Chapter Three is up.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN JUSTICE LEAGUE, BATMAN, or WONDER WOMAN; THEY ARE PROPERTY OF DC COMICS.
When Diana arrived at Persephone's temple, the goddess was waiting with a kind smile and a brief inquiry, "How have you been feeling?"
"I'm fine." Diana reached into her sack, "I've brought tribute: fruits, cheese, and bread," the woman placed them on the silver serving plate at the altar, "I also brought wine." She poured it into a simple chalice that she'd brought from her mother's palace.
"Thank you, Princess. I appreciate it." The goddess answered truthfully, as she took the bread, broke it in half, and offered half to the Amazon. "I will not eat alone."
Diana smiled and took the bread as she sat down and Persephone joined her on the floor of the temple. They ate in silence before the goddess spoke, "So tell me more of Cassandra Cain. She is one of two of the Wayne family that you do not speak much of. Have you not met her?"
"I have met her, actually, and it was respect that kept me from mentioning much about her," Diana admitted as she tossed a grape into the air and caught it in her mouth. Persephone smiled at the action, it reminded her that the Amazon Champion personified innocence.
The Underworld Queen pondered the Princess's response. She'd gone into her husband's domain and asked Themis to introduce her to those that might know of the young woman that donned the Batgirl ensemble to fight crime. Cassandra's history had broken the goddess's heart, but she admired the mortal even more for her bravery. Diana's want to mentor Cassandra spoke volumes of the Amazon's understanding of the younger woman's situation, and Persephone felt her heart swell at the admiration she felt for her step-daughter.
"You wanted to be there for the girl."
"I did, but I also wanted to see how influential Bruce was on her upbringing. The assassins had a plan for her all along, but he took her from the weapon she was meant to be and allowed her to be a person. I wanted her to know that I would be there if she needed a woman to talk to." Diana offered the goddess a sad smile, "I offered to bring her to Themyscira. I wanted her to learn as I did. She had a death wish at the time. Perhaps, one day, she'll come here."
The goddess nodded, "That young girl had an effect on you."
"They all had an effect on me. Cassandra was superb, her abilities were so unique, but at the cost of her ability to communicate, but she overcame all of that. She was shown nothing but darkness, told from birth that spreading those shadows were all she was good for but she brought such light to the world."
Persephone had become accustomed to the way Diana went about her decisions to sacrifice her own abilities to better help someone else. "So which of your gifts have you decided to give in exchange for Cassandra's peace of mind?"
Diana's blue eyes met her hazel ones, "You've been doing this the entire time, Princess, and in these last few months, I've come to understand you, and expect this of you. So, which gift will it be?"
"My reflexes."
"Those are honed abilities, you developed those, they aren't exactly a gift."
"I realize things and react faster than Superman and Flash. That's got nothing to do with my years of training." Diana argued and her point brought a wry smile to the goddess's lips.
"Say the right words, Princess," Persephone remarked.
"I offer up my reflexes so that Cassandra might find peace when needs it most."
"I will see it done." The Queen of Curses stood, "Be well, Diana. And please, visit when you don't plan on paying a price."
"I'll be back tomorrow. Hopefully, Bruce and his will brood will have remained out of trouble that long." Diana smiled and walked off.
That afternoon's training was the most grueling one Diana had ever experienced. Suddenly there were too many arrows to dodge, too many blades slicing into her skin, and not enough time in the world for her to move.
She didn't make a sound to give away how painful her injuries really wore as she visited the healers.
"You seem to be forgetting everything we've ever taught you, Princess," Artemis remarked from the doorway.
"I remember my lessons, I just don't remember those arrows being so fast." Diana countered, meeting the Amazon's fiery green gaze. The older warrior often reminded the Princess of Shayera, and the lukewarmth of nostalgia washed over her. She missed her friend.
Artemis inspected the healer's work and watched as one of Diana's injuries healed quickly, "I expect you back on the field by sunrise. You'll review your lessons until lunch."
Diana stood, doing her best not to show her pain to the older woman, "As long as I'm free the rest of the day."
"You'll have your freedom." Artemis agreed, "Diana, if you weren't well, you'd talk to someone, wouldn't you?"
If the Princess was surprised by Artemis's rare show of concern, she didn't mention it. Instead, she nodded and wandered off towards the palace, leaving an unconvinced Amazon behind.
"Wife, we must speak," Hades remarked as he entered Persephone's personal garden.
She looked up from her poisonous plants, "Are you also concerned about Diana sacrificing three of her abilities?"
He nodded, "My daughter is slowly giving up her abilities, how many more will she give before she is no longer Wonder Woman?"
Persephone approached her worried husband, "There are three more members of Bruce Wayne's family, and she has three more powers."
He pressed his forehead to hers, "I will not allow her to give everything."
"That's not your decision, Hades."
Persephone pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth, her heart swelling with tender love for her husband. His relationship with Hippolyta had been eons ago, and he'd been a monster then. It was that dark ferocity that had enticed the goddess, and now, she was more than happy with the growth he'd made.
"I love you." She whispered against his lips.
When Cassandra realized that her father had ended his relationship with Princess Diana, she'd been surprised to find she was disappointed. She found that she had to analyze why her father's decision upset her and came to the conclusion that she'd wanted the chance to get to know the Amazon.
Cassandra's personal experiences with powerful women were few: Thalia, Lady Shiva, Oracle. Of the three, two of them were bad experiences, as both Thalia and Lady Shiva had tried to kill her. So meeting Wonder Woman, the only woman in the world powerful enough to go head to head with Superman, before Supergirl's arrival, and keep up with Batman's strategic mind, had been a relief. Diana's kindness had also been welcome, as Cassandra was the only female surrounded by men, she enjoyed the Princess's presence. Not that she showed that.
Bruce's only daughter had seen other women come around and try to get their claws into her father, they always had an agenda; money, attention, sex. So when Diana arrived, Cassandra made a point to avoid the woman, even going so far as to spy on her, just to get a read on Wonder Woman. She had managed to avoid the Amazon successfully until she returned early from patrol and found the dark-haired woman training with Richard.
Cassandra's older brother was on the ground, breathing heavily while Diana stood a little off to the side, her red lips pulled into a smirk. "You're a bit slower than I thought you'd be. Batman is faster than you and he's, what, fifteen, maybe twenty years older than you?"
"I thought you were supposed to be the nice one of the Trinity." Richard grinned as he brought himself to his feet.
"Your mistake is assuming that my kindness means that I will not give my all in a fight." Diana took a fighting stance across from Nightwing, "I was trained to be a warrior, but that doesn't mean that mercy isn't one of my weapons."
Cassandra watched with interest as her oldest brother attacked and Wonder Woman side-stepped him, and put him on his back once more, holding him there with a well-placed foot to his chest. "If we were actually enemies, I'd have taken your head."
Both Wayne children stared at Wonder Woman in shock before she smirked and offered him a hand. Richard took it and allowed the Amazon to pull him up. "That's two for two. It's a good thing Bruce isn't here."
Diana gestured to Cassandra, "She's here."
Richard met Cassandra's gaze and smiled, "Cassie, have you officially met Diana?"
"Wonder Woman, you mean." Cassandra corrected.
"Wonder Woman is a title, little sister. Diana is my name." The Princess remarked kindly, "Its a pleasure to finally meet you."
Cassandra didn't know what to think. Her years of training had taught her to read body language and she had learned to identify even the best liars and tricksters. Wonder Woman, Diana, was neither. Honesty and kindness, strength and compassion, that was all Cassandra could see in the woman's smile.
"You too." Cassandra found herself saying, and though she hadn't thought it possible, Diana's smile brightened. Then her blue eyes wandered Cassandra's form and the new Batgirl suddenly became aware of her injuries.
"Get to the medic station Cass, before Alfred comes to investigate." Richard led both women to the station and gestured for Cassandra to hop onto the table.
Cassandra gave him a look and he threw up his hands, "Fine, I'll go get Alfred."
Both women watched as Richard begrudgingly headed upstairs. Diana turned to Cassandra,"Alright, let's see the damage."
The younger woman considered denying the Amazon but rethought it as it would give her time to study the woman again. So Cassandra began removing her suit, and a quiet, almost sound came from Wonder Woman. Cassandra didn't want to read the pity in Diana's expression and body language, so she refused to look at her.
"A few bruises and a new scar to add to your collection, Cassie, but other than that, I think you'll live." Diana finally remarked, breaking the silence.
She was surprised by Diana's comment and met her gaze, and found not pity but admiration.
"You don't pity me," Cassandra whispered.
Diana raised a brow, "And why should I? You're strong and capable and far braver than most mortals. I respect you, all of you, for what you do."
"Did he tell you what happened to me?" Cassandra asked.
"No, he doesn't like to give out information like that, not even to me. I figured it out for myself and Richard and Alfred clarified one or two things. Your scars are old, but they're a symbol of your training, of what they wanted you to become." Diana offered her a bandage and Cassandra took it, choosing to see to her injuries herself. "I don't scar, advanced healing is one of my gifts from the gods. If I did scar, you'd see how long I was in training, the years of sweat and blood that my Amazon sisters put into training me to be a warrior."
"You see similarities between us."
Diana nodded, "Yes and no. We were both trained to be warriors, though my own childhood, was filled with love. Yours was filled with darkness and death, but you, little sister, deserve far more respect for your transformation from weapon to warrior than I do."
"Why?"
"Because from birth all you knew were shadows and darkness. You were taught to be a weapon, trained to take life; you were never allowed to see the light. Yet, when you completed your first mission, you realized that the mission you were training for was wrong and you, a child, took it upon yourself to run away. You looked inside yourself and saw darkness, and it made you value light so much more."
Cassandra never told anyone about the conversation she had with Diana. She'd also never told the Amazon how much her words had meant to her. Honestly, Cassandra thought she'd have time to find the words to thank the older woman, but shortly after Cassandra officially met Diana, her father ended his relationship with her.
Now Cassandra hid in a dark corner of the Manor's ballroom, wishing she could disappear into the shadows. Richard, Tim, and Damien had joined her, doing their best to avoid being seen.
"Father should be out on patrol instead of playing these games," Damien muttered quietly.
"He has two parts to play, and they need equal time to be seen." Tim countered, "Besides, Bruce Wayne has been avoiding the limelight recently, and that has to be fixed before people get curious."
"Tim's right. It sucks, but here we are, and without a Bat-signal, this is where we'll be."
Cassandra spoke up, "He hates playing this game. It's so disturbing to see the lies change him.
"You get used to seeing it after a while," Richard commented.
She shook her head, "I saw him truly happy not too long ago and watching this, it's painful."
Richard and Tim gave her a brief glimpse of their own sadness at their father's suffering, but Damien only responded with, "If you're referring to the meta, Father knew it wouldn't last. Ending it was the right thing to do. And I don't recall you ever being this weak."
Cassandra's anger flared and she lifted her arm, only to freeze as a sweet perfume drifted over her. She knew the scent, had a bottle just like it on her dresser, though hers sat untouched and full; a gift from Diana when Cassandra had complimented her perfume. It had arrived after the Princess had left for Themysicra, and Cassandra could only wonder when the Amazon had ordered it for her.
"Cassie? You alright?"
She put her arm down and looked down her nose at her younger brother, "Acknowledging a time when our father had been happy and wishing that happiness still thrived doesn't make me weak. Father deserves light just as much as anyone else." She shoved her glass into Tim's hand and paused again, as Diana's perfume settled over her and the biting words she had for Damien remained in her throat. Mercy wasn't just for a physical beat down.
So Cassandra Cain's chapter was far more difficult to write than I had anticipated. I don't know much about her, but I've seen her mentioned in other stories and I didn't want to leave her out. Anyway I'm off to work on chapter four. Hopefully that one will come more easily to me than this one did. See ya'll soon.