Queen Hippolyta strolled arm in arm with Diana, gazes forward and steady like their steps. From afar, the dark-haired women held each other close in affection. On deeper inspection, one would see the tight grip Hippolyta had on her daughter and the absentee look in her eyes.

"Do you believe Hephaestus or Aphrodite will share what Athena is unwilling to speak on? In terms of this war?" Diana ran her fingers along her mother's, to which the older woman reacted by loosening the grip on her daughter.

"No. Aphrodite has proved loyal to Athena in these recent times. And Hephaestus sealed himself away with the sons of Themyscira once the land was cleansed. He speaks to no one."

"It doesn't seem right for Athena to show herself to you in war clothes and then demand you stay out of the way."

Hippolyta pulled away from Diana. "She did not demand, Diana. She told me another route to take instead of battle." The queen's eyes wandered to the setting sun, or the light it created through the open window at the end of the hall. "We have suffered much. Man and those it faces have desecrated the earth of Paradise Island and turned it to Tartarus. No more."

"What are you saying, mother?" The queen's eyes softened at the princess's watery eyes.

"Oh, Diana. Cassandra will return soon. You will not be away for long from Steve Trevor." Diana let out a sigh.

"I'm beginning to understand the term long-suffering and why it is synonymous with patience."

Hippolyta smiled. "So it seems." She stopped in front of a set of double doors. "It is late, Diana, and I am tired." She kissed Diana on the cheek. "Go. Enjoy your time with your sisters."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, my dear. I am sure." Hippolyta stayed at her chamber's entrance until Diana stepped out of sight. Then with a tearful sigh, she pushed through her doors and the sleep.

X

The Vesper, docked near Kissamoss, Crete, was an excellent yacht. Yet nothing compared to the Bat-boat floating in the waters darkened by the night sky. The stillness of the ocean, not to be confused with stagnant behavior, rocked the vessel. The instruments kept watch of what was to come soon. Batman did not need these instruments though they were helpful. He kept his eyes on the balcony belonging to Diana's room. There! Like the morning another small burst of light poked through the reality of the now. It was time.

X

Epione frowned at the slates displayed across the wooden tables in her office. It was one of the marble rooms to the far right of the hospital's foyer.

"May I enter?"

Epione bowed her head. "My princess." The curtain separating the office from the rest of the hospital closed with a flutter of fabric when Diana stepped forward. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She shook her head. "Came to enjoy your presence."

"Came to enjoy my presence? Even I know when I'm told a boldface lie."

"Epione…"

The doctor stepped away from her princess. "I failed you, Diana."

"Epione that's-"

"Diana!" Her and Epione's attention snapped to the frantic voice. "Diana!"

"Io? Io! Io, in here!" The armorer burst through the curtains.

"Di, Diana, Princess Diana. P-Please, please come with me."

Diana and Epione stiffened at the wide-eyed expression on the darker woman's face. "What is it?"

"Your room. The portal that stole Kara Zor-El. It's back. Witnesses saw it open on the balcony of your room. And…"

Diana grabbed Io's arms. "What? What did they see?"

"She-" Diana didn't let her finish. She broke out in a sprint from the hospital and ran across the open fields and through the forests. Her sisters cried out to her as she passed but her pace never faltered. The guards almost stopped her due to the fierceness she exuded when she blurred past them and took the palace stairs several at a time. More guards and warriors stood outside her room but she ignored their yells of alarm when she burst through her bedroom doors and straight for the balcony. She stopped in her tracks. "No…"

Kara Zor-El turned away from the rolling sea and faced the Amazonian princess with a sad yet ironic smile only the Kryptonian could pull off well. "Hello, Diana. Did you miss me?"

And now we move on to the next phase of this long story line. Looking forward to setting it up.

The first chapter is already written (because I originally planned to put it into the first part) but I'm going to wait until I have more written for it.

See ya at Red, White, & Blonde Part 2: WHITE where the majority of the story will be told from the POV of Wonder Woman and Co.