I cried with my head in the girl's lap for so long the hunters finished setting up camp around my dad's cabin. The blue-eyed goth hunter with the silver thing in her hair came back and stood over us while I cried. She looked at me in disgust a look I know quite well. "Who is the disgusting shrimp of a boy, my lady?" The lady who had taken the form of an actual lady while I cried started to stroke my hair in a rather soothing manner. She continued to run her hand through my hair dragging me towards sleep. "Thalia do not be rude to him. He is scared and hurt but as for your question. This is Peter Jackson, the son of your old friend Perseus Jackson." My sobs stopped so I rolled over just in time to see Thalia shocked expression.
Thalia stumbled for words but found her voice after a few minutes. "But Lady Artemis, Annabeth never had children with him, and she left him fifteen years ago. Then his father sent him here for your personally training much to our initial displeasure." I fought sleep with all I had so that I could listen to them talk about me. "Thalia swear never to repeat what you are about to hear." Thalia swore on the river Styx never to repeat whatever Artemis told her that night. "Thalia Peter here is my one and only son. Perseus touched me like no other has before, not even Orion could affect me the way Percy did." A silent tear rolled down the goddess' cheek. "This is the last place I saw Percy." I froze listening to her words. This was my mother. "I promised to give Percy one wish after he bested me in a hunt. It took him three years, but I became careless around him and the one I fell in love with made a lucky shot winning his wish. His wish was for a son. I talked to our father after Percy expressed his desire and he agreed to allow it, but Zeus declared that if I were to grant Percy his one wish Percy would not receive immortality in this lifetime and I would never bear another child again. Our father was upset that Percy refused immortality twice, because he desperately wanted a god with power over his brother's domain on Olympus. I loved Percy so much I agreed to our father's terms knowing that Perseus would never accept immortality anyways. The cabin we visit every year sits on the spot where Peter was born. Apollo learned of my son and has been watching over him and Percy for the last four years."
The words from my mother shocked Thalia into speechlessness again but she found her voice and it sounded sad. "That is why you have not spoken to your twin brother sine the last great battle between Poseidon and Athena." More tears were escaping Artemis' eyes now. "Yes I have been mourning like my uncle. He lost his favorite son and I lost my only love in the same moment." Thalia came over and helped the goddess stand. "I lost my only male friend and my best friend turned away from anything in her past including me, that same day."
Those were the last words I heard before I lost my battle with sleep and it finally overwhelmed me. I did not fear though I felt safe in this woman's arms. I do not like to sleep much. My dreams are never very nice or easy to understand. I could not move. When I gave up fighting whatever invisible force was holding me in place I looked around and noticed everything near me was made of bright white marble. The designs were beautiful, but that offset the horror of the dream even more. A giant golden mustang and a giant white owl were fighting while watched by a bald eagle and a golden raven. Below them fought a green colt and a grey barn owl. The horses seemed stronger, but the owls were quick and attacked from the sides. The grey barn owl struck the green colt on its back and the horse stopped fighting all together. It collapsed and started to bleed out. The raven flew down and cast a gold light over the colt but it was pointless. Somehow, I knew the colt would die no matter what any of the other animals did. The raven flew off, picked up a horse-faced stag, and carried it to a group of kids. A grey barn owl would land on the stag's antlers but never stay long.
I woke in a cold sweat at the sight of the lonely horse-faced stag surrounded by kids. It was not the first time I had had that dream. A pair of electric blue eyes very close to me face. "Hello, why are you hovering over me so close to my face like that?" I asked fear in my voice. I do not like women to be close to me. She laughed before backing away. "I was trying to see the resemblance to your dad, but you look too much like a girl. Although I must admit you do have the same kind of hair as Percy." She said seriously. I rolled my eyes. "Thanks I guess." I replied dryly as I slid out of bed. I preformed my normal recon of my surroundings and situation.
'Ok I am in my old bedroom inside my dad's cabin. The blue-eyed girl is guarding me or maybe my escort. I need fresh clothes food and gear. Once I have all that I need to get on the move before that stupid freaky sheriff catches up with me.' I let out a sigh and looked at the girl who had moved over to the door. "I need to get changed so can I get some privacy please." She blushed and nodded. "Sure I will wait in the main room while you get changed." I stripped out of my dirty and bloody clothes from the night before. I figured I had gotten about four hours of sleep.
I went into my old closet and pulled out a first aid kit. I felt the normal searing pain as I cleaned and dressed my wounds. Apparently, someone had cleaned and dressed them before they put me to bed, but I wanted to do it myself. After fighting through the stinging pain in both my leg and my arm, I got dressed in clean clothes. For once, I was glad I had not grown at all in the last two years. Once I dressed in my hunting gear that consisted of hiking boots, camouflage pants, and a dark camouflage tee shirt. I went out into the main room that was also the kitchen.
In the kitchen I popped open a secret compartment and pulled out a military meal ready to eat. It took five minutes to make, and I was feasting on a hot meal with all the nutrients I would need. Thalia looked at me suspiciously. "How did you know those were there?" It must have been my turn to laugh this morning. "I grew up here. I have spent half my life here. Dad always kept plenty of food and gear around here. Most the food is still good too. Dad never skimped on getting the best stuff, which usually meant military grade." After I finished eating, I set all my trash in a pile so that I could dispose of it properly later on my way out.
I went straight to the master bedroom without hesitating I opened the door and went in not paying attention to my surroundings. That happened to be a big mistake. The silver-eyed girl was lying on my dad's bed crying. The girl who had been over me when I woke up grabbed my shoulder and sent an electrical shock through my body. As I hit the floor, I heard a scream. "Thalia stop that now." The shocking pain stopped immediately. "Peter I am sorry for my lieutenant Thalia. I order that no one was to come in here. As you know this was your father's room." I looked at her confused. "Ok most of this morning is bit of a blur, but who are you?" I asked bluntly, as I got up from the floor.
A few new tears escaped her eyes and she wiped them away. "Peter, I am your mother." I tried to process it but I could not. "You are twelve you cannot be my mother." At this, I received a smack to the back of my head and the girl behind me hissed into my ear. "Be respectful you stupid boy." The silver-eyed girl who just claimed to be my mother smiled and wiped the last tears from her eyes. "I am not human, Peter. I can appear any age I want. I usually wear this form because it is the average age of my hunters. My name is Artemis." She explained softly
"Wait Artemis, like the Greek Goddess?" I asked trying to put the pieces together. She smiled and nodded. "I may be a bit rusty on my mythology but Artemis made Zeus grant her a wish to remain a maiden and never have to get married." At this Artemis laughed. "Yes my brother and father were surprised when I asked to reverse that wish for your father since he was a son of Poseidon." That came to me easily.
"Yeah that much I know. Dad told me his father was Poseidon. He always worried if I would be attack because I knew about him being a half-blood and about the Greek Gods. He never let me meet any of them or told me anything about you. He always said you were smart, strong, and the greatest hunter of all time." I said as I walked over to the closet to find my dad's duffle bag where he kept all his gear. "If you knew it would have drawn too much attention from gods and monsters. My brother only learned where you and your father were four years ago. He is the one who has been keeping you safe since your dad went to Hades." I sigh a decided to ask where it was since Artemis was clearly my mom and telling the truth. "Where is my dad's stuff and the duffle bag I brought with me?" I asked trying not to panic. I need a bow and arrows, and only my dad's bow ever felt like it actually fit me.
Artemis seemed to sense what I was feeling like most mothers do when their children are stressed or afraid. "Your father's possessions are at his cabin in his old summer camp, and Thalia here should be able to tell and show you where your duffel bag was left." She said nodding to the girl with blue eyes. I turned and looked at Thalia who was standing against the doorframe. "None of the hunters wanted to touch it. It should be where you dropped it." I walked out of the Cabin and headed towards the edge of the clearing not looking to the side where I felt the glares coming my way. When I got to the spot, I had fallen that morning I dropped to my knees and started searching for my dad's pen. Someone had gone through my stuff.
Someone went through my stuff and strung it all around. My duffel bag was empty. I even looked in the hidden pocket where I kept my dad's pen, and found nothing. I could not hold my emotion in at the thought of everything my dad owned is now lost to me. "No, not my dad's pen." My grief overwhelmed me. Artemis and Thalia quickly came to my sides. "What is wrong Peter?" Artemis asked me softly. "My dad left me his favorite ball point pen, and now someone stole it while I slept." The girls shared a look that said they knew exactly what I was talking about after I finished my babbling confession. "Do not worry Peter we will find your father's pen. Thalia call the hunters now." Thalia wasted no time in following her mistress' orders.
The other nineteen hunters formed in three ranks in front of us. "Looters step forward." Thalia called out to the hunters. No one moved to answer her call. Tell me who went through this boys stuff and so help me Zeus if any of you took that his pen I will have your hide especially if you know what the pen is." Artemis said with malice filling her voice. It sounded exactly like a mother enraged at someone for messing with her child. One of the girls stepped forward. "Lady Artemis your brother Apollo and that witch Aphrodite were the ones who went through the boys stuff." Artemis was clearly livid about this news. "If any of you see either of them do not hesitate shot them and call me to you." I did not listen for them to respond or wait for dismissal I stumbled back into the cabin still overwhelmed with sorrow. After grabbing some food, I headed towards the door, but Artemis stopped me before I could leave. "We need to talk."