Chapter 26

Kara's listening to the sound of hooves get closer as she waits for Lena to finish getting ready. When she hears the sound of a tent flap opening and closing, she looks over to see Lena. Kara drops in the air for a millisecond before she catches herself and nearly chokes on nothing.

Lena's wearing armor and it fits her perfectly in a way that had to have been tailored to her. It's a mixture of a few different types of armor and like nothing Kara's ever seen. She looks regal and gorgeous in it and it's in such a way that her beauty is even more effortless than usual. The armor isn't something that looks like it was designed by a man who just wanted it to be form-fitting and sexy instead of practical.

Lena walks with confidence out of her tent and Kara wipes her mouth with her hand to make sure she's not actually drooling because holy crap. Rao, she looks incredible.

Lena looks up at her and it's like she can tell that Kara has been staring at her. She smirks as Kara slowly floats down to greet her.

"Hey," Kara breathes out.

"Hey," Lena responds, sounding amused.

"Your armor is amazing," Kara gushes. Oh, Alex would love it so much. She'll have to remember to have Lena talk to her about it when they get to National City. "You made it yourself?"

"Yes, I did. Mostly. Only my most trusted ally was allowed to help me with it, and I only let her because she insisted. She ended up being invaluable, as usual." Lena smiles softly.

"See? You do have a friend!" Kara exclaims.

Lena shakes her head, grinning. She shouldn't be surprised that Kara remembers she told her she doesn't exactly have friends.

"Jess isn't really a friend." Lena says. "More of a colleague I trust."

"You don't trust easily, but you trust her. You're friends!" Lena gives Kara a look. "Okay, you don't believe me. Does Jess like you? Platonically or otherwise?"

"I would assume so, she spends a lot of time with me. She's my most trusted confidant. Jess is the one that helped me understand the political landscape of my Kingdom."

"And what's she doing right now?" Kara prompts.

Lena hesitates. Maybe they are friends. She has just never thought about it. "She's running Luthor Kingdom in my absence."

"See? You're so friends!" Kara says happily. "You have at least two!"

"Two?"

"Yeah! We're friends, remember?" Kara beams at her and Lena can practically feel the ice around her heart melting.

"My Queen," a guard says as he rushes up to them. "I apologize for interrupting but the nobles are safe and with two guards. They aren't happy."

Lena scoffs quietly. "No, I wouldn't expect they would be. If they continue to be a pain, feel free to remind them they can to come out here where we will be fighting the assassins Mother sent."

"Yes ma'am." The guard smiles as he jogs away, back toward the forest.

"Is it really necessary to agitate them?" Kara asks worriedly.

"No. But I do like to put them in their place occasionally. They have spent so long reveling in their wealth that they hate the slightest inconvenience, even if it will save their lives. Eventually, they forget to think of anyone aside from themselves." Lena remarks drily, then shakes her head. "Enough of that. I need to get to a good vantage point to shoot from."

Lena glances at where the road is and looks around at the trees around the clearing. Since this is an old forest, most of the trees are sturdy enough for climbing. Lena strolls around the edge of the clearing that will give her a good view of the road they will come from.

Kara tracks her with her eyes and keeps an ear out to hear where the assassins are.

Lena swiftly climbs a tree and gets on a sturdy branch. She squints at the road and clearing, silently deciding if this is the best place to be.

"Whoa!" Kara breathes out, floating a few feet from her. Lena flinches at the suddenness of her appearance, but manages not to fall out of the tree. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I used to get overwhelmed when I was younger by what I was expected to do, by who I was expected to be. Our backyard went up to an ancient forest that has been there for as long as anyone can remember. Lex taught me to climb trees. It was a way to get away from everything, an escape. After he taught me, I ended up in the forest a lot. Lex was the only person who would know where I was when Mother looked for me." Lena smiles sadly.

Kara reaches out and takes her hand. "I'm sorry you went through that."

"Thanks Kara." Lena says softly, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. "It made me who I am today."

Kara squeezes again and they stay there in silence for a while until she breaks it. "They're about half an hour away now."

Lena lets out a breath and sits back up. She looks around again and decides that this isn't the best place she could be. It would work if she wants to be shot at. It's too exposed.

Lena crouches on the branch and carefully moves towards the end of the limb. She fight the urge to laugh when she hears Kara's concerned squeak, knowing that'll cause her to lose her concentration. She eyes another tree, quietly examining it. Deciding that it's probably sturdy and not rotted on the inside, she leaps from the branch she's on to that tree's branch.

"Rao, Lena. I thought you were going to fall!"

"Sorry for worrying you." Lena reaches out her hand for Kara to hold. For comfort and reassurance. At least that's what she's telling herself. "I've done this many times, Kara. I'm okay. Plus, this is the perfect place for me to shoot from."

Kara huffs out a breath. "Okay, I'm curious. How is this tree better than that one? They're literally like three feet from each other. Because from where in standing it feel like you just wanted to show off your inner squirrel."

"My inner squirrel?" Lena laughs. "This one provides more cover. There are more leaves, the assassins will have a harder time seeing me here. Plus there are more leaves above me in this tree, so the sun will have a harder time hitting and reflecting off of my armor. Also, I have a slightly better view."

"Those are really good reasons." Kara nods. "I shouldn't be surprised, you're really smart."

Lena flushes and clears her throat. She's not really used to genuine compliments, usually she only gets complimented when someone wants something from her. She isn't really sure how to respond to a real one. 

"Thank you. How close are they now?"

"Really close. Like if this were all a clearing I would be able to shoot them with my heat vision."

"That close, huh?" Lena murmurs. "Alright."

Lena whistles once, sharp and high. If Kara didn't know any better, she might mistake it for a bird call. The guards straighten up and pull out their weapons. Lena pulls her bow from her back and an arrow that she notches, not pulling the string back at all.

"I'll go away so I don't give away your position." Kara murmurs to Lena.

Lena nods, her expression more calm than Kara has seen since they left the tent. She flies above the middle of the clearing and waits.

Lena takes one hand off of her bow and grabs her helmet from where it's hanging on the hook she made for it on her back. She doesn't like it much, the feeling of it on her head but it's the most comfortable she could make it without compromising its effectiveness. She carefully puts it on and aims her bow as the sound of hooves hitting the road reaches even her ears.

"Haha!" The woman at the front of the group of assassins yells. "I told you they would stop running!"

They get off their horses and pull out their weapons.

The large man who's evidently their leader doesn't seem too impressed. "Shut up and get to work."

"Uh boss?" A scrawnier boy says hesitantly. "There's a flying girl."

"A flying girl," the leader scoffs. "What on earth did you eat?" The boy points and he follows it to see Kara. "Well I'll be damned. A flying girl. You're less delusional than usual. Shoot her."

Lena scowls and adjusts her aim. Just before the boy can shoot an arrow at Kara, Lena lets hers fly. He cries out in agony and drops to his knees, Lena's arrow through his hand. She would have shot him in the head, but she has a feeling that Kara has a strong moral compass and would rather get them all alive. Plus, if she doesn't kill them they could lead her to Lillian.

Next chapter, fighting! And just as I typed that "the fight's about to begin" started playing in my head... More action, coming up! And I have a surprise for you guys planned after this fight! ;) Thank you all for reading and for your lovely comments! Stay awesome!