Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel or DC characters seen, mentioned, or used in this story
It was two days later that Diana and The Justice League found themselves aboard the Watchtower, headquarters for the League that orbited the Earth waiting with Zeus, Hera and Diana's own mother Queen Hippolyta and her sister, Donna, her protégé Cassandra, along with several high ranking Amazons for the arrival of Darkseid and his son.
Diana was gazing at the ground in sadness at her current predicament.
Several days ago, Clark after being with her for several years, had finally asked her to marry him. It was one of if not the happiest days of her life, his parents were beyond happy that Clark had finally asked the woman that the old couple had come to see as a daughter to officially become part of the family while her own mother was elated that Diana had finally found someone to spend the rest of her immortal life with aside from her, her sister Donna, Cassandra and the Amazons of Themyscira. Donna and Cassie practically screamed to the heavens in joy at the woman they both respected and admired finally settling down.
'My life seemed to be finally coming together and now… now I'm being forced to give it up so my 'Gods' can keep their power!' Diana mentally raged at being cheated out of a happy life by the very beings she's worshipped and championed for time and time again.
She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked to see that it was Clark's. He was looking at her with a look of sadness that she knew may never be erased after today. To her, it felt as if part of her was dying at being separated from Clark, after all they've faced and endured together. She placed her own hand on his and gripped it tightly just as a portal appeared several meters in front of the group with a near deafening 'Boom'.
Diana took a deep breath and steeled herself from what will happen next.
She saw that the first to emerge was Darkseid himself followed closely by his second in command and first born son, Kalibak. For a brief moment Diana feared that the sadistic brute would be her… husband, but Zeus stated that it was actually one of Darkseid's 'lesser' sons. From what she was told, he was considered lesser because he did not have the same kind of power that Kalibak and several of his other half-siblings possessed such as Orion of New Genesis or Grail. Diana was surprised to learn that Darkseid had more than three children outside of Grail and Kalibak and Orion, she's even more surprised that there were people willing to lay with the monster.
Though, a part of her believed these partners were less then willing in the conception of these other children.
Behind Kalibak several Parademons followed, each armed with an energy rifle of some sort before final figure to exit the portal was a man that looked to be a bit shorter than Diana. He was dressed in a blood red and dark blue suit of some sorts with a large red spider symbol on his chest and two smaller looking ones on his wrists. His head was covered in some sort of mask or helmet and had large pale yellow lenses on it that were vaguely in the shape of tear drops.
The portal soon closed and the party from Apokolips stood across from the Justice League and their guests. The room was silent and tense with neither side moving or speaking. Finally, after several more moments Hera spoke in a neutral tone.
"Welcome Darkseid, I trust that all is well on your world." Her face gave nothing away on her opinion of the God of evil or his entourage.
"All is well Lady Hera." Darkseid gave the woman a small nod of respect that almost seemed genuine... almost. He then gestured to the smaller man beside him "This is my son Peter, one of my top scientist and chief engineers… and soon to be Diana's husband."
Diana swore she detected the barest hints of mockery at the end of the New God's introduction, clearly directed towards Clark.
Peter gave a slight bow to the Queen of Olympus "Greetings, my lady."
Hera examined the man that was to be wedded to her champion today with a critical eye. He wasn't as tall or as muscular as the man known as Clark Kent or even his father and half-brother, but he seemed to have some sort of hidden power within him that she couldn't quite place.
'There is more to this New God then meets the eye.' Hera thought to herself before nodding back at the younger being.
Zeus then stepped forth "Darkseid, I believe it is time to go over the final arrangements of this union, yes?"
"Of course" Darkseid nodded before he then turned to his two sons and the few Parademons that accompanied him "Behave yourselves."
"Of course father." Kalibak placed a fist over his chest with a bow along with the Parademons.
"I'll try." Peter said following his brother's example.
Darkseid made a nose of slight annoyance to his younger son while his eyes said 'Watch it'.
Peter's body tensed slightly more out of habit than anything else. After years of faithful service and the advancements he's made with Apokoliptin technology, his father has given him 'some' leeway in how he speaks to him along with several of his siblings. But he knows better not to act out too often or too badly, he was still considered a 'lesser' son and that made him far more expendable in most others eyes.
Zeus than gestured to Hippolyta, Donna Troy and Cassandra 'Cassie' Sandsmark "This here is Diana's mother, Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons and her younger daughter, Princess Donna and Cassandra is Diana's protégé and one of my won daughters with a mortal woman. I thought it wise to allow the bride's own mother and sisters to be present and see her off."
"Lord Darkseid." Hippolyta gave the New God a bow of courtesy as did her daughter and Cassandra.
To be honest, she was appalled by this entire joke of an affair, to see one of her precious daughters married off to one of this demon of monster's spawn disgusted and enraged her to levels she wasn't aware she could reach. She'd rather suffer under the hands of Hercules and his men a thousand times over again if it meant keeping her daughter from Darkseid's filthy hands.
Darkseid eyed the woman for a moment before chuckling "You have quite the mind in you Hippolyta."
"I beg your pardon?" Hippolyta asked confused by the statement.
Darkseid merely tapped his head and gave her a knowing look. It was then she realized that he was implying that he could hear her thoughts. She quickly threw up what mental defenses she had, much to the dark god's amusement.
Darkseid then followed Zeus, Hera, and Hippolyta to the conference room used by the Justice League to go over the final details of the marriage. Kalibak and Peter remained in the main hall along with the small guard of Parademons. Kalibak kept a careful watch on the Justice League and their Amazon allies along with the Parademons. The Justice League and the Amazons responded in kind while Peter looked around the room they were in.
"Huh, impressive installation you have here… for a class two civilization." Peter remarked before walking over to a large viewport that gave him a view of the Earth. Along the poles he could make out an odd spectacle of lights 'Huh, those look like the lights I saw on New Genesis once when I visited the arctic regions. I wonder if it's magic or simply particles in the planet's atmosphere reacting to the solar radiation from its star.'
Diana watched the man for a moment before looking towards Clark who also had his eyes on her apparent betrothed. Shazam then suddenly flew over towards the man causing everyone in the room to tense.
Peter looked towards the large red clad hooded man with his lenses widening "Wow, your big. What do you eat, planets? Not the first guy I met who does."
Shazam eyed the man closely "So your Darkseid's son?"
"Correct." Peter nodded.
"But your so…" Shazam gestured to Peter's smaller frame compared to Kalibak's heavily muscled eight foot nine frame.
"Short? Not as imposing? Doesn't have an air of dread and cruelty around them?" Peter said dryly as he repeated some of the comments others have made in the past on his appearance.
"Uhh, yeah?" Shazam said hesitantly.
"Not all of Darkseid's children look like they fell into a blender of muscle and rage when we were younger, sorta like Kalibak over there. If only they had added good looks too." Peter pointed to his larger and more powerful brother who growled out in annoyance.
"Careful brother… else my fist will find it's way to your head." he held up a clawed fist.
"Your fist need any help finding my head? Hmmm I think I can build you something that can help. As long as you don't destroy it." Peter fired back at his brother who gritted his teeth in aggravation. Peter looked towards Shazam "Brothers, am I right?"
Shazam looked at the two back and forth "Uhh yeah… right."
"Oh come on, I'm not going to go on a berserking rampage if you talk to me. It's actually kind of nice to speak with someone that can actually think for themselves or isn't a slave that agrees with everything you say out of fear… no offense guys!" Peter yelled the last part out towards the Parademons who were still watching the Justice League with their weapons at the ready.
"He's not what I really expected." Barry Allan aka the Flash whispered to Clark and Diana.
Clark whispered back "What were you expecting? A miniature Darkseid?"
"Uhh yeah kinda." Flash replied with a shrug.
"Looks can be deceiving Barry." Diana said while she watched Peter continue to speak with Billy Batson's alternate identity "He may appear harmless compared to his father or brother, but that does not mean on the inside he's any less cruel."
"True that." Barry nodded in agreement.
"Are you going to introduce yourself?" Bruce Wayne aka the Batman of Gotham City questioned the Amazon Princess "You will be his wife, soon."
Diana took a deep breath and resisted the urge to shiver in disgust "Please, don't remind me."
"Any ideas Bruce?" Clark asked his friend and co-leader of the Justice League.
"None at the moment" The vigilante said as he stared at Peter for a moment before he then placed a gloved hand on Diana's shoulder "Clark and I won't rest until we find a way to bring you home Diana."
"I know." Diana gave the man a nod of thanks "If anyone can, it's the Batman."
Bruce smiled slightly at the little joke she told before she saw his gaze flicker behind her and she felt Clark grow tense. She slowly turned to see Peter standing about two meters away looking at them with Shazam and Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern on both sides of him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kalibak move closer to with his hands still at his side, but his body was tense. Diana drew her attention back towards the man that in a few minutes will be her… husband.
Peter stepped closer and held out an armored hand "Hello, I'm Peter."
Diana slowly took his hand and shook it "Diana."
"Of Themyscira correct?" Peter probed hoping to get to know his future wife better.
"Yes, or I was." Diana kept her tone neutral.
Peter stared at her for a moment before speaking "Soooo, do you want to do a wedding or anything like that? Ceremony or some sort of public announcement?"
"No, I don't want to do any of that." Diana shook her head. In her time traveling and learning about Patriarch's world she's come to see weddings as grand gatherings reserved for the union between two people who loved each other deeply and wanted to share the moment with their families and closes friends. She always imagined that her and Clark's wedding would be a small intimate affair with just them, his parents and her mother and sisters and their closest friends.
She will not have that feeling, that moment, ruined by some political marriage to some dark and twisted god's son.
"Oh." Peter seemed a bit surprised by that "I just thought that you wou-"
"If this situation proves anything, it's that no one cares for what I think." Diana said a bit too icily.
Peter to her shock actually flinched at her tone "Sorry… I just wanted to uh, make this more bearable for you is all."
Diana's expression softened slightly and I mean so slightly it might as well have not happened "Thank you for the consideration."
Peter nodded before he took in Clark's appearance "So you're the Kryptonian that's given my father trouble in the past… thought you'd be bigger."
Clark gave the man a blank gaze as he folded his arms "Sorry to disappoint."
"Hehehe, no you're not." Peter joked before poking the house of El's family crest with a clawed hand "So what does this mean? Kryptonian's family crests usually are symbols for something."
Clark didn't respond as he continued to stare down the man that was taking the woman he loved from him. Peter returned the man's gaze with his lenses narrowing slightly as he stared up at the bigger man.
Soon Darkseid returned along with Zeus, Hera, and Hippolyta and marched over towards Kalibak before stopping to look at Peter and Diana "Come, we are leaving this planet."
Peter nodded before looking back at Diana and her friends "I'll give you a moment."
He then turned and followed his father and brother, who was activating the mother box, and the Parademon guards.
Diana watched the New God for a moment before turning to her friends, her family with a crestfallen face. Her mother had tears falling form her eyes as she embraced her along with her equally upset sisters.
"I will not rest until I find a way to bring you home, even if I have to storm Apokolips myself." Hippolyta quietly promised.
"Diana, if that guy gives you any crap kick his ass!" Donna mumbled out.
"Yeah, make him and his father regret doing this to you." Cassie said with tears pouring down her red face.
Diana smirked a bit at that "They'll be begging you all to take me back."
Her sisters laughed along with her mother before they broke apart.
Diana moved to remove her bracelets, sword, lasso and shield when she saw her mother shake her head "No, keep them as well as your armor. I feel that you will need them in the coming days…"
Diana nodded "Thank you mother."
Hippolyta went to stand by her guards followed by Cassie than Donna. She then turned to see the Justice League, her friends staring at her helplessly. They've faced some serious threats and problems in their time together, but nothing like this. If they tried to stop Darkseid untold devastation and possible genocide will be unleashed, but if they don't stop Darkseid then one of their own will be swept away to be made into some trophy wife to the son of an evil tyrannical god and forced to bear his evil alone.
Either way, the League was getting screwed in ways they didn't even know about… and none more so than Superman. It was so painfully obvious that a large part of this seemed to be dedicated to hurting the man of steel as much as possible.
Clark slowly approached Diana and cupped her face with his hands as he looked at her in longing and sadness "I won't give up Diana, I'll move every star in the universe if it means bringing you home again."
Diana felt tears sliding down her face "I know you will. Please take care of yourself."
"I will, you'd never forgive me if I didn't." he said with a sad smile, tears gathering in his eyes.
"And tell Martha and Johnathan that… I'm sorry." Diana choked out.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." Clark said hugging and seeing Darkseid and Peter waiting for her "If anything… I'm sorry for not being strong enough to protect you."
Diana pulled back and wiped the tears away and gave Clark a sad smile "Clark… your strong, your fast and the very pinnacle of what I believe mankind can one day achieve...but you can't protect everyone."
"Doesn't mean I can't try." Clark said before leaning in and given her one last kiss.
The kiss was bitter sweet as they poured all of their love for each other into it until their lips bruised.
Diana pulled back and touched his cheek before slowly turning and walking over towards the portal. She passed Darkseid and Peter without a glance and entered the portal.
Peter looked towards the League for a moment before shrugging and following his now wife.
Darkseid stood there and started at the Justice League with a grin. He was able to finally achieve what no other has. He's left them broken, feeling hopeless and best of all emotionally scarred, and he did all of this without even lifting a finger.
"Do not worry Kal-El..." Darkseid spoke to the man who suffered the most "If she behaves herself, I will allow her to visit… assuming her husband approves."
Clark glared at the warlord with his eyes turning red form the buildup of his heat vision "Fuck. You!"
"Hehehehehe." Darkseid laughed as he entered the portal and returned to Apokolips.
...
And done.
So next chapter Diana gets settled in her new life on Apokolips and we get to see Peter and Diana interact more as… husband and wife.