Chapter 4: The oaths been broken
"Thalia? Thalia? THALIA?" Nico was shaking her but it was no use, she was lost to a dream land.
Thalia woke up in a soft patch of grass. Sitting up she smelled the air around her. It was a mixture of wet leaves, flowers, and freshwater. Wait? If the air smelled of freshwater there should be some
around here somewhere-she only cared because she had awoken quite thirsty-she thought to herself. Thalia got up and started walking, only a few minutes later she heard running water. She ran
towards it suddenly thirsty out of her mind. Stumbling among rocks and weeds she was eventually at the side of a small creek. She threw her mouth to the running water and drank huge gulps of
water. It wasn't the most attractive sight in the world. After a full five minutes of engorging large amounts of water she sat up content. She only hoped she hadn't swallowed a minnow in the process.
As she looked around at her surroundings, all to be seen were trees, rocks, grass, and an old rundown cabin. Still there was something magical about the setting, and Thalia couldn't put her finger on it.
"Hello Thalia." She snapped around with Aegis at the ready, only to discover she knew the girl standing behind her very well. "Artemis?" she asked still using caution. Artemis stared at her with a sad
look in her eyes. "Thalia. I brought you here to speak with you." "So I'm not dead?" Thalia asked confused. Artemis gave a soft laugh "No dear. This is my safe haven, my paradise." "Oh." Thalia said
"Nice." "Thalia I need to tell you a story. I need you to listen very closely." Thalia nodded, for she never disobeyed Artemis. Except for making out with the son of Hades, she scratched her head and
looked at the ground in guilt. Artemis ignored the fact that Thalia was staring at her feet and began. "It all began here. I was hunting alone, it must have been fourteen years ago. I had my eye on a
wolf of Lycaons pack, I pulled back my arrow and was about to fire when the wolf looked up, saw something and bolted away. I was startled, for nothing ever sees me. I looked to see what had
startled the wolf, I saw a bush rustle and I prepared my bow. After a few moments a man, a mortal man, walked out and saw me." Artemis paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "He was
so handsome Thalia. He stood tall, had dark brown hair that fell in short waves around his rugged face." Thalia giggled at the fact that Artemis had just used the word rugged. Artemis ignored her and
continued. "I know it's hard to believe Thalia but I fell in love right then and there. I was however still in my normal twelve year-old form and not to mention I was pointing a lethal weapon at his chest.
He looked so confused." Artemis gave a sad laugh "I still remember the first thing he ever said to me. He said 'Easy little lady. We wouldn't want your mother thinking you were capable of murder.
Though I'm sure when you're older you'll have men dying at your feet with eyes like that.' He gestured to my eyes and I was so stunned I lowered my bow and said the most stupid thing I believe a
goddess could ever say. I said 'would you die at my feet?'" Artemis looked to be on the brink of crying, but she composed herself and started again. "Then he did something I didn't think he would do.
He laughed, and it wasn't just any laugh it was an ear shattering melody. I'll have to admit it made my knees weak, and I'm a goddess, it takes a lot to weaken me. Then he said 'I think I'm a little old
for you doll-face.' He sat down, pulled off his boots and emptied a large amount of pebbles from each boot. I was crazy, reckless even because the next thing I did was say 'I'm not actually a twelve
year-old girl. I'm the goddess Artemis. One of the twelve Olympian gods of Olympus.' Then I changed to my adult form right before his eyes. I looked at him afterwards, his eyes were wide with intense
shock and I remember thinking how stupid I was. Then he blinked and shook his head and did something I never imagined would ever be possible for a mere mortal. He said 'Hi Artemis, I'm David. And
the only person who thinks I'm even close to a god is my mother.' I laughed so hard I nearly passed out, again nearly impossible to make a goddess do that. Anyway to make a long story short we
started a relationship. I told him about the hunters and I was sure to tell him every day that he was the only man I ever loved and every day he would tell me I was the only woman who had ever loved
him, and been loved just as deeply in return. We spent a year together, all the time keeping our love a deep secret. We only ever met in this haven, I built a barrier so no gods nor mortals could ever
enter. After a year of love I became pregnant." Thalia gasped, not knowing what to say. Artemis ignored and continued "I gave birth to the baby in this haven, she was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever
seen in the world. David named her Luna for the moon and we lived happily for a few years. I would perform my hunter duties and my mother duties easily, you must understand that I was an actual
mother to my daughter. And every night though the hunters thought I was sleeping in my tent I was really at home sleeping with the only man I ever loved. It all went wrong on Lunas fifth birthday,
June thirteenth 2002." Artemis said the date as though it burned her tongue. "Zues had found out and worst of all he had found a loophole in my barrier. He discovered that I still allowed animals into
my haven. So Zues sent a flock of eagles through my barrier while I was away. David was trying to protect Luna and in the process gave his life. Luna ran away and never returned to the haven. I tried
to find her but Zeus stopped me and has made me swear on the river Styx to never try to find her myself. Which is why I'm telling you this story." Thalia stood there speechless trying to process the
information that was just unloaded on her. Artemis was impatient and decided to just let her know now. "Thalia. You broke my oath and to have me forgive you you must find my daughter, take her to
camp half-blood, and protect her for the rest of your life and I'll let you grow old with the boy you love. With no complications."