Chapter - 20
The Prince was about to kiss her again when Kara heard someone call her name. Mon-El let out a loud sigh. "Looks like you are being summoned, sweetheart. So I'm going to in and mingle with the guests."
Kara gave him a small nod and moved away. But before he left, Mon-El leaned closer and said, "I would love to see you after the dinner. Come to my bedchamber, my lady." He kissed her cheek and walked away without another glance.
Sighing, Kara followed him after few minutes, only to see him laughing with a rather beautiful woman. Princess Eliz of Drovovis. With her dark red hair and her trademark seductive smile, she wasn't all that hard to find pleasing to the eye. Kara knew very well that Mon-El admired this woman. As if her mere observation of him laughing with Princess Eliz, as she traced a finger over his arm, wasn't enough, Kara heard Princess Cait's voice besides her. "Ah! Eliz from Drovovis! Rao, I hate that woman. She likes Mon-El, and she's not even subtle about it."
Kara let out another sigh. She had been right about Mon-El and his new lover. But deciding that she couldn't be pissed at Cait because of her jerk cousin, she turned to face her. "Why don't you like her?"
"Eliz is arrogant. If she sets a sight on something, she'll do anything to get it. And she likes to act all high and mighty with other royals! The only reason she's putting up with Mon-El is because she has set her sight on Daxam's throne as the next Queen."
"Is she one of the… candidates?"
Cait burst out laughing. "Candidate sounds about right. Mon-El's mother, the Queen likes Eliz and thinks she's the most suitable of all the… candidates. I don't wish to belittle anyone but the Queen isn't really the good judge of character. She made my mother's life a nightmare after getting married to my uncle. It was a sort of a political marriage, and everyone knows that my uncle's true love was a Kryptonian lady. No wonder the Queen is so proud and mean towards all of us."
"A Kryptonian? The King loved a Kryptonian?" Kara's surprise did make the Princess raise a single brow.
"You didn't know? I don't really know who she was but I do know that she belonged to the family of El."
Kara's eyes fell on the King, who stood talking to her father about something. King Lar had been awfully kind to them. Now she knew why.
"We met Eliz when we visited Drovovis. I think Mon-El was just sixteen. He got along with her, and I overheard her talking to someone about becoming a Queen someday. I warned Mon-El about her and he told me that it was just fun. He wasn't serious about the women he took to bed. That's the thing about Mon-El that bothers me the most. All it will take Eliz to become the Queen is to get pregnant. And she wouldn't even care for that child. She will make Mon-El's life hell."
"But you said the Queen liked her."
"Oh yes! Eliz does have a great chance of being Mon-El's bride. I mean, look at them. They can't even be subtle."
Kara didn't look. She didn't want it to hurt any more than it did now. Just as she was about to excuse herself when she saw Barry, she heard the footman make an announcement.
"His Highness Prince Ean of Wolford and Her Highness Princess Maia."
"Ah! Looks like my brother finally made it," Cait said as she went to greet her brother and sister-in-law before going to Barry's side, asking him to dance with her.
Kara watched the two royals as they made their way to greet the King and Queen. Unlike Cait, Prince Ean had blond hair. He had a polite smile on his face as he greeted the guests. His wife, on the other hand, had dark black hair and blue-grey eyes that made her look ethereal. She couldn't help but look as Mon-El introduced Eliz to his cousin-in-law. The sight alone broke her heart so much that she didn't want anything to do with the Prince any longer; so Kara decided to leave.
Meanwhile, Mon-El stood talking to Princess Eliz when his cousin's arrival was announced. Since Princess Maia had never met Eliz before, he decided to introduce them to each other. Ean looked uncomfortable as Eliz greeted his wife, all the while giving him a seductive look. A mistake he had made ages ago was coming back to haunt him. Deciding these pleasantries were enough, he took his wife's hand and they moved to greet other guests. They had just finished greeting the Kryptonians, except for Bar-Van and Kara, who were busy dancing, when Ean asked Mon-El if he could have a word with him.
Mon-El nodded and the cousins moved to a corner, taking their drinks with them.
"What is this about my sister and a certain Kryptonian boy I'm hearing, Mon-El?"
"Well, look for yourself," Mon-El said waving his arm towards where Bar-Van and Cait were dancing.
"So it is true."
"I saw them kissing rather passionately outside a while ago. They might be sleeping together, who knows…"
Ean's eyes widened in horror. "This can't happen. Father wants to marry her off to King Gav of Otrosie. He is a little older, but at least she would be Queen."
Mon-El shook his head. "No. Her life would be miserable with that old fart! And a little older? He's older than my father and he's mourning the loss of his sixth wife! I will not let this alliance happen!"
"We have great trade relations with Otrosie. They do have the best caff you love so much!"
"Of course, you want your sister to be married to a wife-eating old fart for caff?! I thought you were better than that."
Ean shook his head. "We both know the King is old. If he dies, Cait will be the next Queen till she dies. That's how the royalty rules in Otrosie."
"I'm sure we can find her a much better, younger King to marry, Ean. But the minute I become King, I'm ending all relations with Otrosie and getting my precious caff imported from Krypton!"
Ean couldn't help but smile. "So even that rumor is true. You have lost your heart to a Kryptonian too."
"No. She's a… friend."
"You're a horrible liar, Mon. Who is she?"
Mon-El grumbled and pointed at Kara, who had just finished dancing with her father and was heading towards the door.
"Oh, she's leaving already? I would have loved to meet her. Now, what do we do about Cait?"
"Cait is stubborn. If you think you can stop her from seeing Bar-Van, you have my best wishes. I'll make sure to write a nice eulogy for your funeral."
Prince Ean shook his head and chuckled. It was true, his sister would kill him if he interfered with her love life. But now he was sure of one thing, Mon-El wouldn't let the old King of Otrosie marry Cait. Now finding a younger King would be a task, but he would make sure his sister married someone she liked.
Kara had had a last dance with father before excusing herself and heading out. She had excused herself saying she was going out to spend some time with Kal-El. And she did see him playing with a baby dragon near the courtyard Aermy occupied. He was playing with the yellow dragon under watchful eyes of a dragon trainer and Hal-An himself, along with two more guards. Aermy was sleeping on the other side of the courtyard, a harp playing in the background.
Kara spotted her Lara by the river. She was seated there, looking at her little boy play. She looked up at Kara and gave her a big smile. "Have you ever seen a baby dragon? That's one is really cute, isn't he? Apparently he's just a month old."
Kara sat next to her aunt on the stone bench and shook her head. "Do dragons really listen to music?"
Lara chuckled as her eyes fell on Aermy's sleeping form and the harp being played for her. "I heard from the guards that the Prince's dragon loves to hear the harp, so it's played every day for her."
"Daxam sure is doing Kal some good. I never knew he was so energetic."
Lara gave her a sad smile. "Krypton does that to people. Sometimes it can suck the happiness out of lives."
"Is this about Kal?"
"No, not really. Jor and I knew what we were getting into when we eloped. We were expecting some kind of punishment. And we did find a way past that and had our little miracle. But it's been years and they still haven't forgotten what we did."
"What do you mean?" Kara's eyes fell on Kal-El for a couple of fleeting seconds before she turned to face Lara again.
"Jor and I have been trying to have another child. Jor always wanted a girl. We tried the natural way, but I'm not able to conceive. I had an accident on one of my many space travels. I was exposed to some kind of radiation that has made me infertile. So, Jor thought we could try the birthing matrix. Our request got rejected twice already."
Kara took her aunt's hand in hers. "I'm so sorry, aunt Lara. I had no idea this was happening."
"It's alright, my dear. Don't feel sorry for us. Feel sorry for those who do not wish for a family's happiness."
Baffled, Kara asked, "But my mother and your sister are on the committee! Why didn't they help you?"
"There are seven members on the committee, Kara. Only three said yes for a pardon, accepting our request to use the birthing matrix to have a daughter. Two of them were my sister and sister-in-law. The majority was against us, wanting to teach us a lesson for breaking Krypton's utmost rules. They want us to be an example for the next generation, so they don't do what we did."
"How can they be so cruel?! Does this mean we can never marry for love?"
Lara shrugged, her eyes still fixed on her son. "Jor felt that as time passed, Krypton will change its traditions. He believed in Krypton. But they all disappointed us when they added to our punishment. No Kryptonian will be chosen to be Kal's latchmate, which means he cannot use the birthing matrix. They want to end the bloodline of El. And since you will take your husband's name when you marry, they are sure the Els die with Kal."
"There must be another way!" Kara called, tears escaping her eyes. "Kal doesn't deserve to be punished. Neither do you or uncle Jor. Kal has a right to fall in love, marry and have children. They cannot take that away from him!"
"I know, dear one. That is why an elder advised us to have Kal's fate read. It is true. He will never love or marry a Kryptonian. But his future shows a Princess whom he will love more than live itself. But she comes from another planet. I was never the one to believe the readings of fate because Kal's destiny is to not just marry a Princess, but a demigoddess."
"The Princess is a demigoddess? How is that possible?"
"I don't know, Kara. That is why I have left Kal's future in Rao's hands. If he wishes for my son to marry this demigoddess, so be it. As long as he is happy."
Kara gave her aunt a small nod. "Aunt Lara, Kal has always been a brother to me, and I vow to protect him and stand by him come what may. I don't want you to worry, because as long as I'm alive, no harm shall come to Kal."
"I know, Kara. That is why not having a daughter doesn't upset me. We have always had you, dear one." With that Lara caressed her niece's head and pulled her into a hug. Kara knew that she had finally found a purpose for living. It was Kal-El. She would protect him and look after him. She would keep her promise to her aunt.
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