AN: It's been so long but here it is, the seventeenth chapter.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Percy Jackson and related stories.
Chapter Seventeen: A Town Called Nentis
Percy's world was spinning out of control, and he was struggling to make sense of it all. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, and he was in the midst of an existential crisis. How had he ended up here? The son of a god, fighting epic battles against titans and saving the world from certain doom. It was all so surreal.
From the very beginning, Percy's life had been a rollercoaster ride. His father had abandoned him and his mother without any explanation, leaving him to grow up without a father figure. And then, just as he was beginning to come to terms with that, he discovered that he was actually half-god. It was a revelation that had rocked his world and turned everything he thought he knew on its head.
Percy had no idea how the other demigods were able to take the revelation about their heritage so casually, but to him, learning that the gods existed, and that the blood of an ancient and powerful being only known in legends and myths flowed through his veins was impossible to come to terms with. He could have gone his entire life thinking that he was a mere mortal, but he learned that was something more, something divine, it made no sense to him.
After that came the years of endless quests and battles to save the world from his immortal enemies, a period where he had to go against literal Titans. From being a clueless teenager stuck in a school reserved for 'special kids', he had gone to become the only man standing between reality as people knew it and the explosive end of the world. Once he had been no one, insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but eventually he became someone who could sit amongst the gods.
Percy had made the mistake of believing that it had been the end, that he would finally have peace after all that tears and sacrifices… But he had been wrong. Just when he thought it was safe to relax and enjoy some peace, a battle broke out between his father and uncle, and once again, the fate of the world hung in the balance. In the end, the most unpredictable thing happened, Percy found himself being married and shipped off to the eternal maiden Artemis. The mythical goddess who had promised to never marry.
And all those events, all those impossible odds that he had overcome, all of them were what finally brought him here, to the town called Nentis.
From a mere schoolkid to a valiant warrior, from a warrior to a leader of demigods, from a leader to a symbol of hope that inspired the masses across the divine realm, and from a symbol to nothing more than a lone hermit, a forlorn exile banished from the very land he had shed his blood to protect. Percy had embodied every role imaginable, yet he had never experienced anything like what he was going through now: living an unremarkable life as an ordinary man.
Percy now had a small flat, and a job in one of the local firms in the town of Nentis. He had found companionship in the form of a loyal pet dog named Max, and besides all that he also got several houseplants that he tended to on a regular basis.
The demigod's job was pretty simple, he was expected to run odd errands for the company he worked for, and most of the time they didn't actually require him to be in the office. This meant that Percy could find any random bench in the town and do the work he had been assigned from there.
And this is where the poorly concealed illusion of a normal life ended. Percy wasn't exactly a computer guy, he was a warrior who had fought gods and demons, doing accounts and creating Excel sheets wasn't his forte. One might even question how the demigod could actually manage said tasks in the first place…
Luckily for Percy, just like in the movies, being an undercover agent came with the benefit of possessing a whole host of cutting-edge gadgets. The demigod was equipped with a remarkable divine laptop crafted by the skilled hands of Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, himself.
In the end, Percy didn't actually need to know anything about computers at all, Percy could command his laptop to carry out any task with ease, even those that he had no prior knowledge of, and it would do the job for him on its own.
Percy marveled at the divine gift from his father, he was so desperately looking for an opportunity to meet him and thank him in person but sadly he hardly got a chance to see him these days…
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The gods had taken great care to ensure Percy's safety during his mission in Nentis, for it was only with the guarantee of his protection that Artemis and his father had granted him permission to embark on this quest.
As a consequence, in his hand, the demigod always wore a magical bracelet that would alert him if any Titan ever strayed too close to him. This bracelet was given to him by Zeus himself, and it was to serve as his primary tool in the hunt.
Besides the bracelet, Percy also had a magical belt that would teleport him to Olympus with the press of a button.
Many weeks ago, Percy had begun his ascension to godhood, this was a process that took many months, sometimes even years to complete. Along the journey Percy was destined to discover many new abilities that he previously didn't possess, these were the abilities that would cement his position as a deity, his most recent ability was the godly method of transport commonly known as 'flash travel.'
Percy had been pleasantly surprised to find out that could magically transfer himself to distant locations all of a sudden, but sadly, his newfound powers were still too unreliable necessitating the use of his trusty belt to make a hasty escape should the need arise.
The gods had also used their powers to mask Percy's demigod aura to a point where no immoral could distinguish him from any other local of the town, even the monsters won't be able to smell him anymore which meant that he could blend into a crowd without worrying about being attacked.
Now of course, Percy's rather distinct Greek-god-good-looks would have been a dead giveaway for any Titan roaming around as they would immediately notice his great resemblance to his father, but thankfully Aphrodite had an easy solution for that, she had used her magic to make it so that no one would be able to notice how he looked unless they were specifically searching for him.
So all in all, Percy was feeling pretty safe as he sat on a park bench with his laptop wide open before him. Instead of displaying boring data like any other normal computer would, his screen was showing him a 360° view of the park. This was to help him spot any suspicious activities that might give him a clue as to what was happening in the town. The laptop, of course, was perfectly capable of deciding what was suspicious on its own. So all that Percy was really doing was sitting and waiting for something to show up.
Percy was lucky that the town was small because, in a larger city, his task would have been next to impossible.
This was actually his only third day in the town, and so far he had been thoroughly unsuccessful in locating anything suspicious. But the demigod had not given up hope yet, he was positive that he could find the Titan. Immortals always tended to stick out and Percy had plenty of experience dealing with immortals.
As Percy sat in silence, he saw a group of schoolchildren enter the park with a couple of teachers following them. The children, who looked no older than seven, ran towards the swings and fountains with big smiles on their happy faces, while the teachers tried their best to keep them under control.
Percy leaned back on the bench, taking in the sights and sounds of the park. It was a peaceful afternoon, with birds chirping and the distant sound of a fountain. The schoolchildren's laughter and playful screams added a pleasant liveliness to the atmosphere. Percy couldn't help but feel nostalgic for his own childhood days when he used to visit parks with his mother. He wondered what his mother would think of him now, a demigod on a mission to hunt down Titans. It seemed like a far cry from their simple life in their small apartment in New York City.
Percy couldn't help but shake his head in amusement as he saw one of the kids try to reach the water in a fountain, only to be pulled away by his teacher. For a moment, he considered using his powers to surprise the child, but he knew he couldn't do so without risking his cover being blown.
Finally, around half an hour later, Percy saw one of the two teachers break away from the group and start to walk toward him. He assumed that she was feeling tired after chasing the children around all day and wanted to take a break on the only bench in the park. As she approached, Percy had the chance to take a good look at her for the first time.
The woman appeared to be in her mid-30s, with shiny black hair and warm brown eyes. Her hair shone in the sunlight, and her eyes sparkled with warmth and kindness. She was stunningly beautiful, so much so that for one second Percy almost mistook her for the Titan he was hunting. However, he quickly realized that she was just a mortal, albeit an incredibly beautiful one. His bracelet would have alerted him if there was anything even remotely divine about her.
Zeus had assured him that there was no way to fool the magical artifact on his wrist, 'it is older than us gods', he had claimed.
"Hello there," the woman greeted Percy with a warm smile as she approached him. "Do you mind if I join you for a moment? These kids are full of boundless energy, and I can barely keep up with them," she added, chuckling softly and looking slightly fatigued.
"Sure sure, please have a seat," Percy replied, sliding to the left to make room for her.
"So..." the woman began, taking a moment to catch her breath after settling into her seat. "You're not from around here, are you?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head. "I'm guessing you're new to town?" she inquired further, her tone friendly and welcoming.
Yes…" Percy confirmed, suddenly feeling alert. Aphrodite had assured him that no one would be able to notice how he looked unless they were specifically searching for him, but somehow this seemingly harmless woman could look through the love goddess's spell. Could it be that his bracelet was not working properly? No, that would be absurd. Super-powerful magical artifacts like that didn't have glitches... "I'm curious, how did you know?" he asked.
"Well… One, it's a small town, and two, everyone knows that the new IT company is recruiting people, '' she said gesturing towards his open laptop.
And then everything suddenly made sense to Percy. Of course, she noticed him, the firm he was working for had been created by the gods only days ago, also his laptop probably stood out more than he himself would have without having the spell masking his looks. Just like every other creation of Hephaestus, his laptop was absolutely gorgeous and there was no way it would not catch the eyes of a mortal passerby.
"Umm… yeah, I only came here a couple of days ago… But it's a beautiful town and um… I like it here." Percy said awkwardly, he had become far too paranoid these days. Just a few seconds ago he was almost sure that this woman was a Titan, but now he knew that she was a human.
It was something that had been happening to him a lot these days. His endless close calls with death and the trauma of everything he had experienced had left him suspicious of almost everything around him… He could no longer sit in silence without worrying about someone attacking him from behind.
"Well, that's good to know," the woman said, nodding in approval. "Although we may be a small community, we take pride in the fact that we care for one another. It's a close-knit, cheerful place, and we always welcome visitors with open arms. In fact, I'm sure you and your colleagues will be inundated with invitations from the friendly townspeople in the days to come. We just love meeting new people and sharing our town with them." Her cheerful demeanor reminded Percy of his beloved aunt Hestia for a fleeting moment...
"Ah that's really kind, maybe there are benefits to living in a small town after all, I cannot imagine anything similar happening in a city," Percy said, trying to simulate a natural conversation as much as he could, he felt less suspicious of the cheerful woman sitting beside him but he still had a net total of zero social skills. Percy had always believed himself to be a good judge of character, and for some reason, his heart told him that he could trust the woman.
"Oh yes, that would be next to impossible really, That's why I decided to take a break from the city and explore new places. So far it's been going well, I even got a job here working as a teacher, here I can do my favorite thing in the world, look after children. But enough about me, tell me something about yourself, have you come here alone or with family?" She asked with an inviting smile.
"Oh no, I am here all alone, my family lives in New York but I got a job here so… Anyway, It's not really a problem for me, I am used to living alone so this isn't really something new," Percy said, surprising even himself by just how much he revealed to a complete stranger, but it was just the effect the lady had, she was so easy to talk to, almost unnaturally so… No, he was just being paranoid again.
The lady smiled softly and shook her head, "No one in Nentis should have to experience loneliness, and we can make sure of that. Why don't you take a look around the town, get to know some people, and perhaps visit the local café? You'll find many who are eager to mingle, and who knows, you might even find someone who catches your eye," she said playfully.
Percy panicked, "No! I am not looking to catch anyone's eye."
The lady raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh, do you already have someone in your life then?"
Percy shook his head, "Not exactly. It's complicated..."
Curious, the woman leaned in and asked, "What's the issue? Still waiting to ask her out?"
Percy grimaced. He didn't think a mortal would be able to appreciate his situation fully. How could he explain that he was marrying a goddess against his wishes? "It's slightly complicated," he replied.
Undeterred, the woman offered, "Well, I'm really good at relationships. Maybe I can help you out a bit."
Percy didn't know what to do next, he could take her up on her offer and open up about Artemis. However, if the goddess found out, she might get offended and smite him, but then again if he pretended that he didn't have 'someone' in his life, the goddess might still get offended and smite him… So all in all there was an unhealthy amount of smiting risk involved with whatever he was to say next… He could, of course, choose not to say anything at all, but that would be rude and he really didn't want to be rude to the amazingly kind woman beside him.
He began uncomfortably, "Well, I am sort of seeing someone, but...our relationship is complicated. We're not in the best phase, and we're unsure about our feelings and where we stand with each other." Percy felt strangely relieved to have shared some of his secrets, even if it was with a stranger.
The woman listened patiently and responded, "Every relationship has its ups and downs. There are times when you don't feel connected with your partner. But if you work together and try to solve the problems that are separating you, things will get better. They always do."
"But what if the problems between us are just unsolvable?" Percy asked, acknowledging that normal relationship rules might not apply when dealing with fantastically powerful Greek goddesses.
Despite this, Percy decided to share his thoughts and emotions with her. He had been keeping them bottled up for too long, and he hoped that talking to her would provide some relief… It was not like she could tell someone anyway, she was a human and he was a demigod, they belonged to different worlds.
"Well, you don't give up until you've tried everything and perhaps even proved yourself wrong," she replied with a smile. "No relationship is simple, and I understand that you might think your situation is unique, and perhaps it really is. However, at its core, a relationship is about two people and how they feel about each other. These are the only variables that matter, and they're the ones you should focus on. Once you start communicating with each other honestly and openly, the other minor details will take care of themselves."
"Hmm…" Percy considered her words for a moment. Maybe he should give Artemis a chance, even if it didn't work out. "I think you're right," he said with a smile. "Thank you for your advice."
"It's my pleasure," she replied with a grin. "By the way, I'm Dareia Forster, an elementary school teacher, and newly minted relationship advisor."
Percy chuckled at her introduction, feeling lighter than he had in a while. "Nice to meet you, Dareia. I'm Percy..."
She shook his offered hand and smiled brightly, "Well, Percy, it was great meeting you, but I need to return to the children before they start setting things on fire. And don't worry, I'm sure with your bravery and determination, you'll figure things out with your special someone."
Percy smiled, feeling a newfound sense of hope. Maybe things could work out with Artemis after all.
"Thanks, Dareia and I will try my best to work on your advice. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it." Percy said and the lady got up to leave.
"There's no need to thank me, I'll see you later if you visit the park again, take care!" She said and with a final wave, left for her students.
After Dareia left, Percy sat on the bench for a few minutes, thinking about their interaction. It was unusual how open he had been with her; he usually wasn't very good at talking to strangers, but for some reason, Dareia felt familiar. He knew he had a tendency to be paranoid, but this time it felt justified. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to Dareia than what she had revealed.
Percy continued his surveillance of the park until dusk fell. As he shut his laptop and prepared to leave, he remembered that he had to report back to Diana. She was still camped in New Rome with her hunters, and as part of the deal made with Olympus, Percy had to inform her of his progress in the town so that she could relay it back to Zeus. Originally, he was supposed to report directly to Olympus, but Artemis had forbidden any god from approaching him without her express permission. It turned out that she was still angry about the stunt they had pulled off in the last few meetings. Artemis was rightfully upset with the entire Olympian council for constantly interfering in her life, and now she was making her displeasure known.
It took Percy almost an hour of bus travel to reach a town far enough from Nentis for Diana to safely flash him back to Camp Jupiter. After paying for his ride and grabbing his belongings, Percy slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped onto the cold, damp ground of the remote town. As the bus pulled away from the dark, deserted stop, Percy looked around and laughed at how absurd his situation was. Just days ago, standing in a similar spot would have meant facing a horde of monsters attracted by his powerful scent. But now, he no longer had to worry about that—the gods had completely removed his scent.
The gods had removed Percy's scent as if it were a simple task, just because they needed something from him. They had freed him from the greatest curse any demigod had to bear. How many of his innocent family members had perished because of this cursed scent? Percy couldn't help but wonder if other demigods deserved this gift more than he did. But apparently, they weren't 'useful' enough to warrant a chance to live. At times, Percy questioned whether he was fighting for the right side. How could these all-powerful beings, who were supposed to protect them, fail so miserably?
But those thoughts would have to wait. Percy had more pressing matters at hand. He had to wait for his future wife and current captor to arrive and take him back to Camp Jupiter.
Percy didn't have to wait for too long though, just minutes after he had arrived, there was a bright flash beside him, as the goddess of the moon arrived right on time to pick him up.
Percy turned around to greet his fiancée but felt his legs freeze in surprise when he noticed that it wasn't Diana who had come to pick him up. Instead, it was someone far more dangerous – Artemis. "Artemis?" he asked, his voice laced with surprise. He was shocked to see her again so soon, especially since he had been told that Diana was picking him up that day. As he gazed into her piercing eyes, he couldn't help but feel a familiar sense of attraction and danger.
As if she had already predicted his surprise, the Greek goddess simply shrugged and walked up to him. "I must say, Perseus, you look displeased to see me here," the goddess said, her voice filled with curiosity. What Percy wasn't able to detect though, was a hint of hurt that was also hidden deep within her voice.
Percy's heart raced as he took in her alluring figure, her hair cascading down her shoulders in perfect waves. "Um… no, not at all. I'm just surprised to see you here, that's all," Percy clarified, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.
"It's all right, Perseus. I won't be here for long anyway," The goddess said in a small voice, her eyes downcast, "I just wanted to talk to you about something before dropping you off with Diana," she continued, her eyes gazing deep into his soul.
"Erm… so what is it?" Percy asked when Artemis began pulling him with her as she took him for a walk on the empty streets of the town, Percy's heart started pounding faster in his chest as he waited for Artemis to answer. He couldn't help but wonder if he had somehow displeased her again, he really wasn't ready for another disagreement with her.
"Well… it's about the meeting and what you did there…" She started as they walked down the streets in silence.
"What I did? Why? Did I do something wrong?" He asked carefully, it was a well-known fact that it was dangerously easy to offend the Greek goddess, and it usually ended very badly for the poor idiot who managed to anger her.
Artemis noticed the tension in Percy's body and sighed. "No, Perseus, you didn't do anything wrong," she said softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's just that… I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the meeting. You were very brave to stand up to the Olympians like that."
Percy was looking at her curiously.
"And I know, standing up to the Olympians is not something that would scare you, heaven knows you can defeat half of them alone… But what really matters is that you stood up for me… No one had ever done that for me before, no one except Apollo… You kept your word to me, even when I was silenced by a vote…" She said.
Percy's eyes widened in surprise. He had never expected Artemis to compliment him, especially not after the way she had treated him before. "Thank you," he said, feeling a warm flush spreading across his cheeks. "But why are you telling me this?"
Artemis hesitated for a moment before answering. "Because… I want you to know that I respect you, Percy. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but I can see now that you truly care about me, somehow… Even after everything I have done to you, you still care…."
Percy's heart skipped a beat at her words. It was in moments like this that he always felt intensely attracted to Artemis, even though he knew it was forbidden, he couldn't help it."Y-you mean that?" Percy whispered in a voice laced with disbelief.
As she gazed into his eyes, a mischievous glint danced in hers, and Percy felt a flutter in his chest. "Is it really that surprising, Perseus?" she asked, her voice soft and melodious. "I've already admitted that I care for you, haven't I? Surely I must have seen something that I liked." She said with a smile so small that Percy almost missed it… But even though that smile was barely visible, it was still the most beautiful thing that the demigod had ever seen… Because it meant that there was still hope…Maybe Dareia had been right all along, he thought. Maybe one day, he would hear her speak from her heart, and they could have a future together.
"Perseus? Are you alright?" Artemis's sweet voice shook him off from his state of awe.
"Um.. yeah...Yeah, I am fine…" Percy blinked in surprise and shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. This was crazy, he couldn't believe what was happening, Artemis was actually being kind to him!
"Does learning that I respect you really mean so much to you?" Artemis asked softly when she noticed the effect her declaration was having on the demigod.
Percy just smiled at her weakly and shrugged his shoulders, "I mean… I thought you— I thought that you kinda hated me…" he finally confessed with a heavy breath.
Artemis released Perseus' hand with a heavy sigh, her heart filled with regret. "Then I have treated you far worse than I ever imagined, Perseus," she murmured, her voice laced with sadness. "And for that, I am truly sorry. I wish I hadn't caused you so much pain."
Her gaze met his, and he could see the sincerity in her eyes. Despite everything, she did care about him, and it was beginning to change the dynamic of their relationship.
"In our time apart, I've had a lot of time to think," Artemis continued, her voice still gentle. "And I've come to realize that you have lost just as much as I have because of this marriage. It was unfair of me to place my anger on you, and I am sorry for that. While I can't undo what I've done in the past, I will do everything in my power to make it up to you."
Percy's mind was spinning as he tried to process what was happening. He couldn't believe that Artemis was being so kind and apologetic, and he felt a glimmer of hope that they might be able to salvage their relationship.
Percy knew he couldn't let this chance slip from his hands, he had promised Dareia that he would try to improve his relationship with Artemis and this was the perfect time to start… He had to try… Try until he failed or ended up proving himself wrong.
So the demigod shook his head and whispered, "Thank you for saying that," he said, "And you are right… Hearing all of this from you does have a… profound effect on me, but I want to let you know that I don't blame you for any of this... not for a single second."
Percy was silent for a moment before he continued, "You say that it's just as bad for me as it is for you, but the truth is that I cannot even begin to imagine what you must be going through… You were forced to do something that you have been standing against for thousands of years… Despite all of this, despite being wronged by your own family and being forced to marry me against your wishes… Here you are, still giving me a chance… A chance to perhaps be a part of your life in whatever small way possible… And... I can't thank you enough for that, I really can't."
"Whoever said that your part had to be small Perseus?" The goddess smiled at him kindly, "We have got an eternity to figure out what to do with the rest of our lives… Dut for now let's not keep Diana waiting any longer, I really don't want to give her more reasons to be angry at me than she already has…'' Artemis said and offered Percy her hand again.
"Let's go then" Percy nodded and took her soft hand for the second time that day, her hand which always felt cold to him felt warmer that day. Soon he felt a bright glow enveloping both of them and the next thing he knew, he was standing in the middle of some dark forest.
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"Um… Where are we again? I thought we were going to new Rome" Percy asked as looked at the tall and dark trees surrounding him nervously, why had Artemis brought him there? They had no plans to visit a forest...
"Well, as you can see we are in the middle of a forest Perseus, but I am sure that you noticed that already… No the question you really wanted to ask was why are we here…" Artemis said with an amused look, she knew very well how paranoid the demigod tended to get around her, and this time she decided that she was going to use this opportunity to enjoy his suspicion to the fullest.
"Ok then…" Percy gulped, "Why are we here?" He asked carefully, the demigod was sincerely hoping that Artemis wasn't planning to kill and bury him there, because, in his humble opinion, that would be really cruel after everything she did to make him believe that she was beginning to accept him.
"You are here to learn how to hunt Perseus, and I suppose it's nice to see you again." Another voice answered from behind him.
"Diana!" Percy cried in relief and turned around to meet the goddess. He would recognize the Roman goddess's voice anywhere, and just like he had predicted, there she was, leaning against a tall tree and looking at him with an amused expression just like Artemis a few seconds ago.
"What?" She asked when she noticed his relieved expression, "You thought that she was going to kill and bury you here, didn't you?" She questioned him.
"What? Wait… How do you always— No wait… Can you read my mind?!" Percy cried indignantly as the Roman goddess correctly guessed what he was thinking about for what seemed like the millionth time now.
"I don't need to read your mind to know what you're thinking Percy" Diana chuckled, "Your expression always gives you away so easily, also I would be lying if I said that I don't enjoy doing this to you, seeing you struggling to hide things from me and knowing that you won't be able to hide it forever." She said with a smirk.
"And you say that I am the evil one" Atrmeis shook her head, "But he does have a point you know" she noted, "You do read him like a book all the time"
"Oh just admit it you are jealous...'' Diana joked, usually the two goddesses were almost identical in all respects but a few, but lately Percy's addition to their lives and the different ways they acted around him had made the distinctiveness of each goddess a lot more profound.
"Oh shut up will you…" Artemis returned light-heartedly, "Anyway, I should get back to the chariot now, enjoy hunting both of you, I will see you soon.."
But before she could leave Percy decided to voice the question he had been holding in for a while, "Umm… Is it a nice time to ask why I need to learn hunting?" He spoke up awkwardly, the thing was, being face to face with the two goddesses was really beginning to disorient him, both Artemis and Diana were mind-numbingly beautiful, and the fact that Percy was even able to formulate full sentences after everything Arthemis had said to him that day was an achievement in itself, there was also the fact they were also the exact same person, yet at the same time they were also entirely different, it was so confusing that it was breaking his mind.
"Why you need to learn hunting?!" Artemis exclaimed when she heard his question, "Well imagine what the world would say if the consort of Artemis was incapable of hunting! Where do you come up with these ridiculous questions, Perseus?! Of course, you need to learn how to hunt, I am literally the goddess of hunting!"
"Alright that's enough Artemis, I'll take it from here." Diana intervened before the Greek goddess could get any more furious with the poor Demigod.
"Ok fine! I'll stop, and sheesh, It's not like I am going to blast him or something… Seriously Diana, stop treating me like some bomb waiting to go off!" Artemis complained, Diana always did that, she always acted like her Greek self was incapable of controlling her emotions, and sure Artemis tended to react more aggressively in most situations, but she was never going to hurt Perseus. The poor male had already been robbed of his life and handed over to the goddess who was, for all intents and purposes, supposed to hate his guts. But Artemis did not hate him anymore, in fact, she never hated him in the first place, if anything she was beginning to warm up towards the Greek hero who had been unexpectedly thrust into her life…
"And Perseus, you better learn how to hunt soon, I will be returning to test your progress later this week... And I hope you understand that I would accept nothing less than perfection from the man I am to marry…" Then suddenly the goddess's expression softened as she took a few steps towards Percy, "Also… Now that the mandatory warning is dealt with, I want you to remember our conversation from earlier, no matter what you believe, you are important to me Perseus, that is not something I can deny anymore. Take care of yourself, and good luck with your remaining mission." And with that, the Greek goddess smiled at him one last time before she glowed brightly and disappeared.
"D-Diana— What has happened to her?"
Diana shook her head dumbly, "Trust me when I tell you, Percy… I am just as confused as you are…''
But the truth was that Diana did have some idea of what was happening, living with Percy was beginning to change them, slowly but surely they were beginning to develop feelings for him, feelings and emotions that were so foreign to them that couldn't even hope to understand what half of them meant. But, one thing was certain, it did feel good to have someone so close in her life.
"Well… so what now?" Percy asked, completely oblivious to the thoughts that were going through the goddess's mind.
"Well… Now we rest," Said Diana, she had initially planned to take Percy hunting as soon as he arrived, but for some reason, she just wanted to sit back on a couch and have a long conversation with her fiancé, she had never had such urges before and it was very new for her.
"It's far too dark for a demigod to hunt for small animals." she decided, "And since I don't want you to skip to the larger animals directly… I have decided that we would hunt at dawn until then you can tell me everything about your mission," said Diana with an inviting smile.
"Um… ok then," Percy nodded, "As you already know, I have been monitoring the town very carefully for the past couple of days, but so far I have yet to find anything concrete," Percy said as Diana led him towards their tent.
"Nothing at all? Did the bracelet not heat up even once in all this time you spent in Nentis?'' She asked while entering the silver tent they would be living in.
"No, it didn't," Percy answered as he followed her into her tent.
"This is unexpected," Observed Diana, "You ought to have picked something at least… But forget about the bracelet for the moment, did you see anyone acting suspiciously? Titans should stand out like a sore thumb in a town full of mortals."
Percy didn't know how to answer her question this time, he knew that he should probably tell her about Dareia, but then it would feel like he was betraying the warm and kind woman who tried to help which just felt wrong.
"So you did see someone but you are unsure of whether you should tell me or not," Diana observed as she saw Percy struggling to answer.
"Diana! Please stop reading my mind!" Percy cried, feeling mortified at his inability to keep his thoughts to himself.
"I don't read your mind, Percy, I already told you that." Diana chuckled at his expenses, she really enjoyed doing this to him.
"Well then stop doing whatever it is that you are doing because it's as good as reading my mind and I really don't like it!" The demigod said.
"And why should I do that Percy?" The goddess smirked, "As I said before, I really enjoy doing this."
"Well, maybe Artemis was right after all! You really are an evil goddess!" Percy said.
"And now you're agreeing with something that Artemis said! Seriously Percy, what is happening today? Everyone is behaving so odd all of a sudden." The goddess exclaimed.
"You're the goddess, you should know the answer" Percy returned cheekily.
"Just like I know that you are purposefully trying to change the topic of our conversation?" She suggested with an amused look.
"How did you— You know what? I won't even bother to ask. By now it's clear as day that I am absolutely incapable at keeping things a secret from you.'' the demigod crossed his arms in annoyance.
"Oh come on Percy, don't get discouraged now, let's make a deal, for your sake, sometimes I'll pretend that I do not know what you are thinking, are you happy now?" She asked.
"That's not funny Diana…" Percy said.
"Of course it is funny Percy, I am saying that it is funny... Would you suggest that a goddess is lying?" She asked.
"And now that's just cheating," Percy declared.
"So the goddess is cheating now?" She poked.
"Diana… I am here to hunt Titans… What makes you think that your being a goddess makes any difference to me?"
"Oh but I am not just any goddess, am I Percy?" Diana challenged, a look in her eyes that Percy could not understand, "I am the goddess who is to be your wife."
The way Diana said it, sent a shiver down the poor demigod's spine.
"Oh god…" Percy cried in frustration, "Why are you doing this to me?"
"Doing what?" She asked innocently.
"You know what!" Percy claimed.
"No, I don't" the goddess denied. Although the smile playing on her face made it perfectly clear that she was lying.
Diana couldn't believe it, she had never thought it was possible, but somehow she was actually beginning to enjoy spending time with her fiancé, the friendly banter they always had was starting to grow on her, and for some reason, she couldn't imagine her life without it.
-End of Chapter-
AN: Next up, Percy finally takes Diana to meet his mother. Also, Percy would spend a lot of time in this town Nentis, expect many surprises and short storylines.
The next few chapters will take place in the town of Nentis and deal with Percy's Titan hunt. I want to clarify that this town is not based on any real location even if it possibly ends up sharing its name with a real place.
I know this update took way too long to arrive, but I hope this reassures some people that I do not plan to abandon my story. I know sometimes I take an unreasonably long time to come up with new chapters, but I am still very much interested in what I am writing.
Many of you would have noticed that the relationship between Percy and the moon goddess is growing warmer and warmer with every passing chapter, here I want to reassure you that there won't be any major hiccups, at the beginning of this story, all the way back in the first chapter's author note, I had promised to you that I would try to avoid cliches as much as I could, I still remember my promise and I will try my best to give you balanced chapters.
And that is all for now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Take care, everyone.