======= Previously on The Rise of Night =======
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."
======= Now =======
It was an easy delivery, or at least in Athena and Aphrodite's point of view. To Artemis, it felt like the end of the world.
Percy was with her the whole time, telling her encouragement while Ares was in the corner, his hands covering his eyes. Guess he never saw someone giving birth before.
"You're doing great," Percy whispered into Artemis' ears as he kisses her on the forehead lightly, calming her down slightly.
A cry rang through the room as a beautiful girl was born. Athena cleaned her up and handed her to Artemis. "She's beautiful," Artemis breath out just as the girl opened her eyes.
"She has your eyes," Percy said with a smile. Silver eyes stared back at him and she giggles happily, stretching her little hands up to touch Percy's face.
"She already has herself wraps around Percy's finger," Athena whispered to Artemis. Aphrodite coos at the girl.
"Aren't you cute?" To Aphrodite's surprise, the little girl glared at her and slapped her across the cheek, causing her to yelp out. Ares quickly went and hugged her, glaring at the baby as he did so, who glared back.
Percy and Artemis were laughing, causing their daughter to laugh as well. "What will you guys call her?" Athena wondered.
Percy looked toward Artemis causing Artemis to glared at him. "Why are you looking at me?"
"You said you want to choose the girl name," Percy reminded her. Artemis mentally facepalm herself.
"Selyne," Artemis replied as she looked at her daughter, gently stroking her face and brushing her hair away. Since she is a goddess, she will grow faster than mortals. "But with a Y instead of E."
"Sound good," Percy decided, kissing his daughter's cheek before kissing Artemis'. "She will have the best childhood ever."
"How about your childhood?" Athena asked with a look of fake hurt on her face. She looked down at the floor. "Weren't I good enough?"
Percy immediately rushed to his mother and hugged her. "Of course not. You're the best mother I could ask for-" He looked at Artemis and gave her a smile. "Leto was a great mother as well."
Artemis stifles her laugher as she hugs her daughter close to her and whispered. "You're going to have a difficult life but nothing is impossible. You just have to push through."
Selyne smiled at her mother, remembering everything she said by heart, even if she doesn't know what it means yet.
======= Line Break =======
"Story," Selyne cried out with her cute voice before her parent can leave the room. "Can you tell me a story?"
"Of course," Artemis agreed before sitting down next to her daughter. Percy sat on the other side of her bed. "What kind of story?"
"How do you guys meet?" Selyne wondered. She has her mother's eyes and her father's raven black hair. It was three weeks after Artemis giving birth and she already acts like a three years old girl. She has both her mom and dad's brain.
"Well," Percy started. "That's a long story."
"Tell me, tell me!" Selyne begged. "I want to know."
Artemis smiled as she hugged her daughter. "Okay, so it all started on Delos."
"Where's that?" Selyne interrupted.
"It's the island me and your father grew up in," Artemis replied. "Your grandma is there as well."
"Thena?" Selyne wondered.
"No," Percy added. "It's Leto, your mother's mom."
"Oh," Selyne replied as realization struck her. "When can I meet my other grandparents? Like Zeus and Leto?"
"Soon," Artemis promised. She then suddenly remembered, that had never told Zeus about the marriage, or the pregnancy.
"We'll figure this out," Percy mouth to her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"What happens next?" Selyne asked.
"Well," Artemis started. "I met your father the second I was born. And we grew up together, knowing each other better than anyone else. We always play together and your uncle, Apollo, join in sometimes with us as well. We were always seen together, no matter where we went. But then it all changes when-" Artemis sniffle slightly when she remembers what's going to happen next. Percy hugged her and continued the story. His daughter looked up at him with her soft silver eyes.
"Is mommy okay?"
"Yeah," Percy whispered softly. "So, it all changes when we arrived at Olympus. Me, your mother, and Apollo were offer-" Percy was cut off by a cough from Artemis. "I mean, we were given a throne on Olympus by Zeus and we became Olympian. We all have happy lives. Artemis made the hunters and I was with her the whole time. Then, Orion came."
"Orion?" Selyne asked. "That's an ugly name."
"He's as ugly as his name," Artemis snarled. "Such an ass-"
"You don't want to use that word in front of our daughter," Percy told Artemis before taking his hand away from her mouth.
"What word?" Selyne asked with curiosity. "Tell me. Tell me."
"When you're older," Artemis decided before she nodded her head at Percy, telling him to continue with his story.
"So, Orion is a really bad person and your mother decide that he is cute-" Cue glared from Artemis as Percy continued. "And she started dating him. I felt left out so I leave the hunters' camp and went out to live on my own."
Artemis snuggles to him there, trying to stop the flashback from happening. "And then one day, I saw one of your mother's hunter almost got, uh," he looked toward Artemis. "A little help here?"
Artemis shrugged at him, telling him he's on his own. "Uh, so uh, so yeah, he almost did something to the hunter and-"
His daughter cut Percy off. "I want to know what he did!"
"When you're older," Artemis promised.
"So I save the hunter and me and your mother begin talking again. Then, Apollo and I made a plan to kill him and he got killed but your mother-" Now it's time Percy glared at his wife. "-decided that he is worth saving and put him in the star. Not before he kiss her on the cheek though-"
"Something I regret doing every day," Artemis admitted. "I should have never put him up in the star."
"So then, I went to talk with your grandma Thena, who is my mom and we talk. And then, I saw your mother again and I kissed her. And then, that's where our friendship takes a turn and we started dating-"
"Stop saying 'and then'!" Selyne complained. "I swear that's your only transition word."
Artemis chuckled at Percy's expression before she continued the story. "So, me and Percy started dating just as your grandparent, Athena and Poseidon, married. A few days after that we married as well."
Selyne yawned as the story finished. But she had one last request for her parent. "Sing me a song."
"Of course," Artemis agreed before going under the cover with her daughter. Selyne moved toward her mother so her father can have room in the bed as well. Artemis started singing the lullaby her mother sings her when she was little.
"Do you see the moonlight shining on the sea?
Do you see the animals? I counted three.
We're here by your side, don't get a fright,
We'll be with you, through this night.
/
The wolves start howling, you awoke,
I hug you close, your father cracks a joke.
We're a family, you know that's right,
We'll be with you, through this night.
/
A loud banging on the door, you're alert.
We rush into your room, make sure you're not hurt.
We sing to you, then hug you tight,
Remember we'll be with you, through this night.
/
The morning came, the light appears.
A smile on your face, you grin from ears to ears.
You said "Good Morning." Oh, so polite.
You thanks us for, being there through this night." (AN: Don't bother searching that song up, I made it up so... no music for it. I mean I have the tone in mind but I'M NOT GOING TO SING IT!)
Selyne snuggled up against her mother, her eyes close as she fell into a peaceful sleep. Her parent slowly left the room, a smile on both of their face.
======= Line Break =======
Zeus sighed as he sat on his throne. His wife was next to him, reading a book about marriage. As June fourteen come closer and closer, his fear grew more and more.
Hera gave him a concerned look from where she sat, probably the first concern look she had ever giving him. "You okay, Zeus?"
"Fine," Zeus mumbled. "Just worried."
"It'll be fine," Hera told him. She was about to carry out Athena's carefully planned plan to introduce Selyne to her husband. "I had something for you. Just a quick question, do you ever want grandchildren?"
======= Flashback =======
Hera was in her place by herself when there was a rapid knock on her door. She opened the door only to see Percy, Artemis, and Athena standing there.
"Hi," she greeted them. "Do you need anything?"
"Can we come in?" Percy asked. Hera smiled at him.
"Of course! Come on in," Hera moved aside to make room for them to come in.
"So," Hera started when they seated themself on the sofa. "What do you guys need?"
"So," Artemis started. "You know how Percy and I-" She pointed to herself and Percy. "-are married and that we have a daughter?"
Hera nodded and smiled at the memory of her meeting their daughter. "Selyne right?"
"Yeah," Percy said as Athena glared at him. She looked annoyed. Hera looked toward her.
"Is there anything you want to say?"
"Yes," Athena replied instantly. "So the point is, we need to find a way to tell Zeus all of these pieces of information without him freaking out and killing anyone. So I made a plan."
"Let's hear it," Hera said as she made herself comfortable on the sofa, knowing this will take a long time.
"So," Athena started. "Zeus isn't normally happy so you will find a time when he is feeling sad. Then, Selyne will kill Zeus with cuteness that he can't kill any of them. So at the end, information out, no one dies."
Hera sat up, surprised when Athena finished in under one minute. "That's it?"
"That's it," Athena concluded. "Everyone got it?"
"Yeah," everyone replied before Athena decided.
"Let's go over the plan again."
Everyone groaned and Hera made herself comfortable in the seat again. This will be a long day.
======= Flashback Ended =======
"Of course," Zeus said without hesitation than frowned at Hera. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"You'll see," Hera said mysteriously. She called out to Selyne, who is hiding somewhere in the throne room with her parent. "You can come out now."
Zeus had a double-take when he saw a young girl about three walked out from behind Artemis' throne. Artemis and Percy appeared a while later. The girl has raven black hair to her shoulder and silver eyes like Artemis. His eyes widen as he looked between the three of them.
"You three," he shuttered. "Are a family?"
"Yep," Percy replied. He then whispered to Artemis. "This is so weird. Zeus is my grandpa! That means he is both Selyne's grandpa and great-grandpa!"
"Don't think about it," Artemis recommended before she went back to the scene in front of her.
Selyne smiled at her grandpa Zeus. A big toothy grin. "So you're my grandpa?"
"Yes?" Zeus replied uncertainly before the young girl jumped up to her, using her control over the wind. She hugged Zeus tightly, something Zeus wasn't used to.
"Grandpa Z!" She said with a small smile. "You looked like Grandpa P!"
"Uh," Zeus shuttered. "He's my brother."
Selyne's mind started working. She looked at her parents, then her grandpa. She frowned. "Wait, so daddy is actually mommy's aunt?"
Artemis groaned and hide her face in the crook of Percy's neck. "Save me the headache."
Selyne than looked at Zeus. "So that means you are both my grandpa and great-grandpa? This is so confusing!" The three years old exclaimed. "Why is the gods family tree so weird?"
To save himself trouble, Percy pointed toward Zeus. "He also married his sister who is Hera, the lady over there." Cue glared from Hera.
"But gods don't have DNA," Hera added. "So it doesn't count."
"Okay," Selyne said softly. Then, her eyes lit up again and she turned toward her parents. "Can I have a tour of Olympus with Grandpa Z?"
"Of course," Artemis and Percy said at the same time before they both give her a kiss on the cheek and flashing away, back to their palace.
"Now, come on Selyne," Zeus called out. He looked around but no one was in the room. "Selyne?"
======= Line Break =======
"Selyne!" Zeus called out as he walked around Olympus, trying to find his granddaughter. Or great-granddaughter. He groaned at their confusing family tree. "Where are you Selyne?"
He walked backward until he bumps into someone. His daughter, Athena. She was deep in her book when she got bumped by her father. She glared at him. "Watch where you're going!"
"Yes," Zeus said as he continuing calling out. "SELYNE!"
Athena had a shocked looked on her face when she finally realized what happened. She all but shouted at her father's face. "YOU lOSS HER?"
"Uh," Zeus shutters, trying to get a word out. "Maybe?"
Athena facepalmed herself. "You're impossible."
She called loudly from where she is. "Selyne! Blue cookies!"
A giggle appeared above them and they looked up. Selyne was there, giggling nonstop as she flew down to meet her two grandparents.
"You were up there all the time!" Zeus said with a whine. "Why did I not think of that?"
"You don't have a brain, father," Athena deadpanned before summoning the blue cookies she made this morning. Selyne happily took one, chipping away happily as Athena hugged her, putting her on her hips.
"I do," Zeus protested before an idea came to his mind. He looked at Selyne. "Want to go on a tour on air?"
======= Line Break =======
"This is so fun!" Selyne shouted as she soared in the air next to her grandpa. Zeus smile at his granddaughter as they continued flying around Olympus.
Suddenly, Selyne closed controlled of the wind, making her dropped toward the ground. Without thinking, Zeus rushed after her, using the wind as his advantage and carrying her back up. He hugged a sobbing Selyne close to him.
"It's okay, I got you now," Zeus try to calm her.
She whispered to him. "Sing me a song?"
Zeus smiled and agreed. It had been a long time since he last sing. From what he had learned, Selyne really likes listening to music. He opened his mouth and sing a song Rhea had sung to him when he was little.
"There are difficult times, in this world,
If you want to survive, you'll listen to this song.
No matter what, you'll pull through,
This' a song full of love, a song so pure.
/
The song for your family,
A song full of love, oh so pure.
No matter what, you need to be with them,
It's what made you, a loving child.
/
The song of the birds,
When the morning arrived.
It keep you, energized.
A song full of love, a song so pure." (AN: I made this song up as well)
Selyne fell asleep as Zeus continue singing softly. Athena smiled as she looked up at her father, so caring, so loving. He flew down with Selyne in his arms and he handed her to his daughter. "Can you take care of her for now? I have some business I need to attend."
"Of course!" Athena said with a huge smile before she took Selyne in her arms and they walked back toward Artemis and Percy's house.
======= Line Break =======
"It has been a long three weeks," Artemis commented as she flopped down on the sofa with a soft sighed. "But it was worth it."
"I know," Percy replied. "Selyne is so cute. I won't trade her for anyone else."
"Me either," Artemis added. "So, want to do anything while we have alone time?"
Percy laughed before saying. "Of course! Want to go to the lake I founded?"
"The one you took me?" Artemis asked, just to make sure.
"Yep," Percy said. "That's the one. Now do you want to go or not?"
"Of course," Artemis replied with a smile as they flashed toward the lake, glad for a day to themself.
======= Line Break =======
The wind was freezing as it sliced through the frozen lake, no sigh of life to be seen. Artemis, for once letting her hair down, cuddled close to Percy, trying to stay warm as they sat and looked at the lake. She was wearing a sweater and boots with a blue fur cape over all of those clothes.
Percy was wearing pants with a really thick and warm jacket. He stayed close to Artemis as they watched the sun, barely visible in the winter. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "Want to go ice-skating?"
"On the lake?" Artemis asked.
Percy nodded his head as Artemis asked another question. "Won't we drown if the ice broke and freeze to death?"
"Probably," Percy said with a frown on his face until a smile broke through again as he snapped his fingers and both his and Artemis' shoes turned to skates. "Come on."
Artemis wobbly stood on the ice, afraid to move as Percy skate around elegantly on the ice, no flaw in his performance. "I not so sure about this-"
She half yelped her last word as Percy pulled her toward him, holding her hand as he skates backward. Artemis tried to pull away but Percy grabbed her tight.
"Come on," he said. "Just take a leap."
"Huh?" Artemis asked him. "I'm not leaping on this ice. I could fall!"
Percy mentally facepalms before he continued pulling her along. "You need to let go in order to enjoy this," Percy continued pulling her around the big frozen lake, never once stopping as he continued encouraging Artemis to skate.
"Come on! Don't you feel your heart race with excitement when you step on the ice?"
"NO!" Artemis shouted as she continued getting pulled by Percy slowly.
"I know your knees are shaking but you need to find your courage," Percy told Artemis as he continued pulling her along. Artemis thought for a second and slowly moved one of her feet and using the other feet as support. Percy let go of one of his hand and skat horizontally with Artemis, holding onto one of Artemis' hand as he continued talking.
"Take a leap of faith," Percy encourage. "Throw your doubts away and let the wind carry it elsewhere."
Artemis slowly let go of Percy's other hand as well, slowly moving forward, one by one, feet after feet, until she finally got used to the feeling and skates a little faster, Percy by her side. Artemis was a fast learner and soon she was skating after Percy. She just wasn't as elegant as he is though.
"This is fun," Artemis exclaimed as Percy laughed beside her. "I felt like everything in the world is peaceful right now."
"Told you," Percy said with a smug smile. "And you are feeling that because you actually take a try and not just sit there whole day. I could be an ice skating coach."
Artemis glared at him half-heartedly before they resume skating again and Percy somehow has more things to say.
"So do you know why you need to take a leap now? Throw your doubts away?" Percy asked Artemis.
Artemis laughed beside him, the smile on her face so bright. "Yep. You don't actually mean leap but 'take a leap' as in try and do the impossible."
"Kind of," Percy replied. "Now you get the point. "
Artemis smiled as she kissed Percy softly on the lips in the middle of the lake, the sun above them, as if Apollo was showing his happiness for them.
AN: How was this chapter? Good? Bad? I hope you enjoy this! I actually have more to write but I think this is a good place to cut off. Tune in for more this Saturday. Make sure to check out a new Pertemis story I post! It's called "Never Let Go: {Hunger Games & PJO crossover}"