He looks at her and the sky turns red. He kisses her and the Great Pyramid of Daxam falls. They make love under the stars and the world burns. From the age of sixteen she has witnessed the destruction of her planet, a calamity that only befalls Daxam after a kiss with a faceless stranger.
"Soothsayers can become egocentric, thinking their actions cause what happens to the world. It's nonsense. We see glimpses of what could be, we do not control fate but we can look for signs to avoid. Child, the world will not end because you kiss a boy…"
Her grandmother's words echo through her head on the day of the royal latching ceremony, the palace in a turmoil of excitement and frayed nerves. The eldest daughter of the royal family and next in line to the throne is to be wedded and emissaries and royal guests arrive daily.
Including Lar Gand, the only prince of Daxam. Bon has never seen him in person and as a servant and assistant to her grandmother she doubts she ever will. This is a good thing, from reports he is wild, feckless and frivolous; running from any obligation or duty. He will never rule Daxam, not with so many sisters between him and throne, and that suits the playful prince just fine.
Bon straightens her long, thin black dress, which is the livery of the servants of Daxam. Gold pipping line a high studded collar and the hem of her sleeves. The bodice, usually unadorned, depicts the Daxam standard: sunbursts around a globe stitched in gold thread. Valor, their sun. Tying the last ribbon of her bodice she checks her appearance and smiles briefly. She is not invited to the grand ball but some servants have their own celebration to attend in the city, so they will not miss out on the festivities. Placing a final pin in her piled up hair she turns and staggers, her mind whirling.
A great beast flies through a sand storm, the crowds cheering as the old blind dragon wins the race...
"Valor…" she swears, hand on the wall to steady herself. Her visions, usually infrequent and fleeting, have troubled her almost daily since she moved into the palace to work with her grandmother in the education department. They have never been so visceral, as if her mind overtakes her body in the future, inhabiting herself but only for a moment before she is bought back to the present.
Clairvoyance runs in her family, an ability that they keep quiet, though some are more than willing to pay for their services. Daxamites are suspicious and do not take kindly to outsiders but others are more open. They had once been a people who explored the stars and that blood still runs through some. Her grandmother places their difference on an ancestor who left Daxam to explore and came back married to a man from another world who could read the future in the flight of birds and the movement of stars. Unlike their Kryptonian neighbours Daxamites can mate with other species.
She drinks some tea that her grandmother had given her before she leaves for the party. The light brown liquid does not suppress her ability but instead moves them to fill her sleeping mind, the visions swirling around her dreams. Some nights she dreams the entire next day, which just takes the spice out of it. What is life without surprises?
Skyscrapers gleam in the desert light, the glass soaking in the sunshine to create energy. The huge pyramidal palace dwarfs the city that rings the building, the oldest structure on Daxam. Bon is only permitted to enter the lower levels, the royal family positioned at the top, their residence private and heavily guarded. They say once it had been a tomb for a dead queen, a monument of grief and respect...Fireworks explode from the palace and guests line the terraces that are cut into the sides like steps. Daxamites will take any and every opportunity to party and the wedding just gives it an official stamp of approval. Today a holiday is declared, which is traditional following any royal wedding, birth or death.
"They say that one emissary from Krypton arrived and the king is furious," a man gossips as Bon enters the club, handing over her ticket at the door. The ballroom is crammed with people laughing and dancing, smoke hovering in the air. Lights flash and pulse and she cranes her head around to look for her friends before finding them sitting at a table.
"Elena!" she waves, moving forward and a tall, handsome man bumps into her, wearing the black livery of the palace as she is. It gives them a certain regard and respect, though she is finding it monotonous. The man does not apologise, ignoring her to talk animatedly to a dark haired girl who pulls on his arm. Bon purses her mouth as the man's blonde friend turns and mouths an apology.
You're not the one who should be apologising, she thinks as the two men disappear into the crowd. She shakes her head and smiles as she reaches her friends. They hug her and she forgets the small incident.
"Drink, drink," Caro crows, pouring her a glass of Aldebaran rum. Her blonde friend is bubbly but when she is drunk she is explosively happy. They had met, along with Elena, only a few months before but the two girls have made her feel welcome.
"Drink this now? I just sat down!" she laughs but downs the rum, which immediately warms her body. Her head feels pleasantly detached and she giggles.
"That's better. That dress makes you look so severe Bon, in a sexy kinda way," Caro slurs and Elena nods, laughing. They are high ranking than her and so can opt out of the attire, only needing a broach to proclaim where they work. Only the lowest levels and the highest have to wear the livery when not working.
"Can you even dance in it? It's so tight."
"Wanna find out?" she asks and flourishes out her hands to her friends. They move onto the dance floor and she shows them how freely she can move. As the palace host refined dances in airy halls the city thumps in sweaty exuberance.
"Beyalat Daxam! Beyalat Lolai Daxam!" a man shouts and the crowd cheer at the name of the eldest princess. Bon smiles, sweaty, tired and moves back to her table. Her friends dance with their bonded mates, who they will likely latch to once they come of age. Bon, who has spent most of her life travelling from one planet to another with her father, has never experienced the bonding that comes from picking your mate. She had never been in one place long enough to chose.
Tipsy, she rests her cheek on her hand and watches with a dreamy contentment that slowly turns into a pitiful loneliness. The black dress, her position within the palace, scares people off as much as it draws respect. She watches women buying men drinks, making them laugh and settling light touches on their arms. Daxamites have a certain approach to courtship, where even the smallest pleasantry is viewed as flirtation but only so far as the woman will initiate it. The women make the first move, not the men. She has not been here long enough to get accustomed to the culture and she is not sure she wants to in this regard. Daxamite men are lazy and entitled.
She closes her eyes and feels the phantom kiss of a stranger, the touch of his hand on her arm and the smell of his scent. It is so real that she rocks back, eyes springing open. The table is empty but she notices that a man is watching her. The blonde man who apologised earlier smiles at her awkwardly and she smiles back, standing.
"Uh, you haven't seen my friend have you?" he asks.
"The one who almost ran me over?"
"Yeah, that one," he gives a long suffering sigh and Bon feels sorry for him. He works in the palace as she does and judging from the three gold studs on his collar he is a guard and a high ranking one at that. Has she seen him before? He likely only inhabits the upper levels.
"Shouldn't you be at a fancier party than this?"
"I should be but I go where I am told," he answers, looking around and spots the woman his friend had been flirting with earlier. He inclines his head at Bon and follows the woman outside. The man is completely sober, she realises and wonders why. Feeling curious she follows him to the back of the club and enters a wide alley. People line the road, mostly drinking and talking. Bon inhales the cool air and sighs at the lack of noise. A crowd gathers around a small man who is placing bets on a table and Bon sees the guard's friend haggling with him. She moves closer, his back in view and listens.
"Come on, you know I'm good for it. When have I ever missed a payment? Gand's Courage to win. Place the bet or I'll just go somewhere else," the man threatens cheerfully and the bookie sighs and scribbles down the name.
Now usually where betting is concerned Bon stays clear. She has visions about Garata games and without fail she knows the outcome of each one. Unending good fortune makes people suspicious. The dragon he is betting a substantial sum on will lose. She considers letting him feel the burn of that loss, a vindictive part of her happy but the better part of her wins out.
"He should bet on Valor's Dawn," she whispers to the man's friend, who turns.
"Why?"
"He wants to win doesn't he?" she says as the man stands and turns to them. He is taller than his blonde friend, his hair dark and cropped shorter. His body is lithe but muscular and he carries himself with an intense air of confidence. He grins at his friend, clapping him on the shoulder and Bon spots that he also has the studs on his collar. Another palace guard, though not as high ranking. At the sight of his face her chest tightens and her head feels light.
"What?" he asks and his friend turns to her.
"This is…?"
"Bon."
"She thinks you should bet on Valor's Dawn."
"That old beast? It'll probably die before it gets to the finish line," he challenges and Bon has to agree but her visions have never been wrong where Garata is concerned. The dragon will win.
"It will win, I promise. I have...insider knowledge. You don't have to believe me, it's your money," she shrugs and begins to turn but the tall man stops her.
"Wait. You've got me curious now so you can't go. You really think she'll win?"
"…Yes."
"Then why don't you place a bet?" his eyes dance with mischief.
"Because I don't believe in using – I mean I don't believe in gambling."
"Aww well it believes in you Bon," he smiles, moving closer and she feels stuck to the ground, gaze caught in his.
"Who are you?"
"Me? I'm from the palace, like you," he says, tugging at her embroidered bodice so she steps back. "Name's Mon El. This is Nom Le," he answers politely and Bon catches the distinct eye roll from his friend.
"El? Do you have Kryptonian heritage?"
He laughs. "That's a hotly contested question! Some believe we all do…anyway you're avoiding my question. If you're so sure the dragon will win why don't you place a bet?"
"I don't have enough on me to place a bet," she answers and it is the truth. Most of her monthly wage has gone on drinks and the gold thread for her bodice.
Mon El slaps the back of his hand against Nom's chest. "Then I'll even the odds. I pay half and you pay half. If that decrepit she-dragon does win we'll split the money. Deal?" he stares at her intently and she wants to refuse and go back to her friends but something about the arrogant curve of his lips makes her reach for her money pouch.
"Deal. You're about to become a rich man," she smiles as his friend, Nom, shakes out a few coins and hands them to Mon. Why his friend handles his money is something that she will examine later. Right at that moment she is too drunk and fired up to care.
"Great. You work in the education department?" he looks at the small gold symbol on her collar. "I'll collect the winnings and come find you."
"You could just take all the money for yourself."
"I could…" he agrees and steps closer. His gaze becomes soft and fixed on her. "But I won't. I'm not a thief."
"Hmm. I know where you work too, so I'll just track you down either way," she smiles pleasantly and he smirks, his eyes flicking down to her lips. She holds her breath as a firework explodes and they both look up as the sky brightens with red and orange. Bon feels the familiar clap of certainty and stumbles back. He reaches out to steady her, his smile gone but she holds out a hand. "The – the race is tomorrow. So…"
"So I'll see you afterwards," he answers as she hands over the money to his friend. She does not want to touch Mon El, not when she can feel the build-up of another vision approaching. She has to find an empty room and quickly. She gives them a hurried goodbye and hurries along the road, avoiding heading back inside the club and with nowhere else to go she ducks into a narrow, empty alley.
The vision hits her hard and she collapses to the ground. The images are so fast and intense that she only wakes up to a banging headache and her concerned friends helping her stand. She tells them the truth, a truth she had only shared a few months before. They had not shunned her but accepted her difference, promising to keep it a secret. They have been the only friends to stay around long enough to promise.
As predicted the old dragon won, due to the other dragons suffering through low visibility conditions. Valor's Dawn is almost blind and won the game, the first in over seven cycles.
"Think how rich you'd be if you did that every game?" Caro says as she helps Bon tidy up the classroom. Her friend works as a manager in the administration department and she had quickly taken Bon under her wing when she first arrived.
"If I did that every game I'd be arrested for cheating or sent into the Phantom Zone for being a witch."
"Well, technically you are," Caro muses and Bon smirks but it does not last. The vision she had last night knocked her unconscious, though she was able to hide her discomfort and left the party early. She had experienced a flood of images and sounds, some familiar and others strange and new.
"Have you heard of lead poisoning before?" It had been a word she heard repeatedly in her vision. She thinks it might be some kind of metal but the name is unfamiliar to her.
"Lead? No, what's that?"
Bon shrugs. "It was just something I heard…" she turns and feels a prickle run up her arms. A black clad guard stands by the doorway. Her stomach flips over and her cheeks heat but as she comes closer she sees her mistake.
"Nom?" she asks as the blonde man turns. Her stomach drops a little in disappointment. She looks around him but sees no one else.
"His…Mon El apologises but he's detained. He asked me to give you the winnings," he hands her a heavy leather pouch and Bon looks around hastily before drawing him out of the room. The children are gone but Caro will never stop talking if she sees her with a royal guard.
"Thank you," she says awkwardly, handling the pouch gingerly. It feels wrong using her ability in such a way to gamble but it was her choice. She will not do so again without more consideration and not because a boy dared her to.
"I have to go," he says abruptly and she gets the sense he is being kept from his work. His rank places him as a personal royal guard. She narrows her eyes.
"He sent you here even though it unconvinced you, didn't he?"
He snorts. "If that were the case my entire life would be an inconvenience. Still, he didn't forget you," he adds thoughtfully. Bon smiles.
"You're a good friend Nom."
He winces. "Too good…" he sighs and inclines his head in farewell, placing his hand to his chest. Bon copies him and watches him leave. He moves like a predator, graceful but watchful. She looks down at the bag and bounces it. It feels heavy. She brings out a handful of coins and knows without counting that a mistake has been made.
"Wait. This is wrong, we were meant to split the winnings. This is all of it."
She looks up but Nom is gone.
She dreams of green trees and a vast sea, grounded vehicles whizzing through narrow streets. There is peace, the smell of a hot strange beverage clouding her face as a child gurgles. A man cries out her name, begging and pleading…A shining blue vortex as big as a planet swallows her and she wakes up gasping, sweat soaking her body. The vortex had been the Phantom Zone, which some call the stasis realm. She had seen it once as a child and the idea of all those poor wretches in perpetual stasis chilled her blood. She could not sleep for days. Perturbed she showers, though concedes it makes a difference from the usual destruction of Daxam.
The royal bonding ceremony is a small affair, the large celebration preceding it as is custom. Most of the delegates are gone or leaving. She supposes that the prince will soon be following them. From reports he finds palace life boring and as his name day approaches he strains for freedom before his own wedding inevitably happens. Like all high ranking Daxamites he has been matched with someone since birth.
Thankful that she is exempt from such an arrangement she moves through the conservatory, which is filed with plants from many different planets. The domed building beside the palace is her favourite part of the city, which is surrounded by sand and arid red mountains. She feels close to nature in here. She stands by the still pond, watching the fish darting below the surface before becoming aware of someone behind her.
A man lies on a bench, under the shade of a mossy tree, his ankles crossed and one arm flung over his face. Mon El. Bon thins her mouth as he snoozes. She had wanted to return his half of the money but she did not have clearance to enter the upper reaches of the palace. She feels in debt to him, taking what is not hers. Decided she unclips the money bag from her belt and after deliberating where she lets it fall onto his stomach.
He jerks awake with a gasp. "Oww!"
"Your half, as agreed," she says as he focuses on her, sitting up but as she turns to walk away he grabs her dress, stopping her.
"You could have just left it by my feet."
"I could have, yeah," she says and watches him smirk and rub at his stomach. He looks down at the bag.
"This was meant to be a gift. You were right about the race so it's only fair."
"No, half the winnings are yours. Otherwise it's charity," she tries to pull her skirt free from his clutching fingers. He smirks and tugs her closer.
"What's wrong with charity?"
"I'm not in need of it."
"Then give it to someone who is," he says and offers her the bag. Bon hesitates, looking between him and the money. He smiles and jingles the pouch. "Go on, I trust you'll give it to those in need."
"…You're sure?" he nods and she takes it back, their fingers skimming. Her stomach squeezes and she finds it hard to breathe. "Is this the first time you've done this?"
He shrugs. "No. What will you do with your winnings?" The question floods her with guilt and he must see it on her face before he smiles and draws her even closer. "How about a real game?"
"Huh?"
"Take me to a Garata game? You can afford it."
Bon snorts. He is incorrigible. She motions at his uniform. "Don't you have a job to do?"
"I'm taking a vacation. Come on, it'll be fun."
He looks up at her, his expression open and honest. They likely will have a good time, maybe have a meal afterwards but it's what follows that makes her step back. Last night the sky had turned red when he gazed at her. If they kiss who's to say what could happen? Her grandmother is right, the palace will not burn down but that feeling of foreboding will not dissipate.
"I can't, I'm sorry. Thank you, for donating," she says and means it. He frowns and as she moves back she thinks he will not let her go but then he does as someone suddenly speaks.
"I'm here. Where are you?" a lightly aggravated voice says and they turn to see a finely dressed woman appear. Mon El jumps up, grinning and shifting on his feet.
"Ah. You found me."
"As agreed," the beautiful woman with cropped white blonde hair says, looking rather severe. She glances at Bon in her black dress who freezes before curtsying. The woman is clearly a lady, though she has an officious air. Bon backs away, eyes to the ground until they are lost from view. Mon El watches her go with a look of a child being denied his favourite plaything.
It is over a week before she sees him again and it is under stressful and confusing conditions. Following her win at the Garata game she has placed bets carefully, winning some and losing more, so as not to draw attention. Half she gives to those in need while the other she places in savings. Daxam is her home world but the need to travel, as she once did with her father, is starting to awaken in her like a fire. For all the space of the palace the small section she is confined to is starting to grate.
Lire Gand, the youngest princess, hands over her glass tablet to Bon. The princess is only nine but already possessed of a maturity and tact that most adults do not possess. Bon has only seen her smile once, when she had told her quietly that her only brother was returning from his travels.
"He bought me an inkling bird; they can hide in a puff of smoke when threatened. It's in a cage in my room," she told her, her straight dark hair reaching her hips. She is the only princess in the class, her other sisters now individually tutored. Her grandmother is one of those tutors.
"Are you okay your highness?" Bon asks. The usually serious child looks particularly glum.
"My brother will be leaving soon. The talks broke down."
"Talks?"
"They disagreed about the latching ceremony. The Kryptonians left," she whispers, careful not to be overheard and Bon lifts her eyebrows.
"The prince was to be wedded to a Kryptonian? Why?" she frowns and Lire shrugs. Krypton is not a monarchy as Daxam is but it is not unheard of for royalty to wed a commoner, though usually one high up in society and from a good house. Krypton? Unthinkable.
Bon thanks the princess for her work and watches as she walks over to Mox, her personal bodyguard, who stands by the door. Like all members of the royal family they are all shadowed by personal security. As she disappears Bon has a sudden image flash into her head: the princess huddled in the arms of her guard, ash and smoke filling a shaking room.
She clutches a desk for support, inhaling deeply and wishes that her grandmother was there to help her. As the senior governess she is the personal tutor to the second eldest princess, that is why Bon came to the palace in the first place. They needed additional teachers. Head reeling she moves a few steps before a flood of images crash over her and she falls to her knees, crying out. Her mind frees, carried away through time and she is helpless, she can only observe.
Mon El lies shaking in a bed, his face pale and sweaty. He bares his teeth in a grimace, his eyes squeezed shut. White tiles surround him, odd machines flashing and beeping as people rush around, a blur of figures. I hold his hand, urging him to fight, to hang on but his grip loosens and the pain straining his face fades. He faints and a sudden flat noise makes me gasp.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep –
"No," Bon gasps on her hands and knees. Dread spikes through her as she gets to her feet, her body shaking. Ignoring the startled glances of those she passes she runs from the school section and into the huge central foyer. She races up the northern staircase, one for each side of the pyramid, forgetting that she does not have clearance to go up any further and is stopped at the landing by sentry guards.
"Please! I think someone is in danger!"
"Who?"
"Mon El, he – he's a personal guard. Please just check if he's okay?" she pleads and the woman stares at her for a moment before turning on her heel and walking away. Bon watches her take a shuttle upwards, disappearing into the upper reaches of the palace. The relief is fleeting, she needs to see him with her own eyes. The other guard looks at her specifically.
"Why do you believe he is in danger?"
"I…I just have a bad feeling," she says and the man opens his mouth to say something when the other guard returns. A man follows her out of the shuttle and her heart leaps before she realises it is not Mon El but his friend, Nom. The female guard shrugs.
"He's fine."
Bon ignores her and strains towards Nom, who clenches his fists when he sees her. "I need to talk to you," she urges and he does not answer. Instead he takes her arm and pulls her away from the sentry, towards the shuttle. They let her pass, as he outranks them.
Once in the shuttle he speaks through his teeth. "He's fine, I saw him moments ago."
"Where? He was in a room with white tiles, with strange old machinery. He looked – he looked like he was dying," she admits and looks down at her shaking hands. She had seen sick and dying people in her visions but none has affected her like this since the death of her father. She had foreseen his demise but could do nothing to stop it. Nom's words do nothing to calm her, she has to see Mon El for herself.
"A clean white room? The infirmary?" he asks, talking to himself and she nods, though she is unsure. Nom stares at her hard and then sighs. "You can't go with me. You'll wait in my chambers while I check. Do not leave," he instructs and she nods, following him into a new part of the palace. Marble floors and high columns frame huge archways that lead onto the grand terraces, where finely dressed people sit and eat in the dusk light. She hardly notices as he leads her up a short flight of steps and then down a stone corridor. Guards pass them, barely giving her a glance. The guard's quarters.
He shows her into a room, which is sparse and neat. A bed lies under a window, a writing desk and chairs, a bookcase, wardrobe and not much else. A folding screen hides the bathing room.
"Wait here," Nom commands and she nods, sitting by the desk. He closes the door and she looks around the room, taking in everything but remembering nothing so she spends time searching over the same furniture and maps repeatedly. She stands, wringing her hands and again feels her mind unmooring. She gets a few paces towards the bed before she falls to the floor and convulses.
"Frappe Latte, extra cream."
"I'm not serving you."
"But it's your job. I bet you can guess everyone's order before they even step inside. Right…Bonnie?" he smiles as he reads my name tag but as I turn away he drops the game and begins to plead. Music drifts from the speakers as customers wait impatiently behind him. I Heard It Through The Grapevine…
"You have to tell her the truth or end this. It's not fair and I'm tired of lying."
"You think I'm not?"
"Not really, no. You get off on it…I want my name back."
"Fine…just give me some time, okay? We'll be leaving soon anyway…"
A door closes and she opens her eyes. Orange crystals bathe the room in a soft, warm light. She sits up, disorientated and someone comes into view, patting the air with his hands. Mon El.
"It's okay, you're with me," he smiles down at her and she blinks. Her head thumps horribly.
"What happened?"
"We found you passed out on the floor. You've been out cold for hours. How do you feel?" he asks and smiles nervously as she rubs her head. She gazes at him with a sudden urgency.
"Are you okay? I thought you were in danger."
"I'm fine, see? I think I'm in better shape then you," he sits on a chair by the bed and she realises with a swooping feeling that he must have been waiting for her to wake. How long has he been sitting there? He cocks his head with interest. "Why did you think I was in danger?"
"I…I just had a feeling. I have these intuitions sometimes."
"Like with the dragon? Well this one was wrong…but I'm pleased that you were worried about me," he adds with a grin and her face heats. She clears her throat, thirsty and he hands her a glass of water.
"I've been unconscious for hours?"
He nods. "You were talking and singing."
"Singing?" she laughs. That's new.
He nods vigorously and begins humming a tune she has never heard before. "Something about a grapevine."
"What's a grape?"
Mon El shrugs happily and then sits back with a sigh. He regards her thoughtfully. "I'll be leaving soon, along with my friend."
"Why?"
"The – the person that we guard is going so we have to follow."
"Someone from the royal family?" she guesses and after a hesitating moment he nods. Bon thinks back to Lire and what she said in the classroom earlier that day. "Does it have something to do with Krypton?"
He narrows his eyes. "Why do you ask?"
"I heard that a bond was unsuccessfully forged between the prince and someone from Krypton. The talks failed. Lire told me," she adds as his face becomes oddly closed off but at the mention of the princess he leans forward.
"You know Lire?"
"She's one of the girls in the class I teach…What is it?" she asks as he shifts uncomfortably.
"I – I just didn't realise that you knew anyone else up here."
She nods and shrugs, drinking more water. "So I take it you and Nom guard the prince? Lire says he's leaving soon too."
Mon El looks at her and says nothing before standing. He looks at the books on the shelves and then picks up one of the glowing crystal. His face shines with a soft light as he speaks. "Your intuitions…what else do you see?"
"About what?"
"Me. You thought I was sick. Did you see anything else?" he does not look at her as he asks. Bon swallows, her hands tight around the glass she holds. What can she tell him? That she dreams of kissing him every night but has no clue if what she sees is real or just her imagination. That she sees him dancing with her in a strange room, a tree circled with lights and shinning baubles. None of it makes sense.
"Nothing. My powers only stretch to gambling," she says and he laughs, turning to her. He sighs and offers his hand as she gets out of the bed. He pulls her to him and she stumbles, her head still spinning.
"I want to see you again…but not here."
"Why not here?"
"Because the palace is boring."
"At least you get to see the upper reaches, attend balls," she looks down at her simple black dress, imagining herself dancing with the other ladies in their finery and shakes her head. His finger touches her chin and she looks up.
"Trust me you're not missing anything. The city is where real life happens, here it's stifling, for all it's size."
She smiles, feeling a sense of kinship. Had she not been thinking the same earlier? To see the stars again, to visit beautiful places and speak to new people? To find a place where she will not have to hide who she is and what she can do? That is a dream and a fine one.
"I'm saving up and one day I'm leaving too," she confides and he nods. She has not mentioned her desire to anyone else, not even her grandmother.
"I wish you could come with me," he sighs as she gazes into his eyes, lost in the wistful hope in them. The sadness. She draws closer but stops when she feels his hands on her arms. A memory of fire and smoke flash through her head but she pushes it away. It is not a memory, it has never happened and might never will. Sometimes she can be wrong and this time she starts to believe that she is. Mon El is safe.
"You want to spend time with me?"
He nods slowly, eyes on her lips. "As much as possible. I'll take you wherever you want."
"…and I'll take you to that Garata game, as promised. Only you," she adds forcefully and he grins. She wants him to herself. He leans down, his hands cupping her face but before he can kiss her a sharp knock sounds at the door.
Mon El growls. "We have to go, Nom wants his bed back."
"Oh, I forgot," Bon moves away from him and the loss of his touch makes her feel cold. She stands at a respectful distance as Mon El lets Nom in. He mutters something to his sullen friend and then smiles at her.
"I'll walk you back."
The quarters for the teaching staff is not as lavish as the upper reaches but more homely then the lower servant's quarters. They don't even have windows. Most people sleeping they walk unseen and stop before her grandmother's apartment, who she has been living with.
"What you can do, the things you see, I won't tell anyone," he promises and Bon regards him carefully. Keeping her ability a secret has become like breathing, for her own safety as well as others. If people knew that she could foresee they would take advantage of her. Her grandmother says she has a bleeding heart, wanting to help where she can and in some cases where she should not. Her gift must not be departmental to her wellbeing, even if it feels like it is the right thing to do. She is still learning.
"I only use it to help…and help myself within reason," she adds and he nods, smirking.
"You should be filthy rich but you're using your power for good."
"You wouldn't?"
"Sure but my priority is in another order. Can't help others if you don't look out for yourself first," he shrugs and the notion makes her stomach knot. It makes sense but it is not her way.
"If you think someone needs help then you should do something, even if it comes with a price. Usually it doesn't," she adds as he narrows his eyes.
"You could have been arrested today for being in the upper reaches without a permit."
"But I wasn't."
"But you risked that for me, with no reward," he says softly and she looks down. It makes her uncomfortable, the wonder in his voice, the confusion. "How can I pay you back?"
"It's not a compromise. I don't have a motive…but if you take me out like you promised then that will be more than enough," she adds with a coy smile and he nods, laughing.
"Then I'll keep my promise. I'll spend as much time as I can with you, before I leave. I want to know everything. We'll make it count," he nods to himself and she looks around as she hears her grandmother moving in the room beyond.
"I better go," she says and he does not argue. He looks at the door worriedly and it makes her laugh. Her grandmother is bark not bite. Mostly.
"Meet me at the pond at sunset?"
She nods and it feels like fireworks are erupting in her chest and stomach. He looks at the door hastily and then pushes her against it, his lips capturing hers. His hands cup her face as he kisses her, her own hands pressed against his chest. He is much taller than her and she has to stand on tip toes. When he starts to part her lips with his tongue she accidentally bangs her heel against the door.
"Bon? Is that you?" her grandmother suddenly calls.
They stop kissing and he grins as she fumbles for the handle. Gasping, her entire body flushed, she pushes him back. His gaze is glossy, a bleary smile on his face like he has got drunk off her lips. The door opens and he swoops down to kiss her cheek roughly and then runs away as her grandmother pulls the door open and Bon falls back into her arms.
"Sorry! Sorry grams," she says, brushing hair off her face and straightening her dress. Her grandmother's keen eyes narrow. She looks out of the door and finds it deserted. She stares suspiciously at Bon as she escapes into her room and shakes her head, closing the door.
The next few weeks are the happiest of Bon's life, Mon El keeping his promise to spend what time he has left on Daxam with her. There is an air of urgency, secrecy and excitement and both wish that they could make the red sun slow or make the starry nights stretch on. The nights are theirs as they explore the city and then the outreaches until one day he takes her to the sea. They land the pod before the sun sets, the water rippling with a fiery orange light. For a moment the water boils and rages, the air sweltering hot but then it passes.
"You okay?" he asks, taking her hand and she nods. She is dressed in pants and a tunic, as their trips tend to involve walking. Last week they had gone to the mountains, to watch Garata dragons hatching. It had been wonderful but as the weeks lengthen a heaviness settles on her. He will leave her behind and what had started as a hesitant exploration has taken deep root. The parting will hurt.
"When will you return?" she asks as they sit on the sand, a blanket under them. Mon El, still in his black uniform, shrugs.
"I don't know."
"Is it up to the prince?" she asks and he hesitates before nodding. She is starting to dislike him more and more. Questions about the prince get uncharacteristic short answers and he is quick to change the subject. She gets the distinct impression that he does not like Lar Gand and she is not surprised.
"Hopefully not too long. He – he's waiting for the ground to settle."
"After he comes of age? So he will have to marry?"
"Not if he can help it," he mutters, looking at the white sand. Stars begin to appear in the mauve sky. "He was promised to a girl on Daxam but she died six years ago. They thought pairing him with a high ranking Kryptonian would further mend relations between our planets. They couldn't come to an agreement, mostly because there is no guarantee of any heirs."
"Well can't he just tell them that he doesn't want to marry? Unless he does?" she thinks suddenly. Maybe the prince is in a relationship already? "Does he care for another?"
Mon El gazes at her in silence before he nods. "But it can't be…Don't you wish sometimes you could just be someone else? Different place, different life?"
She nods, looking up at the sky. "That's what I want. A place I can be myself without having to answer to anyone," she says and he snorts, shaking his head. His jaw clenches and he stares at the sea angrily.
"If I ran they'd come for me. I have a duty," he says to himself and she gazes at him seriously. His usual humour is gone.
"You've been troubled for days. What's wrong?"
He looks at her intensely. "This has been fun, right? That's what it was supposed to be…now – now it's different. It's not nothing," he says, making her frown.
"What do you mean?" she asks but he does not answer, instead he leans forward and quickly kisses her. As the sun disappears behind the horizon and the waves wash up along the shore he pushes her down onto the blanket, his lips on hers. In the weeks they have spent together they have kissed and caressed whenever they can. Sometimes he catches her by surprise in the palace and pulls her into dark alcoves and empty rooms. If she thought it would release some of the tension between them she is wrong. She wants him, all of him before it is too late.
He slides his hand up her thigh, under the long purple tunic and she moans into his mouth. His fingers brush the junction between her legs and he looks at her, waiting for a sign so she kisses him again. He cups his hand against her sex, moulding her to his palm before he traces his fingertip along the fabric of her leggings. He does this over and over, watching her face intensely as she gasps and bites her lip. She gyrates against his fingers and he rubs, following the motion and she grips at his shoulders, begging him not to atop. He smiles and buries his face against her arching neck as she tugs her pants down. He looks down at her and she nods at him before crushing her mouth to his. He gently strips her clothes off as the stars glimmer and she pushes him under her and sinks down along his hard length. She rolls her hips to the rhythm of the sea, slow at first but soon reaching a frenzy. Their cries echo along the empty beach as he ejaculates, his hands on her bucking hips and breasts. He reaches up to cover her mouth when she screams his name, a mad gleam in his eye before he flips her over and thrusts hard until spent.
"Did you know this would happen?" he asks curiously as he gently brushes sand from her skin.
"I've only seen snippets. A table in a restaurant we go to, a random person we pass on the street. You bent over that railing to steal a cake."
"They were free," he chides and laughs. They look up at the stars.
"My days have been peaceful, my nights however…" she trails off and he looks at her.
"You've been tired."
"I see things and not just glimpses. It's like I'm there. I can hear and smell and feel, just for a few moments but it feels real."
"What do you see?" he wraps her up in his arms, their breathing even. She hesitates before answering.
"Last night I kept hearing the same phrase, people shouting it. That we were being attacked."
He leans up, head tilting. "By who?"
Again she hesitates, licking her lips. "They were saying Krypton. There were people screaming, fires and the city was burning."
Mon El frowns at her. "Why would Krypton attack us?"
"Would they take offence at the prince not agreeing to marry one of their own?"
"Definitely but enough to start a war? No way. As much as they look down on us as backwards they don't want a fight and neither do we. Maybe it was just a dream?" he suggests and she shrugs. That she has been dreaming of the destruction of Daxam since she was a teenager is something that she keeps to herself. It just makes her look crazy.
"Maybe."
"You thought I'd been poisoned but I was fine. Not to doubt your magic but you were wrong. I'm sure the city is safe. Krypton are too interested in navel gazing to dirty their hands with the likes of us," he sits up and she wonders on his bitter tone. The relationship with their neighbouring planet is fraught and now thankfully distant since the war that raged centuries ago but the animosity still runs through the people. He sounds resentful. He reaches down and helps her up, pulling her against him.
She cups his face. "I did have one final vision about you."
"Yeah?"
"You bowed every time I walked into a room," she says coyly and he smiles as they get dressed.
"Oh really? Well your highness I'll make sure not to contradict your great powers," he bows to her before they head back to the pod. She warms her hands against the smooth hull of the engine as he opens the pod. She is about to enter when he stops her.
"I uh, I wanna give you something," he says and pulls something from his pocket. In the light from the small ship she sees a silver chain swinging from his fingers before she looks down and gasps.
"It's beautiful…what is it?" she asks as she touches the faceted tear shaped jewel. It glows a brilliant green.
"It's a rare volcanic rock. It belonged to my grandmother."
She draws back her hand. "I can't."
"You can. I'd wear it but I've got a strict dress code to follow," he motions at his uniform and she laughs, looking at him.
"Thank you, I'm not sure what to say," she turns, drawing her hair over her shoulder as he fastens it around her neck. He lowers his hands on her shoulders, pulling her against him.
"This would have been very awkward if you foresaw it."
"It still would have been sweet. Thank you Mon El," she touches the jewel, which glimmers in the light. He clenches his jaw, swallowing and then helps her into the ship. The flight back is quiet, Bon watching the land below and then the lights of the grand pyramid as they fly over the mountains.
"Bon?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to tell…I mean I should have…" he struggles to speak, his gaze tormented but at the confusion in her gaze he suddenly smiles and shakes his head.
"What is it?"
"I'm just happy I met you, that's all."
She smiles and a bloom of contented warmth spreads through her body. He might be going with the prince, as is his duty but he will be back. Bon takes his hand as they approach the city.
"I'll be here and we can still talk…and I can always visit you, right?"
He looks at her for a moment, his face unreadable before looking back at the screen as the landing pad approaches. "I'm not sure I'm someone worth waiting for."
"What?" she frowns as they land, the pod jerking. His knuckles are white on the controls.
"I just mean I'm not expecting any promises. I'll be going, I – I don't know for how long and if you meet someone else than I won't hold it against you."
She shakes her head, clutching the pendant. "I know this is not ideal, you have an important job but this – this is important too. I don't do that with just anyone," she points back at the sea and a cold doubt needles her. He would not have spent weeks with her to just throw her aside once they had sex. Would he?
"You're important to me…but if you feel different after what happened then -"
He quickly takes her hand, shaking his head. "It's not about that, I promise. I want to do that until I die to be honest," he says with a laugh and she smiles. "I don't feel different...I feel more. I wish I didn't. I know that sounds selfish and it is but saying goodbye would be easier," he grips her hands tightly and stares at her desperately. "If – if I sent the word would you come to me? It would mean starting over completely, leaving this place and people. Maybe even the planet."
She nods after hesitating. "I said I want more then this life and I meant that. I want a new life…I want you in it."
He smiles at her but it looks pained. "I've never felt this before. I don't go a day without thinking about you. This is mad but I have to have you," he pulls her forward and kisses her hard. She moves until she climbs onto his lap, hands buried in his hair. They kiss until her mouth throbs and she gasps for air, until her body feels like it will explode if he does not touch her everywhere. She grinds against him and he groans, hands gripping her hips.
"I want more," she pants and he nods, hands rubbing over her ass. They kiss until the lights in the city switch off as people go to bed and tiredness seeps into her lust. She pulls back, teeth clenched and he watches her try not to yawn in his face before bursting into laughter.
"You can do whatever you want to me…when you're awake," he promises, slapping her behind and she jerks, chuckling. He helps her out of the pod, arm around her waist and as usual they say their goodbyes in the conservatory.
"My granny knows that I'm seeing you and she's fine with it. She says she knows and she likes you. You can take me home."
"Yeah, good ol' Mon El…" he mutters and sighs before kissing her again, whispering that he will meet her grandmother before he leaves. "I just wish I could see your room without her hovering outside the door."
She smirks. "Well she teaches during the day and I have the midweek day off, so…"
He growls happily in her ear before nuzzling it, making her laugh. He kisses her one last time and she watches him leave with a wistful sigh. She sits on the bench, hand between her thighs, watching the fish in the pond and a question that has been waiting in the shadows of her mind appears.
I could leave with him now…why wait at all?
She stares at the dark rippling surface as if waiting for an answer.
The eve of his departure arrives and it would be the most distressing thing if it were not for her visions. They torment her day and night now, the tea not strong enough anymore. Long flashes of dying people, toppling buildings and the terrible fire that engulf the planet. She cannot concentrate and takes that week off work, which she could have spent with Mon El but most days she remains in her room with a terrible headache. He surprises her by visiting, though he sits uneasily by her bedside, turning at every noise in case her grandmother arrives home early.
"How are you feeling?"
"My head hurts but it'll pass," she smiles tiredly and opens her arms to him. He kisses her softly, cupping her face but a sudden crack makes them jerk apart. One of the crystals lighting the room smokes and as they watch it sets fire to a scarf she placed beside it. She gasps, sitting up but he quickly extinguishes it until he holds the ruins of her scarf. He laughs in shock.
"I'll get you another," he quips but she does not hear. How often had she seen herself kissing a man and for a fire to start? She had thought it would be the first kiss but maybe it has been the last all along. He sees the concern on her face and moves closer but she holds up a hand.
"Has there been any reports about Krypton?"
"What? No. Well only some earthquakes they've been experiencing. They sometimes have seismic unrest. No threat of war looming, I promise," he jokes but she does not feel comforted.
"Something is going to happen Mon El. I've been seeing it too often to ignore it. I – I think Daxam is in danger."
He sits back down, shaking his head. "If you believe that then leave, go somewhere safe."
She narrows her eyes. "This isn't about me, people could be in trouble, they could die. You don't believe me," she says and he leans forward, taking her hands.
"I do…but sometimes your visions are wrong. You admit that yourself. Is it bad that I hope you are about this? I don't want anything to happen to Daxam."
She nods, tension easing a little. "I hope I am wrong, I really do but I can't shake this feeling. Just – just watch Krypton, okay?"
"I will…what's the first warning?" he asks and she blinks.
"There's a shock wave. It topples some buildings, along with people. Then…" she licks her lips, the memory strange and terrible. "Then a second sun appears in the sky...then green stars fall over Daxam."
"Green stars?" he frowns and she sits back, withdrawing her hands to touch her pendant. It sounds insane but that is what she saw. At the age of thirteen she had recurring nightmares of her father being killed and she had dismissed them. She had stood helpless as every image came true and she could do nothing to stop it. She would never be silent again, not when lives might be at risk. If people call her mad then so be it.
Mon El leans over to kiss her forehead before he stands. "I'll ask for any reports on Krypton, I promise. Try to get some rest. I'll come see you tomorrow?"
She nods and takes his hand before he leaves. "Thank you. Most people who get to know me, who I let get close enough, usually get scared off at this point."
He gives her a weak smile. "I know the feeling. Rest," he urges again and leaves, closing the door softly behind him. She lies back down and tries to sleep and prays that she sees nothing but the man she is starting to love.
Her wish is granted but not in the way that she anticipated. Mon El dances with another woman, her curly blonde hair fanning in the air as he spins her around. They both wear spectacles and odd clothing.
The dream wakes her and not in the mood for another she dresses and walks to the conservatory. Her headache is easing, though her mind still sends her sudden images and strange sensory disturbances. She hears music playing and she hums along, looking for the singer before she realises the dome is silent. She continues humming until she comes to the terrace attached to the dome and walks out. The stars are bright and plentiful, though it is nothing compared to the view directly from the mountains. She looks at Krypton, the biggest star in the sky.
"What are you planning? Just send me a sign that it's not all in my head?" she asks but the planet does not answer back. Sighing she is about to turn away when she notices a shooting star arcing through the sky. Usually they disappear in a flash but this continues moving, growing larger. The tail of the comet is white-green.
Bon grips the wall of the terrace as the comet burns up in the atmosphere and fades before another sails through the night sky. Engrossed in the display the ground suddenly shifts under her feet and she falls, grabbing onto the wall.
"What?" she gasps, crouched before a sudden force slams her down and the glass dome of the conservatory cracks and then implodes. She screams, covering her head with her arms and waits until the shaking and noise stops.
She is not sure how long she is there for but when she hears people calling out she lifts her head. The dome is destroyed and glass litters every surface. She stands and winces, a pain in her leg. A small piece of glass stick out from her shin. She plucks it out with shaking fingers and watches it bleed for a moment before straightening.
She stumbles away from the destruction, her mind whirling. She hears noises in a strange hollow way and a detached part of her wonders if the booming noise has damaged her hearing but then she reaches the foyer and forgets about the ringing. Guards and servants run to each other, asking what is going on but she ignores them. In the confusion and panic the sentry before the shuttles is gone. Her way to the upper reaches is clear, to the royal family.
"I have to warn them, we don't have much time," she mutters and hastily limps up the grand staircase, passing many people who barely give her a glance. The shuttles are packed with people, all in their sleeping clothes, and she easily slips in, hiding amongst the crowd. The shuttle stops frequently, people getting in and out, and by the time she reaches the very top of the pyramid the sun is starting to rise. The royal quarters is just as hectic as the lower levels, servants huddled in groups as they discuss what has happened and guards are everywhere. She moves amongst the servants to blend in but searches feverishly for Mon El, praying that he is safe.
"Earthquake! Hasn't been one like that in centuries," she hears an old man say but she shakes her head and moves on. A doorway at the end of the wide marble lined corridor stands open and from inside she can see women sitting and standing. A family home. Her heart racing and barely able to breathe she steps inside.
The king and queen stand by the unlit fireplace while their many daughters sit on couches, all in their nightclothes. Lire, the youngest child, sees her and her eyes widen in recognition. Bon gives her a feeble smile as she stops between the two couches. The princesses look at her in surprise, while others continue to stare at their parents. The queen tilts her head, her blue eyes wide and stark with fear. She frowns in confusion and Bon speaks before she can ask who she is.
"We – we have to evacuate. It's not safe anymore," she says and the king turns to her. He is a handsome man, his dark hair grey at the temples. He seems more composed than his wife, who's hand he holds tightly.
"Who is this?" one of the princesses asks but the king ignores her.
"Evacuate the palace? It would take days."
Bon shakes her head. "Not just here, the entire planet. Please, please you have to before its too late. Krypton, I – I don't know why but they're going to attack us and nothing will survive."
Everyone grows quiet at these words and a new tension settles. The queen narrows her eyes at her. "That is a very serious accusation. Who are you?"
"She's my teacher mama," Lire says, moving closer to Bon but one of her sisters pulls her back with a look of warning. The king nods in understanding.
"The governesses' granddaughter. Why do you think Krypton means to attack us?"
"I don't know, only what I saw. I saw the palace burning, the city and the people running for their lives. Great green rocks fall from the sky, a rock like my pendant, and the people cry out Krypton. I've seen it, I've been dreaming about it for years," she admits and the queen gives a subtle eye roll and looks aside to pick up a glass of alcohol.
"Dreams?" the eldest princess says scornfully. "Great green rocks hurled from Krypton?"
"I know it sounds mad but I swear it's the truth. Please, you have to believe me, this wasn't an earthquake, it was just the start," she begs but the king shakes his head while the others pretend she does not exist, now clearly embarrassed for her. She hears whispers and tries to ignore them.
"In all the commotion a mad servant has found her way up. Mon El should take her away. Oh, here he is, at last! Where have you been!?" one of them shouts and Bon turns to see Nom and Mon El enter the room. At the sight of her they both freeze, each wearing matching looks of utmost shock.
"Mon El, I had to warn them but they won't listen," she says, reaching out to him but he does not move, his eyes flicking between her and the king and queen.
"Do you know this lady?" the king asks quietly and Mon El swallows, opens his mouth to answer but no words emerge. Nom looks at Mon El, who is not wearing a uniform but a dark silk sherwani, and takes a step forward.
"She's my friend," the blonde man answers and Bon blinks in confusion. He's not wrong but why is he talking for Mon El? She looks up into his face as he takes her arm and begins pulling her out of the room gently. She grabs Mon El's arm as they pass him.
"What's going on? Mon El?"
"Dear me she really is crazy. She can't even tell who is who," one of the princesses says and Mon El tells her viciously to be quiet. The eldest princess stands suddenly, looking at Bon in surprise as the king speaks.
"Lar? What are the reports?"
Bon blinks in confusion and looks around before staring at the king. He looks directly at Mon El, who says nothing and the king lifts his brows. "Well?"
He breathes heavily, licking his lips and then speaks. "Some – some of the abandoned villages in the mountains are rubble. The – the roof over the conservatory shattered. There's…there's been no reports of fatalities."
Bon stares at him as he speaks, at the strain on his face as he tries not to look at her. The truth settles on her like an icy shroud, seeping into her skin and blood. It stops the thumping in her head and for the first time in days she thinks clearly.
"You're the prince?"
He does not answer but finally looks at her. His eyes burn with torment, his face white as he clenches his jaw before words burst from him. "I wanted to tell you. I tried so many times. Bon, wait!" he reaches for her as she suddenly moves to leave, her vision blurring with angry tears but before she can run a hand grabs her arm and tugs her back.
"What are you wearing?!" the eldest princess demands, swinging her around and reaching for the pendant around her neck. Her blue eyes widen. "This is grandmother's. What on…why are you wearing this?!" she yells, as her sisters gasp.
"Not only mad but a thief."
Mon El – Lar Gand – pushes his sister away and stands in front of Bon. "She didn't steal it. I gave it to her."
"Like you gave auntie's ring to that silly socialite last year? At least she had the good sense to give it back to you."
"A servant, Lar? Father personally warned you not to touch the staff. Your standards are appalling," one of his sisters says and he shouts at her to shut up. Bon backs away and hits someone's chest and turns. Nom Le. Mon El. How could she be so blind? So stupid?
"You're really Mon El. You're his guard," she says in a hollow voice, tears rolling down her cheeks. He says nothing but the shame on his face is all the answer she needs. As Lar argues with his sisters she moves around the blonde guard and escapes from the room.
"…No, wait!"
She runs through the throng of nervous and shocked people. They do not take any notice of a crying servant on a normal day so today is no exception. He shouts at her to stop but she just runs faster, desperate to reach her grandmother. As she races into her wing of the palace he catches her and drags her to a stop.
"Get off me!" she cries as he swings her around. His gaze is wild.
"Please, just listen to me?"
"Why?! Why should I listen to you? You lied to me for months!"
"I'm sorry. I am! I should have told you but I couldn't," he speaks quietly and when people pass he draws her to stand by a column.
"What was stopping you? Clearly not my feelings," she asks but she knows why, he had said it himself countless times. The prince is a coward.
Lar Gand tightens his fingers around her arm, his face contorted. "They'd never allow it but I couldn't stop. It – it was just meant to be fun but then…I wanted to be with you, I couldn't stop thinking about. You're mine, I want nothing but you."
"You're leaving! Valor, you were planning to leave the whole time, even though you could have stayed. You're right they would never allow this to continue. You're the prince," the word still has little meaning, the truth too fresh. All she can make sense of is a furious betrayal. "You're – you're…" but there are no words for what he is, the betrayal closing her throat. He nods with self-disgust.
"You're right my parents would have put a stop to it but I was leaving for a reason, a good one. I don't want to be a prince. I'm going to fake my death."
"You won't have to fake it! Haven't you been listening to a word I've said? The world is ending!" she yells and he shushes her as people look at them furtively. Some recognise the prince and gawp. He pulls her around the column, out of sight.
"Then why are you still here if Krypton is about to attack us?" he asks angrily and her mouth falls open.
"Why? You think I'd let people die to save myself? You don't know me at all. Unlike you the world does not revolve around my wants and needs. I would love to ignore what's happening, to scream and cry at you but I can't. My life is not worth millions."
"I never wanted this to happen, any of it. You must think I'm so selfish." Hurt flares over his face and she feels a stab of victory but in its wake is a throbbing pain. She has never felt so humiliated and despite what she has just said to the contrary she cannot ignore it.
"Would you have come back for me if I refused to come to you in this new life?" she asks softly, remembering and he says nothing. She nods and wrenches her arm out of his grip. "Would you have told me the truth months or years later? Never?"
"Please," he begs but she shakes her head.
"You must think I'm an idiot. For all my ability I never saw this. No wonder you always asked about yourself. How many times have you done this? Picked some fresh servant to fuck who had never seen your face. No I don't want to know," she says quickly and reaches up to take off the necklace but he grabs her wrist.
"It's yours."
"I don't want it, I want nothing from you."
"Fine. Do what you want with it," he looks at her with a puppish dejection.
She looks at the green stone, which likely costs more than her life. "I'm a servant, they'll arrest me if the world wasn't about to end."
Lar stares at her intensely and she is caught in his fierce gaze. "No one will touch you. If you never want to see me again I'll respect your wish but that won't change. You won't come to any harm because of me."
"Too late," Bon smiles sadly and can't stop fresh tears falling. "I fell right into your game…I feel so stupid."
He groans and pulls her to him and she feels so weak that she does not stop him. The adrenaline that has been pumping through her blood seems to flatten and disappear. Her fight is gone. The prince cups her face, wiping her tears away with his thumbs.
"It wasn't a game. It was – it is real. What I feel is true," he whispers as she turns her face away but he keeps hold of her. "I care about you."
"…Then leave. I just want one thing from you: warn everyone to leave."
"Bon…" he hesitates and looks out of the window. The sun shines on the peaceful mountains, no sign of the tremors that shook earlier. Even the people are calmer. He takes hold of her shoulders and speaks softly, as if to a mad person. "It was just an earthquake. I personally contacted Krypton and they have no quarrel with us. Even mentioning it was a risk of war. I did that for you. Whatever you saw…it's not gonna happen."
He speaks slowly, trying to reason with her but she feels like screaming. He has broken her heart but that can heal, the consequences of not believing her will be beyond repair. He still plans to leave, to take on a new identity with no irritating strings of duty tugging him back. He seems to think they'll be anyone left to pull. She pushes him and he stumbles back. Mon El, the real prince's guard, steps out from the shadows. She glares at him.
"How often were you hiding? You're his personal guard, you follow him everywhere," she stares between them with disgust. Both of them have been lying to her. "I warned you. I warned you and whatever happens next is your own doing."
"Bon," Lar reaches for her but she shakes her head.
"No. If you won't warn the people then I will. Goodbye your highness…get your family to safety before it's too late. If you won't do it then maybe your faithful shadow will," she steps back and curtsies, rubbing the back of her hands over her wet cheeks and hurries away. Lar Gand does not follow but watches her go with a listless misery.
She tries to stay strong, to do as she promised and warn the city but one look at her grandmother and she falls into her arms.
"Forget him child. He is not worth your tears."
"I can't help it," she sniffs, wiping her red eyes. She has to push down this pain and focus on others. She had often cursed the gift but maybe this is why she had been given it. Maybe she can save those who will listen. She has to bind her aching heart and try. Unlike Lar Gand her granny does take her seriously, admitting to feeling a laden sense of foreboding for weeks. They have warned everyone in their wing already, including her friends, who are leaving as soon as possible for the nearest space station. Krypton is closer but she feels a heavy threat about the planet. The will receive no aid from them.
She looks at the gigantic palace glowing in the sunshine and knows that this will be the last time she will see it intact. Great rocks will pulverise the building into ash, nothing will survive...she looks at the very top, where the royal family lives, and knows that Lar Gand is looking down. He will die up there, the pyramid his final resting place as they were in ancient times. He was born in a mausoleum…
"There is a shuttle leaving before sundown. We're getting on it, with as many people as we can bring with us," her grandmother says as they head into the city. The central square should be busy with people, especially after the earthquake. They will want news and they will get it.
She looks back down. "We'll force them with us if we have to. We have to scare them."
They shout their dire warning and some people in the crowd listen and take heed but most call them crazy and incendiary, stirring an already frightened people into a panic. Bon feels sympathy for their fright but if it saves their lives she will scare them right into space. The royal family do nothing to warn them, as she expected and when a force arrives it is not to help but to break the crowd up.
Mon El – it takes effort to call him this – stares up at Bon from her position on the central plinth and gestures her to come to him. She looks at her grandmother and then after a reassuring nod she descends.
"You have to stop. People are fleeing to space ports, they're unprepared and overrun with scared people. Scared people get violent," the blonde man tells her and Bon looks at her grandmother with worry. They had not thought of the unprepared ports.
"I had to warn them, this is a matter of life and death."
"Which you've done. Leave before this turns into a mob. The prince doesn't want you to get hurt," he says quietly and she shakes her head.
"And yet he sends you. You fight all his battles for him, don't you? Do all his work, bring him food and money. He steals your name but none of your courage."
Mon El stiffens but says nothing. The stoic guard just motions for her to leave as his radio crackles and he answers it. She sees surprise on his face and then he quickly moves away, ordering soldiers to clear the square. Bon helps her grandmother down, telling her about the crowded ports and they agree to leave before they all fill up. They have warned as many as they can.
Bon stares at the people rushing around her and feels her throat tighten. This is just one city on Daxam, the rest of the planet is unaware of what is about to befall them. Through her anger and sadness she feels a stab of worry for Lar.
"Grams, go to the port. I'll be right behind you. Caro and Elena are already on their way there."
Her grandmother takes her arm. "Whatever you're thinking he will not change his mind, I don't need to see the future to know that. The truth scares him."
"I have to try. I hate what he's done but I don't want him to die, any of them. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try. Please, I promise I'll be moments behind you."
"You better be child," she pulls Bon into her arms and hugs her fiercely tight. "You're too good and brave for these people. The power inside you scares them. Don't ever forget how strong you are."
Tears prickling her eyes she nods and watches her grandmother leave with a crowd of waiting Daxamites. They grab their meagre possessions, their families and follow her to a waiting shuttle. Bon exhales with relief. In a few hours her grandmother and hopefully more Daxamites will be safe on the space station, a neutral area.
She looks at the sun as it lowers and begins running. "Soon…"
When the emissaries from Krypton arrive without warning they bring destruction in their wake.
Lar Gand watches as the sweaty and nervous Kryptonians stammer about their planet's unstable core, about earthquakes and entire cities swallowed up by the ground. The king and queen watch them with a polite but distant attention. They do not believe and think their sudden guests have ill intent.
"She was right," he says, ignoring the meeting and heads out onto the royal terrace. He looks up at the sky as Mon El joins him and what he sees turns his legs to water. There are two suns in the sky.
"What…what is that?" his little sister stammers and he can barely answer.
"…Krypton. Valor…she's right!" he looks at Lire, who he hardly spent an entire day with for the last four years and feels his heart explode with grief. He picks her up and hugs her tightly. "I love you, I love you…"
"I…what?" she blinks in confusion as he hands her sister over to her personal guard.
"Get her to a ship and get as far away from this solar system as you can. Now," he orders but she is looking at the sky with fear. In the furious red light green and white stars shine, growing larger and they watch with a fascinated horror as a chunk of Krypton slams into the city.
The terrace shifts under their feet, breaking their paralysis and they run for cover.
What follows happens within moments. Fear can make time slow, an awful crawl where you feel every pained heartbeat and fight for every inhale of air. Sometimes the fear is so extreme that your brain cannot process it. You take in momentary sensations: the smell of smoke, the warm blood tricking down your cheek, the random name someone shouted as you ran. Little snippets of reality and nothing else.
There's nowhere to run. Nowhere is safe.
The thought is calm as she crouches by a rock before the palace. Above an asteroid slams into the north side of the pyramid, followed by a huge boom. After the initial impacts her hearing has become blessedly muffled. She wishes she could not remember the screams and pleas, their deaths. She should run, her body screams at her to do so, to find safety but she clutches at the rock.
Her ability, which usually lasts for moments at a time, overtake her mind at the slightest movement. She sees seconds into the future but it does little to prepare her for what happens. If she moves she will find a Kryptonian pod. She will try to escape and die in the attempt. She could not find the prince once the fires started.
"Granny is safe. Grams is safe. She's safe," she mutters and flinches as another radioactive rock smashes into the city. Skyscrapers fall, creating great billowing clouds of dust and smoke. She looks up at the burning pyramid, tears creating tracks through her ash coated skin. The top of the palace is gone and with the next impact she will die in the falling rubble.
"…Move, move!" she coughs and in the heat and polluted air she closes her eyes and begins running. She does not need eyes to see.
"It works!" she hears a man cry out in relief and as expected sees the emissary from Krypton. He is pale and bleeds heavily, cradling his stomach. He avoids one of the green rocks, stumbling away from it with a grimace. He is so engrossed in getting the ship to open he does not notice her until she stands directly behind him.
"Take me with you."
The man jumps and cries out at the movement. He turns and flattens himself over the door. "Get away!" he yells and pushes her, looking wildly at her pendant.
"Please! All the shuttles are gone!"
"It's only built for one," he says and she can see something flinty enter those panicked eyes. He will kill her. Bon steps back as he punches in a destination and the pod opens. Coughing and desperate she moves forward again but the emissary draws a dagger and points it at her. She stares at the shaking blade and all fear leaves her as a vision clouds her mind.
"You'll never make it off this planet alive…" she whispers and the already scared man lunges forward as she struggles to breathe in the air, convulsing. She falls to her knees, waiting for the blow but when her sight clears the emissary in lying dead on the ground with the blade buried in his throat. She looks up and the prince stands there panting for breath, blood on his hands.
"You…you killed him," she mummers, now half delirious with the lack of oxygen. He scoops her up in his arms and she hears his guard saying something urgently behind them but Lar ignores him. He places her in the pod and looks at the destination. His eyes widen in shock but then he nods, jaw clenching.
He cups her face roughly. "I'm – I'm sorry, it's the only way. You'll be safe in there."
"…Where?"
"It'll be like sleeping, I promise," he whispers and kisses the corner of her mouth. He tastes like ashes. He steps back, his vision blurring in her eyes and the pod closes around her. A blast of oxygen surrounds her and she breathes in deep, coughing until it feels like she can think again.
"Mon – Lar! What are you doing?"
"Something selfish," he says and then presses a button on the hull of the ship. A light flashes and a cool calm voice tells her that hibernation protocol has been activated.
"No!" she yells because suddenly she can see exactly where he is sending her. She would rather be dead then endure that fate, a fate usually reserved for evil criminals. Even in stasis she will feel each passing moment. She bangs on the glass as he steps back, smoke billowing around him and his bleeding bodyguard. Gas puffs into the pod and she inhales, watching as the prince and Mon El dive back into the pyramid for cover as another explosion rocks the city.
Bon is half unconscious when the pod reaches space, the planet below her burning but all she sees before she blacks out is the icy blue vortex and the black nothingness of the Phantom Zone…
a.n:
Uh-oh. Next and final part will deal with them being on Earth and if they can resolve what happened...