A/N: I am so slow at posting! But I haven't abandoned this story; I've just been traveling a lot and haven't had much down time. Alas, here is a new chapter and I'll begin working on the next soon enough. Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Running Away
Lena returned to the stables with a heavy heart. Her first urge had been to ride far, far away, but after a few laps around an open field, her impulse quelled on its own. Part of her was angry at Kara for taking initiative, but she was doubly infuriated with herself for getting her hopes up in the first place. She entertained the thoughts she had been thinking the day before… she felt like she belonged here… belonged by Kara's side. That fact hadn't scared her because the Kryptonian princess seemed to need her just as much. Lena scoffed as she disembarked from her horse-since when did a royal ever need a commoner? She shook her head in frustration and stomped back to the castle with her fists clenched.
Maybe running away wasn't the answer, but Lena couldn't bear the thought of seeing Kara in the immediate future with her feelings completely overtaking her sensibility. The last thing she needed was to spill those feelings on the royal. Of course Kara would be ashamed of her feelings for her, if feelings were what she had for the orphan. Kara was a royal, belonging to the greatest kingdom, and if it were discovered that she was mingling with a commoner, her reputation would be tarnished.
Lena… was my mistake.
Her eyes stung with hot tears as Kara's wavering voice revisited her. There was no way she could see Kara like this; she had to center herself and be okay with the reality of things. She wished Madam Mulberry was here to knock some sense into her. Although, hadn't Kal warned her about this? Instead of heeding his words, she had chewed and spit them right out, and now she felt trapped by her own emotions. In two days time, she'd be traveling with all of them to the orphanage; the mere thought of riding with the two royals caused her chest to tighten.
Or...or I could go now!
Without a second thought, Lena sprung up from the bed and began to throw some garments in a bag. She would leave now and leave Kara a note. Leaving early wouldn't seem strange since she had relayed how sorely she missed Madam Mulberry, and it would give her time to gather her thoughts. She scribbled on a piece of parchment:
Princess Zor-el,
I have taken off early to the orphanage to prepare the children for the Prince's visit. See you in two days time.
Lena
It was brief, but it would have to do. She didn't want to run the risk of running into the princess before she could make her escape. Plus, Kara had no idea that Lena had overheard her; surely she wouldn't read too much into the note. She looked ahead at the bookcase and sighed; perhaps she should have seen the secret passage as a sign that Kara wanted to keep her feelings for Lena hidden. With a determined step, she pushed the bookcase and stepped into the princess' room. Her breath hitched as Sam came into view; her expression marked by a mischievously raised brow.
"Well now that seems like a very useful bookcase." Sam teased.
"It's… for emergencies." Lena said.
"I see," Sam eyed the note in Lena's hand. "What would the emergency be this time around if you don't mind me asking?"
Lena bit her lip, but eventually decided sharing the note with Sam wouldn't reveal anything. She handed the note to the curious woman and wished she could quickly exit, but Sam's gaze seemed only further curious when she finished scanning the note's contents.
"Why the sudden departure?" Sam asked, worry now in her tone.
"I miss my guardian," Lena said. "I would have told Kara, but I haven't been able to find her."
"Oh, was she not at her cove?"
Lena's gaze fell and she said, "I did not venture that way. If the princess wants to be alone, I should respect her wishes."
"Right…" Sam said as she glanced over Lena's fallen expression. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Lena nodded, offered a small smile, and without much else stepped out with a small bag in hand. She trusted Sam, but what good would sharing her crestfallen feelings do? Surely Sam would find her notions of romance towards the Princess foolish and downright disrespectful. It never mattered, she concluded. Her feelings never mattered. Kara could no more return her feelings than she could be anyone other than a royal of the House of El. Lena rode off at a hard lope, her heart lunging forward just as quickly.
Later that afternoon, Kara walked into the castle with a heavier footfall than usual. She wanted to spend her days with Lena at her side, making her laugh, receiving that raised brow whenever Lena challenged her statements. She wanted Lena to feel like she belonged here in the castle…
"No…." Kara thought, "I want her to feel like she belongs by my side."
Kara gritted her teeth, her jaw clenching as her heart paced as heavy as her steps. She couldn't face Lena with how uncontrollable her feelings were turning out to be. She hadn't even asked Lena how she was handling all the changes, or considered that Lena was too afraid to push her away. She had to explain herself; explain that she would make it her priority to keep her feelings at bay, to let Lena know that she didn't have to give in to Kara's whims just because she was a princess.
"Yes, I'll just let her know that my feelings are true, but that I do not expect hers in return." Kara nodded and walked straight towards Lena's chambers.
"She left earlier today, princess." Sam called out to her from the end of the hall.
"Sam! I didn't see you there, sorry. Wait, did you say Lena left?" Kara furrowed her brows. "Did she go out riding?"
Sam shook her head, "she said she wanted to head to the orphanage early. I believe she left you a note."
Kara's heart fell as she walked into her room. She glanced over the note and found nothing other than the information Sam had conferred to her. There was nothing of comfort and the princess knew, deep down, that Lena had run away because of her. She sighed and sat down wearily on the edge of her bed.
"Is everything alright?" Sam asked softly from her doorway.
Kara looked at Sam and opened her mouth but clamped it shut a moment later.
"Would it have anything to do with that rather useful bookcase you've had installed?" Sam raised a brow and went to sit by the princess.
Kara's face felt hot as she thought of some way to explain herself.
"Bookshelf? Ah yes… well…" Kara wondered exactly why she had installed such an obvious show of attraction for the newcomer. "I wanted Lena to feel free to me… I m,m,mean free to talk to me whenever she wanted."
"Ah, I see," Sam said with a smile. "It's ok you know…"
"What's ok?" Kara asked somewhat meekly; she was afraid of what Sam might say.
"Your feelings Kara. You may be nobility, but before that you are human." Sam sighed, "a fact that many nobles somehow forget."
"But…" Kara thought back to what Kal had told her. The commoners thought of them as Gods… descendants of Rao… those that should not mingle too closely with their subjects. "I have a duty to uphold."
"That you do," Sam assured, "but you should trust your heart Kara… it has never led you astray thus far."
"Pfft I can't just go pushing my feelings onto Lena," Kara blurted while wringing her wrist.
"Have you even asked her how she feels?" Sam asked.
"Well…" Kara thought back to the kiss and the many times they seemed to be flirting with each other. "She kissed back," Kara confessed.
"You kissed her?" Sam said with hushed glee.
"I… yes, I just felt a pull and then before I knew it we were locked in a passionate kiss." Kara recalled somewhat dreamily, but then quickly pulled herself together, "but I never asked for her permission… she could have just been kissing back out of courtesy."
Sam burst out laughing and received a glare from the good-natured but awfully green princess.
"Do you remember the time that fool prince from Daxam placed his lips on yours?"
Kara groaned, "I was happy not remembering."
"My apologies, but even when you had the relationship of two kingdoms to consider, you still could not force yourself to return his kiss. What makes you think Lena would kiss back without good reason?"
"For one, she is much nicer than I am, and perhaps she feels… indebted or forced."
"I doubt, very much, that Lena would allow herself to be involved in such payment."
Kara wanted to retort but felt ashamed for thinking so lowly of Lena. Of course she hadn't framed it like that in her head, but somehow she had disregarded Lena's character when coming to that conclusion.
"You… are right."
Sam chuckled, "per usual." she patted Kara's arm, "looks like you'll need to talk to Lena."
Kara smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you Sam."
"It's the least I could do," Sam responded as she rose to leave. "Have you ever wondered why something so beautiful struggles to flourish in our kingdom?"
Kara caught the sadness in Sam's gaze but could not respond before the woman left her presence. Sam's story was known by few, but only she was privy to the knowledge that Sam had kept the child her parents had been so keen on sending to an orphanage. The Kryptonian princess had stepped in and provided safe harbor for the disowned young woman and, although she could not reinstate her title, she had given her a place in the castle.
Since then Sam had to hide her daughter's existence and Kara knew it was hard for both the child and the mother. She would also be required to hide her growing affection for her handmaiden under the current circumstances. Perhaps her feelings weren't wrong; perhaps it was something fundamentally wrong with the laws that governed their lives.
That night Kara fell asleep with heavy thoughts and a renewed fire in her chest.
When Lena rode in to the orphanage, she was surprised to see another royal carriage left near the newly placed stables. Since Kara had taken it upon herself to become the sole benefactor, the orphanage had received many new installations that improved the quality of life for the orphans. Kara had placed journeyman craftspeople to manage different facilities and provide the youth with possible livelihoods. According to Madam Mulberry, it was rather successful.
Lena glanced over the crest that was engraved on the carriage and recognized the geometric design - whoever was visiting was a delegate from the House of Luthor. She disembarked from her horse and entered the hall.
"My, my, you're a bit early are you not?" Madam Mulberry asked as she pulled Lena into a hug.
"I rode ahead," Lena explained, "I missed you."
"Are you saying there are no cranky old ladies in the capitol?"
"None like you," Lena assured and then glanced past Madam Mulberry to find a rather tactful presence behind her.
She had read a few historian's books on the royals and learned much about each lineage. The Luthors were a powerful family; their Kingdom was built from the ingenious designs that the Luthors produced.
"You must be Prince Luthor," Lena greeted him with a slight bow.
"And you must be Lena, and please call me Lex" Lex smiled, "the Madam has shared quite a few stories about you."
"None too flattering, I suspect." Lena jested.
"On the contrary, there are not many who could accomplish what you have." Lex glanced around, "I hear the orphans have you to thank for all of this."
Lena shook her head, "this is all thanks to Kar...to Princess Zor-el."
"Perhaps the resources are derived from the House of El, but you are still the reason those resources are being used here." Lex chuckled, "humility is only a virtue if you are aware of your greatness."
Lena smiled, this young man reminded her of Kara.
"And what brings you here, I wonder?" Lena asked with a raised brow.
"Well… to be honest, I was curious to see if the rumors were true."
"What rumors might those be?" Lena asked with slightly more trepidation.
"I'm not sure if you're aware, but this land once belonged to my family. It still bucks the borderline between the two kingdoms, but it was given to the Krypton Kingdom as a peace offering after the last Great War." Lex held Lena's gaze and the dark-haired girl found something familiar in his light, green eyes. "I thought it strange that the Princess should take so fond an interest in such an outlying village, but I see now that I have nothing to fear."
"What other purpose could she have had?" Lena asked, genuinely curious to know.
"Expansion," Lex answered quickly, "but upon arriving, I realized something else altogether was happening here. I must say… I'm rather envious of the Princess' ability to follow her whims. My royal parents are not as lenient as hers seem to be." Lex sighed, "but she is truly inspiring; I may yet follow in her footsteps."
"She'll be here in two days time, I'm sure she'd love to take you up on a partnership."
"Until then, I insist you stay and help around the orphanage," Madam Mulberry interjected.
Lena's eyes went wide as the elder lady basically commanded the royal to do work. Although she was comfortable that Kara would respond favorably to such a request, she still wasn't too sure about the newcomer. Before she could fret for much longer, Lex's laugh filled the room and he happily agreed to the terms. For the rest of the day, Lena spent her time watching Lex's interactions with the children. He was very easy going, completely unafraid to get his hands dirty and by the end of the day he was covered head to toe with grass stains and dirt. The children had insisted he join in their game, which mostly consisted of throwing a rather large ball around and tackling him to the ground. After being directed by Madam Mulberry to the wash bins, Lex sat by Lena for dinner.
"I suspect you are not usually subject to such treatment."
"You'd be surprised how often a prince gets tackled to the ground." Lex jested. "It would have been nice to grow up with siblings. I had always wanted a younger sister to confide in."
"You say that now, but young ones can be quite," Lena paused to dodge a flying splat of soup that one of the children had flung from their spoon, "chaotic."
Lex chuckled as Madam Mulberry scolded the child.
The night passed by merrily enough and Lex's company staved off thoughts of Kara momentarily. Upon waking to the sound of horses hoofs and neighs, Lena felt her heartbeat quicken. It wasn't yet time for Kara to arrive, and surely Kal hadn't come on his own. She jumped out of bed, hurriedly pulled her coat around her and bull-rushed the door. So focused on getting out, Lena could not stop what happened next.
"Le-" Kara began but quickly had the air knocked out of her as Lena all but tackled her to the ground. "Na…" she gasped as she lay flat on the floor.
Lena groaned as she lay against the stone, cold armor that Kara adorned.
"My, my…. How eager are we to flaunt such passions?" Madam Mulberry cackled as she passed by. "Please excuse these two, Prince Luthor."
Lena, startled that the Prince was in their presence, tried to scramble off Kara, but found her night shirt latched somehow to Kara's armor. A hearty rip resounded in the brisk, morning air and before Lena could be exposed, Kara sat up with haste and pulled Lena towards her.
"Sorry," was all Kara whispered in Lena's ear as she held her close.
Lena was speechless and felt tears well in her eyes.
"Let's give these two girls a moment to collect themselves. Together they're a chaotic force, if you haven't noticed." Madam Mulberry stated matter of factly as she tugged on Prince Luthor's sleeves.
"Noted, I'll see you two at breakfast." Lex offered a small bow and smile and followed the elder woman.
Lena's breath was ragged as she felt Kara's hand resting gently at the back of her head, her other arm was still firmly wrapped around her waist. It was an intimate hold, something Lena was not prepared for.
"You're early," Lena broke the silence. She had to; her heart felt like it was on the verge of bursting. "Is Kal upset?"
"Kal?" Kara was so focused on holding Lena that she had completely forgotten about her cousin. "Oh well… actually he's knocked out at the moment."
"Knocked out?" Lena wanted to pull back and look at Kara's expression, but it was nice being tucked into the crevice of her neck. She smelled like summer… even in winter, the princess was warm and sweet.
"I may or may not have used a sleeping potion to get him over here, but anyways…" Kara didn't want to talk about Kal right now. "Lena, I think I may have…"
"Don't Kara, please…" Lena's breath hitched, "I understand."
"You… you do?" Kara raised a brow and pulled Lena back so she could look at her. "Oh that's right," Kara took off her glove and gently traced her fingers to where her armor had hooked Lena's cloth. Again Lena held her breath, as the princess' fingers treaded dangerously close to her exposed chest.
Kara marveled at the smoothness of Lena's pale skin and absentmindedly placed her hand slightly below Lena's collarbone. She could feel Lena's heartbeat… it was pounding. She lifted her eyes to see Lena's. They danced with a strange light. Kara wasn't sure what it was she was seeing. Was it desire, fear, anxiety… confusion? She felt soft beneath her touch and before she could fathom what she was doing, her hand trailed up along Lena's neck and she pulled Lena in for a kiss.
Lena melted in the princess' grip. What was it about the Kryptonian princess that always unraveled her will? Had she not, the night prior, cast away her feelings and labeled them as foolishness? She wanted to push Kara away; she wanted to pull her closer.
"Lena and Kara sitting in a tree," a child began to sing and only then did Lena come back to reality. "K, I, S, S, I, N, G!"
"Riley!" Lena shouted and shooed the kid away. The little girl giggled and ran off before Lena could find something to throw at her.
Kara laughed and then choked as she realized Lena's stated of dress was quickly unraveling more and more. Lena looked down and gasped as she witnessed how much damage getting stuck to Kara's armor had truly done. She crossed her arms and stood up off the ground. Kara followed, but was stopped by Lena.
"Perhaps you should wait out here… I'm going to have to find a completely new shirt."
"Oh right," Kara said as her face turned beet red. "Yes, I also think it best that I wait out here."
"I'll be but a moment." Lena assured as she slipped past her door.
Kara sighed as she leaned back against the wall. She hadn't quite said to Lena what she had came here to say. Instead she had kissed her again. When Lena came back out, Kara pulled her hand to stop her from walking on.
"Lena, wait." Kara wanted to make something clear before being surrounded by too many people.
"Kara, I told you," Lena didn't want to hear the only truth Kara could possibly have for her.
"No, I want to make something clear, please," Kara pleaded and only then did Lena's demeanor soften as she turned to face Kara wholly. "There's always been a part of me that never fit in well in the castle. I was always venturing out, getting Kal and I in trouble and shirking away any royal duties that made me feel even more out of place… but when I found you…" Kara smiled gently before she continued. "When I found you, I finally felt like I found a place I belonged. I know I'm a royal, but… my feelings weren't a mistake."
Lena's mind raced almost as fast as her heart was racing.
"I… I don't understand," Lena confessed in a whisper. "I overheard you Kara… I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have followed you, but that morning in the cove you said… I was your mistake."
Kara's eyes widened; she hadn't been aware that Lena knew about her secret cove. She recalled what she had said and her heart fell as she realized what Lena must have thought.
"No… I mean, yes I said that, but I only meant that I felt like I had forced you, which is why I'm here now. I need to know if you feel the same. I don't want to feel like my feelings are overriding your freedom."
Lena searched Kara's face for any doubt or confusion. Maybe the princess' head had frozen when she raced over here. Or maybe she wasn't in her right frame of mind… she had, after all, just confessed to knocking her cousin out with a sleeping potion. To be sure, she placed her hand on Kara's forehead and concentrated on the temperature by scrunching her brows together. Kara chuckled and let Lena's hand linger a moment longer before grabbing it and placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand.
"My head is just fine, thank you for worrying." Kara insisted and Lena blushed.
"I… I had to make sure." Lena let out a sigh of relief but would not smile just yet. She brought up her green gaze to lock with Kara's. "Why me?"
Kara smiled wide, "because you smell like the woods, and I've never met anyone who could spar with me so freely and I love the way your mid brow crinkles when you're deep in thought, and you care about those around you in such an endearing manner. And… you didn't use my own feelings against me."
"How could anyone do that?" Lena offered a sad smile.
"Those who see me only as a royal," Kara stated, "but you never saw me as a royal. I can't remember the last time you called me Princess Zor-el."
"That's because… well, when we spar," Lena grasped for reasons but Kara's finger on her lips gave her sudden pause.
"Because I'm just Kara to you."
Lena couldn't help smiling at how happy Kara looked when she said that. She gave a decisive nod in agreement and couldn't help but notice how Kara's finger began to trace the curve of her lips. Now that she wasn't being tormented by conflict, her body was fully feeling the buzz of electricity that Kara's touch incited. She wanted to pull the Kryptonian closer, to feel more than a lingering finger lightly tracing her lips. Kara leaned in slowly, unsure if she should kiss Lena right now… she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to stop. Lena bit her lip and reluctantly pulled back.
"Maybe we should…"
"Head to breakfast?" Kara offered, slightly lightheaded.
"Yes, breakfast, there's actually someone I'd like you to meet."
Kara nodded with a smile as Lena grabbed her hand and led her towards the dining hall. When they entered Lena was sure to let go of the Princess' hand, but found that it was Kara who reached out again to find her hand. She gave Kara a sideways glance and only found the princess giving her a confident gaze.
"Princess Zor-el, good morning" Lex rose and offered a small bow, but couldn't help but glance at her hand holding Lena's.
"Please call me Kara, and good morning to you Prince Luthor."
"Well then call me Lex, and good morning to you as well Lena."
Lena replied with the same greeting, and wondered what Lex thought of their conjoined hands. She wasn't sure what Kara was thinking, she only hoped it would not bode ill for the blonde.
"What brings you to the orphanage Lex?" Kara asked as she pulled out a chair for Lena.
"Curiosity for the most part," Lex replied, his brows slightly raised as he made note of what could only be noted as a role reversal. Was Lena not Kara's handmaiden? "I have to say I'm impressed with the progress you've made in such a short time."
"Mostly due to Madam Mulberry's and Lena's direction," Kara noted as she stuffed her face with waffles. "I wouldn't have a clue where to start if it weren't for them," she spoke with her mouth full of waffles much to Lena's amusement.
Lex chuckled, this princess was truly something else. His mother would have swatted him on sight for acting so improper.
"I hope to do as you do someday," Lex confessed with admiration.
"KARA!" a booming voice ripped right through the hall as the giant front doors flew open and in stomped a raging prince.
"What, how did you… oh no," Kara quickly stood up with a waffle in hand ready to make a dash, but Lena's hand on her arm pulled her back. "What are you doing? He'll kill me!"
"Prince Kal," Lena called after the man who was stomping towards them. "Let me explain."
"You! I should have known you were involved." Kal somehow stated with a cold, angry tone. "Why in all of Krypton would you have Kara drug me and drag me out here? Do you understand how many duties remain for me back at the castle, how many-"
Lena pulled out a bright red, pointy hat and calmly placed it on Kal's head. A child next to him, previously startled by Kal's explosion, smiled with glee and pulled at the prince's pant leg.
"Huh?" He looked down and saw a child with raised arms looking expectantly at him.
Kara smiled as he tentatively picked the child up and held them at arm's length. After the child made grabbing signals, Kal brought her in closer. The child whispered in his ear and Kal's demeanor began to shift. He listened carefully and was warmed by the child's words. The Kingdom of Krypton celebrated Rao's Winter Soulstice, a time when it's citizens could whisper their wishes to Rao and have them heard. Usually Kal only heard the pleas of farmers wishing for better crops, merchants for easier paths, soldier for glory… many subjects walked into the palace to have the royal family hear their pleas. Yet what this child had wished for was nothing of the usual sort.
Kal smiled at the child and knelt as he placed her back down.
"And Rao will look kindly on such a pure request as yours, and as it will be known, it will be done."
The girl smiled wide and took her seat. Other moved to rush the prince but Lena halted them all.
"Wait, children, the prince will be here for two days, let's not run him over. After breakfast, if Prince Kal is so inclined, he can hear your Soulstice wishes."
Kal nodded and merry chatter soon followed. He then turned to face Kara and furrowed his brows as she smiled wide at him. With a quick flick to her forehead which elicited a yelp from Kara, he turned around and was about to leave when he caught sight of Lex behind his cousin.
"My apologies, prince Luthor, I did not see you there." Kal bowed.
"No worries Prince Kal-el, would you mind entertaining me with a walk around the grounds. I think Lena will have to tend to the grievous wound you've inflicted on the princess."
"She more than deserved it," Kal muttered but took Lex up on his offer.
Kara stuck out her tongue as Kal walked away, but quickly retracted it when Kal leered back her way. She swore he could shoot fire out of his eyes when he was incredibly mad.
"How is it there's never a dull moment with you two?" Madam Mulberry sighed and continued eating.
"I'd say it's mostly Kara's fault." Lena stated.
"Hey," Kara whined, "that's not true."
Lena raised a brow and Kara slumped her shoulders.
"Fine, it might be kind of my fault." Kara groaned.
Lena chuckled, "come let's also go for a walk."
Kara perked up at that suggestion and followed eagerly. She reached out for Lena's hand and loved how Lena laced her fingers with hers. They ventured to a structure Kara had not seen before and her jaw almost dropped when she realized she had never seen anything quite like it.
"What is this?" Kara asked.
"An invention of mine, well sort of… I had an idea and I finally figured out how to implement it."
When Kara entered the building made of seemingly all windows, she was even further surprised by how warm it was inside and at the vegetation. Her eyes roamed and she could see sunstones placed up above and wondered how those were able to allow this kind of growth.
"An all year long garden." Lena commented as Kara stood in awe. "It should help regions who suffer from cruel winters."
"This is amazing… you're amazing!" Kara rephrased and pecked at Lena's lips before returning her attention to the vegetation.
Lena, still unused to the princess' outright affection, blushed but followed as the princess ventured further into the garden.
"A fountain!"
"Kind of," Lena smiled as Kara's brow crinkled. "It's melted the snow and filters out anything that might harm growth."
"I had no idea you invented things…" Kara gasped as she took in everything and looked straight at Lena.
"Alex helped a ton and Winn too." Lena added, not wanting to take all the credit.
"But you brought it all together," Kara responded and took both of Lena's hands in hers. "I feel like I'm just going to fall more in love with you everyday."
Lena's face flushed red… had Kara just confessed to loving her? So blatantly and with such ease that Lena almost wondered if they had already confessed their love for one another. It was only due to Kara's creeping realization that Lena knew for sure they hadn't.
"Did I just…" Kara was almost in disbelief at her own stupidity.
"Confess your love? I think you might have." Lena managed to say.
"Wow… I really thought I had at least that under control." Kara was again blunt to the point of making Lena's stomach flip. "Sorry if that seemed too sud-"
"I love you too." Lena spoke softly but the Kryptonian was deathly silent as Lena's word slipped into her ears. "Don't be sorry."
Kara grinned and she wondered how idiotic she looked knowing she felt happier than she'd ever felt. While she was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, she felt a tingle as Lena softly outlined her bottom lip with her thumb. When she parted her lip only to place her own against Kara's, Kara felt her heart flutter in an unfamiliar way. She had always been the one to initiate kisses with Lena, but this one… this was a kiss Lena had given her. Kara felt Lena wrap her arms around her neck, trying to gain as much leverage as possible; Kara's boots gave her even more of a height advantage than usual. Feeling impulse take over, she lifted Lena so that she could straddle her while Kara supported her weight with her arms. Lena's body so closely against hers made the princess so much warmer than she had been before. It made her want to feel more of her, but she knew that was for another time… a much later time lest she scare Lena away.
Lena's lips were soft and full and Rao how she used her tongue, Kara thought her knees might buckle. Needing an outlet to express just how wonderful Lena was making her feel, she impulsively slid her hands along Lena's thighs which elicited a sound from Lena that Kara would soon find to be addicting.
"Kara," Lena called out her name thick with desire.
Kara took Lena's lips while continuing to caress her thighs and reveled at the thrill of feeling Lena's moans echo in her mouth.
"See I tol' ya lasses could kiss each other," A tiny voice whispered through the foliage, "and I tol' ya the princess liked our Lena."
Kara paused in her demonstrations and put Lena down carefully as she moved to part a bush that was not too far from where they stood. Lo and behold two of the younger orphans were doing a bad job at hiding, and only offered up wide grins as they were discovered.
"'Ello princess." The tiny girl greeted the princess as if she had never been hiding in the first place.
"Reagan," Lena muttered trying her best to quell the blush on her cheeks, "and Serah… what are you two up to now?"
"I was telling Serah, that lasses fancying eachother was a normal thing." Reagan explained, "and then we saw you two walking over here and… well and I was right."
Serah meeped when Lena looked her way with a raised brow and hastily looked down to break her gaze. Serah had always thought Lena was very pretty, but she had never thought that Lena would be taken away by a princess.
"Reagan why would you…?" Lena's questioned floated as she glanced at Reagan's hand intertwined with Serah's. "Ah, I see. Lasses do indeed fancy each other," Lena smiled and gave Kara's hand a squeeze. "But it's still improper to eavesdrop on others, understand?"
Reagan sighed but nodded, "don't be mad at Serah, I basically dragged her here."
Kara chuckled and whispered in Lena's ear, "Rao, I think I've found my mini counterpart."
Lena rolled her eyes with a grin and then told the two girls to return to the main house. She turned to face Kara and gave her a deep kiss before pulling away and secretly enjoying the whimper that Kara emitted.
"Come now, I know you rode all night. The last thing I need to do is over exert you." Lena jested as she intertwined her fingers with Kara's.
"Or maybe you're afraid that I'll over exert you." Kara said before she planted her lips on the crevice of Lena's neck.
"Kara," Lena nearly growled out her name. "Nap, now." She managed to say. "I'll hold you."
Kara pulled back slowly, "you will?"
Lena nodded, "I can tell you're tired."
Kara let out a deep breath; she had rode at breakneck speed and Alex and Sam had rode at a slower pace with Kal and the gifts in tow. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen the two women yet. Before she could say anything more, Lena led the princess back to her room. Her hands were nimble as they unclasped Kara's armor and placed it safely on the side of the bed.
"Sit," Lena demanded softly.
Kara did as she was told and blushed as Lena took off her boots. Her touch was different from what it had been moments ago. The desire was different; Kara felt warmth as Lena pushed her back against the bed and hovered above her for a moment before sliding in beside her. Kara was unsure which way to face, but Lena's wavering hand on her shoulder gave her some direction. Tentatively she faced Lena and snuggled into her chest. Lena chuckled; Kara was such a puppy. The brunette draped her arm around the blonde and placed a chaste kiss on Kara's forehead. Save for their feelings towards one another, nothing had been resolved, thought Lena. Perhaps that was enough for now. In a place far away from the kingdom, Kara and Lena had built a sanctuary, but Lena knew they could not stay here forever or visit at their whim. Still, in this moment, Lena felt whole and that was hopefully enough to see her through the hardships that she knew lay ahead.