Man, I can't believe that you guys got this fic to 300 followers. I don't know how to express how grateful I am to you all. I would also like to say, I do read all of your reviews, sometimes more than once, so don't take me not responding to them as me ignoring you, I just don't want to clog the story up with AN's. Also, special thanks to Maroon for helping beta this chapter, they really helped me out by separating paragraphs and helping space things out. Anyway, onto the chapter!
Fading sunlight streamed through the streets as the city of New York entered rush hour, the sidewalks bustling with businessmen and women struggling to get home after a long day at work.
Amongst them, a certain silver-eyed goddess brushed past them, shamelessly using the mist to help clear a path as she ran toward the center of the city. Her red hair left streaks as she dashed across the street, ignoring the mortal street lights signaling when to walk across them, weaving between stalled cars stuck in traffic.
She could feel the wind on her face, her lips formed into a wild grin as the Empire State Building towered over her. With a victorious aura, she strode into the lobby, smugly looking around as she walked up to the front desk clerk, who was reading a newspaper.
As she clicked on the bell, the newspaper dropped, revealing a rather proud looking son of Poseidon, a small smirk on his face as his eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Too slow Lady Artemis, I told you I'd make it here before you did. And yes, I didn't flash here, I swear it on the Styx."
Thunder boomed and Artemis's mouth was open in shock, her body frozen. Her head snapped to the door, then back to Perseus, then back to the door.
"How….what…I passed you!" For the first time in a while, the goddess of the hunt had lost a race. Ichor crept up her face as she flushed in embarrassment, staring at Perseus whose smile only seemed to widen.
He got up out of the chair and walked over to her side, a keycard in his hand, tossing a few Drachma towards a passerby who happened to be the real front desk clerk.
"I told you, you may beat me in the forest but in New York? The concrete jungle is my home, there's no way you'd know all the shortcuts that I do. At least not until you've lived here for as long as I have."
The desk clerk nodded and sat down, passing the still-frozen goddess. As Perseus walked into the elevator, he raised an eyebrow, holding the door open.
"Are you coming or not?" If she wasn't golden before, now she definitely was, anger slightly creeping up, replacing the feeling of embarrassment from earlier.
She stomped her way into the elevator, glaring at the young god who just closed the doors, slipping the keycard in and pressing the '600' button. The elevator shot up, rocketing through all the mortal floors before stopping at the steps of Olympus.
Normally, Artemis would've flashed here, but because Perseus had challenged her to a race, she wanted to, as the mortals say, 'kick his ass'. But unfortunately, she now owed him 100 drachmas. As they stepped out of the elevator, she marveled at the improvements of the divine mountain. The bridge was fully repaired and beautifully shining under the summer sun. Glistening marble tiles and pillars lined the edges, preventing poor souls from falling off unless they really tried. The duo's footsteps echoed as they walked forward, admiring the different structures that had been built in the last few years. This solstice meeting would be the three-year anniversary since the giants have been defeated, and finally, the world was at peace.
"Wow, Annabeth really did improve upon the place didn't she?" Artemis didn't realize what she said until it came out, and immediately all feelings she had before vanished, replaced with worry as she side-eyed Perseus. At first glance, she didn't notice any difference, the still small smile on his lips, and the glitter in his eye from the setting sun.
His posture was happy, casually strolling alongside the goddess, even greeting some of the Nymphs and Dryads who were asking for his autograph. However, as the goddess of the hunt, she sensed his muscles contract, and the grip on the pen he was using tightened. It had been a full year since they broke up, and it seemed that he still had lingering issues over the girl.
It was understandable of course, they had been together through literally everything, so expecting him to be completely healed, even after a full year, wasn't to be expected. Perseus finished signing the various articles of clothing or, albeit awkwardly, parts of their body, which made Artemis have a rather unpleasant feeling run through her, and continued walking forward.
"She really did. She's a talented architect, so I'm not surprised this place is an upgrade from the last time I've visited." Running a hand through his hair, she watched as he seemed to brush it off. Another surge of uncomfortable feelings settled in her gut at his compliment, before she pushed it all down. Continuing onwards, she gazed upon the different shops and stalls, the different businesses knowing that during the solstice they would get a lot more traffic.
'Apollo approved sunscreen' and 'Demeter blessed sunflower seeds' lined the shelves. Artemis rolled her eyes, ignoring them as she set her sights on the royal throne room. Perseus however, with his ADHD, happened to stop a few times, curious about the different plastic charms that pictured himself in a cutesy cartoonish look. He picked one up and chuckled, holding it to the light to get a better look. The eyes had a holographic sheen, mirroring the different colors that the god's own eyes could take.
"They really did nail the colors on this one. Plus, they used my orange t-shirt instead of some weird-looking battle armor. Much better than last year's." He set it down and put himself back at the goddess's side.
"Had enough of admiring yourself?" She knew he wasn't actually admiring himself like the other gods tended to, but instead complimenting the shopkeeper in a roundabout way. But she couldn't help teasing him a little bit, especially after him being all smug after winning the race.
"Please, you're just jealous that mine are cuter than yours." He gestured towards a Dryad's stall nearby, which was selling all sorts of different Artemis products.
Luckily, there weren't any crude drawings of her like the Aphrodite stalls, but she did feel a strange sense of discomfort seeing her face on pieces of merchandise. Rolling her eyes, she climbed the stairs towards the throne room with Perseus following close behind.
"As if, I'm still surprised you let them make a body pillow cover out of you." At this, Perseus's face flushed golden, glaring at her, which she just grinned at.
"Look, I don't know Japanese, so I had no idea what Dakimakura meant!" Now Artemis was laughing, maybe not a full belly laugh, but laughing nonetheless.
As they stepped into the throne room, a few gods and goddesses turned their heads towards them, eyes wide at the playful aura between the two. They both stopped once they realized who was watching them, and made their way to their respective thrones. Once Artemis was settled into her seat, she contemplated the relationship she had with the young god. Would she have imagined seeing herself laughing and teasing him years ago? Probably not. Well, maybe she would've. It was quite easy to poke fun at him after all. However, she definitely wouldn't have walked into a solstice meeting with a smile on her face side by side with him.
After that time at the cove, he seemed to come to the hunt more often, still being respectful of course, but his demeanor wasn't as strict as before. Especially around her, he seemed more relaxed, more free, more….well, him. She got to see more of the side of him that made people like him.
When he visited he wasn't 'The Savior of Olympus' or 'Slayer of Gaea' he was just, Perseus Jackson. It intrigued her of course, seeing that side of him. But what didn't expect was how much she ended up enjoying having him around, often joining in the conversations that he would start alongside the huntresses that he'd bonded with.
All heroic aspects of him were lost, as she just saw him for him, and it made her unexpectedly happy. A soft smile formed on her lips as she watched the rest of the Olympians and Heroes flash in, waiting for the solstice meeting to start. Zeus banged his master bolt on the ground, sending small sparks of electricity arcing across the room. An abnormally giddy look adorned the king of the gods' face as he started the meeting, his electric eyes twinkling with an emotion she couldn't quite make out.
"The Summer Solstice meeting will now begin!" His voice boomed, the chattering between the immortals quieting down. All eyes looked at him, wondering what exactly they were going to talk about. The past few solstice meetings have been rather boring, considering that there weren't any major threats aside from a few monsters escaping Tartarus. "First, we will start with the report on how the camps are doing." Zeus settled his gaze on his son, who coughed and nodded.
"The conjoining of both camps is going smoothly. Of course, it will take serious time for them to be able to truly be one, through the combined efforts of both Percy and I, they are at least on friendlier terms than last year. Aside from that, the portals connecting the two are still a work in progress, with the children of Hecate estimating that it should be finished later this year. And finally, the construction of a 'New Greece' as proposed by Annabeth has been approved. As soon as we procure the building materials, construction will begin right away." Artemis was only half listening, having been updated already about all of this by Perseus since he was a big part of running the camp now. Of course, her father hadn't released Dionysus from his imprisonment, but his job was at least easier from what she gathered.
"The training of the demigods is proceeding smoothly, alongside the recruitment of new heroes. Percy and I have increased the numbers of both camps by at least fifty each over the past year." The daughter of Athena spoke up, looking over to her previous lover, who simply stared blankly ahead, a singular nod affirming her words.
From what Artemis had seen, and had heard from whispers on the mountain, Annabeth had tried multiple times to get him back. Even forsaking their previous arrangement to hopefully win him over again. Her eye involuntarily twitched, before she spoke out.
"Perseus has also helped fill out my ranks as well. They aren't as plentiful as before the giant war, which could be because of the cultural changes regarding maidenhood, but each one has shown to be a strong and devoted huntress." Ignoring the piercing look the daughter of Athena sent her way, she shot a look towards Perseus, who had a small smile on his face.
However, she could sense something else in his posture. Narrowing her eyes, she could sense his body tense up, and despite the fact that it looked like his eyes were staring straight ahead, they were fixed to help control the feeling he was trying to hide. Anxiety.
'Why is he nervous?' She had seen the boy nervous before of course. During the first few times he teased her, she sensed a wariness to his tone and demeanor, and for good reason of course. But she'd never seen him nervous during a solstice meeting before. Bored? Absolutely. But anxiety was a new one. Studying him, the different voices were drowned out by her own mind, simply focusing on the son of Poseidon, who seemed to get even more anxious as time went on.
Not noticing how much time had passed since she started staring at him, she was interrupted by a cough. A small shake of her head and she focused back in on the meeting, where Zeus seemed to be talking.
"Now, I would like to discuss a rather…important matter. It has come to my attention that I have been… less than kind toward my brother in recent years. And he has been the same way towards me as well." Poseidon gave him a shocked look before a look of realization came across his face.
"Ahem, yes brother. I think it is time we settled our differences and put this all to rest." A sympathetic look was thrown toward his son, and Artemis was absolutely confused about where this was going. Not even her excellent tracking skills helped her in figuring out the context behind this conversation, aside from the obvious of course.
"Then, I think it's time we announce it. My brother and I have made a truce. We will no longer fight over petty things, and will learn to trust each other." Now if the room wasn't shocked before, they are now. Mouths were open and eyes flicked between the two gods faster than the speed of light. Artemis herself couldn't believe the words she was hearing, wondering if maybe she was dreaming. Of course, that thought didn't last long as she remembered that gods couldn't dream unless Morpheus specifically made them. "But, to ensure the fact that we won't fight, both of us decided to put a personal stake into the truce." The king's eyes flicked towards hers, and the smallest feeling of dread pooled in her stomach. She wasn't sure what yet, but the words combined with the look couldn't be a good sign.
"With that being our own children." Poseidon's eyes flicked towards Perseus, and the feeling only increased. "To prevent ourselves from destroying our family, we have decided to arrange a marriage with each of our children. For me, it will be Perseus."
The dots started connecting, and her eyes widened. Immediately, rage fueled her as she materialized her bow in her hand, knocking an arrow and pointing it at her father. Gasps were heard around the chamber as the arrowhead was aimed directly at his heart. However, the god was surprisingly calm, watching her with cold, electric blue eyes.
"Absolutely fucking not. I will not be a bargaining chip because of an age-old feud that I had no part in." She hissed, the tips of her fingertips screaming at her to release the arrow and cause an uproar. However, she decided to wait, to hear what her bastard father had to say for himself.
"Daughter, you will listen to my orders. In fact, you have to, since you owe me." The word was spoken differently than the others, like a dagger piercing into the back of her neck, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. For a moment, she didn't know what he was talking about. She didn't owe him a damned thing, and her fingers twitched. However, a second later her eyes widened and the golden blood running through her veins went cold.
"No. You're not using that now. For this? THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAVING IT FOR? JUST TO MARRY ME OFF TO A DAMNED SEA SPAWN?" She didn't give a damn about how she previously felt about Perseus. All she cared about right now was her own pride and responsibility to her domains.
If she was married off, she wouldn't be considered the goddess of maidenhood anymore, and her virgin oath would be revoked. At the very least, since it was taken away by Zeus, she wouldn't be subjected to the punishment for breaking a vow of the Styx. But it didn't matter anyway, she didn't want to break it at all.
"You had me swear to a higher power when you asked me to never touch your hunters after I seduced Callisto. I told you then I would do it so long as you took the same vow for a favor later on. It is up to me how I use it, and I'm using it now. So sit down." His voice boomed across the room, and Artemis gritted her teeth, refusing to let the tears forming in her eyes fall. She was losing her greatest source of pride, she wouldn't lose anymore by crying in front of her family.
She whipped around and looked at Perseus, the unmistakable emotion of anger clear on his face. His hands were balled into fists, and he was looking away from her. However, he was oddly silent, which was strange to her. He was known for voicing his opinions, no matter how bold. Shaking her head, she glared back at her father, walking over to her throne and sitting down. The other gods were in shock, not uttering a single word while the heated exchange occurred, the tension palpable as she settled down. Zeus banged his master bolt, causing the goddess to flinch.
"Now, the wedding will happen in two weeks' time. I expect a grand party of course, since it is my own daughter's wedding, alongside a hero of Olympus." Another flinch at the mention of the ceremony, her fingernails digging into her palms, golden ichor spilling onto the throne's armrests. Nobody responded to the comment, and she felt the dread from before rising once more, this time filling her entire body.
She felt like puking, her body heating up like it was trying to expel a mortal virus from her immortal form. "As that was the last thing on the agenda, this meeting will now be adjourned." No sooner than the words came out of his mouth, did the goddess flash out, not caring where she ended up.
Panic. Pure, unfiltered panic filled the goddess's mind as she dropped to the floor of the forest. She didn't know where she was, which was out of character for the goddess, but she also currently didn't give a damn about her location. Trees loomed over her like hooded reapers, their branches wooden scythes ready to take her soul and put it to rest. Luckily, the moon tonight was a new moon, therefore the mortals couldn't see the effect the goddess's emotions had on the celestial body. Clenching her fist, she grabbed a handful of leaves and threw them, letting the broken debris flutter to the ground. She screamed, taking out her knives and slashing all around her, the branches cracking and splintering as they landed on the ground around her.
"WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS? WHY DOES HE HAVE TO RUIN MY LIFE? I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE MARRIED TO HIM!" No sooner than she said it, a burning sensation was felt inside of her chest. The effects of an unbreakable oath reminding her of the consequences.
She bit her lip, letting the ichor fall as she split her skin. Throwing her knives to her side, she balled her fist and smashed a nearby tree, letting the wood embed itself into her skin. She couldn't violate a contract if she was dead right? The dark thought simmered in her head, and she let it flow. Spinning around and kicking another tree, removing the divine power from her legs just before impact. With a sickening snap, her shin split, the bone sticking out of her skin. She didn't suppress the urge to scream, letting her voice ring throughout the empty forest.
Collapsed on the floor, she let her injuries course through her, ichor pooling on the warm dirt below her. Now that she was alone, the tears she held back before came pouring out now, with heart-wrenching sobs soon following. She knew, at some point, she would have to do one thing he asked. Maybe hunt a specific monster, or prevent another mortal war from happening. Hells, maybe she'd have to lie to Hera about where he was one night. Something mundane, not being used as a pawn in familial politics.
"Why….." No other words could come out, as there was nothing else she could say. Every time she tried to speak, another set of sobs came out instead. Never had she cried like this before, not even when one of her greatest friends died. Not when the majority of her hunt was slaughtered by Orion. This wasn't how she cried then. Back then, she sobbed, but she reminisced. The good times, and the bad, and she knew that they would be safe in Elysium where no one could hurt them again.
No, this time she had nothing to reminisce on. No one to rely on. It was just her, the broken goddess of the hunt. The painful thud of her injuries brought her out of her misery for a split second. The earlier thought slowly faded into the background of white noise in her mind.
"Arty…" She heard a soft voice call out to her. Turning her head, she saw the beautiful daughter of Aphrodite, her Kaleidoscope eyes wide with concern, and her brother, his mouth agape at the damage she caused. Immediately he rushed over to the goddess, pulsing divine power into the broken leg. Artemis tried to move it away from him, the pain of a comforting friend in dark times. But alas, there was only so much she could do while the rest of her body fought against her self-destructive tendencies.
Her willpower was gone, and she winced as her skin knitted itself back together, the bone slowly mending itself thanks to the power of the god of healing. Piper knelt down to her, a hand gently caressing the goddess's cheek. She wanted to close her eyes and let the warmth guide her, to feel like everything was alright, but she couldn't. Turning away, the anger brewed in her chest, golden ichor slowly making its way into her cheeks as she replayed the meeting over in her head.
"I'll be back. Piper, can you watch her?" Apollo stood up, brushing the dirt off his knees while directing his stare towards the girl. She nodded, not taking her eyes off of her friend. With a flash of white, the god was gone, and the two goddesses were left alone. An eerie quiet overcame them, with only the small sniffles of the moon goddess breaking it.
"I'm sorry Artemis…" The goddess knelt down next to her, ignoring the painful grit of the dirt digging into her legs. Artemis looked at Piper, her silver eyes dull.
"What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to say to my hunters? Why did it have to be me?" Artemis knew Piper wouldn't have any of the answers she was looking for, but she couldn't help but ask. She felt like her life was falling apart, that everything she stood for in the past few millenia was being washed away like waves erasing words in the sand.
"I don't know Artemis, but what I do know is that you can't keep hurting yourself like this. It's not going to help the pain in your heart." Piper gently ran her hands through Artemis's hair, hoping to calm the goddess's rapidly beating heart. But she just couldn't be calm, not when the words rang through her head like a bell. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Piper.
"What else can I do to get out of it then? I can't do this Piper! I can't get married. I'm Artemis the chaste, protector of maidens! If I'm not a maiden myself, how can I tell them that you don't need a man's company if I'm someone's spouse!" The words cut through the air like a whistling arrow, and Piper flinched. Artemis struggled to get up, wincing in pain at the jolt of spikes running up her leg. Piper rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Here let me help." As she reached down, Artemis shrugged her off. A pang went through Piper's heart before she tried again. A low growl came from the moon goddess as silver eyes, sharp as a knife, glared at her. Piper looked down at her friend, before steeling her own gaze, forcibly grabbing the goddess's arm and pulling it over her shoulder, ignoring the look she was being given.
"I don't need your help girl." Internally, Artemis winced at the tone she gave, but right now she didn't want to feel any more helpless than she already was. "Just let me leave on my own." She tried shrugging the girl off once more, but surprisingly Piper had an iron grip. As they both stood up, Piper turned Artemis so that they were face to face, staring directly into each other's eyes.
"Artemis. Right now, you need help. Your head isn't in a good space. You need friends who can support you through this. So right now, we need to go to your girls so that they can know what's going on." As much as Artemis hated it, she had a point. But she also wondered how they would take it, knowing the whole reason they joined was to forsake romance. Granted this wasn't romance, but it still went against their vows. Grunting, she nodded, her eyes turning away from the girl in front of her. With a satisfied smile, Piper snapped her fingers, cleaning them both up before flashing them towards her camp. Luckily, she had visited a few days before so she didn't need to ask where they were.
Inside the camp were a few huntresses milling about, doing menial tasks such as cleaning dishes or preparing firewood for a bonfire. Most of them stopped what they were doing when they saw their goddess, however, immediately rushing to her side and attending to any wounds that didn't close. Artemis tried to brush them off, but with the state she was in, it ended up being a moot attempt.
"My lady, what happened to you!" Verna asked, getting up from a kneeling position where she had inspected the goddess's healing leg. Artemis just turned her head, shame causing her face to slowly redden. Piper looked at the girl and waved a hand, signaling her to move. The huntress nodded but still kept at her side, walking towards the bench that Piper was leading Artemis to.
As she sat the goddess down, the trail of huntresses they gathered sat down on various benches, sending concerned looks toward their patron. Silence fell over the camp, with only the crackling of the fire nearby sending wisps of smoke into the air.
"I'm being married off." She went straight to the heart of the matter, the words like acid running across her tongue. Artemis watched the glowing fire, letting the light burn into the back of her eyes. It took a few seconds for the hunt to realize what she said, but once they did, all hell broke loose.
"What do you mean you're being married off?!" Atalanta yelled, getting up from her bench.
"To who? We'll kill them!" Phoebe also got up, a hellish red glint sparking in her eyes. Most of the other hunters repeated different variants of the two questions previously asked. Soon, the camp was overrun by angry hunters yelling over each other, ready to declare war on the person who dared to take their goddess's hand in marriage.
"Silence!" Power laced Piper's voice, and the camp went immediately quiet, her charmspeak acting instantly. "Sit." Again, they obeyed, their eyes glazed over as they all sat down around the bonfire, simply watching the goddesses. Piper then turned to Artemis, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Go ahead, speak." Her voice lacked the previous power behind it, instead, it was a gentle tone that helped Artemis relax, if only slightly.
"My father and my uncle, Poseidon, have come to the agreement to end their long-term rivalry. But, they decided, for whatever reason, to make it permanent they will put a personal stake in the truce. That being their own children." The hunt listened intently, their faces scrunched up in thought as they registered their patron's words.
"Wait so that means…" Thalia was the first to get it, her eyes going wide in shock. "Percy!?" She yelled, standing up. The other huntresses suddenly had uneasy expressions cross their faces. On one hand, they hated the idea that their leader was forced into marriage. On the other, well, it was Percy. They all loved him like a brother, or at least a friend. Conflicted looks were shared across the hunt as Artemis put her face in her hands, forcing herself to hold steady for her girls.
"Yes, Perseus will be my…" The word hung in the air like a toxic mist spreading across the forest floor. She took a deep breath, looking back up to her hunt. "I understand you all have reservations about all of this. And if you wish to, you may be free of your oath, as I will no longer be the maiden goddess you pledged yourself to."
Her heart hurt, the thought of losing any members of her hunt because of a stupid decision nearly felt as bad as losing one in battle. Artemis watched as they looked between each other before she heard the shuffling of armor, with Phoebe standing up, her fist enclosed and up to her heart.
"Lady Artemis, I swore an oath to you. I value your decisions and your principles. Just because some male is in your life now doesn't mean that I will leave you, especially now, when you need us the most. I will stand by your side until my last breath." Artemis blinked, watching in shock as Phoebe stood there, a soft smile on her normally hardened face.
"And I too, swore an oath. Even though you're getting married, that doesn't change the fact that I support you, and will be by your side forever." She watched as Verna stood up, mimicking Phoebe's salute. Soon, huntress after huntress stood up, saluting and repeating their vow. Numerous voices of comfort and approval becoming a melody of healing as Artemis started tearing up. She tried her best to stop the waterworks from coming, but between the hand on her shoulder from Piper, and her hunt showing swearing their loyalty, she couldn't stop the few tears that trickled down her cheek.
"Thank you all…for your support." Of course, this didn't fix the despair in her heart, but for the first time since the solstice meeting, she smiled.
The first thing Artemis noticed when she woke up was the scent of the sea surrounding her. Before she even opened her eyes, she could feel the ocean around her, and it was oddly comforting. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she couldn't remember the last time she slept so soundly. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she truly slept. The past two months have worn her down, with the constant hunting and the previous battle with Cetus. She looked around the room, noting that it was bare bones with just a bed and a nightstand. It made sense, as she was told it was just a spare bedroom that's rarely used.
The goddess looked outside, the sun high in the sky as it shone down over the city of Miami. Her eyes went wide as she realized the time, before throwing the blanket off of her and rushing through the door. Dashing down the hallway, she leapt off the stairs and landed with grace at the bottom, before flinging the door open to the cafe. What greeted her was all of her hunters sitting at the different tables, idly chatting about their lives while Penelope brewed a fresh batch of coffee. Hearing the door open, they all looked towards the goddess.
"Oh hey, sleeping beauty is up!" Thalia chuckled, and the rest of them smiled, a chorus of 'good morning my lady' ringing out before they returned to their conversations. Artemis stood there, mouth open like a fish, staring at everyone calmly talking. Penelope walked over, handing her a latte cup, with a cute little fox drawn in cream on the top. Thalia walked over as well, smiling while she munched on a pastry, the sweet smell making Artemis's stomach turn with hunger. "How'd you sleep?" The daughter of Zeus asked, guiding the shocked goddess towards a nearby table.
"I..uh, well. I slept well. Thank you, Penelope, for the room." The woman smiled at the goddess, going back to behind the counter to clean up. "How…why are you all here?" Thalia chuckled, before leaning back on her chair, watching the outside as people strolled by. Artemis noted the normally lit 'open' sign that the shop used was off.
"Well, when you didn't wake up around six like you usually do, I checked your tent. Seeing that it was empty, I gathered the hunters to help find you. Granted, it was a short hunt as the first place we checked was here, and Penelope was kind enough to tell us that you were sleeping upstairs. We figured you could use the rest since the last few months have been quite stressful for you. So, she closed down the shop and has been helping us plan our journey to Alaska." Artemis processed the information, turning a slight gold in embarrassment because of their concern over her location, and the fact that she overslept today. Luckily, the ferry left during the night, which should be easy enough to get there considering she could just flash there. As she stared down at the coffee, she felt a sense of anxiety fill her mind. Sure, he was still about a week away from being confronted, but that's closer than they've ever been before.
"Thank you, Thalia, for your concerns. I needed the sleep." She took a sip of her drink, relishing in the smooth taste and letting the caffeine clear her grogginess from sleep. She really understood why mortals seemed to enjoy the beverage so much considering how much she drank over the course of the past two months. "Then, what's our plan?" She asked, a smirk forming on her lips as she watched Thalia pull out a map.
"Well, the ferry takes us all the way to Anchorage, which will take about a week's worth of travel. Once we get there, we can take the train to Fairbanks. It's a pretty easy trip, makes me a little jealous that we can't do this all the time." Artemis rolled her eyes, taking another sip of her latte. "Then, we use the postcard's address to track Kelp-head down, convince him to come back, then we kick his ass. Not specifically in that order." An evil grin spread across the daughter of Zeus's face, and while she would feel bad for anyone else in her sights, Perseus deserved it.
'He deserves a lot more,' She thought. Nodding along to the plan, Thalia put the map away, looking to her leader.
"It's a sound plan, sort of anyway. Minimizes the risk of us staying in one place too long. Because it's beyond the god's reach, any sense of divinity will be like a beacon to any surrounding monsters." A small thought of worry crossed her mind, wondering how Perseus had stayed alive this entire time before she shoved it down. Currently, her mind should be all on her hunters. As Thalia nodded, the bell chimed letting them know that someone had entered the shop.
"Oh, I'm sorry, we're clo-" As everyone looked over, they saw a beautiful middle-aged woman dressed in a floor-length gray dress. Tan skin glinted in the fluorescent light of the coffee shop as she walked forward, holding a hand up to stop the girl from speaking. A motherly smile graced her lips, but what was most shocking was the literal flames that she had instead of eyes.
"Don't worry my dear, I'm sure your customers won't mind. I merely bought a gift for them all." A bunch of the hunters got up and engulfed the woman in a hug, and Artemis suppressed a smile at Penelope's shocked face.
"Penelope, meet Hestia, guardian of the hearth, goddess of family." Artemis watched the goddess, a warm feeling spreading through her as Hestia let her aura wash over them. Hestia had become sort of a second advisor to the hunt over the years, especially in the weeks after Artemis's wedding when she went through a depressive episode. So sometimes, she would stop by and offer to make them a warm meal and catch up on any kind of news while offering her own advice. Out of all the gods and goddesses, she trusted Hestia the most.
Once all the hunters had said their greetings and given their hugs, Hestia walked over to Penelope and eyed her. The barista gave an awkward smile and wave, before being engulfed in a hug herself. Artemis watched her tense up, before eventually melting into the woman's embrace, a wide smile on her face. After letting go, Hestia looked over to Artemis, who gave a soft smile. Hestia walked over and sat down in front of the goddess, her eyes flickering as she looked her over.
"You've seen better days, haven't you?" A small, teasing smile formed on Hestia's lips as she conjured up her own cup, the faint scent of tea entering the goddess's senses. The rest of the hunters continued in their own conversations, with slight looks towards their new guest.
"Yeah, you could say that." Artemis chuckled, before leaning back on the cushioned seat. "So, you said you have gifts, is that why you're here?" Internally, she cringed at the bluntness of the question, but truth be told, she'd had enough of talking about her own problems in the past few days. As if sensing her inner thoughts, Hestia nodded, bringing out a small duffel bag.
"Inside of here is enough ambrosia and nectar to hopefully restock whatever you lost during the fight with Cetus. There's also a jacket for you and each of your hunters, magically enchanted to keep you all warm since you are going to Alaska during the winter after all." Artemis's eyes widened, shocked to get such a gift from Hestia. Normally she would expect food, like the nectar and ambrosia she gave. Hearing a small giggle broke Artemis out of her shock, watching Hestia's flaming eyes flicker with amusement.
"The nectar and ambrosia was my idea, the jackets were actually made by the immortal heroes." If Artemis was shocked before, now she was bewildered. The other hunters' eyes bulged out as well, having been shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation between the immortals.
"Why…"
"Would they do that? You underestimate how much his friends miss him. I had to talk them out of going to Alaska behind your back." Hestia sipped her tea, resting one hand on her lap as she watched Artemis. "Eventually, Jason gave the idea that they should at least try to help in one way or another. Leo came up with the idea of these jackets, while the others added in their own design ideas towards them." Hestia set down her cup, a more serious expression crossing her face.
"They're also imbued with celestial bronze thread, similar to mortal chainmail. Annabeth had them measured out for each of the huntresses, and for you as well. And Piper made sure there were plenty of pockets for you all." Artemis took the bag and reached inside, pulling a jacket out. It was a deep black, with an almost silky feel to it. The outside flickered like holographic material because of the celestial bronze thread. And, as Hestia had said, there were plenty of pockets, both on the outside and the inside. It would make for a good place to store personal supplies for each hunter.
She noted the size of the first one she pulled out, realizing how large it was. Confused, she pulled out another one, seeing that this one was smaller, and would fit her huntresses rather easily. Inspecting it closer, she saw the name 'Hailey' embroidered on the tag. Going back to the first one, she saw the name 'Percy' sewn onto the tag in a sea-green thread.
"Annabeth figured that he would probably need it," Hestia said, finishing off her tea and vanishing the cup away. Something jolted through the goddess, and she narrowed her eyes in response. She moved on her own, placing the jacket over herself, embracing the warmth it gave, remembering that his hoodie fit quite well before. Plus, for some reason, it gave her some kind of sick satisfaction to wear the jacket that was meant for him. She just chalked it up to a petty revenge for how she made him feel. Once she was satisfied, Artemis looked up, now noticing the huntresses all looking at her eagerly. She gave the bag to Thalia and let them rifle through it. Each one looked the same but had their names in different colors to give a small personal flair.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Penelope inch closer, a small hopeful look on her face. Hestia must've noticed it too.
"Unfortunately my love, they didn't realize you would be going on the mission and didn't prepare one for you. However, I can summon some warm clothing for you so that you'll be adequately prepared." Penelope's face fell, and it reminded her so much of him that she didn't even realize her mouth was opening to speak.
"You can have mine. I won't need it." Hestia raised an eyebrow at this. Penelope gave Artemis a look as if saying 'are you sure?' The goddess nodded and gestured for Thalia to give Penelope her jacket, who smiled warmly at the goddess. Looking back to Hestia, she noted a rather smug smile adorning the goddess's lips and decided to ignore it. Hestia stood up, clasping her hands together.
"Well, now that I've given you all your gifts, I will be heading back. Technically, I can't interfere too much since the ancient laws are still in place. Though it seems that Zeus has heard of your little rebellion and has loosened them enough so that you can go as well. Something about Hera convinced him, surprisingly."
Artemis raised an eyebrow at this, wondering what exactly her stepmother had planned for her. She still didn't forget the gleam in her eye when she announced she was going to find him. Deciding to ask her later, she stood up as well, walking over to Hestia and giving her a big hug.
"Thank you, Aunt Hestia, I really appreciate everything you've done for my hunt and I." She remembered the meals they shared during the sleepless nights over the past twenty years, the times when she would brood and Hestia took care of her hunt, feeding them stories of when the Olympians were young and restless.
"Of course, my dear, my arms will always be open for my favorite niece." She returned the hug, giving a rather strong squeeze that one wouldn't expect from the goddess, before releasing Artemis, and heading out the door. The aura of warmth lingered for a little bit, before it settled down, leaving a feeling of happiness over the cafe.
"I like her," Penelope said, cleaning up the last of the cups before setting them down. Artemis nodded, with the rest of the huntresses giggling at the sudden statement. Her eyes flicked to the clock, and she noted it was about time for them to leave. As she walked over to Thalia, she seemed to get the message, packing up whatever they found inside the pouch and sealing it up.
The rest of the girls started cleaning up from where they sat, greatly reducing any work Penelope had to do, before pushing in the chairs. Penelope locked the door and turned off the lights. She put up a little sign that explained she was going on vacation and nodded as everything was set up for her to go.
"This will feel a little strange to you Penelope, but I'm going to flash us to Seattle, then we can sightsee until we need to board." The huntresses nodded, before standing close to the goddess. They gestured towards the daughter of Poseidon, who walked forward, picking up a bag she had kept below the bar, anticipating that she'd need one if she was to travel with them. Once they were all gathered around Artemis, she closed her eyes and concentrated, before a silver light engulfed them all, flashing them to the state of Washington.
Dusk settled over the city of Seattle as Artemis walked towards the docks, her mind slowly unraveling the fact that she was just a measly week away from reuniting with her estranged husband. She snorted, such a strange term to address him by, however as of lately, she's had less of an issue with it, becoming sort of numb to the feeling it gave her. In fact, a lot of things have changed since the winter solstice meeting last year. The way she felt towards him wasn't raw hate anymore.
Now that she's been given some time to sort her thoughts and confront the issue, she felt a sort of sadness over it. The sadness wasn't towards the betrayal, it was towards the fact that he ran away. Of course, she remembered what she said, that she never wanted to see him again, but thinking back on it, she wished she hadn't said that.
'How strange….' She thought, mindlessly kicking a pebble down the street. How strange it was that over twenty years, her anger just festered inside of her, rotting, fueling itself, creating more rage until it bubbled over and she would lash out. But over the course of two months, she confronted her feelings, realizing that while her anger was justified, she needed to know the reasoning behind everything.
She wanted to understand why he would betray a friend. His fatal flaw shouldn't have let him after all, and it was this that drove her curiosity. She reached the docks, entered the heated building, the bell dinging as she saw the rest of her group lounging about around the lobby. Upon seeing Artemis, they all stood up, walking over to her like moths attracted to a flame. She chuckled at the thought, slipping her hand into the jacket's pocket. Sure the sleeve was a little too long for her, and the jacket reached mid-thigh instead of her waist, but it helped settle her thoughts.
"They should begin boarding soon my lady," Thalia said, watching the goddess with a hint of curiosity, her eyes probing into the goddess's mind. Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful as Artemis turned her head towards the clerk, who was silently scrolling through her phone.
"Then we should get ready. Do we have everyone?" She did a head count, mentally adding the different hues of hair, making sure that everyone was accounted for. After confirming that all sixteen of her hunters plus one hitch-hiker were present, she nodded. Thalia double-checked the goddess's work, before confirming everything.
"Yep, looks like it. Now, I think we just scan the ticket on Penelope's phone and load everything up. Luckily, we got magic tents, so we don't have to deal with anyone taking our luggage." Thalia walked up to Penelope, signaling that it was her time to shine. She walked over to the clerk, who heard the commotion and had put away her phone, a bored look on her face. Fortunately, it was an easy task to just scan the barcode, give them a paper ticket, and set them on their way.
Soon, they were all heading down the pier, the rather large ship looming over them. Portholes lined the middle of the ship's body, a few of them lit up as there were already people inside. Walking up the steep bridge onto the deck of the ship, Artemis watched the other's board, making sure everything went smoothly.
Once everyone was on, she checked her ticket, noting that she was in room 303. The hunters all looked around in amazement, most of them not having been on a boat this large before. To be fair to them, she hadn't been on one in recent times either, having been mostly grounded since the sea was her uncle's domain and she didn't want to be disrespectful.
"Well, we should be heading out to sea soon, so we should head to our rooms and get settled. Afterward, we can explore the ship." Hailey said, analyzing the paper brochure she picked up in the lobby. As everyone split off to see their rooms, Artemis walked towards her own, following the signs until she reached the third floor.
Opening her door up, she was greeted with two beds side by side, both looking exactly the same with pristine white sheets and rock-hard pillows. Sighing, she sat down on one of the beds, wondering for a moment who her roommate would be. Her question was soon answered as Thalia walked into the room soon after her, raising an eyebrow at the goddess.
"Well, I guess it's fate that we end up being roommates. I hope you don't snore." She teased, and Artemis rolled her eyes. As Thalia set her bag down, she flopped on the bed, making a face as she bounced up and down. "Yeah, this bed sucks. Even our cots in the hunt are better than this. Well, I guess that's kinda cheating since they're magically enchanted."
She picked up a pillow, noting the crunch it had when she squeezed it. Pulling her bag to her side, she grabbed a pillow from the magical sack, placed it on the bed, and nodded, satisfied with her work. A smile crept up on Artemis's face, and she looked out the porthole of their room. As she was looking out, she heard static and froze up.
"Good evening, this is your ship captain speaking. We will be departing soon on our voyage to Anchorage Alaska. The total time will take 106 hours to complete, so I suggest you all get comfortable. If this is your first time riding with us, I strongly suggest you take a look at the TV screen located either in your private rooms or in the lobby of the deck for important safety information. Anyway, thank you for choosing Alaskan Waterways and I hope you enjoy your trip!"
The intercom cut out, and Artemis sighed in relief. Perseus had been oddly quiet recently. However, it had only been around two nights since she'd last heard from him. Running a hand through her hair, she stared at the shore before her, watching it slowly get farther and farther away. Thalia came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, nodding to her lady. Only about a week remained until she saw Perseus again, and for the first time since that night, she was ready to see him again.
Things are starting to fall into place as we get closer and closer. Hopefully I'm doing Artemis correctly, and your hearts are ready for the ride. Anyway, the next chapter should be released sometime later this week. After that, I will be going on my normal two week break to help brainstorm how I'm going to do the next act. I'm also apart of the Emerald Library discord if you ever wanna chat as well! Anyway, see you all soon!