Many thanks for the reviews of the last chapter –I've gotten a job lately and haven't had much time to write this little one. I'll try to keep the updates once every two weeks, but no promises. Sorry…

The Price of Pride

8

Jason was feeling restless. For nearly a week now, he had been stuck in bed. The riding accident had pulled him down, quite literally. And now he found himself a guest of one of the wealthiest man in the city. Good manners dictated he healed fast and returned even faster at home. In spite of his claims to the contrary, Mr. Wayne's physician had insisted he was not quite ready to leave. As it happened, he was in no hurry to ride back to Themyscira. Parts of the blame laid on his father's shoulders while the other on his sister's. The letter signed by their father's hand left a bitter taste in his mouth.

'You and I know he is not ready to take over my place. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of teaching him our ways myself. You must oversee his progress, Diana. Make him listen to your suggestions, and show him how to successfully work in this world.'

So his own father thought him inapt to take over but considered Diana was? Balderdash! He was the Troy heir, he had put as much energy and thoughts into walking in his father's footsteps! He had gone to schools, done well for himself. He had connections with all levels of society, with different people who could be of use for him in later times. Diana had no school education, but had been watching how things worked for years. Her knowledge was first-hand, but she couldn't know what he did.

He closed his eyes and laid his head back against the headboard. It wasn't Diana's fault that she thought she could handle business. Her sex alone would hamper any proposal she could offer to their partners. He had to admit she had a sound mind and an eye for some things. Her suggestions could be worth listening to, but in the end, he would make the final decisions. Once again, he wished she had been born a male. Then they wouldn't find themselves in such a situation.

A knock was heard at the door and he granted access. The Master of the House opened and stepped inside.

Jason immediately flushed in embarrassment and tried to stand. Being unhurried to leave was one thing, being stuck in bed in front of such a man was quite another.

"Do not rise," Mr. Wayne said. "Given the circumstances, I will not take offence."

Jason reluctantly settled back against his pillow. In other times, he would feel flattered to have the other man deign to speak to him. Though he outranked him in society, Mr. Wayne held far more influence in the first and second circles that he could ever dream of –and the man was barely over thirty. He pulled a chair and sat at a respectable distance. The young man took a few moments to observe him. He had large shoulders and a broad chest, a handsome face with dark hair. His blue eyes seemed capable of piercing though one's soul and read every inner thought he might hold. His voice sounded deep but agreeable to the ear.

No wonder why women fell so easily in his arms, Jason thought with a hint of envy.

"Are you feeling better?" Mr. Wayne asked.

Jason smiled ruefully.

"Yes, I suppose so. I wish Dr. Thompkins would allow me out."

"Your head took a strong hit; he deems it necessary that you do not feel any lightness before stepping out of bed." The man paused and added: "I came here to speak of something that had been nagging me since your accident. Have you and Mr. Luthor interacted much during the campaign to win over the deal you are considering?"

Jason frowned slightly, wondering what this was about. He briefly wondered what role Mr. Wayne had in this, though he had only briefly heard that the man's godson had taken an interest in said deal. Still, he felt he owed him honesty –and he failed to see the harm in such an answer.

"He attempted to discourage me a few times, but never went too far. Why?"

Mr. Wayne looked uncomfortable for a moment.

"I believe your accident wasn't one," he admitted, and Jason could only stare. "Your father has enemies, and as his heir you will have them too, but only Luthor is desperate enough to make an attempt on your life."

The news should have shocked him. Instead, Jason numbly nodded. His father had tried to hint that some techniques of intimidation could go far enough to risk one's life. He had believed him, but hadn't expected it to go so far.

"At present time, I have no concrete evidence to support my claim. I may have a means to do so. In a week, a good friend of mine if giving a ball –one to which Luthor will be invited. If you show and prove you are well and able, and if some obvious hints can be dropped as to his behavior, he might betray himself." Mr. Wayne paused. "I will ask my godson to stand by your side. I might also show up, depending on...other matters. With a strong backing, he won't dare to attempt something." Mr. Wayne leaned back against his chair. "That is, if you feel well enough to attend a ball in one week. Dr. Thompkins believes you can, but you know yourself better."

Jason nodded again, his head spinning but this time for a different reason. He needed to think about this. He needed time to consult with his father –or did he? Hadrian Troy was growing weak. He'd have to think with his guts. And his guts were telling him that if someone was after him and his family, he might as well agree to Mr. Wayne's scheme. The man had earned his renown a reputation for a reason.

"Why are you doing this?" Jason asked.

"I take great enjoyment in messing with people I do not hold in high regards," he replied with a somewhat odd smirk. Jason narrowed his eyes –though he was still a bit naïve in some domains, he was very certain nothing was given freely. And there weren't many things that he owned that would interest a man like him. Expect perhaps one thing. And Mr. Wayne would have to go over his dead body to have it.

"Just so we be clear, Mr. Wayne," he said slowly, with a hint of steel in his tone. "Whatever favor you will ask later on will be on me. Not my father, not my sister, but me."

Mr. Wayne blinked and Jason could tell he had just startled him. A flash of something crossed his eyes, too fast for Jason to recognize it, but it was soon replaced by a lazy smirk –the kind that said that whatever he was after, he would have because no matter what he tried, Mr. Wayne would unfortunately always, always have an edge.

"Of course, Mr. Troy. We are in agreement."

POP

Diana stepped down the carriage as it halted in front of the Bana-Mighdall household. A servant opened the door, led her inside. To her surprise, the Bana-Mighdall matriarch welcomed her with a haughty stare. And she was alone.

"Did you come to wish farewell to my daughters?" she questioned once the customary greetings were exchanged. Diana hid her surprise and replied:

"I was not aware they were leaving, Ma'am. Did something happen?"

The older woman sniffed disdainfully and shook her head.

"Kind of you to ignore the rumors. I am very glad those girls have a mind of their own – but sometimes I fear they have been a little spoiled." In spite of the trace of reprimand, Diana did not miss the hint of pride. "My daughters are in the gardens, if you wish to join them."

She thanked her and departed immediately. The afternoon was not so advanced that it would be considered rude for her to show up, but something in Mrs. Shim'Tar's expression bothered her. What trouble had the twins gotten themselves into?

She found her friends sitting on their favorite bench, both speaking quietly. Diana was tempted to approach sneakily but gave up the idea soon enough. If tensions were arising in the family, she wanted to do nothing to fan the flames. Thankfully, both seemed happy by her presence and welcomed her on the bench. Alexa immediately inquired after Jason –whose health was good, thank you dear –and Artemis inquired after her because she looked a little pale.

"The past week has been straining," Diana admitted. She had long considered how much to tell her friends and decided eventually that the bare minimum would be courtesy. "I had a riding accident, and wanted peace to recover." Then she quickly changed subject, both for distraction and to satisfy her curiosity: "What about you? Your mother seemed to believe you have behaved a little outrageously."

The twins exchanged a look. Though the two were very different, Diana knew they had developed their own silent language. She and Jason could sometimes communicate without words, though the occurrence had lessened over the years. And so she waited for them to come to an agreement, eager to hear more.

"You did not hear of the latest scandal Artemis has provoked?" Alexa inquired with a small smile.

Diana shot her friend an odd look. Artemis' behavior made people frown at times, but never hard enough to cause a scandal. Said redhead raised an impassive, unapologetic eyebrow.

"I'm afraid I have been otherwise occupied lately," Diana reminded them. "What happened?"

Alexa giggled and hid her mouth behind her hand.

"She and General Ludendorff had a quarrel."

A quarrel that turned into a scandal? She nearly blurted but held back and repeated:

"What happened?"

Alexa was almost glowing with mirth.

"Ludendorff made a non-too discreet offer. Artemis thrashed him. In public."

Diana made a double take at her friend. The redhead held her head high and very proud.

"He spoke to me in non-certain terms that he would consider a dalliance with me in exchange of a certain favor I could ask of him. I shoved the pommel of my cane in his male parts and watched him squirm like the disgusting worm he is."

Diana felt her jaw drop slightly.

"With your cane? Since when do you own a cane?"

"It was not my cane per say," she paused and declared smugly: "I used the cane of a passing by gentleman. Very sturdy and heavy. Said gentleman gifted it to me afterwards –I kept it as a souvenir in my bedchamber."

Laugher bubbled out of her throat, quickly followed by a giggling Alexa and a proud Artemis.

"So that is why our mother is sending us away," Alexa added. "To protect General Ludendorff from my dear sister's claws.

"Dear Lord shield men from the wrath of the Bana-Mighdall sisters," Diana teased. "So where are you off to?"

"Actually, we will be staying with your aunt Menalippe. Apparently, she is a longtime friend of our mother and has agreed to lodge us."

Diana blinked again, startled.

"Truly?" this was new to her.

"Yes, we will discover the wilderness of Scotland," Artemis said sarcastically and glanced at her sister. "At least I shall be there to ensure this one does not run away to Greta Green and marries a penniless poppycock."

Alexa glared at her sister.

"My heart belongs to one and one only. At least I know where I stand in that matter."

Artemis huffed and glared at the bushes. Diana had the sensation she had missed something but did not inquire further.

"Anyhow," the redhead huffed. "We came to visit the other day to ask you if you wished to accompany us. We will be leaving tomorrow in the morning. It should take us a few days to head there and we will stay four to five weeks. What do you say?"

POP

"I should go?" Diana repeated, stunned.

Hadrian leaned back in his chair, his fingers absentmindedly caressing his beard in a slow, repetitive motion. Had Diana been in her customary sharp mind, she would recognize it as a nervous gesture. As it was, he found her exceedingly distracted ever since she had returned from Gotham. Though in ordinary times, he would have chided her for her neglect, he was glad her attention seemed elsewhere. Deceiving his own daughter was not something he was proud of, but necessary means…

"You spent a lot of time by Jason's side. He will return and gain some strength back. I will supervise his recovery with your mother's help. Donna and Lyla had expressed an interest to head to London." He paused. Now was the part he had to rehearse in front of a mirror several times. His daughter was smart. She would notice if he failed to satisfy her curiosity. "Your brother knows I prefer your methods to his…let's not create more tension with having you here to distract him."

As he expected, Diana's expression shifted into hurt. In spite of everything, he appreciated her loyalty. He didn't mean to disregard her talent in the business field, but she had not have the opportunity to be out there and actually meet their partners. The current world was not made for women like his daughter, not yet.

"Jason knows the last thing I want to do is to berate him," she protested.

Hadrian shrugged. It pained him to upset his favorite child, but it was a necessary thing.

"The road to Hell is paved with the best intentions, my dear," he replied softly. "Jason might not admit out loud that your presence will not help him focus on what I want to teach him." He paused. "And that is an enterprise I ought to have taken years ago. I was wrong to attempt to give you the charge of showing him the way."

Her lips pursed in dissatisfaction, though he could tell she privately agreed with him, if only on the last part.

"What changed your mind?" she asked, and he had to use all his experience in dealing with dreadful news to keep his facial features neutral. The two letters had arrived sometime during his convalescence, in the pile of the less urgent matters to treat. Had he known of their contents in his time of weakness, he might have had another heart failure. And for once, he had been exceedingly glad that Diana had opted to remain by Jason's side, and his other daughters had kept her in the dark. She would have read the letter before Charon, before Persephone, and most likely done something drastic –as he was about to do. He had leant very early that when a person's existence became an issue, one dealt with said issue by removing his or her presence from the game. While he would never deliberately get rid his own flesh and blood, he could not allow Diana to stay under his roof. He needed time to solve this issue. He needed time to figure out how this situation came to be. And having his eldest so near to danger would not help.

He trusted Menalippe would watch over her. While she had never forgiven him for Hippolyta's accident, she would never deny shelter to her daughter.

"It is one thing to know, it is another to teach," he replied. "A distracted Jason will never learn. Therefore, you might as well enjoy some time away with your friends. You have earned it."

She was not satisfied, and unless he read her wrong, she suspected he had more reasons than he let on. Still, Diana had yet developed the suspicious streak her mother had and would not start nosing in his affairs unless he truly gave her concerns. The argument of Jason's training would convince her he was genuine. His interest in the family business had come before her personal feelings before.

"Very well, father," she replied softly. "I shall write to Artemis at once. Do send for me if you need anything."

She moved to his chair, kissed his forehead and left the room. Hadrian waited a few moments and when he became certain she wouldn't return, he felt the tension bleed out of his body. His shoulders slumped as he sighed deeply and he reached in his inside pocket to retrieve the damning letter.

The paper had been creased from too much reading, but his eyes reread the lines he had almost come to memorize.

'Lord Troy,

I return to you the acceptation of your surprising offer, previously addressed in your letter. Though we are both aware that our business interests diverge, the proposition of a solid partnership enthralled me. We both have the potential of building an empire and our respective investments will support each other in the long term. You are correct to suggest sealing this alliance with a marriage. I am at an age where I need to start a family, and Miss Troy is a reliable support of yours.

Therefore, I accept the hand of your daughter and join the settlement as dictated by your previous demands. You will find a copy of your letter, the original has been confided to my solicitors. As the matter is of urgency, please return the letter with your conditions and we will proceed.

Yours sincerely,

Alexander Luthor'

He disregarded reading the joined settlement again: everything put down would have gone according to his conditions. Diana's dowry would be of ten thousand pounds, her control over the company would be null as she left the family circle, and her children would inherit nothing from the family business, unless no surviving children came along.

A cold shiver ran down Hadrian's back –the odds that none of his children survived were slim, as he had three in good health and…But Jason had already been in an accident, and Lyla's health was fragile. Donna would find a husband, though he was not certain where, but in case she did not-

His heart started to arch in a painful way, very similar to the day he had received the dreadful letter containing details of Jason's accident. The physician had told him he should rest and avoid being upset. But then he had remembered young Richard Grayson's appearance and his godfather's theory that Luthor was behind Jason's accident. The gall of the man to send such a letter, containing the very terms of his conditions –the other letter had to be forged, he would never, never give away his daughter to such a man, not when the circumstances of this union were so suspect. If Luthor was after both Diana's dowry and her agreeable figure, then he could shove his settlement in a very ungentlemanly place. Never, he thought, never he would pressure one of his own children into making such a mistake.

Removing Diana from London, from Luthor's influence, was the only course of action he could think of. He just hoped he would not come to regret his actions.