Fic: When The Sun's Rays Glint (1/8)
Title: When The Sun’s Rays Glint (1/8)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Clark/Lex, Anna Hollander
Fandom: Smallville
Genres: Drama, Holiday, Horror, Mystery, Suspense
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Is Castle Luthor haunted?
Chapter Summary: Harvest time brings all sorts of goodies. :)
Date Of Completion: September 29, 2020
Date Of Posting: August 21, 2021
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count (this chapter): 1315
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
All chapters can be found here.
I
CREAM OF THE CROP
Harvest time
Is full and ripe,
Bursting with the bounty
Of the rich earth.
Cream of the crop.
Elvin Cawley
“Salt Of The Earth”
1949 C.E.
Lex tapped on the keys of his laptop as he worked on LuthorCorp business. Sunlight streamed in through the stained-glass windows, creating diamond-shaped rainbow patterns on the hardwood floor. A fire crackled in the hearth, giving the library a warm, cozy atmosphere. It was a late September morning, crisp and golden, and Lex had to admit that autumn in the country was more spectacular in the city. He looked forward to the turning of the seasons these days.
You’re getting to be a Smallville citizen.
He smiled slightly. Who knew that his father’s idea of exile would turn out so well? Far away from the bright lights and temptations of Metropolis, he was finding a place here.
And I found my biggest temptation here.
He thought of Clark Kent, farmboy extraordinaire. He was beautiful and sexy and still in high school. He sighed.
Fortitude, Luthor, fortitude.
In the meantime he had a real friendship with Clark, and that meant the world to him. Friendship was a good way to start a romance, right?
Lex returned to his work. The phone rang and he picked up the receiver. “Lex Luthor. Oh, hello, Mrs. McCaffrey. Yes, I have some projections for you.”
His cook and housekeeper, Anna Hollander, brought in a plate of freshly-baked pumpkin muffins and placed the plate on his desk, along with a glass of cranberry juice. She left to return to the kitchen.
Lex spoke with McCaffrey for about half an hour, getting a few bites of muffin in while it was still warm. He hung up the phone and drank some juice.
“Mrs. Hollander!”
She appeared in the doorway. “Yes, sir?”
“We’re scheduled for a produce delivery today, aren’t we?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Thank you.”
Lex smiled in satisfaction. That guaranteed a visit from Clark, who usually did the deliveries.
He worked for another hour, finishing the muffins and juice. He stood and stretched, picking up the plate and glass and went to the kitchen.
Mrs. Hollander said cheerfully, “Looks like you liked the muffins.”
“Excellent, as always.”
She beamed in satisfaction. She took the plate and glass and rinsed them, placing them in the dishwasher. A slightly plump woman, her pale, flaxen hair was braided on top of her head. She wore sensible shoes and a blue print housedress. She was discreet and pleasant, just what Lex needed.
“I have a lot of plans for that fresh produce,” she said.
Lex laughed. “Excellent.” He left the kitchen and decided to walk through the castle to stretch his legs.
The castle had been brought over stone-by-stone from Scotland, a major coup for Lionel Luthor. He named it Castle Luthor and plunked it in the middle of Kansas. It was here that Lionel had banished his wastrel son, who spent more time in Metropolis nightclubs than the LuthorCorp boardroom.
Lex walked through the dining room, a baronial chamber with a big, oakwood table, chairs and sideboard. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, and tapestries hung on the walls. The hangings were hundreds of years old and depicted medieval battles and hunting parties. Stained-glass windows were high in the stone wall.
Lex walked down a hall of flagstone flanked by suits of armor. The suits were not tall, but medieval knights had not been as tall as modern men.
Clark would seem like a giant to those people.
He came upon the front parlor, a large room with furniture from the turn-of-the-century. Horsehair sofas and stiff-backed chairs were scattered around, the large plate-glass window looking out over the grounds.
There was a room used as an armory, displaying medieval weaponry: broadswords, maces, crossbows and other instruments of war. Shields and suits of armor gleamed as a model displayed a horse’s armor.
Lex picked up a broadsword. Interesting that smaller medieval men could wield such heavy weapons. He replaced the sword in its bracket.
Lex paused outside his father’s study. The library was his domain; the study was his father’s. His door was kept closed. Lex opened it.
The study was furnished in brown leather and dark paneling. The paintings were framed in dull gilt and the drapes at the leaded windows were a deep, dark red. The room was dominated by a massive oak desk, with a gold pen set and a Morocco red blotter
Lex looked around. There were shadows everywhere, in the corners and by the windows.
If this castle was haunted, the ghosts would meet here.
Lex wandered around the room, peering out the windows. His father was not much for views.
Lex left the study, shutting the door behind him. He returned to the library. A lot of work to do before Clark’s delivery after school.
& & & & & &
Lex heard voices in the kitchen and glanced at his desk clock. Smiling, he left the library and entered the kitchen.
Clark was bringing in bushel baskets of apples. His smile lit up the entire kitchen. He also lit up Lex’s heart.
“Hi, Lex.”
“Hi, Clark. Hey, the apples look great.”
“Best of the crop.”
“Appreciate that.”
Clark went out to his truck and brought two more baskets in. “All these go to the root cellar, Mrs. Hollander?”
“Yes, please.”
Lex picked up a basket and followed Clark down the steps to the cellar. Every house in Kansas needed a storm cellar, even a castle. Clark went directly to a small anteroom that held jars of preserves and vegetables with staying powers, like turnips. The duo put the baskets down on the floor.
“I’ll get the last basket,” Clark said.
Lex nodded. The root cellar smelled of rich Midwestern earth. It was about as basic and elemental as you could get. The single lightbulb cast shadows around the cellar. He shivered.
Not surprising. It’s certainly cold weather these days.
He rubbed his arms and was glad to hear Clark return.
“I’ve got some vegetables to unload for you.”
“Good, good. Never can have too many vegetables.”
Clark grinned. “Never can.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Kind of different from the wine cellar.”
“Yes, climate-controlled.”
“Pretty modern for a castle.”
As they left the root cellar, Lex looked over at a locked wooden door Behind that door was an excellent collection of wine.
Once they reached upstairs, Clark went back out to the truck and Lex went back to the library. He did not have long to wait before Clark joined him.
“I can see why this room is your favorite room in the castle.” Clark indicated the bookcase and pool table. “All the entertainment you can ever want.”
Lex laughed. “The ultimate in Smallville entertainment.”
Clark chuckled. “Top-shelf.”
“Want to come back tomorrow after school for a game?”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
“Okay.” Pleased at the prospective date, he chatted with Clark for about ten minutes, then the younger man had to leave to finish his deliveries.
Lex looked around the library. It was the best room in the castle. Let his father keep his gloomy old study. This room was the heart of the castle. This is where he and Clark enjoyed good times playing pool or just talking as the fire crackled. They were precious moments he was determined to savor.
He felt a chill again. Odd. The fire was going just fine.
Maybe the cellar dampness is still with me.
Shrugging, Lex went to his desk and resumed working as the shadows began lengthening across the floor.
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