Chapter 2: The Second Meeting

Artemis appeared in a silver flash in her home away from the hunt, Olympus. More important her temple, but before she entered she changed her appearance, gone was the 12-year-old girl dressed in a silver wax jacket and black hunting clothes and she was now a 25-year-old woman dressed similarly if not a bit more militant. Her usually bright silver eyes were darker and had a significantly more harsh look but they more closely represented the moon, with the valleys, cracks and rilles present. Her hair was pulled back into a low-platted ponytail. Her face looked different, it was aged with the beauty and grace only found in a goddess but with her father being the King of Gods her appearance was that of someone who exuded a distinct level of power and demanded respect.

Looking at the other temples around her she sneered distastefully at the ostentatious gold temple of her brother, how her mother had given to two people with such differences in personalities always evaded her. But there was no time to waste.

Today Artemis was a woman on a mission. A mission different to the others she observed. For now, she was self-serving, but also serving someone far more important than herself, her son. Her only true child. Though she had viewed her hunters as her children, this was a different case. This was a child containing her very inchor and essence as a goddess.

Some would expect Artemis to reject having a male child. Especially considering her well-accounted disdain for men. It was well-known after viewing how Zeus treated women and how her brother, Apollo, treated them as objects, sleeping with them to forget them afterwards she had a dangerously low view of them. However, being the patron of young children did assist her in her neutral stance towards young boys before they became exposed to the ways of the world. Before they grew into the wrong sort of man that she had seen in the mortal world. For everything completed under the moon as visible to Artemis.

Every good thing she saw, she'd see vile acts of evil be performed. And being a maiden goddess Artemis had seen enough victims of sexual assault, to be comfortable around men. Though she tolerated them she didn't personally elect to spend time with them unless they were a part of the selected few. The few who understood her feelings towards the general population of men worked to show that they could be trusted by her. But they also had to work to prove that her Lieutenant Daphnis.

Daphnis was a special case to the hunt. Though he could no longer accompany them as a hunter he held a different position in association with the hunt. Before he would entertain the hunt on their long walk and during the long nights by performing pastoral songs and his talent with the panpipes was unmatched even rivalling that of Lord Pan. But that was not to say he was solely an entertainer, Daphnis was an extremely skilled hunter. His skill rivalled some of Artemis' longest-serving hunters and his humble behaviour endeared Artemis and the Hunt to him.

For he was a breath of fresh air for ancient times. Leaving his old life as a shepherd behind, Daphnis had earned the scorn of his father, Hermes by refusing to stay with his nymph mother on the farm he had gifted her. In doing so Hermes had convinced Aphrodite to curse him, causing Daphnis to go blind should he ever find love. This was also prophesied to him years earlier by a nymph nearby the farm he grew up on.

And although Artemis could commend him for following the same vows that the hunters and herself did. But Aphrodite wouldn't give up and in line sight with Artemis and her hunters used her infamous charmspeak to weaken his resolve and had him seduced by a nymph before cancelling out the charmspeak as he lost his eyesight. At that moment Daphnis had lost everything that had mattered to him. He knew he could no longer continue with the hunt. It wouldn't do well for either party and it would be a great dishonour to himself but most importantly to Artemis and her Hunters people, whom he had considered his sisters. But now due to his father's machinations and Aphrodite's intervention it was taken from him. However, what surprised him was that Artemis didn't show him hatred but gave him her blessing.

The first male to receive such a blessing. The only male to receive the said blessing. He was placed elsewhere but still to be connected to the hunt, but in her temple on Olympus. Where he would oversee her domain as Patron of Young Children. He was trained to function without his sight and fight using the sense enhanced by her blessing. And it was then his life was repurposed.

From shepherd. To hunter. To now a protector of children.

A duty Daphnis took seriously. It became his new driving force. For a short while he and Chiron had worked together taking care of demigods, training them for the rough lives that lay ahead of them. In that, he had found great joy in locating young demigods in less-than-ideal settings and bringing them to Camp Half-Blood or the Hunt. But he was then ousted by the majority of the council when Hermes and his silver tongue rallied the other council member into believing Chiron could handle the camp alone. It was then Artemis had him bring the children to the camp under the cover of darkness. But during the day Daphnis would work at her temple taking duties behind the scenes to support those who had sought refuge at the camp.

However, Daphnis longed to train demigods. For him, it was his calling and it was taken from him. That was why Artemis had come to him on this day to give him his chance at the life he had once lived.

And that bought her to now. Steeling herself, she rolled her shoulders back, Olympus was not the place to show weakness truly it was the worst place for a person like Artemis to be emotional. Especially if she was seen by an Olympian, she knew that the majority of the council viewed her as a misandrist, prideful and a prude. She would admit there were times she would show herself to be those things but she did work on controlling her behaviours for it would do when for a goddess to be extreme in any of her behaviours.

Walking into her temple she was welcomed to looks of surprise from the inhabitants. Inside were nymphs, demigods, a few clear-sighted immortals and some of her injured hunters. But she had no time for them, walking past them with minimal acknowledgement, maybe a bow of the head here and there but nought more.

Artemis walked towards a door further back in her temple. There the only light came from torches lit along the walls. Walking towards the darkened door, she knocked on the door three times. Before she return her hand still balled up down to her side. After a few moments, the door opened to a well-dressed 5'11 male, with brown hair and brown eyes masked behind a pair of black glasses. He was dressed in what looked to be a modern special forces military uniform, all black, thick material, pockets all over the place and a mask in his hand down by his side.

"Lady Artemis," he said surprised quickly moving to salute, his mistress, "To what do I owe the honour," he said in his calm voice.

"Daphnis, at ease you know you needn't salute me." She spoke dryly. All Daphnis could offer her was a roguish grin, speaking all that needed to be said. 'I do it because it annoys you.'

Artemis ran her eyes over the room in front of her. It was clean, incredibly so. Something Daphnis took pride in, apparently, if a room was messy it was hard for him to concentrate, but since he couldn't see, Artemis had one of her handmaidens come in and make sure the room was up to her standards. "Daphnis, I require your services once more," she spoke somewhat ominously. "I have a situation where your expertise will be required."

Eyebrows furrowed, Daphnis didn't know how to proceed but before he could speak he was stopped by Artemis' upheld hand, "It is a different problem than what I have asked of you in the past, and you will be oath-bound to keep it secret." She spoke firmly, her eyes conveying the level of seriousness she required of him.

Immediately Daphnis straightened up, like a soldier standing at attention, "I swear on the River Styx to keep your secret Lady Artemis, till you see fit to release me from this oath." He spoke matching her tone of seriousness.

Immediately Artemis allowed herself to calm down, walking further into the room, and making sure the door behind them was locked. "First, we'll need to get another, Daphnae will be needed for this as well." Daphnis looked surprised at her words, normally he worked away from the handmaidens, priestesses and hunters. His position had him occasionally speak with a few from each group but he was considered to be Artemis' second should she be unavailable. He was an incredible strategist due to his conversations with Athena and could support his lady from all positions. Whereas Daphnae was Artemis' high priestess. She would keep an eye on the internal affairs of Lady Artemis' domains on Olympus, primarily supporting Artemis in council meetings, and making sure Artemis' deers and animals were taken care of to name a few of her responsibilities.

Artemis walked towards the door gesturing for him to follow, they exited the room, walking slightly behind her two her right, he walked in a slight march, matching the way she walked. Although Artemis had perfectly quiet steps, his steps gave a slight bit of sound. They walked towards the main hall and saw a tall proud woman standing in front of an altar. She had copper skin, protected by black trousers, a white shirt and a silver pea coat. Her hair was brown hand-pulled black into a tight bun. Around her head lay a silver and gold circlet with a ruby-red stone in the middle. Stood with a book in her left hand in front of her and the right behind her she was barking orders at some of her assembled subordinates.

As if she had eyes in the back of her head, she dismissed her fellow priestesses and handmaidens, she turned around to give her mistress a low respectful bow, "Milady, welcome back," she spoke he face stern as the voice that accompanied it but her eyes contain sparkles of joy at seeing Lady Artemis again, "Not that I am displeased to see you but do you require something of us," she said spoke before acknowledging, Daphnis, "Daphnis," she spoke once more giving him a stiff nod, which was he returned.

"Daphnis, Daphnae, make we will move this to my private quarters, there I will explain my purpose in gathering you both together."

Immediately the two looked towards the other, somewhat perplexed but they gave Artemis a nod in return and followed her to her private quarters.

The walk there was silent as can be, Artemis made no move to talk and neither did the others. As they approached a faded brown cypress door, Artemis waved her hand over said door causing it to melt away into nothingness as she led her two of most loyal followers in.

They were welcomed to a rather spartan room, but they moved further into the room, towards what looked like an office space. There the room was far less spartan. It was decorated with various hunting trophies from Artemis' previous hunts. The pelts of rare monsters, fangs of drakons, dragons, and the hydra to name a few. The walls were stone and the furniture was made out of a fine cypress. Gifted to her by one of her hunters when she returned from a long hunt. The chairs were also made of cypress with silver decoration carved into the wood, celebrating her domain of the moon, the hunt and the wilderness.

Artemis sat behind the desk, while the two stood to attention in front of her awaiting her orders. She waved her hand to the two chairs in front of her signalling for them to sit down.

"I understand the two of you are confused as to why I have come here, not on a new moon, or during a council meeting or in your case for your services Daphnis. But I need you to listen to what I have to say for now because what I tell you will not leave these walls until the time is right."

The two could see the level of seriousness on her face, this level of seriousness and the danger it carried was something not the be trifled with. The last time she had been this deep in her rage, she had discovered a large sex trafficking ring after hearing out about the number of young children that had been dragged into it. It took days for Artemis to calm herself. Where after she had been able to recover from the fact her natural hunting instincts took over, she left her hunters to the command of Zoё Nightshade, her Lieutenant, for a several-month period to chase down everyone involved and made sure they had met their sticky end, and not by her blade, she wanted them to lose everything to become broken shells of who they were and then she would greet them as her prey.

"As you know seven years ago during the last hunt my hunters had in England I was summoned away by an ancient ritual, however, I kept what the ritual was for a secret. Not even my dear mother knows I was called for an ancient ritual." Letting out a breath, she let her hand brush over her forehead, as it creased, "The ritual itself was a fertility ritual from Ancient Greece…"

-Flashback Begins-

October the 31st - 1979 | The Glandwr Forest, Wales, Britain

Deep within the forests of Wales was a rather peculiar site. Those not familiar with the greek gods of old, wouldn't expect what was transpiring to be happening in front of them. For there was a large group of forty who was dressed rather oddly for a normal person. All but one of them was dressed in silver parkas. All of there were dressed in all-black uniforms, armed with bows and arrows, and knives and some had other weapons like spears, swords, hatchets, and a hand full of guns, primarily hunting rifles. Weirdly the way someone who would try to justify it is a group of extreme renaissance fair fans. But such a statement would get you killed or turned into a jackalope.

The group appeared to glow in the moonlight, and they seemed to fit into the welsh forest, naturally like it was a second home. The familiarity they showed was unnatural to most. However, tonight they were a group on a mission. For the first time in centuries, they had returned to Europe for a hunt. For this group followed their Mistress, Lady Artemis - Goddess of the Hunt, Archery, Wilderness, Animals, Forests, the Moon, Radiance, Maidenhood and Childbirth, and they were her loyal hunters, the Hunters of Artemis.

Artemis appeared to lead the group, her bow, strapped to her back with her quiver and her hunting knives in hand. Ready for an attack.

Beside her was her loyal Lieutenant, Zoё Nightshade, dressed similarly to the other hunters, she had a few differences compared to the other hunters of no rank. For one she wore a different style of jacket she wore what some would call a shooting jacket, silver with many pockets, her additions. Upon her head was a silver tiara with a clear stone in the middle a gift from her mistress to mark her as her Lieutenant. Her jacket had the image of a moon, bow and wolves stitched into the left sleeve, an image which to her represented her commitment to her mistress. And underneath the jacket was a plain white shirt with a necklace protected underneath it. The only remaining item she had was from her late mother Pleione.

As the hunters made their way forward, they could feel something different about the air surrounding them. It was enhanced but not by godly energy. They were aware of where they were in the land of Celtic gods. They were hunting in the domain of Lord Cernunnos. Artemis held an amicable relationship with the hunting gods and goddesses of other domains. Way back when, they would gather together for a great hunt, usually for Artemis she found herself in the company of Lord Cernunnos and Lord Ullr. They endeared themselves to her when they both swore upon their godly essence to not disrespect the goddess and her hunters, as long as they did the same. Such a vow from immortal beings was unheard of. Especially considering the fact her father had gotten involved with and raped her huntress Kallisto and the fact Apollo her brother would continue to flirt with her hunts much to her's and their chagrin. Their last hunt had been before the celts had gone dormant. They hadn't faded but they had taken a step back to allow themselves to recover from the lack of prayers they had received as the world aged. Causing the Greek/Roman, Norse, and Celtic unions to go stagnant.

But this energy wasn't godly as they could feel but magical and it was calling for an immortal. Calling for help and Artemis figured she may be the only immortal available to the call.

Looking out amongst her hunters, she made her call, "Hunter's halt," she called out raising her arm out towards the right, signalling a stop to their trek through Wales. "Prepare to make base camp here." She spoke looking around at her hunters, She could feel the call of the ritual as could her oldest hunters Phoebe and Zoё. Giving them a look, she knew what was on their mind, but before they could ask questions, Artemis raised her hand to halt their questions. "It appears I'm being summoned away. I must go, Phoebe, Zoё the two of you are in charge until my return." Before she left she summoned her loyal wolves, the protectors of the hunt, "Lycia, take your pack and guard the perimeter, keep my hunters safe," she spoke softly to the alpha of the pack, Lycia and her pack had been a gift from Pan the Lord of the Wild as a thank you for her and her hunters' actions in protecting an enclave of satyrs from Lyacon. Lycia howled just as softly in return, before moving out with her pack.

Artemis immediately flashed away to the location of the magical energy. However, she remained out of sight of whoever had called upon an immortal prepared to fight or kill whatever foolish mortal summoned her. The last time she had answered the call, a foolish mortal tried to demand her virginity and that did not bode well for him.

However, what was in front of her surprised her. Instead of their being a group of foolish mortals which is what she had expected there was just two mortal. They were a part of Hecate's blessed or in this case Cerridwen's blessed. The first one and the most striking of the two was a beautiful tall red-headed woman. With features such as her green eyes, she could've been a child of Hecate. But she felt purely mortal. Magical, yes but still mortal. She was the more confident of the two, murmuring in Latin as if trying to channel more energy into the spell she was performing. The second was a male, the same age as the redhead, but he had messy black hair and a wolfish immature grin on his face but he smelled differently. Almost like a stag, but Artemis couldn't put a finger on why.

Artemis shifted her form from that of a young adolescent to that of a 25-year-old woman. She was still dressed in a similar style but it looked more formal on her. Like she was one of the upper-class hunters they had in Britain.

As soon as she stepped out into their presence, she drew their attention, immediately the male, turned around to face her, his eyes looking her over, his wand drawn but wisely not pointed over her. Every instinct in his brain told him to bow, she was dangerous, truly a threat not to be trifled with. The redhead turn to face her a little slower, but she seemed more cautious of the two, her wand was also drawn but held higher than her husband's. But as she spoke she only confused Lady Artemis.

"L…Lady Brigid?" She asked. But she and her husband saw her eyebrow furrow deeply.

"You called for Lady Brigid but yet you use a spell designed to be answered by the nearest immortal being in your location." Her eyebrow raised in question. "You appear to have been using the wrong ritual, Lily Juliet Potter." She surprised the duo by using Lily's full name. James her husband, stiffened immediately but made no further move, frozen under her gaze.

"You know I find this rather ridiculous that you would use such an ancient ritual, regardless of the reason, without actually making sure you were aware of the consequences of said ritual." She spoke somewhat maliciously.

James seemed to straighten himself out, taking a step forward, to stand in front of his wife he unarmed himself, "We mean you no harm, milady. But we were given this spell by a trusted source who assured us we could receive the help we require." Artemis' cold eyes were drawn to him, evaluating him, analysing who he was, something was off about him. But parts of him were oddly familiar. "You see milady, the people who gave us this ritual have used this ritual themselves and they sought the assistance of Lady Freya from the Norse pantheon and we believed we could call upon the help of Lady Brigid to help us. We meant you no disrespect." He spoke as he dropped down into a kneeling position.

"Do you know who I am?"

"No, milady," James answered, however, Lily seemed to know as she looked towards Lady Artemis, following James onto bended knee.

"Lady Artemis, Greek Goddess of the Hunt, Archery, Wilderness, Animals, Forests, the Moon, Radiance, Maidenhood and Childbirth." She spoke seeing Artemis nod in confirmation.

"So now introductions have been completed, Lily, explain why you have summoned me."

Lily paused for a moment trying to collect her thoughts, she could feel Artemis' eyes boring into her and James' hand on the small of her back, providing her with comfort. "Milday, I'm sure you know we're magic and we had used to the ritual that summoned you to call upon a goddess to help us without fertility issues." She spoke nerves consuming her, "Y-you see, we're at war currently and I was cursed by a witch by the name of Bellatrix Lestrange to be cursed with a difficult pregnancy. With the effect of always having a miscarriage." She spoke mournfully.

Artemis eyed the couple, finally understanding the reason why she was called by the two, "I see," she spoke neutrally, "And you hoped that you could find salvation on this night," her eyes travelled to where Lily's womb would be. "Step forward, Lily Potter," Lily walked forward, fidgeting with her hands, feeling incredibly anxious. She waved her hand over Lily's womb, feeling the disturbing magicks that corrupted her womb, she frowned at the state of it. She couldn't truly fix Lily's condition, it was truly disturbing the current state of it. Any mortal attempt magical or not couldn't fix Lily's condition. Her godly magicks could help her but she could do one better. But this could cause difficulties for her in the future. But she could.

"Your condition is disturbing. It is certainly a problem but I have an idea. I could infuse you with a certain amount of my godly essence it should fix your condition but I can only guarantee one child, any other will still be a high-risk condition but not as much as you do now." Lily's eyes filled with tears of joy but Artemis had to cut her off, "But there will be a risk for this first child. For they will be a demigod, my demigod child. They will be my first child and that will make them a marked child. Over the many millennia, I have lived I have gained many enemies and this child will have to be trained."

"There is a camp in America, however, sending this child there will condemn this child to a difficult upbringing. I would suggest keeping them here. Also, the child's mind will be hardwired to Ancient Greek, and he has dyslexia and ADHD. Since the minds of demigods are hardwired to fight and prepare for war."

Lily seemed frozen but James didn't his brain was considering the risks that his child could encounter but his desire for a child burned through him. He knew how much his parents tried for a child. The number of miscarriages his parents had dealt with, the feeling of losing hope, and the depressive episodes they went through. He remembers sometimes his mother would look at him with lost sad eyes, looking like they were far away. His father had told him when he was in his sixth year about what they had gone through.

Lily looked back at her husband his eyes seemed troubled like he was doing a risk assessment in his head. His eyes were everywhere else but at the current moment. She walked towards him, feeling eyes burrowing themselves into the back of her head but she willed herself to focus on her husband.

"James?" She asked trying to get his attention, "James?" She repeated herself a little louder, his head was looking towards the ground, and he was entranced in his thoughts. Lily put her hand to his cheek, getting a small jump out of him, his eyes met hers, still somewhat unfocused. Artemis had an amused smirk at the scene playing out in front of her.

"James-"

"I think we should do." He spoke firmly, "This is our one shot at having kids, Lilyflower. As much as the risks are there, we can prepare for them. Lily, I think we have to take the risk." Lily nodded along with him, pressing her forehead against his, the two of them seeking comfort from the other. Artemis on the other hand just seemed bored, waiting for an answer. Her arms crossed and her face devoid of emotion and unamused.

Lily turned to face Artemis, giving her a nervous nod, trying to muster up the bravery to give her a response. "My lady, we'd like to continue, if it pleases you," she spoke respectfully.

"Very well, step forward Lily Potter," Lily took a step forward, her hands slightly shaking, watching Lady Artemis pull a dagger out of its sheath, she cut across her hand, before signalling to Lily to raise her shirt slightly, she drew runes over her belly muttering in Ancient Greek, before a bright silver glow grew from Artemis to Lily before it disappeared in a flash. Artemis then closed her eyes, as if thinking for a moment, before looking over Lily and James. But before they could speak gave them a nod to confirm that the ritual had worked, her eyes slightly but visible softening at Lily's as their eyes met, and Artemis then flashed away from the Potters and returned to her hunters.

-Flashback Over-

Artemis finished telling her story of what happened 7 years ago to two out of three of her most loyal followers. Her eyes ran over their stunned expressions of shock and amazement at what they had heard but before she could speak Daphnis spoke.

"My lady you have a child?"

"Yes, Daphnis, a son at that too."

"A son?" She nodded, "You?" She nodded once again, her eyebrow raised challenging Daphnis something Daphnae picked up on quickly as she spoke up.

"My lady but I still do not understand why you have called us here today." She started trying to get Daphnis to stop digging a hole, "I understand you wish to tell us you have a child, your first child at that but what do you require of us, milady."

"It is simple. The two of you will the training him until he turns 11." She said casually looking as their eyes bugled out of their heads in shock and their skin somewhat paled at her words.