Chapter 3: Departures
Kal was up at the crack of dawn as always. Even after all these years he hadn’t worked out if that was due to his biology or the fact he grew up on a farm. Ah Smallville, he missed it. The quietness of it all. He found the simple life of a farmer relaxing when he was growing up. Funny that. He had sold the farm years ago now, shortly after his mom died. Another person he missed greatly. They were so many now that had gone. Oh well he should get up and make breakfast. He peeked on Diana, she was still sleeping. Maybe pancakes or waffles or both. Boy he was really out of practise at this.
Diana wakes up to the smell of cooking. Still the boy scout. She had noticed a shower and decides to take one. She peels her armour off and steps under the hot water. It had been ages since she did this. The water feels great on her skin. She washes herself and fingers the scar on her arm, Ares doing. She swears to any god listening she’ll get him back for that. She would have breakfast and then she and Kal would fly back to Themyscira. She stepped out the shower and grabbed a towel. Once she was dried she started to out her armour on. At that moment Kal walked in carrying her breakfast “Diana!”
Kal walks in to find Diana undressed. Even though she has her back to him, he can’t stop himself from staring. Like a goddess her body is flawless and perfectly shaped. “I…I’m sorry.” he stutters out. He is blushing and worse naughty thoughts are going through his mind. He turns and leave. Oh god. It had been a while since he had been with a woman but he had never thought of Diana as anything but a friend so how come thoughts of holding that very naked body he had just seen close to him entered his head.
It's just because you’re lonely Kal he tells himself. He doesn’t want to emotionally invest himself in anyone else especially considering that he is away to fight a war.
Diana had peered over her shoulder when Kal walked in. He had blushed. Yet he stayed longer than he should have. He had looked over her body, she was sure. It made her feel, she wasn’t sure actually but there was a distinct warmth that had come over her body. No, she couldn’t be attracted to Kal could she? Sure he was a great warrior and friend and despite his age he was a man any woman would still desire strongly. She tries to push that notion away and finish putting her armour back on. She was about to fight a war with Ares to the finish, she couldn’t handle any emotional attachments right now. She hopes Aphrodite is listening. Diana walks out to find Kal had placed her breakfast down on the table.
“I’m sorry Diana” he apologises.
“It's fine Kal. These things happen.” Diana sits down at the table. “Thank you for making breakfast.”
“No problem. It's still the most important meal of the day especially if your going into battle.”
“Kal you do know magic exists there. You could die.”
“Never stopped me before besides it's not like a do a lot of good around here lately. Since Lois died my League missions have been at a minimum.”
“Do you want to talk about Lois?”
“I can’t. Not yet anyway.” He can’t deal with that at the moment.
“If you ever need to talk I’m a good listener.”
“Thank you and the reverse is true, if you ever need to talk about anything.”
“I know.” Diana smiles and goes back to her breakfast.
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After breakfast they started to fly towards Themyscira. Kal turns to Diana “So how are you going to justify a man being on Themyscira?”
“I’m the Queen remember and besides no-one seems to care much for the laws these days. If they did Ares wouldn’t be attacking and I wouldn’t be here.”
“In which case I’m sort of glad Ares did attack. It’s nice seeing you again.” Kal says with a half smile.
Diana didn’t answer but she agreed with him. It was nice to see him. She really should have found time in all these years to visit her friends.
They arrive at the island to find Ares forces laying siege to the walled part of the city.
Thousands of troops are attacking, trying to breach the walls. The walls are being pounded by catapults and siege towers are being slowly pushed forward. It seems Ares took advantage of Diana’s absence and launched an offensive. “We need to go help.” Diana tells Kal.
“I understand. I’ll be your air support.”
Diana looks at him confused. What she sees is his eyes glow red followed quickly by one of the siege towers being cut to pieces. It is soon followed by the others. The catapults are also soon reduced to shattered pieces of wood as Kal flies about at such speed even Diana can barely follow him. Diana spots Ares with a face full of anger. He orders a retreat and his armies are soon pulling back. Kal floats up next to her. “I assume they’ll be back.”
“Yes. As soon as they have rebuilt. Come on I have to check on my sisters.”
Kal nods in agreement and follows Diana. As soon as they land he finds dozens of weapons trained on him. Oh yeah. This is going to go well.
“Lower your weapons.” Diana orders. “He’s a guest.”
“He’s a man.” one of the warriors shouts.
“And I invited him to help us defeat Ares.” Diana responds.
“You will have to explain that to the council.” Phillipus who had been her mother’s general steps forward.
“I will on the condition Kal will not be harmed until I have been heard.”
Phillipus bows. “As you wish your Majesty but he will be kept under guard at all times.”
“Agreed.” Diana responds knowing she has pushed this as far as she can for the moment.
“I will summon the council.” Phillipus decrees as she leaves and Diana bows to her.
Kal is still surrounded by Amazonian warriors as Diana comes up to him. “That went well I thought.”
Diana chuckles “Better than I thought actually. I half expected them to demand your immediate execution.”
“Oh well then I’m glad this is going so well. How long until the council meets you?”
“Depends on what they are doing. All Amazonians even those who sit on the ruling council are trained to fight. I have no doubt they were leading the defence.”
“Are you a god?” A young Amazonian, virtually a girl had appeared behind Kal. He slowly turns around remembering the guards surrounding him. He looks down on her since she is about a foot shorter than him. “Why do you think that?” Kal asks with a kind voice.
“I saw you fly and you destroyed their weapons with beams from your eyes. Only the gods can do such things.”
Diana steps in “Zoë. This is Superman. Remember the stories I use to tell you about him?”
The girl nods. She use to love Diana‘s stories about Superman and the Justice League and her adventures in Man‘s world. Zoë sees him wearing black and white “I thought you said he wore red and blue?”
Kal laughs. “I decided a change was needed but if it helps this symbol on my chest is the crest of my family. Only I wear it.”
“Why only you?”
“Because I have no other family. I’m the last one left.” Kal says.
“Did they die in battle?” Zoë asks.
“Zoë!” Diana exclaims worried how Kal would take that question.
“It’s alright Diana. My parents died to ensure that I would live. They sacrificed their lives to save me when our home was destroyed. I use to have a cousin as well but she left for some place far away. Some place I can never reach.” That's right Kara is now living in the distant future. He wonders for a minute if he’ll live long enough to see her again.
“Diana says you were blessed by Apollo.” Zoë continues.
Kal understood that. That’s what Diana had said to him when he told her how he got his power from the sun. “That’s right. I get my power from the sun.”
Phillipus returns and bows to Diana “The council will see you now.”
Diana returns the bow “Very well. Is Kal permitted to come to listen to his fate?”
“He is. His past actions in helping us has allowed him a small margin of leeway. Follow me.”
Kal walks besides Diana. “I’m glad I’m still remembered around here.”
“That’s probably my doing. I often tell the young ones about my time in Man’s world.”
“I was wanting to ask you about that. How come there are children here?”
“You mean when we’re all women.”
Kal nods.
“Every so often an Amazon is allowed to leave here and enter Man’s World. It’s actually fairly common for them to take lovers while they’re there.”
“Why?” Kal asks.
“I believe the term is every so often we get broody. At least that’s what Shayera called it.”
“If it’s not too personal a question, What about you?”
“I can’t have children. It was the price laid down when I was brought to life from clay. No man of this world can father a child with me.”
“I’m sorry. Lois and I couldn’t seem to have children either.” A tear forms in his eye.
Diana noted that was a rare titbit about his life with Lois he hadn’t been prepared to share earlier. Of course she should have noted it earlier when he said he was the last one of his family. Diana places her hand on his arm “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Kal doesn’t say anything but he doesn’t remove her hand either. Diana notes it as a sign of progress. One of these days he’ll have to talk about Lois. Diana can see he needs to unburden himself sooner or later. When they reach the council chamber Kal is escorted to a corner while Diana takes her place on the throne in the centre of the room. The council members sit in a semicircle around her. Diana stands. “Honoured members of the council. You have no doubt heard by now that I have brought the man known to you as Superman to Themyscira. I did this in full knowledge that it broke our laws. I hope you will allow me to explain my reasons before you reach judgement.”
The leader of the council Althea stands up “Your Majesty we are aware of your actions. We will allow you to explain yourself.” Althea sits back down.
“Thank you. Then let me start by being blunt. We are losing this war. We all know that. We keep fighting in the hope that the Gods will step in and save us. They won’t.”
There are murmurs of discontent at that statement. Diana continues “I visited the Oracle. She has foreseen our defeat. I asked her for any solution, even one that broke our laws. She showed me our salvation. That salvation is that man in the corner.”
Diana points to Kal. “I will accept any punishment my actions warrant but I ask this council to delay that decision until this war is over and Ares has been defeated. I beg this council to let Superman help us to end this once and for all. Thank you.” Diana sits back down and lets out a large breath.
Althea stands up once more “We will discuss what you have said. You will have the decision of the council shortly.”
Diana nods and stands once more. She leaves the chamber and Kal and his guards do as well. Once outside. “Nice speech.” Kal remarks.
“Thanks.”
“Will you really accept whatever punishment they hand out?”
“I knew there would be a price to pay when I left. I accepted it as a price worth paying if I can stop Ares.”
“How do we stop him?”
“You’re assuming the council will let you.”
“Call me an eternal optimist. So how do we?”
“I’m not entirely sure. The problem is that he controls the door to the underworld. He had a new key forged. I mean it doesn’t matter how many of his army we kill. They die, they go to the underworld and…”
“And Ares just frees them again.” Kal finishes.
“You see the problem.”
Kal nods “We need to destroy the key, like you did before. Last time everything ended up being sucked back in.”
“That’s what would probably happen this time. Problem is that Ares’ entire army is between us and the key. Not even you could get through them all.”
Kal thought about it. “We need to attack them.”
“What?”
“They’ve retreated. We need to attack before they rebuild their siege weapons but more importantly we need to create a way through them to reach the key.”
Diana wasn’t sure what surprised her most. That peace loving Kal had actually thought that idea up or the fact she was actually considering it.
“Excellent strategy.” Phillipus had heard the two of them talking.
Diana turned to her “You agree that we should attack?”
“Yes. Of course if we fail to reach the key then it will be a suicide attack. None of us will survive.”
Diana thought in it a bit more “We would need to begin preparations immediately and attack as soon as possible.”
“I’ll see to it.” Phillipus says.
Diana blinked. “But the council haven’t reached a decision yet?”
“Exactly. Until they do you are Queen and I am sworn to obey you.”
Diana smiles “Thank you.”
Phillipus returns the smile “Your mother would be proud.”
Diana’s eyebrow rise “My mother was a stickler for the laws.”
“True but once she made a decision she saw it through regardless.”
Kal chuckles “In other words they’re both stubborn.”
Diana gives him a unapproving glare.
“Sorry. That was out of place.”
Diana sighs “Unfortunately you’re right. I am stubborn.”
“That’s not always a bad thing Diana.” Kal comments.
“I will go and plan our attack with the other generals.” Phillipus bows and departs.
“So what do we do about Ares himself? As I recall Gods are immortal.” Kal asks Diana.
“They are but if we can trap him in the underworld with his army even he won’t be able to leave.”
“So we have to force someone who’s stronger than either of us through a gate to the underworld. That about right?”
Diana nods.
Kal smiles at her “And I thought this was going to be hard.” he jokes.
Diana can’t help but laugh. She had almost forgotten his sense of humour. He rarely showed it in public.
She stops when the door to the council chambers reopen. “The council has reached it’s decision.” one of the guards told them.
“That was quick.” Kal comments.
Yes it was quick Diana thinks. Only question is, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
