Perseus Jackson: Titan of The Hunt

CH43: Endless Possibilities

(Artemis)

It may have been a problem to find my wayward boyfriend when I got to were it not for the fact he was standing by the entrance to the gardens as if expecting me. He looked to have calmed down though there was still evidence of a few golden tears that had been wiped away on his fingers. If anything he no longer looked angry as so much saddened by something.

'You never told me about Tania's past.' He said barely loud enough to hear as he looked into my eyes and I saw they were still golden. Clearly his mood affected them.

'There was never a need I did not think it was that important, besides you never brought it up again after you mentioned it before we met the twins.' I replied although I knew it was a pathetic excuse considering what it may have prevented.

'You did not think it was important to mention the fact that one of my brothers killed her family while making her watch?' He said gradually increasing in volume though stopping before he came to shouting.

'You are not Sciron, just as you are not Orion. You cannot control who you are related to. Sciron died three thousand years ago when Theseus killed him and he should have stayed dead. Unfortunately Gaia brought him back alongside a lot of others and people were hurt because of her machinations. You killed Gaia and Tania killed Sciron. Vengeance was served to the dead, why can you not leave it in the past? She moved forward with her life and you should too.' I said pleadingly.

'Did she? What do you think she saw in Hades presence that could have broken her so badly? I may have restored her but I cannot heal what lies beneath that tough exterior she puts up. She sees me as a permanent reminder of him and what he did to her mother and sister. That is what she saw, she saw me in his place killing her family and then forcing her to clean my feet before she too was killed, again and again.' He explained sadly and I saw flecks of green return to his eyes.

'No one can resist Hades forever even gods can be driven mad around him; you are just unlucky in that she saw you. She does not remember it any more. She does not know you for who you are. Recently you have become just as reclusive towards the hunters as we did towards each other. You need to show the rest of them that you do really care for them and get to know the others not just Thalia and Reyna.' I stated knowing that though he got on fine with those two and the twins perhaps the others were still distrustful around him.

'How am I supposed to get their trust now? After all I have been lying to them all this time.'

'Well then how about you start telling them it and stop running away and delaying it. Neither of us is going anywhere anytime soon if I have anything to say about it. So how about you use some of your famous recklessness and throw yourself into the storm that awaits. After all if you were a coward you would never have admitted your feelings but you did despite what could have happened so what is nine semi-immortal demigods capable of doing to you.' I snapped at him being so sorry for himself.

'There is only one of them I am worried about and I don't know if you know this but lightning bolts hurt, a lot.' He said with a smile and I saw I was finally getting through to the real Percy underneath.

'If you think that is bad wait till my father finds out, then you can see exactly how nimble you are as you get to dodge the master bolt.' I said with a small laugh as the thought of Percy trying to fly through the sky with my father racing behind him in his chariot came to mind.

'Thanks for the reminder of that, how come my girlfriend has to be the one with the most overprotective father known to mankind? I am sure there is a reason most of Zeus's daughters chose to be maidens, I think you all just did not want to inflict him on unlucky suitors.' He said wittily and I had to admit it was partially truthful.