Deadly Beautiful (SuperCorp Medieval AU)

Part 17

  or the one where Lena and Kara were cute but it can never be  (what do you all think of the new cover?!)

 Kara kicked off her shoes and laid down on the covers so there was a barrier between them. She set her sword beside of the bed where she could reach it easily. Kara never actually intended to go to sleep when she came into the room. Lena's head fell onto Kara's shoulder an hour in and rested comfortably and she was so warm against her Kara couldn't help but lean back in. She fell asleep with one hand on her sword hilt and the other tangled with Lena's.

When Kara woke up, her sword was still in her hand but Lena was wrapped around her from behind. The princess' chin was hooked over her shoulder, her nose buried in long blonde hair. Kara's hand was flat against her own stomach, with Lena's over it, still laced with Kara's as well. The former gladiator froze. She was terrified if she moved, Lena would wake. Kara's breath caught in her chest.

Kara buried her face in her pillow and closed her eyes as tightly as she could. She wanted to memorize everything about this moment. Kara could feel every rise and fall of Lena's chest against her back in time with each breath. Lena was sleeping heavily, her expression peaceful in a way she never looked when she was awake. Kara closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment until Lena woke for breakfast.

The princess brushed Kara's hair out of her face gently as blue eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning, my lady. Did you sleep well?" Kara asked, pretending to have only just woken up as well.

"Yes, thanks to you. I was rather surprised you slept at all. How does your shoulder feel?" Lena asked, propping her face up, on one hand, to look down into Kara's face.

"It could be better and it could be worse. It is not the worst injury I've ever had, but it is definitely in the top ten." Kara said thoughtfully with a wince as she tried to rotate it. "I am not going to be worth my salt as a guard for a few weeks at least."

"I think you are worth so much more than anyone could ever pay for you. One can not put a price on a human life." Lena insisted. "Besides, you can fight left-handed, right?"

"Yeah, but it is a lot harder and I would definitely not be my most skilled." Kara shrugged it off. "It is like I am only half as good and I do not want you to ever be at risk because I am at fifty percent."

"Your fifty percent is twice as good as anyone else's one hundred." Lena scoffed. "I have the utmost faith in you."

"I will do everything within my power to live up to your belief in me." Kara swore, getting out of the bed and hefting her sword in her left hand.

Lena watched Kara, sitting up against her headboard for a better view. She moved slowly and went through the first handful steps of her first form. Lena could see it was a bit more stilted and awkward feeling than when Kara was at full strength, but she was still graceful and powerful. She had no doubt Kara could take anyone who came after her, even when fighting left-handed. Lena watched with rapt attention, completely absorbed in the way Kara was moving. It pained her not to be able to help the other woman.

"At this point, I don't think I could ever be disappointed by you." Lena said with a gentle smile. Kara turned back to face her and sheathed her sword, replacing it beside of the bed. She curled one hand around her pendant and squeezed, hating the fact it felt like she was lying.

Lena could see the pain behind Kara's eyes as she clutched at her shirt, she dismissed it and turned away to give the other woman some privacy. Lena knew she ought to have brought in another guard of some kind, even just to keep the pressure off of Kara, but hated even the mere idea of another pair of eyes on her. She liked the way her life worked now.

"I'm going to have do something about my condition.. I can't work for you like I am now, at least not as effectively as I should. " Kara said through gritted teeth.

"I will set something up for you, then. Maybe my uncle would be willing. He seemed quite taken with you. You can learn all you will need to for court as well with him." Lena considered as Maggie knocked and let herself into the room.

"Thank you, my lady." Kara said awkwardly. "I'll go get cleaned up then."

Maggie closed the door to its usual crack and whirled around on the princess.

"Did she spend the night?!" she asked with none of her usual decorum.

"Yes, but it's not like you're thinking. All we did was sleep. I was concerned about further threats." Lena blushed a deep shade of pink.

"My lady, you know how this looks. You have to understand my concern." Maggie stared her down sternly as she helped Lena to get dressed. "Kara Danvers is a wonderful young woman and I know how you like to... fix people, but your station and your brother would never allow that to happen.

"I know, Maggie. Sam was all of the lesson I ever needed. It can never be, I understand." the princess seemed truly crestfallen but Maggie knew the truth of the sad reality.