A/N: I own nothing but my car!
To my reviewer,
Yes, Kal-El absolutely would have told her about Cat Grant, had she bothered to ask him, but as the Heir Apparent, she chose to ignore his advice. Not even Kara is infallible to ignorance. :P
Second note: I am sorry for the wait, work has been driving me into the ground and now I am sick, but I am trying to keep up with my chapters. Thank you for your patience!
If Lena could raise her eyebrows any higher, they would be in Earth's orbit. Kara's apparent confusion seemed to stun even the redhead, Alex Danvers.
"Did the Prince not inform you?" Lena asked after a pause. Kara at least had the humility to look embarrassed by her slip. Truth be told, Kara never really asked Kal about his trip to Terra. He hardly offered any information other than his powers, their shared power. During a research endeavor, Kal-El's mission was simple. Blend in and report about the atmosphere and the yellow sun. This is how Kara knew to wear lead-lined glasses. Overstimulation from the immense noise of the city could be debilitating. It also helped her avoid seeing walking skeletons everywhere.
"In jeopardy of embarrassing myself further, I did not ask about Terra. His reports to me were strictly of a scientific nature, not the simple trivialities of humans. No offense." the Princess muttered, looking sheepishly at Alex over the rim of her glasses. The DEO agent paused, her mouth opening and closing for a minute. The question was on the tip of her tongue.
"How did you know of me and Hank?" she asked finally. Kara regarded her. Lena recognized that particular look of scrutiny. It was uncanny how similar her mother and the Princess resembled each other. Yes, they were mother and daughter, but they seemed so different in personality. The Princess is reserved, yet fierce. Her mother, the Queen however, is a different story.
"When I was last here, I was in an observational post. I did not interfere or engage with humans. I was not even exposed to the yellow sun, though Kal-El did tell me about the physiological effects he experienced. In order for me to remain in Terra's vicinity, I had to inform the DEO, inform the Director that I was observing, nothing nefarious. He spoke highly of you during your training. I believe it would be safe to assume he was proud. I was here several cycles ago. I suppose that would be roughly seventeen in Terra birth years." The Princess replied.
"If you were seventeen on Earth, I would have been at least twenty years old. I was still in training." Kara shrugged.
"You must have made an impression." she replied simply. A comfortable silence fell over the group. The Princess was not much of a sharer. She did not divulge information willingly, but when asked a direct question, she held no bars, told no lies. So when Lena spoke next, the Princess contemplated if a lie were necessary or perhaps an omission of truth.
"Princess, did you agree to marry me to spare my life?" Now Alex seemed rather interested in the conversation. She wasn't aware that this wedding could have been coerced. Between the two of them, their relationship seemed rather benevolent, amicable even. The Princess swallowed audibly. A lie would not do, by omission or not.
"If I were to tell you no, that would be a lie." she answered formally. "However, what began as a ruse to spare you from a cruel fate, resulted in the best friendship. I am honored to know you, Lena Luthor. I was forced to marry, but I am glad it is to you." Lena blinked several times. That was not the answer she had expected. Kryptonians were known to be truth-seeking, intelligent, and honest. They did dabble in omissions and half truths, but the Princess spoke so plainly, it touched the raven-haired woman deeply. Lena knew the blonde could hear her heart ramming against her ribcage.
"Care to elaborate?" Alex asked. Lena shook her head, her gaze falling towards her clasped hands. The Princess did not offer any information either, so Alex let the interrogation die for now.
"Well, Cat Grant is the person to see. If you need to spread news and quickly, it's through her. Though, you better get your story straight. A potentially coerced wedding isn't what the world wants to hear." Alex warned lowly. "She is in a tower just over the bridge, CatCo Worldwide Media. The name is on the side. You can't miss it."
"You're Princess Zor-El. The heir to the El throne on Krypton." The front desk receptionist at CatCo deadpanned. "Yeah, right. And I am the Queen of Sheba. Get lost, Barbie." The Princess furrowed her brows in confusion.
"I was not aware there are many monarchies on Terra." she replied stiffly. Lena, who still stood behind the tall blonde had to fight the laugh that bubbled up in her chest. She placed a hand on the Kryptonian's bicep. A move on Krypton would be seen as taboo and inappropriate. She felt the muscles under her hand tighten, and Lena had to swallow her nervousness back.
"Let me, Princess." The phrase passed through her lips so softly, the woman sitting behind the desk wouldn't have noticed, but the blonde turned her head to peer at Lena from over her shoulder. With a nod, she stepped to the side. Lena approached the white desk, confidence oozing from her. This is her element, commanding respect on Earth is her forte. Kara's Kryptonian upbringing is forced and polite. She struggles with humans, but luckily, the raven-haired Luthor isn't Kryptonian.
"Listen, Lisa is it? That's the name on your tag. I'll just go with that. Yes, I see you know exactly who I am, and I am pleased to think everyone on Earth suspects I died." She paused, looking at the fawning look of Lisa.
"The rumors are untrue and we demand an audience with Miss Grant. She is the only one who can help me, help us. Do you think you can do that for me?" Lena relished at the panic she saw in the poor woman's eye. It's good to know everyone assumes that Luthor is synonymous with murderer, but who is she to correct anyone? Especially if it's her gain.
"O-of course, Miss Luthor. I am so sorry." she fumbled with the phone, frantically dialing. Lena motioned to the Princess to sit with her in the waiting area. When she didn't move, the human grabbed her forearm. The blonde peered around, her head tilted towards the side.
"Princess, are you alright?" she asked softly, sensing the Princess was in some sort of distress. Kara spun, looking in a different direction with the same quizzical look. The blonde shook herself from her thoughts, turning to Lena.
"I.." Lena never knew the Princess to be at a loss for words. If she had nothing to say, she would say nothing. "I keep hearing an alarm. It is loud and revolving. Like an ebb and flow." Lena paused. The phones ringing, the honking of horns, the general sound of a lively city were normal, then she heard it.
"It's a fire truck, Princess. They put out fires or respond to car accidents." She answered easily, undisturbed. Blue eyes met green once again, she seemed in pain. The Princess knew of fire trucks. She never knew the sound could be so haunting.
"So someone could be hurt?" she asked innocently. Lena didn't know how to respond, instead she nodded.
"Could be, but we aren't here to help, Princess. We are here to talk to Cat Grant. Please, let's do that and go home." The Princess nodded weakly. As she sat on a chair that was far too soft, and smelled like Terra, it dawned on the Princess.
Lena thinks of Krypton as home and Kara could not help the involuntary smile that graced her lips.
The Princess looked at the wall of monitors all buzzing with a soft hum of electricity that Kara attributes to Terra now. She stood in front of a large white desk after Lena asked her to cease her pacing in fear of walking a rut into the floor. Something that the Princess could absolutely do under the power of a yellow sun.
"A little birdy told me Lena Luthor was alive and well. I had to see it with my own eyes, and she brought me a gift. A Kryptonian." A buttery voice from behind alerted Lena to Miss Grant. The Princess turned on her heel, facing the older blonde with interest.
"Your little bird is apparently the Queen of Sheba." Kara replies sharply, a twinkle in her blue eyes that tells the human she jests. Cat Grant chuckles lowly.
"And you are the Princess of the House of El. I assume you are related to Superman?" the blonde business woman asks in a bored tone as she takes a seat behind her desk. She perches spectacles on the bridge of her narrow nose and looks expectantly at the younger blonde.
"He is my cousin." The Princess replies proudly. Cat Grant snorts. "On Krypton, we could have cured your nearsightedness. No need for glasses." The Queen of All Media rolls her eyes, returning her attention to the papers on her desk. Lena had to bite her tongue. God, Cat Grant can be such a bitch sometimes.
"Why are you here, Kryptonian? Your kind abducted the most influential woman on Earth, presumed dead only to return a few months later, with her unharmed." The Princess' jaw flexed in obvious annoyance. When she didn't reply, the older woman snapped her eyes up to the pair sitting across from her.
"Do you even comprehend how she could help Earth? Imagine, a woman gifted in the sciences paving the way for young girls to achieve that as well." Kara stood abruptly, staring down at the CEO. At least Cat Grant had enough sense to shy away.
"I do. I may not understand Terra or its populus, but I understand how important it is for women to be seen as powerful. I know how the male population suppresses the female. I know how women have to fight harder, punch harder, work harder to succeed as half as well as their male counterparts. Lena has done all of that, with grace, mercy and kindness. I respect her for that. We came here to announce a union. Ours. To let Terrans know that we wish to be allies, not foes. We want to help, to spread our knowledge for your benefit, but if your kind is not ready, we will walk out of here." By the time the Princess had finished her speech, Lena could see her chest heaving with passion and frustration. The Princess rarely displayed emotion, so the reaction momentarily gave Lena a pause. Cat Grant smirked, flipping the folder on her desk closed.
"I'm listening. Do you mind if I record this?"