A/N
Ssup buddies? How's life treating you?
To answer some reviews you guys posted on the last chapter.
To Callum Runchman : Yeah. Now, we are gradually moving on from one arc to the next. In the next chapter, I will introduce Grover and Chiron. Oh. Also Mrs. Dodds. And why do you think that you will have to wait till the Last Olympian? Not a spoiler, but just some information that things may be a little slow burn, but not that slow. Although I may have taken inspiration from nutsofthechest' story, it will not be exactly the same. For example, Percy won't be that powerful, and there won't be any pets or OC's. You won't have to wait really long.;-)
To Glrasshopper : While you do make a point that Aphrodite is already married, you forget that she was forced into marriage by Zeus, because he was afraid that a civil war amongst the Olympians would break out due to her beauty. Also, some myths say that he deliberately gave her away to Hephaestus as he knew she would be unhappy with him, which would give him a chance of bedding her.
To Woofington : Yeah buddy. You guessed it right. It is indeed Loki. But, seeing as it is an AU, I am allowed to make the characters as I want. And personally, I love how Marvel has portrayed Loki. Maybe that's cz his awesome character scheme or Tom Hiddleston's awesome acting, but I like Loki a lot. So, in this story, he is gonna be helpful, though there os a reason behind it that I will explain later in the story.
To Triainamoon : I want to personally thank you for your continuous support and encouraging reviews. Great to know that you liked the story so far.
To L0rdV4der2016 : You do make a good point. If I make it too slow, the story will lose it's appeal. So, maybe I think I need to speed things up a bit. Great to know you liked it.
To the dark abysssss: Dude. That's sick. But eh. Who am I kidding? Me being the writer, I am completely sick too. But as much as I know this is immoral, the mother-daughter duo does sound appealing.
To Birdieluver69 : Yeah. There aren't many Perestia stories out there. But I can suggest some. Like 'The true child of Chaos', 'Reign of the new protegenoi'.
To Mark Andrew : Hmm. Maybe I will do something like that. The girls competing for Percy's attention. That's gotta be interesting. Thanks for the idea.
To LionKing712 : Whew. Great to know that you find it realistic. I had to edit the chapter about four times to make it as realistic as possible. And yeah, I don't want to show Percy as a douchebag who likes three girls and isn't even guilty. He does have morals.
To someonefamous99 : Whoa dude. That's some serious thinking you did there. Not even I have planned so far. But great to know that you are enthusiastic about the story. Maybe I will announce the power levels after some chapters.
So, yeah. The poll for the number of women in the pairing is finally completed.
Without any external influences, it has been finalized that there will be eight females in the pairing.
I got a few requests to add Nico, and sorry, but no. Don't get me wrong, I hold nothing against the gay community, but I can't really write gay fluff of lemons. Although I did think of giving it a try, it came out really crappy. So, I apologize, but I can't write gay pairings.
Also, let's have an arrangement now. There have been some reviews about Sally joining the pairings. Let's do this, if you want Sally to be there, comment "Yes to Sally"
Till now, I got twenty-four reviews asking for Sally to be there in the pairing, while seven reviews were against this.
If you do not want this, comment "No to Sally" and also what role you want her to have. Personally, I see this as a challenge to write about the pairing of two characters, who share the bond of mother-son in Canon! But one point you should consider. In this story, Sally is in no way related to Percy. So, it doesn't even count as incest. So, it won't really be weird. Just stating.
But eh. Ultimately, it depends on the polls. IMPORTANT- Results of this poll will in no way affect the other poll. If you guys ultimately want her in the pairing, she will be the ninth member, not one of the current top eight. Savvy?
Now let's get going with the story.
Last time:
"No need for an apology, Lady Artemis. I think of you as a friend. And friends do not apologize to each other." I smiled at her.
She seemed shocked at my reply, but soon, a smile grazed her lips. Chuckling, she spoke, "You really are different Percy. From today, you are my friend. The only male friend of Artemis."
"It's an honour, milady." I spoke with a dip of my head as I was in no condition to bow right now.
"Hey, now. I may not be much accustomed to
the modern world, but I do know that friends never bow to each other. So, from today, you can call me Artemis. No need of these formalities. Think of it as an exchange for me calling you Percy."
I smiled and nodded my head. "Okay then. Artemis, can I ask a favour from you? Can we have a daily spar? I really feel that I need to improve my speed. And who better to train me than the fastest Olympian combatant?"
She seemed surprised that I wanted to spar with her even after the result of our last spar, but nodded nonetheless. "Very well, Percy. Be ready tomorrow at 7."
"Thanks Artemis." I spoke. She nodded and smiled at me.
Taking my leave, I walked to my tent and got out a shirt to wear. Once I was done, I started walking to the dining tent to prepare the Hunter's dinner.
All the while, I couldn't stop thinking about the three maidens that had wormed their way into my heart. Only two problems, the three were sworn maidens, and that how could I like three women???
That was morally wrong of me.
'What the fuck is wrong with me?' I screamed internally to myself. Little did I know that I would get my answers from the one person I least expected to be helpful.
Present time:
Place: Hunter's camp
Percy POV
As I was wondering about how immoral it was if me to be attracted towards three ladies, I was snapped out of my musings by that annoying asshole who lived in my head.
Wow. That is one sentence I never thought I would say.
'Aww, looks like wittle Pewcy needs relationship advice. If you want, I could give you some.' Spoke the annoying bastard who went by the name Ikol.
'Yeah. You are undoubtedly the first person I would go to if I ever need relationship advice.' I shot back at him with as much sarcasm as I could muster.
I could hear him gasp in mock horror. 'Just so you know, I have been with a fair share of women in my days.' He spoke back with ferocity laced in his words.
'Yeah. I totally believe you, man.' I spoke back with impossible levels of sarcasm.
He let out a loud grunt if frustration before speaking, 'Seriously though, it seems that those three maidens have cought your attention. And now you think that it is immoral of you to like three ladies, right?'
Hearing the rare seriousness in his voice, I decided to give him proper answers. 'Yeah. But I don't like them. They are only friends to me. Nothing more.'
He sighed in understanding. Maybe it wasn't really a bad idea to consult him. 'Yeah, I totally turn into a blushing mess when my friend hugs me. Also, when I try to think of something to distract my lust, the first image that comes to my mind is of me and my friend making out.' And I spoke to soon. Here he returned to his original asshole attitude.
'Dude. I am already really troubled. If you can help, please do so. But if you really want to just be a dick, then thanks, but no thanks. I would really suggest that you remove that stick which is stuck up your ass.' I raged at him. Here I was, cought in a deep debate between my heart and mind, my sense of morality and my feelings. And he was continuously sassing me.
'Whoa. Okay there buddy. Calm down. Now first, I want you to ask yourself this, do you really like them? Don't think with your mind. This is a matter where only your heart will guide you in the right direction. A feeling that many a times even defies logic. So, listen to your heart and tell me, do you really like them? Do you think you have a heart big enough to hold and cherish all three of them?" He asked in a plane serious voice. It was firm, yet laid with gentleness, as if he was scolding a toddler for stealing something, yet putting it in a way so that the toddler understood, but didn't get frightened.
But he did have an excellent point. Did I really like them? Or was it just some attraction I felt towards them? No. It definitely wasn't some petty attraction. But it wasn't even a crush. It was just that whenever I was with them, I felt happy.
'But three girls? What about your morals? What will mom think of this? She will frown upon this.' Spoke the rational part of my brain.
I almost considered this for a second, before Ikol's words came rushing to me. I wasn't really supposed to let my mind influence my decision.
Finally, I made my decision. 'Hey man. I think I have the answer. I do not know whether I like them or not, but being with them makes me happier.' I told Ikol.
I could feel him nod in agreement. 'There you go. What do those puny Greeks call it, yeah, Oríste. You got the answer . If being with them makes you happy, why think much about it? Do what your heart tells you to do, and stop bothering me now.' He spoke. Hypocrite. As if I bothered him. He was the one who offered his help.
Yet, his answer held logic. I was just overthinking. Also, I wasn't even twelve years old yet, for goodness sake. Although I was mature for my age, it wasn't time for me to start dating anyone anytime soon. At least not till I turn 14.
But then another part of his sentence caught my attention. He had referred to Greeks as inferior beings. This proved that he wasn't Greek. Also, he had told me that he was related to me. So, was I similar to him? Was I not Greek by birth? I needed some answers.
'Hey. What were you saying about Greeks being weak? I thought they were the strongest beings, the Olympians. Also, you refer to them as puny Greeks. Like you are stronger than them? So, what is it? I want answers.' I spoke to Ikol.
'Alright man. Don't get your panties in a twist.' Why the hell did he have to be so irritating? He continued, 'Of course I am not Greek. As for the fact that they are powerful, yes it is true. They are powerful, but not all-powerful. You must understand that there are beings that hold far more power than those puny Olympians can even imagine. I am from a race of these beings. And so are you.'.
His answer took me by shock. I had always assumed that my real parents were some faded Greek dieties. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that I was from a different pantheon entirely.
'So, you mean to say that I am not a Greek. So then, what am I? I need to know this. Who are my parents? And as far as I know, only the Greek Pantheon exists. So, please clear this.' I don't know if it is even possible to show emotions when you are speaking to a voice in your head, but I swear I was shouting at him by the end of my short rant.
'Chill, buddy. While it is true that you aren't Greek, I can assure you that other pantheons exist. Some pantheons, the Greeks don't even know the existence of. Some pantheons that have been thought to have faded long ago. But for your other question, I can't answer you. Trust me, it is not because I don't want to tell you. There are beings much powerful than me who have prohibited me from disclosing anything to you. So, sorry buddy. But yes, your father and mother belong to the same pantheon as I do. Yeah. That's obvious as I am related to your dad.' He spoke. Although I did get to know about some exotic information, it wasn't really useful.
Ikol must have sensed that I was going to ask more questions, because he cut the connection between us for the moment. Frustrated, I banged my hand on the table in front of me, effectively leaving a hand print on it.
'Stupid, good for nothing asshole.' I cursed Ikol and trudged towards the dining table for dinner.
Time skip
Two days before Percy leaves for school
Third Person POV
Twin gladiī clashed with two hunting knives, resonating a 'clang' that could be heard throughout the arena. Several girls in silver parkas and skirts stood around the arena, where two figures were locked in fiery combat.
One of them was a boy about twelve years old, though he could easily pass for a fourteen years old, considering his build. His long black hair was covering his face, leaving the girls to wonder how he was even able to see. He was the one wielding the twin gladiī.
His opponent was a girl about thirteen years old. She was about an inch shorter than the boy. She was wielding dual hunting knives with inhumane skill and speed. Her auburn hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her silver eyes flashed dangerously, meaning that she was going to demolish her opponent.
Alas, it was easier said than done. The boy fought with unbelievable grace. But so did the girl. The speed at which they were fighting was at a level which only some immortals could even think of reaching.
Even the spectators, who were trained by their goddess, were having a hard time keeping up with the two combatants.
As you may have guessed by now, the female combatant was none other than Lady Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt, moon, wildlife creatures; the eighth Olympian.
The male was Perseus, adopted son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, second in line to the throne of Atlantis. He was also the son of Thor, Norse god of thunder and warfare, and Sif, Norse goddess of fertility and family, also a war goddess herself. But Perseus did not know this yet.
The girls surrounding the arena were the hunters of Artemis, Olympians most elite fighting group. Super-skilled archers and hunters. And devoted man-haters.
Whereas most of the hunters were spectating the spar with expressions of awe and wonder, two huntresses had slightly different expressions.
One of them was Chloe, daughter of Rhode, and thus the niece of Perseus. She had a proud expression on her face as she saw her uncle stand toe to toe with the best fighter of Olympus. Although Perseus was technically her uncle, they shared a brother sister bond, with her being the caring elder sister who was always overprotective of Percy, while he was the reckless younger brother.
The other Hunter was Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of Artemis and disowned daughter of Atlas. Her eyes shone with an emotion that was forbidden in her lifestyle. It was affection. Not normal affection, but the kind that one shows towards their other half. The past few days had seen Perseus slowly break down the mental barriers that Zoë had placed around herself.
But we shall speak about this later.
Back to the spar, Perseus was having a hard time keeping up with the goddess. Sure, he was blocking all her strikes and had suffered no injuries in the last ten minutes, bit he was continuously being pressed on the defence.
Artemis was giving him no chance to counterattack. From the start, she had maintained control, and that was a feat considering that she had smaller reach due to her smaller weapons and hands.
They met another time in a series of clashes. Percy knew that he needed some sort of surprise attack that would help him gain the upper hand in this duel.
But the problem was that the extremely skilled opponent of his was hardly even giving him time to think. As of now, he was fighting purely depending on his senses and reflexes. He knew that it was the only thing keeping him in the fight.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. The next time Artemis tried to make a strike at him, instead of blocking or stepping aside like he would normally do, he took the strike head on.
Artemis was left confused, but the damage was already done. The knife did strike Percy, slashing a deep gash in his arm and making him wince in pain, but even before Artemis could retract her hand, she was blown backwards by two sword hilts hitting her abdomen with full force.
Now although Percy was nowhere near Artemis when it came to physical strength, he was still stronger than all of the hunters except Zoë. He was almost as strong as Zoë, which was insane as Zoë had her strength inherited from Atlas, the Titan of strength and endurance.
So naturally, Artemis was thrown back a couple of feet where she landed roughly on her butt. Meanwhile, Percy tore a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around the gash on his hand, effectively stopping the blood flow.
As he turned back, he had only a few seconds to raise his sword to deflect a fatal strike from his opponent's knife.
This started another round of strikes to be traded between the two. Finally, Percy found an opening in Artemis's stance, which he intended to take advantage of. Not wasting a moment, Percy used the sword in his right hand to try and slash at the gap near her waist.
Too late did he understand that the opening was left by Artemis as a decoy to trick him. And it had worked perfectly well. Percy had fallen in the trap.
Quick as lightning, Artemis brought her knife down, twisting the hilt of her weapon with his and twisting harshly. Percy had no option but to drop the gladius.
Artemis kicked the sword away so that Percy couldn't attempt anything funny. The next moment, she locked her other knife with Percy's other sword and placed the first knife at his torso.
She had a victorious smirk on her face.
Percy and Artemis had a staring competition for the next minute, where none of them was ready to back down. Finally, Percy sighed and nodded in defeat. Artemis' lips twitched and soon, a full victorious smile appeared on her face.
She stepped back and sheathed her knives. Percy sighed again and turned his swords back to their concealed forms.
The hunters cheered for their lady, but couldn't deny that they were thoroughly impressed with Percy's fighting prowess. He had lasted for thirty minutes against Artemis, a feat that only Athena and some of the Titans could pull off.
Percy slowly trudged out of the arena only to be intercepted by Zoë. His frown immediately turned into a happy smile at the sight of his crush. He could no longer deny it. He liked Zoë Nightshade. Not as a friend, more than that. He wanted to be more than just a friend to her, but alas, it wasn't possible. Zoë was lieutenant of the hunters. She would never reciprocate his feelings, right?
But still, he loved spending time with her.
They walked together to her tent, bickering about trivial topics. Percy knew that Zoë, being the hot-headed teenage girl she was, would not let him win any argument. So, he liked to irritate her and rile her up so that they could have their playful banter. He loved the way her cheeks tinged pink when she huffed in frustration at a particular point that Percy made. Whenever she was winning, she would raise her already aristocratic nose higher in a sign of superiority.
As they were heading to the tent, Zoë suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned towards Perseus. "So, you leave tomorrow, right?" She asked calmly, but there was a hint of sadness and pleading for him to stay.
But the oblivious Perseus couldn't make it out.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Missing me already, Miss Nightshade?" He spoke the words in a cocky tone, but it held the same melancholic tone that Zoë's words had held.
Zoë wanted to immediately reply 'yes', but she controlled herself enough to snort and reply, "Obviously not. Why would I miss you? I am happy so that I won't have to be near a male." She spoke this in a playful tone which brought a smile to Perseus's face.
He grabbed her hand, making Zoë's stomach flutter as butterflies erupted in her stomach.
He turned to her and looked her in the eyes.
"Shame, because I will definitely miss you, lieutenant." He gave her a smile that almost made her weak in the knees.
That's when she knew that she had really fallen for this demigod prince. With his happy go lucky style and funny, yet caring attitude, he had finally made the shell crack. Nowadays, it was a normal occurance to see the lieutenant of the hunt laughing or having a playful banter with the prince of Atlantis.
Some hunters had even commented about how they looked exactly like a married couple, completely in love. The hunters had all shared a big laugh at this while the duo in question was reduced to blushing messes.
The only one who had clearly not been happy at this statement was the goddess herself, but it wasn't because of the thought of her hunter falling in love, it was because of a foreign, ugly emotion that had bloomed in her heart at the thought of Percy being with someone that was not her.
Anyway, Zoë Nightshade would never admit this, but she had a major crush on Perseus. He was completely opposite of what Heracles was. The cold hunter, who had sworn that she would never open her heart for anyone after what that traitorous son of Zeus did to her, found herself wanting to be in Perseus's company for as long as possible.
She loved spending time with the cute prince of Atlantis. He knew how to make her laugh, how to push the correct buttons to irritate her. Whenever she was depressed or down, he would encourage her to remove her anger in the form of something playful, like a water fight.
The prince of Atlantis had also asked his father to return her connection to the sea. His father had been reluctant to grant it to a demi-titaness, but one sight of baby seal eyes from Perseus and Poseidon was putty in his hands.
Zoë had yet to tell him about her heritage, but he had never prodded her for it. He remained respectful of her privacy.
In short, he was the perfect male in her eyes. If it weren't for her oath to her lady, she would have already pounced on him and marked him as hers.
Deciding that she wanted him to know about her heritage, she held his hand and started dragging him towards the lake. Perseus was confused, but he followed her nonetheless. He was ready to admit it, he trusted Zoë with even his life.
If she wanted to speak to him near the lake, he would comply her wish. The whole walk, neither of the two uttered even a word. Finally, they reached the lake. Zoë dragged Percy to the edge and sat down, dipping her legs in the water. Percy followed her example.
Zoë let go of his hand and leaned back, using her hands to support her weight. She turned her head towards the sky and gazed towards the evening sky. Beyond the canopy of the trees, you could see the beautiful sun ready to set. Apollo may be an idiot, but he sure did know how to put up a show.
While she was doing so, Perseus's ADHD riddled mind couldn't help but notice the way Zoë's copper skin glowed under the faint traces of sunlight that reached them through the canopy.
Undoubtedly, she was extremely beautiful, but the effect that this sunlight had on her skin made it shine, giving it a radiant glow. She looked every bit a Persian princess.
Zoë felt Percy's gaze on her and she tilted her head to meet his eyes. Those royal blue eyes immediately had their charming effect on her. She found it hard to breathe as his intense gaze bore into her own. It took all her willpower to control her urge of kissing him smack on the lips, claiming him as hers.
After a few moments spent in unspoken calmness, she managed to gather herself.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "I have been thinking about this recently, and I have made a decision. I want you to know of my past."
Perseus's eyes widened dramatically at this. Other than Lady Artemis, only Phoebe and Atalanta, the two oldest hunters after Zoë knew about her past. Zoë Nightshade's past was a topic that was mystery to even her fellow sisters in the hunt. But here she was, telling him about it.
Percy truly felt honored and elated that Zoë trusted him enough to reveal her secret to him. He had finally got through her hard interior. And lo. All the hard work had not gone vain. Once you passed her hard exterior, Zoë Nightshade was actually one of the best people he had encountered.
Yet, to be sure, he asked cautiously, "You don't have to, you know right? I really do not care about your heritage. You are my friend and will remain as such. Nothing can change that, only if you are planning on breaking your oath to stay with me." At the last part, he started laughing loudly, failing to notice the blush on Zoë's face. But she hid it well and smacked him on the arm playfully.
"My, my Perseus. Are you really that fond of your uncle that you wish to meet him so soon? Because if Lady Artemis finds out that you are flirting with her lieutenant, you will surely be visiting your uncle in the underworld." She spoke with mock surprise.
The duo stared at each other for a few seconds before they burst out laughing.
After regaining their bearings, they immediately turned sombre and Zoë spoke, "No. It is not because I have to. Rather, it is because I want to. You did say that opening up to someone close to you helps you relieve off the pain, right? Thus, I am doing just as you stated."
Finding no argument, Perseus nodded slowly and turned to her. Reciprocating his action, Zoë Nightshade closed her eyes and began telling Perseus of the biggest regret of her four thousand year old life.
"You see, I am not actually a demigod, nor am I a mortal. I was born as a sea naiad, or simply a water spirit. I have, or rather had four true blooded sisters, and many more half siblings, but only one of them I know properly.
I was born to Pleione and Atlas."
At the last part, she cut off her eye contact with Perseus, fearing his reaction to what he had been told. When she had first told Phoebe about her father, Phoebe bad been in shock and was distrustful towards her for a whole month before Artemis stepped in and resolved the matter.
But when she didn't hear the awaited gasp or shout, her curiosity won over and she took a peek at Perseus. To her immense surprise, he sat there, still looking at her without any fear or anger. The only difference was that his eyes now held a tinge of shock.
"Why are you not angry or at least distrustful of me? I just told you that I am the daughter of one of the most hated Titans." She asked thoroughly confused.
He shook his head and grabbed her hand. Smiling comfortingly, he spoke in a gentle voice, "I already told you this and will tell it again. I do not care who your parent is or what they did. I only care that you are important to me. Heck, even if you told me that your parent was the crooked one himself, I would still treat you the same. The reason is that I know who you are. I trust you enough to know that you will never harm those dear to you. So, your heritage simply doesn't matter to me."
Zoë felt the sudden urge to cry. Here he was , the perfect male who she had been waiting for her entire life. Someone who saw her for herself, not judging her on basis of her father's actions. She quickly threw her arms around the sea prince, stunning him completely.
Not sure what to do, Percy slowly wrapped his arms around the huntress, patting her back slowly.
Zoë pulled back with a huge blush on her face. She looked up and saw that Percy's eyes were gazing at her in concern. He spoke worriedly, "Are you alright, Zoë? Your cheeks have turned red, and so have your ears. Are you not feeling well?"
Zoë groaned inwardly at the boy's obliviousness. Somewhere inside Perseus's head, even Loki did the same. The boy might be extremely clever and grasped his surroundings in battle like a trained warrior, but when it came to girls, Percy was denser than a rock.
Zoë found this quality extremely cute, bit sometimes, this obliviousness was a real pain in the ass. It was clear as day to Zoë that even Lady Artemis was pulled towards Percy, but the boy was too dense to notice the hints that the goddess and her lieutenant dropped for him.
Zoë sighed but couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping her lips. Smirking at Percy's confused face, she spoke, "I am fine kelp head. Don't worry." Percy didn't sound convinced, but one point caught him.
"Kelp head? Why? I assure you that I am very smart." He spoke, more like grumbled.
Zoë snorted loudly and spoke, "Whatever helps you sleep better, kelp head."
Percy huffed in annoyance but then it turned to an evil smirk and he spoke, "Ok then. I see how it is, princess." He spoke princess in a sugar sweet tone, knowing how that nickname irritated Zoë right up to her core. The effect was immediate. The next moment, he was forced to duck in order to avoid a slap to his face.
Zoë huffed, but let it slide and continued with her story. "Anyway, I was one of the five Hesperides, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. We tended to the gardens of Othyrs. We had a pet named Ladon, the hundred headed dragon that guards the tree of golden Apples.
Life was pretty good for me. I used to tend to the plants with my sisters, feed Ladon and sing merrily. But then one day, he came and ruined it all." .
At this point, Zoë's facial expressions turned sour as a look of disgust passed her face.
"Heracles, the almighty greatest hero ever had to get an apple of immortality as one of his labours. He tried to battle Ladon, but Ladon literally kicked the demigod's sorry ass."
The amount of hate she held for Heracles surprised Perseus. The amount of sarcasm that she put in while describing Heracles could literally be felt by Perseus.
"So, the brute tried trickery. He flirted with me. Made me believe that he liked me. Me being the naive maiden I was, immediately fell for his words. I gifted him Anaklusmos, the sword holding my immortal essence. The sword was a gift from my mother. She had told me that I was supposed to give it to the greatest hero ever. At the time, I believed it was Heracles and stupidly handed it to him. Heracles then bested Ladon and managed to steal one apple. When he had completed his task, he started walking away, not even sparing me a glance. Scared, I confronted him. He laughed at me and mocked me about how he had used me and I had fallen for him so easily. Enraged and heartbroken, I shouted at him and ordered him to return Anaklusmos. He immediately turned serious and declined. He tried to have his way with me but I quickly kneed him in the jewels and managed to escape. When my father came to know about it, he was furious with me and immediately disowned me. My sisters, who were always jealous of me for my beauty, supported his actions and banished me. Having lost my immortality and my home, I was wondering for a place to stay when Lady Artemis found me and took me in."
By the time Zoë finished her story, she was openly crying. But now, she had someone to lean on. Seeing that she needed his support, Perseus grabbed her hand and brought her close. Zoë buried her head in the crook of his neck and continued crying while Perseus occasionally patted her back soothingly.
Behind them stood a girl. Wait. It was not a normal girl. It was Artemis herself. Neither of the two had noticed her presence.
And the goddess definitely did not look happy. Usually, if she saw any male even close to her hunters, she would unhesitatingly shoot the male without thinking. But this was different. She was angry that a male was near her lieutenant. But her anger was suppressed by another feeling that she had never felt before.
Bubbling within her heart was a feeling of jealousy. Her mind screamed at her to summon her bow and shoot the male. But her heart yearned for his contact. It made her wish that it was her instead of her lieutenant that was lying in the sea prince's embrace.
She wanted to touch the son of Poseidon. To have his arms wrapped around her. She was jealous of the affection that her lieutenant was receiving from the male.
She knew that it was wrong. She was supposed to hate males. Males were disgusting rapists. But in her heart, she knew that she had started to fall for Perseus. She knew that she was a hypocrite. The biggest man-hater falling for a man. What a shame.
She had wanted to consult Zoë about her feelings as she was the nearest to her, but coming here had been a mistake. She had seen the male she liked embracing Zoë. Her heart ached at the scene before her. But she wouldn't try anything. Her lieutenant was her best friend. She wouldn't do anything to hurt her, even if she had to push her feelings away. But if the male ever hurt her friend, he would have hell to pay. This she swore solemnly.
A tear escaped her eyes as she turned around and flashed out to her palace on Olympus. She needed her privacy right now. As soon as she reached her bedroom, she dived on it and sobbed her heart out.
Back to Perseus and Zoë, Zoë had finally gained control of her emotions and stopped sobbing. She looked up to see that Perseus had a far away look in his eyes.
A chill ran down her spine when she saw her eyes. They were no longer normal. They burned bright with anger. The normally beautifully calm blue eyes had turned into the infamous snake slits that they turned into when he was extremely angry.
Zoë felt a burning sensation in her loins as her female instincts were pulled towards the attractive male and his anger. She knew that it was her female hormones acting up at the sight of a perfect mate. Perseus's anger had caused him to develop a layer of attractiveness around him. Any female near him would immediately be attracted to him.
What scared her the most was when those snake slits turned to her. For a moment, she saw animalistic lust in them when their eyes met. The next moment, the dangerous eyes were back to hatred.
In a cold voice, he spoke, "That bastard will pay. For what he has made you suffer through, I will make him fade. I swear this on the Styx."
Zoë's eyes widened past what is humanely possible. She knew that Perseus must be angry with Heracles, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that he would do something so severe.
Shaking her head frantically, she turned to Perseus and screamed in a shrill, desperate voice, "What did you just do? Do you even know the consequences of that oath? If you try to make Heracles fade, Zeus will surely have your head. Also, he is a minor god. Are you stupid? Do you even know what you have just done?"
Perseus' eyes narrowed at her, making her gulp and shrink back. In the same voice, he spoke, "I am absolutely aware of what I spoke, Zoë. And I totally intend to make that bastard fade. What he has done to you is not at all forgivable. In fact, if given an opportunity, I will slay him now and here itself. "
Zoë didn't know what to speak. So, instead she reached forward and threw her arms around Perseus and grabbed him in a super-tight hug. Perseus reciprocated the hug with equal vigor.
After a few moments, they pulled back. Percy looked into her eyes and spoke, "Remember, princess. I will always be there for you. You are never alone. Even if death tries to take you from me, I will fight Hades himself to get you back."
Zoë smiled and nodded. Standing up, she dusted her skirt before extending her hand to Percy. Percy gratefully took her hand and she pulled him up.
Together, they walked back to the Hunter's camp, joking and laughing all the while.
Though inside, they both were troubled. It was the last day of Percy's stay with the hunt. The next day, he would be leaving for school where a satyr could find him and take him to camp.
Percy was troubled because he now definitely knew that he thought of Zoë more than as a friend. He liked her. Love may be far-fetched, but a major crush, definitely. But he was afraid to ruin his friendship with her, or risk the wrath of Artemis. Speaking of Artemis, he had also formed a bond with her. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to her. If it weren't for Ikol's advice of listening to his heart, Percy would still be sulking around about how immoral it was for him to like three women. Speaking of the third woman, although he hadn't seen Hestia since their little talk, he couldn't really stop thinking about her. Her cute smile and carefree attitude around him attracted him towards her.
On the other side, Zoë was troubled as she knew that her mistress also had feelings towards Perseus. Artemis may be good at hiding her feelings, but Zoë had known her from the previous four thousand years. She knew her mistress extremely well. So, she had figured it out. But the worst thing was, she had absolutely no ill feelings towards Artemis for having a crush on Perseus. Not even jealousy.
In fact, she was even ready to share Perseus with her mistress if necessary. She knew it was weird and definitely would be frowned upon, but when had Zoë Nightshade ever cared about what society thought? She was a strong, independent woman. She definitely didn't give two fucks about what others said. What had society ever given her except for hurt? It was only her mistress who took her in and befriended her even though she was a titan-spawn. Even when Zeus had initially wanted her executed for being a titan-spawn, her mistress had stood for her and vouched for her. She was definitely not willing to give Percy up, but strangely, she was ok with the thought of sharing him. The reason, she did not know. But either way, she didn't care.
Seeing that she was overthinking stuff, she quickly tried to change her mind and turned to the boy walking beside her. A small smirk made it's way to her face as she raised her hand and slapped Percy on the butt, with a seductive smirk on her face. Percy yelped in a very 'manly' fashion and turned to glare at her. She sprinted forward with Percy chasing her, laughing all the way back.
Linebreak
Next Day
Percy POV
When I had first been told that I had to stay with the hunters, I was absolutely sure that by the time I was ready to leave the hunters, I would be relieved. Can't really blame myself. The hunters are after all known for their horrible treatment towards males.
But never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined that I would be so depressed at the fact of leaving the hunt. And if you think that this is weird, just consider the fact that I now held feelings towards the goddess and lieutenant of the hunt.
Man, can my life get any weirder?
Sigh. Anyway, here I was sitting inside my tent, thinking about the things I would miss from my stay with the hunt.
I would surely miss the good natured mocking and taunts that Atalanta and Sophia threw at me, always succeeding in making me laugh.
Emma's weird obsession of anything that was from the sport brand named after her mother. (Nike).
Phoebe's pranks, that had somehow always managed to get me into the infirmary. In her defense, all she said was, "Don't blame me. My prank was harmless. He's the pussy."
I would definitely miss how Chloe always went complete overprotective elder sister mode on me whenever I tried to do something risky or managed to get myself hurt. Our lessons in water manipulation would always end up in water fights that really put me in a good mood after losing a humiliating defeat from Artemis every day in the spar.
Artemis was definitely going to invade my dreams every now and then. While we had started off rather roughly, what with her insulting me for being a male and all that sexist shit. Our relationship had slowly developed into something deep. I knew that she respected me for my morals and fighting prowess. But I also know that while I respect her, my feelings for her run even deeper that plain respect. But that is something that I can't bring myself to think about. The reason- nothing can ever happen between us. She is a person who has spent most of her life hating males. Also, she has sworn an oath on the Styx itself that she will never be with a man.
Finally, Zoë was definitely the person I would miss most. While I had qualms with admitting this before, now I can confidently say this - I have deep feelings for Zoë Nightshade. The huntress has had a deep impact on my life.
I was broken out of my thoughts when the tent flap opened and Chloe stepped in. She grinned in my direction and spoke, "Come on Percy. We have something for you."
Confused, I walked out of the tent, following her to the dining tent. As soon as I entered the tent, the first thing I saw was all the hunters and Artemis sitting around a circular table. A small cake was sitting on the table.
When the hunters saw me, they immediately put huge smiles on their faces.
Out of all them, I was particularly looking for one daughter of Atlas.
There she was, sitting beside Artemis, with a small smile on her face. But I could tell that the smile wasn't a happy one. She also had a weird expression on her face. At that moment, I couldn't stop my mind from wondering it's fantasies.
Could it be what I want it to be? Does she like me back? Does she really return my feelings? I forcefully clamped my mind shut if these thoughts. There was no way she could really like me, right? This was just my mind imagining things that I knew I yearned for, but couldn't get.
Deciding that saddening myself further would do nothing good, I put on a smile and walked towards the hunters.
Turns out that the cake was actually for me.
Overwhelmed, I asked, "Who baked it?"
Chloe, who had somehow discovered about my crush on Zoë, answered with a wink, "Why, Zoë herself baked it especially for you ."
Zoë turned red in embarrassment, while I was turned to a blushing mess myself. I saw the elder hunters snicker, while Lady Artemis narrowed her eyes dangerously. I was shocked to see that there wasn't really anger in them, but something that entirely confused me. It was the same weird expression that Artemis had held when I had started spending most of my day with Zoë.
I wasn't able to really decipher the emotion, but quickly averted my eyes. I had managed to stay a fully intact male for the previous two months, and I had no intention to be turned into a woodland creature or even worse, an eunuch.
Turning my attention back to the lieutenant of the hunt, I spoke, "Thank you, Zoë. This means a lot to me." I have her the warmest smile that I could muster. She must have been thinking about something, because my sentence took her by surprise. She gave out an unintelligent 'huh' before getting what I said and smiled back at me.
The rest of the time went by peacefully and merrily as the girls and I played some party games like 'never have I ever' and such.
It was about nine o clock at night when we decided to pack things up. Walking back to my tent, I couldn't help but smile fondly at my memories in my short, but eventful stay with the hunters of Artemis.
Linebreak
Next Morning
Packing up my tent, I walked towards the edge of the Hunter's camp, where two of the hunters along with their lady stood waiting for me.
Artemis, Zoë and Chloe were the three females present. First, Chloe came up to me and kissed my forehead. Pulling back, she spoke, "Stay safe, little brother. I swear if you do anything stupid, I will myself find you and beat you up for it. And with me, you can't even use the water to hide. Understood?" Her expression was threatening, almost challenging me to defy her.
Playing it safe, I nodded and smiled at her. Her eyes immediately got an evil glint and she whispered, "Now I will leave you with your girlfriend and our mistress. Afterall, you need to say your goodbyes, right? And please don't do that 'goodbye kiss' cliché thingy. I will myself castrate you, understand?"
Saying so, she dashed off towards the camp, leaving behind a blushing mess of a boy. Oh wait. That was me.
Artemis raised her eyebrows at my condition, but decided on not questioning it.
Coming closer, she spoke out, "I will deny that I ever said this, but you are worthy, boy. The only worthy male to gain my respect. Do not turn out like those other disgusting males, alright?" The end was meant like a threat. Nodding frantically, I gave her a small tilt of my head, showing respect to her.
She shook her head and walked closer, pulling me in a hug. I was too stunned to react. The next moment, she pulled back and threatened, "This never happened, understand?"
Again, I only nodded. She seemed satisfied with this and flashed out. This left only Zoë and myself.
Shifting around awkwardly, I tried to start a conversation. "So...um I guess this is goodbye for now." I spoke out.
She seemed relieved that I had started the conversation. Nodding, she spoke, "Yes. I guess it is."
Gaining some of my confidence back, I walked towards her and pulled her in for a hug, effectively drawing a help from her.
"I am really gonna miss you, Princess."
She let out a soft chuckle at the usage of her nickname before replying, "I will miss you too, kelp head."
Releasing her, I turned around to walk towards the lake, where Triton would flash in to pick me up and drop me at the school where I had to study till a satyr found me and brought me to camp.
I had walked a few steps when I heard a twig snap behind me. I turned around to see what it was, but the moment I did so, I felt a body crash into me and a pair of lips clashing into mine.
I was too shocked to respond. Zoë Nightshade was kissing me. She was KISSING me. The second most devoted man-hater was just kissing me, a male. I could literally feel my brain melting in my head as I felt the soft pair of lips on mine.
She must have taken my lack of response as rejection, because the next moment, she pulled back and tried to run away. Anticipating this, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to me.
This time, it was me who initiated the kiss. Slowly, I pressed my lips to her warm, moist pink lips. My brain was frozen and couldn't comprehend what was happening right now. Her soft lips felt amazing against mine and tasted strangely like wild berries that the hunters ate. I could tell that she wasn't really experienced in kissing, but neither was I. Nonetheless, it felt amazing.
Finally, she pulled back with a dazed look and a goofy smile. I myself was sporting a stupid grin on my face.
She saw me and immediately blushed red. "Stay safe, Percy." She spoke, before turning around and dashing away. I think saw panic in her eyes, but I might have imagined it.
I stood there for five whole minutes, too dazed to even comprehend my surroundings. Finally, I regained my bearings and sprinted towards the lake. Once there, I mentally prayed for dad to send Triton.
After a few minutes, a bright blue flash occurred beside me, signalling the arrival of my big brother. He gave me a grin, which I returned. Placing his hand on my shoulder, he flashed us off to the school where I was supposed to go.
'Yancy Academy for troubled children' it said. I turned to glare at Triton. That asshole. I know that it was definitely his idea to admit me into a school that was for 'troubled children'. He just gave me a cheeky grin, making my temper rise.
Before I could speak, he started walking towards the school. Sighing in resignation, I followed him quietly. I could see some students studying in the classrooms.
This caused me to groan as I remembered that I would have to go through this. Believe me, once you have learned from the best, you do not want to re-learn it from some mortal teacher.
Triton stopped when we reached a door. Judging by the look of it, I could say that this was the principal's office. Triton turned to me and nodded. Nodding back, I followed him through the doors.
The principal was a bald man, somewhere near sixty years of age. He looked extremely grumpy and was glaring at me like I had just kicked his puppy. In short, I didn't like him. And judging his glare, the feelings were mutual.
Triton snapped his fingers in front of the man's face, altering the mist. I don't know what Triton showed him, but for the rest of our time in the office, the principal was treating Triton like he was royalty. Trust me, I am used to it.
Finally, Triton stood up and shook the bald man's hand. The man literally escorted us out if his office .
I was shown to the dormatory where Triton had specifically asked for a private dorm. Setting up my stuff, I decided to take a shirt nap. I was supposed to attend school from Monday, which was three days away.
As I lay down, I recalled the day's events. When I remembered my first kiss, I couldn't stop the stupid grin from forming on my face. Yeah. That was awesome. Knowing that the girl you like returns the feeling is one of the best feelings ever.
Slowly, I drifted Morpheus' realm, all the while thinking about Zoë Nightshade.
Linebreak
Place - Hunter's camp
Zoë POV
When Percy was leaving, I knew that I had to act fast. If I didn't do this now, I could risk losing him to another girl. While I may be fine with the thought of sharing him with milady Artemis, I wasn't going to let any other girl get him before me.
So, giving into my instincts, I ran up to him. He turned right at the moment I reached him.
The instant my lips touched his lips, my brain short-circuited. Literally. A small tingle of electricity ran from his body into mine, heating me right up to the core.
He did not respond. My heart slowly crumbled to pieces as I realized that he didn't return my feelings. Finally, after three millennia of living on, I find a male that I actually develop feelings for, only for him to reject me. Was I really unlovable or was it just in my fate? I could feel the tears welling up at the edge of my eyes. Pulling back, I prepared to dash away to my tent and cry my heart out. But the next moment, my wrist was grabbed by the son of Poseidon as he pulled me towards him.
Leaning closer, he slowly connected his lips to mine as fireworks burst in my heart.
He...he was kissing me. He did return my feelings. Not one to be outdone, I returned the kiss with equal fervour and passion. An unmatchable feeling of bliss passed through me as he gently nibbled my lower lip. Letting an involuntary moan escape, I pressed back with more passion.
This was my first kiss, and it completely exceeded all my expectations. Not that I had ever expected much, seeing that I am a hunter of Artemis. But still, it was Elysium.
The next moment, I knew that I had fucked up as I sensed an immortal presence near us. Perseus hadn't noticed it yet. More specifically, it was an immortal presence that I knew like the back of my hand.
Lady Artemis had arrived and was seeing her lieutenant kissing a male. And to make matters worse, the male was the same person Artemis had a crush on.
Knowing that pulling back was the best option currently, I did so and looked at him with a dazed grin. "Stay safe, Percy." I whispered, before turning around and running towards the camp. On the way back, I caught Artemis' eyes for a second and nodded, signalling that I was ready to explain.
Running all the way, I entered milady's tent, only to find her sitting on a chair, with a stoic expression on her face. But her eyes betrayed her true emotions. Those usually bright silver-yellow eyes now were dim, holding a huge amount of hurt.
I knew that most of that hurt was because I had betrayed her. I had just gone against my oath by kissing Percy. Artemis felt like her best friend had betrayed her. The closest person to her. Knowing that I had caused this hurt, I put my head down in shame as guilt started flooding into my mind and heart.
Not a word was spoken for the next five minutes as she kept staring at me emotionlessly while I kept my head down, not able to meet her eyes.
The uncomfortable silence was broken when she uttered a single word - "Why?"
At that moment, I wished that we could have stayed in that silence. But her calm, cold voice had made it clear that she wanted answers.
Not knowing how to answer the question, I spoke, "I am sorry, milady. I know that I have sworn to stay away from men for eternity, but I couldn't help it. I know that I have developed feelings for Perseus. And I am completely okay with any punishment you want to give me. I am even ready to stand down from my position as lieutenant. I am sorry." Now, tears were flowing from my eyes, running down my cheeks and dripping down on my hands that I had placed on my lap.
The next few moments were spent in utter silence. Just as I was about to apologise again, I felt two fingers on my chin. My fave was pulled up gently by Artemis as she smiled sadly at me.
Her next action shocked me. She pulled me into a hug. "My dear Zoë. Why are you so stupid? Did you really think I would punish you? You are my best friend, silly. Even if you had come to me and admitted that you had fallen for a male, I would have allowed you to leave the hunt."
I know that I should have felt better knowing this, but I didn't. Rather, I felt even more guilty.
My best friend, who was crushing on the same boy that I had feelings for, was acting so supportive of me. But me, on the other hand was taking away the only male that she has ever had a crush on.
The dam broke as I started sobbing uncontrollably in her shoulders while she soothed me and patted me on the back occasionally.
After a few heart-wrenching sobs, I finally regained my bearings and pulled back.
With a completely serious face, I spoke, "I know that you like him too, milady."
Her eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back. She tried to deny it, but all she could do was stutter out some unwise words.
"What?? N...n..no. W..what the h..hell are y..you implying? I d..don't like t..that male."
Her face had turned golden. If the situation weren't this serious, I would have laughed at the sight of her face. Never in my long immortal life had I seen the moon goddess so flustered.
"Come on. I have known you for nearly four millennia. Do you really think I can't recognize it when you develop a crush on a male? Not that it has happened before, but you really are an open book, at least to me."
I spoke with a deadpan gaze.
She still seemed conflicted about this. Gods. She is surely the most stubborn headed Olympian after the three sons of Kronos.
"N..no. You have definitely mistaken it. I admit that I admire and respect Perseus for his skills and morals, it is only those feelings that I hold for him. I do not hold any romantic feelings towards the annoying demigod." Even though she had tried to speak the last part with distaste, I could tell that it was fake and half-hearted.
Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was going to be a long talk. More like a debate.
"Oh. Just admit it. You know that you like him. I know that you like him. Hades, almost all the elder hunters know that you like him. Even Phoebe is okay with that because she knows that Percy is a true man. So now it is time that you woman up and accept it." I spoke with barely hidden annoyance.
Taken aback, she seemed to be at a loss of words as she sat there, gaping like a fish. Finally, she gathered her wits enough to squeak out, "The hunters know? How?"
Scoffing at her words, I replied, "You know, you are not that secretive of your feelings as you think you are. For Zeus's sake, if the boy wouldn't be as oblivious as Percy, he would have immediately understood your feelings too. The elder hunters have a bet going on about when you will finally admit it."
Was it even possible for a being's eyes to expand so large, even if it was an immortal? Well, as it turns out - yes. It took all my willpower to stop myself from bursting out into laughter at her constipated expression. What with those extremely wide silver doe eyes, she looked like one of those anime characters.
The next few moments were spent in silence, which she finally broke by speaking, "Fine. I accept it. I have a crush on Perseus. Happy?"
I wasn't exactly happy. Hey. My best friend just admits that she likes the same boy who just stole my first kiss. How can I be happy about this?
But I was definitely satisfied that I had gotten her to admit it.
That is when the air between us immediately turned awkward. Why did you have to enter our lives, Percy? Now you have complicated everything.
While I am not unhappy at all, it is still making this conversation extremely awkward.
Gathering the courage to speak, I started, "So, what now? How do we proceed?"
Even she seemed stumped by this before she hardened her expression. "I promise that I will in no way interfere between you two. You are my best friend Zoë, and if anyone in the world deserves this, it is you. So, I will relieve you from the hunt, if you want."
Shaking my head no, I spoke, "I will not leave you, milady. I have a compromise. I can see it in his eyes that he has some kind of feelings for you. So, I am willing to share Perseus with you."
Seeing her rapidly angering face, I spoke, "Now I know that this is immoral and frowned upon, but do you really care? I personally don't."
She still seemed angry. Speaking up, she said, "I had thought that he is not like other males, but here he is, lusting after us both. I knew he would be like those other disgusting pigs."
Countering her argument, I spoke, "Oh really. Well, if a person lives with thirty exceptionally good looking females for a whole month and still doesn't make a move on them, that does make him disgusting, right?" Gods help me. Percy's sass is really, really affecting me.
She seemed to consider this for a second. Finally, she conceeded. But still, she had to argue on the solution.
"I will not be in a polygamous relationship. It is insulting and against what I stand for." She spoke with finality.
To this, I gave her a simple reply. "This is not your heart speaking. It is just your paranoid mind. Ask yourself, is your view of right and wrong more important than being with the person you have feelings for. Also, this isn't even his idea. I suggested this so that you wouldn't have to compromise with your feelings. So, think about this and answer me."
Shrinking down into her seat, she gave out a long sigh of frustration and scrunched up her eyebrows, signalling that she was deep in thought.
The next ten minutes were spent like this. With her still thinking and me fiddling with the throwing knife that Percy gifted me.
Finally, after what felt like eternity but was actually fifteen minutes, she let out another heavy breath.
Sitting up straight, she spoke, "I have made my decision."
A/N
Sorry for ending so abruptly. But this chapter is already really long.
So, how do you like it so far? Comment your views and press the little star at the bottom if you liked the chapter.
The current standings of the poll for the members in the harem are:
Artemis- 74
Hestia- 71
Thalia - 58
Athena- 58
Zoë- 63
Calypso- 49
Nyx- 59
Reyna- 53
Aphrodite- 59
Annabeth- 23
Bianca- 19
Piper - 57
Hera- 25
Rhea- 16
Khione- 10
Gaia - 13
Hazel - 5
Bellona- 4
Rachel - 4
Nike- 2
Lupa- 8
Selene- 2
Clarisse- 2
Rhode- 4
Hylla - 1
Hecate- 3
Silena- 8
Leto - 2
Drew - 1
Hebe- 1
Kymopoleia- 1
Sally - 17
Vote fast if you want any changes. The final standings will be declared after i start writing his quest to find the master bolt. That is something like two chapters from now. The max number of girls in the harem are 7 or 8.
Current standings:
1_ Artemis- 74
2_ Hestia - 71
3_ Zoë - 63
4_ Nyx - 59
5_ Aphrodite - 59
6_ Athena - 58
7_ Thalia - 58
8_ Piper - 57
Mannn. Aphrodite made a mind boggling jump from number 11 to number 5. Same with Piper. So now, I don't think anyone other than Artemis, Hestia and Zoë is actually safe and secure in the harem. Vote fast. And sorry to the Pereyna fans. Didn't get enough votes.
This poll will close after the next two chapters.
So, vote fast.
For other matters, in the author's note at the top, I suggested the poll about Sally.
So, if you want Sally in the harem, comment - "Yes to Sally"
If you are against this idea,
Comment - "No to Sally"
If you comment no to Sally, please comment the role you would like to see her in. But, please do comment and vote.
Ok then.
Thank you
Until next time
Peace out
Darkgamer2004