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Paradise Lost Pt 5
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Chapter Five
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Richard Moulton listened over the phone in his lavish home over the
news of Wonder Woman in Africa. As usual, he was angry with the
results. The Amazon won again. He threw his phone across the room.
It shattered upon impact. Not only did Wonder Woman slipped through
his fingers again, but she had some help. Problem was no one knew
who this mysterious woman was.
"Dammit. I almost had her this time," Richard cursed.
"Of course you did, darling," a silky voice said from behind. "Just
as you had when you supplied weapons to the previous militias in
Africa she destroyed, or when you funded Morraine's army to invade
Kasnia." She laughed. "It goes on and on."
Richard turned in his chair to see a beautiful woman with silky
violet hair in a purple skin tight suit. He smirked. He never met
her in person but he did know of her. "Circe."
"You know me."
"You're an enemy of Wonder Woman. Of course I know you." Just
because she was Wonder Woman's enemy, it didn't mean he trust
her. "What do you want?"
"I've come to offer my services," Circe stated. "I will provide you
with an ally to take down Wonder Woman once and for all."
"I know you're not doing this out of the generosity of your heart…if
you have one. So, what is it you're after?"
"Being a CIA Director, you have access to nuclear weapons," Circe
sashayed to him. She placed both hands on the arms of his chair and
got in his face. "Being head of the Aremid, you have access to a
large sum of Kryptonite." She caressed his face with a single stroke
of her finger. "Don't worry, darling, what I have plan doesn't
concern you."
****
Clark Kent was in a good mood as he prepared to leave for the day.
As he shut down his computer, he noticed Lois chatting happily with
Richard White, Perry's nephew who also worked at the paper as an
editor. He noticed Richard pursuing Lois first. It took four months
for him to convince Lois to go out with him. Even though they
weren't meant to be together, Clark wanted Lois to be happy. And she
was. He and Diana even double dated with Lois and Richard.
Clark grabbed his shoulder bag and left the newsroom. He thought
about getting a bite to eat before going to the Watchtower. He hoped
to find Diana there. She left with Triana two days ago but hasn't
returned. He thought it was strange Diana hadn't return to the
Watchtower, Embassy or her apartment in D.C. He wasn't sure she
showed up for work. He was getting worried.
When Clark entered the Daily Planet lobby, his worry fell away to
relief. He picked up his pace, smiling as he spotted Diana standing
by the information desk. She was dressed in her Diana Prince
disguise of glasses, long black skirt and a crème long sleeve
blouse. Clark embraced Diana and she held onto him tighter as if
needing his support.
Clark loosened his hold and gave her a quick kiss. "I was getting
worried about you when you didn't return to the Watchtower
yesterday. I went by the Embassy, your apartment; I even scanned
your workplace but I couldn't find you."
"I took the day off." She couldn't look him in the eyes. "I needed
sometime alone."
Her tone and posture indicated something was wrong. She didn't sound
like the confident women he knew. "Did everything get straightened
out?"
Diana nodded. "Yes."
"You want to get some dinner?" Clark offered. "My treat. Chinese?"
Diana shook her head. "I'm not up to a restaurant tonight."
"We can go back to my place," Clark suggested, "and I'll cook you
dinner. It'll be faster."
Diana said nothing as she went into his arms again and buried her
head in his chest. "That will be fine."
Clark knew Diana was a strong woman who was always confident in
herself but something on Themyscira left her shattered and very
vulnerable. Clark didn't waste time as he escorted Diana out of the
Daily Planet and hurried home.
****
Diana sat on the stool at Clark's kitchen bar amused as she watched
him cook dinner as a man endowed with superpowers could. They've
known each other for years but Diana was still fascinated whenever
Clark used his super speed and heat vision. Normally, Clark would
take his time with cooking but his showing off for her was amusing
and raised her spirits.
As they ate dinner, Clark's mind was on Diana more than dinner. He
knew something was bothering Diana but he decided not to pry. Diana
always came to him when she was frustrated or troubled so he knew
she would come to him when she's ready. Instead, Clark talked about
his day at the Planet, his business with the Justice League while
she was gone. Diana listened intently but her mind was elsewhere.
After dinner, Clark cleaned up while Diana sat at the table quietly.
As he washed the dishes, Clark searched his mind trying to get
Diana's mind off her problems. "You want to watch a movie tonight? I
can rent--"
Diana's slender arms wrapped around Clark's waist and she leaned
against his strong back. "Thank you for tonight. You're so good to
me."
Clark turned and wrapped his arms around Diana. "Why wouldn't I be?
You're my lady. I'll always be good to you."
"Even if I come from a race of women who will never accept men have
changed?" Diana asked her voice cracking. "Who would banish their
princess?" Diana stepped out of his arms and hugged herself.
"Diana?"
Diana looked at Clark, her eyes glistening. "I've been exiled from
my home, Kal."
"No," Clark said shocked. "Why?"
Diana sat on Clark's sofa and told him in full detail what happened
on Themyscira from the trials to her punishment, leaving out the
part of Triana's accusation about Clark. "Triana's running away
wasn't your fault, Diana. I can't believe your mother believe the
things she said over you."
"She did," Diana admitted coldly. "Triana also said something
else….about you. I didn't believe it but I think my mother and
sisters did."
"What did she say about me?"
"That you wanted to kiss her. That you made passes at her."
Clark knelt before Diana, looking in her eyes. "Diana, that's not
true." He sighed heavily as his guilt of keeping a secret from Diana
surfaced. "I didn't want to tell you this because I knew how much
you missed home and your sisters but it was Triana who made the pass
at me. It happened when you were at the charity event. I brought her
something to eat and was giving her company. We talked but it was
about you and things we did for the league." He gripped Diana's
hands, staring at her emotionless face. "And I only went to the
Watchtower during the week as scheduled: Monday and Friday and I
didn't see her. I kept away from her because I was worried she would
make another pass at me. You must believe me, Diana. I love you,
Diana. I would never betray you."
Diana put her fingers on his lips. "Shh. I know, Kal. I believe you.
I know you. I know you wouldn't betray me. I'm disappointed you
didn't tell me about Triana but I understand why you didn't.
"After the trial, I talked to my sisters to see if Triana's words
were true. Some of my sisters aren't pleased with me being in Man's
World. They actually think I'm betraying Themyscira; that I'm
letting this world change me. They think the more I stay here, the
more I'm forgetting myself and my heritage."
"That's insane," Clark said as he sat beside her. "If this world is
changing you, it's doing so for the better. "
Diana shook her head sadly. "I'm not so sure now."
Clark gripped Diana's shoulders gently. "Diana, don't think like
that. Your mother and sisters are ignorant to this world because
they don't live in it. They don't want to accept the changes made.
If they see the good you do, your affect on this world--"
Diana broke from his grasp. "They *do* see it, Kal and while they
are proud of the accomplishments I've made as Wonder Woman, they are
not proud with my involvement with you or my softening towards men."
Diana rose from the sofa and stepped away from him as if needing
some distance.
"I've always been curious, sometimes too much for my own good
according to my mother. Before I left Themyscira, I wondered about
men and Man's World. My mother and Sisters would talk about the
cruelty of men, the horrible things men did to women and how we
should never trust them, how we should hate them and what they are
doing to the world. I accepted it but I always wondered how I can
hate someone I never met? How women would marry men if they were all
so cruel? I always wondered what other worlds were out there outside
the island. My Mother would always stir me away from such thoughts
by putting my attention elsewhere, on my training, on my studies."
Clark chose his words carefully. The last thing he wanted was to
offend Diana by insulting her mother. "It sounds like your mother
wanted you in a bubble, have you listen to only her words and no one
else's. She didn't allow free thinking but you did the right thing
by challenging your mother, opened your mind."
"Yes, well, I didn't talk to my Mother after the trial. I refused
to. I was too shock at what she had done." Diana pulled a white
letter from her pocket and gave it to Clark. "Before I left, Magda
gave me this letter from my mother."
Clark opened the letter. "Diana, I know you wish not to speak with
me so I send this letter to you. You must understand I am Queen and
I cannot let my personal feelings cloud my judgment. I had no choice
but to make you choose: Themyscira or Man's World. I'm disappointed
you chose to stay in Man's World. Perhaps in time you will realize
the error of your ways. If you do, I will welcome you back to
Themyscira. May the Gods protect you in the cruel world of men.
Hippolyta." He looked at Diana sadly. "I'm so sorry, Diana."
Diana turned her back on Clark and wiped away the tears threatening
to roll down her cheeks. "It feels like I'm truly alone."
"You're not alone," Clark assured her. "You have me and I'll never
leave you alone."
Diana faced him sadly. "But you're not my sister. You're not my
mother. You're not Themyscira."
"No, but I know what it's like to be alone. I'm the last Kryptonian.
I felt completely alone when I discovered I wasn't human and I love
you too much to want you feel what I felt, Diana. Let me be your
family." He ran a nervous hand through his thick black hair. His
heart started beating wildly as he realized what he was going to
do. "This wasn't the way I planned this. I wanted this to be
special, maybe take you to the fortress, dinner on an isolated
beach…" He sighed. "I wanted to do this for some time but the timing
was never right."
Diana looked at Clark, puzzled. "Kal, what are you talking about?"
Clark got on one knee and looked up at a shocked Diana as he took
her left hand and asked, "Will you marry me?"
Diana gasped. She released Clark's hand and stepped back
stunned. "Wh…what? Marry you? I---I…." Diana's heart raced as she
struggled for the right words. "This is so sudden. I never thought
we….I don't know what to say."
"I was hoping you would say yes."
"Oh," Diana said realizing Clark was waiting for an answer. "You
have to understand I….I never expected this, Kal. Marriage is
foreign to me and this is quite a shock. For my banishment and now
this. I never expected it."
"Have you thought about it?" Clark asked. He was wondering if this
was a mistake to propose. Diana was very vulnerable right now. She
was banished from her home her family and was receiving a marriage
proposal to a man, the very thing her people hated in less than
seventy-two hours.
"The thought…" she shook her head. No, that wasn't right. "You know
how people say things that are happening to them but you never
thought it would for you? That doesn't sound right, does it?" Diana
paused. "I've received proposal as Wonder Woman. I've heard about
people getting married but I never thought that would be me.
Marriage is a foreign custom to me and I haven't accepted all the
foreign customs in Man's World."
Disappointed washed on Clark's face. She was an Amazonian Princess
and he a Kryptonian raised on Earth in the country. She was from an
island of no men and any mention of men were in a negative way and
though Diana has accepted men and even became involved with one,
deep down Clark realized she could never accept all the customs in
Man's World.
Diana tilt Clark's head towards her, "But I accept this one. Yes, I
will marry you."
Clark threw his arms around Diana and lifts them both in the air,
spinning and hugging Diana tightly. "Oh, you scared me."
Diana laughed as Clark set them both back on the floor. "Well, I had
to think about it."
"That was the longest five minutes of my life!" Clark let out
another sign of relief. "Don't ever do that again," He told her as
he gathered Diana in his arms again and gave her a long passion
filled kiss.
****
Diana awakened to the sun gleaming in her eyes from Clark's bedroom
window. She smiled as she looked at her left hand, staring at the
ring Clark had given her. Clark, realizing he left the ring in his
room at the Watchtower, flew there to get it. He, being what Diana
couldn't describe as what they call a perfect gentleman or an
overgrown boy scout, resisted taking her to bed and slept on the
couch. They've talked about the matter in the past but Clark always
pulled back, not in fear of hurting her but for Diana's sake. Being
in a relationship with a man was new to her. He wanted to take
things slowly and didn't want to take advantage of her. There was
also the fact she was a princess and his upbringing. Old fashion
habits died hard
Diana's nose picked up the fresh smell of breakfast. She loved it
when he cooked for her. It was enough to get her out of bed and
joined Clark in the kitchen. She found him flipping pancakes, using
his heat vision to heat up the batter once on the skillet.
"Show off."
Clark winked at her. "Jealous?" He looked Diana over as she leaned
against the doorway. She was wearing one of his shirts. The shirt
fell to her mid-thigh giving him a nice look at her long legs. With
her arms folded, he could see the outline of her breasts through her
bra. She was more covered in his shirt than in her Wonder Woman
uniform but there always was something sexy about a woman wearing a
guy's shirt. It was an instant turn-on. He turned back to his
pancakes, controlling his thoughts.
Diana sat on the counter watching Clark cook. To anyone else, the
move was very unlike a princess but to Clark it was typical
Diana. "How much practice did it take for you to perfect this skill?"
"A few," Clark laughed thinking of his first test of his heat
vision. "I burned my share of food I'll tell you that. It took a lot
of concentration and practice in the beginning."
"Did your heat vision appear suddenly or did something trigger it?"
"It was triggered when I was fifteen. There was this bully in school-
-Brad--who always singled me out. For my science project, I built a
mobile solar system. I had a timer set so each planet would rotate
around the sun. I even put in Haley's comet passing the Earth. I
spent weeks on it, Diana.
"There was a girl in school we both liked: Lana Lang. She told me my
project would win first prize for sure. We set up our projects in
the gym the day before the science fair and Brad's project happened
to be next to mine. After I left the gym, I forgot I left the timer
on. I went back and I saw Brad tearing off the sun from my project.
I was so upset with Brad sabotaging my project. My body was feeling
hot as my temper rose. Next thing I knew beams shot from my eyes and
accidentally hit Susie Kurtz's project. I didn't know what chemicals
she was working with but it was enough to start a fire and set the
sprinklers off. None of the projects were seriously damaged and the
fair was put off for a week. I felt so guilty about what I did. My
parents told me I should control my powers so it wouldn't happen
again. So, I did that weekend. I almost set the barn door on fire. I
couldn't find any water and knocking the fire out with my shirt
wasn't working so I blew on it." He grinned. "I discovered my freeze
breath that day, too."
Diana laughed. "I wonder how many misadventures your parents had
with your powers."
Clark laughed. "Too many. I almost burnt my eye out with my heat
vision." At Diana's gasp, he explained. "When I started shaving, I
couldn't use a razor on my skin. It would break so I used the mirror
to deflect the heat onto my skin and burn my hair off. First time I
did it, the damn beam bounced off the mirror and hit me dead in my
eye." He laughed, shaking his head at his inexperienced. "I screamed
and that got my parents running into the bathroom. I was standing in
my boxers with one good eye and one scorched one. You should've
heard Ma scream."
Diana tried to contain herself but she couldn't. She clutched her
sides, laughing loudly, "I wish I saw that!"
Clark grinned. "Yes, you do enjoy laughing at my misfortune." He
held a finished plate of pancakes, bacon and eggs for Diana. "Wonder
how the league would react to knowing the all serious Wonder Woman
completely melts when I touch that sensitive spot on her neck."
Diana took her plate, scowling but eyes shining. "If that secret
were to come out, so will the one of Superman shooting his eye out,
or the time he crashed into Mount Everest as he took a nap, causing
an avalanche instead of Superman happening to be at the right place
at the right time."
Diana hopped off the counter and walked to the table. Clark watched
her leave and inhaled deeply. Must control urges.
Diana took her seat as Clark joined her with his plate. "Smells
good. Is this what I'm to expect of married life with you, Kal?"
Clark laughed. "Me slaving over the stove for you? Sure why not?" He
winked at her. "I can't wait to see you help plan our wedding."
"Yes, I've heard there's so much to do for a wedding but honestly, I
wouldn't know where to start," Diana admitted.
"First thing we do is to tell my parents, Kara, and our friends.
Then we set a date, decide who we will invite, where the wedding
will take place; I'll rent a tux and you have to find a dress for
you." He couldn't imagine how that would go. "Plus there are many
other things to do." Clark sighed as he cut his pancakes. "Sounds
simple but it's not."
"We can always elope," Diana joked.
Clark paled at the thought. "No way. My mother would have my hide."
Diana laughed. "Mama's boy."
"Ice Princess," Clark teased. Diana kicked Clark's shin and
immediately grimaced in pain. Damn that hurt. She refused to cry
out. She wouldn't, not with Clark smirking at her.
Clark was going to continue teasing Diana but decided not to. He was
enjoying the moment with Diana, the two of them sitting together
eating breakfast as they discussed their upcoming wedding. His heart
swelled with happiness as he realized this will soon be a reality.
Soon he and Diana will enjoy mornings like this for, he hope, many
years to come.
Diana noticed his look, the smile in his eyes, the tranquility
surrounding him. "What is it?"
Then she realized what he was thinking and smiled as well. "Is it
starting to set in, Diana?" Clark asked. "We're getting married."
Diana grinned. "It's exciting and weird. Me? A wife? " she
laughed. "Can you imagine me as a wife?"
Clark's eyes were full of love as he honestly said, "Yes, I can,
Mrs. Clark Kent. Mrs. Diana Kent."
A look of surprise came over her face, "I forgot the woman takes the
man's last name."
"You don't have to if you don't want," Clark said thinking of her
heritage.
"Mrs. Clark Kent. Mrs. Diana Kent," she let the name roll off her
tongue. "I like the sound of that. How about Mrs. Kal-El of Krypton.
Mrs. Superman. Mr. Wonder Woman."
Clark frowned. "That's not funny."
Diana laughed as she leaned forward and kissed Clark's cheek. "It is
when you look like that."
****
Triana sat in her room looking out the window of her tower. This was
unfair she thought. Though she accepted punishment from the queen,
she was still angry. How could she be punished while Diana roamed
freely in Man's World. At least Diana was punished with her
banishment from Themyscira. That was some justice. Triana smiled at
the thought. Perhaps with Diana gone for good, she can move back in
the graces of Hippolyta and become Princess of Themyscira as she was
always meant to be. It would take some years, years to be forgiven
by Hippolyta, years for Hippolyta to forget about Diana but Triana
could see it happening.
"As long as Diana is suffering, I shall be pleased," Triana said to
herself.
"I doubt she is suffering much, Triana."
Triana turned and gasped at Circe presence in her quarters. "Circe."
The witch smirked. "Diana is handling her banishment quite well. In
fact, she's engaged to Superman."
"You lie."
A mirror materialized in her hands. Through it, Triana viewed the
image of Superman's proposal to Diana and her acceptance and the
morning after at his apartment. "As you can see, the Princess is
very happy, happier in Man's World than she ever was on Themyscira,
while you are imprisoned for six months."
"It's unfair." Triana cried.
"Yes. How unfair you were punished for doing what Diana does. She is
rewarded and you are not. If you were to venture to Man's World, you
can have the happiness Diana has. You can be Wonder Woman."
"I don't care of what Diana does as Wonder Woman," Triana spat
bitterly. "Those people she protects don't appreciate it. They
become scared of me when I wanted to kill the people that were
hurting them. Foolish mortals. They need a new order."
Circe smiled wickedly. "Yes, they do and you can bring the new order
to Man's World."
Triana crossed her arms. "What's the catch, Circe? I'm well aware of
your history."
"My history with Diana, yes. We are not the best of friends but any
enemy of hers, is a friend of mine. Aid this man." The mirror
revealed Richard Moulton. "He can help you create the order Earth
deserves."
Triana recognized the man. "That's Diana's boss with the CIA. I met
him while I was in Washington."
Circe smiled maliciously. "It's a cover. He's really head of the
Aremid group that is often trying to kill Diana."
Triana smiled. "Really? And Diana doesn't know? Interesting."
"Yes," Circe purred. "Imagine all things you two can do together."
Triana thought about it and the idea sounded lovelier by the
minute. "Yes. Diana told me about the Aremids. I know all about
them. With the right direction, the world can be a new order. *My*
order."
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