Previously On Contractually Bound:
The spectators were roaring riotously now. The sound was one rolling, crashing wave without beginning or end. It simply was, as though it had always been and always would be. It wasn't possible to tell if they were shouts of outrage at the less than honorable move on Nor's behalf, or if they were shouts of pleasure as the fight took on a new, serious turn. Kal suspected that there was a mixture of both in the tumultuous noise. He was aware of only two things - the young lord before him and Lois, whom he could see just over Nor's right shoulder. She was standing in front of her seat, yelling, though he could not make out the words. But he could see the worry etched in her face. He nodded to her, trying to reassure her that he was all right.
Nor shifted his stance and blocked Kal's view. Kal couldn't tell if Lois had seen his gesture or not. The other young lord was sneering at him, pleased with the blood that was flowing from his opponent. Kal's hands clenched tighter on his drei. He could almost feel his knuckles going white from the force of his grip. His head was buzzing with pain, but he tried to push the sensations from his mind. He simply refused to lose to Nor.
Nor gave a bestial roar as he charged. Kal stood his ground, his weapon held defensively before him. Nor and his drei crashed into Kal. The two weapons sang at the collision. Kal was pushed back a couple of feet, though he did not lose his footing. Two drag marks marred the ground, marking where his feet had scraped. Kal used Nor's momentum against him. Before his rival could pull away to launch another attack, Kal pushed with his drei, forcing Nor back a step. In the same motion, he twisted his drei into Nor's stomach. Kal lifted, his muscles straining. Nor's feet lifted a few inches off the ground. But before Kal could flip the man, he twisted out of Kal's trap. Nor hit the ground once more, but he was momentarily stunned. That was all the opportunity that Kal needed. He jabbed with his drei. The rounded end connected first with Nor's stomach, doubling him over. Then, as fast as a striking snake, Kal jabbed again, this time hitting Nor square in the chest. Nor stumbled and fell, going to one knee.
From his position on the ground, Nor made his move. He swept his drei at Kal's legs. Kal saw the move too late. The heavy staff crashed into the back of his knees, setting Kal's damaged knee into a volcano of agony. He went down even as Nor stood before him. Two quick steps later, and Nor was upon him. He swung. Kal caught the drei in his chest as Nor jabbed with it, and was laid flat on his back.
Immediately, he tried to rise. Nor loomed over him, grinning malevolently. Kal stuck out with his drei, blindly hoping to make contact with his opponent. It smashed into Nor's inner thigh, close to his groin. A look of pain crossed the young lord's features and the drei fell from his nerveless fingers. He crumpled to the ground. Kal jumped to his feet, quickly struck Nor in the chest, and laid the man out on his back. With a swift kick, he sent the drei out of the man's reach, then planted the end of his own weapon in the middle of Nor's chest. Around the two fighters, the onlookers exploded into cheers.
Their prince had won the fight.
***
Aftermath
The Master of the Tournament announced the prince's victory, though his voice could barely be heard over the cheers and whistles of the gathered crowd. Kal handed his drei to Jak once his personal attendant reached him, giving the man a grateful smile as he did so. Then he reached his hand down, offering it to Nor. Nor looked contemptuously at the proffered hand. He roughly pushed the prince's hand aside and then pushed himself up out of the dirt and grass, wiping his palms off on his pant legs as he stood. Kal shrugged. He hadn't really expected Nor to take his hand, though he knew that offering to help his opponent up was the proper thing to do. He bore no ill-will towards the man for what had happened in the fight, though his head still hurt and it was becoming difficult to see out of his puffy, blackened eye. But Nor, he knew, held too much pride, too much arrogance to take the hand of the man who'd bested him. The two men had never gotten along before, and Kal knew that his victory on this day would only further fuel the numerous grudges that Nor held against him.
Kal turned and limped towards the sidelines. His damaged knee was aflame from the beating it had taken when Nor caught him in the legs with his drei. He flopped down into a chair, somewhat ungracefully as the knee buckled and gave out. Dr. Bard K'lin was at his side so quickly it was almost as if he'd materialized out of thin air. In a flash, he was checking Kal's wounds. A small, pencil thin metal tube was in his hands, which emitted a beam of yellow laser light. As the light hit Kal's broken skin and lip, the bleeding came to an abrupt stop. The doctor gently applied a clear, soothing salve to the wounds to promote the rapid healing of the areas, including the skin around Kal's black eye. Then he gave the prince a small, white pill to swallow, which would help to kill the pain that was buzzing throughout his entire body. Kal swallowed the pill down with a large swig of water. Then he was on his feet again, half limping, half striding, back to the center of the playing field.
The Master of the Tournament once again announced Kal as the victor. He hung a small, gold medallion around Kal's neck, and handed him a large, red velvet satchel filled with gold and silver pieces. Kal held the winner's purse up with both of his hands, so that the assembled spectators could see. Then he lowered it and spoke, his voice ringing clear over the sound system. The crowd immediately quieted, so that they could hear what he was saying.
"My good people of Krypton, this winner's purse I give back to you. Every coin in this satchel will be spent on various projects to improve your quality of life. This I promise you." He paused for effect, knowing the next portion by heart. It was the winner's duty to announce the end of the tournament. "I thank you all for coming to this year's tournament, and sincerely hope that you have enjoyed yourselves. Now, go forth. Eat, drink, and be merry. And may the winter to come be a gentle one for you all."
Kal tossed the sack of coins to Jak, who stood a few steps behind him. Jak caught the item with a muffled "oof." Together, they left the field. Kal headed directly back towards the viewing box where his family awaited him. Lois was the first out to meet him, heedless of proper etiquette in her worry for him. She flung her arms wide as she drew close. In a second, she had cleared the distance and was wrapped in Kal's strong embrace. She hugged him back as tightly as she dared, and his hand stroked the back of her head.
"Kal, oh Kal," she said, her voice still heavy with worry for him. "You're hurt. Is there anything that I can do?"
"I'm fine. A little sore though."
Lois instantly relaxed some of her grip on him. "Oh. Sorry."
Kal chuckled. "No, you're fine. You aren't hurting me."
Encouraged, Lois stretched on her toes and kissed him gently. "My hero," she murmured against his lips.
"Ow," Kal whispered, once her lips left his.
"Oops."
Again, Kal chuckled. "Actually, pain never felt so good before," he said, winking at her.
To prove his point, he bent his neck to kiss her again. This time, the kiss was not gentle. It was deep and full of passion, and promises of more to come when they were finally alone. The sound of a throat being cleared forced Kal and Lois to break their kiss. The rest of Kal's family stood behind Lois, waiting their turn to congratulate their champion. Lois obligingly slipped out of Kal's arms and stepped to one side, though she remained nearly within an arm's reach of him.
"Bro! That was amazing!" Jai crowed. He pulled Kal into a back-slapping hug. "The way that you took out Nor. It was a thing of absolute beauty!" His eyes sparkled with excitement. "You have got to start practicing with me more often. I thought for sure that Nor had you beaten like ten times in that fight. But man! You pulled it off!"
"Jai's right," Ching said, grinning from ear to ear. Unlike Jai, who looked unable to stand still, Ching was composed. "You certainly pulled it off. But you're rusty, little brother. You could do with some practice." He winked at Kal.
Kal snorted good-humoredly. "I stayed in a lot longer than either of you did. I'd say that makes me better than you guys."
Ching snorted in return. "Just luckier."
Kal chuckled. "I had to fight Nor. How was that lucky?"
"Well, you escaped him without any broken bones," Zara teased. "I'd say that's pretty lucky."
Kal tried to grimace, but his laughter twisted the look into something else entirely. "Easy for you to say. You didn't get hit in the face with a drei."
Laughter broke out among all the young royals. Jor-El approached, having gotten side-tracked by speaking with Dr. K'line. He silently eyed his son up and down for a moment. But his smile lit up his entire face.
"That was well fought," he finally said approvingly. "You certainly did not face an easy opponent. I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad," Kal said, smiling widely. The move made his split lip throb in protest, though it did not begin to bleed again.
The Supreme Lord gave his son a hug, then patted his shoulder. He smiled at the young prince again, and fingered the gold medallion that hung against Kal's chest. He inspected it for a long moment. Then he smiled again, this time wistfully.
"I have always wished to see the day when one of my sons would win the duel, as I did in the past. Tonight, we shall feast in your honor."
"Dad...I...you don't have to do that."
"Of course I do. My son was victorious in a battle against a very worthy opponent. This calls for a celebration."
"I'd really rather just get some rest," Kal protested, shifting his weight uncomfortably.
"There will be time enough for rest before the feast. Dr. K'line says that you are more than fit for a celebration tonight. Besides, you know that it's tradition for the winning house to host a feast." He paused for a moment, and assessed the way that Kal stood, noticing that the prince still somewhat favored his injured knee. "How does your knee feel?"
"Better than before," Kal admitted. "The pain pill is starting to kick in. Nor just caught me off-guard, that's all. I'll be fine soon enough."
In truth, the raging inferno it had been not long before was now closer to a cozy campfire. It still hurt, but not as badly. Kal knew that within the hour, the pain would likely be nothing more than a hazy memory. He was eager for that moment to come, so that he could stand and walk in comfort again. He only hoped that the feast his father had planned would be a small affair. He was exhausted from the fight. It hadn't been easy to stay ahead of Nor. All Kal really wanted at the moment was some time alone with Lois, and possibly a nap.
"Come on," Kal said, wrapping his arm around his wife's slender waist. "Let's get out of here."
"Sounds great," Lois said, eager to be alone with him.
"Ching," Kal said, pulling his brother aside and whispering confidentially to him. "Make sure that Dad keeps this feast as low key as possible. Please?"
"I'll do what I can, but you know how Dad is when he gets an idea into his head."
"Yeah, I know." Kal sighed. "Try anyway." He glanced at Lois and a thought came to him. "Oh, and make sure that Dad invites Lois' parents and sister."
None of the Lyne's had been present at the tournament at any point during the week. Three extra chairs had sat empty in the royal viewing box each day. And each day, Kal had seen disappointment flood Lois' features, though she had admitted that she wasn't surprised in the least. Samm almost never took off from his work, and he had always felt it inappropriate to have the women in his life view the sport.
Still, Kal knew that she hadn't seen them since the wedding. At first, she hadn't wanted to see them. She'd been too furious with her father for the arranged marriage. She'd been relieved to be away from her mother's incessant complaining, belittling, and drinking. She'd even been too upset to want to see her own sister. And ever since she and Kal had put aside their feud, she had been too busy failing in love with, and getting to know, every aspect of her husband. But now, Kal knew that she was beginning to miss her family terribly. He only hoped that they would show up to the feast.
Kal and Lois made their slow way back to their vehicle. Jak met them there, having rushed off to the hovercraft as soon as he saw that Kal wouldn't be needing his assistance. He knew that his lord would want to leave for home at the first available moment. Kal still limped a little, as the fire in his knee still burned, though now the campfire had died down to smoldering coals. He waved to Jak as he approached.
"My lord!" Jak said, grinning widely. "What a well-fought victory!"
"Thanks, Jak," Kal said, as he let go of Lois so that she could get into the vehicle. He clasped the man on his shoulder in a friendly gesture.
"The people can't stop talking about your win," Jak said, as he slid behind the wheel of the vehicle. He often acted as a source of information for the prince, filling him in about things that he might otherwise miss.
Kal settled himself into the back seat, and hugged Lois to him. "Oh?" he asked, only half interested.
Jak nodded. "I overheard a lot while I was making my way back here. The people are glad to see you as the champion."
"Lord Nor isn't well loved," Kal said with a sigh.
"No, he isn't," Jak agreed, shaking his head. He put the vehicle into drive and guided it over the land. "The people aren't blind. There are many who are upset over the way he fights. Many are saying already that he should be barred from the event in the future, for the sole reason of hitting you in the face like that."
Kal shrugged. "It wasn't an honorable move, I'll admit that. But it's not technically against the rules either."
"Okay, I have to ask," Lois cut in. "What exactly is against the rules? Because it seems to me like the fighters can get away with just about anything."
Kal shrugged again. "Well, killing your opponent for one."
"How civilized," Lois retorted.
Kal chuckled. "Continuing to hit your opponent after they yield. Hitting an opponent after a match is decided by the Master of the Tournament. Attacking the Master of the Tournament. Attacking one of the doctors as they try to help a fallen or injured fighter." He sighed. "Not much, is it?"
Lois shook her head. "No." She looked again at the handsome face that was now marred with bruises and streaked with blood and dirt. "He really did a number on you."
"I'll be fine," he assured her again. "Nothing's broken, so that's a good start. For now, just consider them as...battle wounds." He grinned at her.
Lois couldn't help but to laugh at her husband's playful look. "It's a good thing that I love you," she said, shaking her head in amusement, and patting his cheek gently.
"Hear that, Jak? The lady loves me," Kal teased as he sank deeper into the supple leather seat.
Jak didn't respond. He merely chuckled and shook his head.
It didn't take long before they found themselves back at the palace. By then, the fire raging in Kal's knee was fully extinguished. He was once again able to walk without favoring the injured joint. Silently, he thanked the rapid healing effects of the medication that Dr. K'line had administered to him. But his posture and gait spoke of the weariness that went straight down into his very bones. He slowly made his way back to his chambers, Lois at his side.
They were both thankful to be the first ones back at the palace, for even the palace staff had been given each day off from their labors so that they, too, could enjoy the event. There was no one to stop them to talk as they made their way through the white marble halls. No one was there to comment on Kal's victory. No one was there to ask him how he felt about his win. Kal was more than grateful for that fact. He wanted nothing more than to lay down for a while before the feast and the onslaught of questions, comments, and back-slaps that he was sure would be coming his way.
They made their way back to their rooms with no incidents. Once inside, Kal stripped off his tournament uniform and shoved it unceremoniously down the laundry chute. He was immensely glad that he would not be seeing it for another year. He paused for a moment to look at his reflection in the full-length mirror that stood in the bedroom. He inspected the bruises that covered the vast majority of his chest, and the injuries that he had sustained to his face. It wasn't a pretty sight, but he also knew that it could have been much worse. Having battled Lord Nor, he truly was lucky that nothing had been broken or fractured. Still, he knew that he'd be sore for days.
With a sigh and a look of longing at his bed, Kal stripped out of his underclothes and headed into the shower. The hot water soothed his aching muscles and drained some of the pent-up tension that was still coiled like a spring within his body. He could not, however, shake the memory of Nor's look of absolute contempt when Kal had offered to help him to his feet. He knew that Nor had always hated him, as well as Ching and Jai. But Nor's eyes had been almost murderous when Kal had kicked away the drei and, in doing so, claimed the victory.
Easing himself out of the shower once he was finished, Kal gingerly tended his wounds. He had a small tube of the salve that Dr. K'lin had used on the wounds on his face, and he reapplied it to the broken skin. It tingled a bit at first, but it was a good feeling that felt as though it was working right away on making the skin repair itself. Kal slowly dressed, his muscles feeling too sore to move quickly, and his bruised chest feeling somehow tight. Finally satisfied, Kal exited the bathroom and collapsed on the bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, though he felt guilty about that. He desperately wanted to be with Lois - to hug her, to kiss her, to make love to her. But he simply wasn't able to keep his eyes open any longer. He couldn't summon the strength to call to her, though she was only just down the hall in the living room.
Fasa jumped up onto the bed, and attempted to climb onto Kal's chest. He gently shooed the cat away towards his feet. The last thing he was aware of was feeling the cat's warm, light frame laying across his ankles before he drifted off to sleep. The rhythmic purring deep within the cat's chest was soothing.
Kal slept deeply and dreamlessly. When he awoke, it was a scant three hours later, though he felt as refreshed as if he had slept all night long. He sat up and stretched, then winced as his chest protested the sudden movement. A glance out of the windows told him that the feast had to be drawing near. The sun had already gone down, and only the very brim of the horizon still held any of the bright reddish orange of the sun's last rays. Kal looked around, and frowned when he didn't see his wife. He'd hoped that she would have come into the bedroom while he slept.
"Lois?" he called out.
His frown deepened when he received no response. He pushed himself up out of the bed. Fasa meowed unhappily at being forced out of his nice, comfortable spot. He skittered to the opposite side of the room, his tail twitching in annoyance. Kal had forgotten that the little fur-ball had been using his ankles as a bed.
"Sorry, buddy," he apologized to the cat.
Fasa looked at him, his tail still whipping back and forth. Kal chuckled and headed to the living room, but the room was empty when he arrived. Lois was nowhere in sight. There was a faint smell of coffee coming from the kitchenette, but the leftover brew was cold to the touch when Kal laid his hand against the glass pitcher. Lois must have made herself a cup right after he had fallen asleep, he reasoned.
But that still didn't tell him where she had gone. He yawned and rubbed the last remnants of sleep from his eyes. His hand moved to rub the back of his neck as he stood in the kitchenette, lost to his thoughts. Should he look for her? Should he prepare for the feast? Had her family arrived? Was she with them now?
As he stood there, trying to decide what to do, the door to his chambers opened. His head instantly perked up from where it had been resting against his chest. He could hear Lois' soft laughter.
"Lois?" he called to her.
"Kal?" Lois' pace quickened when she heard his voice.
He stepped out from the kitchenette and into the living room, meeting her there.
"Feeling any better?" she asked, as she examined his bruises through the undone buttons on his shirt.
"A little. Sorry that I fell asleep before."
She offered him a soft, loving smile. "It's okay. You needed your rest. Even Marthe said so."
"Did she now?" Kal teased, before planting a kiss on Lois' forehead.
"Oh yes," Lois said as she gave him a kiss on the lips.
"Hmm...and when did you two become such good friends?"
"Right around the time I decided to stop making you my punching bag," Lois said, winking at him. "We had a long talk about you right after I fell in love with you. She told me all sorts of stories about you."
"Oh really?"
"Mmm-hmm," Lois nodded. "She's got a million of them."
"Well, obviously she didn't tell you anything that managed to scare you away," he teased.
At the sound of her name, Kal's old nursemaid had appeared in the doorway. A knowing, contented smile was on her face as she watched the prince and his wife interact. Kal's face lit up to see the older woman, though he was so focused on Lois that he hadn't realized at first that Marthe was in his chambers. It had been too long since he'd last had an opportunity to really speak with her or Jon. He crossed the room with eight long strides and engulfed the woman in a gentle hug.
"Marthe!" he exclaimed joyfully. "What are you doing here?"
"Lois asked me to stop by. She said that you took quite a beating in the tournament today." She eyed the wounds on his face as worriedly as any mother would.
"Yeah," Kal said, somewhat sheepishly. "It could be worse though," he insisted.
"She also told me that you won."
Kal nodded.
"Well, congratulations."
"Thanks. You and Jon didn't make it to the tournament?" He was a little surprised.
Marthe shook her head. "There was a chance that Jon would need to prepare for a feast tonight. And you know that I've never been too much of a fan of the duels. I've seen too many people get hurt."
"You and me both," Kal said with a grin.
"Kal, I asked Marthe if she had any ideas of what you could do for the bruises that you suffered."
"I have the salve that Dr. K'line gave me."
Lois nodded. "I know. I just feel like maybe there's something else that we can do to get you healed quicker. Is there anything that you can do for him, Marthe?"
Marthe didn't answer right away. She pulled the open fabric of Kal's shirt away from his chest and eyed the ugly yellow-purple skin of his chest. She winced at the sight, knowing how much it must have pained her surrogate son. Then she inspected Kal's injured face for a second time. She nodded thoughtfully.
"I have a soothing bath salt that may do the trick," she said after a moment. "You can soak in it each day, then apply the doctor's salve when you are done. I won't swear that it will speed things up for certain, but it can't hurt. Let me run down to my quarters to get it."
"All right," Kal relented, catching a glimpse of Lois' face.
He could tell just by looking that she wanted him to try the home remedy. And really, who was he to say no to the woman that he loved? he wondered to himself.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Marthe promised him, before bustling out of the room.
Kal listened as the door to his chambers opened and then shut again. He gazed at Lois, opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. He shook his head and smiled a little at her.
"I told you that I'd be fine," he said softly. "You didn't have to search out Marthe."
"Sure I did. You see, I have this amazing husband, and he's hurt. And I would do anything in my power to see him made whole as soon as possible." She grinned playfully at him while trying to give him a sultry look to let him know just why she wanted him to be pain free so quickly.
Kal chuckled and was about to speak when the intercom in the room buzzed. Lois crossed the room to it, almost tripping over Fasa as he streaked past, batting a green stuffed mouse across the floor. Nearly breathless from the close call, Lois answered the intercom.
"Hello?"
"Hey, sis!" Jai's voice was peppy over the device. "Just thought I'd let you know that your family just arrived. Also, tell Kal that he needs to hurry up and get down here soon. Almost everyone is here now, and we can't start the feast without the guest of honor. And some of us are starving!"
"Will do, Jai. And tell my family I'll be right there?"
"You got it!"
The intercom clicked as Jai hung up his end. Lois turned to Kal.
"Go on," he encouraged her. "I'll be down in a bit. I'm just going to get changed after Marthe gets back. I can't wear this down to the feast. Besides, it's been a while since you've seen your parents and sister. You should probably have a little time alone with them."
Lois nodded. "All right. But don't take too long." She crossed to him and kissed him deeply.
Kal groaned as their lips parted, regretting that they actually needed to show up to the celebration.
"Love you," he whispered.
"Love you too," she whispered back.
With one last glance backward, Lois left the chambers. Kal flopped onto the couch and waited for his old nursemaid to return. He settled himself deeply into the cushions, enjoying the opportunity to relax before the onslaught that he was certain the feast would bring. But, in the sudden silence caused by Lois' departure, he felt profoundly lonely. He laughed a little at the thought. Half a year ago, he'd thought that his life was over when he'd discovered that he was promised to a stranger. And now, he felt that his life had only truly begun once he and Lois had fallen in love. His life would only ever be over if Lois was not in it.
A few minutes later, Marthe reappeared, a small, round canister in her hands. She delivered it right into Kal's waiting hands and smiled at him.
"Thanks, Marthe," he said, smiling back.
"My pleasure," the woman replied. She continued to grin at him.
"What?" he asked, curiously.
Marthe shook her head. "Nothing. It's just..."
Kal raised his brows, now completely confused. "What?"
"You and Lois are adorable together."
Kal chuckled. "You think so?"
"Absolutely. It makes me very happy to see you so much in love. I was so afraid, when I saw how unhappy you were just after the wedding. My heart broke for you then. But now..." She shrugged as her voice trailed off.
"It was so hard, at first," Kal confessed. "But now, I couldn't imagine my life without her. I love her, Marthe. More than I ever knew it was possible to love someone."
The words tumbled out of his mouth, yet he felt no shame in admitting them. Not to Marthe. She had always been like family to Kal. In a way, he'd felt as though she and Jon were a second set of parents to him. They had always been there for him, had always offered advice, had always loved him like he was their own.
Marthe smiled at him knowingly. "I'm thrilled for you, honey. I really am."
"I guess Jon told you about my little...discussion...with him the day after the wedding?"
Marthe nodded. "He did. And about the other visits you had with him."
Kal sighed at the memory, though he was unsurprised. He'd been so devastated by Lois' reaction to his gift, and towards him in general, on his wedding night. It had felt good to talk with Jon the following morning, brief though the conversation had been. He'd also sought out Jon on a number of other occasions, fleeing to the safety of the palace kitchens where he knew Lois would not think to look for him. Jon had always lent a sympathetic ear to him, and had freely offered his advice when Kal asked for it. Most of it had backfired, however. Lois had been too strong-willed in her campaign to hate everyone and everything in the palace. It seemed like ages ago, or even a different lifetime altogether.
"Ancient history now," Kal said, shrugging, as if to cast off his memories of those trying first three months.
"I'm glad," Marthe said with another gentle smile. "Well, I'd best be off. You have a feast to attend."
"Yeah," Kal said with a sigh. "Unfortunately, I do." He hefted the canister of bath salt. "Thanks again."
"You're welcome."
The prince pushed himself off the couch and gave his old nursemaid another hug. "You've always been the best," he said with a smile.
"I've always had the best to look after," Marthe said with a wink.
With that, she swept out of the room. Kal heard the door to the chambers shut behind her, leaving him, once again, utterly alone. He took the bath salt to the bathroom and set it down on the rim of the tub. Then he got himself ready for the feast. It didn't take long, and he soon found himself making his way to the grand ballroom. The room exploded into applause as he entered, and it was all Kal could not to grimace.
Once again, his father had gone overboard. At least three dozen of his father's closest friends and other high ranking nobles were in attendance, as well as the entire Council of Elders. Kal lost the battle not to blush, and he felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He'd never been very comfortable with being the center of attention. But, he endured the attention as best he could, his eyes sweeping the room until they locked with Lois'.
She was standing by the windows. He could see Samm, Elle, and Luci standing with her. They seemed happy enough. He could see Lois laughing at something that her sister had said, while Samm and Elle grinned. Kal wondered what the joke had been, but he was immensely happy to see Lois enjoying herself.
Suddenly, Kal realized that he wasn't sure how he felt about the Lyne family. At least, he wasn't sure how he felt towards Samm. Kal had grown up admiring the man, and had always been on good terms with him. But after learning how thoroughly Samm had tried to suppress all the magnificent aspects that made Lois the incredible woman she was, Kal was unsure how to approach the man. He didn't resent the good doctor. He knew that Samm had only done what he'd done in an effort to make his daughter fit the mold of what society expected of a noble young woman, even one of a lesser noble house. And yet, it bothered Kal to no end that his precious Lois had been limited in what she had been allowed to do. It angered him that Samm had found his daughter to be such a source of shame that he'd hidden her away, and never once spoken of her. It was as if Samm had simply pretended that Lois hadn't existed. And that was inexcusable in the prince's eyes.
It was an effort for Kal to keep the frown from showing on his face as he made his way over the threshold and into the heart of the ballroom.
As he walked, he decided that he could at least try to be happy around Samm. He could try to pretend that the man hadn't done the things that he'd done. For Lois, Kal would slap on a happy face and do his best to interact with her father as normally as he could. It didn't mean that he'd have to forgive Dr. Lyne's actions. But he could be civil to his old friend.
Congratulations poured in from every side as Kal strode through the room. He gave his polite thanks to each well-wisher as he walked, never slowing his pace. At last, he found himself before his wife. His hand reached out to take hers. As they connected, it suddenly felt to Kal as though he could finally breathe again. All was right in his world. He could face this feast, so long as Lois was by his side. He lovingly placed a kiss on her forehead.
It was funny, he mused to himself. Before Lois had entered his life, he'd relied on the presence of his brothers in situations like this. They had been a source of comfort for him. But now, he wasn't even aware of where they stood in the room, or if they were there at all. He felt as though he needed only the woman to which he was wed. Having her by his side would make this event tolerable, maybe even slightly enjoyable.
"I missed you," he whispered to Lois.
"I missed you, too."
"Samm," Kal said, cordially sticking out his right hand. Samm took his hand and shook it. "Good to see you."
"And you," Samm said pleasantly. "That was some fight this afternoon. I had it on the video monitor as I was tending to my work," he explained as Kal's brow crinkled in confusion. "Lord Nor is not an easy opponent to best."
Kal chuckled, despite himself. "You're telling me."
"That's quite the shiner," the doctor said, his gaze flicking to Kal's black eye.
The prince shrugged. "It's not so bad."
In truth, Kal could feel the effects of the salve already working on the bruised flesh and broken blood vessels. Already, some of the swelling seemed to have fled. It was getting easier to see out of the eye. With any luck, Kal figured that it would be back to normal in two, maybe three days, without the slightest hint that it had ever been injured.
Samm seemed to appraise the way that Kal stood with Lois. The prince's arm was now wrapped around his wife's waist. She was pressed into his side, a comfortable, happy smile on her face. A small smile touched the doctor's lips. Kal did not miss it as it flared into life.
Was Samm pleased that Lois hadn't embarrassed the family by acting the part of a proper young woman? Was he contented to see that she was happy with the choice in her husband? Was he thrilled that Kal was happy with the woman that he'd been wedded to? Was it merely just a look of relief that he'd accomplished his goal of unloading his daughter on the royal family? Kal wondered which reason had caused the doctor's smile. His gut told him that perhaps it was all of these things.
"My daughter was just telling me how happy she has been here," Samm offered.
Kal smiled, planted another kiss on Lois' temple, and hugged her a little tighter to his side. Lois' arm encircled Kal's waist in response, and she sighed ever so softly. Her eyes fluttered blissfully shut for a brief moment.
"I'm glad," Kal responded. "She's made the palace so much the brighter with her presence. I want you to know that I love her deeply, Samm."
Samm nodded. "I am pleased to hear that. I had been worried that..." He stopped and groped for the proper words.
"That...?" Kal prompted.
"My daughter...well...she can be a handful, sometimes."
Kal was thunderstruck. Was Samm really getting into this, here and now? Was he really saying this right in front of Lois? He frowned and made the instantaneous decision to cut off the good doctor before he could say more.
"Samm, I assure you that I love everything about Lois. Especially all of the aspects that set her apart from all the other noble women that I have ever met. It's refreshing to see a woman with a mind of her own and a determined, free spirit. My hope is that you encourage Luci to be the same way." His voice was cordial, but with an underlining hardness to it, in an effort to close the discussion before it could progress any further. "Krypton could use more women like Lois. It would be a much better place."
Lois looked up at Kal's face in astonishment. She wasn't surprised at Kal's words. She wasn't shocked that he had defended her. His tone, however, had been unexpected. She'd rarely heard her husband put anyone in their place like that before. And she'd never seen her father shocked into silence.
For his part, Samm seemed to be at a loss for words. Elle gave her husband a smug look, one that all but said that she had told him to keep his mouth shut. And Luci wore a half-concealed smile of encouragement, which she extended to Kal.
"Please, forgive my husband's misguided tongue," Elle said, shooting Samm another reproachful look. "He rarely thinks before he speaks. And never before he acts."
"I didn't..." Samm said after a moment, groping for words. "That is...I never meant any disrespect." His words were hastily spoken, in an effort to appease both his wife and Krypton's prince.
Kal nodded, at a loss for words himself. Samm's entire face and neck had gone scarlet with embarrassment at Kal's rebuke. Samm's hands moved restlessly, as though wrestling with the words that lay caught within his mind. A minute passed before the doctor seemed to find the correct wording.
"It's just...well...I've done some things in my life that I regret," he admitted, hanging his head. "I've tried to be a good father. I've tried to raise my girls to be what society expects of them. And maybe I was wrong to do that. I can't take back the past."
"No, you can't," Kal agreed gently, feeling some, but not yet all, of his disappointment in the doctor fading away. "But you can try to be better in the future."
"And I will," Samm said, nodding.
Samm was saved from further embarrassment as the first course was served. Kal guided Lois to the long banquet table that had been set up in the center of the ballroom. He found himself seated at his father's left side, near his dear friend, Ruce A'ne. He was grateful for that, and soon lost himself to easy banter with the man. Ruce was a couple of years older than Kal was, closer to Ching's age. But the two had a strong friendship, to the point where they considered each other as brothers of a sort.
As they talked, Kal's eyes swept the length of the table. He was surprised to see Lux Uthor at the feast, though it didn't surprise him that the man was alone. His sons, Nor, Ran, and Drull, had apparently opted not to attend the celebration. That was perfectly fine with the prince. In fact, he preferred it that way.
The celebration lasted long into the night. Kal politely chatted with each of the Elders and visiting nobles. Lois was almost constantly at his side, though he encouraged her to spend some time with her family. He even managed to hold another conversation with Samm, late in the evening. They did not discuss Lois, simply because neither of them felt like getting into an argument, though Samm did apologize again for his earlier remarks. Instead, they spoke about Samm's work. He had a new theory that those with Kryptonian genetics would possess a host of powers in the presence of a yellow sun, like that of Earth. Kal listened respectfully, but found the idea to be slightly farfetched.
Kal did find himself able to spend some time talking with Lois' sister. He took an immediate liking to the girl. In many ways, she reminded the prince of his wife. She had the same eyes; twin brown pools of endless depth that held so much fire and intelligence within them. He loved the fact that, like Lois, Luci wasn't afraid to speak her mind openly to him, though she was, perhaps, a little shier than her older sister. Still, it was refreshing to see that, despite Samm's best efforts, he hadn't succeeded in squashing everything that set his daughters apart from all the other women Kal had ever met.
Kal was mildly surprised when Lux Uthor approached him between the main course and dessert. The noble lord heartily congratulated the young prince on his victory in the tournament. Lord Uthor seemed genuinely impressed with the way that Kal had handled himself in the fight, and apologized for his sons' absences. Kal waved the lord's concern away. He understood that none of the men would have the desire to attend the feast.
Dutifully, Kal made conversation with everyone, but his mind stayed with Lois. There were times throughout the night when she was not with him, instead, holding private conversations with her family. He could see the happiness on his wife's face, could see just how much she had missed them, despite everything else. He noticed too, that they were just as happy to see Lois. Elle became so involved in catching up with her daughter that she never reached for a single glass of the expensive wines that were freely flowing that evening.
Luci was often at her sister's side, and Kal could see just how much the two had missed each other. Constant touches between the two imparted friendship and love between the siblings. And once their smiles blossomed, they did not fade so long as the two were near each other. Once or twice, he could even see Lois babbling excitedly about something or another, but he was too far away to hear what it was about.
At last, the celebration began to wind down. Lords and ladies alike took their leave, dispersing in small groups. Kal felt a rush of relief flood his body as the room began to clear. It was well after midnight when the last family, the Lynes, finally bid the royal family farewell. Kal could see the conflict in Lois' eyes as she said goodbye to her family. On the one hand, she loved them and missed them. And on the other, he could see that she was relieved to have that comfortable separation from them so that she could fully be herself again. Kal took her hand in his once the Lyne family was gone, and led her back to their chambers.
To Be Continued...
