Previously On Contractually Bound:
Beyond the windows of the room, the twin moons had long since set. The night was growing old. Kal stretched and yawned mightily, despite his best effort to hold it in.
"I'm sorry," Lois said, shaking her head. "You must be exhausted."
"I'm okay," Kal said, rubbing his eyes.
"You are not," Lois said, a half smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I should let you get some sleep. It's getting late anyway."
"I'm fine. I can stay up if you still want to talk," Kal pressed.
"Like you said, we have a lifetime to talk." Lois rose from the couch. She hesitantly, but tenderly, cupped his cheek in one hand. The gesture only lasted a second, but it set Kal's heart to soaring. "Goodnight, Kal."
"Goodnight, Lois."
Kal watched as Lois moved off to the bedroom. His heart was aching in his chest. But this time, the ache was a good pain. Lois didn't hate him. She'd talked to him. She'd been open to his questions and had taken an interest in him. She had apologized for their rough start to their marriage. And not once had they fought.
The change in her attitude made her even more beautiful to his eyes. He shook his head and made up the couch so that he could sleep. He crawled beneath the blankets and sighed to himself. In the span of two hours, his dark little world had suddenly been flooded with light and promise. He could scarcely wait for the morning, for then, he would have another chance to be with his wife. Already he knew that even if she never grew to love him, he had begun falling for her.
***
First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Love
Kal awoke with a smile on his face and a cat on his back. The little creature was curled into a ball and purring even in his sleep. Kal yawned and Fasa woke at the sudden movement and sound. He stretched and left as Kal shifted on the couch. After a moment, Kal wiped the sleep from his eyes and pushed himself up off the couch. Standing, he worked a kink out of his neck from sleeping in a bad position, then moved off to the kitchenette to start the coffeemaker.
Peeking into the bedroom, he saw that Lois was still asleep, so he quietly grabbed some clothes from his closet. He dressed quickly, then made his coffee and settled down at his computer. He drank slowly as he checked up on the current news before making a move against his brothers in a game that he had going with them. It was still very early when he finished, took care of Fasa's needs, and slipped out of his chambers.
He wasn't sure where he wanted to go. He simply let his feet take him where ever they wished. He felt like singing and dancing, his heart was so light. At least, he hoped that Lois wouldn't change her mind when she awoke. His heart faltered for a moment as the possibility crossed his mind. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Lois couldn't possibly take back all the things that she had said last night, could she? No, Kal was fairly certain that she wouldn't do that. They had made so much progress last night.
He kept walking, even as he was lost in thought. When he finally broke from his inner reflection, he found himself in the rose gardens. He smiled and stopped walking. As usual, the gardens were deserted at this early hour. He sat on his usual bench and breathed in the clean scent of the flowers. For a long time, he was silent, just enjoying the early morning sunlight and the warm breeze that seemed to caress him.
"Mom," he finally said, "I don't know if you had anything to do with Lois' change of heart last night. But if you did, then thank you. I really do want this to work out. I'm...I'm starting to fall for her. I know that sounds crazy. We've only known each other three months, and we've only just started to get along. But I think that I might be falling in love with her. I think you'd like her. She's got such a fiery, independent spirit. She reminds me of you in that way. And she's beautiful."
Kal stood, squinting up at the sky. He knew that he should return to his rooms. He wanted to be there when Lois woke up. The whole day was his to do with as he wished. And he planned on spending every available moment with his wife. He quickly retraced his steps back inside. As he neared his chambers, he saw Ching and Jai approaching. They were talking in low tones, but their laughter was evident in the smiles that they bore. Kal waved and hurried his pace to meet them.
"Hey, bro!" Jai grinned at him.
"Good morning," Kal greeted them both, unable to keep the smile off his face.
"You're looking rather...happy this morning," Ching observed, grinning from ear to ear.
Jai's eyes widened. "Did you and Lois finally...?"
"...come to an understanding?" Kal finished for him. "We did. The fighting is behind us."
"How did you manage that one?" Jai asked, his jaw slack in disbelief.
Kal shrugged. "I didn't do anything. It was all Lois. She changed her mind about things. We wound up having a good, long, productive talk last night once I got back to my chambers after you and I sparred, Jai."
"I'm happy for you," Ching said, clasping his younger brother on the shoulder. "It's good to see you looking so relaxed again. It's been far too long."
Kal nodded. "I know. Believe me, I know. It's good to feel like my old self again."
Jai nodded as well. "Yeah, for the last few months, you've been walking around looking like you were carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You had me really worried about you."
"Thanks." Kal chuckled a little, unable to contain his mirth now that he didn't have to fear Lois anymore. "It felt that way."
"We're going into the city later with Zara. Do you want to come?" Ching asked.
Kal shook his head. "Normally I'd say yes. But I think I that I want to spend the day alone with Lois. No offense. Maybe next time though."
"None taken," Ching assured him. "You should enjoy some time with your wife."
"I don't blame you," Jai said with a wink.
"Thanks," Kal said. "I better get back inside. I'll see you guys at breakfast."
With that, Kal strode away to his chambers. Lois was just coming out of the bedroom as he closed the door softly behind him. He smiled sheepishly, as though he'd been caught doing something wrong.
"Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," Lois said. "Sleep well?"
"I did. You?"
"Fine, thanks."
"Coffee?"
"Sure," Lois said, moving to sit on the couch.
Fasa jumped up on the couch next to Lois and lay down. He looked at her expectantly, and she scratched him behind the ears. He began to purr and closed his eyes, completely content. A minute later, Kal was at Lois' side, handing her a steaming mug of coffee.
"So," Lois said, nodding in the direction of the door. "Where'd you go this morning?"
Kal noted with immense relief that there was no animosity, no accusation in her voice. He breathed a mental sigh of relief. Feeling confident, he lowered himself onto the other end of the couch.
"I was up pretty early, so I took a walk. I just couldn't really sit still. I ran into my brothers in the hall. They wanted to know if we'd like to go into the city with them today."
"Oh? What did you say?"
Kal dropped his gaze, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I said that I wanted to spend the day with you."
Lois nodded. "I think...I think I might like that."
A relieved smile spread over Kal's face and he released the breath that he hadn't even realized that he'd been holding. "I'm glad. I'd like to take you on a little tour, if that's okay with you?"
"Um, didn't we already do that?" Lois arched her eyebrow at him playfully.
"Yeah, but that was the boring stuff. I'd like to show you my favorite spots."
"That sounds lovely."
"Great," Kal said. "Let's go down to breakfast, then we can spend the rest of the day together, just the two of us. After my tour, we can do whatever you want."
"Okay," Lois agreed.
They both stood. Kal noticed as Lois moved that there was a glimmer of light at her neck. As he took a second look, he saw that she was wearing the necklace he had purchased for her. For three months, the box containing it had sat on his dresser, unmoved since he had placed it there on their wedding night. To see Lois wearing it now made his heart soar. She truly had decided to give their marriage and budding friendship a real try, hadn't she?
They walked to the main door to the chambers. Kal opened it and held it wide for her to pass through first. She was about to step into the hallway when Kal spoke again, stopping her in her tracks.
"Lois?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks again...for giving me a second chance. You have no idea what that means to me."
Lois shook her head. "I should be thanking you for giving me another chance. I know that I didn't deserve one."
"Of course you did," Kal countered.
He gave her an encouraging smile. He had the fleeting thought that in the last twelve or so hours, he'd done more smiling than he had in the slightly more than three months since he'd learned that he was betrothed to a complete stranger.
"Come on," he said gently, nodding towards the hallway. "Let's get some food."
That morning's breakfast was shared just between the royal family. The Elders had the day off, as it was the weekend. Kal found that his unburdened heart had led to a loosening of his tongue. For once, his comments were not few and far between. He joked with his brothers as easily as he had before his marriage. Jor-El noticed the change in his son. For the last three months, the young prince had been sullen and withdrawn. He had rarely smiled and his laughter had become scarce. But now, it was as if some miracle had restored his son to him. The Supreme Lord said very little, but was content to sit back and watch. A small, satisfied smile crossed his lips as he did so. Nothing escaped his watch. He saw the way that Kal prepared Lois' cup of coffee. He heard the way that he spoke to her. He watched his son's subtle body language. All of Kal's tension had melted away and been replaced with his former, easy confidence. All of his pessimism had fled, allowing his sunny, optimistic nature to shine through once more.
Kal knew that his father was silently appraising the situation. He caught Jor-El's eye once during the meal. He subtly nodded his affirmation that, yes, things were beginning to get better. Jor-El shot his son a wide smile that Lois missed, as she had turned to speak with Zara.
When the meal was over, Kal took Lois back through the palace. He took her straight to the gardens. He began his tour with the gently sloping hill ringed by trees. Together, they crested the small rise in the ground. At the top, Kal took a deep breath, and turned his face to the sky. He closed his eyes against the bright, hot sun, then turned again to Lois.
"Like it?" he asked.
"Like what?"
"This spot," Kal clarified. He gestured widely.
Lois looked around and shrugged. "It's nice, I suppose. There's not much here though."
"Ah, but you haven't seen it at night," Kal said, grinning. "It's my favorite spot to come look at the stars."
"Do you do that often?"
Kal nodded. "I do. Or at least, I try to. I've always been fascinated by the night sky. Haven't you?"
Lois nodded. "In a way, yes. When I was a kid, I used to look out of my bedroom windows at night. I'd see the stars and wonder about what was out there, in space. I'd wonder if there was some other little girl looking out of her window, wondering the same thing. And I'd wish that I could go out among the stars, exploring. I yearned for the freedom that would bring. Silly, huh?"
"No," Kal said, shaking his head. "It's understandable. I think we all yearn to escape our lives once in a while." He fell silent for a moment, then spoke again. "I'd like to bring you back here tonight. There's going to be a meteor shower, and the weather is supposed to be perfect for viewing it."
"I'd like that," Lois said, giving him a shy smile.
They began to walk again. Kal took Lois to the rose gardens. She hadn't yet ventured to them during the daylight hours. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked upon the vast, orderly rows of rosebushes. She drifted away from Kal, moving from bush to bush, looking at the flowers and stopping to inhale their unique scents.
"This place...it's beautiful," she said at last.
She delicately fingered the petals of a tangerine colored rose. Kal approached her to stand at her side.
"My mother planned this section of the gardens," he said softly. "It was her favorite place. And it's become one of mine too. It's peaceful here. I find that it's a good place to think. I sort of feel like my mom is still close to me when I'm here."
"Why are you showing me this?" Lois asked. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that you brought me here. But it seems like a pretty personal place."
The prince shrugged. "I just thought that you might like it here. And, well, I figured that if it is a good place for me to unwind and relax, it might be the same for you as well."
"Thank you, for sharing this place with me," Lois said, giving him a sincere smile.
"I'm glad that you like it."
"I really do," she assured him. "So...do you have favorites here?" she asked, gesturing to the vast array of blossoms.
"Those pink ones there, and these orange ones here. They were Mom's favorites," Kal said, pointing to the flowers in question. "I guess that's why I like them so much."
"I like them too," Lois admitted. "Your mom had good taste."
Kal chuckled. "That she did. You know, I think she would have really liked you."
Lois blushed deeply. "Really?"
"Absolutely. She would have loved the same things about you that I told you that I like about you. Your spirit. Your mind. Your unwillingness to just go along to get along."
"I wish I could have known her," Lois said in a quiet voice.
"Me too."
For the rest of that day, Kal took Lois around, showing her his favorite places. He took her to the palace library and showed her the little nook by the western windows where he enjoyed reading sometimes. After grabbing a few slices of bread from the kitchen , he took her to the pond that was well stocked with brightly colored fish. Lois delighted in crumbling the bread and tossing it to the fish, their shiny, almost metallic looking scales flashing in the sunlight.
"I've never done this before," she admitted, as she crumbled her first piece of bread.
"Really?" Kal couldn't hide the shock in his voice.
Lois nodded. "Proper young ladies don't stoop to feeding fish. At least, that's what my dad always said. He was always so afraid that I would grow up to disappoint my lord husband by seeming...uncivilized."
"That's really sad," Kal commented, his voice a soft murmur.
"I always resented that, even as a very young child," Lois sighed. She took another slice of bread from Kal's hand and threw little pieces to the fish. "I always felt so...restricted. So...suffocated."
"Well," Kal said, "if it makes you feel any better, you'll never have deal with that again. Whatever you want to do, you can. And whatever you don't want to do, I'll never force you to do."
"Thank you," Lois said, giving him a brilliant smile.
"You know," Kal said, thinking aloud, "I think I have something that you might really like."
"What's that?"
"Something your father would never have approved of in a million years," Kal answered with a sly smile. "Come on."
He took her to the stables and introduced her to the men who worked there, and showed her the horses that the building housed. The stable keepers were all very polite and Kal spoke with them with gentle familiarity, as he did with all the palace staff.
"So, what do you think?" he asked Lois.
"Well, you're right. Dad never would have approved of my visiting a stable."
"That's not all," Kal said. "I want you to choose one of the horses here and it will be yours."
"I...what?" Her jaw dropped open.
Kal grinned. "The last eight horses in here don't belong to anyone specifically. Choose any one of them and that one will be yours."
"Why?"
"You can't very well accompany me out when I go riding without a horse of your own," Kal grinned. "Well...I guess you could if we shared a saddle. But I think you might have more fun with a horse of your own."
Lois laughed. "My father would be having a fit right about now, if only he knew."
Kal chuckled. "I know." A mischievous smile crossed his lips.
"So...which is yours?"
Kal walked to the midnight black stallion that stood in his stall not thirty feet away. "This is Chief. He's been mine for the last ten years, ever since he was born. His father was Metro, my first horse."
"He's beautiful," Lois said sincerely, admiring the horse.
Lois took her time looking over the other horses in the stable. She reached out and petted the heads that eagerly poked out from behind the doors to investigate her. Kal handed her a couple of carrots, and she broke them and fed them to each of the beasts. But she kept gravitating to a roan stallion, Kent. Kal smiled when it appeared that Lois had made her choice.
"Kent's a good choice," he commented. "He's got a very even personality. And he's one fast horse. He's about the only one here that can keep up with my Chief."
"He sounds perfect," Lois said, stroking the horse's nose.
"He's all yours. My gift to you."
The smile that she gave him was blindingly beautiful, and Kal found himself falling deeper and deeper under Lois' spell.
"Can we take them out now?"
"Absolutely. Do you know how to ride?"
Lois shook her head. "No."
"Oh. Right." Kal's cheeks colored. "Proper young ladies don't ride horses." His voice was rich with sarcasm.
Lois laughed. "That's about the size of it." She looked a little embarrassed.
"We'll start small," Kal said, giving her a smile in return.
For the next hour, Kal showed Lois how to get the saddle and bridle on her new horse, how to mount, and how to use the reins to control the animal. He noted, with immense satisfaction, but no huge surprise, that she was an extremely fast learner. He felt confident that the next time they took out the horses, she would probably be able to keep pace with him and Chief without much of a struggle. And how he looked forward to that!
After the lesson, they continued their tour. Each time they left one of Kal's favorite places, he asked Lois if she wanted to do something else. He didn't want to make the day all about him. Each time, she refused. She admitted to enjoying the personal look into Kal's world, a look that she craved, now that she had come to trust him. And Kal couldn't deny that he enjoyed showing her such personal glimpses into who he was. He wanted her to know all there was to know about him. He needed her to see every nuance of his heart. And as he unfolded his world before her, he was rewarded with glimpses into Lois' heart and mind.
By the end of the day, Kal was certain of one fact. It made his knees weak, his head spin, and his heart pound. He'd never experienced such feelings in all of his life. He'd never thought that he ever would. But it was true. Impossible, perhaps. But true.
He was in love with his wife.
To Be Continued...
