20. Truth
"You"
Standing right before Diana, with an evil smile on her face was…Circe.
"CIRCE" exclaimed Diana. "How did you get out?"
"Oh Diana, I didn't know you cared. How long has it been…..six hundred years? I was recently paroled. However, it is conditional. I have to stay away from Hippolyta….your dearest mother. But that doesn't mean I have to stay away from you…..or your pointy-eared boyfriend, who right now is in my hands."
Circe waved her hands and a vision appeared. They could see Batman unconscious and bound in chains. His mask, cape and utility belt were stripped away, he had been tortured and was bleeding from his wounds. They also saw Thomas sitting next to his father, trying to wake him up. He just like Batmanwas chained to the wall.
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"If you want me, come after me. Why did you capture and torture Batman and his son?" demanded Diana.
Circe laughed at Diana. "So it's true. You don't remember anything. Oh, this is going to be fun."
"What do you mean?" asked Diana.
"Oh nothing……forget I even said it. If your own mother didn't tell you the truth, who am I to say anything?" remarked Circe nonchalantly.
"My mother. What does she have to do with this?"
Circe disregarded Diana's question.
"I am not all heartless. I will give you forty eight hours to try and find them and free them. Otherwise…." She trailed off.
"Otherwise what?" demanded Diana.
Circle smiled again, "Let's just say I could use a couple of extra bats around the place."
With that Circe faded away.
-----
"Diana, what do want us to do now?" asked Superman.
"Nothing. Circe is a sorceress, a very powerful one. I need magic to find her and beat her."
"We could call Zatanna" offered Flash. "She is very nifty with that stuff."
"I don't think Zatanna will be able to beat her. Circe is very powerful." With that Diana started walking to the door.
"Where are you going?" questioned Shayera.
"Somewhere I can get the means to stop her….Themiscyra."
"Do you want us to come with you?" offered Superman.
"No" she spat out. "None of you will be able to withstand Circe's magic. You have to stay out of this" she ended evenly.
"Ok, then. But stay in contact. We will try to get Zatanna to find her location" called out Superman as Diana left the room.
-----
Soon Diana was closing in on Themiscyra.
She landed in her mother's palace and made her way to the main court.
"Diana" Hippolyta called out. She got up to hug her, but stopped at the expression on Diana's face.
"Mother what have you done?" accused Diana.
"I don't know what you mean?" tried Hippolyta.
"What do you know about Batman and my involvement with him? Why don't I remember him? Is he the father of my child?" demanded Diana.
"It's not important Diana." Answered Hippolyta. "Batman is not important."
"ITS NOT IMPORTANT…..it's important to me…….I need to have my life back. I need all my memories back."
"Why now Diana?" asked Hippolyta.
"Because Mother Circe kidnapped Batman's son and then captured Batman. I have forty eight hours to find them or she will turn them into Bats."
"His son……" Hippolyta trailed of, her face going pallid at the revelation. So, it had been the Batman who was the father...and the child had reached him safely.
"Yes mother – his son. I need to know the truth and do everything I can to save both of them. So tell me mother, what have you hidden from me."
----
Hippolyta started telling Diana all that she knew. Starting with when Batman brought her to Themiscyra, his sacrifice to Athena and Diana's pregnancy.
"When we discovered you were pregnant, I immediately realized that he was the father of the child. But you didn't remember him or your time with him, so I decided to maintain my silence even when you asked about the child's father."
"And Diana I have something to confess about your child….."
Diana had been sitting down listening silently to her mother, but on hearing this she stood up. "What about my child?" she grinded out.
Hippolyta lowered her head. "You didn't give birth to a girl, but to a male...a boy."
"A boy……" Diana repeated in a whisper. "Why did you lie to me?"
"Males aren't allowed on Themiscyra, so I sent him back to man's world and when you woke up I told you your 'daughter' died at birth and we buried her."
"How could you do this….to your own daughter….your own daughter," the princess cried out. Her own mother had taken away her child from her.
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"Where did you send him mother? Where is my SON?" demanded Diana.
"With his father" uttered Hippolyta.
"His Father, that means……Batman's son is my son….Thomas is my son" concluded Diana.
Hippolyta merely nodded her head.
Diana felt elated at the news that her child - her 'son' had lived, but the thought that right now his existence as a human, maybe even his life was in danger, angered her.
"Mother I need to stop Circe and rescue my son and his father. If you ever loved me…..help me now to save those MEN." She spat out.
Hippolyta nodded and silently started walking towards her private armory, signaling Diana to follow her.