Chapter 2: Part 1-1

Social gatherings were different in Man's World than they were in Themyscira. For one, there was a certain air of competition. It was markedly different from the friendly competition among Diana's amazonian sisters, instead coming with a flavor of contention. Even after several decades of operating as a superhero in Man's World, Diana Prince still felt like a stranger in a strange land.

There was rivalry among the gala attendees, but it was a silent rivalry. Who had brought a more esteemed guest? Who had made the greater archeological discovery? Or perhaps it was as petty as who wore the most expensive jewelry.

At the very least, Mrs. Greenburg, the curator of Fawcett City's Natural History Museum, seemed to be above the subtle feuding that was going on. The only thing Diana could mark against the older woman was that she seemed a bit too excited to have Diana as a guest.

"Once again, I can't overstate how much of an honor it is to host someone of your standing, Ms. Prince." Mrs. Greenburg - or "Debbie", as the woman insisted - smiled brightly, adjusting her thick-framed glasses for the umpteenth time that evening. She wore a simple pant suit, black blazer over a white cotton blouse. Her graying brown hair was done up in a neat bun and around her neck rested a humble necklace of birthstones, blue topaz to be exact.

Diana herself was wearing a lovely silk gown, silver-blue and flowing. It was tailor-made to evoke the Amazonian style, but it also had some Man's World influences such as being backless and sporting a thigh-high split that exposed one of her legs. In truth, Diana would have felt underdressed if not for the "plus-ones" some of the male attendees had invited.

"I'm flattered to be held in such high esteem." Diana smiled graciously, taking slow, short steps so Debbie could keep pace with her. "But truthfully, I don't wish to stand above anyone."

"No, of course not. From a staunch advocate for equality such as yourself, I would expect nothing else." Debbie leaned over slightly, dropping her voice to almost a whisper. "But it's not everyday a Justice Leaguer mingles among mortals down here on Earth. You know, because of your space station. I'd heard you had one from news reports, but I couldn't believe it."

Diana gave a polite smile and a half-hearted chuckle. "You're correct that the Justice League doesn't often interact with the citizens it has pledged to protect. But that's something I'm trying to change."

"Is that why you accepted my invitation?"

"Partially, yes." Diana admitted, but quickly noted the slight disappointment in Debbie's eyes. "You could say that I'm something of a 'history buff'. I'll always be in support of our local museums. Especially when they're curated by someone of the sisterhood."

Debbie halted in her tracks, her eyes lighting up as Diana's words struck deep in her mind. Her look of shock quickly turned to one of muted glee as the distinguished curator made a valiant effort to keep her composure. It still made Diana smile, seeing first hand the pride she could inspire in other women.

"Oh!" Debbie Greenburg brought a hand to her lips, stifling a happy giggle. She looked away for a moment, composing herself, before turning back to face Wonder Woman. "I'm flattered but I don't think I have the spirit to be an Amazon."

"Nonsense!" Diana smirked, ignoring the woman's self-deprecation with a dismissive wave. "In my opinion, Debbie, every woman is a wonder woman."

Mark watched his target from afar, sticking to the edges of the main hall. Wonder Woman was radiant, even more enthralling in the flesh than she was in the pictures on his computer. She wasn't wearing the iconic blue, red, and gold, but instead wore a gown of silk. Backless and with exposed leg, the dress gave more than enough for admirers to salivate over.

Getting an invite to the Gala at Fawcett City's Museum of Natural History hadn't been easy - or cheap, for that matter. Since he wasn't integrated into any historian circles, Mark's only option that wouldn't complicate his plan was to simply spend enough money to get in.

He couldn't just use his power willy-nilly. Using it on too many people at once would stretch his abilities thin… and eventually the fabric of his influence would rip to pieces. Using it on a particularly strong-willed individual wouldn't work at all. Thus, Mark's wallet had to take a hit.

Normally, the monetary loss would have bothered him. But with his vision filled with Wonder Woman dolled up in that gorgeous dress, gracefully moving through the museum main hall to mingle with this stuffed suit and that stuffed suit, Mark knew in his heart that the price he had paid so far would ultimately be worth it.

All he had to do was talk to her.

Diana had been enjoying a rare moment of respite from the gaggle of prodding journalists and over-eager historians when a young man approached her. He was white but with a swarthy complexion, perhaps denoting a southern european heritage. He had short, dark brown hair, combed and styled into a neat crew cut. He wore a friendly smile, carrying two flutes of champagne, sparkling.

"Can I offer a fine lady a drink?" He offered one of the glasses to her. Diana took a quick moment to look the man over, reading his face, his posture. He was handsome enough, roguish green eyes over a warm smile. She could tell he kept himself in shape even through his suit. And the way he carried himself all but shouted supreme confidence. It was a novelty to Diana, this boldness of mortal men. Especially from those who didn't wear capes.

"You can." Diana accepted the man's offer graciously, taking the glass and offering her other hand expectantly. To her inner delight, he accepted her hand in turn, leaning down to plant a soft, warm kiss across her knuckles.

He is bold.

"Wow," He said, moving to stand beside her. Together they faced the exhibit Diana had been observing: tools and weapons from ancient Greece. They seemed genuine, to Diana's surprise. Most museums had replicas or fakes. "I didn't think it would be that easy."

"I'm sorry?" Diana gave the man a sidelong glance.

"Coming up and talking to you." He explained. "I thought you'd be swarmed by admirers."

"I was swarmed just before you showed up." Diana chuckled softly. Then she sighed. "It's been an issue in the past. Fortunately, historian circles are much better behaved than other high society affairs. That, and a carefully vetted guest list."

The young man shifted slightly. Diana caught a curious expression on his face.

"How vetted are we talking?"

"Historians, curators, benefactors, the occasional archeologist…" Diana gave a soft shrug. "Those people get treated like rockstars. I have no idea why. And of course, there are the invited guests."

"That'd be you." The young man observed.

"I had no reason to decline. Debbie - Mrs. Greenburg's goals are noble. This is an opportunity to connect with the locals. Plus, I love history."

"It's better than any novel, my dad used to say." The young man turned his back on the Greek exhibit, now facing Diana. She caught his eyes quickly giving her a once-over, stalling perhaps a little too long on her legs and breasts. She only gave a sly grin. It wasn't as if she hadn't done the same to him. And she found herself… appreciating his nerve and daring. "You could be the best storyteller in the world and still not be able to think up half of what actually happened.

Diana took another moment to appraise the man before her. He was good-looking, indeed, even by the ridiculous standards she had gained by working with superheroes on a daily basis. Even now she could tell that the youthful fullness of his face would dissipate over the years, giving way to a refined, sculpted handsomeness. In a decade or two, the young man might even give Bruce Wayne a run for his money. Diana took a sip from her glass, taking in the small details of her admirer's face, eyes, lips.

"So, what's your story?" She inquired. To her own surprise, Diana Prince was genuinely curious about this man. "Historian? Archeologist?"

"What, you don't think I could be a curator?" He snorted, grinning.

Diana tried imagining him in a stuffy office room, filing reports and making phone calls ad nauseam. Her nose crinkled at the thought. The way he talked, the way he carried himself… a job like that didn't suit him. At all.

"You don't look the type." She answered plainly.

The young man regarded her for a moment, letting the answer sink in. He looked away but Diana caught the barest hint of a twitch at the corner of his lips.

"Benefactor, actually." He answered after a fashion. "I made a big enough donation to warrant an invite."

That really piqued Diana's interest. She took another sip from her glass. This young man was becoming more interesting with each passing minute. A few moments ago, she had been happy to bask in the admiration of an admittedly handsome fan. Now, she was engaged in conversation with an American blue blood.

"You're wealthy." She said, more of a statement of fact than a guess.

It was the young man's turn to shrug. "Well, yeah. I'm not bragging, it's just what it is. I'm not Wayne or Luthor-rich. Hell, I'm not even Queen or Kord-rich. But I haven't had to work since I was nineteen, so that's nice."

"You look young for a millionaire." Diana practically commended him, almost adding that he also looked damn good for a millionaire. Wonder Woman could count on one hand the number of rich boys whose bodies looked as well off as their bank accounts. "I'm assuming you are a millionaire. Being on the list of benefactors for this museum isn't cheap."

"You assume correctly." He bowed his head slightly, a bashful expression crossing his face. He reached up to rub the back of his neck. "You want to know something funny?"

"What?" Diana asked, her lips curved upwards in a coy smile. The bold attitude had been attractive, but he pulled off a humble disposition well enough. Better than most men, in fact.

He met her gaze then and she caught a tiny spark of cunning behind his eyes. It was almost enough to give her pause, sending a wave of caution over her mind. Diana blinked and forced those feelings deep down. There was nothing to be concerned about here. She was Wonder Woman. She could handle herself. A wealthy young man with lovely eyes and a killer smile was very low on the list of threats that could give an Amazonian princess trouble.

"The only reason I donated to this museum was so I could get an invite to this gala." The young man admitted, confessing with the same level of scandal that a man had when overpaying for a Rolex watch. "So that I could get a chance to meet you."

Diana blinked. She waited for him to laugh and deliver the punchline. But he didn't.

"You're joking."

"Nope."

Diana really didn't know how to respond to such a confession. She felt many things then, a storm of different thoughts and emotions racing through and around her mind. Appalled that this young man would spend so much money just to talk to her. Flattered for much of the same reason, despite her better judgment screaming that she shouldn't feel anything positive about this. A little embarrassed at being the subject of what had to be this young man's obsession - what else could she call it?

"Um… Wow," Diana broke eye contact, glancing towards the party progressing around them. Her gaze darted from island to island of mingling groups, fearing that someone may have heard what the young man had confessed. She found herself aghast at the idea that a journalist was eavesdropping on them at that moment. She lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. "I… I don't know what to say. I'm flattered, truly. But… that's just insane."

"In my defense, I felt pretty much the same the second after finalizing the donation." He smirked then, the confidence from before roaring back into his eyes. It was if he was inwardly laughing, like there was a punchline that only he understood. Diana's eyes darted once more to the rest of the Gala, a warmth spreading across her face. She frowned then, frustration creeping into the forefront of her mind. Amazons weren't known for blushing. Not at the words of some... man.

"But you still went through with it." Diana pressed him, her tone a bit more firm than intended.

"Well… yeah," He countered, shrugging as if he had made the obvious, sensible choice. "You're Wonder Woman. I heard you were coming to town. I'd be insane not to take the opportunity."

Diana gave a short laugh, disbelief twisted her lips into what an observer could only describe as a 'aghast smile'. She regarded the young man again, briefly wondering if he was even a real person and not some illusion created to mess with her. Young, handsome, likely obsessed, and absolutely senseless. In a way, he reminded her of a certain reclusive fellow who possessed a similar thick-headed determination.

"My mother warned me about the twisted minds of mortal men." She said, shaking her head. She turned to face the Greek exhibit once more, setting her wine glass atop the waist-high barrier. She planted both her hands down for support, her mind still swimming with conflicted emotions.

He came up beside her, placing himself very close, close enough that their shoulders brushed together. She turned to give him a pointed look but her eyes did little to dissuade him. Instead he seemed to silently admire her beauty up close, his own gaze settling upon her lips. He placed his hands on the waist-high barrier as well, their fingers almost touching.

"In any case," He spoke softly. "I have something very important to tell you."

Diana had a mind to give the young man a reminder of a woman's personal space, but somehow the fire that warded off so many other lecherous advances simply didn't rise. The warmth - the presence of his body was absolutely an intrusion… But Diana couldn't quite bring herself to find it unwelcome.

Wonder Woman was proud, fierce, but not uncharitable. She would let the young man say his piece before politely - but firmly - letting him down easy.

"What?" Diana Prince asked, unknowingly sealing her fate.

"Your mind and soul, bound to my will…" Diana was stunned still, her blood turning to ice. The Amazon knew those words, known them for years in fact. Them being spoken aloud caused memories that had been buried deep, deep down in her mind to be violently uprooted. The young man had spoken softly, quietly, but there was a passion in his voice that had Diana heart pounding. Or maybe that was just the terror shuddering through her veins.

"What- How did you…?" Diana tried to collect herself, to think, but she couldn't create the mental stillness she needed. Her mind, her body, it was chaos, a raging storm that she couldn't control. Memories were returning, a violent rush back into her brain like a tidal wave. She remembered it then, the vile woman who put her in thrall, using those very words to enslave her. She remembered the woman gloating about how she would use Diana to tear down Man's World, use Wonder Woman as a blunt weapon, a cudgel against the Patriarchy. And she remembered the woman vanishing shortly after and Diana being free from her control.

"My wish and desire, you shall fulfill…" The young man continued, whispering the words into Diana's ear. Anyone watching would simply assume he was flirting, getting cozy with Wonder Woman. She had to - needed to get him to stop. He didn't know what he was doing, just some rich boy who thought this was some sort of game.

"Stop!" Diana hissed under her breath. Wonder Woman can save herself. Diana believed this with total conviction. And Wonder Woman could do it without causing a scene. "Don't… I don't know how you learned about that spell but you need to stop. You don't know what kind of magic you're dealing with."

"I am your reason…" He continued undeterred, staring directly into her eyes. The playfulness was gone from his eyes, replaced with an unflinching passion, such an intense desire to possess that Diana was nearly struck speechless.

Diana planted her hand on top of his and squeezed. Not enough to break but enough to bruise. A clear warning. The Amazon's heart was pounding, her breaths coming long and heavy. The flush on her cheeks had spread to her neck and chest.

"Mister… Please… Do not finish that incantation. You don't know what you're doing!"

"By sacred design…"

Diana tried to squeeze her hand over his, a desperate attempt to stop what was coming. But she just… couldn't. With every word the man spoke into her ear, Diana felt less and less outrage, less and less fear. The logical side of her mind that was screaming at her to run, to shout, to do anything to stop this from happening, it was slowly slipping away. She could only hope in vain that the young man would grow a conscience.

"Just walk away." She offered, her eyes pleading what she was too proud to say outright. She breathed deeply, biting her lower lip. He paused then and gave a warm smile like he did when he first approached her. This was her chance! "I won't follow you. I promise. We can just pretend this conversation never happened."

The young man leaned forward until the tips of their noses brushed together. Diana felt a pleasant rush at the contact despite the sheer terror that clouded her mind.

"This is your purpose…"

"No…" Diana quietly whimpered. "Please… I'm begging you… Don't!"

"You… Are… Mine." The young man closed the distance between them and added a note of finality in the form of a lingering kiss.

The terror and desperation didn't evaporate that very instant. It lingered, slowly fading into the depths of her mind. Her heart was still pounding and her cheeks and chest were still flushed pink but slowly the reason changed. She remained anxious but in an entirely new context. For him. The man standing before her.

She accepted his kiss despite some parts of her screaming against it, humming pleasantly as she took in the warmth of his nicely solid body. She felt his arms snake around her waist and with them came the sensation of delight. It was wrong. It felt wrong. But it also felt good. A tiny giggle bubbled up in her throat. She had no idea where it came from. A mere moment ago she had been struck with fear, anxiety, anger...

He pulled away after a moment, his breath hot on her skin. Diana gave a soft whine, her lips pursed in a subtle pout. She gave him a quick peck on his chin, hoping to coax him back into another round of liplocking. Diana felt a muted stab of annoyance towards herself, unwilling to completely give in the spell that had been cast upon her. But the glee, the happiness, they remained prominent in her mind. She couldn't say that the kiss wasn't nice, couldn't say that she didn't feel good. She couldn't lie to herself - or him - no matter how much she wanted to.

"Sorry if I caused you any distress a moment ago," The young man said, genuinely apologetic. His arms uncoiled around her but he settled his hands on her hips. Possessive, almost. Diana's heart fluttered at the thought, with the sensation followed quickly by another small burst of frustration. "I needed to get the hard part out of the way first."

"I understand, master." Diana admitted, leaning forward to kiss along his jawline. She discovered then that he smelled good. Was it the cologne? Was it the spell that clouded her mind? Or was it Diana herself? She didn't really want to know the answer.

"Don't call me that." He said firmly but not unkindly.

"Of course. Sorry." Diana spoke softly. Something inside her was struggling, thrashing, desperate to escape. Plenty of her thoughts were a flurry of screams, shouts, bellowing cries, but they were muffled, muted. But plenty others were not. She knew she was in a bad situation. She knew that this man was controlling her, making her feel in ways that she wouldn't normally. But as for taking action, she felt nothing, knew nothing.

It would have been frightening. It should have been. But at that moment, it wasn't.

"Don't apologize. Honest mistake." He spoke warmly, one hand rising from her hips to stroke her arm. The same hand reached higher to brush his thumb across her lips. Diana was tempted to take the digit into her mouth and suck. The young man gave her a brilliant smile. "I'm Mark, by the way. Mark Messner. It's very nice to meet you, Diana."