Bit of an author's note here, this chapter is very long, sitting at a proud 2,065 words for the main body itself. This is a huge achievement for me, as I have not pulled this off without copying and pasting song lyrics or something of the sort to pull those kinds of numbers.

This was just me going insane.

Next chapter will be when I answer reviews and comments. So make yourselves known, damn it!

Enjoy the ninth chapter of Silver Hearts because I sure as hell enjoyed typing it. This is a very wholesome chapter, so please keep that in mind.

This is definitely my favorite chapter in terms of content thus far. I hope others will think the same.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters within the PJO universe. Rick Riordan does.

Silver Hearts

Chapter Nine

Smitten

Olympian Throne Room

"Father, no! I will not let you do this to him!"

"You dare defy your king? He is a threat to our existence!" Zeus roared, thunder shaking the throne room.

A golden arrow embedded itself right next to his face, courtesy of Apollo, which was swiftly followed by a hard slap that cracked across the sky god's face. Whipping his head back around, his eyes widened and the throne room fell deathly quiet.

There, standing in the epicenter of a swirling tornado of fire, was an enraged Hestia.

"You shall not touch that man, brother." The normally calm goddess of the hearth hissed, eyes glowing like molten lava. "He has done nothing to wrong anyone here. He was only defending his honor and proving his worth in his duel against Ares. He is the chosen partner of Artemis, your daughter, and you dare to treat him as a lowly mortal? Her hunters have embraced him and they listen to his teachings. Whenever I enter their camp, I feel only joy since his arrival. I will no longer sit idly by and listen to you deliberate ending lives such as his. He had earned his peace, had the opportunity to embrace it, and he decided that your daughter within our pantheon, our family, was worth giving all of it up. For her." The goddess of the moon visibly flinched at that.

She had not known any of this.

Hestia wasn't done though.

With a wave of her hand, an Iris message shimmered into existence in the middle of the throne room, and the rainbow goddess herself appeared. She was currently speaking with what looked to be a wind nymph, and the deity was helping her select flowers.

"Iris?" The goddess of the hearth softly asked, and the deity in the mist paused, turning around with a smile on her face.

That smile immediately melted from her face and was replaced with an emotionless mask upon seeing the assembled gods and goddesses.

"Hestia." The goddess in the image cordially replied, not betraying any emotion. "What is it you need?"

"It's time. They have to know."

Iris tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "I know much, Hestia. What is it that the almighty Olympians should know from me that they do not know already?"

"Stryker."

"No."

Hestia blinked, rather surprised at the immediate and blunt reply, but the rainbow goddess remained stoic as she continued.

"His story is not mine to tell." The goddess stated simply with a shrug, bending down to pick up a rather extravagant bouquet of various colored flowers. She smiled at the nymph as she squealed in joy when handed the flowers. The nymph was reaching into a purse, most likely to pay for it, but Iris merely grabbed her hand and placed it on the stem of the bouquet while shaking her head. Turning back around to face the deities in the throne room, she shook her head. "I will not betray his trust. Only he may tell his story if he chooses to do so. It is his, and his alone." Her eyes flicked to the moon goddess, who looked absolutely miserable, and her face softened. "He truly cares for you, you know that right?"

The goddess of the hunt released a deep sigh and nodded.

Iris cracked a small smile. "He sees your hunters as little sisters. One big extended family, and he would do anything for them if only to see them smile. When they are happy, you are happy, and your happiness brings joy to him." The rainbow goddess chuckled as she threw a wink at Hera, who snickered a bit before sobering up although a smile was still on her face. "When that whole ordeal in the Parthenon happened, he despised Hera with a burning passion. Called her an annoying bitch." Several snorts of suppressed laughter and soft chuckles accompanied that statement. "After about a hundred years of this animosity, he finally let go of his anger toward her and they became rather good friends. Does this sound right, Hera?"

The queen of Olympus nodded, that grin never leaving her face.

Iris glanced over her shoulder and sighed. "I must be going. Zeus, if you really feel the need to do so, then by all means challenge him to a duel. He needs an outlet for his stress and anger and I think you would be the perfect punching bag for him." She nodded to Hestia who gave the minor goddess a smile. "Until next time."

And with a wave of her hand, the connection was severed.

Silence reigned supreme for several minutes, no one really knowing what to say. Many eyes flitted over to Hera, but she didn't even bother to glare back.

She was too engrossed in perusing her memories of the pranks that her and Stryker had pulled on various immortals over the years. A small smile was etched on her regal face as she was lost in thought.

A sigh from Artemis caught the attention of the council, and they all looked on as she stood from her seat. Shrinking down to her normal human height of five foot six, she made her way to the throne room doors, pausing as she grasped a handle.

"Do not presume that you hold my favor after today, father." The goddess said over her shoulder, and Zeus visibly deflated. "You are right on one thing, however. I do hold this man close to my heart. Since I happen to be the one he is courting, I am able to see much more than anyone here. What none of you see are the nightmares he suffers from." In an even softer voice, yet still audible to all, she finished. "I do… and yet I still cherish him. I hold no regrets where he is involved. Especially not in our growing relationship. Goodbye."

And, with those final words, the goddess of the moon opened the door and strode out. The door let out an echoing boom when it shut once more and silence reigned again.

Clearing his throat, Poseidon glanced at Hades, who gave him a knowing look before speaking. "I think it's safe to say that the majority of us support this man, yes?"

A chorus of "aye's" and nodding heads followed his statement as the sea god stood. Turning himself, he handed his trident to Hades, who held onto it so it wouldn't clatter to the floor, and everyone watched as the Earthshaker placed his hands on the armrests of Zeus's throne. Leaning in towards his brother while maintaining eye contact, Poseidon's voice was low, but all could hear the anger present in the underlying tones. As the sea god spoke to the pinned Zeus, the throne room trembled, amplifying every word that left his mouth.

"Know this, little brother. Should you attempt to end that man's life, I will drag you into my domain for many centuries of torture. Should you make his life a living hell, I will repay that which you inflict onto him ten times back onto you. Consider this no warning, brother, for this is a threat. I swear this upon the Styx, there will be no forgiveness."

Thunder boomed so loudly that the entire city of Olympus shook, startling everyone who resided there.

Zeus, who was deathly pale and shaking like a leaf, merely nodded weakly as his older brother stood up straight once more. The lord of the Underworld casually tossed the sea god his symbol of power back and the latter nodded to the former, who smirked. The two elder sons of Kronos then disappeared in twin flashes of light, leaving a shaken Zeus and an amused council behind.

-x-

Artemis POV

The unruly clamor of metal slamming against metal, accompanied by shouts and yells, drew me to the arena upon my arrival at Camp Half-Blood. A voice rose above the noise, one I instantly recognized, and I made my way over.

"C'mon Thalia, you can do better!"

The sound of metal screeching across another metal surface rang out before I found them fighting.

"Yes! There it is! Again!"

A small smile grew on my face as I watched Strider, well… Stryker, dueling with my lieutenant. Taking a seat in the stands, I observed in quiet fascination as the daughter of Zeus soaked in whatever words my man–

I paused at that thought.

'My man'? I mused, closing my eyes and my smile grew wider. Yes, he is mine. Just as I am his.

Opening my eyes, I found the two previously dueling figures looking up at me with grins on their faces. Stryker was leaning his forearms on the hilt of his sword while the blade was planted in the ground. His sparring partner, Thalia, had her hands on her hips, smirking with an eyebrow raised as if she was daring me to go down there.

Rolling my eyes, I decided to play along.

Standing tall, I made my way down the steps before entering the arena itself. The Ardonians's eyes never strayed from my form as I moved, every movement enrapturing him as his expression softened.

Smitten.

That single, lonesome word in my head slammed into my chest and I froze as I found myself directly in front of him. I could hear his calm, level breathing. I could smell his faint smoky aroma, pulling me in. Above all, I could feel the aura of sheer power that surrounded his being. It stood by, ready for him to command at will, and he only used it to help others instead of using it to instill fear.

The Fates themselves must be laughing at me, the goddess of the moon and the hunt… for I have fallen.

I have fallen in love with this man.

"So you see, I wa-"

I cut off whatever Stryker was going to say by gently pressing my lips against his, winding my arms around his neck while he stood up in surprise. As I pulled myself flush against his body, I could feel his steadily beating heart rapidly pick up its pace. Feeling his hands on my hips, I pulled back so I could peer into his eyes.

Those mystical, color changing eyes that I loved as much as the person they belonged to, looked down at me with fondness and confusion.

Placing my head against his chest, directly over his heart, I embraced him and did something I thought I could never do.

I simply relaxed.

I relaxed into the warmth enveloping me and the sound of that beating heart. For every beat of that throbbing heart was for the goddess in his embrace.

Hearing a throat being cleared, Stryker turned his entire body so that I wouldn't have to move from my spot. Thalia's amused, if slightly exasperated, face came into my line of sight.

"Yes Thalia?" I asked softly from my place nestled in the male's arms.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out, so she just closed it. Disbelief was written all over her face as I smiled.

"If you continue to open and close your mouth like a fish, I'll have to get your cousin over here to communicate with you." I teased, feeling Stryker's body shake with barely restrained laughter.

That snapped her out of her stupor, causing the girl to glare at me, but there was no heat behind it. Crossing her arms, she spoke. "Well this is certainly a… new development." The sky god's daughter stated while gesturing to me.

I had to admit, I was rather comfortable with my place at the moment.

"I am where I belong." I replied quietly, tightening my grip ever so slightly. "In the arms of the one whom I love."

What happened next would cause me to laugh every time I remembered it from then on.

Thalia's jaw fell open, her eyes wide as saucers and Stryker was…

I was abruptly left standing alone as his body slipped away from me and hit the ground with a solid thud. When I gently prodded his leg with my foot, a sigh came from him and I snickered.

My male, ever so strong and confident, had fallen victim to information overload and had passed out cold.

I grinned evilly.

Oh yeah.

Blackmail from this is going to taste so sweet.