Forbidden Quests

Chapter 5

Annabeth

Recounting those memories, I was still confused by what Athena was going to say. I am sure it had something to do with my father, but I can't be sure.

Currently, I am sixteen-years-old. I still have the portrait of my father. I hold it at least once a day, falling in love with it every time I take it out. I'm still confused about my thoughts for Poseidon. He hasn't done anything, but I haven't seen him since the conference when I was thirteen.

Hearing someone behind me, I pivoted.

Artemis was standing at my doorway, holding a delicate young fawn. Artemis had her auburn hair pulled back into a delicate braid that reached her hips. Right now she looked about twenty years old. She had deep brown eyes, that were full of kindness, but I have seen them so furious it looked like her eyes were going to explode from the anger within them.

"Hello Annabeth. How are you on this lovely day?" She asked, stroking the deer's fur. It appeared to be sleeping. I wasn't expecting a visit from the Goddess of the Hunt, but I was used to these sudden drop-ins to just talk for a little bit.

"Hey Art," I said, using mine and Apollo's nickname for her, "I'm good. Just thinking."

She smiled and walked over to me. "It would make my day better if you were thinking about joining," she said, all of a sudden serious.

I knew what she was talking about. Ever since I was twelve, she has been asking and pressuring me to join her group, the Hunters of Artemis. If you don't know who they are, then I will explain.

The Hunters of Artemis are a group of girls that are basically followers of Artemis. They go around with her, overcoming the deadliest monsters. They all, I guess, get the power to do archery expertly. They also have pet wolves and hunting falcons a lot. They also get immortality. They will stay alive and around the ages of ten to about sixteen (they can pick how old they want to be, but all of them like these ages. Artemis herself appears as a twelve year old girl most of the time) unless they fall in battle. You might be thinking, Why the Hades would you NOT join them? There is no disadvantage! Instant powers, immortality, and pet hawks and wolves! But that isn't all.

They have to swear off boy for forever. That might seem that bad, and a long time ago, I had been tempted to join. I was young, and didn't think of men like I would if I were older. But what stopped me was my mother's eyes when she thought of my father, or of the immense love that they had, or the way she spoke tenderly and lovingly when I asked her about him.

I always thought that I wanted to think of someone like that, and I realized that becoming a Hunter would prevent that. So I hesitated.

Artemis wasn't mad when I turned it down, and I said I would think about it. I might want to join later, who knows.

I looked at Artemis. "I'm sorry, but not yet. Maybe some day."

She sighed and looked at me, "Anna, some day will probably not be soon. With each passing day, you grow older, and when you get older, the easier it is for men to corrupt your minds-"

"Artemis! You talk of men as if they were pigs and disrespectful!" I interrupted. "Are you sure every single man is like that? I have a hard time believing my father is like that, if that is what you were suggesting." I turned away from her, furious.

"Annabeth, that is definitely not what I was trying to say. And I don't know if every boy out in the world is like that, but many are. If you going the Hunt, then it will keep you safe from that. Many men don't treat women like equals. They treat them like damsels in distress, or little unimportant things just to pleasure them when they want it. It's disgusting. Not to mention mean and horrible." She said the first sentence quietly, but as she continued, her voice got louder and angrier.

"Art, settle down," I said gently.

She reluctantly soothed her temper and apologized. "Sorry, it just bothers me so much."

"It's okay. I don't want to right now, but the future might hold your wishes," I replied.

Artemis pursed her lips and was silent. "Maybe, but... I don't know if you were supposed to know this..."

My curiously was immediately aroused. "Know what?" I pressured.

The goddess hesitated, but then reluctantly gave in and started, "Well, I talked with Aphrodite recently, and she was talking about nonstop love stories that have past and that she has in store for the future... and... she mentioned you. She was talking about your future love life. And I didn't believe her cause it involved a son of-"

"Artemis! Why didn't you tell me you were here? I haven't seen you in ages!" Athena interrupted Artemis and walked over, embracing Artemis. Artemis looked relieved.

Really, Athena? Why did she have to interrupt! I could've known something about my love life!

A son of who? And what did he have to do with me?