Alright here it is, Chapter 31
This chapter is going to have some very intense moments, and yes, we are at the point in the story where the action, suspense, and surprises are going to be continuous for the rest of the story. There is a very crucial and story-wrenching event that is going to happen in the next chapter, and then in a few chapters the entire plot is going to be flipped on its head then folded over like a flipping burrito at Taco Bell.
This chapter is also going to shed some light on the Pertemis lore Pre-Old Vows.
Thank you to everyone that helped me on this chapter, and I really hope you guys like it.
I am sorry that I did not update as fast as I promised I would. Docs deleted everything that I wrote last night, so I had to rewrite over 1500 words.
Please consider leaving feedback, it makes me feel good, and you get faster updates.
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Sunshine floods into Atalanta's bedroom in the late hours of the morning as she lays on her stomach in the middle of her side of the bed. A good book in her hands as she lays there wearing just a short, thin black nightgown with some tight underclothes underneath. Her hair is wet from the shower she just took, and she smells of the forest and lavender. A freshly cleaned outfit of hunter's garb lays on the wardrobe next to her mirror. She lays there happily as she waits patiently for her… boyfriend to wake up. She is not really an early bird herself, and she certainly isn't about to wake her precious man up.
Last night was a whirlpool of emotions that she has a very hard time processing. The two times they kissed had been euphoric, but she doesn't know what to think. Artemis told her everything she shouldn't do but she hadn't told Atalanta anything that she should do, so she is kinda just going at this alone without a direction or a way of knowing what to do. She reads a lot of books, and she has been trying to read books that are geared toward building healthy relationships, but it doesn't necessarily make her any smarter when it comes to these things.
She's dreamed of losing her innocence to a nice man for ages, but now that she finally has the opportunity to do it she's not scared, of course, but she is nervous. Ray is so sweet, and if anything happened to him… Gosh, she would never forgive herself. She doesn't have to worry about Phoebe since they are basically twins. Phoebe won't do or say anything to Ray as long as he is good friends with Atalanta.
For the first time ever she defied Artemis's authority and fought back when she said that Ray couldn't stay here. It was definitely worth it, and now she feels even more empowered than ever before.
She is so deep inside of her thoughts that she doesn't even realize that Ray opened his eyes to stare at her, and that her fingers were starting to slip on the pages of her book…
"Shit," she curses under her breath as her book slaps closed, losing her place.
She quickly glances over to the side at Ray to see if the sound had woken him.
"Good Morning, My Little Huntress."
She blushes with a smile as she looks away in embarrassment. The nickname is really sweet, and she just… she just LOVES it.
"Good morning, Ray, how did you sleep?" She whispers to him softly in a gentle, comforting voice.
He sits up in bed and looks around, then he looks at the window and his eyes widen.
"Gosh, I am so sorry for sleeping so long."
Atalanta just looks up at him with a confused expression, and then she starts to giggle.
"Nonsense," she says, rolling over in the bed and putting her hands behind her head as a pillow showing off every curve she has to offer, "You're our guest, my guest, sleep as long as you like."
"Thanks…" He says skeptically, looking around. Her bedroom is much more well decorated than he first thought when he walked in here last night, and the light really shows off the colorful display of pictures and trophies that the huntress has gathered through her many adventures. He also takes some time to indulge in the guilty pleasure of eyeing up the huntress… It is just too irresistible.
"So…" He starts, "How long have you been up?" He asks, trying to change the subject, while also trying to distract her from the fact that he was just eyeing her up.
"About an hour… I used a spell to muffle all the sound I made, so that I wouldn't wake you up."
Rays turns his head to look into her eyes, and she smiles.
"Thank you, that's really sweet, Atalanta."
She smiles sweetly and gets up in bed, rolling over to sit sideways, her legs facing away from him and her body close to his so that she can wrap her arms around his neck. It's a bold move, but she really wants to have a romantic morning. He takes the invitation and leans in to kiss her, she eagerly returns it. His hands nervously place themselves on her flanks, and she smiles faintly, giggling.
"Ray…" She says softly, "You're more than welcome to touch me." Atalanta whispers, "And I don't mean exclusively just on my hips and waist. I see how respectful you are with your hands. I'm impressed, so you can touch instead of just looking." Atalanta offers, pulling away ever so slightly.
Ray gazes into her eyes with fire and obvious lust, but he quickly diverts his eyes.
"I-" He hesitates, as if the temptation is starting to win him over, but its like he also is struggling to accept something too good to be true. "I don't want to-"
"You don't want to what? Ray?"
He sighs dejectedly, taking his hands off her flanks to gently remove hers from around his neck.
"You saved my life, then you nursed me back to health with your own blood, then you let me come here for meals as your guest, treated me to the best food, then you kissed me and let me sleep here… Now you offer to let me indulge in you too. I-" He hesitates, looking away from her, "You are a goddess. I don't want to take advantage of you."
Atalanta smiles brightly at being called a goddess. She thinks of herself as being fairly beautiful, well shaped, and she keeps herself perfectly groomed, but she's never thought of herself as having goddess level beauty or characteristics. She has been extremely nice to Ray, and she intends to continue.
"Ray… You're one of the most selfless people I know. In my opinion, I think it's time you yourself got some love."
He locks his eyes with her again.
"I've always done the right thing without expecting anything in return. My mother, may she live long in Elysium, taught me that is the definition of true selflessness. What it means to be a good person."
"And she was right." Atalanta says, kissing him on the forehead as she quickly straddles his lap for real, making the trail of her nightgown hike up her legs to reveal her panties and her thick thighs. Hr wouldn't dare touch her panties, but he can't resist putting his hands on her thighs. He kisses her and she eagerly returns it, mewling and whining as his hands grip and knead all over her hips and outer thighs. She would like him to get more adventurous with his hands… When she said he could touch her, she meant that he can touch her anywhere, but she has come to learn that it takes time for Ray to believe something so good. They stay like that for a good, long, hot second before Ray pulls away, whispering how amazing she is and how they should get out of bed. He is very much turned on, not that it takes much with this beauty in his lap, but he would never forgive himself if he lost control and did something he might regret.
They do get out of bed. The lazy huntress doing so with little haste, preferring to take her time and let him get out first. She takes great enjoyment in watching the muscles on his back flex as he puts on his clothes. She had a romantic morning, and that is what she had wanted. She really and truly had wanted him to get more adventurous with his hands, but everyone has to walk before they can run. She is rather flustered after that, and feels just the slightest, but yet sweetest heat between her legs. She's observant, as every huntress has to be, and noticed that Ray also got flustered by that.
"I have an unused toothbrush in the cabinet above my sink in the bathroom if you don't have one." Atalanta mentions sweetly, pulling her nightgown up and over her head facing away from him so that she can slip into her hunter's garb. After she took off her nightgown she pulled all her hair over her shoulder so that Ray could clearly see the clasp of her bra, as well as the curvature of her back. She had no way of knowing if he was watching her, but she has it on good assumption that he is.
"Thank you, Little Huntress." He replies in a low voice as he eyes up the huntress.
"I'll wait here on the bed while you get cleaned up, and then we can head down to breakfast."
He nods and turns toward the bathroom, but then he stops and turns back around in a hurry. Wearing just her tight bra and panties she gets up from the bed at that moment to walk over to her mirror and slip on her hunter's garb.
"Atalanta?" He asks.
"Yes, Ray?" She replies, turning her body around just enough to look into his eyes which were, quite impressively, firmly locked to hers.
He has good self-control, that's for sure.
"I was thinking… I really enjoyed last night, that kiss was euphoric… And this morning… Gods, I would really love to get to know you better. Maybe we could go out to eat for breakfast instead?"
Atalanta crosses her arms and her eyes widen. Her crossed arms push her breasts together in ways that make his mind turn to pudding. She bends one of her knees as well to add to the display.
"Are you asking me out on a date? Ray?" She asks him in a sweet voice.
He nods his head yes with a big smile.
"Yes, I am." He admits, and walks over to her so that they are only a few inches apart.
She stares into his eyes for a few seconds before she smiles and backs away with a blush.
"Alright, let's do it!"
He smiles brightly and walks closer to her to close the distance between them. He places his hands boldly on her midriff, and he almost decides to place them higher, but he is overtaken with fear of rejection, so he doesn't do it.
"Awesome! Thank you, My Little Huntress." he says in an excited voice, he reaches a hand up to her cheek and she lets him for the first time run that hand into her hair and pull her in for a kiss. She kisses him back passionately, and after a few intense moments he puts a hand under her left thigh to lift it up. She gasps into his kiss at such a bold move, but that turns to a whine as she realizes how romantic this is. They pull away from the kiss after a few moments, and she smiles at him with the biggest, most happy smile she has ever had.
"You are a perfect man, Ray. I would be honored to go on a date with you."
"Thank you, Atalanta. I'll go get cleaned up, so we can go."
This girl saved his life, and she gave him her own blood when he needed a transfusion at the hospital. Then on top of everything, she accepted his invitation for a date.
While Ray was in the bathroom, Atalanta did not put on her hunter's garb, because that is not what she wants him to see her as, but instead she slips into a more casual, showy outfit. She slips on a tight pair of athletic shorts that really hug her curves, but also have just a bit of frill to them. The shorts show off her legs completely. She knows that he really likes her legs, and that he finds them sexy, so she will show them off. Then she puts on a purple sleeveless tank top over a new bra she knows he will like. A tight, lacey white bralette that has a strap behind her back and another around her neck with a large V neck. This particular shirt has no V-neck, but instead it goes all the way up to her neck. She lets her hair down too, styling it the best she can with her brush until Ray comes out of the bathroom.
A few minutes pass and Ray comes out of the bathroom looking real nice, smelling of mahogany woods.
"Alright, I'm ready." He says to her confidently, quickly checking out her new outfit.
"Me too, come on…" Atalanta says and leads him to the door, opening it for him.
"You look good, Little Huntress." Ray flirts suggestively, smirking.
Atalanta blushes and encourages him that they should get going. Ray nods and walks out the door that she held for him with thanks. When she walks out after him she says,
"It was Thalia's turn to cook anyway."
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After their 3 AM make out session and testimonial revival, Artemis and Percy drifted off to the sweetest of sleeps in each other's arms.
This morning they woke up earlier which makes no sense considering how late they went to bed, that they woke up again at 3AM, and that they had a boat load of sexual fun yesterday.
"Good Morning, Percy," She swoons, rolling over in the bed so that she is on top of him. She absolutely is no dom, but she does like to be on top every once in a long while. It makes her feel like a queen since Percy is the only man she sees as worthy of being a King.
"Good Morning, Arty." He replies, wrapping an arm around her waist as she kisses him.
She's gotten to become a much better kisser than when they first started dating, and she loves to cuddle with him like this. Kissing him slowly on the lips as their hands roam each other's bodies slowly and sensually.
"Gosh," Percy remarks, breaking the kiss with her, "You're eager this morning."
She smiles seductively and gives him a kiss on the nose, then she leans down to whisper something hot into his ear.
"Take me, Percy." Arty moans, sounding like she is almost begging. Making this one of the first times she has ever actually offered him Morning sex, or begged for it, that is.
Percy smiles, but he closes his eyes and shakes his head.
"Too tired," he confesses in a lazy voice, gazing up into her eyes.
Artemis is shocked! She stares at him with a completely unbelieving expression, her mouth open in an O.
"What?!" She exclaims, sitting up in the bed.
"You heard me."
She crosses her arms, shaking her head back and forth in disbelief.
"You're never too tired." Artemis reasons, resting her hands on his chest.
"Well, I am right now. Yesterday was exhausting for me too."
"Come on, Percy! I really want it! Give it to me!" She begs desperately, taking her hands off his chest to knead her own breasts, trying to get him turned on. The goddess of the hunt never begs, but she has done it quite a few times behind closed doors with Percy.
"You know how many times I wanted it and you just pushed me away? Actually you didn't even give me that courtesy; you just ignored me most of the time." He tells her with a stern expression crossing his arms. Artemis looks at him with a sorrowful and regretful expression.
"Percy…" She purrs softly, slowly leaning down to kiss him on the forehead and speaks softly to him. "I know I have done horrible things. I am so sorry for being such a careless bitch to you for all that time, never caring about you or doing anything to strengthen our relationship. I took advantage of you, took advantage of your love, your character, and your loyalty most of all. Atalanta has treated Ray better in the first 3 days they have been together than I have treated you in our first 6 months. There is nothing that could ever absolve me for my sins, Percy, and if you wonder why I drink so much then it is because I long to forget about the transgressions of my past. I would never be such a bitch as to ever ask you to forgive me, but I would dare to beg that you let it stay in the past… And just let us- no, let me make it up to you. All the compliments and praises I gave to you yesterday, I meant every single word and so much more." She pleads, her eyes drifting down to her legs to avoid his gaze, "It's taken me a great deal of time and circulating to realize it, but now I see that no one except the best man in the world would ever have stayed with a horrible person like me. I swear to you you won't regret it, Percy."
"You're not a horrible person, Arty," He tells her sitting up, he reaches for her hips and pulls her closer to him so that he can put his hands on her flanks and bring their lips together, "Just because you have done bad things in the past does not mean that you are a bad person. If you mend your ways and take every action to right those wrongs, then you are a good person. I love you because of who you are, Artemis, I wouldn't have done everything I could to be with you if I didn't think you were the perfect person to start a family with. The perfect woman to live with." Percy swoons, gently sliding his hands up her body to cup her breasts and kiss her. She smiles brightly, confidently, to him.
"Thank you, Percy. You really are a good man, but you shouldn't let me off the hook so easily."
"Maybe not," he says, and pulls away, "But as you said, only the best man in the world would do what I do." Percy says to her sweetly, kissing her neck.
Arty begins to laugh softly at his semantics of using her words against her. She nudges his chest and he pulls away from her neck so that she can kiss him and make out with him. Their lips push and pull against each other for minutes in a sensual dance, the balance of power shifting between their tongues more times than could be counted.
When they pull away they are both panting and smirking at the other. He ended up pushing her down on the bed so that he could pin her down in dominance.
"So…" He starts, looking down at his girlfriend underneath him with a mischievous smile, "Will you bring me a cup of coffee? Please, my goddess?"
He smiles at her and sits up so that she can get up as well. Arty looks up to him with a bit of confusion at first, as if she is momentarily confused at the request. He is kind of nervous about asking her this, and even more nervous of how she will respond. He half expects to her snap at him and be like I am not your fucking servant, Percy or something. Artemis has always been extremely feministic, and she hates it when there is anything that resembles sexism.
"You want me to do what?" She asks, her tone bordering on something a little more aggressive.
"Bring me a cup of coffee, from downstairs."
"I'm not your servant, Percy." She reminds him with a pensive expression.
"But you are my goddess, and if I pray, you're supposed to answer."
She sighs, smiling to him sweetly. That's a sweet comment he made, and while she was just giving him a hard time about telling him she is not his servant, she really likes that he called her his goddess.
"Can you put a splash of milk and a sprinkle of sugar in too?"
Artemis just rolls her eyes.
"Of course I will, Percy, just wait here." She instructs and gets out of bed, swaying her hips as she walks to her mirror to flash on her clothes. After she just poured her heart out in apology it would have been a real bitch move to snap at him after he asked her something innocent like that. She doesn't mind serving him occasionally as long as he is grateful and respectful about it. She's not his servant, but she does try to appease him. She always tries to be really nice to him, and make him happy, treat him right… She's failed royally at all three lately, and she's trying to make up.
He always treats her perfectly, 10x better than she would ever expect him to, so she does her best to pay him back twice the kindness he gives her… Plus maybe the coffee will perk him up enough to rail her.
"Yes, My lady."
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Artemis leaves their bedroom and descends down the vast flight of stairs in the Moon Mansion. This place is like a hollowed out alcove on the branches of Yggdrasil. Time is meaningless here, all who step into this place never age, all food stays fresh forever, and not even space has power here, as the building inside is thrice as large as it is outside.
She thinks long and hard about everything that has transpired over the past day, everything that has happened, what the day is today… Gods, today…
Artemis has never been a real friend to the Olympians, always choosing her own path, never mingling with the others. Her sister Athena has been her best companion amongst the Olympians for ages, but now… Now Artemis saw her as competition, and the last time they were together she said some things that she regrets saying now. Aphrodite has become her friend lately; although, it seems like Aphrodite only helps her to indirectly contribute to Percy's enjoyment. All the other Olympians minus her brother have always felt distant. Poseidon especially has always been the least favorable with her, and especially this last 15 years after the incident that got her banned from the sea. She's been a horrible person her whole life, and that hatred has even brought her to push away her family. She is trying to make up for it now.
She walks down into the living room of the Moon Mansion with a very surprised face. The hunters are… gone. Only Alissa and Katy are sitting on the far couch talking in low voices.
Where are they all? She wonders, confused, looking around.
She walks over to the entrance to the gym to look in and find the hunters, but she only found a few of them in the Gym.
They must be out in the city, I guess. Artemis tells herself as she walks out of the Gym to go ask Alissa where everyone is.
"Alissa?"
"Yes, My lady?" The Huntress quickly responds, turning away from her current activity with the utmost haste. Atalanta is an extremely respectful huntress, and Zoë before her even more so, so that has been passed down 2 fold to Alissa.
"Where is everyone?"
Alissa hesitates, looking around as if she doesn't know how to answer the question.
"They decided to go for one of Atalanta's runs, but it's because of something you should go into the kitchen to find out about." Alissa says softly. Artemis has always had mixed feelings about this young girl. She has a very complicated past, and she has been through some really bad things, but she seems to be getting on track now that Atalanta is tutoring her.
Artemis crosses her arms with a displeased look.
"Thank you, Alissa." She says and turns away to walk into the kitchen, intending to find out what is going on, and to return to her task of bringing Percy a cup of coffee.
She hears murmurs in the dining room and when she walks in she immediately freezes with her eyes wide and heart stopping.
Sitting there in the dining room were Thalia and Phoebe talking with a man who looks to be in his 20s, tall and imposing, wearing a Hawaiian themed beach shirt.
He notices as soon as she walks in, as if he was waiting for it.
"Ahh, Artemis, it's about time."
She bows her head low to him in respect.
"Lord Poseidon." She says very respectfully, bowing her head low. This is Percy's father, maybe one day her father in law…
Poseidon doesn't bow his head to acknowledge the moon goddess, instead he is wearing a scowl as he looks at the goddess. She shuffles back and forth between her feet, trying to not look too obviously discomforted by his scrutinizing gaze. They stay like that in silence for a few moments before Artemis speaks again.
"W-what brings you today, Lord Poseidon?"
"You know why I am here, Artemis, where's Percy?"
"He's upstairs… In our bedroom." She replies honestly, adding the last bit as a little extra information to help her standings. Poseidon does like her one bit, but he at least is pleased that she sleeps with Percy.
He smiles at the implication.
"That's good; why didn't he come down with you?"
She smiles wickedly, thanking her lucky stars that Percy asked her to get him a cup of coffee.
"Percy asked me to bring him a cup of coffee." She replies happily. Gods, nothing could possibly have helped her more in this situation than that. She imagines that Poseidon will be quite pleased that she is even serving Percy.
Poseidon raises an eyebrow with an impressed smile.
"Wow, I didn't think you had it in you. Perhaps Percy is right about you."
That was pretty mean, but she didn't expect anything less from Poseidon. The god has never liked him, and after what she did 15 years ago he has hated her even more… Going so far as to ban her from the sea, and the only reason he had been nice to her in that council meeting was because Percy was there.
"I do my best where I can." She admits, looking away.
"That's good. Percy loves you, but I still remain unconvinced as to whether you are the right one for him." He tells her sternly with his arms crossed. Thalia and Phoebe have been dead silent, petrified from the tension between the two gods.
"I hope I can change your mind."
"It's going to be quite hard to do that." He says bluntly, "Go bring Percy his coffee. Your two huntresses have kept me company while I waited."
She does as he instructs, already nervous about how long she has made Percy wait… Gods she hopes he spanks her for taking so long.
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Artemis walks back into their room carrying the little Zero Gravity cup carrier that Taylor invented last time they were here. Percy is on the bed snoozing when she walks up to him; she sets the carrier down on the nightstand and slips into bed on the opposite side.
"Arty?" He whispers in momentary confusion. It seems he had fallen asleep while she was gone.
"Gosh, Arty, that smells so good." Percy admires, sitting up in bed to take the cup off the nightstand.
She smiles at him as he takes a sip.
"Mmmmmm, Arty, this tastes so good, thank you."
She smiles brightly and leans in to kiss him.
"You're very welcome, Percy." She says sweetly, smiling as he enjoys the coffee. She's not a servant, but seeing him so grateful really does put a smile on her face, and a warm feeling in her heart.
Percy sits there silently for a few moments sipping it. Since he is a son of the sea, the heat of the coffee doesn't bother him.
"Sooooooo…." He starts, gazing at her mischievously. She just rolls her eyes thinking here we go again. "Will you dance for me while I drink my coffee?" Percy asks encouragingly, smiling bright with a mischievous smirk.
Artemis gasps, looking at him with the most incredulous expression. The audacity of this man knows no bounds!
"Gods, Percy, I would love to… But someone is waiting for you downstairs, and the longer we make them wait the worse it looks on me."
"Who is it?"
"You'll see." She remarks softly, deep discomfort in her voice.
There are many secrets that she has still not shared with Percy, and the reason that she has not shared this particular one is because she thought it didn't affect him so she didn't need to worry… What a fucking foolish thing to think, of course it will affect him, of course it is relevant to their relationship, and of course he is going to hate her for it.
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A few minutes later
"Good Morning, Dad, how's it been? Why are you here?" Percy greets curtly, sitting down at the dining table with Artemis beside him.
Poseidon greets him back sweetly, "Good Morning, Percy." He looks back and forth between his son and Percy, then he speaks again.
"I came to see if Artemis has been treating you right. I've not been pleased with what I have witnessed lately." Poseidon explains, looking at Artemis to see how she would react. She didn't, just looked at Percy pleadingly.
He obviously treats me extremely well… But do I really return the favor? Please, Percy, don't throw me under the bus.
Percy looks back and forth between Poseidon and Artemis. You could have heard a pin drop in the room.
"Artemis treats me exceedingly well. Maybe she isn't always honest with me, but never once, since we started dating, has she been mean to me." He replies, looking to his left to see Artemis smiling at him brightly… One of those smiles she gives him when she is looking forward to tonight.
Yeah, I was mean to you before we started dating… Even worse afterwards, but you won't see it that way you selfless angel.
"That's because she isn't honest with you, never has been." Poseidon adds in a grave voice, looking at Artemis who drops her eyes.
"Artemis is a good person; she has changed."
Arty smiles from the praise, but Poseidon just looks back and forth between them with a wavering expression.
"Maybe she has, but she is still keeping secrets from you from her past."
Percy sighs and looks to his left to gaze into Artemis's eyes; she breaks the contact after a few seconds looking away.
"What could she possibly have left to hide."
"More than you could imagine." He says, and he sits up in his chair before he continues, "For instance: I bet Artemis never told you that she is banned from going in the sea, or the reason why."
"What?" Percy exclaims, his head swiveling like a flipping corkscrew to stare dumbfounded at Artemis. As if he never contemplated why in the 2 years he has been with the hunt, they've never been to the beach.
Artemis didn't reply, just whispered a I'm sorry
"Yes, I was right, she has been keeping it from you. How could you ever think that you could get away with not telling Percy about that?" He exclaims, bundling his fists together, but taking deep breaths to remain calm… "While Percy was… Uhm, Taking a break from your bullshit, he told me that he wanted to have his wedding in the kingdom of the Sea. He loves you more than you could ever imagine, Artemis, way more than you deserve, and you still treat him like shit. That is when I knew that you never told him, otherwise he would be asking me to forgive you."
"Woah woah woah, don't talk to her that way." He warns, and the room drops silent like a library. Artemis smiles at him for defending her, and the only sound that could be heard in that room are the faint clacks coming from the gym from wooden training weapons and hunters doing gymnastics. "Artemis is not one of the best of people, and she has done a lot of horrible things, but she doesn't deserve to be hated for it. She is a changed person now, and I don't judge her for the things she has done in her past."
"What did she possibly get banned from the sea for anyway?" He asks ignorantly. Artemis doesn't like that question one bit, and her eyes go wide. Poseidon just sighs and looks away, as if remembering something like this is very hard for him.
"Art-"
"No," Arty cuts him off bluntly, "If Percy is gonna learn of it then I will tell him, as I should have done years ago…"
"Consciousness finally gets to you now?"
"Hush, story time."
Percy looks at her with an intrigued expression concern pecking at the corners of his lips.
"15 years ago," she begins, "15 years ago today, there was a young man that was hunting in the woods. Handsome, well groomed, happy, free spirited…" She stops, looking over to Poseidon who gives her a keep going look. "Well, it just so happened that when he shot a deer he missed the heart by an inch, and the deer galloped further than it should have, so it led him straight to our camp which was nearby."
Percy just shakes his head and rests it in his hands as he already predicts where this story is going.
"And what happened next, Artemis?"
"We-" Her voice cracks, "We killed him, horribly… I-I was in a particularly foul mood that day, and I really made-" Her eyes begin to tear up, "I really made him pay for it." She breaks into tears, burying her face into her hands. Percy pulls her to him and clutches her to his chest.
Poseidon watches as Percy comforts his girlfriend gently, stroking her hair and rubbing her back.
"That's not the end of the story, Artemis."
Before Percy could defend his girlfriend any further she pulled away from his grasp and wiped her eyes.
"No, no it's not…" She said, and tried to compose herself again, "I didn't know it at the time, and the thing is that even if I did I don't think it would have changed anything for me… But that man, as I learned later, was one of Triton's demigod sons."
Poseidon sighs as she says this, remembering all too well how badly Triton took it when he found out… The gods of the sea have always been extremely good when it came to taking care of and acknowledging their children.
Percy doesn't react very much; he just sighs and looks at Artemis as if he is not surprised at her treachery.
"I'm sorry, Percy. I have been a horrible person to your family, and I am sorry for keeping this from you." Artemis says, dropping her head into her hands as she silently cries. Percy swallows hard from the realization of all this, and he looks back and forth between Artemis and Poseidon.
"I've never done anything to prevent you from being with Artemis, Percy… But something like this, you needed to know. Your girlfriend murdered your nephew, and she hid it from you."
"Artemis has done horrible, disgusting, least of all unforgiving things in her past… But they are in the past. I don't judge Artemis for the person that she used to be, I love her for the strong, incredible woman she is now." Percy says confidently, making Artemis look up to him with pure admiration. Poseidon smiles seeing how good of a man his son has turned out to be.
"Well, I also didn't come here to do anything but tell you the truth. Artemis is unbanned from the sea. I believe she has made up for her transgression as your lover, but she may not come to Atlantis unless she is on your arm."
Artemis smiles brightly hearing this news. She has wanted to go to the beach for ages… She needs to go Bikini shopping, with Percy. She'll let him choose what he wants her to wear. Maybe they could go lingerie shopping too. She honestly would really love to have some new outfits to show off to him… Or for him to rip off of her, or both.
"Thank you, Lord Poseidon. I am extremely grateful." Artemis says with a deep bow of her head.
"I am pleased that you are grateful, don't take this for granted."
"I won't, My Lord." She promises.
They stay silent for a few moments. Percy just takes in everything that has happened; Artemis looks nervously between the two sea gods, and Poseidon looks around before Arty breaks the silence.
"Percy? Why don't you go brush your teeth and take a shower? I'll be up to join you shortly." She purrs in the ever so sweetest voice.
Percy raises an eyebrow, but he gets up and does what she asks.
"Yeah, that's a good idea, I forgot to before we came down. I'll be waiting for you." He says with a smirk, turning away. Artemis sighs, realizing that he no doubt understood what she said to be a very sexual promise when indeed she hadn't been thinking of it at all.
"Thank you for coming by, Dad, I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome, son, take care, and I wish you two the best."
He gives his father a nod of respect before he walks out, passing Atalanta and Ray on the way up the stairs.
"There's the lovebirds! I hope you two didn't stay up too late." Percy mocks as he passes them, lighting up Atalanta's cheeks.
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
Artemis wanted to get some alone time to speak with Poseidon before he left. She has never really had the chance to get to know Percy's dad.
"Did you do something special for him on his birthday like I asked you to?"
Artemis turns her head back to look at him with evident surprise… She had not expected him to ask her something like that.
"Of- of course, Lord Poseidon, he really enjoyed it."
Poseidon reclines back in his chair, taking a drink of the coffee that the hunters had made for him.
"There's one last thing that I want to ask you about, as any father would. Is Percy treating you right? No matter how much you deserve the opposite, I expect Percy to treat his women right."
"Of course he is treating me right… Far better than I deserve, and I do my best to pay it back to him."
"That's good…" He notes, and then he sighs, "Well, I am not going to spend anymore time here, so just know that I expect you to treat Percy right. All things considered, I am beginning to be convinced that you truly have changed, but don't mistake that for forgiveness."
"I would never dream of it, My Lord."
Poseidon gets up from his chair, and downs the rest of his coffee.
"Farewell, Artemis, don't disappoint me."
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
"Percy?" She calls as she walks back into her bedroom. This time she was too lazy to walk up the stairs, and instead she just flashed.
She walks in and finds Percy standing in front of the mirror shaving. She had offered to do it for him, since she is so good with a razor, but he insisted that he wants to do it himself. She suspects that he just doesn't trust her with a knife so close to him. She doesn't know that, but she is suspicious. Just as she suspects he wouldn't trust her to shave his balls.
"Percy?" She asks with a wavering voice.
"Hey Arty," He greets her, putting down the razor just as he finished, then turning toward her and putting his hands on her cheeks to kiss her. She eagerly returns it, happy to finally have this peace.
"Percy, about just now…"
"Stop, I don't want to talk about it. 15 years ago is a long time, so I see no reason to hate you for something that happened that long ago when I know you are a changed person now." He tells her genuinely. He begins to push her back and back until he has her pinned to the wall in a very erotic position of dominance.
She gives him a bright smile and offers him a kiss on the nose again.
"Thank you, Percy. You really are the best man in the world."
They stay silent for a few moments, just kissing and kneading each other.
"Arty?" He inquires, pulling away from the kiss and putting two fingers under her chin to make her look into his eyes.
"Yes, Percy?"
"I don't really wanna eat Thalia's cooking for breakfast, and I want to spend time with you. I was really hoping we could go out to eat for breakfast this morning."
She is overcome with a vast cascade of joy from being asked by Percy to go on a date with him.
"I am flattered you want to take me on a date, Percy. Of course, I would love that!"
"Awesome."
"Do you have a place in mind?"
"Yeah, I do. I want to get a shower before we leave though. Will you join me?"
This time she has no hesitation answering that question.
"Absolutely."
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
Ray is not a very wealthy individual by any stretch of the imagination; there is no illusion there, but he does know his food. He took Atalanta to a very nice restaurant that he knows of very well called The Roman Table. It's a breakfast/ lunch type of restaurant, and he really loves the food here on the very rare occasion he ever gets to eat here.
"Gods, I thought we would never get seated." She exclaims with relief as she takes a seat at the booth. They had waited a good ten minutes in line.
The waitress is quite pretty, but her hair is a mess, so she must have had a rough morning commute. She lays the menus on the table in front of them and asks them what they would like to drink. Atalanta asks for some green tea, and Ray asks for water. Their drinks come quite swiftly.
"Atalanta?"
"Yes, Ray?"
"Who was that evil girl that attacked you during the battle?"
Atalanta's expression turns grim, and she takes an unearthly and overdramatic interest of the tea bag in her cup.
"Her name was Nitrixes. She was a huntress a long long time ago."
"How did she end up turning to the dark side?"
Atalanta slightly chuckles at the star wars reference, but it doesn't last long.
"She blamed the death of her best friend on Lady Artemis, and broke her maiden vow in rebellion, stomping off cursing the lot of us on her way out the door. No one ever expected that she would end up working for evil because of it."
"That's a pretty lame excuse to become evil."
"Is it though?" She counters, "You've only lived… What? 17 years? I've lived over three thousand. When you live as long as we huntresses do, friends become family. Those friendships that are developed become blood bonds. When that bond breaks… It snaps, and the backlash sends you into a dark place."
Ray bows his head in respect at her greater wisdom.
"You're the first real friend I've ever had. You didn't even know me yet, but you risked your life to save mine. I've never had a friend like that."
"You do now."
Her lips curve in a big smile. She quite likes what he said, but before she could respond with a romantic remark about how good of a man he is, the waitress comes back.
"Have we decided what we will be eating this lovely morning?"
Ray and Atalanta look at each other with a questioning gaze, and they both nod to each other.
"I would like your Simple Breakfast please, 1 egg scrambled please and the other over easy, and please include that with rye bread… Make it bacon with that please."
The waitress pens that down on her little notepad then turns to Ray.
"I would like your Rancher's Breakfast please. Do all the eggs over hard, wheat bread and bacon please."
"Alright, if I can have your menus that will be out for you shortly."
The waitress grabs their menus when they hand it to her and then scurries off toward the kitchens.
"Rancher's breakfast? Where did you see that on the menu?" She asks with confusion.
"It was on the first page."
She looks genuinely shocked like she can't believe she didn't see it… The rancher's comes with 4 eggs, 2 pancakes and a double side of meat, so she would have liked to have that instead.
She calls the waitress back over and changes her order. After that she continues her conversing with Ray.
"So why do people call you a criminal? What did you actually do?"
"That's a pretty drastic topic change from what we were just talking about, Atalanta." He lectures, taking a sip from his water.
"If you don't want to talk about it you don't have to." She offers sweetly, offering him a kind and inviting smile.
"No, I'll tell you…" He says simply, "As you know my mother died when I was very young in a house fire, and my father was never around, so I had to learn how to survive on my own without a home or help."
She crosses her legs and folds her hands in front of her to show interest.
"Well it wasn't long after that that I was swept into the Hugo Cabret lifestyle… Stealing this, pickpocketing that. I was young, so I got caught a lot. I was living in an attic that I rented in exchange for a lot of work."
"Stealing is never the answer to anything, Ray."
"I know that now, Atalanta, just let me finish the story."
She nods in acknowledgement, and he starts again.
"I think I was 10 years old when I got involved with the New Rome underworld boss network." He confesses in a low voice, looking around to make sure no one was listening to them, "They helped me to get off of the streets, out of that attic that barely kept the snow out in the winter, and helped me to get a job in the city with a good flat to stay in that actually keep the snow out."
"But there was a catch, of course."
"Of course," He repeats, "I had to do a lot of errands for them, and assist them on their crime heists in the city in exchange for their help."
Atalanta just shakes her head in disappointment, but he doesn't pay it any mind.
"All the petty crimes that you can think of I was involved in, so I was a really bad kid. My parents would have been disappointed in me."
"When did you start cleaning up your life?" She asks genuinely, unfolding her arms and taking a sip of her tea. She had used some of her magic to heat it up a little more since it came out cooler than she wanted it to.
"A few years ago when I decided that running and hiding, stealing and vandalizing wasn't the life I wanted for myself." He admits, turning his head away from her to look for the waitress with their food.
"And what life do you want for yourself?" Atalanta asks suddenly, offering him a sweet smile to encourage him to give her the answer that she is looking for.
"The one where I get to live with you." He confesses, grinning at her with the most welcoming and heartfelt expression. Atalanta's heart melts, and she blushes ever so slightly in embarrassment. That is exactly the answer that she wanted him to give her.
"I think that future might come true, Ray."
"I pray every night…" He tells her with a smile, "You know I have always wondered, how did you join the hunt?"
Atalanta sighs, taking a sip of her tea. She looks down at her cup for a few moments as she thinks this over.
"Gosh…" She remarks, "That was so long ago. I-I never had a hard past like most of the other hunters do; in fact, I was pretty well off in my early life."
"Why did you join the hunters if you had a good life?"
"Are you suggesting that a huntress only joins the hunt to improve her own life if her current one is shit?" She says with a slightly elevated voice and a raised eyebrow. Saying something like that to a huntress is highly offensive, and while Atalanta is really sweet, even she would take offense.
"Of course not," He quickly replies, "I only meant that-"
"I know, Ray, just be careful what you say when you talk about the huntresses past around other hunters. I'm exceedingly kind compared to some of the others, and you're a man, so watch what you say."
"I know, I'm sorry."
She offers him a warming smile and continues where she left off.
"My mother is the goddess of magic, and she only goes after high-class men, so my father was a wealthy landowner and craftsman. He was a very good man, and so was my brother. This might have contributed to my outlook and opinion of men, contrary to most of the other huntresses." She stops, taking a sip of her tea to finish it off, then she waves over the waitress to come refill it. She does, and then Atalanta continues her thrilling, breathtaking tale.
"I joined the hunters when I was older, older than most who join."
"How old were you?"
"I was your age when I joined, and I had already begun to realize that I had magical powers by then."
"What was it that caused you to join?"
"Well… One day, in our humble village, we were attacked." She says, looking over at the kitchens as if it would make their food come out any faster. "They killed every man that fought back, and took anyone, woman or child that they thought would be a good broodmare or a hardworking slave, including me."
"I thought you said that your origin story was much more peaceful than the other hunters?"
Atalanta allows a small amused smile to grace her beautiful lips as she lightly chuckles.
"Did I? Well, it is. My parents didn't abuse me; I wasn't sexually abused by relatives, and I wasn't caught in human trafficking, and I grew up in a wealthy household that never struggled for food… So yes, my life was a lot more peaceful. Fighting is just the way things were back then; it's nothing to scorn."
"So, how did you join the hunt then?"
"I was badly injured during the fight, and when I woke up from unconsciousness I was in the hunters camp with all my wounds bandaged up and treated. They saved my life, and I have been doing the same ever since as the hunt's doctor."
"That's amazing," Ray says with wide eyes.
"I care about my own life a lot less than I should. I really just care about helping others and saving other's lives." Atalanta says softly, peering down at her newly refilled cup of tea and taking a sip after she heats it up just a bit with a wave of her index and middle fingers.
"I am grateful for it too." He remarks with a grin.
"There is a reason that you and I met, you know. It is fate that brought us together, Ray, don't brush it off as a coincidence."
"I know, My Little Huntress, I know."
Ray and Atalanta stop for a moment to gaze into each other's eyes. Atalanta's green irises pulse with her rapidly increasing heartbeat. Ray's brown eyes are warm chocolate colored orbs that make her want nothing more than to be wrapped up in his arms. Atalanta's composure is rapidly melting as she stares into those eyes; there is just something about them that makes her heart feel like wild horses in her chest. A faint blush starts to come over her face as they stay like that, and Ray begins to smile. He has never had such a wonderful opportunity as he has been blessed with these last few days. He will never take this for granted, and he will always treasure this huntress.
Ray suddenly opens his mouth as if he is going to say something to her, but before he can, Atalanta's ears twitch. She looks to her left toward the other end of the restaurant as she starts to hear a whistling sound, very faint. Her heart begins to pound even faster as she is washed over by a wave of dread, her fluttering heart replaced with worry. Atalanta was out of the chair on her feet faster than you could say My Little Huntress. She quickly yells for everyone to get down, grabs Ray and ducks under the table with him. Atalanta hugs him tightly for extra protection as she summons her magic to create a yellow forcefield around them under the table. At that very moment, a deafening explosion shatters the calm atmosphere of the restaurant. A searing fireball erupts, tearing through the ceiling and sending fiery debris raining down like deadly confetti. The force of the blast rocks the entire building, shattering windows and splintering oak beams. Flames erupt in every direction, hungrily consuming curtains, tables, and chairs.
The once-elegant restaurant is now a scene of utter chaos. Half of the room lay in ruins, with shards of glass and smoldering debris strewn about. The acrid smell of burning wood and singed upholstery fills the air as thick plumes of smoke billowed upwards, casting an eerie, orange glow across the scene. Panic ensues as diners scream and scramble for cover, some desperately searching for exits amidst the chaos, while others lay injured and dazed. The ceiling above them groans ominously, threatening to collapse at any moment. When the initial blast is over, Atalanta lowers the shield from around her and Ray.
Dust and debris particles immediately fall on them as the shield dissipates. The table above them, miraculous, held up and protected them for the most part from the bigger debris. Atalanta's eyes dart back and forth analyzing her situation. There are people running everywhere, and twice as many lay dead on the ground from either explosions, fire, or affixation.
"You saved my life again " Ray says in complete amazement, staring at her as if she is a goddess from the heavens.
"It's my pleasure, Ray, but I don't think this is over."
As Atalanta and Ray cautiously move through the smoke-shrouded remnants of the restaurant, the sudden whizz of an arrow sent a shockwave of adrenaline through Atalanta. Time seems to slow as she instinctively reacts, her fingers dancing through the air in a fluid motion. A burst of purple energy surges from her hand, forming a shimmering shield of energy in front of her. The arrow strikes the shield with a resounding clang, deflecting harmlessly to the side. The vibrant purple barrier pulses with arcane patterns, casting a surreal glow across her determined face.
"We're not alone," she mutters to Ray. Alerted by the attack, Atalanta's gaze snaps towards the source, and slowly, her heart begins filling with dread. The smoke that hangs heavy in the air on the other side of the restaurant begins to churn and writhe in unnatural, rhythmic patterns. It is as though the very air is responding to some malevolent force, a sinister dance of shadows and fog that sends shivers down her spine.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Atalanta strains her eyes to peer through the eerie smoke. There, amid the swirling darkness, she caught a glimpse of a faint outline of a figure. Her breath catches in her throat as dread washes over her. The figure, shrouded in an imposing black armor adorned with interlocking obsidian plates, steps gracefully from the smoke. Every movement is deliberate, a calculated stride towards them that seems to defy the chaos around. He seems to be relishing this, taking his time, savoring this moment. In one hand, the figure grips a long, celestial bronze sword that gleams. with an otherworldly light, almost as large as Atalanta herself. On the other hand, an obsidian shield, blacker than black and darker than the dark, radiates an unsettling aura.
The figure's presence sends another chill through her spine. His long cape flows behind him like a sinister shadow, accentuating his otherworldly presence. As the figure draws closer, the rhythmic clank of his footsteps fills the air, a haunting cadence that disrupts Atalanta's thoughts and makes her feel more vulnerable than ever. Her heart pounds with a mixture of fear and determination.
Clank
Clank
Clank
But then, just when she thinks this situation cannot become more dire, fifteen more figures emerge from the swirling smoke. Twelve of them appeared to be demigods... Just like her. They were heavily armed and walked just as slow as the general, relishing Atalanta's fear. Well, she isn't gonna let them. She stands on her feet facing the hoard of clowns; However, the remaining three figures are something altogether different. Towering and monstrous, they had humanoid bodies adorned with animal fur, disfigured faces twisted with fangs and horns. In their hands, they wield jet-black swords that seem to ooze a sinister black poison, dripping onto the scorched remnants of the restaurant floor.
She takes a deep breath, standing on her feet she points to the left with the biggest and most mischievous smile.
"The circus is that way."
Ray lets himself giggle at the joke from the Huntress.
"Rejoice!" The man in the obsidian armor announces, "You are about to be beaten and liberated from your meaningless life! You have been marked by Lord Erebus-" Atalanta cuts the clown off before he has the chance to say anything more absurd.
"I disagree," Atalanta counters, crossing her arms to look at the man with a stern expression. She has absolutely no fear or worry, and she is completely in control of her emotions.
"You, Atalanta Amani, have been marked by Lord Erebus for removal from the chess board. He has deemed you to be unworthy of life and unworthy of what you possess. Your freedom, your life, and your Ethereal Silver daggers will be delivered to Lord Erebus today by me, so that lord Erebus may claim his new concubine." The man announces in much more dramatic fashion than is required.
Atalanta raises her eyes as she hears the phrase Ethereal Silver Daggers and Concubine.
Atalanta suddenly changes her posture, unfolding her arms and beginning to pace back and forth. A roaring rod of flames flashes in her hand like fireworks, and a sword appears in her hand. It's bright silver, and the pommel is milk white with a silver knob at the end of the pommel. The cross guard is engraved steel, and it is perfectly straight. The sword blade is long and elegant, and the blade is narrow coming out of the hilt. The blade then narrows into a full size blade a few inches down the length of it. It is a beautiful sword, and Ray knows that it is the same sword which was on her display rack last night, Zoe's old sword.
"You've made a grave mistake coming here, and you are not going to leave here alive after what you have done to these innocent people. A huntres is not a slave, and you will never defeat me." She warns in a low voice, "I am going to slaughter you all one by one, and then when I am done cutting you down, I will send your cold corpse in a cardboard box back to your stupid lord if he still needs something to fuck." She spits in a venomous voice laced with poison. Ray feels a cold tingle down his back listening to her. She has never been anything but sweet and sensual with him, and he has certainly never heard her speak any other way. He is gripped with a cold fear listening to her hateful, venomous tone. He never knew that the Huntress has a dark side, and no one else ever would have guessed it either based on how sweet and timid she acts.
The "Commander," as Ray has begun to call him, starts to ball his fists. Steam starts to rise out of his crooked ears, and he is obviously starting to seeth in anger.
"Fire!" He suddenly yells! Atalanta watches as the arbalists squeeze the levers on their crossbows, the bolts launch themselves toward Atalanta.
She calmly raises her sword up supported by her hand. Ray can tell that she is working some magic even though this time her shield spell does not make any color, but he can tell that the air around her is starting to wrinkle. The sword in her hand begins to glow a faint light blue.
The crossbow bolts bounce off into the wall behind her, and Atalanta calmly lowers her arms again without even breaking a sweat. It is obviously a spell that does not tax her very much, because she is completely unbothered by deflecting five bolts. He knows that her magic taxes her greatly, and when she had healed his leg on the battlefield she had been quite tired afterwards.
"Wow," Atalanta remarks with a smirk, "You are even more crude, disrespectful, and impulsive than I originally thought. I haven't even gotten a chance to give my own oration." Atalanta does not even give the stunned commander a chance to counter.
"When I was a young girl," Atalanta begins in a booming voice, examining the sword in her hand as she begins to pace with prowess. "I lived in a wealthy village in a remote corner of the world where we were strong and powerful. I began to realize that I had power within me, and I started to heal the sick when they came to me. I was called the village wisdom because I always knew what was wrong, and when they asked me how I can heal the sick I would tell them that I listen to the wind." Atalanta stops pacing. She puts a hand behind her back and Ray immediately sees that wind is swirling around her arm. "As I got older I began to realize that I don't listen to the wind, no,"
"The wind, it listens to ME!"
WHOOSH!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Well, that is the end of this one. I am really sorry for taking this long, but I am swamped at school.
I did not get this out on Friday like I said I would because I literally got screwed over on Thursday night. I had 2000 words deleted by google docs, and I don't know why other than an assumption that it was an internet problem.
I want to give a huge shout out to eesamaster1/ThePilotDude for all of his help and support. The description for the explosion at the restaurant was almost completely him, and I really thank him for the help… Even though he almost always forgets to give me a shoutout on his stories that I help him with every single time.
I really encourage you all to join my Discord. I can't stress enough how convenient it is to have insight on the update progress, be able to talk to me, and so much more.
Here is the link: Fa4hZBeuND
Take care, stay safe, and be good.