It was a dark night like many before; only this was different. The winds howled an echoing cry from the heavens. Artemis wrapped herself in her arms, and tears stream upon her pale cheeks. She longed for what many of the divinities had. A lover of sorts to call her own. Sere, her loyal friend, was a meddling nymph whom wished her friend happiness. She flew down from the moon into a valley, calling out to her sisters, "My sisters, my sisters, I need your help. My friend is lonely and in need of companionship." Nymphs flew out from under the trees, whispering and chatting.
"And why, sister Sere, should we help yet another mere mortal you've befriended?" One of the eldest Nymphs sneered, tone full of loathing. Sere fluttered her wings nervously as she tried to get them to listen.
"Artemis is no mortal, m'lady. She is a Goddess full of sorrow, and whose lamentation has reached the ears of Mother Earth." The Nymph pleaded with her sisters who, upon hearing it was a Goddess, seemed more willing.
"Even if it's truly a goddess whom we are to help, what will we be getting out of this?" Another spoke up, frowning. Nymphs have always been selfish creatures, taking what they want without consequence; however, when it came to the Gods they were cautious, knowing that if they wronged one a terrible fate would seize them.
Sighing at their selfishness, Sere pleaded once more, "Artemis, the Goddess of all the wild life and the moon we love to dance under... Do you see her now?" She pointed to the half moon, "Her desolation has caused her to fade, soon we will have no moon nor animals." Some gasped while others frowned.
A group came forward, "What must we do to prevent this?" Sere smiled, thankful that at least some wished to help her friend, even if it was for a selfish reason.
"We must search for those worthy of her affection. Spread the word among animals and woman to find her a love." The Nymphs all nodded, all flying in opposite directions in a hunt for the perfect one for Artemis.
Up upon Mt. Olympus's pinnacle stood a male dressed for battle. It was Ares, the God of War. He had heard the rumors of Artemis looking for her male counterpart. He growled in anger believing she had not given him even a second thought. He snarled viciously; then he smirked, "I will prove to her my worthiness, and she will fall for me. . . Perhaps Cupid will help me." He hummed as he turned and traveled down to the center of Olympus where he found Cupid speaking with his lovely mother, Aphrodite. She smiled at him and bid farewell to her son, leaving them alone. While approaching the God of Love, he grinned with a chuckle, "Cupid, it has been a while since we talked, has it not?"
The God frowned slightly and gave him a skeptical look, "Yes, it has been. What is it I can do for you?" He faced him, placing a subtle hand on his hip. Ares smiled, and he slowly began to circle him.
"Well, I was hoping you would know if the rumors of Artemis were true." He uttered cruelly with a grin. He circled Cupid, almost like a predator would. The God of Love frowned, strongly disliking the tone the other male took. Sadly, he knew he could not lie to the other God on the matter.
"Yes, they are true. She longs for a lover and companion, but you should be warned. Any who wish to court the Moon must first bare the heat of the Sun." He looked up as he spoke, hoping that the thought of fighting Apollo would deter the man from pursuing Artemis. Unfortunately, the challenge seemed to have given the War God an idea. Ares smiled at the other, a devious gleam shining in his eyes, and he left the other in Olympus.
Many nights had passed since his encounter with Cupid; he was now putting his plan into action, the night of the full moon. He waited till nightfall, in hopes of catching a moment with the Goddess who was the moon. When he did see her, however, he was in awe of her joyless beauty. Her tears fell like rain, passing through the clouds above and hitting Mother Earth. Her mournful cries snapped him out of his stupor, yet he stood there still, admiring her from below. 'She's beautiful when she cries,' he couldn't help but think. With a gentle smile, he made his way to her with the help of his grim vultures. Passing through the clouds, he felt one of her tears splash into his face. It was cold as ice. 'How long would one have to yearn and hurt for their tears to be so cold?' He could not help but wonder. Once he had reached her, he called out softly. She whipped her head around in surprise as she took in his image. She glanced down, noticing a flower in his hand, but not just any flower. It was two roses, A white* one and a red** one, intertwined*** together.
One of the Nymphs below had watched as the God went to entice Artemis. She bit her lip and fled the valley in search of Apollo. 1 She had found him about to raise the sun, and she quickly told him of what she had seen. Furious at the thought of that fiend trying to woe his sister, he drove the sun to fight him off.
The scene that welcomed him made him hot under the collar. Ares held a softly crying Artemis in his arms, stroking her soft hair, which had the two roses braided into it. In a fit of red hot fury, he ripped Artemis from the man's arms. Angered by the fact he was no longer holding his beloved, he lashed out with his blade, striking Apollo's upper arm. He hissed in pain and dropped his sister who scurried away as she looked on the fighting with a whimper of fear. Apollo jumped away and lifted his bow, aiming for Ares. He fired off a shot that nicked him in the thigh, making the God of War wince. As their battle raged on, the ground slowly became drenched in each other's blood, painting the moon crimson. At some point during the battle Ares had managed to land a near fatal blow, and had Apollo been mortal he would be dead. He slumped to the ground in defeat. The other God, proud at having subdued the other, turned to face Artemis with a triumphant grin. However, it was that split second that Apollo needed. He grabbed Ares and yanked him back with him to the sun, dragging him along as he drove far away from his sister. Her anguished cries of being refused someone who wanted her echoed after them. Her tears washed away the blood, slowly cleansing the moon till it was once more pure and cold, nothing but a shining beauty no one dared to touch.
Legend says that every time the moon bleeds red, it is Apollo and Ares fighting for Artemis. One fights to protect her from the violence and anguish of war; the other for her undying love and devotion. After each battle she weeps for them, one being unattainable and the other for refusing her a lover. And thus explains the blood moon, or an 'eclipse' of two kinds of love, the romantic kind and protective kind.
* A white rose means "I am worthy of you."
** A red rose means "I love you."
*** When given red and white roses together they signify unity, and when two roses are intertwined it means "Marry me."