December 21st 2056 Winter Solstice

"The next time you raise a hand to me will be the last time you have hands". The room was still. The sentence ringing out through the chamber as the angry goddess stared at her attacker, his wrist gripped in hers, hand still poised to whip across her face. Static electricity hummed around the room and a cold wild wind whistled through the open windows.

"Zeus" came a voice from across the room. Hera had stood from her throne, white dress rippling round her legs, every head turned to look at her. "Sit down." she spoke with such authority it was a wonder she didn't rule Olympus herself.

Zeus ripped his hand from where it was held in his daughters grip and retreated to his throne, walking backwards his eyes never once left those of the Huntress, a snarl on his lips.

"You too Artemis" Heras voice rang out again. The Huntress stood for a moment, glowing silver eyes never leaving her fathers before she let out a low growl and turned away to her throne.

6 Months Earlier Summer Solstice

She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, it felt like days. Listening to her family squabbling over trivial matters. She also wasn't sure when she stopped listening, she didn't suppose it mattered though. She had no children to fawn over, no trifle with the mortals to complain about, nothing that connected her to any of her siblings worries. Only her forests, her hunters and the constant pursue of monsters. Not that any of that mattered to anyone else in this room.

"The half bloods are reporting more and more monster sightings. More than we've seen since the second giant war-"

"What has that got to do with us? Let them deal with it, put their training to use for once" Ares interupted, he wore a scowl on his face and his fists were clenched. His black armour glistened and flames licked his brow from his eye sockets. "They've grown too soft in recent years, not like they used to be" Athena rolled her eyes at her brothers interruption.

"No matter whether they can deal with it or not, the amount of monsters is troubling" came her response, as she glared at him from her throne across the room.

"Artemis, what is your take on this? It is, after all, your area of expertise. Do the half bloods need their mummy's and daddy's to help them?" Ares smirked, turning to look at his younger sister.

The Huntress looked up, seemingly just noticing the rest of the people in the room. She was older now, looking around 20 years old. The 12 year old body she used to use hadn't been seen for years. Her auburn hair was longer and not kept in its usual braid. It reached her lower back and framed her face like a mane. Her eyes, still the bright yellow silver they once were, seemed colder now, like all the warmth had left her as her body aged.

With a sigh she looked at her brother "How well trained your spawn is, is none of my concern. As for the monsters, my hunters and I are getting through them as fast as possible. If some slip between the cracks we will deal with them when we can"

"None should be slipping between the cracks" Zeus' voice boomed "Your duty is to hunt the monsters and send them back to Tartarus, is it not? Or are your skills failing you."

"Please father, if you could do a better job be my guest. " she answered calmly. Years ago she would have lashed out at such a comment and been angry at the thought that anyone would suggest she could not do her job properly. Now though, she didn't have the energy to argue. 'I just want to get out of this place' she thought.

Athena turned to her with wide eyes. Most of the room looked taken aback with the statement. This was not the prideful huntress they once knew.

"You forget yourself daughter!" Zeus snarled "Millenia ago you vowed to protect the mortal world from the threat of monsters and in return you got your band of hunters. Do not think that you can shirk your duties and not be held accountable"

"Father, if you would just look at the facts there are far more monsters now than-"

"Silence Athena!" Zeus yelled. Athena's mouth snapped shut. "I asked your sister a question if she would care to answer it? Or tell me Artemis, did your sense of duty die with that Titaness you called a lover?"

The Huntress jumped to her feet, eyes glowing white. The room seemed to get colder as a breeze whipped around the thrones, whistling through the windows.

"You dare speak of her!" she snarled "I have a greater sense of duty and more respect for all the vows I have taken than anyone in this room, and so did she. I have hunted these monsters for millenia. While you all drank and fucked your way through the centuries I have fought and bled. I have watched my hunters be raped, beaten and killed and still you sit there and accuse me of not doing my duty"

The room was growing colder by the second, the white glow of her eyes spreading around her body engulfing her in a white aura.

"Artemis, calm down" Apollos voice came from the other side of the room. He had stood from his throne with his arm outstretched toward his sister as if he wanted to grab her and pull her to him. The other God's looked between the Huntress and the King of the God's. Some worried for the repercussions of such anger while others, who would see the Huntress downfall, excited for it.

"You dare speak against me!" Zeus stood from his throne electricity crackling around him "This insolence has gone on far too long, if you insist on continuing in this manner then something must be done"

"Father please-" Athena stood from her throne, exchanging a look between her sister and her father

"Then do it father. Enlighten me as to what punishment you think I deserve that I haven't endured already" The Huntress sighed. All fight leaving her body as she sat back down on her throne.

This came as a shock to most of the Olympians, never had they seen her give up in an argument. Her temper, once only matched by her fathers, seemed to dissipate in front of them. Only a few were not suprised. Apollo, her twin brother, who had felt how she had become more withdrawn, had seen her slowly lose her fight. Athena, her ever knowing sister, who had seen the signs and refused to believe until now. Then there was Hera. Most surprising of all, and unbeknownst to the Huntress, had watched her the past few decades since the hesperide had died and had seen something change in her. Something she felt in herself all those millenia ago when Zeus first started to stray away from her.

Zeus knew all this of course, he may not be the most involved father in the world but he too could sense changes in his daughter and it worried him. He never liked the Titan spawn his daughter loved and was less than pleased that their dalliance lasted the 3000 years it did. However he could not deny his daughter was happiest around her and the spawn never did anything against the gods, despite her heritage. Still, she was gone and something needed to be done about the goddess she left behind.

"There is one punishment that would befit you daughter" Zeus stated as he sat back on his throne, seemingly calmer "Though, it is not one I take pride in doing." He sighed and waved his hand, saying something under his breath.

In a flash of light Hypnos appeared in the throne room "You called my liege?"

Zeus looked at Artemis, sorrow on his face. "Artemis, your punishment is to forget. To forget you ever loved the Nightshade girl. For too long have you wallowed over her death. Your memories will be changed, she will have meant nothing more to you than any other hunter. The time you spent together will be erased and you will never remember her in such a way again. Though this may seem a harsh punishment, it will hopefully be of some solace to you. You will remember her only as a loyal hunter." He waved his hand and looked away "Hypnos, go ahead"

Hypnos turned to look at the Huntress who had stood again from her throne. "No! You can't do this, father please my memories are all I have left of her" she recoiled as he came closer to her, looking for a way out.

"Ares, hold her" Zeus said. Ares stood from his throne and flashed over to his sister, he grabbed her arm as she turned to fight him off.

"Let go of me Ares!" she clawed at him like an angry tiger as he grabbed her other arm and spun her so her back was on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her still.

"Father you can't do this!" Apollo cried. The other gods and goddesses averted their eyes, none were expecting this.

"Father I would advise against-" Athena started.

"Silence! All of you. This will be done" Zeus boomed as he banged his fist on his throne.

Hypnos raised a hand to her face and pressed one finger on her forehead. Muttering some words in ancient Greek there was a flash of light and with one last scream of anguish the Huntress collapsed in her brothers arms unconscious.

"It is done" Hypnos said "Though there will be some scarring. I warned you against doing this to her unwillingly"

"You are dismissed" Zeus growled and with a flash Hypnos was gone.

Apollo rushed over to his sister. "Give her to me!" he yelled at the war god. Ares gently passed his sister to the sun god and walked back to his throne. The fire in his eyes a little dimmer than before.

Apollo flashed away with his sister and the rest of the Olympians were left in silence until one voice spoke.

"You shall regret this day Zeus"

Hera's voice rang out through the hall as she stood from her throne and left the room.

When she opened her eyes she realised she was in her brothers home on Olympus, in his bed no less. The sun was blaring down at her from the open roof causing her eyes to squeeze shut again. Her head was pounding and foggy. She couldn't quite remember how she got here but it felt like there was something missing.

As she tried to open her eyes again her brother came into the room.

"Arty you're awake!" he cried as he rushed over to her. He helped her into a sitting position as she rubbed her head.

"What happened? Why am I in your room?" She looked at her brother and saw his worried face.

"What do you remember?" He asked.

He was more serious than she had ever seen him. She racked her brain trying to think of the last thing she remembered but every time she did a bolt of white hot pain went through her skull. Slowly a vague memory of being in the throne room sitting through the summer solstice meeting came to her. She was sitting on her throne, not really paying attention. She remembered some mention of monsters but nothing more after that.

"I remember being in the throne room, people were arguing about something or other and then nothing. What happened to me?"

"Well father brought up Zoë and then-"

"Zoë? Who's Zoë?" she asked. She felt a pang of something in her chest when she said that name. It sounded so familiar but then it faded. Like a dream.

Apollo looked shocked for a second then quickly recovered, his face turning serious once more.

"Nevermind just stay here, I'll be back soon. I have to talk to Father."

"Apollo what's going-" but he was gone and she was left alone, head still throbbing. That name was the last thing she thought of before falling back to sleep. Zoë.

But who was she?