MOONLIT [Discontinued]

At Solstice and After: Forced Capture

It feels be meant to be
Time is still for you and me
Soon as your spark lit me up in the dark
I knew for sure
I wanna burn in your firelight
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3rd Person POV

As the dainty snowflakes drizzled from the dark sky on the Winter Solstice, rendering the night cold and gloomy, the mood on Olympus was quite the opposite. Dazzling lights from all over the city of Gods illuminated the nightscape but none more than the throne room itself and the arena, which had been converted into an open roof gathering hall. All of Olympus was in full party mode. This was the one day of the year where all immortals were free of their duties, apart from the ever-important Solstice meeting. Once the meeting was dismissed, the Olympias would signal the start of the party. Deities major and minor would mingle, talk, dance, host their personal parties at their residence, and so on. Some would party at the arena, modified for the day for the sole purpose of hosting the biggest social gathering on Olympus, while others would spend it silently, with their family or inviting friends who were not in the arena. Though snow still drizzled in the chill night, magic prevented it from settling and accumulating. 

Artemis usually never attended these parties, flashing out as soon as the Solstice meeting. She generally spent it with her huntresses who would be at her palace at that time. One reason, the most obvious one at that, was the presence of so many males who would look hungrily at her, and things worsened as the drinks were passed and those filthy males got drunk. Things got pretty hairy once when Apollo had forced her to attend a party. A minor deity, drunk beyond oblivion, had forgotten his limits and groped Artemis's chest, catching her off guard since she was talking to Athena, and it didn't end well for the god. Artemis cut him into pieces so small that it would be another millennium before he could reform. The other reason being her lack of friends. Athena did count as her friend but she herself avoided most parties, sharing the same reason as Artemis to avoid them. 

But that was before she met Percy. He had become her closest friend and gave her a reason to attend these parties. It was during the third year he was with the Hunt that he attended his first Solstice party at Olympus. It was only the two of them though, the hunters still choosing to stay at her palace still uncomfortable around the males. After the meeting, she had flashed out, which was normal for her but she shocked literally everybody when she returned half an hour later with Percy to attend the party, her first in almost a millennium. What surprised everyone even further was the fact she was actually smiling and laughing with Percy, signifying that she indeed came of her own accord, that too with a male no less. They talked to the council members but kept to themself, not talking to anyone else but seemed to enjoy the party, even going on to win the best couple dance award, which they accepted albeit blushing like idiots.

Alas, it was not without any incident. Percy for the most part of the party stuck close to Artemis. She had already told him why she didn't attend these parties and Percy had promised to stay close to her. Sometime during the party, Artemis excused herself to go to the toilet, having finished her plate of food while Percy was still stuffing himself with what seemed like his 5th serving. The toilets, to Artemis, were construction blunders, having been constructed outside the arena, the only access was to walk about a hundred meters from the exit of the arena, not to mention that the path to the toilets had no light and was very dark and shady at night.

So while Percy was eating, she went to the toilet to relieve herself. She was as it is uncomfortable with the lightless path and was not at all happy to find that not a single other soul was near the toilets. What she certainly didn't expect when she exited were 7 minor gods high on booze, waiting for her. They tried to pounce on her, thinking that they would subdue her with numbers. Now Artemis wasn't an Olympian goddess for nothing, also it was night, which was when she was the most powerful. She could have kicked them into the next eon if she wanted. But unfortunately, she also inherited her father's theatrics. She just called out for Percy mentally, who immediately appeared, donning his unique armor and as luck would have it, fireworks started in the background.