Deadly Beautiful (SuperCorp Medieval AU)

Part 50

  or the one where Kara is very tired and probably mentally scarred  

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Kara woke up much later than she normally would to an empty bed and a growling stomach. Her eyelids and legs felt as though they were made of lead as she made herself get ready to go about her day. Kara was still bruised and sore and dirty, but for the most part, she only wanted to check in on Sam and get clean. During her time at the palace, Lena and Maggie had instilled in her a love of baths. Kara's hair desperately needed a good cleaning.

After a moment of wandering and peaking into rooms, Kara found Alex, Lena, and Sam in one of the rooms a few doors down from her own. She poked her head in to see her sister spoon-feeding a broth into Sam's mouth as Lena sat by the bedside and held one unresponsive hand in both of her own. Kara leaned against the doorframe to take in the quiet moment. Sam was still unconscious but Kara could see a bit more color had come to her cheeks and her breathing seemed a bit more even. It comforted her somewhat.

Alex caught her eye and nodded to her and looked as though she were going to say something to Kara. The tired former gladiator and current general slunk away just as Lena turned to look at who was at the door. By the time the young queen rounded the corner and caught up to Kara, she had sunk to the floor against the wall and begun to cry. Lena sank down beside of her in surprise and pulled Kara in against her. She cradled Kara's head into her shoulder tightly and squeezed until she had cried herself out.

Lena knew Kara had been through things Lena could not possibly begin to grasp, but it killed her to think that something had happened to elicit a reaction like this in her girlfriend. As Kara began to calm, Lena assisted her to her feet and cupped a cheek in one hand.

"We should go ahead and get you cleaned up, yeah?" Lena asked, and she wrapped her arm around Kara's waist to escort her to the baths. Kara would likely not have likely made it on her own.

"That would be nice." Kara mumbled back. "I would give anything to remember what my legs feel like."

"I am sorry I had allowed you to escape my attention last night. I should have seen that you needed me. I am new to this field medicine business and I appear to not be very good." Lena apologized as she began to cut Kara out of the ruined linen shirt had been wearing beneath her armor for the past three days. Kara had lost the ability to raise her sore arms up past her shoulders and winced with each movement.

Once Lena peeled the shirt away she could get a good look at blue, green, purple and even some yellowish healing looking bruises. They littered her arms and a large one covered her flank just over the floatings ribs. Lena was concerned and wanted to get Alex to look her over. Still, she figured Kara would make it through her bath at the very least. She watched the pain flicker briefly across Kara's face. Lena winced in sympathy before turning her back to give Kara her privacy.

"I do believe we are beyond that now, my lady. Fill your eyes if you would like." Kara snorts sounding amused but rather vulnerable as well. Lena cleared her throat heavily and turned, taking in the sight of a wholly nude Kara.

Lena quit breathing for longer than was probably healthy at the sight before her. As Kara moved, Lena could see every muscle flex and move in the warm light streaming in from a high window, covered by a cloth to offer some semblance of privacy. Lena could still see the same frightening bruises and some new one ones were revealed along the length of her legs and across her hips. But what most concerned most her was the tired slump to her shoulders and the limp-lank look to her hair. She gave Kara a hand down into the bath and enjoyed the feel of the slight role reversal. Lena could detect just a small hiss as Kara and her wounds immersed under the hot water.

"Do you want to talk?" Lena asked, breaking the long silence as she set to work unbraiding the long knot of hair which had once been a braid.

"I would if you wanted, but I do not want to add anything to your burden, my love." Kara said, her voice tender as she reached over and took one of Lena's hands into her own. "You know I would do most anything for you. This was nothing."

"I do not consider it a burden, Kara. It is me, helping you to carry your burden." Lena squeezed the hand back and stared into Kara's eyes steadily.

"If you would really like for me to tell you, I will. If at any point you feel it has become too much for you, just tell me to stop and I will." Kara said pointedly, being certain to check in with Lena at least once more as the young revolutionary brought up a short seat behind her to thoroughly clean Kara's long blonde hair.

Kara began to speak in low, soft and faraway tone. As she told the story of Samantha Arias' rescue it became clear that she really was no longer present in the bathroom, but totally immersed in the story. Lena sat quietly and listened intently, only asking questions whenever Kara took breaths and stopped to think. When Kara finished the retelling she was completed with her bath and Lena had finished her hair. Kara wrapped in a towel her girlfriend offered as she stepped out of the bath.

"We ought to tell Alex and the other council members about this. My brother might try to exact his revenge. You did not escape very quietly." Lena stepped into Kara's personal space, placed a hand on one strong, sore shoulder and pressed up onto her tiptoes to kiss the younger woman.