Snowfall

Tell a Fairy Tale

"Oh, come on, don't tell me you still care for that boy," Nova scoffed, fiddling with her silver knife, the blade glinting in the dying sunlight.

"He's my brother! Of course I care for him!" Leila protested, a frown marring her face. "I can't hate my family!"

Oh, yes you can, Thalia thought, looking wistfully at the two hunters. Nova was a daughter of Ares, joining the hunters maybe a hundred fifty years ago, while Leila was a daughter of Demeter that had joined only thirty years back. Her younger brother was still alive, living as a mortal working for the airforce.

It made Thalia depressed. She had a brother once. Jason. He had lived a long life, dying of old age at eighty-three. That had been six hundred years ago. Anyone who remembered him was already dead by now, including any huntress that had known him. He wasn't the only one she missed, of course. Annabeth had been her best friend, and Piper had been a wonderful step-sister. And Percy, oh, Percy . . .

He had been one of her best friends. They had a fluctuating relationship between friends and lovers for a long time, Percy trying to figure out if he wanted her or Annabeth, and Thalia if she wanted to leave the hunters or not. Before they could come to a conclusion, he had died in a small attack on Camp Jupiter at age twenty-eight.

"He's a male!" Nova snapped. "Just a vile creature we should treat with absolutely no respect."

"But-" Leila began.

"No buts!" Nova snarled. "How can you love a boy after what you've seen them do? He's just a disgusting rapist!"

"Nova!" Thalia finally barked. "Quiet!" Leila looked wounded, curling up while sending Thalia a grateful look.

"Don't tell me you think she is okay to love a male," Nova growled.

"He is her brother," Thalia said darkly. "She can love him."

"But he's a male!" Nova argued. "All males are horrible!"

"Not all," Thalia said wistfully, thinking back to all the male heroes she had known. Jason, Percy, Frank, Leo, Nico, Will, and so many more, including their sons and then grandsons. All of them were wonderful, deserving of all the respect the hunters could give. Thalia could understand the hatred of males, she was a bit sexist herself, but Nova was next-level feminist. Too much.

"What do you mean?" Nova looked taken aback. The rest of the huntresses were watching now, Artemis included. "Don't tell me you love a male as well."

"You know nothing!" Thalia said brusquely. "You don't know anything, child!"

"Fine, then," Nova demanded. "Tell us. Tell us of this male that managed to earn your love."

"I will," Thalia said. "I will tell you the story of the most honourable male I ever knew. I've known many."

The huntresses shuffled around the campfire, huddling close to the flames for warmth. It was only a little after dusk, and Canada could get very cold at night. "This man I loved with all my heart," Thalia started. "We never committed to a relationship, never got the chance to. He had a girlfriend that he loved dearly, but his heart was torn in two and he couldn't leave someone he loved, even if it was for another that he loved." A few of the older hunters bristled at the thought of a male loving two females, but the younger, less sexist ones leaned closer in anticipation.

"His name was Perseus Jackson," Thalia said, noticing Artemis smile at his name. She had been close to him as well, loved him as only a friend could love. Artemis had known of her attraction but never faulted her for it, knowing well that he had all the qualities a girl could want. If she hadn't known better, Thalia would've sworn Artemis had been pressing it. "He preferred the name Percy, thinking his full name was too formal. He was a son of Poseidon, the first in a hundred years."