AN At the end!
Gentle waves lapped against the shore as seagulls screeched, probably terrorizing some poor tourist as they dive bombed them. The goddess of the hunt strolled across the sand, dressed in a simple gray t-shirt with a pair of silver leggings that had green vine designs twisting around her legs. As Apollo drove his chariot across the sky, she rose her right hand, blocking the light from her eyes, scanning the beach. Seeing a small rock formation hiding behind a grove of palm trees, exactly as Perseus had described it, she started walking towards it, the warm sand squishing beneath her sandals. The huntresses were worried about Perseus, and while they had a general idea on where he was, they didn't have the convenient ability to just flash here, as they were camped in the rocky mountains at the moment, hunting a golden goat. So, she decided to go. Besides, she was also curious about how the young immortal was doing. Call her crazy, but she, to an extent, cared for the boy. At least enough to check in on him after what happened a few weeks ago. Scaling the rocks, she ran over the thoughts in her head and what she would say. Because of her title of the eternal maiden, it unfortunately left her without any idea of what to say to someone who was heartbroken. What would Apollo would do in this situation?
'Hey, heard you broke up with your girlfriend of forever, but don't worry chump, there's always other fish in the sea!' Artemis snorted, shaking her head. Asking if he was doing okay seemed like a dumb question, as she was wise enough to know that he wasn't. Which made is so that there wasn't a lot of options. Unfortunately, the time for making up a plan ran out as she climbed over the last rock, entering the path to the cove. She saw the immortal in the middle of the private beach, riptide in his hands as he drew arcs of shining bronze in the air. For a moment, Artemis stopped, the previous thoughts in her head vanishing as she was mesmerized by the god. The way the blade seemed to be an extension of his own arm, dancing around an invisible target, and retaliating against unseen attacks. The way he trained was so precise, she could practically see the imaginary opponent, and it enchanted her. Perseus rushed forward, flipping his blade so it was in a reverse grip and slashing downwards, cutting the enemy in half. The god panted, still in the last frame of his attack, sweat beading down his forehead. Considering he should have godly endurance, the fact that he was sweating let her know he had been at this for hours, possibly days. Breaking out of her trance, she walked forward, making sure he could hear her steps in the sand to not surprise the god. Perseus turned towards her, his eyes showing a hint of surprise, before capping riptide, and bowing his head in respect. Even when he was grieving, he was still respectful, choosing not to let his anger get the best of him.
"Hello Lady Artemis, what can I do for you?" His tone was cold, but not rude. It was simply a byproduct of his mood, but that didn't help the fact that Artemis internally flinched at the tone of his voice.
"The hunt is worried about you, so, I came to check on you." She figured being straightforward was the best way to tackle this particular problem. Perseus's stare softened as he broke eye contact, looking out to the sea. His hands trembled ever so slightly, but she noticed it. She also noticed the sheen in his eyes as he desperately tried to keep them from watering, and the silent but shaky breath he took as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I don't think I could really lie to you and say I'm okay…but I can't exactly tell you the truth I think…" Artemis tilted her head, uncertain of the meaning behind his words. As Perseus stared at the waves, she could feel his aura connect with the sea, and watched as the tides settled, the smooth surface of the water reflecting the sunlight like a giant mirror. "But, since it's you, I can trust you with this information. I simply ask you hear me out first." He turned towards her, awaiting confirmation before he spoke. Curiosity got the better of her as she nodded slowly, wondering what exactly Perseus would say. She could see the gears turning in his head as he struggled internally. "I was the one who broke up with her." Artemis blinked, lightning running through her body. Before she knew it, a dagger was in her hand, a millennia's worth of heartbroken girls running through her mind. She took a shaky step forward, ready to strike him down, and he made no move to stop her, his eyes still drawn towards the sea. "We went through everything together, four life changing quests, two wars, hells, even braved Tartarus and all the shit that came with it." The sands shifted beneath her feet, rage boiling over as silver eyes shone with a radiant vengeance. "Then we became immortals, and sure I wasn't happy with it, but I had her…" She was close enough to hear his heart thumping rapidly in his chest, and he still didn't look at her. Artemis had thought him different, that he wouldn't break a maidens heart, but it seemed like he was the same. Screw the promise she made to hear him out, she was ready to drive a blade through his heart. It wouldn't kill him, but it'd hurt like hells. As she raised her dagger he turned towards her, and she froze. Just as the faces of heartbroken girls she had comforted for years, his was the same. The same dull, lifeless eyes, quivering lips, a red nose from constant midnight cries, and a brow furrowed in shame. Perseus made no move to stop her, instead staring directly into her silver orbs, and his grief hit her like a semi-truck, causing her to lower her dagger. "So why wasn't I enough?" His voice was barely above a whisper, nearly lost to the howling winds of the beach.
"What happened Perseus?" The goddess was gentle, her demeanor showing a rare softness that was reserved for tender moments like this. It was awkward for sure, but if she pretended he was one of her huntresses, it made things a little easier.
"A year ago, Annabeth asked me to open our relationship up." Perseus didn't break eye contact, simply watching the goddesses expressions, which were a mix of confusion, pity, and a slight bit of residual anger from his previous miscommunication. "She was immortal now, which meant we would be together forever. But she wanted to be able to try something different if she wanted too. She claimed it worked for Piper and Jason, so she asked for us to try it too." Bringing his hands up, he wiped a few tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes, a silent sniffle escaping him. "I loved her, and wanted her to be happy, so I accepted. She wasn't unfair with it, saying I could have other partners as well…" Then a fire ignited in his eyes, and she recognized it as the same flame when he fought Ares. "But I didn't want other girls! I wanted her." A wave crashed against the shore, sending a geyser of water towards them. Instinctively, she raised her hands to block it, but she was amazed to see it perfectly avoid them, as if fearing what would happen if it touched its god.
"Perseus…" She reached out, and his eyes dulled once more. The water receded as his voice returned to its melancholic tone.
"She was discreet, she never told me of her affairs, and would be silent as she snuck out of the house, claiming to work on her drafts of blueprints for Olympus. But, I became obsessed, I would track her, follow her, and watch as she would sleep with other men…." Artemis felt strange as he talked, a wave of fury washing over her. How dare she treat him like that? The man who saved her, who was beloved by literally everyone, and someone Artemis truly believed would never be unfaithful to the one he chose. But she threw it all away, just for a taste of the simple mortal pleasures? It made her sick to her stomach, the same feeling she would have when she heard the tales of heartbroken women scorned by their lovers. "That night, I wanted to propose. I set up a reservation at a nice Olympian restaurant, and I had the ring in my pocket, but one of her lovers saw her and interrupted us." The acid in his voice burned through the air, sizzling as it reached her ears. "He seemed nice, even thanked me for my service towards the gods, but that was when I knew, I couldn't take it anymore. We fought, for hours we fought, we were getting nowhere, and I left her. The rest, well, you know what happens…" A solemn aura blanketed the air as the gods remembered that night, a chill running through Artemis spine. The power he held that night, she could guarantee that none of the olympians could stand against him, even Zeus and his father had trouble holding him off. "I never thanked you by the way. And I'm sorry for that you had to stop me." The goddess tilted her head in confusion as she watched him. Sorrow covered his face, like a veil on a brides dress, but there was one emotion that stood out, different than the others. Gratitude. He was genuine in his thanks, a spark of green smiling amongst a sea of remorse. Artemis felt herself flush in embarrassment, simply because she didn't expect an apology out of the young god, in fact she didn't even feel like one was necessary at all. She simply did what she thought was right, something she figured the boy knew all too well.
"It was nothing, just try not to do it again." She quickly turned away so he couldn't see the gold coloring her cheeks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a smile on his face, a genuine one, not the fake smiles she's seen him wear the past few visits he's had at the hunt. She couldn't help but smile with him, his damned lopsided smile contagious to all that saw it. Stepping away from him, she turned around, trying to hide her expressions from him.
"Perseus?" Betrayed by her own voice, expressing a hint of joy that he seemed to be better: She could hear the former demigod shift in the sand behind her, presumably to turn around to face her.
"Yes Lady Artemis?" Sensing the same spark of joy in his own voice made her tense up, a now unknown feeling worming it's way through her veins. It was, pleasant, but the fear of not knowing what it was annoyed her.
"You should visit soon. The girls miss you." And with that, she flashed out of the cove, not giving Perseus the chance to respond.
Silence hung in the air, the tension palpable as the group of gods, goddesses, and huntresses stared at the girl, who in turn stared back, wildly confused and still slightly drowsy from Piper's earlier charm speak. Apollo, Frank, and Hazel's eyes flicked back and forth between Penelope and the others, a silent 'can you believe this?' communicated between the three. Annabeth blinked rapidly, the gears turning in her head as she processed the fact that Perseus was in fact, not here. The huntresses had mixed expressions amongst them, some showing relief that they're hunt was over, while others showed anger at the fact that Perseus was still on the loose. All of them however had a smudge of sorrow on their faces, the same face they had whenever their searched years ago failed. Leo had finally shut the damned device off a few seconds ago, his body in a rare state of stillness. Jason looked at Piper, who was instead looking at Artemis. Said goddess was gold in anger, ichor boiling in her veins. She had dealt with the mortals of this state, fought through countless sea beasts, spent countless nights without sleep, and broken her goddamned leg all so that she could come up empty-handed? She was past mad, past angry, even past furious. The goddess turned around and grabbed Apollo, her silver eyes a pool of molten silver.
"Emergency meeting, now." She hissed, before glowing silver and flashing the two of them away, Piper covering the poor girls eyes so she didn't vaporize.
"Should we follow or…?" Leo said, before a beam of moonlight struck each of them, answering his question for him. Piper just kept the girls eyes closed as everyone flashed out, turning her around and teleporting out as well.
The throne room hummed with energy as Artemis walked to her throne, sitting down and snapping her fingers, letting her power flow through her. Apollo simply followed her example, his face scrunched up in annoyance, feeling the same emotions his sister was. A few moments later, the room lit up with various immortal beings, the first obviously being the six heroes, followed by the rest of the Olympians, with Zeus being last, as the drama queen usually is. Artemis glared at her father for a moment, before directing her fury towards her uncle. Poseidon glared back, before his face paled, seeming to connect the dots between the emergency meeting and who called it. Various murmurs of what this could be about echoed through the air around the Olympians while the heroes just watched them all, prepared to run in case things got ugly. Zeus stared at the gods for a moment, before banging his bolt on the stone floor.
"An emergency meeting has been called by my daughter." Radiant blue eyes settled on Artemis, her own silver eyes staring back, unflinching. "Since Perseus is not here with you, I can assume you failed in your mission?" Hate flowed through her as she gripped the arm rests of her throne, her knuckles slowly turning white. She shook her head, breaking her gaze with her father and locking her eyes with Poseidon, the god silently begging her not to say anything. Of course she ignored him, instead beginning her report on what she had found.
"No, we didn't find Perseus. Instead, after two months of tracking, we found something else, or should I say, someone else." The room went quiet as they thought about what she had said, confused about the wording. Athena was the first to figure it out of course, a light gasp coming from her as she stared at Poseidon.
"You sired another child?!" She yelled, the room erupting into chaos afterwards, all of the Olympians yelling one thing or another at the sea god, who just hung his head in shame. After a few moments, Zeus decided enough was enough and slammed his master bolt onto the ground, silencing the pantheon. Artemis was still glaring daggers at the sea god as Zeus spoke.
"This is…most unfortunate…" He stroked his beard, his eyes silently gazing over each of the gods and goddesses. Artemis watched as he stopped over Poseidon, electricity arcing between his fingertips, before stopping at another god. Apollo and Zeus shared a grim look, which Artemis didn't overlook, narrowing her eyes at both of them. Opening her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by her father. "I guess I was right to start looking for Perseus now. Apollo, I think it is time for the truth."
"W-wait, are you sure? He made me swear on the st-" He stammered, before being cut off by an arc of lightning striking in front of him. They stared at each other, an unspoken conversation communicated through their minds. Apollo stiffened, gulping as he stared at the gods. For a moment, all of them watched in silence, desperate to hear what Apollo was freaked out about. Then, his eyes glowed green, the voice of the Prophecy ringing throughout the room.
"Heart of the sea, protected by grief.
Primordial shall awaken, to confront the thief."
At this, he sputtered, his eyes flickering between the oracles green and his normal blue. After a moment, he started again.
"A sky of stars clash with an ocean of light.
To usurp her powers, an end to his plight."
The room went silent as Apollo gasped, regaining control of his body, sweat dripping off his forehead. The gods looked between each other, before one voice spoke out, breaking the still atmosphere.
"What in the hades name was that?" Leo yelled, shattering the gods out of their stupor. Soon all of the gods were yelling, trying to decipher the prophecy. The rage Artemis felt went cold as she stared at the center of the room, realizing another great prophecy was amongst them. Another threat to Olympus, a primordial at that. She had just rebuilt her hunt, and now she has the chance to lose them all again. For the first time in a while, she felt a certain emotion creep up her spine, sending chills down her body. Fear. Fear that she would end up alone again, that she would be trapped, helpless as her family was slaughtered. And for the first time in a while, she wished he was here. As much as she hated him, she knew he would lay down his life to protect the girls. Perseus would protect them no questions asked. It was selfish of her, she knew that, to want help from a man she exiled from her life years ago. But right now she didn't give a damn, she needed him.
'For the girls' She thought, ignoring the other feelings that brewed in her mind. Tuning back into the throne room, she noticed they were mostly quiet aside from a few whispers between friends. Each one had a similar expression of confusion, sorrow, excitement, and anger. The latter mostly adorning the heroes faces, angry that another war was coming so soon after the last. Surprisingly, Zeus didn't slam his bolt down to quiet down the room, instead waiting for everyone to stop speaking, which was out of character for the prideful god.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, so I will answer them to the best of my ability." A number of voices started calling out, before Zeus banged his bolt like a gavel, electricity arcing across the room. "One at a time." Athena's hand shot out, and nobody dared question the goddess of wisdom's place. She would probably ask the same question everyone else wanted to know anyway.
"When was this prophecy given? And why weren't we notified?" Numerous heads bobbled in affirmation, wondering why they weren't informed.
"Three years after the giant war was when it was given." Apollo rested his head on his hand, leaning his elbow against the armrest of his throne. "Because it would cause a panic, just like it's doing now. We had just gotten out of our second war within two years, I figured the prophecy would be at least a century, if not more, until it came true." To everyone's surprise, it was Apollo who spoke, a guilty look on his face. Artemis felt hurt that her brother would keep this from her, and from seeing his face, she knew he felt bad as well. Something else was going on. "Though I guess in the end it was selfishness that kept me from revealing it, since I knew that the fates wouldn't be kind…" With this, he looked at her, and felt the hurt in his eyes, dull with regret.
"Do you know anything about the lines at all? And what was up with the middle of the prophecy? It's like your body refused to speak it?" The goddess of wisdom grilled Apollo, and he just looked away, shaking his head.
"I've tried discreetly asking Uncle Poseidon about 'The Heart of the Sea' but he's heard nothing about it." At this, Poseidon tilted his head, before his eyes widened in shock.
"That's why you kept pestering me all those years ago!" He shouted, banging his trident in surprise. The other gods looked at him, and he just stared back. "About twenty one years ago he kept asking for permission to come to my palace, saying he was looking for a new 'conquest' or 'filling a bingo board' and asked for the loveliest hearts amongst my people…" Apollo flushed golden as more than a few pairs of eyes glared at the god. Artemis herself simply shook her head, even in times of crisis he was still the same old Apollo.
"No one would suspect a thing if I just acted normal!" He defended himself, hiding his face in his hands. "I've tried researching into any other primordials awakening, and still nothing. Aside from Gaea, none of them have made any appearance to my knowledge." An uneasy tension filled the room. The past two wars, they at least knew who they were fighting, but a conflict with an unknown primordial? That was much more dangerous. "The next few lines, well, only seems like we will know what will happen when the war is happeneing, much like the previous two great prophecies." Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked over the pantheon, his eyes screaming for someone to ask another question.
"You didn't answer my other question. Why did the prophecy stop for a moment and then continue? Something tells me this isn't all of it." Stormy grey eyes pierced Apollo's own, the rest of the gods nodding along to Athena's question. The sun god looked to Zeus, and he simply nodded, an unspoken agreement passing between the two.
"I swore the Styx not to tell anyone aside from Zeus the two missing lines of the prophecy." Athena tilted her head and Artemis could practically see the gears turning in her head. The same thoughts were clearly written on everyone's face.
"Who made you swear on the Styx?" Jason said, his eyes narrowed, blue eyes sparking as he dared Apollo to lie to him. The sun god gulped, before he turned his head to Artemis, who scrunched her face in confusion. The rest of the gods followed his gaze, wondering why Artemis would swear him to secrecy. But their questions were shortly answered as Apollo spoke once more.
"Percy did." It was silent, so silent that you could hear a feather fall a mile away. But Artemis couldn't, all she could hear was the ichor rushing through her body. Perseus. The damned god swore her brother to secrecy. Somehow, someway, he would always work his way back into her life. But why did Apollo look at her? She stared back at her brother, before he turned his eyes away, looking down in anger. Then she turned to Zeus, who was measuring everyone's reactions, discomfort on his own face as he scanned the room.
"If Zeus knows the prophecy, why can't he tell us?" The son of Mars spoke up, and whispers of agreement hummed amongst them. Zeus didn't meet anyones eyes, instead staring at the center of the room.
"I swore not to tell anyone as well." His fingers tightened against his symbol of power, sending sparks up his arm. Artemis narrowed her eyes, staring at her father with a look of doubt.
"You haven't given a damn about promises on the Styx in centuries, what makes you care about it now?" It seemed the gods were in a rare moment of agreement as each of them nodded. Zeus's eyes flicked to his daughter and she felt a cold chill run up her spine. Sure she didn't like her father at all, but he was still king of the gods, and he wouldn't tolerate disrespect.
"I didn't swear on the Styx, daughter." The pantheon stared at their king, befuddled at his words. "I swore on my title. I would relinquish being the king of the gods to Perseus if I told anyone." The words hung in the air, mouths agape on all sides as the immortals looked between each other. Artemis herself was astounded, more so by the fact that Perseus got him to bend Zeus to his knees. Whatever the missing lines of the prophecy was, it was serious. A million questions still ran through her mind, something still not adding up. She was no goddess of wisdom, but she could pick up the context clues. The way Apollo looked at her, the fact that Zeus and her brother were sworn to secrecy, and the fact that Perseus was the one behind it all.
"It's about me isn't it?" She asked, her glare so intense that it made even the king of the gods turn away. Neither of them answered her, which was as good as if they had. Why the hells was she in the prophecy? What was so important that everyone had to be left in the dark? Why in the fuck did her damned husband have to ruin everything for her? Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions as everyone's eyes rested on her. The walls were closing in on her, an overwhelming presence looming over her. She needed to get out. So, she did just that, flashing out of the throne room into the city below.
Horns honked and people yelled as the streets of New York roared to life, the early morning rush of people crowding the sidewalks. None of them noticed a silver flash of light that filled a nearby alleyway as Artemis teleported out of the throne room. Right now she needed to think, to breathe, to get away from everything. Taking off into the concrete jungle, she sprinted towards the nearby park where hardly anyone would be at the moment, considering it was a weekday and the brink of dawn. Soon, the buildings started to fade as she ran into the park, trees spread out, providing ample shade for those seeking it. A large natural park with a running trail and a smattering of benches lining it. Luckily it was still winter so she didn't need it, but unluckily she wasn't in her winter clothes, wearing her usual silver t-shirt and jeans. The park was also a place where locals could dock their private boats, the waters of Long Island Sound gently lapping against the concrete barrier. She shivered, thinking she could just flash on a jacket, but decided against it. Wanting to just disconnect from the divine world, and she didn't want anyone from Olympus coming after her right now. The prophecy echoed in her head, the unspoken words driving her to the brink of insanity. It involved her, something was going to happen to her, and she hated it. The sense of unknown looming over her like a vulture watching a dying animal. As if that fact wasn't maddening enough, the only one who could tell her was her missing husband who she hated. So many feelings flooded her mind, from anger to fear to even the smallest hint of joy. The fact that clearly Perseus was trying to protect her, she couldn't help but feel happy? He was her friend, and had saved her multiple times. And even though she hated him, he was still looking out for her. It infuriated her, her hands balled into fists as she dug her fingernails into her palms. She wasn't weak, she didn't need his protection, she didn't want his protection. She had her hunt, her brother, and if worse came to worse, she was sure Piper would help her.
"Even when you're not here, you're still pissing me off? Why won't you leave me alone….?" She sat down by one of the trees, facing the water, tucking her knees up to her chest. Right now she just looked like a troubled teen who had run away from home, which wasn't exactly wrong, but it was quite the sight to any who passed by. She shivered again as the chilled winds brushed against her skin.
"Are you cold dear?" A warm voice sounded behind her. Artemis jumped, having been too distracted to even listen to anyone sneaking up behind her. Turning around, she saw a beautiful woman with mahogany brown hair streaked with grey, and kind blue eyes. Artemis could see wrinkles lining her cheeks, probably from smiling so much, like she was doing now. She wore a simple white t-shirt and hoodie with a pair of polka dot sweatpants, and was holding a bundle of cloth in her hands. Artemis gazed at the woman, a feeling of warmth washing over her. Since it was a woman, and she didn't have any ill intentions, she nodded. The goddess was cold, and she couldn't say no to someone who had such sincerity in their demeanor. The woman smiled, handing her the bundle of cloth, which seemed to be a sweatshirt. It was a deep crimson, with the letters 'Goode Highschool' written on it. "It's my son's, I hope you don't mind. I think most of my stuff would be too small for you, and he has no need for it right now anyway." Artemis sniffed it discreetly, strangely entranced by the smell. Obviously it had been washed, but since she was an immortal, and the goddess of the hunt at that, she could pick up the faintest scent of the sea. She figured it was from the nearby inlet, and shrugged. Putting the sweatshirt on, she appreciated the blanket of warmth that it provided, feeling oddly comfortable in the male's attire. The sleeves went past her hands, allowing her entire upper body to be completely covered. The cold winter wind couldn't bother her anymore.
"Thank you…" She wasn't used to thanking mortals, but had picked it up from her recent tour in the sunshine state. With Penelope, and a few welcoming locals had helped her with directions around the city so she wouldn't get lost. The woman smiled, plopping down next to her. Looking closer, Artemis could see she was older than she looked, the different colored freckles betraying her youthful demeanor. Her eyes twinkled as the sun rose over Long Island Sound, her breathing sending wisps of fog in the cold New York air.
"So, what troubles you?" Artemis blinked, staring at the woman who made no move to look back, simply drinking in the early morning view. For a moment, she wondered if it was right to talk to her. Troubling a mortal who wouldn't understand, it seemed pointless. But on the same hand, she felt like she could trust her. She reminded her a lot of her aunt Hestia, an eerily similar aura surrounding both of them. Deciding what's the worst that could happen, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"My life is a mess." It was a simple start as she tried to process what to say next. The woman didn't move a muscle, just lending her ear to the girl next to her. "I…I was forced into a marriage I didn't want, then I was betrayed by my husband, who then disappeared for the next twenty years." She didn't care that her looks didn't match the timeline, she figured the woman wouldn't care anyway. "Then my family tells me something's going to happen to me but won't tell me what, and I find out it's because my husband made them swear not too. I'm just…." Artemis tried to find the word to describe how she felt, but she didn't know what.
"Tired?" The woman said, finally looking towards the goddess, a sad smile forming on her face. It didn't really make sense, for a goddess to be tired. She couldn't get tired in the truest sense of the word, but for some reason it fit like a missing puzzle piece. Artemis nodded, looking down, folding her arms across her chest. It almost seemed like she was pouting.
"Yeah, tired." Blue eyes scanned the goddess, before she turned back towards the water. A few joggers passed by them, their shoes thudding against the packed dirt. Laughs and smiles filled the air as a couple walked into the grass a few yards away from them, playing fetch with a beautiful husky, who was barking and howling. The two of them sat in silence for a while, watching the park slowly fill up with people, the sun now shining brightly in their faces.
"My son used to say the exact same thing." Artemis stiffened, disliking being compared to a male. In fact, her mood started to sour, regretting spilling her heart out to this mortal woman. "But I know what would perk him right back up." Well, now she was intrigued, her earlier negativity pausing for a moment, fatal curiosity rearing its head. If it would help her be rid of this curse, then maybe she could try it out. The woman stood up, offering a hand to the goddess. Artemis pulled the sleeve down, letting the woman guide her to a standing position. "Follow me, my house is just around the corner." She turned around, walking at a leisurely pace. Artemis didn't really have a choice in the matter, well, she did, but her interest was piqued enough to follow the woman's instructions. After only a few minutes of walking, they came upon the woman's house, the outside painted a light blue, with a small koi pond in the front yard, a few of the fish swimming lazily through the water. The steps to the porch creaked as the woman fiddled with her keys, unlocking the front door to let them inside. Artemis could smell something sweet in the air, the scent of chocolate drifting through her nostrils. As she was guided inside the house, she noticed the entire house was painted some sort of shade of blue. A smile crept onto Artemis's face, admiring the rather carefree nature the woman seemed to have. The walls were decorated with all sorts of different items, from an anchor shaped clock to a shelf brimming with books to even a large mural of picture frames. Drawn to the photos, she scanned over them. One of them depicted her and an older man with salt and pepper hair, a short beard neatly groomed.
'Her husband probably…' She thought, moving over to another picture, this one of the woman, the aforementioned male, and a young adult who was holding some sort of certificate. 'She has a daughter too, that's good…' Her eyes flicked to another one, a picture of the woman and a man with raven black hair and sea green eyes, a lop-sided grin in full view as he put bunny ears behind his mother. Artemis felt like the world had stopped spinning, completely frozen in time. Drawn to another picture, she saw him holding a baby, probably his sister that he had told her all about. Another picture, this one with him and the rest of the seven, celebrating the end of the war. The goddess felt the woman walk up to her, a small plate in her hands, the blue cookies still steaming as they had just been pulled out of the oven.
"I think we should sit down Lady Artemis…" Her voice was gentle and warm, and Artemis couldn't do anything but obey. This was her mother-in-law, surprisingly someone she's never met before. Even at the wedding ceremony, she had never seen her, assuming she either wasn't invited or was only there for a short time. Sally guided the goddess to the dining table, a large glass surface held up by a polished oak base. Artemis sat down, still in shock that she was in his home, and even worse, wearing his sweatshirt. A large part of her wanted to burn it off, but the rebellious side refused, enjoying the comfort it brang. Her mind was brought back to reality as the smell of the cookies wafted up to her nose, the sweet aroma enticing her to take a bite. Looking at Sally, the woman simply nodded, encouraging her to help herself. Taking a singular cookie, she bit into the blue confection, and somehow, someway, she was right. The chocolate melted into her mouth, coating her tongue as the sparse salt crystals enhanced the sweet taste. Before she knew it, her lips were dyed blue as she nearly consumed the entire plate. Her earlier tiredness ebbing away like the tides on the beach.
"I'd like to apologize on my son's behalf." Looking up with a mouthful of cookie, Artemis saw the mortal mother bowing her head down low. Shaking her head furiously, she tapped the glass to get her attention, her mouth too full to speak. Sally looked up, blue eyes meeting silver as Artemis swallowed the rest of her food.
"Absolutely not, you don't need to apologize for him. He is responsible for his own mistakes." She chided her, and a small smile formed on her mother-in-law's face, taking one of the last cookies for herself, nibbling on the edges.
"Thank you, Lady Artemis, but I do feel the need to apologize. Call it a mother's instinct." Sally looked towards the glass door, watching the clouds pass by, the ever brightening sky lighting up the dining room as the day ticked on. Artemis stared at her, intrigued by the mortal she had only heard myths about.
"How long did you know it was me?" Artemis asked, reaching for another cookie, only to find they were all gone. The woman chuckled as she stood up, preparing to get more for her daughter-in-law. As she loaded up another plate, she hummed a little tune.
"Every morning I take a walk around the park, and I just so happened to see a red-haired woman who matched my son's many descriptions to the tee." Ichor rushed up to her cheeks as she comprehended the words that Sally said, repeating them in her mind a few times. He had spoken about her? Well, of course he would tell his mother about her, but he had described her so much that she was able to recognize her just from a quick morning walk? Her emotions warred against each other as Sally placed the next plate in front of Artemis. Thanking her, she began eating once more, however this time she was more careful, savoring each bite slowly as she wrestled with the thoughts in her mind. "And since you wore the same expression he did whenever he sat in the same spot you were, well, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't help my daughter-in-law?" Warmth spread throughout the goddess, the power of a caring mother washing her worries away.
"He would sit there too?" Artemis asked, and Sally nodded, folding her hands in her lap, watching the goddess as she ate. She felt slightly self conscious, manually correcting her posture and making sure she didn't leave any crumbs on her face. Sally simply smiled at her, chuckling at the goddess's antics. Normally, Artemis would be insulted, but she couldn't help but smile as well, her positive aura infectious.
"Yeah, his eyes drawn to the sea. Imagine my surprise when I saw you instead of him there. Almost gave me a heart attack." Sally bit into another cookie, before her eyes widened. "Oh! How could I forget! Cookies need milk!" As she started to get up, Artemis waved her hand, making her sit down with a small 'eep'.
"You've been nothing but kind to me, please, let me do it." The goddess walked towards the fridge, pulling open a handle and scanning the insides for the carton of milk. After finding it, she closed the door, her eyes glazing over the different photos pinned to the door in magnets. One of them caught her eye however, as it was Perseus and an older girl side-by-side in front of a store. She looked remarkably like him, and she realized it was his sister. 'Well, if anything he did care about his family…..wait a minute.' She grabbed the photo, rushing over to Sally and placing it in front of her. "When was this photo taken?!" From what she knew, his sister was only about five when he had left, so the fact that she was fully grown means that she knew where he was.
"About….hmm this was when Estelle asked to visit him for her high school graduation present…so, seven years ago?" Artemis blinked.
"You're telling me, you knew where he was, for the past twenty years?!" Sally simply looked confused, nodding her head. She got up from her chair and walked towards a room near one of the entrances. Hearing a bit of rustling, the woman eventually came out with a small blue shoebox, filled to the brim with pieces of paper. She simply set it down on the table, and Artemis had a look of pure shock on her face. Inside were letters, postcards, photos, and even small trinkets.
"Of course, of course!" Ignoring every negative emotion she was feeling, she wrapped Sally in a hug, spinning her around. "Nobody thought to ask you! Of course he wouldn't cut off contact with his mother, and of course he would use mortal methods to hide his tracks!" A bright smile formed on her face as she held Sally's face in her hands, the woman just blinking in confusion.
"I'm sorry, but, uhm, what are you talking about? Ask me? About what?" Now it was Artemis's turn to be confused, tilting her head as she stared into Sally's bright, blue irises.
"Don't you know? Perseus has been missing for the past twenty years….." Sally's eyes widened as she scrunched her brow, staring at Artemis with a bewildered look in her eyes.
"What? Missing? No, he's just on a vacation…..oh he is so in fucking trouble! Excuse my language." Her mother in law's face turning red with rage as she realized her son lied to her. Looking at Artemis, she gave an evil smile which made the goddess shudder. Never lie to your mother, that was one thing she learned from an early age. "Tell me what you need to know. I'll give you everything and anything you need." Artemis blinked, before nodding, enjoying the sudden companion she gained.
"First, where is he?" Sally turned towards the box, rummaging through its contents before finding a postcard and handing it to the goddess. On it was a sillouhette of a mountain, with the words 'Fairbanks Alaska' in bright blue font written at the top and bottom. Artemis's eyes widened as she flipped it over. '137, Cushman Street, Polaris Cafe, Fairbanks AK' Artemis froze, looking back at Sally, who just stared at her, wondering what was wrong.
"A-are you sure this is where he is?" Artemis just stared at the address, her face getting paler with every second. Suddenly, the static made sense, the reason why his voice was never above a whisper, why he would disappear during the summer. Once again she felt like the world had stopped spinning. He was in the land beyond the gods, where no one could reach him. The land of midnight sun, near the arctic circle. It all connected together like a giant puzzle, falling into place. But the fact that he was in the land beyond the gods, his power probably completely drained, with a bright red target on his back. Nobody would've thought Perseus would be suicidal enough to cut off his connection to divinity and risk actually dying. She looked up at Sally, who saw her pale expression and narrowed her eyes.
"Yes I'm sure, what's wrong? Is he in danger?" The anger was now replaced with worry, and Artemis didn't have the heart to lie to the woman who had treated her so nicely, but she also didn't know if she could tell her that he could potentially die there.
"Considering he's still alive, and he's, well, Perseus, it doesn't seem like it. But that could change at any moment, I need to get to the council. Thank you…Ms. Jackson." Artemis gave her a hug once more, this time thanking her for helping her out of her mood. A new fire of determination roared inside of her. She knew where he was now, new information came to light, now she could finally get the answers she wanted. The woman wrapped her arms around her, and she could feel her smiling as she did so.
"Please, Sally will do." Deciding against correcting the goddess about her maiden name no longer being used, she gave her a final squeeze before letting go. Artemis looked down at the postcard one more time, nodding as she tucked it into her pocket. She sprinted towards the front door, turning back one last time.
"Thank you Sally! For everything!" Her mother-in-law simply waved back, her face wrinkled from the smile she was wearing. After she let the front door, she flashed into Olympus, standing in front of the doors of the throne room. Before she could open the doors, she took a deep breath, steadying herself. Memories of the earlier conversation replayed in her head, and her confidence wavered. But the lingering taste of chocolate filled her with a sense of determination. Maybe Perseus was on to something after all.
Inside the grand Olympian throne room, ten gods and six heroes mindlessly talked about the prophecy. Not long had passed since Artemis flashed out, around two hours, but despite many attempts by Zeus to end the discussion, they continued. Eventually, the king of the gods got fed up with his suboordinates and flashed out himself. As they spoke, the throne doors opened, and there stood the goddess of the hunt, dressed in her husband's sweatshirt and blue jeans. Immediately, a certain blonde's nostrils flared in jealousy, while the others looked rather confused at the arrival. Walking up to the middle of the throne room, she flourished the postcard, a wickedly sadistic grin on her face.
"I found him." Was all she said. At first, the pantheon was confused, looking over at each other, assuming the goddess had finally gone mad. Most of them were aware of how manic she had gotten during her time in Florida, and some even made bets on when she'd break. After a few seconds passed, again, the first one to fit the pieces together was the goddess of wisdom.
"Perseus?" She asked in disbelief, her eyes focusing on the piece of paper in the goddess's hands. Artemis simply flicked it towards her sister, like a master magician throwing a playing card, and it landed perfectly on her lap. Picking it up, her eyes read the script multiple times, her face getting more and more confused each time. She passed the postcard around, letting the rest of the gods take a peak, each one reacting with either the same bewildered expression, or, in the case of Apollo and Poseidon, fear. Once all the gods had gotten a look, Hermes delivered it to the heroes, who all paled at the realization, Frank and Hazel looking especially scared.
"What the hells is he doing in Alaska?!" The daughter of Athena screeched, clearly worried about her ex-lover. Multiple sets of eyes landed on her, and she flushed in embarrassment, sitting back down. "I mean, it's the place beyond the gods, there's no way he could survive there for twenty years? Even if he is Percy…" She muttered, scribbling on a piece of paper to distract herself. The others nodded in agreement, the land beyond the gods was unforgiving, it was why they didn't even think of him going there in the first place.
"Wait, how did you even figure out where he is?" Jason rubbed his chin, looking at the postcard before setting it down on his lap, staring at the goddess in the middle of the room. Artemis looked around the room, her eyes flicking between the different gods and goddesses, before settling back on Jason.
"His mom knew. He's been sending her mail for the entire time he's been missing." Everyone's jaw dropped, with various whispers of 'Of course' and 'Percy would never abandon his mom'. "Which leads me to another question, why did no one ask her in the first place? Especially you all." Silver eyes landed on the Immortal Heroes who all just looked at the goddess like she was crazy.
"Do you want to be the one to tell Percy's mom that he went missing? That we lost him again?" Jason said, and a jolt of realization went through her as she imagined Sally yelling at her for somehow losing track of her son for the second time in a decade. Shivers ran down her spine as she held up a hand, nodding her head. As they all decided to purge that conversation from their minds, there was another question hanging in the air. 'Who was going to go find him?' Each and every one of them knew what going into the land beyond the gods entails, as it could possibly lead to their deaths, or worse, force them to fade. A heavy silence filled the atmosphere as anxious eyes flicked between the different immortals.
"I'll g-"
"Absolutely not." Artemis cut Annabeth off, glaring harshly at the girl, who was so shocked by the instant denial that her mouth just opened and closed like a gaping goldfish. Artemis, for some reason unknown to her, didn't want the girl anywhere near him. In fact, the only people she currently trusted to find him were herself and her hunters, but she also wasn't sure if she wanted to subject her hunters to the harsh environment of Alaska. Doubt trickled through her as she realized she was again, stuck in the same situation as before she found where he was.
"I think Artemis should find him." Hera spoke, and Artemis whirled around to face her stepmother, blinking in surprise. The queen's face was stone cold, but there was a small twinkle in her eyes, something Artemis didn't miss. It was almost felt like, hope?
"Wh-what, why, wh…" Artemis quite literally couldn't speak, stammering as her face flushed gold. Hera's stone-cold mask didn't break as she stared at her husband's affair child. She simply waved her hand.
"You're his wife, so it's obvious you should be the one to go find him, and if you die trying, well, that's no sweat off my back." Any decent thoughts about her stepmother were washed away as the words she spoke hit her like a ton of bricks. Before Artemis could say anything, Apollo raised his voice, the sun's light getting harsher as it lit up the room.
"You cow! I will not have my sister put in danger! Why can't we just issue a quest and have the demigods go and find him?" Hera looked appalled at the insult, sparks flying as she contemplated striking Apollo down. Instead, another voice broke through the tension.
"Because you and I both know that Perseus wouldn't want to endanger innocent lives just to 'rescue' him." The king of the seas rubbed his beard, deep in thought. Of course he wanted to help his child, but like everyone else knew, this was basically a lose-lose scenario. As he was lost in thought, Artemis looked around, fights brewing as they all silently argued about who should go and find him. As godly power flowed through the room, she took a deep breath.
"I'll find him." The room went silent as all sixteen pairs of eyes landed on her. Apollo opened his mouth to speak, but Artemis raised a hand to stop him. "I know what you're going to say brother, but after today, I'm done with those close to me thinking I need protection. I can handle myself just fine, and besides, the original order to find him was bestowed upon me, so therefore I will be the one to travel to Alaska and bring him home." Mixed expressions circled the room, from worried to anger to even joy, which confused Artemis, who watched the goddess of love secretly smile. Deciding to ignore that for now, she dared anyone to challenge her, stone cold determination washing over her as she glared everyone down. Since no one spoke up, she looked over to Hera, who, again had that spark in her eyes.
"It is settled then. Artemis will go to the land beyond the gods to bring young Perseus back home." She snapped her fingers, signaling the end of the Olympian council. Before flashing out, Artemis watched the goddess's lips move. 'Good luck' was what she seemed to say before shining a bright white and disappearing into the air. Many others disappeared as well, deciding against arguing with the others. The god of the sea stared at his niece, narrowing his eyes at her. He didn't say anything, but his message was clear. 'Don't fuck this up.' He too, teleported away in a flash of green, the scent of the sea lingering in the air. Apollo shrunk to his normal human form and walked over to his sister, staring her down.
"There's no way I can talk you out of this huh? Not even if I promise to annoy you with awful haikus for the rest of your life?" The joke helped ease the tension between the two, and Artemis softly smiled, appreciating her brother's attempt. But right now she wanted to make her own choices, she didn't want to be some princess who had to be saved by an arrogant prince. Right now, she wanted answers, she wanted the truth, and she'd be damned if she was going to wait.
So, this was a pretty pivotal moment in the series, and the second scene that lived rent free in my brain while brainstorming for this story. There will obviously be more to come! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the read, and please lemme know if you enjoyed!