Lana looked complacently at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes traced
the lines of her green gown, cunningly contrived in shades of green
chiffon, scooping down dangerously at the back until it met a smooth
expanse of sinuous skirt, and dipped a languorous approval. She knew she
looked breathtaking, and as she clasped the emeralds and diamonds choker
around her neck, she had the flush of assurance that only a woman wearing
Galliano and Garrard's could have.
She held out one perfectly manicured hand in front of her and draped the cold, glittering weight of the matching bracelet around her wrist. The fastening closed with a decisive snap, just as the door opened behind her and the donor of all the largesse entered the dressing room. Lionel too, was in full evening dress, as was required of every guest invited to the very select Harry Winston Charity Gala.
Lana had been pleasantly surprised that morning to be informed that Lionel wanted her to accompany him to the event, and even more pleasantly ecstatic to find the gown and the jewels waiting for her at the Luthor residence.
Now as she put the finishing touches on her toilet, Lana did not acknowledge his presence, save to pout 'When I saw this set at the Garrard's retrospective at the V&A, there was a ring that went with it.'
Lionel smiled and drew a jewel box from his pocket and put it on the dressing table. 'This one perhaps?'
Lana opened the black leather clad box and picked up the ring nestled inside. The Aab-e-Noor diamond glinted wickedly at her, ringed by a dozen princess-cut emeralds. Her woman's heart could not resist fluttering in an odd delight at the sight of the wonderful jewel, each of its 200 odd carats redolent of war, bloodshed, betrayal and death. Her hand trembled as she slipped on the ring, and was glad that it was a snug fit. It would be hard to explain the loss of ten million dollars worth of carbon.
She smiled up at Lionel.
'You do know how to make a girl happy.'
Lionel kneaded her bare shoulder, and said ' I never shy away from a good investment.'
Then as she stood up in a swirl of silk and glitter of jewels 'I believe my son will truly rue turning you down.'
Lana paused as he draped a lace and silk wrap around her shoulders and then said 'I presume Clark will be there.'
' I understand he will be representing the Planet'
Flashbulbs and white light cause blobs of red light to dance before her eyes as she tries not to blink, while Lionel glides smoothly up the red carpet, impervious to the hubbub at their arrival. She follows in a whispering, flashing blaze, careful to present her best angle to the popping bulbs. As she is about to pass into the chandeliered majesty of the venue, she catches a glimpse of a pale face in the darkness outside, and reads the sharp pain of betrayal in Chloe's eyes. Then she is within the echoing quiet of the marble halls of the museum, Lionel sweeps her forward into the milling elite, and everything outside the pillared halls falls away.
Lana smiles incessantly through the evening, a part of her feeling empowered by the envious gazes of women, who value her jewels at a glance and look again to see the face that is graced by such splendor. The men evaluate her as an accessory to Lionel Luthor, but that is a role she is used to. Finally, she catches sight of Lex, and is oddly pleased that he has been watching her. As her gaze meets his intense scrutiny, he acknowledges her with a raised flute, and she dips her eyes in response. He makes his slow and deliberate way through the crowd to her, and though she tries to find Lionel in the crowd, he is nowhere to be seen.
'I see you decided against resuming the coffee business.' his tone is neutral, and she knows she is but a pawn in the middle of an unusual move. His eyes analyze her.
She knows then it would be churlish to be pettily annoyed with him, pawns show no emotion, and they have no agenda.
'I decided these would suit me better than an apron.' she replies instead, putting a posed hand to her throat.
The Aab-e-noor blinks fire into his eyes as he looks down at her, and she feels again the breathlessness of girlhood, emotional memory kicking into gear.
'I believe that was purchased as gift to my mother. Just before she was diagnosed with her condition.'
It takes all her mental control not to snatch her hand off display and hide it in the folds of her skirt. She casually trails the weight of the ring down her bosom and brings it up for a deliberate inspection.
'How unfortunate.' She murmurs.
'But I think its been reset. Personally, I preferred the earlier setting.'
'Oh! I think I like it as it is.' she breathes, just as Lionel appears behind Lex, but she feels she has somehow missed her cue card, botched her lines.
'Lex! What a pleasant surprise. I believe you know Miss Lang?'
' Dad. It is always nice to stumble upon a family gathering. Yes, I have met Miss Lang. Now, I see Lois is looking for me. I am sure we shall be mutually surprised again at the Governor's lunch tomorrow, Dad.'
With that, Lex turned and walked away, while Lionel slipped his arm possessively around Lana's waist and guided her to the lit gardens, in the courtyard of the museum.
After a few stilted words spoken to her, Lionel was soon engaged in a conversation with a business rival, and Lana found herself free to roam the formal paths of the garden, now lit by trails of fairy lights and lanterns in the trees.
She turned from examining a fat cherub spouting water and made out an ill at ease tall man lounging in the shrubbery, at the end of the path. She thought it was Clark and made her way to him, composing explanations for Lionel—Lana would always be Clark's princess.
He was lost to the world when she put her hand out to him. As he turned, she felt a curious déjà vu of a bumbling Clark dropping book after book as he stuttered apologies at her.
She put her hand out to him again, 'Clark are you ok?'
He looked perplexed at seeing her and finally gasped, as if seeing her after a long mental process. ' Hi Lana. N..nice necklace... ring. Nice ring'. Then just as she was about to deliver a suitable explanation for her jewels, he batted her away.
'I have to.. I have to go..'
His face gleamed sickly in the lights cast by the lanterns, and Lana watched in bewilderment as he took a few lurching steps away from her. Before he could go any further, the waiters milling at the wine bar at the edge of the lawn placed their covered trays on the ground beside him and held him up as he almost collapsed to the ground.
'Clark! What is happening? Are you sick?' Feeling ineffectual and left behind, Lana rushed towards the strange tableau being played out before her.
He writhed on the grass as Lana sank in a pool of silk next to him 'Clark, are you ok? Clark?'
Another waiter came to her and helped her up. 'It is ok miss; we will take care of it. Perhaps you should return to the party. We do not want an incident. The young man has been taken ill—perhaps a stomach bug. We'll handle it.'
Lana let herself be led away, her skirts now mired in dew and clinging to her frozen legs. She looked back as they reached the entrance to the main wing of the museum.
Now there was no sign of Clark or of the waiters. Suddenly Lionel spoke from behind the Byzantine effigies.
'Ah! Lana, my dear. I believe it is time to go home.'
She held out one perfectly manicured hand in front of her and draped the cold, glittering weight of the matching bracelet around her wrist. The fastening closed with a decisive snap, just as the door opened behind her and the donor of all the largesse entered the dressing room. Lionel too, was in full evening dress, as was required of every guest invited to the very select Harry Winston Charity Gala.
Lana had been pleasantly surprised that morning to be informed that Lionel wanted her to accompany him to the event, and even more pleasantly ecstatic to find the gown and the jewels waiting for her at the Luthor residence.
Now as she put the finishing touches on her toilet, Lana did not acknowledge his presence, save to pout 'When I saw this set at the Garrard's retrospective at the V&A, there was a ring that went with it.'
Lionel smiled and drew a jewel box from his pocket and put it on the dressing table. 'This one perhaps?'
Lana opened the black leather clad box and picked up the ring nestled inside. The Aab-e-Noor diamond glinted wickedly at her, ringed by a dozen princess-cut emeralds. Her woman's heart could not resist fluttering in an odd delight at the sight of the wonderful jewel, each of its 200 odd carats redolent of war, bloodshed, betrayal and death. Her hand trembled as she slipped on the ring, and was glad that it was a snug fit. It would be hard to explain the loss of ten million dollars worth of carbon.
She smiled up at Lionel.
'You do know how to make a girl happy.'
Lionel kneaded her bare shoulder, and said ' I never shy away from a good investment.'
Then as she stood up in a swirl of silk and glitter of jewels 'I believe my son will truly rue turning you down.'
Lana paused as he draped a lace and silk wrap around her shoulders and then said 'I presume Clark will be there.'
' I understand he will be representing the Planet'
Flashbulbs and white light cause blobs of red light to dance before her eyes as she tries not to blink, while Lionel glides smoothly up the red carpet, impervious to the hubbub at their arrival. She follows in a whispering, flashing blaze, careful to present her best angle to the popping bulbs. As she is about to pass into the chandeliered majesty of the venue, she catches a glimpse of a pale face in the darkness outside, and reads the sharp pain of betrayal in Chloe's eyes. Then she is within the echoing quiet of the marble halls of the museum, Lionel sweeps her forward into the milling elite, and everything outside the pillared halls falls away.
Lana smiles incessantly through the evening, a part of her feeling empowered by the envious gazes of women, who value her jewels at a glance and look again to see the face that is graced by such splendor. The men evaluate her as an accessory to Lionel Luthor, but that is a role she is used to. Finally, she catches sight of Lex, and is oddly pleased that he has been watching her. As her gaze meets his intense scrutiny, he acknowledges her with a raised flute, and she dips her eyes in response. He makes his slow and deliberate way through the crowd to her, and though she tries to find Lionel in the crowd, he is nowhere to be seen.
'I see you decided against resuming the coffee business.' his tone is neutral, and she knows she is but a pawn in the middle of an unusual move. His eyes analyze her.
She knows then it would be churlish to be pettily annoyed with him, pawns show no emotion, and they have no agenda.
'I decided these would suit me better than an apron.' she replies instead, putting a posed hand to her throat.
The Aab-e-noor blinks fire into his eyes as he looks down at her, and she feels again the breathlessness of girlhood, emotional memory kicking into gear.
'I believe that was purchased as gift to my mother. Just before she was diagnosed with her condition.'
It takes all her mental control not to snatch her hand off display and hide it in the folds of her skirt. She casually trails the weight of the ring down her bosom and brings it up for a deliberate inspection.
'How unfortunate.' She murmurs.
'But I think its been reset. Personally, I preferred the earlier setting.'
'Oh! I think I like it as it is.' she breathes, just as Lionel appears behind Lex, but she feels she has somehow missed her cue card, botched her lines.
'Lex! What a pleasant surprise. I believe you know Miss Lang?'
' Dad. It is always nice to stumble upon a family gathering. Yes, I have met Miss Lang. Now, I see Lois is looking for me. I am sure we shall be mutually surprised again at the Governor's lunch tomorrow, Dad.'
With that, Lex turned and walked away, while Lionel slipped his arm possessively around Lana's waist and guided her to the lit gardens, in the courtyard of the museum.
After a few stilted words spoken to her, Lionel was soon engaged in a conversation with a business rival, and Lana found herself free to roam the formal paths of the garden, now lit by trails of fairy lights and lanterns in the trees.
She turned from examining a fat cherub spouting water and made out an ill at ease tall man lounging in the shrubbery, at the end of the path. She thought it was Clark and made her way to him, composing explanations for Lionel—Lana would always be Clark's princess.
He was lost to the world when she put her hand out to him. As he turned, she felt a curious déjà vu of a bumbling Clark dropping book after book as he stuttered apologies at her.
She put her hand out to him again, 'Clark are you ok?'
He looked perplexed at seeing her and finally gasped, as if seeing her after a long mental process. ' Hi Lana. N..nice necklace... ring. Nice ring'. Then just as she was about to deliver a suitable explanation for her jewels, he batted her away.
'I have to.. I have to go..'
His face gleamed sickly in the lights cast by the lanterns, and Lana watched in bewilderment as he took a few lurching steps away from her. Before he could go any further, the waiters milling at the wine bar at the edge of the lawn placed their covered trays on the ground beside him and held him up as he almost collapsed to the ground.
'Clark! What is happening? Are you sick?' Feeling ineffectual and left behind, Lana rushed towards the strange tableau being played out before her.
He writhed on the grass as Lana sank in a pool of silk next to him 'Clark, are you ok? Clark?'
Another waiter came to her and helped her up. 'It is ok miss; we will take care of it. Perhaps you should return to the party. We do not want an incident. The young man has been taken ill—perhaps a stomach bug. We'll handle it.'
Lana let herself be led away, her skirts now mired in dew and clinging to her frozen legs. She looked back as they reached the entrance to the main wing of the museum.
Now there was no sign of Clark or of the waiters. Suddenly Lionel spoke from behind the Byzantine effigies.
'Ah! Lana, my dear. I believe it is time to go home.'