Percy PoV

Artemis and I were having a picnic by a lake in the woods.

She was sitting in my lap with her arms around my neck as she gave me kisses.

A buck ran into the clearing, followed a girl with silver hunting equipment.

"Was that one of your hunters?" I asked. She sighed and pulled away from me. "Yes, it was. I'll take that as a cue to start packing up. I'm supposed to meet Athena for a

briefing on the mutated monsters soon, anyway."

I sighed and stood up, offering my hand to her.

My girlfriend accepted and I pulled her up into my arms. "It's still hard to believe we've been dating for so long already."

"To be fair, nine months isn't that long to immortals," she justified. "But I share the sentiment."

We started putting the empty containers back in the basket when the buck that was being chased by the hunter ran back into the clearing.

An arrow came flying from one of the trees at the edge of the clearing and went right through the buck's eye.

I just stood there for a moment, blinking and trying to properly comprehend what had occurred.

The goddess stuffed the blanket we had been sitting on back into the basket, closed said basket, and handed it to me.

Suddenly, a group of her hunters came rushing out of the woods, splitting off into groups approaching the buck and approaching us.

Artemis kissed my cheek. "I have to get to a meeting."

She disappeared just before her hunters came within shouting range.

I was about to disappear as well when I heard a familiar voice demand I stay.

I spotted Thalia in the group that had gone to collect the deer and sighed, knowing that if I left now, I would be in for a world of hurt next time I saw her.

My cousin walked over and was the first to speak. "So, were you on a date with Lady Artemis just now?"

Clearing my throat, I nodded. "Yeah. We were enjoying a little picnic date, though I'm guessing at least a few of you were watching from the trees."

There were a few snickers heard and elbows thrown from the other hunters.

"Uh, I know you all probably have plans to harass me in some way now that the opportunity has presented itself, but I'm actually glad that I get to speak to you all without Artemis around," I said, taking a breath.

"Not for any negative reason. I want to marry Artemis, and you girls are family to her," I continued, pulling a small blue box with a ring out of my pocket. "I haven't asked any of her other family, and I haven't proposed yet, either, if anyone was wondering."

There was a hushed murmuring from all of them before Thalia spoke. "If it makes Lady Artemis happy, then we have no issue with it. I will do my best to make sure she doesn't find out about your plan to propose from any of us."

With a sigh of relief, I stuffed the box back in my pocket and returned to my girlfriend's palace.

I set down the basket and opened it, waving its contents to their proper positions.

Since I didn't know how long Artemis would be busy with Athena, I went straight to Apollo's clinic.

He was filling out paperwork in his office, and I knocked on the door.

"If it isn't an emergency, you can find someone else to do it," he called, not bothering to look up from his work.

I cleared my throat and stepped in, closing the door behind me. "Well, actually, I can't. It's not an emergency, but you do happen to be Artemis's only twin brother."

"Percy," the god greeted, setting down his pen. "You've been good to Artemis. How can I help you?"