The Sword of the Lake, the story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake—this was practically common knowledge here. Even Shado, from a far-off country, had roughly heard of it.
Everyone stood with mouths agape, minds working to digest this information. Oliver and Shado didn't care much—they just listened to it as a story.
Tommy and Laurel had it harder. Fortunately, both were well-traveled. Diana was a living example right before their eyes, so they weren't too shocked. They just found future relationship management a bit tricky.
With four more people added, the Christmas party proceeded as usual. Everything was peaceful without any incidents.
The young people agreed to go out for a stroll, while Malcolm and Madame Xanadu took their leave.
Malcolm walked ahead with Oliver and Tommy. The women lagged slightly behind. Xanadu looked at Thea carefully for a long moment, then sighed lightly. "So you've already reached this step?"
Reached what step? Laurel and Shado were full of questions but wisely didn't ask.
"By chance, but the road ahead grows increasingly difficult." Thea's relationship with Xanadu had always been lukewarm—previously mentor and student, now more like the older and younger generations...
Regarding being surpassed by a junior, Madame Xanadu felt no resentment. Her expression remained indifferent. "Fate has revealed to me that the path you now walk is completely correct. Don't be afraid, don't hesitate. Follow your heart and persist."
The group reached a crossroads where Malcolm and Xanadu parted ways with them. From start to finish, Thea hadn't exchanged a single word or glance with Malcolm, but they both understood each other's hearts completely.
Oliver, Tommy, and Laurel weren't devout believers on normal days. Shado was from a far-off country. As for Thea and Diana, forget it—making them go to church would be pure torture.
After discussing, with the long night ahead and no desire to sleep, they might as well go stop some criminals for fun.
Returning to her old base, Thea felt many emotions. Felicity had now gotten together with Ray Palmer. The two looked very promising as a couple.
And she'd long since left this place behind, heading toward broader horizons.
Perhaps Star City's security was too good, or perhaps the criminals sensed tonight would bring catastrophe. The six of them monitored the communication channel for ages without a single emergency call...
"Let's have a competition!" Oliver made the suggestion.
With everyone idle and bored, they all agreed.
After pooling everyone's ideas—an archery contest!
Green Arrow, female Green Arrow, Black Arrow—all depended on bows and arrows for their livelihood. Thea went without saying.
Diana actually knew archery too. Antiope had taught her for quite some time back in the day. She just preferred close combat and normally didn't use bows.
Worth mentioning was that Laurel had also learned archery. The current Green Arrow team was truly a shooting club in name and reality—not a single person who couldn't shoot...
Everyone displayed their skills. Thea and Diana also suppressed themselves to ordinary human levels, purely competing in archery technique. Oliver's greatness instantly stood out.
Even when Thea and Diana used all their archery skills, they couldn't surpass him. This was Oliver's natural talent.
They played around until three o'clock before heading home.
Diana officially moved into the Queen mansion.
With the election dust settled, this kind of children's private life couldn't possibly shake Moira's position. It could even help share her political pressure. She was very calm about it.
"Is this your adoptive father?" After bathing and changing into pajamas, the two women lay in bed. Thea showed Diana childhood photos. While flipping through them, Diana pointed to one photo and asked.
In the photo, Thea was only six or seven years old, sitting on a middle-aged man's shoulders. This middle-aged man was the late Robert Queen, who died in the Gambit shipwreck—where everything began.
Looking at the photo, Thea also fell into memories. "That was in Hawaii. He was fishing and I pestered him, climbing onto his shoulders..."
"Have you never thought about resurrecting him?" After much hesitation, Diana finally asked this question she'd thought about for a long time.
Thea fell silent. Recently she'd been enthusiastically giving others choices every day. When the choice fell on her own head, she realized how conflicting it was.
Resurrection methods, though rare, existed. Whether Hera or Highfather, they had some. As long as she made some exchanges, they'd probably give them to her.
But what about after resurrection? The Gambit was sunk by Malcolm. Malcolm had been nothing but good to her. What would she do then? Watch biological father and adoptive father fight each other, blades drawn and blood spilled?
Additionally, Moira's attitude and Oliver's thoughts all needed consideration. They all knew her current capabilities, but nobody mentioned resurrecting old Robert. More likely they were conflicted too.
Thea silently stroked Robert's photo. The great wrong between their fathers' generation was already done. What should she do? Return to the past to prevent it all from happening, creating a Thea version of the Flashpoint event?
That would be quite a spectacle. If old Robert knew a multiversal-level disaster was caused because of him, he definitely wouldn't want it. He'd rather die with a smile. Thea could be certain of this.
Diana gently kissed her forehead. Thea leaned into her embrace. The two didn't spar, just quietly held each other until dawn.
...
Thea ultimately didn't make up her mind. Just like Batman chose to indulge Ra's al Ghul, she also chose to bury her head in the sand—delay and maintain the status quo.
Another month passed in a flash. Finally, inauguration day arrived.
Early morning on January 20th, the family of three was pulled to church for a worship ceremony. Moira was very serious and solemn. Oliver and Thea were somewhat casual—at least this carved wooden God wasn't worthy of the goddess of wealth bowing her head.
Afterward came the outgoing president accompanying the incoming president to Capitol Hill.
On such a day, Thea obviously couldn't hold her holy sword wrapped in a quilt. She wore a water-blue dress, carried a handbag, wore six-centimeter heels, and simply accessorized with a few pieces of jewelry. She looked very low-key and modest.
Actually, that dress was personally woven by Aramani using divine silk threads. The heels' exterior was dragon hide, the heel tips polished dragon fangs. Those jewelry pieces were all Hades' treasures. Any single piece was quasi-divine artifact level...
She'd now reached the point of casually squandering precious materials without batting an eye.
"Dr. Queen is getting more and more beautiful!" The outgoing president hadn't met Oliver, but he knew Thea. Of course, Thea had never brought him good news in the past. For a long time, the young miss appearing in the president's dreams meant nightmares.
Today this outgoing president swept away all gloom, beaming, walking with a spring in his step. Compared to Moira's serious face, seeing him so elated, those who didn't know might think Moira was outgoing and he was incoming.