Hot-chocolate329: Thank you so much! Gosh, being called brilliant and having a fan? That's too much! Thank you. Thank you.
Proffy: Wow! Thanks! You don't know how much your words mean to me :)
cathy03: Thanks :) Yeah, well poor Clark. In Homecoming Future Clark's words: She's a handful isn't she? ;)
clarkfan325: Thank you :) I have a few ideas on how Clark deals with Lois ;)
deansmistress22: Gosh thanks! And Lois and Bart! Honestly, I don't have them interacting in my outline, but that is such a good idea!
IceQueen825: Thank you :) I hope you enjoy the next few chapters as well :)
I'm so sorry for the delay, but you guys are AMAZING. Again, thank you to the awesome Natalie for being my beta *hugs*.
Chapter 3
A couple of hours had passed since Clark left the council judgment, and by now, Clark was certain that his orders were carried out on how Lois Lane would be handled from now on.
As Clark was overseeing the training of his army on the field, he could not help but think about his rash decision. Rash, yes, because he did not have any intention of attending the council judgment. For one, he was not invited. Kings never were. Two, he was not needed.
His inner thoughts were interrupted by a charging Oliver Queen. Clark smiled inwardly; if he didn't hold the title of King, Oliver would have surely beaten the hell out of him right now.
Clark could see that Oliver was seething with anger. "I would like to speak with you in private, Your Majesty." Clark nodded, and they went towards the sword smith's hut, and the smith left at Oliver's command.
"Why are you so formal, Oliver?" Clark inquired, though he had an idea of the answer.
Oliver cut to the chase. "Because it reminds me that you are my King and that I should not dislocate your jaw." He turned his back on Clark, as if trying to compose himself.
"What would warrant that action from you?"
Oliver turned around, not calmed down at all. "You still ask me that question, as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened?" He scoffed. "Personal slave. Seriously?"
Clark pretended that realization dawned on him just then. "Ah. Her."
"Yes. Her."
"Tell me, Oliver. Lois Lane is exactly what to you?"
Oliver's eyes steeled. "That is none of your business."
Clark stood straighter. "This is your King asking."
"She is my best friend," Oliver answered, and Clark could see him clenching his fist.
Clark nodded, wanting to ask more, but decided to stop the interrogation. Oliver clearly cared for Lois. "Your plea to me did not go unnoticed. I have given it great thought, and you must know that the council wanted Lois to stay inside the prison."
Surprise was etched on Oliver's face. It was apparent that he was not given that specific information. "If I had not intervened, Lois would have been sent to prison and she would have to stay there until Lex gained his consciousness, and the leeches can not tell when that will happen. Besides, I only used the word slave for the sake of the council. It is such a derogatory word."
Oliver blinked a couple of times. "She's not in prison now?"
"No. She is in a room in the east wing on the third floor, and guards will be posted on her door. She has a bed and she will receive meals, but she will have to take my orders if only to convince the council that my punishment IS a punishment."
Oliver just nodded. He started to leave the hut, but he turned around to face him once more. "Forgive me for my brash behavior earlier."
Clark went to where he stood, patted his shoulder and smiled. "There is nothing to forgive." And at that, Oliver went on his way.
Clark followed Oliver's retreating form, and he couldn't help but feel guilty for one lie of omission that he had committed. He shook the thought out of his head, and headed towards the castle.
Lois tried to sleep, but it continued to elude her. She had never been more comfortable during the last couple of days, but knowing that she still did not have her freedom took away the comfort she was given. Well, not so much - she was a bit thankful for the bed.
Since she would probably stay awake, Lois assessed her escape options. The main door was not possible, for she had heard that she would be well guarded day and night. The window was also out, because the height would make it difficult. She now approached the other door inside the room. Lois had tested the knob earlier and found out it was locked. She told herself that she would try picking it later.
Lois sat down on the bed again, her stomach now complaining. Between debating with herself on being humble and asking her guards for food or keeping her pride, the main door flew open and came bounding inside her tormentor. She remained sitting on the bed.
Lois saw the King look at everything but her. He went to the windows, opened them and poked his head outside. She had the urge to push him out, but his big frame would definitely not fit through the window. He then went to the other door and tested the knob to see if it was locked. Seemingly satisfied, the King looked at her, his expression unreadable.
Lois vowed that she would never start a conversation with the King, and for a few minutes they were just staring at each other. She considered it a minor victory when the King spoke first.
"I hope everything is in order?"
Lois kept quiet.
"Are you comfortable enough?"
Still Lois did not answer.
The King didn't relent. "Have they given you your food?"
Still silence from Lois, and she could see that the King's temper was flaring.
"You will answer or I swear I am sending you back to your prison cell!" he said, his voice rising.
Lois' eyes narrowed. "Should I be thankful then that I am given this room and not the rotting floor of my cell?"
"For the crime that you committed, you should definitely be grateful." The King then sat on the chair by the window, his back facing her. "Tell me about yourself."
Lois' brow met in confusion. What was the King getting at? "What will you like to know, Your Majesty?"
"Anything." A pause from the King. "Start with your family."
Lois did not wish to share anything with him, but he might have been a mind reader for he imposed an answer out of her. "This is your King giving you an order."
Lois gritted her teeth. "My father is Sam Lane. My mother is Ella Lane. I am the elder of their two daughters."
The King just nodded. "Are they here in the kingdom?"
"No. Both my parents are dead. My mother died when I was six. My father died almost a year ago. My sister Lucy is in Gotham, she is one of the Queen's ladies there."
"What have brought you here, in Metropolis, then?"
"I'd rather not answer that question, Your Majesty," Lois said quietly.
The King turned his head, an eyebrow raised. "And if I insist?"
Lois raised her chin. "Still no."
The King smirked, and turned to look back to the window. "Very well." The King continued his questioning. "Who are you staying with here in Metropolis?"
Fear crept inside Lois. "And why that question, Your Majesty? Are they to be punished as well?"
"I am not that kind of ruler, Lois. Remember that. I simply want to put the pieces together," the King answered. "I want to find out about the person responsible for Prince Lex's current condition, what makes her tick."
Lois took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, your questioning will lead you nowhere and will never give you a glimpse of what I am as a person."
The King chuckled. "I still have a lot of questions, Lois. And you will answer them all in the future. Besides, I still remember as if it was yesterday when we first met by the river, near the waterfalls, in the mountains."
Lois gulped, looking down, suddenly remembering their first encounter, and how she had her knife against his throat. Her knife! She looked at him, wanting to ask what had happened to her precious knife, but all thoughts disappeared when she saw him looking at her, as if sizing her up. She might not like him at the moment, but she definitely knew that he was attractive and drop dead gorgeous.
The King continued. "You see, I do have a glimpse of what you are as a person just based on that one encounter." The King stood up and slowly went towards the bed. Lois, seeing his intent, stood up and tried to get away from him, walking backwards, until her back met the wall. The King continued walking towards her, until he stood just a few inches away, and Lois felt her heart rate increase. From what, she did not yet know, but it was definitely because of the man standing so closely in front of her.
The King continued to pierce her with his gaze. "Your father might once have been a soldier, for you are trained in combat." Lois' eyes widened at his accurate deduction and Clark smiled. "You are headstrong, stubborn even, for you definitely do not take orders well." Now her eyes were shooting daggers at him. "You do not fear anyone, and you know how to take care of yourself."
Lois' chin went up a notch. "I certainly can. And I certainly will be able to handle it if I am to stay in my previous cell."
The King put one hand on the wall near her head, and if it was possible, leaned into her closer. Lois wished the wall would swallow her up. "Oh, I know you can handle anything, my lady. It is just my wish that I am to keep an eye on you personally, hence you are staying here, close to me."
Lois gulped, and gathered all the courage in her body. "So that is why I am to become your personal slave?"
"Yes. I want to keep an eye on you personally," the King answered.
Lois took a deep breath and nodded. "Good luck with that. You said yourself that I do not take orders well."
The King let out a laugh and took a step away from her. "I am sure of this, my lady, all the time that we will spend together will be pure fun."
"Fun for you."
Lois was once again graced with a close up look of the King's handsome face. "You never know, it might be fun for you too."
Lois clenched her teeth and watched as the King left her room. She now fervently wished for the Prince to wake up soon, so that she would have a chance to defend herself, and finally be free. And tonight, she would have her first crack at freedom.
Lana finally finished giving the unconscious Prince a sponge bath, but her soft and careful hands belied the hatred and anger burning inside her.
A slave. A personal slave. Lana was enraged at the King's decision for Lois to become his personal slave. A woman tasked to stay with the King to do his every bidding, a woman who did not have any choice but stay close to him. It was supposed to be her job. She was supposed to be one who will cater to the King's needs.
Lana was the daughter of one of King Jonathan's closest friends, Lord Henry of Smallville. It was her 8th birthday when the king and her father agreed that their children would be married someday. No formal contract was made, for her parents died the next day in a freak accident. However, King Jonathan and Queen Martha, having a big heart, had decided to take in the young girl, with the intent of making her and Clark at ease with each other early on, for they will rule the kingdom together in the future.
Lana was overjoyed when King Jonathan had broken the news to her that she was Prince Clark's intended. She took this new endeavor seriously. She went to the books to research on past queens. She studied how Queen Martha carried herself. She stuck by Prince Clark's side, learning everything about him. While Lana embraced her new station quickly, Clark did not.
Yes, Clark liked her. Lana could see that Clark genuinely enjoyed her and her company. However, every time Lana brought up the discussion of their marriage, Clark would just smile at her and tell her that she did not want to be married to someone like him. Lana would assure him otherwise, but Clark would ruffle her hair and go on his way.
Lana knew that Clark always saw her as a sister, but she never accepted it. She strived, day in and day out, on how to catch Clark's attention that way, but to no avail. And to add to her worries, there was another woman to usurp a role that only belonged to her. "I hate that Lois Lane!" she raged.
Lana looked at the unconscious Lex, knowing that he would not wake up even if she screamed until kingdom come. She fixed the blanket covering Lex, and as she grabbed the basin and the wet cloth to leave the dreary room, she fervently wished that he would wake soon so that the bitch will be put in her place, which is definitely not beside Clark .
At midnight, in the red room in the west wing, the lone occupant stirred. A small smile graced his face and like he always did every night since he was brought here, he opened his eyes. Sitting up, he stretched out his legs and left the bed altogether. Looking out the window on the west wall, Lex saw the vast kingdom, and he knew the time was near.
Lex's mind was working overtime. Lana's apparent hatred towards Lois would definitely benefit him. Lois would have a taste of his revenge, King Clark would fall, and the kingdom would finally be his.
You know the drill. Again, thank you so much *squishes you all in a hug*. Love you lots :)