Deadly Beautiful (SuperCorp Medieval AU)

Part 28

  the one with the bickering and is... is that flirting?!

Kara woke up before Lena, as per usual. The princess seemed content, a tight grip on Kara's arm which was snug around her middle. She was clinging as though it were a life-line, much to Winn's apparent amusement. Kara did not want to wake Lena just yet so she continued to rest against the wall and began to stroke Lena's hair softly. From the way Lena settled the gesture must have been at least a little soothing.

Winn gave her a look and shook his head softly. Kara ducked her head in an attempt to hide her blush but knew he could see through her anyway. She knew she had been caught in a more tender and vulnerable moment than she would have cared to, but he seemed accepting. Kara decided to ignore her embarrassment. She was going to have to get used to his being with them sooner or later.

Kara gave him the nod and a half-shrug in return. She attempted a smile back but was not quite sure the sentiment reflected properly. Winn nodded back, his lip quirking up as well. Kara was not sure if anyone had a real smile in them at the moment. She hoped to change that for them all soon.

Lena stirred only a short time later, turning her face into Kara's abdomen as she stretched. No matter how many blankets Kara had laid out for her, Lena had grown up on the best mattresses money could buy, and the cold and hard ground was miserable in comparison. How spoiled the princess had been very rarely showed through her impeccable manners and curious personality. After such an uncomfortable nap, however, it became quite clear. Lena Luthor was grumpy and Kara found it quite amusing.

"Even after my nap, my back hurts so bad I do not know how far I will be able to travel." Lena complained.

"If I had been able to bring your bed with me, my lady, rest assured I would have." Kara replied in her most patient tone.

"You are patronizing me, Kara, and I do not appreciate it." Lena grumbled.

"I offer my sincerest apologies, princess. I meant nothing but to express my concern." Kara's tone was sugary sweet and Winn wondered if Kara's tone might provoke Lena to attack.

"You are a princess too. You should really stop using the title we share as an insult."

"I would never insult my lady." Kara pretended to have been hurt by the remark and won an actual chuckle from Winn.

"You think she is funny now, do you?" Lena huffed. "You would not think so if it were your back aching. At least you do not have to walk in these horrific pinching shoes and skirts." Kara snorted at her comments.

"You could have just told me, Lena. I have a change of clothes for you in the things Lord J'onn packed for you." Kara stopped suddenly and rummaged through the large sack she had continued to carry as though it did not weigh anything. "Just so you know, I have not been anyone's princess in fifteen years. All I know of life at court is what I have learned from you."

"There are worse you could have learned from, I guess." Lena said with a blush and gestured for the other two to turn and allow her to change with some degree of modesty.

"I am decent and covered, but I feel kind of naked. I understand why you insist upon wearing these now. You are right, they are quite freeing." Lena laughed and kicked her legs out and around, getting used to the way breeches felt.

Kara and Winn could not help but to grin at the princess' amazement.

"I felt much the same way the first time I put them on. I assure you the novelty will wear away eventually. Being able to breathe and move around freely is a gift most take for granted." Kara said kindly before stuffing the discarded dress and slippers into a crevice within the stone walls where hopefully no passers-by would notice for a long time to come.

"I have never thought of that before." said Winn as Lena knelt to tie the short boots Kara had dug up from the bag as well.

"Of course you never have." Lena replied. "We make it look effortless and making it look effortless would take a lot of, well, effort; sometimes from an entire team of people."

"That is actually rather frightening." Winn said looking curious and a little horrified. "Would it be rude of me to ask you to explain further?" he asked.

Lena seemed to be happy to tell Winn all he wanted to know about proper women's attire and was very patient with his many questions when Kara would have long since lost her temper. She dusted off the knees of her breeches and gestured for them to follow once more so as not to interrupt and allowed them to chat in peace until they reached the end of the tunnel.