Chapter 1: Daniel Ashford.
Ryan held the infant in his hands, wrapped in a small bundle to keep him warm. As he gazed fondly at the child's face, a small warm tear gently fell down his face, muttering quietly to himself, after all he was alone.
"My love, he... He has your eyes"
18th February, 1997- 5 years later.
Bright silver eyes shot open, today was the day! His birthday! His 5th birthday! He quickly shot out of his bed and rushed down the stairs, past the chimney, where a blade was sheathed on a mantle piece, and into the kitchen, where his dad was making breakfast.
As he quickly sat down at the table he gave his father an excited 'good morning!' before vibrating uncontrollably with giddiness, he always loved his birthdays! His dad always got him something fun!
"Morning Daniel, eager for your present aren't you?" he asked, a small smile on his face, and one brow upturned.
"... No, not at all" he replied meekly, embarrassed that his dad had read him so easily. There was nothing wrong with being eager for a present! At least it wasn't Christmas, so he wouldn't have to deal with another of his dad's remarks about how one should be excited to spend time with their family and friends instead of just for getting a present. Not like they had any family and friends anyway. He was somewhat of an outcast at school, and as far as he knew he didn't have any family besides his dad. Except maybe of course, for his...
"dad, will mummy ever come to my birthdays?" he asked innocently, a small hint of longing in his voice.
His father visibly flinched, before replying sadly
"I don't think so son, your mother, she's a very busy woman, she... Doesn't have the time for anything but her business" he slowly turned around, a plate full of his breakfast in his hands, before he lowered it onto the table.
"Not even for us?"
His face saddened, before replying again
"no, not even for us I'm afraid"
Daniel hated seeing his dad like that, his face so full of sadness, it tore his heart apart to see his father so depressed, at merely the mere mention of his mother.
"Besides, I get the feeling that her family wouldn't much approve if they found out about us" he spoke once more, his sad expression turned into a slight smirk, as if imagining the reactions of the family members to their existence.
"Why? Does mummy's family not know about us?" he had never known his mother, and this was the first time his father had mentioned anything about his relatives.
His dad sat down across the table from him, holding a warm mug of freshly brewed coffee in his hands, as if to warm himself up. His smile increased a bit as he answered, more warmth radiating from his expression than before.
"No, they don't , and they likely wouldn't be too happy if they found out, they're very... Traditional, and me and your mother had you out of wedlock"
Daniel tilted his head at that, as he started stuffing his mouth full of pancakes
"wedlock?" he asked, not really sure what that meant.
"it means that we weren't married when you were born."
Daniel slowly nodded his head in understanding, his face then slowly turning into an expression of confusion, before saying something his father had not been expecting.
"daddy, how are babies made?"
His dad's face quickly turned red as he took on an expression of surprise, he answered quickly
"how about you go unwrap your present, huh Daniel?"
He tilted his head in confusion.
"but, I haven't even finished breakfast yet"
"that's fine, go on now, I know you're excited to see what it is!"
Daniel quickly forgot his confusion, as it was instead completely replaced by excitement.
As he unwrapped the present, his head ran at a million miles an hour, trying desperately to figure out what it could possibly be.
All of his guesses were incorrect, before him stood a small toy bow, that shot (obviously) toy arrows.
"your mother adored bows, she was an absolute crackshot with one. In fact, she shot me with one when I first met her!" he laughed quietly, reminiscing on the most important moment of his life.
"She shot you with one? Why?"
"your mother wasn't the most trusting when it came to men, I had to earn her trust, it wasn't easily won, she was headstrong, independent and easily the most beautiful woman I'd ever known. She was a goddess, I love her." His face twisted back into a nostalgic sadness once more.
Daniel resolved to make sure his father never made that face ever again. The fates, however, had different ideas.
11th May, 1998-1 year later
Daniel sat on the balcony, his silver eyes staring intently at the full moon that hung low in the starry night sky. For as long as he could remember, he'd always loved looking at the moon, it always made him feel alive, powerful, awake. Yet it also calmed him. Soothed him, like how he imagined a mother's embrace would.
His father walked up from behind him, before sitting down on the edge of the balcony beside him.
His father was a rather tall man, about 6 feet tall. Rather slim, with some relatively broad shoulders. He had short well kept black hair, and a bit of a stubble, alongside soulful brown eyes.
Daniel, for all extents and purposes, was basically a mini version of his father, minus the stubble and the brown eyes. Instead he had bright silver eyes, that reflected the moonlight perfectly. Looking simultaneously eerie and beautiful under the light of the full moon.
"Careful up here, Daniel, you might fall."
He didn't reply, still too engrossed in the full moon to reply.
"you know, you were born on a full moon much like this one"
This caught his attention, he turned to look at his father, who was now also staring up at the moon.
"The second I saw you, under the light of that full moon, I knew instantly that you were the most important thing in my life, I knew that I loved you more than anything, and that I'd do anything to keep you safe." He'd never heard his dad speak with such conviction before. Usually he was so calm and collected, but in this moment, he was determined.
"Your mother, I'm sure feels the same way. But she has responsibilities to take care of. Right now, she's out there somewhere, making sure that people like me and you are safe."
Daniel tilted his head once more, keep people safe?
"How? Is she a super hero?"
His dad chuckled softly before ruffling his hair
"No, nothing of the sort. She's a hunter, she hunts dangerous creatures "
"like, bears? And wolves?"
His father shook his head
"they're not that dangerous, and no, she hunts monsters"
Daniel couldn't believe this, monsters?
"Daddy, you're so silly! Monsters aren't real!"
His dad slowly smirked, before turning to him.
"aren't they? Then what do you make me look under your bed for every night?"
His face turned red, as he sheepishly looked away.
"and what about... The tickle monster!" in a flash, his father attacked him with the most fiendish and deadly tactic of all, tickling. Daniel couldn't deal with it, he couldn't stop laughing as his dad tickled him without remorse.
"D-dad, stop!" he could barely get the words out.
Eventually his father stopped, having left his son a giggling wreck.
"Come on, let's get you to bed, remember to brush your teeth"
"yes dad." He replied grudgingly.
31st October, 1999- 1 year later
Halloween, a favourite night for many a child. Daniel Ashford was no exception. This would be his first time trick or treating, and had forced his dad to wear a costume as well. His dad begrudgingly agreed, only because of the face that he had made, apparently he had irresistible puppy eyes.
As awkward as it was for a 26 year old man to walk around dressed up on Halloween, he was glad that he had said yes to the choice of going with his son. His costume, that of a Samurai, made the blade that he had sheathed on his hip, the Same blade that was hung above their chimney, inconspicuous. This way he could keep his son safe.
Speaking of his son, he had taken a rather lazy option compared to his father's rather complex costume, and had instead cut a few holes in a blanket, draped it over himself and had declared (rather proudly, he might add) that he was a ghost. Ryan remembered why he was out tonight, he had to keep that safe, that innocence, that purity that was so often ripped out of this world prematurely. He would not let his son suffer the same fate as...
Never mind. He didn't have to wait long to fulfil his duty however.
Before long, as they were walking down the streets, his son pointed at a lady and said (rather loudly)
"look daddy, that lady's a lizard!" he pointed at a rather normal looking woman in a lizard costume.
At first Ryan thought nothing of it, but the more he looked, the more he realised that wasn't a costume. Unfortunately for both of them, the lizard creature had noticed them as well.
Ryan tried to desperately steer his son away from the creature as they moved through the streets, only to end up in a street that was completely desolate. And it turns out that they had not lost the creature.
Trying to keep his son safe, he convinced him to go knock on a door around the corner for some candy, as he 'asked the nice lady for directions'.
The lizard woman took notice of this, and attempted to follow the child, only to be stopped by Ryan, who stood defiantly in her way.
"sssstep asssside mortal, it issss your child that I want. I will sssspare you if you leave now."
Ryan's eyes gleamed with a harsh determination
"no chance, I'd rather die before I willingly let my son get eaten by filth like you."
She narrowed her snake like eyes, before springing forward suddenly
"Then, you sssshall die!"
One of her claws shot forward towards him, aiming to eviscerate him. His right hand went to his blade on his left hip, before drawing it and slicing in a single, fluid motion.
She ignored it, after all, a toy wielded by a mortal was no match for he-!
"aaahhh!" she screamed in agony as her arm fell on the floor, detached completely from below the elbow. That blade was no toy! It was a celestial bronze katana! This man was more dangerous than she had anticipated! She had to run! She had to fle-!
Her head quickly departed from the rest of her body, before both exploded into golden dust. Ryan quickly flicked his blade clean of any monster remains before sheathing it once more. He was glad he hadn't gone rusty, he hadn't killed a monster since he first met his sons mother. Which is still more than any pureblooded mortal could ever say.
As his son returned, he knelt down of him, and asked him something that would change his sons life forever.
"son, how would you like to learn Kendo?"
"I'd love to!" Daniel didn't even know what Kendo was.
AN: So, a son of Artemis story? I know, very creative right? There's not many out there, and the few that there are, range from mid to absolutely atrocious, with the exception of three stories. Craters on the moon, When the moon series and of course the broken bow series. All of these are absolutely amazing and have inspired me to write my own. Though with my skills as a writer, it's likely to end up as another of those atrocious ones! But, not only am I a terrible writer, I also haven't read a Percy Jackson book since 2018, it was house of Hades. I don't even own any of the books, I read them because a friend lent them to me. So it's definitely been a while, some characters (assuming I even get that far) might be slightly OOC, but that's what the wiki is for! But I am also 100% uncertain what I actually want to happen in this story. I just about have a few events planned out, a few meetings and dialogues, but that's all. I don't know if I'll even continue this. But whether I do or not, I'd love it if you all left a review! I love engaging with people who read my work, and every review motivates me to write more! So if you want another chapter, there's no better way than to review! Alternatively, the blood sacrifice of a virgin is another good method, but I digress. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!