A/N: This is based off Greek mythology (obviously), which I do not own (obviously). Crossposted on my AO3 account. I was too excited to publish this and didn't go over it with a fine toothed comb, so I apologize for any errors.
"Nice technique," Artemis praises with an easy smile. The nymph girl blushes darker green, walks over and retrieves her dagger. "Thank you, my Lady."
"Artemis?" She turns to see one of her trusted lieutenants lowering her bow. "Do you hear something?"
The sound of soft sobs filtered through the woods.
Artemis ran a hand through her hair. "I'll check it out. Girls, Barbara's in charge until I'm back. Understand?"
Her maidens all nod, and the Goddess of the Hunt walks into the woods she knows as well as her own body.
Zatanna knows that she should go back inside. Knows that the Nemean Lion is still roaming these woods, knows that even with the limited magic she knows, she's no match for so much as an angry wood spirit. And yet she finds herself rooted to the cliff. She can almost feel her father's hand on her shoulder.
"Before I met your mother, I used to go and watch the moon here, Zatanna."
"There's no moon, Daddy."
"Not tonight, perhaps."
There's a full moon tonight, and Zatanna watches its reflection on the mirror-smooth surface of the ocean beneath her. A tear slips down her cheek and falls, adding to the mass of saltwater.
"Girl?"
Zatanna turns her head, more out of curiosity, then anything else. "Yes?"
But then her eyes widen. "Lady Artemis!"
She scrambles ungracefully to a kneeling position in front of the woman. Zatanna had never seen a goddess before, although her father had told her much about her mother, Hecate, but the air around the woman is charged with a strange, quiet electricity.
Artemis is beautiful, Zatanna thinks as her eyes travel over the goddess's caramel skin and the fair braid carelessly slung over a shoulder.
"You may stand," Artemis says, and her voice is somehow huskier than Zatanna would have expected. "What is your name?"
"They call me Zatanna, my lady," Zatanna says, and dips her head, hoping she looks respectful.
She doesn't know why the Goddess of the Moon would come to visit her, but she knows better than to question an Olympian.
But when Artemis does speak, she sounds faltering, almost unsure of herself. "Are you –alright?"
"M-me?" Zatanna says in surprise, and looks up. Artemis's eyes are moon silver, impossibly young and old at the same time. "I'm alright," she says, and cringes at how unconvincing she sounds. She adds "Um –how are you?" to be polite.
Artemis smiles a little at the question but doesn't answer. "You're crying," she says, and Zatanna hurriedly wipes her cheeks.
"My father is dead," she admits, even though she herself isn't sure why she's saying this.
Artemis dips her head. "I'm sorry."
"I just don't know what to do next," Zatanna cries, "He was all I had," and then she crumples within herself, silently shaking as an ocean's worth of tears splatters onto her sandaled feet.
Warm arms wrap around her and Zatanna realizes that the goddess is –hugging her. Awkwardly, as if she's worried that too much pressure might break the mortal, but it's oddly comforting. Zatanna leans into the embrace, and they stand there like that for a brief eternity before Artemis releases her. "I can find you a purpose," the goddess offers. "You could join my maidens, if you wish."
Zatanna looks up. She means to politely decline, to say she doesn't deserve the honor, but instead her mouth does something far different.
Artemis's lips part in soft surprise as Zatanna kisses her deeply.
Unlike Actaeon the hunter, Zatanna isn't turned into an animal for her audacity. Instead, Artemis kisses her back, clumsy at first, her callused hands finding purchase in Zatanna's raven hair.
When they finally break apart –immortals don't actually need oxygen, she learns – Zatanna's flushed and gasping for air.
Artemis grins and it isn't the smile of a cold virgin goddess, it's the proud smile of a young girl who just learned the difference between like and like like.
"Is that a yes?"
"Just one question," Zatanna says, eyeing the goddess's lips. "The oath of maidenhood I'd have to take–that only applies to men, right?"
Artemis smirks.
Notes:
Yeah, I made M'gann a dryad (tree nymph) because nymphs are green, and yeah I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with that. Barbara's human, and I planned on having Cassie there too as a daughter of Zeus or something but I didn't want this to be too long. I also wanted to fit Jade in, but I couldn't really figure out who she'd be, so oh well.
Heracles (Hercules) fought the Nemean Lion as one of his Twelve Labors. It had an invulnerable pelt which was why it was so hard to kill. Heracles wore the pelt around for a while because faux fur hadn't been invented yet.
Hecate is the Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft and the crossroads among other things. It seemed fitting.
Actaeon was a Greek hunter who spied on Artemis while she bathed because many ancient Greek men are creepy. In some versions of the myth he tried to kiss her, in other versions he tried to rape her. She turned him into a stag as punishment, and he got torn apart by his own dogs.
I haven't decided whether to keep this as a one-shot or make it longer, so I'll get back to you guys on that.
Review!