۩ - Chapter 2

                                    

                                          








                          
"He's normally so pig-headed, but it's like when he's here, or with Diana, it's able to alter his personality for the better, showing the side of him no one has seen since they began to inflate his ego."



                          
"All men need something to keep them grounded, but betrothal is still and forever will be off of the table."



                          
"She must never know who she really is." Hippolyta added quickly, knowing the raw power inside of her daughter, mixing with her over emotional and reckless teenage state of mind wouldn't mix well.



                          
"Ladies, I know, I'vee been hearing it for the past five years," Frigga growled with a knowing look, the gold armour glittered against the sky blue of her dress. "That destiny the fates have sown and continue to rattle on about, so what if she's a daughter of Zeus, and a god killer."



                          
"And if we marry her off, it'll only make it easier for him to find her." Hippolyta said with a slight scowl and a look of distaste.



                          
"If he is alive. As I have said many times before; maybe we could take her on as a ward, since we could offer more protection for her." Frigga responded, quite frustrated that the Amazon's always seemed to jump to conclusions. "At least let her learn how to defend herself if you're not going to let her do anything else."



                          
The queen looked slightly annoyed at the queen of Asgard, muttering something about man's corruption.

                          
Knowing that she had been training her behind Hyppolita's back since Diana was eight made Antiope feel slightly better about Diana having the basic self-defence skills and a little bit more if something ever did happen, but it felt bad, knowing that not only was it an act of betrayal, but treason.



                          


                          
"I'll show myself out then." Frigga stated, standing and walking to the heavy door, Antiope following to make sure it was closed properly and bidding a polite goodbye to her friend.
                          


                          
The woman with her hair in a braid smiled at the Asgardian, unknowing it was the last time she'd ever see her friend. "I'm sorry about her, she has the pride of Aphrodite and the temper to match, I know you're just trying to help. Goodbye, my friend." 







                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          
The next day Antiope and Diana were sparing on a secluded road, hidden by trees and hardly used. Clang! The two clashed blades, Antiope quickly gaining the upper hand. "You keep doubting yourself, Diana." Antiope critiqued as the girl hesitated once more.



                          
"No, I don't." She responded defensively, glaring at the general while moving to get up off of the dirt covered floor.



                          
"Yes. You do." Antiope argued back just as harshly, trying to enrage and challenge the girl, which was like provoking a lion.



                          
"No, I don't." She replied assertively, responding to the comments of her aunt. p
                          


                          
icking up her sword and lunged, restarting the swordplay. Antiope dodged once more, she swiped her blade upwards, which pushed Diana backwards, and then slashed her sword to the left. Causing Diana to tumble back onto the grass slope, looking up at her aunt. "You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know." Antiope declared, repeating the same message until it finally sunk in and she was able to fully understand it. "But if you don't try harder-"

                          



                          
"Diana!" Hippolyta exclaimed, cantering towards them on horseback with guards following her. Hippolyta dismounted her white mare and stormed towards the two, Antiope cast her eyes downwards to her boots, worried of the punishments she could face for basically committing an act of treason.

                          



                          
"Are you hurt?" The Queen questioned, picking up the girl and examining her child for any bumps or bruises.



                          
"No, mother, I'm fine." The princess said, carefully choosing her words as her hair began to fall over her eyes. "I was just-"



                          
"Training." Hippolyta cut her off accusingly looking at Antiope. "It seems I'm not the revered Queen I should be." She sighed, annoyed at everything. "Disobeyed, betrayed by my own sister."



                          
"No, mother. It was me. I asked her to." Diana cried trying to shift the blame from her aunt, knowing of how the queen's pride clouded her vision.



                          
"Take her back to the palace." Hippolyta ordered a guard, who did as instructed. "Off you go." She told the young girl, looking down at her, Diana trudged off begrudgingly to her room.