The Goddess Returns
At the speed the chariot was going it only took an hour for them to reach the home of the gods. The streets were lined with lights and people, "Why is it so busy?" Percy asked. "Today is the Winter Solstice, and we are late for the meeting" Artemis answered as the chariot turned and headed straight at the doors to the Hall of the Gods.
The doors opened just before they smashed into them. All eyes turned to them as the chariot skidded to a halt. "Apollo!" Artemis yelled and the blonde god was immediately at the back of the chariot. "Sis, you're home!" He exclaimed happily. Artemis was in no mood for shenanigans, "Zoe needs your help immediately, she was bitten by Ladon" Artemis said, trying to remain emotionless, as the feelings from the last few days fought to overtake her. Apollo jumped into action and pushed everyone out of the chariot so he had room to work.
Artemis still could not get her legs to work so she fell to the ground as Apollo pushed her, and she cursed under her breath. She had hoped she wouldn't need to explain what had happened to her during her imprisonment. Apollo appeared right in front of her, checking her over "Are you alright sis?" "Don't worry about me Apollo! Zoe is dying!" The sun god looked unsure but the glare from his sister convinced him to try again after he had fixed her huntress.
"Daughter it is good to have you back" Zeus' voice boomed, Annabeth helped Artemis stand up and helped her hobble over to her throne, she laid a hand on it and felt the power course through her, she changed to her godly height and sat down as Annabeth returned to her friends. "It is good to be back father" Artemis responded enjoying the comfort of her throne and it's power.
"What happened niece?" A soft voice rose up from the floor, Artemis' eyes drifted to the goddess of the hearth, who looked at her with sadness and curiosity on her face. Artemis looked back trying to find any evidence that she already knew or more importantly if the boy really was her son. Artemis saw nothing that would suggest an answer to either and sighed. "Well I was tracking the Ophiotaurus to Mt Tamalpais, which I see over there in the corner. When I entered the Hesperides garden, I skirted around Ladon and went to walk up the summit to make sure Atlas was still imprisoned when I was smacked in the head. I woke up bound in chains, facing Atlas' burden where a boy the same age as Perseus and Annabeth was in Atlas' place. The Titan's fortress was piecing itself back together piece by piece. Annabeth was also chained up beside me. Atlas then threw me under the sky and chained the boy up in my place. He informed me the boy had been holding the sky for over a month unwaveringly."
At this there were mixed reactions. Mostly shock but a couple chuckles. "There is no way some punk could hold the sky that long, he must have been lying" Ares said as arrogantly as usual. "You will not speak of him that way!" Artemis' anger suddenly flared on it's own. 'Is this what William had felt like every time the monsters and Titans would say something bad about me? No wonder he punched Atlas so hard' Artemis thought.
All the other gods were looking at her oddly. "Is there anything else daughter?" Zeus said trying to get the meeting back on track. "Yes father, after I was under the sky I was stripped of my clothes and forced to bear whatever torture they dared put upon me. Annabeth and the other boy were left alone completely. Then the questers arrived and set them free, the boy retook Atlas burden so that I could fight and then we trapped Atlas back under the sky" Artemis gave the brief explanation.
"And where is this boy now? I did not see him come in with you" Zeus questioned. "I do not know, he must be somewhere near Mt Orthrys but we saw no sign of him before we had to get here to save Zoe. But he must be close by since he is only a demigod" Artemis answered. "A demigod held the sky that long daughter? I don't believe that to be true" "Well it is! I saw the blood coming from his head when he got hit with a rock, and it most definitely was red. And no mortal could ever do such a thing, so he must be a demigod"
"What other information do you have on the boy? We would very much like to meet him?" Zeus said still not believing. "His name is William, that is all I know about him, Annabeth talked to him more than I did. The only other things I know are his physical attributes and the way that he would make me feel when we would stare into each others eyes to pass time" Artemis said that last part slightly wishfully. Eyes going wide around the room once again. Artemis saw this "Not like that you pervs! He made me feel safe and hopeful, which led me to the belief that he may be Lady Hestia's child, for she is the only one I have felt those things from so strongly before" Artemis responded quickly, trying to cover up her actual feelings but she could feel the goddess of love beside her staring right through the facade, as a small grin spread on her face.
All other eyes had turned to face the small child at the hearth. "I have no children, he must have just been a very kind person" Hestia said, seeing some doubt around the room she sighed, "I swear on the Styx that as of this moment I have no children, biological or adopted." When Hestia didn't disappear or get zapped or anything all eyes turned back to the no longer virgin goddess of the hunt, who had managed to compose herself. "That's all I know about the boy, he had tanned skin, dark blue eyes that reacted to his mood and brown hair. That's everything I know" Artemis said truthfully, leaving out the only other piece of information that she deemed unimportant for them to know.
"Is there anything else that you can add Annabeth?" Athena asked her daughter. "Not much more than that, I asked him lots of questions but he hardly ever answered. He was too busy staring into Lady Artemis' eyes. The only other thing I know is that he had planned on running away as soon as Lady Artemis was free, he feared what she would do to him, once she was free" Annabeth said in one breath. "Why would Artemis harm the boy that took the sky to set her free? What did he do that would warrant that?" Athena questioned. Annabeth sputtered, her eyes wide as she stared at Artemis, trying to think of an answer without revealing the secret the goddess clearly wanted to keep.
"He tortured me" Artemis spoke for her "Atlas forced him to participate in my torture and I suppose my reputation precedes me" Artemis explained simply. The gods all seemed to accept this answer. Aphrodite was skeptical that that was the full truth but knew it would come out eventually, so didn't press any more on the subject.