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Krypton: Year 2128 in the eighth cycle (or August 1987)
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Lois had to admit that the royal Palace was a lot nicer than she wanted it to be. Her chamber was very elegant and expensively decorated. A huge bed, covered with large fluffy pillows was the focal point of the far wall. A mirrored bureau and chest lined another wall, while a tall armoire held a place on the wall by the door. The room contained a private bath and walk-in closet, which had been filled with a wardrobe of fine linens. It wasn’t often Lois was impressed, but she had been that first day she’d been led to her room and told to make herself comfortable.
She’d stood, rooted to the floor, gazing around in disbelief. Then she'd slowly made her way around her room, amazed that so much about Krypton was very much similar to Earth. Like the bathrooms.
'How 'bout that?' she remembered thinking on the transport across the galaxy, a little surprised that the two races of humans were so much alike. Of course, she'd known that already, having worked with her father and having been to Krypton before. As a child she hadn't been extremely impressed by much. Just the experience of going to a new world, traveling on a real space ship, had been enough for her. Yet, she still continued to be awed by the existence of aliens.
The return trip to Krypton was much different than it had been in her youth. She'd looked at the things around her. Inspected the food she was given, asked questions when she could. She'd marveled at the sight of another planet coming into view across the blackness of space. The buildings, the colors-- distorted slightly because of the red sun, even the garments Kryptonians wore were interesting to her now. Seeing how they lived, knowing it wasn't too dissimilar to Earthlings, might shed light on the mystery of why they chose such cruel mistreatment for one of *their* worlds. However, her discoveries had left her with more questions than answers. Kryptonians were still just as elusive as they'd ever been.
After thoroughly inspecting her chamber, she'd ventured from the room. Lois was curious to know if Kal had meant what he’d said about allowing her to take advantage of her new living arrangements. When no one stopped her along the corridors, she felt a certain weight lift from her shoulders. She began to think that maybe one day she'd be able to come out of this situation intact.
Someday.
+
The first few days were uneventful. Kal did not come to her chambers or send for her as she’d fully expected him to do. Lois, though, had been surprised when an attendant breezed into her chamber the first morning, prepared her shower, then waited to help her dress. Lois had protested, but the woman insisted. It seemed Lord Kal-El had appointed the woman Lois’ lady-in-waiting and the woman had been instructed not to stray far from her side. Lois just figured the woman was there to watch her and make sure she didn't get into trouble, and she'd braced herself to be led to the First Lord after. When the woman did nothing but wait for instructions, Lois was mystified. After a lengthy argument, the servant finally convinced her that Lord Kal had not summoned her. Yet, the threat was there, always there... lurking just off in the shadows. Would today be the day? Tomorrow? Dread and waiting... that's how Lois saw her life now. Another of those annoying things she'd come to hate about Krypton.
The private sanctum of the El House was not a very busy place. Lois seldom saw anyone save the attendants. She’d been at the Palace for a whole week before she'd met Lord Ching, Kal’s younger brother. She came away from that meeting with yet more feelings of dread. Ching was less harsh and welcomed her to the House of El, but there was something in his eyes that hadn't set well with Lois. He seemed to leer at her, undress her with his mind. It felt like everyone had another agenda.
By the second week, Kal had still not sent for her. Maybe she'd seen more behind his eyes than she thought. It was hard to have to admit that Kal was actually the one causing her so much distress. She realized that she truly had convinced herself that just because she was attracted to him he should make concessions where she was concerned. Had she really felt her attraction was returned? Even if he did find her attractive, it certainly wasn't the same as what she felt for him. It was obvious that he only wanted one thing. So why hadn't he gone after it before now?
To keep her distracted, she'd continued her explorations of her new 'prison', as she'd come to view it, and had eventually found her way into the library and the collection of wonderful literature contained there. If she couldn't be elsewhere in body, she could certainly be there in mind. From that point forward, most of her time was spent there and in the garden. Getting lost in the pages of fantasy was her only escape from thoughts of what life was like back home. How was her father? Still angry that she'd come here?
Hurt. He was probably extremely hurt... and worried for her. She'd contemplated asking Kal if a message could be sent to let Dr. Lane know she was all right, but thought better of it. The further she stayed from Kal-El, the better.
Though she no longer felt overwhelming fear and dread as she had when she first arrived, she couldn't shake the constant depression that hang heavily in her very being. She hadn't been mistreated, physically at least. But wasn't emotional abuse just as bad? Just as serious?
How she longed to have her life. On Earth. The way it should have been... before a stupid, stupid man named Jor-El ever discovered the place existed.
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Kal refused to allow himself to think about his new house guest at first. Lois Lane had busted his ballooned ego in his state room that day, smugly proclaiming that her words had somehow made a difference. And they had. His mind had turned her words over countless times before he’d made the decision to take her into his home. The Lord in charge of the duty assignments for the Earthlings had come to him for an official signature to proceed with the sterilization procedures. Something deep inside Kal had roared to the surface when he’d read Lois’ name on that list. He’d immediately ordered her brought to his quarters and the papers drafted to bind her to his service. As Lord, he could have probably ordered her to most any position he chose. But tradition was a way of life on Krypton and it never occurred to him to place her in another station… at least not at that time. His bruised and battered ego had wanted to teach her a lesson, prove to her that he *could* have her.
But since then, the young Lord struggled almost daily to understand what he felt for Lois. Never before had he been overcome with emotion for a woman. Attraction and desire were not part of the Kryptonian make-up. Yet, all those things had surfaced, if only faintly, when Kal allowed himself to think of Lois Lane as more than just a female. She was a woman, a very beautiful, very attractive, very desirable woman. And that was a fact Kal was finding harder and harder to deal with.
For the nearly two cycles Lois had been at the Palace, Kal had stayed as far from her as he possibly could. State’s affairs often lasted well into the night, taking up any time he might have to run into Lois in the private section of the Palace. It was a full week after Lois’ installation into his house before he sent for his wife to join him in private chambers. Two or three nights since, he’d sent for Zara or he'd gone to her, always leaving afterward the same way he’d done from the start of their marriage- cold and empty. He'd also left her feeling increasingly frustrated and emotionally cold inside.
After the last time, he'd found himself standing in the corridor across from Lois' chamber, his mind filled with the possibilities of what could happen inside that room. Yet, he could never bring himself to go to her. Not because he didn't *want* to. Kal wanted nothing more than to bed Lois Lane. No, he refused to go to her because of his fear of the unknown. Lois had filled his senses and often occupied a spot in his mind. Kal feared what would happen if he allowed her to take over, as he suspected might happen if he surrendered to the call of his body.
What was happening to him?
He'd sought distraction in the arms of a caregiver. But he never made it inside the chamber. He'd passed the library, where he'd often seen Lois reading, and he'd been overcome with desire to go to her once again. He'd fled the Palace, into El, with an excuse that state's affairs needed to be attended at the government building in the city.
There seemed to be an abundance of affairs and people that screamed for Kal’s attention, all for which he was thankful. He’d ask after Lois’ well being now and then, but preferred to keep his body as well as his mind as far from the small Earth woman as he could get. The one thing he was truly thankful for was that Lois appeared to be behaving herself. There had been no instances of disobedience or outbursts that Kal had had to reprimand the young woman for.
In fact, the only problem he'd had with her being in his house had been an argument he'd had with Ti-El. The older man had been furious to learn that Kal had taken an Earthling concubine into his house. That was the day he'd begun to question many things.
++
"Kal-El!" Ti thundered as he entered the State Room.
Kal looked up to see his angry uncle stride into the room. "Yes, Milord?"
"Don't yes, Milord me, you stupid, stupid boy!"
Kal's brows rose to his hairline. "Excuse me?"
"I am told you've taken an Earthly whore into your house!"
Immediate anger shot through Kal's body as he pushed himself to his feet. "I believe we call our whores concubines, Ti-El," he bit out at the other man, speaking his name informally for the first time in his life. "At least the ones that live in our house!"
"Don't give me that tone! I know precisely what *Kryptonian* mistresses are called..."
"Is that what this is about? My *Earthling* concubine?"
"Earthlings are not fit to hold even that title. She's nothing more than a common whore!" Ti drilled Kal with his gaze as he leaned forward across the table to challenge the young lord.
"Bite your tongue, Uncle, before I forget you hold *that* title!" Kal stared him down as he, too, leaned forward. Hadn't his uncle been the one to encourage him to seek out affairs with other women? He knew Ti had never been partial to Earth humans, but from his reaction, Ti loathed the other race completely.
"Kal, you are First Lord. You could have any woman of your choosing."
"And I chose her!" Kal shot right back. He was preparing to defend Lois beyond measure, unaware that his stand seemed to be automatic.
Ti stared at his nephew for several long moments before sighing. "I don't like it, Kal-El. You're better than that."
"These people are the same species as we are, Ti."
"We are superior!"
This time it was Kal that paused. He studied his uncle carefully, deducing many things he never had before. "Then you should not have a problem with one being my... plaything." He finished quickly and began to organize the files on his desk.
"She best not get out of control..."
"She won't!" Kal's gaze came up and he pierced his uncle with a fierce stare. They played that game for a second before Kal sighed and eased to his seat. "Look, Milord. This woman is here and she will remain here for the year she's agreed upon. Council does not object and Zara is..."
"Zara is your wife. She has no right to object!" Ti cut him off. Kal simply clamped his mouth shut and stared up at the older man. "And as long as you're trying to conceive an heir, Council couldn't care less who you bed. Hell, half those bastards have an Earthling whore at home as well." He threw up his hands and dropped onto the chair behind him.
"I am truly sorry this causes you upset, but I am of age now. I can make my own decisions." There! He'd finally said the words he'd thought for some time to his uncle. Even after taking control of his worlds, Ti never ceased to order Kal. And for some reason, that had begun to bother the young ruler.
Ti sat silently staring at his nephew for a long moment before he rose to his feet. "Goodnight, Milord," he clipped out, then strode from the room.
Kal leaned back in his chair. That last second before Ti had turned from him, there was something behind his eyes that Kal didn't recognize. Disgust? Frustration? Neither seemed quite right. The expression had been more... calculated, more... furious. Was Ti-El really that angry because he'd taken Lois into his house? Or was it because Kal had finally spoken as his own man?
The young man rose to his feet and walked to the door. Stepping into the corridor, he watched as Ti disappeared around the corner. In that instant, Kal-El saw his uncle in a whole new light.
++
Kal heaved a deep breath, his hand coming up to rub his neck as he left the Council chambers. He stumbled forward when Ching came up behind him and clapped his shoulder.
“Kal, will you dine with me tonight? It has been a long time since we’ve had a chance to catch up.”
Kal dropped his arm as they made their way down the corridor toward the private section of the Palace. “I’ve ordered my meal sent to my chambers. I have some transcripts to look over.”
“More from Earth?”
“Yes,” Kal answered. Since Lois had told him what she had about the conditions on Earth, Kal had made contact with another Lord that had been part of the team sent to the other planet. The second Lord was a man Kal knew well and trusted a great deal. Lord Sar, who had been stationed aboard the floating Palace in orbit above Earth, began secret expeditions to the planet to assess the situation for his Lord. What he’d been reporting back was unbelievable.
The conditions Lois had told Kal of were just as she’d said. People on Earth suffered almost as much now as they had right after the war. It seemed Lord Ran, the Lord the Council had appointed, under recommendation from Ti-El, to provisionary ruler, hadn’t overseen very much reconstruction at all. Though it was still unclear what exactly was going on, it was perfectly clear that Lord Ran was not fulfilling his duties. Since Kal was closer to Ching than anyone else on either world, the Lord had confided in his brother that he had suspicions something was not well on Earth. One bit of information that he chose to keep to himself was where he got that suspicion.
“What now?”
"I’m not exactly certain, but I will find out.”
“As well you should. How would it look for one world to be so prosperous, when the other is barely livable?”
“Exactly,” Kal agreed as they turned the corner toward the section of the Palace that contained their bed chambers.
They walked along in silence for a while before Ching spoke. “How is your… guest?”
“Well, at last report,” Kal told his brother quickly. Lois was a subject he preferred not to talk about.
Ching reached out to stop him with a hand on his arm. “At last report? What does that mean?”
“It means her lady-in-waiting told me she was well.” Kal was exasperated, both with this conversation and that woman.
“You’ve taken a concubine and know nothing about her?”
“Ching, it's been a long day...”
“This woman has been here for two cycles and she has yet to come to your bed?” Ching continued as if Kal hadn't spoke. When he still didn’t say anything, just turned and resumed his walk, Ching’s brows shot to his hair. “Kal-El.” Again Ching stopped him. “Why do you not take this woman? She is… priceless.”
“I am well aware of Miss Lane’s attributes, Ching.” But unlike his younger, *eager* brother, Kal was not guided by his loins.
“Then why not bed her? Do you have a problem that warrants the attention of a physician?”
“No!”
“So relations with the Lady Zara continues?” The younger brother seemed determined to discover why such a beautiful woman hadn’t been taken advantage of.
“I have no performance problems!” As much as he didn't want to discuss Lois, he wished to discuss Zara even less. For the past couple of weeks his relationship with his wife had been more strained than ever. She had grown bitter toward him, even when they spoke casually. He suspected it had something to do with Council insisting she was inadequate because she hadn't conceived an heir. Hell, that suggestion had bothered him. Zara fulfilled her duty and only asked to be left alone otherwise. Lately, Kal had begun to think she was justified to feel the way she did. Besides, they were young. There was no rush to conceive an heir.
“Then why not call for Miss Lane?” Ching seemed to be stuck on this subject.
“That is my business, Ching.”
“Yes, but, Kal, you can’t possibly be that blind.” When his older brother failed to speak, he clasped his arm tightly and practically dragged him down the corridor.
“What are you doing?”
“Come with me,” was all Ching said.
Kal tried to struggle away from Ching when he realized the younger man was leading him to Lois’ chamber. They stepped through the doors, startling the occupant, who was sitting on the lounge reading.
Ching released Kal and went to Lois. He pulled her to her feet by her arm. “Look at her, Kal!”
“I see her. May I leave now?” He turned to do just that, infuriated that his brother was doing this.
“What’s going on?” Lois asked them, shock evident in her eyes.
“Release her to me,” Ching said, stopping Kal at the door.
“What?!” Lois had no idea what Lord Ching was up to, but being tossed between two men was not something she had in mind to do.
The First Lord turned back slowly to face his brother, who still held Lois’ arm. “We both know you cannot keep a woman.”
“No, but I can send for the same caregiver over and over.” Ching’s eyes flashed at Lois, his lust now the leading force in this altercation.
Kal automatically felt compelled to protect Lois. He stepped forward and held out his hand to her. “I’d like for you to come with me,” he told her softly.
Ching released her arm, a slow smile spreading across his face. “It’s about time. Very well done, brother.”
Lois glanced between the men several times before she reached out to take Kal’s hand, apparently deciding him the safer of the two.
Kal bowed his head at her ever so slightly before he turned and led her down the corridor and into his chamber. Once inside he released her hand. “I will return.”
“Where…” The rest of her question died on her lips as the doors slipped closed behind Kal.
Ching was already in the corridor when Kal managed to get back to him.
“Ching.” The younger man stopped. “You seem to need a course in etiquette, my brother.”
“What?”
“That was uncalled for. She is not some possession that can be passed from one to another.”
With a small smile, Ching replied, “It appears my brother has finally allowed a woman to affect him.”
Kal huffed his frustration, shifting from one foot to another. How would Ching know anything about women affecting anything besides his libido?
“It’s okay, Kal. You may be Lord, but you’re still a man. Even the mightiest of rulers should indulge sometimes.”
The First Lord didn’t reply. He just shot Ching a glare and went back to his chamber.
