Chapter 12
Lex and Chloe were woken the next morning by the loud pounding of drums, pots, and pans outside the tepee. They both watched in horror as a hand reached inside the flap and found the knot holding it shut. A small blade appeared and the flap flew open. It wasn't even sunrise yet and they couldn't see who was entering in the dim light and darkness.
Lex shot to his feet, despite being naked, looking for his weapons. Chloe scrambled to find her clothes, the blanket wrapped around her body. Lex was cornered by three large men. Each one grabbed for him and he fought back. His fist lashed out and hit one fellow in the face, while his foot slammed down on someone's foot. His elbow ricocheted off the punch he had made, to slam into someone's belly.
He did all of that in a few quick motions, but froze when he heard one of his "attackers" grunt out his name, after he hit someone in the stomach.
"Clark?..." Lex asked incredulously, his body still posed for a fight.
"Jeez Lex, I feel bad for Chloe. Does she get this kind of treatment when she wakes you up?" Lex recognized Bruce's voice, who seemed to find the situation more humorous than the other two.
"If one of you is Bruce, and one of you is Clark, who is the third one?" Lex asked spinning in the direction of the silent lurker.
"That would be me my boy…" Lionel's voice came out sounding pinched and hollow… He must be holding his nose, which would be bleeding pretty profusely if Lex had hit him properly.
"What are you doing here!" Lex shouted
"Well you see it is tradition…"
"Your father said that you…"
"I just wanted to be a pain…"
"…believe you punched me…"
"…can't see the bride before..."
"…think you are a little hyper…"
All three of them were talking at once and Lex was getting a headache. He gripped the sides of his head in frustration, just as a dressed Chloe pressed against his side, handing him his loincloth. He nodded gratefully and quickly tied it around his hips, even as the other three continued talking.
"…going to look when I show up with a black eye at your…"
"…think I'm going to be sick. You hit me hard in the…"
"…be limping around for a day, because you are paranoid…"
"...hope Lillian can fix this before the ceremony…"
"…and she will give me a yucky root I have to eat"
"…should kick you ass, first you steal my girl, now you…."
"ENOUGH!" Lex shouted, wincing as the sound echoed slightly in the tepee, making his ear ring.
"Let me see if I have this right. Father, you told them that you were coming in here to stop me from seeing the bride today before the wedding, and I am sure Lillian can fix your nose and give you something to put on your eye." Lex was slightly calmed by Chloe's hand stroking along his spine and he was able to speak rationally. Lionel stopped grumbling once his concerns had been addressed, but the other two were still mumbling about their hurts.
"Bruce, I'm not sorry I slammed on your foot, because you came in her just to be a bother. And I am not paranoid!" Bruce quieted down and now it was just Clark…who was mostly talking to himself.
"Clark, I am sorry I hit you in the belly, and that you now have to get Lillian to give you some foul tasting concoction." Clark settled down and they were all silent for a minute.
"What were you going to do with Lex?" Chloe was the one that broke the silence with her question.
Lionel spoke, "We were just going to carry him off and make him take a bath before the wedding, and that would give you time to get yourself ready… Lillian and some other women are waiting outside…"
"I don't need a bath, Father… I am clean and I bath daily, I don't need you to remind me…" Lex grumbled petulantly. He was upset that his father implied that he stank, right in front of his bride.
"I know son… I just want to be a good father and this is what fathers do." Lionel said it like it was a fact, which it wasn't. Fathers didn't do this, Lionel did… But Lex wasn't about to tell him that. Ever since Lionel's wife had died, he had been overly affectionate and smothering with his two sons. Lex wasn't going to hurt his father, despite the bloody nose.
Lex was still grumbling about the ruin of his sleepy morning with Chloe, when she put her hand on his arm and spoke softly in his ear.
"If you just go with them, things will be faster and smoother… And I will have time to get dressed, like your father said."
Lex sighed then nodded and began shoving the other men out of the tepee. They laughed and good naturedly let themselves be herded out. When they were all out, Lillian and some other matronly women, and a small orphan girl who was tucked against one woman's skirts, pushed past them with shakes of their heads at how men handled things.
Lex laughed when Lillian ignored his father and two friends' pleas of help. The other three men punched each other on the shoulders and patted each other on the backs. Clark picked up a small basket and they all strolled towards the river.
Inside the tepee
Lillian was introducing the women; there were three of them, and the little girl who was one of the women's granddaughters. The girl was yawning slightly, and Chloe laughed when the grandmother told her how the little girl refused to let her grandmother leave with out her. She thought it was some sort of party and she wanted to play too.
Lillian asked Chloe what kind of gifts Lex had given her and Chloe carefully unfolded the white jerkin from the top of one of the baskets. All the women immediately agreed that it was the perfect wedding dress. So with a few buckets of water the elderly women washed Chloe, who was supremely embarrassed.
They sent the young girl, Amelia, to get the flowers they showed her so that while the women did her hair they could talk to her… you know TALK…
"Now Chloe, you know that on your wedding night certain things are expected of you…" One of the women started.
Lillian quickly hushed her and started herself. "Chloe I know you and Lex have been together at night, so I don't think we need to bore you with the details…. If what I've seen of Lex is accurate then you probably know more than we do at this point." She whispered conspiratorially. Chloe had turned the same red as a desert paintbrush flower((very red.. ;) ))
"But that is neither here nor there… What I think you need to know is about pregnancy and babies. When a man, um… has his release, he ejects a sort of.. fluid." Lillian was having some embarrassing trouble with the terminology, but continued anyway, "When he is inside you the fluid is what makes a baby. So if you don't want babies, make sure that he doesn't… spill his fluid inside you… Alright?" Lillian asked.
Chloe just nodded quickly glad it was over. They had flipped and tucked and twirled her hair into a cute little half up half down concoction, and were almost done when Amelia came back in. She was carrying all the flowers they had asked her to get.. In fact she was carrying more. The little girl had her arms filled with the flowers and her cheeks were flushed when she carefully dumped them next to where Chloe was sitting.
"Is that enough?" She asked softly.
Chloe smiled and stroked her hand over the girl's soft dark head. "That's perfect, you did a great job…"
The little girl grinned widely and she promptly sat down next to the blonde, yawning again While the older women quickly tucked the flowers in her blonde locks. They finished and were getting the bouquet ready when a soft tap and whistle came from the door of the tepee. Chloe jumped, and Lillian answered for the poor startled girl.
"Yes?"
"Lillian, it's me, Lex. Is Chloe ready yet? I don't think I can fend off my father, Bruce, and Clark any longer." Lex sounded slightly panicked.
Suddenly they heard the three crooning about how Lex should tuck flowers in his vest and make a garland for his head. Lillian gave Chloe a long look, and glanced pityingly at the flap, before she called out.
"Yes, Lex, she is ready…"
"Oh good…" Lex started to pull on the flap to open the door into the tepee, when suddenly he was yanked back. The women inside could hear him cursing as the other three scuffled with him, dragging him away from the tent and out of the village to the area that had been chosen as the wedding site.
The women laughed as Lillian thrust the flowers into Chloe's hands, Amelia gathering up the rest and scampering out to spread the flowers on the hill top path where Chloe would be walking. The same hill where she and Lex had first made love. Chloe wanted to walk quickly but Lillian and the others wouldn't let her, as they took hold of her elbows.
They made her walk slowly, which was probably giving Lex's father, Bruce, and Clark more time to torment him, but they didn't seem to care. They were worried she might fall and get her dress dirty or she would mess up her hair.
When they finally got there Lionel was happily plucking petals from some flowers he had stolen from Amelia, and throwing them on Lex. Lex had his arms crossed over his chest and was not even fighting any more. But once he saw Chloe he hissed out a command for Lionel to stop, and brushed himself off.
Amelia had spread most of the flowers in a semi-straight line heading for the top of the hill, and towards Lex. A few were scattered under and around his feet. Gabe stood smiling down at the women as they approached and gave Lionel, Bruce, and Clark the word to behave. They did with some grumbling, but Lionel still beamed like a little child.
Lillian and the older women told Chloe to wait there until they got up to Gabe and the other men. Chloe was shifting impatiently but a stern look from Lillian stopped her from just walking up the 'aisle' with them. When they reached the front, Lillian and Gabe motioned her forward with happy smiles, Although Lillian frowned Slightly at how fast she was walking.
Lex couldn't care less. All he saw was how beautiful Chloe was and that she was getting within grabbing distance, so he could haul her against him and kiss her. When he moved forward slightly, Bruce and Clark jerked him back by his upper arms. He growled softly under his breath but submitted as they chuckled.
When Chloe reached him Lillian had to direct her to stand next to him and not jump on him. They hadn't practiced after all. Lex and Chloe grinned at each other, speaking when prodded by one side or the other.
Gabe finished with a soft prayer to the gods.
"Oh High Ones, let these young people be granted many years together. Let their laughter fill the wind, let their love spread into the hearts around them, and let their children populate the earth."
Lex coughed slightly and Chloe blushed, while Clark and Bruce nudged each other silently laughing. Gabe gave them a stern look before continuing.
"I pray that you grant them peace and longevity, health and happiness, and the wisdom to know how to spend the rest of their days… Together. Now that your love has been affirmed by the gods of all that we know, may you go out and live your lives in harmony. Though you are different people, your love makes you one. From this day forward, into the eternal abyss, Chloe will be Lex's wife, and Lex will be Chloe's husband. Go with the gods and know that you are always watched over by them."
Gabe finished slowly, nodding to Lex and Chloe. Lex immediately leaned down to kiss Chloe, wrapping his arms around her and hauling her into his arms. Just as an axe whizzed through where she had been standing.
The women started screaming, and Lex immediately pushed Chloe onto her stomach on the ground, crouching above her. She was panting in sudden fear, her body trembling as it went into shock. She had just been married and she had just had someone try to kill her, a lot to take in for Chloe. Lex glanced down at her in worry but he didn't have time to reassure her, he would rather have her alive and slightly panicked, than dead and calm.
When soft cursing sounded and another axe came from the same distance, this time aimed at Clark. Lex saw Nell, and called a quick warning to Clark.
"Clark, your back!"
Clark spun and caught the axe handle in his hands, spinning it in a well practiced move and sending it hurling back with double the force it had been sent. Lex heard Nell scream and turned in time to see her try to duck. It had been aimed at her chest, but her movement made it hit her in the collar bone, breaking it as it sliced through her flesh. A long wail echoed in the air, and Chloe shuddered under the hand Lex had pressing between her shoulder blades, keeping her on the ground.
Clark and Bruce were quickly running to see if Nell was dead. When they called back to Lex that it was safe, he quickly turned Chloe over and gathered her shaking body into his arms. Walking with an angry stride, he jerked to a stop in front of Nell's face. Her eyes were open and she could see him, even as she bled her life out into the grass.
The sun rose, lighting Lex from behind making him look like a dark avenging angel, with the small golden girl in his arms. Lex handed Chloe to Bruce and crouched down next to Nell's head whispering word of death, and hell, and the punishment she would receive from the gods. When she summoned enough energy to try and spit at him, it just ran down her cheek.
Lex stood and delivered a swift kick to her head, killing her. If she died of a broken neck, the sudden blow of his foot against her head, or the axe stuck in her body precariously close to her neck, Lex didn't care. He stood over her as her pulse stopped and her eyes glazed over lightly.
Satisfied that she was dead he turned back to Bruce who obligingly handed Chloe back into his arms. Brushing his hands down her arms he realized how cold her skin was. Glancing at her face, he gasped seeing her blue lips and glazed eyes. He looked around in panic for Lillian. She was crouched on the ground with the other women, Gabe huddling with them protectively.
Lex ran over, stumbling and dropping to his knees next to Lillian.
"Lillian! Something is wrong with Chloe…. Help me!" He yelled as he cradled the cold body against his.
Lillian shot up and crawled over quickly on her old knees, and pressed her hands to Chloe's pulse, her eyes scanning quickly.
"Lex get her back to the tepee, and fast. When you get there wrap her up in as many blankets as you can find, and rub her arms and legs roughly. I'll try to get there as fast as I can…" Lillian instructed quickly and Lex shot to his feet shakily and ran back to the tepee, Bruce and Clark running with him.
Lionel had stayed with the older people and was heading back at a slower but still hurried pace. Gabe was going to tell Chief Henry what had happened, while Lillian and the others would head directly to the tepee, and Gabe would follow as quickly as he could.
Lex followed Lillian's directions and he, Bruce, and Clark were rubbing Chloe's skin vigorously. When the older people arrived, the women quickly began helping while Lionel paced, his hand running through his hair in distress.
Lillian quickly examined Chloe after she arrived, and carefully offered her water. When Chloe had drank some, and her pale skin had gained some color again, her lips no longer blue, and her eyes not washed out and glazed, she seemed to wake up out of a fog.
"Lex..?" She mumbled, and he immediately moved up to the side of her head, stroking her now mussed blonde hair back over her forehead.
"Yeah Baby?" He muttered against her skin, carefully breathing in her scent as he pressed his face to her cheek and neck.
"If that awful woman made me ruin my dress, I am never going to make you kill her." She muttered sleepily, her eyelids fluttering. Lillian made a few quick motions and Lex realized he had to keep her awake. Patting her cheek a little roughly he laughed, the tension easing from his body slightly.
"Baby, you have to stay awake." Lex kissed her nose lightly, "And if your dress is ruined, I will get you another one…"
"So you won't kill her? Lex it won't be the same, I love this dress… I got married in it…" She whimpered dejectedly, and her hand rose, shaking, to press against the side of his face. Lex caught her small fingers in his and pressed them tightly to his heart, which was still pounding.
"No Baby… I don't need to kill her, she is already dead." He murmured softly in her ear, lying down next to her, while the others continued to rub her skin, keeping her blood moving. They were slowing in speed and intensity, letting her body take over as it recovered.
"I should feel bad about that shouldn't I? But I don't… Does that make me a terrible person Lex?" Chloe asked suddenly worried that he would be upset with her for not caring. She clung to him as her mind slowly left the fog it was in, her thoughts somewhat irrational.
"No. You shouldn't feel bad at all… She tried to kill you, so you can fell however you want. You can even hate her… May the gods grant me mercy but I hate her even now as she lies dead." Lex whispered as his heart slowing and his breathing returning to normal.
"Okay…" She smiled and nuzzled him. "What happened Lex… Where am I?" She tried to sit up, but quickly became dizzy and lay back down. Lex looked over at Lillian expectantly.
"Chloe hun, you went into shock. Your brain was shutting off your body in a survival instinct. You might have died though… You should be alright in a few more minutes." Lillian turned to Lex and gave him a nodd. "You can let her sleep now if you want. We will leave, but your father and Bruce are going to stay outside and make sure you both are left alone. Clark and the rest of us are going to see Henry."
Lillian herded every one out and Lionel told Lex how glad he was that Chloe was alive. He hadn't known her long but he could tell she would be good for Lex and the Luthor tribe. She was a breath of fresh air, that they all needed. He left and Lex was struck by how much he loved his father.
Lex settled his body next to a blanket wrapped Chloe. Tucking her tightly against him and checking to see that the blankets were tight and covered her sufficiently, he settled against a pillow. Chloe's head was resting on his shoulder and he whispered his love to her as she fell asleep. Lex stayed awake for a half an hour just watching her breathe, making sure she still was alive and semi-well, before he could let himself relax enough to sleep.