An Ocean of Fire- Supercorp AU

18- Day One: Duty

Seven Days Before the Festival

"Alright then, Princess. Regale me."

" As you now know, a traditional royal Kryptonian wedding lasts for seven days. Kryptonians live by a set of virtues that we attempt to exemplify in all aspect of our lives, and these virtues are reflected in our marriages and wedding ceremonies. There are seven total - one for each day of the festival.

The first of these virtues is duty. We will be expected to greet arriving monarchs as ambassadors throughout the day, and we will take audiences of Kryptonians and Alliance members in the Great Hall with my father before the welcome feast."

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It was the morning of the first day.

Lena had watched in wonder the week before as the beautiful, open fields around the Crystal Palace were suddenly filled with soaring tents, small camps, fires, laughter, the clashing of swords, the smell of food, the prance of horse hooves, and people.

So, so many people.

They sang, they drank, they danced into the night. A hundred different heights, races, relationships. They co-mingled peacefully, and though there was an occasional fist thrown from too much wine, all was forgiven in the light of the morning.

It was the most incredible thing she'd ever seen.

The Allied Monarchs and certain members of Kryptonian leadership, of course, were given chambers in the Crystal Palace. Lord and Lady Danvers from the northern kingdom, for example, quartered with Alex and Sam.

The fields were reserved for sojourning people of the Alliance. Estimates had been conservative - Kryptonian borders and ports were heavily clogged, and it could take an entire day to pass through. But they began arriving as early as Monday, and pass through they did. A quick sample count of the surrounding fields put the numbers at closer to 13,000.

The sun had risen, and the smell of cooking meat drifting in from the fields was heavy in the air.

Kara had been up and dressed before dawn broke, citing an errand that required her attention, and that she would return to collect Lena before they were due in the Great Hall.

Lena tugged in annoyance at the gold cloak pinned to her dress. It felt odd on her back, and her mounting anxiety at what was the start of a very stressful week only further exacerbated the situation. She regarded herself in the mirror before her, eyes tracing over carefully pinned hair, lined lashes, and delicate collarbones exposed above a deep maroon dress that draped across her shoulders. She chose it because it was simple and comfortable, but also because it closely resembled the colors of the House of El.

If she cared to admit it to herself, she mostly chose it because she thought that it would make Kara smile.

She wasn't wrong.

When she greeted the blonde princess in the hall outside their wing later that morning, the Kryptonian immediately grinned and reached out, catching the edge of her dress between her fingers and rubbing the soft material.

"You always look wonderful in this color, Princess."

Lena tried to shrug away the compliment, but couldn't hide the way her cheeks colored. Kara tilted her head to the side, and stepped around behind her.