All Rights belong to Rick Riordan

Chapter 26

I Make a Confession

(Percy)

Thankfully after the chaotic day before the night generally passed without incident... with the single exception of Nemea deciding to personally notify me of Artemis's return. To say I was unprepared for the point-blank roar she released with her head poking through the entrance to my tent would be understatement.

I ended up jumping out the bed and drawing Maelstrom in one motion expecting to be under attack and running outside only to find the pair looking at me humorously, or as amused as an overgrown wild feline can look with the goddess beside rubbing her ear as the lioness lay on the floor.

"Artemis... I take it this was your idea?" I asked whilst transforming the sword back into a watch.

"You were supposed to make a report in twenty minutes. I thought you should be up already or if you were not, I would provide an alarm." She said with an increasingly bright red face which confused me until I looked down. And realized that in my haste I had not bothered to put all my clothes on and was now completely topless even my wings were on display. This was going well less than seventy-two hours into this assignment, and she had already seen me unclothed twice.

"Exactly in twenty minutes, I don't know if you know but time is kind of my thing now, like I always know exactly what time it is. This watch is only for show I don't actually need it. Jeez I thought we were under attack for a second, what if the hunters had seen me?" I growled out quickly covering my body with my wings to preserve modesty and to provide protection against the cool morning winds.

"Do not worry they are still fast asleep, even Thalia only gets up five minutes before she reports to me, so calm down Percy. Or is the poor Titan Lord of Time worried about some lost rest?" She joked, although I could have sworn, I saw her make a slight sigh after I covered myself up.

"I am starting to think you want me to get caught Milady." I joked calming down somewhat.

"No, why would I want that Perseus?" She said feigning confusion blinking repeatedly as she pulled a finger to her lip.

'Goddamn why is she cute when she does that!' I thought to myself, I mean Diana being older was simply beautiful in every way to me. But Artemis now that she was seemingly slightly older than before was now in that middle ground of adorable to look at and 'oh right she kills people that look at her funny'.

"Because maybe you actually want to see Thalia start throwing lightning bolts at me?" I deadpanned not hinting at my real thoughts.

'I can wait honestly; besides it is your decision not mine to do so. Although come to think of it, I can probably sell tickets to Ares and several others when she does find out." She said happily and I begrudgingly had to agree, I certainly had my share of antagonized enemies that would love to see me getting attacked by a lightning throwing teenage girl.

"As long as I get a cut of the profits." I said with a sigh.

"We will see I suppose I could work something out. Anyway, meet me at my tent in ten minutes and get dressed this time. As amusing as it is to see you fresh out of bed, go get changed and meet me outside my tent."

"I am starting to think you just like seeing me half naked Milady." I joked turning back to my tent.

"I think you would look cute as a small animal Perseus." I heard her say deadpanned behind me.

"Been there done that, Phoebe Artemis." I chanted before disappearing back inside the tent and only barely hearing her wail of annoyance at that name.

(Artemis)

Soon enough my Lieutenant and annoying guardian arrived at my tent for the usual morning briefing. Of course, with what was going on in my head preventing me from sleeping for the most part. I had actually been watching from above for most of the night, even so I listened as Percy explained the few details of what happened during the night before. He simply did his intermittent patrols and other than his far too often tripping over tree roots that he claimed seemed to move whenever he approached them little else of consequence occurred.

The reason I wanted Thalia here at the same time was, because this way she was also notified of all occurrences inside the camp even at night.

In the past, the hunters would have posted a sentry themselves, but since we had an admittedly more effective defence at the moment it seemed pointless. Besides if anything it would have limited Percy's effectiveness in the role if he was unable to fly. However back then, the hunt's sentries would tell their replacement of anything that had transpired and the last would have had to notify my Lieutenant of any activity in the night. Finally in the morning then Zoe or now Thalia would notify me. This way information was generally known to the entire hunt.

After Percy had given his report and me and Thalia questioned him on a few of the details. Mostly lamenting how he could be so clumsy, which I suspected was less actually with him and more the fault of a certain Dryad who had been shot by the idiot the day before. The next item on the agenda was the moving of the camp to a new location.

"Thalia you and the hunters are to break the camp down and prepare for movement. Perseus I will send you ahead to check the area is secure and to find us an ideal location for the next camp." I ordered surprising him.

"And what exactly am I looking for Milady ideally?" He asked, admittedly I hadn't thought of that, how would he know what I wanted in a camp location.

"Proximity to a water source for starters, well defensible, a reasonably flat area for a new range and some pretty thick woodland for practical training are the essentials. Otherwise, I will have to pick a location, but I would prefer you prove you can do something so simple." I explained.

"Where exactly am I looking? Or I am just going with somewhere in the country?"

"Annadel State Park, California. Now go get the rest of your equipment and weapons don't worry about the packing of everything else the tent is magical even when collapsed. When you are ready, I will flash you there, I will bring Nemea later with the rest of The Hunt." I instructed and watched as he simply nodded and walked back towards his distant tent.

"Anything else for me Lady Artemis?" Thalia enquired as I looked across to her from the trench coated figure walking away.

"Help the new twins with the packing, explain how everything works in the process as I will expect the pair of them to be able to do it on their own in the future. After that if Perseus and I have left by then start on his tent as well, ask the twins to attempt to do it on their own and if necessary, help them but only if they get into trouble with it." I ordered and received a customary bow before she also left and began to prepare for the coming day.

Eventually after only fifteen minutes the son of Poseidon returned heavily laden under the combined weight of weaponry and equipment.

"I am ready now Artemis." He said, once again informal now we were alone together.

"Good then take my hand and I will take you there." I explained thrusting my hand towards him where he caught it to his side and for a brief second as we flashed away in the golden light; it actually looked like we were holding hands in a far more casual way.

Only to reappear on the other side of the country, almost instantaneously. The area was still largely dark due to the time zone difference we had left at six AM EST and were now on three AM PST which meant it was night-time here and the moon was again in the sky above, the light from it refreshing my energy from the journey.

(Diana)

The light also had the inadvertent side-effect of reverting my aspect to Diana which startled the young Titan beside me, who backed away subconsciously letting go of my hand until he realized what had happened and seemed a lot more relaxed.

"Why did you change back to Diana now?" He asked curiously, I simply pointed upwards at the moon as it was all the explanation required and he soon understood the hint before looking around the immediate area and checking it was secure, before he relaxed again.

The truth was more a case of Artemis being so used to palming the moon duties off on me, that it was almost an instinctive thing for her to do so.

"Ok Percy, you have until nine AM here to find us a suitable campsite, otherwise I may let the hunters try their luck on a moving target. Try not to disappoint me.' I said cheerfully with a smile and saw him wince at the thinly veiled threat even if I wasn't actually that cruel.

Though it would have solved one major issue in a roundabout sort of way. I couldn't have confusing feelings for him if he was dead after all. Though it was not worth the consequences for when Poseidon found out, if I did.

"Yeah, no pressure or anything. Though I am sure Tania would love that opportunity to put an arrow through my chest. Speaking from experience, I would rather not repeat that ever again, it hurts like hell." He whined.

"Oh, Stop complaining you have been shot once and that was months ago in a duel. I got shot yesterday while lying on my bed minding my own business because you are useless with two sticks and a bit of string. Now hurry up, as you should know time is ticking, good luck." I told him with a small wave, before he could reply I simply flashed back to the camp.

(Percy)

I recognized the general area of the park I was in from my journey to Camp Jupiter, back after Hera wiped my memories and left me in Lupa's custody. As such I knew that the mountain that rose up alongside me was Sonoma Mountain and that somewhere nearby to here was the ruins of Jack London's appropriately named Wolf House, considering its usual occupants. However, this thought lead me to another I had overlooked since I had arrived.

Where were The Hunt's wolves? I had seen them back before the Titan war at Westover Hall but not since, though I suspected they were involved in the battle of Manhattan alongside their mistresses. However, I would have to save that question for when the goddess returned, or I spoke to Thalia next.

I rose into the sky above the oak forest and began to fly in lazy circles scouting the land below. The first major thing I had to find was a water source and sure enough I could feel the sensation in my gut of water below me amongst the tree canopy and I began to follow the course until it entered an exposed area where the canopy cleared.

The area was about fifty by forty meters large enough to accommodate the current tent arrangement. The creek provided a boundary on two sides as it meandered around. A third side allowed for long sight lanes for at least seventy-five meters and would accommodate a sizeable archery range while the fourth side was sheltered by a large outcrop of rock that stood twenty meters above the surrounding woodland, ideal for a guard location even if it was most likely to be only used by me.

Thinking it through I was even thinking of deliberately putting my tent across the river, that way there was less chance of them disturbing me. I mean I could quite literally walk across it if I needed to.

After memorizing this location, I spent the rest of the hour spotting for any other locations that were more suitable in the local area, but none appeared to be any better and I soon returned to the camp-to-be and landed on the outcrop. However, I still had five hours until the goddess arrived back with the hunters in tow. Now being back in California offered me an opportunity that I could use while I was alone.

Once again, I stretched out my wings and rose back into the sky before flying towards the Bay area and Mount Tamalpais.

The flight was uneventful as I quickly flew through the slowly lightening morning, it still being far too early for most mortals to be outside, let alone looking at the skies. So, after just less than an hour's flight I arrived at the Titan palace. The only thing I did upon arrival was my now customary look upon the struggling form of Prometheus and smile smugly at him as I passed.

In the months since he had taken the burden he had since managed to raise himself of the floor and was now capable of sitting on his hands and knees with the weight centred on his shoulders. His once immaculate suit was now in tatters the jacket shredded in places from rubbing against the invisible load and the shirt was thick with a layer of sweat, golden ichor and immortal tears while the trousers were encrusted in soil.

Looking up at me pitifully I gave him a cheerful one finger salute before traveling through the remaining gardens. The glade glowed in the moonlight from all the Moonlace planted by Calypso alongside her half-sisters. It was almost as if the Queen of Ogygia had become the unofficial fifth Hesperide since her release in place of the late Zoe.

When the last flowerbed ended, the great gates loomed before me and I quickly placed my hand upon my own name, noticing the names of the two remaining AWOL council members as it opened.

I travelled through the labyrinthine corridors with now practiced ease finding the way to my chambers within two minutes rather than my earlier hour-long search for clues. I entered the chamber to find little different from the last time I was here earlier in the week. I walked into the living room and crossed to a free area of wall space and placed the Minotaur's axe against it where it was frozen in place in its new position.

My next stop was my bedroom as I walked over to the weapon rack and placed my actual bow upon it. There was no way I was walking around carrying two long bows. One was an inconvenience; two was a pain in the ass especially as Artemis had forbidden me from changing her bows form. Besides Lelantos's former bow was dangerous and the goddess had told me not to use it and I had to agree. Besides unless I could wield an ordinary one for starters there was little point in wielding one with so much potential power.

I knew I had time to kill so I decided to treat myself and have a shower while I was here and to have an actual shave rather than a haphazard attempt using the business end of a broadsword, but an actual Hephaestus patented Celestial razor guaranteed to keep the stubble away for days as the blades somehow cut the follicle even below the skin.

Which I though was amusing, for the god easily had the messiest beard I had ever seen. That was when it was not spontaneously combusting.

Finally, I was ready to leave again before spotting something in the corner and recognizing it as Ariadne's string. Despite it being aboard the Argo II when it crashed the string had survived and Leo had sent it to me when he went to salvage what he could of the once magnificent dragon and the rest of the ship. I picked it up because it would amuse Nemea for a bit when she arrived. No matter how much she pulled on the ball of yarn it carried on providing more string until she eventually ensnared herself and I had to free her by cutting it to pieces, but she never learned or perhaps she did but still considered it fun regardless. The thoughts of that monster were a mystery after all, no one including Artemis claimed to be able to understand her. But clearly, she understood our words to her.

I decided against walking through the palace again and instead ascended to the roof via Nemea and Blackjack's Entrance which sloped upwards to the roof of the palace. The roof was a curious thing in that it was like my shield and at night showed the images of the stars above but of an actual three-hundred-and-sixty-degree perspective including the southern constellations hidden by the ground below. I had been told by Koios that Krios did it during the fourth Era back before the birth of the first gods. I had to give the faded Titan some credit, it was a beautiful piece of work.

I was about to fly off when I noticed a solitary figure on the roof looking up into the sky towards the rising sun and the setting moon which were both visible near each other. Clearly without Artemis/Diana directly controlling it and in her weakened state she was not able to keep equidistant from her brother's chariot.

I focused on the figure and made out familiar auburn hair that could only be one of two people and the other I knew was almost certainly on the other side of the country.

"Lady Leto." I called to the figure that turned in shock before focusing on me.

"Perseus you out rank me, it is I who should be calling you Lord." She replied politely.

"I may be a Titan Lord but that does not mean you have to bend knee to me. Fine I will not call you Lady if you do not call me Perseus or Lord, it is just Percy." I asked politely actually looking at her in detail this time. Apart from having brown eyes she looked like an older version of Artemis around that appeared to be in her mid-thirties or around that age.

Even though she quite literally appeared to be double my actual age. I could see what Zeus had seen in her, she was beautiful in a more mature way.

"Why would you not want to be called Perseus? It is your name, isn't it?" She asked curiously.

"For the same reason I asked your daughter not to, it is too formal for general use and in conversations. It is a name I only use on occasion or when I am with the council, where they love formalities. But when it is just us, please call me Percy." I explained.

"How did my daughter take your request?" She asked curiously with a smile.

"She agreed to it as long as we were in private and so long as I don't call her Phoebe Artemis." I told her chuckling.

"Very well then Percy. If my daughter agreed to it which is surprising considering her distaste of your gender, then I shall too. Besides why doesn't she like to be called by her full name? Apollo loves his and my mother likes having a granddaughter that shares a name." She asked looking at me whilst cocking her head to one side.

"Thank you, Leto. As for Artemis I don't actually know why she doesn't like it, just that if I mention it, she gets annoyed and starts pouting like an embarrassed schoolgirl." I told her laughing at the memory.

"My daughter. Artemis. The 'infamous' Huntress. Is acting like a schoolgirl in front of a male? Did she bang her head or something and no one tell me?" She asked in disbelief her mouth agape.

"As far as I know she hasn't, although I did accidentally shoot her with an arrow from your brother's stupid old bow. She needed Apollo's help to recover from the arrow's magic." I explained sincerely. Most people would be hesitant about telling someone's mother that you accidentally shot their daughter.

"I know Apollo visited last night and told me what happened, as for Lelantos, he never liked that thing either. He says it took all the fun out of hunting, no matter where you hit something it drops down to the ground unable to move. There was no fun in stalking the wounded animal and that was why he let you keep it when you offered him it back along with the domain." She explained in turn, and I was in disbelief. That lying little sod.

"So, what are you doing up here on the roof at this time Leto?" I asked curiously.

"I come here every morning and some evenings it lets me see both my children at the same time. Very rarely does Artemis visit, even now." She said sadly.

"If you want, I can try and get her to visit soon. Afterall, we are currently moving the hunt to California today. I am sure she would like to visit but circumstances have been against her lately.'

"That would be kind of you Percy. Out of curiosity but why are you so close with my daughter?" She asked approaching me and I froze in panic.

How do you tell someone about you secretly having possible feelings for their daughter? What were my real feelings for the goddess? Oaths or not, if we could, what would I do if she even agreed?

"Honestly, I don't know. But when I am around her, I feel relaxed, and that she is able to calm me down when I get lost in the chaos of battle and bloodlust. It was her who was able to stop me go self-destructive against the Roman augur despite it being her he hurt the most. She is actually surprisingly funny and witty and knows how to put me in my place which is a feat in itself. She is cute when embarrassed and she is more beautiful than Aphrodite when she doesn't conceal it, no matter what age she appears at. What I do know is that I do have feeling for her, feelings I never expected to feel after Annabeth died in the last war. If you were to ask if I loved your daughter, then in all honesty I would say yes." I admitted everything and it felt good to get the burden of my chest and I focused on the auburn-haired Titaness in front of me who was regarding me not showing emotion throughout my monologue.

"I see that you are being honest Percy, which is courageous in itself but what do you think my daughter feels about you?" And like that there it was, the enigma that was left unsolved in my head. The big question so to speak. Walking past her to the edge of the roof I leaned against the black stone parapet.

"I really don't know. Twice she has been heavily embarrassed after catching me semi-naked out of her own fault. She stares at me when she thinks I can't see her. She acts a lot less formal around me than she does others especially other men, including her brother. I have seen her laugh, cry, frown, smile all because of my actions but if you want me to tell you what I think your daughter thinks? I simply don't know. Besides it would never work between us, neither of us can break our oaths." I explained ending sadly and truly I meant it.

"You truly are something unique Perseus; I have never seen anyone that would honestly admit to what you just said. Most look at my daughter's cold exterior, the one she presents to the outside world and back off as fast as they can in fear. Yet you have seen my daughter behind that veil which even I and her father cannot often do, especially when around her hunters and certainly her brother. If only you were born a few thousand years earlier but nevertheless I give you, my blessing. Perhaps it is finally time the ice around her heart began to melt, no one can remain alone forever not even her, although I almost gave up hope after that complete debacle with your foolish stepbrother Orion." She explained and I tried not to turn red at her compliment she hid in the middle of that speech.

"We are still bound by our oaths." I stated simply.

"Artemis made her oath to her father, and he can release it at any time and as for yours. Think about what you swore to and see the path available to you. You may think you are backed into a corner, but escape is always available to those who look. Now I think you need to get back in time for my daughter's return. Now good luck and try and visit more often and for both gods and us Titan's sake don't shoot her again!" She explained cryptically before saying farewell suddenly and I noticed the sun had now risen quite far and my senses were telling me it was 8.15am. Crap was all I could think as I jumped into the sky.

(Diana)

I had not returned straight back to the hunts current camp but to my chariot and I watched as Percy began scouring the woods for a suitable location. In all honesty I had already selected a location during the night ready for when he failed but instead, he had found the same site within an hour. Checked to make sure it fit my criteria and then searched elsewhere just to make sure before returning to the new site.

As a result, there was little I could do to nit-pick his actions without being just petty.

Now I had been prepared to return to camp then expecting him to remain there when suddenly he took flight and headed towards San Francisco and Orthrys. I watched him land in the palace grounds before disappearing inside. Yet I stayed there and watched and waited before he reappeared on the roof alongside what I now quickly recognized as my own mother. For almost a year I had noticed a solitary figure on the roof and thought little of it despite it being there every morning as I descended below the horizon.

Out of curiosity I listened to their conversation and agreed that I needed to visit her more often. I had always favoured my father over my mother mostly because Apollo was such a mommy's boy that I instinctively went the other way. Plus, it was a begrudging admittance that my unique position amongst the goddesses was by his grace. He had accepted my childhood decision and accommodated the foundation of the Hunt, when he could have just as likely married me off to someone like poor Hebe had been.

The last thing though I heard was my mother asking Percy why he was close to me when at last the moon dropped below the horizon and I could no longer observe them. I wanted to know what he was saying that I collapsed against the railing and sat on the floor screaming in frustration as I continued to travel over the Pacific Ocean.

Eventually after another hour I began to calm down and focus on the situation and summoned Iris to show me the two but by now they had separated with him rapidly flying back to Annadel Park and her walking through the halls of Orthrys with a smile on her face.

This was ridiculous I was so close to finding out his opinion of me and fate had to rip it away. I couldn't believe he had opened up to my mother of all people/gods/or Titans. Then again. I had done the same with my own personal enemy Aphrodite and the relief that gave actually allowed me to concentrate most of the time, except when he was around.

Hades now the twins had joined The Hunt, the average age had increased between hunters and therefore so had I, therefore even as Artemis I was more strongly attracted to the damned idiot. But there was no way I was going to admit that to him, not until I knew what he thought. After all, what sort of impression would it give if the goddess of maidens threw herself at a male.

I had half an hour until nine AM PST which meant it was eleven-thirty back at Shenandoah. Which meant I had to hurry back and prepare the hunters to be moved across country as I disappeared from the chariot in a in a blaze of golden light.