World's Apart

t h i r t e e n | k a r a

"So, what were you talking to my mom about? The park?" I ask. 

He laughs, "no, I just said that so my parents would ask me questions."

I nod. 

"I requested her to find some way you wouldn't have to come to Daxam after our marriage," he says honestly. 

I look at him but we don't stop walking. 

"Why?"

"Because you have no idea what they are capable of. My parents won't treat you with respect, Kara. They'll make you do things against your will. I don't want what happened in my past to happen to you," he says with a small smile. 

"What did your parents do to you, Mon-El?" I'm serious now. What could his parents have possibly done to him?

"It's not something I want to get into, Kara. What's important is your safety."

I grab his arms and stop him from walking. "Mon-El. We are going to be married. Please, I want to understand," I plead with my eyes. 

He places his hands on my back and guides down the street. "My parents aren't the nicest people, but you already know that."

I nod my head in agreement. 

"Kara, what I'm about to tell you, you have to promise you won't tell anyone. Not even your parents. Can you promise me?" He's serious. 

"Okay," I say. 

Mon-El doesn't say anything, instead, we keep walking towards the park in silence. 

He removes his hand from my back and takes my hand in his. We walk through the park and towards the stream. I look at Mon-El and watch him observing the park until his eyes land on a bench which is facing the stream. We walk to the bench and sit down. 

He takes a deep breath. "To everyone on Daxam, I'm the Prince. To my parents, I'm a mistake. At least that's what I think. They don't treat me like a son. As a Prince, I have duties that I have to fulfill, and I do. But when I'm just Mon-El, my mother locks me in my room for days, without food, water, nothing." I gasp. 

"This started when I turned ten years old. But I began to catch on to her routine and started sneaking in food to my room on the fourth night, which I would then ration so they could last me till the seventh night. I would be in my room for three or four days at a time every week."

"Why would she do this?" I ask. 

"To teach me a lesson. But sneaking in food didn't help. My mother found out from one of the workers that I went into the kitchen at night. She caught me doing it once and dragged me to my room. She hit me," he chokes out the last part.

I stare at him. I look down at our hands and gently outline circles on his palm, making him relax. 

"I'm so sorry, Mon-El," I say to him. 

"I just," he starts again. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she did the same to you." I look up at him, I watch as the brim of his eyes starts to pool up. 

I take my free hand and place it gently on his cheek and use my thumb to wipe the tears away.