Hunter's Moon

By Serena

A/N: Wow, thank you guys so much for all of your reviews... Frankly, I'm blown away! :)

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In that moment, I had no idea what to feel. Happy? Relieved? Excited? Disappointed? So confused was I that I didn't reply or move when Hippolyta touched my cheek and whispered my name. I studied her, searching for anything that might help me remember her, connect with her. She and I did look extremely alike, but not fully. She was broader, more well-muscled, and her eyes were not exactly like mine. Hers were a pale, watery blue, almost grey, while mine were a deep azure - piercing, Mom had often said.

But there was no mistaking the fact that this was my real mother.

"Oh, Diana," she said, her eyes still shining with tears. But she did not cry. "Diana, my baby girl." She placed her hands on my upper arms, her gaze studying me as if she didn't believe I were real. "How is this possible?" She spoke in English, but heavily accented in an accent similar to Greek, but not quite. It almost sounded like a combination of Greek, Arabic, and Turkish, but despite being fluent in all of those languages, I wasn't sure.

"It's... a long story," I said.

"Long?" Hippolyta placed her hands on my upper arms. "Diana, you were stolen from me, right out of my own arms, and dragged off to the filthiest, most degrading place in this world. She took you from me." Her grip on me tightened, almost to the point where it hurt. Her fingernails were long and sharp, and her hands were incredibly strong. "Diana, where is she?" she demanded sharply. "Where is Alkyone?"

I figured this would happen. "Home," I said simply.

"Tell me where she is," Hippolyta ordered. "As your Queen and mother, I am ordering you to give me her location."

"No offense," I said, tensing in her grip, "but you are not my Queen, and you haven't been my mother for almost eighteen years." I knew that had dealt her a blow when her hands slackened, and her face fell slightly, stung by my cold but true words. "I won't tell you where she is."

Her eyes narrowed. "I won't ask again, Diana. That selfish, murdering traitor will be found eventually, and she will die."

"Then I'll die with her!" I snarled, jerking back out of her hold. The second I did so, I felt spears pressing against my back and neck, and Artemis's strong hand grip my shoulder in a warning. Sighing through my nose, I shook my head, ignoring Hippolyta's stunned gaze, and said, "Mother, I came here to learn. Alkyone is not the menace you believe her to be, although I know I can't convince you of that. Yes, she took me from you. Yes, she deprived me of being your daughter, of being your Princess. But I believe everything happens for a reason, and as her daughter, I've learned and seen so much."

"She took you to Man's World," Hippolyta hissed.

"Yes, but she also told me about you, and she told me how to find Themyscira. She wanted me to find you, Mother," I said forcefully. "I came here to learn from you, from all of you. I came to find out who I really am, and where I come from. Will you teach me?"

Hippolyta gazed at me for a long time, calculatingly, carefully. Then, she drew forward again and held out her hands, which I took.

"Diana, you have come home," the Queen said, straightening. "You have returned to us, to me, and for now, that is all that matters. Amazons," she said, raising her voice, "Recognize your Princess, Diana of Themyscira."

To my astonishment, everyone in the room, excluding my mother, fell to the ground in low, kneeling bows before me.

"Welcome home, my daughter," said Hippolyta.

Not long after, Hippolyta herself showed me through the palace, through its seemingly endless halls and rooms devoted to everything from the art of war, of music, of dancing, of ancient rituals and ceremonies, to the grand dining hall, the tapestry rooms, and the weapons storage. Finally, she took me to the highest rooms in the palace, which were her own.

"Your room will be next to mine, Diana," she told me as we stepped into her massive bedroom. I nearly fell over at the sight of it. As the air was so fresh and pure, the glass-less windows stretched all the way down to the ground, surrounding the bedroom. There was a large stone balcony off to the side, and the gauzy white curtains blew in the warm, tropical breeze. Absolutely gorgeous... more beautiful than even a prince or wealthy person would have out in the rest of the world.

"Your room," said she, "has a view of the sea." Smiling, she took me into the next, adjoining room, which was slightly smaller, but no less fine. "We shall have things adjusted for your bed and dressing tables," she added. "They will be here directly."

I moved around the room and went up to one of the windows, staring out at the crystal clear ocean. "It's so beautiful," I managed to get out. "I don't know what to say, Mother, except thank you."

Hippolyta came up to me and, for the first time, embraced me. "Diana, you are the daughter of the Queen. You look down to no one. You shall have nothing but the finest, nothing but the best. You deserve it. It is rightfully all yours. You are my heir, and thus the next Queen, should anything happen to me."

I frowned. "But you're immortal, aren't you? What could possibly happen to you?"

"It is merely a precaution," Hippolyta said. "But under the law, you are my heir to the throne. And now..." She smiled, placing her hand on my cheek. "You are blessed by the gods, Diana. You have been blessed with extraordinary strength, beauty, and wisdom, and courage. You have many gifts, and I will teach you to reach your full potential. Athena has watched over you and brought you back to me." Her gaze grew sadder. "I've lived over three thousand years, Diana, and the time has seemed to pass so quickly. But when you were taken from me... each moment seemed like a lifetime without you."

My heart tugged, and I leaned forward and hugged here. "I'm here now, Mother," I told her.

"I know," she murmured. "You are here. And you will never leave me again."

Although I didn't disagree or make any outer movement, my insides twisted in panic. Did Hippolyta really think that I would be staying on Themyscira forever? That I would never leave again?

And if she did, what would happen when she discovered that I fully intended to return to the outside world?

That night, a great feast was held in the grand hall to celebrate my return. In my honor, there was the most amazing, fresh food I had ever tasted, music, wine, and dancing and singing as well. My mother sat at the head of the room, smiling as I mingled with the other curious, elated Amazons, asking them questions and answering theirs in return. I met Alexa, a bookworm, who wanted to know everything about Man's world that she possibly could. Tall, graceful, and sweet-tempered, with long, deep auburn hair, I quickly fell into conversation with her.

"How is the literature there?" she asked, smiling. "Do you read much?"

"Oh, yes," I said. "There are some fantastic books out there - authors such as Poe, Austen, Tolkein, Tolstoy, King... Books on every subject you could think of. I was home-schooled, so I've read a lot. But Mother has been saying that she wants me to read the literature that you have here."

"Oh, these dusty old books," Alexa laughed. "I've read them all more times than I can count. I wish we could have some new material to add to our library."

"Well," I said, "I did bring a few books with me. You can read them, if you want."

"I'd love that, thank you, Your Highness!" she said, grinning brightly.

"Oh, please, Diana is fine," I said, embarrassed. "I know I'm Hippolyta's daughter, but I really don't like all this formality." I glanced over at my mother, but she now was in a deep conversation with an irritated-looking Phillipus. I guessed the Captain of the Guard was still suspicious of me... or she worried of what I would be bringing to the sacred island. Either way, I didn't care.

"Although I'm not supposed to," said Alexa, "If you sincerely wish it, I will."

"I do," I said, smiling back at the kindest woman I'd met so far.

"Very well," said Alexa, her tone warm. She looked over to where many women were dancing. It was an intricate dance, with lots of spinning, clapping, and wild foot movement. "Would you like to join the dance?"

"Oh," I said, taken aback. "I don't know how."

"You'll learn," Alexa said, and, laughing, grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the dance floor. Although I protested, she just grinned mischievously and tugged me into the middle of the circle where the woman were leaping and twirling in their gorgeous, wispy dresses. Despite my hesitation, all of the women started smiling and encouraged me, slowing down a bit to help me with the dance. So enthused by their kindness and welcoming, I found myself quickly learning the steps; and, after several minutes, I was whirling along with them wildly, laughing, and twisting and jumping along to the music. The pace grew faster, but I was able to keep up. The women started clapping along with the music as I spun. The flaming torches and the lights from the several chandeliers were warm and golden on my face and bare arms, and my short, flowing dress twirled with me. I felt myself being lost to the music...

Finally, the music ended, and I came to a stop, breathing heavily and laughing, clapping along with the rest of the women. Shaking my head at Alexa, I went up to her and nudged her in the arm with my elbow. She just laughed and nudged me back.

"I told you you could do it!" she crowed. "You were wonderful!"

"That was amazing," I exclaimed. "So free... I loved it! Oh, if only Bruce could see me now..."

Alexa frowned in confusion. "Bruce?" she said uncertainly.

I froze, the smile quickly fading from my face. Oh, right. Men. I'd forgotten. Hippolyta had made her dislike of men very clear... and Bruce would be no exception. But the mere mention of him had me wondering where he was once more... and reminded me of home. Taking in a sharp breath, I said, "I need some air. I'll be right back." And before she could protest, I weaved through the crowd and slipped out onto the terrace.

The night was stunning, almost more so than the daytime. The full, silver moon shone down on the ocean, reflecting pale blues and bright whites. The breeze was cool, and I folded my arms over each other, just wanting to be alone... away from everything and everyone. Would my life ever be less confusing than it was? One minute I was just a normal high-school girl, the next I was being chased by a god of war and forced to move. The next I was meeting a billionaire orphan, and the next I was discovering that I was a long-lost Amazon Princess. Now, my best friend was gone to who knew where, and I was on a hidden island protected by the gods.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed.

"You're stronger than you think, you know," said a soft, firm voice from behind me.

I turned to face a young woman who wore a simple silver dress, sandals, and had long, wavy golden hair. Her eyes, a piercing, almost haunting silver-grey, shined in the moon, giving her an eerie, beautiful appearance. I heard a hoot in the background, and the biggest, most beautiful owl I'd ever seen flew down and alighted on the terrace railing behind me. I knew at once that this woman was no Amazon.

"And you are?" I said boldly.

"Athena. The protector of the Amazons... and your guardian, in a way." She moved forward, closer to me. She was unassuming, but I could tell that she would strike instantly if she wished.

"Athena. The goddess of wisdom and war."

"I see you know your mythology," she said with a small, amused smile. "You've been gone a long time, Diana. It's good to see you back with your true mother."

I frowned, placed my hands on my hips. "If this is where this conversation is going, I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear it."

She nodded. "Very well. So, what do you think of Themyscira?" She brushed past me and leaned her hands on the railing.

I turned to look at her, wary. "I think it's beautiful. But I only just got here."

"How long do you intend to stay?"

My eyes narrowed. "I don't know. We'll see."

Her head tilted to face me, but not fully. "You've been in the outside world almost your whole life. I can tell you've bonded with people. A certain young man in particular."

"So what if I have? Are you going to say you hate men, too?"

"Oh, I don't hate them," the goddess said mildly. "Foolish, egotistical... but I don't hate them. In fact," she added, turning around to face me, "I must admit that I admire your friend. Bruce, isn't it?" When I just nodded, unperturbed, she nodded and made a small thoughtful noise. "Good man. Troubled... dark... but a good man." She gave me a keen look. "I can see why you care for him."

Startled, I said, "Yes... he's a good friend."

"Mmm." I felt as though her eyes were staring right into my mind, and it was slightly disturbing. "Well," she continued, "I'm glad you've reconnected with your true heritage, Diana. You have more potential than any other woman on this earth. Find your inner strength, and train hard and well. You will be rewarded." She pushed herself off the railing and stepped towards me. "You have been gifted with so much. Don't waste it." With a knowing smile, she disappeared with the breeze.

I stared at the spot where she'd been, wondering if I'd just imagined the whole thing.

"You should not have come back. Not for her."

Whirling around, I faced Artemis, who had her arms folded over her chest and stared at me coldly. Sighing, I wondered if I would ever get any peace tonight. Apparently not.

"What do you want, Artemis?" I asked, irritated.

"I want to know why you're here."

"I told you. I'm here to learn. And... I wanted to know my real mother."

"But you are not staying?"

I paused. "Not forever, no."

"No," said Artemis with a calculating look. "You won't stay. Not for the Queen. If you stay here, it will be for you and you alone."

I sighed, shook my head. I was accused of being the daughter of a traitor, of being more than I thought, of stronger than I felt, and now of being selfish. "Look, Artemis... I want to learn. But we both know I'm not going to stay here forever. A few years, maybe. Maybe one. Maybe a month. I don't know. But this is not my home."

Artemis fixed me with a cool glare. "You should not have come back, Princess. You are only causing your mother pain. If you come here, you come here forever."

"She'll have to get over it, I'm sorry," I shot back. "And don't pretend like you love it here. Please. I can see your frustration, Artemis. Your bloodlust. You're a warrior - you're not meant to just live here forever in peace. Where is your place here? Hmm? Training forever? Eventually you're going to run out of candidates to train. Train yourself? How much better can you get, unless you're challenged? Do you really like it here?"

The next thing I knew, I found a knife tip at my throat.

"Don't," hissed Artemis, "think that for one minute that just because you are the Queen's daughter that I won't hurt you. I live to serve Her Majesty. To protect her from traitors like Alkyone. From anyone that will hurt her."

"Honestly," I said coolly, "I think she can take care of herself." I pushed away the knife tip and started to walk away. "Oh, and Artemis. You can keep lying to yourself. But I know what it's like to be stuck in one place, and eventually, you won't be able to take it. Queen or not. You're a warrior, not a servant. I can see it in your eyes. You want to leave." I turned back to look at her. "And when I go home... I'm asking you to come with me."

I had never seen someone so flabbergasted before.

Interlude: Bruce Wayne

The rain thundered down in the small Tibetan town. People ran for cover, into the comfort of their homes, and a few brave children ran out in the streets, laughing and screaming. Far above them, hidden away in the dark, craggy mountains, it poured down even harder on the fortress of R'as Al Ghul. The massive, multi-leveled fortress stood out among the rocks, foreboding and grim, and heavily guarded by the infamous League of Shadows. The people in the small town below knew of the fortress, of the Demon, and thus feared wandering too far up into the mountains. The shadow of the Demon hovered over them.

And inside the fortress was hundreds of men, carefully trained soldiers. At all hours of day and night they trained, they fought, they lived to please the immortal master. They were driven by fear, by respect, and by honor of R'as, one of the most powerful men on the planet. He had lived for hundreds, thousands of years, and he would continue to live as long as the Lazarus Pits sustained him. Tonight, as the rain beat down on the roof, the Demon stared out into the night, calculating, thinking, planning. So much to do... and he had so much time.

Bruce Wayne, however, did not. And he was beginning to realize that. Lying on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep for the enth time. Thunder crashed in his ears, but he did not hear it or pay notice. He had too much on his mind... far too much. Had it really been three years? Three years since he'd left Gotham? Since he'd left Alfred, alone in the mansion? Since he'd left her?

Bruce rubbed his eyes, frustrated. No matter what he did, no matter how much he tried, no matter what he pushed himself through to focus... He couldn't get his mind off her. She consumed his thoughts, his visions, his dreams... She was taking over his entire being. She was overwhelming him more and more, day by day, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. There was nothing he wanted to do to stop it. She was becoming the very breath to his lungs, and he had no idea how to survive without her.

But he had spent the first fifteen years of his life without her. Why did she torment him like this? Bruce wondered what she was doing. Was she on Themyscira? Was she with her mother? Had she already returned... or was she ever coming back? Did she look the same? Different? Had she changed? Would he still know her when he returned home? Would she still know him? He couldn't get her out of his head.

He wondered if she thought of him, too.

No. He glared at the ceiling and rolled over. He had to stop this. He was Bruce Wayne, warrior, ninja, the most deadly fighter in the fortress. He was a twelfth-level intellect, a genius. He was a cold, focused master of all martial arts. He had a destiny, a future of this. This was his new world... This world of precision, of strength, of fear and power. This was his world of darkness. And he could not drag her into this. She would never understand. She would never understand what he had to do... what he would become. He could not bring her into his dark world.

But the more he told that to himself... the more he realized that she was his only source of light.

Growling, he shoved himself out of bed and reached under his mattress. This was the only picture he'd kept, the only memory of home. A crinkled, small picture of a long time ago... what seemed like forever ago. In a rare moment of humor, he had played a joke on Diana, and, like the goddess she was, took it well. Alfred had sneaked a camera into the kitchen and snapped a shot before Bruce could stop it. Bruce gazed at the picture, at her laughing face, her deep, glittering blue eyes, her sunkissed, golden skin, and her thick, wild, long raven hair. In his teen years, he had been raging with hormones, but even around Diana, he could keep them in check. In addition, she was young... and Alfred and her mother would have had his head.

But now... he was a man. And she would be a woman. What would happen then?

Bruce carefully placed the picture back under the mattress and fell onto his bed, exhausted from the endless training, from lack of sleep, and from the fact that he could not stop his mind from thinking about a hundred different things at once.

Thoughts? :)

- Serena