We stayed in our little camp in the southern part of the Teton Mountains for the nine months. Each day it was like my belly grew bigger and bigger, making hunting harder for me. Because of my…predicament…it was a little tricky getting out of the Winter Solstice, but I was "sick with a horrible disease" and couldn't leave bed…and I didn't want to give it to Apollo.
I walked out of my tent due any week when I felt something I had never felt before. Some form of liquid flowed down from my toga, filling me with slight fear; and then the contractions began. I cried out, probably loud enough to shake the leaves from the trees. Phoebe and Thalia came rushing out of their tents and over to me.
"My lady we must get you into your tent" Phoebe said as she hurriedly grabbed my arm. I nodded and cried out once more, pain in a place I had never thought could hurt. Thalia walked ahead of us and held open the tent flap. I waddled in and waited for the bed to be shifted to something more than a cot. At my command the bed transformed into a real twin bed at the center of my tent. I laid down, another contraction passing through. Thalia pulled up a chair next to the bed and put a towel against my forehead, wiping away my sweat.
"Phoebe…do you know what you are doing?" I asked wearily.
"Um…well…sorta…" she replied as she slid my toga over my belly. I could feel my cheeks turning red; I never thought one of my hunters would be seeing my…womanhood. But sadly I had no choice…More contractions passed, growing more and more painful; more hunters came into my tent, waiting for the birth of my baby. Hours passed when Phoebe looked up with a ruler in hand. "I think you are dilated enough to start pushing" she stated as she went back down to check once again. I looked up at Thalia and gave a weary grin. She smiled and wiped sweat off my face once more. Preparing for the next contraction, I gritted my teeth. I pushed as the contraction passed through, crying out in pain once more. Phoebe was saying something but I couldn't hear her. After a few more contractions, a cry pieced the air as sharp as a knife; the cry of a new born baby.
"It's a girl!" Thalia stated with a huge smile on her face. I tried to smile as Phoebe handed my daughter to Thalia but another contraction passed through.
"Phoebe! I thought this was over!" I shrieked as another went through my body. Her head disappeared then reappeared with a surprised look on her face.
"Another baby is crowning my lady!" she replied as she prepared for a second delivery. Twenty minutes later, a second cry came from below. Thalia handed me the first baby before taking the second to get it cleaned. I wearily smiled as a pair of sea green eyes looked up at me. A tear slid down my cheek as I held one of my daughters that I could never keep. Thalia handed me the other, a pair of silver eyes, exactly like mine, peered up at me.
"What will you name them?" Maria, a ten year old hunter, asked. I handed the youngest back to Thalia and gazed at the other.
"I want them to be seen as half-bloods…so the oldest shall be…Katelyn Amy" I said before holding her closer. She began to cry, a hungry newborn. I adjusted my toga and began breast feeding her. Katelyn quietly began to suck, every once in a while making a quiet slurp.
"And this one?" Thalia asked as she held the nameless baby.
"Taylor Elizabeth" I replied as I glanced over at Thalia. Then my heart sank deep into my chest; I would have to get rid of them. More tears slid down my cheeks as I looked down at Katelyn and then over at Taylor. "give me Taylor…" I commanded. Thalia nodded and placed Taylor into the crook of my left arm. As she made contact with my arm, visions flashed through my mind. Pictures of two teenage girls suited in battle armor, waiting to be sent into battle. They appeared to be arguing, the one with auburn hair coming out from her helmet drawing a sword. The other drew a bow and readied an arrow on the drawstring, but the auburn girl threw the sword at the feet of the other girl and walked away.
"My lady…is something wrong?" Thalia asked, jerking me away from my vision.
"No…we just need to get them to camp" I replied as I shifted to stop Taylor's whimpers with milk.
"But you aren't strong enough to go. You need your rest" Phoebe cut in as she walked over to the other side of my bed.
"It must be done now. Before any other of the Olympians find out" I snapped as I sat up. Phoebe backed up and didn't say another word. Both babies let go of me at the same time and began dozing off. "I'll see you when I get back" I stated before I disappeared. I reappeared on Half-Blood Hill, rain beginning to fall down the outside of the borders. Only a few lights were on in the Big House, but none of the lights reached the door. I ran down the hill and slopped at the door. I set down the twins and covered them in a blanket that I made appear. I waved my hand over Katelyn and a necklace appeared around her neck. It was sterling silver and had a star pendant dangling at the end, her name engraved on it. I did the same for Taylor but the necklace had a moon pendant handing from the chain, her name engraved on it. These necklaces would grow as the two girls would grow, so that the necklaces would fit them properly. I turned away from the twins and ran away, my tears mixing with the rain drops.