Chapter 1: Birth and Regrets

Artemis

Although Apollo's chariot had yet to reach the horizon, Artemis felt a slight chill in the air as if foretelling the coming of Demeter's annual mourning. From a small outcrop near the peak of a small mountain, she peered out onto the preserved wilderness of Acadia National Park. The forests splayed out among the valleys and lakes of the rocky headland, lively from the inhabitants within.

Halfway down the mountainside, a peregrine falcon could be observed eyeing a lone yellow warbler. After a few moments of premeditation, the falcon swooped down with calculated precision to catch its prey within its sharp claws. Artemis nodded her head in approval at the scene. It was a good hunt.

Turning around, she left the outcrop to walk among the trees of the surrounding forest. Soon, she was accompanied by all manner of wildlife: deer, birds, racoons, foxes, and more. As the animals gathered, she slowed her pace to caress the neck of a nearby stag, reminiscing over Sally's departure many years ago.

xxxxx

After talking to Sally, Artemis immediately transported herself within her personal tent at camp. For a few moments, she centered herself and deliberated on what she would say to her Hunters.

Exiting her private quarters, she called out to Zoe to gather the Hunters by the central campfire. Zoe released a long whistle, which was soon repeated by other Hunters who heard the signal. The camp bustled with activity as the Hunters assembled for their goddess. Many were already near the area with dinner soon approaching, but a few were still trickling in to join the group by the time Artemis neared the campfire. The last one to arrive was Daisy, who was a little winded from returning from the city.

Once they saw Artemis' figure, all of the Hunters immediately quieted and stilled, giving their full attention to her. Although she admired their efficiency and discipline, Artemis sighed at the sheer formality of their actions. Nonetheless, she pushed aside any distracting thoughts. She needed to deliver the news of Sally's decision.

"Girls," Artemis began, "Sally will no longer be part of the Hunt."

Perhaps the news was too unexpected since the group erupted with exclamations, breaking their ordered silence.

Daisy's voice rang out over the rest. "Is it because of the boy?"

The clamor abruptly became subdued. A feeling of tension enveloped the girls as many paled at the implications of her statement.

Zoe stepped forward from the group, and bowed her head deeply in remorse.

"It is my fault Lady Artemis. I had mistakenly trusted her to enter the city of man alone. I willingly accept punishment for my negligence," she said sullenly.

"No, that will not be necessary," Artemis responded.

Another voice eked out from the group.

"And- and what of Sally's punishment?" Elisa said hesitantly.

At first, Artemis was confused, but she quickly realised she had been too reserved with her prior words.

"Sally was not punished. I simply sent her to a few satyrs who will help her assimilate back into the mortal world," she briefly explained.

A few sighs of relief could be heard accompanied by confused murmurs.

At this time, a distressed Daisy spoke out.

"Why can Sally no longer stay with Hunt? It must be because of the boy, right? Lady Artemis, I swear on your name that the boy had done nothing to her and will no longer be a threat. I made sure of that," she said with conviction.

"The decision has been made," Artemis replied stiffly.

Daisy looked like she wanted to say something else, but stopped herself.

"Alright," Artemis said, lightening her tone. "Prepare for dinner. I am sure many of you are hungry after a long day hunting."

The girls soon dispersed, and they slowly became busy with their own duties and conversations. Many clearly wanted to discuss Sally's unexpected departure, but restrained themselves. Although Artemis had calmly shared the news, they saw that she no longer wished to continue the topic based on how forcefully she ended Daisy's further questioning.

Although murmurs about Sally occurred periodically over the next few months, the Hunters quickly adjusted to her absence. Eventually, only a few discussed her time with the Hunt on rare occasions over the dinner table.

xxxxx

With a sigh, Artemis sank down to hug the neck of the stag before letting go and bending further to lift a young fox into her arms. She ruffled the fox's fur along its scruff, then reached out to a nearby tree, calling out the resident wood nymph.

After summoning a lyre with a snap of her fingers, she requested the nymph to play her a tune. Naturally, the nymph acquiesced to her goddess' request, the sound of plucked strings reverberating through the trees.

Artemis slowly swayed to the music as thoughts raced through her head. Sometimes, she longed for the earliest days with her first Hunters of nymphs and mortals. As her earliest companions who watched her grow from an immature godling into a mature goddess, they lacked the formality of her current hunters, often joining her in dance and music between the hunts, unfettered from the world of man.

However, one by one her original Hunters succumbed to the dangers of the Hunt, the nymphs turning into flora as the humans passed into the underworld. They were replaced with new Hunters who were often burdened by their time among men. While this burden drove them to be better fighters, it also prevented them from letting go of their worries in more relaxed activities. At least, not with their protector-goddess. Eventually, the tradition faded, much to her disappointment.

Her new Hunters only knew the mature goddess she became, and lacked any perspective of her growth from a godling. A boundary formed between her and her Hunters that did not exist with her original Hunters. While they could be her maidservants and sisters-in-arms, they could not breach the final barrier to be her companion and friend.

As a goddess, she was naturally a figure to inspire fear and respect, but she hoped she could be closer to her Hunters. Her only solace was Zoe, who despite her naturally rigid personality was the only one who was able to breach that barrier. She had hopes that Sally would be another, but alas she had chosen to leave.

Artemis released her disappointment with a breath and focused on the music. The fox still in her arms, she swayed to the music and let her worries drift away.

Sway. Step. Sway. Step.

The music swelled and ebbed, sometimes frantic and sometimes calm. Artemis danced to it all as her feet moved in tandem to the rhythm. With closed eyes, she followed the course of the melody, responding to every chord and decoration with a gesture, a bend, or a twirl.

After some time, the music faded and reached its conclusion. With the moment dissipating, Artemis slowed her movements and opened her eyes. Feeling slightly less burdened, she gently set the fox on the ground, thanked the nymph, then dismissed her. The nymph merged back into her tree, and the surrounding fauna soon dispersed as well.

Artemis leisurely strolled to a different area on the mountain where the Hunt was camped. As she approached, she heard the methodical thudding of arrows hitting a tree. To her delight it was Zoe.

"Zoe!" Artemis called out.

Zoe looked in the direction of the voice before putting away her bow.

"Lady Artemis," she said with a slight bow.

"It is just the two of us. You do not have to be so formal," Artemis gently chastised.

"Of course, milady," Zoe said, bowing once more.

Artemis gave her a look.

Zoe flustered. "I- I didn't mean to…"

Artemis laughed at Zoe's embarrassment, before sitting down cross legged by a tree and patting the ground next to her.

"Come sit," she said mirthfully.

Zoe, still red-faced, complied and sat with her back to Artemis knowing what wa to come. Once she was settled, Artemis materialized a brush in her hand and undid Zoe's braid. Tension left Zoe's body as Artemis brushed her hair.

"What's on your mind," Artemis began. "For someone of your skill, archery at that level barely counts for practice. You only do that when something is bothering you."

For a few moments, Zoe was silent. Only the distant sounds of camp and the rustling forest accompanied the steady sound of brushing hair.

Gathering her courage, Zoe shared her thoughts.

"I was thinking of Sally, Emmie, and Josephine."

Artemis' brushing hitched upon hearing their names.

Zoe continued, "I still do not understand why they could no longer remain with the Hunt. Additionally, thou remains unwilling to share the reasons for their exile even after all these years."

Slowly, Artemis answered, "The decision was not solely mine but theirs as well. They chose to leave."

Zoe's hair fluttered in the air as she abruptly stood to face Artemis behind her.

"Why?" she asked in shock.

Artemis only patted the ground next to her again. Calming herself, Zoe sat back down, and Artemis soon began brushing her hair once more.

"The world has changed my dear huntress. Even with their years in the hunt, they found that the Hunt was no longer a welcoming place for them. To them, the Hunt was no more a sanctuary than the world of man."

"I still do not understand."

"Naturally with your history, you would always choose Hunt over the world of man."

"Of course," Zoe responded. "It is so full of… males. Traitorous, greedy, violent fools."

"Perhaps most, but not all. Rarely, a few boys are able to avoid the corrupting influence of other males to become admirable men," Artemis countered.

"Name one," Zoe challenged.

"Remember the clear-sighted boy I almost killed here for peeking at the Hunters swimming?"

"There were… many of those over the years, my lady."

"It was over a century ago. You may not remember his name, but you do know him. A sea nymph saved him by convincing me he was looking for her instead and only stumbled upon the camp by accident. To thank the nymph for saving his life, he swore to dedicate his life and family fortune to conserving the wilderness here. We would often see the two of them together whenever we returned to this place."

"Ugh, that love besotted couple?" Zoe's body shivered in disgust.

Artemis chuckled at Zoe's reaction. "Yes, that one. His intense devotion even attracted the attention of Aphrodite. It was a rare situation where she and I approved of the same man."

"That does not count. He was simply fearful of thy wrath."

"Perhaps," Artemis began, "but he honored his promise, which is more than I can say for… others. He created Acadia National Park to protect the wilderness here instead of destroying it like so many other males would."

"Hmph. He still led that nymph astray. Who knows how long she will be fixated on his death. As a matter of fact, I saw her still mourning him the other day," Zoe said indignant. "Trusting a male is always a mistake," she muttered, almost to herself.

Zoe's body drooped sullenly, remembering her own history.

Just as she was about to cheer up Zoe, Artemis felt one of her blessings trigger. It was the one she left behind in Sally's bracelet. She smiled as she felt a portion of herself manifest elsewhere in her domain before continuing to converse with Zoe once more.

xxxxx

Artemis opened her eyes to a clean but simple kitchen of a spacious one bedroom apartment. Past the kitchen island, she saw the side profile of a pregnant twenty-one year old Sally sitting on a couch chair. Sally was focused on reading a book, and her partner did not seem to be in the apartment at this time. On Sally's wrist was the bracelet she had given her all those years ago, still releasing an alert that only she could hear.

Artemis observed Sally look up in alarm as she heard footsteps approaching from the kitchen.

"Lady Artemis?" Sally said, confused. Artemis had taken an older form wearing blue nurse scrubs, her hair woven into a milkmaid braid, but her bright silver eyes and auburn hair were instantly recognizable. "What are you doing here?"

"You are about to give birth," Artemis explained gently.

"That doesn't explain- oh. Ooh!"

Sally groaned as her first contractions began. Soon, Sally felt a pop and wetness between her legs as her water broke. Breathing heavily, she immediately reached for a nearby landline phone, but felt Artemis' hand on her own.

"Do you trust me?" Artemis asked.

"Of course," Sally replied immediately.

"Then let me deliver the baby. I left a blessing in the bracelet I gifted you for this exact moment. I still… regret that I was unable to give you the family you needed. I knew that you would form your own family eventually, and I wished to help you in my own way. With me here, your delivery will be safe and successful."

Bowing her head, Sally hesitantly said, "It would be my honor, but you… you don't have to do this."

"I know. I want to do this for you."

With a quick clap of her hands, Artemis cleared out the living room furnishings. Instead of a recliner, Sally was now sitting on a platform at the edge of the birthing tub. Losing her balance, Sally almost fell, but Artemis quickly caught her. However, when she made physical contact with Sally once more, Artemis' body stiffened.

A gloom quickly consumed her mind.

She felt the pulsating essence of a demigod from Sally's womb. And a powerful one at that.

No wonder Sally was alone. The father was a god. Being a mother was already difficult, but being the mother of a demigod was many times more challenging.

"Lady Artemis?" Sally inquired, noticing the odd change in Artemis.

Artemis shook her head to clear her thoughts. She had to focus on Sally right now, and plastered a smile on her face.

"It's nothing. Now, did you learn any breathing exercises?"

xxxxx

The next five hours proceeded through the night with no complications as Artemis guided Sally through all of the expectations and stages of labor. In turn, Sally spent her time rotating between pacing the room, sitting on the toilet, or enduring in the birthing tub. Eventually, Sally settled herself in the birthing by the time she reached the active stage of the labor.

Suddenly, Artemis felt the presence of the prime manifestation of another god appear near the building. Within minutes, a young man with messy dark hair, a trimmed beard, and shocking sea green eyes burst through the apartment door. Although in a younger form, Artemis recognized the man as Poseidon, the divine king of the seas. His eyes were wide with surprise seeing Artemis attending to Sally, but before he could say anything, Artemis silenced him with a glare. Poseidon spent the next few hours uneasily standing to the side, understanding that Artemis' authority superseded his own during a mortal childbirth.

"It's time," Artemis suddenly said. "The baby is coming."

Sally continued to release heavy groans as she felt an even greater pressure in her lower body.

"Push!" Artemis urged. "The baby is crowning!"

Sally did her best to comply, grunting with effort, and held her hand out towards Poseidon for support. At first Poseidon did not approach, his eyes warily flitting between Artemis and Sally. Observing Poseidon's indecision, Artemis reluctantly nodded and beckoned him over.

With Artemis' encouragement and assurance from Poseidon's touch, Sally continued to cycle through contractions until finally-

"Wah!"

As soon as Artemis lifted the baby from the water, it released a mighty cry. Chirping could be heard in the background as dawn had already passed.

It was a baby boy, his skin still blue from the lack of oxygen in its blood. On his head was a tuft of wet black hair contrasted by a pair of vivid green eyes that looked intensely at everyone around him.

Artemis quickly gave the newborn to Sally to hold, then expertly clamped the umbilical cord.

"It's not over yet," Artemis softly reminded Sally.

A few contractions and minutes later, the placenta was delivered. A few minutes later, and the umbilical cord was cut as well.

Snapping her fingers on one hand, Artemis materialized a hospital bed with one end positioned at a 45 degree angle. Carefully, she and Poseidon guided Sally and the newborn to the bed.

"Dry them," Artemis commanded Poseidon.

For a brief moment, Poseidon's eyes flashed with anger, but he complied nonetheless. With a wave of his hands, Sally and the baby were completely dried. Artemis then hastily covered the two in blankets.

"How are you feeling?" Artemis asked.

"Tired but happy," Sally responded weakly before looking down at her baby who was already sleeping.

A sadness overshadowed Artemis' features, knowing that Sally's happiness now would be fleeting, and her future would be full of hardships.

"Sally," Artemis said hastily. "I need to leave for now, but I will be back soon. Remember that your baby needs to breastfeed as soon as possible, then you can put the baby in his crib and sleep yourself." Artemis snapped her fingers again, and a bedside crib appeared next to Sally's bed, while her body appeared to be fading away.

The childbirth was over, so the support from the mortal phenomena maintaining her manifestation was quickly dissipating.

In the next moment, Artemis disappeared from the room and returned to camp. Or more accurately, her entire consciousness was back in one place. She was currently sitting in her tent in her usual young form receiving reports from Zoe. As expected, everything was under control.

Artemis listened to Zoe drone about roll call, supply inventory, nearby monster and mortal presence, and complaints from the falcons petitioning for benefits equal to the wolves. And of course, Phoebe was treating herself in the infirmary from wrestling a passing bear. They had a ridiculous argument over who held more importance, a Hunter of Artemis or a sacred animal of Artemis. Somehow, they foolishly thought a wrestling match was the best way to answer the question.

Artemis pushed her arms up then out to her sides for a stretch.

"Mmm," Artemis released a relaxed moan from the much needed stretch.

Shifting in her seat, she addressed Zoe. "For the last time, tell the falcons they get less meat for meals because they are literally dozens of times smaller than the wolves. And I will talk to Phoebe later about wrestling one of my sacred animals. As for the rest, you can omit them in future reports. I trust you. You can deal with them at your discretion."

"Understood, milady."

Zoe walked to the entrance of the tent and waited.

"Ah, I will not be joining the Hunt for breakfast today," Artemis said.

"Are thou visiting thy mother again?" Zoe questioned.

"Not this time. I am visiting a… friend."

Artemis was unsure what to label her relationship with Sally. Though 'friend' was not quite accurate, it was also the closest description. Or perhaps, it was more her inner desire than anything else.

Zoe's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise.

"That is unexpected," she softly exclaimed. "Thou do not have any friends outside of the Hunt."

Realizing what she just said, Zoe became flustered and quickly attempted to remedy her statement.

Rambling, Zoe explained, "I- I did not mean to imply thou are poor at socializing- I mean… thou has not made a new friend in centuries…"

Artemis raised a hand to stop her lieutenant from embarrassing herself further. Normally, she would tease Zoe for her missteps, but her comment this time hit a sore spot of hers too closely.

With a self-deprecating smile, Artemis said, "Enough, I know."

Zoe took a deep breath to calm herself. "Who are thou meeting?" she asked.

"I am meeting with Sally."

Zoe's voice pitched in excitement. "Sally? As in Sally Jackson?"

"Yes," Artemis confirmed.

"How is she? Is she well?" Zoe continued.

Artemis hesitated, but said, "I think she is doing well, but I will know more when I meet with her again."

"Again? Thou met with her before?"

"Last night. She was giving birth."

"Oh," Zoe said, taken aback. "It- it is not unusual for a woman to bear a child outside of the Hunt."

Zoe had a complicated look on her face. On one hand, she was happy to hear about Sally, but at the same time, she found it appalling for a woman to ever trust her body to a male for anything, much less… copulation.

Seeing Zoe's discomfort, Artemis gave her an excuse to leave.

"You should go," Artemis suggested. "You need to let the others know I will be absent for breakfast."

Taking the cue, Zoe turned to leave, pausing as she pushed aside the tarp covering the exit.

With a slight turn off her head, she said, "Give Sally my regards."

"I will," replied Artemis, but Zoe had already left.

After a few moments, Artemis exited the tent as well. Unlike before, there was no event that could support a branch manifestation of her consciousness, so she had to bring her prime manifestation, her main body, instead.

She walked into the shade of the forest, and took quick stock of her surroundings, confirming there were no Hunters who would disintegrate upon seeing her following action. Glowing from her gathered divinity, she transported herself to a shaded alley near Sally's apartment.

'Teleportation', while a convenient form of air travel, was very conspicuous during the beginning and end of the action, so she had to be careful to hide herself from Apollo's light. Although it was unlikely for Apollo to be focusing on her at this moment, she was not willing to risk Sally's life. Her son was a child of the Big Three. If Zeus even got even a hint of his existence, he would use any excuse to kill the child and his mother.

Artemis landed softly on the rough pavement. In her vigilant state, she instinctively walked without making a sound, and promptly arrived outside the door to Sally's apartment. With a breath, her divine aura flared briefly before she composed herself and walked into Sally's apartment.

Entering Sally's apartment, Sally saw that the living room was back to its original state. The TV was placed by the far wall with the couch facing it from across a coffee table. The couch chair Sally had used was set to the side like before, but was now occupied by a young man.

"Poseidon," Artemis said with disdain. "I even warned you of my presence, but you still had the audacity to stay. Why are you still here?"

"I'm here for my son," Poseidon replied with barely hidden hostility, a storm brewing just beneath his eyes.

Artemis simply gave a disgusted look at Poseidon. "Well your son was born safely, so you can leave. Is that not what you do anyways? Impregnate some mortal woman, then abandon them?"

"Watch your tone moon goddess." Poseidon rose abruptly, the force of his arm destroying the chair beneath him as he stood up. "I just need to know you won't do anything to him."

"If I wanted him dead, I had full divine authority to let him die during childbirth," Artemis said dismissively.

Poseidon rubbed in his temples in annoyance.

"Fine. What do you want from me in exchange for my son's safety?"

"You? I want nothing from you," Artemis sneered.

"Don't play games with me girl," Poseidon yelled, his voice stern and commanding. "What are you scheming?"

Artemis crossed her arms defensively.

"I am not scheming anything, you fool. If anything, what are you planning? You know that a child of the Big Three could trigger the Great Prophecy and risk the entirety of Olympus," accused Artemis.

"I… I didn't plan for this to happen," Poseidon said through gritted teeth.

"What a surprise," Artemis mocked. "You were thinking with your loins and not your head."

"Enough!" Poseidon boomed. "You dare ridicule me?"

"I dare," Artemis returned in a low voice.

Reaching the end of his already strained patience, Poseidon became enraged, his body glowed with power as his divine aura flared like a hurricane. The atmosphere of the apartment became unnaturally damp. An unnatural wind whipped through the room, and the smell of ozone warned the coming of a ferocious storm. The air vibrated with energy as water materialized in midair and coalesced into a trident, grasped by Poseidon's outstretched arm.

Pointing the prongs at Artemis, he threatened, "This is my final warning little girl!"

Artemis quickly gathered her divinity as well, summoning her divine bow with a shimmer of condensed moonlight. Her body irradiated power as it glowed, her divine aura emitting a vast imposing calm in conflict with Posiedon's own tumultuous and raging divinity.

"As if you could force me to do anything old man," she challenged.

However, before either could take their full form and release the first strike, a voice interrupted them.

Seemingly unaffected by the flurry of supernatural phenomena in front of her, Sally addressed the two gods. "Lady Artemis? Poseidon? What's going on?"

Artemis looked slightly to her left to see an exhausted Sally leaning against the door frame to the bedroom.

In response to Sally's interruption, Poseidon and Artemis immediately retracted their divine auras. Both gods shamefully looked down as they realized how close they were to destroying the apartment and harming its inhabitants.

Soon, the atmosphere of the room returned to normal as their divine glows dimmed. However, pieces of the destroyed chair and various paraphernalia remained scattered throughout the room as evidence to the near eruption of divine combat.

Artemis was the first to act.

She rushed to Sally's side and urged, "You should go back to bed."

However, Sally remained steadfast, and refused to move.

"In a little bit," she said to Artemis, then directed a questioning glare at Poseidon. "What's going on?" she asked again.

Poseidon put on a meek smile. "It was just a little argument dear."

He walked towards Sally, but stopped as a translucent screen bordered by mist materialized in front of him. He was receiving an Iris message. Promptly, the screen flickered alive, displaying the torso of a green skinned man with his long black hair tied in a ponytail.

In a stately manner, the man reported, "Father, I apologize for the disruption, but an urgent matter requires your immediate attention. There was major godly activity observed from Oceanus' territory in the ocean depths, and Oceanus' mer-men and monster patrols have remained frequent since then. They seem to be looking for something or someone."

Briefly, Poseidon looked past the iris message at Sally in apology before focusing on the call once more.

"I will be there shortly," Poseidon sighed. He swiped his hand through the Iris message to end the call, and walked up to Sally.

Artemis glared at him as he approached, and moved to block Poseidon. However, she felt a touch on her shoulder from Sally to let Poseidon pass. Reluctantly, Artemis stepped aside.

Reaching Sally's side, Poseidon cupped her face in his hands and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "I don't know when I can return, but I will visit you again. I promise."

He turned to face Artemis, examining her closely, and struggled to think of the appropriate question to ask her. He still did not know why she was here, but Sally clearly knew and trusted her.

Wanting Poseidon to leave as soon as possible, Artemis decided to allay his fears for now.

"I may not like you, but I would never do anything to harm Sally," Artemis assured.

"And my son?"

"I promise no harm will come to your son either," she added, rolling her eyes. "I would swear on the Styx, but we both know every Stygian oath goes through my father first."

Before Poseidon could say anything, Sally interrupted.

"Poseidon, I trust her," she said with an imploring look.

Poseidon was still suspicious, but he trusted Sally. If she could place her trust in Artemis, then he could do the same.

"Alright," he sighed. "If you trust her, then I won't pursue the matter further. I am curious how you know each other, but I don't have the time for now. Let's talk when I get a chance to come back?"

"Yes, of course," Sally responded.

"I love you," Poseidon whispered into her ear, "and if anything happens, Iris Message me. I left a bag of drachma in the bedside drawer.

"I will," Sally whispered back. "I love you too."

After one final kiss, Poseidon walked out of the apartment suite. Within moments, Artemis sensed the distinct flare of his barely disguised divine aura as he teleported from the area.

During the entire exchange between the two, Artemis had an uncomfortable look on her face and shifted in place. She was glad that he was finally gone, and sighed with relief.

"Finally, he left," Artemis said.

Looking back at Sally, Artemis saw that she was still dazed, staring at the door from which Poseidon left.

"Hello? Sally?" Artemis prompted, waving her small hands in front of Sally to get her attention.

"Huh? Wha-"

Sally jolted after finally noticing Artemis trying to get her attention. In her surprise though, she lost her balance and almost fell, but Artemis' small hands prevented her fall.

"Thank you," Sally said.

Gently supporting Sally to the bed, Artemis advised, "You should rest. You are still weak from the delivery."

Sally simply nodded, and allowed Artemis to guide her to the bed. Moving past the bedside crib, Sally settled under the covers, but was stopped right before she laid down.

"Ah, wait! You should not lie down on your back for now," Artemis hastily said.

Artemis materialized three large pillows and propped them behind the seated Sally, muttering about Poseidon's stupidity by letting Sally lie on her back.

"You should lie down at an angle for now," Artemis suggested.

Watching Artemis fuss with the pillows and blankets to make her comfortable, Sally gave a soft laugh.

"Thank you again, Lady Artemis."

Artemis opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated for a few seconds. She mocked herself inside. Here she was a fully realized Olympian goddess, but she was afraid of saying a few words in front of a mortal.

"Just… just Artemis," she requested cautiously.

For several long moments, Artemis watched Sally examine her as if deep in thought. She marvelled at differences she saw in Sally. The most obvious change was of course her appearance. Sally had grown into a beautiful young woman showcasing long luscious brown hair and sharp discerning eyes. Disregarding her baby bump that had yet to fade, she was slim and tall with a graceful bearing rare in mortals. Beyond her appearance, her demeanor was intoxicating. It was a mix of youthful vibrance and measured wisdom unexpected of her age. Though she did not approve of Sally's choice for a partner, Artemis could see why Sally caught Poseidon's attention.

"Very well, I will call you Artemis from now on," Sally finally said with a smile.

After hearing Sally's response, Artemis felt tension release she was unknowingly holding. Although it was a simple change in how Sally addressed her, she felt relieved Sally easily accepted the informal form of address. She was sure that if she had asked her Hunters to do the same, they would be uncomfortable with calling her Artemis even if they did comply. They would be doing it out of duty rather than acceptance of her.

"How… how have you been?" Artemis asked tentatively. "What happened after you left my Hunt?" She settled back as she materialized a chair to listen to Sally.

Sally spent a few moments gathering her thoughts before beginning.

"Well, I first went to the address you gave me. The satyrs Mark and Enkle were very sweet, though they were"-Sally chuckled- "quite enthusiastic since they received a direct order from you. They decided to personally take care of me, so I stayed with them whileI was still in school as I sorted through some… things. I tried to find my uncle, but by the time I found him, he had already passed away from cancer." Sally's early mirth at mentioning the satyrs quickly diminished to a somber tone.

"I am sorry for your loss," Artemis tried to console. Although the man's Fate meant nothing to her, he was Sally's last family member as far as she knew aside from her newborn son.

"No, it's alright," Sally said lightly. "I barely knew him, so I wasn't too saddened by his death. At most, I was somewhat upset that I didn't have a home to return to."

Artemis felt a particular pang in her heart at this statement. She had failed to give Sally a home in the Hunt, and it seems like she was unable to find one after leaving. Despite being the divine guardian of all maidens, she had essentially left Sally to fend for herself though she was still a young maiden.

"After graduating high school," Sally continued, her mood improving, "I ended up traveling from place to place. Although I was able to maintain excellent grades-"

"Elisa taught you well," Artemis interjected.

"Yes… Elisa." Sally halted briefly in reminiscence, but continued with her story shortly. "Anyways, I lacked money for college, and none of the scholarships I received were enough for full tuition. Instead, I worked odd jobs while I traveled the country."

"It must have been difficult."

"I guess it was in some ways, but I wouldn't trade those three years for anything in the world. I met so many people from so many different backgrounds at different points in their lives, and they gave me so many different unique perspectives I never thought of before," Sally said enthusiastically.

Tentatively, Artemis asked, "Did… did you ever regret choosing to leave the Hunt?"

"Sometimes…" Sally began, "I thought about what my life would have been like if I stayed, but I never once regretted leaving. Although I did encounter some horrible men just as you and the Hunters warned, I could protect myself from them. Also, some of the most amazing, kind, caring, and wise people I met were men too. I could see how the Hunt could come to hate all men if they only encountered or were told of the horrible ones, but I don't think fear of them is worth cutting off all the good men that exist."

"You are right that good men do exist. I have met a few over the years, but I have seen far more evil males than admirable men. They corrupt everyone around them, tempting other males to evil and leading girls and women astray," Artemis pushed back.

"Maybe," Sally responded, "but I've done well for myself these past few years, I think."

Artemis gave Sally an incredulous look.

"It has not even been a decade, and you gave birth to a god's son," Artemis said with exasperation. "You know how harsh life is for a demigod's mother, so you should have known better. I thought that if you were going to start your own family, you would at least partner with a semi-respectable male but not old fish-face."

Sally gave a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of her neck with a hand. "I wasn't planning on starting a family so soon. And of course I didn't want to pick a god for a partner."

"I knew it!" Artemis exclaimed, slight rage entering her voice. "He did force you!"

"No, that's not what happened," Sally said hastily.

Calming down, Artemis asked, "So what did happen?"

"We met last year around the 4th of July. I was walking on the beach at Long Island when I saw him lying down by the waves. I recognized him from the pictures I saw in the Hunt. Not to mention, I could see his trident just lying next to him."

"What was he doing there?" Artemis asked curiously.

"At the time I didn't know, but he later told me that he was calming down from an argument with his wife."

"I still do not understand why you would choose Poseidon. He is a married man and a known philanderer," Artemis sighed.

"I know. It was unexpected for me too. At first, we talked for one night. Then one night became one week. And somehow after spending the summer together, I fell in love. I resisted it, you know. Like you said, I knew how tough it would be to be a mother to a demigod, and I would just be an affair. I had no real future with him…"

"Then why?"

"At some point," she began slowly, "I had a simple but difficult choice. I could love him openly, or I could push away my feelings and Poseidon."

Sally paused, her melancholic eyes staring into empty space.

"I thought about it for several weeks, you know," Sally continued, her voice slightly strained. "In the end, I knew that no matter how short our time together, no matter how hard my future would become, I would regret it for the rest of my life if I pushed him away."

"But are you sure you will not regret choosing this life either?" Artemis questioned softly.

"I… I don't know."

Sally looked to her right where Artemis sat before shifting her focus to the crib that held her son next to the goddess. Artemis followed her eyes, eventually settling on the newborn as well.

"His name?" Artemis asked.

Sally shifted out of bed and cradled the baby to her chest.

"Perseus," she responded, and walked around the room with her son in her arms. "Although his namesake had a rough life, at least he survived and reached his own happy ending. I want the same for my son. I want him to survive and have a happy ending."

Artemis' mouth morphed into a subtle frown. Sally never learned about the Great Prophecy in the Hunt since it was never a topic that concerned them. She did not know that it was near impossible for her son to reach the age of sixteen. Too many powerful gods would want him dead.

"I hope so as well," Artemis said, trying to sound optimistic.

For a few seconds, Artemis watched the new mother focus on her son as she pondered the future.

Suddenly, Sally looked up from focusing on her son to look Artemis in the eyes.

"Why are you here Artemis?" she asked.

Caught off-guard from the question, Artemis resisted the urge to shift in her seat.

"What do you mean?"

"I am grateful you were there during my delivery and here now," Sally said sincerely, "but gods don't usually interfere in mortal lives. And I'm no longer a recruit for the Hunt, so you have no reason to be here."

"If I'm not welcome-"

"No, that's not it," Sally said quickly. "I just never thought we would ever meet again, much less talk like this."

Artemis connected her thoughts. Although her reasons for coming were personal, it was not something she necessarily needed or wanted to keep secret.

After a few moments, she spoke, "I did not want a repeat of Kallisto."

"Your lieutenant before Zoe?"

"Yes. You learned about her, correct?"

Connecting the dots, Sally had a sudden realization. "You don't want me to die like Kallisto did…"

Artemis nodded, revealing a resigned melancholy unbecoming of her child-like voice. "At the time, I was too indecisive. She was my best friend, but she also broke her Oath, even if it was involuntary. You know how she died. She may have broken her oath to me, but she never deserved that kind of death. It remains one of my greatest regrets."

After a moment of silence, Sally could not help but chuckle despite the seriousness of their conversation.

"Well, I'm glad a goddess doesn't want me dead," she joked.

Welcoming the light-hearted response, Artemis returned a smile.

xxxxx

Artemis flashed under a familiar canopy in Acadia National Park. She felt emotionally drained, but also refreshed. She and Sally shared many stories, and she made sure Sally knew how to receive proper postpartum care and could Iris Message her when she needed. However, Artemis needed to leave before long.

Eager to return, Artemis prepared to bound to camp, but stopped in her tracks.

"Sup, little sis."

A young man with blonde hair and a smile that glittered way too much stood in front of her.

Artemis' brow tensed with annoyance.

"Apollo," she said with irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you? I am not-"

"You had a fight with old fish-face?" he asked with a knowing smile.

Artemis froze.

xxxxx

A/N (PSA): AmieJC has posted my story on their own profile verbatim to try to blackmail me for some silly reason. I have reported them, and hopefully the action will be taken by the admins soon. I apologize ahead of time if this person harrasses or spams you. They also are willing to make alt accounts...

This saddens me since I just wanted to write a story I could personally enjoy and maybe others could appreciate as well.

A/N: For clarification, this is the only place I post stories.

I appreciate the support. I never expected much of a following, and I'm actually somewhat intimidated by it somewhat.

I have a long story in mind. Maybe even longer than I anticipated, since the chapters end up longer than I plan. Hopefully I'll be able to finish and write it all down.

I apologize if you were expecting more Percy. The prior chapter, this chapter, and the next chapter were all initially planned as part of a one chapter setup, but they are turning out longer than I expected.

Published: 6-28-2020

Last Edited: 6-28-2020