Somewhere in the Unmapped United States, 1805
"Amelie?"
A dismissive grunt, half labored with sleep and fitful dreams was the initial response.
"Amelie."
The voice was more forceful, crashing in on the world of the seemingly youthful girl's sleep. With no option but to accept the burgeoning wakefulness, the girl turned over, arm sailing wide and sending a shoe at the entrance to her tent. Judging by the sound of leather on dirt, Amelie's intruder ducked.
"Begone Zoe," came the rousing demand, Amelie picking her head up from the pillow and angrily wiping at her eyes. Blearily, she turned her eyes to the open flap to her tent, the opening within the silvery material showing the earliest signs of dawn.
"Is that how thee speaks to thy lieutenant, Amelie?" Came the far too bemused reply. Her sight clearing, the young girl brushed her hand through the unruly mess of burnished locks she called hair. Squinting, Amelie blew a raspberry at the silver-clad lieutenant who's only response was a twinkle in her normally severe onyx eyes.
Grunting, Amelie squirmed out of her sleeping roll. Staggering over to her dresser (a perk of having a almost literal divine tent: fully portable furniture that could be compacted in a moment), the girl quickly began to get dressed, unashamed of the audience. It seemed Zoe was unperturbed as well- the miracle of being pseudo-siblings for nearly half a millennia.
"It is when zheir is no obvious reazon for zuch an early rize," Amelie drawled, tightening the leather strap that cinched her silvery tunic around her midriff. Giving Zoe the stink eye, she sat down to slip on her boots.
"And to think thy accent slips when thee is to accompany me for an expedition," mused Zoe, laughing slightly and stepping back to allow the shorter girl out of the tent. Reaching over, Zoe ruffled the bronze locks of the French girl she had met back in the fourteenth century as Amelie fell into step beside the daughter of Atlas.
Despite both of them being centuries old, Zoe, being of divine blood, the daughter of a titan, and a nymph to boot, was far more put together as the darkness around them began to tint grey with the early light of their misty dawn. Her attire: a traditional Greek chiton, complimented by slightly more modern attire. Leather trousers, thick hide boots, and a long-sleeve cotton shirt all were worn beneath the traditional silver-garb of the Hunter's of Artemis. The extra articles were silver as well, but of a more muted tone as to not clash too badly (a lesson learned after a rather fierce tongue-lashing from an irate daughter of Aphrodite.)
"An expedition? And here I thought we were already taking part in such an adventure." Amelie had schooled her voice back, her accent fading into a faint English and heavy with sarcasm. Zoe knew, as did Amelie, that her French only bled into her voice when she was exhausted or irritated or both. Fixing her hair yet again after Zoe's ruffling, Amelie finally managed to coax her wayward locks to fall into a flimsy ponytail, using a leather strip to bind it.
"M'lady has asked that two others accompany myself on an excursion into the range and see if it is possible to secure a passage through the mountains," Zoe explained, grinning as she watched the change in the younger Huntress's demeanor.
Amelie had been young when she joined the hunters. Not the youngest, but at fourteen winters the young French girl had stood and remained at the height of five feet even, rising up only to Zoe's chin. And since she was younger in appearance, Zoe often found it endearing to watch her freckled cheeks alight with anticipation and chase the sleep away. Sparkling, hazel-green eyes glanced her way, asking for more information.
"We shall be away by noon, as to camp in the foothills before dark and ascend on the morrow," Zoe finished, both girls coming to a stop at what made for the center of their camp. A fire-pit, carefully thrown together in the middle of a double layered circle of tents. A few chairs and a log bench were strewn about loosely, and a pot hanging above the fireplace bubbled with their morning meal.
"And who will be accompanying us?" Amelie asked as they both prepared their meal, small bowls and spoons grabbed from the stack near the fire. Far more awake, Amelie followed Zoe as they nursed their steaming bowls and sat cross legged next to her on a log they had felled the night before for camp.
"I have chosen Phoebe and thee for my companions, and she was far more disgruntled this morning than thou," Zoe said with amusement, earning a genuine chuckle from the younger girl. The three of them had no quarrel, though rarely did any of the hunters. But for the three of them, it did extend past simple respect for each other. Phoebe, being the second oldest hunter in the group, was Zoe's right hand and longest standing friend. A daughter of Ares, she was hotheaded and brash sometimes, but it evened out Zoe's stoic and commanding presence quite well when in private.
It didn't hurt that Phoebe was also the one to find Amelie so many years ago, bringing the young and exhausted French girl to their camp after wandering upon her taking a deer down with nothing but a stone and a sling. A full-blooded mortal, Amelie was both amazed and annoyed with the revelation of the divine world. And she was quick to let that acerbic sarcasm of hers affirm her place among her sisters, as well as befriend both Zoe and Phoebe rather fluidly.
"Let us hope she can avoid scaring off any game this time," came the quip, earning a chuckle from both Zoe and one of their sisters who was passing by with tired shuffle towards the food. The two continued to eat in amicable silence, observing as their other sisters arose one by one. The sun was slowly beginning its lazy path through the sky, an observation Amelie had grown used to being quite true during the shorter days of winter.
Her opinion of Apollo was one of chosen amusement. He was annoying, an endless flirt and quite content womanizer. And rather than settle in the caustic derision most around her had pointed towards him, Amelie opted to instead let her sarcasm and laughter reign free. He still flirted with her about once every decade, and Amelie happily told him that if he was so desperate to stick himself inside someone, he was a god and could easily shove it up his own backside for all eternity.
Finishing her breakfast first, Amelie leaned on the log and set her bowl on the matted grass beneath. She stared up at the sky, noting the slight overcast that kept the dawn in shades of muted grey. The tall fir trees doted the horizon all around her, the boughs a deep rich green that remained unshaken by the frost that settled over them. Off behind the tops of the trees to one side was the rolling foothills, overshadowed by the large range of mountains that broke into the clouds.
They were to be a scouting party up there soon, a thought that filled Amelie with excitement. While even Zoe the Unflappable was muted this early in the morning, Amelia could feel the bubbling excitement in the nymph. A shared feeling, one that all of their sisters craved as well. Freedom, a chance to set out and explore the wild world around them. It was why they were where they were in the first place. The tides of power had shifted, the gods were beginning to assimilate with the growing power of this United States.
Artemis was their vanguard in this matter, carrying the torch into the newly acquired lands for the new home of the gods. Paid for last year from her homeland, it was an acquisition called the Louisiana Purchase. Now able to mark so much more territory under their domain, it fell upon the Hunters to learn the land. New sights, new beasts, and new experience was all Amelie could hope for on this coming scouting assignment. A good change of pace compared to the speed of moving with a full troupe.
"I guess I shall begin my preparations," said Amelie, fighting a particularly stubborn yawn that reminded her it was still far too early. She was far from a morning person, and excitement could only squash her body's protests for continued sleep so much. With a languid stretch and a nod to her superior, Amelie placed her dishes in the small pile near the fire and made her way back through camp.
The centuries old teenager smiled as she walked through the matted grass, taking a moment to inhale the fresh scent of pines. She passed through the first ring of tents, a dozen or so silver canvases spread out in a loose circle around the central fire. These were mostly storage tents, such as the pantry, armory, conference, and medical tent. Only three were occupied with beings: one for Artemis herself, likely unoccupied as she wrapped up her nightly journey across the sky; the second was Zoe's, positioned centrally so that any huntress could approach with any issue or question; and last belonged to their newest member, a child of Demeter at the fresh age of fifteen. All new members were given a grace period of being allowed to establish their tent in the center ring as they adapted to their new way of life.
Amelie's herself was one of the further placed tents in the outer ring, placed so hers would be the on the first line of huntresses woken in the case of an encroaching monster. One of four placed slightly further out, the other three belonged to the three other senior members: Phoebe, the daughter of Ares; Andrea, a daughter of Athena; and Hadriana, child of the minor god Caerus. Andrea was younger than Amelia by about two centuries, but both the French mortal and the daughter of Athena were centuries younger than Hadriana.
As a whole, they made up for the general hierarchy of the hunter troupe, the four senior members outside of the lieutenant. Mentors for the younger members, and tertiary leaders in the absence of the other two.
Arriving at her tent, Amelia took one last moment to bask in the unpolluted air of the foothills before stepping inside. She quickly took to gathering her things, folding her bedroll, gathering her dual hunting knives, her backpack of various supplies, and her spare clothes. Perhaps it wasn't the most arduous of tasks, but it was time consuming.
Once it was all ready to go, Amelie changed into her actual gear. Her morning attire of chiton, pants, and boots would not suffice for their full-scale excursion. Whether it was beast, monster, or frigid winds, Amelie would not be caught without proper protection. A deep grey undershirt was first, long-sleeve and thick cotton. It was quickly tucked into silver-dyed leather leggings and fastened with a thin belt. The last piece of her necessary attire came in the fashion of a leather and chainmail cuirass. The torso was comprised of a light-grey leather piece that covered from her shoulder blades to her belt, linked to a similar piece on her back by the dull sheen of metal links.
The chain fit snugly to her form to minimize noise, covering where the leather did not. Atop her shoulders, it descended to her wrists until it was capped with small leather bands that would be fastened inside her gloves. All and all, her attire was a hybrid of the normal huntress attire, and the slightly medieval style some people wore all those centuries ago. In order to capitulate to her current standing however, a silver shawl was draped over her shoulder, a hood attached and left down.
Amelie was distracted as she finished tying her hair back into a tight braid by Phoebe opening the flap to her tent, the burlier daughter of Ares snorting at her fixing her appearance.
"When you're done prissing yourself up, Lady Artemis wants to speak with us," she quipped with a pointed look at the elaborate braid being wound tightly behind Amelie's head.
"One moment," she said, giving her braid one last check before standing and giving Phoebe a bemused look. "You know, you could stand to look a little less boyish from time to time."
The daughter of Ares shook her head, her broad shoulders rolling as she stepped back and waited for Amelie. "Next time you compare me to a boy, I'll cut your hair short in your sleep," she threatened, though her dark eyes twinkled good naturedly.
"If you do that, I'll dye your entire wardrobe pink and make you go to our Lady to resolve the issue," came the counter, drawing a short laugh from both girls as they marched through camp.
Phoebe was even taller than Zoe, in her late teens when recruited by Artemis, and by far the broadest of the three huntresses. Her outfit was a mixture of Zoe's and Amelie's, sporting a more traditional Greek appearance but accented with chainmail sleeves and thicker leather.
They quickly ducked inside Artemis's tent when they arrived, the inside of the canvas structure much larger than it would appear on the outside. Inside was what could be described as a small conference room. A circular table, with Lady Artemis herself on onside of the table and Zoe seated opposite. Phoebe and Amelie quickly moved to flank Zoe on either side, taking their place at the table.
"Thank you both for coming promptly," the goddess explained when they sat down, appearing before them in one of her younger forms. It was disconcerting for Amelie at first, taking orders from a goddess who appeared at the age of twelve, but after a short time and being apart of a few hunts where Artemis herself joined, Amelie was quite happy to be where she was. At both of their nods, Artemis continued.
"As you know, my father issued an expedition after the mortals expanded this country. And while their explorations may eventually mirror ours, our goals are severely different," Artemis explained, silver eyes looking over each of her hunters one by one. "With the shift of the Flame from Europe to this United States, many of the previous tracked locations and habitats of common monsters has… shifted. It is our duty to locate, and either work to isolate or subdue the local population of creatures. You three will scout ahead of the main troupe, look for a way through the mountains, and note any creatures you spot along the way."
The Flame..? Oh, Western Civilization. The heart of the Greek world has shifted once again… Thought Amelie, taking a moment to wrap her head around the goddess's words. It was not the first time she had lived through a shift, but it was the first time it had taken them so far away from the European world. When it had shifted between countries in Europe, they often had little exploration.
Next to her, Zoe pursed her lips. "M'lady, does thee have a concern? Thou spoke of nothing new."
Amelie was surprised to see Artemis's face turn to stone, cold and expressionless. "Yes. The world here is… wild. The Olympians are hesitant to admit a limit to our knowledge and influence, but this far away from our roots… I would not be surprised if other entities have been conceived, their creation formed from the thoughts of those before us and the veil of Chaos," Artemis explained, her words slow and cautionary. Zoe's face paled, while Phoebe and Amelie looked slightly confused at her words. "We are birds in a tree far from home, the roots beneath our feet having no bearing to the Greek world. Zoe, Amelie, Phoebe… be careful."
Times like these, Amelie wanted to curse the gods and their general inclination for cryptic speech. Artemis was a vast margin better than most, but even the threads of fate bound a deity such as her.
Different roots… We have heard of the native people of the land, though most stories originate further east than the mountains. Is she saying… no… surely not… Amelie's brow pinched as she realized the implication.
Zoe seemed to arrive at the same conclusion, though rather than being confused she looked slightly fearful. "Will this be like the time with the várvaroi from the north?"
Amelie's confusion deepened. She had learned Greek in her time with the hunters. It was only natural. But to her understanding, the hunters had never clashed with any barbarians from the north before.
It seemed Artemis understood the reference however, and shook her head. "Those were… different. More collective, a wider history. These… I can feel it here, our roots have begone to grow amongst these yet seen. They are wilder, less… refined. Entities that have existed through centuries, but they do not have the collective we or the north had."
Now Amelie was truly confused. What were they discussing? From the North… She wracked her brain, thinking of any enemy or conflict the Greeks may have had from the North. It took her longer than she would like to have admitted, but she came to two conclusions.
The first was the Norse. The Vikings were known entities from Scandinavia, but Amelie could not recall any truly large conflicts between them. There were interactions surely, in the times of the Byzantine if her history lessons with her mother were any indication. But centuries of time left her with little remembrance of the finer points.
The second option was much more likely. It was a part of history her mother had taught her that she had paid somewhat more attention towards- the Gaul. A millennia before her birth, they had settled throughout much of western Europe, covering the entirety of France and much more. It was not until Julius Caesar that they were beaten back, and the lands were slowly integrated into the Roman Empire. Still, the Gaullic had left impressions that lasted to today, through small ruins she had explored on her family's lands to more notable influences in her birth language.
"When you say the barbarians… do you mean the Gaul?" Amelie had to know. To confirm her suspicions of what had happened.
Both Zoe and Artemis gave her mildly surprised looks, and Amelie blushed at speaking out of turn. She clasped her hands in her lap, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
"You are correct Amelie," Artemis admitted, her fingers tapping on the table. "The Olympians clashed with many of the Gaul's deities millennia ago, and our hunters and demigods at the time were forced to combat and exterminate many dens of monsters that had no Greek roots…"
Amelie paled at the implication. The hunters were intimately familiar with the hunting of Greek monsters. Their weaknesses, strengths, and overall habits and capabilities. If they encountered something unknown here… it could be grueling.
Artemis gave her a grim smile, silver eyes soft as if she knew of the challenges they may face. "I know it is a lot to ask, and it is why I am sending you three ahead. If possible, do not engage. But if conflict is unavoidable… well, I trust in you three to survive."
Her confidence in the three drew only grim nods of acknowledgement. It was the closest thing Artemis could say that she was nervous about the unknown before them.
"But that is enough of such grim discussion. It is our hope that such an encounter will not happen," Artemis said, forcing a tight smile on her lips. She stood, beckoning Zoe to stand as well. "You will all be setting out in a few hours. Zoe, take this time to brief them on your plan before going to the armory and setting out."
"Yes m'lady," Zoe responded, standing, and taking out a roughly drawn map of their surrounding area. She pointed to a specific spot and began her planning. "There is a creek nearby which runs through the nearby range. We'll follow it as long as feasible and…"
O
Despite the fear and nerves that had colored their briefing prior to their departure the morning before, Amelie could only stare in absolute wonder at the world around her. The range was… beautiful. Tall, majestic mountains capped with thick glaciers that glistened in the high sun. Tall, majestic trees that held their green pines despite the thick layer of snow surrounded them up and down the mountains. The world was so perfectly still, untouched and unmarred by the hand of man and Amelie could feel the grasp of nature's dominance over the land.
They still followed the same creek as before, though the bed had increased in width and provided an easy path for them to follow. Snow had slowly risen to higher levels around them as they passed, the soft powder now up to her mid-calf outside of the steam's path. It only added to the harsh majesty these mountains presented,
Not that Amelie minded the treacherous appearance of her surroundings. The still land thrumming with the intent of a lion waiting to pounce. They had seen little in the way of living creatures. The occasional bird, deer, or more elusive creature she was unable to get a good look at. But nothing supernatural. It made her feel as if she were an observer witnessing the world through a looking glass.
"Get your head out of the clouds, ructabunde," Came the call from Phoebe, earning and indignant snort from Amelie and a chuckle from Zoe.
"Quiet you tête de noeud," Amelia quipped back cheerily.
Her mood was unquenchable. Basking in the beauty around her, Phoebe calling her a gas bag could do nothing to diminish her smile. Not the ever-increasing chill, not her sore shoulders from carrying her pack and bow, and definitely not Phoebe's grumbling insults could shake Amelie's mood.
These mountains… they're perfect, she thought. Maman, Phillippe, I wish you could be here with me.
Of course, such thoughts could only last a short time.
O
"Did the mighty Phoebe, century old hunter of Artemis, not catch a simple dear?" teased Amelie, sitting with Zoe and working on cataloguing their expedition so far. Everything from mapping the land, to the flora and fauna, to the types of stone that could be found and the occasional sulfur spring they camped by for additional heat. Their bows were currently on the floor next to them, quivers resting against the canvas. They still had their knives, and Amelie still had her sling and pouches of ammunition across her belt.
They had been exploring for close to a week now, and Zoe assumed they had crossed the half-way point sometime last night. They had lost their creek as it fed from a sheer cliff, skirting around the mountain instead and crossing the lower pass. They found another stream being fed from an above glacier, and the water had been flowing in the opposite direction.
It was nighttime now. And while the hunters could easily navigate in the light of their lady's carriage, the bitter cold and wind that had settled in stopped them. Blinding snow whirled through the air, halting their progress, and forcing them to set up camp. Phoebe had left in search of game when the winds died down and was now only returning. Empty handed.
Amelie looked up at her dark haired and tomboyish sister, waiting for a disgruntled and miffed response to her light-hearted humor. However, seeing her ashen face and thin mouth, Amelie stiffened.
"What happened Phoebe?" It seemed Zoe noticed as well, sitting up straighter and looking intently at the daughter of the war god.
"Found the deer," she grumbled, looking slightly lost in thought. Her eyes had a distant glazed look to them that Amelie had not seen since Phoebe had discovered a massacre during the Rising of the North in the sixteenth century England. "Wasn't the one who killed it though."
She sat down with a heavy thud, shaking her head as if to shake free the obviously distracting memory. If Phoebe was so off put by a simple hunt, then Amelie was frightened to think of what she must have witnessed. Phoebe was normally so… blasé about things. Very little, no matter how gruesome or violent, could truly shake the daughter of war.
"Did thou see what did?" Zoe asked cautiously, dog earring their current page and closing the journal. Nervously, Zoe's hand went to the knife on her belt, fingers thrumming on the hilt.
"Not clearly," Phoebe began, unslinging her bow and placing it next to her. She pulled down the hood of her thick jacket, brushing the snow from her short, cropped hair. "It was hard to see. Whatever it was blended in with the snow too well, I only got a clear look at it when it pulled itself up from the deer."
Zoe nodded in understanding, onyx eyes softening as she heard the shaky steel in Phoebe's voice. She opened the journal again, flipping through pages until she arrived at the section which they had dubbed The Bestiary. "Tell me what thy can."
"Whatever it was, it was big." Amelie leaned in slightly, listening close to her description. "Easily as big as that big bear we stumbled across in its cave a few nights ago. But it looked more human. It also seemed… crystalline. As if it was made from shards of ice. It was ripping apart the deer, biting good chunks out of it. Couldn't really make out any fine details, but when it lifted its head up from its prey, all that was distinct was the blood dripping down its face. No eyes, no nose, just… jagged ice in the shape of a head."
Amelie frowned at her words. The lack of details was… disconcerting. And if it were made of ice, it would be particularly difficult to notice.
"It left after it was finished. Only left scraps and bones of the deer. I didn't seem to notice me, or at least it wasn't interested if it did. Started trudging north and disappeared into the trees."
They sat in tense silence, absorbing Phoebe's words. After a week into their trip, they had hoped they would finish without issue. But now it seemed that they would have to be especially on guard.
Another heartbeat later, Zoe spoke. Her voice cool and irrefutable. Her lieutenant persona through and through. "We shall take shifts for watch for now. I shall take first. Amelie, thee shall take second. Phoebe… rest. It is late enough; we shall handle tonight in two shifts. And for future excursions, we shall all go together."
Amelie and Phoebe nodded, Amelie's sister's shoulders sagging as she quickly relinquished her quiver and made her way towards her bedroll. They had squeezed all three inside the single tent, leaving it slightly cramped but allowing them to travel lighter. Resting her head on the straw pillow, Phoebe glanced over at Amelie,
"Something about that thing…" Phoebe began softly, eyes hard and brows furrowed. "It made my instincts scream at me. It was… unnatural. Terrifying and infuriating. Is this what our lady meant when she said these creatures would have different roots?"
"I do not know Phoebe," Amelie replied honestly, hazel eyes meeting Phoebe's with a flash of compassion. "Please, get some rest. I imagine Zoe will drive us like mules tomorrow now."
Amelie light joke worked, the war daughter cracking a faint grin as she reached over to turn off the light of the lantern. Amelie herself had just began to lay down, resting her head on the pillow beneath when Phoebe spoke again.
"Amelie…" she heard, the voice soft and… scared. It made Amelie frown, to hear Phoebe in such a state. "Could you… sing? One of your obnoxiously pretty French songs?"
Amelie snorted in amusement at that. Leave it to Phoebe to be both vulnerable and insulting in one fell swoop. "Of course, Phoebe," came the gentle reply.
At the end of the day, they may be immortal hunters with centuries of experience, exposed to some of the worst of humanity and trek through countless miles of the wilderness, but they were still children. They cried, fought, and laughed no matter their age. And while Artemis had taken on a parental role for the most of them, to each other? They were sisters. They took care of each other, held each other, and stood together through the hardest of times.
Taking a deep breath, Amelie began to sing in soft, lilting French, only able to get through a few verses before the soft sound of Phoebe's sleeping breath sounded.
"Impératrice, ou'importent les saisons
Nous te défendrons et nos cicatrices
Grâce à toi se tairont."
Letting her voice fade into the night, Amelie closed her eyes, letting the soft sounds of the wind across the ocean of trees lull her to sleep.
Olympus
"How is your head sister?"
"Better, though your presence shall surely make it worse brother," came to affectionate annoyance of Artemis. She looked over at her brother, the god of the sun holding out a small vial of nectar and medicine for the moon deity. "I worry for them you know. I cannot stay with them too long. Our reach there is… fragile at best. It will be up to them to help clear the way for us."
"I know dear sister," Apollo said sympathetically. "But you know why Zeus ordered your hunters to lead the way. They are better equipped to handle a situation. They are more organized than the demigods right now, and we are… fractured with the current transition. The Heart of the West has yet to fully settle."
Artemis sighed, taking the nectar and medicine, and downing both quickly. "I know. I worry about them regardless, especially Zoe, Phoebe, and Amelie. They are further west than our main camp and going through treacherous and uncharted areas… areas where the native roots are much stronger."
Apollo frowned. "Amelie… she's the cute French one correct?" Her had to jump back to avoid the slap from his twin, grinning obnoxiously. "Easy sister, I jest…" Artemis snorted in disbelief. "But they're strong. Zoe is… well, you know who her father is. Phoebe is Boar Brain's, and Amelie is a clever mortal. They'll be fine."
Artemis grinned softly at Apollo. He was annoying, as usual, but he was also annoyingly reassuring. "I hope so Apollo. I hope so."
AN:
Well... Hi there? It has been, what? Three, four years since I've posted anything? I'm sorry to those who were hoping to an update on my other stories. Truth be told, and I imagine many of you have figured this out, but I have abandoned them. I abandoned writing things as a whole for years. Sound of Madness, being the largest story and most read one I have had so far, is dead in the water in my mind. I have lost inspiration, find my writing abysmal, and I had no true agenda for what I was writing.
But I recently got into a D&D campaign and played a few games that gave me some true inspiration.
And such, this story was born. I have a rough outline that will turn into quite a few chapters if I don't disappear again. This story, and my OC Amelie, are my attempt to not only write in the PJO universe once more, but to also expand upon the universe. We have a brief history of how the Olympians have been apart of the United States history, but it only goes about as far back as the Civil War. My goal is to explore the opportunity that comes before, and try and create a story that begins with the transition to the U.S. and jumps through history until the current PJO timeline. Please, let me know if there are any particular times people wish to see and I will think about including them in my timeline. Not quickly, mind you, as I have divided this story into major arcs in my outline, but thankfully I will not be writing centuries of history day by day.
Hello again and goodbye,
CP Nightshade