𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨

Why

They walked and talked and she felt a little bit like herself again.

But she didn't tell her about Zeus...due to their relationship it would be complicated.

After a while, Artemis returned to her duties and Tal found herself a place to train.

Dagger after dagger, she threw them on the trees, hitting her target each and every time.

Her breath heavy from working out, she leaned against a tree and pulled out her dagger before, letting out a  tired sigh.

She heard a sound, a crunch of a leaf and the dagger in her hand, found another target.

"Ah!" Ares grunted in pain, pulling the dagger off his shoulder.

Golden Blood rushed out of the wound but she didn't care.

"Leave. I don't wish to see you." she demanded, approaching him, only to take the dagger out of his hand.

He didn't let go so easily though, covering her hand with both his, the dagger still in his hold.

"Tal, please. Allow me to explain." he pleaded, voice soft as he looked at her.

She didn't raise her eyes to look at him, her gaze still on their hands.

"I don't want to hear it." she stated, kicking him in the groin and elbowing him in the stomach.

He doubled down, and the dagger fell in front of him.

"I didn't think it would be easy." he murmured to himself, looking up at her and her burning gaze.

She bent down to pick up her dagger and he found the chance to take it first and quickly turned them around, so that the dagger was held against her neck and he was breathing hard in her ear.

" Listen to me." he demanded.

She pulled him by his hand forward, flipping him over to his back.

Her heel was in his neck before he knew it.

" You don't get to make demands." she stated, grasping the dagger and putting in back on her thigh sheath.

His hand went under her knee cup and he pulled her down, making her fall in a rather vulgar position, her legs open, his head in between.

She quickly kicked him in the face and went to get up, but with an exasperated groan, he used both of his hands to grab her by the waist and pin her down under him.

"Let go of me, you fuck!" she demanded and went to punch him but in a single movement, he had pinned her wrists above her head and her knees with his leg.

She went to headbutt him but he avoided it, used to her tactics by now.

"Sit. Still." he commanded, panting with anger and frustration.

She clenched her teeth and squirmed under him, her gaze promising death.

His hand was gripping her wrists tightly and his knee was pressed against her stomach, holding her in place.

Her back hurt from the force with which he had thrown her on the ground, but she didn't care.

He was bleeding, his shoulder cut badly, the golden blood landing on her cheek.

It wasn't deep enough as far as she was concerned, plus by the end of the day it would be completely healed.

"What more do you want, Ares?" she inquired, eyes narrowed at him.

His eyes searched hers, perhaps trying to find something besides hostility in them.

"I have a plan." he said, looking into her eyes, hoping she would understand.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sick of your plans." she snapped, trying to escape his hold again but to no avail.

He closed his eyes tightly in frustration, and felt the pain in his shoulder worsen.

" It wasn't meant to happen. He wasn't meant to use you. Or even desire to...That...wasn't our deal.." he explained, looking into her eyes desperately.

She clenched her teeth and dug her nails in her palms.

" What are you saying?" she pressed.

His grip on her wrists loosened and he quickly let go of her, moving to rest against a tree next to her.

He was losing a lot of blood.

She knew her blades could injure gods, Artemis gave them to her, hoping she would have the chance to protect herself against all beings.

He closed his eyes, breath heavy and tired.

Tal slowly sat up.

"Oh for fucks sake." she groaned in annoyance, before tearing a piece of her clothing and walking away.

She returned a few moments later, that same fabric soaked with a glistening liquid.

Ares was close to losing his senses.

She knelt in front of him and cleaned the wound before wrapping the fabric around it.

The water of the river she had dipped the fabric in possessed healing qualities and soon, he would be good as new.

She ties the fabric tightly and nudged him to wake up.

He opened his eyes to see her holding a cup of water.

"Drink." she ushered.

He looked at her, confused before drinking.

He set the wooden cup down next to him, after he finished, his eyes landing on his wound.

"You...mended me." he deduced, voice shocked.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Only because I need answers. Don't flatter yourself."she stated.

He chose not to say anything, but nevertheless hid a satisfied smile from her.

Under the scrutiny of her gaze demanding answers, he let out a sigh.

" Zeus...he promised to keep you as an ally...a weapon...given that your birth parents are his worst threat." he explained, only bringing more questions to her mind.

"What are you talking about? How could it be. My parents are mortal." she retorted, confused.

Ares took her hand in his and looked her deep in the eyes.

" Atalanta. Your mother is Nyx. The primordial goddess of the Night. And your true father is Hades, Ruler of the underworld. That's why Zeus wanted you."he explained.

" What.The. Fuck."