The One Who Was Forgotten - Rewritten

The Twins and The Pledge

Ancient Greece. The time when the Greek Gods were worshipped without opposition. Until a child was born to the celibate goddess of the Hunt.

There are many ways that a mortal responds to the omission that they may not be all that they seem.

The god lays the mortal on the bed of furs in his twin's tent. "Are you certain that this boy is the one, Artemis?"

Silver eyes glow in the moonlight as the huntress enters the tent. "He is of the right age. And Acrisus is his father. I know what you will say, little brother, and I am sorry."

Apollo sighs, shaking his head as he checks the bandages on the boy's arms. "I do not fault you, as you were distraught. However, Father will not see it the same way. He believes you killed the child."

"I would not hurt an innocent newborn." She pauses, walking into the tent and up to the boy, eyes narrowing. "Something is wrong."

Apollo hums in confirmation, eyes shining gold with a hint of fear spread throughout. "The sex. It changed when the child was still in the first stages." He gives his twin a look, tilting his head. "You did not feel it?"

Artemis shakes her head, "unless Hera meddled, there would be no reason for the change..." She trailed off, brows furrowed in confusion. "Do you think...?"

The healing deity nods, brushing a few stray strands of hair off the child's face. "Chaos and Order decided to intervene. The reason why, however, eludes me."

As the mortal child begins to stir, the Twins fall silent, glancing at each other with wary looks.

Knowing, with a tone of extreme dread, that their entire world was at the beginning of the End.

I let out a shuddering gasp, bolting up in fright before I take note of the pain radiating from my bandaged arms.

Wincing, I glance around at the tent that I am in. With growing dread, I realize where Lord Apollo took me.

A soft snarl in the corner startles me out of the growing panic, as the tent flap opens and the wolf that was watching me trots over to greet the newcomer.

Crouching down to pet the wolf, golden eyes stare at me from behind strands of long, blond, hair. Ants crawl up my back as the silence grows uncomfortable.

The god of the Hunt stands, walking-no, stalking-over to me as if he was a wolf creeping silently closer to its prey.

"Aristides." The words are spoken with a lingering emotion that I cannot decipher. "You will be the death of us all." The words, whispered and barely heard, have me bowing my head.

Something stirs inside me, and the words that come out of my mouth are not my own as I smile against my will. "I know, Απολλων."

He simply nods, glad at the understanding even as he eyes me with fear in golden eyes. The wolf at his side whines as the tent flap shivers in a sudden gust of wind. Glancing outside, he comes to stand at my side.

Wordlessly, he begins unwrapping the bandages, only stopping as Lady Artemis brushes aside the pelt as she enters the tent. Her eyes immediately find those of her twin's.

Lord Apollo gently cleans the wounds out, before placing a glowing, golden, hand against my arms in turn. "He knows."

The words snap the huntress out of her thoughts as thunder rumbles outside. "It was only a matter of time. It..." she hesitates, meeting my gaze with such intensity that I flinch away. "It is not often that I take a male into my camp without issue. Even if they are a child."