"I could be such a better leader!" Julius pleaded. He and Edith were walking through the village.
"I've already told you no." Edith said cooly.
"All she can do is shoot a bow and arrow and be rude to men. If you let me lead the hunters I would lower the attacks by a hundred percent!" He boasted.
"No Julius. You're too egocentric, and you don't care about children!" Edith snapped. "Now do yourself a favor and shut up before you lose your current rank!"
"What do kids have to do with anything?" Julius asked.
"Artemis had her position because she is fit for it. If you don't understand why she possesses it, then you're not right for the position! Now leave."
Julius, turned away and swam back to the palace and Edith swam towards the valley. At the top of the hill, morning sunlight filtered through the surface and warmed the water.
Edith propelled herself up to the surface and inhaled the mesmerizing scent of the salty air. In the distance, the fisherman were rowing out to their usual fishing spot.
As Edith inhaled the salty air, and watched the purple sky turn blue, she understood why Artemis wanted to be a Hunter on land. She would not only correct two wrongs, but she would see beautiful sun rises and sun sets.
Finally, Edith went back underwater, and swam to the archery grounds where Artemis and the guppies were packing rucksacks.
"So how long will we be missing you?" Edith asked, swimming next to her friend side.
"A few days. A few being two. We're going to track a Cetus, take it down, and return with each archer wearing a necklace of teeth."
"Remind me what a Cetus is. You've gone on so many hunts that I'm lost." Edith said
"A Cetus is a giant killer fish. And those are the ones that destroyed the Oceanic Kingdom last month." Artemis said casually.
"And you're taking the guppies after that thing?" Edith asked in disbelief.
Artemis laughed lightly. "The Oceanic Kingdom has no hunters because their peaceful. So it was gonna happen anyways."
Edith wasn't convinced. "You're really going to take the kids after this thing?"
"Three of them could take one down, I've trained them that well. I can take one down alone! They'll be safe, I swear."
"I'll kill you if anyone dies." Edith muttered.
"Sure, so David's been in the infirmary for how long?"
"Two days. He should be well enough by tonight."
"He was well enough after drinking the nectar. You're just afraid he'll leave," Artemis said quietly.
And as much as Edith wanted to say she wasn't, she was. David was so different and she wanted him to stay, because apparently her status of royalty meant little to him.
"Whatever happens is going to happen whether you're on board or not," Artemis said slinging her rucksack on, and placing her circlet on properly. "See you in two days. I'll bring you some teeth."
