Concerns of an Olympian

"You are a fool Athena," the goddess of love and beauty called from her throne.

Athena's head snapped up, and glared at the woman, "And why is that?"

Aphrodite smiled sadly. The throne room and long since been emptied, as all of them had left to the party that Dionysus and Apollo were hosting, and by the sounds of it, it was quite the party, "I am not blind, Athena." The grey-eyed goddess of wisdom met Aphrodite's chocolate brown eyes, "And neither are they."

"And what, child of the Ouranos, are you not blind to?" Athena responded.

"I am not blind to my domain," Aphrodite said simply before she got up and left the throne room leaving a somewhat miserable goddess to herself. There was a loud bang when the doors closed behind Aphrodite.

The goddess of battle strategy was left to her thoughts before a new voice disrupted her, "Athena?" The new voice was kind and did not sound like it had been holding up the sky.

"Artemis." Athena greeted in response leaning back into her throne.

"Will you not join the festivities?" Artemis inquired softly.

"I am not one for parties."

"Neither am I, yet I still find myself enjoying the company of my new lieutenant." Artemis responded cautiously, Athena was not one you wanted to anger.

"Yet you are not me," Athena shot back, her anger catching up to her.

Silver eyes widened at the sudden hostility from the usually serene wisdom goddess, yet the goddess of the hunt was prideful and hurt, "I'm not sure what I've done to call out your anger, but whatever it is I apologize. I'll just go."

"You know what you did," Athena snarled from her throne as she watched the lithe form disappear into the doors she came from.

Before she left, Artemis paused, one hand on the golden door, half of her body already leaving, "No, Athena, I really don't."

The stormy grey eyes looked around the room for anyone else before she disappeared from sight, she needed peace and quiet. She needed to be away from her family. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite fast enough, and Apollo managed to call her attention before she could disappear.

"I heard what you said to my sister," Apollo said coldly, "I do not appreciate it."

"It has nothing to do with you, therefore it should not concern you. Leave it alone, Apollo."

"It is my business," the sun god hissed, "Particularly since the insulter happens to have feelings for my sister."

"I do not have feelings for your sister," Athena denied quickly, too quickly causing the sun god to scoff in disbelief.

"I saw the way you looked at her when she returned from Atlas' imprisonment. I've seen the way you've looked at her for the past hundred years," Apollo said. His designer jeans and button up light blue shirt seemed to glow slightly.

"And yet you've done nothing," Athena replied, seeing no need to lie to the god of truth.

Apollo nodded his agreement, "I don't have to."

Athena said nothing in response opting to stare at the immortal god of medicine before finally replying, "If the family is quite done lecturing me about my feelings, then may I please retire?"

"Retire and do what?" Apollo said crossing his arms in front of his chest attempting to look slightly menacing.

The goddess waved him off, "Don't try Apollo, if we were to fight, you would lose."

"No matter what I do to anger you," Apollo said, "You will never fight me. Not while you still care for my little sister." Athena sighed and slumped into her throne, this was true. Apollo let out a groan of complain, "I'll help you a little bit." Apollo said deciding to be merciful, if those two did partake in relationship it would be to the benefit of all.

Athena perked up and gazed warily at the smiling sun god, "How so?"

"Simple. I'll give you a bit of advice." Apollo paused, "But first! A haiku!"

Artemis is weird

She values really strange things

Be something she values

Athena raised a single perfect eyebrow, "That last one was six syllables."

Apollo went through it counting off the syllables on his figures, "Oh darn! Maybe we could try-"

"Good night Apollo." Athena inserted smoothly before getting off her throne and walking away from the concentrating god.

-o-

So the brat survived, Athena thought in irritation, and my daughter has fallen for him. She burrowed her eyebrows in thought, I'm not sure if I should be happy we survived or disappointed.

"Still nothing?" Hermes teased, distracting Athena from her thoughts, as he and Apollo headed through familiar golden doors.

"I must agree," Hephaestus deep voice said, "It really is becoming tiresome." As he also left, Aphrodite on his arm.

Athena's confusion must have shown on her face as when Hera and Poseidon passed her they laughed and Hera said, "Anytime dear. Maybe we'll leave you two alone for awhile." The rest of her family passed her with similar remarks, however, Artemis stayed behind. She was slumped in her throne and looked close to crying. Being in a twelve-year old's body, she looked quite pitiful.

"Artemis?" Athena called softly.

"So many are dead," Artemis whispered, "Is this what it's like to have children?"

"Artemis.." Athena replied and walked up to the moon goddesses' silver throne.

"I must go ask Uncle Hades for permission to enter his domain," Artemis said brokenly, "I must apologize for failing them. For being unable to help defend Olympus."

"You did help defend Olympus You slowed down Typhoon." Athena consoled jumping on to one of the arm rest of Artemis' throne and wrapping an arm around the tween's sobbing form.

"Not enough," Artemis replied miserably.

"I was not able to think of a strategy to help defeat Typhoon, I left my children to defend my throne when I have given them nothing of substantial value. Yet they did, they defended me valiantly." Athena paused, "If anything, I should be more upset than you."

"Perseus is a good man," Artemis said wiping her face, "He is the best Annabeth can do."

"Are you saying my daughter is not good enough for any other man?" Athena asked, her stormy grey eyes narrowing dangerously.

Artemis shook her head, "You misunderstand. Perseus will always stand by Annabeth, no matter what it might cost him. He will never betray her in anyway if he can help it. He is humble, he thought of her when he denied our offer to become a god, not many would do that. In this generation of mortals and perhaps immortals, he is the best."

"High praise from a maiden goddess," Athena commented, internally burning with jealously.

Artemis inhaled sharply, "I have no romantic interest in him. I have no interest in men."

"Perhaps women then?" Athena asked, "It is not unheard of, I have had many female lovers in the past. I am sure Aphrodite has as well."

"I'm sure she has," Artemis said in response her nose wrinkling in general dislike of the love goddess, "I have only interest in one person."

"Lucky person." Athena breathed.

"Mmm." Silver met grey, "Indeed they are." Athena did nothing, afraid to ruin her current friendship with Artemis. Unwilling to ruin anything existent when she yearned for more.

"I should go," Athena whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Probably." Artemis agreed, "however, for the sake of getting our mind off of the carnage that wreaked havoc on our home, would you like to come Hunting with me? I don't believe we've ever gone together."

"Hunting has never really been my thing," Athena confessed, "I'm willing to try new things though."

I think I'm good here. Let me know what you thought. I have every intention of this being a one-shot, but there might be a very short sequel in the future. And by short, I mean like 1000 words.

Disclaimer - I do not own nor claim to own any form of Percy Jackson or any related series written by Rick Riodran.