Artemis found herself being pestered once more that evening. There had been a lull in her recollections of him ages ago, and she had enjoyed relaxing with her hunters through the day, and unto the evening with no worries or duties to attend to.

She grinned wryly to herself. Of course, kids interrupt all times of relaxation.

"My Lady!" Mara said, "Can you continue your story?" Mara, along with some of the younger hunters were sparring. But they had stopped at the question.

She paused from her lounging position on the grassy ground. "All right then, gather round." There was a chorus of shouts from the hunters, and Mara shot straight over, along with the other younger hunters. Artemis felt herself laugh as she saw Phoebe and Zoe come out of their tents at the noise too.

Zoe saw her gaze, and shrugged with a grin.

The hunters all settled themselves in their now familiar positions around the hearth. Artemis watched them all, as shadows began to form across the campsite, marking the sun setting. The sky was a brilliant yellow, orange and, red tonight, and Artemis wondered how long into the night this would go.

'There is so much to tell… so many adventures where we would watch the sun set for years.' She thought dimly.

"My Lady, what happened after you were banished?" Zoe spoke calmly, sitting next to Phoebe.

Artemis shook her head. "Right, sorry. Although I didn't know it at the time, I had been blasted off Olympus by Zeus's Master Bolt."

There was a collection of groans. "Did it hurt?" Sarah spoke up.

Artemis felt herself drifting off into her memories, "Indeed… it did hurt."

There was a blinding blue light, and the next thing Artemis felt was a coursing electrifying pain in her chest, and the full moon overhead her. She immediately gasped, clutching her chest. Lying flat on her back, Artemis tested her limbs. All fine. But as she gently probed a hand on her chest, a bolt of pain coursed through her, and she hissed. Her silver dress tunic had felt charred. Carefully lifting her head, she confirmed this, seeing a large burned area on the front of her tunic. It was still miraculously intact, but then she saw why.

Her bow had been strapped to her back, but it had taken the brunt of whatever hit her, and was now two pieces of mangled charred wood on either side of her. She still had her quiver, a small wriggle of her shoulders confirmed that.

'What happened?' Artemis asked herself, but she knew, in the back of her mind.

"Fathe…." She tried to shout, groaning midway through her exclamation as her chest spasmed in pain. That complicated things.

It took her awhile, but she found her feet, and finally stood up to get her bearings. Looking around, there were darkened trees, halted by a clearing which she stood in, which had a small boulder at the center. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

"You dare send me here!" Artemis said loudly, looking up to the sky. There was no reply. Artemis gave a contemptuous snort. She felt healthy enough. The pain in her chest was already starting to ebb away. She snapped her fingers, to transform into a hawk, to get out of the forest she been in earlier today.

Nothing happened.

It was with a sickening horror that she realized that her powers were gone. Her senses. She twirled her hands, concentrating on her beautiful silver hunting knives. Her weapons. All mortal. All around her, she felt darkness closing in. there were shadows amongst the trees, and only the clearing was well lit from the moon.

She panicked, turning around continuously. Her vision seemed to cloudy, she could hear nothing, the very air seemed to slow her down. Her vision spun, and she was forced to lean on the rock for support. Zeus, her Father had condemned her to this. 'He isn't my father any longer.' She thought darkly, catching her breath, which she was surprised about. When was the last time she had been tired?

'Is this what mortals feel like all the time?' Artemis thought desperately. Her powers… gone, she wasn't a Goddess. Not anymore. The thought struck her like a thunderbolt, sending her mind staggering. She would have to earn her place on Olympus back, that much she knew. Hurriedly thinking back to the Winter Solstice meeting on Mount Olympus, she desperately tried to remember what Zeus had said. With a shock, she realized that it was distorted, without clarity. All her senses seemed to be impaired. A foggy series of images and voices flooded her mind, of Zeus calling for her banishment, the vote… 'Who voted for me?' Artemis rubbed her hands into her temples. Then it came to her: Hera…Ares…Aphrodite…Dionysus…Zeus… Artemis scowled up to the sky and the twinkling stars, "Curse you Father! You others have no reason to quarrel with me!"

There was no reply.

For hours, as Artemis judged from the passing moon, she sat against the rock, invariably standing, and pacing the clearing, testing her strengths. No power came to her. Her connection to the Wild, the Moon, were gone. That much was clear. She went over Zeus's words in her mind, before she was forcibly banished to this forsaken clearing in the edges of Mount Olympus's influence. 'Banished to walk amoung the Macedonian Expedition…' She mused, before cursing darkly. It was only too easy to see her conniving Father's plan. As a mortal, or at least in mortal form, she could not be worshipped. Power gained would go to Zeus, the King of the Gods.

That set her off again, and after she had cursed Zeus's name and legacies another tenfold, Artemis realized that her vision was darkening and her limbs were growing increasingly unresponsive. Looking down in amazement, she then felt herself blink rapidly, before a clammy feeling rolled up the back of her throat. She yawned. Yawned! It was with this thought that she slumped down next to the rock in the clearing, and felt her eyes drift shut into a dreamless sleep.

"I can't believe it… Lady Artemis, you were mortal for a time!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Yes… I was, and I do not plan to do so again. My time in that form taught me how I missed my immortal life." That was certainly true, as she recalled the horrors and battles she fought without her godly powers. In a way, it was revolutionary for her, to rely solely on her own abilities without divine augmentation.

Artemis noticed that some of her hunters looked a little uneasy at this, and made sure to clarify her statement, "It also taught me how to appreciate all things in life. From the smallest plant to the entire vast world around us." And him, she silently finished. Before her thoughts could trail back again to their adventures, she hurriedly continued her story, before her hunters could ask any more questions.

"The next thing I remembered, was waking up in that clearing, already late morning, with his face looking down on me."

Phoebe snorted, giving Artemis pause, "My Lady, I hope you punched him."

Artemis frowned.

Artemis groaned and felt her eyes opening, squinting against a sudden brightness that exploded across her vision. 'Since when did she have to squint?' A sudden shadow overcame the blinding light, and it took a few seconds to recognize a voice, and the face of Perseus, standing right above her. He was frowning, brows furrowed in a worried manner, looking down at her with deep calculating green eyes.

She instinctively shot her fist up, striking him on the side of his nose. It connected with a sickening crack, and he instantly stumbled backwards, clutching his nose, "Ow! Dios Immortales! What was that for Lady Artemis!?"

She quickly scrambled to her feet, shaking her head from the bright clouds and blue sky above. As she rose, she felt the quiver of arrows being tossed in their fur casing, although with the dull thud as her mangled bow hit the ground. She dimly noticed that it was morning, with the sun risen far into the sky, with its warmth making the forest around them glow with life. Two foreign feelings came to her. Dizziness, as if Gaia herself was shaking the very ground below her, and a throbbing pain in her hand.

But she paid those no heed, for the time being. While she wouldn't have admitted it, her fear and anger boiled over, exploding outwards to express, anything, to anyone.

"That was for all the misery you've caused me boy! Your devious ways led to me, an Olympian Goddess, to the level of your insignificance! Having been given the chance, I should have disintegrated you the moment I laid eyes upon you!" Artemis screamed, every ounce of her being tearing to feel… anything. Anything within her of her true Goddess form.

A silence reigned across the clearing, even the birds and winds calming to listen attentively to the scorned Goddess. Artemis felt herself huffing, staring across at Perseus, daring him to respond. She itched for him to prove her right. Thus far, she had seen him as an honorable man, without a generous nature.

He didn't show it now.

"MY fault!?" Perseus yelled.

"Lady Artemis," Perseus voice dripped with sarcasm, as he stood upright, his hand leaving his nose. Artemis almost winced. His entire lower face, and beard with smeared with fresh blood, along with his hand. With a furious gesture, he reached out again, and reset his nose, which he winced at, as it set with a loud crack. "I have been nothing but respectful My Lady. I always have, and always will be. In fact, I was concerned to see you lying here, and the gods above, I can't attempt to help as a disgusting male."

Her pride wouldn't allow her to back down, even as she felt a tiny whisper of remorse within her. "You can help me by ending your pitiful moral façade. I have known thousands boy, who say they are what they are not. You are no different. Had I not used my symbol that night, you would have joined the 'festivities' in the follower's camp without hesitation." Artemis bit back, fists clenched. 'How dare he question her!'

In a flash, Perseus drew his sword. Leveling it at her, the point of the blade hovering in the air close to her chest. The movement appeared in Artemis's eyes in a blur, and she had to blink rapidly, to fully be aware that Perseus had moved. But she did not yield, and stared challengingly at Perseus.

"Goddess or not… this is your final warning." Perseus articulated slowly, venom seeping from his low voice, "Never. Never question my loyalty to my family again. Insult me, and all I am, but my wife, and my Mother are all I hold dear in this forsaken world. Qualms I have not about striking you down into the dirt." Suddenly Artemis watched his eyes flash down to her feet, where her shattered bow lay. As his eyes left hers, Artemis felt herself puff out a silent breath. Stubborn as she was, she knew her own faults, and questioning Perseus's loyalty was one of them.

"Your bow…" Perseus said, pointing his xiphos to the remains, "It is charred and broken…" Artemis, watched as he realized what that meant. He was far too clever than any male had the right of being.

"You were cast off Olympus… were you not?" Perseus lowered his sword, a shocked expression covering his face.

There was no use denying it. "Yes, boy," Artemis sighed, "Zeus does not take well to those who draw power to rival his own.

Perseus paused in deep thought, before he responded, "The Chimera. You were told to stay away?" Artemis gave him a nod in reply. Her anger had dissipated, and now she felt her entire body clench up and prickle; she was stuck here, in the Eastern edges of the Gods' power, doomed to wander to oblivion with the Macedonians. She found herself caught up in this situation where no option she had seemed to have any favorable outcome. She was without weapons, powers, and stranded months away from Olympus and Greece. Even her hunt, which had made many endeavors to Asia, was in Magna Graecia, even farther from Greece.

Perseus's voice pulled her from dour thoughts.

"I apologize my Lady."

Artemis snapped her head up, which had drifted down to look passively at her bow, 'Did he dare to mock her?' She could not read his mind, but Perseus wore a somber expression, devoid of any means of trickery.

"I truly do," a smile cracked though his stoic face, "I said my words in haste without knowing your predicament."

Artemis nodded slowly, "I…" She swallowed heavily, her former words to Perseus came back to her. Apologies were not something Artemis was familiar with in any form, "I too… did not think when I spoke. I…" She paused, feeling an inferiority having to apologize to a mortal, a man at that.

"Lady Artemis, I can see your face going purple. You need not apologize." Perseus offered, but before Artemis could nod, he continued, "However I will ask that you do not revert back to calling me boy."

That was something that she found that she could do, "Very well Perseus." The conversation stalled there, and she became uncertain on the next course of action. Where would she go? What would she do? Finding a bow was a priority, along with supplies to survive. In that she was more confident, as the woods had always been a place that provided for her, even as a newly born Goddess.

Perseus seemed to have similar thoughts, "My Lady, what will you do? You are tasked to continue watching this expedition?"

"Yes. I will find supplies in the woods, and track your expedition once Alexander comes down through the Cilician Gates towards Tarsus."

Alexander's Companion shook his head, "That won't be for at least two weeks, My Lady. In addition, my men have reported last night that Persian troops are beginning to move through this area. I will be marching with my men tonight under cover of nightfall to the Cilician Gates. Parmenion awaits us there, with an entrenched force."

This was troubling news. She could not hope to go to the Cilician Gates while the Macedonian army was entrenched there. The night prior to her banishment, she had seen the mountain pass below her during her nightly chariot racing. It held very little resources, and absolutely no cover besides the path itself. If she remained here, she ran the risk of running into Persian patrols. Not the greatest danger, but an unwelcome risk. While feeling weak, she knew that her fighting skills would not be extinguished as well, however her mortality was another although important factor. Reforming in Tartarus did not sound like a fanciful getaway from this Macedonian expedition.

"If I may… I may have a solution my Lady?" Perseus said, looking to her. She looked over to him, seeing that his bleeding nose had stopped, and he thoughtfully scratched the unbloodied left side of his breaded cheek.

Artemis narrowed her eyes, "Go on." There was nothing to lose from hearing what he had to say.

"You could come with me and my men back to the Cilician Gates."

Artemis snorted, "Perseus, I will punch you again."

Perseus shook his head, sheathing his sword, "Hear me out. Come back to camp today. I will say we met today and both fought, until we came to an impasse. You can pull the look of an adventuring Amazonian warrior, I'm sure. After a lull in our fight, I offered you money in exchange for mercenary services. You agreed, and will act as our guide in the region."

As Perseus finished proposing his idea, Artemis weighed the plan in her mind. His logic was surprising sound, in all honesty she should have started expecting him to remain clever, but she found one noticeable flaw.

"Perseus, I am wearing a silver hunting tunic. Besides which I have no desire to be encamped with hundreds of Macedonian soldiers." That she resolutely wished to avoid.

"I have an idea about getting some armor more befitting of a wandering Amazonian warrior. However, I do not have any about changing the fact that my men are indeed men. The decision lies with you.

Artemis frowned, "Tell me, how do you plan on acquiring armor and clothing fit for an Amazonian?" Suddenly, there was a shimmering light before her feet. Dazzling colors of orange, yellow, and gold formed a seemingly solid mass, before the lights flickered away into the air, leaving a substantial wooden chest in their wake. Perseus muttered a curse under his breath, taking a step back. But Artemis smiled widely, almost laughing aloud as she saw a small owl carved into the lid of the planked chest.

"What is that?" Perseus asked.

Artemis paid him no heed, and dropped to a crouch, opening the wooden lid. Inside, was a small clay tablet, with writing on it, and sleek black armor, with an underlining dark brown tunic, greaves, and a vambrace. Artemis picked up the clay tablet, which read 'I like his cleverness.'

Artemis groaned in disappointment, crushing the thin piece of clay in her hand. Athena was looking out for her, at least.

"My Lady?" Perseus walked forward, and peered inside the chest. Artemis watched his eyes widen and he gave off a loud laugh. "I assume you still have some Olympians who support you?"

Artemis glared at him, "In a manner of speaking."

Artemis sat back, marshalling her thoughts. Retelling her argument with him had been interesting, as she felt guilty over her treatment of him now. He hadn't deserved anything that she accused him of, and it only showed his continuous character that he apologized to her.

"My Lady, is it bad to say that I like Perseus… or at least the idea of him?" Anna said from her place by the fire.

Zoe and Phoebe both voiced their opinions about this, but before they could torment the poor girl, Artemis calmed her oldest friends down. She chuckled lightly, before addressing Anna, "It certainly isn't. Of course, you cannot be in the company of men, however we can wish that all men were like him. I certainly would wish that." Her hunters nodded in approval, and Artemis scowled darkly at the memories of the thousands who had raped, and abused women in their lives, wishing the worst of Tartarus for their miserable souls.

Artemis sought Jennifer and Mara amongst her band of hunters. Both had been abused in their households, and had run away into the woods. Fortunately for them, she had found them before monsters had. Others were not so fortunate.

Yes, My Lady, I admit, Perseus hath shown an uncanny cleverness that he forth puts in his demeanor. Thy hath not described him as a man who doth shows strength, but speed and head."

There was muted laughter from many of the younger hunters, "Brains Zoe. Brains."

Zoe scowled, "This language is idiotic."

Artemis smiled at the familiar banter between Zoe and the younger hunters. She had forgotten how much of a toll their absence had been before she had begun retelling her tale with the Macedonian expedition.

They were her life then, and now. They always would be.

"It is getting late girls, and we move camp tomorrow. I think I will retire for the night…" Artemis made to head towards her tent, however, a chorus of childlike refusals met her. She stared at all her hunters, many of whom looking at her with silent pleading in their faces. Damn.

When had she ever given in so easily before?

"Alright, I will continue the tale," Artemis paused as they all laughed, "But tomorrow, we are not stopping until it is night. And it will be double pace." She thought she heard one of her girls, Mara, choke. Phoebe grumbled above the rest, "I didn't even vote to hear this tale, thank you sisters."

Artemis settled herself back into her patched of slightly flattened grass, "Now, where was I…" She mused.

"Leave me. I must change into this." Artemis snapped at him, pointing in the general direction of his camp." She eyed the Amazonian armor, which Athena had supplied to her, with some speculation. It seemed adequate, although somewhat form fitting. It would give her ample protection and flexibility.

"Very well my Lady," Perseus said, bowing to her. He then walked off, his hand reaching up to dab at his face periodically. Artemis snorted, eyeing his form, making sure he was out of sight, before looking back to the outfit. Her quiver came of first, which she put besides the wooden chest. Perseus was still out of sight, so she hurriedly stripped off her silver tunic, immediately snatching the brown one from the chest. It only took her seconds, and she found the brown tunic to fit her comfortably. The armor came next. It was surprising light, and had leather straps at her sides and shoulders, the chest piece covering down to her hips. There was a single vambrace, with swirling, vine like, designs over the black leather. It was obviously meant for her bow arm. Greaves were in the chest as well, and were easily strapped to her legs.

As she finished, she stood from the now empty chest, and tested her movement. The armor was light, and it felt like a second skin. Even the chest piece, which Artemis knew to be restricting, felt fluid. Was the armor good enough to stop an arrow or a sword, that was another matter; however, Artemis trusted Athena. They had always gotten along, and she wondered briefly if this armor was ordinary at all.

"My Lady? Are you finished?" Perseus's voice drifted from the trees.

Artemis whipped her head around, searching for him, and was relieved when she found him to be hidden still.

"Yes, I am." She called back.

He emerged from the trees a couple of seconds after her response, still bloodied. She walked forward, intending to meet him in the middle of the clearing. The greaves didn't catch on her legs, nor did the vambrace. Athena had done well.

"My Lady, the armor suits you, "Perseus nodded, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

Artemis signed heavily, "Yes, now let us go to your camp. I would like to get this over with." She had just remembered that she now had to stay and camp with two hundred Macedonian scouts.

Perseus frowned, "My Lady, the men I command come from Alexander's royal agema, and can be trusted. Worry not. What you should worry more about is having weapons." He gestured to the quiver she had left by the wooden chest, "Your arrows?"

"I assume your camp has available weapons?" Artemis replied, disregarding her quiver, "Besides, I would be questioned on having silver arrows."

"Fair point, I am sure we can whistle up a bow and arrows for you at camp. The Agrianians are quite resourceful, as I've come to learn." Perseus nodded over his shoulder, and the two began to walk through the sunny trees.

"Come to learn? Aren't these your men?" Artemis asked sharply. The man seemed to drive her insane, as she found his answers increasingly irksome.

"Well yes, they are my men. But Alexander detached them from his own division. Saying they were the best of the best. Unfortunately, he is probably correct. I have command over a light infantry block. They aren't even a unit. Just an assortment of farmhands from the countryside around my families' estate. They could only bring javelins and slings when Alexander called the army together for campaign. But they are loyal, and good men. Boys really, if I am being honest, but loyal."

Artemis nodded thoughtfully, stepping over a moss-covered log, "You do not fight with them?" She remembered seeing him astride a horse, next to Alexander on the Granicus River. The thought struck her again that she wished she had fought with his men then too. Alexander would have died.

"I wish to. But Alexander made me a Bodyguard. I ride besides him in battle. My men are usually stationed on our wing."

Artemis noted the bitterness in his voice at that. She found herself replying to him quickly, "I saw you at the Granicus. You saved the whole Macedonian expedition that day." She wondered if he'd realize her choice of words, in not saying Alexander.

She didn't look over to him, although his footsteps in the undergrowth were easy to hear next to her.

"Alexander is my friend. We have been friends, ever since I was a child." Perseus eventually responded, "I am sure you know that this all hinges upon him. We have come so far, and accomplished so much. But this is not what I want. I wish my father wasn't the wicked man he was."

That gave her pause. They continued to walk in silence, passing by countless trees, and constantly shifting shadows in the warm summer air.

"Your father wasn't so wicked."

Perseus scoffed next to her, "Yes, you know so much about my father."

Artemis rolled her eyes, looking over to Perseus. He kicked a branch as he walked, looking down towards the earth. His face was scrunched up in anger, his beard masking the lines that had to be present on his lower face.

"I will ignore your mocking tone for now boy," Artemis warned, stressing the word boy, "You are right, I don't know your father. However, I do know that he did not kill Philip. He was bewitched, by Eris."

Perseus slid to a stop, immediately looking to her, eyes narrowed in both astonishment and suspicion. "If you are jesting…" Perseus said slowly.

Artemis slowly shook her head, "I would not give that false hope to you. From what I've seen Perseus, you are a good man, troubled from your past. I recognize that I have judged you quickly and without thought on occasion."

Perseus only nodded in response, and they both continued through the forest. Artemis found a small amount of comfort under the trees, and prayed that the fates would help her keep her sanity when they arrived at a camp full of men.