"As you wish, My Queen." 
                          
"Guards, take her to the courtyard." The two men by me roughly grab my arms and pull me to my feet. I half walk, half dragged out of the hall. The platform in the courtyard is already erected. They are swapping out a noose for a lashing pole. One of my hands is unshackled to be redone in front of me. The heavy iron links between the two are stretched up above my head to be placed on a hook. It is so high that only my toes touch the ground, allowing my back to stretch to be completely exposed. Someone cuts away the thin shift leaving my front just as bare.
                          
The crowd is reforming outside. I look up and can see the royal family on one of the balconies overlooking the entire ordeal. A man silently holds up a piece of thick leather to my mouth. I open and then bite down on it. This is going to hurt by I resolve to not pass out from the pain that is coming. If I did, they would just wait for me to regain conciseness before resuming. A practice snap of the whip almost makes me flinch. 
                          
"Begin." The queen intones.
                          
The first lash feels like fire against my skin. I bite down hard on the leather. The second was just as bad as the first. By the fifth, I grunt with each one. By the tenth, tears stream freely down my face. When I look to find the only comfort I have in this world, she is gone. Lena left me to my punishment. How could I blame her, how could she love a woman who deceived her with every breath? Numbness sinks in then. The numbness of loneliness that does not allow you to feel anything else. Suddenly my arms are released from above my head and someone catches me before I fall to the ground. They lift me over their shoulders and carry me. Not to the cell like I thought, but up. Up to my own room and to my own bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow my body gives out.
                          
When I come to it is still light. I lie on my stomach and something feels like it is pressing into my back. I try to sit up but a hand rests on my shoulder.
                          
"Not yet Kara. We have to make sure the wounds close." 
                          
"Winn?" I ask.
                          
"Yes, John is here too. He has already packed for you. Rest now." I fall back to sleep, and actual sleep this time. 
                          
The next time I open my eyes it is dark. Winn lies on the floor below me, John is asleep leaning against the wall. I feel tears form in my eyes again. I have to leave the only friends I ever had. I had to leave them and travel to enemy lands to live out the rest of my life, however short that may be. I sit up, my back screaming in pain, and move to the wardrobe. A pack is already there in front of it, John had actually got it ready. I dig deep into the back for my old tunics, the ones from before I came here. After I dress I also silently strap on my old dented armor, leaving the Luthor armor behind. Once or twice, both of the men stir but neither wake. With one last glance, I silently leave the room. Conner and Andrew are stationed right outside Lena's chambers, both avert their eyes when I glance over at them. The walk through the castle is long. but I head to the stables to get Comet. Two stable hands doze in a corner. When I enter they jump to their feet. 
                          
"I have come for my horse," I say when they look at me questioningly.
                          
"You ain't gotta horse." says a gruff voice from a figure walking up from the back. A large man, almost as animal as the beasts he tames.
                          
"The White War Horse. He's mine." I say 
                          
"Not no more. Queen's orders. That horse is now apart of the royal breeding stock. He will make some fine steeds." Anger flood through me, of course, she would not make my banishment easy. Of course, she would take away my last remaining friend.
                          
"Can I at least say goodbye?" The man looks at me harshly, then softens.
                          
"All right, I know the bond between horse and rider, but make it quick. I ain't gettin' in trouble for no wannabe knight." The man leads me to Comet's stall. He neighs as I approach. The stable master leaves us.
                          
"Hey boy, be good okay? This will be better for you. Lots of hay and a warm stable. Plus looks like you will be getting all the horsey tail you desire." I laugh through the tears that started to fall and bury my face in his mane.  We stand there for a bit before I force myself to tear away. I know Comet senses my sadness and he tries to get close to me again, stopped by the stall door. 
                          
"No, you stay here. I need to go and you cannot come." Comet makes a sound that might have been a whine. 
                          
I turn my back. I hear him paw at the door, trying to get to me. I can hear his cries even outside the stable and it breaks my heart. Thank goodness it is dark because tears fall freely down my face. I walk to the main gate and the guard on duty lets me through with no questions. Everyone knows of my banishment at this point. The streets are quite as I walk. At the last gate, I have to wait until morning so I sit with my back against the outer wall. I chew on some more of the pain revealing leaves, my supply is dwindling quickly. I riffle through the pack to pass my time. John packed a change of clothes, a bedroll, flint, steel, a waterskin, some dried meats, hard rolls, dried vegetables, my healing herbs and a map of the kingdom with marked roads. I keep digging and find a small box. My soaps. I smile at that. John knew how much I loved these. In the box was something else, A pouch filled with coins, it was more than what I had from my pay. John must have added most of his as well. Winn may have helped also, knowing him.
                          
At daybreak the gate is raised and I leave Kandor, leave my only family behind, heading south to enemy lands.