Chapter 6 - Another promise

The night seemed to shift into the morning fire so quickly, the once calm city now bursting with life, Amazon warriors on guard over the city walked in groups down large staircases, while ones who did more common work or were not trained yet, baked, and halted fish to be prepared for later.

"Driesia.." From the window, Antiope could be seen looking out to the city below, her body leaning against the windowsill as she watched the young Driesia shift within the bed.

The white covers over her body shifted like waves, as they rippled with the high winds that rushed through the window, Antiope drew close watching as the girl pulled the covers from her body. Her skin wet with sweat as it glowed with golden light, each breath she took sending out pulses of energy as Antiope sat next to the girl.

"Shh, it is fine." Antiope shook her head at this, the girl was changing with each passing day, locked within this tower. "One can not suppress their true nature. The longer she does, the more she will question, and the more she will come to hate us for what we have done." Antiopes eyes became somber, she did not like this life for her niece, and as much as she hated it, she knew the man's words were true.

'It is a cup, unendingly filled, no matter how large the cup, when it can not be filled any longer, what do you think will happen.' Incubus's words roamed in Antiope's mind, spinning in waves of unending questions with no answers. 'None of you deny who and what you are. From the time you can understand the world, you know you are an Amazon, humans know they are only human, along with Atlanteans as well. Do you think it is different from gods, so tell me, what would happen if you deny or do not know what you are.' No matter how she thought, she knew these words were true, just like Diana's thirst to test her limits, Driesia was no different.

"Aunt Antiope.." The world was soon filled with a voice so sweet, it was almost as if nothing else mattered, the voice licking at Antiope's ears as it brought her back to reality. "Your here, but, but where is mother?" Driesia who was rubbing her eyes, asked as she looked up at Antiope, her skin now back to normal as she asked a question.

"She had something to do, so I stayed in order to keep you company." Antiope pushed the girls bangs out of her face, watching as the girls eyes lit up, but clouded at the words that Hippolyta was not here. "Are you hungry? I brought you something." Antiope understood but still tried to smile, her hand reaching to the table not far away as she placed a dish in front of her.

"Pancakes!" Driesia's eyes lit up once more, looking at the tanned circles of deliciousness, watching as Antiope poured honey over them. "Do they have berries in them?" Driesia asked, her mouth almost watering as she picked up her utensils.

"Of course, just the way you like them." Antiope smiled, nodding her head to the girl as she watched her dig in. "There not going anywhere, it's not like anyone will take them from you." Antiope laughed, watching the girl pull the dish away as if someone would take it, laughing even harder at the girls cheeks bursting with pancakes as she tries to eat them whole.

The world was dyed in a mix of beautiful light, laughter, and the sounds of gentle wind. The two talking and playing as Driesia pretty much demanded more pancakes, it wasn't until the fourth dish that she finally stopped. Antiope handed the dishes to an amazon on guard, whose face was a mess of smiles as she looked at the young Driesia.

"I don't remember it, but yesterday was my first time outside without you. I remember the grass was wet, it was sticky, and, and, it felt weird on my feet." Driesia soon sat on the windowsill, her face out to the world as the wind blew her hair, her words carried to Antiope who stood a distance away as she watched.

"It felt. Good.. like I could run and play as much as I wanted." Driesia's words were distant, like a child trying to explain something they didn't understand. "Aunt Antiope, will I ever be allowed outside, to play with everyone." Driesia continued as if absent-minded to how she sounded, "I want to feel the grass again.."

Antiope was at a loss, no matter how she thought of it, this was a lot for a child to think about. "Is there something wrong with me? is that why I'm so different from everyone." Driesia looked at Antiope, her eyes glassy as her hair blew around her face.

"You are perfect just as you are." Antiope made her way to the girl, pulling her head into her embrace as Driesia wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Your mother just worries for you, you are still just a baby, all she wants to do is protect you." Antiope spoke in a saddened tone, the excuses that she was sick, or that she was not ready were losing their weight, and being trapped was taking its toll on her.

"But I'm OK now, I don't feel sick anymore." Driesia looked up from Antiope's stomach, her words full of hope as she tried to sound as healthy as a girl her age should. "But mother still won't let me, and the big sisters don't talk to me." Driesia said, her words drifting on the wind as the guarding Amazons turned their faces away.

"Driesia, you are far more special than you know." Antiope said, she could understand the girl, from her birth, she has been no where else, but within these four walls. "And one day when you do see the world, you'll do things even me and your mother cannot do." Antiope tried to cheer her up, she didn't know what the future held but she understood Diana and Driesia were destined for great things.

"Aunt Antiope.. can I sho.." Driesia hearing this smiled, but as she was going to speak on something, a glowing X over her heart shined brightly for a moment, Driesia's hand covering it with her dress as she looked down.

"What is it, what is wrong Driesia?" Antiope seeing Driesia was in pain, spoke out in worry as she watched Driesia gripped at her chest slightly. "Let me see.." Antiope tried to help but stopped as Driesia looked up to her.

"It's OK Aunt Antiope, I know.. I know that mother loves me, when I can go outside one day. I'll run and play as much as I want." Driesia's eyes were glassy, looking out of the window once more, her eyes drifting over the far horizons of the island, "I'll go wherever I want.." Driesia continued yet when the words fell, it's as if she didn't feel the tears that fell with them.

"Driesia, I promise you will see this place one day, and I'll take you to any place you wish to go." Antiope pulled the girl into her once more, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she looked into her emerald green eyes. "I promise.." Antiope continued watching small tears still come from the girls eyes.

"But how about we go to the beach once more.." Antiope said, her eyes looking at the guarding amazons who acted as if they heard nothing. Their hands moving to close the doors as ff they had done this many times.

"Really? you'll let me see the water again?!" Driesia answered back excited, her body almost jumping from the windowsill as she ran to a wall, pulling out a stone as she took out a cloth. "Will I get more sea shells?" opening it as she showed Antiope shells of different and yet beautiful colors.

Driesia's mind was like a switch, her eyes now having their light again as Antiope walked over, showing her all the shells. Their color shining as the light reflected from the walls, in this small moment the little girl was as she remembered her. So innocent and pure, so hungry to see the world, so hopeful to press her feet within the sinking sand as it brought a smile to Antiope's lips.

"Tonight, I promise.."