Deadly Beautiful (SuperCorp Medieval AU)

Part 2

or the one where foreshadowing happens, books are read, and damn that girl looks good

aka: a princess overlooked

"I live to serve you, my lady." Maggie said, and she meant it in equal measures teasing and earnest. Lena did not know what she would do without her best friend in the castle. Lex had taken Sam away from her and sent her to another household as soon as he had come into power when he had realised exactly how much the other woman had meant to her.

Lena loved her brother and did her best to respect her king, but she hated Lex Luthor so much more than she could have ever imagined back when they had been children. He was a despicable man and treated those around him as though they were nothing to him, and they probably were. Lena figured she was probably nothing to him as well. She hated the part of herself that still craved his approval and she hated the part of herself that insisted she must continue to love him...and as king...he should never have been allowed to rise to power.

Lex Luthor was a tyrant. He allowed anything so long as it fed into the kingdom's coffers. Human trafficking, slavery, drug trade were all considered admissible. When he presented himself to the people, he was charismatic and admirable, but his methods in the council and inside of the council and the castle were despicable and dirty. Anyone who was paying attention could see it. "Much better." he said when she presented herself to him again. "I appreciate the, um, sparkles. It is good to see you finally taking my advice to heart. Someone might finally begin to take notice of you, you know."

"Thank you, my king." Lena grumbled. The book she had hidden between the corset and the outer skirt dug sharply into her waist, but she did not mind because it let her know it was there. Lena could not help the small glimmer of victory beginning to grow in her stomach. It felt kind of petulant but she could not hold it back. She caught the look Maggie shot at her and the corner of her mouth tilted up in response. Lena was more grateful to her than she could have ever expected.

Lena took her seat with Lex Luthor in the highest box, slightly behind and to the left of him. While he was distracted greeting those who begged his favor, she slipped the book free and held it close, as though it were the most important thing in the world. Books were an endangered species since Lex had come to power. He was terrified of an educated populous resulting in the possibility his people could turn against him.

Lena half hoped the people would rise up in rebellion one day. She was not particularly inclined towards taking the crown herself and knew that it would probably end in her own demise but their subjects really did not deserve what Lex was putting them through. Her brother was a sick and vicious man. It was evident from the state of his concubines when he tired of them.

Lena shook off the thoughts to turn her attention to the stadium, at least until the games began. The parades and marches were nice to watch. In fact, it almost seemed fun for a little while. Lena liked to see the animals while they were still healthy, strong and cared for, and the fighters were smiling in greeting.

She was too high above to make good eye-contact, but none of them were paying her the slightest of attentions anyway. Everyone looked to Lex. Each set of warriors; beginners, intermediates, and the champions; the pairs of warriors with their animals, stopped before them and presented themselves to the royal family. Lena stood as she knew she was supposed to and waved alongside of her brother; faking her best smile.

Lex leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I have heard good things about this girl; the one with the red and blue armband." His tone was conspiratorial, and pretty rare for him. Lena's eyes followed his long finger.

The gladiators stood in perfect rows, as was customary. Each of them was beautifully built and muscular almost to an extreme. Lena felt soft in comparison. The warriors did not wear armor and mail like the army did. Lex had explained to her once it was because the gladiators needed more flexibility to be able to move more easily.

The woman Lex had pointed out wore even less than the others. She was only geared in leather bracers, greaves and a breastplate. She glowered menacingly at the ground in front of her as the captain of the group directed some kind of flowery speech at Lex. Lena appreciated that the woman did not attempt to fake any kind of enthusiasm as many of the others did.

She was too far away to make eye contact with or to even make out any of the details of her face. Lena could see strength radiating off of the other woman in waves nonetheless. Lena could appreciate it. She aspired to gain such confidence one day. Lex could strike fear into the hearts of the people around him with just a look, and Lena got a distinct feeling no one ever disrespected the woman down on the sand. Lena did not feel anywhere near as respected as either of them.