A/N: Hey all! Again, I own nothing but my ideas and my car. Your support has kept me going. The follows, the favorites, and reviews have kept me afloat with this story, so thank you.
The wind whistled past her ears as she fell. Lena gasped, but air entered her lungs rapidly, painfully expanding on their own volition. Then there was the Princess, she fell towards the ground on her back. She was unconscious and Lena didn't know what to do. Her hand was outstretched towards the tumbling blonde.
"Kara!" she cried, "Kara!"
"Kara!" Lena screamed. She sat up in bed, chest heaving with the effort to breathe. She gripped her wrist. The pulse point she found there beat erratically. She's alive. Thank God for small mercies, she thought bitterly.
"It was just a dream." she whispered. At least the ground didn't try to swallow her up this time. The bright Red sunlight indicated it was morning, so the Princess would not be in her chambers right now. To her left on the stand next to the bed, was a message disk. Kara had left her a note, it seems. Everything on Krypton was futuristic, including a simple note. She leaned over to pick it up, pressing her thumb to the center of the disk that resembled more of a hockey puck than a disk, but she wouldn't correct the Kryptonians. These things were biometric. Only the recipient can hear the message. The image of Kara popped up, and for a brief moment, Lena allowed herself to smile. It reminded her of Star Wars when Leia would ask for Obi Wan's help. Kara has taught her much, maybe Lena could introduce her to the movies she found solace in.
"Lena, I will be with Mother for some time today. I am sorry we cannot have our morning breakfast, however in the Dining Hall, there will be some prepared for you if you so wish. I even acquired potatoes, thanks to Hank and Alex. I believe they call them 'fried garlic potatoes.' You do not have to go, but it would bring me joy knowing you are taking care of yourself as you did for me back on Terra. I will see you for lunch." Lena replayed the message several times, just to hear the blonde Princess speak. It always fascinated her that English is her second language. It's evident in the direct and formal way she speaks. It's textbook, measured, and proper. The blonde has an accent that sounds like a mix of several on Earth and it will fascinate the raven-haired inventor to no end. She hardly speaks Kryptonese around Lena and for that, Lena is grateful. Perhaps it is time she learned theirs and to do that, she needs to return to the whistling flowers. After breakfast of course.
xxSGxxSGxxSGxx
Lena faced the flowers. It is one of the few things she truly is fascinated with. She should take a sample. Maybe there are some medicinal properties that can be used on Earth.
"I have heard your summons for an audience, Luthor. What can I help you with?" Lena turned to face the owner of the voice.
"Your Highness, I have a request. I hope I don't ask for much, or overstep." she starts. Lena was wringing her hands, a nervous habit her Mother tried to quite literally beat out of her. Lionel never saw, maybe he knew but didn't care. Lex however, was kind. He always treated her injuries from their mother's hand.
"I want to learn your language. It's unfair to Kara to speak English because of me. I want to learn, I need to. Please, Prince." she asked Kal-El plainly, lacking mirth. Kal-El tilted his head to the side, studying the human. God, does everyone in this House have the same scrutinizing stare? It's unnerving. Kal-El's lips twitched into a tentative smile.
"I figured you would. Your file indicated a thirst for knowledge. A trait that Kryptonians admire. I can see the usefulness such an endeavor would bring. Nonetheless, I already have a linguist on standby. He will tutor you. He is my cousin on my mother's side." Lena, despite her reservations for the Man of Steel, allowed her own smile to grace her features. She should ask him about his own parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. It occurred to her she never had and Lena wishes to change that. Instead, she bowed low, a sign of respect.
"Thank you, Your Highness." she replied, erecting to her full height. But Kal-El was already gone.
"You have progressed faster than I had anticipated." Her tutor, Korj-Van, spoke. She replied in Kryptonese, a move that pleased her tutor. It had been just over a week since her lessons began, and even though she was not from here, she knew she progressed further than Korj-Van expected. She could see the thinly veiled respect reflecting in his green eyes.
"Your pronunciation needs work, but you do have the basics down. I did not expect this amount of dedication. You are ready for lesson four: Pronunciation and Intention." And so it began.
"Again." he would bark until she was able to say it correctly. He circled her, unnerving her. It was a move that reminded her of the Queen. Maybe that was his intention. He wanted to unnerve her, make her stumble. She would never give him the satisfaction. Once said correctly, he stood in front of her, leaning down into her space. He smiled and Lena let out a sigh of relief.
"Excellent, Terran. Tomorrow, Lesson five." Lena watched him turn around, gathering his crystals in a hard travel case.
"Korj-Van. I understand there are-" He held up a hand, stopping her sentence effectively. He turned, folding his arms in front of him, his sandy blonde hair fell slightly into his face.
"In my tongue, Human." Korj-Van said simply. So she groaned. They hadn't discussed phrases pertaining to Kryptonian customs, so she wracked her brain.
"Can you teach me Kryptonian vows?" She asked finally in his tongue. Or so she thought. The man laughed a deep belly laugh.
"You want me to teach you Kryptonian…what?" he asked in English between his amused laughter.
"Vows." she gritted out. Lena knew she butchered the fuck out of that word, and he rolled his eyes.
"The way you are saying it, sounds like sex or mating." he answered and Lena felt her face flame up in embarrassment. "But I know what you are trying to say. Yes, I can teach you the vow we make to Rao, our sun god. I could also teach you what is expected on the wedding night too if you need." He asked, humor clearly evident. She scoffed.
"That's what datacrystals are for, Korj-Van. Those particular ones may be caked in a layer of dust, but I don't need help in that aspect." she hissed, still feeling the sting of embarrassment in her being. Korj-Van held his hands up in surrender. He knew she would not be able to find the datacrystals, but made no comment to correct it.
"Understood. Offer is still there. I am mated too, you are aware. I could help you prepare." He offered kindly. Lena shook her head.
"Thank you for your kind offer." Korj-Van nodded. He scratched at the scruff on his chin, a rather boyish habit. It reminds her that nonverbal cues are almost universal amongst bipeds it seems.
"I should go. T-minus 10 days until that day." she said stiffly, realizing rapidly how nervous she truly was. Once left alone in the safety of the Princess' chambers, Lena let out a shaky breath.
She was marrying Kara Zor-El. She was marrying The Princess and Lena had no Earthly idea what to do on the night they got married. Lena scoffed. It wouldn't be Earthly, she reasoned. She should ask Kara, but Lena did not want to make the blonde uncomfortable.
"Hello Lena. What is bothering you?" The Princess asked, from her desk. Lena didn't notice her at first, so the voice startled her.
"Nothing." She replied quickly. They both knew she lied, and the blonde rolled her head towards her, suspicion evident in her clear baby blues. Her gaze leveled the human.
"El Mayarah." Damn her and her stupid fucking intuition. Lena groaned, flopping rather undignified onto her bed. She heard the blonde chuckle. After their trip to Earth, Kara seems to understand her human behavior better. The Princess seemed more at ease with their budding friendship. Lena is being foolish. Kara would rather Lena to speak her mind and be uncomfortable than for the raven-haired woman to bottle it in. Lena rolled to her side to face the blonde. She peered at her curiously. Damn her, indeed.
"Princess, what is expected of me the night we wed?" she asked in a flurry. Kara's brow furrowed in the adorable way that indicated she did not understand. Kara pivoted on her chair to face the distressed human, giving her undivided attention. Perhaps she could ask in Kryptonese. She repeated her question, this time in Kara's tongue. The blonde's golden brows shot up in surprise.
"You said that in Kryptonese." she said softly after a moment. Lena faltered, not expecting the blonde's reaction to be timid.
"I-well yes. I did. I have a tutor." If Kara was touched, she didn't show it. Instead, she stood and crossed the room to sit on the edge of her own bed.
"Well, to answer your question, nothing that you do not wish for. What is expected and what is done are two different things. What is expected is the mating ritual. We become one under Rao's light atop the Sacred Cliffside. It is not in any datacrystal. It is a rather archaic tradition fostered from our time when we were enslaved by the Vrangs. It was our way to prove our strength, resilience, and ingenuity to our mate. I believe onTerra, it would be like survival of the fittest. The path went through the jungle around the Fire Falls, which host a variety of deadly species. Now we can take short-ranged shuttles. No need to trek through the jungle. We camp at the highest peak, presumed to consummate our union. However, we do not need to. We do, however, need to go to the Sacred Cliffside. It is a tradition I always loved hearing about." The Princess answered, a certain fondness on her features softened her expression.
Lena felt the smile that threatened to tug at her own lips.
"Tell me about the Fire Falls." She nearly whispered, and the spark in The Princess' eye was worth the query. As Kara explained its history and its significance with such fervor, neither noticed the Queen hovering outside the doorway that Lena left open.
A/N: Again, thank you for your patience. I know the next chapter is going to be difficult to write due to some personal issues I am experiencing at the moment, so it may take a moment for me to write it out. I apologize.