Hippolyta released Steve from the glowing rope. Hercules took him by the shoulder, and guided him away from the throne-room. "Come, my boy! Allow me to show you to your accommodations." The burly man said with a glowing smile. "Diana, bring his things! We shall prepare him a ship and boons for his return journey!"

Steve felt at his cracked ribs, and winced. "Actually, before we do that, could I see a doctor?" He asked, attempting to hide the grimace of pain.

Hercules laughed heartily. "Son, there's no injury a dose of nectar and ambrosia cannot heal! We shall treat you to the best we have to offer."

They gave Steve a cupful of a golden liquid, and a small cube that appeared to be some form of pastry. Diana had one of each, herself, and swallowed them both to show him they were safe. Cautiously, Steve bit into the cube, and immediately tasted his mother's apple pie. He hadn't had it in so long, it brought a tear to his eye.

"Is something wrong?" Diana asked, rushing to his side at the sight.

"No." He said, taking a deep breath. "It's… It's fine." He took a swig of the drink, and found that it tasted of chocolate soda. As he finished his small meal, he could feel the pain disappearing in his ribs, aches disappearing from his body, and any sense of hunger vanishing from his stomach. That's unusual. He thought. I wonder if this is a dream?

"Come!" Diana said. "I will show you your quarters."

Steve found the "accommodations" archaic, but more luxurious than his military barracks. He stripped off his armor and undergarments, and bathed in the springs. After drying off, he emerged from the bath area clad in a plush robe that had been left on a bench near the water, and found Diana waiting for him in the exterior room, his shield and other gear sitting beside the seated princess.

A look of contemplation was etched across her face, replaced with surprise when she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Oh, I didn't hear you come in." Steve said. "I presume that if Hippolyta and Hercules are the king and queen, and you're the princess, you must be their daughter?"

Diana did not answer, but merely stared at him, transfixed. "Diana?" Steve asked, somewhat concerned.

"Would you say you're a typical example of your sex?" She asked. Steve was taken aback, but he could tell the question was entirely innocent. "Not before, and certainly not now. Why do you ask?" Diana studied him. "The only man I've ever seen aside from you is my father, and he is a child of Zeus. You remind me of him in some ways. Were either of your parents Olympian?"

Steve was taken aback, but chuckled. "I don't think so." A look of sorrow drew across his face. "My father was Joseph Rogers, and he died in the last war. My mother, Sarah, died a while later. I don't think gods would have died from human illnesses."

Diana immediately realized she'd touched a sore spot. "My apologies."

Steve shook his head. "Don't worry, you couldn't have known." His eyes drew down, to his watch in Diana's hands. "It's a timepiece. My father gave it to me before he died. He took it through hell and back. I'm glad to see it's still ticking." Steve said as he sat down beside her, and gently took the watch from her hands.

"Why does it tick?" Diana asked.

Steve pressed a button on top of the pocket watch, and it popped open to show the clock face, and a picture inside the cover. "To tell the time. It's critical to a soldier to know how much time passes to the minute, sometimes. So you know when to wake up, when to eat, when to sleep, and how long all of that took. So you know how long until you have to move to another position, or how long it's been since you called for help. Useful little thing."

Diana peered over Steve's shoulder at the picture in the cover of the watch. "Who are they?" She asked, pointing at the two figures in the photograph.

Steve smiled. "The one on the right is my friend, Bucky. After my mother died, his family took me in. He's like the big brother I never had. The one on the left is me." He said, pointing to the sickly-looking, slender figure in the ill-fitting suit.

Diana was visibly shocked. "How could that be you? He is so small!"

Steve snapped the watch shut. "It's a long story," He said with a shrug. "But I'll try to keep it short. Once upon a time, I looked like that. Then, a doctor from another land came to me, said he could help me be better, so I could help my country, and the people of the world. I'm not really sure how he did it, but 'Skinny Steve' stepped into a box, and 'Captain America' stepped out. Better than I was, more capable than most. Now there's nobody else like me. I'm one of a kind." Steve said, trying his best to sound cheery, but a tinge of sorrow was audible in his voice.

Diana quickly changed the subject. "Your shield, it is magnificent. I've not seen anything like it, even in Zeus's armory. Who made it?"

Steve picked up the shield, and turned it over in his hands. "A friend of mine. He was given a sample of a metal called 'Vibranium' by the king of Wakanda, and made this." Steve ran his fingers over the scratches in the paint "I have to repaint it at least once a month, sometimes more. He hasn't found a paint that won't chip yet."

Diana's eyes lit up. "My mother could help. She makes our armor with metals she colors herself. They are very strong, and a thin coat would surely be enough."

"Would she be okay with that?" He asked.

Diana nodded. "My father has promised you boons of our people to aid you on your journey back to yours. I'm certain I could convince them."

"Your father... Where I come from, they teach us that Hercules and Hippolyta were sworn enemies." Steve asked, obviously a bit confused.

Diana did not meet Steve's gaze on the implied question. "My father would be the one to ask about such matters. I wish to discuss another issue with you."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Other than the watch?"

Diana nodded in response. "My parents have regaled us with tales of adventures and battles from long ago. One such tale was of the god of war, Ares. It is said that he hungered for conflict towards the end of his time on Olympus, stoking the fires of war in the worlds of Men and gods alike, for the sake of his own power. It is said that my uncle, Kratos, vanquished Ares, but before he disappeared, he swore that he would return, and engulf the world of Man in a conflict that would threaten to destroy it, as a harbinger of his arrival."

Steve's mouth grew dry at this prospect, and he swallowed to attempt to regain his ability to speak.

Diana continued. "This 'Hitler.' I believe that he is Ares' incarnation among Men. When you return to your people, I wish to accompany you, and I wish an opportunity to kill this man myself."

Steve spoke, his voice hoarse. "Diana..."

She interrupted him. "They plan for you to depart at the start of your fifth day here. I will prepare your ship early, and we shall leave the end of your third day. My mother will have your shield prepared by then, and my father will have the rest of your boons ready as well." Diana stood to leave.

Steve rose to his feet and interrupted her departure. "Wait!" He called after her. "You should stay here, where it's safe. I can handle returning on my own."

Diana looked over her shoulder at Steve. "No. This is something I must do. Ares killed many before Kratos vanquished him, including my grandfather, Zeus, and countless innocents. If my presence in this conflict could save even one life, it would be worth it to me."

She strode out of Steve's chambers without a single glance back. Steve was left speechless, his own words echoed back at him by the mysterious, and enigmatic princess.

He debated following Diana, but elected to retire to bed, to clear his head of the prospects of the things that had presented themselves that day. He attempted to keep watch for attackers, but the soft bed quickly claimed the Captain's mind in sleep.

Steve was awakened from his slumber by a booming, fatherly voice. "Arise, my boy! A new day is upon us!"

Steve checked himself all over, but found no wounds. He had slept without incident. It seemed these people would be true to their words.

He quickly changed out of the robe into a set of what he presumed to be everyday clothes, and emerged from his quarters to find Hercules standing at his door, merriment on the face of the... Demigod? Steve made a mental note to ask the king about that.

"Good morning!" Steve said, squinting in the sunlight. The muscular man was wearing a more rugged, less formal version of the same clothes he had worn the previous day.

"Have you slept well, lad? Found your quarters adequate?"

Steve nodded. "More than adequate. I've never slept better in my life."

The jolly man clapped Steve on the shoulder, and surprisingly, Steve barely felt the man's strength or weight behind the clap. "I'm pleased to hear it. Come! I shall show you the island, and answer you any questions you may have!"

Steve followed the large man to the cliff overlooking the training grounds, where he and Hercules took a seat. "I am sure you must be filled with inquiries, my boy! I can tell by the look on your face! Ask what is on your mind!" Hercules commanded with a jovial grin.

"Alright." Steve said. "You're Hercules?"

"Indeed I am. Son of Zeus, conqueror of the Twelve Labors, strongest man to live so far! If you wish, I could show you the jacket I made from the pelt of the Nemean Lion, or my uncle's dog, Spot! Though, if you'd wish to see Hippolyta's girdle, you'll have to ask her nicely!" Hercules said, playfully elbowing Steve in the ribs.

"Yeah, where I come from, they teach that the two of you were mortal enemies."

Hercules gave a mighty laugh. "Oh, my boy, that could not be further from the truth. On my journey here, my shipmates, the Argonauts and I wrecked upon the island of Paros. There, the sons of Minos attempted to kill us. I distracted them from my companions, but the island was invaded by King Mygdon of Bebryces, and we were caught in the middle of the fight. Then, astride a magnificent steed came the most beautiful woman I had ever seen! A fierce maiden of golden hair, who wielded a sword as well as any man. We fought back to back, Argonauts and Amazons against Parosians and Bebrycites alike! When the battle was through, I found that this was the woman whose girdle I was supposed to take, and I bid my friend Jason, captain of the Argo, farewell. My stepmother, Hera, attempted to interfere, but after securing this archipelago, Hippolyta and I were married."

"So you've never done combat with her?" Hercules raised both eyebrows suggestively. "In a manner of speaking, dear boy!"

Steve just looked at Hercules blank-faced for a moment, then changed the subject.

"Diana said something about her mother being able to permanently color my shield with some kind of metal. Would that be possible?"

Hercules nodded, and stood up. "Come! Bring your shield! We shall do it today! If there are any other boons you so desire, let them be known!" Steve hurried back to his chamber, and retrieved his shield. The two of them made their way to a forge in the heart of a volcano in the center of the island. Strangely, the air was cool, despite the open flames, and vats of a molten metal.

"My love, I've found a task for you, if you would have it!" Hercules boomed.

Hippolyta turned from her forge to face them. "And what might that be, my dear?"

Hercules took the shield from Steve. "You see, we have what appears to be an indestructible shield, but where the captain comes from, they have no indestructible paint!"

Hippolyta took the shield. "Interesting," she said, flipping it over in her hands. "I have not seen anything such as this in all my days."

Steve nodded. "Diana said the same thing. Will it be possible to color it permanently?"

Hippolyta laid the shield on her anvil, picked up a large hammer, and struck it hard. As Steve expected, the paint was the only thing damaged. "Yes," said Hippolyta, examining her hammer. "The coating will not be quite the same strength as the shield, but it should hold up for several hundred years."

Steve all but balked at the proposition, but maintained his demeanor. "I can't imagine I'll need it to last that long, but thank you!"

Hippolyta gave him a sly grin, and removed packets of powder from a shelf. "I presume you wish it to be the same colors and patterns as it is, now?" Steve nodded in affirmation. "Then allow me to get to work. It shall be done by tomorrow!"