"What have thou done?" Zoë hissed.

"He…he…didn't give me a choice!" Sally hissed back.

"Our Lady will not care," Zoë whispered.

"What will I do?" Sally whispers back, fighting down sobs of fear.

"Run. Run as fast as thou feet will carry thee," Zoë told the younger girl.

"Where?" is the said question that does not need to be asked. Sally Jackson has no family. Her mother died giving her life. Her father perished in a train accident.

"In the west," Zoë said, "There is a city that lies between to rivers. It is sacred to the gods. Thee will be safe there. Be safe Sally Jackson, and may fortune be with you." Zoë helped Sally to her feet and pushed her into a run.

oO0Oo

"You really though you could outrun me?" a cold, young voice said from all around the forest.

Sally looked around, trying to find the corporal form of her former mistress. "He didn't give me a chance, M'lady. I tried to stop him; I begged him to let me go. He was a god, I couldn't do anything…"

"NO EXCUSE!"

"If you just let me die," Sally begged.

"I will not kill you," the goddess said, her form taking from the snow to form a physical being. "You shall walk this continent for a hundred years, unchanging and alone. Only will the birth of your child," a sly, half smirk touched the divine huntress' lips, "Your son, in a century's time will your lonesome days of wandering end. You will not find peace though. Not in him, nor never, until the day you pass from this world, will you find peace." In a shower of gold, Artemis left the woman alone.

Sally Jackson was a woman curse by Poseidon. Though she learned to forgive the man that ruined her, she was a woman cursed never to find peace, and a curse did she pass to her son.


A/N: Before anyone calls OOC of Artemis, remember the myth of Callisto. She was Artemis' favorite, and raped by Zeus. She was still cast out and killed. This is not quite modern Artemis either, it's 1890's Artemis. Though any of you might disagree, I think this is a good mix of superficial mercy and godly punishment.