Wistful Night

Apollo stood on the balcony of one of the palace lounges, looking out at the beautiful dark night sky that was adorned with many diamond-like stars and the majestic silver-white celestial orb that glowed with such beauty. But of course, his eyes were once again fixed on that certain constellation.

He knew what day it was today. How could he not? What had happened five years ago on this very day would always continue to haunt him no matter how hard he tried to forget about it and no matter how hard he tried to run away from it. Such bitter memories were always the most difficult to forget about and the most easiest to be tormented by.

As he gazed at the constellation, easily making out the human-like shape in his mind, he began to recall how the hunter had looked like. Even until now, he still remembered the perfectly cut and handsome features of the demigod's face and body, the shade of teal green that colored his eyes and the short and messy shimmery bronze locks that adorned his head. He even recalled the creases on his face that showed just how often he smiled and laughed.

Apollo remembered how the very thought of Orion's face used to make him immediately feel jealous and threatened the last time. But now, all he could think about was how much the giant hunter used to smile and how he always seemed to look as though life was giving him no troubles back then, especially when he was in the presence of Artemis.

At the sudden thought of Artemis, he felt his heart skip a beat. Each time Artemis came into mind, he would always remember his sister's beautiful face; with her long and wavy bistre hair and her dark midnight blue eyes that contrasted with his own short and wavy golden hair and his bright sky blue eyes.

Some may ask why exactly he would remember his sister like that although she was still around. In truth, he did this because although Artemis was near him, she was still so very far away.

These five years had been so difficult for him. Although to most gods, five years would seem like an extremely short time due their long, immortal lifespans. But to Apollo, it seemed like eternity without his sister's affections for him. He was not afraid to admit that he missed her so very dearly. How could he not? His sister had and would always be a permanent part of his life and be one of the most important of his loves.

How he longed for the day Artemis would finally find it in her heart to forgive him for his cruelty. If not forgive, then at least give him another chance to prove himself worthy of her affections once again. He was already at the point where he wouldn't mind if she didn't fully forgive him or give him her full love once again. The least he wanted was for her to talk to him again and maybe even spend time with him as they always had the last time.

But Apollo knew that no matter how much he wanted it, he couldn't force her to simply forgive him for what he had done to her lover. Artemis was known to be so very cold and very unforgiving if the situation demanded for it. And it did right now. Besides, why would he expect her forgiveness so soon? He was completely in the wrong and must face the consequences of his actions, no matter how harsh the punishment would be. He could not bargain for a lighter punishment and he could not beg for her forgiveness. He was so pathetic to the point where it seemed that he naturally had absolutely no right to beg for Artemis' forgiveness. Her forgiveness would come from her own self, without persuasion or encouragement or pleads from another, including himself.

But no matter how very slim and almost non-existent the chances were, Apollo did not have the heart to give up hope that she would one day be willing to reunite with him. If she was willing to give him that honor, than he would promise and swear upon the river Styx and his own immortal life that he would never do anything to hurt her again and may he be damned eternally if he broke that promise.

He did not know how long he had been standing there, gazing out at the night sky and being so deep in thought, but a voice greeting him got him out of his long train of thoughts.

"Wonderful night, isn't it, Apollo?"

Apollo turned to see Hermes entering the lounge. He noticed his younger half-brother had on his golden headband with white wings and his golden sandals with white wings on each, and also noticed how wind-blown his pale blonde hair was. Immediately, Apollo knew that Hermes must have returned from somewhere on duties, but he did not inquire of it.

Apollo sighed and nodded his head. "It is," he agreed, though in a voice that clearly showed he was wallowing in sadness.

Hermes came to stand beside him and planted the palms of his hands on the smooth white marble balustrade as he leaned forward slightly. The both of them did not say to each other immediately, just standing there in companionable silence as they both gazed out at the starry night sky. But it wasn't long until Apollo finally asked Hermes a very crucial question.

"How is she?" he suddenly asked quietly. Hermes did not ask who 'she' was.

"She's quiet," he answered his older half-brother honestly. "And looks so deep in thought. But she didn't look sad. Just… neutral. But then again, we'd never know what she was truly feeling. She is very well-known for keeping a façade that could mask her true feelings."

Hermes kept his eyes on the constellation of Orion when Apollo let out a low, sad sigh.

It was about a minute later when Apollo spoke once again, this time in a much quieter, sadder and pained voice.

"She's never going to forgive me, is she?"

Hermes did not immediately reply to his question. He just quietly looked away from the sky and down at his hands on the balustrade. Apollo could not determine whether he was simply thinking about the question or if it was his way of showing that he really did not want to think about his problems with Artemis.

Apollo immediately became embarrassed for asking such a question and looked away back to the night sky. He told himself then that he shouldn't ask others of questions regarding his sister for the sake of not having them feel as though they are dragged into this. He knew it irked and disturbed some that he and his sister had not communicated for five years straight, and he knew that they were all hoping that the tension between them could just disappear and things for the both of them and the rest would go back to normal.

Oh, how I wish it was…. Apollo thought sadly to himself.

Suddenly, he was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. The Sun God looked at the hand for a briefly before looking at his half-brother's reassuring spring green eyes and the small smile of encouragement on his lips.

Calm and quietly, Hermes finally replied, "Have faith that she will, Apollo."

And with that, Hermes finally left the balcony.

Apollo went back to gazing at Orion's constellation once again as he hoped in his heart that what Hermes said would be true.

The night was dark and enchanting with the light of the stars glowing all around the skies brightly, interlaced with the silver-white light of my moon.

I had shed my dress of teal green silk and my bronze accessories and now wore a simple knee-length nightdress of sky blue silk. I was just about ready to go to bed, but I couldn't do it unless I had talked to him first.

Following by my routine, I proceed to sit on the large sill of my window after I had made myself up for bed. I sat with my knees drawn to my chest and my chin resting on my knees, my eyes looking at the night sky, searching for him. It hadn't taken me long; he was right in front of me. The stars of his constellation were the brightest and the most beautiful and the structure was so defined I could almost make out the invisible lines that held them together.

"Hello, Orion," I greeted him with a small smile. "How are you? Do you feel well in the Asphodel Plains?"

There was no answer except for the sounds of the billowing air in the space between me and the sky. I did not react differently and continued to speak.

"Today, I went back to your old clearing. It's just like I've always remembered; calm, quiet and isolated. Just the perfect place for someone like me to rest and relax. But I found that I can't seem to ever relax there. How could I? Something was missing from that dear clearing. Something important. Do you know what that is, Orion?"

I knew, and I wasn't even referring to the waterfall.

I took a deep breath and continued on. "And then, I went to Leon. I walked the beaches and looked out at the beautiful sea that always seemed to go on forever. You always loved beaches and the sea, don't you? I do remember how you always loved to tell me about the feel of the smooth sand in between your toes as you strolled and the feeling of calmness you get when you're swimming in the seas of your father. But other than that, I went to that rock where you took me on the day you set the picnic up for me. I remember how you talked fondly of your loyal Sirius and how you were glad that you had someone like me. And then, I remembered that it was also the place you nearly kissed me for the first time. But…"

I paused suddenly, just at the moment where good memories were taken over by bad ones. But I did not dare allow my mind to fully recall the haunting images of me on that rock with my bow and arrow in hand, ready to take aim at my target in the sea, with my brother standing close behind me, watching me with intensity.

And just like that, the first of the tears streamed down my cheeks. It came very unexpectedly, which was unusual for me. Usually, I would feel the effects of an emotional breakdown – which included a strangling feeling in my throat, the back of my eyes burning with the fresh load of tears and my voice seemingly gone from me – before the tears fell. But I guess that I did not want to wait to start to go through yet another breakdown.

"Do you know what day it is today, Orion?" I forced myself to say through tears. "It's the day of your death… The day that I had killed you…. I loathe this day so much because this is the very day that because of my stupid and impulsive actions, it had cost you your life…. No more chances of breathing…. No more chances of seeing the beauty of Mother Earth…. And no chance of us ever being married, bond to each other through mind, body and soul…."

The tears increased and they were clouding my vision. I wiped it away with the back of my hand and I could immediately feel the heat of my tears on my cool skin. Some of the drops that remained on my cheeks made its way to the corners of my lips, allowing me to taste its bitter saltiness.

In a spur of moments, I placed both hands atop my heart and immediately felt a warm glow emanating from it. In a few seconds, I felt something materializing out of my breast and into my hand. I waited a while for the item to be solid. When it did, I finally looked down at the stone blade dagger that had my name engraved onto the wooden hilt.

Persephone had taught me to do that. She always used to show me how she kept her love letters from Hades in her heart because it felt dear to her. After Orion's death, she had come to me and asked me if I had something from him that I held dear. Immediately, I showed her the dagger, thinking it as dear because it was the very first gift from him to me. She patiently taught me to store it in my heart so that it would act like a part of him that would always remain with me forever.

I clutched the hilt of the dagger tight in my hands and held it to my chest, continuing to cry as I gazed at the constellation.

To be honest, I had very absurd thoughts the last time whenever I held the dagger. I always thought that with one quick plunge of the blade into my heart, I could let the life in the golden ichor that flowed in my veins seep away from my body and slowly granting me eternal sleep. Maybe, just maybe, I could have a chance to be with Orion once again in the Underworld.

And I have tried, in fact. Just not directly at the heart. I have plunged the blade into my arm, the small of my back and even into my stomach, each time hoping that I could finally be visited by Thanatos himself and allow him to take me to the Underworld. But it was impossible. The blade was entirely mortal, and it was absolutely not lethal to me. The blade was able to go through my skin, but the minute I pulled out, I would heal immediately with not even a scratch left.

But I stopped immediately, thinking to myself about how stupid and rash I was acting. How could I kill myself? Me? A goddess? It was absolutely impossible! Only a being of a higher status than me would have the ultimate power to dispose of me immediately.

And if I were gone, what would happened to the mortals who I have blessed with good hunt, the beauties that nature itself provided, my protection to the young girls who have yet to come of age and the promise of painless and easy birthing of new life by new mothers? If I were to be gone, the hunt and its children was sure to perish, the animals would be left without its Queen and protector, the wildlands would lose a caretaker, the young maidens are defenseless without their guardian and a young mother would not survive carrying her child to full term, maybe even suffering from the risk of losing it or even herself during labour.

Not only to the mortals I bestow my gits to, but what of the others? How could I have been cruel and selfish as to leave them out? What would have happened if I were gone? They would be left without a goddess who would care for the Hunt and the Wild. Who else could manage that other than me? And not only thinking duty-wise, but family-wise as well. How were they going to deal with me not being around anymore? What would they feel if I was gone for good; my close family members and friends, my beloved and precious mother, and my brot-

No! Stop that right now, Artemis! Don't think so foolishly! Stop it! Stop it!

In a flash, I threw open my eyes, which I hadn't realized were close until now, and gasped for air. Instantly, I saw Orion's stars twinkling. For a moment there, I thought that something had changed. That somehow, he had sensed my distress and was trying so hard to speak to me through his stars. Maybe he wanted to reach out to me, maybe to tell me things that would make me feel better. Or maybe he wanted to tell me how much he hated me, because I was the one who had caused his demise. Even if I did not hope for the latter, I still hoped that he was trying to reach me through the stars.

But who was I kidding? No matter how much I wished for that, I would immediately face the harsh truth that he was still in the Underworld, roaming as a shade in the Asphodel Plains. No chance of seeing life again. No chance of seeing beauty again. No chance of seeing me again.

With a heavy and saddened sigh, I placed the dagger flat against my right breast and shut my eyes in concentration. As I felt my power flow through the palm of my hands, going through the dagger, and into my heart, I could feel the beloved gift of mine seeping back into me. The sensation was tingling, but at the same time very comforting. The feeling of having Orion near me was there once again; though small, it was still better than nothing.

When there was nothing in between my hands and my chest except for the silk of my nightdress, I opened my eyes again to see that Orion's stars had dimmed their twinkling a bit. I allowed my eyes to follow the structure of his constellation; I took note of the way the stars that formed his head were tilted upwards to make it look as though he was looking up at the moon, of the formation of stars that formed his club in his left hand, and what could be a shield, a bow or an animal hide being grasped high up in his right hand.

Forever in the Hunt, I always took note. Though born of immortal water origins and of mortal royal blood, he chose to devote his life entirely to the Hunt that I was the Queen of. He devoted his days to being in the wildlands, hunting down animals when needed but yet giving them the respect they deserve. The love of hunting would forever course through his blood.

He was a son of the Hunt who could have been its King, ruling by my side. But that possibility was gone. However, the possibility of him never being a part of the Hunt anymore was not. So thus, he would forever be a Hunter, even in his new form in the stars high above the grounds of the wildlands.

When enough was enough for me, I finally whispered the four sacred words to him as I always had.

"I love you forever."

I did not stop there.

"Even if you are not with me in body, you are still with me in my heart. My love for you would never cease and I could only hope that your love for me would still be existent. If I had a chance, I would want to be with you forever. But I know that cannot be possible, no matter how much I want it to be. Since the day you drew your last breath, I finally swear to myself to never fall in love with any other man again. No one else could be as important to me as you were. You were the first man I fell in love with, and you shall be the only man. I would have shared my body with yours if in return you shared yours with me. But now, no one else but I can have it. No one, Orion."

Finally, I got off my window sill and slipped under my silk sheets, curling up into a loose fetal position and waiting patiently for sleep to take over me.

Ever since Hades had given the butterfly to Morpheus, Hermes had been busy wondering to himself of the outcomes that may be accomplished from this.

Artemis would get to see Orion again; that was sure to be counted as a good thing. But how she would react and act after the whole encounter was over was the main question. Would it be good or bad?

Hermes did not dare ponder about the worst that could come out from this. But instead, he thought to himself of the good possible outcomes. Many things could happen. Maybe, just maybe, Artemis might be able to finally overcome the sadness that plagued her for five whole years and give her the strength to carry on. And maybe, just maybe, she could find the heart and strength to give her younger twin brother another chance.

Hermes could only hope that it would happen. But as of now, he was watching Morpheus prepare for the big step of the plan.

Dreams were always associated with Sleep, since Morpheus, the God of Dreams, was the son of Hypnos, the God of Sleep. And one of the most well-known symbolization of sleep was the Sands of Sleep, which Hypnos had an unlimited supply of. It was used by being directed into the eyes of an individual and that said individual would immediately fall into sleep.

Being associated with sleep, Morpheus had his own specialized sort of sands. The sands he owned were the Sands of Dreams and, like the Sands of Sleep, had to be directed into the eyes of an individual, on the condition that the said individual must be asleep first before it could be used.

As he leaned against the wall, keeping a lookout for anyone who would suddenly appear, Morpheus was standing right in front of Artemis' room door, one hand holding a small silk burlap sack of dream sand while the other hand had the soul butterfly of Orion resting on his index finger.

Morpheus gestured the glowing white butterfly to be off of his finger. The butterfly obeyed but continued to flutter in front of the god's face. Swiftly, Morpheus untied the laces of the burlap sack and poured a small amount of sand onto the palm of his right hand. The sand was of a shimmering cerulean blue color, like the hair color of the god using it, and nearly looked like small crystals. But despite its crystal-looking appearance, it actually had the texture of soft silk to Morpheus' skin.

He quickly placed the sack in the sash of his peplos and then grasped the fluttering butterfly with both hands. Hermes' eyes widened at the sight of what he was doing, followed by his eyebrows being pulled together as he watched Morpheus rubbing his hands together. But he did not stop him, knowing very well that he knew what he was doing.

Finally, Morpheus unfolded his hands and Hermes realized that the butterfly was nowhere in sight. The only thing in Morpheus' hands was the shimmering pile of dream sand.

"Where did it go?" he questioned curiously, keeping the volume of his voice at a minimum.

Morpheus looked at him with a confident smile and replied, "He's been infused with the sand. That way, he can easily enter Artemis' mind."

Suddenly, Morpheus became silent and slid his eyes shut. Hermes knew this was it and threw a look to the other side to see if anyone was coming. Seeing that no one was, he looked back at Morpheus, intent on watching what would happen next. In a flash, Morpheus suddenly blew the sand away from his hands and it disappeared into the air instantly once it was airborne. Hermes became so confused and curious at the same time. What had happened? Where did the sand go? Did it even work?

But before he could question, Morpheus walked over to him and said, "Come on. Let us leave before anyone catches us."

As much as he wanted to, Hermes did not ask the question. He did not because he had a very sure feeling that what Morpheus had intended had worked and everything was all under control now.

Now all we have to do is wait…. Hermes thought to himself as he walked away from the scene with Morpheus.

An invisible gust of sand floats through the air like wisps of fog, sparkling and shimmering its promises of dreams. Deep within the wisps of enchanting dream sands lay the butterfly which was the soul of a man who was waiting to return to his dearly beloved.

It slipped through the heavy golden doors easily and flew in the direction of the large bed ahead, where a beautiful sleeping goddess lay in a dreamless deep sleep.

Finally, the foggy wisps of sand find their way to the goddess' soft closed eyelids and rested upon them, gently seeping into her skin, giving her the dreams of which the magical sands possessed.

Especially dreams of the man that her heart yearned for so long.

Author's Note:

I was about 5% close to not completing this chapter. School started once again and was slowly sucking the life out of me to the point where I would fall into 5 hour naps once I got home. But no worries! I got it done just in time!

One thing I'd like to explain was that I know Hypnos and Morpheus were not said in mythology to use magical sands. But since I assume that many of us are familiar with the concept of the Sandman who uses his magic sands to cause people to fall asleep, why not let Hypnos have this power? And Morpheus too since dreams are associated with sleep? And besides, I found the idea of them using sands to be quite pretty to be honest.

Just one thing I'd like to add; when I wrote Artemis' scene, I was listening to California King Bed by Rihanna. I found the song to fit the exact mood of the scene. The song is kind of about yearning and Artemis is really yearning... PERFECT! And for Apollo's scene where he thinks that Artemis would never forgive him and is afraid of that, I listened to the song Not Meant To Be by Theory of A Deadman. The song is about a guy who wants a girl back but he knows that he can never be forgiven because of a stupid mistake he did but can't stop thinking that maybe there's a chance left... PERFECT AGAIN! I think listening to the songs while reading would increase impact, don't you think?

And one thing I've realized and thought I should mention to Shadow Huntress. I just realized that I have went past the number of chapters of Who I Am! YAY! Thus, Promises becomes my longest Artemis fanfiction and maybe even the most popular!

Before I leave, I just want to announce to you guys that I have just recently created a Tumblr for my writings. There's not many stuff right now, since I just created it a few days back, but if you could maybe check it out? And to those who have a Tumblr, a follow would be appreciated :) The URL is on my profile page for those who'd like to know!

So, with the end of this long author's note, see you on Monday!

Muse of Fanfiction