In the Name of the King (R)

[Cardinal]

I've got a few chapters done and have a good idea of where this fic is going, so I'm choosing to start posting it now.

I likely won't post more than once a week or so until I complete "Flying High."

Sit back and relax, this fic should be a long one.


**********


Chapter 1

Announcement
Manfred was riding a horse hard and leading another one behind him. As the senior servant assigned to Crown Prince Kal of the House of El, Manfred was unaccustomed to playing the role of messenger unless his charge had seriously irritated his parents, King Jor and Queen Lara. That was not the case today, not that he knew anyway, but if the scuttlebutt among the servants was right, Prince Kal might wish he was being punished after today’s audience.

As Manfred drew near the waryard, he could hear the clang of sword on sword or the thunk made when metal sword glanced off wooden shield, and there in the middle of it all, under the watchful eye of the kingdom’s most honored knight, Sir Emmerich Bauer, was the prince himself. He was just short of his nineteenth birthday, well over six feet in height, with long black hair that was currently held back in a warrior’s triple braid and sea green eyes that made women swoon.

Kal’s face glistened with sweat as he worked out under the watchful eye of the royal arms master. Everyone thought crusty old Sir Emmerich was a tough, uncompromising bastard, but no one believed that more fervently than Kal. He was the crown prince of the kingdom, and yet Bauer worked him harder than anyone else. Over and over they went, day after day, working on technique until Kal had every move down pat…and then working some more.

Once his two hours in martial training were over, Kal removed a green and silver amulet from around his neck and handed it to his manservant, who immediately placed it in a box until it was needed again.

“What am I late for this time, Manfred?” Kal asked disinterestedly, as he took off his leather gauntlets and handed them over also. “Language lessons? Economics classes? Dancing instruction?”

Off all the things a prince needed to know, Kal considered dancing to be the most useless. To his way of thinking, dancing was just another chance for his parents to put their prize calf on display, not to mention a chance for every newly marriageable daughter of the most powerful nobles in the land to step all over his feet and giggle at him.

Just then, the cloud cover broke and Kal felt the sun blazing down on him in all its glory, filling him with power. He quickly stripped off his chainmail shirt and padded leather undershirt to bask in the light before it disappeared behind the next bank of clouds.

Manfred watched as the cuts and abrasions Prince Kal had picked up in sword training just disappeared. He’d seen it hundreds of times during his service to the House of El, but it never ceased to amaze him. Once the sun disappeared again, Kal rinsed the sweat from his body, accepted the crisp, clean shirt Manfred held out for him and pulled the shirt on.

“No, your Highness. No instruction today,” Manfred said, just before he headed to the many equipment racks to drape the armor for the squires and pages to collect later. Kal followed the man and deposited his half helm and camail on a post to keep them out of the dirt.

Kal’s eyes narrowed and he came to a full stop so he could take a good look at his servant. The man was a veteran of twenty years service and yet he was nervous, almost to the point of shaking like a leaf. “If I’m not late for another tutoring session, then why are you here? You never get sent just to carry my things; that’s a job for lesser servants.”

“I am here to convey a royal summons, your Highness.”

“In the middle of the afternoon? Most unusual.” Needing to know where to go, Kal asked, “From which one, my mother or my father?”

“Both, your Highness.”

Oh crap! They must have found out about the necklace. Harry was supposed to keep that a secret until he got home. Damn him! Pretending he hadn’t a care in the world, Kal smiled, mounted his horse, and asked where he was to go.

“The throne room, your Highness.” That bit of news stopped Kal in his tracks. Sh*t! Sh*t! Double sh*t! This isn’t about an emerald and pearl necklace, not in the throne room it’s not.

“When?” Kal breathed.

Without a timepiece anywhere nearby, Manfred still knew the answer. “Five minutes ago, your Highness.”

Kal spurred his horse and raced toward the distant palace, first over dusty, crushed gravel paths, and then over cypress-lined, cobblestone-paved lanes. Normally a lover of the varied sights the miles of open parkland that surrounded the summer palace could bring, Kal only had eyes for the road as he raced at a breakneck pace in a bid to keep his parents, the king and queen, from waiting any longer than they already had.

Though Kal, and others of his race, could run much faster than any horse could, even while carrying a horse over their individual shoulders, he chose to ride a horse to blend in with the people, who didn’t always like being reminded the upper nobility were different from them.

By the time the gleaming white marble edifice of the long and low palace came into Kal’s view, Manfred was quite far behind him since his horse was smaller and slower and because he was a weaker rider than Kal was…and because he had no wish to accidentally end up being called into the throne room. There were some things even the servants didn’t want to know.

Kal reined in his horse at a side portico and handed the reins over to a liveried servant as he raced into the palace, through the conservatory, and into the adjoining music library, where he pressed his ring to a notch on the wall. The ring, in turn, opened a hidden door into the palace’s network of narrow, dimly-lit secret passages.

Once hidden from view, Kal turned on his speed and was in the residential wing of the palace in seconds. Apparently, word of his need had already arrived, since a bevy of servants were ready and waiting. When Kal stepped into his suite of rooms, he was whisked into his bedroom and undressed before being made to stand in a large tub of water to be scrubbed clean by a pair of servants with horsehair brushes and soap.

At the same time, his hair was undone and thoroughly brushed out before the royal hairdresser rebraided the entire style, starting with one on the top of the head right at the back which dropped straight down Kal’s head to the nape of his neck. There it was joined by a braid from both sides, each of which started right behind the ear and conformed to the curve of the skull on the way to the meeting point at the nape, from which the three smaller braids were woven together into one thick braid that went down Kal’s back to a point below his shoulder blades.

When the hairdresser was done, Kal stepped out of the portable copper tub and waited as more servants dried him off, before yet another set of servants set about dressing him. He managed, only just, to pull on his own underwear, but he stepped into white silk hose that ran up to his knees, and close-fitting black breeches which ran down just over the tops of the hose before being tied tight behind the knee.

Meanwhile, a clean undershirt was pulled on him followed by a crisply starched white shirt which Kal buttoned up himself as he stamped his feet into glossy black knee-high leather riding boots that had never come close to an actual horse, but did have the saving grace of covering his hose and the bottom edge of his breeches.

Lastly, the servants pulled on a brilliant white military uniform coat that had golden shoulder boards bearing white enameled pins of rank, and a short, stiff collar with more golden cloth and smaller versions of the rank pins on his shoulder boards. The coat was double-breasted, and the two rows of golden buttons stood out against the white of the coat. The last thing on was a golden sword belt which circled his waist and had two descending straps for holding a sword in place at his side. As no one wore a sword in the royal presence, those two straps were removed, and he was sent on his way.

Kal contented himself with walking to the distant throne room to give himself time to collect his thoughts before this official audience. He had to be careful now. Inside the throne room, those two people were the King and Queen of Alemannia first, and his parents second.

What really had him worried was that they hadn’t discussed anything with him beforehand. That usually meant either he was in deep trouble and was being punished publicly, or else they had made up their minds about something and were sure he wasn’t going to like it. Telling him about it when court was in session rather limited his opportunity to argue until well after their course of action had been announced and made official.

The sound of his boots as they struck the black-veined white marble floors would have been enough to tell Kal that the spacious halls were nearly empty as he made his way across the palace. Figures, either everyone is in the throne room to see what happens, or else Mother and Father have ordered the palace emptied so no one will learn what happens. Minutes later he stood in front of the giant gold-sheathed doors and waited to be introduced.

The seneschal gestured, and a liveried doorman pulled the door open. The seneschal then stepped through and said in a booming voice, “Your Majesties, announcing the Crown Prince of Alemannia and Duke of Borussia, Kal of the House of El.”

Kal looked down at his golden house ring that proclaimed him a member of the royal family, and his green and gold ring that tied him to his position as the Duke of Borussia, before taking a deep breath and striding into the vast throne room, which was completely empty except for the two people sitting on the dais. The king’s throne was larger than the queen’s because of his size, and it was a couple of inches in front of the queen’s because this was a kingdom, not a queendom.

Kal knew such distinctions meant little to his parents, as his mother had been his father’s closest confidant and advisor since the earliest moments of their marriage. He didn’t have any idea if they were in love or not, but that had nothing to do with royal marriages anyway, a point that had been hammered into his head for years.

When Kal got close to the dais and saw that even his younger sister Mara wasn’t present, he began to be intrigued. This had essentially become a private meeting, one that could have easily taken place in the royal apartments, but having it here made it an official meeting and, as he’d noted earlier, it kept him from arguing. Reaching the proper place, Kal knelt on one knee and kept his face on that of the king, waiting for the signal to rise.

King Jor signaled wordlessly for him to rise. Kal did so effortlessly and waited. Patience had never been his strong suit, so Jor had cultivated it over the years, making his son wait when his inclination had been to go now, to know now. When Kal waited for a couple of minutes with no show of impatience, Jor nodded to himself and spoke.

“You have, no doubt, noticed the extraordinary precautions we have taken to assure our privacy this afternoon. Not only have we virtually emptied the palace, but the queen has encased the throne room in a dome of silence, so that if anyone were here, they still couldn’t hear us.”

Kal shifted his yellow sun energy from his body to his mind, and reached out with his magical senses to find that his mother had indeed shielded the throne room from eavesdroppers. She had also barred the doors and drawn a physical barrier around the three of them. Kal’s eyes shifted to those of his mother for the first time, as he tilted his head, raised his eyebrows, and his mouth dropped open. All she did by way of acknowledging his unspoken question, how serious is this? was to nod her head almost imperceptibly, before he returned his gaze to his father.

“I’ll be direct with you, Kal,” Jor said. “These precautions have been taken because we have reason to believe a military coup attempt is imminent.”

Kal was filled with outrage. “Who would dare?!”

“Sources within the General Staff indicate that General Dru-Zod is the likely mastermind.”

Kal thought back over his years of training. He knew Dru-Zod was the commander of the King’s Legion, the elite forces of the Alemannian army. If Dru-Zod could command their loyalty, he might be able to pull it off. The soldiers wouldn’t even have to know they were part of a revolt. They could just be told the king’s life was in danger and then be assigned to take or hold a particular area, with only a few key officers actually in on the plan. By the time the rank and file realized what had happened, Dru-Zod would already be installed as the next king.

“How do you plan on countering Dru-Zod?” Kal asked.

“Carefully. We need to isolate him from any possible support among the nobles, especially the Council of Dukes. If they were to ratify his coronation, the game would be up, barring another army coup of course. And while you’re on the Council of Dukes, you’re not old enough to vote there yet. In any case, he’d kill you long before the dukes would ever get a chance to vote.

“So…we need to keep you safe so that even if he somehow gets us, he’ll know he still has a claimant from the House of El to deal with before he can have himself crowned.”

“Quite frankly, my prince, my son,” Lara said, speaking up for the first time, “it’s time for you to vanish.”

Knowing there had to be more to it than that, Kal just raised an eyebrow and waited.

“We’ll start rumors of sending you in many different directions, and even send out a company of the household chivalry to escort you to your ducal palace in Borussia…”

“Except you won’t be in the midst of that escort,” Jor continued, “you’ll already be long gone.”

Kal was beginning to get a bad feeling about this, as if it was a half-assed plan that would end up making him suffer.

“And why is that, Sire?” Kal asked formally.

The king and queen glanced at each other. Kal being formal with them like that meant he was suspicious and had his guard up. That, in turn, meant being direct was their best course of action.

“Because you’re leaving the palace tomorrow morning, and you won’t be allowed to come back until we send for you,” Jor said. “You’ll leave the palace from an out-of-the-way sideyard, appearing to be just another squire trailing along behind his knight.”

“That knight,” Lara said, “will be charged with protecting your life, even at the cost of his own. Along with that, he will be responsible for completing your weapons training.” And, hopefully, he’ll help you grow into the man this kingdom needs while he’s at it.

“What about my training in magic?” Kal asked. He was looking directly at his mother for this question, as she had been, until now anyway, his instructor in the magical arts.

“Your training is complete, Kal, and has been for some time.” For the first time in this meeting, he saw an expression from his mother that actually looked like the woman he loved and respected. It was pride, pride in her son, and pride in a job well done. “You learned quickly, and most importantly have learned the value of caution. Most young mages think they can do anything once they’ve learned to convert their stored solar energy into usable magical energy.”

“Well…it is an insanely difficult process to learn,” Kal allowed, “and mastering it is even harder, so you’d have to see where those young mages are coming from.”

“True, but in this one area, you have shown maturity and restraint. In other areas, you have been…less successful.”

Kal nodded his head in rueful agreement, privately wondering which of many events she might be referring to this time. “Who is the knight I’ll be squiring for?” Kal had known from the moment his father had mentioned him being a squire that this was considered to be an essential part of his disguise, and was probably the reason his parents were having this discussion in court.

The king looked at his son with some trepidation, and when Kal saw Jor nervously lick his lips, he suddenly realized who he had been assigned to. This was the real reason the meeting was here: they weren’t worried about him accepting the role of a squire, as onerous as that may be, they were worried about him arguing about being assigned to…

“Sir Bruce Wayne,” the king said quickly.

The queen leaned in then to add, completely unnecessarily, “Better known as the Dark Knight.”

Completely forgetting he was in court, Kal swore. “Ho-ly sh*t!”


Feedback please!

[Nemu]

Very nice start Card...

Oh man I couldn't stop laughing at the end of this...

I guess part of his squire identity will be his name of Clark?

Interesting setting and story...

Some parts of this reminded me of the book Last Days of Krypton...

well... PPMS!!! (here or on FH)

[shortcircuit85]

Another Story from Cardinal! I have always enjoyed fantasy pieces. I like how this is starting, but need more anwsers. What kind of powers does Kal have? Does everyone in the kingdom have similar powers? Kal has a younger sister? What was the green and silver necklace that Kal was wearing while he trained?

So are we in for a really long story?

I'll just get out the salsa and chips and wait.

Thanks,

[basketballstar23]

Interesting Card! Not sure I follow completely yet. But I will bank on the fact that I'm reading this when I'm half asleep lol but I always love reading your fics so I'm sure this won't be any different! PPMS!

[Cardinal]

I lied...so sue me. :P

I'm posting again here so soon mostly because I haven't gotten anything done on "Flying High" in the last two days, for which I apologize.

**********

Chapter 2

Taking Leave
Kal heard a set of steps marching rapidly toward him from the gloom at the side of the throne room. A glance gave him a quick impression of a figure wearing what appeared to be all black armor of some oriental type just before that figure prostrated itself on the floor right next to Kal himself.

“You may rise, Sir Bruce, and take possession of your charge,” King Jor said grimly.

Bruce rose with as little effort as he had fallen, and wasted no time in delivering a crushing blow to Kal’s ear which stunned him, and sent him sprawling on the ground.

Bruce faced the throne then and knelt, bowing his head as he said, “Your Majesties? Please accept my humblest apologies for my squire’s foul mouth. Swearing in front of a lady is bad enough, but swearing in front of your personages pains me greatly as he is my charge; my only plea is he has just entered that state and has not yet begun to be instructed in that which as a boy of eighteen he should already know.”

Kal was rubbing his chin and struggling to his feet as the king replied, “Rise once again, Sir Bruce. The fault is not yours, but instead belongs wholly to myself and a long line of permissive governesses. Women, it appears, have small chance to resist my son, which you may find to be a continuing trial on your journey together.

“Correct your squire’s errors however you see fit, Sir Bruce.” For he has much to learn…and to unlearn.

Kal wobbled back to his former position, only to be thrown effortlessly to the ground by Sir Bruce in some foreign fashion Kal had never seen before. How is he doing this to me? A punch from him shouldn’t hurt me…I should barely even feel it…but I’m still seeing stars.

Bruce leaned on Kal’s shoulders, holding him face first on the ground. Still not quite sure which way was up, Kal didn’t even bother struggling.

“Lesson number one, Squire…” Sir Bruce suddenly realized he couldn’t use the name Kal once they left the palace, for the prince’s own safety. “Your Majesties, this squire requires a new name, one I will use and he will answer to, for the length of his time in my service. Is there any name you wish to bestow?”

“None,” King Jor said.

“In fact,” Queen Lara added, “it’s better for his safety that we not know.”

“Agreed,” the king replied. “Should we be taken, the less we know about Kal’s current condition, the better.”

“That being the case,” Sir Bruce said, “I have a name that will suit my charge just fine.” Sir Bruce returned his attention to Kal, who was staying still and hoping the room would quit moving sometime soon. “As I was saying, lesson number one: from now until you earn your knighthood or until the king relieves me of my duty, you are no longer a prince, but my squire.

“Those people on the thrones over there are still the king and queen, however, and your action toward them just now was reprehensible. And as you are my squire, your action reflected poorly on me.”

Still confused by the first blow he‘d taken, Kal asked, “Which acti…”

Bruce pounded Kal on the back of his head, driving it into the floor, which bloodied his mouth, and nearly broke his jaw. “Speak when required to, Squire. And for your edification, swearing in front of a lady, much less doing it in front of the king and queen, is the action to which I was referring.”

Kal’s head had finally cleared and, having been properly enraged by that last blow, he called on his super-strength to throw Bruce off of him, but found his strength wasn’t there. Only one substance could do that without crippling him with pain, and precious few people had access to it.

“Figured out yet why your abilities don’t work, Squire?”

“Yes, Sir,” Kal said, unhappily. “My par…the king and queen, appear to have gifted you with something special for our journey.”

As angered as Kal was by his rough treatment at the hands of Sir Bruce, his mind was occupied by his parents. He’d always excelled in his studies, both academic and martial, and had been spending increasing amounts of time with his father as he began to learn all that went into ruling a kingdom, even as he kept up his magic studies with his mother.

And yet, his parents had measured him and found him lacking. That shook his confidence in himself to the core, and seriously damaged his trust in his parents. Until this moment, he’d thought himself to be close to them, but apparently was not.

Bruce dragged Kal to his feet, they both bowed low to the king and queen, and then waited for the queen to release her barrier spell before using a small side door to exit the throne room.

“We don’t leave until early morning,” Bruce said, once they were clear of the throne room, “so you have tonight to yourself before taking up your new duties.”

“In that case,” Kal said acidly, “I would greatly appreciate it if you’d put that amulet away so I can heal before the evening meal. I don’t think anyone wants to see me bleeding while they eat.”

As Bruce let Kal stomp off by himself, he could hear the disgruntled prince mutter, “Stupid amulets are only supposed to be for training purposes anyway.”

Once Kal got out of the range of the amulet, he could feel a rush as his stored solar energy healed his few injuries. “Stupid sonofab*tch!” he raged, without really knowing whether he was truly referring to his father the king, Sir Bruce, or even himself. He sped his way up to his suite of rooms and ordered a meal to be sent to him there. He had no intention of spending his last free night sitting at a table with the people who’d arranged for him to leave in the first place.

Kal realized he would have to swing by and visit Mara before he left though; he just couldn’t leave without seeing his kid sister one last time. Thinking of her brought thoughts of her numerous ladies-in-waiting, who were reputed to be the finest young women in the kingdom. When looking in on them as they sat with Mara in the solar room, he often wondered if one of them would be chosen by his parents to be his bride someday.

He suddenly wished this wasn’t such a big secret, otherwise, he might be able to turn this hurried departure to his advantage and wangle a kiss or two from a few of Mara’s ladies-in-waiting, when she was looking the other way.

Jor and Lara were disappointed, but not surprised, when their son took his meal in his rooms. They’d hoped to go over this again, as a family this time, but Kal refused to see them.

The meal was a somber affair, with Mara asking to be excused early so she could escape the oppressive gloom. She immediately sent a note to the men’s quarters to ask Kal to meet her in the expansive parterre garden. She took one of her ladies with her, and headed outside after pulling on a light wrap.

Mara didn’t have to wait long, as Kal hurried down from his suite and met her by the garden’s centrally-located marble fountain, where she was sitting on the coping with her escort. Both women stood at Kal’s approach; the women curtseyed deeply and Kal responded with a formal bow.

Mara was sixteen, almost three years Kal’s junior, and the brightest ornament of the Alemanni court. Tall for a girl, she had masses of long, inky black curls, porcelain skin, piercing blue eyes, full, pouting lips, and a figure that was only hinted at by her saffron yellow dress.

The young woman next to her was one Kal didn’t remember. She appeared to be three or four inches shorter than Mara, and maybe a year or two younger, with straw-colored hair in loose curls, cornflower blue eyes, a smattering of freckles across her nose, and a pleasingly-shaped face. Kal could tell the dove gray dress was new, and adding that to the fact he didn’t remember her, he thought it likely the girl was a brand new addition to Mara’s coterie of ladies-in-waiting.

“Hi, Mara,” Kal said, smiling genuinely for the first time since leaving training with Sir Emmerich earlier in the day.

“Hi, Kal.” Mara gestured to the woman standing at her side. “Kal? May I present Lady Elaine Ricard. Elaine? This is my brother, Prince Kal-El.”

Kal stepped around Mara and held out his hand, palm up, to clasp the hand Elaine had held out for him to take. Keeping his green eyes focused on her blue ones, he raised her arm to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand.

“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Elaine.”

“The pleasure is all mine, your Highness.”

“Please, Prince Kal will do milady.”

Lady Elaine smiled widely. “As you wish…Prince Kal.”

The young woman was all of fifteen, having just been sent by her family to the capital to spend a year as one of Princess Mara’s ladies-in-waiting. It was a prime position, as it allowed Elaine a wider range of cultural opportunities than she’d ever experience at home, and her family also hoped she’d acquire a new level of sophistication, a final polish if you will, that she’d never achieve talking to tutors.

This plum assignment also made it possible for her to meet a large cross section of the most eligible young nobles in the kingdom. Every noble family with a daughter hoped their girl would catch the eye of a young man that would be an advantageous match, and Kal knew they all considered him to be the ultimate prize. What better way to improve your family’s fortunes than by marrying the crown prince?

Kal had, predictably, tired of the marriage game long ago. All he waited for now was his parents to tell him who he must marry. Since he couldn’t marry for love, he hoped the girl was at least pretty; the idea of having to endure regular sexual relations with a woman he neither cared for nor could stand to look at was pretty much his idea of the ninth circle of Hell.

Having done his duty and met Lady Elaine, Kal asked her if he might borrow his sister for private conversation. “Sure, take her wherever you want, just as long as I can still see her.”

“I’m glad to see you take your responsibilities so seriously, Lady Elaine. Mara and I will just be over there.” So saying, Kal led his sister to the far side of the large fountain, where the burbling sounds of the water were sufficient to mask their voices from any listener.

“Hi, Kiddo, what did you want to see me about?” Kal asked.

“Dinner. You weren’t there, and Mom and Dad were less lively than I’ve seen them at at least two different state funerals. What’s up?”

“I’m leaving tomorrow, at their special request, so I doubt I was missed much at dinner by anyone but you.”

“Leaving…what?”

“The palace, the city,” Kal shrugged his shoulders, “maybe the entire kingdom for all I know.” He took Mara’s hands into his own, and chose his words with care. “The king and queen have decided I need some training or experiences they cannot provide for me here. There are other things going on that I dare not speak of.”

“You are beginning to scare me, Kal.”

“Sorry about that, Mara. I don’t mean to push my problems off on you.”

“Your problems frequently become my problems, Brother,” Mara said with a smile. “For what affects one member of this family affects us all.”

“Be strong, Mara. I will write whenever I can be assured of the safety of doing so, though that may not be often.” And then he ventured a smile, twin to the one she had just given him. “Whatever else happens, Little Sister, do not allow them to marry you off until I’m here to see it.”

“Marriage? Father hasn’t even begun receiving envoys, much less actual candidates.”

“Yet attendance at court functions is always highest when it’s known well in advance you will be there. Be careful. Pay attention. Our parents don’t always tell us what they are doing.”

“I promise, Kal.” Mara tilted her head in thought and then her eyes lit up. “I know just the thing. My ladies hear all sorts of gossip, all I have to do is gently direct them on the kinds of gossip for which to listen.”

“That sounds workable, and safe.” Kal lifted his sister’s hands to his mouth for the briefest brush of his lips. “I had better go. The knight I have been assigned to means for us to leave early in the morning, and I believe early to him means before dawn.”

A simple hand kiss wouldn’t do for Mara, and she pulled her beloved older brother into a hard hug that left her crying into his shoulder. “Come back to me, Kal. You here me? It does no good for me to stall our parents if you don’t survive. Come back. I want you to be at that wedding…of course,” she added slyly, “you may be the one getting married first. The kingdom does need an heir.”

“So I hear…constantly. That’s the one good thing about leaving now,” Kal replied. “I don’t have to attend next month’s royal ball for my birthday. No more prospective brides to meet.”

Kal hugged his sister hard, with a strength that only another Kryptonian could withstand, and hurried off, stopping only to take his leave from Lady Elaine.

“You look sad, your Highness,” Elaine observed once Mara made her way around the fountain again to rejoin her escort.

“It’s only Mara when we are alone, Elaine. I thought I’d told you that by now,” Mara scolded gently. “And yes, I am sad. But I can’t tell you why, it’s a secret.”


Feedback please!

[Nemu]

Well... that was sad... and good!!!

And funny a little bit... and grrrrr

I can feel Kal's anger in that update...

Soo... I guess if you presented us with Eleine it must mean that she will have a role to play in the future...

I wonder when Lana will come into play in the story...

PPMS!!! (FH asap and here next week i guess...)

[shortcircuit85]

All I can say is that Kal needs to get rid of that amulet before to much training is done.

Can't wait to read more.

Thanks,

[maitriniazngurl]

Wow... a new story! I am soo far behind with "Flying High"

This one is really interesting and fresh! I can't wait to read more.

I have on question though.... are they on earth or krypton? Or in a new planet or dimension itself.

PPMS! I'm so execited to read more.

[shlyish]

Bruce is gonna be great in this.

[Nemu]

Bruce is gonna be great in this.

either he will be great or he will be a royal pain in the behind...

[shlyish]

either he will be great or he will be a royal pain in the behind...

Mmmmm both.

[Nemu]

lol... nah Bruce will be a pain... and great... and Kal will be the "royal" pain in the behind...

[Cardinal]

Chapter 3

On the Road

The four Langs sat around the private dining table in the family quarters and ate an evening meal one last time. The last week had been a whirlwind of preparations for them as they decided what had to go, what needed to stay, and then made the hard decisions about the things they wanted to bring that were not necessary: which ones got to come along in the limited space they had left in their wagon train, and which things would have to stay due to lack of space.

At the head of the table sat Lord Lewis Lang, fourteenth Baron of Roskilde, and fervent supporter of the El dynasty. Seated at his right hand was his eldest daughter, Lois, who was just eighteen. A tall, athletic woman, with long, slightly coarse blonde hair, and hazel eyes, she was more muscular than almost all other women and even some men, but still considered beautiful by those who met her.

Sitting across from the Baron was his second daughter, Lana. She was sixteen, slender, of average height, with creamy skin, silky brown hair, small, soft lips, and what were considered to be her signature feature, large, enchanting hazel eyes.

Lastly, on the Baron’s left, was his youngest child, Alicia. Newly fourteen and proud of it, Alicia was in between her older sisters in height, with warm brown eyes, long, straight blonde hair, and a winning smile that got her nearly everything she wanted.

Together, the three girls were their father’s life. After his third wife died almost eight years ago, he’d thrown himself into helping raise those girls, which might tend to account for a level of education and independence in them that was unusual in women of any social class in the kingdom.

Once the dessert course was set before them, Lewis signaled for the servants to leave for the evening. He figured the breakfast servants could take the empty dessert dishes down to the kitchen tomorrow, but right now, he needed to talk to his daughters in private.

“Once we finish loading tomorrow, we’ll go ahead and leave,” Lewis said. “Lois? I’ve decided you’ll stay here with the skeleton staff of servants to wait for my new arms master who is coming to join us all the way from the summer palace.”

“From the capital city?” Alicia asked dreamily.

Lewis smiled indulgently at his youngest daughter. “Almost, Dear. The summer palace is about thirty miles outside of Königsberg itself. The arms master's being sent here by the king himself.”

“I should ever so much like to see the capital someday,” Alicia added. “I hear it’s a grand city, with wide, tree-lined boulevards, ornate mansions, embassies from every kingdom that matters, and a never-ending swirl of social engagements.”

“It’s all that and more, Alicia, but right now, my duty takes us in the other direction, and for that, I am sorry.” Lewis paused to look at each of his girls in turn, to let them see the truth of his sorrow, for each of his girls opposed the move, and had their own reasons for doing so. But when they realized his decision was final, the girls had swallowed their complaints and pitched in to make the move a success.

“As for tomorrow,” Lewis added, “as I’ve already given Lois her assignment, all that remains is to tell her she’s waiting for Sir Bruce Wayne and his party.”

“The Dark Knight?” Lois asked eagerly.

Lana rolled her eyes at her sister’s excitement over a man with such a brutal reputation. Alicia perked up a bit at the mention of a knight, and Lewis just continued to speak. “Yes, the Dark Knight. And while I’ve no doubt he’s earned his reputation, remember that he is on our side and has been sent by the king to aid us.

“Why do we need the aid of a brutal man like Sir Bruce, Father?” Lana asked. The quiet way she asked the question let her father know she was seriously concerned.

When his most level-headed child had a question, Lewis paid just a little more attention to his answer. “Because, Poppet, times are getting dangerous. Most of my small army is staying here to protect our people and to support the king. Our arms master will stay here to help train them, but the household guard we’re taking with us needs an arms master, too, to keep its individual soldiers as sharp as can be. And since the king is sending me on this mission, he gladly supplied a knight to be an additional arms master. Given the gravity of the situation we are now in, he sent the roughest, toughest, hardest to kill man in the kingdom to teach my men those same skills.”

Lana had heard vague rumors of unrest from her contacts with the various merchants that came to the castle, but she hadn’t had any idea just how serious it was becoming until now. Not wanting to alarm Alicia, Lana kept any further questions to herself.

Lewis could tell Lana was holding back, and was grateful for it. He did not want to make the journey tomorrow with a perpetually frightened Alicia jumping at every shadow along the way.

“Anyway, Lois…once Sir Bruce and his people are here, you are to take the small escort I’m leaving with you and travel with Sir Bruce through the Stein Pass and into Krakovia. It’s a shorter, harder route to travel that should let you catch us before we reach our destination, depending on whether or not Sir Bruce is delayed along the way. The rest of the route, from the top of the pass, is on the map my cartographer made for you. You’ll find it on your bed.”

“Yes, Father.”

“As for you, Lana, you’re charged with taking our head housekeeper and another small escort to ride ahead of our baggage train. I want you two to make that manor and its stables livable before we get there. That includes hiring any additional servants you two think we need, both temporary ones to get the place ready, and permanent ones in case the staff we’re bringing with us isn’t enough. Stop by the treasury before you go to pick up a small chest of gold and silver to pay any hires, and to begin stocking the pantries with foodstuffs and the stables with fodder for the horses.

“And you, Alicia, will ride with the baggage train. You are in charge of distributing food at each meal stop. I know you’ve already worked out a schedule for that. I’ve seen it and approved it, so you get to implement it.”

Lana nodded thoughtfully to herself, as she was used to the way her father leaned on her, but Alicia puffed up with pride, as this was the first time she’d been assigned an adult duty, and an independent one at that. Lord Lang had seen his daughters educated like men, for the most part, and now he was going to reap the benefits of it.

Once the small marzipan cake had been eaten, everyone said their goodnights and headed to bed. The girls removed their dresses and stuffed them into nearly full trunks, to be cleaned upon reaching their destination. After they dressed for bed, the only thing left out was a change of clothes for the morning.

Lois was staying to wait, but had no idea just how long she’d be waiting, so her things were just as completely packed as those of the other girls. Most of her finery was already loaded on wagons for the trip anyway .

Lana had two additional changes of dresses and underclothes with the extra clothes which would be stuffed into the large saddlebags on her horse in the morning. All three dresses had split skirts, so she could ride astride a horse without baring her legs, and each dress came with a hat to match to keep the sun off her face and to keep the dirt out of her hair, which would be knotted on top of her head in the no-nonsense style she preferred.

Alicia had the same number of dresses ready, but hers were all conventional ones since she didn’t like to ride and had no intention of doing it for weeks as they made their way westward and then southward. She would ride in a plain, but sturdy carriage, and take the long route along the distant but flat coastal road with her father and the baggage train.

After a hearty breakfast, the Lang family went their separate ways. Lana collected the head housekeeper and the assigned guard for the trip of two knights and eighteen other armored horsemen, along with one light wagon for the money chest and their supplies.

Lana kissed her sisters and her father goodbye, before pulling on her supple leather gloves, adjusting her hat before tying it securely under her chin, and then using the mounting block to step onto her horse. A groom from the stables was at the ready to adjust the length of Lana’s stirrups if necessary, but that was not necessary as the equerry had them perfectly adjusted. One of the two knights led the guard of twenty, but Lana led the mission and thus everyone waited on her. Giving one last crooked smile to her family, she clucked at her horse, used the reins to point him in the right direction, and then lightly dug in her heels to get him moving forward.

Once the whole procession had filed through the small city which huddled around the base of the small mesa that Roskilde Castle was on, and had made it out onto the open, dust-choked, narrow road that led directly to the coastal road off in the distance, Lana told the leader of her guard to array his men as he saw fit and to set a reasonable pace for them and their wagon.

Later that day, Lord Lang, the Baron of Roskilde and Lady Alicia left the castle in the midst of a long wagon train of soldiers, servants, supplies for the trip, and belongings. Being her first assignment that really mattered, Alicia was as nervous as a cat in a roomful of dogs, except for when actually called on to fulfill her duties. Lewis made sure to stay out of her way, but watched with burgeoning pride as his youngest spread her wings and flew for the first time. She was a nervous wreck by the end of the first day, but one look at her father, and seeing him look back at her the way she knew he always looked at Lana, and she knew she was doing well. Alicia’s father’s approval, never bestowed lightly, was all the confidence she would need. The rest of the trip passed easily for her.

Lois was bored out of her skull less than half a day after the wagon train left the castle, and turned to sharpening her martial skills for entertainment. She stripped off her dress and its attendant underlayers and pulled on her custom-made suit of brown leather armor. It was enough to give her a decent amount of protection, while being light enough to let her make use of her quickness to get around someone’s guard and stab them where their protection was minimal.

Lois knew she wasn’t ever going to overpower a man in a toe-to-toe slugging match with sword and oaken shield, so her style eschewed the use of a shield completely, instead relying on dual short swords to deflect blows with one hand that she wasn’t quite able to dodge, before striking with her other blade.

Working out in the castle’s waryard involved dull weapons, but they could still leave spectacular bruises and even break bones if a blow landed flush. Lois had been given the best instruction her father could manage, however, she had some talent, and, she suspected, most of the men took it easy on her. But if they took it easy on her, she didn’t reciprocate, instead choosing to beat the snot out of anyone who was a hair too slow. If they were going to patronize her, she had no problem with making them pay.

The next morning, well before dawn, while Lois’ victims were still sleeping off their beatings, Kal woke up as a bucket of rainwater drenched his sleeping form.

“Wake up, Prince Charming,” Bruce yelled derisively. “You’re done lolling about.”

Kal leapt to his feet right in the middle of the bed, going from prone to standing with no in between. Bruce had left the training amulet down with his gear, and was beginning to wonder if that had been wise when Kal’s eyes locked on him as the source of the water.

“You,” Kal breathed, as he choked down a sudden urge to beat the obnoxious knight from head to toe. There was a fire in his eyes that didn’t have anything to do with women. Bruce had been warned about Kal’s volcanic temper. He was said to be easy to anger, and hard to cool off.

Both men just stood there until Kal’s eyes slowly lost their fire-like gleam, and then a suitably chastened Bruce pointed to a chair. “There’s your clothing and armor, Kal. You’ve got one more set of clothes in your saddlebags, except for the boots. Get dressed, it’s time to go.”

Bruce started to turn, but Kal was dressed and standing in the doorway before he completed his turn. “Friggin’ showoff.”

The two headed downstairs, walked through empty passageways, and out a rarely used door. From there their path was lit by the moon as they wended their way through the various gardens near the palace, steadily heading toward where Bruce had their horses waiting. There were four horses in total, a palfrey for each of them to ride, a packhorse for Kal to lead, and Bruce’s warhorse, a courser, which he would lead himself.

Also waiting for them was a nominal guard of ten armored horsemen. The extra soldiers were enough to make Bruce and Kal an untempting target, especially since neither of them would be dressed in anything other than plain armor now that Bruce had his fancy stuff packed away.

“At our first stop of the day, once it’s light and we’re well away from anyone,” Bruce said, “we’re going to have to cut that damn hair of yours. That pretty long hair you have now is too recognizable and in any case, you haven‘t earned the right to wear a warrior’s braid.”

Kal reflexively reached up toward his hair just before pulling on a half helm with a camail that hung down from the helmet to protect his neck. He really liked his hair, but had the feeling that arguing would just earn him another beating. “I’ll need to get a new half helm and padded liner then. This one won’t fit.”

Bruce looked sourly at Kal. “You need to stop talking whenever you feel like it, Squire, but, you did say something I needed to take into consideration, so don’t worry about it…this time.” Bruce pointed to the horses. “As my squire, you’ll be responsible for taking care of both palfreys and the packhorse at every stop. Don’t…touch…the warhorse. He’s as likely to kill you as you are to do anything useful with him. I will show you how to care for the horses one time and one time only. Screw it up after that and you’ll wake every morning with my boot in your ear.”

Kal tried to signal that he had something to say. Having to wait for permission from a man who seemed as far from nobility as he was from being a woman galled Kal, but as a squire, he had no other recourse.

“Yes, Kal?” Bruce asked indulgently.

“Your squire is well aware of how to care for a horse, unless one of these three has a particular requirement.”

Surprised, Bruce asked, “How did you come by knowledge of anything resembling work, Squire?”

“You obviously haven’t trained in horsemanship under the eye and sharp tongue of father’s Master of Horse. To him, learning to ride meant learning how to care for the horse as well. Once I was large enough to handle the care of my horse, riding lessons stropped until I could care for him.”

Kal noticed Bruce seemed to be looking back toward the palace, as if he was expecting someone. Curious, but not interested in getting clouted on the ear, Kal waited patiently.

They were rewarded when three darker shadows resolved into his mother in a hooded black cloak and two nasty looking bodyguards, whose swords were already out, because every soldier in the clearing had weapons they really couldn’t get rid of. Everyone in the clearing bowed on one knee and waited.

“You may rise,” Queen Lara said quietly but clearly. “I am pleased you got my message to wait, Sir Bruce.”

“As always your Majesty, a pleasure to serve.” Lara studied Bruce closely.

“A word with you privately, Sir Bruce.”

Bruce nodded and followed the queen into the gloom, but not until handing Kal his swordbelt, from which hung a sword and two daggers. He knelt once more before the queen, but this time, she did not invite him to rise. “That stunt you pulled in the throne room was as unnecessary as it was brutal. Had my husband followed my advice, you would have been beaten within an inch of your life and thrown into the dungeon at Adlerhorst Castle. When someone finally remembered you were there and had served your time…well, people don’t usually do so well up there.

“My husband seems to think you’ll make a man of Kal. I say he already is and just needs some responsibility to make him grow up the rest of the way.” Lara stretched her arms straight out on either side of her body. As she said, “Flamma,” her hands glowed purple, and firebolts shot out of each one to streak across the darkness of the predawn in the small sideyard before each firebolt struck a large tree and consumed it in seconds.

“So let me be perfectly clear. Bring my son back in one piece. Mentally as well as physically, or I will come find you, and what you did to my son will be as nothing to what I’ll do to you.”

Bruce had been around long enough to know the difference between a threat and a sworn promise. He’d just been on the receiving end of the latter. There was no doubt in his mind that the queen was willing to lay it all on the line to protect her son. “You may rise, Sir Bruce. Be worthy of your title, not your reputation, and you will succeed in the duty my husband has laid upon you.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Lara led Sir Bruce and her two bodyguards back to the small gathering and called her son forward. “Your sister came to me in tears tonight and begged me to give you some assistance, even though she didn’t seem to know much about where you were going or even exactly why.” One of her guards handed her a leather traveler’s money belt, and she handed it to Kal. “Look inside, but only use it in an emergency. And I don’t mean so you can buy an extra bottle of wine to impress a girl.” Then she handed him a small, folded sheet of expensive-looking paper. “Mara sent this and insisted you read it before you go.”

Kal looked inside the leather belt first before affixing it to his waist, under his undershirt, his padded leather overshirt and his shirt of chain mail. Then he opened the note, shifted his stored energy to magical use, and said, “Lumos.” A small ball of pure light appeared in his open hand, which was more than enough for him to read by.

Dear Kal,

It is strange, but when Lady Elaine and I came back from meeting you, we found out from one of my other ladies that I, too, am to be sent away. I know not where or when, else I would tell you straightaway. I am beginning to be afraid, though I must not show it in front of my ladies, as they look to me for guidance in how they themselves are to act.

As for Mother, I hope she found your rings and got them in there as they were the only things I could think you might make use of in an emergency. Oh, Mother also mentioned including your bank plate, but I do not see how that will help, not after the money you spent on that huge necklace for Harry’s sister. Of course, you might have more money than me, I don’t know.

Be careful, Kal. Come back to me.


Your loving sister,

Mara


Kal extinguished his light, called out, “Incendia,” and a small flame licked upward from Kal’s hand to incinerate the sheet. He then took up his position next to his new horse, and waited for his knight’s command. Bruce had his eyes and ears on Lara, waiting for her command to depart.

When the queen finally nodded her head, Bruce bellowed, “Mount!” and all twelve of them climbed into the saddle at once. All rode by the queen, in a slow, disorganized parade and saluted her silently. Lara stood there like an apparition in the early morning darkness, silently haunting their exit, her eyes seeming to burn as they bored into Sir Bruce’s back.

“Captain?” Bruce asked.

“Yes, Sir Bruce?” the senior officer of the guard detachment asked.

“Lead us to the armory, and wake someone up if you have to. We need a smaller helmet for my squire, and a padded liner to match.”

[Nemu]

Soo... first of all... Blois? I hope so...

or at least from Lois views...

God I like Lara... lol

That was good!!!!!

And we meet the Langs... interesting choice for the daughters....

Hmm can't wait to read more...

PPMS!!!

[shortcircuit85]

Great chapter. I liked the waking of Kal! Bruce will be keeping his amulet close now. I also liked the introduction of the Lang's.

Bruce seems to be an intresting character.

Thanks,