Book 3 - Artemis (Goddess of the Hunt, Wild Animals, Wilderness, Childbirth, and Virginity. Protector of young girls. Goddess of the Moon.)
Cantara (Vocalizations by the powerful voice of Lisa Gerrard) - Towards the Within - Dead Can Dance
"Hey look, Bruce. I know you have a playboy image to maintain, but you be careful how you treat Diana tonight. She's a lady and a good woman. Don't you be pulling any moves on her..."
"Am I really getting this lecture? Clark, if there's anyone that has to be careful, it's her. She might look sweet and innocent, but she's a relentless hunter when it comes to what she wants. She's not as 'innocent' as she looks. I should know. She came after me!"
Trinity: Friday Morning - Two Days
Ancient Themyscira, The Queen's Forest...a few years later.
"Come on, Polly! Keep up, we'll lose it in the brush!" Antiope whispered behind her.
"I'm coming, don't rush me! I'm trying to walk quietly."
"Really? You sounded like a horse coming round that last bend."
"Oh, shut up, Anti. I wasn't that bad. You were the one who nearly stepped in bear sh..."
"Shhhh! It's over there!" The two hunters crouched low, slinging their bows over their shoulders as they crawled towards the prey they had been tracking all morning. Coming to the crest of the hill, they peered down to see the finest autumn stag they had ever seen. They gazed upon his crown of antlers with barely disguised want. If they brought this animal down, not only would they contribute to a feast, but those would definitely be prizes to brag about.
Anti motioned to Polly, telling her to circle around to the stag's head. Hippolyta understood; they were keeping downwind so the animal stayed unaware of their presence. If they could attack with arrows from both sides, they would most likely hit it.
Both had their backs against the trunks of cypress trees, waiting for a sign that Artemis allowed them to have this prey. They wanted it badly, but they didn't want to risk the hunting goddess' anger by taking one of her blessed without her permission. They didn't know what that sign would be, but they would recognize it when it happened...
The trill of a songbird broke the silence. The stag raised its head towards the sound, away from the hidden hunters. Sign taken. Both women nocked arrows into their bows, rose together, and one fluid motion drew back the strings, and fired. Two pointed missiles raced towards their target.
The animal fell to the forest floor with a resounding thud. Both women ran out from their hiding places to inspect their prize; a red-fletched arrow hit the deer in the chest, a blue-feathered arrow in the eye. Both were killing shots, equally valid. But with these two, that wasn't enough. Everything was a competition.
"Ha! I did it! That shot in the eye was mine!" Hippolyta jumped up and down in victory.
"So, I was the one that actually killed it! My arrow hit first. I have the stronger bow, my arrows fly faster."
"Even if it did, the chest is stronger than the eye. It would have taken the deer a few more minutes to die. Mine was immediate."
"I say I made the killing blow." Antiope declared.
"No it wasn't, mine was." Hippolyta retorted.
"Don't make me pull rank on you!"
"You can't do that!"
"Yes I can. I'm taking advantage of the rights of my station."
"Oh, well, Your Majesty. In that case, your arrow magically killed the stag first and my arrow was an afterthought in its eye. A lucky shot, yes indeed." Hippolyta mockingly bowed to her sister. "Even better, we'll tell the others that I didn't even hit the deer. Instead, I shot the arrow into the ground, and it fell right onto it, piercing it in the eye. That's more convincing, yes?"
"Are you acting insolent to your Queen, Princess?
"No, I'm showing my sister that she's a good-for-nothing cheat!" That prompted Antiope to drop her bow and tackle the blond to the ground. The younger woman tried crawling away, but wasn't a match for the taller woman's strength. The older one grabbed her sister by her ankles and pulled her back, straddling her across her stomach.
"Take it back!" She raised her hand up in warning.
"You can't make me, not even under the threat of torture...no! I didn't mean that!"
"Ha! I heard you. You asked for it!" The Queen of the Amazons started tickling the princess mercilessly. Hippolyta kicked and screamed, but she couldn't escape the tortuous fingers. Years of practice made the brunette beauty an expert at messing with her little sister.
"Say it, Hippolyta!"
"NO! Come on, Antiope. You know my arrow killed it! I'm the better shot, always was." This prompted the older sister to sit back on her haunches. She relaxed the ticking, but didn't let her sister sit up.
"Okay, I'll give you that one. But you can't track worth a damn. If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have even found it."
"Granted. You can read their tracks like a scroll, anticipate their moves, and see signs in the droppings they leave behind," Hippolyta listed her older sister's talents. Antiope nodded in pride at each one. "But then, you were always able to recognizing a piece of shit better than me."
Polly watched as her sister's haughty expression shifted to incredulity. The sassy blond bucked her sister off her body, making her roll onto the leaf-littered ground.
"Aargh! Get back here, you nasty little..."
"Your Majesty! Is everything alright?" A group of warriors ran to the two women tussling on the ground. Hearing the newcomers, Antiope and Hippolyta stopped their roughhousing, each hugging each other in ill-disguised mischief. Two pairs of blue eyes looked up at the guard captain.
"All here is well, Molpadia. But can you help me out?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. What do you need?"
"Hold down this insolent pigeon as I spank her for mouthing off!" Hippolyta began wiggling to escape her hold. The captain just rolled her eyes. After so many years, the soldier was accustomed to these displays. These two were the picture of propriety and majestic pride when holding court. But outside the throne room...
The guards knew what to do in these instances. Leaning their spears on the closest tree, they walked over to the two giggling royal sisters, grabbed a flailing appendage, and pulled them apart. They placed them on their feet, but didn't let go. Instead they brushed the ground litter off of each of their hunting chitons.
"Your Majesties, really. This prey is down because you worked together. You know you couldn't have done it without the other."
"What are you saying, captain? That I can't kill a deer?" The queen asked haughtily.
"Of course you can, My Queen. But Hippolyta can do it better," Molpadia responded. The princess stuck her tongue out at her sister. "And I can do better than both of you put together, so it's lucky that you got it down in the first place. I heard you all the way back at the second ridge, Your Highness."
"I wasn't that bad!"
"Of course, Your Highness. Whatever you say. And Your Majesty, while your tracking is on par with Orion himself, you would have had to chase that stag over another few hills before it would have fallen. You hit its chest, but not a vital organ." Antiope hid her chagrin by tucking her hair behind her ear. "It behooves both of you to work together. Otherwise, we'll simply have fish and pheasant for the Harvest feast."
"We have pigs, too! Big, fat ones...no! Get the smaller ones. They're more succulent." Hippolyta started looking forward to the Harvest, despite the company they would have.
"I think we'll have enough food for everyone. Leave the swine for our Winter festival," Molpadia said. "So, who gets to have Artemis' honor for this kill? The archer or the tracker? Who actually brought it down?"
"Fine. She's right, Polly. You are the better archer. Your arrow had to have been guided by Artemis. This one is yours. Take the credit. You deserve it."
"Thank you, Anti." Hippolyta knelt beside the animal, pulled out her arrow, and placed a hand on its forehead between its antlers. She closed her eyes and murmured her thanks to Artemis for giving this prey for their sustenance.
She took a drop of its blood and drew a crescent moon on her forehead, Artemis' symbol. Then drew a star on her sister's forehead, acknowledging Antiope's contribution to the hunt. The red symbol stood out brightly against her light skin and dark hair. Her aquamarine eyes twinkled at the gesture.
"Do you really think that's enough for the Harvest feast?" Hippolyta asked. "We still have some time to ask Artemis for more."
"I don't want to over hunt the forest. We've brought in enough, but we should get the fishers to increase their hauls. They'll be a lot more mouths to feed, and they'll need their strength for what comes after." Antiope wiped a stray drop of sweat off her brow. The blood star smudge against her skin. "It feels like the feast grows bigger every year. I wonder why that is."
"Like you don't know. Ever since stories of the "Red Queen of Themyscira" got loose, all want to come and see you. Even if you're not wearing red!"
"It wasn't that sexy. I mean, I was still covered..." Hippolyta raised an eyebrow. Antiope blushed. "Well, let's get back to the palace. I want a bath, a massage, and some cold berry juice. Then I want to sit back and read a good scroll."
"Listen to you, Sweetness! 'Oh, I'm so hot, I just can't stand it," Hippolyta mocked her. "I broke a sweat, but by 'Dite, I got my stag! Time to be pampered."
"And? You're coming with me. There's a pitcher of your favorite red wine waiting for you."
"Really?"
"Mmhm. I asked the Kitchen Mistress to have it ready for us."
"Well...if that's an order from my queen, I have to obey!" More women had arrived behind the soldiers, each giving the two royals an acknowledging nod. Hippolyta eagerly took point on the procession home."You know what I like most about our station?"
"Yes, I do, and I agree. Let's go." The two Amazon royals walked away from the fallen stag, letting their attendants address the carcass and its transport back to the village. They knew all would be taken care of. Each put an arm around the other's shoulder as they moved away.
"That was a really good shot, Hippolyta."
"Thanks, Antiope. And that was some really good poop reading. OW!" The princess rubbed her behind where her older sister smacked her. She knew she deserved it.
Third Challenge of the Zodiac, Constellation of Orion, Artemis' Forest
Hippolyta swept her eyes around the general vicinity. Long unused hunter skills started surfacing, like a favorite flavor she didn't even know she missed. She opened her senses - her hearing, her sense of smell, even breathing in through her mouth to be able to taste the air.
How I wish you were here with me, sister...
Nocking an arrow to her bow, she ran through the starlit forest. She thought she sensed living things around her, but when she turned to see what moved in her peripheral vision, there was nothing there. Instead of the usual chirps, trills, and growls of normal woods, the breeze whispered to her...
It was your fault...she didn't love you enough...you drove her away...she chose him over you...you're going to fail...
Hippolyta slowed her run as despair filled her heart. So focused on the sadness, three arrows zipped by, nearly hitting her in the chest. Suddenly, she was slammed against a startree. A muscular, and very male, body pressed against her.
"Sorry about that, Your Majesty, but you were about to fall for one of the moon siren's signature lures. They whisper your deepest, darkest secrets into your heart. When you succumbed to the despair, they take you out. You have to ignore their voices. Can you do that?"
Hippolyta shook her head to gather her wits about her. Her gaze traveled up from the chest pressed against her, noting the bronzed skin underneath the hunter's chiton. A muscular neck and strong chin line later, she stared at the most inviting lips she'd ever seen. Resisting the urge to sample them, she completed her inspection at a pair of light green eyes framed by wavy, golden locks that could have been darker, but had been bleached by constant exposure to the sun.
"Apollo! I mean, Your Radiance...I didn't know...ignore the voices?" Her own voice tapered off as she realize that he was still pressed against her. He had wrapped his arm around her waist to cushion the impact when he shoved her against the tree. The intimate embrace was making her feel...something.
"I apologize for the abrupt tackle, but you're going to need assistance getting through this forest. My sister knows you're coming, and she's not going to make it easy for you. She's counting on you being alone." The God of Light peered around the tall, starlit cypress tree. "Hunting this type of prey takes more than one hunter. Would you mind my help?"
Hippolyta's eyes widened. "You want to help me hunt your twin sister? Why would you do that?"
"Because there is more to this than gaining Diana's championship back. Artemis is going through many lengths to delay the inevitable. You're the one bringing it back full circle."
Hippolyta didn't know if he was aware he had tightened his hold on her. She had placed her hands on his arms when he slammed her into the tree. She now unconsciously rubbed his biceps, admiring their strength and smoothness. Apollo glance down to see what she was doing to him, an ironic smirk on his lips. She blushed, pulling back her hands.
"It's my turn to apologize, Your Radiance. I shouldn't be so familiar with you."
"Just call me Apollo. No honorific required. I do have to say, under less extreme circumstances, this would be a very tempting situation. But we'll have to explore that later." He glanced down at the bow on the ground. "Can I see that?" At Hippolyta's nod, he let her go and bent down to inspect her hastily made weapon.
"Nice, though this cord won't keep its tension after a few pulls. Here, let me do something." Apollo reached around to his back and pulled out the kithara that he carried with him everywhere. He untied the longest string from the musical instrument. Pulling off Hermes' cord, he strung the wire to one end of the glowing branch, then bent it until he could wind it to the other end.
Apollo pulled back on the string, testing the bow's strength. Making a few adjustments, he nodded his head in approval and handed it back to Hippolyta. She picked up Hermes' chord and wound it around her wrist, forming an arm guard. She knocked a glowing arrow, pulled back, and let loose at a tree. The bow vibrated with a pleasant, low musical note.
The missile hit faster and harder than she expected. Then to her surprise, the arrow loosened itself, turned and flew back at her. She was about to throw herself to the ground with it slowed and rejoined its companions at her hip.
"Interesting! It remembered where home was." He noticed Hippolyta's surprised expression at the arrow's strange behaviour. "You fletched those with the Herald Staff's feathers. Those are from a messenger's tool. No matter where they go to deliver the message, they always know where to return. A very useful trait, no doubt about that."
The God of light and archery considered the queen's weapon. "A bow and arrows made from Artemis' magical forest, fletchings from Hermes' Herald Staff, and a string from my kithara. This is a weapon of destiny and legend. Make sure you keep this. I suspect it will see many adventures."
Apollo produced his own fine, silver bow. A quiver of arrows graced his back. "Now, we have a goddess to hunt."
Wayne Manor, Game Room
Bruce considered it fortunate that he fitted the cave with all the necessary facilities for post-action wind down after patrols. It made it easier for him and Diana to situate themselves after their hot and sweaty 'sparring match' on the dojo floor. After yet another shower that used too much water, they dried themselves off, redressed, and joined the rest of the household in the manor's upper levels.
The couple found the younger Waynes in one of the sitting rooms planted in front of a wide screen TV, controllers in hand, arguing over their custom made digital characters charging through a virtual war ground.
"Seriously, Tim? You programmed a game set for urban warfare to have a fire breathing dragon jump out from an alley? That doesn't make any sense."
"So? You're the one who designed his character to go half-naked through a war zone holding a photon gun. That's not realistic either."
"Hey, she has skills! She doesn't need to be fully clothed to kick butt!"
"Oh yeah? And where in the real world does that even happen?" Tim glanced back quickly when he heard Bruce's quick snort to his ironic question. "Hey Diana! How was your sparring session?" The boy didn't understand Diana's chagrined expression at his greeting.
"It was fine, Tim. I won the round...soundly."
"Awesome! You must still have some good combat skills without your powers if you can take Bruce down." Dick's suggestively raised eyebrow counterbalanced Tim's wide-eyed admiration.
"Yes, Tim. She has skills," Bruce droned. "And I didn't hurt her one bit."
"Good. You better be nice to her, Bruce," the young master commanded, finger pointing to assert his decree. "We're keeping her." Dick's emphatic nod facetiously contrasted the mockingly innocent expression on his face.
"Don't worry, Tim. I think she'll be sticking around for a while." He grinned at Bruce's statement, then returned to vanquishing dragons with photon guns.
"I seriously need to rethink my uniform, don't I?" Diana asked.
"There's nothing wrong with the way you dress. You have skills. You don't need to wear that much."
"Let's see if I'll ever wear it again. Gods forbid I encourage unrealistic images in a young boy's head."
"Diana, I implore you; help me keep that innocence in him. Tim's been through enough, he doesn't need to add THAT to his issues."
"Oh, don't worry. As far as I'm concerned, no girl is good enough for him."
"Thank goodness!"
"Hey, Bruce! We're starving here," Dick yelled over to them. "We don't want to bother Alfred about dinner, can we call out for something?"
"Sure, order anything you want." This prompted the two game players to abandon their battle mission to run past and barrel towards the kitchen. "WITHIN REASON!" he yelled after them. He knew he was being ignored. Bruce realized his mistake too late; now they'll be arguing over which take-out they should call. They could hear the boys tussling over a stack of papers as they entered the kitchen.
"Hey, guys! Do you want anything?" Tim called over. He waived a fan of menus over his head.
"Whatever you're having. Surprise us," Bruce answered bravely.
"Okay, cool. Beetle grubs and worm larva for everyone." Diana's look of disgust melted to annoyance at the boys' laugh.
"Good one, Tim! I'll have to remember that one for Barbara," Dick commented.
"I'm afraid for our stomachs," Diana said.
"Fortunately, I have an antidote for almost everything in the cave. Let's get some water. These two can battle out our meal for the evening." A stray thought crossed Bruce's mind. "Remember, guys, I have only a few billion to spare. Show some restraint."
"Darn, there goes the order for platinum-canned caviar," Tim muttered, a finger to his chin.
"What about Alfred?" Diana asked, looking back one last time as Tim grabbed a menu from Dick.
"He's usually willing to eat whatever Tim orders. Man's been trained to survive off anything. He'd probably enjoy a few beetle grubs."
"Depends where they come from, Master Bruce. I found those that lived in pine trees have the most awful aftertaste." The stealthy butler-spy quietly passed the surprised couple, entering the kitchen to supervise their culinary choices.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in relative ease and relaxation. Bruce and Diana took over the sitting room closest to the kitchen, listening to the comforting prattle of two warring brothers arguing over menu items. Whenever there was a pause in the litany, they knew Alfred had brokered another compromise between the two. Dinner promised to be edible.
Diana leaned up against Bruce's body, letting her legs stretch over the rest of the couch. Bruce sat at the corner and rubbed his hand up and down her arm, blankly staring at the chess board in front of them. He was clearly distracted by the princess in his embrace.
"What are you thinking?" Diana asked. "You've lost two games in the past ten minutes. I'm good, but not that good."
"I was wondering." Bruce paused. He leaned into her hair, breathing in her scent. What an idiot I was for refusing this. "Yesterday, you said that you were willing to give up your immortality, power, and youth for me. Did you mean it?"
Diana leaned back to look into his eyes. "Of course I did. The spell wouldn't have worked if I was lying. What's wrong? You seem...doubtful." She said this with an understandable amount of doubt herself.
"No, not doubtful. It just seems like that became a self-fulfilling prophesy. You lost your powers, we don't want to test your immortality, and we won't know about your youth until you've stuck around for a few years. Unless your mother can get a hint at what the gods are up to, we don't know much of anything that's happening to you. I feel like I'm partially to blame here."
"Don't you dare, Bruce." His head reared back at her aggressive statement. "You have nothing to be guilty about. I'm sure this would have happened if I'd fallen in love with any other man. If there's anyone to blame, it's me. Or more to the point, the gods that put such a cruel caveat for keeping their blessings. If I have to choose between the one I love and my powers, I'll choose you easily."
"So, what will you do? This doesn't mean you have to return to Themyscira, does it?" Diana felt his arms tighten around her, as if daring anyone to take her from him. She threaded her fingers with his.
"I don't think so. I'd like to continue serving as the Themysciran ambassador, if mother and the senate allow it. I don't need special powers for that, even if someone else is given those gifts." Diana felt a stab of jealousy at that thought. It was possible that the proving trials were going on right now without her knowledge and consent. Not that she had any say in losing her powers in the first place.
"And if you're unable to keep that position?"
"Well, I'd hope I could pull some favors from some friends in high places to help me figure that out. Seems there's a very influential business tycoon here in Gotham that might be able to give me some assistance."
"Hmmm...I don't know about him. He might try to get some special, um, favors from you in exchange for his help. Who else do you have?"
"Well," Diana glanced around to see if anyone was listening, "I know Gotham's mysterious protector, too. Grim kind of guy, but sexy. I was thinking of asking him to let me help him out with his mission."
"You keep some interesting company. Why don't you just stay with me and we'll figure this out."
Diana's coy smile slowly morphed to curiosity. "Seriously? Would you consider that? Me staying with you?"
"I don't want to pressure you, but since I was part of the reason why you're in this predicament, I should be there to help figure out your future."
"I don't need charity. I can work myself..."
"It's not charity, Diana. Let me be there for you, please. At least consider it."
"I'll think about it. And the mission?" Diana didn't miss the slight tensing of Bruce's shoulders. "As you saw earlier, I still have considerable skills to offer. You said that you didn't want metas working in your city. Since I no longer have that problem, perhaps I could help."
"Then you would have to go through the same proving methods like all my other partners. I know you're a skilled warrior, Diana, and I couldn't imagine anyone else by my side, but this is a whole different type of battleground than the occasional League mission. And we'd have to retrain the way you approach a challenge. It's one thing to fight with divine superpowers. It's another to take on Gotham's streets with only your wits and mere human strength."
"I see," Diana conceded. "Does this have anything to do with the possibility that I'm completely mortal and could get hurt?" Bruce tried disengaging his hand from hers. She held on tighter. "No, Bruce, you're going to answer that. I need to know where you stand on my mortality."
It didn't pass Diana's attention that Bruce's eyes shifted to the portrait hanging above the fireplace. His parents gazed back, frozen in time - young, fresh...dead. She could feel his body tense up more, and his grip on her fingers unconsciously tightened. She held on, no matter the pain.
"Diana, if we're going enjoy the rest of the weekend, that's one thought I can't have floating around in my head. Can we drop this and talk about it later?" Diana reluctantly nodded, but tried to move away from him. Bruce realized that he was squeezing Diana's hand too hard. He let go and took her hand in both of his, rubbing the blood back into her fingers.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." So many layers of meaning in that one statement.
"I know." Her answer only covered some of those layers.
If travel is searching / And home what's been found / I'm not stopping...