Lois stood absolutely still in the middle of the sparsely decorated room, clearly inhabited by a bachelor occupant. She’d learned that Kryptonian men and women of nobility only shared bed chambers for sex. It appeared that was very true. There was no trace of a woman's influence anywhere in Kal's room.
And what the hell was she thinking?! In a few minutes, a large man who thought himself to be her... her... whatever he thought himself to be, was going to come through the door and... and...
Rape her!
Suddenly she couldn't breathe, couldn't see. Her hearted pounded rapidly, threatening to break right through her chest as flashes of what would soon unfold danced behind her eyes. Kal was a large man. He would surely hurt her.
And he was experienced. He would demand... certain things. She'd be forced to do only God knew what!
She faced Kal when he entered again, holding her breath as if by some miracle that would save her from her fate.
He glanced at her before moving around to the table where his food had been placed. He shed his tunic, entered the bath chamber to wash up, then took a seat at the table.
“Would you like to join me?” he said, breaking the silence.
Lois finally took a breath. Eat! He wanted to eat. She could do that. And if it bought her some time, who was she to say no?
She slowly moved from her position and eased down across from him. She watched as Kal dished her out some of the food before sliding it across to her. With a glance at the meal before her and a jolt of renewed confidence, she looked back up at Kal. “What was all that about back there?”
“Ching believes me inadequate because I haven’t taken you into my bed,” he told her truthfully as he started to eat.
She could only mouth a silent ‘oh’ before beginning her meal. Eating was the last thing she wanted to do, but at the moment her frayed nerves wouldn't allow her to do anything else. Besides, if she ate, she'd have something to focus on other than Kal raping her, even if it was for a brief moment.
They ate in silence for a long while before Kal broke it.
“I have not taken the time to ask after your accommodations since you’ve been here. I trust everything is to your liking.”
“Everything is okay,” she told him, a little annoyed that he was being so... frustrating!
“Good.” They lapsed into another silence before Lois broke it.
“So… will you take me into your bed tonight?” She couldn't stand it any more. She had to know what he intended to do.
“Yes,” Kal told her as he rose to prepare for bed.
She could only stare at the wall across the room. Yes. Just like that? Sudden fear gripped her tightly. Her heart thundered a loud rhythm in her chest. Kal had left her alone for so long, she thought he'd decided that taking her into his bed wasn't something he wanted to do after all.
Her head swung around when he exited the bath chamber. He wore the tight shorts that all other men did on Krypton and nothing else. A hard lump was forced down her throat as she watched Kal. With his clothes off, he was even more impressive. Large, muscular arms were attached to an impressively built torso. It was apparent he spent a great deal of time training and for a brief moment Lois found herself liking what she saw. She also hated herself for feeling that way because almost immediately that feeling was followed by thoughts of how those powerful arms could easily pin her to the bed while he took his pleasure in her body.
He lifted some papers from the table and climbed into bed, much to her surprise.
“Come,” he told her after a moment. When she remained at the table, he looked past the papers at her. “Join me, Miss Lane,” he repeated his request. Not exactly an order, but clear enough for her not to question either.
Slowly, automatically, Lois rose and made her way over to the bed. Was it shock that drove her to move without protest? It might have been Kal’s threat that morning in the study, even though he'd never done anything to mistreat her. Or could it have simply been the slight attraction she felt for the man?
She felt disgust in herself. How could she feel anything but hatred for this man?
Since Kal had gotten into bed with his shorts on, she climbed in with her sleeping gown still on. The comforter was pulled up to her chin and she stayed on the edge of the bed as far from him as possible.
“You were right about the conditions on Earth,” Kal said, surprising her.
That snapped her out of her impending fear, and she looked over at Kal. “I know I was, but how do you know?”
“I have someone sending me reports.” He passed over a stack of papers for her to see, again surprising her. “Lack of food, water, housing… Not even half the work that should have been completed by now has been done.”
Lois’ nervousness had left her as soon as she’d begun to read. “How is it these conditions have gone on so long without notice?”
“Lord Ran was appointed by the Council to head the task forces on Earth. Coming highly recommended, it was certain the correct person had been chosen. An official visit has not been made since the end of 2125. At that time, things were going so well it was felt there was no need to return unless Lord Ran informed us of trouble. The reports since then have shown positive progress.”
“And you had no way of knowing since all communication takes place within the Kryptonian nation,” Lois said more to herself than to him.
“Exactly.”
Lois couldn’t believe such an intelligent race could have allowed this to happen. But they were the same people who had allowed a space ship and deadly weapons to be taken right from under their noses. She should believe a case of false information and failure to communicate would be far easier to take place. And it appeared it had been.
“If those reports have been favorable, then Lord Ran’s reports have been plants,” Lois pointed out after a moment.
“Indeed. And I want to know why.” Kal dropped his pile of papers onto the table beside his bed, causing Lois to hold her breath. When he buried himself into the bed instead of breeching the gap between them, she wondered just what he was up to. “Rest well, Miss Lane.”
She stared open mouthed at Kal as he lay facing her with his eyes closed. “You’re going to sleep?” WHAT?! Why are you asking him? she yelled internally. Roll over and go to sleep... before he changes his mind!
“Yes. I am quite tired,” he replied without opening her eyes.
Sleep?! He was going to sleep! He didn’t want to have sex! He wanted to sleep! Her stack of papers were deposited on the other table and Lois closed her eyes.
“I didn't think sleeping was what women did in a Lord's bed?” she blurted out when her curiosity got the best of her. What the hell was wrong with her? If he wanted to sleep, why was she questioning it?!
Kal opened his eyes to look at her. She stared at the ceiling, the covers tucked under her chin, and her nervousness showing in slight trembles. “Would you prefer we share it for other reasons?” he asked, a slight laugh marking his tone of voice.
Her eyes shot to his. “Ah… ah…” For a brief moment she was lost in her surprise, unable to believe he was... teasing her, but quickly enough she found solid footing. “I wasn’t aware I had a choice.”
“Haven’t you made your own choices since you’ve been here?”
That statement finally struck a nerve with Lois. She sat up and faced Kal. “If you mean that I am free to roam the confines of my prison, then yes.”
Kal slowly sat as well. “It was your choice to come here, Miss Lane. You signed your papers of your own free will.”
“It wasn’t my choice to be your… your whatever I am!”
“Would you have rather done the alternative?” he asked softly.
Lois shut her open mouth and slowly turned to stare at the covers. Of course she wouldn't have rather done the alternative! Yet, she couldn't very well tell him that! Kal had been the perfect host so far; he hadn't even hinted that he wanted more from her than her being inside his house. So, why did she feel the way she did?
And what way was that? Surely she wasn't disappointed that he wasn't... well, that he wanted to sleep. Was she?
++
From his side of the bed, he felt overwhelmed by his feelings for this woman, Kal reached forward to stroke her hair. “I much prefer this situation,” he said very softly. She looked so lost and vulnerable sitting there, trembling...
In fear of you, he pointed out to himself.
She lifted her head to look at him. Instantly desire shot through his body. By Zor, she was gorgeous!
Kal noticed as Lois’ nervousness took over once again. “Relax. I don’t intend to harm you. I only wanted to see if your hair was as soft as it looks.” He continued to run his fingers over the silky strands, allowing his senses to get lost in this woman.
So completely new was this... attraction to a woman, Kal was enjoying touching her hair. Apparently Lois wasn't completely adverse to it either because after a moment, she began to calm somewhat. Encouraged by her response, and driven by his rising desire, Kal allowed his hand to drift from her hair down to her back. Again she became nervous.
“I wish you’d relax here. My world has a lot to offer, if you’ll allow it.”
Lois pinned him with her eyes, immediately calm. “Does that include you?”
By now Kal’s hormones had completely taken over his brain. It was a strange feeling to desire one particular woman. Noble men rarely felt that kind of flame. They would simply get urges and fulfill them with whomever they felt could bring them the most pleasure. Sex with wives was considered duty. While they served their purpose, one rarely enjoyed it. That was why professional caregivers were there. And because they were there, frustration was almost nonexistent. Or it was before this woman had come to live inside his house. It was a heady and… very different feeling to have a woman actually instill him with desire just by looking at her.
His hand stopped in the middle of her back, heat radiating clear through his body. “If you chose for it to,” he answered huskily.
Kal's heart clenched when she turned away. But what had he expected? For her to say yes? To further prove what he knew she was thinking was true, her voice faltered, breaking the heavy silence between them.
“And if I say no?”
Knowing she would say it and hearing it was two different things. Kal's desire fizzled into a smoldering lump as another emotion swelled within him. Lois had hurt his feelings... again. He wasn't exactly sure why he allowed that pain to filter through, but where this woman was concerned, everything he'd ever known to be true had been turned upside down.
Still, he couldn’t believe he’d actually expected her to answer any other way, though for a brief moment he’d longed for her to.
And why was he giving her a choice anyway?! He was the First Lord for Zor’s sake! She would do what he told her to do.
Kal looked at the woman before him, really looked. She was scared and uncertain of the next moment in her life. How could he damage her more than had been done already?
His hand resumed its gentle stroking on her back, this time to offer comfort, while incredible changes took place inside Kal’s heart. The fiery little woman had gotten under his armor of bravado. His mind screamed that it was irrational and showed weakness to allow a woman a place in his thoughts, but his carefully molded heart wouldn’t let him agree.
“Then I will respect that decision.” Kal smiled slightly at Lois’ stunned expression. “What’s-a-matter?” he repeated what she’d once told him. “Have I failed to meet with your carefully formed opinion of me?”
It took Lois a moment to find her voice. “You’ve managed to keep me guessing about you.”
“I’ve gotten the impression that you like a challenge, though.” Kal gave her far shoulder a slight squeeze before lying down again. Lois could only stare, still unable to believe what had just happened. “You can rest easy, Miss Lane. I never say anything I don’t mean.” He patted the bed. "Please... lie down." He closed his eyes before she complied with his request, afraid that if he continued to look at her, his traitorous body would cause him to break his word.
++
Without taking her eyes from Kal, Lois eased back down to her side so she could watch the man beside her. He had proven to be an anomaly, failing to conform to any of the pictures she’d painted of him in her mind. Lois reluctantly admitted that he’d saved her from a horrendous life of sexual service to a race of men who thought themselves to be gods in mortal form. He’d placed her in his home in a station just short of that allowed his wife, and hadn’t bothered her since. He’d taken her words to heart and ordered the conditions on Earth investigated, not to mention his planned trip there. And just when she’d thought him about to fulfill her vision as a monster, the one she’d painted when he’d brought her to his chamber and the one she’d touched up a great deal when he’d first placed his hand on her, Kal had once again shown himself a clearly different person.
Was it there? That small glint of... of something, dare she say... good? When they'd first seen one another again back on Earth, in her father's lab, Lois was certain there was something in Kal's eyes that made him almost... human. She'd questioned her instincts when he'd ordered her back to join the other workers when she'd first come to Krypton. Rejoiced when he'd 'saved' her, then questioned it again tonight. This man ran as hot and cold as anyone she'd ever known before. Even that sleaze of a high school boyfriend didn't change masks as quickly as the First Lord.
She stared up at the ceiling, replaying the last few minutes over and over in her mind. Why would he have her in his bed, to sleep no less, when he had no intention of anything more? Nobility never shared beds for anything other than sex. Why had Kal chosen to change that? To leave her guessing... again?!
And why do you care? she asked herself silently. She should be thrilled he wasn't about to... do things to her. So, why was she lying in the dark, thinking about the man next to her... like *that*?
She rolled her head to the side to look at the enigma known as Kal-El. With his eyes closed, his soft breathing punctuating the air, one would believe him to be... gentle, maybe even compassionate. His incredibly long lashes lay against the dark skin of his face. Lois would be lying if she didn't admit that Kal was a nice looking man, impressive. His very presence in a room forced you to take notice. His large body was sculpted perfectly. However, his appearance was deceiving.
Lord Kal was nothing he appeared to be... And everything he appeared to be. Would she ever see the *real* man? Did she want to?
She burrowed into the pillow, sighed heavily, and closed her eyes. I *will* figure you out, she thought as she drifted uneasily to sleep.
++
Kal awoke the following morning feeling less than refreshed. He’d lain awake a great deal of the night, staring at the woman beside him. How was it she had the power to move him the way she did? He’d gone to great lengths to make sure this woman wasn’t harmed. First, from the physicians that would have taken away her ability to ever conceive children, then from those around him. Untold numbers would have hurt her. His uncle had protested to her being here, but he’d insisted. And Ching… why had Kal jumped to her rescue when the younger brother asked she be released from her position of service? And he’d saved her from himself by not getting near her. So why had he brought her to his bed?
The night before he hadn’t thought of anything but proving to his brother that he could bed Lois. That would serve Ching right, he’d thought. Let the man think what he would and he could walk around with the knowledge that he’d done nothing but rest. However, Kal hadn’t rested because his body raged with desire for the woman who’d slept next to him.
That overwhelming desire to simply touch her had led to words that set in motion a change inside the great Lord of Krypton. For the first time in his life, he’d put another’s wants before his own.
The hand he’d been unable to control the night before lifted to smooth a strand of hair from Lois’ face, where she slept on her stomach, her head turned so that she faced Kal. Tenderness inched its way into his being a little further as his fingers stroked her soft cheek. At that moment, the young man wanted nothing more than to always care for this woman.
When he realized the direction his thoughts had turned, he moved to get out of bed. He had to put distance between himself and Lois, both body and mind. Kal took his clothes into his bath chamber to dress, took one last look at Lois, then left her there. Somehow he had to get this woman out of his system. If he didn't, he feared he'd never be the same again.
++
Ti entered Kal’s state room with fire in his eyes. The young Lord looked up from his work, slightly agitated he’d been disturbed.
“What is it, My Lord?” Kal asked his uncle.
“Have you lost your wits?” his uncle boomed.
“My Lord?” he asked in confusion.
“Having that Earthling share your bed all the night. Kal, what were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that it was my business,” Kal replied.
“Noble men should be strong and confident. Allowing a women to share your space so intimately makes one weak.”
“Isn’t sex intimate?” Kal didn’t know where that question had come from, but it was one that made perfect sense.
“Sex is dominance!”
“What?” the young man asked incredulously.
“Haven’t you listened to any of your teachings, boy? A man must rule his subjects. Sex is the means which he uses to show his superiority to the opposite sex; his control over his house!”
“Have you ever stopped to think that maybe control would be best attained with less force?” What? Where had that thought come from?
But he asked himself if it might be true. Did one have to dominate to be in control? Before he could think more on that subject, Ti's voice rose to a high-pitched wail.
“For Zor’s sake, Kal-El, you could have any woman you so desired and you spend the night with an Earthling whore!”
Kal shot to his feet, furious beyond belief. “Watch your tongue, Uncle!”
Ti appeared shocked, but didn't back down an inch. “Watch my tongue?! How dare you correct me in defense of that vile creature!”
“Lois is not a vile creature!”
“Lois? You’re calling her by her name now? What have you allowed her to do to you?”
“What I should have done for myself long ago!” Kal forced out through clenched teeth. “I am *your* Lord, not the other way around. Don’t ever forget that!” Kal rounded the desk to leave the room. One of them had to go. It might as well be him.
Ti grasped Kal’s arm. The young man’s eyes shot around to the older ones. “I will not allow you to make the same mistakes your father made,” he told his nephew.
What did that mean? Kal glanced at the hand around his arm before lifting his eyes back to glare at his uncle. “I do not intend to.”
“You will if you allow sentiment and admiration to cloud your judgment. A woman will do that to you.”
Kal couldn’t dispute the fact that a woman could cause you to do things you’d never done before. Lois had already forced him to do some extremely deep thinking and reassessment of his very own personality. But at the moment he couldn’t find anything wrong in that. He glanced down at the hand holding his arm again, then back up at the man to whom it belonged.
“I would advise you to remove your hand from my arm,” Kal told his uncle in a threatening tone. So threatening that Ti slowly released him. “Learn this now, Ti-El. You have been invaluable in my education. For that I will be forever grateful. But what I choose to do inside my own house is my business. And another word said in disrespect of Lois Lane will result in your dismissal from my service.”
This time Ti was unable to mask his surprise, but Kal had stridden from the room after his last threat was spat out.
++
A very angry Ti-El was left in stunned silence. With each passing day, his nephew became more and more independent. He'd been so sure he'd cultivated the right mix of fear and intimidation into the boy's training to always be able to control him. But around every corner, Kal-El surprised his uncle.
How dared that arrogant bastard?! Did he not know that his end could come in the next second? It seemed it was time to reevaluate a few things. If the First Lord wouldn't carry out his uncle's plans, then there would be something done!
++
Kal continued his quick pace toward the private sector of the Palace. Fear gripped him tightly, threatening to take his breath away because he was not accustomed to such a foreign invasion of his carefully constructed psyche. It seemed that with every encounter with Ti of late, he picked up another vibe that didn't sit well with him. His uncle had fostered him from a very young age, and he would have never thought the man... harsh in any way at all. All he'd ever learned, he'd learned from Ti. Yet, he was beginning to feel that maybe there was more to who he was than just what his uncle had helped create.
And the fear he felt... something very new and different from his normal valor. He was First Lord; men lived to serve him. It was completely irrational for him to feel the way he did.
And about a woman no less! An Earth woman... A very beautiful Earth woman. A woman that Ti seemed to despise. *That* was what didn't sit well with him.
“Where is Miss Lane?” he asked the first attendant he happened upon.
“I believe she is in the garden, Milord. That is where she usually spends her mornings.”
Kal continued without acknowledging the attendant’s bow of respect. He entered the garden and found Lois down beside the small wading pool. “Miss Lane?”
She looked up, surprised to see Kal there in the middle of the morning. He never came back to this part of the Palace until late evening. “Yes?”
“May I have a word?” He waved his hand to indicate he’d like to sit with her on the bench she occupied. She slid to one side to give him ample room. He settled and studied the water swirling around the shallow pool. The dark hue of the cool liquid seemed to be filled with as much dread as he was. He sat in silence for several moments before he faced her. “I would like for you to move into my chambers with me.” Huh? Where had that thought come from? Yes, he was suddenly very afraid for this woman's life. And yes, that fear had led him to seek her out in the first place. He'd had every intention of informing Lois that he was going to post a guard to her service. But having her move into his chambers?
Immediately images of her lying in his bed rushed in on him. She had looked so... natural by his side.
Or could it possibly be the thought of what could happen if she was by his side more often?
Enough, Kal-El! You're only offering to protect her because she's your responsibility, he argued with himself.
“Wh… what?” she stammered out.
“Purely for safety’s sake,” he told her. And he tried to convince himself as well. He *had* taken her into his house. Wasn't he supposed to provide for her safety?
“Safety’s sake? Am I in danger?”
“Let’s just say I would like to have you there,” Kal said, unable to voice the feeling he had. There had never been anyone he’d been concerned about and it was unsettling, just as unsettling as the fear he felt. He just couldn't seem to get his conversation with Ti out of his head. He hadn't seen the blisteringly cold emotion in Ti's eyes he'd seen the first time they'd argued about Lois, but there was something there nonetheless. Something... calculated. His instincts automatically jumped to protect Lois. An automatic reaction that seemed to be happening a lot lately.
Only because she's in my house, he repeated. Maybe that would become his mantra.
Lois looked at him carefully for a moment, as if trying to decide if what he was saying was true. “What’s happened?”
Kal shifted, rested his elbows on his knees, then sighed heavily. That look... the one that radiated concern. Lois Lane held power beyond measure, and she wasn't even aware of it. “I had a disagreement with my uncle…” he told her, unable to hide the truth from her, and unwilling to try. What was happening to him?
“About me?”
“Yes.”
“Did he threaten me in some way?”
“No. He said a few words of disrespect…”
“Then why have me move to your chambers? Couldn’t you just… have my attendant follow me closer?”
Kal leaned back against the bench. He wasn’t exactly sure the reasoning behind having Lois share his chambers, except that for some reason he wanted her to. He would feel better to have her close at night, he argued with himself.
The night before replayed in his mind once again. Who was he kidding? Even his sleepless night hadn’t covered the fact that he’d enjoyed having the woman in his bed. There was no use denying it. He briefly wondered if he’d feel the same with any other woman. One thing he knew for sure, he wasn’t inclined to find out.
But he couldn't admit that to her. Not to anyone. His need to protect her was still as strong as it was right after leaving his uncle's presence, so he *had* to do something. He finally turned to face Lois. “Would you allow me to appoint you a guard?”
“A guard?”
“Yes. He would follow at a distance. I wouldn’t want him to make you feel more confined, but… allow me to do this.” Kal did something he'd never done before, and probably didn't even realize he'd done it. He allowed his concern to spill from him in the form of a pleading expression.
Lois hesitated before she asked, “Do I *really* need one? Can’t Zin just stick closer? It would be more comfortable with a woman near than a man.”
Kal looked into the woman’s eyes, unable to believe the incredible power there. At that moment he felt he could literally drown in her dark pools.
He blinked quickly and offered her a slight smile. “I will inform Zin immediately.”
This time Lois was the one to blink.
Kal rose, looking down at her. “I am pleased we reached an amicable agreement.”
“So am I," she stammered.
Kal bobbed his head, then set out for the Palace again. He stopped a few steps away to look back once more. “I meant it when I said you would not be harmed in my house. If you feel the least bit uncomfortable about anything, it will be handled with speed and efficiency. Good day, Miss Lane.”
“Good… day, Milord,” she said into the wind because Kal was already gone.
++
He's been replaced with an imposter, Lois thought as she stared into the purple water in the wading pool. Lord Kal-El, ruler of all, had *not* just agreed with her! It was impossible. Yet, that's exactly what had happened.
And those stares... Lois was positive now that she'd seen a spark of compassion behind his eyes. He'd looked at her as if he truly cared about her well-being when he'd asked her about moving to his chambers. Could she have made that much of an impression on the mighty Lord?
Lois shifted to face the Palace and the door through which Kal had retreated. Once again she rolled their conversation around in her head. Kal said he'd had a disagreement with his uncle.
Well, that was easy to understand. From the day she'd met Ti-El, Lois hadn't much cared for the man. There was something about him that seemed to scream for her to stay away. And that's what she'd done. Of course, he hadn't gone out of his way to be particularly friendly to her either. However, everything she knew about the El family pointed to Kal and Ti being close. Ti had raised the Royal brothers after their parents... died. The older El had been their mentor, instructor, and the closest thing to a father they'd had. As far as she knew, Kal never disagreed with Ti. Yet, that's exactly what he'd said.
Slowly the wheels in Lois' mind began to turn. Maybe all wasn't well within the House of El. And maybe, just maybe, it was time for her to find out why.
She closed her book, rose to her feet, and set off toward the Palace.
