Historical note: whilst this story is clearly (my) fantasy, the only obvious liberty I've taken with Wonder Woman canon is the introduction of a number of young Amazons, and the idea that Diana is fated to be Wonder Woman, The story is set during the 1940's, but that won't matter for a while.
There are likely to be eight chapters of this.
Education of an Ambassador
Part One
It was only mid morning, and already I found myself lying across Aerial's lap.
Aerial was a giant of a woman; I was very nearly six feet tall myself, and yet, dangling over her knees, neither my hands nor my feet touched the floor.
She shifted her right leg a little, lifting my rear, covered only by my thin white tunic and a brief part of underpants, to present an even better target.
There came the twin noises of a spanking; the whoosh of her wooden-soled sandal through the air, and then the splat as it hit my bottom. Without a pause it came again, and four more times. I gritted my teeth against the sting, but did not react otherwise.
It was hardly the first time I'd felt Aerial's sandal.
I levered myself back to my feet, off Aerial's muscular thigh. Standing, she replaced the sandal on her desk, and looked at me.
"Back to your desk, Diana." I nodded and trudged back to my stool. It nested amongst my five classmates, and we returned to our work, the excitement temporarily over.
Classes on Paradise Island were held for those between the ages of 4 and 22 years; for the first 12 years, as our bodies developed, they were based around physical training, for, although we preached peace and love, we Amazons were a warrior race at heart, and we stood ready to defend ourselves.
At sixteen the emphasis shifted to philosophy, mathematics, literature and such intellectual pursuits; we did not neglect our bodies though, as 2 hours each day were set aside to further honing our skills.
We were a physical people, and traditional discipline was enforced on all those of school age in a physical fashion. My class had six 18 year old girls, full of high spirits, and less interested in theoretical learning than we should have been. Aerial found frequent opportunities to employ her sandal, and indeed, by lunchtime two of my classmate, Artemis and Mela, had journeyed to the front of the room for an excursion over her knee.
In truth the spankings did not hurt greatly, but the humiliation of being placed over teachers lap in public stung rather more.
We spent lunchtime as a group, eating grapes and drinking fresh cool water from one of Paradise Island's many bubbling streams; they trickled down from the mountain that is the centre of our home, cooled by the snow they initially passed through near its peak.
The afternoon classes passed with little incident, and we finished the day with archery practice. I loved to see those thin wooden shafts speed towards their target; I made and fletched all of my own arrows, and my bow was passed to me from my mother, Queen Hippolyta.
After archery I chatted with Artemis for a while, and then strolled ideally home.
I lived with my mother in the Palace; it was a fine marble building, sparkling in the late evening sun. I ran up the steps, and entered the throne room; Mother often finished her day there, signing whatever official documents needed confirmation.
She looked up as I entered. Oddly I thought she looked somehow older, and pained. She shifted in her seat.
"Diana, my darling. How are you?"
"Fine Mother. We finished with archery today. You know how I love that. How are you?"
She looked somewhat pensive. "Daughter, I am troubled."
"Why Mother? All seems to go well."
She sighed deeply, as though she had a difficult task ahead of her.
"Come sit with me. I must talk to you, seriously."
I went forward, and sat on the steps at the foot of her throne, my legs drawn up beneath me. The cool stone was pleasant on my bare legs beneath my tunic.
"Aphrodite came to me in a dream last night. She told me that, in years to come, we must send a representative out into Man's World. She will be our Ambassador, and she will stand as the defender of all women everywhere."
"But surely that is great news Mother?"
"She told me who the representative must be. It will be you, Diana."
I leapt to my feet and clapped with joy.
"Me! That is great news. I look forward to it already. When will I go?"
"Not for some years yet; we will receive a sign when it is time. Aphrodite will appear to me again so that the matter is sure.
"However that is not all she said, and she left me with three gifts as proof that I had not merely dreamt our meeting." So saying she reached down by her side, and lifted a rounded paddle, and a quivering switch.
"Diana, you are a good girl. Mostly. But you are wilful, and prone to lapses of concentration. You act too often without thought, or consideration. Partly this is as a result of your youth, but in large part it is because I have allowed you to be spoiled. You have always been a favourite around Court, and I fear that I have indulged you."
I did not think that I wanted the conversation to continue along these lines, so I tried to change the subject.
"But what are the three gifts that she left you? Surely you do not include those?" I nodded toward the paddle and the switch.
"These are the gifts that she left me, with instructions that I use them on you whenever you commit a fault. In future Aerial will provide a daily report on your behaviour and your progress; should it find fault with you I will spank or switch you.
"I realise that this may appear a draconian measure, but it is the will of the Gods, and it will ensure that you have matured sufficiently to represent us in Man's World."
I could not think of a sensible response to this; I was elated at the idea of seeing Man's World, and proud that I had been chosen by the Gods. I was not, however, keen on the method to be used to season me.
Something occurred to me.
"You said that there were three gifts. What was the third one?" Surely it was not some further tool to punish me!
The Queen shifted uncomfortably on her throne, and, of its own volition, her hand dropped to her rear, and rubbed gently.
"The third gift. She demonstrated the paddle and the switch on me, to remind me that your wildness is as a result of my inaction.
"Firstly she placed me over her knees and paddled me; then she bent me over the arm of my throne and switched me. I awoke this morning with a well beaten rear end, and it pains me still."
I could not suppress my amusement at this. The image of the Queen, regal in her floor length toga and with her tiara on her head, dangling across Aphrodite's knee like a naughty child, was too much. I snorted, and then laughed out loud.
The Queen fixed me with an evil eye.
"Perhaps we should try them out now?" she said, with an almost sweet tone to her voice. The danger in the room had a physical feel to it, looming like the mountain in the distance.
"Sorry Mother. I meant nothing by it. I'll go and do my homework now." Any excuse to escape her presence, before humour overtook me once more.
"Very well. Remember, we begin tomorrow. Do you homework well, and have a refreshing rest."
I left the room, shaking with suppressed mirth, and headed for my room.
End of Part One.
