I don't own the Wardstone Chronicles, meaning I don't own Lamia or Tom or any of the other characters or the story. And I don't own Percy Jackson & the Olympians either. Meaning I don't own Zeus, Athena, Hera, Artemis, Percy, Annabeth and- well you get the idea. Enjoy!
Lamia and Artemis looked at each other, both searching for answers. Lamia wanted to ask Artemis if she had an idea, because Lamia didn't know what to do now. Up until now, the three of them were having a lot of fun, but it wasn't like they really had contemplated what to do. It had all just happened.
Lamia didn't have a lot knowledge concerning- what did Artemis call it again? Sleepovers?- well, sleepovers weren't something Lamia knew a lot about. She didn't spend a lot of time with other women either, didn't really have friends.
She had been too busy during her hadn't had time for friends. She had to cook, take care of the children, help at the farm and whenever she had some free time, she spent it with John. Not that she was complaining.
Against all odds, she had enjoyed being John's wife. She had loved her husband and children and the calm years on the farm had been like heaven to her. She had never felt happier. Not even when she had been with Zeus. Even her short time with Zeus, when they had been happy together, wasn't as good as spending time with John and their children. Nothing could make her happier.
But raising children and being a midwife had resulted in little free time. She never had talked a lot to her neighbours and didn't have any real friends. During her time in the county she didn't have time because of her family. And during her time in Greece, she had been a monster and had only been interested in the blood of people, not the people themselves. So yeah, she didn't have any real friends. Not anymore.
And since she didn't have any friends, she didn't know what you would do when you spend time with your friends. She had a vague idea, but she didn't really know. "What do friends do when they spend time with each other?" she said out loud, curious. She didn't like not knowing something. And Athena and Artemis would probably know. Artemis had known the what a sleepoever was after all. And Athena knew practically everything, being the goddess of wisdom. Among others.
Artemis shrugged. "Depends on what kind of person you are. What your hobbies are. I would hunt with my friends". Athena nodded. "Artemis is right. What activities you do when you are with allies, depends on your character. On what you prefer to do. I , for instance, enjoyed gaining knowledge and battle strategies. Every activity you need your wits for, is one I enjoy. What about you Lamia?".
Lamia shrugged. "I don't know actually. I mean I like gaining knowledge, reading and talking to people about certain subjects, but I don't really have something I prefer to do".
Athena walked towards them and sat down. She smiled at Lamia. "Really? You must have something you enjoy". Artemis raised her eyebrows. "As long as it isn't killing people or anything".
Lamia blushed. She was still ashamed of that. "I don't. I never really did. It was more the fear and pain of others that I enjoyed. It made my pain lessen".
"Really? How so?" Athena asked, curious. Everything she didn't know, was something she had to know. Unless it was trivial. Athena didn't consider knowledge trivial, but there were some things she wasn't interested in. That might be considered trivial. Like what the newest fashion was. And a lot of other things Aphrodite couldn't stop talking about.
Lamia sighed. "Well, I can't explain it really, but I was so angry, so hurt. The pain of Zeus' betrayal and the death of my children made me insane. I felt like it was unfair, I felt like everyone should suffer like me. I wasn't entirely innocent, but in that time, I felt like I was being punished while I was innocent".
Athena nodded. " So killing people made the pain lessen, because it satisfied your thirst for revenge". Lamia shrugged. "Something like that. But can we talk about something else? I really don't want to discuss this. It makes me feel uncomfortable". And immensely guilty. For all those nameless faces who have suffered thanks to me. I am alive while they are dead, and their relatives endured so much pain before they died too.
Lamia really felt horrible about all the lives she had taken. She had never been like that, so mean and empty. Before Zeus, she had been happy and light-heartedly. She hadn't been the nicest person, but she had been far away from what she had become. She had tried to be nice to all her subjects without giving them too much power. She had just enjoyed life and practised her magic, so she could defend herself and her people. She had had such a bright future ahead of her, but she had never reached it. Before she could reach her full potential, Zeus had interfered and her fate had been changed.
Lamia hated the idea she hadn't been able to change the course of events leading to all those deaths. All the suffering. But she would make up for all the slaughter she had done, even if she had to give her life for it.
She almost had, but for some unknown reason she had survived the fight with the Ordeen. She had been fully prepared to die, for the greater good, but it hadn't happened. She didn't understand why she was still alive , but was grateful for it. She didn't want to leave Tom. She could finally be honest to him, tell him who his mother really was. Not everything was positive, but they would manage together. Her special boy and she.
Artemis lightly touched Lamia's shoulder and Lamia looked at her, a little startled. She had been lost in thought, completely forgotten where she was. She shook her head. She really should pay attention. Who knew how long she had before something bad happened. She should enjoy this time with Athena and Artemis. They would probably have only little time to enjoy themselves anyway.
" Is there anything you want to tell me Artemis?". Artemis nodded. " I do actually. What happened to our father in your universe? You said he was gone". "Oh. He is. Where I come from, your father doesn't exist anymore. He just faded away when people stopped believing in certain gods, I guess. I don't actually know what happened to him, but his power became less and less until he was no more".
Athena frowned. " What kind of gods do you have then?". Lamia shrugged. "We have numerous gods and other creatures. Most people believe in God and go to church, but we also have other deities. We have Siscoi for example. He is a vampire god, and very dangerous. In Ireland, you have the Morrigan. She is very dangerous too and has a lot of witches under her command. Apart from various gods, we also have creatures like witches, skelts, boggarts, sirens, kelpies and so on. The county can be a very dangerous place. If we didn't have spooks, we would probably-".
"What are those creatures you talk about? I have never heard of skelts or siscoi. And what is a spook?" Artemis interrupted. Lamia was surprised she didn't know. She somehow had expected them to know. "You don't have those here?".
Athena shook her head. "We don't. We, the gods, exist and there also numerous creatures like centaurs, Cyclopes, drakons and others , but we don't have the creatures you mentioned. I do recognize some names however".
Lamia frowned. She hadn't anticipated that. She somehow had expected all the dangerous creatures she knew, would also exist here. "So does that mean your world doesn't have all those dangerous creatures? Like witches?".
"Well, we don't have the same creatures like you, but we do have dangerous ones. We just call them monsters. One of the tasks father gave to me, is hunting them. I and my group of hunters kill them , just like demi-gods do. We have Cyclopes, empousa's, dracaenae…" Artemis said and was silent for a few second before adding. " Lamia".
Lamia looked at her. "Yes? What do you-". " I mean you are still a monster in this world. But you are already killed" she explained.
Lamia didn't really know what to say. It was a weird thing to think there another her. But a version of her that was still bloodthirsty, cruel and monstrous. She didn't like it one bit. She had worked really hard to leave her past behinded, determined to never become like that again. She didn't even want to think about her past, she wanted to leave all the bad memories behind and let it go. But with another Lamia, this one a monster, it would't be that easy.
" She can't come back, can she?" Lamia asked, afraid of the answer. Who knew what was possible in this place. Besides, if she remembered correctly, it was possible to escape from the Underworld, to bring someone back from the death. Orpheus had almost succeeded in doing so, after all. To bad he couldn't resist looking back to the soul of his wife, losing her this time forever.
Artemis shook her head. " It shouldn't be possible. Uncle Hades almost never let a soul go and especially not monsters. They would need a lot of help to be able to do so. Something.. Something even greater than the gods".
Athena's eyes widened when a thought struck her. " But what if this entire situation is a way to distract the gods, to make them face a non-existent enemy while the real one is plotting our doom? It would clarify this entire scheme".
Lamia frowned. She hadn't anticipated that, but in some way, it made sense. She nodded. " It would be perfect. Let someone like me occur suddenly, cause mayhem and confusing this way and while the gods are busy, strike".
Artemis frowned. " You mean you think your sudden appearance here is a way to distract us? It is another trap?". Lamia nodded. " It would make sense, wouldn't it? The gods haven't sent me here and honestly, I don't think the gods would be able to, but someone else might have done it. Someone who holds that kind of power and gladly uses it. Uses it in a way that will make me very useful to him".
Artemis kept frowning. " But who would that be? Who would hold that kind of power and even know where to get you? It would be someone devious, evil of course and with immense power. But yet, he would need you".
Athena got up, her gray eyes darkening. She looked both angry and worried. " I can't believe I didn't conjecture something like that would be the explanation!". She sounded very upset, probably because she hadn't seen this coming. And for the goddess of wisdom, that was one of the worst things that could happen.
Lamia got up too. " Athena, this isn't your fault. Even the goddess of wisdom doesn't know everything and makes mistakes. But you didn't this time, you couldn't have known. Besides, this was already discussed in the meeting wasn't it?".
Artemis got up too. " Not exactly. We discussed the possibility you were working together with some unknown enemy, not that you were used by some unknown enemy. And that part is crucial. We will have to tell dad this".
Lamia sighed. She really didn't want to see Zeus again. He was the reminder of all her mistakes, of all her bad memories. Besides, he would probably try something again. Lamia didn't have the feeling he had surrendered. He would continue courting her until he had her again. He had always been like that. And she didn't need it all to happen again. Not that she wanted Zeus again, not really at least, but he could be very persuasive. He would find a way to make her his again. And Lamia wasn't convinced she would be able to keep saying no forever.
Her life was better now and she intended to have it stay this way. Zeus might ruin everything. She just wanted to ignore him. " Do I have to go with you?" she asked, fearing the answer.
This time it was Artemis' turn to sigh. " I fear you do Lamia. We still have to discover what exactly your role is in this play". Athena nodded. " I completely comprehend your doubts about the cleverness of this plan, but it requires your presence Lamia".
Lamia sighed. " I know. Let's just go see him. Just promise me one thing". Artemis and Athena looked at her. " What do we have to promise you?". Lamia shivered. " Whatever you do, don't leave me alone with him. I honestly don't need a repeat of what happened in the past".
Artemis folded her arms. " I thought you had promised us you would stay away from men. Do you already want to break that promise?". " Of course not! But your father is really stubborn and always wants it his way, so I just don't feel comfortable close to him. Even when I'm not alone with him, I feel uncomfortable".
" So you have every intention of keeping your promise?" Athena asked. Lamia nodded. " Believe me I do. The last thing I want, is another affair with your father. I don't want anything to do with him ever again". Artemis smiled. " I am proud of you. Let's go".
Athena didn't say anything, but Lamia had the feeling she approved too. Right now, however, it all didn't matter. They first had to warn Zeus. Because Lamia knew they were all in trouble. Something had to be done. Right now. And Zeus might be the only one who could do something.
They walked in silence, all lost in their own thoughts. Lamia was mainly concerned about Tom. She hadn't been thinking about him a lot, too caught up in her past and other things, but she was worried now. What if that nemesis of the gods wants to use him in his plan? What if somehow, Tom will be put in danger? I don't even know my part in all this. Maybe I have to try to use my foresight to discover more.
Lamia decided this would be the best thing to do. If she wanted to protect herself and Tom, she needed more information. If she at least knew who, or what, she was facing, she would know what was needed in order to defeat that threat. She would do anything to protect Tom. Well, almost anything. If she had to chose between the lives of thousands of people and Tom, she wouldn't have a choose. But she would give her own life in order to save his. She would protect him with all she had, as long as she could. She-
" Lamia?". Lamia blinked and looked at the owner of her voice. Athena was looking at her with a worried expression, her eyes focused on Lamia's hands. Hands that were once again claws.
Lamia looked at her feet, who were looking green and slowly going back to a tail. She frowned. " I really don't understand what is happening. It normally isn't like this" she said.
Athena sighed. "We will have to run some tests in order to discover what is causing this. I don't contemplate you are what you once were Lamia, but you can be dangerous. Especially when you can't control the change".
Lamia nodded. She didn't mind she would have to run some tests. She wanted to know herself too. Why she suddenly changed all the time. What caused it. She hoped it was nothing, but it could also be another piece in this puzzle.
" I comprehend Athena. I wouldn't anticipate you to do anything else. We have to know. It could be very important".
Athena nodded. "Exactly. We will ask father. Maybe he has an idea what is going on".
" In that case, let's knock" Artemis said. She looked worried too, her gaze resting on Lamia for a moment before looking at the doors in front of her.
They were all standing in front of Zeus' palace. It was enormous, even if you didn't know he lived there you would know a king was living there. It was made of white marble and shone in the sun. The doors were right in front of them, with lion heads as doorknobs. A lightning bolt was engraved in the marble above the doors. It practically breathed king of the gods.
Lamia took a deep breath, preparing herself for entering his house. She lay her hand on the door and knocked. And steadied herself.