PJ an unexpected alliance c12

Previously…"Why Alexa can't be rewarded?" Percy asked

"Alexandra...to answer that question you need to hear her story. So I brought you all here to tell you."

AND NOW…

Artemis recount

I first came across Alexandra when she and her sister were in the woods playing. It seemed that they only got to play when they were away from the village I was originally only meant to be passing through but seeing their innocence made me stop.

"Alexandra we should be heading back."

"Really Cara, ye really want to go back?"

"They will notice we are gone soon."

"What will thy do make us work harder?"

"No thy whip..."

"Ya right we should go back. I will not get ye in trouble." Alexandra promised but froze when they heard twigs snapping Alexandra guided Cara over to a tree and told her to climb she followed her soon after.

"I swear these girls are going to be thy death of me." A males voice stated as he pushed through the bush

"Thy master wants em all looking pretty for thy show. Of course that means we get sent into thy forest to collect those blasted flowers he likes so much." A second voice added

"Pity we cannot get rid of thy brats when thy collector comes." A third voice grumbled

"Kidding right ye know who kids thy are."

"Thy are illegitimate, not to mention one of em is cursed."

"She is blind not cursed." The first guy huffed.

"Ye have a soft spot for em ye do Porthos?"

"Shut it Eros. Let us get these blasted flowers before we get flogged for being too slow." Porthos grumbled before pushing further into the forest. Artemis watched from a distance as the girls waited well until they were gone before effortlessly getting down.

"More collectors?" Cara asked

"What did he mean illegitimate?" Alexandra asked

"I do not know but we need to head back." Cara replied so Alexandra took her hand and they moved silently through the forest heading back to the village.

The next time Artemis saw them was when they were at a small creek. Alexandra was lying down and Cara was leaning over her.

"Ye should not have angered him." Cara was saying as she washed a cloth over her back.

"He should not have said that to ye." Alexandra replied groaning in pain.

"I am blind, he is not thy only one to say things like this. Ye cannot go around fighting em all." Cara replied as she wrapped her back before helping her get dressed. Artemis stood hidden in the trees with one of her hunters stopping her from going to them.

"Ye know what thy say is not true, ye may not be able to see but ye are not broken." Alexandra stated

"Ye keep telling me that."

"And I always will until ye believe me."

"Alexandra I am scared...what he said."

"Will not happen. I will not let em split us apart." Alexandra rested her hand on her leg before getting up. "10 lashes should have hit him harder." Alexandra grunted as she got up.

"Here ye are ye brats get movin thy master wants ye back." An older lady stated grabbing a hold of Cara before pulling her along. Alexandra placed her hand on the old ladies making her let go of Cara.

"Do not touch her." Alexandra growled out.

"Trouble! That is all ye are. Come on." She said but did not grab them she guided them back through the trees. This time Artemis followed entering the village in disguise she saw the lady led the two girls into a compound that had soldiers standing at the gate.
Two days later Artemis was still in the village gathering information about the compound when a guard placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Seen ye scampering around last couple of days no parents?" The guard stated Artemis was furious glaring at the hand on her shoulder.

"Eros...here ye are message from thy gate." A girl stated making Eros look at her but his hand remained on Artemis's shoulder.

"What message?" He asked

"How would I know just that they needed ye now."

"Alexandra?" He asked his distaste for her clearly in his voice. But she had moved so she was right in front of him taking his hand off Artemis's shoulder.

"I would hurry it seemed important." Alexandra replied shrugging as she did Artemis felt herself being pulled away by the other girl Cara. It felt weird that she was being led around the village by a blind girl but when they were far enough away from Eros did she stop and turn to face her. Artemis could not stop herself from looking at her in the eyes they were white and daunting even to her.

"Are ye alright?"

"I am good, what did he want?" She asked even though Artemis knew exactly what he wanted.

"Ye need to leave. Hide in thy forest get far away...you should not have lied to him like that." She stated making Artemis frown until she saw Alexandra.

"Worked did it not?"

"He will be mad."

"He always mad."

"I will finish our job ye need to take her somewhere safe." Cara stated

"I will not leave it all to ye."

"She needs to get away before thy guards come lookin. You know thy forest better than me. Ye can get her to thy crossroads."

"Cara!" Alexandra stated

"Go I will be fine." Causing Alexandra to sigh

"I will be fast." Alexandra replied before she went though Cara grabbed her arm.

"Take her to thy temple."

"Ye sick or something? Ye know we cannot go there. Thy gods will not help us." Alexandra hissed

"Take her."

"To get there it will take half a day."

"Then best get going." Cara smiled before hugging Alexandra before walking off.

"Come on." Alexandra stated guiding Artemis out of the village.

"What is going on?"

"Thy village is not safe for girls."

"But ye...?"

"We have no choice ye do. I am taking ye somewhere safe."

"What temple?"

"Ye will see. Alexandra is my name."

"Phoebe." Artemis replied to which Alexandra nodded before leading her deep into the forest. Artemis has to admit the way she moved through the forest she would make a good hunter. Artemis notes that they were being followed by one of her hunters but she was staying far enough away that she would not draw attention.

"How old are ye?" Artemis asked after several minutes of silence.

"I will be 12."

"Where are ye parents?"

"Dead. Ye?"

"Gone." Artemis replied they continued running Alexandra climbed up a fallen log and reached down to help pull Artemis up.

"What happens in thy village?"

"Slavery."

"Ye a slave?" Artemis asked frowning if she was she had a lot more freedom then most.

"Sort of."

"How can ye be sort of a slave?"

"We do thy work and answer to thy master...but we can move around freely. Cara is blind so that makes things different."

"She is ya sister?"

"Twin." Alexandra replied making Artemis nod they were identical in every way except for the eyes.

"How was she..."

"Thy grownups say she be cursed. That she should be dead. Thy like reminding us of thy fact. Our mother raised us until thy came and took us. Thy killed her..."

"Why do ye not leave?"

"We cannot." Alexandra stated showing her a mark on her arm making Artemis frown. She took her arm and examined it closely how did she get this. It was a mark of Ares, or more like a curse. It was a bond connecting them to another.
"Cara and I are marked to thy Master. We cannot both leave his territory."

"I am sorry." Artemis stated she will go and talk to her brother after. Why would he grant such a thing was beyond her? They kept moving for a while when Alexandra stopped and tilted her head to the side she was listening. Artemis knew that there was a boar just ahead she could sense it and was about to get Irene to deal with it when it suddenly changed course and tore through the bush so that is was facing them. "Climb I will distract it." Alexandra told her she was rolling on her toes as she started making a lot of noise and ran in the different direction the boar gave chase. Seriously what was she thinking? Alexandra weaves in and around the trees and it was working the boar couldn't keep up with the twists and turns it kept ramming into trees but it only served to make the beast more angry. Artemis was about to get ready to shed her disguise when the impossible happened Alexandra jumped and as the bore was about to get her it was dragged down. A hunters trap...not one of her hunters this was clearly a man made one. Artemis moved over to look at the dying creature at the bottom of the hole.

"Ye knew this was here?"

"No,"

"Ye jumped over it?"

"I saw it just now jumped at the last second. Lucky no?" Alexandra asked as she gave off a nervous laugh looking down the hole but on the other side of Artemis before moving over to a tree and climbed up it, before jumping to another tree before dropping and landing behind Artemis.
"Let us get out of here." She said before continuing their way. Artemis figures out where it was that Alexandra was leading them surprised that it was her temple they were leading them to.
"There is a temple up there, their priestesses will help ye." Alexandra explained

"Ye are not coming?"

"I cannot." She replied consciously rubbing the mark on her arm making Artemis frown. "The gods cannot help me. I need to return to Cara. If I go any closer he will know and it will not be good." Alexandra muttered more to herself.

"Surely Artemis can help ye?"

"She has not so far...the village if by some miracle...pray for thy other girls. There is a collector coming..."

"What is a collector?" Artemis asked and Alexandra watched her closely there was pain in her eyes followed by determination.

"Ye are young, do not worry about em. Go! I will watch from here until ye reach thy ridge." Alexandra stated making Artemis openly gap at her she was trying to protect her, young? Alexandra was young she was only 12.

"Ye have heard of those that travel with Artemis?"

"Rumours..."

"Ye could join her?" Artemis's stated and at the Alexandra laughed but it was full of pain.

"If I could leave with Cara I would be long gone. I learnt from my mother all about thy gods. But he has made it clear no god can help. Why would thy? Sorry not helping ye. I am lost ye are not. Even if I was offered thy chance to get away I will never leave Cara and she is blind. She is great but most do not see it. We are not worthy of thy gods. But ye, ye still have hope. Never lose it. Goodbye Phoebe I mean no disrespect. Maybe one day ye will be able to help." With that Artemis left her when she reached the ridge Alexandra returned to the forest. Artemis was at a loss on what to do. Irene came over to her as she looked out over the forest.

The next time she saw them she only saw Cara. She had spoken to Ares but he was unhelpful. She had asked Athena for advice but still even the goddess of wisdom could not help her, she got distracted with the hunt before returning to the forest outside the village. She saw Cara down at a river looking her over she looked to be taller. She was by herself which was strange seeming she could not see Alexandra.

"Ye can come out, I know ye are there." She called out but did not stop her task.
Artemis realized it was her that she was talking too so Artemis moved over to her.

"What are ye doing?" She asked

"Washing?" Cara replied as she dunked another cloth into the river. "What are ye doing out here?"

"I saw ye sitting by yerself."

"More often than not these days."

"Do ye not have someone with ye?"

"Because I be blind?"

"I did not mean?" Artemis froze when she saw that Cara was smiling. "How old are ye?"

"14." She replied it had been two years how? Then again she was with the hunt and time does not phase her.

"Ye new to these parts, most think I be cursed so tend to stay away."

"Must get lonely?"

"Now it does...now that she is gone."

"Who?" Artemis asked slightly dreading the answer what did she mean gone?

"My sister...he finally did it. Sold her. Three moons ago." She spat in disgust.

"Sold her?"

"Yes...you should go, I do not want ye help. Ye should go to thy Eastern road that runs parallel to the forest there ye will find what ye need." Cara stated getting up and walking through the forest. Artemis was about to call out that there was a root in front of her but Cara stepped over it and weaves through the trees before disappearing from sight. Artemis went to the Eastern road where she rescued four maidens, only after did Artemis click that Cara knew who she was.
She was called back to Olympus so the next time she travelled those parts she was with her hunt. It was one of her wolves that found the body. It was a young girl looked to be dead for a week the wild life seemed to have their share at the corpse. Artemis was furious she went to the village and her wrath followed. She destroyed the village finding out where Alexandra was sent before turning the lower ranking men into dogs and the higher ranking men into pigs satisfied that they turned on each other. She tracked down Alexandra and found that she had escaped from the man who had brought her freeing all of the young girls before making her way back for her sister.

"She is dead right?" Alexandra asked when Artemis tracked her down it took her a cycle she was in a clearing with a small fire in front of her.

"I am sorry."

"That be a first, getting an apology from a goddess."

"You knew who I was?"

"Yes...seeming ye did not tell us we figured ye did not want us to know."

"She refused my help." Artemis stated

"I know, we are beyond thy gods help. Even yours...She was no longer a maiden."
Alexandra explained gritting her teeth as she pulled her legs closer to her chest. "I failed her." Alexandra whispered she had tears in her eyes and Artemis was sitting very tense. What did she mean no longer a maiden? She can usually tell but with her she could not.

"Are you?" She found herself asking

"A maiden? Yes... he sent me out to a meeting when I returned I found her... she did not tell me who? Before I could do anything they separated us. Three moons later I was sold. I guess I should be thanking ya."

"Thanking?"

"Yes this disappeared a cycle ago." She replied holding up her arm where the mark used to be was now gone.

"I came to..."

"With all due respect but I cannot accept."
Alexandra interrupted her

"Ye know this will be thy second time ye refuse."

"I know. Although technically the first time ye were not officially offering seeming ye said ya name was Phoebe. But like last time I do not wish to join ye, in hopes ye do not curse me it is out of respect. Bad things happen to those around me. I am not worth ye attention." Alexandra responded.

One year later Alexandra was walking through the forest trailing two men who seemed too excited about something when they reached a clearing there was no moon tonight so she had to be careful as she stalked them through the forest. The clearing was full of men at least 50 there were five bonfires going and they were celebrating something that was when Alexandra saw what it exactly was that they were celebrating. In the center of the clearing was Artemis in a net.
Artemis was furious she saw the monster leading this group of men they did not seem to know that he was a monster. She had sent her hunters away and was glad she had done so but was furious that they had managed to catch her. As she was trying to break free all her attempts were failing. If only she could summon her knives but once caught their powers did not work. That was when their was a thud and Artemis has to blink a couple of times to make sure she was not imagining this. A knife had landed in front of her, inside the net. She tried looking around the forest but the smoke from the fires were disorienting her site. That was when two of the monsters thugs entered the clearing dragging someone between them that made her freeze. How? She grabbed at the knife and began cutting through rope but knew it would take time. She heard the monster laugh and say how one of her people turned up if only she was one of her hunters then maybe she would not have been caught. She heard how the girl tried convincing them that she was a simple farmers daughter and that she was lost in the woods and how she was being chased by a monster. That was when there was a loud crash that sent every man on alert. The monster told them to defend their prize that was when her bow ended up next to the net just out of her reach. The monster howled in laughter taunting her that she had just made it worse for Artemis. That was when he saw that the girl was smiling.

"That be true had I not gave her a little thing to help. Ye say nothing divine can get through that but thy knife a gave her was from a man worse than ye. I am nothing divine." She finished just as the monster swung his sword at her she jumped out of the way but the blade still managed to slice her arm. The monster figured she was not a threat so turned to the net and started walking that way as two soldiers came over to Alexandra. The first thrusted a spear at her she side stepped it and managed to steal it off him knocking him down before rolling out of the way from a swordsman she ended up throwing the spear at a second net that the men were taking to put over the first. Alexandra now had no weapon as she moved out of the way of the blade stepping into the man kicking him between the legs and stole his knife using it against him. She then grabbed his sword and moved over to the group that was circling the net. She threw the knife at one of the men and he fell to the ground shoving past some others her sword moving in and out slicing at any of them. She pushed the circle back so that she stood next to Artemis defending her. She had to buy her enough time so she could get out. She blocked a sword from her right and side stepped a spear on her left claiming that spear she thrusted it out at another only to hiss in pain as she was cut on her right side. She sank to her knees placing her hand on her side it came away red.

"Get out of here!" Artemis demanded but watched in horror as Alexa got back up and continued to fight the men were taunting her and growling as some of them were cut. She ended up gasping when a spear entered her chest. She looked down as if she could not process what had happened before thrusting out with her hand losing the sword in the man that had stabbed her with the spear she now only had a dagger. She blocked one last sword stroke before she was greeted with a second spear she felt this one tear through bone and muscle she actually cried out. Before once again sinking to her knees not before throwing the knife it embedded in the man closes to Artemis.

"What could ye have possibly achieved from this?" The monster growled out

"D-distraction." Alexandra stated she was now smiling again as she looked up at the men around her this look unnerved most of them. The monster seemed to click what she was talking about as Artemis's hand shot out of the net and claimed her bow. As she stood up she seemed to be glowing and one by one all of the men died starting with the monster behind it. He turned to yellow dust as did the mortals she shot. Alexandra was now lying down in a weird angle. Artemis bent down to her.

"Why would ye do something so reckless?" Artemis demanded

"Not let em hurt ye." She replied although it was clear she had difficulty forming the sentence.

"I can save ye, say thy pledge." Artemis stated but to her horror Alexandra pulled out the spear in her chest.

"No, I go find Cara..."Alexandra replied making it the third time she refused her as she looked up to the sky. Artemis felt Alexandra go limp in her arms...

AN: wow that was a lot, tell me your thoughts. Until next time thanks for reading.