"Where is he now?"
"Sources claim he is presiding over a family company in Gotham and by Man's World's standards, he is very wealthy, Your Majesty," Philippus answered.
Hippolyta gave Philippus a pointed look. "Should I trust your sources, Captain?"
"Your Majesty, please allow me to explain myself. No Themysciran besides the princess comes into regular contact with the inhabitants of Man's World, and I only recently discovered that Bruce Wayne—"
"Is that an excuse?" Hippolyta looked out the window onto the palace training grounds. She saw two youngsters sparring, heard the swords clash, and watched one warrior raising her arms in victory.
"We will not lose. I will not allow my daughter to be ruined at the hands of a male. I said as much decades ago, and I will say it again. Get rid of Bruce Wayne."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Philippus rose slowly and began to back out of the room. Hippolyta was too distracted by the situation to reprimand her more.
"Wait. Has Diana come into contact with this… man? Has the prophecy been fulfilled?" Hippolyta grimaced.
Philippus stopped, closing her eyes. She took one deep breath. "Yes. I believe the princess and the male have become acquainted at some public functions. I have not been informed that their relationship has… developed to that point yet."
Hippolyta's inhalation quickened. She turned around and saw the young warriors fighting again. As long as I keep fighting, there's still hope for her.
"My last request…" the Queen added suddenly, her back to the captain.
"Yes?"
"I want you to kill him. Personally."
Philippus's face paled and she whispered "Yes," before leaving the room hurriedly.
The Queen of Themyscira stood alone, calm and regal- the picture of royalty. It must be done… for her. Forcing her shoulders to stop trembling, Hippolyta headed towards her throne room.
Clark scanned the jet with his laser vision for any internal problems. "She looks good. Have you got everything?"
Diana nodded in thanks. "I don't need much, since I'm basically heading home." She turned to say goodbye to the rest of the founders, who had conglomerated in the hangar to send her off.
Except Bruce.
He stood in a corner with his arms folded, glaring at Superman. The Boy Scout was talking too much. Bruce mentally urged everybody to leave.
"Well, I really appreciate you guys being here, but I don't think the world will if something catastrophic were to occur right now." Diana laughed as Superman started and began ushering everybody out.
"Bye Diana!... Be safe… Bring me back a hot girlfriend!"
Diana turned to Bruce and smiled. "Well, then." She motioned for him to follow her into the jet.
They had barely gotten through the entrance when he closed the door and drew her to him in a kiss. "Bruce…" she murmured against his cheek. "I have to go—" He left a trail of kisses along her jaw line while he reveled in the perfection in his arms. Diana pushed him away resolvedly and held his face in her hands, gazing tenderly into the white lenses of his cowl. "I thought Batman was the epitome of self-control," she whispered, short of breath.
Not around you I'm not. Bruce replied by brushing his lips over her nose, forehead, eyes…
Sighing, he pulled back grew serious. He wanted to tell her that he loved her for everything she was and for everything she wasn't, that he couldn't stand not seeing her for ten days. Instead, he settled for his usual "Be careful, Princess."
Diana smiled and replied, "We'll continue this when I get back. I'll miss you." She gave him a peck on the lips and gently pushed him out the door, waving goodbye.
I'll miss you too. But she couldn't read his mind.
Climbing gracefully out of the jet, Diana smiled at the sight of a crowd waiting to greet their princess. Heading straight for her mother, she noted that Hippolyta, as immortal as any other Themysciran, seemed to have aged since the last time she saw her.
"Mother, it's been a long time."
"Diana. I've missed you." She took her daughter's hand and suddenly enveloped her in an uncharacteristic hug. "And so has the rest of Themyscira." The crowd cheered loudly.
"Come. The attendants have set up a feast to celebrate your arrival."
Strolling around the gardens with Hippolyta after the festivities, Diana excitedly shared her adventures on Man's World with her mother. She told stories of Darkseid and Vandal Savage, Lex Luthor and the Joker.
"You wouldn't believe how terrible some people are. Completely selfish, acting on their own whims without a concern for others…"
Diana stopped and turned towards her mother. Her blue eyes were bright and her complexion heightened. She took a breath. "Mother, I understand your opinions of Man's World…"
Hippolyta grasped her daughter's shoulders. "No matter what I think, I couldn't be prouder of you. While I may not approve of men and interactions you must have with them, Man's World is lucky to have been graced with your presence. I know the goddesses would agree with me."
"That's what I wanted to discuss with you. We may not always together now, but I still don't want there to be secrets between us." She gestured to a nearby bench, and Hippolyta sat down. Though the corners of the queen's mouth were still turned up, her skin was crawling with trepidation. No.
Hippolyta could hear her heartbeat as she waited.
Finally, Diana announced, "I've met someone- a man- that I really care about. His name is Bruce—"
Hippolyta stood abruptly.
"Diana, it's rather late, and I'm sure you're tired from your trip here. You should rest." She called an attendant. "Take Princess Diana to her rooms." Facing her daughter again, she tried a smile that was a little too wide to be genuine.
Diana noticed.
"It's good to have you back, my daughter. I pray your friends will be fine without you." Before Diana could reply, the queen had disappeared down the path.
Diana sat in shock. She hated lying, or even omitting the truth, but a part of her regretted even mentioning Bruce's name to her mother.
"Princess," the attendant said.
Diana couldn't hear her. She had expected a negative reaction from her mother, but she hadn't even had the opportunity to explain before her mother left. She had been a participant in Batman's investigations long enough to know that something was wrong. She spent a long time contemplating.
Without a word, she ran off into the night, leaving behind a confused and somewhat annoyed attendant.
The guards were surprised to see their princess fervently searching for someone on the training grounds.
"Excuse me, but have you seen Philippus?"
They shook their heads. "No, Your Highness."
"You must be looking for me," someone said in a lilting voice. Diana could almost hear the grin.
"Mala."
Her friend gave her a hug, but Diana was too agitated to reciprocate. "Have you seen Philiippus?"
"Yes. I think she's still in the stable."
"Thank you!" Diana dashed away. Mala simply raised her eyebrow. Diana had always been spontaneous.
Philippus heard the princess before she saw her.
"Princess Diana. Welcome back."
"Philippus. It's really good to see you again."
"What's wrong, Your Highness?"
Without hesitation, Diana asked the Captain, her expression serious. "You've always been by my mother's side. Please, what's wrong with my mother?"
The tense silence almost told Diana enough.
"Tell me, Philippus. She shouldn't have reacted so strangely when I told her about Man's World and Bruce—"
Philippus stepped towards the princess, seeking to both reassure her and stop her from continuing her questioning.
"Philippus…" This time Diana's voice was softer, a quiet plea for help.
The Captain of the Guard had helped raise Diana, trained her to be Themyscira's best, taught her to be strong. Even as Diana asked for help, Philippus could see the look of determination on her face. She would never relent.
I shouldn't give in this easily. Goddesses, please protect me from Hippolyta's fury.
Leading the princess out of the stables, Philippus hesitatingly began to tell the story of the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents.
Meanwhile the stars were out, and Themyscira was rejoicing in the long-awaited arrival of its beautiful, honorable princess.
"Years ago, Hippolyta had a god-sent dream of you together with a man named Bruce Wayne."
Diana gasped. It wouldn't be the first time.
"Your mother commanded that I see to the death of Bruce Wayne. I… I went out to Man's World and commissioned the first Gotham criminal I could find to do the job."
"Joe Chill…" Diana whispered. Now her voice was shaking.
"I suppose you know that he never got to Bruce Wayne, but that he killed his parents. I only found out a few days ago… I had overlooked the possibility of failure." Philippus saw Diana had stopped walking and was standing, still as a statue.
"Your Highness, you must realize your mother did all of this out of love for you…"
"This isn't love." Diana's mind was in turmoil. She was feeling a combination of anger, guilt, sadness… "This is her attempt to control my life. Her attempt to ensure that I live by her values."
"They are Themyscira's values, Princess…"
Diana finally looked, eyes blazing.
"And this is her destroying my regard for those values."
She began heading for the path towards the palace, and stopped for a moment. "Philippus, I won't forgive you for what you've done to Bruce. I… I hate you for it. Still, thank you for telling me the truth, since she hasn't."
Philippus gazed back at the princess. Part of me hates myself too.
She realized she hadn't told Diana of her most recent meeting with Hippolyta.
Twenty minutes before…
Philippus sprinted towards Hippolyta's rooms. The queen had said it was an emergency.
Before the guards could announce her, Hippolyta opened the door.
"Hurry."
Once inside the room, Philippus noted that the queen's pale blue eyes were panicked, and her hands were twitching in anxiety.
"Philippus, Diana's feelings for Bruce Wayne… they're already stronger than you anticipated. She's still young, she doesn't understand… I can't let this happen... my only child… what if he's worse than Hades, or Heracles?" Hippolyta paced around the room, flustered and worried.
Daringly, Philippus grasped the queen's hands. "Please, Your Majesty, calm down."
"Philippus... g-go now. Go to the stables, and prepare to leave for Man's World. Now. You must finish the job you failed last time."
Her eyes lost the look of terror and Hippolyta was finally lucid.
"Bruce Wayne must go. You won't come back until he's dead."
At 3pm the next day, Alfred Pennyworth opened the front door of Wayne Manor to a tall, imposing woman.
"How may I help you?"
Ever the warrior, Philippus pushed him aside and stepped in the mansion. "I need Bruce Wayne."
A/N: A part of me is really proud of the idea for this story, and another part is totally terrified that I'll botch up the whole thing because I'm not a naturally talented fiction writer. Writing analytical essays on Heart of Darkness and WWII really doesn't hone a person's creative writing skills... but whatever I'll go at it anyway!
Anyway, please review! Thanks for reading(: