A/N-Hey! I hope you enjoy this chapter and by all means, continue reading!

Artemis Pov-

"So, Persia." I started, strolling down the beach with the fair maiden.

Her head turned towards me, silver eyes illuminated. "Yes, my Lady?"

"I don't suppose you have a mother, do you?" I asked, assuming that her mother was a goddess. Persia had told me she had been abandoned by her mother and was taken in by a man, her adoptive father. I was taken aback at first because I couldn't believe that a woman would ever leave her child. Men, although they should stay with the mother and his children, he is by no means bound to them in the same way a woman is. A mother, however, carried her child for months and to abandon it would be the ultimate crime.

"You never knew about me, did you?" She questioned, her bell-like voice soft.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind, 'tis nothing," Persia bit her bottom lip. "As for a mother, I never knew her."

"Then your mother must be an immortal who resides on Olympus." I concluded, offering her a small smile. "Do not fret, my child, in due time we will find out her identity."

"I know of the Immortals and their children but I doubt I'm a goddess's child—I have none of the traits."

I thought about it for a moment before responding. She was a half blood, I was sure of it. "Athena and Aphrodite are not maiden goddesses-I'm certain that one of them is your godly parent. If not them, then perhaps you mother is a minor goddess such as Nike or Hecate."

"Pardon me, but I thought Athena was a maiden…" Persia looked up, confused.

"She is," I confirmed. "But she gets away with it by claiming 'her children come out of heads,' and Zeus buys it."

Persia laughed softly. "I suppose Aphrodite wouldn't be too terrible."

"I would be surprised if one of her children joined the hunt—'too pretty to walk in dirt and act like men' as the goddess herself says."

"I guess I'm a mystery." Persia joked.

I laughed with her, picking up the pace. I enjoyed her company, I saw a bit of myself in her and it comforted me; I knew she would be a great huntress. "Should you turn out to be a child of Aphrodite—I'll still like you."

"Thank you, my Lady."

"Please," Sometimes, I grew weary of the formalities. "Call me Artemis. We're family now."

"Thank you, Artemis." She repeated, finding favor in me.

"Do you suppose that I am just a mortal?"

I shook my head, "No, definitely not. You have the aura of a half-blood."

The girl smiled and nodded. She was stunning which was a curse and blessing simultaneously. You see, my twin brother—Apollo—came around often to see me and he was…extremely flirtatious, to say the least.

I had to protect her at all costs from my brother—Persia was pure and gorgeous, no doubt someone Apollo would find enticing.

Apollo Pov-

I was preparing to mount the sun chariot when a voice called from behind me.

"Oh Apollo, will you ever learn? A young woman –Emilia—gave birth to your son, praying that you may visit them. Yet, you never came. I've started a safe haven for these women, betrayed by men like you. The majority of the women I receive all have the same complaints: you broke their hearts and their children's."

I scoffed, not bothering to turn around. My sister really needed to stop guilt tripping me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Artemis." I said, saddling my golden horses. "If I visited every woman I had a child with—I'd waste an entire millennium."

"You'd probably 'waste' your entire immortal life." The voice retorted, materializing in front of me.

The figure was definitely a woman but her face was veiled with a dark hood, making me unable to see anything apart from her mouth. Her lips were painted black-a sorceress.

"What do you want of me, stranger?" I questioned, an eyebrow raised. "Don't you know that I am a god?"

The mysterious woman laughed, sending vibrations through the air. "I want you to love."

"Excuse me?" I nearly chocked. This had to be Artemis' doing. She was always trying to get me to settle down and respect women. She worked tirelessly to 'redeem my soul' as she puts it. This, however—sending a stranger to my dominion was over the top, even for her.

"You heard me," The woman replied. "You will fall in love with a maiden whose beauty rivals that of Aphrodite. As much as you shall desire her—you will never have her."

Beautiful? The sorceress should've started with that. Now, I was intrigued. "Where may I find such a fair woman?"

"You will know when you see her. The fairest of them all is near you, just slightly out of your grasp."

"And I can't have her because…?" I asked, expecting her to finish the sentence. "I am a god. I could have whomever I sought after, whenever I desired them."

"Foolish god!" The sorceress roared, her lips thinning. "I only came to warn you but you are blind. There would be obstacles barring you but in the end, you two were supposed to overcome it because true love always perseveres. But no longer, I've changed my mind. You don't deserve love."

Before I could respond, a blinding light encased her. "Every time you see her—you'll want to die, knowing that she won't ever be yours. You will protect her and be her friend. Whatever she needs—you will provide. Whatever torments her shall torment you. For your insolence and incompetence, I bestow a curse upon Apollo, the shining one—to forever be in love with her. Every day you shall wonder about her, she will always be in your thoughts; consuming you. Your love for her will eventually determine whether or not you will save her or your beloved sister."

I blinked momentarily and the woman was gone. Just like normal siblings, Artemis and I had our differences but I would never choose her over a mere woman. Never. Nonetheless, I mounted my chariot and performed my godly duties.

The mysterious woman was wrong. A woman attempting to tame me, I had half a mind to laugh at her silly curse. My own sister couldn't even save me, much less an average woman. Before I knew it, the sunset had come around.

I landed the chariot and having nothing else to do, I decided to visit my dear sister.

And that's when I saw her.

A/N-Well don't keep me in suspense: How's the story so far? Don't forget to drop a review/like/follow. I'll be your best friend if you do all three :)