Artemis POV

I must admit, the food was delicious. A nice change from my usual meat. While we all are, Perseus was trying to get heated by Apollo. Still, whenever someone said a joke, Percy would start laughing and rolling around the place, making Apollo mad at us. Apollo would start yelling at us, me in particular. I don't think he's gotten over what I did to Percy a week ago.

When the time to leave came, all the gods started saying farewell and flashing away. Poseidon gave me a glare before flashing. Hestia threatened me with a fireball before flashing away. Even Father looked at me in shame! All the gods seemed to despite me, but one. Aphrodite.

The love goddess was looking right at me, waiting for me to come to her. Why couldn't she just act normally and just call me over? Perseus seemed to be packing the leftover food, probably to bring home so that he could eat it. In the meantime, while I waited (it's basic manners!) I decided to walk over to Aphrodite and see what her deal was. Hopefully I could make some kind of comprise with the information she had about me. Perseus would take forever to pack his food anyway. I think Apollo had to give him another quick check up before we left. Well what did I have to lose! (Actually, don't answer that.)

I approached Aphrodite nervously and carefully. Assuming this wasn't some kind of trap,I intended to walk, or more likely flash out of here with good news. She looked around, to make sure we were indeed not being watched. After taking a good look, she started talking in a quiet voice, barely audible.

"I think I'll do us both a favour and just cut to the point," she began. Please do! Already, the food was in Percy's bag, and how long would the check up take. I knew for a fact that Apollo had someone to meet.

"Don't bother convincing me to believe that you have no feelings for Percy. A love goddess knows her love very well. For now, I will keep your secret safe." My heart stopped for a moment as I questioned whether or not I was sane. Last I checked, my ears were working, even if Perseus had been laughing hysterically.

"Aphrodite, I don't think I can thank you enough-' I started, by Aphrodite needed to butt in.

"You can't," she agreed. "And I've never been good at keeping secrets. I will give you no longer than a year to confess your feelings, or else I will, and, when a love goddess starts talking about the maiden having feelings, I have a visceral feeling that many will listen and believe."

Damn! Should've expected a surprise like that. It would've been too good to be true had she decided to tell no one, even after a year. Some would say that I still had a year, but, for a goddess, that was nothing. Might as well have been a day.

"If you told everyone, Percy would never like me, not like that's what I want but.." I said, turning very red at the same time. Why did I have to misspeaking? Aphrodite seemed to have heard, but she simply smirked instead of teasing me, which I was grateful for.

"Precisely!" she exclaimed, a little too loudly as Perseus stared curiously at us. Aphrodite mouthed, sorry, to Percy and, while he was very weirded out, he said nothing and went back to his in depth medical check with Apollo.

"I know you want Percy to like you, so I've decided to help you get with Percy!" Uh oh! The alarm bells were ringing in my head.

"That is so kind of you, but I think I'll pass," I told her as nicely as I could. She seemed to be ready for this. As I turned around, she spoke one line to me, that seriously made me question whether I was making the right move.

"Don't blame me then when Percy's banging my brains out and your sulking in your palace because Percy rejected the same woman who attempted to assassinate him in your futile attempt to get with him."

At that very moment, quantum mechanics stopped working as I went back to Aphrodite. It seemed to me that she just might be talking sanely right now. Besides, she was right. Percy would never love me unless I took advice from the goddess of love. Just this once, would it hurt to hear her out?

"What do you have in mind?" I asked her. At this, Aphrodite leaped up in joy and started to clap her hands. I only agreed to hear her out, not agree to whatever mad plan she had.

"Calm down and just tell me before Apollo starts getting suspicious!" I half whispered, half yelled at her.

"Okay, okay!" she said, breathing rapidly. "Your best bet is to fully embrace your job of being his slave." Like I said, a mad plan.

"You really think that I'm going to go and offer my body to Percy while he despise me-" I started, trying to keep my cool.

"No no no!" Aphrodite giggled. "I though you knew that it was simply one of Perseus's jokes to get back at you, which he deserves you know." She's back to accusing me. Why can't they just let it go? "Although… now that you mention it, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to-"

"It would," I cut in trying to keep her from imaging any other dirty thoughts between me and Percy that would most certainly lead to my doom.

"If you say so," she replied, shrugging her shoulders while looking at Percy and Apollo to see just how much progress they had made. I too looked back. The two gods had cleaned the entire hall, finished their quick checkup and were making small talk while waiting for both of us to finish.

"Help Percy out," Aphrodite told me, turning her gaze back towards me. "Stay in his room most of the time, bring food to him and socialize with-"

"Please Aphrodite," I cut in yet again. "The only way I've socialized with men before is by using knives and hands." I feel proud as I remember all the men I've magled in the past. Back in the good old days!

"Well now's the time to change!" she spoke angrily, which sounded pretty funny considering she was whispering at the same time. We both stood in silence for a bit, listening to Perseus's jokes and the frothy air of autumn as it blew past us, keeping us both cool.

"Anything else I should know about?" I asked her.

Aphrodite thought for a moment before picking her purse up, signalling her leave. Why did she carry that wherever she went? Search me.

"Last thing, Artemis. In the night, I want you to find your way into his bed. Not sex!" she quickly said after looking at my fired face, "but sleeping with him for comfort."

It took a couple of seconds for my brain to process this. Wouldn't Perseus say something if he woke up to see me right next to him. Pretty suspicious, not gonna lie there. Besides, I wouldn't even know what to do in the bed. Do I touch him, or do I sit like a log? Do I lay the same way as him, or do I lay the other way? All these questions I had. And besides, how would I even get into his bed? Perhaps if I did it properly, it might work, but if it didn't, Aphrodite may as well have told everyone right now. Besides, what if Aphrodite was trying to make Percy despite me even more so that she could have him. Somehow, I didn't think that was the case.

"How would I even get into the bed?" I asked curiously. If she could give me something good to work with, I just may go along with her. After all, this is her expertise. Across the hall, Percy and Apollo started walking towards me. Shit! Guess they didn't have much to talk about, and I suppose that a love goddess and a maiden talking together does send a few people thinking, regardless or whether or not they got an E in English. Oh how do I know Percy got an E in English… I just… guessed, yeah! I definitely did not ask his English teacher. No no!

Percy walked towards to us, his body still painted golden with ichor. We were out of time. As Percy slowly came towards us, I tried signalling Aphrodite, and guess what! She was too busy checking her purse at this crucial moment.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything, hatun?" Percy spoke once he had approached us, Apollo right next to him. What the hell was hatun! Sounded like something from Africa or Turkey! Does this mean that I have a walking Google translate with me. Looking on the bright side!

"Unfortunately, I am forced to go back to the hunt with Lady Artemis," Percy spoke, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Apollo interjected.

"I would be more than joyed to have you in my palace, Perseus!" Apollo spoke. Percy simply shook his head.

"It would be unwise for me to go against the rules of Styx. I will force myself to stay with the hunters."

Taking a big risk, I asked Aphrodite, "How exactly shall I do it?" Like I said, a big risk. Percy looked at me, trying to figure out what I was meaning, while Apollo sent me a quizzical look. Percy looked at me, then closed his eyes, as if trying to sense something. He can read minds! Crap! Quickly, I blanked my mind completely, leaving only my strongest feelings: Fear, Anger, Sadness and Joy. This is the only thing I can remember from the mind reading lessons I had during my God training. Luckily, I think it worked toas Percy looked away, pondering in thought.

Aphrodite, after finally checking her purse, came really close to me, before saying 1 thing.

"Some things, you have to figure out for yourself, Artemis." This was extremely risky for me, but it would be better for me to get with Percy rather than for Aphrodite to expose my deep secret. I could potentially try to stop loving him, but I know Aphrodite would never help me with that, seeing as she has always wanted me to be with someone, and it would be extremely difficult. Feelings are part of the body. You can't just remove one with ease.

Let's see how I will accomplish this.

"I will take my leave now Perseus," Aphrodite told him, flexing her large breasts at Percy. Why was she? I thought she wanted to help me get with Persues, not draw me further away. Perseus didn't focus on them though. He simply nodded his head, and Aphrodite flashed away, looking slightly disappointed. I swear, she will get it next time we converse.

"The time has come, hatun," Percy spoke at me. After nodding to Apollo, he spoke one more thing.

"I will return to Artemis's hell now. Death, I embrace you."

I guess it's a good thing that I've packed some extra Ambrosia.

My most sincere apologies. Half way through this chapter, I got ill to the point that it hurt my stomach to look at a screen, so I couldn't finish the chapter. Only today was I well enough to quickly finish this story.

I hope y'all enjoy it and keep the good ideas rushing in!

P.S. I was thinking about rewriting the first chapter after someone suggested that I do. Does that sound like a good idea?