Romance of the Three Empires

Cast in Iron

Chapter 3: Cast in Iron

I've got a whole ass plan written out for this story. Also there's a new challenge up for fics in the Pertemis Discord server so my entry for that may already be out by the time this is up.

Chapter 3: Cast in Iron

Artemis blushed as she held the flower she had been gifted by the great warrior victory Perseus. Well, she knew him personally as Percy. Purple leaves lined with white veins curled upwards as though it were irked by the sunlight beaming down upon its yellow base.

"Y'ever consider he's sucking up to you because you're a princess?" Came the voice of her friend and the twin sister of Percy, Cali. She had cleaned up after the duel, and this was a private area of the palace - the gardens - where only the royal family and those permitted at the time could enter. As such her attire was informal much like Artemis'. She wore brown cloth pants that were rolled up at the knees, needing to air out her legs since metal boots were so stuffy, and likewise had a tan common shirt that ended covered all up to her collarbone and she had her sleeves rolled up too.

Artemis, since she was in the private section of her family's estate, was permitted to wear more freeform clothes than her usual corset and rich dress. As such she had much the same outfit as Cali, only she had boots on and were pant legs weren't rolled up. However, if she wished to so much as walk out the front door of the palace she had to be changed into her royal attire by her maiden staff.

"No he's not. We both know he's not like this. Unlike most people around here." She rolled her eyes, thinking about all the lords who had spent the day sucking up to her mother, father and older brother. Cali's own father was one of them in a way, though by this point Zeus and Poseidon were much more friends than king and vassal. He gave the crown prince his eldest daughter's hand in marriage, though by the way politics worked it was more like the crown prince deemed his daughter beautiful enough to be worthy of his hand.

And when the time came Artemis knew that - as the last in line of Zeus' children to the throne and the youngest daughter, it would not be up to her whose hand she received. Athena would be the important match, get the most desirable and valuable husband, and Artemis would be forced into second place.

"Ah well, I tried. Looks like you've already fallen hard for saltbreath." Cali smirked, sitting down and leaning back against the tree in the garden, while Artemis was merely sitting with her legs crossed.

Artemis rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. I'm not smitten over a boy." She defended herself somehow both adamantly and half-heartedly. Romance was usually a far cry from Artemis' mindset.

Cali hmph'd. "I can see it in your eyes. It's the same look village girls have when they watch some of the prettier knights roll through on horseback. You're crushing." She told her decisively.

Artemis sighed and put the flower back resting on her ear. She then reached down beside her to the bronze pot she had brought outside with her before opening the lid and pulling out two long vipers.

Cali audibly gasped and backed up, banging her head on the bench behind her. The noise frightened the serpents, who wriggled uncomfortably within Artemis' grasp. Instead of caring to notice her friend, Artemis shushed and soothed the snakes in the hands, making sure they didn't go batshit insane and start biting them both.

Cali watched with her heart pounding, her eyes widened and her instincts kicking as she sat frozen in place. Artemis saw this out of the corner of her eye and smiled while raking her thumb down their scaly backs. "Do you like them? Father bought them off a southern trader who had traveled the Great Way. They like me, I can keep them calm." She assured Cali, who had just now discovered she was terrified of snakes.