Artemis POV
"Apollo help!!!" I shouted desperately when we appeared in the middle of the meeting.
All attentions drew to us as some gods stood up in shock at the sight of Perseus. And despite the situation, that idiotic brother still managed to be childish.
"Hah! Finally, after three thousand years, my little sister has asked me for help" Apollo laughed with that annoying sound.
"Come hear right now!!!" I yelled in rage. Anymore of that bullshit and I'd have had his head.
But one thing now that was absorbing all that range.
Perseus.
His condition was turning worse, especially after taking the final blow...for me again. His breathing was not normal anymore. He had to gasp sometimes to get enough air. At the moment, I didn't care whether I would be responsible for his injuries or possibly...death. The fact that he threw away his life for me more than just once already sealed a deal between us. I had debt to pay and he was not going to die without accepting that payment. Moreover, the sight of him being hurt snapped something in me. As if my heart was also screaming in agony at his wounds.
His knees crumbled and I just had time to press my hand on his chest for support and push him up to his feet again.
"Please don't die, please" I muttered to him, my eyes stung at that moment.
Apollo face changed to serious, perhaps from noticing the despicable black spear protruding from Perseus' back. He rushed over to us.
"What happened to him" Apollo grimaced, inspecting the wound. Tendrils of darkness from the spears that were sucking away Perseus' life force danced around my brother's fingers.
"No time, do something please" I begged him for the first time. I didn't care at that point if someone would tease me about crying over a man afterwards. Because the image of Perseus taking that spear for me kept displaying over and over again in my head and they hammered into my chest each time. It hurt.
Apollo nodded and picked Perseus up, then flashed away with a column of light.
Silence emerged the room as I stared at the spot where Perseus' lifeless body was laying a moment ago, to the spot of his Ichor that was now spreading across the white marble floor.
"Please be alright" I muttered to myself.
"What happened to him?" Zeus' sudden voice snapped me out of that trend and I startled before turning back at him. I looked at the gods and they seemed just as anxious to know the story. So I took a deep breath to calm myself and when I felt the panic passed. I looked up and recounted the story.
It was painful to dig up those memories again, but I managed to give them a brief story of the attack somehow. My lips trembled the moment I mentioned when Perseus attempted to help me and the result had cost him dearly. My heart felt even heavier when I told them the last part which he took at spear for me.
The gods went silence as I looked up to them with blood-red eyes. The flame from the hearth of Hestia suddenly surged up in a great gigantic column of red and amber fire before it died down and suddenly ceased to existence. Everyone stared at the hearth in shock, at the ashes and wood that remained because we all knew that fire had never burned out before. The throne room became full and dark without the hearth presence, without its source of power, the Lady Hestia herself. I knew Perseus was close to Hestia, but I didn't expect his injuries would affect her that much, to the point she shut out her own fire. Deep down, the relationship between Hestia and Perseus somehow made me uncomfortable. I didn't like it that way, perhaps because Hestia was much older than him so imagine them being together feel kinda weird. But I knew it was more than that, it was this fear and anxiety in there which I could not explain. Those same spark of fear that I knew I'd encountered before and just very recently. Then I realised it was the same fear I had the day Perseus was made god and that moment when he captured every goddess's heart.
No way I can be jealous about that with Hestia. I mean she's my aunt and she's more gentle and caring and nice than me...I don't know how could I have a chance to prevent Perseus from falling for her.
Then I snapped myself again. I don't know why that would concern me. Whether he falls for Hestia or Aphrodite would not affect me at all. I would just be the Artemis, the cold-hearted goddess that every man fears. Perhaps an entire eventful day about Perseus had finally taken a toll on me.
Just then Apollo flashed back with a tired face.
"How is he?" I immediately rushed to him and held him by the shoulders.
"Relax sis, let me have a break. I just worked really hard you know" he shoved my hands off his shoulders and groaned. "And why are you so concerned for a male anyway?" he continued rising his eyebrows.
His questions took me off guard. Up to the point, I didn't really realise I was in the throne room full of eyes and ears. Perseus' situation had beaten me up so bad that I barely recognised anything at all. Oh Chaos! I'm gonna have a hard life after this.
"I uh just worry about my saviour. Besides, if he die, I would have to be responsible for that" I stuttered, trying to make my excuse looks convenient
"Oh I see" Apollo said still giving me an incredulous look.
"Can you stop giving me that look and answer the damn question?" I snapped at him, trying to break free of the embarrassing moment and made it look more convincing by giving him a knock on the head.
"How is he?"
"His condition is stabilising." Apollo sighed. "I must say he's a damn lucky bastard! If you were late for a few more minutes sis, I think we would go back to the twelve Olympians right now."
Hearing that my shoulders dropped I reliefs. I knew he was dying, but I didn't know he was that close to the door of death. My heart suddenly skipped a beat the moment Apollo told me it. I couldn't imagine what a mess I would be in if I had realised Perseus' life was drawing near.
"How come two Olympians fighting a few monsters and one nearly got killed?" My father's voice suddenly boomed from his throne. My head jerked to his direction. "It doesn't make any sense"
I forgot I only told him briefly the story but not the detailed.
"It was an army father, not just a few." I corrected him.
"But still!" Zeus grimaced, clearly he didn't like me fixing his sentences. "You two are capable of annihilating the entire army. Actually Perseus doesn't even have you, I know you have that power alone Artemis!"
"But father" Apollo this time stepped up to my side. I only stared at him in surprise since he had never stood up for me in front of father before. "Artemis' power sure can annihilate that army. But it would bring enough destruction to the point her own Hunters would be in danger. Artemis could've teleported herself out of that assault if she wanted to. But her hunters were the anchor that held her back to fight."
"It's actually more than just that father" this time, I stepped up. I actually didn't think of using any power besides just shooting plain arrows at the monsters. But Apollo was right. Even if I had realised this possibility, I wouldn't have used it anyway. However, that wasn't the point. There was something far worse than me not using the power to prevent all of this from happening.
"This attack was none like what I've ever seen before. Monsters since the last Giant and Titan wars haven't been banding together until now. They mostly stayed with their own race and fighting over each other for food. But this army had organisation and discipline. All races seemed to become obedient to a common course. Something bigger is going on behind this father, something I fear could bring a war to us all."
Darkness surrounded the rooms as the Faelight from the candles flickered by a sudden howl of the wind. Everyone's face darkened in the thought of the worst, all except Aphrodite whom just casually checked out her make up. Why is she here honestly?
Zeus after pondering for a long moment in dark thoughts finally came back as a cloak of shadow seemed to have evaded from him. For a moment, he looked just like Hades on his obsidian throne.
"From what you just said. This is more serious than what it actually looks." Zeus face was grim as he stroked his white beard while staring down at the floor. "I think that attack will not be the last one. More will come and this time we have to be prepared."
"Athena, I need you and Poseidon to go and check out all the god's domain, including the Underworld for any breach in the prisons. Report to me as soon as possible" Zeus commanded.
Athena glared at Poseidon who just stared back with an uncomfortable look. She seemed to protest but considering the situation, Athena kept quite and sat down on her seat.
"Ares, you need to check out our forces, training them in case of an attack and Hephaestus, I need you to reinforce all the traps around Olympus as well as forging more weapons in case of emergency."
The two gods nodded with grim face. Those guys are not on good terms with each other, considering the fact that one's wife is sleeping with another already fused enough fire between them.
"And Artemis!" I suddenly stiffened at the sound of my name being called.
"I think you should move back to Olympus daughter. It's safer here than down there with the mortals. The enemy attacks you because they know your weakness, which is the hunters. You may have been lucky this time, but I fear the next attack will have even more dangerous foes from distant past which you cannot fence off."
"And where should I leave my Hunters then father?" His statement shock me. I didn't realise he was this selfish. "You know the enemy attacked my because of my hunters. If I leave them now, that would just be like execution for them."
"They have lived for thousands of years daughter. That is more privilege for most mortals already. In fact their demise might just be your salvation since there would be no weakness left for the enemy to use against you."
I stepped back in horror at what my father just said. I thought even though he never had a close relationship without Apollo and me, at least he should know what would hurt his own children the most. Losing the hunters was equivalent to lose my own life. Yet he said it as if I gave my Hunters a gift of immortality and now it's due for them to give me back.
So I matched up in range. I didn't care if my action was considered disrespectful. "Let me remind you Zeus that your own daughter, Thalia is still in the Hunt and is my lieutenant! Do you intend to sacrifice her too?"
"Watch your tongue daughter!" Zeus slammed his hand on the armrest as the palace ceiling rumbled. "As for Thalia, just send her back to Camp Half Blood. After all, there's no children of the Big Three there now. It's time for that camp to get itself a leader which is also necessary for the possible war that is coming."
"And what if I told you that she won't move an inch from the Hunt?" I raised my chin and stood in defiance.
"Then you force her to! Aren't you their goddess? How hard is it for you to give them orders?"
"And what if this daughter of yours also stands along with Thalia? My answer is No father! I won't leave my Hunt and I won't move anywhere. I don't care if they are my weakness, the last thing I want is to lose them. So you can do whatever you want but my decision is final! I won't leave my Hunters to their own Fates!"
"You dare to disobey me!?" Zeus spoke slowly and stood up this time. Thunder rumbled outside in his wake. Apollo immediately grabbed my hand for caution. He shook his head at me as a sign of warning for me to stop provoking Zeus. But he knew it was hopeless, because that was the only I was good at, it was to provoke people.
"Yes and I'm ready to do it anytime"
"Niece!" Poseidon this time reminded me. He had summoned his trident and gripped it tightly at his hand. Any moment and he would lung at Zeus before my father could land a lightning bolt on me.
But Zeus' anger incredibly somehow subsided. He swept his face with a sigh and sat back on his throne. The ranging storm outside ceased as the gathering dark cloud gave way to the blue sky.
"There's no point quarrelling between us now. There are more important issues to discuss and I know how stubborn you are so I'm not gonna bother to convince you."
Apollo relieved the tension of his grip on my hand as Poseidon sat down slowly on his throne. The trident disappeared into a breeze of mist.
"But there's one condition whether you like it or not" Zeus spoke again.
Realising I wasn't going to say anything. He sighed again before staring.
"You need to get a protector. After all, the more the better. I even feel more assured to have someone there to help you out."
"Father, I am capable of handling this myself!" I reminded him, not afraid of rising my voice again this time. "I've been doing this for thousands of years. Do you think a little assault from the monsters would stop me from doing so?"
"Yet your handlings had got Perseus landing in the infirmary"
I was stuttered after those words. Clearly I had no contradiction to that. I wouldn't have made it through that fight without Perseus help. Chaos I couldn't imagine how the Hunters could bring me to Olympus if I was to take that spear instead of Perseus. As Apollo had said, Perseus was lucky because he was treated in time and that because I could teleport him to Olympus immediately. If I was the one in Perseus' situation, I would be dead by now since it would take a heck of a long time for the Hunters to contact any of the Olympians. So instead of continue to argue, I lowered my head in shame.
Zeus eases the tension of his grip on the armrest of his throne and smiled down at me. He was such a coward for bringing that up. I mean if I wanted to, I could just say 'why should I care? It was just inconvenient casualty.' But I couldn't. Somehow with Perseus, I couldn't be heartless and cold. Moreover, I was even afraid it those words got to him. He would hate me forever. I didn't know why I have to care so much about it, after all, he's just a filthy male that does not worth my attention.
But he has captured my attention countless times.
And right at that moment, I've just started to realise that life without him would be uncomfortable. I couldn't believe I actually need this male in my life.
"Then tell me your plan." I muttered.
Zeus smiled in triumph as he knew he had gotten his victory for the first time. He scratched his beard in deep thoughts for a moment before he stood up and announced to the council.
"I think it's time for my daughter, Artemis to settle down." He said, he voice stern and clearly as it reverberated throughout the great hall. "Artemis! I think it's about time for you to be married."
I swear I heard Hermes choked on his throne.
It took a moment for every word to sink in before a union of voices arrived.
"WhAT!" Everyone yelled except Aphrodite, who was smiling with the idea. I hate that woman.
"Father!" Apollo stepped up. "You are...you are being serious right? There's no way my little sis would be in hand of marriage!"
"No Apollo" Zeus stared down at him. "It's my decision and I've said it loud and clear. Artemis will be married in the next few weeks no matter what!"
I only stared at the marble floor, which now was just an abyss of my Father's voice. I am to be married...he would actually do that to me...his own daughter. Tears already swelled up to my eyes and those were not tears of sadness, they were disappointment and range.
"Artemis..."
I heard the sound of my name being called next to me. But now all of the sounds surrounding me were consumed by that ranging scream in my head. The sensible thoughts were burned away by the wrath that slowly built up in me.
"Artemis stop you are glowing!"
How could he do this!? He knew the reason why I chose to be a maiden goddess. He knew the reason why I hated male. He knew the reason why I had turned into such a heartless and cold person. All of it was because of him! My childhood, my life! Every sadness and weight of disappointments all came from him. He gave me no purpose of being born. The only salvation he did give me was to allow my Hunt to exist and my freedom from males. Yet now, even that freedom was taken away by his own hand. I couldn't submit to this no more. Someday someone has to say 'enough' and I think it was just that day.
"Artemis I command you-"
Zeus froze on his spot as the room was frozen in time. Silence and darkness was the only thing that surrounded me, surrounded the entire room. No one dare to breathe as they stared widened eyes at the arrow that was buried in Zeus' throne and just inches away from his face.
For a moment Zeus' face just priceless as if all the blood had been drained from that face. But slowly senses returned to him and it glowed hotter and redder.
A loud bang shook the entire throne room as the ceiling crumbled to dust. Debris of glass and stone rained down on me and finally gave way to a hole that was created on the roof. Through that hole, I could see the gathering darkness of stormy clouds, as the winds howled with fury in the tensing room. Thunder clanged at my ears and lightning flashed by as if they wanted to rip the sky apart.
"Such defiance!" Zeus roared and a lightning bolt shot through the hole and it created a large crater on the floor. Smoke from that spot finally gave way to Zeus as he approached me.
"I've been a king for six thousand years and this is the first time I've seen such disrespect and rebellion!" He bellowed as his electric blue eyes were replaced by flashes of white Lightning. Electricity danced on his arms and I could few all the wind in the world coiled up to his palms. "And it came from my child! MY FLESH AND BLOOD!"
Thunder roared, lightning flashed and Zeus emitted such power that my knees suddenly crumbled at his might. I fell on the ground, the floor cracked at the spot where my knees landed. Tears poured out of my eyeballs for the first time I truly felt fear. Right at that moment, I could see my own life flashing before my eyes as Zeus towered over me. My lips trembled and my heart raced with such speed as if it could break the bones at my chest.
"Brother..."
"STAND DOWN!" Zeus snapped and Poseidon could do nothing but to obey.
Next to me, Apollo was so petrified that he only stared my my father and shook like a prey before its predator.
"I must teach this daughter of mine a lesson" he turned his attention back to me. I couldn't face him, all that defiance and range died in me and I could only tremble at the floor.
"It was my mistake to let you loose like this for so long. I wanted to make up for your losses by giving you that freedom and now all I wanted was for your safety."
"And yet I was repaid with such betrayal" my father gritted his teeth and I folded my fist, squeezing it so hard that my nails penetrated the skin of my palms.
"No more of this naive and disobedience! From now one you'll settle down and have family! From now on you will return to Olympus and become a proper princess that you are born to be; and your husband will be Ares for he's the only one here who's capable of restraining you from going back to that...wild life!"
"No..." I breathed.
My eyes widened at that name that was called. Ares, out of all the males in the world, it had to be him. He couldn't do this. I couldn't believe my father would do this to me, handing his own daughter to that filthy monster.
I only looked up to him once, for some of that stubbornness still remained in me gave me that courage. And all I saw was those white cold plain eyes that stared back at me.
"It's my decision daughter and you shall follow it" Zeus spoke down to me and I only responded with tears.
"Please..." I breathed, for I was too shocked to form words. "Please don't do this"
Tears streaming down my cheeks as I crawled up and grabbed at his leg. I begged him, cried out for mercy and begged again for him to take back that horrible decision. Yet he stood still, and not once he did give me a look of sympathy.
That day perhaps was the saddest day of my life as I cried and cried at the floor, right at my father foot to the point I wanted to puke. It was until I felt a pair of hands laid on my shoulders as I was being pulled back towards a hard strong chest. The person's warmth engulfed me and I couldn't do anything but only sob on those chests.
Apollo continued to stroke my arms as he stared up at my father in his blood-red eyes. The room seemed to be hotter and the outside, upon the clouded sky, streaks of sunlight penetrated through.
"Do not attempt Apollo!" Zeus warned. "Or you shall receive a more severe punishment!"
Poseidon and Athena by that time had come out of their shells and tried to draw some senses to Zeus. But my ruthless and heartless father wouldn't budge.
All hope failed as I only cried harder on my brother's chest as he hopeless patted my back. He whispered to me and tried had to sooth me. But he knew my father had just delivered a death blow to me. My heart shattered in pieces and I screamed in my head for anything I could do to stop it. I begged for everyone in my head, for I couldn't make the sound out loud.
All gods stared at me with saddened eyes but unable to rise. All except that filthy pig god of war who just stared back with his wicked smile.
At the point I couldn't careless of getting angry anymore. My life was over, I'd lived for three thousand years and that was it. I was about to spend the rest of my immortal years in hell.
I cried again at the thoughts of my terrifying future and Apollo immediately squeezed me closer to him.
"ENOUGH! I don't care what you say. My decision is final." My father's roar shook the building and Athena and Poseidon was put down to their respective seats. My father scanned the room as he gave everyone a stern look before announcing slowly.
"Does anyone here except Poseidon, Athena and Apollo want to protest?"
Some people opened their mouths but closed instantly when they looked at his face.
I only stared at the floor, which was now an dark abyss and I could only manage to shout into my last words.
'Help me'
After he was assured no one would dare to stand up against him, Zeus opened his mouth to say one last thing but a sudden voice interrupted him.
"I disagree"
A/N Sorry for the chapter is a bit too short 😂✌️