Author: Helena
Title: Les fleurs du mal
Rating: varies, mostly NC-17 due to graphic violence, horror and sex
Pairings/Characters: Lex/Lana, Clark/Lois, Clark/Lana, Chloe, Jimmy, Martha, Lionel, Brainiac, Pete, Oliver, Helen and actually many many more characters from all years of SV. Also , some of them might also appear with different personalities, that they played on screen (Kal, Alexander etc)
Genre: Drama with romance and horror elements
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea of this story
Spoilers: Completely AU, although vaguely, regarding the action taking place in the present, i would put it after Lexana divorce, when Lana was with Clark , staying home to make him pancakes.
PLEASE READ IT!
A/N: The fic was originally written for the Fairytale Challenge of DTLL, Summer 2008. It combines fantasy and fairytale elements, thus it is completely AU.
Apart the basic characters, you will also see various characters appearing in this fic, from all 7 years of Smallville, almost everyone that has ever appeared and held an important role in Smallville (even as a guest star) has been included. The story is rated NC-17 , for horror, violence and sex.
I m not gonna give a summary for the fic, cause it would be pointless, too many different things happen, not following a logic order, to actually make a summary out of it that would make sense. The whole fic revolves around 5 different stories. How those are connected and what the main plot is, that is yet to be discovered lol The stories interrupt one another to continue themselves, NOT in random points, although at first it will seem they are random. In all the stories main characters are Lex, Lana and Clark along with Lois and Chloe, but everytime they differ. I tried to give names to the characters (especially Lex and Clark) different in each story, so that readers wouldn't mix the stories, and , after reading a couple of chapters into the story, would be able to follow the plot in each story separately, not minding the sudden interruptions.Also , again in an attempt to make it clearer, whenever you see the ooooooooooo, it means change of story...whenever you see this xxx , it just means change of scenes within the same story.
I know it is complicated and I know it is tough...but trust me, if you have patience with this fic, in the end , it won't disappoint you one bit.
Chapter 1
A lightning tore through the darkened , ominous sky... momentarily brightening up the night and exposing the midnight cataclysm in all its glory..before everything succumbing itself once again to the ebony of the darkness. It was with the thunderous sound of that sole lightning, that Lex frantically burst into his office. The mansion loomed as the ultimate graveyard within a delirious vortex of storm, thunders and wind. However , there was no other place for him to run , and his last resort that hid no way out, glowed in his clouded mind as his last shelter as well.
Soaked to the skin, he paced around his silent, dark office , turning his desperate face towards every possible direction, seeking out an answer he already knew that didn't exist. His gun hanged limply from his left hand , empty and useless for long time now...being there only to remind him that once this piece of iron had been the extension of his own hand...saving his butt in numerous occasions...But not this time...There's always one time in a man's life that all his buddies leave him to stand and fight alone...even his closest ones.
Without thinking, he approached the wide glass...the world outside a black, menacing blur...His sleepless gaze though, didn't delay in capturing the dancing flashlights far across the cornfields. Appearing and vanishing randomly within the hazy turbulence. Every single time, getting closer.
He hurriedly backed away, only to trip over his desk. The thud caused by his phone when falling, only getting maximized within the deadly stillness that surrounded him. He closed his eyes, in a vain attempt to calm down the frenetic thumbing of his heart. But all the woeful thoughts crammed in his mind, would not release him from his imaginary bonds.
They were all dead...all of them...his security guards...his scientists...
He should have never come back to the mansion...all his visions were now being proved pointless...everything.
He spared a look of pity at his pathetic self...He didn't even know why he had worn this old coat when he had left the mansion, this morning...He mentally scolded himself...Such a moronic thought in such a crucial moment...
He wanted to laugh...No, he needed to laugh...to fill the silence. To create himself some company while the world was blustering outside. Instead , he did something that during different times he would describe the least as odd. Shoving, suddenly, his hand into the right pocket of his coat, he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper...forgotten by both himself and time...
Trying his best to unfold it with care, he blankly stared at its words for a few seconds, before snapping out and triggering himself to start reading. When suddenly...
oooooooooooooooooooo
He had woken up drenching in sweat, his eyes facing the floor first thing when they abruptly opened up. Still disorientated from his sudden fall off the pile of rugs he would call a bed, he violently shook his head and muttered an old sailor's curse under his breath.
Standing up, he straightened his back , this time avoiding any lack of balance, the tempest that seemed to threaten the horizon, was causing. All these years he had been storm-tossed through the wildest waves and maelstroms, and this sudden shake of the ship would hardly cause him the slightest stir from his sleep, let alone actually make him fall, if it hadn't been for this enigmatic vision that had been haunting his dreams.
No. It was one dream. The same one each single time. Only less clouded but yet more complicated as the nights succeeded one another.
He slowly dragged his boot cloaked feet to a bowl that was serving him as a basin. Not that he actually ever cared for his hygiene, assuming anyone in that ship had ever bumped on that word. But it was after times like this, when he , the man that everyone feared and respected, would wake up shuddering before his own nightly spectres, that he decided that pouring some water on his face, to wash away his nightmares, wouldn't really stand as a bad idea, not even for him. He let the cold water soak every fibre of his facial muscles , before saluting the menacing, scarred face on the glass he used as a mirror.
What had he dreamed of again? What damned spirit had crawled under his eyelids , shadowing the visions he had surrendered himself into? He remembered he was fighting with sharks at first. White , big sharks, with sharp , nasty jaws painted in someone's blood. His blood. Ok, so this was new. And this could hardly count as an intimidating nightmare. With the life he had led and the things he had witnessed, fighting with a bunch of sharks in his dream could as well serve as his night practice. No, it was something else. Everything seemed to unreel well in his dream - or at least according his incomplete definition of "well" - until the dark started becoming thicker and thicker and thicker...again...and he found himself once more there where no sharks existed, nor anything for the matter, except him and the abyss that was gradually swallowing him. And suddenly, in the middle of his helpless drowning into the absolute nothing, it was that fainted music again that reached his ears...That inexplicable melody, which seemed to come from miles and miles away only for him to listen to... and then there was this voice...The piercing voice of someone or something out of this world, in incredibly great agony...that repeated the same , monotonous , numinous sentence: With torches and screams, they'll come.
His gaze fell on the scratchy, old map, spread on a wooden table. He had seen something else in his dream too. Only now the fog of his mind was slowly being blurred out. There was this feeling...He could not explain it at all. But there was this certainty of knowledge...that he knew...in his dream he knew the right way. He knew the road.
Without a second thought , he took out a small bottle full of rum he always kept fastened around his leathern belt. He thirstily gulped large sips of his precious nectar. He needed to ease the pressure that kept clutching his temples, he needed to clear his mind's haze , he needed to know... His eyes widened automatically as realization hit him full force. Grabbing the small dagger from inside of his boot, he clumsily rushed to the wooden table and forcefully stabbed a small spot on the right corner of his old map. The insane sparkle in his eyes followed the fainting wobbling of the dagger, as it stayed there, stuck through the map and the table.
"There..." he whispered gleefully ..."THERE!" he howled uncontrollably.
"Busting yar chops, me matey, but yar buxom beauty just knocked off another of yar men." a familiar voice came from the entrance of his cabin.
He glared at the other man , a fifty years old, long-bearded boozer, and then, as it was the most natural reaction in the world, he flashed him a wide a grin. Which became even wider as soon as the fierce waves caused the older man to lose his balance and trip.
"Fifty years overseas, Blaine, and the only thing ye gained was yar nick...Butterfingers...Never ye know how to stand on the bloody deck."
"Aye, Xander...me challenges ya matey .. have one of these little devils" Blaine knocked on the wooden stick where his right leg once had been " and then c'mere tell old Blaine he can't stand."
"Aarr , shut up ya bilge rat..." Xander walked passed him. Despite his nightmare earlier, the discovery of the place he wholeheartedly craved to find - or at least the one his inexplicable hunch had just led him to - had balanced whatever minatory omens lingered above his head. Now, all it seemed he needed, was a brief face-to-face with his beautiful and feisty captive to seal the beginning of a fine day.
He entered a small cabin they used as a smaller cellar, storing mostly whatever wouldn't fit in the rest cabins , thus was considered by him first and foremost as unimportant. The last days though, with this charming, little wench tied up and left at his mercy, that small hole had gained a new importance, which hadn't passed unnoticed by the rest crew of his ship. He didn't manage to make more than one step though, before his boot landed on something smashed. Looking down with curiosity , he lifted an eyebrow at the sight of thrown food mixed with pieces of what once used to be a fine, porcelain plate. Stolen nonetheless, but still fine.
"She doesn't eat anything. Alack, she even bit me!" and indignant young boy whined as soon as he saw him.
Xander looked at the boy thoughtfully, sizing him up and down.
"No whiner becomes a pirate...Remember that."
Waving at the boy to leave him alone with the girl, he slowly approached her and knelt by her side. He took a moment to admire her raven, long hair as it cascaded her shoulders and back. When she stubbornly refused to turn her attention to him, preferring to keep her eyes glued on the ship's inner walls, he capped her chin and forced her face to meet his, inches apart.
"Ya know..." his breath , full of rum and manly scent brassily invaded her nostrils, making her dizzy... " If me wanted ya dead...be sure ya'd have been fed to the sharks, long ..." his nose nuzzled hers "..long time by now... That means...me wants ya alive ...and also means ... " he pulled back a bit and pointed the thrown food at her..."...ya eat."
Overcoming the momentary dizziness that his presence seemed to evoke to her every single time he touched her, she didn't hesitate to look straight in his good, blue eye. Her intense gaze seemed to suddenly pierce into his soul, and he had to pull away a bit more under the crazy fear of this girl unmasking the dark depths of his existence.
"I do not eat rubbish." Her stern voice was a little more than a whisper, yet she couldn't have sounded more adamant. "I am no pig."
"Well too bad, me beauty...cause rubbish is all we have...and thus ya shall join our farm."
"Get away from me...you stink."
Xander looked at her incredulously before bursting out in a mocking laughter, making the brunette's blood to boil even more through her petite veins.
"Have patience...yar in a pirate's ship, me little wench...soon all we'll be sharing the same smell...". He continued lightly laughing as he stood up, bringing out a few dry tobacco leaves from his pocket. Putting them together in what could resemble to the archetype of a cigarette, he used his ignescent stones to light them up. He took a long, satisfying puff, before inviting her to do the same , only to get his answer by a kick to his sensitive area, which he evaded the last moment...not even once did he stop laughing. Despite her wild behavior, this girl was amusing him to no end and the last days, he had surprisingly witnessed himself being more and more drawn towards this small cabin, than any other place in the whole ship.
"You might toss orders right and left, thinking you are the top dog of this ship...but just because you can boss around a bunch of hopeless thugs, that does not mean you hold any right over me."
"Shiver me timbers!...Right? What right? Ye forget where ye be ...Pirates do not recognize the rights of landmen... Over these seas? Yar velvet , high-class bum worths me as much as Blaine's."
They stayed silent for what seemed like ages... exchanging angry glances, neither of them accepting to avert their face, in fear of admitting some kind of preposterous defeat over their childish game. In the end, it was him that slowly turned his back to her, silently walking towards the small exit.
"He will come and save me. I know he will! He will never give me up without a fight." She suddenly growled at his back.
Xander turned around, his sinister grin decorating his scarred yet handsome face.
"Who? Yar honoured commander ? That boy-scout?" . Lifting up his tobacco, he briefly met her widened eyes before sticking out his tongue and putting off the burning poison, not even once flinching with what she would describe as unbearable pain.
"Me says...let him come".
He was still laughing when he exited the cabin, the thought of a man, like the girl's fiance, beating him up, being the greatest joke he had heard in years.
"Well, well me fine lad...playing with yar new toy? Showing her how ye bury yar treasures?" A velvet , feminine voice came to his ears. He smiled before turning around, his gaze falling upon a very voluptuous brunette, with an arrogant smile and a dagger tightly fastened on her exposed left thigh.
Zeroing the distance between them, she raised up a hand , allowing her fingertips to smoothly caress the big scar on his left cheek.
"That young , sweet mouth has made the great Xander forget the purpose of his journey, me thinks...Toys be for fun...they be thrown to the sharks once their masters feel bored"
Xander smiled back at her, before unexpectedly dragging her hand away from his face. Never letting her go though, but still tightly clasping her wrist, he brought her face close enough for him to whisper her a few words.
"Hold yer horses there, Helen. Most times, toys end up prey for the sharks, but some times they get promoted to first pirate wenches...Ye should know that better than anyone."
Letting her go, he greeted the fear in her eyes with wide amusement, before turning again his back to her, not forgetting to add as he was walking away:
"Who knows? Perhaps this master got already bored and wants to promote a new toy."
ooooooooooooooooooooooo
The warmly colored wallpaper, illustrating one of the glorious battles of an ancient Kryptonian dynasty, got momentarily agitated as the small door, leading to the domestic quarters, opened. Princess Lana, followed by Lady Sullivan, dashingly entered the throne hall , shining their way through, while the door behind them closed, putting an end to the battle that had been so suddenly stirred to life.
"Your Majesty".
They both curtseyed at the sight of Queen Martha Kent, absolute monarch of Krypton after King Johnathon's unfortunate death, before Lana taking a few more steps, letting the Queen welcome her with a light embrace.
"Mother", her sparkling eyes met Martha's warm smile "No words on Krypton could describe my soul's awaiting for this day. Your royal wish was to see us?"
Martha's hand tenderly caressed the young maiden's rosy cheek, as her glance bounced between the Princess and the Lady before her.
"My daughters". A pause. "Thou both know well thy names in my mind are always connected with the House of El, no matter what the blood claims. I consider thee the daughters Gods never graced me with. Therefore I could desire nothing more than thou both to be present in this very hall, when Krypton shall be closer than ever to establishing peace with our long now dreadful enemies but yet eternal neighbours."
"It shall be an honour, Your Majesty", Chloe answered with respect, giving voice to Lana's content nod.
Satisfied, Martha walked slowly to the gold-graven throne, her thoughts full of the possibilities that lied there unfolded, waiting as much as her the long due coming of Sageeth's heir. There had passed thirty years of unstoppable wars, thirty blood-stained years since the previous frail reconciliation between the two kingdoms that had led to nowhere but wilder thirst for blood and revenge. A revenge translated to thousands of dead bodies, scattered throughout the Lunar Valley, that defiled the souls of the ones that were unlucky enough to survive after every battle storm. And all this, due to a sacred rivalry with roots lost way back within the centuries of legends.
"It is my wish for all the higher members of the court to attend my meeting with Shadowland's emissary. It is an important day for the future of my people, thus no one should be missing." She cosily positioned herself on the throne and looked back at the two wenches. "Chloe, my child, thoughts are ghosting your lovely face."
"My Queen, Lord Luthor is sending his son, the Count of Metropolis, for the meeting, am I mistaken?" Chloe hesitantly asked, while taking her familiar, old position on a low bench next to the royal throne. She and Lana would spend hours there when children, two amazed pairs of eyes listening to fairytales about frightful dragons and mighty knights, leaping out of King Johnathon's fantasy.
"Nay, thou are not. Prince Luthor is the one I am waiting for, this is true. It is exactly the specific emissary's importance what makes all ye faithful to Krypton nobles, required in being present...Now what would ye say for some music to gladden the cockles of our hearts while we wait for my son to join us?" Martha affectionately smiled and gently motioned to a young musician that was standing silent next to a throne guard. The man stepped forward and after an impressively deep bow, he started caressing with virtuosity the delicate strings of his lute.
Lana unnoticeably sighed at the first sounds the instrument elicited and slowly approached one of the vitro doors that led to the grand veranda, the one dominating above the main yard before the Naman Palace. However sweet the melody filling the throne hall was, it was proved still unable to tame the nervousness flitting in her chest. Her gaze traveled outside the palace , beyond the beautifully architectured residences that harmonically surrounded it...the astounding artificial waterfalls with the crystal clear waters streaming from the banks of the river Lunar, always glowing with life beneath the morning sun...the buzzing central market , famous among all provinces for the unprocurable goodies a man could chance on...the verdurous Kent gardens, serenely expanding like a green carpet of all shapes till the great walls , where the Fortress of Solitude met its unavoidable end and the even merrier lowlands of Krypton began...or even further beyond, where her eyes would only mirror the vast horizon as a blur, and the only piece of land that would vaguely remain visible, would be the Solar Hills...Successfuly masking the forest of Mysts away from Kryptonians' sight...that mysterious neutral zone which had always hauntingly stood as the west confines of Krypton, on the long road to Shadowland.
Oh yes, her happiness and nervousness were walking hand by hand that murky morning. For it had been three long decades ever since a Shadowlander officially crossed the gates of the Fortress for the last time. But this was about to happen again that morning...and - may Gods show mercy on her taunted heart - what a Shadowlander that one was...
The large double door made of agarwood, with the platinum emblem of the House of El curved on it, unexpectedly opened, dragging everyone in the big hall away from their reverie and abruptly interrupting the soothing melody of the lute. A group of men, possibly knights and barons if their clothes and armoury were any indication, stormed into the throne hall, followed by a young servant that was desperately trying to catch up with their wide, determine strides. The group was led by a tall, dark haired young man, clad in a white jacket with silver accents, and a silver sash draping his left shoulder, clothes that undoubtedly made him stand out from his companions. Coming to a halt few steps away from the throne, the tall warrior proudly stood while the rest kneeled with respect before the Crown. The sudden stop caused the young servant to stumble and dive exasperated into what seemed like half bow, half fall , evoking whispers and low giggles from the peers around them.
"I crave your pardon, Your Majesty, I humbly ask your permission to explain myself."
Martha quirked a curious eye-brow, trying to hide her amusement when the warrior rolled his eyes at the servant's comical plea.
"Thou hast it, Peter."
"I pray you to spare forgiveness on your devoted servant, for allowing these fine men to enter your sight unannounced. I tried in vain, all the way here, to prevent them from entering first and do as the Crown of Krypton commands, but His Royal Highness would not listen!". Peter cast a stubborn glance at the prince by his side.
"God's teeth, Peter! I do not need to be announced in order to present myself before mother. Besides, I was expected, why should we waste our time on the protocol?"
" 'tis well, Peter. Kal should have known he was not coming alone in the hall. You may leave now." Martha softly smiled. She waved to a few nobles still standing outside the hall to enter before the double door closed again and everyone inside it stood up from their previous kneeling positions.
"Good morrow, my son. I am very pleased to have you and everyone else here with me this day. Lord Luthor must not be far by now."
"Mother," Kal proceeded in kissing the back of her palm " I would not miss this day for anything in the world. Actually, the duke and his small entourage from Shadowland have just passed the gates of the Fortress. They should be here at any minute."
"Small entourage you speak?"
Kal tilted his head towards a baron , still engulfed by his warrior armour, at his right side. He acknowledged the signal and took a step forward.
"Your Majesty, if you allow me."
"Go ahead my lord."
"Two riders , the Duke of Metropolis and his aide-de-camp, and one equipage with one driver, possibly carrying cargo, no passengers. No other escorts with him."
"Well the Duke obviously knows here is no Shadowland, a man does not need to have his will set before visiting us." Kal chuckled causing many of the peers around to do the same.
"Either way these news are very promising, Kal. If Shadowland's Crown is aware we hold no menacing surprises for them and we really mean to support a new peace treaty, this can only be in favor of Krypton." the Queen pensively retorted. " I was thinking though, where is our good friend and ally, Lord Queen of the Queen Empire? It was to my belief he would follow thee back to Krypton?"
"Unfortunately, Lord Queen had to delay one day his visit to Krypton, due to his own personal affairs and business in the mainland. If Gods allow it, he will encounter no problem in being here on the morrow, before the vernal feast."
"Excellent. Our people will be grateful to introduce him into the Kryptonian hospitality."
Kal's eyes wavered among the rest attendants of the meeting, noticing Lana and Chloe modestly standing by the large, velvet curtains that added a deep crimson essence to the whole luxury of the throne hall. Leaving his mother to busy herself with the rest nobles, he slowly approached the maidens , his azure eyes gluttonously swallowing the brunette's unmatchable beauty.
"Miladies"
He lightly bowed as the women curtseyed. Allowing his left hand to connect with Lana's velvet one, his thumb started making imperceptible circles on the back of her palm.
"Shall we have the pleasure of seeing thee both in the vernal feast?" he asked, changing completely the previous mood that was marked by duke Luthor's upcoming visit.
"I am not sure yet , milord." Lana moderately smiled at him. "The ladies of our court are known for making a short appearance to this local festival, but surely their gentle nurture does not endorse them staying the late ...or shall i say early...hours some lords take delight in appearing."
Chloe could not suppress a low giggle at the sight of Kal's eye-brows dangerously uniting with his dark locks, after Lana's witty answer. The prince himself, however, generously grinned.
"Fair enough I must admit. What about thou, mistress Chloe? Will you join Lord Oliver and me when succumbing ourselves to this fine, Kryptonian fete?"
Not missing the crimson rill that instantly ran through her cheeks, he lowered his head , mischievously whispering, " Certes, his company can be proved very invigorative."
Chloe gulped but quickly composed herself . "Pity at him , i say, whose eyes stay blind before the morning light and whose ears stay deaf to the sweet music of the blooming nature", a murmur escaped her lips as she glared at him from the corner of her eye.
Kal's goofy frown revealed his momentary confusion over the blond's retort. "Uhm...for thine own benefit, midaly, I do not advise thee to say something like this to Lord Oliver."
Lana silently shook her head at her two friends. All these years, Kal had indeed remained blind and deaf before Chloe's troubled soul while the blond's heart was held captive of her secret crush for him. They had all three been raised up together and shared unforgettable memories of a light-hearted childhood, whose laughter was still echoing through the long, royal corridors. Fate had united them under its cruelty all these years back, when the war had reached its frenetic peak, making every soul in Krypton and Shadowland run berserk. It was when the tragic murder of her parents and the fall of their county into the enemy's hands, shadowed her future, leaving her a fortune-less orphan, that her aunt, the countess of Langshire, had seeked shelter for them in the royal palace.Ever since her youth, lady Nell had been an appreciated member of the royal inner circle of acquaintances, hence the King and Queen had rushed to secure them under their protective wings, as soon as they had found themselves in need. And although her faded memory was betraying her, Lana could still remember one of the first scenes she had laid eyes upon, among the marble walls of the palace: a young , blond girl, bawling in her father's arms, not understanding the reasons, but still refusing to let the fatherly nest go, while a heart-broken General Sullivan was handing his only child to the Queen, after his wife's woeful death. He had left for the battle field with the dawn.
And then, the pain...and the darkness..had generously delivered their place in their hearts, to light. They lived there, among the pillars made of basalt and gold, sealed away from the burning world outside. It was not long after their coming, that the royal couple expressed their will to adopt her. Martha's soul-eatening crave to be blessed with a daughter, had always remained unfulfilled, and to her eyes, the little brunette girl, with the melancholic gaze, glowed as an unexpected gift sent from heaven. They had chosen her, over Chloe...maybe because one day she would become the rightful mistress of Langshire, while Chloe would always remain a noble's daughter...maybe because her parents had both passed away , while General Sullivan was still there, serving with all his might the Kryptonian army...maybe because life is just a random game, with twists and conclusions that do not always need to be explained...She was the one to be called a princess, but everyone knew that Johnathon and Martha had always affectionately treated both as their daughters nonetheless. The only detail was that...with the adoption, along came the title...and with the title, along came Kal.
Chloe had never confessed her feelings about their common friend to her and Lana, her tactfulness an inbred virtue, had never pushed Chloe into telling her. She would have to be blind by choice though to never notice Chloe's cheeks flaring up every time herself and Kal would privately talk and giggle in one of the countless corners of the colossal palace. And the clever, young woman Chloe was, it was no secret to her either to what extent Lana was aware of her inner, indecent desires, regarding a special , dark haired man. They had silently agreed though that any competition over the male gender should get sacrificed before the sacred altar of their old friendship. However, sometimes, Lana couldn't help but wonder if the result of an equation can be called friendship, when jealousy has always been standing as one of the factors.
Suddenly, the royal horns echoed, unleashing a sublime and festal sound through the palace. The various clusters of nobles were hurriedly dispersed, and Kal , always with the company of the two beautiful ladies, stepped forward as a whispering rustle unreeled throughout the throne hall. The double door opened once more, and Peter appeared, his face a mixture of awe and fear. Making a few steps to the front, he cleared his throat and took a deep breath while swelling with pride.
"His Imperial and Royal Highness, the Duke of Metropolis".
Deadly hush fell heavier than lead upon the peers, instantly darkening the hall. The tall, black caped man and his retinue, stoutly strode along the red carpet that led to the throne. The dark cape was responding with a light wave to each one of the duke's confident strides, all the way allowing the pale faces around glimpses of its velvet, crimson lining. There was this myth haunting the cape's existence... a story well known among the warriors...always narrated by the elders to the younger defenders of both kingdoms. They used to say that the dark color of the cape served to block out the sunlight in the battle field and frighten the duke's enemies, but its lining was painted by the slaughtered soldiers' blood.
Lana's breath unevenly flittered up her throat as she watched him passing in front of her, his lofty mien not even once caring to spare a glance at the abashed souls around him. Her eyes followed him almost hypnotized by the twinkle of the morning light, as it was entering the hall only to dance on his shoulders' silver buckles, making the graven Dragon on them, the official emblem of Shadowland, shine with menace.
"So...behold thy notorious friend..." Chloe's whisper pulled her out of her trance.
"He is not my friend." her voice seemed stable enough, but her eyes never left him. "I only firmly believe in peace between the two people, and if lord Alexander is the one to support the new era, then i welcome the change."
"I shall believe in this new era only when I lay mine eyes upon it." Chloe bitterly added , her doubts over Shadowland's intentions always being the epitome of their disagreements.
Stopping before the throne, his eyes glued on no other than the Queen herself, Alexander raised hir right hand, pleating the side of his cape behind him, in a denotation of respect. His aide-de-camp , standing right behind him, lightly nodded his head; no Shadowlander ever declared allegiance to Kryptonian royalty, so kneeling could only be for them a forceable action, but every peer and warrior from both kingdoms would still pay their respect to royal blood in this manner.
"Lord Alexander Luthor, Duke of Metropolis and sole heir of the throne of Shadowland, in behalf of my people, I welcome you to Krypton." Martha formally stated to the man that proudly stood before her.
"Many thanks, Your Grace. " His cold, deep voice pierced through the lingering silence. "It is with great honour that Shadowland salutes this day. The day that the two kingdoms finally allowed themselves a chance to a better future."
Martha's lips curled to a reserved smile. Despite his bleak, expressionless face, a face before which hundreds of hearts had learned to squirm with terror, Alexander's salutation had already raised her hopes that, this time, they had finally chosen the right path.
"I shall not hide from you, my Lord, the great euphoria your words are filling my heart with. For centuries our empires have been trying in vain to accomplish prosperity and peace... and for centuries they are ending up doused in crimson waters. If , by coming this day inside the sacred walls of the Naman palace, Shadowland can guarantee that the war will be buried along with the last dead, then with the power the Crown and its loyal people give me, i reassure you that Krypton will only stand as a ministrant of the benefits of both kingdoms."
"You are a clever woman , Your Grace... and you have capable officers and trackers under your command...Hence, perchance, what my lips shall herald is already news long known for you...but Shadowland has long now retrieved every last battalion from the Lunar valley. The cessation of hostilities has been a welcomed reality for weeks to this day, and there has not been a single incident a Shadowlander soldier has been involved to ever since." Alexander paused for a second , the strong , absolute tone of his voice giving place to a more confident one, as for the first time since he had entered the palace, a ghost of what would be a smug smile, cracked the adamant mask that was considered his face.
"...However, this is not where Shadowland's initiatives come to a halt."
Without turning his head around even for a moment, he raised his right hand and invisibly waved towards the deep end of the hall, causing every pair of eyes in the vast room, to curiously center their attention on that direction. Soon, two Kryptonian servants, stepped forward, carrying a heavy chest out of iron, all the way to where he was standing. Looking truly toil-worn after they placed it down, one of them proceeded in opening it, exposing its precious load to the public eyes.
Not even Martha herself managed to surpress a low , surprised gasp before the view of what Kryptonians considered an unrpocurable treasure; coal.
Without showing any obvious interest or surprise to the nobles' reactions, Alexander reached one black rock with his leathern gloved hand , and held it up, so that every voracious soul in the hall would drool over the possibilities he was more than ready to unfold before them.
"Allow me to present you Shadowland's further intentions; trade" His last word echoed clear and absolute through the hall, catching everyone off guard. It had never been a secret to Shadowlanders how much Kryptonians valued the importance of coal. However wealthy and gifted that land was, Krypton lacked the very resources that graced everything with life and provided the ultimate safety to the whole empire; the necessary energy for the great mill to keep running and , thus, the imposing dam of the river Lunar to continue holding back the unavoidable onrush of the river's waters...a feared nightmare that would cause thousands of lives if it ever crossed roads with reality.
"Shadowland might be considered a bowery, dark place however it has always been famous for its mines, which produce tons of coal on daily basis. Outside the palace, my driver will probably have already unloaded all the goods we fetched with us, as the best samples and proofs of what our common future could be." Noticing the surprise and the momentary hesitation sparkling through Martha's eyes, Alexander dared a small step to the front, slightly lowering his voice onto a balmier level.
"An it please you, your Grace, i firmly believe that commercial relations could become an indissoluble bond between the two kingdoms. This peace treaty, whether it is finally signed by both sides in the future, it can expand more than just a mutual agreement in cease-fire. Shadowland could actually benefit Krypton and vice versa, however venturesome this thought might presently seem as it is greeting our eyes."
It felt like the air had been drained from every pair of lungs in the room, as everyone held their breath , impatiently awaiting for the Queen's reaction before the unexpected ace that had been just revealed and featly thrown onto the table. And it shined as a big relief , once Martha's faint grin started forming on her aged face.
"I welcome the possibilities, my Lord! Your suggestions could be used as a good base to start with, once the official negotiations take place." , she sincerely stated and her glance danced around the peers, eagerly searching for the approval of the elders. " But now i shall allow my faithful councellors and rest nobles to take the speech. Krypton's future involves everyone in this hall, and since His Highness, Lord Luthor, accepted my personal invitation and came to our land, it shall only be fair and worthy of his time and presence, if we consider his suggestions with profound thoughtfulness and true concern."
It didn't take a long for a tanned man, dressed with the most serious and doubtful face, to step ahead.
"May I ask for your permission, Your Majesty "
"Certes, sir John."
Clearing his throat, the knight bravely focused his gaze on Alexander's pride.
"All the ideas you brought us this morning, lord Alexander, emerge undoubtedly very promising before our eyes. Nevertheless, while i ve been listening to you talking and talking, a single thought kept spinning inside my mind, craving for an answer; You might say you personally support the permanent end of the wars and proclaim the beginning of a new age for all, but what is your father's and absolute monarch's of Shadowland opinion on everything you seem to evangelize? Who or what can guarantee us that the cruel King of Shadowland, the main, unscrupulous enemy of our kingdom for decades, shares the opinions that were heard this day in this very room?"
It was the firt time Alexander averted his eyes from Martha and let them waver amused and not without a glint of arrogance, on the man on his right. He might have been addressed as "John" within the safe walls of this palace, but Alexander had more than once encountered him in burning battlefields, where he was only known as the Manhunter. His lowered his gaze, showily allowing it to linger more than it was necessary, above John's left forearm, where he knew, better than anyone, that a terrible scar was successfully hiding itself under the thick clothing. A painful scar caused by his own sword.
John eyes' instantly hardened.
" Now by my faith, sir John!" his pretended surprise seemed to amuse the rest nobles. " What better guarantee could a man ask for than the word and presence of the King's son himself?"
The light laughter that was quickly spread through the hall, didn't seem to discourage John who didn't waste his time , but insisted, poisoning the atmosphere with his words.
"In this case, i crave your pardon, lord Alexander, but even every peasant in Krypton hath been well aware all these years, that your relations with the King cannot honestly be defined as the ideal bonds a father and a son would hope for one another."
"Sir John" the aggravating tone in Martha's voice caused many hearts around to pace with anticipation and agony "shall I remind thee that Lord Luthor happens to be our honoured guest?"
Alexander's eyes gazed the marble floor , as he shook his head and chuckled bitterly, before tilting up his face once again, his voice soft and low, but stable as he spoke:
"I understand that all of ye in this hall lay eyes on me full of doubts and suspicions. I shall blame no soul for that, for i could not take back , even if i sacrificed my soul to this cause, the decades of blood and terror that ruled our lives. I have caused unspeakable pain to every man's family in this very room, and i have personally fought against at least half of them during my life. But you should know that for every Kryptonian that left his last breath in the battle field , there were at least two Shadowlanders out there suffering the consequences the same. No mortal man could find words to describe the exigencies my people suffered through the decades and no Kryptonian ever left wounded the dark, sinister battle field only to seek snugness and hope in an even darker and more sinister place, that he called , so ironically , "home". In the end, it is the benefit and smile on the faces of those very people , i crave years and years to see, that brings me hither this blessed morning ...and it shall only be the future of these people i shall use from now on, as my guarantee for the truth in whatever i mouthed before you this day."
For a mere moment, it seemed as if everything dived into the most uncomfortable stillness. As if everything died but still refused to acknowledge the signs of death. As if neither a simple movement, nor a single whisper would actually tear the perfect silence. And then, the Queen softly spoke.
"You hast not any obligation to explain your self, lord Alexander, for this hath been a common decision of both sides; To end this war. Allow me to confess to you, my lord, the future you so graphically described, is the future i envision for Krypton myself. Yonder, you can see my only son and heir of Krypton's Crown, who , as well, retrieved his forces from the Lunar valley and joined us this day , welcoming the possibility of a new era beginning between the two empires. Next to him is standing his future bride, ye may all very well know princess Lana Lang, from Langshire...a place that it is still under Shadowland's captivity...Lord Luthor..it is the future of these two people, of the grandsons they will bless me with one day, of the whole new generation that shyly makes its first steps in Krypton, that i dearly care about...It is their future i envision, a future where peace will not be a demand anymore, but it will be taken for granted. You can guarantee that this future...their future... is among the possibilities that you, as the emissary from Shadowland, foresee this day before me?"
Alexander slightly turned his eyes , allowing a brief glance towards Kal. An unnoticeable , venomous twinkle danced for a mere second within his blues , when the Kryptonian prince possessively squeezed Lana's hand, before fading away , just as unexpectedly as it had originally appeared, allowing Alexander to wear once more his alabaster facade.
No one seemed to have noticed it, just like no one seemed to notice it when he carefully chose his following words.
"I can guarantee you, Your Grace, i shall make sure that many possibilities will remain open for this...future."
The Queen appeared very pleased with the outcome of the discussion over all, thus she didn't delay in inviting Alexander and his retinue to join them into one of the royal salles for an exquisite breakfast, an offer , however, the young Shadowlander kindly declined. Apparently, lord Luthor had a series of meetings to attend and a group of affairs to take care of, that single day, which prevented him from expanding his stay in the Naman palace, although people would seriously doubt he would have taken advantage of the alternative, taken he would have been completely free. There was something serenely cold and oddly unfriendly in that man, or at least this was what all those, bred in the lap of luxury, nobles would feel when meeting this hardened warrior. But certainly, as soon as he left the throne hall, there were more than a few souls among those walls, that finally allowed themselves to embrace the aching relief.
XXX
"Somewhere in my mind, i tend to doubt that someone like you, mother, would sincerely trust his intentions."
"I do not befool myself, Kal. The Duke's ideas were indeed a salve to my consciousness that we finally attempt the right thing. There are possibilities...The most suspicious Kryptonian cannot deny that. However changes do not happen within a few days. What is rotten during the night, stays rotten in the first light of the day as well. It needs its time and process until it is reborn."
Queen Martha and Kal watched from the great veranda of the palace, as lord Luthor proudly rode his raven horse away from the Fortress of Solitude. Dozens of villagers had gathered around the palace, the visit of the most fearsome Shadowlander being both an object of attraction for their curious spirits and an imposing sight before which their souls trembled with fear.
"Well, it is not worthy of wonder that once the lord left, the glowering clouds that had blocked out the sunlight the whole morning, finally gave their place to the glorious Kryptonian sun again. Do we really seek for the lord's visits?" Chloe laughed as she joined mother and son, followed by a silent Lana.
"Oh Lady Chloe, what art thou implying? That the shadows followed their master?" Kal not even once hesitating in contributing to the blond's joke.
But Lana did not care. Her eyes eagerly searched for the black dot riding away in the horizon, her heart uncontrollably thumping in the folds of her chest. Not that it had stopped its frenzied pace ever since the moment he had graced her sight with his presence, inside the Naman palace. She had to leave her friends' company now though. Cause every second it passed, the invisible stranglehold around her neck, became more and more suffocating.
"I am going to have a ride around the Kent gardens. We woke up very early for the meeting and i think it would be wise if i took advantage of these shining, morning hours for an invigorating riding." Lana flashed a bright smile at them.
Kal responded to her charming smile with one of his own.
"Such an excellent idea! I would recommend you, milady, to take one of the new horses i brought with my return from the Queen Empire. They are trained, well behaved and..."
"I was actually thinking of taking Spit Fire". Lana quickly spat out.
Kal frowned and instinctively folded his arms on his chest, something that always annoyed Lana, as , without noticing it, he was taking every single time a very interrogating and dominant position. And she had never applied to join his battalion the last time she had checked.
"Why would thou take Spit Fire? Undoubtedly , it is a very vigorous and beautiful horse, but riding Spit Fire is like flying with the wind. If I did not know better, milady, i would say thou were preparing thy self for a fast travel outside the Fortress."
"Relax, my lord, and I am not planning on abandoning Krypton yet." Lana joked and smiled wholeheartedly at him. " But i think thou hast been away for too long, that thou could not possibly understand how much me and Spit Fire have bonded together."
"This is true." Chloe nodded. "Lately, Lana often takes Spit Fire to the Kent Gardens."
"And what about thy self, Mistress Chloe? Care to join the princess through this light-hearted ride?"
Lana anxiously glanced at Chloe. She kept her fake smile unalterable , her hand though nervously toying with the hem of her gown.
"Nay, my lord." Chloe lazily rejected Kal's idea. "We had indeed to wake up pretty early. I think i shall permit myself the luxury of a few additional hours of peaceful sleep."
A silent sigh escaped Lana's soul. Without wasting any more time, in case more "creative" ideas striked her beautiful companion, she stepped on her toes and pressed her lips on his own , into a skittish , light kiss which she made sure to end before he found the time to return it.
"I shall see thee anon" she whispered to him, before curtseying in front of the Queen and leaving...never glancing back.