Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of the characters mentioned below.
Non-official disclaimer: I haven't written for a very long time so I sincerely apologies for the not-very-up-to-standard writing but I had to start somewhere.
"My lady, it has been a long time since you've last visited," Thalia mentions casually without turning around as she brushes her hair, her eyes lingering on a pair of scissors as she contemplated if she should cut her hair again.
"And your senses are as sharp as ever," Lady Artemis replied, striding over to take a seat at the centre of Thalia's camp. "There is something I need to discuss with you, a misunderstanding I hope you could clear up, if you please."
At this, Thalia turned to face Artemis, confusion evident in her eyes. "Misunderstanding, my lady? Is there something I have done wrongly?"
"Well," Artemis smirks a little, letting out a small chuckle, "Everything, if we are comparing how you manage the camp as compared to the highly traditional style Zoe Nightshade had used to manage the huntress. Although it's about time we had an upgrade and it is not this that I have come to discuss." She paused for a moment, as though unsure how to continue (a little strange, considering the fact that she is goddess despite how young she may appear). "It has come to my notice that the hunters now 'return' to Connecticut every few weeks and the huntress have an ongoing rumour."
"Rumour…" Thalia blinked, surprise. The way the goddess said it hinted clearly that it wasn't just any rumour. It was the rumour. The ultimate treachery that the huntresses love to suspect others of committing. "That I'm visiting a boy?"
"Quick, as usual, my lieutenant. Indeed, they seem to think that you return rather emotional from your 'visits' and the most common idea is that you have an on-off affair with a boy."
Despite the serious tone that the goddess had addressed her with, Thalia burst out laughing. "Did we recently recruit a daughter or legacy of Aphrodite?" she snorted, doubling over with laughter at the thought of it. "I am not Lady Artemis, and I am sure you would know if it was otherwise. I have, however, yet to ask if you do have an issue with the huntress setting camp in Connecticut every other week? There is an impressive number of monsters appearing here every since the gods have started claiming their children and the influx of demigod had caught the attention of the monsters as well." Thalia reasoned, pulling herself up to deliver her message as convincingly as possible
"I cannot deny that, but I would still need to know who you have been visiting. It is, well, another unusual practise for the huntress to set semi-permanent camps after all. I've heard that there are medical supplies actually being kept here and there are 'trainings' that are being carried out here as well."
Thalia frowned as they fall into a rather sensitive topic she'd much rather not bring up. The worst part is that she couldn't really tell Artemis' take on the topic from her tone as Artemis had kept her tone fairly ambiguous and she couldn't gauge what stand would be a good one to take. Well, honest it is then. "May Castellan is… the closest thing I have to a parent I suppose, with my mother… deceased, I have been visiting her. It's just a way I pay homage to my lost friend, if that is not an issue with you, my lady. The medical supplies are kept at, well, my old safehouse - one that, Annabeth, Luke and I built that is since I figured it allows us to travel faster if we packed light. About the training, there hasn't been time to request permission with how busy the huntress have been recently after the war but many of us have entertained the idea of holding 'training' for new huntress, especially for those who do not know how to fight yet. Our idea is not to have a repeat Bianca, my lady, if you will allow it, of course."
Artemis pondered for a moment as Thalia awaited her verdict. Sometimes, Artemis wonders if she gives Thalia too much leeway for she is her half-sister and she is more sentimental than she lets on. But Thalia had the aptitude, steadily improving the huntress strength and numbers since she has taken over, and has been able to reason out all her actions well enough that it is fair to let her get away with it. Her actions are a little unusual, very different and slightly advantageous to what Thalia wanted to do, but ultimately still an improvement for the huntress. After a while, Artemis makes her decision, giving a 'go-ahead' sign as she stands, preparing to leave.
Artemis sometimes forgets how informal Thalia can be, especially when she is reasoning her actions so coherently, but the youth of her newest lieutenant hits her again as she sees the girl breaks into a wide smile, declaring, "You're the best, my lady! Thank you!" She did not jump out of her seat nor did she do any sort of a victory dance but Artemis could almost imagine her struggling to stop herself from doing so in front of the goddess. Smiling slightly, she steps out of the tents and heads over to talk to her other huntress. She needs to get to know them after all, since there have been so many new ones.
"Ms Castellan!" Thalia calls, knocking the door before letting herself in. She wonders what she will be dealing with this time. Her experience with May Castellan are often random and difficult to predict but they generally fall into three category - talking to her about how proud she was of her son as though they were complete strangers, talking to her as though she was Luke and being fully aware that she was talking to Thalia.
The first was, in a way, the least painful because she would ramble about how cute Luke was and talk and blissful, happy tone and Thalia would almost be glad because she has gone through so much emotional trauma she was glad she could be happy every once in awhile. Yet Thalia feels upset when she remembers that her joy was not long-lived and existed solely because her madness allows her to forget sometimes. Occasionally, Thalia wonders if it would be good for her to take a dip and Lethe and just forget the pain that she has been going through.
Talking to Thalia as though she was Luke, however, often scared Thalia more than she would like to admit. It reminded her of far too many uncomfortable situations that she sometimes wish she could forget She remembers how Luke would steal kool-aid and chocolate cookies with that cheeky smile. She remembers how he would steal her a cheeseburger along with it because "everybody should get their favourite meal". She is reminded that this was what Luke had to go through before he was old enough to even understand it and she couldn't imagine how he could have lasted so long at such a young age when May Castellan's fit scares her even now. The most unnerving, was that she is reminded of her own mother in her drunken fits, except that May Castellan rambles clearly declares her love for her son and displays how much she cares. Thalia couldn't decide if she despairs that her mother doesn't care or that she is upset that Luke's mother cares but couldn't express it well. The irony that of how the people who can care don't care yet the people who can't tries so hard doesn't fly past her and it upsets her more than she had expected it to.
The last scenario was often her favourite. She wasn't aware that Luke had went to his mother one last time, and although she learns that it was only to gain her blessing to gain the blessing of Achilles, she is glad that he stays long enough to talk to his mother a little. Long enough to fill her in at least a little about his travels, about camp and apparently, about her and Annabeth. She had gotten a shock the first time Ms Castellan had looked her in the eye and said, "Well, you're not blonde, so I assume you're Thalia then?" It has never occurred to her that Luke would ever talk about either of them when they have drifted so far apart in the time that she was unable to prevent it from happening, yet it warms her heart more than it should. Nevertheless, it was these times that she could hold conversations with Ms Castellan about Luke, about Annabeth, about camp, about the huntress, but they generally avoided the topic about Kronos and the war and disregards it as though it has not, or maybe in May Castellan's mind, will not occur.
When she is met with silence, and enters the dining room with Ms Castellan sitting quietly at the table, staring into space, she supposes that luck is on her side and that maybe it will be the third scenario today. But her mind changes immediately, as she sees the silent tears that are streaking down her face despite the fact that the lady is almost completely silent save for her quiet breathing. It's as though she is too tired to cry anymore and the sight depresses Thalia. Unsure how to handle the new situation, she toes quietly to the seat across Luke's mother and sits herself down. "What is the matter, Ms Castellan?" she wants to ask but the words don't come out. It seems so detached to ask a question like that, yet she doesn't know how she should phrase it to show her concern. Before she could bring herself to ask anything, May Castellan lifted her head to stare at her, her expression pained. "Luke's gone, isn't he?" she had whispered, so soft, as though if nobody hears her, perhaps it will not be true.
Gripped with a sudden fear of uncertainty towards how to face the situation, Thalia is only reminded once again of why Luke had ran away from this place. She doesn't know how to answer as much as she doesn't like to admit that her best friend had left far too young. Eyeing her shoes, she could only nod as her throat clogs up and she finds herself unable to say anything more. She couldn't tell his mother what had happened or how he had died. She couldn't convey any last words or answer if he was happy before he died. She couldn't tell her how much he had regretted or how strong he was. Because even though Luke is her best friend, she simply wasn't there, and hasn't been there for the last nine years of his life. For all she remembers about how much she had loved her best friend, she doesn't know what he was like anymore because he had grown up without her and she hates it. She hates that she knows nothing of her best friend anymore and everybody else seems to know more than she does.
Perhaps that was why she had always come here, because as much as she had known that Luke hated the place, it made her feel like maybe she still knew Luke. She was grateful that Ms Castellan didn't seem to demand an answer from her and they had simply sat there, Thalia wasn't sure for how long. She wasn't aware of when she had started crying either, until she felt her arms snake around Thalia, pulling her into an embrace. "I miss Luke too," she whispers and Thalia sobs. Waves of nostalgia hits her and it is as though that statement has given her permission to miss her best friend and released the suppressed sentiments the she has had for so, so long.