The Daughter of Artemis

10

A Hunter's Tale

          Being a hunter is nothing more than chastity and killing animals day in and day out. It was fun though. I liked being associated with Artemis. She was beautiful and graceful and merciful, when Lydia did the unthinkable, I had never seen such anger in her. I joined the hunters in the early 1920s. I was poor and was always hungry, Artemis offered me a life of immortality and a full stomach. There were rules, but they were easy to follow. I never thought of myself as a looker until I met Hermes. To me the tales of ancient gods and goddess were myths until I joined Artemis's league and then I met Hermes. He was rugged and wild and he thought I was beautiful. He used to bring me flowers from Persephone's garden in the underworld. He would call me his forbidden fruit. One hunter caught on to our secret love and stopped me one evening.

        "This is absurd," she exclaimed. "Hermes is a god that has the power to roam the earth in search of other maidens. Do you think you are his only love?"

       "I suppose not," I replied. That night I didn't meet him in the secret clearing in the woods. After that I never saw him again except for in passing when we would travel to Olympus.

        Tonight we would be traveling to Olympus to guard Zeus himself. Hephaestus himself would craft us arrows and daggers made of pure silver. All the gods would be gathered in Zeus's golden council room plotting out war. I would see Hermes with his brow furrowed in concentration, for once in his life he would sit still. When we walked into Zeus's throne room, I didn't know about my doomed fate. As I wonder the banks of the River Styx I figured out why the Fates had their gaze fixed upon me that night. They knew I would die in the hands of Hermes. Those cursed Fates knew the outcome of the war but did nothing except sip their nectar with grim smiles on their faces.

         "Fellow gods, goddesses, and hunters," Zeus bellowed. "There has been a plot against me and my throne. With vengeance and fervor, we will wage war against these dogs." A few gods yelled in agreement other sat their and stared.

         "They were your creation, were they not," Hera, queen of the gods, asked with venom.

        "Well when a mortal feeds you other mortals, that puts one in a sour mood, dear," he replied just as acidly.

        "Father," Artemis called from her silver chair. Each god had a chair that fit to his or her liking and each throne was turned in such a way that face Zeus and his wife. "If I may speak."

        "Please, my child."

       "One of my hunters was abducted by those vermin as  a way to exploit us. If you let me and my hunters face them alone-"

      "Never! If a creature wants my throne, he shall face me. Besides, your hunters are expendable. Your numbers continuously grow and they aren't afraid to die in battle." Artemis looked like she might shoot an arrow right through her father's skull. A subtle glance was exchanged between Artemis and Hera that went unnoticed by most. 

       "Would you single handedly take on an army if a monster stole one of your whore nymphs," Hera asked.

       "Oh gods, help me," Zeus yelled to his wife. "I'm centuries old and get a little bored with just one goddess." Hera was nearly glowing with power.

       "You pig!" 

      "Sit down woman! You will not disrespect me in my own court!"    

      "The point is father, is that they aren't expendable and I would fight for all of my hunters. If Olympus would fight-" She broke off and was interrupted by the son of Aphrodite.