Hello, readers!
I'm still having difficulties with that chapter I keep saying I'll post sometime soon, so I'm officially unpromising to have it done soon. It will be done eventually, but probably not in the near future (mostly because I have so much other stuff going on right now).
I've had this chapter sitting around mostly finished for a while now. So, I decided to spend four hours finishing it off instead of studying for the midterm I have tomorrow or reading the 130 pages of historical stuff I have to read by Thursday.
...Perhaps this hasn't been one of my better decisions.
Oh well. At least this was sorta kinda maybe a bit productive.
Enjoy the chapter!
May 28th, 1917, just outside suburban New York.
It was a cold day. The Hunters were gathered around their campsite in a local state park, finishing up their early dinner. The area was heavily shrouded with Mist. They usually did not reside in such places where mortals could easily stumble upon them, but it had been raining all day and they had had little success hunting. They managed to catch a few smaller woodland creatures, but it was not enough for everyone to eat their fill.
Artemis had reluctantly agreed to summon up some simple bread and slices of turkey for them when she heard a few stomachs grumble even after they had finished their meal. She disliked it when the Hunt was unable to sustain itself using hunting skills alone, but she would never force them to go to bed hungry.
Now, the Hunters were quietly chatting amongst themselves as they rested. The goddess, however, was in her tent. Apollo had decided to grace them with his presence a few minutes ago. He had looked more serious than usual; he hadn't spared any of the Hunters any of his usual flirtatious comments, but he did throw Zoë a halfhearted cocky grin before he entered his sister's tent. Artemis had followed him inside, letting a hint of concern slip onto her face.
After the twin gods had been in the tent for a few minutes, Lucia's curiosity began to seriously poke at her.
"What do you think he wants?" Lucia asked Zoë. The two of them where sitting in a loose circle with Melissa, Phoebe, Demetria, and Elaia. They had been sitting silently for a while now, watching over the rest of their sisters.
Zoë shrugged. She took a sip of her coffee. "I do not know, but I doubt I will like whatever it is he is up to."
"There's probably an eclipse sometime soon that they have to plan for," Elaia said.
"Lady Artemis has not mentioned an eclipse, though," Demetria said, "and Lord Apollo seemed much too anxious for it to be something so relatively trivial."
"Perhaps it has to do with the war," Phoebe added carefully. The Hunters did not talk of the war much. They wouldn't admit it, but it did frighten them - especially now that the United States had entered the fray.
"That is actually rather likely," Zoë said, frowning.
"I don't know," Lucia said. "It still seems somewhat strange."
"If it had to do with the war, why would the gods send Lord Apollo?" Melissa asked. "Lord Ares must be the one in charge of keeping Olympus up to date with the war. Wouldn't the council send him?"
"Well," Phoebe said, "possibly, but things are serious, so my father's probably too busy to run simple errands. But I agree that they wouldn't send Apollo. His medical skills might be needed elsewhere. I think the gods would have sent Hermes if it were about the war."
"Or me," Lucia added. "I'm not doing anything vital at the moment. It would have been most convenient to send me."
"Or an Iris Message," Elaia suggested. "That would be easiest if it were something urgent."
"But even if it were urgent," Demetria began, "an Iris Message would annoy Lady Artemis and I do not think the rest of the council would risk earning her displeasure."
Zoë nodded. "That is true."
They were silent for a while as they gave the matter some more thought. The other circle of Hunters - consisting of Anne, Isabel, Ellen, Catherine, Lydia, and Ema - laughed loudly as the sphere of rainwater Ema had been controlling suddenly dropped onto her with a splash. (They were all rather soaked anyway, but there was still something amusing about Ema's mishap.) Ema jumped from her seat, frantically swiping at her knee.
"Spider!" Ema shrieked, continuing her gestures. "Get it off - someone get it off!"
For a while, no one obliged, preferring to laugh instead, but Isabel finally rolled her eyes and calmly flicked the spider away. It was an irony they all appreciated: their resident daughter of Athena had quickly mastered her fear of spiders while their daughter of Neptune - well, Poseidon now that they were all forced to identify as Greek - was still deathly afraid of the silly little creatures despite being in the Hunt for nearly as long as Isabel.
Zoë merely shook her head, sighing as she watched them.
"Oh, Zoë," Demetria said, "let the children have their fun."
Zoë regarded her out of the corner of her eye. "I did not say a word against their 'fun'."
"Yes, but you have such an unnecessarily disapproving look in your eyes," Demetria chided.
"I almost wish Lady Artemis would let them catch a cold once or twice," Zoë said. "Perhaps they would become more responsible, less loud."
Phoebe snorted. "Unlikely."
"Which part?" Elaia asked. "That Lady Artemis would let them get sick? Or that they'd become quieter?"
"Both," Phoebe replied with a shrug.
"She would sooner let the six of us get sick for daring to suggest anything bad happen to the young ones," Melissa said.
They chuckled. It was certainly true to some extent. Their goddess was undeniably more protective of the younger half of her Hunters since she was quite confident in the older half's ability to take care of themselves. The divide between the older Hunters and the younger Hunters had become quite sharp over the centuries. They figured that the twelve centuries of an age difference between Lucia and Isabel was the main cause of it. Lucia had nearly always (except for her first few centuries as a Hunter) somehow been the youngest accepted into the older half. Everyone who joined after Lucia tended to belong to the younger half, no matter how many Hunters there actually were and how uneven their halves became. Lucia was certain it was her fault somehow, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.
"You forget that Lady Artemis likes her little manipulations and tests," Lucia said. "I think she just might do it if you asked her nicely enough, Zoë."
"Oh, look!" Demetria interrupted before the lieutenant could reply. "She left her tent."
They turned their heads to watch as the goddess walked over to the younger Hunters.
"Are you alright, Ema?" Artemis asked with a hint of a teasing smile. "You sounded rather alarmed. You gave my brother quite the fright."
"Did not!" Apollo's indignant voice came from the tent.
Artemis glanced at her tent and smiled more clearly as a few of the Hunters stifled giggles, but Lucia noticed that her smile was rather forced and did not quite reach her eyes.
"I - I'm fine, my lady," Ema said, blushing. "It was only the usual."
Artemis nodded. She turned to Isabel. "Thank you for assisting Ema."
Isabel nodded seriously and accepted the thanks graciously, but - when the goddess turned her back - she shot a cheeky grin at Ema who merely rolled her eyes in reply.
"Here's your chance, Zoë," Phoebe whispered as Artemis approached them. "Ask her."
"Oh, hush, Phoebe," Zoë muttered back, sitting up straighter.
Artemis halted by them.
"Is Lord Apollo quite alright?" Melissa asked with a tone of concern that would have seemed entirely genuine to anyone who had not known her for at least a few centuries, but to them it clearly contained a certain level of acceptable mockery. "I am certain Ema will hate to have caused him any distress."
Artemis nodded. "Yes, he will survive. Ema is relatively the least of his worries at the moment."
"Oh?" Melissa replied.
Lucia glanced back at the younger Hunters and found that Catherine seemed to be listening in, looking somewhat worried that something might be wrong with her father.
"If I may ask - my lady, why is Lord Apollo here?" Phoebe asked, drawing back Lucia's attention.
"I am afraid this is a personal matter of my brother's," Artemis said. "I do not think he would be happy with me if I told his secrets."
"Understandable," Phoebe said, sounding somewhat disappointed.
"Is there some way we could assist him, my lady?" Zoë asked. Although her tone was perfectly polite, Lucia could tell she struggled to form the question. Zoë would never admit it, but Lucia knew she was fond of Apollo in some strange tiny hidden way. They all were: he was their mistress's brother and if things ever got bad, he - despite being as much of a nuisance as he was - would undoubtedly be there to help. However, it was still difficult to be on amiable terms with him.
"Well..." Artemis paused. "He actually did request Lucia's aid. Would you mind, Lu?"
"I suppose not, my lady," Lucia answered. She got to her feet. "Will I be gone long?"
"No," Artemis said, frowning. The look in her eyes was apologetic. "A few hours at most. I will again attempt to convince him otherwise, but you know how he is."
Lucia nodded. She looked down at her older sisters. "See you later, then."
"Bye," Elaia said.
"Take care, Lu," Demetria said
"I will."
"Don't get lost," Phoebe commanded.
"Or eaten," Melissa added.
"I won't."
"Journey safely," Zoë concluded.
Lucia nodded. Then, she followed Artemis back to her tent. She noticed that Catherine was still watching them; she decided she would talk to her later if she found out why Apollo was upset.
Apollo was sitting on the ground inside the tent Indian-style, holding a bundle in his arms.
"Hello, Toni," he said.
"My lord," Lucia greeted, curtsying.
"I see you are as beautiful as ever," he said with a grin. He adjusted the bundle, which Lucia now realized to be a sleeping baby.
"Brother," Artemis chided.
Apollo rolled his eyes. "I'm only speaking the truth - which, as you know, is my domain, so don't you 'brother' me."
"Thank you, my lord," Lucia said dismissively, more concerned by the infant he was holding than by his flirtation, "but what is it you want from me?"
"Well," Apollo said, standing up, "I would like you to deliver him to a suitable family." He held out the infant.
"Er... What?" Lucia said, looking at Artemis for some explanation.
"You have to explain, Apollo," Artemis said.
Lucia turned her attention back to the sun god.
Apollo's expression darkened considerably. "His mother is dead. Complications in childbirth." He took a moment to glare at his sister. "I am not leaving my son in the care of her family. Those people are the most irresponsible wastes of mortal flesh I have seen in centuries."
Lucia raised her eyebrows. That was a very hate-filled description coming from someone usually so cheerful.
"I thought it would be fitting to ask my dear sister for help, considering it was her sphere of influence that caused this little problem," Apollo continued.
Lucia glanced back at Artemis who shifted from foot to foot somewhat guiltily. Lucia doubted she had intentionally had a hand in whatever happened - she would never hurt Apollo on such a personal level - but indirectly causing his lover's death must have been reminiscent of what had happened with -
Lucia's abruptly pulled her thoughts to a halt, blanking her mind, doing all to avoid thinking his name. It wouldn't be a good idea to think of him in the presence of present company, especially given that said company was already in a rather emotional state.
"I believe a former Hunter would provide a suitable home," Apollo said, bringing Lucia out of her thoughts. "She'd be trustworthy."
"Oh?" Lucia said. She didn't really interact with former Hunters; no one did. "Who exactly do you have in mind, my lord?"
"Someone who was not too disgraced," Apollo said, adjusting the sleeping infant. "Someone who would not hurt the boy in an attempt to get back at Arty."
Lucia cringed slightly at the nickname. Had any other god referred to Artemis by it, Artemis would have taken swift vengeance, but this was Apollo and she evidently felt she was somewhat in his debt. The only sign of her annoyance was an irked twitch of her eyebrows.
"I was thinking Rose," Artemis said, masking her irritation fairly well.
"Rose Benton?" Lucia asked. There had not been many Roses in the Hunt, but that most recent Rose had been rather irresponsible if Lucia remembered correctly. By Lucia's reckoning, Rose might have been a bit too disgraced. Hadn't she been the one who had become pregnant while still a Hunter? "Daughter of Iris?"
"Yes," Artemis answered, "but she is known as Rose Quinn these days; she eloped with a Mr. David Edward Quinn."
"Oh," Lucia said simply, a bit stunned by this knowledge. She knew Artemis liked to keep an eye on former Hunters - once a Hunter, always a Hunter (to an extent) - but the goddess never really shared information about them. Are you certain she's a good choice?
I think you will find her to have matured greatly, Artemis replied. She has been... repentant.
"I would spare you the trouble and take the infant to her myself," Artemis continued aloud, sending her brother a pointed look, "but Apollo does not seem to trust me to do it."
"Well, your record with handling boys is not quite promising," Apollo grumbled defensively, holding his son closer to his chest. "Toni, on the other hand, has never intentionally injured, transformed, maimed, or killed a male mortal."
"It is a baby, brother," Artemis said, not bothering to hide her annoyance anymore. "I am not going to hurt it."
"Him! He's not an it."
"Him. I am not going to hurt him," Artemis corrected with a tone of patience one would use when speaking to a very young child.
Apollo continued to watch her with evident distrust.
"Would you believe me if I swore it on the Styx?" Artemis asked, now sounding genuinely hurt that she would have to resort to making such an oath in order to gain his trust in this matter.
"My lady," Lucia interrupted before Apollo could reply.
She was not going to allow Artemis to swear such an oath. There would be so many potential dangers of the oath. If Aphrodite or Hera felt like inconveniencing the Hunt, they could easily manipulate things so that Artemis would trip or something while holding the child and, by doing so, inadvertently hurt him. Then, the Styx would, of course, be unable to directly punish Artemis for breaking the oath and would, therefore, make the Hunters the targets of its wrath. Lucia knew her fears were more than a bit extreme, but she did not want to take the chance of something like that happening.
"I can bring him to Rose," Lucia continued. "It isn't a problem."
Artemis met Lucia's eyes carefully. She seemed to have understood Lucia's reasoning after a few seconds of studying Lucia's expression, but it was clear she was not satisfied with it.
"My lady - honestly, it is a simple errand," Lucia said, "I do not mind. It will not take long."
"I do not think it will be as easy as you imagine," Artemis said as Apollo glanced between them.
"I can do it, my lady."
"Oh, I am certain you can," Artemis replied, "but you must remember that Rose may not be entirely happy to see you. There could be some difficulties."
"I think she would be less happy to see you, my lady," Lucia reasoned, recalling the events surrounding Rose's departure from the Hunt. The goddess had spared her from any serious punishment for the sake of her unborn child, but the amount of time it had taken for Rose to admit her wrongdoing had cast her into a rather bad light and Artemis had not been above making a few insulting remarks. If only Rose had immediately told Artemis the truth like other former Hunters had done, they would have parted on better terms. But Rose was lucky to have been with child. If she hadn't been, Artemis would have transformed her into some creature for hiding that she had slept with a man. Artemis had said as much (and no one doubted it - they had seen it happen just enough times before).
"I suppose so," Artemis replied. She sighed. "Very well. Apollo?"
Apollo perked up. "Hm?"
"Does your son have a name?" Artemis asked. "Or should Lucia tell Rose to decide?"
"Oh, um," Apollo said as if he had not considered this yet. He held up the baby and squinted at him. "Well... William has always been a good name for my sons... There was Wallace, Tell, Shakespeare, Blake, Wordsworth... And I suppose he should be Warner, after his mother. William Warner. If this Rose girl prefers him to be a Quinn, Warner ought to be his middle name so he will have something of his mother's. I leave it up to Rose... She is to be his mother after all... She ought to have some say in his name..."
Lucia nodded and held out her hands to the god. "I'll take William now, my lord."
Apollo gracefully got to his feet and deposited the baby into her arms. He looked down at William longingly and stroked his cheek. "Be a good little boy now and I will get you something nice when you become a good man. Deal?"
Lucia watched as little William - still peacefully asleep - grabbed hold of Apollo's finger and sighed in contentment. She glanced at Artemis who was looking at them blankly, clearly deep in thought.
Apollo forced a smile. "That's my boy." He leaned down to kiss William's forehead. He looked at Lucia as he straightened back to his full height. "Thank you, Toni. Tell Mrs. Quinn I'll send her the proper mortal paperwork to legally secure his adoption."
"Yes, my lord," Lucia replied.
Apollo's eyes lit up and he smirked, suddenly looking much more like his usual self. He put his arm around Lucia's shoulders. "Come now, Toni dear, how many times must I tell you it's 'Apollo', not 'my lord'?"
Artemis's eyes flashed at Apollo, no longer blankly staring at William.
"Perhaps it would satisfy us both if I were to call you 'Lord Apollo'," Lucia said, deftly shrugging his arm away and putting some distance between herself and the god. Then, she shot the goddess a look to say she had this under control and the there was no need for flashing eyes.
Apollo frowned. "You always say that, but then you never do."
"Because I don't want to satisfy you, my lord," Lucia said, half-teasing, half-serious. Apollo was essentially the only god she would ever even consider teasing. She had dared to tease Artemis a few times, but that had usually proven to have been a poor choice as Artemis was unexpectedly skilled at teasing in retaliation.
Apollo sighed dramatically. He patted Lucia's head. "We will have to work on that later, I suppose."
"As you wish, my lord," Lucia said sarcastically. She adjusted William so she could hold him more comfortably. "What should I do if Rose refuses?"
Apollo's eyes lost their cheery brightness as he glanced back at his son. "I will be on my throne."
Before Lucia could do more than nod, he began to glow and she averted her eyes as he returned to his divine form and vanished.
"Does he still always treat you in such a friendly manner?" Artemis asked, not looking particularly pleased.
Lucia shrugged, realizing it had indeed been a long time since she had been in the presence of both Apollo and Artemis. "He is like a child. I try to let him have some amusement, but not more than is appropriate. Did I handle the situation suitably?"
"Yes... It was sufficient," Artemis said, frowning slightly. "I presume I do not have to warn you to be careful with him."
"You do not, my lady," Lucia agreed. "I know not to trust him. I think I am quite immune to his advances."
Artemis nodded. "Good." She came over to Lucia and put her hand on William's forehead, muttering an old Greek Blessing for strength and long life.
Lucia raised her eyebrows. Her understanding of Greek was not as perfect as she would like it to be, but she was fairly certain she had understood the meaning of the blessing correctly. What she didn't understand was why Artemis had blessed him.
"It is the least I can do, given the circumstances," Artemis explained with a shrug as she retracted her hand and met Lucia's gaze. "As for you - regardless of what happens, return within three hours. I do not like the idea of you wandering mortal streets alone after dark. Or Olympian streets, for that matter."
Lucia was irked by the order, but she knew the goddess only had good intentions behind it. It would, at the very least, guarantee that no other god could start ordering her around after she took care of William. "Yes, my lady. Thank you."
"If Rose seems receptive, you can give her my regards," Artemis said, now carefully avoiding giving Lucia a direct order.
Lucia nodded. It was essentially an order nonetheless. "Yes, mistress."
"Are you confident you can find her on your own?" Artemis asked. "She's relatively nearby."
"Yes, I believe I can sense her. She still has a faint trace of your blessing."
"In that case, you may go."
"In a second - Catherine seemed concerned about Apollo," Lucia said. William gurgled something in his sleep, so Lucia shifted him again.
"Yes, I noticed," Artemis said, sighing. "I will assure her it is nothing serious."
"But it is serious," Lucia replied without really meaning to. "My lady," she added a second later.
"Apollo will be perfectly fine soon enough," Artemis said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself more than Lucia. "Such things happen. He knows this."
"As you say, my lady." Lucia decided not to push the matter any further.
Artemis nodded curtly.
Lucia bowed her head and melted into the shadows. The tent had thankfully been dark enough to shadow travel. Lucia did her best to shield the sleeping baby from the cold winds and sharp air of the darkness, but he shifted uncomfortably nevertheless and began to cry.
Lucia groaned and, a few seconds later, she stepped out of the shadows of a suburban street, beginning to walk. The air was still rather like that of the forest Lucia had just been in, so Lucia assumed they were indeed near the location of the Hunters' camp. It seemed to be a strange coincidence, but perhaps Artemis had had a premonition...
William let out a loud cry.
"Hush," Lucia whispered irritably. She adjusted him and put her hand over William's eyes. She tried to concentrate the Mist around him to make him more comfortable.
William quieted, but he continued to squirm about.
Lucia sighed. She regrettably dug into the powers she inherited from Venus to try to envelope William in a warm, loving aura to help calm him.
After a few more seconds of squirming, William settled down.
Lucia continued walking down the sidewalk. She could sense she was getting progressively closer to Rose. Lucia's tracking skills were not particularly good, so she assumed Artemis was, in some way, guiding her. The Hunters could usually sense each other's presence if they managed to clear their minds enough; the closer they got to each other and the more focused they were, the stronger their sense was. Rose had lost the Blessing of Artemis slightly over three years ago, but - now that Lucia was thinking about her - Lucia could just barely sense her. However, Rose did not really feel like a Hunter anymore; the remnants of the blessing were old and dead.
As Lucia continued down the street, she realized she could not sense Rose as strongly as before, so she doubled back and turned into one of the side streets. She went on, backtracking once or twice more, and taking another turn before she settled on a small white house.
Lucia walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. She could hear a voice or two inside.
The door opened, revealing a young woman with curly red hair and sharp green eyes. She looked older and more tired than Lucia had expected, but she must have still been in her teens. Seventeen, by Lucia's reckoning.
"Rose?" Lucia asked to be certain. "Rose Benton - er, Quinn?"
Rose blinked. "...Lucia?"
"It's good to see you again," Lucia said politely.
Rose did not seem to share the sentiment. She narrowed her eyes and hastily reached behind the wall, grabbing something.
Lucia was shocked to find a standard Hunters' knife in Rose's hand.
"Mama!" a little girl called from inside the house.
"Quiet, Delia!" Rose said sharply.
Lucia leaned to the left and looked past Rose to see the girl playing with a doll beside a couch.
Rose moved to block her view, watching Lucia apprehensively and raising the knife warningly. "Why are you here?" she demanded, her eyes searing into Lucia's hatefully.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Lucia said in disbelief, taking a step back and raising her free hand to show her she was not armed.
Ross glanced back at her daughter.
"Or her," Lucia added hastily.
Rose continued to eye her cautiously. "Why else would Lady Artemis send you?"
Lucia glanced down at William. "Well - "
"Oh my gods - I hadn't even noticed," Rose interrupted, having followed Lucia's gaze. She lowered the knife slightly. "I never thought you'd actually - I mean, is it yours?"
"Of course not!" Lucia said. "He's Lord Apollo's."
"I - I'm not following," Rose said uncertainly.
"May I come in?" Lucia asked. "I swear Lady Artemis hasn't sent me here to hurt anyone. I just don't want your neighbors to start spreading rumors. I know how mortals are."
Rose hesitated, but then she waved Lucia inside and closed the door.
"Feel free to sit," Rose said cautiously, gesturing at the couches and armchairs.
Lucia nodded and went over to sit in an armchair, placing William on her lap.
Rose sat down on the couch opposite from Lucia. She set the knife down beside her and extended her arms to the toddler. "Delia, come sit with me."
Delia had been watching Lucia attentively, but at Rose's voice she obediently stood up and wobbled over to Rose, still holding her doll. Rose lifted her up into her own lap and pushed the knife further away to ensure Delia couldn't reach it.
"That is not a particularly common name, is it?" Lucia commented, feeling compelled to mention it.
Rose shifted a bit guiltily and held Delia protectively.
"You named her after Delos," Lucia presumed, rather unsure of how to feel about it, "after the goddess's birthplace."
"I thought it might appease her," Rose admitted as she combed Delia's hair with her fingers.
Delia watched Lucia curiously with wide green eyes and Lucia tried to smile warmly at her.
"You don't think," Rose began, "that she would be offended, do you? You know her better than anyone - except for Zoë, maybe - but..."
Lucia took a moment to consider this. "No. She wouldn't be offended. She isn't offended."
"Isn't?" Rose repeated. "She - she knows?"
"She knows you are married to... David Edward Quinn, isn't it?" Lucia said as Rose's jaw dropped. "It seems likely she would know what you named your daughter."
Rose didn't reply. She pushed a stray lock of Delia's hair behind her ear while Delia turned her attention back to her doll, evidently deciding Lucia was not worth her attention.
Lucia glanced down at William who was thankfully still sleeping peacefully.
"Why are you here, Lucia?" Rose asked after a moment. "What's with the baby? You clearly don't know what you're doing with it."
"His mother is d..." Lucia stopped before she finished saying "dead". She didn't know if Delia knew anything about death yet or if she was old enough to pay any attention to the conversation around her and Lucia wasn't one to crush the blissful ignorance of children, so instead she said, "His mother is in my father's kingdom."
Rose frowned. Delia had dropped her doll, so Rose bent to retrieve it.
"Lord Apollo is very against the idea of leaving the baby with her family," Lucia said. "He requests that you raise him as your own."
"What?" Rose said, adjusting Delia. "I hardly ever spoke to Apollo. Why...?"
"Lady Artemis said you could be trusted," Lucia said. "Apollo would have settled for any former Hunter."
Rose winced at being called a former Hunter. She looked vaguely hopeful, but mostly uncertain and resigned. "Did she really?"
"Yes," Lucia answered, studying Rose carefully. She wasn't quite like how Lucia remembered her. "You've changed."
Rose scoffed, smiling as if she were mildly amused. She absently stroked Delia's back. "I suppose."
"I assume it's the result of motherhood," Lucia said, watching Delia.
"Yes, I'd say so," Rose replied. Now, it was she who studied Lucia. "You haven't changed at all."
"I haven't changed in ages."
Rose looked at her with what Lucia recognized to be pity.
"Which is entirely irrelevant," Lucia said before Rose could say anything more. "I'm here to discuss the baby."
Rose nodded. "Yes... You do realize that what you're asking me to do is... huge, don't you?"
"Apollo is asking it, not I."
"That's not the point," Rose said, glancing at the clock on the wall and then out the window. "Lucia, do you have any idea how much work it is to care for a child?"
"I'm afraid not."
"And how much money?"
"I'm not aware of it, no."
Rose sighed. Delia fought to get off Rose's lap, so Rose let her go. "I... I'm with child again. David makes enough for us, but we don't have much to spare... We think we'll have enough for our next child. But a third child? I don't know if we'll be able to absorb the financial impact of it."
"I can inform Lord Apollo of your concerns," Lucia said. "I believe he would be willing to offer you some financial aid if necessary."
Rose sighed. "I really don't know, Lucia... David should be home soon. I can talk it over with him, but I can't promise you anything."
Lucia nodded. "Of course..."
"Would you, um, want to stay for dinner?" Rose asked, standing up and setting Delia down on the couch. She took away the knife. "I was just about to finish up the cooking."
"No, thank you," Lucia said. She was still somewhat hungry, but it wouldn't be fair for her to have a full meal if her sisters couldn't and, besides, she did not want to risk staying long enough to have her curse force her to leave. "I, uh, have a curfew. I should be getting back as soon as I can."
"Then at least some coffee or tea maybe?"
Lucia hesitated. "Some tea would be nice."
Rose nodded. She glanced at Delia and then disappeared into the kitchen.
For a while, Lucia merely watched as Delia continued to play with her doll. Delia was quite an adorable little girl. She was green-eyed like Rose, but - unlike Rose - she had dirty blonde hair. She appeared to be in deep conversation with the doll as she would mumble something every few seconds. Occasionally she would lift the doll and sweep her through the air as if she were flying.
"Rose?" Lucia asked, drawing her attention back towards the room Rose had disappeared into.
"Yes?" Rose said, stepping over to the doorway of the kitchen.
"Your husband - does he know you are a demigod?" Lucia inquired.
Rose hesitated. "He does."
"Is he a demigod, as well?"
"No," Rose said. "He's mortal. Clear-sighted."
"Poor man. I've heard that the mortals treat those who are clear-sighted as madmen," Lucia said.
Rose nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen.
Lucia thought for a moment, looking down at William. "Is there anything I should avoid mentioning in his presence?"
Rose didn't reply immediately. "He is not particularly fond of Lady Artemis."
"How should I introduce myself?" Lucia asked. "I don't wish to cause you any further trouble."
"I - I don't know," Rose said, stuttering slightly, and in that moment it was unfailingly clear to Lucia how unnerved Rose was by her presence.
Lucia nodded even though she knew Rose couldn't see her. She got up, set William down where she had been sitting, and went over to stand in the doorway of the kitchen. "Could I help you?"
Rose glanced at her. "You aren't much of a cook."
"Well, no, but my cooking hasn't killed anyone yet." My curse on the other hand...
Rose quirked her lips into a smile. "Good to hear." She hesitated and her expression became more serious. "How are they - the others?"
Lucia shrugged, moving to lean against the doorframe. "Much as always."
"Ah," Rose said, returning her gaze to the vegetables she was cutting. "Anyone join?"
"No one who stayed long enough to be significant."
Rose took a deep breath. "How can you say it like that?"
"Like what?"
"So nonchalantly. Like they don't matter," Rose said with a frown.
"They don't matter," Lucia said. "What is a week of service - or even a few years - compared to millennia?"
"It would be nothing, I imagine," Rose said solemnly. "And thirty years would hardly be a speck of dust, I suppose."
Lucia froze. Rose might have looked older now, but she was still so very young. And Lucia had let that slip her mind just long enough to offend her.
"Would you say I was insignificant, then?" Rose continued evenly. Her attention was still on the vegetables.
Lucia shifted uncomfortably. "You had potential. We expected much from you. Perhaps too much."
"I really did like being a Hunter," Rose said. "Honestly. But... I liked being in love more. When I'm with David I feel as though nothing can go wrong - and even if it would go wrong, it would end up alright."
Lucia nodded. She knew how enticing that feeling was. And she remembered that utterly lost look Rose had had that day three years ago.
Lucia and Rose were the only ones left in their campsite. The others had gone off to hunt the Chimera who had somehow found herself in a nearby Mississippian swamp. Anne, Ema, and Isabel had been out hunting last night when they had gotten a glimpse of her.
Phoebe had insisted that Lucia stay behind to rest. Lucia, for one, did not quite see why she could not join them. She had just the day before returned from a mission rounding up a few rouge Cyclopes for Hephaestus and had acquired a fairly nasty gash on her left thigh for her efforts, but she was hardly even limping anymore thanks to Phoebe's expertise. She was certainly more than capable of helping her sisters.
However, Artemis pointed out that Phoebe knew best in such matters and she all but ordered Lucia to stay. Lucia had reluctantly sat down by their fire.
Just as everyone else had been about to depart, Lydia and Rose had been caught arguing in urgent whispers. Lydia was saying Rose needed to stay behind since she had been ill that morning. Rose was protesting that she was fine, but Lydia insisted that she couldn't have been fine if she had been feeling unwell enough to vomit.
Everyone had looked at the two rather skeptically: Hunters did not become sick. But there was Rose, indeed looking rather pale and slightly green.
Zoë whispered something to Artemis, who nodded, and she proceeded to say it would best for Rose to stay behind as well, regardless of whether or not she was ill. The Chimera was a dangerous opponent and Rose - on top of clearly not feeling very well (even though they could not quite understand why) - was still fairly inexperienced.
And so, the other Hunters left, leaving Rose to dejectedly sit beside Lucia. Once they were entirely out of sight, Lucia sighed, looking around for something to do. She reached over to pick up a leaf. She toyed with it, folding down its edges, before tossing it into the fire and watching it burn.
Shortly after that, Rose said, "Lucia?"
Lucia looked over at her, taking her gaze off the remains of the leaf. "Yes?"
"I... I'm in trouble," Rose said cautiously. She was looking less green now, but still pale.
"In trouble?"
"Yeah."
"What makes you say that?"
Rose hesitated.
"Well?"
"I don't really know where to start."
Lucia fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Then, why are you attempting to tell me?"
"I thought... I mean, I heard the others mention a few... things..." Rose said. "So, I thought that maybe you out of all of us would understand best."
Lucia raised her eyebrows. "What exactly would I understand?" She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she had a distinctly bad feeling about this.
Rose shifted guiltily.
"And what have the others been whispering about me?" Lucia inquired. She was well-aware that she was essentially their only source of outside news, but that did not mean she particularly liked it when she herself became the object of their gossip. By now, they all knew practically all of her secrets. Thankfully, however, they were still ignorant of certain details.
"They haven't been whispering," Rose said immediately in their sisters' defense. "There was just some... things they mentioned in passing."
"Things such as...?"
"Well... that you were, uh, in love once. During your time as a Hunter."
Lucia studied Rose silently for a few seconds. "You're in love. Just what have you done?"
"I... Yes. Will you help me?"
"...If I can," Lucia said doubtfully, "but if you truly think you are in serious trouble, Zoë would probably be of more help than I."
"I - I think I'm... with child," Rose said quietly, avoiding Lucia's gaze.
"You think?" Lucia asked. Did Rose even know the mechanics of that occurring?
Rose nodded. "I spoke to my mother a few nights ago and you know how she is - she calls me by the wrong name half the time - but she said something that implied it and..." Rose sighed. "I've been vomiting in the morning most days lately. I've been waking up before everyone else because I feel so nauseous. Lydia caught me at it this morning."
"You could have accidentally eaten something toxic," Lucia suggested even though she knew that would be very unlikely, but she really rather doubted Rose would have acted on her love to such a great extent as to what she was claiming. When had she even met the fellow?
"No, I don't think so..." Rose said, blushing. "It would be an odd coincidence."
"Just how did you meet this... whoever he is?"
"I went scouting with Lydia once when we were in Virginia. We decided to split up. I found myself on his family's farm," Rose said. "I kept looking for excuses to sneak off to see him again, but I haven't seen him in a month now. I thought - I thought it wouldn't matter if I... gave in once or twice. I didn't think I would end up..." She didn't finish.
Lucia glanced down at Rose's stomach. All things considered, she really did not know much about pregnancy. She had been too young to pay much attention to when her mother had been pregnant with her brother, Quintus. She knew her mother had also delivered a stillborn after that and experienced a miscarriage or two, but she couldn't remember any details beyond those facts. From being alive for as long as she had, she was acquainted with the concept of morning sickness, but again, she knew no details.
She was certain one of her sisters would know more. Phoebe or Catherine, being healers, would know something. Or Anne or Ellen since they had been due to be married. Demetria, surely - her mother had been a midwife.
"What am I to do?" Rose asked despairingly. "There are ways to hide it, aren't there? With the Mist? Or some other magic?"
"...There are, yes, but I strongly advise you against it. If you truly think you are with child, you have to tell Lady Artemis," Lucia said. "There's nothing else you can do. She will discover the truth one way or another."
Rose swallowed. "She'll be... upset with me."
"I'm sure that will prove to be an understatement," Lucia said, remembering how displeased Diana had been about her Mars predicament, "but it will be far worse if you don't tell her. She has a very low tolerance for dishonesty."
Rose stared down at the fire. "...Understood." But, slowly, Rose's depressed expression hardened and a glint entered her eyes, giving Lucia the feeling Rose did not understand.
"Are you alright?" Lucia inquired.
"... No."
Lucia raised an eyebrow.
"I... hate how trapped I am," Rose said. "I shouldn't have to feel like this! Love is the most natural thing in the world! You must see it, Lucia - She keeps us in such a tight grip that it's - it's - it's utterly cruel!"
Lucia clenched her jaw. She may have been somewhat sympathetic to Rose's situation, but she was not going to tolerate any insult - direct or indirect - to Artemis. "I stand with Lady Artemis, Rose."
Rose got to her feet angrily. "You're so blindly loyal to her! You don't have to be! We don't have to be! None of us do! What has she ever done for you?"
Lucia felt as though she had been slapped. "More than you could ever understand."
"Oh, really?" Rose retorted.
"Yes," Lucia said simply. "Apparently, there's much the whispers haven't told you."
Rose did not seem to know how to reply.
"You came to me for advice," Lucia said. "Well, here it is: control your anger. I understand that you're frustrated, but if anyone hears you insult Lady Artemis, you know they won't be kind. That includes the goddess herself."
Rose clenched her jaw. She glanced down at her stomach. "...She wouldn't dare risk hurting a child."
Lucia could not believe that Rose seemed to actually be considering insulting Artemis. "Don't be a fool."
"You're telling me not to be a fool? The way I see things, you're looking more and more the fool," Rose replied crossly.
"...In which case, I don't think I can help you," Lucia said. "I'm sorry."
Rose seethed. "You're going to tell her, aren't you?"
Lucia sighed. "I don't want to tell her; you don't want me to tell her..." She scoffed. "Gods, this must be the longest conversation we've ever had - I'm sorry, I know I try to avoid you young ones, but you are my sister, Rose, and I care for you. I don't want to throw you to the wolves, so to speak, but..."
"But Artemis comes first."
"...Yes."
Rose scoffed.
Lucia watched as Rose paced. She had the feeling Rose wouldn't be speaking to her again. Lucia continued to merely observe her. Rose had been fourteen when she joined. Older than most, but still so young.
And Lucia observed Rose now. She was still so young, but she was also older in a way that Lucia might never be.
The kettle on the stove whistled.
Rose sighed, setting down her knife. She walked over to the stove and removed the kettle. "I forgot to ask - black or green? I think we also have Earl Grey if you'd prefer."
"Black is fine," Lucia said.
Rose took a mug out of a cupboard, dropped a teabag into it, and poured the boiling water into it. "Sugar? Milk?"
"No, thank you."
Rose nodded, closed the cupboard door, and handed her the mug.
"Thanks," Lucia said quietly, taking the mug.
Rose returned to her cooking.
Lucia tried to keep her gaze on her tea, but she found herself glancing over at Rose from where she leaned against the doorframe.
Rose really did seem different somehow, yet Lucia could not quite pinpoint what the changes were.
"What's it like?" Lucia asked.
Rose looked over at her, drawing her eyebrows together. "What's what like?"
Lucia hesitated. "Losing the lady's blessing. I - I've wondered."
"Oh," Rose said, busying herself with the food again. "It was... strange. Um. It didn't hurt. It just felt... Have you ever - when you were trying to sleep - had the sensation of falling and then jolted, suddenly realizing you're awake? It was sort of like that except the jolt lasted weeks. Everything felt so much faster at first. It was very disconcerting... but now... I suppose I've gotten used to it."
"I see," Lucia replied, trying to wrap her head around what Rose was describing.
Rose glanced back at the living room. "Delia's gotten rather quiet. Could you check on her?"
Lucia nodded. She stepped back into the living room.
William was still sleeping soundly where Lucia had left him.
Delia had clambered onto the couch and was now playing with a pillow. Her doll lay abandoned on the ground.
Lucia sighed and went over to pick up the doll. She then set it down on the coffee table just as the front door opened and a sandy-haired man entered.
"I'm home!" the man - Mr. Quinn, Lucia presumed - called half-heartedly as he shrugged out of his coat. He set the coat on a hook by the door.
"Oh, good, David," Rose said, quickly coming into the living room to give Mr. Quinn a kiss. "We have a few matters to discuss."
"What matters, dear? I had a long day and..." Mr. Quinn said as he turned his back to the door. He narrowed his eyes slightly when he caught sight of Lucia. "Who is this?"
"Oh, um, this is..." Rose began uncertainly, "my cousin."
"Dada!" Delia suddenly called as she rushed over to Mr. Quinn as quickly as her little legs would carry her.
"Cousin?" Mr. Quinn repeated, as he lifted Delia into his arms. "Hello, darling," he said to Delia before turning his attention back to Rose. "On your father's side, I presume?"
"My mother's side, actually," Rose said somewhat guiltily, placing a hand on Mr. Quinn's shoulder.
"Oh. Great..." Mr. Quinn straightened his back and eyed Lucia carefully.
"My name is Lucia Antonia, sir," Lucia said with a formal curtsy. "I apologize for visiting unannounced."
"You're a demigod, then?" Mr. Quinn asked.
"Yes, sir," Lucia said. "My father is Hades." She frowned as she said her father's Greek name: it still felt strange to introduce herself as a daughter of Hades rather than Pluto, but Rose was from after that damned war and Lucia was sworn to secrecy.
"Hades," Mr. Quinn said thoughtfully. "Which one was that again?"
"Underworld," Rose told him, "and wealth."
Mr. Quinn sighed. "A child from hell in my living room. Perfect. Just the sight I wanted to see when I got home."
Rose frowned at him disapprovingly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Quinn," Lucia said, trying not to feel offended. What on earth does Rose see in this man? "Lord Apollo sent me here."
"Sun, archery, poetry, medicine," Rose listed in a clipped tone before Mr. Quinn could do more than open his mouth.
Mr. Quinn nodded. He flicked his gaze back over to Lucia. "And?"
So, Lucia explained, leading him over to William and the couches while Rose returned to the kitchen. (Sometime during her explanation she, sent Hypnos a quick prayer of thanks for keeping the infant asleep: it would have been quite inconvenient for William to awaken and begin bawling.)
A few minutes later, once Mr. Quinn was filled in on Apollo's request and Rose had rejoined them, Mr. Quinn nodded slowly. "A word, Rose? In the kitchen?"
"Yes, that would be prudent," Rose said, somewhat distractedly.
Lucia frowned, wondering what had gotten into Rose, but she chose not to comment.
The couple stood. Mr. Quinn went over to pick up Delia, who had escaped his grasp when he had sat down and was now putting up some impressive resistance, and they departed to the kitchen.
When they began to whisper, Lucia tried not to listen - she truly did want to respect their privacy, but despite their voices being remarkably quiet, Lucia was a Hunter, after all, and her sense of hearing was quite sharp.
"What do you think?" Mr. Quinn asked.
Rose sighed.
"I dislike the fact that he's being dropped on us so unexpectedly," Mr. Quinn said, "but I think it would be the right thing to do."
So, that's what she sees in him, Lucia remarked to herself. Underneath all that grumpy unfriendliness beat a good heart.
"We can't, David," Rose said.
Lucia frowned. Rose had not seemed to be against the idea.
"And why not?"
"That boy is a son of an Olympian," Rose replied. "Once he's about twelve or thirteen, we'll have a monster on our doorstep every other month."
"Are you sure?" David asked.
"Fairly certain. David, I won't put our children in that kind of danger. I've seen what these monsters can do. They destroy families. They killed my father to get me and Iris isn't even an Olympian! It'll be much worse for him. And - and what if you get drafted? I - I can't imagine being left alone and... David, I already don't know what I'd do without you."
David was silent.
Back in the living room, Lucia had summoned an arrow and was toying with it uncomfortably. There were times when she forgot how difficult life was for regular demigods. She had never really been an average demigod, even from before she went to live in the Underworld. She had suffered few monster attacks when she was young. Her mother had usually disposed of them before she had really known what was happening. And, on top of that, she couldn't imagine how awful it must be for Rose to consider her husband might be shipped off to war, possibly to never return.
"David..." Rose was saying. "Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like that," Rose said.
"Don't know what you mean," David replied, sounding vaguely teasing.
"You know perfectly well what I mean," Rose hissed.
And that was when William began to bawl loudly over their whispering voices.
Lucia had no idea what to do. The answer seemed obvious, of course: pick him up. But that was much more easily said than done. His arms were flailing about as he squirmed on the couch.
She tried to place her hands at his sides, but the way he wriggled about made her worry that she would drop him if she managed to lift him, so she retracted her hands. She was not meant for this sort of thing.
"Oh, let me," Rose said, suddenly there beside Lucia.
Lucia took a few steps back, content to let Rose take care of the situation.
Rose expertly lifted William into her arms. "When's the last time he was fed?"
"...I don't know," Lucia answered. "Apollo didn't tell me anything."
Rose nodded, looking thoughtful as she cooed to William. After a few moments, he began to quiet down.
"His name's William," Lucia said suddenly, having only just realized she hadn't mentioned that yet. "That's all I know. Apollo wants him to be named Warner - after his mother. William Warner."
"William Warner," Rose echoed. She half-smiled as she gazed at William. "It has a nice ring to it."
"William Warner Quinn, if you'd prefer," Lucia added.
"Rose." David was leaning against the doorway of the kitchen with his arms crossed.
Rose met his gaze.
"I think we can do it," David said, "but only if you want."
Rose looked down at William.
"You can - you can teach me more about monsters," David suggested. "I'll learn how to fight them - "
"Dada!" Delia interrupted, appearing by David's leg with her arms outstretched. "Up! Up!"
David lifted her and brushed a stray lock of her golden hair from her face. "I'll defend us. I swear."
Rose sighed. "...What about the draft?"
"Apollo will make it work out," Lucia said without really intending to, but she knew she had to say something. "Apollo loves his children. He'll be grateful to you. I know he'll help. He won't let the mortals send your husband away."
Rose studied Lucia silently.
"And Lady Artemis blessed the boy," Lucia continued, feeling Rose should know this. "She seemed to approve of you raising him."
Rose's eyes had brightened at that, even though she tried to hide it. She nodded hesitantly and then more confidently. "Okay. We... we'll do it."
David nodded in agreement and came over to stand beside his wife. Delia was looking down at William curiously.
"Lady Artemis saved my life and took me in when I had nowhere else to go," Rose said, more to herself than to them. "It's only fair that I repay the favor for her nephew."
Lucia forced a smile as it hit her why she hadn't interacted with former Hunters before. She seriously doubted Artemis had wanted her to see this: a family - a young, content-looking couple with adorable children.
"If there's ever any trouble," Lucia began, trying to ignore the lump in her throat, trying to smother the irrational flame of envy that had sprung up somewhere in her chest, "you know how to contact me. I'm sure Camp Half-Blood will also be willing to offer assistance should it be necessary."
Rose nodded.
"I should probably get going," Lucia added, wanting nothing more than to leave now. "I've infringed on your hospitality long enough."
"Are you certain you won't stay for dinner?" Rose inquired.
"Thank you, but I'm certain," Lucia replied. "I really must be going. Perhaps we'll meet again someday."
"Perhaps," Rose agreed. "It was good to see you again."
"Likewise." Lucia shifted her attention to David. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Quinn."
David inclined his head.
And Lucia didn't care that he and Delia were there. She simply used that sudden pain that had enveloped her as strength to overpower the shadows of the room and force them to herself.
She shadow traveled.
She forced a smile against the cold winds of the darkness, doing her best to let her feelings go. It was nothing to get upset over, after all. They were happy. Good for them. Rose was lucky.
Maybe, she'd be lucky someday, too.
Hopefully, you've enjoyed this chapter.
You can skip the rest of this if you don't really feel like reading my brief-ish analysis of Artemis. (I think it's fascinating, so I recommend reading it, but I totally understand if you don't.)
I personally really had fun figuring out how Artemis would react to various different situations in which a Hunter would in some way or other break their oath to her. On one hand, she's a pretty violent and unforgiving and not-always-rational deity in the myths, but on the other hand, she's been alive for millennia and has probably grown a bit more understanding and less likely to just kill or transform her former followers without a fair trial of sorts.
I don't think she ever would have killed a Hunter who was pregnant and/or had been forcibly taken by someone. The former because killing a child would go against her basic programming as the goddess of childbirth and children. The latter because that would just be too unreasonable. (I don't remember if she did anything to Callisto in PJ's Greek Gods, but I don't consider Greek Gods to be canon. However, I have some vague plans to mention my interpretation of the Callisto myth eventually.)
By the time this chapter takes place, I think Artemis has definitely matured out of killing Hunters if they betray her, but transformation is still an option and Lucia is old enough to have seen Artemis kill at least one Hunter.
Being turned into an animal and cast into the woods to fend for yourself could arguably be a fate worse than death, but I like to think Artemis would eventually go find them by herself and transform them back into humans once she calmed down. The Hunters may or may not be aware of this. Officially, I think it's accepted that it's permanent and it's something the older Hunters use to scare the new girls into being honest if they ever end up in a bad situation. Unofficially, I think they kinda know/trust/believe/hope that Artemis wouldn't be that cruel because she is their mother figure and they really do love her and they know she loves them.
As goddess of childbirth, I think Artemis has a really strong maternal instinct, which is why she loves to take in orphaned girls and goes out of her way to save maidens and why she manages to form close relationships with all her Hunters and why she probably would even save a boy if he was about to be murdered or something, and this strong maternal instinct is what makes her rather irrational when she finds out a Hunter has "betrayed" her. She sees this as a serious betrayal of trust and a sort of attack on that maternal bond she has formed with that Hunter, which is really a sort of attack on her domain and on her very essence. If the Hunter is sorry about it and humble, she'll forgive her pretty much immediately, but she can't let the girl remain a Hunter. But if the Hunter is kinda like Rose and feels bitter and resentful and has the nerve to insult Artemis and calls Artemis and/or the other Hunters stupid or anything like that, then it's an attack on Artemis's domain and gods tend to be rather protective of their domain, so it turns into the generic "Die, petty and ungrateful mortal, for overstepping your bounds and being foolish enough to think you are superior to me!"
Not that I think Artemis would ever say something like that, but you get the gist. It's all about how she finds out a Hunter betrayed her (and if the Hunter did it willingly).
Thanks for reading!