AN: This is the first story I've done like this with Artemis in it. I'm having the first chapter of just a little background and the meeting. The next chapters are hopefully not short, though always ends that way. Hope you enjoy this.
All rights go to Rick Riordan, I only own Arete since I came up with the name and her background story.
And yes I know I need to finish my other stories, I've been feeling not that inspirational of late. Though I hope to get to them sooner or later.
~NicoDiAngeloLover7
CHAPTER 1: My Life
I was never supposed to be even born, though I am.
I have dark as night black hair, silver eyes, and slightly tan skin. I'm very skinny and agile for my age. I can run as fast as the wind without being heard or seen. I have always had a love for nature and just staring at the moon and stars.
I never knew my mother only that my whole entire life has been downhill for me. Never any happiness was I ever shown that I was actually loved. I hate my father and every other person for the torture they have put me though.
I'm not accepted anywhere, my home, school, or even this town.
I'm considered nobody, an outcast, not a care in the world.
What's my name, it's Arete Salena Alzynah.
The meaning of my name is simple, Arete means a woman of virtue. Salena means Moon Goddess in Greek, and Alzynah is Greek for Strong Minded, but it feels like I'm worthless.
This is the story of my sad, hopeless life. Only I never knew that it was about to get better than I could ever imagined.
My father is cruel, mean, and heartless, especially when it comes to concern me. Beating me if I did something wrong, which is to say everything. Blamed for everything that ever went wrong is his life.
He practically hates my guts and enjoys humiliating me at every chance he gets. Why do I have a family that just hates me so much? Is a family that actually loves and cares for too much to ask?
The only thing that I ever look forward to is Archery. I never knew why, but it helps to drive the aggressive I have inside out. I made the bow myself, which includes the arrows. Though somehow the arrows always seemed to glow silver and added to my confusion.
I was only told once that my mother loved the moon, nature, and especially hunting; but was killed by a lightning bolt after she was hit with a stray arrow during a hunt.
I was lucky I could even get that out of my dad, since he truly despises me, though I was only 5 at the time, I still have that one good memory. It is something I never wanted to forget. Though if my mother survived, would she love me or hate me like everyone else does?
Would my life change for the better if my mother lived? Would I even live with this monster I so call a father? If he is even my real father, which I really doubt. Let's hope that my hope always stays strong.
I never knew why I didn't have my father's name, but I am sure thankful for it.
CHAPTER 2: Wrongly Accused
Another hopeless day or torture, there were already bruises on my face, sides, and stomach. And it hurts every time I move. Men are truly cruel and careless about you. There is no man who wasn't deceitful to a woman; I've learned this from personal experience. It's already been 3 months since school started in mid August. I was surprised that nothing major happened in this time frame, but sadly that didn't last for very long.
I was at school and it was near the end of the day on the 23rd of November when called into the office. Directed to the principal's office to discover whatever the crime I was accused for this time.
I remember being shocked at what I was suspended for this time. I shouldn't be since I knew every member of Lancewell High hated me. What else was there to expect, but here I was accused for bring a dagger to school and threatening a student to kill him with it. This happened before last year, but he culprit wasn't dealt with. But I don't even own a dagger and I'm sure not the impulsive type to bring that kind of weapon to school just because everyone despises me. I know everyone hates me and there is never a moment where that's not a proven fact of the day. It's going to be joy when the male that I call my father finds outs. My breath quickens at the possibility of my father knowing, I quickly attempt to calm myself down and not draw attention.
I spent the remaining of the day, dreading to go home and find what awaited me there. Too bad I wasn't waiting in vain.
CHAPTER 3: The Punishment
I stared at the cherry wood door leading inside the disgusted piece of property that I call home. I was fidgeting and nervous for what was to come. I slowly pushed the door open to see faded gray walls and worn out brown carpet. He was standing across the poor version what we call a dining room. He has a predatory look in his bloodshot eyes that showed capability of even murder.
"Come here," he ordered.
I cautiously walked towards him until I stood right in front of him.
"I just received a call from that trash you call a school and what do they tell me," He says. I look down and stared at my feet so I didn't have to look at his face. "They tell me that you got suspended for having a dagger at that school, now where is it?"
"I don't have it," I muttered quietly but enough to be heard.
"I'll give you just one more chance, girl," he spat; "Where is the dagger?"
I stayed silent and did not speak. Then he grabbed my hair and pinned me to the wall while yelping in pain. "I gave you the chance to tell me, now you are going to get it. You are just lucky you weren't late getting home or this would be much worse for you."
He then threw me to the floor before into the wall; making a huge racket but he didn't care and neither did the neighbors. I swear I could here all of my bones screaming but I knew if I tried to scream, he would hurt me even more like always. I don't even know if that is even possible in the condition I am in right now. He then punched my stomach as I groaned, tears threatening to spill. I have a feeling I have a huge purplish bruise in the middle of my stomach. Oh boy. He grabbed his beer bottle sitting on the table and threw it a couple of inches away from my face. Thankfully, it didn't hit me. Instead, it shattered right beside me. Then kicking me in the leg for the last time before walking toward his couch, and he passed out.
I got up from the floor, and trudged to my bedroom walking slowly as possible. My legs felt like it was on fire as I walked into my room and started cleaning myself up. I had cleaned all the blood off of my face, arms, and anywhere else that was visible. I then added some medicine on my face to heal in a few hours. It burned as I flinched slightly. I then put some Band-Aids all over my arm so no one could see my bruises. I didn't want to risk that though; so I wore a long sleeves sweater to hide every inch of my flesh. This evidently caused more ruckus than imaginable. Then I paced to my room to lie on my bed hoping to get some sleep.
CHAPTER 4: Going Back To School
I became relieved when I went back to school, but it wasn't all in my favor. The suspension lasted for a week, which was literally hell for me. Usually when I was late coming come I'd receive a few kicks, a slap to the face, and punches. This surpassed the usual lateness by far; I always hated it when I became suspended for no reason. The rumors went around the school when they saw me; they were all far from the truth. I wasn't in a fight with a gang, kidnapped, or even in a car wreak. But not once did one person want to see or even listen to the real story. And that is the way that my father wants it, for nobody to believe me and think I'm lying to them. I got a few worried looks from teachers and students alike, but I just ignored them like I always did. I would always receive the normal dirty looks, which showed that they didn't approve me being in Lancewell High.
Honors English was boring as always, listening to the lecture of the book we had to read and do a report on. In Algebra II, the lesson was briefly went over and then doing the normal equations on it. Discussing the architecture in Ancient Greece and Rome in Ancient History. It was always the boring same old every day of the year. Of course I got shoved out of the way in the jam-packed hallways and into the lockers or even the wall between each class. Upon entering my house after a day of school, I was told to go directly to my room because he did not want to deal with me. I was very auspicious that I arrived early and not even a minute late.
CHAPTER 5: Finally Late
Two weeks later was the moment where I became unpunctual. I had a project due in English in a week and I was busy working on it in the school library before noticing the time. It was four 'o clock and school gets out at three-fifteen. The Librarian would hold on to the project for me while I then raced home. I eased the door of the house open and he was standing in the middle of the room with an enraged expression on his features and a beer in his hand.
"You're late, why?"
"I was working on a project for English," I spoke.
"No excuses!" He shouted. His raised voice made me jump, aiming a punch at my face. I fell back, clutching my throbbing cheek. 'Damn, he could hit hard!'
"What, no sorry?" he asked, aiming at my stomach this time. I dropped my hands to my stomach, doubling over.
"Sorry," I rasped. He pushed me back, slamming me into a wall. I hit it hard and slid down with a groan. "You'd better be," he said menacingly. "Or I'll…"
'Yes, I knew. He'd beat me within an inch of my life. It's been that way since I was young, ever since I knew he was my father.' I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the pain of the past memories. He finished off his beer and threw it at the wall above me. I winced as sharp glass shards rained down on my head. "You disgust me," he sneered. "Get out of my sight, you worthless piece of trash."
I slowly got up, and winced as several shards of glass got embedded in my hand. I limped down the hall to my small bedroom, where I fell on the bed, cheek, stomach, and hand hurting. I quickly examined my hand and pulled the glass out the best I could, trying the best of my ability not to cry out, and wrapped it in an old t-shirt to stop the blood. My cheek, well, there was nothing I could do about that. It was swollen and already bruising. I laid back down and shut my eyes as tears started rolling down my cheeks. 'Why me?' I thought. Why did I have to be born? It was a good question. If I hadn't been born, I wouldn't be alive. I wouldn't have to live the life I do. I wouldn't have to be beaten on almost a daily basis. Often I contemplated running away, escaping, but I could never bring myself to do it. I was a coward. I had nowhere to go, and I knew if I did run, he would probably just find me, and the consequences would be high. I had nothing, I had no one, and I was utterly and completely alone.
At school I kept on a mask. I didn't tell anyone what was going on at home, and I didn't let anyone know the real me. Everyone thought I was just a girl seeking for trouble with ingenious intelligence. Nobody has ever heard a word about what goes on in my life. And so, with that, I fell asleep with the same thoughts whirling around in my head. Why me? Why me? Why me…
CHAPTER 6: Getting the Nerve to Run Away
The school year had a month left and I already passed the tenth grade. I was already exempt from all my classes; there really was no need to take them until the next year. But it was better than being at home.
I was late again getting home and got the usual slap, though when kicked I felt a few bones break in my arm and leg and held in the scream. After he was finished he spat at my broken body and said, "Worthless excuse for a human being." I couldn't take this much longer, I need to get away from this place and life. So I mustered up my courage and finally ran away. I brought my bow and arrows with me, determined to leave this life behind and start anew.
I've been gone for now almost a month, I was the happiest I ever been in my entire life. I literally lived in the woods, a place that felt like the home I never had. I made sure there was distance between my old lives, so I would never again meet my past. Even though I killed animals for food, some of the animals were beautiful creatures. For the first time in a year I had an encounter with a human. After being alone in the woods for all that time, I was to be at my top guard and not trusting until proven they had earned my trust.
CHAPTER 7: More Familiar Than You Know
A woman was standing in front of me and graciously holding a silver, steel bow and silver arrows in her hands that matched her eyes. A beautiful silverfish-blue silk dress that when to her knees on her fair skin and black hair that was dark as the night. She was very slender and bare foot, and a silver crescent moon necklace hung among her neck.
"Who are you?" the woman asked. The accent seemed like old English.
"Arete, and who may I ask are you?" I responded back with a little curiosity.
"You would not believe me, dear child. But never have I happened upon someone in the woods. You are lucky you're not male or you'd be dead in a second," She said in a gentle tone but had a suspicious look in her eyes.
"Try me. Who are you? And why are you in the woods," I spoke.
"I'd ask you the same question. You may wish to believe what you may. But I am Lady Artemis, eternal Goddess of the Hunt. I believe you already know what I'm doing in the woods," Artemis said.
I was frozen in shock because I knew this wasn't possible, Artemis was a Greek goddess in the myths. She was a myth and couldn't be real, but here she was standing right in front of me. It now actually made sense now, how she look, the bow and arrows, the silver. I nodded my head before saying, "I believe you."
Artemis could honestly say she was shocked, she didn't expect this girl to believe her. Most mortals didn't and here was this girl and she believed. Artemis took a closer look at this girl. This girl said her name was Arete, which meant 'a woman of virtue.' Artemis remembered many years ago when she had a daughter named Arete sixteen years ago. This couldn't actually be her daughter, now could it?
"Not many actually believe and I know you are sincere in your words. But may I ask what your full name is?" Artemis said kindly.
"I don't actually think it's of much importance. But it is Arete Salena Alzynah," I said with a little confusion.
I heard Artemis gasp and her eyes were wide with shock. It was like she knew me from somewhere, but how could she since I never even met her until now.
"Arete, I'm your mother."
CHAPTER 8: What, How, Why?
"What do you mean you are my mother, my mom is dead and has been since I was born," I said with shock and a little anger.
"Arete, I am your mother. You were lost when you were two years old and on this very day. I had always wanted a child for many millenniums, so I created you from the sky. But because I am one of the only three virgin goddess', Athena, Hestia, and myself and so you only had a mother and the hunt to raise you. But unfortunately you got separated from the hunt. We all searched for you and by the time we found out that an orphanage found you and took you in. You were already gone and adopted, never for me to see you again. I gave up hope that I'd see you again. But around the time you were six, your step-mother died leaving you with that despicable of what we call a male that was your step-dad," Artemis said with a sad expression and changing it to a scowl. And for the first time in years I smiled, one displaying cheer and happiness.
"And will you still join the hunt with me and hunt with your mother for eternity," Artemis said with a fond smile.
"Eternity?" I asked.
"All girls in the hunt are given by blessing which allows them to live until they have fallen in battle in my honor. But they can not fall in love," Artemis explained.
"I'd love to join the hunt and stand beside you along the way," I said confidently.
My mother smiled and for the first time in my memory, she hugged me.
"Let's go home," My mom said.
'Home. A place finally away from my past and into a better future to spend with my mother.'