Antiope

" Ugh! I have to go down there again. The boy is old enough to fend for himself, sister. Just send him out to man's world. Let the gods decide his fate." Atalanta said to Hippolyta.

" If it bothers you so much, then I'll do it Atalanta." Antiope spoke up.

" Sister, you've changed. Antiope, are you actually happy to go see that thing?" Atalanta asked the woman.

" He is our nephew, Atalanta. Family. And yet, we keep him locked up in a dungeon for something he has no control over. And quite frankly, he's quite the young man. He's not very bright, but he's still nice to be around. You should try actually visiting him sister. You, too Hippolyta. He is your son, and you haven't seen him in four years." Antiope said to her sisters.

Hippolyta stood quiet over her balcony, looking out at the Island of Themyscira.

She had nothing to say, she had already renounced the boy as her own, it simply had to be.

Atalanta, however, scoffed at the idea of treating a man, regardless of his age or blood as a family member.

" I will not call that thing, my family. If you really want to continue mingling with that boy, then by all means sister, go ahead. In fact, why don't you just take care of him yourself from now on? Is that fine with you, Hippolyta?" Atalanta asked the woman.

Hippolyta turned and looked at Antiope.

" Sister? Are you sure?" Hippolyta asked the woman.

" Yes, that will be just fine. If you all want to refuse to acknowledge the boy, I will." Antiope stated. Over the years Antiope had been the one primarily taking care of Markus. From bathing him, and training him, to teaching him how to read and write. It really surprised Antiope, when she discovered that Markus couldn't read or write.

When Antiope arrived at Markus' room, the women eagerly opened the door and stepped inside. The young boy, who was now Eight years old, was dirty from head to toe, his toga was stained black with the dirt and grime from the floor.

"Aunty!" Markus was excited to see Antiope. He always was. It's easy to say her presence made the long and lonely days Markus spent locked away somewhat happy. Markus jumped up from his feet and ran up to Antiope and gave her a big hug.

" Hello, my little one. Have you been practicing?" Antiope asked the woman.

" Yes, I have. Can't you tell?" Markus asked the woman. He raised his arm out of his sleeve and flexed. His muscles expanded, and Markus smiled proudly.

" Yes, Markus. Very good." Antiope exclaimed. Time had worn down Antiope's demeanor. Nowadays it was hard to tell to believe that the stubborn and strong woman the amazons knew as their general had mellowed out to the kind woman they knew today. " Now, then. Let's do something different today." Antiope spoke.

" What is it, Antiope?" Markus asked.

Antiope pulled back her robes and pulled out a small wooden Lyre, a stringed instrument attributed to Apollo, the god of prophecy and music.

" A lyre, Markus. It's an instrument, blessed by Apollo himself." Antiope explained.

Markus watched as Antiope plucked at the small threads on the wooden structure. The noise that sounded out from each thread was pleasant.

Markus was so pleased by the sound that he began rocking back and forth. He raised his hands in the sky and laughed.

* Krakoom!

The sound of thunder and the flashing of lightning roared to life over the skies over Themyscira.

Antiope stopped upon hearing the loud pop of thunder.

" That's weird, thunder? There shouldn't be any thunder on a sunny day like today." Antiope spoke. She had consciously stopped strumming the lyre, and by a product Markus stopped rocking to the rhythm.

The moment he did, the sound of Thunder went away as well.

The amazons couldn't understand it. Why had the storm come as it did? And vice-versa, why did it end so abruptly?

It was a strange phenomenon to put it so bluntly. So, much so that the amazons simply chalked it up to Zeus being drunk, and accidentally throwing his power around.

All of them, except Antiope. She was skeptical about the whole situation, but for the sake of herself and for Markus, she pushed the thoughts to the back of her head.

....

Over the years, Markus would continue to grow, both in stature and knowledge.

At the age of twelve, Markus began to question his place, more specifically, He questioned why he was locked away.

" Why am I stuck here? Why can't I go out there? You tell me about the world, but you never let me see it." Markus confronted Antiope.

When he questioned Antiope on the reason, the woman simply deflected the question and refused to answer. As much as she had come to care for the boy, she still had a duty to the island she needed to uphold.

" Every day, it's the same thing, I wake up, I eat, and train, and then I sleep. Over and over again. I want to see what grass is. I know what it is, but I don't know what it is? I know it when I see it, but I've never even been allowed to see it. And I don't know how it is I know it in the first place. I don't even know who my mother is. Why hasn't she come to see me?" Markus asked the woman.

" Markus, you are getting older, it is for your sake that your mother does not see you. For yours and for her sake as well." Antiope sighed heavily. " I suppose this day would come, sooner or later. Listen, Markus, Themyscira is home to the amazons and amazons alone. For thousands of years, our people have been responsible for protecting man's world, this is true. But no man has ever set foot on this island. It is strictly forbidden for them to ever come here. It wasn't unheard of for a boy to be born to an amazon, it did happen quite a few times. But it was always extremely rare. And in your case even more so. When a boy is born to an amazon, they are discarded, left in the wild for animals to devour, or killed right away. But you, you're special. You were touched by the gods, by Zeus himself. Which meant you were strictly forbidden to be harmed, by any of the amazons, despite some wanting you dead. Instead of allowing it to happen, your mother ordered you to be locked away in this prison, until the day you died a natural death." Antiope explained. " It is harsh, yes, but there was no other choice. Anything else would risk your death and the rage of the gods. At least this way, you were safe. That is all I can tell you. If that will not suffice, then your anger will have to do. Know that despite, you being a boy, I have come to love you as if you were my own son, and no matter where I am, or what you do that will never change."

Antiope got up and left Markus to ponder the information, he had learned.

For the time, being, Markus, would know not what to do with himself. Though he wouldn't naturally be fine with it. Inside of his chest, a new feeling was born. For the first time in his life, he felt rage.

That night, Antiope confronted Hippolyta in her chambers.

" Sister, you need to let the boy go. He cannot continue to grow up knowing only the darkness of his prison. He's already beginning to question it himself, in time, with his strength, he'll come to resent Themyscira itself." Antiope spoke.

" What would you have me do, Antiope? Where would he go? No where in this world can handle him, and I cannot have it be known that the Queen of the amazons gave birth to a mortal male." Hippolyta told the woman.

" Sister, he is not mortal. You have not seen him since he was four years old. I have trained the boy, taught him how to fight, and read, and write. Everything that you, yourself should have done." Antiope exclaimed.

" Have you forgotten, what his brother did to us?" Hippolyta asked the woman.

" I have not! What those me. What Hercules did to us, is something I can never forget. But that was Hercules, not Markus. And as much as I hate and despise ZEUS AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HARMED US, I WILL NOT BLAME THAT BOY!" The memories of the pain and suffering, and Humiliation that Hercules and his men brought to the amazons, lit a rage in the pits of Antiope's stomach that seared like a thousand hot knives. " And neither should you. Sister, if not for the love of a mother, then for the sake of Themyscira, please, let the boy go." Antiope begged.

Hippolyta would not say she wasn't moved by her sister's strong feelings for the boy, but while she shared the sentiment, Antiope did not share her position. For a citizen of Themyscira to have a male child is one thing. But no Queen has ever been recorded of doing so. And for such a thing to happen, Hippolyta would be shamed by her own people. And perhaps even dethroned.

" I'm sorry, sister. I cannot." Hippolyta replied solemnly.

" I will say nothing else of the matter tonight, sister. But just know, that whatever happens now, will be on your head and yours alone." Antiope turned and left Hippolyta's chambers, frustrated and bereft. she was beginning to grow tired of the amazons and their ways of helping man's world, if that is what they were doing.

.....

A few years later, on the eve of his fifteenth birthday, something changed.

On that day, Markus counted down the hours. From the time the sun rose, to the time it began to set, Markus waited. But she never came.

Markus was saddened.

" She always came on this day." Markus muttered. Never before had she missed this day, it was the one day of the year, when Markus would be allowed to choose what they did.

But today for some reason, she never showed up.

As Markus stood in his cell alone, staring up at the ceiling in silence and sadness, a rumbling sound began to drum in his ears. Instinctively, Markus began to move his body to the rhythm of the drumming.

Meanwhile, Atalanta, was once again, given the task of bringing food to the boy.

" Why must I miss the party, for this child. If not for you, Antiope...." Atalanta paused on her words. As much as she hated men, and by proxy Markus, she did love her sister dearly... Even if she was no longer with them.

* Krakoom!

The raging sound of thunder and lightning pulled Atalanta from her thoughts. She was so spooked that she nearly dropped the bag in her hands.

" By the gods, that was loud." Atalanta exclaimed. She quickened her steps down through the tunnels, towards the boy's prison. She did not want to be down there any longer than she needed to be.

When Atalanta approached the boy's chambers, she peered inside.

He was dancing, swinging his arms around in a way she had never seen before. But what spooked her the most was the way, Lightning crackled off the boy's fingers, as if he was playing with Lightning itself.

Atalanta kicked open the door, scaring Markus. The boy quickly stopped dancing and turned to face the new intruder.

Atalanta watched as the lightning vanished and the sound of thunder disappeared. She was shocked. She looked at Markus in astonishment and slight fear.

" What were you doing, boy?" Atalanta asked the child.

" I was dancing." Markus replied.

" Do you know what you were doing?" The woman asked.

" Just dancing." Markus replied.

' He didn't know? This boy....' Atalanta placed the bag down on the floor and quickly turned to leave. ' Hippolyta must know about this.' She thought.

" Uhm, do you know where my aunt is?" The boy asked.

Atalanta stopped and looked back at the gloomy look on the boy's face.

" Look in the bag." Atalanta told the boy.

She then left just as quickly as she had arrived.

As soon as she was gone, Markus, opened the bag Atalanta had left behind for him, inside was his usual source of protein, Four apples and a loaf of bread, along with a small satchel of water. This time however, there was a small parchment inside.

Markus grabbed the parchment and immediately recognized the writing as belonging to Antiope.

" My dear, Markus, forgive me, but over the years I believe the amazons no longer truly wish to protect man's world as they claim, disillusioned by the will of the gods they serve, they have become complacent, which is why I must leave. Even though I love my sisters dearly, I can no longer simply sit and do nothing, while the world is in turmoil. I know it will be hard, but you must go forward without me now. I know you'll be fine, you're strong Markus, so much stronger than you can even imagine. Strong enough to perhaps change the world and the amazons. I love you Markus, I may not have given birth to you, but I love you like my own son. So, like I've chosen my freedom, I now give you yours. Be free my son."

Markus looked on the back of the parchment and a small key was tied to the back of it with a small string. Markus grabbed the key and looked at the door.

" A key?" Markus muttered. Markus looked at the door closely, there was a small hole in the door that was shaped similarly to the key in his hand. For some reason, Markus knew what to do with it, but not why he knew. He simply followed his instinct.

Meanwhile, Atalanta immediately tracked Hippolyta down. She knew her sister needed to know what happened, it was important that she did.

" Sister" Atalanta exploded into Hippolyta's chambers, just as she was getting dressed.

Her sudden arrival and the look on her face startled Hippolyta.

" What is it, Atalanta?" Hippolyta asked.

" It is the boy, sister." Atalanta spoke. " He has.... Powers." She said.

" What do you mean, powers?" Hippolyta asked.

" I saw the boy, dancing sister, and from his hands flowed lightning, the same lightning as his father, and the skies, sister, his dancing created a thunderstorm. Sister, that boy is dangerous. There's no telling what he'll be capable of doing when he's older." Atalanta explained.

This bothered Hippolyta, deeply. It meant that the boy had inherited more power from his father than she had previously predicted.

" What would you have me do, Sister? Would you have me kill my own son?" Hippolyta asked.

" Yes! That or send him away. Put him in man's world, where he belongs. Amazons have done so for centuries. Why is now any different?" Atalanta asked the woman.

" Because he is my son!" Hippolyta exclaimed. " He is my flesh and blood, and maybe he wasn't made out of love, that doesn't mean I do not love him any less. Do you have any idea, what position I am in? I want to be with my son, to love him as my own, but I cannot! As your queen, I am forever duty bound to my people. That is why.... That is why I begged Antiope not to leave. My sister has been more of a mother to my son than I ever was."

" Hippolyta..." Atalanta moved to Hippolyta's side and placed one of her hands on the woman's shoulder.

Just as Atalanta began to console her sister, the two women were startled by the booming sound of the emergency horn, used only when an emergency occurs that threatens the island.

" What is happening?" Atalanta asked.

Suddenly, an amazon sentry came running into Hippolyta's chambers, breathless.

" My Queen, there's been sighting of man, escaping through the forest." The woman spoke.

Atalanta and Hippolyta both were shocked.

" It can't be.... Move!" Hippolyta and Atalanta both ran out of the room.

...

After opening the locked door, Markus ran. He didn't know where to go, but he had a feeling in his gut that told him to just run, run and don't look back.

Markus raced up the tunnel and as soon as he reached the top, he was immediately spotted by one of the guards, stationed around his cell.

Markus heard her shout something, but in the moment, he couldn't understand what it was she said.

It was weird, the feeling of the air hitting his face, made him cringe, the sight of so many things that he knew existed, but had never seen before was unbelievable.

Markus wished he could stop and just take in the sight around him, the fresh green grass, the beautifully thick trees, but the women chasing after him with swords and spears made it impossible for him to turn back.

" Get him!"

" Don't let the man escape!"

The Amazons threw everything they had at Markus, to try and catch him, arrows, spears, rocks, logs, knives, and even their swords. Anything they could to get ahold of him.

Markus, ducked under tree branches, hopped over fallen logs, and even had to dodge out of the way of animals.

All of this to avoid having to fight the amazons.

He had the training, yes, he had learned much from Antiope, who was perhaps one of the best fighters the amazons had ever seen, but training and actual combat were two different things.

Markus was terrified for his life.

He continued running, as fast as his body would take him, and he started praying. Praying for the gods to take him away.

Unfortunately, his praying would go on deaf ears, as he soon found himself surrounded by the amazons.

Even though he ran as fast as he could, the amazons still knew this land like the back of their hands. It was their home.

" Speak. Where did you come from man?" The woman asked.

" I was born here." Markus replied.

" Lies. No man has ever been allowed on this island. If you were born of an amazon, you would have been killed long ago. Now, I ask again. Where did you come from?" The woman demanded to know the truth, not knowing she was being given exactly what she wanted.

" I'm telling you the truth." Markus replied.

" Fine, then. If you do not wish to talk then, you will bleed!" The amazoness, tried swinging her blade down on Markus.

But as she moved the drumming came back to Markus, the Rhythm like a thunderstorm in his ears. Markus danced. He took one step to the left side of the amazon's body, avoiding her strike with ease. He spun around and swatted the woman in her face with the back of his hand.

The amazon was sent flying, the poor woman had never been hit so hard in all her lifetime.

Markus continued dancing, bringing to life the thunder and lightning of the heavens.

The amazons were in amazement, never before had they seen such a display of power from a man. The only time they had ever seen the heavens dance this way, was when Zeus himself commanded it.

Hippolyta and Atalanta joined the other amazons and watched as Markus continued dancing. They were both amazed, in all their years of life, not even Zeus himself had displayed such an ability.

" Is he a god?"

" It can't be."

" Queen Hippolyta! What are we going to do?"

The amazons began to question the queen herself, and just as Hippolyta began to approach the boy, a single bolt of lightning from the skies answered Markus' prayers.

" Take me away." He whispered.

And in a flash, he was gone.