CHAPTER TWO

Disclaimers in Chapter One

 "Meanwhile, on the other side of the village was a castle.  In this castle lived a king and his son, the prince.  Well, technically, only the prince lived in the castle.  The king would drop by to check on him once in a while after he exiled his son."

"But why was the prince exiled, Grandpa?"

"Let's just say that the prince needed a lesson on growing up.  So anyway, the prince was a rather miserable anti-social.  Knowing that the prince had little contact with the townsfolk, the king was worried that the prince might becoming into a serious recluse."

"Lex, I'm worried about you," Lionel frowned.

The younger Luthor raised an eyebrow.  "Dad, could you give a fair warning if you're going to crack a joke?" he said.  "It's rather disturbing, really."

The patriarch shook his head.  "I am serious, Alexander," he reprimanded his son.  "You've been locked up in this musty old mansion for days, with the exception of going to the plant, which is equally foreboding.  Here I am thinking that you've outgrown your goth days."

Lex nearly smiled at his father's familiarity with teenage pop culture.  "Gee, is that sincerity?"

"Will you quit with the wisecracks?" Lionel snapped.  "I sent you here to grow up, not to exile yourself further from reality."

"Newsflash, Dad," his son retorted.  "Smallville is as far from reality as you could possibly get."

Lionel sighed.  "You're not making this any easier on the both of us, Lex."

"If I did, I know I'd be disappointing you, Dad."

"Fine," the father resigned.  "You want to play hardball, then I'll play hardball.  I'm retiring in a year."

The news startled Lex.  He expected the devil to live forever, and even if Lionel was mortal, he didn't expect the end of his father's reign to end so soon.

Lionel, satisfied that he had his firstborn's full attention, continued.  "Despite whatever hardship I've laid upon you, you've always been my intended heir.  And it will be that way.  But I need to know that you've acquired some sense of responsibility before I hand you the keys to the kingdom."

"And how would you want me to prove that to you, Dad?" Lex inquired.  "Sell you my soul."

"I may have been hard on you, son," the patriarch replied.  "But it was all in the name of your conditioning for what is to come."

He took a breath before he moved forward.  "I expect you to be married by the time I hand over LuthorCorp."

Lex guffawed.  "You have to be kidding."

"Please, Lex.  Hell can only take one winter at a time," Lionel joked, referring to Lex's earlier crack.  "I'm serious, Alexander."

"After two failed marriages, or should I say attempted murders," the son pointed out.  "Do you really expect me to be open to matrimony?"

"Given the right person."

"You are in need of serious psychiatric help, Dad."

Lionel smirked.  "Since you're so resistant about heading out there to meet new people, Alexander, then you leave me no choice but to bring them here to you."

"We shall have a ball a fortnight from now.  With every soul in Smallville invited.  If you haven't found a worthy adversary to consider as your future bride by then, I will start making amends to name Lucas as the heir."

"You wouldn't dare," Lex challenged.

"Try me," his father taunted.  "I'm not asking you to find a bride in two weeks, Lex.  I just want proof that you'll at least try.  You have fourteen days, son.  Make use of it well."

Knowing that he had made his point, Lionel left the room to prepare for the upcoming festivities.