SV Fic: Of Gods and Butterflies (AU!Chlark), CONCLUSION
This is it, yay!! *Tosses confetti*
The final chapters of my AU!Chlark fic based on the classic story of Cupid and Psyche.
Once again, thanks to ellyfanfiction for getting me to post this, and also to worias for the lovely banner. :)
The whole fic is rated adult, although these concluding parts qualify as PG-13.
You can read the whole fic starting here. Links to later chapters are in each post.
Read the last chapter here. The two chapters before that are here.
ETA: As some people noticed, a guest "star" from my very first fanfic makes a repeat cameo appearance in the epilogue. (Glad you like him, guys! :) ) That story is my Big Fin Series (links to all parts of the trilogy, "Sea Change," "Alien's Best Friend," and "Undercurrents," are in the topmost post), and I thought it was especially appropriate to include him here, since the date of this post is, almost to the day, the three-year anniversary of the first "Big Fin" story I put up. Happy Anniversary, Big Fin, margroks and I owe you a nice big bag of marshmallows!! *g*
I'm especially nervous about the ending. Please let me know if you like it. *Wibbles*
I hope you enjoy the story of Kal and Chloe, but, as you'll see, this isn't really the ending. Their story, imo, never really ends. :)
Feedback, please? *Hopeful eyes*
Chapter Seventeen
At one corner of the palace walls, a tall, battlement-crowned tower loomed cold and forbidding even in the bright morning sunshine. Its dark granite face stood out against the lighter gray of the walls, and its few slitted windows were set with thick iron bars.
Led by the prince, the small procession made their way toward the tower across the courtyard, wordlessly passing a gathering crowd of curious servants and sleepy-eyed early risers. Peering up at the gloomy pile of rocks, Chloe thought of Kal’s cheerful warmth shut away somewhere inside, and shuddered.
At Alexander’s approach, the tight ring of mailed sentries stationed at the tower’s base parted, saluting as he strode through them without so much as a glance. They passed inside the tower with Chloe in tow and started up the narrow, uneven steps curving around its outer walls.
The prince charged upwards, taking the steps two at a time, and Chloe’s escort struggled to keep pace, grabbing Chloe’s arms and pulling her along when her shorter legs refused to cooperate. She glanced through the windows at the roads and fields stretching away into the distance outside the palace walls, and blinked as they seemed to swim and blur.
It was an unpleasant reminder that she’d gone an entire night without a wink of sleep. Resolutely, she jerked her head up and squinted at the stairs winding above them toward the tower’s most secure spot-its summit, where, she was sure, they would find Kal.
As if on cue, all her worries from last night came flooding back. The last time Kal had seen her, she’d been wearing the poisonous green rocks that had put him here. Would he be happy that she came, or would he just ask her to go away?
For some reason, it made her feel worse that he’d be seeing her disguised in these baggy boys’ clothes. She caught herself wishing that she’d had a chance to put on something nicer for what might be their last meeting.
Rolling her eyes mentally, she decided she’d spent too much time with Lana.
A sharp tug on her upper arm jerked her back to reality, and she looked up to see a guard frowning at her and pulling her forward impatiently. The prince was now so far ahead of them on the curving staircase that he was out of sight, and her escorts redoubled their pace, dragging her with them as they struggled to catch up.
Finally, she and the guards emerged into the open air, and Chloe, winded, shook off their hold so that she could catch her breath and look around. They were standing on a large stone platform bordered by a low parapet fringed with arrow-slits. From the platform, walkways led out along the palace walls, high above the surrounding countryside. The view, from this height, was breathtaking.
But what drew Chloe’s eye wasn’t the magnificent landscape; it was the heavily fortified cell on one side of the platform. Built of enormous granite slabs that dwarfed the stonework of the rest of the tower, and topped by a turret of jet-black slate, it had only one reinforced oak door and one barred window. And it was guarded by sentries who held spears tipped with green rocks.
The prince was standing by the door expectantly. He lifted one hairless brow. “Remember, I’ll be in there with you. I advise you not to try anything foolish.”
She brushed the dirt from the courtyard off her black velvet tunic, adjusting it as best she could, and raised her eyes to meet Alexander’s, hoping that she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. “I’m ready.”
At his gesture, one of the soldiers produced a key and heaved the door open, its little-used iron hinges screaming in loud protest. Alexander waved her forward; taking a deep breath, she stepped through into the chilly darkness with him, and the door swung shut behind them. The thud it made echoed hollowly in the vaulted chamber.
It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the gloom, but even before she could see Kal, she could sense his presence. She heard the unsteady tread of large feet stirring the piles of straw that were spread over the stone floor, and a tall, square-shouldered figure emerged from the shadows into the one faint beam of light that had managed to filter through the barred window.
Battered but unbowed, Kal towered over both of them like an oak in winter. His rumpled servant’s livery was dusted with pieces of straw, probably from an uncomfortable night spent stretched out on the floor. In spite of that, his eyes, when they met hers, were bright.
“Chloe,” he whispered, softly.
She gulped. Kal, she discovered, still had the power to make her weak at the knees, just as he had in the darkness of the Fortress.
Her arms ached to hold him, but she was all too aware that he hadn’t made a single move toward her. Reluctant to risk a rebuff, she settled for examining him more closely. Against his dark tunic, his face was too pale, but he looked better than he had last night, and Chloe noticed that the wound on his chest had been dressed with a clean cotton bandage. To her surprise, there were no chains on his wrists or ankles.
A quick glance around the cell explained the lack of restraints. High above them, Chloe saw that the ceiling was studded with more of the green rocks-not too many, just enough to sap Kal’s power and suck his life away by degrees.
The prince surveyed his prisoner with the satisfied smile of a zookeeper examining a prize specimen. Kal, his gaze still fixed on Chloe, ignored him.
Leaning down, Alexander murmured in Chloe’s ear, “As you can see, I don’t believe in unnecessary torture.”
A cold wave of rage washed over her. “No, you believe in slow poison,” she snapped back. “After all, it almost worked with your father.”
She had the satisfaction of seeing the prince’s smile fade and his jaw tighten angrily, but he said nothing.
Shifting her glance back to Kal, she noticed that he was watching her with a troubled frown. Anxiously, she did her best to sound encouraging.
“I’m going to get you out of here,” she promised him, and stroked her new ring with her thumb. Any time now, she thought, hoping it would take the hint.
Apparently, it didn’t, because the only response was a deepening of Kal’s frown. He looked at her accusingly, and at once her stomach gave an uneasy lurch.
“Kal, please believe me,” she stammered guiltily. “I didn’t know about the prince’s trap…..”
She trailed off nervously at his solemn sigh. For a terrible moment, he said nothing, eying her sternly.
Then the corners of his mouth quirked upward. “You were supposed to save yourself,” he chided. “Don’t you ever do what you’re told?”
She was almost too relieved to mind Kal’s gentle teasing. Almost.
Lifting her chin, she shot back defiantly through a haze of tears, “You have met me, haven’t you?”
The smile that spread across Kal’s face suddenly made the room seem much brighter. “How could I forget?”
“Don’t ever do it again,” she replied tartly, drinking in that smile.
Arms outstretched, she started forward, but the prince blocked her way with a polite cough. “As touching as this reunion is, I’m afraid we have other things to discuss,” he said coolly. Taking firm hold of her shoulders, he pushed her, lightly but insistently, further away from Kal.
She could see Kal try to follow, but at the first step, he swayed, closing his eyes as if fighting off a wave of dizziness. His handsome face was now so white that it could have been carved from alabaster.
Obviously, spending an entire night under the poisonous rocks had taken its toll. Worriedly, Chloe watched him struggle to stay upright.
Before she could slip away, the prince grabbed her by her right arm; she tugged furiously to free herself, but Alexander only grinned and tightened his hold.
Breathlessly, she glared up at him. “I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“Oh, I am, my lady. In fact, I’m enjoying this,” he replied lightly as he glanced down at her heaving chest.
For the first time, Chloe was grateful that her tunic fit her like a potato sack. Still, from the prince’s appreciative smirk, she had the uneasy feeling that his sharp eyes were taking in far too much.
Lifting her chin, she cleared her throat loudly, forcing his eyes upward. “That makes one of us, Your Highness,” she shot back icily.
A low growl rose from the other side of the cell. Kal had stopped swaying and now stood glowering at Alexander’s back. If it hadn’t been for the rocks, Chloe was sure that the prince would have been a royal cinder in a matter of seconds.
Without even bothering to turn around, Alexander laughed, and his head dipped so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I love a challenge,” he murmured, looking into her eyes.
To her dismay, Chloe heard her own breath coming faster. Looking away quickly, she caught a glimpse of Kal over the prince's shoulder, scowling as he took a step toward them.
Anxious to keep him from picking a fight with the prince in his weakened state, she reached around Alexander with her free arm and tried to wave him off behind the prince’s back.
Sadly, his stint in solitary confinement hadn’t improved Kal’s sense of self-preservation. Ignoring her, he half-staggered forward and shot out his hand to grab at hers for support. In the dim light, the chain of golden butterflies on his wrist gleamed dully as his fingers almost, but not quite, brushed hers.
In the same instant, the ring on Chloe’s hand flashed like white fire, striking emerald sparks off Kal’s widened eyes. Startled, he snatched his hand back reflexively; as he did, the three small crystals immediately went dark. Blinking at Chloe in surprise, he steadied himself and reached for her again.
Quick as thought, Alexander whirled and caught his wrist, holding it in a viselike grip while his eyes bored into Kal’s. Horrified, Chloe watched Kal throw back his head and scream in agony.
On the prince’s hand, a faceted ring bathed Kal’s face in a too-familiar shade of sickly green. Chloe’s eyes widened involuntarily at the sight of the large cut stone, the color of seawater, set into the band.
She felt her stomach turn. “Let him go!” she gasped.
She yanked desperately to free her arm, but the prince’s long fingers dug into her upper arm like the talons of a hawk, pinning her to his side. The harder she struggled, the harder he squeezed.
Her screams mingled with Kal’s as the prince shoved Kal backwards, sending him crashing to the floor. Alexander watched with a vaguely regretful expression.
“Now that we understand each other,” he said, a note of steel creeping into his voice as he waved the glowing ring at his prisoner, “perhaps we can move on to more interesting matters.”
Biting her lip, Chloe tried to push aside the nausea from her throbbing upper arm so that she could think clearly. Lara’s crystals had reacted to Kal, but it looked as if he needed to be very close for them to work. That must have been what Jor-El had meant when he’d told her to bring the ring to Kal.
Easy for him to say, she thought ruefully.
At least, she reflected, watching Kal drag himself back to his feet on the far side of the cell, there was one thing in their favor. The prince had turned a second too late to catch the brief flash from the crystals.
Her royal captor, who was intently following Kal’s every move, had eased his grip on her slightly. She eyed him, knowing that she had to wait for the right moment, and praying that it would come soon.
Kal, grimacing, drew himself up to his full height and glared at Alexander. “You said you had something to discuss,” he prompted, although from the dangerous gleam in his eye, talking was the last thing on Kal’s mind.
Alexander lifted one hairless brow, coolly deflecting Kal’s smouldering stare. “Actually, it’s more of a question.”
Kal eyed the prince suspiciously. “Which is…..?”
“Why did you pick this world to conquer?”
Chloe sucked in an apprehensive breath. The last thing they needed was for Kal to play true confessions with the prince. Nothing he could say was likely to convince Alexander that he wasn’t a threat-especially since, to tell the truth, he was.
“Why is that so important?” she asked sharply.
Alexander answered without looking away from Kal. “I’ve always known there was a plan behind that firestorm. I’d like you to tell me what it was.”
Kal, Chloe noticed worriedly, was swaying again. The effort of standing up, even for a few minutes, had obviously drained him. Unsteadily, he backed up against the cell wall and leaned against the slimy stones for support, closing his eyes wearily. “Whatever I say, you wouldn’t believe me,” he countered faintly.
“In this case,” Alexander replied, “honesty could be mutually beneficial.”
Kal looked as mystified as Chloe felt at this cryptic remark.
Alexander’s gaze went from one to the other. “I’ve always appreciated honesty-in other people,” he added dryly. “Especially in a potential ally.”
Eyes widening, Chloe finally realized what Alexander was getting at. And whichever way Kal responded, she thought with foreboding, this conversation wasn’t going to end well.
“Ally?” Kal echoed, his shadowed eyes regarding Alexander from under a sweat-dampened forehead.
“You have power, and I know how to use it.” Alexander said, lowering his voice persuasively. “Together, we would be unstoppable.”
Darting a cautious glance in the direction of the cell door, he added, barely above a whisper, “Whatever you want, I’d see that you get it, as long as you do the same for me.”
“And what do you want?” Chloe asked, dreading the answer.
It came without hesitation. “Help me overthrow my father, and we both could rule in his place.”
Chloe stared up at the prince’s cool profile with grudging admiration. Already, Alexander had figured out a way around Gabriel’s well-meaning interference. He was nothing if not resourceful.
“I thought you said last night that this kingdom wasn’t big enough for two masters?” she challenged quickly.
Alexander gave her a look that was half-amused and half-respectful. “You have an impressive memory. But since then, as you know, circumstances have changed. Kal’s usefulness just increased, and so did the price I’m willing to pay for his help.”
And that, Chloe realized, was probably true. Leo’s recovery had narrowed the prince’s options considerably, leaving Kal as his best-and, maybe, only-hope of regaining power. The question was, would Kal be willing to take the bait the prince was dangling in front of him?
Kal was looking at him skeptically. “If you set me free, what makes you think I wouldn’t take the kingdom for myself?”
The smile on Alexander’s face was disturbingly smug. “I’m sure that would never happen-as long as your lovely bride here remains my honored guest.”
Inwardly, Chloe sighed as Alexander confirmed her suspicions about her hostage status. Why did her most depressing guesses always turn out to be true?
“And don’t forget,” the prince cautioned, “I have a rather extensive private collection of cursed rocks. I’ve found many creative uses for them, I assure you.” Darkly, he added, “None of which would be pleasant for you to discover, if you and I parted ways.”
If that was a bluff, it was a good one, especially since neither she nor Kal had any way of calling him on it. Swallowing nervously, Chloe watched her mate think over Alexander’s offer.
The prince waited a moment, then asked, with a hint of impatience, “What do you say?”
Kal struggled to push himself upright and faced the prince, dropping his hands from the wall. In spite of his drawn expression, his voice held no trace of hesitation. “The answer is no.”
For a moment, Chloe forget that they were both still in deadly danger. At Kal’s firm rejection, her spirits rose like a sail, and she couldn’t help flashing him a proud smile.
At once he broke into a grin that made every one of her nerve endings tingle with pleasure. “I guess I wasn’t cut out to be a conqueror,” he said to her, softly.
In the middle of the dank prison cell, Chloe felt an insane urge to shout for joy. She wondered who was going to break the news to Jor-El that his son had-finally-said out loud what she’d waited so long to hear.
If Kal didn’t want to do it, she’d happily volunteer.
The prince didn’t bother trying to hide his disbelief. “So what are you cut out for? Destroying crops with fireballs from the sky? Is that what your people do for fun?”
Kal slumped back against the wall, and his expression darkened. “My people don’t exist any more,” he replied quietly. “My world was destroyed.”
In the silence that followed, Chloe peered up to see Alexander studying his prisoner closely, his face unreadable. “I suppose you want me to say I’m sorry,” he said finally. “But to tell the truth, I envy you.”
He ignored Kal’s shocked reaction. “Destruction is always regrettable,” he said, dismissing the suffering and death of unimaginable numbers of people with a single elegant shrug, “but it’s left you as a god among men. You have virtually limitless power.”
Kal flushed angrily. “Power? Is that all you care about?”
The prince arched his brows. “I admit, it’s fairly high up on my list. I take it that it isn’t on yours?”
“All I want to do is help people,” came the prompt response. “If I can.”
Alexander actually chuckled. “Then you’re a fool,” he said genially. “People never appreciate help. What they really need is a ruler with a firm hand.”
Kal’s anger had sapped what little strength he’d had. Groaning, he hung his head wearily and slid lower against the wall.
Alexander pursed his lips and shook his head at him. “You surprise me, Kal. I never expected a god to be so naïve. Do you really think anyone would thank you for your high ideals?”
“I don’t care,” Kal replied in a tired voice. “This is the only home I’ve ever known. I’d give my life to protect it, and everyone in it.” He raised his head and looked up at the prince, then struggled to push himself upright, managing a weak smile. “Even you, Alexander.”
Personally, Chloe wasn’t ready to go quite that far, but even so, her heart burst with pride. As impressive as Kal had been as a demigod, he made an even better hero.
If the prince was taken aback at Kal’s use of his given name, he gave no sign. Instead, he surveyed his prisoner for what seemed like forever with a thoughtful look in his pale eyes.
He smiled thinly as the look was replaced by a cynical gleam. “I underestimated you, Kal,” he remarked. “That little piece of evasion would put even my father to shame.” His smile widened. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you never answered my question about the firestorm?”
Uh-oh, Chloe thought, feeling his grip on her arm tighten. Alexander, she knew, was about to lay down his trump card.
“If you prefer to play your own game, you leave me with no choice.” The prince pulled Chloe forward slightly. “Join me, or your lady takes a one-way trip to my deepest dungeon.”
Kal’s eyes were twin pools of horror. Chloe looked at him, barely managing to keep her voice steady. “Say no, Kal. Please.”
“I wouldn’t take that advice if I were you,” the prince told him, digging his fingers more deeply into her skin.
Her heart sank as she watched Kal’s resolve crumble. Reading the defeat in his face, Alexander turned to her with an expression that, strangely, seemed faintly disappointed. “So much for ‘helping,’” he commented in an acid-edged tone. But,” he went on in a brighter voice, “I’m glad that’s settled. It would have been a shame to shut you away.”
He surveyed her again with an even more appreciative look, and Chloe flushed-out of, she was sure, nothing more than annoyance.
Alexander’s knowing smile deepened. “The palace will be much more enjoyable with you in it.”
Quickly shifting her eyes away from him, she saw Kal’s head sagging onto his shoulders, and her annoyance turned into fury. Her jaw set, she spun around without stopping to think, drew back the tip of her heavy leather page’s boot and, with all her might, kicked the prince in the shin.
An outraged snarl exploded from Alexander, and he loosened his hold just enough for her to slip away to Kal’s side.
Dimly, she heard the prince shout for the guards as she faced her soulmate and offered him her hand. Wordlessly, he took it.
At once three miniature suns burst to life on her finger, flooding the cell with a radiance that should have been blinding, but, somehow, wasn’t. As the glow intensified, everything around them disappeared, leaving them alone in a cocoon of light.
As Kal bent over her, she saw, to her relief, that the color had returned to his cheeks. He was searching her face with a look of total amazement. “You saved my life,” he said softly.
Chloe wasn’t sure where they were, but, for the moment, she didn’t care. They were together, and that was all that mattered.
She lifted their joined hands. On hers, the ring had now grown back into a bracelet; it hung loosely on her finger, close to the chain of butterflies on Kal’s wrist. As the crystals flashed against them, their golden wings seemed to take flight.
“I had a little help from Lara,” she smiled.
His answering grin was, blessedly, 100% healthy Kal. With his free hand, he took the bracelet off her finger and slid it onto her wrist, letting his fingers linger over the spot where it rested. His thumb trailed lazily over her pulse point, sending warm shivers through her body.
His expression turned solemn. “I can tell she’d want you to have this,” he whispered. “And that’s where it will stay, for as long as we live.”
Briefly, Chloe once again had a vision of the slender lady who’d stood with a baby on a balcony in a city that had long ago vanished. But this time, the baby was gone, and the lady was no longer sad. As the vision faded she looked straight at Chloe, her large eyes sparkling.
Recovering, Chloe felt a slight tingle and then, inexplicably, the touch of something smooth, soft and heavy against her skin. She blinked up at Kal, who was staring at her in openmouthed amazement.
“What?” she said, following his gaze downward, and did a double-take.
She was wearing the magnificent white silk wedding gown that Jor-El had insisted on giving her when she’d first arrived at the Fortress. It seemed to have survived its unscheduled dunking in Kal’s garden pool without much damage; the only difference was in the gold brocade trim, which formerly had been studded with pearls. Now, in their place, brilliant sapphires nestled in with the gold everywhere but the neckline. There, as before, an “S”-shaped crest was embroidered in blazing rubies.
Next to her, Kal had undergone a wardrobe change too, having discarded his royal livery for yet another blue tunic. Unlike his usual peasant’s outfit, though, this one was woven of finest cotton, and emblazoned on its front in red and gold was the same “S” symbol that she wore.
Chloe couldn’t help laughing. “I guess Lara likes fancy dress just as much as Jor-El.”
Kal hadn’t let go of her hand. “You look beautiful,” he murmured, drawing her closer.
Chloe put her other hand on top of both of his, and for a moment, all four hands interlocked, they drank in the sight of each other silently. Looking into those hazel eyes, Chloe saw again the earnest, teasing young boy she’d stumbled across in a forest so many springtimes ago, with whom she’d fallen in love at first sight.
Some things, she thought dreamily, never changed.
His head dipped closer to hers just as the glow began to fade. Noticing that the gems on her gown now reflected only ordinary daylight, Chloe jerked her own head away from his.
“What happened to the cell?” she demanded, only half-hearing the frustrated noise he made, and inspected their surroundings curiously.
They were still standing on top of the prison tower, but the dark pile of rocks in which Kal had been imprisoned had disappeared, leaving only an open platform flooded with bright sunshine. Likewise, there was no sign of any poisonous green stones.
At the other end of the platform stood Alexander, eying them warily, with the prison guards huddled behind him as if for protection. His ring, Chloe noticed, had disappeared, and the sharp stones at the tips of the guards’ spears now shone clear, as if stripped of their toxic power.
Kal dropped Chloe’s hands and turned to face the prince. As he took a step forward, the guards broke and ran, so fast that some lost their footing on the tower steps and slid down rear-end-first.
Alexander held his ground. “Obviously, I underestimated you both,” he said calmly. “What now?”
Kal only smiled and shook his head. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
Alexander stared back at him stonily. “For the moment, perhaps.” Eyes narrowed, he took in Kal’s change of clothes. “Nice outfit. Rather showy crest for someone who claims to have simple tastes, though, isn’t it?”
His voice hardened. “This isn’t over, Kal.”
He leveled an ice-blue glare at his adversary, who returned it steadily. Neither man moved a muscle.
Feeling the tension build, Chloe decided that now would be a good time to take their leave. “Come on, Kal!” she sang out, kicking up her ample skirts and hopping onto a stone battlement. Poised on the tower’s edge far above the surrounding countryside, she grinned back at him over her shoulder. “Up, up, and awaaaaaaaaaay…..”
Her voice rose into a terrified shriek as she tripped over the hem of her gown and toppled head-first into the void. Her skirt billowed up and pasted itself against her face as she did a sickening mid-air somersault, arms flailing wildly.
The next thing she knew, she was in Kal’s arms, spitting out a mouthful of heavy silk. He gathered her closer against his tunic, murmuring reassuringly, and she soaked in his warmth until her trembling stopped.
Finally, she glanced up, rubbing her cheek against the soft cotton. “Nice catch.”
In the sunshine, his teasing grin was more dazzling than ever. “Drop in anytime.”
They were skimming low to the ground, over tossing heads of young wheat, but at Kal’s inquiring look, Chloe nodded, and he shot skyward to reveal a well-tended mosaic of cultivated fields, punctuated here and there with stands of bright crimson poppies, buttercups, and bachelor’s buttons. As high up as they were, Chloe could still make out the sharp outlines of individual blades and petals in the clear morning air.
Off in the distance, Chloe glimpsed a few fluffy white shapes grazing peacefully in a pasture. “That reminds me,” she said, pointing. “We’d better check on Dad.”
As Kal obligingly changed course and headed for the palace, she added, “It’s about time you two met.”
Kal’s lack of response was lost on Chloe, who was distracted by the bustle in the courtyard below. An excited crowd of nobles and servants was gathering in the center of the square, all eyes fixed on them as they circled downward.
Above them, on a balcony carved with the royal crest, she saw Lana, wrapped in a dove-gray dressing gown, her small mouth twisted into a scowl as she followed their progress. Underneath her amethyst-encrusted circlet, a single furrow marred her perfect forehead.
Ignoring her, Chloe searched through the mob anxiously until, off to one side, she glimpsed a familiar black-clad figure emerging from the colonnade bordering the king’s apartments.
She beamed and waved. “Dad!” Craning his neck, Gabriel smiled and waved back.
Meanwhile, out of the corner of her eye, she caught the fluttering of gray sleeves as Lana quietly disappeared back into her apartments. She and the prince, Chloe mused with grim satisfaction, would have a lot to talk about later.
No sooner had Kal set Chloe down than she rushed forward (careful, this time, to lift the hem of her gown well away from her feet), and fell into her father’s waiting arms.
“You did it,” he whispered into her ear, and kissed her cheek.
“We did it,” she corrected, hugging him more tightly. Behind her, Kal cleared his throat.
Pulling away from her father, Chloe took her bridegroom’s hand and tugged him closer. As he stepped forward, with a broad grin, she saw Gabriel’s jaw sag.
“You!” he burst out incredulously, and ran his eyes up and down Kal’s tall figure, taking in the crest proudly emblazoned on his blue tunic. “The outfit’s different, but I’d never forget that smile.”
At first, Chloe thought he was talking about the momentary glimpse he'd had of Kal in the courtyard, but at the slightly guilty expression on her mate's face, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Kal met her inquiring stare and had the grace to look abashed. “We, er, bumped into each other yesterday.”
From one side, Chloe heard her father quickly stifle a laugh. “You never told me,” she said accusingly.
Kal’s grin, impossible as it seemed, got brighter. “I’m glad I could keep at least one secret from you.”
Gabriel interrupted, casting a wry glance at his daughter. “Don’t count on that happening twice.”
The two men Chloe loved most in the world exchanged a knowing look. “You’re telling me,” Kal replied, with such heartfelt conviction that Chloe stamped her foot in mock outrage.
But as she looked into those twinkling emerald eyes, she already could feel the corners of her mouth tugging upwards. “Hmmph. Well, don’t let it go to your head.”
Meanwhile, they’d attracted even more onlookers, all staring in awed silence at the god in the blue tunic. The circle surrounding them was at least four deep, and growing by the minute.
Kal gave them all a friendly smile and looked back at Chloe, holding out his arms. “Time for us to go, I think.”
“You’ll be back, won’t you?” Gabriel asked anxiously. He turned to Chloe. “There’s someone I think you’d like to meet.” Bending closer, he added, with a significant look, “He just bought the town printing press.”
Both of Chloe’s brows shot up. Gabriel definitely had her attention now.
But before she could ask any questions, Kal scooped her into his arms, and her resistance melted at the warmth in his eyes. “Later,” he said firmly as they rose into the air, serenaded by the oohs and aahs of the crowd. “Right now, I’m taking my bride home.”
Minutes later, secure in his embrace, she leaned forward eagerly and surveyed the tiny farms and villages slipping away below without a trace of fear. “How far is it to the Fortress?”
Lightly as a feather, his touch guided her closer to him, and he cupped a hand over her head to shelter her from the strengthening wind. Gradually, they picked up speed, although by Kal’s standards they were still going in slow motion. “Nothing’s far for me.”
Smiling, she glanced up at him, grateful that he’d given her a chance to admire the view, and even more grateful that she was finally able to see what Kal looked like when he flew. Peering intently into the distance, eyes bright, he reminded her of an eagle.
He’d probably looked exactly the same way when he’d swooped down to the king’s audience chamber to bring her to the Fortress. And, she thought proudly, he’d look just as impressive to all the people he was going to help in years to come.
As Kal flew faster, his hand pressed her closer into the hollow of his shoulder, and the world blurred around them. Sensing that he was every bit as impatient as she was to start their new life together, Chloe relaxed against him contentedly. “By the way, I never thanked you for saving my life, back there.”
His voice was soft against her cheek. “You don’t have to.”
“Why not?” she whispered back, closing her eyes as the wind whipped her hair into a froth.
The last thing she heard before the world disappeared completely was his low reply. “Because you are my life.”
Epilogue
A pair of large, limpid eyes gazed at Chloe adoringly as she lounged next to the pool in Kal’s Fortress garden, which he and Jor-El had restored soon after their return. Having traded her ornate gown for a much more comfortable blue satin robe, she trailed her fingers lazily over her companion’s head while making small, contented noises.
“You’re irresistible,” she purred.
“Are you talking to me or the fish?” a plaintive voice asked from above.
Chloe tilted her head toward Kal, who was standing over her wearing a wry expression, and lifted her hand from the water.
At once the soft brown eyes of the catfish-like creature in the pool turned mildly reproachful. Apparently hurt by Chloe’s short attention span, its long glistening body submerged in stages; first its head, then the single tall fin on its back, and last of all, its tail, which flipped high in the air a few yards out and disappeared with barely a ripple on the pool’s shining surface.
“The fish, of course,” she declared archly as he knelt down on the mossy bank next to her. “He’s a better listener.”
Kal, too, had changed back into plainer clothes, and looked happier for it; his dark blue farm leggings and pomegranate-red overshirt obviously suited him much better than the princely crest-emblazoned outfit he’d recently shed. Smiling at her, he held out two cupped palms filled with a pile of spongy, golden globs, each one roughly the size of a robin’s egg. “Maybe I should give these to him, then, instead of you.”
She wrinkled her nose doubtfully at the quivery little balls and his smile grew wider. “They’re really good, trust me. I learned how to make them as a kid-just a little honey, plus the sap from that plant,” he said, nodding at a stand of pink blossoms flowering along the poolside. “It’s called a marsh mallow.”
She took one, nibbling at it tentatively, and a burst of sweetness like nothing she’d ever tasted spread through her mouth. She wolfed it down, disregarding Kal’s indulgent chuckle, and reached for another. “Farmer Kent, you’ve outdone yourself,” she grinned.
There was a small splash, and she blinked as a few warm droplets rained down on her head. Glancing down at the water, she saw that her friend had turned up again, fin sticking straight up above the surface as he flipped his tail back and forth and eyed the treat in her hand expectantly.
“Hey,” she said, laughing. “Aren’t you supposed to be an illusion? Since when does a mirage have a sweet tooth?”
Kal gave her a sidewise look as he held out one of the gooey blobs of goodness to the creature, who gobbled it up quickly and waved his approval with his tail. “Actually, he is real,” Kal told her. “You liked him so much, I searched everywhere until I found him. I have no idea how he got here from my planet, but it looks as if I’m not the only refugee from Krypton.”
For a moment, both of them stroked the big creature’s smooth, ugly head in silence. Then Chloe dimpled, unable to resist temptation. “I’m glad,” she remarked airily, lifting another treat from Kal’s hands, “that they sent someone with intelligence.”
The next thing she knew, she was underwater with Kal’s arms wrapped around her. They both shot to the surface and Chloe sucked in a few breaths, shaking the water from her eyes and trying her best to glare at the smug expression on her husband’s face.
It was no use. Wrapping both arms around his neck, she collapsed against him, laughing, as her finned friend circled around them excitedly.
The last time he’d dunked her, it had been in pitch blackness; now, surrounded by the brilliant colors of countless blossoms, she could see the droplets stream down Kal’s golden skin as he gathered her closer, looked in her eyes, and bent down to kiss her.
As enjoyable that other time had been, this was much, much better.
Eventually, she was the one who broke off to catch her breath, while Kal fondled a few strands of her wet hair. From the sugary sweetness on her lips, she guessed that Kal had sampled a few marsh mallows too; she licked her mouth, savoring the taste.
“By the way,” he said, cupping her chin, one thumb lightly tracing a pattern along her jawline, “Jor-El and your father must really have hit it off. He’s invited ‘Gabe-Ri-El’ for a visit.”
Chloe, who’d been purring contentedly under his touch, arched her brows in surprise. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? After all,” she went on, leaning into his hand and rubbing her cheek against the warm surface of his huge, outstretched palm, “look at what happened to me.”
With his other hand, Kal reached towards his shoulder to capture her wrist, patting the bracelet that had joined their lives together. “Which only proves,” he smiled, “that change can be wonderful.”
His honeyed lips brushed hers again, making her shudder in pleasure. “Or don’t you agree?” he murmured.
“Mmmmm,” she said hazily, then gasped as he darted closer to nibble her earlobe. “Let me think.”
“Don’t think too much,” Kal rumbled as his arms tightened around her. Slowly, they rose from the pool, accompanied by the sounds of vigorous splashing from the companion they were leaving behind. “We have other things to do.”
Chloe, feeling his body press against hers provocatively, couldn’t have agreed more. Summoning the last shreds of coherent thought, she closed the subject. “Let’s ask Dad when we see him tomorrow. He might enjoy it, now that Jor-El’s mellowed a little.”
“At least Jor-El’s quit ordering me to conquer the world,” Kal agreed as they floated gently over to the warmest part of the garden, where tall branchless trees bent gracefully over fragrant hibiscus and her beloved caffe bushes. “That’s a step in the right direction.”
Hearing the doubtful note in his voice, Chloe tore her attention away from the delightful things he was doing elsewhere, and looked up at him quizzically. “But what?”
Kal’s cheeks reddened. “He still wants me to wear that ridiculous costume.”
Chloe felt a wicked smile spread across her face. “Oh, I don’t know,” she teased. “Tight clothes look good on you.”
“I am not wearing red underwear!” Kal said, jutting out his lower lip. “I don’t care how Kryptonian it is!”
Chloe, seeing the stubborn set of his jaw, stifled a laugh and drew his head down for another kiss. It would be interesting to see which El won this battle, but she was willing to wait to find out. After all, they had plenty of time. They had all the time in the world.
Reacting eagerly to her touch, Kal set his mouth against hers, hard, as they drifted down through a cloud of iridescent butterflies toward a soft rise carpeted with wild clover. Bodies entwined, they landed softly and continued where they’d left off.
As they did, the butterflies circled over them, glittering like a star-studded, living canopy.
* * * * * * * *
“This is where Dad said to meet us,” Chloe announced as she and Kal turned into the busy street. “The corner of Ink Alley and”-her eyes squinted to read the hand-lettered sign tacked onto the half-timbered workshop nearby-“Lois Lane.”
At the front of the workshop, Gabriel was signaling to them. Kal waved back, pushing through the noonday market goers to get to the spot where he stood. Over him swung a wooden sign shaped like a quill pen, on which was carved the words “Peregrine & Clark, Printers.”
“Glad you could make it,” her father said, beaming at them both. “The new senior partner here wants to start a town newsletter, and he could use an apprentice. I’ve told him all about you. Are you still interested?” He cast a hesitant glance in Kal’s direction. “I’ll understand if the answer is no.”
At the word “newsletter,” Chloe’s head had jerked up. She gave her father an incredulous grin. “Dad, how can you ask? If this person wants to print the truth for everyone to read, count me in.”
Kal took her hand, smiling. “Count us both in,” he said firmly to Gabriel.
Her father’s face relaxed back into a grin. “Then come on in and meet him.”
Through the open shop window, they heard someone bellowing for more ink, and Gabriel winced slightly. “That’s him. Don’t worry; his bark is worse than his bite.” He paused. “Oh, and, by the way, don’t call him ‘Peregrine.’ It’s a family name, and he hates it.”
Gabriel cracked open the heavy oak door and stuck his head inside. “Perry? May we come in?” When the same unseen person grunted an affirmative, he disappeared into the shop.
Kal’s green eyes shone as he smiled at Chloe. “After you, Soulmate.”
They crossed the threshold, hand in hand.
* * * * * * * *
“And they lived happily, ever after.”
Gabriel shut the leather-bound book and raised his head to survey the rapt audience gathered around him by the fireplace in the living room of the large farmhouse. In the far corner, an aged television was on with the sound turned down.
“Time to go to bed,” he added, trying his best to sound stern as he eyed the hopeful looks on the faces of the three young children seated on the carpet at his feet.
All three protested at once, and the youngest added, “Can we hear it again, Grandpa?
“Or maybe just the short version?” asked another, who was obviously better at wheedling than his younger sister.
He chuckled under his breath, since he had given them the shortened-and extremely edited-version. He knew it by heart; of course, after all these years, he knew every version of it by heart.
“I promised your parents you’d be in bed an hour ago,” he reminded them, to a chorus of groans.
The oldest had turned his attention to the television, which showed a grand ballroom crowded with the well-dressed cream of Metropolis society. “Hey, it’s Aunt Lois and Uncle Clark!” he burst out, scrambling to his feet to switch on the volume.
Gabriel nodded, proudly watching as a brunette in crimson stepped onto a raised dais and shook the hand of the emcee behind the podium. Next to her stood a tall man in a tuxedo wearing thick glasses that, Gabriel knew, he didn’t need at all.
The announcer’s voice crackled from the old set. “Tonight, star Daily Planet reporters Lois Lane and Clark Kent accepted their joint Pulitzer for an investigation into illegal practices at LuthorCorp. Earlier, Lana Luthor, speaking on behalf of imprisoned LuthorCorp CEO Lex Luthor, continued to deny all charges.”
Gabriel’s eyes grew misty as he watched the glittering party guests toast his daughter and son-in-law. Except for the hair, she looked very much the same as she had at the prince’s banquet. Years without count had passed since then, but to him, it all seemed like yesterday.
No matter how much Metropolis and the rest of the world had changed, one thing never would: As long as people needed truth and justice, a certain former demigod and his bride would be there to fight for them.
And as long as they were there, he would be, too.
“In an unforeseen glitch to the ceremony,” the announcer continued, “the guest of honor, Superman, was called away before he could greet the star reporting duo. He sent his regrets.”
“But Grandpa,” cut in the youngest girl, leveling curious green eyes upward and shaking her blonde curls in a perfect imitation of his younger daughter, “what happened to Kal and Chloe? Did they ever fight the prince again? Did they ever have kids?”
Gabriel looked down into the wide eyes of his great, great, many-times-great granddaughter and broke into a grin, knowing that one day, when she was old enough, she wouldn't have to ask. “Ah,” he said, mischievously, “that’s another story.”
The End