A few days passed before Chiron dared to approach Artemis again. "My lady, could i have a moment?" he asked cautiously, the goddess nodded and walked away from her hunters with Chiron. "What is it?" She said watching him closely her eyes narrowed. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind Gawain staying here at camp for a while. i am sure you noticed how happy he is here." Artemis nodded. "I have noticed how happy he is around a certain Roman leader." she mused, normally she would not condone such things, but this was Gawain. she had taught him well to be respectful and kind to woman. "Then he can stay?" Chiron inquired hopefully, Artemis sighed and nodded. "yes, it would be for the best..." she replied and headed off to inform her child that he was staying here.
soon enough it became time for Artemis and her hunters to leave. "bye mom, see you in a few months right?" Gawain asked tilting his head slightly. "Yes child, try to stay out of trouble while I am gone." she replied with a playful smile. "Mother, please." He complained, blushing as he realized Reyna was actually laughing at his expense. "mother, i love you so much. but.. you can leave any time.." he said a blush creeping onto is pale skin, his mother tilted her head slightly but made no comment on his blush. "very well." she said shrugging off his rather odd behavior.
Artemis was strangely quiet as her and the hunters ventured through the woods. "Thalia, why do you think Gawain wants to stay so badly?" she asked rather suddenly of her lieutenant and half sister. "Uh i am not the best person to ask that. maybe he wanted to spend time with Nico? though, it may have been... someone else." Thalia said thoughtfully, then she smiled. "oh yeah, it is definitely someone else."
"what? why is it someone else?" Artemis asked absolutely confused by the statement. "Little Gawain, has a crush on a certain Roman." Thalia explained looking amused at the thought. "roman? that one, um Reyna?" Artemis replied finding the irony of that almost to strange. "a Roman and a German, don't see that pairing very often anymore." she replied. "Well technically, the Romans became the Italians." Thalia said with a shrug. "Well it doesn't really matter because Gawain can not fall in love." Artemis stated matter of factly.
"uh, might i ask why? he hasn't exactly taken an oath of maidenhood." Thalia looked so confused. "oh, it has nothing to do with that. i am certain Gawain does not wish to doom the girl to an early grave." the moon goddess replied in that same tone as before. "my lady, you lost me. Why would it doom her to an early grave?" Thalia asked stopping for a moment.
Artemis went quiet, she hadn't planned on telling anyone besides the other gods and chiron about Gawain's origins. "Thalia we can talk about this later." she said softly. Thalia furrowed her brow but nodded. "alright, my lady." she said gently, the rest of their hike was in silence until they were ready to make camp.
"Thalia, let's talk."Artemis said with a sigh. "My lady if you are not ready..." Thalia started to say but was cut off by a raise of the hand. "No, you deserve to know. Gawain deserves to know...someday." Artemis said sitting down on a fallen log.
" I have to start by explaining what his father was…"
