I've been waiting since the beginning of the book to write this chapter, so here it is.
~Leonidas_son_of_Nike
"Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" A brown-haired boy asks. The sea-green trimmings on his cloak sharply contrasted his piercing gray gaze as he looked down at the rest of us through the conference Iris-message.
Everyone shakes their head and a few people mutter, "No."
"Alright, then this Guardian council is dismissed." At this, most of the Guardians swipe their hands through the mist, disconnecting from the conference.
"Hey Rowan, hold on a second." The Boy leading the council stops before his hand reaches the mist.
Rowan is a son of Athena, and the Guardian assigned to Poseidon. Yes, both Poseidon and Athena made a big deal about it, but Nike, who is in charge of the Guardians, said it was the best combination. He's pretty serious, but Alex claims that she's seen him relax. He was named as the head of the Guardian council due to his experience.
"What's up Percy?" He asks.
"I'm sorry for missing last month's meeting." I say, "Was there anything of extreme importance that I need to know?"
"Don't worry about it." Rowan waves my apology aside, "We all heard about the Niobe situation. As for anything of importance..." He thinks for a moment, "Well, Alex did mention that she felt weird pulses from the earth, and Zarah said that Demeter had felt similar pulses."
I nod, "Alright, thanks. I'll keep you updated as I find stuff as well."
He nods, "Just...watch your back Percy. I'd hate to lose my protege in less than a decade."
I grin, "You won't have to worry about that."
Rowan nods and cuts the connection. I'd always looked up to the Guardian of Poseidon. He'd been around for over fifty years now and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. From what I'd heard, he is practically indestructible.
"Has the meeting been concluded?" A voice sounds behind me.
I turn and bow, "Yes Lady Artemis."
"Anything to report?"
"Nothing of any importance, M'lady." I reply
Artemis rolls her eyes, "I told you to stop calling me that Perseus."
I nod and stand up as Artemis looks me over.
"I'm going to be leaving the camp for a few hours." Artemis says, "Secure the perimeter and protect the camp."
I nod, then raise an eyebrow, "You're a little underequipped for a solo hunt."
"I'm not hunting." The goddess replies, "I'm recruiting."
"Would you like some company?" I ask.
"I would, but this young maiden is...hostile towards males." She answers, "It would be best if I did this alone."
I nod and Artemis runs off. As soon as she's out of earshot, I mutter, "Aren't they all hostile?"
I spend the rest of the day patroling the camp. It's tiresome work, walking in circles for hours on end, but I don't mind. I can also find ways to make it more interesting, if only to break the monotony. I don't think that will be a problem today though. A fortnight ago, Artemis recruited a hot-tempered girl by the name of Catania. She took an understandably instant dislike to me and has been trying to make my life complete Hades. The rest of the Hunt has seen me in action and trusts because of that.
"Hey Guardian!" A voice calls out, "Lady Artemis isn't here to protect you now! Time for you to get what's coming you filthy male."
Catania starts shooting arrows at me. Most of them bounce harmlessly off pelt my armor though one does come close to my face. I move quickly, catching the arrow before it hit me.
"Catania, what did I tell you?" Diantha walks up next to me.
Catania sighs, "Don't attack the Guardian, he might save your life one day." She replies in a sarcastic mocking voice.
Catania stops off as Diantha shakes her head, "Her temper is going to be the end of her."
I shrug, "Yeah probably. Thanks for the aid Lieutenant."
"I told you, you don't need to refer to me by just my title." The huntress replies, though I do notice her stand a little straighter.
Three weeks ago, the last Lieutenant had died during a hunt. She was scaling a cliff to get to a better position when a piece broke off in her hand. One hundred meters up. The next day, Diantha was named lieutenant.
"Give me a minute with her. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you for the rest of the day." Diantha smiles slightly and walks off.
I shake my head and go back to patrolling around the camp. On my second round, I hear muffled shouts from the center of the camp. Curious, I decide to check it out. The scene which greets me, while admitly amusing, seemed a little unnecessary. Catania is tied to a post in the center of the camp with a piece of cloth shoved in her mouth. Diantha is standing next to Catania, arms crossed.
"Don't you think this is a little excessive?" I ask.
"Well, she's tied up so that she wouldn't go after you." Diantha replys.
"And the gag?"
"That's because she wouldn't shut up." Diantha holds her head.
"Mrgh ggrh mmrgh." Catania tries to say something.
"Hey, adults are trying to talk here." Diantha shoots at the tied-up huntress.
"Okay Diantha, you had your fun." I roll my eyes, "But your the Lieutenant, you need to be a role model for the rest of the Hunt." I chide softly but sharply, "You can't just hog-tie and gag people because you want to."
"Well, she did shoot you with arrows." Diantha reasoned.
"Yes, but you know I've had to deal with that the entire time I've been Artemis' Guardian. It's probably not going to change either." I sigh, "But that's just the way it is and I've got to deal with it."
"Fine." Diantha sighs, "But one step over the line, and she'll find out what happens to those who insult my friends."
I put a hand across my chest, "You consider me a friend? I'm touched Diantha, I'm truly touched."
"Hey, you watch it too boy." She replies.
I hold my hands up, "Alright, alright. Anyway, I sense Lady Artemis returning, so it'd be best if the new recruit wasn't tied to a post when she got back."
Diantha nods and sets to work on the knots. Using the Guardians' blessing, I teleport directly to Artemis and bow to her. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a black-haired girl jump and move slightly behind Artemis.
Artemis pulls the girl out from behind her, "There is no need for fear." The goddess of the hunt smiles slightly, "Guardian, meet the newest member of the hunt: Zoë."
I nod as Zoë appears to relax a little.
"Anything to report?" Artemis asks.
"No M'Lady." I reply, "The perimeter is secure and nothing has come within one hundred meters of the camp border." With that, I stand up.
This entire time, the new girl is watching me closely. When I stand up, her volcano-black eyes widen as she gives Artemis a look of utter betrayal. Without saying anything, she pivots in place and runs off.
"Zoë!" Artemis tries to call out, but to no avail.
"Allow me, Artemis." I say, "Perhaps I can allay some of her fears."
Artemis shrugs, "You can try. I dont know how successful you will be."
"As Guardian, it is my duty to at least try." I reply.
Artemis nods, "Very well then."
I nod and clamber up a tree. From the tree branches, I begin to follow Zoë's trail. It wasn't that difficult to follow the trail, but that isn't unusual. Even with Artemis' blessing, it takes time to become proficient in all of the huntress' abilities.
As I follow The trail, I notice it begin to curve. After following the curvfor some time, I meet back up with the original path. The girl probably does not even realize that she's running in circles. Instead of following the trail around in more circles, I run ahead. Soon, I come to a clearing. Deciding that this was as good a place as any, I once again climb into a tree and wait for Zoë to appear.
It takes some time, but eventually the new huntress staggers into the clearing. After looking around quickly, she sinks down until she's sitting at the base of tthe tree I'm in. Her body is racked with silent sobs, shaking until it appeared to be on the verge of falling apart. Before she sat down, I'd caught a glimpse of her eyes. They looked haunted. Haunted by anger and fear and betrayal.
I jump down from the tree and look off to the north, "It's undignified, sitting on the ground and crying." I don't look at Zoë.
"What do you know boy?" The girl hisses out through tears.
"Enough." I reply, "Now come. If you must cry, do not do so on your knees."
"I've already lost most of my dignity, so what does it matter?" She replies miserably.
"That's exactly why it matters." I finally turn around and face Zoë, "As long as you have even one shred of dignity, the entire fabric and be recreated."
Zoë looks up at me, and I can see tinges of red in her volcano-black eyes, but says nothing.
I hold out one hand to Zoë, "Come now. There is a fallen tree over there. Perhaps you would like a more comfortable seat."
Zoë looks at my hand in a state of incomprehension. Eventually, she holds out her hand and I pull her up. We walk across the clearing and sit down on the log I'd pointed out.
We're both silent for a long moment before Zoë takes a deep breath, "My name is Zoë and until about a fortnight ago, I counted myself among the Hesperides."
I manage to control my facial expression. That is quite a piece of information. It's not every day that you meet a Hesperide or rather, ex-Hesperide.
"What happen?" I felt it necessary to ask.
The Hesperide takes a deep breath, "I trusted a man with my feelings. My heart. My powers. Once my sisters learned of my betrayal, they disowned me and banished me from the garden. I have been alone ever since."
"Your powers?" I could tell it was difficult for Zoë to talk about this, but I needed her to tell me her story. That is the first step towards healing.
"I gave him a gift." She says shakily, "A sword, endowed with all of my immortal power, along with any gifts bestowed upon me from my mother, Pleione. Anaklusmos."
I think back. Not many who know of the location of the Garden of the Hesperides would willingly go there. Then, I remember a demigod my fellow Guardians and I had had a good laugh over. He was some foolish poor sap who had incured the wrath of Queen Hera and was now paying with twelve labors. He was an arrogant braggart too. I remember him mentioning something about the garden. I just can't place his name.
"Well, doesn't it feel better to get that off your chest?" I ask.
The girl just blinks at me.
"Since you can no longer be associated with the Hesperides, perhaps you would like to take a surname?" I continue.
"And what would you propose?" She looks at me skeptically.
I glance around the clearing, thinking. My eyes fall on a small bundle of purple flowers.
"How about Nightshade?"
Zoë follows my gaze, "You would have me take the name of a flower?" She seems doubtful.
I stand up and walk over to the bundle. Taking extra care, I pluck one from the ground and carry it over to Zoë. I hand her the flower, which she doubtfully accepts.
"The nightshade flower may appear beautiful, but you best be careful. When ingested, this pretty flower contains one of the deadliest poisons on the planet." I smile slightly at Zoë's expression, "In a way, you remind me of that flower. One look, and I could tell you held the same hidden danger as this flower."
Zoë's doubt disappears, replaced with a grin, "I think I like that."
I smile, "Then come on, I believe it's time we returned to the camp."
Zoë nods and follows me back to camp.
After turning the newly christened Miss Nightshade over to Diantha for the official introduction, I wander off to the side. I manipulate the water out of a bucket to form a rainbow.
"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering and please show me the Guardian Rowan."
"Right away Guardian." The voice of the goddess resonates from the rainbow.
A few seconds later, an image of the Guardian of Poseidon appears.
"Perseus!" He says, "What a pleasent surprise, what can I do for you my friend?"
As he says this, a giant squid tentacle comes into view. Rowan narrowly dodges it and yells out, "Don't worry, I'm paying attention!"
"You look a little distracted." I note plainly, "Should I call you back later?"
"No, it's fine." He says as he neatly impales his spear through one of the tentacles, "I can tell something is eating at you. Trouble with your charge? I heard Artemis can be a handful."
"It's not that." I reply, ignoring the jibe at Artemis, "I was just wondering if you remembered that demigod how really got Hera angry."
"You mean the son of Zeus?" Rowan ducks under another tentacle as he unsheathes his spear from the first.
"That's the one!" I reply, "Do you happen to remember his name?"
"Heracles, I think." Rowan stops talking as he deals with a simultaneous attack from two tentacles, "Yeah it's Heracles. I remember because he was named after Hera."
"Thanks Rowan." I say, "I can always count on my mentor. I'll leave you to your calamari now."
"No problem." He says as the image fades away.
I flick my hood up. Perhaps Heracles and I should have a little chat.
Alrighty then, another one down. What do you think?
Vote. Comment. And as always: keep being awesome.
Leonidas_son_of_Nike