The Artist - Embry Call

Chapter 1

Cybele Caterina lay in her bed, one hand on her large pregnant stomach. "I can't wait for you to come into the world, Graciela." She cooed. There were five weeks until her baby daughter's due date, and she could hardly stand to wait.

One thing she could hardly believe was that her child would be more than earthly. She remembered the day she met the muse Calliope, and her world changed.

Cybele had already had three miscarriages. After their third unborn baby was taken from them, Cybele and her husband divorced. She had always wanted children, but the small possibility was now nonexistent.

She was devastated, and angry at everyone. She went to visit her friend, Estele Blofis, in hopes of some comforting. While she was there, Estele's older brother and sister-in-law stopped by. Percy and Annabeth Jackson had six children and a hectic life. Annabeth was an architect and Percy was a marine biologist. They were both very mysterious, in Cybele's opinion. They lived in New York, and, even though neither of them worked there, were always paying visits to the Empire State Building.

Anyways, they walked in, their half dozen offspring in tow.

"Hey Perce, Annie." Estele greeted them. "What're y'all doing in Chicago?"

"Didn't Mom tell you?" Percy asked.

"No."

"Huh." He offered no explanation.

Annabeth leaned down and whispered something in Estele's ear.

"Oh." She shot a glance in Cybele's direction.

"I can leave, if you want. I can see that something's going on."

"If you don't mind. Sorry to cut our visit short. Call me later, 'kay?" Estele hugged her.

"Sure. Bye, love you!"

As Cybele stepped out of the apartment, she saw a woman standing by the elevator. The woman looked immortally beautiful, in Cybele's opinion. Little did she know, she was immortal.

"Hi there." The woman said. "I'm Calliope."

"Cybele." The two women shook hands.

"Oh, that is rather sad." Said the woman.

"I'm sorry. What is sad?" Cybele was confused.

"Oh, well, you're predicament. To want children so badly, and have a husband leave you after three failed attempts. Those poor souls, gone to the underworld before even getting the chance to learn their own names."

"Um, how do you know that? Are you a stalker?"

"Oh, no dear." The woman let out a musical laugh. "I'm a goddess. Calliope, the muse of eloquence and poetry."

"I'm sorry?" Cybele was pretty sure this woman was out of her mind.

"What if I told you I know a way you can have not only a child, but a demigod son or daughter?"

Cybele was intrigued. "I'm listening."

"The god Hephaestus would like... children. He's had many consorts over the years, but he's recently found his flow of admirers... running dry. It does not require the physical human act of reproduction, just a woman willing to carry and the god's magical touch. He does not want anything more than offspring. You could handpick the gender and features of your child, and it would come true. I could get all of the muses to bless the baby, and all you would have to do is nurture it to the best of your ability."