Perseus muttered a curse under his breath, taking a step back. But Artemis smiled widely, almost laughing aloud as she saw a small owl carved into the lid of the planked chest.
"What is that?" Perseus asked.
...
Artemis paid him no heed, and dropped to a crouch, opening the wooden lid. Inside, was a small clay tablet, with writing on it, and sleek black armor, with an underlining dark brown tunic, greaves, and a vambrace. Artemis picked up the clay tablet, which read 'I like his cleverness.'
Artemis groaned in disappointment, crushing the thin piece of clay in her hand. Athena was looking out for her, at least.
"My Lady?" Perseus walked forward, and peered inside the chest. Artemis watched his eyes widen and he gave off a loud laugh. "I assume you still have some Olympians who support you?"
Artemis glared at him, "In a manner of speaking."
Artemis sat back, marshalling her thoughts. Retelling her argument with him had been interesting, as she felt guilty over her treatment of him now. He hadn't deserved anything that she accused him of, and it only showed his continuous character that he apologized to her.
"My Lady, is it bad to say that I like Perseus… or at least the idea of him?" Anna said from her place by the fire.
Zoe and Phoebe both voiced their opinions about this, but before they could torment the poor girl, Artemis calmed her oldest friends down. She chuckled lightly, before addressing Anna, "It certainly isn't. Of course, you cannot be in the company of men, however we can wish that all men were like him. I certainly would wish that." Her hunters nodded in approval, and Artemis scowled darkly at the memories of the thousands who had raped, and abused women in their lives, wishing the worst of Tartarus for their miserable souls.
Artemis sought Jennifer and Mara amongst her band of hunters. Both had been abused in their households, and had run away into the woods. Fortunately for them, she had found them before monsters had. Others were not so fortunate.
Yes, My Lady, I admit, Perseus hath shown an uncanny cleverness that he forth puts in his demeanor. Thy hath not described him as a man who doth shows strength, but speed and head."
There was muted laughter from many of the younger hunters, "Brains Zoe. Brains."
Zoe scowled, "This language is idiotic."
Artemis smiled at the familiar banter between Zoe and the younger hunters. She had forgotten how much of a toll their absence had been before she had begun retelling her tale with the Macedonian expedition.
They were her life then, and now. They always would be.
"It is getting late girls, and we move camp tomorrow. I think I will retire for the night…" Artemis made to head towards her tent, however, a chorus of childlike refusals met her. She stared at all her hunters, many of whom looking at her with silent pleading in their faces. Damn.
When had she ever given in so easily before?
"Alright, I will continue the tale," Artemis paused as they all laughed, "But tomorrow, we are not stopping until it is night. And it will be double pace." She thought she heard one of her girls, Mara, choke. Phoebe grumbled above the rest, "I didn't even vote to hear this tale, thank you sisters."
Artemis settled herself back into her patched of slightly flattened grass, "Now, where was I…" She mused.
"Leave me. I must change into this." Artemis snapped at him, pointing in the general direction of his camp." She eyed the Amazonian armor, which Athena had supplied to her, with some speculation. It seemed adequate, although somewhat form fitting. It would give her ample protection and flexibility.
"Very well my Lady," Perseus said, bowing to her. He then walked off, his hand reaching up to dab at his face periodically. Artemis snorted, eyeing his form, making sure he was out of sight, before looking back to the outfit. Her quiver came of first, which she put besides the wooden chest. Perseus was still out of sight, so she hurriedly stripped off her silver tunic, immediately snatching the brown one from the chest. It only took her seconds, and she found the brown tunic to fit her comfortably. The armor came next. It was surprising light, and had leather straps at her sides and shoulders, the chest piece covering down to her hips. There was a single vambrace, with swirling, vine like, designs over the black leather. It was obviously meant for her bow arm. Greaves were in the chest as well, and were easily strapped to her legs.
As she finished, she stood from the now empty chest, and tested her movement. The armor was light, and it felt like a second skin. Even the chest piece, which Artemis knew to be restricting, felt fluid. Was the armor good enough to stop an arrow or a sword, that was another matter; however, Artemis trusted Athena. They had always gotten along, and she wondered briefly if this armor was ordinary at all.
"My Lady? Are you finished?" Perseus's voice drifted from the trees.
Artemis whipped her head around, searching for him, and was relieved when she found him to be hidden still.
"Yes, I am." She called back.
He emerged from the trees a couple of seconds after her response, still bloodied. She walked forward, intending to meet him in the middle of the clearing. The greaves didn't catch on her legs, nor did the vambrace. Athena had done well.
"My Lady, the armor suits you, "Perseus nodded, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
Artemis signed heavily, "Yes, now let us go to your camp. I would like to get this over with." She had just remembered that she now had to stay and camp with two hundred Macedonian scouts.
Perseus frowned, "My Lady, the men I command come from Alexander's royal agema, and can be trusted. Worry not. What you should worry more about is having weapons." He gestured to the quiver she had left by the wooden chest, "Your arrows?"
"I assume your camp has available weapons?" Artemis replied, disregarding her quiver, "Besides, I would be questioned on having silver arrows."
"Fair point, I am sure we can whistle up a bow and arrows for you at camp. The Agrianians are quite resourceful, as I've come to learn." Perseus nodded over his shoulder, and the two began to walk through the sunny trees.
"Come to learn? Aren't these your men?" Artemis asked sharply. The man seemed to drive her insane, as she found his answers increasingly irksome.
"Well yes, they are my men. But Alexander detached them from his own division. Saying they were the best of the best. Unfortunately, he is probably correct. I have command over a light infantry block. They aren't even a unit. Just an assortment of farmhands from the countryside around my families' estate. They could only bring javelins and slings when Alexander called the army together for campaign. But they are loyal, and good men. Boys really, if I am being honest, but loyal."
Artemis nodded thoughtfully, stepping over a moss-covered log, "You do not fight with them?" She remembered seeing him astride a horse, next to Alexander on the Granicus River. The thought struck her again that she wished she had fought with his men then too. Alexander would have died.
"I wish to. But Alexander made me a Bodyguard. I ride besides him in battle. My men are usually stationed on our wing."
Artemis noted the bitterness in his voice at that. She found herself replying to him quickly, "I saw you at the Granicus. You saved the whole Macedonian expedition that day." She wondered if he'd realize her choice of words, in not saying Alexander.
She didn't look over to him, although his footsteps in the undergrowth were easy to hear next to her.
"Alexander is my friend. We have been friends, ever since I was a child." Perseus eventually responded, "I am sure you know that this all hinges upon him. We have come so far, and accomplished so much. But this is not what I want. I wish my father wasn't the wicked man he was."
That gave her pause. They continued to walk in silence, passing by countless trees, and constantly shifting shadows in the warm summer air.
"Your father wasn't so wicked."
Perseus scoffed next to her, "Yes, you know so much about my father."
Artemis rolled her eyes, looking over to Perseus. He kicked a branch as he walked, looking down towards the earth. His face was scrunched up in anger, his beard masking the lines that had to be present on his lower face.
"I will ignore your mocking tone for now boy," Artemis warned, stressing the word boy, "You are right, I don't know your father. However, I do know that he did not kill Philip. He was bewitched, by Eris."
Perseus slid to a stop, immediately looking to her, eyes narrowed in both astonishment and suspicion. "If you are jesting…" Perseus said slowly.
Artemis slowly shook her head, "I would not give that false hope to you. From what I've seen Perseus, you are a good man, troubled from your past. I recognize that I have judged you quickly and without thought on occasion."
Perseus only nodded in response, and they both continued through the forest. Artemis found a small amount of comfort under the trees, and prayed that the fates would help her keep her sanity when they arrived at a camp full of men.
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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
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