From The Beach To The Throne Room

Though the headbutt did nothing to me and she recoiled back, her forehead red raw from the contact against me. Still smiling I raised an eyebrow in question, "Is that a no?" I asked, feeling the need to tease such a highly taut woman.

"Antiope!" I heard Diana shout as she rushed over to us. At this point I let go of the beautiful warrior before standing up and brushing off the sand on my clothes.

When I looked up I saw Steve looking at me with countless questions in his eyes. When our eyes met, I shook my head and mouthed a few code words we'd came up with during our missions. I told him that I'd explain later.

Obviously I couldn't tell him I met a godly being and was reincarnated and these powers were what I wished for - he'd call me insane. I'd tell him, and the Amazons, a lie. A necessary lie to make sure I didn't end up scorned as some lunatic. It didn't make me proud to do so, however. Steve was a trusted partner of mine. We'd been through thick and thin with one another. But this is for everyone's good.

Plus, it's a white lie. It won't harm him or any others.

I turned to Diana who was holding her Aunt, and the Aunt who was looking at me, all sorts of things floating around in her eyes. Diana checked over her aunt before turning to me, her eyes overflowing with gratitude, "Thank you...!" she said breathlessly, like all the air in her lungs had been sucked out when she thought her Aunt had been killed, "Thank you so much...!" her eyes became teary as she continued to threat over her aunt.

All I did was nod in reply before turning to the other Amazon rushing over, "Antiope!" I turned to see who I recognized as a younger Hippolyta, who was just as equally stunning as her sister and daughter.

"I'm fine!" Antiope stood up, obviously annoyed with the pity and mollycoddled approach her niece and sister were taking, "Stop going on and on! We have those attackers to deal with!" she pointed not in our direction but to the Germans who weren't killed but instead incapacitated by the first volley of arrows.

Hippolyta still looked worried but she pushed past it and turned to the other Amazons before motioning with her head for them to go and deal with any survivors.

And by 'deal' I mean kill.

A hand was put on my shoulder and turned me around to face her as Antiope was brought into my vision. Despite there being about 20cm difference between us in height, she still fiercely looked up at me and poked her finger into my chest, "I didn't need help, you cretin," she spat before carrying on, "And even if I did, I was prepared to deal with my actions!"

Smiling, I laughed, which seemed to only anger her further, I leaned down more to her height before replying, "That bullet would have killed you, Antiope. I simply stopped that from happening. You have this woman," I gestured to Diana, "To thank. She saved my friend's life, and so I saved your life. You seemed to mean something to her and she to you. At least that's what I got by you jumping in front of that bullet," I shrugged and Hippolyta came out of no where and questioned her sister.

"Is what this man said true, Sister?" she questioned, her face looking quite angry, "You were to sacrifice your life?" Diana seemed just as upset with Antiope about this.

It wasn't that neither of them were ungrateful for the sacrifice she was willing to go through but who would be happy their loved one was willing to sacrificing themselves for them? Being the cause of someone's death is horrible no matter how noble the person was for sacrificing themselves.

I walked over to Steve's side, trying to stay out of the family feud, yet my movement seemed to do the opposite and attracted trouble.

Hippolyta turned to me, the shock of nearly losing her sister seeming to frazzle her ability to reason as she drew her sword on me and Steve, "You...!" she said going to walk toward us. Steve backed up but I stayed exactly where I was - she couldn't overpower me even if I tried to lose. But I didn't need to fight, just like I knew I wouldn't.

"No!" Diana stood in front of her mother and held her arms spread out, "No, mother, no. They both fought at our sides against the invaders! We cannot repay their valor with death!" she begged, her voice and mind still clearly just as shook as Hippolyta's about Antiope's near brush with death.

Though before Hippolyta could reply, another Amazon came from behind her, her face twisted in disdain and disbelief, "What kind of men fights against his own people?!" the Amazons behind her nodding their heads and they agreed with such a notion.

But Steve instantly gave a reply, "There's aren't our people--" and just as instantly he was refuted.

"Then why do you wear their colors?" the same Amazon asked, her disbelief raising even higher.

Steve paused for a few seconds before speaking in a helpless tone, "I can't tell you that--" but I quickly gave him a sidelong glance before clipping him around the back of his head.

"We were infiltrating their country at the time. Our country is currently at war with theirs and we were sent to gather information," I spoke and Steve's eyes widened as I practically gave away that we were spies. In any other scenario, I'd be with him on the 'I can't tell you anything' vibe...but right now? It was best to just say what we needed to.

Once the Amazons heard of war they paled before looking to Hippolyta who'd also calmed herself like piping hot metal put in a bucket of cold water.

"What are your names then, soldiers?" she spat out, obviously not content with having to accept what I said but also not seeing any hint of a lie either.

"I'm Noah Oskarson, and this is Steve Trevor," I gestured to Steve behind me who was looking like he was about to strangle me. But before I could look at him and address it, he came up to the side of me and started speaking in a hushed voice.

"What are you doing?!" he harshly whispered, but he was cut off with a raised hand gesture from me.

"Steve," I started, "Trust me on this one; it doesn't matter whether they know our mission or not. They live on this Island, secluded in the middle of the ocean. They won't be tattling on us to our superiors unless either of us tell them," I said before turning back to Hippolyta who was patiently waiting for us to sort out our dispute.

In the end, Steve shut up and just stood to the side while I sorted out the 'diplomacy' of the situation.

Seeing that I was done, Hippolyta spoke up, "Seeing as you were more compliant than your compatriot, you may be escorted to the Throne Room. Your friend, however, will be taken there as a member for interrogation. He seems to like to withhold information, so I would not be surprised if he knows things you don't," she said before gesturing for the Amazons to take Steve, though I quickly stood in front of them, raising my hands with a helpless smile.

"That won't be necessary. We'll come willingly, okay? Then you can ask Steve whatever questions you want," I said and though Hippolyta seemed begrudged to have a command of hers overruled - even if it was by herself - she gave a nod and we were escorted to the Throne Room.

Though Steve didn't seem particularly happy about me offering him up on a platter for them to question.

. . .

"My name is Captain Steve Trevor," Steve began, still glaring at me for putting him in this situation - with a golden lasso tied around his upper body, "Pilot, American Expeditionary Forces. Serial number 8141921. That's all I'm at liberty to say--" his voice was cut off by a painful groan as the lasso tightened and brightened. He resisted for a few seconds before he blurted out who we were assigned to, "Assigned to British Intelligence," he seemed surprised, then shocked as he looked around at the Amazons, "What the hell is this thing?" he turned and finally settled his glare on me.

I just gave him a small smile and a shrug.

Diana, being the wonderfully good woman she is, answered Steve, "The Lasso of Hestia compels you to reveal the truth," she patiently explained.

Though Steve didn't share this patience as he blurted out, "But it's really goddamn hot," he got out before the lasso was tightened around him even further as the Amazon holding it - the same Amazon who questioned us on the beach - spoke to him.

"It is pointless, and VERY painful, to resist," she said, putting heavy emphasis on the word 'very'.

"What is your mission?" Diana asked, almost pleading him to give a quick and truthful answer so he didn't put himself through anymore pain. I'd answer for him but there'd be no reason to believe my words over someone who's compelled by the Lasso of Hestia.

"Whoever you are, you're in more danger than you think," Steve begged, holding back the need to answer as his face went red.

Hippolyta spoke up before Diana could, shouting, "What is your mission?!"

"I am a..." Steve stopped himself as the veins in his neck bulged but it proved too much for him as he blurted out, "Spy!" he began to breath, heavily, the act of holding in the 'secret' being quite taxing it would seem, "I'm a spy...I'm a spy," he repeated.

Then he began to tell the details of our mission to the Amazons. Explaining how British Intelligence had gotten word that the leader of the German Army, General Ludendorff, would be visiting a secret military installation in the Ottoman Empire. We were put into the mission to pose as one of their pilots and we flew in with them.

He told them about how the Germans had money, munitions and soldiers far surpassing what our intel told us. This seemed to go straight over the Amazons' heads. He went over how he had to steal a notebook so he could stop the war from carrying on and killing many more people, soldiers and civilians alike.

"If I can get these notes back to British Intelligence in time, it could stop millions more from dying!" he said, no longer being compelled from the lasso.

Hippolyta went into thinking as Diana looked to me, her eyes wide, "Is this true?"

To prove we were telling the truth, I walked over and wrapped my hand in the lasso end before replying, "Yes, it's true," I felt a need to tell the truth but I also felt like I could maybe resist it if I tried hard enough. Which was quite good to know, honestly. Though for now I just let it make me tell the truth.

"War? What war?" Hippolyta came out of thinking as she gazed over the two of us.

Steve went to reply but I spoke up before him, "The world war. 27 countries, 4 years...25 million dead. Civilians and soldiers. We've seen women and children--whole families slaughtered in their homes...it isn't a nice sight," I felt myself cringe up as I remembered those images. Even with four servants memories, seeing dead children never gets easier.

As I spoke I saw Diana's eyes tear up at the horrible images my words brought to her mind. A single tear fell down her cheek as she turned to Hippolyta, "Mother, we need to help him!" but she was cut off by Hippolyta who looked directly at me.

"And you, Noah...are all men of the world like you? Or is there something more to you?" she asked, obviously wanting to get everything out of the way before she made her decision.

I, on the other hand, just sighed as I got ready to resist the lasso and lie to the Queen of the Amazons.

All in the average day, huh?