Chapter 3

Artemis POV

The moment I heard 'Mommy' I immediately thought Luna had run out to greet us as Samuel never spoke. So imagine my surprise when I looked down and found my son hugging my leg with all his strength.

Pulling him from my leg I crouched down to his level "What did you say?" I asked.

"Mommy?" He said sounding somewhat confused.

A smile spread across my lips "One more time. Say it one more time, for me please."

"Mommy." he said tilting his head to the side.

"Yes!" I screamed picking my son up spinning him around causing him to laugh. Percy looked at me like I had lost it but I didn't care. My son had finally spoken and his first word was Mommy!

While was doing my little celebration dance my daughter Melissa wandered out of the tent rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Mommy is that you?"

"Yes sweetie." I said kneeling down "Did I wake you?"

She nodded slowly "Is Sam okay?" She asked "He was really sad when you left."

I smiled and kissed her forehead "And you stayed with him the whole night didn't you my brave little girl." I said rubbing her back.

"Looks like someone is is a little tried." Percy laughed pointing at his son.

Glancing down at the now sleeping boy in my arms I had to laugh as well. "Poor guy, must have been awake all night."

Percy POV

I couldn't help but smile as Artemis cooed over our children. It always made me happy when I saw her fon over our kids like a normal mother, especially since she loved to portray herself as any but normal.

As we stood there Atlanta explained that Sam was a little distressed when he saw Artemis leave for the Council meeting. Immediately my heart sank, why, because I knew what was coming. Slowly my wife's expression changed from happy to worried and then she turned to me looking like her life was about to end. "He was scared when I left?" She asked sounding close to tears "Am I really that bad of a mother that he thought I was going to abandon him?"

"Arty stop." I sighed moving closer to her "You're not a bad mother. Sam is just used to having you around all the time. Normally he's asleep when you leave and you come back before he wakes up. We just need to get him used to the fact that he can't always be by your side." I said taking my son from her "Go rest, I'll take him back to his room and we can make a plan when you wake up."

Artemis nodded as her exhaustion started catching up with her and turned towards our tent. She had taken barely three steps when a soft whine was emitted from the boy in my arms. I looked down to see my son awake, teary eyed, and reaching for his mother. Looking up Artemis had stopped dead in her tracks and was now giving me a pleading look. "Fine." I said handing Sam back to her. Holding him tightly to her chest Artemis rushed off to bed.

Artemis POV

When I woke up Percy convinced me to leave Samuel with Thalia for the day. I know why he did so and I even understand the reasoning, but it's just so hard to walk away when my son doesn't want me to leave either.

However it did give me time to focus on other things like my promise Atlanta. Sadly I had no idea what to do so I asked my husband. "I don't think you really want my opinion." He laughed shaking his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The look on Percy's face reminded of the time we caught Luna stealing cookies "Nothing I-I just-"

"Out with it!" I snapped.

"Ok it's just that I don't think you really thought this through. You told your hunters that you would allow them to date so you wouldn't be a hypocrite but you didn't think about what it would entail. If you allowed them to date a boy you'd risk them ruining the relationship since having partial immortality causes them to perceive the flow of time differently. A few minutes for them could be years for the boys.".He said tiredly.

"If you wanted to make the relationship last you'd need to give them both partial immortality which would be problematic to pull off. But suppose you managed to pull it off, then we'd have a whole host of problems. Them getting married would a minor issue that could be easily overcome but what if they had kids?"

"You've spent a lot of time thinking about this haven't you?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

Percy let out a tired laugh "Believe me I didn't want to but I just couldn't get away from it. Immediately following that problem is the fact that the hunt doesn't really have meaning any more. By the gods your hunters don't have to be maidens. What's the point of the Oath if just anyone can gain immortality on a whim? Where's the sacrifice?"

I opened my mouth to yell at him only to realize he was right. I was basically handing out my blessing and partial immortality for free at this point.

Yet at the same time that gave me an idea. "You're brilliant!" I said kissing his cheek and flashing away.

Third Person POV

All of Olympus knew that if one wanted to find Zeus the best place to look after his palace was the throne room of the Olympian council. However few ever truly understood why he spent so much time there. Most assumed it was to watch over his domain, after all from his throne he could see most of the Universe if he tried. Some believed it was so he could revel in the power he felt when he sat on his throne. While these logical beliefs the true reason he liked to reside in the throne room was because it was quite.

When the council meeting were not in session the throne room was probably the quietest place on Olympus. And Zeus had learned long ago that it was an excellent place to relax and read a book in peace while others could easily reach him in case of emergency. And it was for this reason that Artemis flashed directly into the throne room from her campsite.

"Father." Artemis said quickly bowing to her father who nodded in return, barely looking up from novel.

When Artemis stayed he closed the book, using his finger to mark the page, and gave his daughter his full attention "Was there something I could help you with?" He asked.

"Yes I wanted to talk to you about the hunt." Artemis said walking up to her father's throne.

"Looking for ways to recruit more hunters again?"

Artemis shook her "No it's the exact opposite actually, my hunt is bigger than it has ever been."

Zeus shook his head slightly "Then I fail to see what the issue is."

"I'm beginning to think that my current standards for my hunters are obsolete in a sense." Artemis said. Her father considered this then motion for her to explain further. "When I started the hunt my intent was to empower my hunters in a very male centric society and encourage them to remain pure. Now humanity actively teaches women to be independent and stand up for themselves. In other words right now it feels like I'm offering partial immortality in exchange for them living the way they essentially would have any way." She explained. "I was thinking that I could alter my standards so that only the most honorable are allowed to join the hunt."

Zeus nodded and hummed in understanding "That sounds good to me but I don't see why you needed to ask me about it. It's your blessing after all and you have the right to choose who can receive it." He said.

"I know but something Perseus said got me thinking." The moon goddess sighed. She always made sure to use her secret husbands full name when speaking with her father, just to keep any suspicions at bay. "He mentioned wanting to take the best campers, those who were both morally and physically strong, and create a team to inspire the new campers." she said.

"He was talking about giving them things like special weapons and armor but I had a different idea. If we set up a sort of male foil to my hunt, partial immortality included, that stayed in the camps to teach the next generation it would be far more beneficial. With this new system we could have something for the new generations strive for."

"Isn't that why we created the Vindicem?" Zeus asked "So they could have an example to look up to?"

"Yes but the members of that group are practically held on a pedestal by the new campers. They view them like the legends of old, a level they could never reach. Not to mention the abilities we granted to those who currently bear the mark of the Vindicem." I explained.

"So you intend to inspire them by choosing the best of their peers to enter these groups? That way they have, what they view as, a more attainable goal." I nodded hesitantly. It's not exactly what I meant but close enough.

"I guess that could work." He sighed "The Vindicem were meant to be the peacemakers between camp half blood and camp Jupiter anyway, only answering to the gods. We'll have to consult the other council members to work out the details but as of now I approve of this plan. You may tell Percy he can select one or two campers for a pilot program, just to see if the idea holds merit."