Updated: 22/1/2022
Chapter .2.
Apollo didn't know what to feel. He had been so angry at Artemis and went off. He had been waiting for her to come and apologies, but she never did. He felt so guilty. Did he go too far? But why hadn't she come to him and demand him to forgive her?
But now he hoped to see here soon as Zeus had demanded for the Hunters to come to Camp along with everyone else.
But why did Apollo feel like something was wrong?
Hermes and Meg were trying to get his mind of things as they waited. But little could distract the Sun God from his worry.
When they heard the Hunters horn Apollo jumps and eagerly wait for Artemis to appear. The Hunters walk into camp Thalia and Reyna leading them. Apollo scanned the faces, but he couldn't see Artemis anywhere.
"Where is Arty?" Apollo asks Thalia.
Thalia grimaces at his words.
"Where is Artemis? I told her to come with you", Zeus says scowling.
"She left his about a mile and a half from the border. She said something about Hunting an ancient monster that had been sighted near our last campsite. So, she said she was going to find the monster and kill it. But she was acting really vague and strange", Thalia tells them.
The Council frown they hadn't heard about this.
"We have not heard anything like that, and Artemis didn't say anything a few hours ago", Zeus frowns.
Apollo felt something was very, very wrong.
"I am going after her", he decides.
"Apollo…", Meg starts.
"I need to go after her. This isn't like her. I need to find out what is going on. Two months should have made her do something to get my attentions", Apollo decides.
"Apollo you need to stay here", Athena tells him.
"No Artemis needs me more. I just know it", Apollo says firmly, "And nothing anyone can say will change that fact I'm going to find her"
He quickly gets a jacket and puts a bag of ambrosia in it. Just in case.
"Be careful", Meg says to him giving him a kiss.
"I'll be back tonight sometime WITH Artemis", Apollo promises.
He then turns to the Hunters who were eyeing him with mixed emotions.
"Girls how was Artemis the last two months?" Apollo asks them.
Thalia and Reyna share looks.
"Sometimes she seemed ok. But others it looked like she was in pain. We have tried to get her to go and see you, but she just said she can't and walked away", Reyna tells him.
"She may have been trying to hide it, but she WAS in pain and I don't think she has slept much either", Thalia adds.
Apollo nods his worry deepening.
"Don't worry I'll bring her home", Apollo promises.
"Before she gets hurt by any monsters that might be coming after her or if she is actually hunting a monster?" Thalia asks him.
"I will", Apollo vows and flashes away before anyone could stop him.
He arrives at the Hunters previous campsite, and it didn't have much for him to go on. He would have to track her. He moved to the spot her tent would have been and starts from there. But finds no tracks she must have flashed.
Apollo decides to follow his instincts and flashes using them to the middle of a forest, a very cold forest. He frowns why would she be out here?
He slowly and cautiously moves through the forest. Following his instincts and stops when he heard the sound of sobbing.
Someone was out here crying.
But it can't be her. Can it?
He slowly follows the sound and sees Artemis in a small clearing. With her arms wrapped around her legs and her face buried in her knees. She was rocking back and forth sobbing.
His heart broke seeing her like this. She didn't even seem to realise he was here.
Apollo took off his jacket and walked over to her.
"Oh, Little One", he murmurs.
He puts the jacket around her shaking shoulders and gets down on the ground. Wrapping an arm around Artemis and pulling her close. He kisses her head.
"I am so sorry", he murmurs as he holds her tightly.
To his surprise Artemis removes her arms from around her knees and quickly latches on to him. Still crying.
"Artemis what happened?" he asks softly rubbing her back trying to comfort her.
Artemis shakes her head. Seeming to be inconsolable.
Apollo holds her tightly and tries to get her to calm down. Whatever happened it must have been serious for her to be like this.
To his shock she was sobbing his name. Well, her nicknames for him.
"Apolly. Apolly. Apolly. Sun Protector. My Sun…", she sobs.
After some time, she appeared to be calming down. But still held onto him.
"Arty will you look at me please?" Apollo asks he softly.
He thought he heard a whimper, but he wasn't sure. His sister immediately looks at him and his heart broke seeing her broken look. Eyes red with tears. Under her eyes dark bruising saying she hadn't slept in a long time.
"Arty why didn't you come to the Camp with your Hunters?" Apollo asks her softly.
Artemis looks down trembling in his arms.
"Artemis please talk to me and tell me why", Apollo begs/orders her.
A whimper comes from her, and she looked at him.
"Because you said", she rasps looking at him with tearful eyes.
"What?" Apollo asks confused.
"Because you told me to stay away from Camp, stay away from you and Meg. So, I did what you said", Artemis replies looking down.
It seemed to Artemis she would finally be able to tell him the truth.
"Since when have you done anything, I tell you to do", Apollo jokes.
"Since forever", Artemis mutters looking down with tears falling again.
"Arty I am really confused here", Apollo tells her, "Please tell me what is going on", he pleads with her.
"Thousands of years ago. It was like any other day. We just had a minor disagreement and when I went to bed that night, I felt fine. But when I woke up in the morning, I felt different. My mind felt different. The next time you came you wanted to go Hunting together and I had been saying no each time. But then you said, 'get your bow and let's go hunting', those words. Such simply words that should have had any effect on me. But them did. I…I found myself unable to stop myself from grabbing my bow and going hunting with you. My mind was saying no. But me body wouldn't obey me", Artemis tells him, her eyes on the ground.
Apollo was confused. How could she be unable to say no?
"How?" Apollo asks confused.
"Apollo I can't disobey you. Whatever you order me to do or say even if it is jokingly or a round-a-bout why I have to obey", Artemis replies with tears in her eyes.
Apollo looked at her speechless.
"Just now you have told me to look at you and I did. You told me to tell you want was going on and I had to. In our fight two months ago you said, 'stay away from Camp and stay away from me and Meg!' I did. I couldn't even go to Council when you were there and had to give an excuse. There is no way around this for me", Artemis sobs burying her face in her knees again.
Apollo's mind was racing. Did this mean…? Was there any way around this? Did this mean she had to obey any order he gave her?
"You control my body, my mouth and so much more when you order me. I can't disobey and believe me when I said I have tried. It is useless", Artemis sobs.
How long had she been like this?
Who would do this to her?
Apollo felt guilt rising in him. What other so-called orders had he given her to follow not knowing she had to obey them?
He couldn't stand to hear her cries anymore and no do anything. He pulls her into his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. He kisses her forehead. As she curls up in his arms crying as he cuddles her close.
"Oh, Little One. I am so, so sorry. If I had known…", he leaves it hanging, what could he had done?
He does his best to comfort her. Some of the things over the last few thousand years made sense now. But why hadn't she told him of this before.
"Arty why didn't you tell me this sooner?" he asks her softly as she calms down again.
"I couldn't get the words out of my lips. I couldn't say it. It seems you had to ask for me to tell you", Artemis rasps leaning into him.
She was safe.
In her brothers arms she was safe.
Apollo nods, "Is there any way around this?"
Artemis shakes her head, "No there isn't. You…you could order to…to have se…sex with someone and I would do it without fighting"
She shudders in fear. That had always been a fear of hers. What if he did? Even though she knew he wouldn't it was still a deep-rooted fear.
Apollo seemed to get it too and holds her tighter.
"I wouldn't never, NEVER, never ever make you do that Arty. I swear to you I won't make you do that", he swears to her and kisses her forehead.
"I know. But it is…but it is…", she couldn't get it out.
"It is your darkest fear, isn't it?" Apollo figures out.
Artemis nods looking at him with tear-filled eyes. He brings his hands out and wipes the tears from her face.
"Never Arty. I'll NEVER do that to you. I swear to you on our bond", Apollo tells her kissing her forehead.
She leans into him burying herself in his embrace. For the first time in so long she felt safe and had some hope.
"Little One is there anything else you would like to tell me?" he asks softly.
Artemis looks at him and he could tell there was more.
"Arty tell me what this look in your eyes is", Apollo orders and winces at her whimper.
"Apolly…I…I feel like…like the memories of the times…the times of me being able to disobey you disappearing they are being fogged and hazy. As more time passes, I lose more and more", Artemis admits tears in her eyes.
Apollo was shocked at that. Whoever did this was also making her lose precious memories? He was going to kill them.
He pulls her into a tighter hug and begins to rock her to comfort her.
"I swear to you Little One that I WON'T let you forget. I swear also that I am going to do everything possible to get you to have a normal life and this curse lifted. I won't leave your side I promise you", Apollo vows rocking her and nuzzling her head.
"Thank you", Artemis sobs clinging to him.
He now notices the tired look in her eyes and the dark rings he lifts her chin.
"Arty when was the last time you slept?" he asks her gently.
"I have slept", Artemis lies.
"Arty I am sorry for this. But I want you to tell me the truth. When was the last time you slept properly and I want you to answer truthfully", Apollo says sternly.
He winces at her whimper. How come he had never noticed her whimpers before now?
"Since…since shorty after the curse was on me", she whispers clinging to him, "I have…I have nightmares. Horrible nightmares and night terrors. Every time I close my eyes to sleep, I am plagued by different terrors. I normally end up being sick after them or…or…or have an accident"
Apollo stiffens and holds her tightly and closes his eyes. Death would be too merciful for whoever did this to his sister.
"Please don't be disguste…", she starts.
"Shh Little One", he says softly running a hand through her tangled hair, "I am not disgusted and never will be. I am so concerned about your health. I say I take you back to Camp and help you get a proper night's sleep"
She looks at him with pained eyes.
"Really?" she whispers.
"Yes. I will stay by your side day and night if you want me too. The only time you will be out of my sight is if you need the bathroom. Your NEVER getting rid of me. I will make sure you sleep and if you have a nightmare or night terror, I'll immediately smooth you or wake you up to comfort you. I will NOT let you deal with your sleep issues alone. Nothing will make me let you suffer like that when I can help it", Apollo promises her as he cuddles her close, "If you do I will cuddle you until you fall asleep again or calm down. If you want me to hold you the WHOLE night I will do so. All you have to do is say the word"
"Really?" she whispers in disbelief.
"Yes. And tomorrow or when I think you have had enough sleep. We will talk to Hecate and the Council to find you a way to break this curse and to find the person responsibly. I swear to you Arty I WILL get this broken. No matter what it takes", Apollo swears.
"Even in the middle of a coming war?" Artemis asks softly gripping him tightly.
"Even then Little Crescent. You're my NUMBER ONE priority and that will NEVER change", Apollo swears.
He lets her cry in his arms. Her head buried in his chest, clinging to him tightly. Apollo knew she needed this. She had been suffering in silence for so long and he wouldn't be surprised if she had a bad case of depression and PTSD.
But he would deal with that later. He had many other things to do and getting his sister to have some sleep was first on his list.
"Want to go home Arty?" he murmurs gently giving her the choice after some time had passed.
She nods tiredly and Apollo could tell she was close to passing out.
"I'll carry you Little One just relax and try to sleep. I won't let anyone harm you again", Apollo promises.
He knew he made a lot of promises in the last few hours. He just hoped he could keep most of them.
He gentle scooped his half unconscious sister, making sure his jacket was tightly around her to protect her from some of the nights chill and puts her bag over his shoulder.
It was time to go home.
It was time for him to start helping his sister.
He was determined this Obedience Curse WILL be broken…
Author's Note: What do you think? Please Review:)