The Superman & Wonder Woman Fan Archive

CHAPTER NINE

“Go,” Terry had said earlier. “Have a soak in the sauna.” He pushed Superman toward the heated pools at the end of the Queen’s Palace grounds, under the tented enclosure. A fire was lit within, and warm scented air spilled from under the closed door.

Perhaps, thought Superman, a hot soak would do him some good. At least it would help him clear his thoughts which were extremely confused since Diana had left her resignation letter for him.

As he had entered the sauna area, Donna had called out to him, and he had almost walked in when he realized that both she and Diana were using the sauna. That stopped him in his tracks. He had been tempted to walk fully in, to feast his eyes on Diana, to do what he really wanted to do. But he had managed to control his turbulent emotions and force himself to focus on what Donna was saying.

That has been a strange conversation about Diana and him being on mission alone together. How could he have admitted that he had arranged the duty – roster so that they would spend more time together? He knew that he had no chances with her, at all. But he was determined to get every opportunity to be alone with her. He had loved her more and more each day, having fallen in love with her from the very first instance. Had even kissed her that first time they met, so uncontrollable was his emotion. She had been unsure then, and he had sought to bide his time, patiently.

The patience was killing him.

Making him distance himself from her, forcing him to be harsh with her, to project an uncaring attitude; even though he wanted nothing more than to pull her close and whisper of his love into her ear. Her values, her thoughts, the way she stated her mind, her honour, her love for truth, her caring and generosity of spirit, he loved her so much He needed her to trust him, to love him back, to need him as he needed her. He wanted to spend a lifetime, several lifetimes with her. Though, no matter how strongly he felt for her, the Princess would never marry the farm-boy, would she?

Marry – he almost laughed aloud now, in his reverie. Amazons did not have a tradition of marriage. That was certainly out of the question. And Amazons did not seek male partners consciously. His thoughts deepened as he sank lower into the steam. It was hot and close inside. He sought solitude. The heat felt good. Already he could feel the tension drain from his body. He stretched, breathing into the cloud of steam, and drew a cleansing breath of moist air tinged with herbs.

Ah Rao, heavenly.

Steam curled from the other enclosure and he sensed movement. He glanced in that direction and his heart almost stopped beating. A vision materialized in the vapor. A woman. He could see her clearly through the door, from the angle at which he was sitting. Diana, she stood with her back to him, long damp hair clinging to her nude body.

Superman swallowed hard. How long since he’d wished he had used his x-ray vision to look at her and never given into the temptation? Too long. In one languid motion, the vision drew a ladle of water from the heated pool and poured it over her head.

She turned, and the rise of one perfect breast came into view. Water sluiced over her skin. One shimmering droplet clung like honey to the pebbled tip of her breast.

He wet his lips.

As the vapor cleared, their eyes met.

“Diana.”

She gasped, but did not cover herself, nor did she look away.

He was aware of his heart dancing in his chest, of the heat, and the closeness of her. He fisted his hands at his sides because he didn’t know what else to do. Her eyes roved over him in an entirely different manner than he had ever seen her look at him. He did not look away nor move, nor make any attempt to cover himself. Finally she turned away.

He breathed at last.

Seconds later he was dressed and stumbling out the door. He felt as though he had been exposed to red kryptonite, drugged, hung-over. Not himself at all.

A shape stepped out of the shadows and Hippolyta appeared.

“What say you, Superman? Will you wed Diana?”

Time stood still for a moment, a day, a lifetime, as the sound of the sea filled his ears.

“Yes,” he heard himself say. “I will.”

A ray of sunshine illuminated the grounds, breaking free from the clouds, and in the warm sunlight, Hippolyta smiled.