LoisNClark4Ever: Aww.. thanks! It's funny how you put the word 'games' in your comment, and after you read this chapter you'll realize what I mean :) And yes, it might not be stated outright in the story but only hinted at, but the General really did send Lois to Metropolis to find a husband. Like what Chloe said in the last chapter, the General can definitely ask others with better means to search for Lucy. The General is sneaky :)
Eleid: Thank you! And I'm sorry you feel that way about Clark, but while it was implied that he was sleeping around, in this story (and in my mind), when Lana was his mistress, he was 'faithful' to her so to speak. And that comment about 'swapping lady friends with Bruce', it was more of a jab from AC because Bruce teased the married guys. But really, thank you for letting me know how you feel :) hope you still like the story :)
4evrclois: Thank you for leaving a comment! And let's see where my fingers take me, with regards to the Clark-Lois-Bruce triangle ;)
clarkfan325: Thank you! And you don't have to wait too long for the Clois meet! :)
Hotchocolate329: Thanks for leaving a comment! Hope you like the next chapter :)
Justclois: Thank you :) The next chapter is here and I hope you like it!
razorstar90: Thank you! I hope now is soon enough! Lol
Without further ado, here is the next chapter of No Other You :)
Chapter 3
Lois sat still, her assigned maid arranging her hair. She might kill Chloe for persuading, no, threatening her, to attend the masquerade ball she and her husband were hosting tonight. She reasoned that she still has to search for Lucy, but Chloe pointed out that searching at this particular time was not a job for a lady, and that one night of merriment would not hurt their chances of finding Lucy, as Oliver already had men up and about.
As her maid pulled and twisted her hair in what impossible position it has to stay put in, Lois remembered the disastrous seasons she has had.
She never was interested in going to Metropolis for the season. What she was interested in was exploring the world outside Fort Ryan, and while Metropolis was one of those places, the reason she wanted to visit was not because of husband hunting.
The first time she was sent over to Metropolis, she thought that her father finally gave her permission she so wanted most of her life, but it turned out to be the opposite. Strong personalities clashed, but in the end, love and respect for her father won out. Grudgingly, she packed her bags and headed to Metropolis, but it was the only thing she would do willingly.
After her first social gathering two men called on her, and incidentally, one of them was Oliver. Neither interested her, and she was ecstatic to find out that Oliver only called on her because he wanted to meet Chloe.
Chloe never had a season, having been in an arranged marriage with the heir of the Olsen fortune. Married at a young age, Lois was witness to how the two fell in love at first sight, and she was also witness to the heartbreak her cousin experienced at losing her husband at an early stage of their marriage, succumbing to a strange malady that no doctor could identify.
Lois and Oliver shared the same interests, and they have become instant friends. And seeing Oliver's intense interest in Chloe, Lois knew that he was the cure for her misfortune. Every one who was probably interested in Lois backed off, misinterpreting their rides in the park and him calling on her everyday, not knowing Oliver was already in love with her cousin.
So, the season passed, and she returned to Fort Ryan still single.
The second season, some were still interested, but after a story went around at how one of her suitors ended up tied to a tree for almost half a day, the interested were suddenly uninterested.
The third season, she did not even try. No one approached her. The lack of callers was most welcome for Lois. It was then that her father gave up on sending her to every season from then on.
Everything went in a blur. The maid, seemingly satisfied with her creation, had told her that it was time to dress. She hated this, all those layers, when in Fort Ryan she can go about her day clothed in a man's shirt and breeches, and nobody would ever call her upon it. Probably except her father's high society friends.
Upon finishing her attire, Chloe came inside, looking magnificent in her pale green gown. She gasped when she saw Lois. "Oh my, you look splendid!" She then turned to the maid. "You did a great job, Marie."
The maid seemed to bask in her mistress' compliment. Handing the domino to Lois, she nodded once and after asking permission, left the room, leaving Chloe circling Lois, inspecting her from head to toe.
"Marie is fantastic. You look astounding." Chloe gushed again.
Lois just rolled her eyes. "If not for your arm twisting, I would be in your library scouring your books." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "The marvelous time I would have had in that paradise."
Chloe clucked her tongue and grabbed Lois' arm, leading her outside going towards the ballroom. "I could not wait to introduce you to everybody. They will all love you."
Lois noticed the stress Chloe put on the word 'love', but she let it go. "You seem to forget that I have a reputation among the men."
"Pssh." Chloe waved her hand, as if that 'reputation' can be warded off. "That was ages ago. I am certain that everything was forgotten already."
"I sincerely doubt that." Lois said. "I do not think Lord Sacks forgave me after the, what did he call it, the humiliation he suffered in my hands." And without remorse Lois gave out a laugh, and Chloe could not help but join her.
"Well, I do believe Lord Sacks deserved it. Especially after you told me what he tried to do."
"All in the past." Lois then stopped, not really wanting to enter the ballroom. "You think I can stay in your library? They would not want me in there, believe me."
Chloe just smiled. "Alright, but promise me that you will let me introduce you to everyone I know inside."
Lois jaw dropped. "But that would take forever!"
"Exactly."
"Love, where is Lois?"
Chloe gave out a sigh. Her cousin managed to get away from her clutches. Dinner has just finished, and everyone was in the ballroom, dancing and mingling. "She is probably in the library."
Oliver gave her a quizzical look. "I do not think so. That was where I just came from and unless Lois can turn invisible, I did not leave anyone inside."
"I just checked her room, and she was not there. I wonder where she'd gone."
Oliver smiled. "Still hoping you will win that horse from Clark?"
"I honestly do not care about the horse," she said initially, but then admitted, "But it is a welcome factor in our bet." Craning her neck, Chloe glanced about, scanning the crowd.
Chloe did not need the unmasking to know some of the faces under the dominos and the masks. On one corner was Lord Allen, who was busy wooing the daughter of Lord West. She also recognized Lord Sacks, sharing whispers with Lady Buxton, her husband already passed out in the hallway. And who could mistake that fiery red hair, Lady Maxima of Almerac, who was trying valiantly to catch the Clark's attention, who was seemingly indifferent to her advances.
Chloe watched intently as Clark tried to detach himself from her, and he finally succeeded when one young Lord asked Lady Maxima for a dance. Etiquette forbade her to turn down the invitation and she resentfully took the Lord's hand as he led her to the dance floor.
It was not long after that Clark has spotted them and made a beeline towards them. Chloe smiled. Clark looked completely bored. If only she knew where Lois was.
"Great party, as usual." Clark greeted.
"And I can very much see that you are enjoying it." Chloe answered.
Clark gave his most charming smile, and lied through his teeth. "I am."
Oliver laughed, knowing his wife was losing yet another bet. "Well, feel free to roam around."
"You can find me in the game room. Maybe there I can stumble on some entertainment."
Chloe and Oliver watched Clark leave towards the game room, and then he looked at her knowingly. "The horse would cost a fortune."
Chloe sighed. "True." But something inside her was still adamant that the bet was already won by Clark. "But I still have faith." She said resolutely. If only she felt as confident as she sounded.
Clark was surprised when he opened the door to the game room. He knew that Oliver sets up at least four card tables, but at present three of them are empty. Apparently, only one table has everyone's attention.
His curiosity piqued, Clark leaned against the corner nearest the said table, and observed the thick crowd surrounding it. Cheers and jeers were mightily evident, and from what he was hearing, they were all rooting for one player.
One man sliced his way through the throng of men away from the table, and from the looks of him, he was a player and had lost quite a sum. Clark straightened up, wanting to take a crack at who seemed to be a card master, when he was intrigued by the mumbling he heard from the defeated lord.
"Damned girl. Should be at home knitting and sewing."
Clark's eyebrows shot up to his forehead, and he was now more steadfast in joining the game. Carefully parting the crowd, he reached the table and found out that nobody replaced the grumbling lord. He was shocked however, when opposite the empty chair was a lady, dressed in a deep blue gown with matching domino, her winnings evident that she was the cause of consternation of the players.
Feeling the last ebb of boredom leave him, he sat down, ready at the amusement this card game might bring him. "Clark Kent, Duke of Metropolis." He announced, throwing away the rules of Oliver and Chloe's masquerade. "The game is?"
A raised eyebrow from the lady in front of him met his declaration. "Poker."
Clark nodded. An unusual choice, but he knew the game and its rules, having played it almost everyday during one of his missions for the King.
The lady passed the deck of cards to him, and Clark expertly shuffled and dealt them. He was confident, he was good at this, but he still needed to assess his opponents' strengths and weaknesses.
It was apparent that the lady was a threat to his pockets, and he could not help but be astonished at the skill she was displaying. Clark was just playing the field at first so to speak, losing straight games purposely, and she was thoroughly enjoying adding to her winnings. Her strategy at playing the game illustrated a brilliant mind, and he vowed to himself to learn more about the lady.
The first time he won, a scowl marred her mouth, which inexplicably made him stare at it. He shook his head, surprise at the stirrings of attraction he was feeling, and from a scowl at that.
After a few more games, and almost half of her earlier prize transferred to his side of the table, her whole face, or at least the parts not hidden by the domino, showed complete determination and resolve. But he found out one quirk of her: ever since he started winning and she would get a good hand, she would bite the corner of her lip. He pushed back the thought that he wanted to bite it for her.
And the wins were now split between the two of them. The other two players already left the table, but no one took their spots. It was between the lady and the duke, but Clark still has not heard a word from her. Clark decided it was time.
"I definitely have to know the name of my esteemed opponent." Clark said, asking for two cards.
"You wish."
Clark raised an eyebrow. "The lady does not wish to talk."
His opponent pursed her lips. "What I wish is to play. I'd rather my hand," she tilted her cards towards him slightly. "Do the talking."
A full blown smile graced his lips. "As you can see on my side here, I would say that your hand is now pretty quiet."
Her jaw dropped, and those hazel eyes narrowed at him. "Was that a taunt to my style of play?"
"Most definitely not." He put ten more chips in the middle, and she did the same. "In all honesty, count me as one of your admirers. You have great skill."
"Great skill for a woman?"
"Great skill period." Clark could see that his comment greatly pleased her. "It would not matter if you are man or woman. Your greatest merit is your brain, and I for one acknowledge it regardless of your gender."
Clark heard murmurings from their audience, as if disagreeing with him, but one look from her effectively silenced the room. If it was possible, his smile grew more.
"Poker is hardly a measure of intelligence." She finished, laying down her cards.
Clark laid down his cards down as well. She won this game. "True, but with you, I think we are just scratching the surface."
The woman in front of him eyed him quizzically. "Are you reeling me in with these compliments so you can trounce me soundly?"
Clark gave out a laugh and leaned forward. "Would that be so bad?"
"Yes." She said heatedly. "I do not like losing."
"Let us raise the stakes, then. Beating me would be a nice feather in your cap, you reckon?"
She tilted her head, again biting the corner of her lip. "All in?"
"And more."
The hums and mumbles of the crowd grew louder, but she was unperturbed.
"If I win, you have to spend the rest of this ball with me," Some men smirked, which made Clark add. "With a chaperone of course."
She just nodded. "And if I win, I would get to visit that renowned stable of yours, which I believe only gets to be visited by a small number of people."
The lady drove a hard bargain. It was true, only his closest friends ever get to visit it. He never really considered his stable 'renowned' or 'legendary' as some even put it, but when even the King himself mentioned that the Duke's horses were better than his, the reputation grew. That it was not open to the upper crust further fueled the tale. He just enjoyed his privacy, especially when it involved something he truly loved, like horses and riding.
Clark eyed her carefully. All in. And more. "Deal." He extended out a hand, and she met him halfway. A tingling sensation went through his entire body, and it reinforced his earlier decision to bait her into this last game of all or nothing. This is a must win.
Lois lifted the edge of the two cards dealt to her. She mentally punched the air above her head. A straight flush. She became excited at the thought of visiting that heavenly stable.
She really did not understand why she agreed to the raised stakes. It was inexplicable, even to her, the magnetic pull the duke has on her. It was potent. The moment he sat down, he exuded confidence that it was impossible not to be drawn in. And she admitted to herself, his lack of prejudice was a breath of fresh air.
Sensing he was ready, Lois gave a nod and both of them turned their cards over. But what she thought was a sure triumph vanished when she saw what the duke's hand was.
"Royal Flush." He said with a smile, as the crowd around them erupted.
It was as if Lois was doused with cold water. She did not know which annoyed her more: that she lost or that all the men inside the room were happy that she lost.
A low curse escaped her lips, and it did not escape the duke's notice, as she heard him chuckle. "My lady, we have a ball to attend to." He stood up and extended his hand.
A deal was a deal. The money was no issue, she only lost a pittance. But she was disappointed because she definitely wanted to see his magnificent horses. But maybe, just maybe, she can convince him to let her visit his stable.
And she had to admit to herself: the notion of being by the duke's side for the rest of the masquerade sent a shot of thrill through her. It was going to be a long and probably an eventful night.
And there you go! I did some research and it was a stretch putting poker in this timeline, but I liked how Smallville made Lois a good poker player, so I also put it here :) again, sorry for the mistakes.
Your comments and reviews are most welcome. love you lots! :)