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They have been at war for almost a third of her life. She was but a teen when her brother, Lex, began his war. Well, more accurately, his jealousy crusade. It first started because of a woman, of course. But that woman was now exploring the world, and probably had no idea that Lex was using her name as a reason for war.
In truth, Lex had always been envious of Kal, the Prince of Krypton, the neighboring kingdom. Kal was overall a good man and handsome, but in her brother"s eyes, his kingdom had more land, which was rich with precious gems and beautiful natural resources. Krypton"s inventions and weapons were revolutionary. Their doctors and alchemists were leagues ahead. It all always frustrated Lex, that his kingdom in comparison was so clearly inferior except in poverty and population, and it only got worse when Kal ascended to the throne after his parents" death, in the sinking of the royal ship.
They were still close at the time, so Lex went to Krypton to support his friend and took Lena with him. That was when Lena first met Princess Kara of Krypton, Kal"s younger cousin, who also lost her parents in the same ship sinking. Kara and Lena were closer in age, and they became fast friends. Even when their personalities were so opposite to each other. Lena was quiet, timid, and reserved. She hated the sun, jousting, or swordplay, but loved the strategy of chess and the calmness of books. Kara was all sunshine and exuberance, even if she was still grieving for her parents. Everything was fascinating to her, and her radiance bathed everything surrounding her. She loved playing in the sun, with her sword, and challenging boys twice her age and size in duels, and somehow still beat them with ease, in quick succession. She loved to learn, as long as she was doing something, if whatever she was learning about had some sort of practical use. Kara was brilliant, and Lena fell a little in love with her when they met for the very first time.
As soon as he got back to Thorul, Lex changed. He secluded himself, trying to invent, to create, to discover something to be superior to Krypton. The only thing he actually accomplished was losing all his hair and missing the death of their father. Kal and Kara, now 17, returned the favor by coming to Thorul when Lex and Lena were grieving. They had been exchanging missives since they met, and to Lena, Kara"s presence in her home was like a balm. On the other hand, to Lex, it was like being pitied. From that pity, he emerged as King of Thorul, and when Kal and Kara left for Krypton, so did Lady Lana, and that was just the last straw. If Lex couldn"t create something to be better than Krypton and its king, then he would go to war to defeat him.
Letters between her and Kara ceased immediately, and her heart broke for having to stop just to not betray her brother.
Kal took the high path for a long time, years trying to negotiate. Trying to convince Lex that war was unnecessary, but Lex was dead set on winning. Set on defeating Kal. Until Lex hired mercenaries, and they managed to infiltrate Krypton and murder a few council members. Still, Lena knows that it was more the council"s decision than Kal"s, because the army he sent to the front was just a fraction of it.
Lex was stubborn and a strategist, so he prolonged his efforts as long as he could. Three years in, he started cutting the food supply to Krypton; they had the money to buy from anyone in the region, but no one was astute enough to bypass Lex"s forces. Then he infiltrated Krypton once again to ravage their ecosystem with wildfires, killing the few crops they had and killing their livestock. He did this yearly.
Lena hated it all. The war had destroyed Thorul. They were never as aesthetically beautiful as Krypton, but they were growing. Their people were workers, and the economy was booming. They had farmers, woodworkers, steelmakers, and blacksmiths. Now, Lex had conscripted almost all of the men for his war, and Thorul was no longer growing, only surviving.
The next time Lena sees Kara, the blonde is 25, and she"s in Thorul as a diplomat, to again try to convince Lex to stop the war, to see if they could come up with a solution.
The moment she sees Kara again, it"s like everyone and everything else has come to a standstill, and maybe Lena has always been more than a little in love with Kara. She looks incredibly handsome, with a dark coat with gold thread sewn into it with beautiful designs and her family crest. A simple sash, also black and golden, her hair long and defiantly unbound and free. With a sword strapped to her waist, she walks securely into Lex"s throne room, next to another woman with auburn hair, dressed in similar fashion, but without Kara"s shine, in Lena"s opinion. They speak clearly, explaining the situation, how Krypton is looking for peace and trying to avoid more loss of life. Lex, of course, does not hear a word.
"Do you intend to keep up with this war, then, Your Majesty?" Kara asks harshly.
"We will be at war until I crush your kingdom under my boot, Princess. You have my word." Lex seethes.
"Then by Rao, so be it, your Majesty." Kara turns around without any reverence and leaves the throne room, her companion following her lead.
Lex"s bootlickers cheer at Kara"s exit, and Lena takes the opportunity to exit the room too.
She does not need to walk too much to find who she is seeking.
"I was hoping I could see thee, Princess." Kara"s melodic voice floats to her on the stairs leading outside. "Thou really art a vision, your royal highness. Time has been fair, only making thee more beautiful."
Lena can"t help but smile at her extremely flowery words. "Princess Kara." She forces herself to address her with her title, instead of saying her name like a prayer like she felt compelled to do. "It"s good to see you too, even with your too formal words. Would you mind escorting me to the library?"
Kara looks at her eyes for a moment, and Lena can truly see how much Kara"s face has changed and matured. Then she nods. "Just a second, Princess."
The blonde takes a step back and goes outside. Lena can see her talking to her companion, the auburn-haired woman. Lena swears she hears the woman say "Oh dear Rao," but she lacks all and any context.
Kara is back at her side, almost instantly offering her arm. "Shall we, Princess?"
Lena links her arm to Kara"s and is somehow surprised to find more muscles than she expected. Heat flushes her cheeks while they walk the hallways in silence. The castle servants pretend not to see them, but are clearly making an effort to figure out why they are walking together. As she gathers the courage to speak.
"This war has gone on for too long, Kara," Lena murmurs when they are close to the royal library. "It"s senseless."
Kara keeps quiet for so long that Lena thinks she did not speak loud enough, but then Kara asks her, "Would you hate me if I killed your brother in this war?"
"You?" She dumbly asks.
"Lois, Kal"s wife, is with child." Kara says, as if that explained anything. Lena"s blank face must be saying that she needs more information, because Kara continues. "As soon as they found out a baby was coming, Kal asked me to take over the armada and lead them. I plan on ending this war once and for all."
It"s so preposterous that it takes Lena a few seconds to process. But she, a good chess player, understood its merritts. Kill the king, the game is over. Even if she was still unsure on how exactly Kara expected to accomplish the task.
"You"re incredibly sure that you can accomplish that," Lena comments, her voice unwavering and her face indiscernible.
"You still have not satisfied with my query." Kara says instead. "Would you hate me?"
"Let"s pretend you manage to do so. What happens to Thorul, to its people? What happens to me?" Lena inquires, lifting her chin, defyingly.
"You"re next in line, Princess," Kara mumbles. "You could sue for peace. Krypton just wants peace."
"I have no interest in ruling." Lena dismisses the statement. "You"ll never get peace, even if you succeed. Mother would not let you get away with it."
"What would you have me do then, Princess? Just say the word."
Lena was taken aback by Kara"s words. Did she imply that she would do whatever she asked her to do? "You"re the commander of your army, Princess. You must do what you must do. My feelings about the results are irrelevant."
Kara looks at her in silence once again, like she"s studying her face, looking for something. "But would you hate me, Princess?" She asks again in a breath.
The answer escapes Lena"s lips surprisingly easily. "No, I would not."
Kara smiles, and it"s like the sun is shining on that desolated hall. "I look forward to seeing you again, Princess." She says, taking Lena"s hand and guiding it to her lips, kissing it. "Hopefully in times of peace." She bows and then turns around, leaving Lena speechless.
Kara had refused to bow to Thorul"s king. But she had just bowed to her, the bastard Princess.
Maybe Lena is still a little bit in love with Kara, after all.
Months pass by, and Lex is furious. Apparently, Kara is a better military leader than Kal. She expands Krypton"s forces, trains her soldiers, and has been winning most of the battles against Thorul. Now she"s laying siege just outside the walls of the castle.
Lena manages to go outside the walls with her friend Samantha, who knows the way, one afternoon. They hide their identities by covering themselves with cloaks from head to toe.
The Kryptonian camp is just outside the fine line of trees surrounding Thorul"s walls. It looks like miles full of tents, soldiers, artillery, and horses, even if intellectually, Lena knows it"s not quite the case. Nevertheless, Kara is impossible to miss, standing tall next to the biggest tent, talking with the same woman that accompanied her to Thorul all those months ago. She was dressed in her shiny armor, the sigil of her house proudly displayed on her chest, a sword at her back. She seems to be heatedly discussing something with the woman by the way she moves her hands wildly around her. Then suddenly, she stops and looks around her. If Lena did not know about the impossibility of it, she would swear that Kara heard her heart going wild in her bosom. She has to force herself to remember that particular detail when Kara"s eyes fall on her like a compass pointing north, with precision.
She turns to her companion for a second and then starts walking directly to Lena, like an arrow with a target. The camp is buzzing with activity, and everyone is so preoccupied with their duties that their commander, walking alone directly to the line of trees, goes unnoticed. Samantha gives her space to talk to Kara without leaving her alone in enemy territory.
Kara bows as soon as she"s in front of Lena. "Princess, it is dangerous for you to be outside the castle." She says, concern painting the spirit of her voice.
"I can take care of myself, Commander." Lena"s answer is automatic, just like any argument with her mother. Then she relaxes. "I apologize, I am just... I— Lex plans on using the trebuchets from inside the walls. Stones bathed in tar, set on fire." Lena is quick to say. "He doesn"t care about the people he lost and the people he will lose. He only cares about defeating you. Besting your cousin, the King."
Kara looks at her, dumbfounded by her candor and sincerity. She shakes her head, as if ridding herself of her daze. "Why are you telling me this, Princess? It could have been a tactical advantage for your king."
"This war needs to end. Lex won"t stop. He doesn"t care how many of our citizens die by his orders, but I do."
Kara maintains her silence, just looking into her eyes. Lena is almost certain her heartbeat is loud enough for Kara to hear.
"You asked me if I would hate you if you were to kill my brother," she says, and Kara nods. "I think he will only stop this madness if you do." And that"s all she can say about it. Lex and she used to be close. Now she mourns the brother that she finally realizes is no longer there.
Kara bites her bottom lip pensively for a moment, testing Lena"s self-control – then nods again. "I ought to challenge your brother to a duel, for him to surrender. He will be free to choose a champion, of course, if he so desires."
There is no doubt in her mind that Lex would use Ser Graves as his champion. The man is a giant next to Kara, and she can"t help but ask, "Would you choose a champion?"
The question amuses Kara, apparently, because she chuckles. "You know me, Princess. I like a challenge." The blonde tilts her head in a curious manner. "I must ask you something, Princess, and I apologize for my boldness in advance."
"And I shall answer it with honesty."
"Well, taking into consideration that I could very well die soon, and that the leader of your family could face a similar fate if he faces me and I indeed win, I must ask..." Kara sways on her own feet as she talks. She takes a deep breath. "If you would be amenable to accepting a marriage proposal," she says, clasping her own hands together at her back. "Mine. From me. A marriage proposal from me."
Lena must blink, speechless, for what feels like an eternity. But however long it is, Kara flushes red and starts talking at a very fast pace, "Oh, well, I understand. I have to confess that I"ve always been enamored by you, Princess. I never intended to pursue anything, of course, especially with our kingdom relationship. It seemed like an impossibility. But I had nothing to lose now. I might die, or kill your dear brother, and I thought it would be now or ne…" Kara finally stops talking when Lena"s lips land on her cheek, really close to her mouth.
Kara keeps incredibly still, her mouth hanging open.
Lena smiles at her. "If you don"t die, it will be my honor to marry you, Kara Zor-El." She murmurs. And she has to hope and believe that Kara will win.
Lena leaves Kara with a token, a green ribbon, that she immediately asks to be tied to her left wrist. Kara gives her a ring with her house sigil. There are not many words exchanged with the gifts. Just a meaningful look, full of promises.
An emissary from Kara gets to the palace not ten minutes after Lena herself. Kara"s missive is immediately mocked by Lex and his bootlickers. However, the emissary is sent back with the time of the duel; the next day, at noon, in the town"s public square.
Lena paces all night and all morning. She doesn"t even stop to think about the implications of Kara actually winning; she just wants her to. For her people, for Kara, and for her own heart.
She did not sit at the canopy that Lex had raised for himself and the court, standing instead next to Samantha at the Kryptonians" side. Unsurprisingly, Lex chooses Ser Otis Graves as his champion. He"s a great brawny brute of a man, with very little brain, but a loyal follower of Lex. Once again, Kara finds her with unprompted precision and smiles at her, as if that is supposed to calm her. Kara seems composed and confident, her sword unsheathed and already in her hand. If she"s perplexed by Lex"s decision to fight with a champion rather than fight himself, she does not show it. Instead, she puts on her helmet and stands ready.
From the very beginning of the brawl, Lena"s eyes are fixed on Kara"s form. Her technique is flawless and she has quick reflexes against Otis" slow and heavy movements. Ser Graves" sword seems to bounce off Kara"s kryptonian steel armor the very few times he actually strikes her. Kara manages to take off Ser Otis" helmet with a flick of her sword, and she shouts at him to yield from that moment forward, stopping with precision every time she"s too close to beheading him.
Otis hacks at Kara"s helmet with such force that it falls away too. That"s when Kara stops asking for him to yield and actually starts fighting to kill him.
Somehow, Kara overthrows Ser Graves. It finishes surprisingly fast, then. Kara lands a strike on Otis"s neck, and blood starts to flow rapidly from it. He lies down on the floor, gasping for air and trying to stop the river of red coming out of his neck.
The public square erupts in cheers. If it was for joy or because they enjoyed seeing someone defeat Ser Graves, she did not now. But everything falls away when Kara, with her sword raised high, finds her eyes across the crowd.
Her smile is big, and her pride is clear in her blue eyes, and Lena is happy for half a second. She is so taken by the possibility of a lifetime with this woman that she forgets who her brother is and how he reacts to being defeated.
She sees him too late, Otis"s sword in his grasp, ready to strike Kara in the back, like the coward he is.
To Lena, it seems like Kara hears him coming for her. Her smile dims in an instant. She doesn"t even turn around; her sword swivels in her hand, and with force she stabs under her own underarm, right into Lex"s chest.
Lex and Kara"s identical surprised faces would have been hilarious if it weren"t so bizarre and surreal. Her brother"s because he didn"t expect to be the one killed, and Kara"s because she didn"t expect to kill someone outside of combat.
The gut-wrenching scream of Lillian ends up ringing in Lena"s ears for weeks, and it was the last sound her mother uttered. She"s so struck by grief that ever since that day, she goes into a stupor that she never recovers from.
Now Lena has to face the fact that, even when she does not want it, she is the heir of Thorul. Kara sends word to Krypton of Lex"s death and the end of the war, as well as most of her armada. Some medics and Kara"s sister stay. Alex, with her almost permanent scowl and her short auburn hair, is always close by. She now remembers Kara mentioning her in their early letters. It turns out that when Kara"s parents died, Kal, with his royal duties, could not take much care of her. Alex"s mother, a high council member, took her in as her own.
Lena also remembers seeing her back then. Her hair was long and a little darker, but the scowl was pretty much the same as is it now. Kara tells her that Alex"s mood is only because she misses her wife, Lady Kelly. Lena is not so sure about it.
Kara is a little standoffish at first; it takes her a few days to speak about something other than duty and her sister. She finally does so while they are walking down the town"s main road.
"Do you hate me, Your Majesty?" She asks, playing with her own hands.
Lena is not very fond of her new title but decides to ignore it for now. "Why would I hate you, Kara?"
"You know why," she says, turning to her and stopping her walk. "He was your brother."
"He was a lousy king. And a coward, who tried to attack you while you were not looking." Lena takes a step closer to her and takes Kara"s hand. "Of course I don"t hate you." She smiles at Kara, and then starts walking again, letting the blonde"s hand go. "I would never marry someone I hate."
The walk back is pleasant, and Lena can tell Kara wants to tell her something, but she abstains from it while also keeping an amenable conversation. She asks about her friends and her hobbies, about her favorite foods, asks for Lena to teach her to play chess, and about her feelings regarding her mother and her health. Lena has never talked about her thoughts or feelings as openly as she does with Kara. And Kara looks at her like whatever she"s hearing is the most important information that has ever been revealed to her. For the first time, Lena feels special in her own skin, appreciated for herself and not by whom she was born a daughter or sister of.
After dinner, Kara walks her to the library, as usual. Lena has always enjoyed reading before bed.
"Do you still not want to lead, Princess?" Kara asks in a whisper, as if the walls could hear her. Lena thinks she prefers it when Kara forgets her new title.
"I won"t say I"m looking forward to it, Your Highness, but I can"t simply abandon my people to the wind." Lena smiles at her. Their steps are sedated, tranquil, and in-synchrony, both of them moving as if they were connected by something invisible.
"What would you do, if you did not need to sit on the throne?" Kara tilts her head, curious, looking into her eyes.
Lena laughs, surprised by the question. "I think this is the first time anyone has asked about what I want." She thinks for a moment, unsure. She always lived by the whims of her father. Then her mother. Lex was her solace for a while, until she found herself under his whims too. Her mind goes to Lady Lana and she feels some envy of her. "I could travel someplace else, maybe. The only time I"ve left Thorul was when we traveled to Krypton. I was born in Éire, but I don"t remember it. I came here at age 4. I could go there, perhaps." She stops at the door of the library, smiling at Kara. "But I have a duty. I don"t think it will lead me back there anytime soon."
Kara stops in front of her, pensive for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "I am in awe of your sense of duty, Your Majesty. Your loyalty to your people." Lena can tell that Kara is sincere in her words, but she"s at a loss of words, and Kara blushes a lovely color. "May I kiss you?" She asks, apropos of nothing.
Lena is speechless, and now that the princess has asked, she wants it more than anything. She nods.
Kara timidly touches her cheek and moves her hair out of the way before she inclines her face toward her, leaning in and going for her lips.
She has been kissed before, in dark hallways, hidden from the view of her mother and brother. Ser Jack once kissed her by surprise in that same spot. No kiss Lena had ever had compared to this one.
Kara"s lips are soft and gentle and extremely warm and sweet, like Kara herself. The kiss starts as just a press of lips, then evolves to being tentative, slow, and somewhat timid. There is no pressure, but Lena wishes for more, even if her heart is thumping nervously in her chest. She puts her arms around Kara"s neck, drawing her closer and demanding more.
The hand that Kara had on her cheek ends up entangled in her hair. And the other one falls on Lena"s waist, both of them keeping her close, as the kiss turns passionate and desperate.
Lena feels like she could kiss Kara for the rest of her life. She wishes to.
Kara stops kissing her when both of them are clearly desperate for air. But she doesn"t stray far; the only change is that their lips are no longer connected. Instead, Kara puts her forehead on Lena"s, both catching their breaths, lips kiss swollen.
"I cannot begin to explain how long I wanted to do that." The blonde whispers, close to her face. A secret, only for her.
"Perhaps as much time as I"ve wanted to do the same," Lena equally murmurs.
Kara"s hand returns to Lena"s face, her thumb delicately caressing her cheek. "If you truly do not wish to be Queen, there is another way," Kara says, breaking apart from her just enough to see her directly in the eyes. "I did not mention it before because I did not want you to think this was a goal of mine. I do not care in the slightest, but you have an option. I"ll do whatever you wish me to do." She tries to take a step back. Lena simply keeps her arms tight around her neck, not letting her escape.
"Just tell me," she mutters, caressing Kara"s nape distractedly.
Kara keeps quiet for a second or thirty. Lena doesn"t know if she"s looking for the right words or simply distracted by her fingers playing with her hair, but then she finally speaks. "I defeated your brother"s champion. By law, I could claim the throne." Lena wrinkles her brow, curious, but Kara must mistake it for anger, because she adds quickly. "I have no interest in it, either, but if I claim it in the name of Krypton, it would be under Kal"s reign. You could negotiate a treaty, and... if we get married, we could go see Éire and come back here if you wish to. Make a home here."
"Home doesn"t need to be here," Lena answers, and Kara tilts her head, clearly confused by the sentiment. "When we get married, home doesn"t need to be Thorul. I love my people, but that doesn"t mean they love me."
Kara seems to take personal offense at the declaration. "Then they are fools."
A chuckle escapes Lena, just by the absurdity of Kara"s readiness to defend her. "What I mean to say is that I don"t have family here. Lillian doesn"t even recognize me, and when she did, she didn"t think of me as a daughter. I have literally three friends here. You have an entire family and more friends on Krypton."
"So you"d be willing to live there?"
"Yes." Lena falls for her a little more every time Kara smiles like that.
"What about Thorul"s throne?"
"I think your cousin and I can get to an agreement."
In truth, it was in Thorul"s benefit to accept being part of Krypton. Once Lena took a look at the books, she realized that they were struggling with money. If Lex were alive, he would have to tax for breathing if he wanted to finance his war, and Lena was unsure if he would get anything from that. The younger population was disillusioned and tired of war, and they had no idea of how to do the jobs Thorul was known for in the past. Krypton had the resources to pay the working class of Thorul for their labor. That was the whole reason for the war to end, at least.
It would not surprise Lena if the history books named Thorul"s takeover as the easiest conquest to ever occur. She negotiated in the name of Thorul with Alex as a representative of Krypton. Lena found it rather funny how Kara unbound herself from the responsibility because she "would just give Lena whatever she wanted.".
Lena is fair in her requests, and Alex is fair in her demands, and just like that, an accord is made. To be in effect with Kara and Lena"s wedding, like all royal alliances, even if theirs was an outlier about the purpose of it. Most weddings between royals were political alliances, with hopes of companionship later in life. Theirs is a lifelong bond that happens to politically benefit their people.
The trip to Argo, where Krypton"s throne sits, takes almost a week. It has been long and uncomfortable, but it has had its merits. Namely, Kara handsomely riding a horse and freely laughing like a child whenever Lena was riding next to her, just to get out of the stuffy carriage she shared with Andrea and Samantha. Jack was riding next to Alex and Kara most of the time. By night, they would settle camp, only to keep traveling with the first light of the morning. Kara had sent a letter to Kal before their departure, with the treaty accords and their wish to celebrate a Kryptonian wedding as soon as possible. In the last stretch to the castle in Argo, Lena makes it on the same horse as Kara. The blonde quietly tells her the name of everything. It"s intimate and endearing how excited she is for Lena to meet her town. When they enter the House of El, two women are waiting for them at the steps of the palace.
She recognizes, from a distance, the older of the two as Alex"s—and to a certain extent, Kara"s—mother, Lady Eliza. It"s not hard to deduce who is the woman next to her, with her beautiful brown skin and long dark hair, when Alex"s horse passes by, galloping next to them at speed, and the redhead practically dismounts before it completely stops, just to kiss her. Alex looks like an entirely new person as she smiles at her wife.
"Okay, I admit I did not believe you were telling the truth about her being grumpy because she missed her wife." Lena comments as Kara stops their horse.
Kara laughs and dismounts before helping Lena do the same. "I told you. They were waiting for the war to end to try for a child. It"s a long dream of Alex, to be a mother. They will be great parents." Kara says, her hands still at Lena"s waist, and sincerity flowing out of her with ease. "Come, let me introduce you."
Lena has no time to be nervous about meeting the blonde"s mother and sister-in-law; it"s just a few seconds from Kara spitting the words, and then just standing in front of the women. Kara hugs her mother fiercely. Lena thinks she looks more like Kara than Alex, and the thought amuses her infinitely.
"Allow me to introduce Princess Lena of Thorul," Kara says proudly, despite the fact that she has no reason to be.
"Not anymore, Lena Luthor, ma"am." She corrects. Kara looks at her like she wants to say something, but it"s interrupted by her mother.
"It"s a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Lena. I"ve heard so much about you that I feel like I"ve known you for years." Lady Eliza"s smile is so warm that it"s hard to fathom that she"s not actually related to Kara, who pinkens at hearing the clear jab of the older woman.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lena," Alex"s wife interjects. "I"m Kelly. I hope this one behaved herself while she was your guest." Alex also goes pink and the sight is hilarious to say the least.
"She was a perfectly fine guest."
Kara introduces Lena"s guest to her mother too. Eliza is gracious enough to take care of Andrea, Samantha, and Jack and give them the tour and to then guide them to their respective rooms.
Then, Kara accompanies Lena to her own room. "I"ll let you freshen up," the blonde says. "We shall meet with Kal and Lois, and see if the treaty stands."
Lena"s brows crinkle. "Do you think it won"t?"
"It will stand. You and Alex are excellent negotiators," Kara says with certainty. "Do not worry." She takes Lena"s hand and tenderly kisses it. "I will be back soon. Rest a little, Princess." She takes a step back and turns around to go.
"Kara," she calls and walks up to her. The blonde turns to look at her. "I"d like to be properly kissed when you part from me," Lena says, demanding.
"Of course, Princess. As you wish." Kara smiles, putting a finger under Lena"s chin, lifting it, and closing the distance between their lips.
They have a banquet. Alex, Kelly, and Eliza are sitting next to Kara. Samantha, Andrea, and Jack, next to Lena. Kal and his wife close up their party. It is simple and perfectly adequate. At the end, they all go about their business, and the King and Queen call her and Kara to drink some tea.
Lena never thought that meeting – or rather, getting reacquaintance with – Krypton"s King would be unremarkable. Kal is charming; he expresses his condolences for Lex"s death and Lillian"s health, and they talk business casually. He compliments her and Alex"s accord. But he lacks Kara"s warmth. His wife, Queen Lois, is way more lively and spunky, besides being very pregnant. She somehow coaxes out of her, her last and true feelings about her brother, as well as her excitement about her future on Krypton and with Kara.
"You were right, Kara." She tells the blonde without leaving her seat, as she and Lena were leaving, loud enough for all four of them to hear. "She"s a delight, and I can see why you could not shut up about her."
Kara lights up a deep shade of red. "Rao, Lois, you"re terrible." She goes up to the pregnant woman and kisses her cheek as a goodbye.
"What did she mean, you could not shut up?" She asks Kara a few minutes later, when they are alone. As Kara, like always, walks her back to her chambers.
The crimson is still present on her face, but she speaks securely, "I told you, Princess. I"ve always been enamored with you."
Lena takes stock of all the comments she"s been getting from Kara"s family just during the day, and it"s now her turn to blush just thinking about the way Kara must have been talking about her for years to deserve such comments.
"I hope you can rest tonight," Kara says, stopping next to the door. "The journey from Thorul was very long." She leans into Lena"s space but does not kiss her, even when Lena has given her explicit consent already.
She grabs the blonde"s wrists and closes the tiny gap between their lips. It"s just a quick touch of their lips, really. But when Kara tries to retreat, Lena"s grasp on her wrist tightens.
"Princess?" The kryptonian voices her concern.
"Stay."
"Pardon?" A crinkle appears on Kara"s forehead.
"Stay with me," Lena whispers, her hand still tight on the blonde"s wrist.
"Oh," Kara looks at her eyes, searching, finding, maybe. She nods. "As you wish, Princess."
The wedding will be officiated a week after their arrival. In the meantime, between dress fittings and food selection, Lena meets with the rest of Kara"s friends. Ser J"onn, from their military guild, was like a surrogate father to both Alex and Kara, and trained both of them. Lady Cat Grant, who was the royal scribe, was very protective of Kara. Meeting her was almost more intimidating than meeting Eliza. Cat"s apprentice, Lady Nia, is also something in between Kara"s best friend and her little sister. Who is, for some reason, the one organizing their wedding—"She loves it," Kara tells her. "And somehow she knows everyone in town; she gets away with whatever she desires." —Lord Dox, who Kara calls Brainy, the youngest council member, incredibly brilliant and completely in love with Lady Nia, even if apparently no one knows about it, yet it was incredibly clear to Lena. Lord James Olsen, Kal"s best friend and Kelly"s older brother. Ser Winn, who follows Kara everywhere, and sometimes Lena catches him looking at her with both hatred and resignation. And Lady Lucy, Queen Lois" younger sister. She also meets Lady Maggie, who, apparently, Kara is not very fond of. – "She"s Alex"s former girlfriend. She broke her heart. We could never really see eye to eye much, even then." – Kara explains, shrugging. Lena is relieved that she told Kara to stay in Krypton as she learns more about them; she has far too many important people in her life to abandon for Thorul. And Kara also bonds with Lena"s friends. Andrea is a little hard to crack, even for herself, but she could tell that Kara"s making fast progress. Jack"s always been easygoing, and they are both so curious about everything, that it"s easy for them to be engrossed in a conversation about whatever has caught their attention that day. Seeing Kara with Samantha is like watching two kindred souls. They are both so protective and warm towards whoever is close to them; it"s like a constant loop of affection without being overbearing. All makes Lena feel fuzzy and content.
The day before, Nia and Kelly explain the wedding ceremony in its entirety, while Kara is at the temple of Rao with Alex. Now, on the day of, Lena"s not really nervous; she"s excited, in a completely new way.
For a wedding, Kryptonians do not wear pompous dresses like Thorul. Instead, it could be considered more of a robe than anything else. Hers is red, as Nia told her, it symbolizes good fortune and courage. Kara"s, as she stands before her, is blue. Nia told her that it"s the color of her house, representing wisdom and intelligence. More importantly to Lena, it makes Kara"s eyes brighter. They are both standing on the Jewel of Truth and Honor, with Kal as their officiant. And Lena must confess that she"s not exactly sure what he is saying, as a lot of it is in the old Kryptonese language, but as Kelly and Nia explained, it"s the same as any traditional wedding on Thorul.
Kara smiles at her as she takes one of the twin bracelets she"d made, from Alex. They are mostly blue and red, with some green and purple. They are identical to one another and unique to Kara and Lena. No other couple could craft another identical pair ever again.
"I, Princess Kara Zor-El of Krypton, take you, Lena Luthor of Thorul, to be my wife." Her smile is big and blinding, and Lena doesn"t think she could look any more beautiful. "I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life, till death do us part, and then I shall wait for our souls to reunite us under Rao"s gladsome rays." She finishes by clasping the bracelet on Lena"s left wrist.
Lena takes the other bracelet, identical to the one on her wrist, and clasps it on Kara"s left wrist. "I, Lena Luthor, take you, Princess Kara Zor-El of Krypton, to be my wife." She says, loud and proud. "I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life, till death do us part."
"In the name of truth and honor," Kal"s voice booms, tying Lena and Kara"s hands with a golden thread. "I declare the marriage vows binding upon you. From this day forward, throughout all time and land, even unto eternity." He smiles, and Lena finally sees some resemblance between him and Kara. "Made wife and wife this day, and for all days hence. May the countenance of Rao ever shine on you."
Lena stands on her tiptoes to kiss her wife for the first time, but this time it is Kara who closes the gap.
Lena knows she ate, and drank, and danced with almost everyone; she vividly remembers both Alex and Kal asking her to please take good care of Kara; but in all honesty, it"s all just the feeling of happiness, laughter, and infinite joy.
Nothing compares to waking up the next day, engulfed in Kara"s arms, in their chambers.
Kara"s already awake when she opens her eyes. As soon as she realizes, she holds Lena closer to her. "Rao, grant me the opportunity to wake up every day like this." She mumbles, and Lena has no other option than to show her, once again, the depth of her love.
That week, Kara shows Lena her favorite places in Argo, and then they go to the Fire Falls before setting off on their journey to Éire, for good luck, Kara explains. It"s a magnificent sight to look at the red magma flowing like a river down the valley. When they return to the castle days later, they bid farewell to Jack, Samantha, Andrea, and Maggie, who would be Krypton"s governor on Thorul.
Lena tells Kara she does not wish to travel by carriage but just the two of them by horse for as long as they can.
"As you wish, Princess."
"I am not a princess, Kara." Lena comments, once again.
This time, however, Kara quips back. "Well, I am a Princess, and you are my wife, until death do us part. Henceforth, you"re a Princess." Kara gets close to her and tenderly kisses her cheek. "Nevertheless, if that were not the case, you will always be a Princess to me."
Lena shakes her head fondly, looking at her wife, smiling. She could live forever being Kara"s Princess.