Diana swears the Oath

Now came the pause, as Diana stared at me.

"Five... four... three... two...."

"I, Diana of Themyscira," she said, her voice cool, her bearing proud, "do swear the following, by the River Styx, so long as Thomas Dorsy keeps his word to protect my colleagues's identities and secrets: I swear I shall see Thomas Dorsy comes to no harm over this matter or any other pertaining to me. I swear that for two full days every month, I shall go to Thomas Dorsy, and I shall be his lover for those two days. I swear that during these visits, I shall act as his friend and lover, exploring my sexuality and indulging his desires. I swear that even outside of those days I will only speak kindly of Thomas Dorsy, with never an ill word. I swear that I shall strive to enjoy our time together and explore my passions fully and without reservation. I swear that if these trysts are discovered, I will defend them as consensual and appropriate, and not allow any harm of any kind to come to Thomas Dorsy. I swear that I will allow him to use the Golden Lariat of Truth on me at his discretion, and when bound I will act as though I am his captive, unable to escape. I swear that I will be kind, and warm, and imaginative with him, indulging myself and my own sexual and romantic desires through him, so long as those desires do not cause him to come to any harm. I swear that these restrictions shall be binding upon me so long as he does not violate his word by exposing or otherwise bringing harm to my allies, friends and loved ones. I swear that I will agree to set the visitation times where they are most convenient for Thomas Dorsy, though he shall understand when I must delay or miss a tryst in service to protecting others. However, I also swear that when I must delay, I shall add another twenty four hours to the visit for each day we must delay, and I swear that these delays will only happen when the need is dire and lives are at stake, or when I am physically incapable of making the trip. Finally, I swear that I yield not only to the letter of this oath, but to the spirit and interpretation of it as defined by Thomas Dorsy -- so long as his definition can reasonably be called an interpretation of the oath, and not a disingenuous lie. All of this, I swear by the River Styx, now and forevermore, without end."

I shivered, watching her.

Wonder Woman looked defiant, then shifted back into her crouch. "Well," she said. "That is that."

"Yes," I said.

"Is this our first forty-eight hours, then?"

"No," I said.

She arched an eyebrow. "No?"

"How do you feel physically?"

"Horrible. Nauseous, in considerable pain, and weak. I am nowhere near fully recovered from whatever Poison Ivy did to me."

"Right. And how do you feel emotionally."

"Angry. Scared. Humiliated. Furious at you. Confused and conflicted. Ashamed." She looked defiantly at me. "Should I go on?"

"No," I said. "That's why we're not going to do this now. I want this to be something you enjoy too, and that's not possible right now." I looked in her eyes. "It is possible next time, though. Isn't it?"

Her face burned. "Yes," she said.

"I thought so. Especially if you spend significant time exploring your feelings and how to ensure you can and do enjoy it, yes?"

"Yes."

"Will you do so?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

She kept looking at me, still strong. "Because from now until the day you die, we are going to be lovers, once a month. I cannot resist it. Indeed, I must defend it to any who find out. It makes no sense to rail against it now."

"Agreed."

There was a pause.

"You know I can't untie myself now," she said. "The oath won't let me."

"Oh." I felt stupid. "Right. Right. Hang on. Let me do this first."

"Do what?"

"Delete the files. I'm going to wipe them after -- zero them out, so there's no way they can be undeleted."

Diana seemed to relax, slightly. "Good."

I didn't say anything else. Right then, having gotten what I wanted, I was beginning to feel sick. I was just as glad to delete the file.

For the record? I didn't upload it anywhere. It's why I dropped the lasso before I made my threat. I was bluffing.

Why? Because what I was doing was evil enough without actually endangering the Justice League in the process. If I blew my roll and she took me down -- or out -- there was no good reason to take the greatest heroes of our age with me.

"There," I said. "All set." I turned and looked at her.

She was looking at me. Still angry, and clearly still ill, but she was also watching me carefully. Pondering, perhaps.

I looked back at her. "You're quiet."

"I sort of have to be."

"Why?"

"Because I'm upset with you, but I swore a binding oath to only treat you with kindness and kind words." Her eyes narrowed. "And I'm wearing the lasso, so I'm compelled to speak the truth."

I flushed. "The oath is subject to my interpretation. And the injunction to speak with kindness doesn't mean you can't express your opinion to me or about me, so long as you don't do something that could cause me pain or grief."

She inclined her head, carefully. "You'll understand if I be as careful as the lasso allows. At least until you untie me."

"Of course." I paused, looking at her. Realizing, with almost a shiver, that our relationship had begun, even if this wasn't our first night together. And I could see she was realizing the same thing.

I took a deep breath. "Are you thirsty?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Chamomile tea?"

"That... would be nice," she said.

I nodded, and stepped around the beautiful amazon, moving into the kitchen. I didn't offer to untie her, and she didn't ask me to. I did notice her tensing her muscles as I went by, and I remembered what she told me before. About how the sensation of feeling bound felt good to her.

A few minutes later, I carried the drink back out.

She looked up at me. Powerful, but restrained.

I knelt, and lifted the ceramic cup to her lips. Her eyes got wide, but she did not protest.

I gently let her sip.

After a moment, she moved her head back. Silently, I stood, setting the tea down on an end table. I walked around Diana and knelt. Her muscles tensed but again she didn't protest.

My heart was pounding again as I slowly began untying the amazon. Her body was still sweaty -- a reminder she wasn't really healthy, but it was different than the panicked, if erotic act of tying her had been. Diana was poised. Confident and in control of herself. Shifting as needed. And conscious of where my hands were and what they were doing.

I could no doubt get away with feeling her up, but I didn't. It wasn't the right time for that.

Finally, the lasso came free. I stood and moved back, away from the amazon.

Diana stood, her movements fluid, the act almost frighteningly graceful. She stretched slightly, rising about three inches off the floor, before settling on her feet.

"You're not stiff?" I asked.

She arched an eyebrow. "I once spent nine hours crouched over, bracing an entire brownstone's weight on my back until a rescue team could get in to save some children. Do you honestly think a few hours of an uncomfortable position can really hurt me?"

"Heh. I guess not. I... I'm new to all this, Diana."

"I know," she said. She waited a long moment.

I realized I had nothing to say. I bit my lip.

She arched an eyebrow, finally. "Are you going to give me my lasso back?"

I blinked. I'd forgotten I was still holding the rope. Silently, I offered it to her. She accepted, coiling it in her hand. "Would you hand me my tea?" she asked coolly.

"Sure," I said, turning to get the cup.

The sound was like a whip, though it didn't hurt at all. How she managed to get the lasso so quickly tied into a lasso with slipknot I still don't know, but she got it around me, pulled tight to pin my arms, and pulled me back sharply against her. She caught me carefully -- mindful not to hurt me -- and held me in place.

"Wha--" I think I said, too stunned for any other reaction.

"You didn't intend to do any of this when you pulled me out of harm's way, did you?" she half-whispered, right in my ear.

"No," I said. It was odd. I've read accounts where criminals -- especially those who claimed that Wonder Woman's lasso constituted an illegal search and a violation against self-incrimination -- was unpleasant. An imposition on thought. A compulsion.

It isn't. It doesn't feel like anything at all, at least in your head. It's just... suddenly, there was nothing in you capable of lying or holding back. The concept of deception just doesn't exist any more.

"Why did you intercede?" Her tone was still soft, but very strong. She was in control and she knew it, even though I knew intellectually she wouldn't hurt me.

"I thought you would be killed."

"So you did it to save my life?"

"Yes."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I didn't think about it. I wanted to get off the street -- someplace safe. And I couldn't leave you out there unprotected."

"Why didn't you call a hospital? Or try to contact the Justice League?"

"It never crossed my mind," I whispered. "And... I didn't want the night to end."

"Why not? Because you planned on coercing me into a sexual relationship?"

"No. Because nothing like this had ever happened to me. And because it was you."

She paused for a moment, considering. "You had no intention of revealing the Justice League's secrets, did you?"

"No," I whispered.

The rope went slack, and she slid it off me. And my heart started beating again.

"How long have I been here?"

"About a day and a half," I said.

"And no one's come looking for me?"

"Not so far."

"Then I have to go. It is possible I'm the only Justice League member still free. Regardless, there is still something very wrong."

"What? But... you're still sick," I said. "You can't possibly--"

"Yes, I can." She stepped away, hooking her lariat to her belt. It seemed smaller and thinner now, though I wasn't sure how it could be. "I have to leave."

"We... need to set a date," I said.

She paused. "Yes," she said. "We do."

"Two weeks from this Friday? That Friday night through Sunday night?"

She nodded. "Acceptable. Do we meet here?"

"Yes. At eight o'clock."

"All right then." She moved to the door, that inhuman grace in every step. She paused then, and looked back over her shoulder at me. "You understand. I can't thank you for saving my life," she said.

I swallowed. "I wouldn't expect you to."

"Good." She looked at me. "Whatever we make of our new... connection, what you did was wrong, Thomas. And while I will not only help you enjoy it but defend it from all who might enquire? Nothing in my oath prevents me from protecting others from you. If you ever do anything like this to anyone else, you will have to get used to our weekends being conjugal visits in the state penitentiary. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Of course."

She inclined her head. "Then I will see you soon."

And I watched her leave.

I fell back on my couch. Looking to the side, I could see the damaged drywall. Mute testimony to the goddess that had been here. The room seemed smaller without her.

"Well," I said finally. "The dishes aren't going to wash themselves." And I got back to my everyday life, as if nothing had changed.