The Daughter of Artemis ψ Percy Jackson

Daddy Issues

"Oh, the dog? He wandered off somewhere when I found you." Luke noticed my slightly horrified expression and quickly back tracked. "Don't worry! He is probably with the satyrs and nymphs, they enjoy animals and it has been a while since anyone here has seen a real live animal that was not enchanted." 

Biting my lower lip, I nodded. I guess he was right. It was not as if someone was going to eat him for lunch or anything... 

Luke chuckled at me and shook his head. "The strawberry patch is on our way to the cabin, so you will probably seen him soon." 

"Strawberry patch?" Raising a brow, I questioned him. Why was that important?

"It's where the satyrs and nymphs hang out, they grow all of the food on the camp. Zeus assigned all of the trainees here, so they could practice their skills before going to Mount Olympus." Luke started walking, so I trudged along beside him-trying to process what he was telling me.

The whole idea of the Greek gods and satyrs and nymphs were still a little odd to me. I guess I am just the kind of person who needed to see it to believe it. Then again, how could anyone on Earth believe in all of this if there was not any proof?

"Skeptical still?" Luke turned his head and looked at me. "Don't worry, I'm sure if you stay here long enough, you will start to believe. Besides, in a couple of weeks we are all going to Mount Olympus. The gods invite us all every solstice. Spring is almost over, as you know, so the gods invited us up to Mount Olympus to help prepare for the summer solstice."

 I just nodded, but I felt my stomach churn. Meet the gods? Seriously? A sudden wave of stage fright encased me. This was all too much too soon.

In silence, Luke and I walked down the dirt roads until I saw a large patch of green peek out from behind a hill. The patch was not just strawberries, but it held fruits and vegetables of all kinds, grapes, watermelon and olives. Every kind of fruit you could think of was held in this place. It was magical, everything was at least three times the size of a normal fruit or vegetable.

"Κήπος της γονιμότητας." Luke smiled at me and pointed around the whole area of at least 200 acres of land.

The words went through my ears and came back out of my mouth. "Garden of fertility." Blinking, I shook my head to clear it. Why did I understand all of this greek writing and words? I had never studied it a day of my life.

"This whole garden is a peace offering to Demeter, but none may enter it except the children of nymphs and Demeter. Actually, it is watched over by two of Demeter's daughters. Katie and Miranda, they help to grow strawberries to help fund the camp." Luke explained to me with a slight smile. I could tell these girls were most likely nice by the way he talked about them.

"It is amazing. I've never seen such a beautiful place before." I smiled and breathed in the strawberry scent.

"Thank you." A girl appeared before us and shook my hand warmly. "You must be new here, I haven't meet you before. I am Katie." She smiled at me.

"I'm Olive-but you can call me Oli if you'd like."

Katie opened her mouth to say something when a faint barking sounded in the distance. The three of us turned and saw a satyr hoping around and playing his pipe. At his ankles was Orion, jumping around and nipping at the satyr's hooves playfully.

"I'm sorry." I chuckled and ran through the field to pick up Orion. Grabbing the squirming pup, I tucked him under my arm and turned to the satyr with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about that, Orion is just o adventurous I guess."

Instead of replying, the satyr just stared at me in awe. In fact, as I looked around the field, all of the workers were giving me stares. "Is there something on my face?" Quickly I wiped my face with my hand, but couldn't find anything.

Katie shook herself from her own stare and hopped lightly over to me. "Who is your parent?"

I looked around and noticed Luke watching me with a calculating frown. "Only those born to Demeter or Hesperides can enter this garden."

"I-I don't know." I waited Katie's eyes examine me head to toe.

"You have the hair color, but not the eyes." She examined my eyes for a few moments. "You are obviously not a nymph, since they are assigned here, not brought."

She became silent and stared at the sky above my head. We both didn't say a thing for a few minutes, but when nothing happened I spoke up. "What are you doing?"

She smiled. "I'm waiting for a sign."

"A sign? Like what?" I followed her movements and stared above my head as well. 

"I'm waiting for my mother to claim you as her own." She continued to stare, but slowly a crease developed between her eyebrows. "Usually it wouldn't take this long. My mother quickly claimed me after I proved myself in the garden."

"Maybe I am not Demeter's daughter." I shrugged and tried not to let her down hard.

Katie furrowed her brow and she shook head. "No, that is not possible. You'd have to be! The only other option is that you are a nymph, but if you were then you would already know about the gods!"

Frowning, I tried to find some answer that would explain this dilemma, but Luke interrupted my thought pattern. He cupped a hand around his mouth and called to us from outside the strawberry patch. "Maybe you should inform Mr. D about our newest camper and her abilities, Katie. Meanwhile, I'll take her to Hermes's cabin and have her settled in-until someone does claim her."

Katie nodded to his logic distractedly, then ran east some where until I couldn't see her figure anymore. Frowning, I jogged out of the patch and shifted the weight of my backpack as I neared Luke.

"Hermes' cabin? Do you think he will mind?" I set Orion on the ground and looked up to see the amused look in Luke's eyes. "What?"

"Hermes is the god of the road and he welcomes anyone who is weary and needs rest into his place. Every new camper stays here until they are claimed by their parent." His voice was filled with detest for the god and I could tell that he did not like him. "Hermes is also my father." He added in a sneer.

"Oh." I nodded and felt compelled to keep my mouth shut about the subject. He obviously hated Hermes. Maybe his dad was how Luke got that faint scar under his eye.

~~~~

HEY you guys! So here is the important news first:

Some of you have noticed that Percy is not yet in the story, Olive's story actually takes place a LITTLE before Percy comes on to the scene but don't worry your pretty little heads off because his coming in soon, just a couple more chaps/as of right now YES there will be a small relationship between Luke and Olive-much to Annabeth's displeasure xD 

LOVE YOU ALL xoxo

 -the pic is symbolic to what i imagine the nymphs that work in the garden to look like xD-