"That was for all the misery you've caused me boy! Your devious ways led to me, an Olympian Goddess, to the level of your insignificance! Having been given the chance, I should have disintegrated you the moment I laid eyes upon you!" Artemis screamed, every ounce of her being tearing to feel… anything. Anything within her of her true Goddess form.
...
A silence reigned across the clearing, even the birds and winds calming to listen attentively to the scorned Goddess. Artemis felt herself huffing, staring across at Perseus, daring him to respond. She itched for him to prove her right. Thus far, she had seen him as an honorable man, without a generous nature.
He didn't show it now.
"MY fault!?" Perseus yelled.
"Lady Artemis," Perseus voice dripped with sarcasm, as he stood upright, his hand leaving his nose. Artemis almost winced. His entire lower face, and beard with smeared with fresh blood, along with his hand. With a furious gesture, he reached out again, and reset his nose, which he winced at, as it set with a loud crack. "I have been nothing but respectful My Lady. I always have, and always will be. In fact, I was concerned to see you lying here, and the gods above, I can't attempt to help as a disgusting male."
Her pride wouldn't allow her to back down, even as she felt a tiny whisper of remorse within her. "You can help me by ending your pitiful moral façade. I have known thousands boy, who say they are what they are not. You are no different. Had I not used my symbol that night, you would have joined the 'festivities' in the follower's camp without hesitation." Artemis bit back, fists clenched. 'How dare he question her!'
In a flash, Perseus drew his sword. Leveling it at her, the point of the blade hovering in the air close to her chest. The movement appeared in Artemis's eyes in a blur, and she had to blink rapidly, to fully be aware that Perseus had moved. But she did not yield, and stared challengingly at Perseus.
"Goddess or not… this is your final warning." Perseus articulated slowly, venom seeping from his low voice, "Never. Never question my loyalty to my family again. Insult me, and all I am, but my wife, and my Mother are all I hold dear in this forsaken world. Qualms I have not about striking you down into the dirt." Suddenly Artemis watched his eyes flash down to her feet, where her shattered bow lay. As his eyes left hers, Artemis felt herself puff out a silent breath. Stubborn as she was, she knew her own faults, and questioning Perseus's loyalty was one of them.
"Your bow…" Perseus said, pointing his xiphos to the remains, "It is charred and broken…" Artemis, watched as he realized what that meant. He was far too clever than any male had the right of being.
"You were cast off Olympus… were you not?" Perseus lowered his sword, a shocked expression covering his face.
There was no use denying it. "Yes, boy," Artemis sighed, "Zeus does not take well to those who draw power to rival his own.
Perseus paused in deep thought, before he responded, "The Chimera. You were told to stay away?" Artemis gave him a nod in reply. Her anger had dissipated, and now she felt her entire body clench up and prickle; she was stuck here, in the Eastern edges of the Gods' power, doomed to wander to oblivion with the Macedonians. She found herself caught up in this situation where no option she had seemed to have any favorable outcome. She was without weapons, powers, and stranded months away from Olympus and Greece. Even her hunt, which had made many endeavors to Asia, was in Magna Graecia, even farther from Greece.
Perseus's voice pulled her from dour thoughts.
"I apologize my Lady."
Artemis snapped her head up, which had drifted down to look passively at her bow, 'Did he dare to mock her?' She could not read his mind, but Perseus wore a somber expression, devoid of any means of trickery.
"I truly do," a smile cracked though his stoic face, "I said my words in haste without knowing your predicament."
Artemis nodded slowly, "I…" She swallowed heavily, her former words to Perseus came back to her. Apologies were not something Artemis was familiar with in any form, "I too… did not think when I spoke. I…" She paused, feeling an inferiority having to apologize to a mortal, a man at that.
"Lady Artemis, I can see your face going purple. You need not apologize." Perseus offered, but before Artemis could nod, he continued, "However I will ask that you do not revert back to calling me boy."
That was something that she found that she could do, "Very well Perseus." The conversation stalled there, and she became uncertain on the next course of action. Where would she go? What would she do? Finding a bow was a priority, along with supplies to survive. In that she was more confident, as the woods had always been a place that provided for her, even as a newly born Goddess.
Perseus seemed to have similar thoughts, "My Lady, what will you do? You are tasked to continue watching this expedition?"
"Yes. I will find supplies in the woods, and track your expedition once Alexander comes down through the Cilician Gates towards Tarsus."
Alexander's Companion shook his head, "That won't be for at least two weeks, My Lady. In addition, my men have reported last night that Persian troops are beginning to move through this area. I will be marching with my men tonight under cover of nightfall to the Cilician Gates. Parmenion awaits us there, with an entrenched force."
This was troubling news. She could not hope to go to the Cilician Gates while the Macedonian army was entrenched there. The night prior to her banishment, she had seen the mountain pass below her during her nightly chariot racing. It held very little resources, and absolutely no cover besides the path itself. If she remained here, she ran the risk of running into Persian patrols. Not the greatest danger, but an unwelcome risk. While feeling weak, she knew that her fighting skills would not be extinguished as well, however her mortality was another although important factor. Reforming in Tartarus did not sound like a fanciful getaway from this Macedonian expedition.
"If I may… I may have a solution my Lady?" Perseus said, looking to her. She looked over to him, seeing that his bleeding nose had stopped, and he thoughtfully scratched the unbloodied left side of his breaded cheek.
Artemis narrowed her eyes, "Go on." There was nothing to lose from hearing what he had to say.
"You could come with me and my men back to the Cilician Gates."
Artemis snorted, "Perseus, I will punch you again."
Perseus shook his head, sheathing his sword, "Hear me out. Come back to camp today. I will say we met today and both fought, until we came to an impasse. You can pull the look of an adventuring Amazonian warrior, I'm sure. After a lull in our fight, I offered you money in exchange for mercenary services. You agreed, and will act as our guide in the region."
As Perseus finished proposing his idea, Artemis weighed the plan in her mind. His logic was surprising sound, in all honesty she should have started expecting him to remain clever, but she found one noticeable flaw.
"Perseus, I am wearing a silver hunting tunic. Besides which I have no desire to be encamped with hundreds of Macedonian soldiers." That she resolutely wished to avoid.
"I have an idea about getting some armor more befitting of a wandering Amazonian warrior. However, I do not have any about changing the fact that my men are indeed men. The decision lies with you.
Artemis frowned, "Tell me, how do you plan on acquiring armor and clothing fit for an Amazonian?" Suddenly, there was a shimmering light before her feet. Dazzling colors of orange, yellow, and gold formed a seemingly solid mass, before the lights flickered away into the air, leaving a substantial wooden chest in their wake.
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.
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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
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