There were many guards on Themyscira, guards that patrolled the beaches at night, guards that patrolled the grounds of the queens palace, and of course guards inside the palace to protect the Queen and Princess Diana. Guard duty was shared amongst the warriors; a variety of women would take their patrols on each night, at different times and shifts, and tonight inside the palace it was the turn of Philippus to watch over the royal family.
Philippus was a favourite of Queen Hippolyta's; in fact the two had been having a physical relationship with each other for several years. It was common knowledge on the island that the two of them were lovers though it had seemed an eternity coming to fruition. They had had feelings for each other for an age, long before they had come to Themyscira, but they had never admitted it to each other. Philippus in particular found it hardest to come to terms with her feelings and after their successful revolt against man it had only gotten harder for her. Knowing that she had lain with Zeus and seeing her grow thick with his child was almost unbearable for her to watch. But, even if she couldn't love Hippolyta as her partner she would always love her as her Queen, and so she trained, and became strong, and she became one of Themysciras fiercest protectors.
Everything changed once Diana was born; the queen wanted every Amazon to know that even though she alone had birthed her Diana belonged to every woman on the island. She was the child of Themyscira and their princess and when Hippolyta saw how her fellow Amazons took to the baby so easily and how much they loved her and vowed to protect her it made Hippolyta open herself up to love again. Of course Philippus was the one she chose for that honour and even though the dark skinned Amazon knew that Diana would always be the Queens greatest love she gladly took second place in Hippolyta's heart.
The child was four now, well in mortal years anyway, time moved differently on Themyscira, and the little girl was getting smarter and stronger every day. She knew her mother and Philippus had a relationship just like the one her Aunt Antiope had with Menalippe, and even if she didn't understand the physical parts of their respective relationships yet she understood that they all cared for each other deeply, and since Philippus was such a major part of Diana's young life she had taken to calling the queens lover "Mama Phil".
All was quiet that night as Philippus patrolled the halls of the palace, the queen had put little Diana to bed hours ago and the two adults had enjoyed some time together in bed before Philippus had gone on duty. She smiled to herself as she remembered holding the queen in her arms after making love earlier that evening; it was always a pleasure to be bedded by the queen and even more so to make her quake beneath her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden noise from the kitchens of the palace, a shriek, then a clang of metal against stone, so Phillipus hurried to find the source of the disturbance, grabbing a dagger from the sheath at her side and holding it up she burst through the door to the kitchens.
"Diana? "What are you doing child?" She asked, seeing the little girl on her hands and knees dabbing at a puddle on the floor with a cloth. Diana gasped and scrambled to her feet, seeing the dagger in Philippus's hand had frightened her so the amazon quickly put it away.
"Diana?" Philippus asked again, stepping toward her. The front of her nightdress was all wet; it looked like she had spilt water all over herself.
"I was thirsty" the little girl said, "I wanted a drink of water but I couldn't reach" She pointed to the big table in the middle of the room, one used for preparing food and where a water jug was usually kept. "I spilt it…..I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" Diana said, with a worried look on her face.
Philippus smiled at her, which immediately set the girl at ease. "It's alright Diana, you're not in trouble" she said. "Here….." she picked up Diana and sat her on the table, "Let me help you". The amazon refilled the water jug and poured Diana a cup to drink before she cleaned up the spill she had made on the floor.
"Where's my mama?" Diana asked as she finished her drink, knowing that wherever Philippus was her mother would usually be there too.
"She's fast asleep in bed, where you should be" Philippus told her, smiling at the memory of what the two had shared earlier, and how beautiful she had looked as she had left her sleeping in the firelight of her bedchambers "Your mother wouldn't want you awake at this hour child".
"But I was thirsty" Diana reminded her as she swung her legs out playfully under the tabletop.
"I know, it's…never mind. Come on, let's get you back into bed" The amazon told her, picking her up off the table and setting her down on the floor.
"Will you tuck me in?" Diana asked her with a smile, holding her hand out to the older woman.
"Of course child" Philippus told her, taking her hand and leading her out of the kitchen, down the long hallways, and back to her own cosy bedchamber. "You've got your nightdress wet, let me find you a dry one" she said as she sat Diana on her bed before searching her wardrobe.
Philippus had often helped Hippolyta put Diana to bed when she was very tiny and it was some of her most treasured memories of her life with the Queen. Occasionally Hippolyta had brought Diana into the bed with them when she wouldn't settle in her cot.
"She sleeps so much better when she's with us" Hippolyta had said one night, watching over the sleeping infant between them.
"I see that too" Philippus said "It's because she knows she's safe and loved. I pray she will never know suffering"
They never knew if it was the added warmth of her mother's body, the skin contact or just having the two women close to her but it always seemed to be easier for Diana to fall asleep when she was in the bed with her mother and Philippus. The two older women enjoyed it too; it was so nice having their little girl close by, even if it did take some time for her to settle.
Philippus brought out another nightdress for Diana and helped her pull the wet one over her head, "Arms up" she said, and Diana obeyed. Having Philippus help her was nothing new to Diana, she was completely at ease with having her help her get dressed, as much at ease as if it was her own mother doing it. Besides, she wouldn't have remembered but Philippus had changed her nappies before now, so this was nothing to the Amazon or the child.
After that Philippus put Diana into bed and tucked the blankets around her, making sure she was safe and warm again, and stroking her hair gently for good measure. She loved that little girl as if she was her own; most of the Amazons on the island felt the same way as she.
"Mama Phil, do you love my Mama?" Diana asked, looking up at the other woman
"Such a question child!" Philippus said, somewhat taken aback. "Yes…I do" She told her sincerely. "In my entire existence I've never loved anyone as I love your mother, I'd follow her into Tartarus if she willed it. Now, will you please go back to sleep?"
"Kiss first" Diana said, pointing to her forehead, to which Philippus leaned over and kissed the little girl goodnight.
Diana smiled and closed her eyes, snuggling up to fall back to sleep. "Night night Mama Phil" she said dozily.
"Night Night little one" Phillipus told her, "And may the Gods bless your dreams".
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