Chapter 23: "Aided By Wisdom, Love, and War"
======= Previously on The Rise of Night =======
"Soon," Artemis promised as she stood up. "Now excuse me, I'm going to go rest."
"Woman," Apollo mumbled under his breath as he walked out after her.
======= Now =======
"So," Percy started as he stared at his wife in front of him as they sat in their living room. "What are we doing again?"
Artemis groaned before facepalming herself. "I'm telling you, well, asking you, something important!"
"What?" Percy asked, his face becoming serious. "Don't tell me you're breaking up with me."
"Of course not!" Artemis exclaimed before kissing him. She added softly. "I won't ever break up with you! Plus, we're married."
"What's with the mood swing lately?" Percy asked with a frown on his face.
Artemis shuttered slightly when she said her next sentence. "I'm pregnant."
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Percy's mouth hangs open.
"Wow," he finally responded. "That's definitely not what I expected."
"So you're okay with this?" Artemis asked in a quiet and scared voice.
"Okay?" Percy started slowly before leaning forward and hugging Artemis tightly. "I always wanted a child!"
Artemis smiled as she hugged Percy back. She had a feeling that's what he will say. He did said he wanted a child in Delos, Artemis thought to herself as she lost herself in a flashback.
======= Flashback =======
"Hey, Percy," Artemis called out as she walked toward their, or her, old room in Delos.
"Hi!" Percy greeted her as he kissed her softly. "What's up?"
"Do you ever want a child?" They asked simultaneously. They giggled uncontrollably before getting a hold of themself.
"Yeah," Artemis agreed. "I do. Do you?"
"Yes," Percy replied. "I always wanted a child. I would want to give them a good childhood like how my parent gave me a great childhood. And, I want to be there for them as well."
"Me too," Artemis agreed with her husband. "I want to give them a good life."
Percy smiled. "We really think alike don't we?"
"Yep," Artemis stated. "But we have the same skills though."
"Really?" Percy wondered out loud. "How?"
"Well," Artemis started. "You can't do archery and I'm not that good at sword fighting."
"Well," Percy occurred. "We have to change that don't we?"
"Oh, no," Artemis cried out, slowly backing away from Percy as if he was a bomb. "I am not teaching you archery."
"Please?" Percy whined, using his puppy, more like seal, eyes.
Artemis half groaned half sighed. "Fine. That's got this over with."
======= Flashback Ends =======
"So," Percy started. "If it is a girl, I'm going to name her-"
Artemis put a hand on Percy's mouth to stop him from talking. "I'm naming the girl, you're naming the boy."
"WHY?" Percy whined. "I want to name the girl."
"Because I don't know any boy name," Artemis stated before saying. "I'm thinking, if it is a girl, we could name her..."
Artemis trailed off, lost in her own thought. Percy started as Artemis thinks.
"I think the boy could be called-" Artemis cut him off before he could continue.
"The girl name could by Selene, Selena, Luna-" Percy cut Artemis off like she had cut him off.
"In this direction we are going, or you are going," Percy replied. "That's just called the child Diana."
"Sure," Artemis agreed. "We could just call her Diana."
"How do you know it is a girl though?" Percy asked. "For all we know, it's going to be a boy."
"Motherly instinct," Artemis replied. "So if it is a girl, she's going to be called Diana or Selene."
Percy added in. "If it is a boy, we'll call him Hector-"
Artemis cut Percy off, again, which is starting to annoyed Percy. Artemis was stifling her laughter. "You want to name our child after a species of dolphin?"
"No," Percy sighed before continuing. "Fine, no Hector. How about, James or Noah?"
"Much better," Artemis agreed. "Now I think we should let my hunters know of my pregnancy."
"Okay," Percy agreed before standing up. "Let's go."
======= Line Break =======
"Milady," Zoë greeted as she bowed in front of Artemis. "How can I help thy?"
"Gather all of the hunters. I have something to announce," Artemis replied as Percy looked around the hunters camp, whispering to himself.
"I haven't been here for a while."
"Thy haven't," Zoë agreed, appearing next to Percy. She is Percy's best friend in the hunt. He always felt like he could trust her. "So, do thy know what milady's going to tell us?"
"Of course," Percy agreed. "So is there anything you need to tell me?"
"How do thy know I need to tell thy something?" Zoë asked him. He shrugged.
"I know you well enough to know."
"Come on," Zoë called out. "I'm going to show you."
======= Line Break =======
Artemis looked at her hunters but she couldn't find Zoë anywhere. Percy was nowhere to be found as well. She sighed before she addressed her hunters.
"Hunters," She started. "Today I am here with great news-"
One of her hunter, Atlanta, cut her off. "You're-"
Phoebe, who was next to her, put her hands over her mouth and whispered into her ears. "Let milady talked."
Atlanta looked down but excitement can still be seen in her eyes. Actually, excitement could be seen in every child of Apollo's eyes.
Artemis continued. "I'm pregnant."
Cheers were heard throughout the camp. Lilian called out. "Is it a she?"
"I hope so," Artemis replied.
Hunters started betting with each other.
"Five drachmae that it's a girl," Lilian told Eve.
"Deal," She decided.
"I bet it's twins," Phoebe decided as she looked at Atlanta.
"Fifteen drachmae?" Atlanta asked.
"Deal," Phoebe said with a smile on her face as they shake hands.
Percy and Zoë walked in at the moment. "What's going on?" Percy asked Artemis.
Artemis glared at them. "Where were you two?"
"Oh, Zoë was giving me something," Percy replied.
"What?" Artemis asked, her gaze softening a little.
"You'll see," Percy said with a smile as he made bet with her. "Twenty drachmae that it would be a boy."
"Thirty drachmae that it would be a girl," Artemis added.
"Deal," Percy replied before kissing her instead of shaking her hand. Zoë smirks from the shadow before walking toward her sisters. Almost everyone was betting. Those who are smart enough knew not to bet with Athena or Apollo's child. The rest just bet with whoever they think will win.
======= Line Break =======
Months passed by quickly. Since Artemis is a goddess, she doesn't need to be pregnant for nine months. But since this is her first pregnancy, she had to go through a mortal birth.
Athena was always with her, helping her daughter in law go through each stage of pregnancy. Percy was of course with her, helping her with everything and refused to let her leave his side. Aphrodite was there as well. Ares was just there because, well, he insisted on being there because Aphrodite was there.
"Okay," Athena started. "So usually in the eighth or ninth months-"
Athena was cut off by Aphrodite asking Ares. "Do you think I look good in this dress?"
"You look okay," Ares decided, looking over her. Artemis rolled her eyes and hold onto Percy's hands while Athena took deep breaths to calm herself.
"Okay," Athena said calmly, trying to hide her anger. "That tries again. So usually in the eighth or ninth-"
"Should I wear that with this or this?" Aphrodite interrupted again, holding up two lipsticks for Ares to see. He pointed to the first one.
Athena glared at them. "Okay, so, usually in the eight or-"
"Which shoes should I wear? High heel or flat?" Aphrodite asked Ares again. Athena couldn't help it anymore, she snapped at them.
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WEAR!" Athena snapped.
"Woah mom," Percy started. "Calm down."
Athena calmed down slightly and said in a dangerously low voice. "I'm trying to teach a lesson here. If you interrupted again, I'm going to kick the two of you out, mostly Aphrodite."
She took a deep breath and started again. "So, usually in the eight-"
This time she was cut off by Artemis' yelp, wetness damping her pants. Percy was panicking while Athena said calmly to Artemis. "Your water just broke."
AN: Sorry for the cliff hanger, not really. Anyways, the next chapter comes out Thursday! Two days from today. I hope you like this chapter!
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