It wasn't the first time she was present at a funeral. Her homeland was notorious of its bellicosity, therefore wars were commonplace and funerals of the fallen warriors even more so. Just recalling memories from her lost home caused a sob up on her throat, along with many others from the current events. She had truly been to more funerals than she could count, but this one was utterly different. She had never mourned a beloved husband before, nor was she accompanied by her two daughters, the only ones she had left in life anymore.

Diana, former Princess of the mighty Kingdom of Themiscyra, rose her eyes from the ground to gaze upon the lifeless body of her husband, Stephen Trevor, the man she'd loved with all her heart and sacrificed everything to be with him, the father of her daughters, the person who had supported and aided her more than any other. She hesitantly let go of her eldest daughter's hand and touched his cold cheek. Instantly, his final moments of life resurfaced in her memory. They seemed as old as her childhood ones, but those memories came from merely the previous night.

She stood by his side, watching him suffering just by breathing. The fluctuation of his chest seemed to cause him unbearable pain and sharp moans frequently escaped his lips, each hitting her heart like arrows from a crossbow. His deathbed was their wedding bed, the one where they had slept together for the first time, where she had given birth twice, and now she had to watch him dying slowly, painstakingly. She had clutched his hand to hers, trying to reassure him everything would be alright.

"I haven't stopped praying to Asclepius, Apollo, and Ygeia. They will hear my prayers and save you," she told him, wholeheartedly believing in their miracle.

He had just smiled weakly at her. That smile always warmed her heart and filled her with hope. Now, it added to her bitterness.

"Diana, when I'm dead, which will be sooner than you believe, I want you to take care of our daughters as you always have done. I trust you will ensure their happiness and prosperity."

"That I will do," Diana nodded, while trying to suppress a rising sob on her throat. "But, don't say you'll die. I won't let it happen."

"There in nothing you can do, my love. Not anymore."

"I have never surrendered to an enemy in all my life. I will fight with you for your life. We will thrive together."

"When the enemy is Death, victory is always his."

"It's always been us against the whole world. I doubt Death can even be an equal opponent."

Stephen smiled again, this time broader. Diana squeezed his hand and to her dismay felt it growing colder by each passing moment.

"I love you, Diana, and I'll never stop, even in death," she heard him exhaling weakly. Instead of replying, she strode his cheek affectionately, with all the tenderness she could master at this bleak, dismal, and tenebrous moment.

"Where are the girls? Where are Anassa and Cassandra?" He asked again, searching for their daughters, the fruit of their love.

"It's late. They went to sleep," Diana replied with a half true. It was a few hours past midnight and the girls needed rest, yet she had almost forced them to sleep, since they wanted to stay by their father's side. Their mother insisted they didn't; not wanting them to witness Stephen's passing.

"Diana, look after them, take good care. You are all they have now," he whispered with all the willpower he was left with. "Remember, I will always, always, love you-"

He wanted to say more, he didn't want to stop confessing his love to her, but his senses betrayed and abandoned him. He fainted to unconsciousness and never opened his eyes again. A few moments later, his heart stopped.

Recalling this, brought new tears to Diana's eyes and new sobs to choke her throat, but she didn't allow herself to look weak in front of her children. She had to be strong for them, therefore she took her hand from Stephen's cheek to hold Anassa's hand again.

The funeral was short. Even if Diana's religion as well as her daughters' was that of the Gods Of Olympus, following the tradition of her homeland, Stephen was an atheist, hence they hadn't proceeded into any litanies or ceremonial procedures. Some priest came from the village, prayed for his soul, and left, after consoling the mourning family quite a few times. Once he left, Diana prepared a pyre with logs and put him there. She threw a burning torch and the pyre was wreathed in fire, along with Stephen's corpse. She and her daughters stood in front of it for a time, staring at the fire intently, letting the heat warm them and dry their teary eyes.

"Etsi timame tous nekrous iroes sti Themiscyra," (That's how we honor the fallen heroes in Themiscyra.) Diana shouted proudly. For her, Stephen was the greatest hero of all she had the fortune to meet.

The girls looked at her questioningly, momentarily forgetting their sorrow. She had spoken Greek, the language of her homeland. They hadn't heard her speaking this since the day they had left Themiscyra. That was ten years ago; Anassa was almost five, while Cassandra just two years old. What did this mean? Could they go back there and take their rightful place as part of the royal family, like their father always said? For their mother had never spoken of Themiscyra ever again, though she teached them both her mother tongue and they were as fluent speakers as her.

"As gyrisoume sto spiti. Tha epistrepso argotera edo, gia na mazepso ti stahti," (Let's return to the house. I shall came back here later, in order to gather the cinders.) Diana said and they followed her back, leaving their father's heroic pyre to burn down. As soon as they entered the house and closed the door behind them, the dripping sound of rain filled their ears.

They ate their poor meal in silence, no one daring to say a word, since they didn't know what to say. After some time, when their mother washed the dishes and the glasses they used, the younger girl, Cassandra, decided to ask her about what was going to happen to them from now on. However, just as she opened her mouth, they heard a knock on the door and Diana rushed to open it cautiously, signing them to go to their room and lock the door, in case there was anyone with bad intentions.

The person she outfaced when she opened the door was the last she expected.

"Artemis?"

"Diana!" Her old friend and partner from Themiscyra exclaimed when saw her.

They exchanged a few heartfelt hugs and finally sat down on some footstools.

"I learned about Stephen and came as soon as I could," the redhead said, clutching Diana's hand, which surprised her, for she wasn't used to such sentimentalities from this fierce warrior. She didn't ask how she knew so quickly, because she had grown up in Themiscyra, where the pool of Hera, a gift from the goddess herself, could show them anything they desired anytime.

"Thank you," it was all she could say and they continued their conversation in Greek. "How is home?"

"Just as you left it, even though I believe that since you departed all is bleaker, given the never ending sorrow in your mother's eyes."

"I am not pleased to acknowledge that, but there is nothing I can do for it anymore," Diana replied as a matter of fact. "It was her decision to exile me."

A short period of silence followed and then Diana broke it kindly.

"How is Shayera?"

Her thoughts had lingered on her friend more than once in the past ten years. Shayera was not an Amazon born, she came from the far-away Realm of Thanagar, seeking sanctuary on Themiscyra, which she was granted. Ever since, she had stayed in the palace and was raised alongside Diana, forming a very strong bond of friendship with her.

"She could not withstand your leaving, therefore she exiled herself shortly after you left, roaming the world for adventure and a new home," Artemis answered her question.

"May the Gods help those who will stand in her way," Diana remarked and they both laughed.

"I believe that the Gods should look after you for the time being," Artemis pointed out, bringing severity back.

"I just need to ensure my daughters' security and safety," Diana admitted with a sigh. "I don't care what happens to me, but they must have the best of lives."

"Have you thought of anything yet?"

"Apparently, I can't go back to Themiscyra -even though I miss home like Hades and Tartarus combined- however I have started thinking on leaving this house and going further into the West."

"How so?" Artemis questioned. It was widely known that the Western Lands were deeply despised by Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother, an opinion she had entailed to her daughter. She had traveled there on her younger years and faced patriarchy at its peak, naming it Man's World as an agnomen pejoratively.

Diana stared right into her green eyes for a brief moment and then pinned her glance at the firmly closed door, which was being castigated by the rain.

"Something tells me that I must leave this land and head west. This is where my destiny will unravel, where the Moirai will reveal what they reserve."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Just a feeling," Diana replied absentmindedly. "Or mere curiousness to finally get to see the majestic Kingdom of Metropolis with my own eyes."

"Or the sombre and murky Kingdom of Gothamia," Artemis added with a spark in her eye.

Then, a hissing echoed right behind her children's door and Diana let a suspicious grin adorn her face.

"Look who have been eavesdropping all this time," she exclaimed, before revealing her daughters, who bombarded her with queries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's the end of the first chapter! Let me know what you thought of it in the comments!

First of all, the girl named Anassa is no other but Donna. I didn't want to use that name for her, because it's neither medieval nor Greek. It's Italian, meaning Lady. Therefore, I decided to replace it with the Greek version, which is Arhontissa. Too big, right? That's why I chose the similar Anassa, which means Queen.

Second of all, I'm a Greek native, Greek is my mother tongue, and since it's Diana's as well, I thought it'd be nice to show some Greek dialogue. Πώς σας φάνηκαν; (How where they?)

Now, as for my edition of Diana. I know that in most, if not all, the AU Fanfics where Donna and Cassie appear they're her sisters and not her daughters. Yet, I thought that it would be very interesting to explore Diana's figure as a mother, the responsibility, the protectiveness, the worries, etcetera. After all, I saw it as a writing challenge ;)

Anyway, let me know what you think in the comments! Once more, thank you very much for reading my story! The next chapter has the introductions of Batman, Alfred and the BatFamily, along with Hawkgirl, Green Lantern (John Stewart, but we may get to see Jessica Cruz as well later), The Flash, Catwoman, and more!!