Disclaimer – I do not own this, or these characters. These are by Hans50 and Uncle Rick.
A "Warm" Reception
Previously…
Percy plummeted down like a rock, feeling the wind whipping through his hair, the familiar rush of adrenaline in his veins. As he got closer to the ground, he suddenly whipped out his wings and he was soaring through the sky.
He flapped them a few times, taking in the feeling of having new appendages flapping on his back and it was incredible. He let out a whoop of elation as he soared through the sky. Taking in the landscape that ran beneath him, he marveled at the beauty of the city below him and the sunset in the distance.
Feeling a slight tugging in his mind that he somehow knew was Artemis, he angled his body in that direction, flying towards his destination.
He had no idea what was in store for him, but he was ready for it and would face it head on.
Now…
Percy POV
Flying threw the air was an incredible feeling. To feel the wind blowing through my hair and feathers, seeing the earth moving beneath me, and feeling the sun on my face, was indescribable. For the first time in three years, I forgot about everything and felt happier than I have felt in a long while. Up hear, flying in sky, I felt like I could do anything.
I felt free.
I angled myself to Artemis's location. Ever since she disappeared, I could sense her within my mind. It was like a steady pulse, growing stronger the closer I got to her.
After about two hours of flight, with the moon shining its sliver light down upon me, I was nearing the campsite that the Hunt was currently in. I flew down, skimming the tops of the trees. I saw a branch that overlooked where the Hunters and Artemis stood, discussing something.
I had a feeling that they were discussing me from the looks of outrage and anger on their faces. I silently flew down and settled in the branches right above Artemis, a little behind her.
I crouched down and listened in on the conversation.
Artemis POV
After I flashed away, I felt a little satisfaction, knowing that my new Guardian would be hard-pressed to make it here in the tome that I gave him.
I thought back to my behavior in the throne room and couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of guilt at how I handled myself in that meeting and how childish I sounded. I knew I overreacted about accusing Perseus of not being loyal and saying that he was like all other males, but I was so angry at the idea of a male being our guardian that I didn't think straight.
Another thing that annoyed me was how Perseus reacted to it. He didn't even flinch. Sure he paled a few times, but he took all the insults I threw at him and took it in stride. UGH! The nerve of that man!
I knew he was different from other men and I held a small amount of respect for him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad with him here but only time will tell. I can only imagine how my hunters will react to this news. Well, no time like the present.
I walked into my camp and found all my hunters around the campfire. They were all whispering to each other, probably about the monster attack and Perseus. I saw Thalia sitting off to the side the side with a look of guilt on her face. She must feel terrible, looking for three years to find your cousin, only to shot him when you didn't even know it was him?
I could tell my Lieutenant loved Percy like a brother. His absence for the past three years have left he incomplete and she was hell-bent on finding him. I think she would take the news well. And then afterwards, she will probably skewer him for disappearing on her.
I smiled slightly at the thought before turning my attention back to my hunters.
I whistled to them. "Hunters! Gather round! I bring news from Olympus. News that you most likely will hate but bear with me."
All the hunters turned to me and smiled when I walked into the clearing, but had confused expressions after I addressed them. Thalia immediately made her way to the front of the group.
"Milady. Any news on Percy? Is he alright? When can I see him?" She asked in an anxious and guilty tone. She was really concerned for her cousin.
I held my hand up which silenced her. "He is alright Thalia. Apollo was able to heal his wounds and he will make a full recovery. Now onto more important matters."
She sighed in relief and smiled at me. Then her face shifted into one of curiosity.
"What matters were discussed on Olympus, milady?" Phoebe, a daughter of Ares and one of the oldest members of the Hunt, asked.
I took a deep breath. "While on Olympus and after discussing the monster attack, Zeus has decided to assign us…a guardian. A male guardian." I grumbled, scowling.
There were instant cries of outrage and anger. Complaints and protests were flying through the air as she was pelted with questions.
"Zeus cannot be serious! A boy guarding the hunters? We don't need protection! We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves." Phoebe cried out. She hissed the word boy as if it was the most disgusting insult she could think of.
"This is so unfair! I swear that if he even looks at us funny, I will castrate him and feed him to the wolves!" Atalanta yelled.
I had a look of resignation on my face. "Look girls, I don't like this idea any better than you do, but I have no choice in the matter. I protested vigorously but my father wouldn't budge. Though I can say that he is very different from other males out there and will not try anything funny with you. He is favored by the council and holds the Blessing of Olympus."
The hunters had stunned looks on their faces. While they were still very angry, this new information made them a little wary of this new guardian.
"Come on girls! It won't be so bad. Just think of all the pranks we can pull on him and all the chores we can make him do?" Thalia said, smilingly evilly. The hunters reflected her look, all thinking of the tortures they could do to this new guardian.
I smiled at this. "Exactly girls. Also, we will have a new target for archery. I can see it now, him dodging arrow after arrow being shot at him." I laughed. All the hunters were laughing now too.
"Say milady, where is this guardian? Shouldn't he be with you?" Thalia asked.
I smirked at her. "I teleported away and told him to find us here. He is still probably hours away! In that time, you can prepare a little welcome to the Hunt gift for him."
Suddenly a figure dropped from the trees behind me and landed with a solid thump.
"A welcome gift for me? Aww you shouldn't' have!" I heard a familiar cheeky voice reply behind me.
I mentally face palmed. So much for that plan. I was broken out of my thoughts as the hunters pulled out their bows and launched dozens of arrows at the figure that just arrived.
Thalia's POV
I was having a really bad day. No, I've been having a bad day ever since my kelp-headed idiot of a cousin up and disappeared after being betrayed by nearly the entire camp. Damn those idiots and damn my disgusting half-brother for doing that to him!
The day started out fine; I woke up, got my fellow sisters up, practiced my archery and spear skills, and got an assignment from good old dad. Then we hunted the monster group to this area only to get ambushed by said monsters. Then, just as I was about to die, I get saved by some mysterious figure with freaking FIRE POWERS and watch him slaughter the remaining monsters. The after they were dead, he saved me from a Dracaena Assassin, where I accidently shoot him in the stomach and he gets hit in the back and he collapses. Then I find out that I shot my long-lost cousin PERCY!
I felt so many emotions roll through me but those that were most prominent were anger and guilt. Anger at Percy for running away, at the stupid camp for betraying him, and most of all, at my disgusting excuse of a half-brother for causing it. I felt guilt because as soon as I finally find him, I accidently shoot him in the stomach with an arrow. Then Apollo appears and has to take him away to heal him? Yeah, not a good day at all.
A little while later, Artemis flashes in and I get the news that Percy is doing all right and I will be able to visit him soon. I am so relieved. Now I don't have to feel guilty when I shock his ass into next week for being gone for three freaking years!
Then she decides to drop a bombshell on us that a male guardian is now part of the Hunt and is going to be protecting us. Like my sisters I wasn't happy with the idea, but I decided to give the new guy a chance. While I dislike men like my fellow sisters, I know not all of them are bad. Like Percy.
"Say milady, where is this guardian? Shouldn't he be with you? " I asked.
Artemis smirked at me. "I teleported away and told him to find us here. He is still probably hours away! In that time, you can prepare a little welcome to the Hunt gift for him." She said smugly. I smirked at her as well. Hey, I'm still a hunter!
That's when a figure drops down behind Artemis and the voice froze me in my tracks.
"A welcome gift for me? Aww you shouldn't' have!" The cheeky voice said that I knew belonged to one person and one person only.
Before I could even open my mouth, dozens of arrows were notched and launched at the mysterious man. I shouted out in warning but nothing could prepare me for what happened next.
The figure reacted with inhuman like speed, pulling Artemis behind him as GIANT BLACK WINGS, that I didn't even notice before, whipped out from his back and wrapped forward, knocking the arrows out of the way. Ducking and dodging around the firing arrows, he pulled out pitch black knives from the sheaths on his shoulders and around his waist and launched them right at my sisters!
I watched, stunned, as the knives didn't even hit the hunters but just severed the bowstrings, rendering their bows completely useless. How the Hades did he do that? The bowstrings on our bows were as strong as mortal steel! And only someone who is a master at knife throwing could have pulled off a trick like that. Launching a dozen knives at two dozen girls, severing all the bowstrings, and not drawing a single drop of blood on any of them? That was nearly impossible.
My sisters held up their now useless bows and mirrored the shocked expression on my face. They did not expect that either, but their looks of shock quickly changed into one of anger and rage. They pulled out silver hunting knives from around their waists and were about to strike when Artemis spoke up.
"Stand down!" Her voice rang out clearly through the forest clearing. She stepped out from behind the man and looked at the damage. Her eyebrows rose slightly, showing her shock at seeing her hunters bows disabled.
The figure rose out of his defensive stance, turned to her, clasped his left hand over his right fist and bowed his head to her. "My apologies milady. It was instinct to strike back after being attacked first." He said.
Artemis looked irritated for a moment but nodded her head.
"Just don't let it happen again." She grumbled.
"And what's this?" She gestured towards his hand and head. "What is that suppose to be?"
"This is my special bow to you. I said I would find something to show respect to you, since you don't like bowing, and this is what I came up with." You could practically hear the amusement and his smirk.
She frowned slightly but motioned for him to rise. He rose from his slight gesture and stood at a towering 6'3 and from what I could see, was well muscled. He also looked lean and graceful, like a lion tensed to pounce; strong, fast, and deadly.
"Who are you boy! And what are you doing her? Milady, why do you allow this scum to talk to you like that?" Phoebe questioned her with a look of anger on her face.
Artemis narrowed her eyes at her, before taking a deep breathe. "This is our guardian, girls."
"Why do you hide you face, guardian? To afraid to show your face like the coward you are?" Atalanta mocked while the others voiced their agreement.
The man turned towards Artemis and while I could only see the bottom half of his face, it felt like he was asking for her approval. She nodded her head and he reached up and pulled down his hood.
All the hunters gasped when they saw his face. Hades, even I gasped when I saw his face. Same midnight black hair that looked like it got even silkier, same angles on his face that defined seemed to be enhanced, same strong jaw that he got from his father. But what made me gasp were his eyes.
They were the same sea green that I always knew, but they were different too. They had a red and orange ring around the iris that crackled and flickered like actual flames and his eyes seemed to glow from within, pulsing with hidden power. The joy, happiness, and mirth that were usually present seemed to be extinguished and held an untold depth of sadness and pain within them.
I made my way forward, not caring of the hunters stares on my back as I stood before his towering form as opposed to my smaller one. With tears in my eyes, I reached up a placed a hand on his cheek as he placed his hand over mine.
"K-Kelp Head? P-Percy?" I said I a shaky voice.
He smiled a small, sad smile at me. "Hey Thals."
The floodgates released as tears poured down my face as I launched myself at him, wrapping him up in a tight hug. He hugged me back tightly too as I cried silently into his chest. I suddenly stepped back and delivered a massive electrified slap to his face, all the happiness and guilt i felt was suddenly replaced by rage.
"WHERE THE HADES HAVE YOU BEEN?!" I bellowed at him, my hands clenched into fists. I was shaking…no I was seething, in anger. "You just up and disappear for three years?! You didn't tell me where you were going! You didn't even think of checking in with me every once in a while? Don't you know how worried I was over you?"
Percy flinched at my accusations and anger as he turned back to me rubbing his check. His eyes were filled with remorse and apology.
"I guess I deserved that." He said rubbing his check.
"Damn right you did!" I yelled at him. "Now are you gonna answer my questions or do I need to sock you in the stomach with another electrified fist?"
He shook his head quickly before turning serious. "I'm sorry Thals. I've been through a lot over the past three years and I was hurting pretty badly at what happened three years ago. I know I should have reached out to you and Nico but the fact of the matter was…" he trailed off.
"What? The fact of the matter was what?" I asked him, feeling the anger slowly drain away as I looked at his slumped form. He raised his head and looked at me.
"I was scared that you and Nico were going to leave me too." He whispered, looking incredibly sad.
I stood there for a moment before walking up to him and wrapping him in a hug.
"You could never lose us Percy. We're cousins, we're family. And family sticks together no matter what. So if you don't get that thought of me and Nico leaving you out of your head right now I'm gonna shock you so hard, you'll be spasming on the floor!" I mock yelled at him.
He looked at me for a long time before a smile light up his face. His eyes seemed to regain just a small amount of their former mirth and happiness.
"Gods, I've missed you Pinecone Face." He said. I smiled at the sound of my nickname that I haven't heard in three years.
"I've missed you too Kelp Head. You're gonna give me the full story of what you've been up to the past few years when you have time!" I said back to him, letting go of the anger and guilt that I held inside for so long.
It was at that moment that I realized that we had an audience. I turned around to see the hunters looking at us in shock. Artemis looked rather amused at our reconciliation. I turned back to my cousin, my cheeks red in embarrassment.
"So you're our new guardian, eh? That's pretty cool. Don't expect a pass from us though. You're still a male and for that we have to make your life hell!" I said playfully as I pushed his shoulder playfully.
He pushed back. "Wouldn't even dream of it." He replied back.
"By the way, where did you get the get-up? And the knives and wings? Where the Hades did you get the wings?" I exclaimed.
A throat being cleared turned out attention back to Artemis. I looked back at Percy with a look that said, 'You still owe me an explanation'. He nodded his head at me.
"So Perseus, now that you are hear, I wish to speak to you privately about some ground rules and your duties that you will be doing here now that you are part of the Hunt." She said the last part like she was forcing it out.
"In the mean time, your first duty as Guardian is to make us dinner." She finished with a smirk, thinking there was no way he could pull it off.
Percy just smiled back at her with his signature lop-sided grin. Artemis just waved it off and all the Hunters walked over to the dining pavilion table and sat down, glaring daggers at Percy, leaving Percy standing by the table, just a little off to the side of Artemis.
"Well? Are you gonna cook our dinner or what?" A hunter shouted out at Percy.
"What would you all like to eat?" He asked, not even fazed by the hunters demeaning manner towards him.
I looked at him confused, which was mirrored by Artemis.
"Well, I would like a medium rare Ribeye steak, with garlic mashed potatoes, macaroni-and-cheese with some green beans on the side. I would also like a glass of water with lemon in it." The same hunter said condescendingly.
Third Person POV
Percy just nodded, lifted his hands and clapped. An orange mist swirled in front of the hunter, making her jump in shock before it dispersed, revealing exactly what she ordered. The delicious smell spread over the table as I looked at the food, mouth watering. The girl recovered form her shock and looked at the food and Percy skeptically.
"How did you do that?" She asked in suspicion. Percy rolled his eyes at her before lighting his hand on fire.
"Hestia blessed me and I am her champion. With the blessing I can summon home-cooked meals and control fire, like so." He said as he formed the flames into a ball of fire and passed it from hand to hand, before letting it go out.
The girl looked at the food, still uncertain.
Percy sighed. "I swear on the Styx that the food is exactly how you ordered and I have not tampered with it in any way shape or form that would cause harm to you." He swore as thunder boomed in the background.
Nothing happened so the hunter, who's name was Erica, a daughter of Hecate, picked up her fork and knife and cut a piece of the steak and ate it carefully. Her eyes light up at the flavor before she dove in to the rest of the food, moans of pleasure escaping her lips.
"I'll have what she's having." I said, to which he nodded, clapped his hands and the same dish formed right in front of me. I wasted no time in diving in and I have to say that the food tasted incredible.
The other hunters gave in and asked for the same thing, to which Percy conjured up the dishes and remained standing.
"And what would you like to eat, milady?" He asked Artemis. She just looked at the happy expressions on her hunter's faces and the sounds of pleasure coming from them.
"I think I'll have the same." She replied.
Percy nodded his head and the same thing as the hunters formed in front of her. She immediately dived in and the taste was incredible. Good gods, this is as good as Aunt Hestia's cooking! She thought in amazement. She turned to Percy who just stood there, eating a slice of pizza.
"It's alright. For a male that is." She said as she took another bite from the potatoes, a moan of pleasure escaping her mouth before she could clamp down on it.
Percy held a hand to his ear. "I'm sorry, what was that? That sounded like a compliment. This must be a first in history!" He teased.
She glared at him before smiling a smile that unsettled him. She suddenly whipped around and punched him right in the stomach doubling him over, before smacking him upside the head, making him fall to the ground.
"Don't push it Perseus. And don't get cocky either." She said satisfied. The hunters all roared in laughter at seeing their mistress put the man in his place.
"Right, gotcha. Need to tiptoe around the angry man-hating goddess." He replied sarcastically as he picked himself up from the ground. She glared at him again, but he quickly backed up so he was out of her reach.
"After dinner is over, we need to speak in private and lay down some ground rules." She told him.
He nodded his head. "Yes milady."
After the hunters were finished with their meal, they all left to go due their duties, leaving the dirty dishes on the table and not even thanking Percy for the meal. Percy didn't expect a thank you though. He would just have to work on earning their respect.
Thalia walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. "Tomorrow, you and me are having a duel. I haven't had a good duel in a long time and it's past over due."
Percy smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me Thals. Ready to get you butt whooped like always?" He joked.
Thalia gasped in mock horror "You having a plan? What is the world coming to? And I believe you are sorely mistaken on who's gonna get their butt whooped. I'll give you a hint, their head is full of kelp." She joked back.
They both laughed before Thalia had to go off and do her duties.
"It's good to have you back Kelp Head. And thanks for dinner!" She said as she walked off.
Percy smiled to himself, seeing Thalia again and seeing how much she missed him, it healed a little bit of his heart.
"Perseus." A voice got his attention and he turned around to see the moon goddess standing there looking at him. There was something different about her that he couldn't put his finger on. Suddenly it clicked; she was in an older form.
The form she was in right now was about eighteen years old and she looked stunning. She still has that athletic and lithe body of a hunter, but she was now so womanly. She had a beautiful hourglass figure with long athletic legs, tight stomach, with graceful, but strong muscles adorning her arms and body. Her body just screamed beauty and perfection.
When Percy saw her face, his mind blanked for a second. He face had matured along with her body. Her hair flowed like a river of auburn down to the middle of her back. Her face was heart shaped. Her eyes were like liquid pools of silver staring directly at him.
He mentally slapped himself hard. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, if she caught me staring I will be added to the jackelope population. He thought to himself. He straightened his back, schooled his face and walked over to the waiting goddess.
"Yes milady? What is it that you want to talk to me about?" He asked her.
Artemis looked at the man that stood before her. Yes, man. While she wasn't enthusiastic about having a male guardian in the Hunt, she had to admit that there could be no better person to be stuck with.
Percy was the only man that had ever gained her respect. He was kind and respectful to woman and she knew that he would be the last person to flirt with her hunters. He was very different from most of the males out there. He was strong, brave, kind, respectful to women, loyal, which you never see in males, and not to mention he was very handsome. His eyes of his seemed to glow and sparkle in the moonlight, drawing her in and making him look incredible good-loo…
Whoa girl! Why are you even paying attention to his face? She thought. Snap out of it! Aphrodite stay out of my head! Shaking her head to collect her thoughts she focused her attention back on Percy.
"I just wanted to talk to you about some ground rules that you will need to follow if you are to be our guardian." She said.
"Very well. What are they?" He asked with his poker face.
"Rule one: Do not flirt with my hunters. You will respect them and will not antagonize them. Rule two: You will listen to my commands. When I tell you to do something, you will follow it down to the letter. Rule Three: If you are to go anywhere, you will tell me where you are going and for what purpose. Follow these rules and we will get along just fine." She said.
She was expecting him to complain about the rules, but he just nodded his head and accepted it. Most boys would have been complaining, and yet here he was, breaking down her views of men.
"Your will milady. If it is all right with you, I'm going to turn in for the night. It's been a long day." He said. She nodded her head in permission and he turned around and began walking away.
As he began to walk away, she felt the urge to do something, something she has never done to a male before.
"Perseus!" She called out. He turned around with a quizzical expression on his face.
"I just wanted to say…that I am…sorry for my attitude on Olympus. It was childish and I wasn't fair to you." She apologized, fumbling with the words a little bit.
Percy just stood there in shocked silence. Artemis, the man hating, goddess of the moon and hunt, just apologized to him. It must have taken a huge amount of pride swallowing to get the words out.
He looked at her for a second before responding. "No apology is needed milady. I know of your views on men and I agree that most men out there are scum and fit your views. You just reacted accordingly to what you have believed in for the past few millennia and I cannot fault you for that. Thank you though and have a good night milady. I shall see you in the morning." He turned and walked away leaving a stunned moon goddess behind.
She had apologized to him and it had taken much of her pride to do that. Then he goes and says she doesn't need to apologize because she was right in her view of men and he cannot fault her on it? He once again was breaking the boundaries of her view of all males.
She felt something stirring in her chest. An unfamiliar feeling that she didn't know what it was. She put it down to gratitude that she was feeling and brushed it off as if it was nothing. She would have to keep a close eye on Percy Jackson and maybe having him in the Hunt won't be so bad.
Line break
Percy POV
I walked to the outskirts of the campsite. I decided to pitch my tent as far away from the hunters as possible while still being close enough so I could be called upon if needed. I know that they didn't like me from the looks they were giving me and I didn't need to make them even more aggressive towards me than they already are.
I took out a small 2X2 inch spare from my pocket and threw it on the ground. When it hit, it expanded to the size of a regular brown tent. It was a gift from mom when she found out I was sleeping in trees and bushes for six months. I smiled slightly at the chewing out I got from her. She said no son of hers was gonna be sleeping on the ground if she could help it.
I walked into the tent to find all my essentials in there. The tent was slightly bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. It had a twin bed in the corner with a simple pillow and blanket. It also had a small desk and chair opposite of the bed that I used sometimes when I wanted to sit down and write or whatever. Underneath the bed was a sea green and flame red guitar.
Mom gave that too me after a year she adopted me. I learned how to play and the music really calmed me down. No matter how angry I got, I just played my guitar and I would just lose myself in the music.
I walked over to the desk and opened the drawer and pulled out the picture that I kept in there. I pulled it out and placed it on the desk. It was a picture of my mom and me when I was seven. She was laughing, happiness shining in her blue eyes as she held me. I was eating a blue cookie and it was one of the times her and me went to Montauk to get away from Gabe. I remember when it was taken and it was one of the happiest times of my life.
Back then, I didn't have many worries and I looked so innocent. Compared to my life now I was wistful of the times we spent together. I never wanted the life of a demigod but I wouldn't change it either. I was able to help save the world and I got great god as a father who is proud of me and a goddess as a mother that loves me as if I was her own.
"Hi mom." I said to the picture. "I know I haven't talked to you in a while, but some major things have happened. I'm now Guardian of the Hunt. The Olympians finally found me and they had a huge meeting up on Olympus. I got some cool weapons and some new abilities."
I began to get a little teary-eyed. "I know that the road ahead will be tough and I know right now I'm just talking to a picture, but it helps calm me, you know? It feels like you are still here." I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair.
"I miss you mom. So, so very much. I miss your laugh, your smile, your warmth." I smiled wistfully. "I miss your undying love for me. I know I wasn't an easy kid but you always loved me, even with all my faults. Nothing I did could make you think badly of me. I just want you to know that I am trying to do what you said, about not losing myself."
"With this new position that I have with the Hunters, I just want to get some advice. They hate men and they most definitely hate me, but I know that men have wronged them all. What should I do?" I asked the picture.
My mom's smiling face looked back at me before I sighed. "Maybe I should just let them do what they wish. I won't look for trouble and I won't fight them. This new job is gonna be interesting."
"I love you mom. Thanks for the talk." I said as I kissed my fingers and placed them on her smiling face. I got up, took of my belt of throwing knives, my shirt and shoes and stretched my wings. I wonder if I could pull them into my back.
I concentrated really hard and I could feel them being retracted into my back. Much better. Now I can actually sleep in my bed. I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes, not knowing what tomorrow had in store for me.
Line Break
The next morning I woke up, upside down, tied to at the top of a giant oak tree. I woke up to find a squirrel to trying to stuff its acorns in my mouth, thinking it was a nice little hidey-hole. I heard loud laughter coming from below me to find the hunters rolling on the ground, clutching their sides. Others were high fiving and looking very smug with themselves.
Of course. This must have been the little welcome surprise they must have set up for me. How they managed to sneak into my tent, move me to the this tree, lift me up all the way to the top and tie me upside down, all without me waking up? I have to admit that was impressive. I decided to use the diplomatic approach.
"Good morning girls!" I called out to them. "Very funny. Now could you please let me down? Lady Artemis wanted to see me when I first got up for my duties."
They just continued to laugh. "Yeah right boy!" A hunter shouted, who I noticed was Erica from last night. "You're gonna stay up there until we decide you get down! So you might as well get comfortable, cause we ain't letting you down anytime soon!" She smirked as the other hunters laughed.
I sighed. So much for diplomacy. Might as well get out of this myself. I set my whole body on fire and burned through the ropes. The ropes gave way and I felt myself plummet straight down to the ground. But thanks to years of practice, I angled and flipped my body, grabbing onto the tree limps and landed on the ground softly.
Brushing of my clothes I looked at the hunters who looked surprised before looking angry and irritated that I got out of their little prank.
"I'll see you at lunch girls." I said respectfully as I walked away. They just looked at me with distaste, shooting me a glare before turning around and walking away. I just shrugged my shoulders and walked back to my tent to throw on some clothes.
I emerged from my tent, wearing a sea green shirt with the same design as my black shirt from last night. I wore some comfortable blue jeans, my combat boots from yesterday, and my sheath of throwing knives. I wore my black jacket as well, but kept the hood down. My wings were out as I stretched them to get out any of the kinks they had from being in my back and after I was stretched I walked of to Artemis's tent to get my duties.
I knew that I was in for a tough day when I saw her already outside her tent, with a frown adorning her face. I must have been late, cause she did not look happy.
"Why are you late?" She asked irritated, her sliver eyes flashing.
I decided not to tell on the hunters, no reason to get them to hate me any more than they already do. Also, I doubt that Artemis would believe me anyway.
"I'm sorry milady. I must have slept in. It won't happen again." I said.
She scrutinized me for a second before nodding.
"All right then. Since it's your first day here, I have decided to go easy on you." She said, smirking, as she held out a piece of paper to me that had a LONG list of chores on it.
"All you have to do is cook our breakfast, which you will be doing every meal, your food is to good to pass up. Then you will go down to the river and wash our clothes and make sure they are completely dry and soft. After that you will fix us lunch and then you a Thalia will have that little spar that she requested. After that, you will go over to the weapons tent where there are buckets of arrowheads. You will have to sharpen them to points for us for archery practice. Then you will have to restring the hunter's bows that you broke yesterday. After that you will fix us dinner and then from then till bedtime, you have free time." She finished listing off all the chores that I would be doing, as my eyes grew bigger and bigger with each chore listed.
If this was easy then I shudder to think what would be hard. I could see she was waiting for some sort of reaction, seeing if I would complain about this list of chores but I held it in. I didn't want to give her a reason to slam me and lecture on how woman are so much better then men.
I did my special bow, left hand over my right with my head bowed and wings out. "As you wish milady. I will inform when I have completed each task." I said formally.
She looked like she didn't expect me to automatically accept, but she quickly tried to hid it.
"Very well then, let's head to the breakfast table for you to make us our breakfast." She replied.
As she began to walk in the direction towards the breakfast pavilion, she looked over her shoulder with a sly smile.
"I forgot to mention that you will be having archery practice with me in the coming week so prepare!" She said as she walked away.
I watched her walk away in horror as my heart sank into my shoes.. Archery? Oh yes, I was so screwed.
That's the chapter folks – enjoy, read more, recommend.