Chapter 44

Percy POV

"Zoe!" Cried out the hunters turning to see there once fallen sister standing behind us. In an instant Artemis was on her feet and standing in front of her former lieutenant.

"Zoe, how are you feeling?" Artemis asked gently.

"I have one Hades of a headache and I don't remember how I got here," Zoe explained before being engulfed in a hug from Artemis.

"It's good to have you back," Artemis said releasing Zoe from her embrace almost instantly after being released by Artemis Zoe was pulled into another tight hug from Phoebe. The daughter of Ares actually picked Zoe up off the floor in her excitement.

"It's good to be back, milady," Zoe said once Phoebe put her down. "How am I here though, last I remember I was in the stars?"

"Come sit down," Artemis said leading the way to the dinner table. With a wave of her hand the goddess summoned another chair for Zoe to sit in. "So you don't remember anything of the past few days?" Artemis asked and Zoe shook her head. "Zoe, you were possessed by Tartarus," Artemis said gently.

"What? How?" Zoe asked confused.

"Apparently since Ouranos faded he was able to pull you out of the sky and possessed you in an attempt to use you as a weapon against us," Artemis explained to the confused daughter of Atlas.

"I didn't hurt anyone while I was possessed?" Zoe asked with concern, evidently she still cared for her sisters in the hunt.

"No, thankfully not," Artemis said and a look of relief spread over Zoe's face. "We were able to subdue you before anything happened."

"I assume that explains the chains I woke up next to." Artemis nodded in response. "How did thee manage to cure me?" Zoe asked.

"Well that's thanks to Percy," Artemis said and Zoe turned to look at me properly for the first time since she woke.

"Thank thee Percy," Zoe asked. "How did thee manage it? And why are thee traveling with the hunt?"

"Only a primordial could cure you," I started to explain. "So I contacted Nyx who managed to undo whatever Tartarus did to you."

"Nyx? How did thee manage that?"

"Thanatos owed me a favor so he put me in contact with her then all I had to do was make a deal and she cured you," I summarized quickly.

"Thou makes it sound like an everyday occurrence," Zoe commented, I smiled at her.

"Just normal demi-god things," I joked.

"I watched the hunt while I was in the stars," Zoe told the group of us. "But why is Percy traveling with thee?" she asked Artemis.

"Have you heard the next great prophecy?" Artemis asked.

"I heard of Gaia but that threat has passed now surely?" Zoe asked glancing at me at the mention of Gaia, evidently having seen with my fight with the primordial.

"There was another prophecy after that," Artemis explained before recounting the current great prophecy to Zoe. "Hestia -who adopted Percy- thinks that he is the broken mentioned in the prophecy and thus as the 'maidens' we must unite, so that is why he is traveling with us." Artemis explained to Zoe.

"And her husband I assume is Tartarus," Zoe said, Artemis nodded. "Do thee understand any of the other lines?"

"No, they still remain a mystery," Artemis said reminding us all that there were still more surprises prophesized.

"I see I have some new sisters," Zoe said moving the conversation along and looking at Heather, Rebecca and Chloe.

The three of them introduced themselves to Zoe who introduced herself despite them already having heard the stories of the legendary huntress.

"So Zoe, will you be rejoining the hunt?" Artemis asked to which Zoe nodded.

"I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis and turn my back on the company of men and accept eternal maidenhood," Zoe said remembering the hunter's oath off the top of her head.

"I accept," Artemis said smiling as Zoe glowed slightly silver. "It's good to have you back, sister," Artemis said smiling more than I think I've ever seen her smile before.

"It's good to be back, milady," Zoe smiled back at the goddess who was still in her older form after our kiss earlier.

While the hunters all talked with Zoe I realized that my food and gone cold. I stood from the table without drawing any attention as it was all focused on Zoe. I grabbed my plate and made my way over to the campfire. I slid the uneaten half of my venison burger and fries into the fire.

"To Lady Styx," I muttered remembering my promise to the goddess in return for lending me her water when I was fighting Iapetus. While it wasn't the best offering in the world it was enough to let Styx know that I hadn't forgotten my promise.

"Whose Lady Styx?" asked Chloe walking up behind me.

"She's the goddess of a river in the underworld, I had to borrow her water so I'm making offerings to her now," I explained to the young hunter.

"Oh, ok," Chole said in understanding before dumping the rest of her plate in the fire. "For Lady Artemis and Lord Apollo," she said as the fire burnt her offerings to the gods, I saw Artemis look over at Chloe and I and smile at us.

Artemis POV

Today might just be one of the best days of my immortal life, first I find out Percy likes me and now I'm sitting next to my best friend who returned from the dead. The hunt were currently catching Zoe up to date with everything that she'd missed while in the starts when I noticed Percy standing from the table and walking away, Chloe also noticed and followed behind him.

I watched as the pair walked over to the campfire and dumped the remainders of their food into the fire. I smiled, partly at the feeling of Chloe's offering and partly because of how well Percy interacted with the youngest member of the hunt.

As my thoughts turned to Percy I wondered what the hunters would say about our relationship. Actually, what exactly is our relationship? I asked myself, we'd only shared one kiss and we hadn't talked about 'us'. You should talk to him about that, Diana told me, which I agreed with. How do you feel about it? I asked her, usually aspects held the same romantic attractions but not always. I like him, I've never been in as deep a denial as you about it, she replied casually. I wasn't in- I started before being rudely cut off. Oh please, you're not going to try and deny the fact you were in denial. Ok, fine I was in denial, I relented.

We sat at the table -Percy and Chloe had rejoined us- for another couple hours just enjoying Zoe having returned to us, each of us telling her stories she missed while she was in the stars. Zoe seemed surprised at finding out Rebecca was a roman as I hadn't had a roman huntress in many years. It wasn't long before Apollo's chariot started descending with mine taking its place.

"It's getting late girls," I interrupted the story telling. "I'll let you all retire to your tents. Zoe I assume you remember where the spare tents are?" I asked my most loyal of followers, Zoe nodded. "Percy, can I speak with you in my tent please?" Percy looked a little surprised but smiled at me and nodded. The hunters all retreated off to their tents and I led Percy towards mine.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Percy asked as we stepped through the tent door. I didn't reply and tiptoed to plant a soft kiss on his lips. It was brief but butterflies were still going wild in my stomach. Percy smiled at me, "If that's talking then sign me up for a long conversation," he said with a goofy grin. I smiled as I walked further into the tent, seating myself on my large bed and letting my hands sink into the animal pelts that made up my blanket.

"Sit, we do need to talk." I said and Percy wandered over to my desk chair and sat himself on it.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

"Percy, are you sure you want to do this?" I asked gesturing between us. "It's not going to be the easiest of relationships." Percy didn't say anything and stood up before walking over to me and kissing me again, it was longer than the last two but still only lasted for a second. As his lips left mine I immediately wanted them back on mine, Gods what's happened to me?

"I'm sure," he said looking into my eyes. He then sat himself on my bed next to me. "Gods, this blanket's soft," he said lying back and sprawling out on my blanket.

"I know its soft that's why I have it." I said before nudging his leg. "Now sit up, I'm trying to talk to you." Percy did as I said but couldn't stop himself from running his hands over the blanket absentmindedly.

"So why won't this be an easy relationship?" he asked, I looked at him like he was an idiot (which he was being.)

"Uhm, goddess of maidens," I said with added emphasis. "Not to mention my group of male-hating maidens right outside, plus our fathers don't exactly get along." I listed off the reasons of why this relationship would be hard.

"One," he started, "who cares what our fathers think, they don't own either of us." He said to which I had to agree but that wouldn't stop our fathers from being at each other's throats. "Secondly, who said anything about you losing your maidenhood?"

"What?" I asked shocked, I'd never heard of a man not wanting sex.

"If being with you means not having sex then that's worth it," he told me genuinely.

"I-" I was at a loss for words, this was unheard-of to me. "Are you sure?"

He pecked me on the lips, once again sending butterflies wild in my stomach.

"Completely," he said his sea green eyes looking deep into mine. I couldn't help myself and kissed him back, still a simple peck on the lips but I held it, pouring all my appreciation about his words into the kiss. Our lips parted and Percy had a stupid grin on his face. "The hunters will be the biggest problem," he said, no longer grinning. "But they don't have to know yet."

I hated keeping things from my girls, especially Zoe but he was right, we shouldn't tell the hunters, at least for a while. It would be difficult to hide something so major from the hunters but we'll figure it out.

"Now, go back to your tent, I want to sleep," I told him.

"Can I take the blanket?" he asked, still running his hands over the animal furs.

"No," I told him, there was no way I was giving him my favorite blanket.

"Aw, please," he said giving me stupid puppy eyes.

"Stop it, you look ridiculous doing that," I told him, Chloe's puppy eyes might work but not Percy's.

"It was worth a try," he shrugged. "Goodnight Artemis," he said standing from my bed.

"Night, Percy," I said as he left my tent leaving me alone.

AN/: I hope you enjoyed, please let me know what you think!
Love you guys! xxx