7DeadlySins: I am happy that you enjoyed it. For sure, Apollo would listen to Delphina since he still possesses a soft spot for her, but he was still justified in his actions somehow. And yes, it was about time that Delphina scold Achilles! And it will certainly not be the last time.

Thank you for your review!

Chapter 24: Artemis

Many weeks passed since the beginning of what people called the wrath of Achilles. Like predicted, Trojans were getting the advantage. The majority of the victories were theirs.

All because Achilles was refusing to participate to the war as long as Briseis would be not sent back to him. He didn't left the camp, but stayed there every single day.

His personal army was obligated to follow his decision and it wasn't like they complained. It would bring them a break from the battlefield and on the other side, they were truly faithful to their chief and agreed with him about the insult done to him.

And yet, the concerned would not give a rest to his mood.

Every morning, he woke up, giving the usual tenderness to his lover before going to serve himself a meal. After that, he would wash himself before sitting somewhere to enjoy the warm climate while waiting for the day to finish.

And all without saying a single word.

Patroclus still managed to get some conversations with him from time to time. But he was clearly the only one.

Delphina tried a thousand times to get something from him without any success.

"Hi! How are you today? I brought some vegetables from your garden at home. Your mom wants you to keep some connection from your birthplace. Happy?"

He didn't say anything, didn't even look at her.

She sighed. "Fine. I will put the basket on the table. Eat it as soon you are hungry. You may not be battling right now but you still need to maintain yourself healthy."

Still nothing.

She was discouraged. Then, Patroclus came to her. "Come. Let's go outside. There is no use to push him. You know that."

She nodded and followed him. At least, one of them wanted to maintain a social relationship with her.

They exited the tent and went to the beach where they discussed while enjoying the view.

"I'm sorry that he is treating you like that." Patroclus said. "He may still talk to me, but even I have difficulties when I brought that subject. He dismisses it and change the subject of the conversation very fast. He is too stubborn. I'm sorry. Just don't think he hates you."

"Thank you, Patroclus. I just don't like to feel punished. After all, I was the one who suggested Achilles to take Chryseis and to deliver her to her father behind Agamemnon's back."

"It was the right thing to do. It wasn't your fault. In fact, we should have released Briseis at the same time than the others. He felt responsible for that."

"I can understand."

"You know you are not obligated to stay here. Since he is not fighting, you don't have to watch over him. You can take some vacations from your oath. I will contact you when he will be back on the front."

"Thank you but… I don't know. It is just in my nature to worry. And something more than my oath brings me to go see Achilles everyday. In particular, right now. His temper and difficult attitude reminds so much of…"

She struggled to finish.

"Ho! You are talking about him."

She knew who and why he avoided to say his name out loud. She gasped a little and said. "Follow me."

She indicated him a place where there were a lot of trees that offered shadow from the sun. He followed her and once they were safe there, she pursued. "Sorry. It's just that I don't want to have this conversation while being exposed to the sun."

Patroclus raised his eyebrows. "You really think he would spy on us?"

"Trust me, he would. I have known him since the day of his birth."

"Ok, but does it mean that you want to talk about him?"

She breathed. She wasn't sure about what to say. On the other side, she trusted Patroclus and it had been a while since she talked deeply with someone worth trusting ready to listen.

"Well. I don't know what to say. You have probably heard about it. We used to be so close. He was truly my best friend. Despite the fact that he possessed a difficult temper. Sometimes, it was pretty hard to deal with his strong personality but I liked him like that when he didn't go too far."

"Hmm… I have the impression that Achilles may remind you of him. Maybe this is why you are still trying to talk to him. Because you want to fill in the emptiness with the closest thing like him."

Delphina blinked her eyes. "I don't think… Hum…"

"There is nothing to be ashamed about. Believe it or not, I do like Achilles' temper. Yet, he can be annoying, sometimes, but he would not be who he is without it. And I am pretty sure that you feel the same toward Apollo. This way, when Achilles acts like this, it may remind you of the time when you lived with the god. That's what you call the power of nostalgia."

Since when Patroclus became a psychotherapist? She thought about it. Maybe…

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Yeah… But you know, it isn't very simple. You weren't there when he killed all these children. In particular when this event happened not long after the loss of my godson. I…"

"It's okay. Don't feel obligated to speak about it. You know. Sometimes, Achilles drives me mad as well. I support him most of the time, but even I can… Well, I cannot imagine myself being in the same situation as you. But, just know that it is not always easy between us."

"Have you ever had a serious fight that threatened your couple?"

"Serious as yours? Not yet. But I fear it may happen someday inevitably. I hope the consequences will not be so big."

"It will all depend of your reactions."

"In your case, I know you were the one who provoked the most consequences. So, it is kind of strange to see you suffer from your own decisions."

"He acted first when he committed the infanticide." She replied defensively.

He didn't answer back. He understood. "Sorry for disturbing too much with this subject."

"That's okay… Could you leave alone for a moment? I need it."

"Ok. Remember, you are free to go back to the ocean. But you are welcome if you want to return."

And with those last words, he left.

…

Delphina had stayed on the beach the whole day.

She was thinking. About what? She didn't know. Her whole mind was now like a storm. With a wind very strong that prevented her to move. And the weather so bad that she struggled to see any light that could indicate her a safe place to get.

Yes, that was what exactly how she felt for many years now.

At first, she felt burdened by her obligation to watch over Achilles as it was mostly stressing considering his hard personality. But she came to see it as a good distraction.

But the "distraction" became a reminder of what she wanted to be distracted from.

The night rose. The sun disappeared and the moon began his usual reign at this time of the circle.

For once, she didn't know what to do. Should she go back there? Even though Achilles hardly recognized her existence and that she had nothing to do? Or should she go back to the ocean like Patroclus advised her?

She felt lost.

"Delphina."

She gasped and froze in place as if she had been struck by a thunderbolt. That voice! It couldn't be!

She turned around to confirm her suspicions. Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt in person stood in front of her shining like the moon that she represented.

She was shocked by the surprise meeting. How long it had been since she had seen Artemis? Just as much she had been angry toward Apollo, the same had applied to his twin.

And to remember that, she became irritated by the audacity and yelled. "What do you want?"

The Olympian had been prepared to this conversation and so, she whispered. "I just wanted to discuss with an old friend of mine. I waited for the perfect occasion when you will be alone.

Delphina didn't like it. It felt suspicious. "Are you sent by your brother?" She asked rudely.

"No. I came on my own. I didn't even tell him that I planned to come to see you. You can trust me."

"Then, what do you want from me?"

"Look. I know you must be mad at me. But I just want to have a civilised conversation right now. I came here because I need to explain myself. It took me so many years to have the courage to confront you, so at least, give me a chance to talk."

The oldest goddess sighed before deciding to give in. "Fine. I am ready to listen to you."

"Thank you… First of all. Unlike my brother, I am ready to apologize. I want to apologize for what I have done to Niobe's children. You were right. I punished the wrong people. I betrayed myself as the protector of the youth. I deeply regret it."

Suddenly, a fire burned inside Delphina. First, she was surprised by the apology. And yet, she possessed a good memories.

Angry, she yelled. "Since when do you regret it?"

"What?"

"I'm asking. When did you realise how cruel you were? Certainly not before you asked the sacrifice of Iphigenia!"

Artemis stayed still. She expected this subject to pop up in the conversation, just not that early. If she wanted to keep Delphina's full attention, she would have no other choice than going straight to the truth.

"Iphigenia is still alive."

It worked. The sea deity was about to riposte but she quickly closed her mouth under the impact of the revelation. She was clueless. "What?!"

"Please, just listen. I owe you an explanation. Well, you should know that I would never ask for such a thing."

Delphina looked at her severely. Artemis realised her mistake. "Sorry! You are right. I cannot claim such a virtue. Well, I still didn't really want it! But I was mad at Agamemnon for the offense he committed to me. And also, I didn't want this war to happen. So, when I realised that I could intervene, I didn't hesitate."

She took a breath before pursuing. "I couldn't maintain the wind forever or else my father would punish me for too much intervention in the mortal world. I needed to ask for something in return for my peace. I could ask for anything. So, I asked for something very taboo. The sacrifice of his child. Please! Understand me! I didn't want her to die at all! But I thought that the king would never be able to do this and so that would make him give up on the war. That was my real goal."

"Well. Congratulations. Now, you know how cruel people can be. Imagine when it is the people you trusted the most."

Artemis blinked. Since when Delphina could talk like that? Did she hate her that much? She still continued. "Well, when I learned that he would truly kill her, I stepped in. I used my powers to switch her with a deer. The deer was covered with an illusion. I brought her in my forest where I made her join my retinue."

She had finished. She hoped that her old friend will finally forgive her now that she knew the truth.

And yet… She had never been properly prepared. Less angry, Delphina still looked at her with more deception than ever. She replied. "Did you think that it would make me feel better?"

"No. But…"

"But what? A mother and a father are still grieving, thinking that their daughter is dead! This girl is now living far away from her home, from her family. And overall, she is obligated to be virgin in order to respect the rules that come with living with you! How is it supposed to make me feel better?"

Artemis was mute. She never considered this angle of the story. Or maybe she chose to ignore it.

Nevertheless, Artemis remained surprised by Delphina's reaction. "You changed." She said. "I have never known you as someone so bitter."

Delphina almost blinked at the comment, but she quickly found a riposte. "Maybe you simply didn't know me well… Or you are unaware or how much some people can change someone."

"Are you talking about my brother?"

"Ho! Please, don't bring him in the conversation!"

"Are you going to avoid him forever?" The Olympian insisted with determination, this time.

Delphina didn't know what to respond.

Artemis added. "He misses you a lot, you know."

This warmed and hurt her heart at the same time. She missed him as well, but she would never say it out loud in the presence of his twin sister.

"If he does, then, why doesn't he come to me like you did?"

"It's more complicated."

"You doesn't sound sure."

"Well, he doesn't talk that much when it concerns you but I know him well enough to know how he feels toward you."

"Please, don't. You are not helping me to move on. You came to apologize, that's enough. You can leave."

"You are not forgiving me easily, are you?"

"Just explain to me! How did you begin to regret it?"

"I can tell you the story."

"Which story?"

All of a sudden, he huntress showed her with her finger a part of the sky. "Do you see the stars out there? Shaped like a hunter?"

"Yes, I can see."

"This is called the constellation of Orion."

"Who?" She didn't know that constellation at all. It was fairly recent.

Artemis became sad. "He was an old friend of mine. We met each other after the event with Niobe. He was a solitary demigod who loved to hunt. Curiously, I developed an interest in him while it is very unlike me since he is a man and usually I only allow virgin women to accompany me outside of my brother… Well, since your departure, my twin became very cold even with me and so, I supposed that I felt a little lonely."

Memories hurt her but she pursued. "We became very close. We were hunting together every day. We were learning more about each other. He was very sweet, handsome and kind. He made me feel happy."

It troubled Delphina a little bit. "Did you fall in love with him?" She was a sworn virgin and supposed to be protected from Eros' powers.

"I think I did. I don't know. It is such a foreign feeling to me. And I never felt this close to a man outside of my brother. But Apollo soon learned about this."

Delphina could fear the worst coming. Sadly, her instincts didn't fail when Artemis said. "He wasn't happy. He told me that I should be careful. That Orion was a giant. That he had an ugly past. That he was a man while was making me go against my own rules. But I didn't listen! I was even mad at him since this wasn't his business!"

She took a pause before continuing. "Anyway. I kept spending my time with Orion, becoming more attached every single day. I couldn't quite describe my feelings. But Apollo…"

Her voice became broken. "Someday, my brother came to me in the forest, suggesting to go hunting with me. I was very surprised. It had been a while since he proposed to spend some time with me like before. Nevertheless, I was truly enchanted! Then, just like in the old times, we were disputing about who was the best archer. Like before, we challenged each other. Then, he defied me to shoot an animal swimming very far away from us. Enthusiast, I accepted! I took my arrow and with my bow, I…"

She stopped, unable to pursue. The emotions had achieving to reach the surface and she was fighting to not cry.

"It wasn't an animal." Delphina easily guessed, sincerely shocked by the tragedy.

"I… When I realised what I had done… But it wasn't the worst! I looked at Apollo to see his reaction to it… Sadly, being the God of Truth has its disadvantages."

Delphina was definitely shocked. No matter her low opinion of him, never she could have expected Apollo to do this to his own sister!

Artemis almost exploded. "I cannot say how I felt… But I think I felt exactly the same like you were last time you saw him! I was disappointed, angry, sad and horrified! I just wanted… I felt so furious that I menaced to leave him forever like you did."

Delphina reacted. "You did?!"

"For a while only. In my mind, I was siding with you and with that, I discovered how awful I have been in the past. But…"

"But what?"

"The constellation appeared. To my own surprise. My father admitted to me that it was Apollo who asked him to do this."

Delphina didn't know how to react. "It was him? Don't tell me you forgave him after that!"

"Not so easily. I went to him to receive some explanation. And… Trust me. I have never seen him being so sad and desperate in my life. He confessed how much he regretted it, that he only wanted to protect me while fearing to lose me as well. He never thought of how much it would hurt me! The fear I saw in his eyes, I will never forget it! Then, that's what I learned it. That I couldn't stay mad at him forever. That it would be pointless and not productive."

Delphina bit her lips a little bit. For once, she felt sorry for Artemis. Being tricked to kill someone you love by someone else you love? She had yet to meet that kind of pain.

On the other side, she hated how she could easily relate to how she could lose her maintenance once she saw Apollo's sadness. She also possessed this weakness. But…

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Artemis. However… If you expected me to show me that I could forgive him, you are going to be disappointed. It's quite the contrary. I cannot believe that he could do something like that. That's what I can hardly accept. He hurt so much, than he regrets only to do it again. There was a time when I had faith in him that he could become a good man. In particular during his time in exile. But that time felt like it happened an eternity ago."

"And what about me?"

Delphina looked at her. She had multiple reasons to despise Artemis. She had killed Coronis. She had convinced Asclepius to break his promise while led to his demise. She had murdered the children of Niobe.

And yet, she could believe in her sincerity right now. "I don't hate you." She said.

Artemis was kind of relieved. It was all she needed to hear. And yet… "Delphina, I…" She still wanted to talk about her brother. She knew that she didn't hate him that much. She was just very hurt by his actions while had traumatised her. She was only very upset by the repetitive deceptions she had faced from him. She now understood that, but…

"Do you know…?" Artemis desired to tell her the truth. About why his brother had been so upset by Troilus' murder. Not just because it had happened inside his temple. What pain he had been through! Sure, she would not stay insensible!

And yet, with the revelation it would implicate, she was afraid it would just hurt her even more and not help his brother's case at all. She became so conflicted.

"Are you going to finish your question?" Delphina asked while the other goddess wandered in her thoughts.

"Nothing. I am going to leave." She chose to not say anything. It was wiser to not infiltrate herself further inside their relationship.

"Artemis!" Delphina called.

The huntress stopped. She turned around to listen.

"I really don't hate you. And thank you for coming."

Artemis smiled. Then, she left.

…

After Artemis' departure, Delphina stayed a little longer on the beach, lying down on the sand watching the stars. She contemplated the constellation of Orion. While reminded her even more of the conversation she just had.

She couldn't stop thinking of Apollo and Artemis. In particular the former one.

Once again, she hated to admit how much she missed him. How long it had passed since the last time she saw him? When she left the first time after Marsyas' death, the separation had been far shorter. But now, it felt like centuries ago when she last saw his smile. And yet, she still remembered very well any details of his beautiful face, any part of the music he played on his lyre, any moment she had experimented with him.

Her throat began to strangle her. The emotions were too strong. She decided to distract herself by thinking of how cruel he could be. Of how he had dared to hurt his own sister despite working hard to earn her forgiveness soon after. But he certainly would never learn anything. He had deceived her too many times.

No! It didn't help! It saddened her even more.

She closed her eyes. Trying to relax her mind. To plunge her head into the tranquility of emptiness. And soon, she found a slumber.

…

It was all darkness and all silent. The atmosphere scared her. Loneliness absorbed all of her courage. She felt trapped. She felt surrendered by a terrible coldness that maintained her frozen in place.

She tried to remember who she was, where she was. Her head was totally confused.

She tried to move only to fail. She couldn't escape this state. She wanted to scream but nothing came from her voice.

She panicked!

And suddenly, she heard a voice…but not hers.

She knew that voice but from where? And what was it saying?

She felt a hand touching her. She should be afraid but in the contrary, she felt reassured. But why?

Suddenly, she felt warmer. Like if a barrier separating her from the cold had been deposited on her. Was it from this unknown guardian angel?

And a moment later, she heard. "Wake up!"

She jolted. That was a different voice. She heard again. "Please, wake up!"

She shook and suddenly her eyes opened. She jumped when she realised that she had been asleep. She rose her head. Then, she noticed the presence of Patroclus at her side. She was confused. "What's happened?!"

"It looks like you fell asleep on the beach. Are you crazy? The night is really cold outside!"

"What? But… How did you know that I was still here?"

"We suddenly received the visit of a raven who seemed to want us to follow it, so I volunteered to go, then I found you."

A raven? But that would mean… She also noticed something else. She deviated her stare and gasped! On her body, a familiar white blanket had been put on her. She recognized that smell!

"He… He… He was here." She only whispered, on the edge of breaking down.

Patroclus knew what she meant. He suggested. "Come. You may be immortal but you can still get sick."

…

When they got back to the tent, Patroclus prepared a hot beverage in order to calm her mind. She was holding the blanket around her body like a baby. She hadn't say a single word since.

Achilles stood there, just observing them. He couldn't say what exactly he was thinking but he knew for sure that he was worried even if he wouldn't show it.

He brought her the drink. "Take this. It will help you."

She accepted it and slowly drank it. It made her feel better and yet… She couldn't let go of the blanket. She had missed it. This softness she had experimented every night she had had a nightmare where she would run to… She wanted to cry but she fought to not do it.

She whispered. "Why? Why he always do that? Why he cannot let me go and let me move on? Why he has to torture me like this?"

Suddenly, Achilles advanced to her. She looked up, intrigued by this approach. He had been practically ignoring her recently. What was happening?

He squatted in front of her to have his eyes at the same height than hers. His stare was intense but comforting. He told her. "People do crazy things when they are in love."

He gave a glance to Patroclus before returning his attention on her and added. "However… People do even crazier things when they have lost the one they love. Letting it go isn't that simpler."

She closed her mouth.

Satisfied, he stood up and indicated that he was going to the bed.

Patroclus asked her if she needed anything else while she declined the offer. She thanked him, thought.

He went to join his lover, leaving her alone.

She began to breathe slowly. She didn't know if she felt worried or reassured, but she was certain of one thing.

She will remember this day as the day where she learned that she will never be free of Apollo.

Thank you for reading!

I told you that I didn't forget about Artemis! This conflict had to be resolved!

Fun fact: when I first planned my story, I wanted to include an entire episode about Orion. But I thought that it would distract too much from the main story. Still, I am glad that I managed to insert it somewhere.

In the real myth, Apollo wasn't the one who asked Zeus to create the constellation. It was just a nice modification from me.

I hope you enjoyed it!

See you soon!