Hey guys!
So excited about this chapter because things are getting real. I hope you guys will love reading it as much as I loved writing it.
Also, as you have probably realized, I've given the hunters sort of like a feminist agenda which, I know it might not be quite according to the times they are living but also, they are a group of immortal woman who have renounced love and men. I'm writing about them as a badass feminist group. Sue me. I do want to make them have a journey in which they decide what their role in the world is and I hope I'm able to accomplish that by the end of this fic.
Chapter 4 is going to be named "Sisters In Arms" so please fav, follow and review so you can stay tuned because it's going to be so cool.
Disclaimer: Go to chapter 1.
Chapter 3. "Bringer of Healing and Disease."
It took the Hunters one full century before they began to heal from Kallisto's death.
Of course, there was her horrible fate to be taken into account but, more than that, Kallisto's undoing had reminded them of how unstable their position was, even where they were supposed to be safe.
Most of them had taken their oaths as a way to avoid a mortal life in which they were underappreciated and even threatened and mostly, they had become maidens to avoid the men who made it clear they thought women were theirs to own.
They had all taken their oaths because they wanted an out, they wanted to be free from that trap of a life! They wanted to be the ones in charge of their own lives, lives that were built by their desires and ambitions, not out of their fight to survive. Regardless of their background, age or race, they all shared a common ache for freedom, a common need to feel like they were heard and that their experiences mattered. However, it wasn't until Kallisto's death that they realized they hadn't reached that freedom, not entirely at least.
The fact was that they hadn't been mistreated for their age, their weakness, or their social status. They'd been mistreated because of their condition as women. They'd been mistreated because they lived in a society in which women were taught to believe they were little more than objects while men grew up thinking the world, including women, was theirs for the taking.
It was then that the hunters stopped blaming Artemis for Kallisto's murder. Not because they were blind followers of a goddess in the wrong, but because they were beginning to understand that the society was a reflection of their gods. As a female goddess herself, Artemis couldn't be blamed for an ideology that had been damaging towards her too.
And, when you thought about it, it made sense that they weren't safe in the Hunt. Of course they weren't, because the world wasn't safe for them. Of course they weren't, because they were a part of that world.
Where did that leave them, though? What could they really do, if their enemy seemed so much bigger than them?
All in all, the conflict seemed even more complex that they thought at first, so the hunters began to feel the need for a safe haven, somewhere they could rest, ponder, and rally stronger. They needed somewhere in which they could have the time to figure the answer to that question.
The response to their need turned out to be Delos, Artemis' birthplace.
Respecting her oath to never forget Kallisto, Zoë had been the first to have the glimpse of an answer to their question, to the impasse the Hunters found themselves in. It was with Phoebe that she discussed it first during starry nights in which the two of them seemed to be the only beings in an otherwise desolated world. It was during those moments that Zoë shared her beliefs.
If the Hunters were part of a world that was unfair to them, then they needed to change it. They needed to take an active role in a world that was decided for them. They needed to help the women and children who couldn't defend themselves, regardless of whether they joined their Sisterhood. They needed to be immortal forces of change, responsible for voicing the needs of those silenced by the powerful.
Sometimes, though, Zoë escaped her sisters and wandered through the landscape on her own. She always made her way to the sea, her footsteps soundless, her voice soft as she talked to Kallisto. If she was being honest, the stars had always meant a great deal to her. In her mind, they had always served as a promise of light amongst the darkness. Now, that her lost friend had joined them, they were one of the only things she trusted in that wretched world.
"Lieutenant!"
If only she was still alone with the stars.
Zoë sighed as she was forced to focus on her surroundings. If only it was night again, so she could have her mind to herself.
Still, she allowed herself to glance for one last moment at the breathtaking scenery before her very eyes. Above her, the sun reigned with glorious purpose, its rays glaring in what was yet another stifling summer morning. From the woods to the Lieutenant's right, birds chirped merrily as they carried on with their mundane routines. Before her, the deep blue sea was vast, reaching as far as her eyes could reach, its serenity almost eering when compared to the activity around her and from the sea, the wind came onto her location in a surprisingly gentle manner given their lack of coverage to the sea.
She would have loved to stay there for hours, with the only company of her thoughts as the wind made her cloak brush gently against her ankles. She would have loved to be a normal girl for just one second, one that could take the time to rejoice having healed from Hercules' offenses, and having found a purpose out of Lord Zeus' crimes.
However, she was Zoë Nightshade. She wasn't a normal girl and, regardless of what she wanted, what she would never do was leave her sisters to fend for themselves.
Withholding a quiet sigh of exasperation and refraining herself from taking her uncomfortable silver circle off her forehead, Zoë finally turned around and walked back towards her sisters, who were training right behind her. They had set camp right under the shadows of Leto's Palace, which was located near the southern coastline of Delos. Around a hundred tents had been set up in an orderly manner by the front gates of the castle, leaving more than enough space for the Hunters to limit training grounds and a dining pavilion.
The Hunters had increased numbers ever since Zoë became their lieutenant, now standing at more than two hundred girls. It was a daunting number, but one of the things she had implemented was declaring some of her sisters in charge of their specific discipline, so the responsibilities were never too stressful on her. After all, sisters helped one another.
On that particular day, Zoë had them practice sword-fighting in pairs. Two little girls had joined them the night before and Zoë wanted to test their skills without scaring them by putting them in the spotlight.
"Lieutenant," Phoebe greeted as Zoë neared her. She lowered her voice as the pair began walking past the different couples of fighters. "I'm glad you could pull yourself out of your daydream."
Zoë smiled slightly, her eyes on the fighters around her. "It's rather reckless of you to speak to your Lieutenant with such blatant disrespect, Phoebe."
"As if you would do anything against me," Phoebe shrugged with a smirk. Sobering up, she moved on to the important matters she needed to discuss with her friend and leader. "Anyways, I have supervised the newcomers' training myself, like you ordered."
Zoë nodded before stopping. She gently corrected the grasp one of her sisters had on her sword before nodding her approval. Then, she gestured at Phoebe as they resumed their stroll. "Very well. What do you think of them?"
"Neither of them have ever held a weapon before, unsurprisingly. They are beginning their training with Maya tomorrow," Phoebe began with a shrug. Having reached the center of the training grounds, the pair stopped their advance, choosing instead to stand surrounded by their fighting sisters. Being her nature to be hyperactive, Phoebe quickly took an arrow from her quiver and began to play with it while Zoë studied the pairs she hadn't walked past from a distance. "However, their father was a physician so, both Sophia and Katerina have a vast knowledge of medicinal herbs. I would like them both to be in my medic squad."
Zoë nodded her agreement. "I suppose that is sensible. After all, you are in need of staff and they sound like they would be of use in your team."
Her eyes wandered over to the little girls, who were currently slightly apart from the bigger group. She watched as Sophia and Katerina both glanced at their sword as if they would bite them. Their father had been killed by a group of thieves while walking home one night after checking on a patient. After they were kicked out of their house, Lady Artemis had found the two starved and cold girls wandering through the streets of Mykonos. After hearing their story, she turned the little girls into immortals and flashed them to Delos. They were only ten years old. They were yet another story Zoë wanted to avoid.
"We should make an exception to our initiation' ritual, just this one time," Zoë finally commented, her eyes still on the sisters. "These girls need to be shown support, not to be further traumatized by their new sisters."
"I do like our initiation, though. It's always nice to see our new sisters squealing after we throw them into the freezing waves of the Aegean Sea," Phoebe mused as she scratched her chin with the tip of her arrow. After a few contemplative moments, she finally scowled at her Lieutenant with resignation. "Fine, but we are doing it with the next one that comes. I don't care how scared they might be."
Zoë merely smiled in response before taking a step forward, her face concealing itself into an authoritative mask. "Hunters! Gather around!"
The Hunters did so at once, pushing each other and laughing as they approached their Lieutenant and her second-in-command. Sophia and Katerina followed Maya, the Hunt's lead swordfighter, rather hesitantly, and stayed slightly apart from the group, their colourful dresses clashing against their new sisters' silver ones.
"As you know, Sophia and Katerina joined us yesterday from the island of Mykonos. They took our Lady's oath and therefore, as of now, they are our new sisters. I expect each and every one of you to protect and look after them as you do with the rest of us," Zoë announced before turning towards the twins, her eyes softening slightly when they took a fearful step backwards. The Lieutenant then knelt before the pair, her voice dropping to a gentle timber. "Sophia and Katerina, the same goes for you. We are your sisters now. In our group, we are all equal, we all matter, and we all support one another. Abide by our philosophy and you'll find not only a safe space with us but also, a home. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Lieutenant," the two girls replied quietly, yet without quivering. Then, they both straightened their backs and faced their leader proudly in an attempt to impress the warrior before them.
Zoë hid a smile before reaching into her bag, pulling out two small silver capes which she handed to the mesmerized twins. "In that case, these are yours. Welcome home, sisters."
The twins bowed their head in response before giggling and helping each other tie their cloaks around their neck. As the rest of the sisters cheered their new additions on, Zoë chuckled lowly and rose to her feet. She opened her mouth to direct her sisters to the dining pavilion for lunch, and it was in that moment that movement to her left made her turn towards the distant treeline.
Zoë took a step forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the green sea by the horizon. She could almost believe to have been deceived by her own eyes, hadn't they been those of an immortal. She was debating whether to alert her sisters when her doubts were assuaged by the sudden appearance of a tall figure - taller than most creatures Zoë had encountered - by the treeline.
As the creature stared right into the lieutenant's eyes, Zoë straightened and her eyes darkened dangerously.
A male.
"Intruder by the treeline!" Zoë barked harshly, stepping protectively in front of the twins before unsheathing the hunting knives strapped across her chest. "Archers! Aim!"
At once, around seventy Hunters of Artemis aimed their bows towards the intruder and waited for their commander's order. Zoë opened her mouth, her arm raised and tense as she waited for the right moment.
And then, it was then that the enormous man spoke. His voice was charming and soft, as if he was standing right before Zoë and not hundreds of yards apart.
"Lieutenant," the male began, his tone nonchalant. His armour was gleaming black, his weapons made of iron and strapped to his back. His raven hair was greasy, falling onto his forehead though it seemed to go unnoticed by him. "You do well in protecting Lady Artemis' crew. However, I am not your enemy. I am friends of your Mistress and therefore, I am friends with you and your sisters."
"That is a nice idea," Zoë replied after a second. Her voice broke the muted shock her sisters had fallen onto, and they once again stood in an offensive position with their bows ready to shoot. "However, friend, we have yet to encounter a male who has not meant a threat for us. Forgive us for being sceptic."
"My name is Orion, Zoë Nightshade. I am a son of Gaea, sired a giant and bane to your Mistress and to her brother, Lord Apollo." Orion ignored the Hunters' cries of outrage at the admission. "I have chosen to place my loyalty on Lady Artemis, however, and she has given me permission to join the Hunters in return."
"That is an interesting story, Orion." Zoë declared with distaste. She clenched her jaw as she thought of the nerve this giant had. "And one you bring us when our Mistress is not around to confirm it."
Orion nodded as if he had been expecting that. Then, he reached into his bag and held up a small item for the Hunters to see. "Maybe this will confirm it?"
The sisters couldn't help but gape at the small, golden medallion they knew for a fact to be of Artemis' possession. Zoë blinked at the two golden deers who were depicted to be mid-dance before closing her eyes wearily.
Phoebe turned towards her with alarm. "Zoë, you seriously cannot be-."
Zoë shook her head with swallowed fury. "How can I not? Artemis is our Mistress. He said so himself."
"Lieutenant," Sophia's small voice suddenly was heard. Zoë took the opportunity to ignore the incoming giant and turned towards her newest sister. "I thought male members were not welcome in our group."
Zoë rested her hands on the younger girl's shoulders before smiling with as much confidence as she could muster. "I will take care of it, Sophia. Trust me."
oOo
Her steps were purposeful.
As she strode through the front gate of the palace, her boots hit rhythmically against the stone-floor of the courtyard. She bypassed her fellow comrades without a second glance, all of them falling silent as they took in her stormy expression.
On a better day, she would have stopped and taken the time to admire the beauty of the architecture around her. She would have been dazed by the reflection of the sunlight against the colorful panels of the castle's windows.
That, however, was not a better day. By the time she entered the tall halls of the castle and began towards the direction of the private gardens, she did so without even taking one glance at the beauty around her.
For the occasion, she had braided her wavy, dark tresses into a tight plait that was now hanging over her left shoulder. Her quiver filled with feathered arrows stuck from her other shoulder and her bow was tightly clenched by her right fist. She had left her hunting knives back in her tent but, as another angry wave coursed through her veins, she couldn't help but feel as if they would have been useful.
She no longer wore her tunic and cloak but rather, had chosen to put on her silver battle dress. While it reached her knees, she still felt protected, even stronger. It was no coincidence of course, for she needed every ounce of strength and courage she could gather for her next task but still, the effect her garment had on her was relieving and comforting.
As she watched down halls and across vacant rooms, she glowed with a faint silver, as if she too was a greek deity, and the servants she came across couldn't help but bow to her in respect. She ignored them, though and at last, she reached the gate to the private gardens.
Zoë took a deep breath, straightened her back, and marched inside.
Stopping by the edge of the quarters, Zoë bowed deeply. "My lady. It is joyous to have you back with us."
"Zoë, dear, please come in." That day, Artemis had chosen to adopt the form of a young adult. She wore her long, auburn hair in a high ponytail, and her silver long dress glimmered as the goddess turned from the cypress she was studying to face her Lieutenant. "How is our newest addition getting on with our Hunters?"
"Sophia and Katerina are getting on as well as can be expected. I suspect they will make fine warriors once they have had proper training," Zoë replied bluntly. Her eyes never left her Mistress'. "I was hoping to share my concerns on the arrival of this...Orion who seems to have pledged his loyalty to Your Ladyship."
Artemis cocked her head as she studied Zoë silently. As if having made up her mind, she left the tree she had been taking care of to sit on the wooden bench placed between her and her Lieutenant.
Artemis nodded at Zoë's hair. "I have noticed you don't wear your hair loose as often as you did before. You braid it now."
Zoë shrugged. "I find it a better fit for a hunter, my lady."
"Agreed. It quite fits you, Lieutenant." Artemis' voice was soft, her posture relaxed as she studied the girl before her. Finally, she gestured slowly with a hand. "You will find that I know what is fitting for my Hunt in every sense of the word."
Zoë tensed. "I understand, my lady."
"If you understand, why do you question my decision?"
"I do not question. I ask for an explanation so I can communicate it to my sisters." Zoë replied carefully. "An explanation as to why there is now a male in our midst when males are not accepted into the Hunt for a reason."
"Unless they prove themselves worthy of it," Artemis retorted calmly. Her eyes were fixed on the Lieutenant, silently challenging her to question her. "Orion is an extraordinary archer and an even better friend. He will be a wonderful asset to our group."
"Very well." Zoë rose her eyebrows in disapproval. "He will be an asset to our group. What about my sisters?"
Artemis narrowed her eyes. "What about them?"
Zoë's voice hardened as she unleashed the anger she was withholding. "They joined us to escape men. They were all threatened by the same intruder you have now brought to our midst. How are they supposed to feel now if not even our Sisterhood is a safe space for them?"
Artemis stood, her silver eyes flashing dangerously. "Orion is a giant. He does not belong to the species that hurt you and your sisters. I truly do think you are making the situation bigger than it has to be, Lieutenant."
Zoë widened her eyes with disbelief. "I am not! My sisters have been assaulted, sold and abused as if they were nothing! Males have been a threat to them, and that's why they are here. They might have healed, but they will always remember their past!"
Silence enveloped the duo, Zoë's outburst having been a bomb that had been set off and left them in the barren aftermath. Knowing she had forgotten herself in her need to defend her sisters, Zoë knelt before the goddess as her voice dropped pleadingly. "My lady, please. You must reconsider this."
"Enough, Lieutenant." Artemis spoke in a tone that left no room for argument, even if her voice never rose. She stood from the bench and towered over the Lieutenant. "Orion has joined with my blessing. He still holds it in his possession and therefore, his place is here. This is the last I want to hear of this, unless I need to find myself another Lieutenant."
Zoë took a step back in shock as she processed the threat. Slowly, she rose, her eyes never leaving Artemis's as she silently challenged her. At last, she bowed stiffly and left the gardens.
She didn't look back.
oOo
That night, a feast was organized to honour the first male member of the hunters of Artemis.
The Dining Pavilion had been elegantly decorated with white and silver curtains hanging from the wooden beams, while candles were strategically placed on the tables. Flowers were a major protagonist of the scene from their spot in vases on the tables and around the beams. Instead of the smaller tables that usually occupied the room, long tables had been aligned vertically, long benches set on either side. Courtesy of Lord Apollo, music seemed to resonate from nowhere in specific, as if the wind itself had carried the beautiful flute tunes.
Facing those tables, a smaller table had been set, in which Artemis sat, Orion to her left. A seat had been placed to Artemis's right for her brother Apollo, who had arrived in Delos that afternoon. Zoë was supposed to sit beside the god by the edge of the table.
Zoë was now leaning against one of the beams, sullenly sipping from a goblet full of wine and watching as her sisters entered the tent laughing and pushing each other. The joyous mood didn't deflate with the presence of the honoured guest, but Zoë noticed that none of her sisters risked a glance at Orion as they sat themselves.
Zoë knew it was time for her to join her lady at the main table but she was reluctant to do so. She wasn't a very good actress, and she had learned to voice her thoughts whenever she deemed a situation unfair, so the idea of sitting and pretending everything was okay did not fit with her character at all.
Her eyes did wander towards the main table, though, and she couldn't help but study their newest brother. Orion was merely ten feet tall - thus being the one of the smallest giants to date -, and nothing about his physique stopped him from looking like an extremely tall man except for his mechanical eyes, made by Hephaestus himself. He had exchanged his black armour for a silver tunic, which contrasted meekly against his lugubre skin. His eyes drafted across the room cunningly, even as he managed to keep up the conversation with both Lady Artemis and Lord Apollo.
Logically, Zoë should have probably felt reassured by a giant that had the favour of the gods but instead, she could only feel worse. She was witness to the trust implied in the giant's and her mistress's interactions and it made her worry, for this new addition to her life only increased the uncertainty of her sisters' future. if something happened, if Artemis was to be counseled, who could say she wouldn't rather listen to the charming giant sitting next to her?
It wasn't jealousy, of course not. She only had her sisters in mind. If the Hunt was not a safe space for the women who had joined them looking for an escape, then which place was? If their numbers dwindled because women refused to enter a group that also accepted men, then what was going to happen to those who couldn't save themselves? What would happen to those women if no help arrived? What would happen if there was no more Hunt?
"Lieutenant, you are supposed to join us at the main table," a musical voice suddenly drawled behind her.
Zoë refrained from rolling her eyes as she turned to greet her unsolicited companion.
Lord Apollo wasn't a strange sight amongst Artemis' hunters. As their lady's brother, Apollo visited rather often, sometimes even joining their hunting trips or training with them. Zoë had even been known to defeat Apollo one or twice at fencing.
Of course, Apollo was a rather big flirt, but he never tried to seduce any of his sister's hunters. Whether it was out of fear of his sister or out of respect for the hunter's maiden vows, Zoë didn't know, but Apollo had become the only male the hunters were comfortable around.
It would help if he wasn't so cocky and annoyingly arrogant but well, not everything was possible in this life.
"I apologize, my lord." Zoë bowed gracefully before taking another sip of her cup. "I was on my way to join you."
"Stop with that formal nonsense. We've known each other for a century, you may call me Apollo." Apollo shook his head in mock frustration. He stood in silence, something uncharacteristic of him, before his eyes wandered over to the distant beach. As he spoke again, he didn't bother looking at his sister's Lieutenant. "I haven't been in Delos for a while now; you probably know the surroundings better than I do. Will you join me for a stroll, Zoë?"
"Very well, Apollo, but I'm still 'Lieutenant' to you." Zoë's reply was gracious. While Kallisto's memory once again resurfaced in the back of her mind, she couldn't feel threatened by Apollo's request. She knew it was different because, while she couldn't trust the god himself, she could trust the fear he had of his sister.
Apollo snorted but nodded his agreement. "Follow me, Lieutenant."
Zoë complied, subtly studying the god beside her as they walked in silence. Even at night, Apollo seemed to glow golden. His toga hung loosely from one shoulder, his exposed chest tanned and ample. His blue eyes were lively and cheerful as the god calmly gazed at the sky, and his lips were always slightly pulled up, as if he was invariably amused.
All in all, Apollo, with his perfect blonde hair and his toned chest, was the epitome of hegemonic beauty. Even more so than Hercules or even Orion. Still, Zoë felt nothing but indifference at him.
She couldn't help but feel slightly reassured by that. It felt good knowing men were no longer a temptation to her.
"My lord. Now that we are far enough, I suppose you could share with me your real purpose with this walk." Zoë's words were nonchalant as they stood by the cliff she had stood at that morning. Both their gazes were undecipherable and set on the sea before them.
"You're clever, lieutenant," Apollo admitted after a moment as he carelessly crossed his arms over his chest. "I have led you away from the celebrations because I want you to tell me your honest opinion of Orion, the newest member of your Hunt."
Zoë stiffened. "I haven't had the chance to get to know him, Apollo. Lady Artemis did speak well of him, though."
"I understand." Apollo nodded gravely, his lips set in a grim line for the first time since Zoë had known him. "My sister tells me you voiced your concerns over her decision, though."
"I did, yes." Zoë straightened subconsciously, still standing by her words even if they did cause her lady's anger. Her next words were careful. "I am concerned by my sisters' reactions to a male being allowed into our group. They have come here looking for a place in which their opinions mattered, in which they mattered, in which they felt safe. I fear they might begin to feel betrayed by my lady's decision."
Apollo processed that silently. After a few moments in which all they could hear were the calm waves hitting against the rocks by the shore, the god suddenly turned towards the hunter. "What do you know about the giants, Lieutenant?"
Zoë frowned pensively. "They were children of Gaea, defeated during the Giant War centuries ago."
"That's right. Each giant was created as the bane of one of the Olympian Gods," Apollo explained angrily. As he glanced back towards the feast, his eyes lit with fury. "Orion did not fight during the war, obviously, but he was created as the bane of Artemis and myself. That's why he is an excellent hunter. He was created with the sole objective of hunting my sister and I."
Zoë frowned with disgust. "He admitted it when he reached us earlier today. I can't see how my lady could have believed him to be sincere in his declarations. He must still be loyal to Gaea."
"I do think my sister finds pride in having her bane not only refuse to hunt her but also, refuse his nature to follow her." Apollo replied with a humourless chuckle before shaking his head. "The appraisal she would get in Olympus when this is known, and the envy she would gain from some members of Olympus. It is not hard to imagine my sister blind to her new friend's new colours when in the face of such an accomplishment. In this blindness, I expect there is not much Orion wouldn't be able to achieve. Even making my sister renounce her maiden vows, I suspect."
"I understand that there are matters in which only gods and goddesses can interfere," Zoë began slowly, knowing that even if Apollo was the most lenient of the deities she had encountered, she still couldn't afford offending him. "But I cannot sit by and watch as my lady and my sisters are threatened by a male who is not where he belongs. If there is something I can do, then I want to help."
Apollo bit his lip and narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the distant feast with a calculating look. Minutes had passed in which they were enveloped in tense silence when Apollo smiled cheekily and turned towards the Lieutenant. "I appreciate your offer, Zoë. For now, all I will request of you is that you stay here for a while. We wouldn't want my sister to think we complotted against her newest friend."
"What are you going to do?" Zoë was filled with dread as she froze to her spot. "What are you going to do?"
"I am the god of diseases, Lieutenant." Apollo smirked as he rolled his shoulders smugly. " Expect something...creative."
And just like that, Zoë was on her own.
She looked towards the distant feast warily before looking up towards the sky. She wanted to find reassurance in the stars, in one of the only things in the world she trusted.
The sky had been covered by clouds.
A storm was coming.
oOo
It wasn't until the following day that Zoë found out what Apollo had done.
When she returned to the feast, things seemed to be developing normally so she sat on her designated seat. She made polite conversation with Apollo, Artemis and even Orion. She pretended nothing extraordinary had happened and finally, she excused herself to spend the rest of the evening with her sisters.
At one point of the evening, Phoebe had suggested a drinking game and Zoë had been forced to participate.
After that, she didn't remember much else.
When she woke up, much later than usual, her head was pounding. Her heart was hammering painfully in her chest and her every limb ached tiredly, the result of a restless sleep. Zoë could taste alcohol in her breath, and her stomach revolved itself from the nausea.
Never again.
Taking advantage of the silent atmosphere, Zoë shifted on her cot to make herself more comfortable, her eyes closing blissfully right after.
Just five more minutes.
Then, a blood-curdling scream echoed through their camp.
Zoë's eyes snapped open.
Trouble.
Zoë rushed out of her tent, clad in the silver tunics she used to sleep in and looked around her wildly, desperately trying to find which of her sisters was in distress.
The first thing she found was the source of danger.
She first felt the uncomfortable heat pressed against her back. Slowly, Zoë turned, and her face blanched in shock as she covered her mouth with her hands. She blinked at the wave of fire rising above her with horror, too shocked to do or even think of doing anything.
Leto's palace was on fire.
"Lieutenant, it was Orion! I saw him setting the palace on fire! He used greek fire, Zoë!" Phoebe screamed as she rushed towards her leader. She too was wearing the tunic she used to sleep in but she carried her weapons with her and her hair was already braided.
Zoë nodded as she forced herself to ignore the shock and the rest of the emotions that were of no use to her in that moment. She then rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Phoebe, I want every hunter out of their tents and gathered. Count them, make sure they are all okay. I will find Lady Artemis."
Phoebe nodded and the two friends split. Zoë quickly ran away from the group of tents and towards the palace, ordering every hunter she found to find Phoebe.
Once she made it to the former entrance, which had been reduced to a pile of debris, Zoë found Artemis standing motionlessly, her murderous gaze set on something above her very eyes.
"My lady! What happened?" Zoë called mournfully as she took in the ashes of what was once the beautiful castle they had all, including their lady, called home.
"Orion has been overtaken by madness, surely by my brother's doing," Artemis muttered, not even noticing the silver tears that fell rapidly down her cheeks. She didn't seem to acknowledge Zoë's presence, and rather spoke as if she was talking to herself.
Zoë looked up too in an achingly slow manner and gasped in horror as her eyes landed on the head of one of Artemis's golden deers. Artemis had two beloved golden deers who pulled her chariot and went with her on every quest and battle. They were her companions and now, one of them had been brutally murdered. Whoever had harmed them would pay with their death.
"I'm deeply sorry for your loss, my lady," Zoë finally whispered, rage blossoming inside of her at the offense made against her lady. "What are your orders?"
Artemis turned towards Zoë, her eyes lit with more rage than Zoë had ever witnessed. "Gather your troops, lieutenant. We have a giant to hunt."
And, as Artemis walked away, she continued. "And we are not hunting on our own."
Zoë frowned, "What do you mean?"
"My Lady?"