Interplanetary Honeymooning

Taking Kara's hand in his, Mon-el ushered her through the transmatter portal. The lavender gate rippled with electricity as the pair of them tore through the very fabric of space and time to walk out into the other end of the galaxy. Stepping into the lush green meadow kissed by the mystifying rays of the blue sun, they arrived at Mon-el's favorite part of the Bismuth Mountains on the planet Sedenach.

Last time Kara was here, she was a child and it was definitely strange to compare reality to the canvas to childhood memories. Bismuth Mountains were still magical. The bare mountain peaks and rocks appeared as if someone spilled paint of several vibrant colors into water, swirled it around into enchanting patterns, and froze it into sparkling and perfectly cut crystals. They glimmered beautifully in the blue rays of the sun. Granted, Kara romanticized it in her mind as a little girl and retained a much more magical memory, the majesty of the mountain range still took her breath away, despite the pragmatic side effects of adulthood.

Kara let her lungs fill up on the fresh air laced with the fragrance of lush greenery and something uniquely Sedenach, which could only be summarized in one word…magic. Letting out a dreamy breath, she turned around to look at Mon-el.

With an enamored smile on his lips and the kind of wonder in his eyes, which she had in hers when she was taking in the beauty of the Bismuth Mountains, Mon-el clenched his chest and sighed, "Comets…those eyes of yours…in the light of the blue sun...will undoubtedly be the death of me."

Shaking her head bashfully, Kara's gaze fell to her feet, "You know what will be the death of me?"

Pumping his eyebrows mischievously, Mon-el inched closer, "What?"

"You waking me up at five in the morning," Kara poked a condemning finger into his chest. "Seriously Mon-el, I have never seen you wake up that early in the morning…never!"

Raising his shoulders in a half shrug, Mon-el said matter-of-factly, "What can I say? I'm an over enthusiastic morning person when I travel. So much to explore… so many adventures to be had… such limited time at our disposal. We must make the most of the daylight at our disposal today."

Huffing out a tired breath, Kara's ran a palm over his chest absentmindedly. "I thought we'll relax for a while at wherever we are staying. Where are we staying?" she tilted her head quizzically.

Pointing at a quaint mountain far away mostly covered in lush greenery, with only a hint of colorful bismuth crystals glistening at the peak, he informed her "There…there's a cozy little cottage by the river with amazing view of the setting sun. All of our stuff is already there, we aren't going anywhere near that until dusk."

"But…but what about relaxing?" Kara pouted.

"Stop pouting! And relaxing? Are you sure you're over a decade younger than I am? Or is your youthful appearance somehow tied to blood magic?" Mon-el's eyebrow arched with suspicion.

"Oh," Kara broke into an incredulous laugh, "you are going to regret those words by the end of the day." With that warning, Kara turned on her heel and sprinted off through the grassland, jumping off the cliff with her arms open.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Mon sighed and followed after her with disgruntled steps. Looking down the cliff, he saw Kara happily rolling over to look at him, joyfully lying on a fluffy piece of grassland on a ledge extended underneath the edge of the cliff. "For someone who hasn't visited Sedenach in years, that's an awful lot of confidence in this planet's concern for your wellbeing," he folded his arms like an adult scolding a disobedient child.

"Oh live a little and get in here," Kara patted the piece of land beside her suggestively. Another layer of colorful bismuth crystals grew underneath the grass to make the ledge sturdier right before Mon-el jumped over it. Both of them rolled over their stomachs to rest their chins on their folded forearms on the grass. They had a good view the emerald green valley, completely enveloped with trees. A torrential river cut through the green of the valley with its vibrant blue. Hazy river mist clung to the surface due to the violent flow. Turning to rest her cheek on her forearm, Kara looked up at Mon-el, "It wasn't trust in the planet. It was an understanding of its science. Do you know why the Bismuth Mountains move underneath your feet when you walk off a cliff or why colorful crystal staircases raise you to your intended destinations if you step on their exposed crystal stumps?"

"Yes, I've read about it. Sedenach is a sentient planet, everything evolved together in perfect harmony. There's a network connecting every inch of this planet much like our nervous system. But even though the planet is able to pick up on our intentions, the connection is not as strong as the one indigenous life forms share with the planet." Pouting, he looked at Kara from the corner of his eye, "It was a great risk."

"When has anyone ever died in an accident on Sedenach?" Kara retorted, stretching an arm out in frustration. Rolling over to her back, she teased, "Scaredy-cat!"

"I am not a Scaredy-cat," Mon-el declared, shuffling closer to hold her. Towering over her, he challenged, "Since you're feeling so invincible, what's your take on adventure sports?"

Gasping, Kara flinched back, "Who are you and what did you do to my soft pacifist Mon-el?"

"Just because I'm a pacifist, doesn't mean I can't gamble with my own life for some good adrenalin high, on a planet where no one dies in an accident." With a cocky wink and confident smile, he leaned in for a kiss.

It was a crazy day, not the most adventurous day they would have on the planet, but it had its own charm. First they tried bungee jumping, and they were soon addicted to the feeling of being weightless while soaring into the ground, only to fly back up in the air. It was exhilarating, to get a glimpse of what it must feel like to fly. To chase the addiction further, they decided to jump off a plane and sky dive. Holding hands they laughed they floated, completely weightless, until they had to sadly open their parachutes and fall back on land safely. It all went by so quickly, so they decided to go paragliding. They knew they couldn't fly but at least they could glide leisurely in the air for an hour. It might not be as exhilarating but it was so peacefully beautiful, the illusion of having wings, if only for an hour. The most serene smiles graced their faces as their feet touched the ground. Unbuckling their respective harnesses, they ran towards each other and kissed like they never had before.

Their river rafting adventure from their current location to their cottage took an unexpected turn which descended upon Kara's invincible spirit like a bolt from the blue. She had never been more scared in her life, not even the day she left Krypton to stop a bloody war.

Cuddled up outside their cozy little cottage, they sat on the porch steps, wrapped in a blanket. Kara sat between Mon-el's legs, leaning against his bare chest. Their naked bodies were completely cocooned by a large comforter. Watching the wine colored sunset between the two lush green mountains in front of them, as the colorful Bismuth crystal peaks glimmered in purple undertones, Mon-el dropped a tender kiss on Kara's head. There was not a single soul other than the two of them for miles and the only sound that filled their ears was the gushing river so close to the cottage that occasionally a drop or two would fall to on their faces, kissed by the gentle warmth of diminishing lavender sun rays.

Tilting her head back to look up at him, Kara sighed, "You scared me there for a moment, today…."

Mon-el's brows bumped together in bewilderment, "When I fell from the raft? It was nothing Kara. One moment I was paddling along with you, nothing but the wildest rapid ahead of us and the next moment I realized I was floating in the river. I had my lifejacket on…there was really nothing to worry about. The guide threw me the rope as soon as we were through that rapid."

"He didn't let me go after you," her lips pursed into the most adorable pout.

Mon-el chucked, "That's a good thing Kara. I doubt there was much you could do but float with me until the current settled down a little. Honestly, it wasn't scary at all!"

"For you," Kara pulled away to turn and look straight at him, "My entire world came crashing down in front of my eyes when I saw you fling out of the boat, plunging into turbulent waters. The rocks your skull was going to crash into moved away at the very last moment. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was?"

"I thought you had complete faith in the fact that no one dies in an accident on this self aware planet?" Mon-el raised an eyebrow to tease her, as he pulled her back, holding her close against his chest.

Crossing her hands stubbornly, she huffed as her head leaned against his chest once again. "Just because I knew you wouldn't get hurt, doesn't mean I didn't shake to my bones at that terrifying sight."

"Hey, if that terrifying sight was the reason for all the incredible adrenaline laced 'Thank the Gods you survived' sex we just had, leaving the entire cabin in a state of total upheaval, then I would gladly jump off a raft every single day of my life." Pulling her closer, he kissed her cheek repeatedly.

Slapping his arm as hard as she could underneath the sheet, she protested, "You would put me through hell on a daily basis simply for great sex?"

"I mean if you put it like that…" Mon-el tilted his head in careful contemplation, the realization finally sinking in how much she cared about the life he had such little regard for. "I would never do that to you." Leaning his head against the wooden pillar beside the porch steps they were sitting on, Mon-el let out a satisfied sigh as he watched the sunset with someone who made him feel loved. This right here felt more like home than the palace ever did. It was as if he spent his entire life running from his circumstances, taking solace in his travels throughout the galaxy but he never stumbled upon a destination that made him feel like, there was somewhere he belonged. The warmth seeping into his heart was that odd alien feeling pulling at his heart strings. "I wish we could stay here forever," he murmured against her hair.

Kara chucked, "We can't do that!"

"Why not?" he asked, in an innocent childlike tone.

Struggling to find a reasonable explanation to leave this paradise, with a heavy heart, Kara let out a defeated breath. "Because…because we are adults…there's work and responsibilities we have to eventually get back to. I mean, I have started navigating my way through my career, but you have a pretty iron clad title to uphold," resting her cheek against his chest, Kara looked up and teased, "Your Highness."

The satisfied smile on Mon-el's face instantly dropped at the mention of that wretched title. "Do you know why I love to travel so much?"

Shaking her head against his chest, Kara's eyes grew wider with curiosity, "Because it's exhilarating to discover creations that push your definitions of possible and discover new cultures?"

Raking his fingers through her hair, he smiled at her endearingly. "Yes, those are wonderful reasons for interplanetary travel."

"But those aren't your reasons," Kara's eyebrows bumped together in a scowl. His lips were curled in a smile but his eyes told another story.

"When I'm not on Daxam, I'm no one's prince. I'm just Mon-el, the regular guy." He looked away, realizing how selfish he might sound to someone with a strong sense of duty, "I know it's selfish. I know I have responsibilities. I know the fate of my planet rests on what kind of a king I will be someday, but I'm just not cut out to be a politician. This is not the life I chose, I was born to bear this burden. And it's not like I would run away from it, but I like to dwell on those fantasies sometimes. It's the only thing that helps me hold on to my sanity."

Rubbing a gentle hand over his forearm, "Hey, look at me." When he reluctantly turned back, his eyes desperately searched for something in hers. Kara knew that look too well, it was the same guilt and search for disappointment she saw every time he thought he made a mistake. "That's a completely valid thing to feel, I chose my profession and I still have those thoughts sometimes. Help me understand, why do you feel that you aren't cut out to be a politician?"

As his lips set in a grim line, he shrugged his shoulders in defeat, "Because everyone wishes to live in a Utopian world. But it is one thing to wish for change, to have a vision for reform or even form a solid strategy and gather network of supporters to help you execute your plans and it is an entirely different thing to actually bring about change. And every time I try to practically envision the legacy I would leave behind, all I can see is a naïve fool who failed miserably."

"Hey," caressing his cheek, Kara assured, "The fact that you care about your vision so much instead of being consumed for a hunger for power is the very thing that'll make a better king than any other head of state in Daxam's history."

Shaking his head furiously, Mon-el refused to believe that, "That is exactly what Stefan says every time I express my doubts, but the truth is Katherine was supposed to be the Queen and I was meant to strategize for her. I am not a leader. I neither have the strength to make hard choices nor do I have the valor to lead the charge at the front lines during a conflict." Letting out an ironic laugh, he added, "I don't even think I could give hope and inspiration to people with my words."

Realizing the horrors he hid behind that regal façade, Kara tucked both her arms underneath his to hug him tight. "You sell yourself too short. Maybe you're not the leader Daxam demands but you're definitely the leader it needs." Stroking her palms over his back tenderly, she tried to give him some hope, "You might not be cut out to lead the charge at the front lines, but you have Stefan. Making tough choices shouldn't come easy to anyone, that's why they are called tough choices. A good leader has councils of advisors to help them through these choices, something you already intend to do. As far as inspirational speeches go, you can always get good speech writers to help you find the right words to express your thoughts."

"Well Stefan is an excellent writer," he joked, trying to steer the conversation in a less vulnerable direction.

Pulling away in shock, Kara stared at him with her jaw dropped, "He is?" Blinking repeatedly in disbelief, "Never took him for a 'The pen is mightier than the sword' person. Who knew?"

"Well," he stressed, "He's definitely more of a sword person, but he writes beautifully. He's very secretive about it, only allows me to read his work but he does have a way with words. His troops would march into the gates of Hell if he commanded them to; such is his sway with words. Though his speeches have an effect much different from what I would prefer."

"Then find the right spokesperson who can evoke the right sentiments in your people, in the hopeful and inspiring way you want them to," Kara offered a simple solution to all his problems. "It's simple," she added. What she failed to understand was…it was not the solution that he wanted…it was the desire to be understood. And the moment that realization hit her, it wiped the smile off her face. "It's not about being that King some day is it? You wish you weren't the Prince of Daxam."

He desperately tried to feign a smile but his face crushed to a state of gloom. His grey eyes pained with a hint of violet against the setting sun when he bobbed his head in defeat, "No...I wish I wasn't shackled to this title."

Narrowing her eyes to crinkled slits, Kara thought out loud, "It's not just the title, is it? It's an honorable and prestigious title which comes with several privileges…."

Interrupting her, Mon-el looked away, "Yes, the perks are nice."

She wasn't going to let him laugh it off. Ignoring him, Kara continued, "It's not your fear of failing as a leader either. What you want to run away from is your relationship with your mother. Why?"

Pouting thoughtfully, Mon-el scratched the stubble on his chin, "You wouldn't understand."

Taking complete offense, Kara flinched. Forehead puckered, Kara stared at him slack-mouthed, "How can you just assume that?"

"I am not questioning your willingness to understand," stroking the back of his fingers over her cheeks, he tried to explain, "But it's one of those things that someone with a happy childhood and a healthy relationship with their parents simply cannot fathom. Any attempt at doing so is like explaining colors to a blind person."

"Try me," resting a palm over his heart, Kara looked up with puppy eyes, using his weakness for them against him.

How was he supposed to resist that look? He drew in a long breath and scrambled for words, "Okay, let's try to find some common ground. Have you ever felt terrified of someone, who was constantly disappointed by you and yet you craved their validation?"

"Yes!" Kara slapped his chest enthusiastically, when she remembered that this was a serious conversation, not a quiz. "Sorry…yes," she repeated in a softer tone, "The Kryptonian General. He's terrifying and he's always disappointed in me," Kara complained, before she reluctantly added, "But secretly…I do crave validation from him…sometimes." Pointing a threatening finger at him, Kara warned him, "Don't ever tell anyone about it."

Mon-el chucked at that adorable threat, before he added, "Imagine having him as your mother." Kara winced at the thought, "Remember that warm fuzzy feeling you felt as a child when your mother tucked you in at night, telling her you will always love her and knowing she will always be there for you and never hurt you?" Watching the sweet smile on Kara's face, he regretfully answered, "Replace that with what you feel during your meetings with the General."

"That sounds horrible, Mon-el," Kara's eyes widened with horror.

"When you have a relationship like that with a parent, you don't get the luxury of childhood. You grow up way before your years and then you're just imprisoned by your age as you pretend to have the normal happy childhood that everyone else around you gets to enjoy." Wrapping the sheet tightly around them, he pulled her closer. "There's this expectation from society to be a respectful and grateful child. So you wear that mask for everyone except for the ones who are in the same boat as you are, for me that someone has always been Stefan. But unlike me, he escaped his father once he was old enough to join the armed forces. My title on the other hand is a leash around my neck which I will never break free from, the fact that it's a golden leash and will one day be replaced with a crown, doesn't change what it makes me feel."

A daunting realization sent chills up Kara's spine, "The first thing you asked me was, have I ever felt terrified of someone," Kara whispered. "Why did you feel terrified?" She suddenly realized how much more frightening her relationship with the General would be if she was small and weak and their relationship wasn't policed by professional etiquette.

"Why do you think?" Mon-el cocked his head and rolled his shoulders in a half shrug.

"Does it still haunt you?" Kara gazed into his eyes sympathetically, searching for answers.

"No," he immediately assured her. "I don't have nightmares from my childhood. It was my baseline of normal. A childhood like yours is just as surprising to me like mine is to you, but in a nice and heartwarming kind of a way. I neither feel terrified of her now, nor do I seek validation from her anymore. Other than the genetics, family legacy and an exclusive cocktail of issues serving as an invisible chain to her ball, there's nothing much left between us."

"What about your father? He doesn't seem as terrifying as your mother," she was struggling to piece together his relationship with his parents.

"He isn't…" swiping a thumb over his lip, he hesitantly explained, "But he also lacks the conviction to speak up or go against my mother's wishes in any capacity. His empty words and his inaction, in a way, nagged at me a lot more than my mother's behavior because at least she is self aware about her lack of maternal instincts. He still believes he was a good father, even though he never protected me."

Tapping her lips with her index finger, Kara was lost in thought. "Your relationship with Stefan makes so much sense now…."

"How so?" Mon-el chuckled, curious to find out what was on her mind.

"Unlike your father, he would slice through an entire army to protect you and he's the only man on Daxam with the balls to challenge the Queen's decisions," raising a sly brow, Kara shared her observation with such pride.

"So what you're saying is…you think…Stefan is daddy as fuck?" Mon-el laughed out loud.

Slapping his chest, Kara unrelenting stared at him until he stopped laughing. "No, I was talking about your daddy issues."

"My daddy issues…?" a mischievous grin dangled at the corner of his mouth, "You're dating someone in his late thirties! Glass houses, kiddo."

Narrowing her eyes into grumpy slits, Kara poked a finger into his chest, "Don't turn this around on me. We're talking about you…."

"Oh I haven't even started with the pearls of wisdom my shrink cast upon you," he teased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she tilted her head quizzically.

"Brave, fierce, strong willed, politically influential woman…great warrior…expressed her disappointment in not only my politics but also my diplomatic approach less than a day after your pod landed on Daxam. I wonder who I'm talking about, you or my mother." He chuckled with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"That vague description can very well fit Katherine too," Kara retorted.

Tapping his foot against the wooden step, he pouted, "Well I guess, I have a type when it comes to women. Now…my mommy issues…those I can acknowledge."

Kara's eyes instantly softened. Running a loving hand over his beard, "Hey, I would never hurt you."

"I know," he smiled endearingly, bumping her little button nose with his finger.

With hope in her eyes, Kara mused, "And maybe your mother is not so bad, maybe there is still hope for her."

He broke into a mirthless laugh, "Why? Because she was nice to you during the few diplomatic conversations you two had? She's a politician, Kara. You can't trust politicians so easily," he warned.

"You're a politician," she reminded him.

"Not yet and I despise being forced into politics," he corrected her. "And by the way, this is the exactly why it's impossible to explain a dysfunctional family dynamic to someone who comes from a healthy upbringing." He threw his hands up in frustration.

"Why?" Kara murmured, unsure of what it was.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he stated in defeat, "All it takes for an abusive parent is to show a faint sign of redemption, they have no intention of going through with, to get the benefit of doubt."

Digging her fingers in to knead his tense shoulders, Kara kissed him. "I didn't mean to invalidate your experience. Last night…when I was returning from the Oasis room…Rhea gave me an uncharacteristically sweet gift. I guess I just let my guard down with her because of that."

Mon-el's entire body stiffened at the reveal. "Kara whatever it was, be careful…be very careful! Sweet gestures are usually my mother's way luring people into her madhouse of ulterior motives. Every time she wants to manipulate me, her go-to tactic is to remind me of something loving I said or did as a child which lit up her narcissistic heart." He let out a bitter laugh, "I used to fall for that, until I realized all of those stories were meant to remind me of a time when I loved her."

Completely baffled by that confession, Kara inquired, "Why did you love her if she was so terrifying? Was there a time she was a good mother?"

"No…there was definitely never a time. I was a kid, she was my mother and that messed up relationship was the only form of I love I knew back then," Mon-el shrugged it off.

"I wish I could get a peek inside that head of yours," Kara raked her fingers through his hair.

Eyeing her suspiciously, he asked, "Why? What do you want to know?"

Rolling her eyes skyward, Kara held out her hand. "Relax! I have no interest in the shady stuff from your secret meetings. But visiting Sedenach, this beautiful utopia where everything coexists in perfect harmony, don't you wonder how life would be if we could have that kind of connection?" Kara asked, beaming with hope and curiosity.

"You mean, like the kind of psychic connection people of Sedenach share with each other and the planet?" he asked, fearing that level of transparency.

"I mean…maybe that's why Sedenach is a utopia…because no one can keep secret from one another," she mused.

"Says the girl who needs privacy for intimacy!" he mocked.

"Hey!" Kara protested.

"The idea of living like someone from Sedenach might seem romantic to you now, but the ability to keep your thoughts and feeling private and having the ability to choose what you wish to share is definitely a privilege in my book." He threw his hands in the air to emphasize his point.

"Why what are you scared of?" Kara wiggled her eyebrows to tease.

"I would love to get a look inside that bright and hopeful beautiful mind of yours, I can assure you that." Wrapped a curl around his finger, he toyed with a lock of her hair. "I don't think you would like what you find inside mine."

Kara was intrigued, and maybe a little concerned for Mon-el. "That's for me to decide…" with that declaration she snuggled up against him as the light rays of sunlight snuffed away and darkness descended upon the world.

Kissing her forehead, Mon-el embraced her protectively. "There might be a way for us that," he murmured against her forehead.

"Do what?" Kara shuffled to look up at him curiously.

Against his better judgment, he spilled the beans. "It's impossible for our species to form a psychic connection or connect with the planet at a deeper level, but…."

"But what?" Kara demanded, her anticipation completely consuming her.

"There might be a way for us to bond psychically." Watching Kara's eyes widen and jaw drop, he attempted to dial down her expectations, "A very temporary and limited form of connection. Don't get your hopes up."

Kara squealed with excitement, "Yes…yes…a thousand times yes. I am so ready for this!"

He jerked his head in the direction of the entrance of their cottage, before he picked her up and got back up on his feet to walk her inside bridal style. "Last chance to back off," he winked at her as they crossed the threshold.

"Never," Kara refused with such conviction.

"Get dressed then…I'm taking you to my favorite little corner of the galaxy…."