"So you did not sire every newborn in the city?"
"No. Um. And it would be unwise for me to sire more than a couple in any case. They would all be half-brothers and half-sisters, so the risk of-."
Oh, ho, that story
has spread, and people are
already misunderstanding it. I expect the Pavlova will have a quite interesting childhood in the years to come.
Okay, they're farmers, so I'm going to assume that they know that inbreeding is bad, even if they don't know what genes are, but a technical explanation using words that Themysciran Greek doesn't have isn't going to help.
"Their own children would risk being malformed." She nods. "I was not aware that was a problem for demigods."
Yes, OL, they
are farmers, and they do understand
breeding. Especially the potential for
mutations. As for the viability of divine lineages, keep in mind: Some Hellenic heroes have Zeus pop up in
multiple places in their family tree...
"I wouldn't want to risk it just in case."
"Then, how did the children come to be? You implied that they did not cross through the gateway during the Festival."
...Man, Themyscira could well become the next big Spring Break destination of word of
that got out.
"I haven't told the rest of the world about the Festival, and I really don't think it would be a good idea."
She frowns. "Why?"
...Wait until you meet your
first drunken frat boy, and
then ask that.
"Because we're talking about men who aren't familiar with Themysciran culture, and I'd rather avoid a great brawl."
She perks up slightly. "We could have them fight one another for the prize of impregnating us?"
...Honestly, I
could see that becoming a popular tradition.

Especially amongst the aforementioned Drunken Frat Boy demographic.
"That-. Not on short notice, though if you really want to hold a… A studding tournament, I… Could organise that. If you really wanted."
"I will be third, so it will not be for a few years yet. But I thank you for the offer and will consider it." She looks away for a moment, smiling slightly guiltily. "So where did the children come from?"
...Ah, she has a thing for gentlemen fighting, eh?

Keep in mind that traditional Hellenic
pankration was normally done
nude.
"To put it simply, I can take a small part of the body of one woman, turn it into the part of a man which quickens a woman's womb, and ensure that she becomes pregnant with it."
Her eyes widen and her right hand clamps over her mouth.
Oh, she's gotten
completely the wrong idea, hasn't she?
Um.
"If you want a more technical explan-"
Hey, never know if she's got a hidden knowledge of anatomical sciences as they were during the mainland days...
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"-ation-?"
...Yep, she's picturing something
entirely inappropriate.
She doubles over, arms clasping her chest as she tries to stop laughing long enough to breathe.
Um.
Well done, OL, she's
literally about to ROFL.

Amusingly, I've had moments like that, where laughing irrationally overrides the need to breathe... I'm sure we
all have.
The front door opens and another woman walks in. Her skin is a little paler and her hair is brown rather than black.
"Chloe! Chloe!" Karyne unhunches and dashes over to her wife. "The city-women, they can make finger-penises!"
...Yeah, she
definitely pictured something inappropriate. And
hilarious.
Chloe look puzzled as Karyne embraces her for stability as she starts laughing again, then she looks over Karyne's shoulder at me, squinting and shaking her head in mystification.
I shake my head back. "That's not what I said. Just that I had a way for one woman to make another pregnant without needing a man." … "Other than me, to enable it. Though a woman from-. Of my cult could do the same."
'Cult' is probably the
best way to explain a Lantern Corps, I guess.
She frowns, and appears to be a little disturbed. "Why?"
"Some of those women have been together for millennia, and they preferred having a child related by blood to both of them to being intimate with a man. An attitude which I understand much better than what Medina did."
Yes, I do
vaguely remember that little discussion he had with... Someone? Where he explained his
views on fatherhood. Most notably wanting to avoid the 'fire and forget' type of relationship.
"Ah." Karyne straightens up, humour fleeing. "Yes."
"What.. did Medina do?"
Well,
that dampened the mood right quick.
Karyne shakes her head. "We're waiting until everyone is here. They… Want us… Her, to explain herself in the forum."
"That is no surprise. When Queen-."
Ah, good to see Karyne's not the
only sensible one in the poly.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaagh!"
They both glance around, but the screaming sounds more excited than anything else. Through the wall I see Kal-El carry another woman into the courtyard.

Carry
how? Bridal-style? Fireman's lift? Is she clambering to his head and shoulders like a cat?
"Ma'am?"
"Aaaah!"
"Ma'am, you can let go-."
...Yeah, I'm going with the
third option.

And also picturing Daffy Duck when confronted with a large pile of
money.
Chloe rolls her eyes and walks back outside.
"Tryphena, let him go."
Ah, the
quirky one? No doubt they have lots of laughs over her antics.
"He can fly! Like the Princess! Can I pick him?"
"Excuse me?"
Sorry, he's got a prior claim. And she's a lot
stronger than you are, honey.
"No. Medina has upset people and the forum wants to talk to us."
Kal-El comes in first, with Tryphena following him with a decidedly predatory look in her eyes. Chloe looks awkwardly at the back of Kal-El's head for a moment, then turns back to the main gates as Medina and Rina approach from the animal pens. Medina isn't showing in the conventional sense yet, but a quick scan shows that the foetus is in good health. As they enter the room, Rina doesn't look particularly happy about us being here. Medina on the other than-
Hmm. I'm betting Rina
isn't interested in taking part in the old 'baby-seeking expedition' tradition.
"Delivery was an option?"
-doesn't seem troubled at all.
Oh, this is going to be
entertaining.
Which is hopeful, in a way. If backward-looking women in the backwoods of Themyscira don't object to having men around, then I don't think I need to worry about the minority who do having a support base somewhere.
"Not at this stage. Medina-."
Don't take one small farm as a barometer of the whole island, OL. I don't doubt there's groups that embrace the
man-hating ways.
"Felix isn't happy. The Queen already sent word about that."
Kal-El nods. "Apparently, you didn't mention that you were from Themyscira. Not until you were leaving."
Lady doesn't seem too
concerned about all the trouble she could be in, does she?
Chloe looks around in surprise. "Medi?"
"I didn't hide it."
...Not mentioning it
at all doesn't count, honey.
"Medi!"
"I didn't! I think I-." She frowns, trying to remember. "I said I was Greek, from an island, and that I was a Hellenist. I remember that clearly, because we talked about his god and the burning cage in the sky. I don't clearly remember saying that I am from Themyscira, but…" She looks awkwardly at Kal-El. "Wasn't it obvious?"
I mean, the average Amazon
is a fairly fit, attractive young lady. It's not like they have glowing marks all over them that declare 'Themysciran Amazon' to all and sundry.
"Not according to him. He thought that you were dating."
"Ah."
No 'Well, that's his problem' response? I do hope you plan to be reasonable, then.
Rina raises her right eyebrow. "'Dating'?"
"Arranged meeting during courtship where the two people involved find out whether they're compatible."
Something which
might have taken place
occasionally back in the day, but not as often as modern folks do.
Her eyes widen, and she inclines her head towards Medina, who shakes her head.
"No! I just met him several times to ensure that he was of good character, then we had sex several times until it took."
...Yeah, those are dates. Complete with
First, Second, Third bases and the Home Run.
"That's the same thing."
She frowns. "It is?"
It is
these days. Though the
sex isn't always involved.