''Some things we can't just see. Some things we just have to feel, and we have to trust that it's there.''


Artemis woke with a start.

At first, she heard nothing but shrill buzzes in her ear, as if she was under a bee's canopy. But when she tried to open her eyes, and when nothing responded but the stark darkness, she remembered everything. Her... predicament. Her eyes. The acute burning pain from the sun. From Apollo's sun.

How it wasn't just a nightmare, and how much she wished it just was.

And most of all, the man at her side, who whispered a mound of meaningless words in her ear, tried to comfort her shaking self, who violated her boundaries. Whom of which was at the far end of the cave, the endless noise of grinding against bowl grating on her ears.

''I'm currently brewing a herb that'll help relieve the pain,'' he said. She tensed up at the sound of his voice, drawing up quickly against the wall. Perhaps he noticed her tense, for he added: ''Don't worry; no harm will come to you from it.''

''And how would you know?'' Artemis responded bitterly, in an effort to antagonize this man. She still hadn't forgiven him for touching her, a virgin goddess, and a man-hater at that.

In the back of her mind though she knew he was speaking the truth—he sounded, and moved as if he were a hunter—and of course, all hunters had learned through trial and error whether if a herb or fruit was poisonous or not.

''I've learned it during my stay in the Crete's forests,'' he said casually. Another light scoff came from her. Men and their boasting ways.

''Hey!'' The man's indignancy made her whip her head around. ''Don't belittle me—I'm just trying to help.''

What part of your stay in the Crete would help me? However, instead of retorting, Artemis stilled and thought about her current situation. She was in a cave, with a man in the far end. Apollo's ceremony was during dawn. Her eyes were still throbbing, but at a lesser volume than it had before. If she had to guess, it would be around midday or late afternoon.

Without another word, she grasped against the cold hard rock walls and began to follow it to the exit—but not before the man let out a cry.

''Wait!'' He called. ''Don't leave yet. I can help.''

''And with what?'' Artemis retorted. ''Your herbs?'' The goddess almost laughed a hollow laugh. There was nothing he could do, not unless he could cure her eyes and return her to normality.

If the man was hurt, he didn't comment on it. He should be glad that Artemis hadn't even touched upon his violation of her earlier. He was lucky to still be alive, and that was only due to her dazed state then. If she wanted to, she would've transformed him into a jackalope in an instant for even daring to touch her.

But why didn't you?

Ignoring that unpleasant though for now, she addressed the other thought that nagged in the back of her mind. Where was Apollo? She would've thought that he would at least be here, or even at least would've tried to track her after the ceremony was over. After all, it wasn't like she was trying to conceal her tracks.

A part of her wished she'd woken up in Olympus, instead of this cave.

''—The herbs will help, yes,'' the man continued, oblivious to her train of thought. ''It is known for its efficient elevation of pain. I can assure you that it works wonders—and no harm will come from consuming it.''

''Why do you even care so much anyway?'' Artemis spat bitterly. She waited for the man to respond—or perhaps even to wait for his train of thoughts to occur—so she could find an excuse to blast him to oblivion.

''I—'' he faltered. He didn't seem to have an excuse ready; and all the better for meaningless words and thoughts such as ''I wanted to help'' or hell, ''you're pretty'' would ensure him a merciless death by her hand and another reason for her to scorn men.

There was no response from the man.

''Thought so.'' Following the cave walls with her fingers, she turned to leave, without a care of the world or if she'd hurt the boy's emotions. Hell, she didn't even care where she went; didn't even care if she was leaving the cave complex nor did she care that the sweltering heat meant it was midday-afternoon where the pain would flare up all over again. Artemis didn't even know where she was going—only towards where the blazing heat blasted against her as she left the cool of the cold—to where she was sure was the exit.

''Wait! Don't go yet. I—'' The man faltered. Scoffing, Artemis continued her way forwards, at a brisker pace than before, as irritation spewed over her. Couldn't he just spit it out?

''I understand how you feel,'' he said quietly, and she almost didn't catch his whisper. His steady voice solemn, the blaze of the Sun's heat scorching her eyes, as the sounds of troglobites trotting further into the caves echoed through the complex, she heard him say: ''I have been blind once.''

The heavy breathing that emanated from the other side of the cave was concurrent with the blind troglobites.

Artemis stopped in her tracks and turned back. Her face no longer enduring the burning heat, she welcomed the salvation of the cool cave. Something clicked in her mind as if a candle had been ignited.

She would label it as curiosity, but something else was mangled with it as well. Artemis wasn't sure what.

I have been blind.

Astounded, she asked: ''What did you just say?''

''I have been blind once,'' he repeated. Breathing still heavy, she listened to him recite: ''I was a hunter for the king of Chios, Oenopion. Recruited for my skills, which I built in my time with the Pleiades, and my mother Euryale, the Queen of Amazons, I was a skilled hunter, the only one that was a Poseidon as well.''

He took a loud breath; as if the next part was physically painful for him to say. ''One day, after a feast, I was accused of a crime, and the vengeful king Oenopion had me blinded.''

''You got better,'' she stated. Unless he had enhanced senses, there was no way the boy would've known that she was in the cave. She was a huntress; and although she didn't necessarily cover her tracks well, she definitely wouldn't let herself be tracked by a blind man.

''Yes, I have,'' he agreed. ''I sought help from Hephaestus in Lemnos. He was kind enough to take me in, as I recounted my tale to the god. Pitying me, he gave me a second chance. Forged me a new pair of eyes, and just like that, I could see again.''

She tried to ignore the curious sting she felt at his words. Just like that. How easy was it for him to see again? Venom might've been laced into her thought, but a new understanding had risen. He'd gained his sight back after being blinded. And if he could reforge his sight — why couldn't she?

''Why do you want to help me?'' She asked quietly, but her low, harsh tone came off as accusing.

He paused. Quietly, almost breathlessly, he said: ''Because I do not want to see another suffer alone in the dark.''

She didn't respond. Neither did she contemplate his words. Her mind was a blank murky swirl, thoughts surfacing and fading into the black light. The man must've noticed her vexation because she felt the warmth of his finger on her hand.

''My name is Orion. And yours?''

She smirked, the explicit irony of the situation almost making her smile. ''Artemis, boy. Goddess of the Hunt.''