognizing her trying to reach his mind and could retaliate by cutting her throat. In the animated series, there were times during which the eyes of certain characters of Doom would glow. When I saw it happen in the robots, I figured it happened because they are robots and their eyes can glow like lights. When I saw it happen it to Witch Hagar and Kitty, I figured it was because of the black magic they are both wrapped up in. When I saw it happen in Zarkon, I figured it was because of the dark magic Hagar had used on him to prolong his life and that it was also that magic that made him reptilian. When I saw it happen to Zarkon's ambassadors or anyone else, it got me thinking they were robots. But then in an episode where I saw it happen to Lotor, I felt there must be a different reason than someone being a robot or being closely entangled in darkness. That's why in this story I use the theory that mean potion, which Lotor has been shown drinking in the cartoons, can also cause the glowing eyes affect to happen under the right circumstances. At first, I imagined Hagar realizing the death of Lotor while being far away on Planet Doom. But that didn't work because she went to Arus with him to help him destroy Voltron. So then I decided to have her go through the experience on Arus. I like Shannon Muir's theory that the dreams Lotor has in the episode "Sleeping Princess" about Allura and another woman that reminds him so much of her, is his mother; and that she is the one who became Hagar. Then in episode "Fleet of Doom" we see her again, looking similar enough for my tastes to the other woman in Lotor's dreams. So I use the theory that Hagar is Lotor's mom in my stories. The vague part in this story where I describe Lotor's mom being aged hundreds of years when she became Hagar, is my stab at explaining how Hagar can be centuries old as the animated series describes her. The cartoons didn't directly reveal that there was some sort of connection between King Alfor and a white lion, but alluded that perhaps there was. The episode about the white lion that comes to Allura saying he's King Alfor, got me thinking perhaps Hagar sent a white lion as King Alfor because she knew of it as a connection the princess would recognize even though the witch didn't realize the full significance of that connection (or so it goes in my story). I imagined Merla would be very sad after knowing of Lotor's demise. And I imagined King Zarkon really wouldn't feel any grief at all. Kind of nice to keep the King of Doom as a shallow evil character, truly concerned about only his own life. Merla had almost lost her vulture in the stories Battle of the Minds and When Evil Can Do No Harm . When Merla was first introduced in the animated series, a daydream is shown of her desire to do away with King Zarkon and have his throne. I express that desire going through her head in this story, but have her decide when faced with the reality of it all, that she has more to gain from Zarkon by keeping him alive. In the cartoons, Zarkon seems to have a respectful affection for Merla -- like he enjoys her beauty and finesse, but doesn't have a desire to have her for himself. In this story, I have his anger over the idea of her trying to get his throne, override any respect he once had for her. I figured it would take direct threat to his throne to get him that angry with her; even more angry than he was with her when in the cartoons he had learned of her siding with the Voltron force. The cartoon episodes do reveal Zarkon became king by being the greatest warrior of the Drule Empire ever. It was shown during the episode when Lotor took his father on in the "right of might� duel, and I mention that information in this story. During that duel in the cartoons between father and son, Zarkon won and Hagar convinced him to spare Lotor's life. Then in this story I made it a point to have Zarkon mention to Merla that if she dueled him , he would definitely not spare her life as he had Lotor's. The emperor I mention in the story is in the animated series of Vehicle Voltron. I explain more about that in stories I haven't typed yet. The respect Zarkon has ever paid to the emperor in the cartoons is that from time to time he has given the emperor a little gold. I don't know if Zarkon keeps a dagger in his cloak, but I figured he would. Also I could imagine him pretty easily jumping down from the top of his throne steps to the bottom, given how angry he was. In the cartoon series it never shows him doing that, but does show him quickly running down to the bottom of the steps. His throne in the cartoons does have three sets of stairs leading up to it, as described in this story. As for when Merla became pregnant, the most obvious time that would have been the night just after Lotor had seen Merla disguised as Allura in Lotor and Allura? , and the night is briefly mentioned without details in the story Love or Fury Hath No Fear?

[Author--Sheila Bliss based on the previous creation of Voltron by World Events Productions]