Previously On Contractually Bound:
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.
***
Winter's Deep
Winter came on strong that year. Almost weekly, storms dumped their heavy loads of snow upon the planet, turning the landscape into a white and crystalline world. And though the weather didn't allow for many walks in the gardens, it did lend itself to nights spent cuddled before the fireplace in Lois and Kal's chambers. Sometimes, they spent the nights alone in their rooms. Lois would snuggle into Kal's side on the couch, watching a movie with him, or reading a book while he read one of his own choosing, or making love with him before the roaring fire in the hearth. They savored each one of those nights, wondering how they had ever survived the long, dark winter nights alone.
Other times, they played games with Ching, Zara, and Jai. They switched off which of them would host the game nights, and Lois was struck with how differently each of the brothers' chambers were decorated. Kal's rooms had always been comfortable, neat, and orderly; though the assortment of trinkets wouldn't have otherwise meshed together, had they been displayed in anyone else's home. Ching and Zara's rooms were decorated in a similar fashion, though the crown prince collected military paraphernalia. And Jai's rooms were a nearly chaotic mess of out of place objects - a sweater thrown over the back of the couch, a book left in the kitchenette next to the coffeemaker, a mug of cold tea left on a bookshelf.
Each time they assembled, the men would bring their cats, so that they could play with their siblings. Lois delighted in watching the fur-balls interact, wrestling on the floor or chasing each other from room to room. It was impossible to tell which cat was the biggest troublemaker.
When they gathered together for game nights, Lois saw even further differences between the Supreme Lord's three sons. Ching was an absolute expert at games of strategy. Lois and Kal both excelled at word games, though occasionally Lois' choice in words came into question. Zara proved to be a card shark and Jai was a wealth of random trivia. A number of times, Jor-El even joined them, and Lois was surprised when she saw the Supreme Lord arguing over whether or not a "barn cat" counted as a farm animal in one of their games.
Lois found herself enjoying the company of Kal's family more than ever. It had been nice to be with them during the summer months. Yet she had always preferred being out and alone with Kal. Now that the weather forced them indoors, she still loved every moment of the time spent alone with her husband, but it was wonderful to have the others around to help pass the time, and to prevent her from going stir crazy. Still, there were scattered days when the bitter winds stopped blowing and the temperature was warm enough for her to venture outdoors with Kal. On more than one of those fine days, the others had joined them as they went out to enjoy the sunshine and the cold, fresh air.
On one such day, though it was barely above freezing, Lois and Kal decided that they needed to get out of the palace. It was too cold to go far, but they could at least stroll the palace grounds. They bundled up in thick, warm clothing, and headed out of the palace walls. They met Zara in the halls as they walked, and invited her to join them. Before long, all five of the young royals were walking in the gardens. Steam rose into the air at every breath. Snow crunched beneath every booted step. Conversation and laughter soon rang over the snow and ice-encrusted landscape.
At one point, Kal found himself trailing his brothers. He looked at Lois and put a finger to his lips, signaling for her not to speak. She frowned at him in confusion for a moment. Kal winked at her and she nodded, still unclear as to his intentions. Then the prince stooped low, scooping up a handful of snow. He quickly balled the white, powdery stuff and lobbed it at the back of Ching's head. The toss went wide, however, and struck Zara instead. The snowball made a soft thunk! as it struck the hood of her coat. She wheeled around and fixed Kal with a look of mock annoyance. Then she gathered some snow to make a retort.
Kal put his hands before him, in a placating manner. "Now, Zara," he said, feigning fright. "Don't make any rash decisions here. That wasn't meant for you."
"Oh, really?" Her eyes twinkled in merriment.
"That was meant for your husband."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she teased.
"Well...yes," Kal shrugged.
Zara laughed and launched her snowball. It struck Kal in the center of his chest.
"Of course, you know, this means war," Kal said in a dramatic voice, bending to collect more ammunition.
"Hit me if you can," Zara taunted him.
Ching grinned widely, stepping up to Zara's side. "Don't you hit my wife, Kal. I'm warning you."
"Ooh, I'm scared now," Kal said, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice. He made himself shake a little as he taunted his older brother.
"I'm warning you," Ching said again, quickly grabbing some snow and forming it into a ball. He bounced it lightly in the palm of his hand.
Lois also grabbed a handful of snow. Having watched a couple of the snowballs being made, she mimicked the motion and soon had a hard packed projectile in her hands. It brought back a very distant memory to her, of having done this with her own flesh and blood sister, once long ago.
"You'll have to go through me to get to Kal," she offered, stepping before her husband.
Ching considered for a moment. "That's fine by me," he grinned. "I bet you throw like a girl anyway."
"Hey!" Lois said, in mock indignation at Ching's gentle teasing.
No offense had been meant, she knew, and so she took none. She was all too familiar with Ching's sense of humor.
She reared her arm back and tossed the snowball. It arced through the air before her, cutting through the space between Ching and herself. Ching attempted to sidestep the attack, but the ground beneath him was slippery with half buried patches of ice. The snowball exploded against his chest half a second before he slipped. He went down hard, landing on his backside in the snow. He erupted into laughter.
"What an arm!" he praised Lois. "You've got better aim than Kal. Not that that's all that difficult, mind you."
"Hey!" Kal said.
"The truth hurts, baby brother," Ching retorted with a shrug, as he pushed himself up out of the snow to stand. He brushed some of the white flakes from his coat with one gloved hand.
"Guys, guys, can't we all just get along?" Jai said dramatically, stepping in between his two older brothers.
A glance passed between Kal, Lois, Zara, and Ching.
"No!" the four said with one voice.
Four snowballs struck Jai. One took him in the chest, another in the legs, another in the middle of his back, and the last in the back of his head. That was all that it took. An all out war ensued. There were no alliances. It was every man for himself, one lone warrior facing four powerful foes out in a frozen wonderland.
Snowballs whizzed through the air, some hitting their targets, some missing by mere inches. Dull thwacks! and thuds! resounded as the snowballs hit their marks. Peals of laughter rent the brittle air, causing a few nearby icicles to shake loose, fall, and shatter into hundreds of shining pieces. Good-natured insults and teasing were tossed as easily as the snowballs. Tears of laughter were frozen on every face, and every eyelash turned to crystal. Muffled "oomphs!" occasionally blended into the chaos.
At one point, Kal found himself under attack from all four of the others. He wasn't quite sure how that had happened, and he muttered good-humoredly about the unfairness of the situation. Then he promptly launched a wad of snow at his wife. It struck her in the upper arm. She responded by tossing a lightly packed snowball at him. It was so loosely packed together that it began to break apart in mid-flight. Kal started to make fun of it, but then became glad that it had been structurally weak as it whacked him in the face. His open mouth was instantly filled with snow. The finger he'd been pointing at her with drooped in defeat. He gently wiped away the flakes from his eyes and spit out the excess snow in his mouth. Lois was standing not more than ten feet away, her hand to her mouth in genuine horror.
"Kal!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you in the face like that!"
Kal nodded. Then he grabbed up a large handful of snow. Lois backed up two nervous steps. Her hands flew up before her chest, as if to ward off the coming blow. But Kal wasn't balling up the snow. Instead, he launched himself at her, snow spewing from behind his feet as he dashed towards her. Lois squealed and tried to flee. But Kal's long legs easily covered the distance faster than Lois could manage to move. He tackled and landed atop her. Cold from the snow instantly soaked through the thick layer of their clothing. A mischievous gleam was in Kal's eyes and his mouth was twisted up into a roguish smile. The hand filled with snow made its slow way towards the opening at the neck of her coat.
Lois saw the move and her husband's intention. She instantly grabbed his wrist and twisted, trying to force it back closer to Kal. Her strength was no matter for his, but he allowed her to make some headway regardless. Or perhaps he was just distracted by the close proximity to her. With a final shove, Lois forced his hand back. The snow dropped from his palm back down to join the rest on the ground. As quick as lightning, Lois scooped up a handful and shoved it down the neck of Kal's coat.
"Gah!" he cried out at the unexpected turn of events, twitching at the sudden onslaught of cold.
Behind him, Zara, Ching, and Jai burst into a fit of laughter. Ching helped Kal to his feet, as Kal twisted and tried to shake the snow out of his coat. Jai went to Lois, offering his hand to her. She gratefully accepted, and once she was on her feet, he clapped her on the shoulder.
"That was awesome," he said with a smile.
Lois laughed and brushed a now wet lock of her hair from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. "Thanks, Jai."
"No problem, sis. It's just so great to see someone getting the best of my dear big brother."
Kal shivered a little as the snow melted and seeped through his clothes. "You've done this before, haven't you?" he asked Lois, a little surprised by her maneuver.
"Once," she admitted. "I guess I was about ten and Luci was about six. It was my first and last snowball fight. Until today, that is."
"Let me guess," Kal said, zipping his coat up higher to cut the wind that was slinking its way beneath the heavy waterproof fabric. "Your father found out?"
"What else?" Lois said with a shrug.
"And proper young ladies don't roll around in the snow," Kal sighed, unhappily giving his best guess as to what Samm's words had been.
Lois nodded. "Exactly."
Kal shook his head and his fists balled, independent of his conscious mind. He gritted his teeth, effectively biting back the scathing comment against Samm that was burning on his tongue. The muscle in his jaw ticked. Lois did not miss that, and she moved to Kal's side. She rubbed his arm soothingly.
"It's okay," she said in a low voice.
"No, it isn't," Kal growled. "Lois, since the moment I started to learn about you, your father's actions have bothered me. It isn't right that he tried so hard to stifle your nature."
"Kal, I appreciate that you feel that way. And I love you for it. But that's all in the past now. Now, I have you and this wonderful life of freedom that you've opened up for me." She smiled at him as his own smile ghosted over his lips. "Come on, let's go inside. I'm freezing." Her teeth were chattering ever so slightly.
Kal nodded. "All right."
The others murmured their agreement. They were all covered from head to toe in a thick, crusty layer of snow. Their clothing was sodden from where their body heat had melted some of the snow. Jai was shivering visibly and Zara was blowing puffs of air into her gloved hands. Ching's hair was plastered to his head from a mix of melted snow and sweat from the exertion of the fight. With one last look back at the battlefield, the five young royals headed back indoors.
At the door, they brushed as much snow as they could from their coats and clothing. But they still managed to drag some indoors with them. The heat that greeted them seemed unbearably high after the frigid outdoor temperatures. Instantly, they felt as if their frozen faces and fingers were beginning to thaw. An ache set in as their bodies adjusted to the warmth, but it was a good feeling. Droplets of melted snow dripped from their clothing, leaving behind small pools on the marble floors; a visible trail of their passing. The soles of their boots squeaked too loudly as they walked, each one heading to their own chambers to get changed into warm, dry clothing.
Later that night, Kal and Lois relaxed in their own chambers. Kal lit a fire in the living room's large hearth. Fasa settled down before the blaze and dozed off on the soft carpeting. Lois and Kal snuggled together on the couch, clutching steaming cups of hot chocolate. Kal held Lois close, completely content to watch the dancing flames while outside the snow began to come down once more. He'd dreamed of moments like these, back before he'd ever wed. He'd envisioned the peaceful quiet and comfortable embraces before a roaring fire while the snow fell beyond his windows. He had just never been able to picture who the woman in his arms would be. But now, Kal could not imagine it being anyone besides Lois.
The next morning, Kal awoke before Lois. He groaned as he rolled from his back to his side. It was so tempting to just close his eyes and go back to sleep. He didn't want to leave the warmth of the blankets, nor did he want to leave Lois' side. But, he had a plan to stick to. And in order for him to have enough time to do what he needed to do, he was going to have to get out of bed. With a sigh, he pushed the blankets away and swiftly dressed. He bent and placed a kiss on his wife's head. Lois murmured contentedly, but did not otherwise stir. Kal was glad of that. He wanted to surprise her when she awoke.
He shuffled off to the living room, still more asleep than awake. First things were first, he reasoned, as he changed his course. He ducked into the kitchenette and made a strong cup of coffee for himself. The caffeine seemed to rejuvenate him almost instantaneously. He drained his mug quickly, enjoying the hot beverage as it slid down his throat. Then he padded softly over to one of the largest closets in his chambers. He rummaged for a few minutes, looking for the boxes that held what he was looking for. Finally, he found the ones that he wanted. He piled them on the coffee table in the living room, then brought out a ladder.
As the sun rose in the east, he began his work.
Three hours later, he was still going strong, though he was nearly finished with his task. He hummed various tunes as he worked, ascending and descending the ladder with ease, as if his body knew no fatigue. He was so engrossed in his work that he never heard Lois enter the room.
"Kal?" she said softly.
The prince had been climbing the ladder again. Lois' voice took him off guard. He missed the next step, lost his balance, and fell. Luckily, he'd been close to the floor, but the maneuver still caused him to fall on his backside. He chuckled after hitting the floor and shook his head at his own clumsiness. He rubbed his lower back and backside absently.
"Morning, Lois!" he said cheerfully.
"Morning. What...what is all of this?"
The room was completely bedecked in snowflakes of every size and shape. Some were made of crystal, others of colored glass of every hue. Strings of multicolored lights hung about the room. Kal had been tacking up a string of them when she'd entered the room. Fasa was happily playing with the end of the strand, batting it with his paws. He meowed at Lois as she moved further into the room, then went back to playing with the lights, testing a blue one to see if it was edible.
"They're decorations for the festival of Winter's Deep," Kal said, standing. "Didn't you ever...?"
Lois nodded as old memories surfaced. "I think when I was really young, my father used to decorate. Not as elaborate as this, of course. A few lights here. A couple of snowflakes there." She gestured absently. "But then he got so focused on his work that traditions like this one fell to the wayside. Mom was always too tipsy to climb any ladders. After a while, I guess I just sort of forgot about it. And since Dad was always too busy to take us into the city to see the displays and join in the festivities, it's never been big on my list of priorities."
"Please, tell me that your parents at least exchanged gifts with you?" Kal pleaded.
Lois nodded again. "Yeah, that we always did. Nothing huge. Just small tokens really."
"Good," Kal said. "We do the same thing. Most people would think that we probably go all out for the holiday. But we just exchange a few tokens. My brothers got me a rare signed, first edition copy of my favorite book last year. And Jai got all of the cats new laser pointers."
"You give gifts to the cats?" Lois asked, surprised. She looked at Kal as though he'd suddenly sprouted a second head.
Kal chuckled. "Well, sure! They're people too."
"You are one weird guy, Kal-El."
"I know." He laughed again, grinning from ear to ear. "So...do you like it?" Kal asked, spreading his arms as if to embrace the entire room.
"I love it," Lois answered, a huge, loving smile curling her lips. "Did you do all of this just for me?"
"Yes and no," Kal admitted. "I wanted to surprise you by having it all done before you got up. I almost made it, too." He gestured to the last strand of lights that he had been hanging when he'd fallen from the ladder. "Winter's Deep has always been my favorite holiday. I love that the whole planet takes the week off from work. I love going out and finding the perfect gifts to give. I adore going into the city to see the various displays, and the huge celebration on the last night." He grinned widely. "There's a certain magic to this time of the year."
"I've never really felt that way," Lois said in a small voice.
Kal crossed the room and cupped her cheek with one hand. He gently tilted her head to look up at him. "That's because you've never celebrated it with me," he assured her. He kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I'm already starting to like this holiday a little more," Lois said as their lips parted, her eyes still closed.
"I thought you might."
"Just one thing, Kal."
"Yeah?
"You do know that the festival of Winter's Deep is a month away, right?"
Kal laughed lightly. "Of course. But it was my mom's tradition to decorate early. As soon as the Harvest Festival was over, she would start pulling out the boxes of decorations and getting them ready for Winter's Deep. She loved having the decorations and lights up for a long time so that she could admire them. It was her favorite holiday. The same goes for my dad as well. I guess I've just always been sort of programmed to follow in the traditions that they've set down. I guarantee that when we go out into the rest of the palace today, it will be fully decorated."
"Your whole family is so unlike anything I ever imagined growing up," Lois said, sitting down in an armchair.
Kal shrugged and ascended the ladder. "We get that a lot, actually. The problem is, people expect the ruling family to have to be formal and...I don't know...uptight all the time. The truth is, we're no different than anyone else. Oh, we have more responsibilities than any other noble house, but we're exactly the same in every other way."
He began to tack up the dangling strand of lights. Fasa meowed up at him as the last section moved beyond his reach. Kal descended the ladder, moved it, and went back up. He repeated the cycle until at last the lights were fully up. Fasa paced at the foot of the ladder, disappointed that his toy had been taken away. Kal bent, scratched the cat's orange head, then reached over to a puffy red ball. He threw it, and the tabby bolted after it, making happy little noises as he ran.
As Kal had predicted, the rest of the palace had been transformed overnight. Every hallway, every room was tastefully decorated. Lois could scarcely believe that it had all been done in one night. She imagined that the palace staff must have worked the whole night through. She stopped Kal often to admire the work as they moved through the palace.
She even sensed a change in Jor-El when the family gathered together that morning for breakfast. He seemed to be happier, lighter-hearted, and more mirthful than he'd ever been before. True, she had seen a different side to the Supreme Lord ever since she had first come to live at the palace. But there seemed to be an extra twinkle in his eye, an extra bounce in his step now that the holiday decorations had popped up all over the palace. She decided instantly that she liked the changes that she was seeing in the royal family.
Still, the world did not stop just because the holiday was approaching. Kal was still kept busy. There were still meetings for him to attend. There were still projects that he was working on, spreading out the last of the money that he'd won in the duel a couple of months prior. There were still petitioners to be heard each week. Whenever he could, Kal tried to work from his own chambers, drawing up proposals and figuring out the logistics of how best to achieve his goals. Almost every time, he asked Lois to sit with him. She became his sounding board for ideas and he looked to her for help, listening to her ideas and incorporating them whenever he could.
Lois busied herself as best she could when Kal wasn't around, often spending her days with Zara, plotting with the other woman on what they could buy for the rest of the family for the Winter's Deep gift exchange. Days flew by in the blink of an eye. Nights flew by even faster. Weeks rushed past as if they were merely hours.
At last, the first day of the holiday week started.
As always, the holiday began a week before the shortest day of the year, and culminated on the solstice, when the night was at its longest and the sunlight was at its weakest, most fleeting time. Lois found herself growing fonder of the holiday with every passing day. Since the entire planet was at rest from their usual labors, that meant that even the ruling house could step back and take a much needed break. And Kal utilized every possible free moment to be with his wife.
The week passed by in the span of a heartbeat. Lois felt that it had barely begun before the solstice arrived. The day was clear, not a single cloud marring the sky above. It was a welcome change from the steady, but light, snows that had been falling sporadically throughout the previous week and a half. As the early sunset flared into the sky, the Supreme Lord and his family left the palace. They headed into the heart of the city, to participate in the grand festival that was held there each year. Lights of every color shone in the gathering darkness, from the silver-white of the distant stars to the deep red of the Kryptonian sun. Soft greens, vibrant oranges, icy blues, regal purples; the vast array of colors dazzled the eye, and gave the illusion of casting a cheery, physical warmth to the icy outdoor air.
As they wandered through the crowds, Jor-El took his leave of his children. He waded through the mass of people, seeking out his old friends. Kal glimpsed his father starting up a conversation with Lux Uthor, Jen Mai, and Lord Ra, Zara's esteemed father. The prince smiled. It was always good to see his father unwinding at this time of the year. He knew what pressures usually weighed so heavily on the Supreme Lord's mind, so it was a relief to see his father having the opportunity to relax a bit. The pressure of ruling was one of the greatest reasons why Kal was glad only to be Ching's heir - and only until his brother and sister-in-law produced a son of their own.
Inwardly, Kal wondered if that would ever be the case for them. Though he knew that they had both been trying, and though they both deeply desired children, it seemed fate had other plans. Four times now, Zara had miscarried early into her pregnancies. One pregnancy had actually proven itself to be filled with hope and promise until it ended in a stillborn son born months too early. It broke Kal's heart to know of the pain that Ching and his wife harbored in their hearts. He stopped at the wishing well in the center of the park where the festival was being held, dropped in a coin, and wished for an end to Ching and Zara's sorrows.
Draping his arm around Lois, Kal strolled with his brothers and sister-in-law through the festival. Booths of every type had sprouted up all along the perimeter of the park. Some merchants sold trinkets. Others were selling food and drink of every kind. Steam rose into the air as meats cooked on portable stove tops or over open barbeque pits. Kal's mouth watered at some of the delectable odors that hung thickly in the frigid air. He purchased sample-sized portions at a number of the vendors, both because he desired to taste as much as he could, and so as to not favor one common merchant over another. Lois followed his lead, thrilled to be experiencing such a wide variety of food.
As they wandered through the festival, they stopped and talked with many people. Most were common folk who desired to express their wishes for a happy Winter's Deep and for the new year that it kicked off. Some added their sincerest thanks for the work that the royals had done to better their lives, directly or indirectly. Others were nobles who they were friends with. Kal greeted them all graciously, stopping to chat with each one for a few moments, and wishing them well for the upcoming year.
For a long time, Ruce A'ne walked with them. Lois noted to herself that the young man was very much like Kal and his brothers. It was no wonder that they had become such close friends. And yet, she had to admit that he was more like Ching than like Kal. He had the same sense of formality to him that underlined even his most playful of moments. Still, he was a good man, that much Lois could see. He had the same sense of concern for the common people that Kal had.
After a while, the group grew cold. Not even their heavy coats seemed able to cut the chill of the air. Zara began to tremble a little in the cold. Ching lovingly wrapped his arms about her, but it didn't seem to be enough. Lois pressed into Kal's side and he held her tightly. When she also began to shake, Kal smiled at her.
"Want to go back home?" he asked her, nuzzling his frozen nose into the top of her hat.
Lois shook her head. "I want to stay. I'm enjoying myself. I'm just cold."
A smile crossed Kal's lips. "Stay here with the others."
"Where are you going?"
"I think this calls for some hot chocolate," he replied with a grin.
"You buying?" Jai piped up, suddenly interested in Lois and Kal's conversation.
Kal laughed. "Of course."
"Great! Make sure mine has marshmallows," the younger man said. "The little ones. Not the big ones. Ooh, and whipped cream too."
"Ruce? You want one too?" Kal asked.
"Sure."
"Okay. I'll be right back."
"Hurry," Lois said. "I'll miss you until you're back."
"You won't even notice that I'm gone," he promised her.
Kal turned from the group and headed through the crowd, already missing his wife's presence. It was only slightly more than two hours before midnight now, when the fireworks would be shot off to ring in the new year. Still, he knew that something else was happening this night before that would happen. His father had refused to tell him just what was going on, but had assured him that he would be very pleased indeed once it struck ten o'clock. Whatever it was, Jor-El had been excited about it, and Kal was nearly at his wit's end as curiosity ate at him like a hungry, insatiable beast.
Kal carefully but swiftly made his way to the closest booth selling hot beverages. Unfortunately, half the city seemed to have the same idea. Kal craned his neck in every direction, looking for a booth that was less crowded. He finally spotted one, way back towards the entrance to the park. He quickly jogged towards it. Only a few people were in line, so he joined the back of it, pulling his hat down tighter around his ears to keep the cold at bay.
Meanwhile, the crowd's attention was riveted to a raised stage that stood some thirty feet above the ground. At the stroke of ten, spotlights clicked on, illuminating the metal causeways and multi-tiered platforms. A roar of excitement swirled through the gathered mass of bodies. A peal of an electric guitar rang out, inciting the crowd even further. Cheers and whistles grew to a deafening level as the music group took to the stage. As the guitar riff faded, Kal's smile grew. So that was what his father had planned.
Back with Kal's family, Lois smiled. She knew, even before the band's name was uttered, that the group on stage was Kal's absolute favorite. Their music was what her husband often worked out to. And, Lois had to admit, she had grown fond of the group as well.
Par Whyt, the Royal Public Relations Manager, announced the group to the screaming crowd below. Lois had met the kindly older man a handful of times, and liked him well enough. Then another riff of the electric guitar shattered the brittle air and the concert began. Lois found herself entranced by the clear sounds and tapping her toe in time to the beat of the drums. Ruce, Ching, Jai, and Zara were all swept up in the music as well, though she knew that none them loved the band as much as Kal did. The music swelled and grew, louder and more feverish as each minute passed; an entire ocean of sound crashing around them, drowning them in a sweet embrace and obliterating the rest of the world. Nothing existed except for the music that surrounded them, pushed and pulled at the crowd, beats that could be felt deep within one's chest and which forced hearts to beat in tune with it.
No one was aware of the black-suited figures as they slipped through the crowd.
Since Lois and the rest were towards the back, almost no one saw as the attack was launched. Needles flashed, coldly reflecting the numerous lights that were strung in the area. Ching, Jai, and Ruce fought hard. But there were simply too many of them. A blow to the back of Ruce's head knocked him out. He fell to the ground and one of the masked attackers kicked him to one side. Another jabbed a needle into Ching's neck. In the next instant, the Supreme Lord's heir crumpled to the hard packed snow, his eyes rolling in his head. Zara and Jai were the next ones down, though Jai managed to hit a few of the attackers. Lois heard the muffled "oomphs" as the half-prince made contact with the others. Lois did the only thing that she could think of. She started to scream for help, hoping to attract attention.
Several of the closest onlookers finally turned in the direction of the royal family. But the attackers were prepared. Five of them opened up canisters that had hung from their belts. Smoke immediately issued forth from the breaches. Then they threw the shiny metal containers into various parts of the crowd. People began to choke on the gas.
Panic ensued.
The screams changed from an enthusiastic cheer for the band into blood-curdling screeches of fear. Bodies began to run in every direction. The music came to an abrupt halt. Lois pounded on the chest of one of the attackers who was trying to subdue her. She clawed at him, trying to escape. A hand twisted in her necklace, choking her. A second later, she felt the sharp sting of a slender needle as it punctured the skin of her neck. Blackness engulfed her and she knew no more.
Kal, meanwhile, had finished obtaining the hot chocolate that he'd left to get. He heard the change in the screams and began to rush back towards where his family was, the cardboard tray of drinks clutched tightly in his hand as though it would help in some way. He fought his way back through the crowds as they swirled around him in a blind panic. Finally, he reached the spot were Lois and the rest of his family had been. They were gone. Ruce was starting to come to, miraculously not trampled by the crowd. Kal dropped the tray he was holding. Hot chocolate exploded in every direction as the cups hit the ground. He ignored it, though some splashed onto his pants and burned his skin. He bent down and helped Ruce to his feet.
Something glittering on the ground caught Kal's eye. He bent again and retrieved it.
Lois' necklace; the chain snapped.
To Be Continued...
