The Fall of Themyscira - Epilogue : Tales from Earth 23

"Why did you do this Christian? What happened to make you turn on the land of your birth so?"

"Forgive me grandmother." CJ knelt down and helped Hippolyta to her feet.

"But, after sixteen years of them looking upon my mother as a failure, I had had enough" Tears rimmed Diana's eyes as her son spoke.

"You did all this because of me?"

"No mother, I did this because it was the only thing I knew of that would let me do what needed to be done."

"How dare you treat us in such a shameful manner!" General Philippus raged "Have you no respect for the Amazons."

"Only the 'respect'" CJ spat out the last word "I was shown."

"You worthless little" her condemnation was cut short as Diana backhanded her.

"Princess?"

"My son speaks the truth, you and the rest of the Amazons have only regarded my son with naked aggression." Her words shocked the General.

"I have seen how you look at him when you think I don't see." Diana helped her son to the steps to sit.

"Despite his being born on these lands, despite his being my flesh and blood, he was never anything to the rest of you." Diana tore her own robe and placed the strip of fabric gently over the injury she'd given her son.

"A male child being born on Themyscira is a curse!"

"No child, it is not." Hippolyta fell to a knee along with Diana and Philippus.

"Hera, we welcome you."

"Rise Diana, and bring your son before me." With a grimace CJ accepted his mother's help in standing.

"You brave foolish child." CJ's chuckle at Hera's words gave her pause.

"Forgive me, but, I've been called worse." To their surprise, Hera laughed at his comment.

"You have done well in your endeavor young Christian. Never before has one earned the honor of victory by subduing the entire Amazon nation." She leaned forward and touched his forehead.

"Though you do not carry the title of your mother & grandmother, you have proven yourself to be worthy of their blood."

"Forgive me Hera," CJ interrupted "but, why have the remaining shackles not vanished? Once I unlocked mom & grams, the rest should have."

"Walk with me Eklektos." As he moved ahead he heard the intake of breath.

"Allow me to heal."

"Please, don't!" CJ spun, holding up his good arm to shield any effort on Hera's part.

"Your mother already feels great pain at inflicting such an injury upon her treasured son."

"Please, my reasons will be made clear in time."

The Amazons sitting chained outside were shocked to see Hera walking out of the Royal Palace beside Diana's whelp.

"Hear me daughters of Themyscira, for you have not heeded my previous words!" Those gathered were shocked at the announcement.

"You were bested by one you despised, despite my favor upon him."

"He's a male, what need have we of him?"

"So you would have fought the dragon Karfang beside the champion? Diana's son risked his own life to help his mother, he's risked it before to defend this island." She swept her gaze over everyone of them.

"Upon his return I and the rest of your patron goddesses bestowed our blessings upon him for his bravery, loyalty, and honor to his mother and the land of his birth. We asked that you do the same and our wishes were ignored. I said long ago that he would be a favored child of Themyscira, but, not one of you listened. For too long have I seen the sufferings inflicted upon him. Look now!" She gently turned his back to them and peeled off the makeshift bandage Diana had hastily applied.

"See what your unwarranted distain for him has done?" Diana cringed at the crease she'd carved into her own child.

"She inflicted this hurt on her own son as he attempted the most dangerous of redeeming labors." Diana's hand flew to her mouth in horror.

"He did not need to perform this task, but, your treatment of him caused this. He's proven himself with better valor than any save his family gave him credit for. My words now are NOT to be ignored." She turned and gave CJ the shackles that had been placed on Diana's wrists. With a silent acknowledgment CJ lifted them up to shoulder height and crushed them in his off hand. As their bindings disappeared all the Amazons were present to hear Hera's decree.

"From this day forward this child will be known to you as Lord Eklektos of Themyscira. Son of the Princess Diana, Grandson of your Queen Hippolyta." To their surprise all their patron goddesses were now present, raising salutes to Diana's son while they all stood in shocked silence.

"Will you at least let us use the purple healing ray Christian?"

"I just wish to return home grams, this'll heal on it's own." Athena sighed

"This is a sight. Diana has great wisdom, her son, great stubbornness." CJ turned to Athena in feigned shock

"Hey, you were sixteen once too." he protested. "A long, long time ago granted." Athena shook her head as a smile spread across her face.

"I sincerely hope this is the last time you make such a foolish choice Wyvern,"

"Wait, how did you know about that?"

"I spoke to the one that forged your armor."

"Great, another guilty feeling." he turned to his mother "can I go home now?" The words struck deeply for Hippolyta. Though Themyscira was the land of their birth, her daughter and grandson both counted patriarch's world as their home. She hoped that now, finally, their views may change.

"You still must claim your spoils Eklektos."

"I ask that I be allowed to make that announcement in one weeks time."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Bruce couldn't tell if his son's wincing was from his yelling, or, the needle and absorbable sutures Alfred was using to close the deepest portion of the gash on CJ's back.

"I did what I had to dad." Diana was having to physically restrain her husband.

"How in the hell did this seem like something you had to do?!" CJ took a deep breath, held it, then let it free in a loud sigh.

"I don't expect you to be happy about it, but, I was not going to tolerate their treatment."

"You did all this because you were sick of how they treated you? I expect you to act more mature about this!"

"Young Master Christian!" Alfred had reached for the stapler to close the outer portion of CJ injury when he jumped off the medical table.

"That wasn't it MR. Know-It-All!" CJ shouted

"If you'd let me finish I was going to say I was sick of seeing the look of sadness on mom and grams when they saw how I was treated. Contrary to your belief, shit like that does get to some of us!" Bruce was taken aback by his son's outburst, he'd never seen him react like this.

"Why didn't you come to talk to me about this son?" Bruce asked after a few minutes of silence.

"You don't have mom's blood, only I could do this. I had to prove I was worthy of being Princess Diana's child." Alfred wore a frown as he finished closing CJ's wound and applied a pressure bandage to it.

"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

"I don't except you to understand me dad, hell, I don't even want forgiveness for it, I just ask that you bring Martha and Lyta to Themyscira in a week. It'll be clear then." Bruce looked to Diana for clarification of his son's words.

"We're going back. Hera wants his family there, but, ceremony dictates that we go back for the remaining time between his announcement." Bruce turned after his son to say something, but, he was already gone.

"Diana, it is time." Hera stood where CJ had been a few moments ago.

"I'll see you soon." Diana kissed her husband before taking Hera's hand and vanishing.

Hippolyta felt shame as she looked into her daughter's chambers. Diana was sleeping peacefully on her bed, but, her attention was on her grandson. CJ slept on a simple cot near the head of Diana's bed. In the soft moonlight she could see the metal closing the horrid injury he'd sustained in a feat he shouldn't have had to perform.

'You will know his reasons when he makes his announcement young Queen. Your grandson will prove himself right in his choice.' Hera's words were a cold comfort as she felt she'd once again failed her family. As a queen she felt pride in her grandson's accomplishments & thought her example would be followed by her sisters. That she didn't acknowledge the continued harsh treatment he'd received from them was a dagger of pain and shame in her heart.

"Fear not grams," CJ whispered to her in the Amazonian tongue "I don't blame you."

The ghost of a smile was on her lips as she turned away, lest her tears escape & betray weakness.

The day had finally come and Diana looked at her son garbed in a Doric chiton with rich silver embroidery. She cringed inwardly that his right shoulder blade was visible, along with the scar he now had.

"I know you're there mother." he turned and smiled at her.

"Not too bad," he commented, looking at the scar in the mirror "guess I should be glad it was a clean cut." The look on Diana's face made all thoughts of joking disappear.

"Mom, this isn't something you should be ashamed of."

"I hurt my own son, how can I take pride in that."

"I do." she was stunned by the seriousness of his tone.

"I've long held the respect of the strongest of the Amazons. Only she was able to even touch me in combat." He strode purposefully towards her.

"This is a badge of honor mitera, this is my Aegis." his voice was strong as he embraced his mother. As her hand fell on the now staple free scar, a product of his fast healing ability, she spoke up.

"Just don't expect me to be happy about it." His laugh brought a much needed smile to her lips. As he heard Hera announcing that he would be naming his spoils he walked out along side his mother to face the gathered crowd.

"By your victory in combat & your prowess at taking the island without killing a single enemy, you have proven yourself a supreme warrior Eklektos. By your right as the victor you may now claim your spoils!" He waited a moment before he spoke out in a clear & loud voice.

"The Amazons of Themyscira will, one by one, kneel in apology for their past transgressions to the one they have wronged for so long." As he spoke many of the Amazons glanced at their sisters, thinking they knew what was coming.

"I would hope your words of apology to Princess Diana are far kinder than any words offered to me." He spun on his heel and walked back into the Royal Palace. As he passed his father Bruce nodded to his son, a smile filled with pride on his face. The stunned silence of the Amazons followed his soft footfalls through the hallways.