Raven Blade: Philia and Storge Entombed

By: Ryu Niiyama

There it was again.

The tension that would sometimes enter Nubia's shoulders, the wariness, like she'd forgotten whom she was speaking with and now she remembered and had to be on guard. The joy that had suffused her as she talked about her beloved Sophie Moore was slowly leaking away, being replaced by a clumsy distance and hesitancy that Diana wanted no part of.

Diana hated to see it and she was determined to eradicate it. Nubia was her twin, the sister denied to her by Ares' scheming, her other half that would have made growing up as princesses of the Amazons far less lonely. Nubia sometimes seemed confused that Diana wanted to be near her and that she longed for a blood sibling relationship, rather than merely the close camaraderie of being Amazons and sisters in arms.

Hippolyta had lied to them both, perhaps out of shame, haunted by the fact that she could not rescue one daughter and still needing to raise the other. But Ares raised Nubia in his world, filled with cynicism and Diana admitted that since Man's world fell under Ares' sway and not Athena's there was some merit to Nubia's hesitancy, but she would not see her love for her sibling turned into a weapon against her. She suspected that there was another reason as well that had long silenced their mother: Phillipus. The relationship between the Queen of the Amazons and her Captain of the Guard was the worst kept and most ridiculous secret on Themyscira. They had been together for centuries, but Hippolyta would not announce it for fear of being accused of favoritism, as Phillipus served her as Queen's Protector and Polemarch. Of course, their mother would have fashioned a daughter based upon the features of the woman she had loved for so long. From what she could glean over time, Phillipus had distanced herself from Hippolyta as a lover when Diana was born, believing she had been betrayed. Despite that, her loyalty remained as strong as ever and she retained her position as the Queen's Protector. After Ares absconded with Nubia, shame that she could not save the child formed in her beloved's image forced Hippolyta to silence and acceptance.

Despite believing that she had been cast aside and that Diana was the product of Hippolyta's infidelity, no one had been more loyal or loving towards Diana than Phillipus. Both stern and doting, Diana had always considered Phillipus as her other mother and in meeting Nubia she learned that such a feeling was more than a child's gratitude. If the Amazons save Diana and Nubia had been formed from the souls of women cruelly slain by men, then Hippolyta must have been a great artisan before she met her tragic end in her previous life.

It was not obvious when Diana was alone, but with Nubia to compare herself to, it was obvious that Hippolyta had not merely created daughters, one in her own image and the other in Phillipus'. The cut of Diana's jaw was lifted from Phillipus wholesale and Nubia often smiled the same slightly crooked smile that Hippolyta did when they were quietly amused. They had been fashioned to be daughters of Hippolyta and Phillipus in truth, with the expectation that they would be raised by their mothers. Diana had grown under the guidance of Phillipus and Hippolyta both and her heart ached that Nubia had been denied that love. Naïve as it may be, she wanted nothing more than to make her family whole again; no more secrets, no more distance. Of course, Nubia had always been the staider one between them, but if she pushed enough, she could make her sister face the Trojan Horse in the room.

Nubia set her mouth in a frown, her annoyance clear as day and Diana nearly flinched at how much she mirrored Hippolyta in this moment. She had certainly seen that particular look more than enough times to have it committed to memory and she supposed that she must have gotten her sense of humor from Phillipus. Still, Diana of Themyscira would not be waylaid as she prodded at Nubia's patience a little more. "I deserve more than your disdain, my sister."

Nubia crossed her arms and Diana had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the sight. Nubia's self-imposed distance often reared up to bite her when she wanted to lecture Diana, but because she resolved to ignore their ties, she had to treat her as the sole Princess of Themyscira. Diana had hated the formality as a child, but adherence to protocol was something that Phillipus did even upon pain of death so she wasn't surprised to see Nubia unconsciously mimic it. However, since Nubia wanted to pretend that she didn't possess the same birthright, it allowed Diana to take further liberties in prodding her sister that Nubia would have to acknowledge their linage in order to dismiss her outright. Not that Diana was actually looking for Nubia to do that…her sister had a wicked right cross.

"You deserve?"

"Yes, I deserve. You punish me for actions beyond my control. I did not separate us my sister, Ares did."

Nubia inhaled sharply, annoyed that Diana seemed insistent on pursuing a familial relationship no matter how many times she rebuffed her. Man's world was under Ares' sway and as such they would never accept two sisters that looked as dissimilar as they did. The Amazons would accept her as a sister in arms but never as a princess, for being raised by Ares made her an outsider. Diana hunted heartbreak in trying to bind them and Nubia had seen enough of that in her lifetime.

"My father-"

"-Our father, if his claims are true and I doubt them, is a monster. I don't care that Ares raised you, via brainwashing might I remind you, he took you from your home, from your family…and I will not forgive him for that. However, I will also not allow you to push me away for that either. Judge those of Man's world to behave by its tenets, but do not expect such behavior from me. You are my sister, my twin, and I love you. Your joys are my joys, your sorrow is my sorrow. You say that you have found love, then I will celebrate it with you! If this woman is to be your chosen then she has a right to meet our mothers, both of them, and to visit our home. She has a right to join our family, and I will greet her as such, the same as I greet you."

Nubia sighed, turning away from the earnestness burning within bright blue eyes. Diana's exploits as a diplomat and warrior in Man's world had tempered her naivete, but she still insisted upon this hopeless fantasy. Yet a part of her longed for it as well and she hated that Diana was so good at needling that part of her that she'd thought she'd buried centuries ago. Yet she supposed she shouldn't be surprised, in opening her heart to her dearest Sophie, she found herself longing for the other aspects of love that had been long denied her. Smirking she turned back to her sibling, refusing to acknowledge the triumph that now lit her face.

"I see that arrogance of yours has not washed away with time, Diana."

Diana laughed with full mirth, acknowledging the times her own arrogance had handed victory to Nubia in battle despite their near equal strength. Nubia would passionate, but she fought with a clear head…more like Phillipus in that way than Diana had ever been.

"At least I once again speak with words of Aphrodite, eh Nubia?"

"That you do." Diana positively glowed as she saw the wistful smile curl her sister's lips, proud that she put it there even if it was at her own expense. Yet her sister's ever assessing mind drew a pensive frown to her beautiful features almost immediately. Nubia shook her head, the sadness in her gaze taking that prior warmth Diana felt and twisted it like a dagger. "Yet you seem to forget that Phillipus knows nothing of our bonds."

Diana nodded, injecting a bit of mischief into her voice as she reached out a hand to place it over her sister's, pleased that for once she didn't immediately move away. "I'm working on that."

Nubia rolled her eyes in mirth and Diana fought to tame her own smile at the sight. "Gods help us all. Fine, I'm having dinner with Sophie in two days at 7. I'm cooking, so you can help me with the groceries." Ancient as they both were, they were still the youngest of the Amazons and Diana fought back the urge to wiggle in her seat in excitement at the olive branch offered. Instead, with calm that she didn't feel she nodded affectionately towards her now blushing sister.

"Well, it is serious then."

"I feel like I'm going to regret this." The sting to Nubia words was sweetened by the soft smile that curved her lips and Diana found herself wanting to echo it briefly, charmed at how soft her sister looked as she thought of her beloved. Still, the urge to needle her sister coaxed mischief to her heart and she frowned playfully.

"Hmm, well you always speak to me as if you were the elder of the two of us so I am just performing my solemn duty as your younger sibling by being annoying." The brief, affectionate scowl that lit Nubia's face briefly was worth the slight to her character in Diana's opinion.

"Speaking of which, have you spoken to Io yet?"

Diana hummed softly in the back of her throat as thoughts of her own heart's desire danced across her thoughts. "Your attempt to change the subject is obvious, my sister. Still, I have never met a more difficult woman to court." She leaned back in the chair, pursing her lips as longing and affectionate frustration coiled about her, unaware of Nubia's assessing and slightly commiserating gaze.

"Io is gentle and shy, no matter what her trade as a weapons-smith suggests. Your more recent conquests have likely driven her heart further in hiding." Of course, such a view point was relative as Diana hadn't taken a lover since Steve Trevor and they hadn't shared more than a kiss, but she had to admit that Nubia had a point. Io had always been reticent due to her personality, but after Diana made a connection with Trevor…even her friendship with Io buckled under the weight of the smith's loyal deference to her Princess. Diana rarely admitted floundering in her own emotions but the seemingly unscalable wall around Io's heart had left her at wits end.

"Is this the part where you give me some sage advice?"

Nubia arched an elegant eyebrow, her soft umber eyes assessing and amused. "Would you accept it?"

"Honestly at this point, yes. I have longed for her for decades, but she only looks at me with reverence. Any attempt to petition her heart is met dutiful resistance or purposeful obliviousness."

Nubia nodded in understanding, gesturing with her hands in a way that reminded Diana so strongly of "Your love is not unrequited, Diana. Anyone with eyes can see how Io works diligently for your regard. Especially with your mission here, the bellows of her forge run at all hours to keep you protected. However, you must be patient-" She holds up a hand to halt Diana's protest "- I know you've given her decades- remind her that you are simply…Diana. That you are more than the Princess of the Amazons."

"Well, one of the Princesses anyway." Diana's smirk was smug.

"You are not going to drop this are you?" Nubia's sigh was long suffering.

"As you said…patience."

"Yep, gonna regret this."

Putting Nubia at 5'10" so that she matches Gal Godot in height. In Nubia's original incarnation she was billed as Diana's equal (although she has bested Diana in battle) so I'm trying to lean hard on that. While I am writing an overarching story, I'm sorta seeding clouds as it were while I work on the main story. As such these entries will be out of order.

R. Niiyama

1/2021