A/N: I needed to split what was supposed to be one chapter into two. Not because of the length, but for the sake of getting something out to you guys since it's been awhile. Sorry for the short update, but I promise I haven't abandoned this story.
Chapter 16: Love is Messy
Breakfast was a raucous affair. Lena wished she could just leave it at that and push everything that had happened to the recesses of her mind, but she couldn't. Lucy was content in throwing daggered glares in her direction which Lena returned with just as much heat. She thought Lois would be attempting to reign in her sister, but the elder Lane found herself enamored with the idea of teasing Kal endlessly. To top it off, aside from glaring at Lena, Lucy somehow found herself treading dangerously close to flirting with Maggie and James. While the latter mostly rejected her advances, Maggie rolled with it much to Alex's annoyance.
As soon as Lena was done with her plate, she excused herself. She only made it halfways up the stairs before she felt a tug on her wrist.
"Don't leave me to fend for myself," Kara pouted.
Lena smirked, "I'm just going to freshen up, but you're welcome to tag along."
Kara nodded happily and followed Lena to their room. She took a seat on the bed as Lena unbound her hair and brushed it calmly. She twirled her own golden locks with her finger and mused on the days events.
"So… Lois… she's something else," Kara said. "I can't believe she knew it was me."
"She seems to know Kal well enough to discern how he'd behave," Lena replied and then glanced at Kara. "Do you think she fancies him?"
Kara chuckled, "maybe, but he doesn't seem her type… not the way he is now. She's a free spirit who constantly flouts traditions left and right. I'd imagine Jor-el would perish at the thought of Kal courting Lois."
"Perhaps a free spirit is just what Kal needs," Lena murmured as she looked into her mirror. "Is she not good enough for a prince?"
"Her rank is high enough to not be an affront to tradition," Kara mused but then added, "but marrying a general's daughter is seldom the right choice in times of peace. Kal is expected to marry a princess from a neighboring kingdom."
Lena placed her brush down harder than she meant to and sighed when she saw Kara's concerned expression reflected back at her. "Sorry, I just don't think I'll ever feel ok about rank determining who you should and shouldn't be with."
"Well I don't either," Kara added, "but I know Kal does."
"I think he's just afraid… he really does care a lot about the people he lets in. If only he'd let them fight their own battles and not blame himself for everything, he'd be happy again."
Kara hummed but said nothing more.
"Oh that reminds me, Lois is heading to Lutheria."
"What for?"
"Her father has ordered her to spend time with the prince."
Kara's shoulders tensed and her brow furrowed, "that is… strange to say the least."
"Is it? Have you not also had similar orders?"
"Yes, but as I said before, marrying a general's daughter is seldom advised in times of peace."
Lena tied back her hair and turned back to look at Kara. "But you are allies now and…" Lena thought back to Lex, "and the prince was kind and forthcoming. It could be that the general merely knows the value of someone as beautiful and charming as Lois."
Kara couldn't help her mischievous grin, "oh beautiful and charming is she?"
Lena blushed even as she crossed her arms, "those are merely facts."
Kara rose and pulled Lena into a hug while laughing. "I only jest, Lois is indeed those things and more. Still… I can't help but find it unsettling. The Lutherian king passed almost a year ago, and although Lex should have succeeded him, his Queen mother somehow persuaded him to delay his crowning. She is...a frightful woman."
"You've met her?"
"Once, when we hosted our first banquet that Lutheria was invited to. Her eyes were cold save for when they landed on Lex." Kara shuddered involuntarily; she had been ecstatic about meeting the royal family from Lutheria, but Lillian's chilly gaze had froze her in her tracks. Truthfully she couldn't even recall Lex, she just remembered him being the figure being hovered over by Lillian. "If I may be so bold to suggest, if you are a Luthor… I think it's safe to say that you were begotten by the king, but not the queen."
Lena rested her head on Kara's shoulder, "so a bastard child through and through; I thought as much."
"I think it's a fortunate thing… and it's safe to say the queen would not be fond of you either way. We really should find a replacement for the term 'bastard'."
"It is what it is," Lena sighed and then added, "might we accompany Lois to Lutheria since we were heading that way anyways?"
Kara glanced down at Lena while playing with the silky ends of Lena's dark locks. "We can, but Lucy would also be part of the party."
"I can handle her."
Kara nodded, "you're amazing, you know that?" she planted a chaste kiss near Lena's ear.
Lena hummed and pulled back to capture Kara's lips.
"Hey Lovebirds, you might want to return before everyone starts flinging oatmeal at each other." Sam chuckled as she stood at the entrance. "I barely managed to distract a rather riled Lady Danvers from murdering Lucy with a fork, but I doubt that's the end of it."
Lena quickly pushed away from Kara and tried her best to appear nonchalant, but there was nothing she could do about her flushed cheeks. She was well aware that Sam had caught them in compromising positions before, but locking lips with Kara was beyond blatant.
"I didn't mean to startle you… I am well aware of Kara's intentions towards you, and I support the princess fully just so you're aware. Might I also point out that it's rather obvious."
"Oh… right then," Lena glanced at Kara. "Is it really that obvious?"
"I… I always thought we were, but Sam has a knack for knowing things."
"Alex knows too," Sam added with a smug grin. "She said something about foreplay instead of swordplay."
"Rao…" Kara gulped and shook her head. "That can't be…"
"It's fine, no one here is interested in exposing your relationship. Right now we have more immediate problems like Alex, her fork and Lucy."
"Perhaps you should just let her… 'fork' her." Lena muttered and crossed her arms. "I, for one, would not mind sparing one fork."
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Sam smirked, "I doubt the children need to see adults behaving so violently though."
Lena sighed, "point taken, I'll try and defuse the situation."
"I'll help!" Kara insisted.
The trio returned to the dining hall and were surprised to see that it had mostly cleared out save for a rather somber looking Alex. Sam stretched out her arm and stopped the princess and Lena in their tracks.
"I've got this; why don't you and Lena commence with your day."
"Are you sure? I mean she looks sad, and-"
"We'll leave you to it," Lena interrupted her lover and tugged her away. If the conversation she had eavesdropped on yesterday was anything to go by, Sam was probably the only person that Alex would talk to in her current state.
Sam bid the two women farewell and took a deep breath before striding over to Alex. The woman hadn't even noticed her presence until she cleared her throat and asked if she could take a seat by her.
"Lady Arias, of course, sit… though I'm not sure I'll be amiable company in my current state."
"I didn't come here to be pleased; I came here because you looked sad." Sam leaned closer. "There's no need to pretend otherwise."
"It shouldn't concern you," Alex sighed. "I wrought my own misery."
"You mean with Lady Sawyer?" Sam asked.
"Soon to be Ser Sawyer, Knight of Krypton." Alex added.
"A lady knight! Krypton has never had one," Sam's eyes flew open. "That is… amazing."
"It is. I am proud of her."
"But," Sam prodded.
Alex groaned and pounded her fist on the table. She shouldn't feel the way she's feeling. Maggie becoming a knight should make her feel an overabundant amount of joy and pride, but…
We can't chase our dreams AND have children, Alex.
Maggie's voice rang clearly in her head; a constant reminder that a future with Maggie was a future exempt of children. She had never wanted for much, but she had always assumed raising a child would be a given. Admittedly that desire had fallen into the recesses of her heart when she first started courting Maggie. The buds of new love provided for constant adventures and blind passion; she thought the harder conversations could wait until later.
"I want to be a mother," Alex whispered, her voice small and weak. "And Maggie will not yield."
Sam sighed and gently placed her hand on top of Alex's fist. "It's hard… motherhood, but," Sam smiled as she thought of her rambunctious daughter, "I wouldn't trade Ruby for the world. I also had to choose between a life I had always known and loved, and my right to keep my daughter. It was a choice only I could make, understand?"
"But I love her…" Alex whimpered, her shoulders beginning to shake as she held back her tears.
"I know," Sam removed her hand and brought her arm around Alex to pull her closer. "Take your time Alex; the world does not need to know your decision right here and now. It's not an easy decision to make, but your heart will know in time. Until then, I'll be here if ever you wish to talk about motherhood and it's trials and glories."
"Why are you so nice?" Alex sobbed softly and looked away from Sam. She hated feeling so vulnerable, but the whole debacle with Lucy had left her feeling sore.
"Well we're friends aren't we?" Sam chuckled and rubbed Alex's arm. "We've participated in one of Kara's schemes together; that's cause enough for instant bonding."
Alex let out a wet chuckle, "that woman's insane; befriending you has been the only benefit thus far. Especially after all the trouble she put us through last night, what with having to hang all those strange paper lanterns in that strange, small glass castle."
"The everlasting garden, you mean," Sam grinned. "The princess is very demanding, but you'll find that there is no one better to have in your corner than she. Would you like to take a walk with me before the festivities? Help clear your mind?"
"I…" Alex hesitated for a moment, but found comfort in Sam's gentle gaze, "I'd like that."
"Kara… is this necessary?" Lena groaned as she walked with one hand stretched forward. "I can't see a thing."
"That's the point," Kara yipped as she led Lena along. "Just a little bit further…"
"If you're leading me into a snowball ambush, Kara Zor-el, I will refrain from kissing you for a whole week."
"Ok, one, I would never lead you into something so violent, and two, I doubt you could refrain that long."
"Is that a bet you're willing to make?" Lean threatened, her lips pulling into a smirk.
"I...I would if, if it wasn't your birthday!" Kara countered weakly and muttered, "of course we have to kiss on your birthday."
Lena giggled and continued to follow Kara wherever she was leading her. She afforded the princess the opportunity to surprise her and hadn't bothered to pester her too much on what exactly she had planned. Birthday celebrations were as foreign to her as romance had once been, but with Kara leading, Lena was sure she'd grow just as fond of them.
"Is kissing a requirement?" Lena teased as she continued her blind walk. "How exactly did the princess of Krypton spend her birthdays?"
"The princess of Krypton has never actually thrown a party for her birthday."
Lena halted in her pace, "what?"
Kara huffed and tried to pull Lena along, but the brunette was resolute in her stance. "Lena, please, it's no big deal."
"That's nonsense and you know it." Lena countered and moved to remove her blindfold.
"No, wait!" Kara kept her hands down and kissed Lena before she could object. It was a risky move, but they were still far enough from the everlasting garden not to be seen. "It's just, as soon as I was old enough to make decisions, I decided I'd rather give back to the kingdom rather than spend money from our coffers on a party for me."
"But you're throwing something for me."
"It didn't cost any money, promise." Kara reassured her and began to pull her again. "Now, come."
Lena followed once more and felt a change in temperature; she knew they were inside the everlasting garden. Her body gave off one last shudder to shed the iciness she felt on the walk and felt Kara's hands begin to untie the knot on the fold.
"Lena, happy birthday!" Kara exclaimed and her voice was accompanied by several others.
Lena looked to see Sam, Alex, Winn, Kal-el and Lois surrounding one of the garden tables and behind them were what looked like floating lanterns. They burned with light and flitted about the garden as if they were faeries of the night. Lena marveled at the various colors and twirled to look back at Kara. She knew she couldn't kiss her, not here with Kal and the rest watching, but she hoped she could convey enough of her joy with just her glance.
Kara smiled wide and pushed her along towards the table.
"Make a wish," Kara whispered as the candles twinkled in the shadows and light cast by the lanterns.
Lena nearly scoffed at the idea. Not because she didn't believe in the power of wishes; after everything she had been through with Kara, she couldn't deny the possibility of the improbable, but what more could she desire.
Power.
The voice was faint, but firm enough for Lena to glance up. She saw no one besides the guests, and they only looked eager for her to blow out the candle. She shook her head and cast away the tiny amount of dread that dared to take over. She thought of warmth and Kara and staying by her side as she blew out the candles.