All Rights belong to Rick Riordan

Chapter 31

Tempting Fate

(Artemis)

After an initially tumultuous few days following the arrival of the new guardian. The next few weeks passed thankfully without any significant incidents, as Percy and the three new hunters worked on their training. The twins and Reyna quickly grasped the understanding required to be a hunter and were soon relatively proficient in field craft and in archery despite their initial misgivings.

Most surprising was that Reyna had seemingly assumed the role of Thalia's aide despite their initial mistrust of one another. It seemed my plan back then had worked with flying colours. Additionally, I was impressed in the way she had stepped in to help the others learn other skills outside of their usual regime.

Aside from swordsmanship, which I didn't mind as a somewhat extra-curricular skill. It also taught you what to reasonably expect from an opponent using the weapon themselves. I think perhaps most importantly coming from a very much group combat-based origin she was quick to think up team building ideas when the group was sitting around bored.

Despite quickly assuming the role as a huntress, the girl still however refused to jettison her armour. Instead, she had even resumed wearing her cape, albeit with the outside face redecorated in a layer of silver silk. So, maintaining the general colour scheme of the group as such I had no cause to complain. If she wanted to wear it, it was her choice to do so.

The only problem I had now was, I was actively avoiding Percy for the most part wherever possible. Ever since I that night Diana had stolen that kiss from him. I just could not build up or maintain the courage to talk to him for any significant period of time.

Instead, our meetings were always kept short and succinct, and certainly always in the presence of others. Every other night as I sat in my chariot, I would watch him when he was on duty for hours on end. Completely oblivious to the passage of time around me, often being surprised to discover my view was lost as the horizon came in the way.

I wanted nothing more than to confront him about everything but each time I prepared myself for what I wanted to say. I lost my courage and would instead collapse into a worried panic. Afterall, what if I was wrong and he wasn't talking about me that night all those weeks ago. What if perhaps there was someone else, he was talking about that night?

Twice, he had been forced to disappear for a period of time, because he was recalled to Orthrys to attend an important meeting. Or at least that was what he told me, but he never saw fit to notify me of what actually occurred in them. All I knew was that he generally returned from them in a somewhat bad mood. But then again this was generally the same with any immortal who was summoned for a big 'important' meeting that generally turned out to be anything but one.

The hunters likewise had wondered at his vanishing acts, and I simply explained he had other business to attend to elsewhere. Most had left it at that, if anything Tania was almost cheerful each time, he was not around. However, the more inquisitive ones i.e., Thalia would often try probing for information only to be stonewalled by myself or the guardian upon his inevitable return to camp.

Thankfully Reyna at least privately knew what was likely happening and would often lead my sister away before she stuck her nose in too far.

As for Percy himself, ever since his emotional breakdown he had been back to his usual light-hearted self. If I had not witnessed the scene with my own senses, I would never have suspected it were possible.

I didn't know if he had caught on to my different attitude around him or what he perhaps thought at the moment. Both because of my own unwillingness to initiate conversation as well the fact as he had become much more reclusive around the camp. He would only participate with the hunters when Reyna outright asked him to help with some form of combat training. Despite the conclusion of our 'fight' being in my favour, I had to tell the girls that if it had actually been a real fight. Percy would have almost certainly won in a close combat battle. As such they would do well to listen to his advice on the matter.

The only other time he interacted with the group, was at the few mealtimes when he actually chose to consume something other than Nectar and Ambrosia, like he did when on his own. Otherwise, he was normally lurking in the shadows of some obstruction, in his tent or up a tree. When he really wanted to not be found, he had seemingly taken to just hiding at the bottom of a lake.

His own training was unfortunately not as swift as the other threes. His skill at archery was still abysmal and if anything had actually regressed back to his original state. However, I was loath to be in close proximity to him alone and I did not want to endanger the hunters by asking them to instruct him again.

The only training, he was actually progressing on was his huntsmanship; I had left him instructions to learn the various forms of flora and fauna native to Northern America and in which parts they were native to avoid any further mishaps.

Apparently, ever since his ascension to being a Titan. It seems he had lost his dyslexia and he could actually read properly now in both Greek and English. As such I had left him various textbooks I had borrowed from Athena on the subject of hunting.

I had never suspected him of actually being interested in reading. But often when confronted during one of his disappearing acts the books were never far from his hands. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he could answer the majority of the questions that I asked him at the end of the week, correctly. Perhaps one day he would actually make a good counterpart in our shared domain, providing he ever he learned to shoot straight.

I would feel myself bonding with him during these somewhat private question and answer periods. Yet at the end I would always pull away and make my leave quickly. I almost felt like I wanted to be close to him, yet at the same time I didn't know what to do when I was.

It was like I didn't know how to interact with him anymore. All that I could see when I looked at him was the peaceful expression, he had that night when Diana had kissed him in his sleep.

I had even tried visiting Aphrodite again, but she had swiftly turned annoying again. Ever since I had told her that Diana had kissed him in our duel. (I had quickly chosen to conceal the second secret one from her judging by her reaction to this time). She had simply broken down into a squealing little girl or so it had seemed. Constantly asking me how it was, did I enjoy it, etc. I had tried to change the subject to her daughters, but she remained almost uninterested to hear about them... much like all her other children then.

Still, she refused to give me any actual help on the matter. Instead, saying she wanted to sit back and watch and see what happened with us. As it was, I barely resisted the urge to rip her stupid blond head off and left and didn't return. Several times she had tried to Iris Message me asking if I had any news. Getting sick of this each night, I ultimately got Iris to block her from contacting me for the time being.

The only other thing that occurred of note in this period was the visit I received from my mother. This had occurred during the second time Percy was away at Orthrys which I was sure was not coincidental. To this day I still had no idea what they had discussed that evening on the roof of the palace.

The hunters had been surprised to find the Titaness suddenly flash inside the camp whilst they were eating lunch nearby. Especially considering Nemea had not reacted at all to the unannounced intruder. Instead, simply remaining where she was lying down and receiving a head and ear rub from the old Titaness.

Whilst some had instinctively reached for weapons, creating the hilarious scene of Morganna holding an enchanted miasmic butter knife in front of her for defence. The only one not at all surprised by the Titaness's appearance was Reyna, then again, she also knew about Percy's true nature and the release of the 'friendly' Titans.

After introducing my mother to my hunters who were caught between awe and respect toward her. Sure, mother was not the most impressive or powerful of deities but the stories that were known about her, painted a picture of a striking woman. After all, were it not for all the hardships that she had endured whilst pregnant before finding sanctuary on Delos, then I (and the idiot by extension) would not have been born and the Hunt would not be the ways it was.

Introductions out of the way I had led her inside my tent, where I had offered her a seat. Instead, she had chosen to continue standing and then lectured me on how she was disappointed that I still had not visited recently and I was inevitably forced to apologize.

It was quite embarrassing looking back to think of myself apologizing for not keeping in contact with my mother, I was almost four-thousand years old and yet still able to be scorned like a child.

That out of the way and having returned to her usual serene self. She had taken a seat at last and over a cup of tea, explained everything that was happening in the Titan capital. Which primarily consisted of the usual squabbling immortals did with one another and the ongoing hunt for the missing two Titan Lords. Of whom there was still little to no sign of. It was suspected or perhaps optimistically hoped the pair had simply hidden themselves away for ever in the ocean deeps. However, chances were they were actively planning something, but no one knew anything for certain the two were covering their tracks well.

Normally I would have been called on to help locate troublesome individuals obviously, but their marine nature was not my forte. Poseidon and his kingdom would have to deal with them in all likelihood.

Politics out of the way, we discussed the happenings and nature of the hunters she had met. This inevitably led to discussion about my own personal strength problems recently. I was forced to explain that it was due to the state of the hunt and how recently I was feeling a lot better than before, what with the bolstering of the ranks making the group somewhat more cohesive and fragile.

For my part I was surprised to learn she actually knew a lot of what happened and suspected she had learned information from both Percy and/or Apollo.

She had inevitably asked how I felt having a man around the camp and I had feigned disinterest in the subject. I explained that it was merely a means to an end, until she eventually dropped the matter. I refused to say more than I had no problem with Perseus accompanying us for the time being and that he still had a long way to go before I was satisfied with him being Titan of the Hunt.

After being forced to promise on the Styx to visit her next time. She had left after saying farewell to my hunters and I had collapsed onto my bed face down. I felt a sense of relief knowing the parental inquisition had ended at last. Father I could quite easily palm off into disinterest, whatever he was asking he didn't really care what was answered. All I had to do was smile and wave so to speak and he would invariably move onto one of my more problematic siblings. Mother was different, she only ever had the two of us and as such kept a close watch on us, even when she was confined to isolation.

I still suspected her of knowing more than she let on and I really, really wanted to know what had been said that night on the palace roof. Of course, with the fact that I brought it up. She knew that I knew it happened, but she simply passed it off as a friendly chat with a fellow Titan. Besides, it was too long ago to remember all the details from the occasion despite it only being four weeks prior.

And so, in the current state of the passage of time. I was caught once again in an unchanging tide that I had swam through for much of my life. Yet for possibly the first time I yearned for something to happen. Something, anything that would hopefully bring us together, as I was entirely incapable of doing it myself.

(Percy)

Nothing had been the same since the battle I had with Artemis/Diana. It almost seemed as if she was now actively avoiding me, I would literally see her for a few minutes a day and then she would find an excuse to leave. Where before we would actively sit down and talk candidly about what was happening with the hunt, now when we were forced to spend time together. It amounted to little more than formal questioning and explanation of routine camp matters.

It was also true of course. That I had not exactly been forcing myself to visit her or made any effort to confront her on the sudden change of our interactions. Instead, I focused my free time on learning what I could to improve myself as her peer when it came to our shared domain. Regardless, it still felt wrong to me that we were now spending so little time together. I had enjoyed seeing a side of the goddess that perhaps few had ever seen.

As such the only ones I really spent time with were Thalia and Reyna. The pair were now almost completely inseparable or so it seemed. They really acted as if they were cut from the same mould, with the one exception being that Reyna apparently could not stand Thalia's eccentric choice in music. It seemed that Thalia so used to having her own tent for so long had forgotten that she had to respect the roommate's decision on the audio options as well.

Of course, Thalia being naturally curious. She could also rapidly become annoying as she would constantly ask questions which I refused to answer. After all, if I did, they would reveal personal secrets that I would rather keep hidden. Thankfully Reyna, actually knowing my secret would always find a way to distract her and focus her energy on something else.

Although at this rate, I was almost tempted to reveal my true self, just to get the girl of my back. Of course, once her mental shock wore of, I would probably start being the one getting shocked... physically.

I had also not spoken to Reyna again about what happened that night beside the tree. Likewise, neither had she raised the subject with me again for which I was thankful. I wasn't even sure what came over me, I had long since thought I had put that dark stage of my depression behind me.

Perhaps it had been because for that brief when we kissed in the heat of combat, I had felt both possibility of moving forward with my life, yet still felt a lingering sense of betrayal towards Annabeth?

Still, I received one of the shocks of my life after I returned from my second pointless council summons. When I got back, I learned that Leto had visited while I was away on Orthrys.

I had almost felt a sense of genuine fear as I heard how she had talked privately with the goddess, inside her tent for over an hour. For the longest time I feared she had revealed my confession. Which if so, I was sure would result in my imminent demise.

However, after a few days it became clear that even if she had. Artemis still did not react any differently to her usual cold distant self of present.

The only highlight I had was my upcoming eighteenth birthday. Even if it actually mattered very little now, I was immortal after all but still it was the principle that counted. Although, I doubted there was very few who would care about the date, they only cared about the one that was two years before because I could have ended the world. Now that the prophecy was over and done with the only ones who probably even remembered now that Annabeth was gone were Grover, Nico and my parents.

The Olympians would probably only remember it as the day that 'they' defeated Kronos for good and would take turns stroking Zeus's ego. But still I guess it was a good thing to not have that sort of pressure on me anymore. Besides anything was probably better than the one I had last year when I turned seventeen. Alone, isolated and curious to find out if the Lord of Light would be able to walk towards it.

Due to the unknowable machinations of a hateful river goddess, the answer was obviously no, and I was forced to carry on living. Though I did find myself under constant supervision by some of the Titan's for quite a while afterwards.

By contrast my current life was quite bearable, even if there were uncomfortable patches around the goddess. However, it was easy to remember that I had not come here for the purpose of finding love. I was here for a purpose after all. Besides I had enough entertainment in each of the quirky individuals I was now living with.

Still, call me restless or bored or perhaps even just a blood-knight battle addict. But all I could think was how I wanted something exciting to happen.

Little did I know I would get more than I bargained on soon enough.