Deadly Beautiful (SuperCorp Medieval AU)

Part 63

  or the one where they begin to face their futures  

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"You know, I always knew he hated the king, but I never knew many details about why in particular." Alex said as she led Kara down the stairs and towards the dungeons. "James was just as idealistic as me and a brilliant tactical mind."

She turned to give Kara a hand when Kara flinched in pain as she descended the stairs.

"I never expected him to be capable of this." Alex sighed heavily, a small amount of guilt creeping into her voice. "Here is Lex."

Lex was slumped on the dirt against one sludge covered stone wall. His lips were caked with dried blood and a bruise had begun to cover the side of his face as he died. His head dangled loosely from a broken neck. Kara had to turn away, hating that this was something that could have happened on her watch. On one of the stones outside of the cell, blood had been smeared on the corner and the word 'sorry' was carved into the rock with a knife or sharp stone.

"James Olsen did this?" Kara asked, her voice suddenly gruff and hard.

"He was the only one down here with the necessary access. None of the other prisoners were disturbed, and they gave a description matching James." Alex said, her voice worn. "I am so sorry, Kara. I was the one who brought him into this. I thought we could trust him.

"You are in no way to blame, Alex. This is on James." Kara sighed heavily. "Have somebody bring the body upstairs. I will let Lena know what happened and see how she would like to proceed."

"And the other prisoners?" Alex asked.

"They will receive judgments at a later date. That is not my place." Kara said firmly, glad it was not her duty to make those decisions. She was filled with sympathy for Lena having the fate of so many on her shoulders. "If you see Vazquez before I do, send her my way."

Kara slowly made her up the stairs again and decided that she was going to stay on the ground floor henceforward. By the time she got back, she could feel warm blood running down her calf and into her boot as pained sweat began to bead across her forehead.

"Are you ready?" Lena asked when Kara finally made her way back. "Did you see him?"

"No, not really. I, uhm, I need to tell you something." Kara gestured for Lena to sit, partially because of the hard news and partially because Kara no longer had any confidence her leg would be able to continue to hold her up.

Lena sat and looked with concern at Kara, taking the blonde's hands into her own.

"What is going on?" she asked.

"James was left last night to watch Lex, whilst the rest of us slept." Kara began. "So far it seems that during the night, James entered your brother's cell and murdered him. James is nowhere to be found so I would say it is safe to say he fled afterward. I am so sorry, my love."

Lena seemed mildly confused and wounded. "I expected, upon Lex dying, to feel some sense of relief or even sadness on some level." "Instead, I just feel... nothing, empty... numb."

Kara put an arm around Lena's shoulders and hugged her for a moment. She squeezed the other woman tightly and willed everything to start going better for them.

"You do <em>not</em> have to feel anything for that bastard. He was your brother so you have every right to feel your feelings, but he was also a terrible human being. " Kara, more than anything, wanted Lena to be okay. She hated the way things were playing out.

Lena shook her head as though to clear her thoughts.

"Oh, no Kara." Lena seemed to realize something. "You are still hurt and bleeding. You have been pushing yourself too hard. Winn would put your head on a pike outside of the gates for this."