I do not own these characters, nor am I making any money off of this story.
Before you read…
There is a Greek story that speaks of a shepherd named Endymion and the moon goddess Selene. From Edith Hamilton's Mythology:
Endymion the shepherd, As his flock he guarded, She, the Moon, Selene, Saw him, loved him, sought him, Coming down from heaven To the glade on Latmus, Kissed him, lay beside him. Blessed is his fortune. Evermore he slumbers, Tossing not nor turning, Endymion the shepherd.
In my story Endymion, the shepherd, is Bruce; and Selene, goddess of the moon, later known as Diana by the Romans is Diana.
I saw some similarities between the story of the goddess of the moon who loved the mortal shepherd and BM and WW. Of course, I changed some of the old story. I don't want Bruce to be in endless slumber.
I don't know when this takes place, and I haven't decided if Diana knows that Batman is Bruce. I suppose it could go sometime after my fun and games story, though it could happen before that or even much later. I'll leave that to you.
It might be a bit confusing, and probably too wordy and sappy, but I kind of like it. I hope you do too. Please review. Thanks!
I See the Moon
I see the moon, and the moon sees me. God bless the moon, and God bless me. – nursery rhyme
George Bailey: What do you want, Mary? Do you want the moon? If you want it, I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down for you. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.
Mary Hatch: I'll take it. Then what?
George: Well, then you can swallow it, and it'll all dissolve, see... and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair... am I talking too much?
-from the movie It's a Wonderful Life
Every night he watched the goddess as she traveled the earth from one end of the sky to the other. Clothed with stars, and lit from within, her cool light illuminated the pastures over which he stood as shepherd.
He found her most easily on those nights when he was particularly restless, and he drew comfort from her serenity. As a goddess, he knew that she was beautiful. As his goddess, he believed that she was the loveliest of them all. And as he watched her traverse the sky, his mortal heart wondered if she could see him.
For years, he toiled over his sheep, fighting off the wolves that sought to hurt them. His body bore the proof of his constant struggle with the enemy. Though he worked in the dark, he liked to think that the she witnessed his efforts. He knew it was foolishness, but on those nights when he was especially injured he fancied that she sent a gentle breeze to soothe his pain. Night after night, he sought the goddess's luminous smile. Night after night, he yearned for her loveliness.
Now, the moon was a gracious goddess, with a loving and constant heart, who often felt misunderstood by those below. They viewed her waxing and waning as a sign of fickleness, and would turn from her when she walked through the skies, cloaked in her inky gown. But even though they could not perceive her, she remained, silently and secretly watching the Earth below.
It had been many years since she had first spotted the shepherd. On that night, long ago, she felt human eyes focused on her, though she knew it to be impossible. Any mortal could see her when she wore her silver robes, but her black garment shielded her from human sight. And never had anyone noticed her absence. On those nights when she walked in darkness, all the people gazed at the stars instead. She was surprised by this singularity, but continued to walk, her thoughts called to the other beauties of the Earth.
It had not been until the next time she had donned her black robes that she remembered the shepherd. Again, she felt his eyes on her. Rather than continue her trek, she paused to look at him. She noticed his exquisite beauty, before her eyes fell to the cuts and gashes that covered his pale skin. Saddened by his struggle, she sighed and walked on, but this time heedless of Earth's other artwork. She could only think of the sad shepherd.
Whenever she stepped out in her black dress, she looked for him. From her monthly watches, she learned many things. His scars demonstrated his love for his sheep. His constant vigil proved the steadiness of his character. His towering stature showed his inner strength. And the way his intelligent blue eyes gazed upon her revealed the most wonderful truth of all--he adored her.
Her monthly night watches turned into daily occurrences. She looked for him, whether she wore the silver or black raiment. Enveloped in her brightest robes, she would take to the heavens, hoping to give him more light by which to tend his flock. And when she was shrouded in black, she stood vigil over him, hoping that he would remain safe. She held her breath as she watched him fight off the beasts; couldn't breathe until he had vanquished the enemy. After every deadly encounter, she would search his face and body, checking for new injuries. And every time she found another that marred his beautiful skin, she sighed over his pain.
Slowly, his godlike beauty and character began to work on her heart. As time wore on, he rose in her affections. He was much more than a man. Now, he was her love.
One night, the lady looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Her heart raced as she flew down from the skies, alighting on earth for the first time. She ran swiftly over his fields, looking everywhere for her shepherd.
Finally, she found him laying face down in the earth, red wounds glaring up at her, his breathing very shallow. Turning him over, she gathered him into her arms. She knew her tears would bring him healing, but her heart would not beat until she saw it with her eyes. Washing his wounds with her tears, she watched breathlessly as his body began to mend. She rejoiced as the blood disappeared and the wounds closed. Even the scars from old injuries that littered his body melted away in the face of her love.
She spoke to him as he slumbered, whispering words of love to a heart more than willing to receive them. When he tossed and turned, she touched his brow, commanding the fears and doubts to flee. Her heart soared when she saw the peaceful smile that came to rest on his handsome face.
The hours passed as she cradled him, telling him of his worthiness and how he had won her. She knew he could hear her.
As she felt Dawn approaching, she knew she must leave. She touched his face, and he began to stir. She gently brought her lips to his, and departed with the words, "Wake, my love."
"Don't leave, Diana," he whispered hoarsely as he felt her slipping away. He started to toss and turn violently. "Don't leave."
"Batman, wake up," he heard her voice entreat him, her hands touching his face in an effort to calm him. He awoke with a start, fearful that she would leave. He began to breathe more easily when he saw her--she was just as beautiful as he had dreamed.
Wonder Woman looked down tenderly into his eyes. "I'm still here."
She had been flying over Gotham, when she received an urgent message from Oracle. Batman had been severely injured in a battle with the Joker, and Oracle had been unable to locate him. Luckily, Diana had found him before it was too late. She had taken him to the Watchtower, and had been maintaining her vigil by his side ever since, praying that the gods would ease his pain and restore him to her quickly.
She brought a wash cloth up to his face, cleansing the skin left exposed by his mask. "Go back to sleep. I'm not going anywhere." Putting the cloth away, she reached for one of his hands, and waited for him to fall asleep, before lying her head down next to him and following his example.
And when she closed her eyes, she found herself watching her shepherd once again, only this time she was no longer surrounded by the cold night sky, but encircled by his strong arms.
The End