The Secret

Prologue

"Her name is Artemis Lunar Wild," She said softly. A lady stood on a cliff, her silver dress thrashing at the cruel night wind. She was beautiful, more beautiful than possible: in her arms she held a small baby, both under the protection of the moon.

Her eyes hid a hint of confusion and sadness, emotions overlapping one another. The beautiful lady with silver eyes gently swung her baby with her strong, beautiful arms, singing a dreamy melody that made the baby drift off to a long, dreamless sleep. Her long auburn hair floated in the air, and her blood-red lips were hiding a hint of a smile as she watched her baby with pride.

Suddenly, a woman fully coated in armour landed beside her, her black hair neatly on her shoulders and her stormy gray eyes inspecting the area carefully. "This is not a good idea, Artemis," she breathed. "if Father happens to find out, you will be stripped off your power forever." Athena narrowed her stormy gray eyes, her tan face shining like the sun.

"So we make sure he won't." A lady in silk walked between the two goddesses, her pale face shining in the moonlight. She was watching the baby carefully, as if it held the future in its hands. "This will be a secret between us."

"You do not know what you are walking into," Athena snapped, flinging her hair back. Her eyes were lit on fire. "The vow of virginity is extremely important to a goddess who pledged to forever stay alone. This could create chaos, Artemis. What would your followers say?"

Artemis pressed her lips together, her arms securing around her moon-bathed baby a little more tightly. It was then against the entire world. "Nobody will know. She will never know. This matter will be spoken to no one."

Lady Mania bowed her head, closing her eyes briefly. "I will leave a child of my own with her. For protection and her well being. That is my sacrifice, Artemis."

Artemis pressed a finger to her lips, her cold eyes resting on her baby once more. She dipped her head. "Thank you, Lady Mania, goddess of chaos."

Athena sneered. "Do you think one little demigod could protect her from all danger? It is her against the world." The beautiful goddess' eyes glimmered, her hostile expression covering the bitterness inside. "That is not enough. Although I would too leave a child of wisdom with her, it won't be enough. It will never be enough."

"We will hide her powers until they are strictly needed," Mania pleaded, her voice smooth as running water. "Nobody would be able to recognize her. Nobody would even know she is a demigod!"

Athena didn't speak, but her grip tightened around her spear in anger and frustration.

Artemis broke the silence, her voice raising against the cool, unspeaking night. "Do you not think, Athena, that I am greatly ashamed? This is entirely my fault, and my fault only. I am willing to carry a burden. I am used to walking alone." She paused, pain filling her heart like a drop of poison. "But I love her...this baby. I love her more than.I'm any other human that has ever walked on earth. She is mine. My child. My love. My burden."

Athena sighed, her gray eyes dull with defeat. "It will be a secret."

Mania nodded, her silky black hair blending in with the cold bitter wind of winter. "A secret."

Artemis closed her eyes and a single tear came down from her beautiful silver eyes, and disappeared at the world beneath.

~