Chapter 4 Broken bonds

Percy POV

"I still can't believe you killed that deer with a sword" Zoe said. "Hey when you got skills you got skills" I said puffing out my chest. "You're just lucky the deer ran in our direction" Zoe said. "Why are you like this" I asked hanging my head in defeat. "Because someone has to stop you from getting a big head" Zoe laughed.

"I thought that's why you made me carry the deer all by myself." I said pointing to the rather small deer on my shoulders. "No that's because you killed it." Zoe said firmly. I looked ahead to see we were already in camp but something was wrong. The atmosphere wasn't right, it was too dark and the hunters were nowhere to be found, I started heading towards the center of camp when I saw something that made me drop the deer.

Orion was lying face down in the dirt with two arrows arrows in his back. I ran for Artemis' tent seeking an answer and found most if not all of the hunters huddled in front of it around one girl wrapped in a blanket. "Wha...what happened?" I asked. "Orion tried to rape her while we were all out hunting" One of the older hunters whispered. It was so faint I almost missed malice behind those words.

In every hunter I looked at save Zoe who was still trying to process this information stared at me like I was some rabid animal that might attack at any moment. "I need to talk to Artemis" I said walking past the hunters and into her tent.

Artemis was lying on her bed crying "Artemis" I said softly. "What are you doing here!" She shouted. "I wanted to apologize for Orion, I know it does nothing to repair the damage-". "You want to apologize for him!" Artemis shouted getting off her bed "You think that's all it will take after betraying my trust like that!". "No I-" Thwack. My cheek stung as I realized that she had just slapped me.

"No you are a Monster! Just like your brother. Get out of my tent and get out my camp, just leave!" She shouted. I was crushed by what I heard yet I found myself bowing to her "As you wish milady". I silently walked out of her tent, to my own and began gathering and began gathering my things "What are you doing" Zoe asked. "Lady Artemis has asked me to leave" I said "and who can blame her after what I brought on her family".

"You can't blame yourself for that" Zoe said getting on her knees beside me. "How can I not" I replied "I knew the kind of person he was becoming but I said nothing when he began to improve. Regardless of how I felt I should have warned her."

"Where will go?" Zoe asked. "Home I guess, it will be nice to see my mother again to see her smile. Tell Artemis to do with Orion's body as she wishes as far as I'm concerned, he is no brother of mine".

With my things in my pack I stood up to leave but Zoe caught my arm "Percy, take this with you" She said holding out a hair pin. "Is this?". "Yes" She said "It's my sword Riptide, Artemis retrieved it for me after Heracles died, and I want you, my brother to have it. Please stay safe out there without me knuckle head". I pulled Zoe into a hug "I love you Brother". "I love you to sister good bye".

-Time Skip three weeks-

The walk home was long and arduous but it was well worth it. The smell of the citrus trees and flowers made me feel better than I had in the last few weeks. The guard at the main door almost didn't recognize me I guess three years can do that to a man. He even escorted me to My Uncle's throne room "Nephew" my Soluc boomed "You've finally returned". "Good to see you again to Uncle" I said. "What happened to your hair, it looks like a mop" he said. "I tried cutting it with my sword a few times but it never looked good so I just let it grow". "Where is your brother" Soluc asked, if he had said that to me even a month earlier it would've made my day. "About that" I sighed "Where's my mother, she should be the first to know."

This time it was Soluc's turn to sigh sadly "Percy follow me". He took me down to my mother's room, she was laying on her bed far paler than she should be with the family healer tending to her "She got sick almost a year after you and Orion left" he said "I've sent a message to every Kingdom in greece and the high priest or priestess of every god, there's nothing we can do, I've been told she has another day at best."

I walked over to her and dropped to my knees by her bed "hey mom." I said. Mother tiredly looked over at me and smiled "Percy" she said "you're here". "yes mom I'm here" I choked out as I took her hand. "Where your brother Orion". "He's with the Hunters of Artemis, he actually managed to capture her heart".

At this point my mother started crying "That's great" she said "how 'bout you, find any one special". "Yes I found a sister Zoe nightshade, she's Artemis' lieutenant but no I haven't found someone I love yet". "Don't worry it'll happen, any girl would be lucky to marry you, I...love you...two...sooo much" her arm went limp in my hand, she had passed away.

"I love too mom, I love you too" I sobbed. Soluc let me sit there for a while before putting his hand on my shoulder "Percy we need to let the priest prepare her to enter Hades realm". "I know" I said standing up. We walked for awhile no real destination in mind "So where's Orion" Soluc asked. "He's dead." I said flatly "he tried to rape a hunter and Artemis killed him".

Soluc punched me across the face "how dare you say something like that. Orion would never do something so vile." he roared. "I'm going to give you one chance to take back what you said and say it was just the grief from you mother passing. Do you have any idea what would happen if our citizens found out. Orion was a hero to all of them, it would cause a panic, people would flee our lands thinking the gods' wrath would come down upon us." he said. I looked him dead in the eye "What you tell the people is your choice but I will not lie to them." I said.

"Then Leave" my uncle said flatly "if you're so intent on destroying your own brother legacy then we have no place for you here. You and all you descendants are forever banished from our lands FOREVER!". I nodded in understanding and went to my room, I had most of my things packed already, I was just grabbed a few things of sentimental value like a necklace my mother had given to me. It was a small sun made out of Jade with a peacock feather etched into the metal hung from a simple string, it was a family heirloom from my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, grandfather Kota, I was supposed to give this to the woman I married. (AN consider this like an engagement ring. They were actually used for these purposes but I might be off on the when by 400 years. Incomplete records.)

As I left for the main gate I could feel the hateful glares from the guards and townsfolk guess Uncle Soluc decided to add some rumors of his own so no one would trust me. It wasn't long before the people began to throw food at me. By The time I reach the gate they had even added rocks to the mix. By the end of the day I found myself by the sea once again watching the waves roll in, for the first time in my life I had no idea what I should do. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see a beautiful woman in her late 30's with black hair. "Hello there ma'am" I said bowing slightly.