Fic: Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory (1/2)
Title: Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory (1/2)
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Diana
Categories: Drama, AU
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: Violence
Spoilers: None
Summary: Amazons are bringers of peace, but are also experts in the art of war.
Date Of Completion: May 6, 2007
Date Of Posting: May 7, 2007
Disclaimer: I don’t own 'em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1161
Author’s Notes:
jen_in_japan requested, "I would love to see some version of Steve and Diana meeting! Any 'verse, any set-up. They hang around the edges of all your stories and always leave me wanting more…:)"
Well, here you go, Jen! I hope this two-parter satisfies some of that yearning! Both chapters can be found here after I post Chapter Two. It's also my first fic 'made-to-order', somewhat in the style of Victorian language. :)
I
TERRIBLE, SWIFT SWORD
Major Steve Trevor coughed as the smoke wreathed around Little Round Top, the roar of thousands of rifles and the shouts of a whole earthly host assaulted his ears, the cries of the wounded and dying mingling with curses and orders. The great cannons roared, shaking the earth, Steve stumbling on the rocky ground. He ducked as a minie ball whizzed by his ear.
“Colonel!”
Joshua Chamberlain looked in his direction, blue eyes alert.
Steve climbed up to the commanding officer on a small hillock, squeezing behind a boulder for protection.
“All the division leaders in the Massachusetts 22nd report low ammunition, sir!”
The leader of the 20th Maine said with a grim expression, “As are we.” His eyes narrowed. “We have beaten back wave after wave of Rebels. All will be for naught, unless…”
Steve waited in eager anticipation. Joshua Chamberlain had proven himself an exemplary warrior. For the last ninety minutes, the men on this hill had fought to beat back the enemy. Colonel Strong Vincent had given the order to Chamberlain: “Hold this position at all costs.” They were the extreme left flank of the Army of the Potomac and had to hold, come hell or high water.
It was hell, Steve thought. The cloying smell of blood combined with the ungodly heat of a July sun was making him ill as his blood raced with adrenaline.
Chamberlain quickly called his officers together. “Gentlemen, we are down to little ammunition. The Rebels are preparing another attack. We must hold. Therefore…” he unsheathed his sword. “Bayonets!”
Astonishment, then smiles and predatory gleams of the eye as the word spread like wildfire through the ranks. It was a bold plan; some might even say crazy, but every man jack of them knew they were outnumbered and had little choice.
Steve pulled out his bayonet and fixed it to his rifle. He said a little prayer and figured the plan was just crazy enough to work.
It was then through the swirling smoke that the Amazon appeared.
Like Columbia through the mist or an Avenging Angel, she strode forward confidently, sword held high, the sun glinting off its tempered steel, her long skirts billowing in the hot wind, joined by a long, flowing cape of red-white-and-blue stripes and white stars fastened by gold lacing at her throat. She wore a yellow tiara with a red star in its center, a red bodice with a golden eagle upon it, and a golden girdle with a glowing lasso attached. Iron manacles encircled her wrists and she carried a round shield, all red-white-and-blue stripes with a white star in the center.
Long, raven hair flowed out behind her, a face worthy of the Gods meeting the astonished Steve’s eyes. A thin trickle of blood on her left arm was the only marring of perfect skin. Her eyes were blue, sparkling with the thrill of battle, and she joined the cheering throngs of men ready to attack.
Their eyes met, her lips curving into a smile, Steve’s eyes wide with amazement and appreciation.
Almost jovial, Joshua said, “Wonder Woman! We are honored to have you with us!”
A strong yet musical voice answered, “I am honored to be among warriors, Colonel. As the Macedonians stood against the Persians so long ago, let us engage the enemy.” She raised her sword higher. “Let the words of our deeds carry back to Father Abraham!”
A great cheer rose up, and Joshua Chamberlain gave the order, “Forward!”
Steve was nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with the Amazon, who was his height and whose skirts were already bloodstained. She swooped down with sure footing on the rocky ground, her sword flashing in all its terrible, swift surety as she cried, “Hola!” and the Union men roared and followed, the fighting savage around trees and rocks as the frenzied pace astonished the Rebels and pushed them back, slowly but surely, their eyes wild as they saw the Avenging Angel bear down upon them.
Steve concentrated on forging ahead, the hand-to-hand combat nasty and brutish, his heart pounding wildly as he fought, blood spattering his tunic as he gritted his teeth and parried the thrust of a Rebel, their ammunition also low as they too turned to bayonets and Navy pistols.
Steve narrowly missed stepping on a Rebel body, stumbling as he lost his balance. As he fell to his knees he saw the glint of sun-on-steel and the enemy bayonet began to fall, ready to slice across his face when the ringing sound of steel-on-steel reached his ears.
The Angel! She smiled savagely and pushed the Rebel back by the force of her sword arm alone, her strength true to the stories told about her in the short time she had appeared in America. Astonished, the Rebel tried to push back, but Amazonian strength proved too much for him. The sword came down and knocked his rifle out of his hand and Steve saw the raw fear in his eyes, but the Angel was not Death as she kicked away his rifle and moved on, the man surrendering.
Steve had to pay attention to his own situation, but when he received a free moment he looked for her.
On this day of astonishments, there was yet another.
A hail of bullets began to rake their position from those Rebels who had managed to scrape up ammunition. Wonder Woman sheathed her sword in its golden scabbard and took a stance like a pugilist, one arm out while the other stayed close to her body, and then the minie balls began to bounce off her bracelets!
Her arms were a blur as she knocked the bullets away, the clang of iron against iron ringing in Steve’s ears above the noise of battle, her smile confident and almost light-hearted.
What manner of woman was this?
She stunned the Rebels, whose scant ammunition ran out, and the Union soldiers charged again, Wonder Woman unsheathing her sword once more. She brought her round shield up to protect her body and sped forward, sure-footed over the rocky ground.
Steve wound up in savage hand-to-hand fighting with a Rebel, glancing over to see a Reb lift his bayonet and start bringing it down toward Wonder Woman’s head. He remembered the cut on her arm (She can be hurt!) and quickly dispatched his man, racing over to block the descending rifle with his own just in time. The Amazon whirled in surprise, then flashed Steve a smile as she shoved the man away with her shield arm and Steve knocked him cold.
From that moment on Steve remained at Wonder Woman’s side and they fought down Little Round Top in a synchronicity that amazed and pleased him. They worked together as if they had always done so, anticipating each other’s moves and communicating without words.
When the moment of triumph came and the tide of battle turned, they exchanged victorious smiles and continued fighting.
My Beautiful Angel!
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Diana
Categories: Drama, AU
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: Violence
Spoilers: None
Summary: Amazons are bringers of peace, but are also experts in the art of war.
Date Of Completion: May 6, 2007
Date Of Posting: May 7, 2007
Disclaimer: I don’t own 'em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1161
Author’s Notes:
jen_in_japan requested, "I would love to see some version of Steve and Diana meeting! Any 'verse, any set-up. They hang around the edges of all your stories and always leave me wanting more…:)"
Well, here you go, Jen! I hope this two-parter satisfies some of that yearning! Both chapters can be found here after I post Chapter Two. It's also my first fic 'made-to-order', somewhat in the style of Victorian language. :)
I
TERRIBLE, SWIFT SWORD
Major Steve Trevor coughed as the smoke wreathed around Little Round Top, the roar of thousands of rifles and the shouts of a whole earthly host assaulted his ears, the cries of the wounded and dying mingling with curses and orders. The great cannons roared, shaking the earth, Steve stumbling on the rocky ground. He ducked as a minie ball whizzed by his ear.
“Colonel!”
Joshua Chamberlain looked in his direction, blue eyes alert.
Steve climbed up to the commanding officer on a small hillock, squeezing behind a boulder for protection.
“All the division leaders in the Massachusetts 22nd report low ammunition, sir!”
The leader of the 20th Maine said with a grim expression, “As are we.” His eyes narrowed. “We have beaten back wave after wave of Rebels. All will be for naught, unless…”
Steve waited in eager anticipation. Joshua Chamberlain had proven himself an exemplary warrior. For the last ninety minutes, the men on this hill had fought to beat back the enemy. Colonel Strong Vincent had given the order to Chamberlain: “Hold this position at all costs.” They were the extreme left flank of the Army of the Potomac and had to hold, come hell or high water.
It was hell, Steve thought. The cloying smell of blood combined with the ungodly heat of a July sun was making him ill as his blood raced with adrenaline.
Chamberlain quickly called his officers together. “Gentlemen, we are down to little ammunition. The Rebels are preparing another attack. We must hold. Therefore…” he unsheathed his sword. “Bayonets!”
Astonishment, then smiles and predatory gleams of the eye as the word spread like wildfire through the ranks. It was a bold plan; some might even say crazy, but every man jack of them knew they were outnumbered and had little choice.
Steve pulled out his bayonet and fixed it to his rifle. He said a little prayer and figured the plan was just crazy enough to work.
It was then through the swirling smoke that the Amazon appeared.
Like Columbia through the mist or an Avenging Angel, she strode forward confidently, sword held high, the sun glinting off its tempered steel, her long skirts billowing in the hot wind, joined by a long, flowing cape of red-white-and-blue stripes and white stars fastened by gold lacing at her throat. She wore a yellow tiara with a red star in its center, a red bodice with a golden eagle upon it, and a golden girdle with a glowing lasso attached. Iron manacles encircled her wrists and she carried a round shield, all red-white-and-blue stripes with a white star in the center.
Long, raven hair flowed out behind her, a face worthy of the Gods meeting the astonished Steve’s eyes. A thin trickle of blood on her left arm was the only marring of perfect skin. Her eyes were blue, sparkling with the thrill of battle, and she joined the cheering throngs of men ready to attack.
Their eyes met, her lips curving into a smile, Steve’s eyes wide with amazement and appreciation.
Almost jovial, Joshua said, “Wonder Woman! We are honored to have you with us!”
A strong yet musical voice answered, “I am honored to be among warriors, Colonel. As the Macedonians stood against the Persians so long ago, let us engage the enemy.” She raised her sword higher. “Let the words of our deeds carry back to Father Abraham!”
A great cheer rose up, and Joshua Chamberlain gave the order, “Forward!”
Steve was nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with the Amazon, who was his height and whose skirts were already bloodstained. She swooped down with sure footing on the rocky ground, her sword flashing in all its terrible, swift surety as she cried, “Hola!” and the Union men roared and followed, the fighting savage around trees and rocks as the frenzied pace astonished the Rebels and pushed them back, slowly but surely, their eyes wild as they saw the Avenging Angel bear down upon them.
Steve concentrated on forging ahead, the hand-to-hand combat nasty and brutish, his heart pounding wildly as he fought, blood spattering his tunic as he gritted his teeth and parried the thrust of a Rebel, their ammunition also low as they too turned to bayonets and Navy pistols.
Steve narrowly missed stepping on a Rebel body, stumbling as he lost his balance. As he fell to his knees he saw the glint of sun-on-steel and the enemy bayonet began to fall, ready to slice across his face when the ringing sound of steel-on-steel reached his ears.
The Angel! She smiled savagely and pushed the Rebel back by the force of her sword arm alone, her strength true to the stories told about her in the short time she had appeared in America. Astonished, the Rebel tried to push back, but Amazonian strength proved too much for him. The sword came down and knocked his rifle out of his hand and Steve saw the raw fear in his eyes, but the Angel was not Death as she kicked away his rifle and moved on, the man surrendering.
Steve had to pay attention to his own situation, but when he received a free moment he looked for her.
On this day of astonishments, there was yet another.
A hail of bullets began to rake their position from those Rebels who had managed to scrape up ammunition. Wonder Woman sheathed her sword in its golden scabbard and took a stance like a pugilist, one arm out while the other stayed close to her body, and then the minie balls began to bounce off her bracelets!
Her arms were a blur as she knocked the bullets away, the clang of iron against iron ringing in Steve’s ears above the noise of battle, her smile confident and almost light-hearted.
What manner of woman was this?
She stunned the Rebels, whose scant ammunition ran out, and the Union soldiers charged again, Wonder Woman unsheathing her sword once more. She brought her round shield up to protect her body and sped forward, sure-footed over the rocky ground.
Steve wound up in savage hand-to-hand fighting with a Rebel, glancing over to see a Reb lift his bayonet and start bringing it down toward Wonder Woman’s head. He remembered the cut on her arm (She can be hurt!) and quickly dispatched his man, racing over to block the descending rifle with his own just in time. The Amazon whirled in surprise, then flashed Steve a smile as she shoved the man away with her shield arm and Steve knocked him cold.
From that moment on Steve remained at Wonder Woman’s side and they fought down Little Round Top in a synchronicity that amazed and pleased him. They worked together as if they had always done so, anticipating each other’s moves and communicating without words.
When the moment of triumph came and the tide of battle turned, they exchanged victorious smiles and continued fighting.
My Beautiful Angel!