Artemis Files (0.5)

Chapter 18

Mid 2273 - Brotherhood Base Midwestern Chapter

Artemis dropped her fork into what food she had left at the High Elder's words, eyes wide and mouth agape. She'd never expected him to ask what he did. "I'm sorry you want me to do what exactly?"

His smile becomes even wider than it already had been. So had his wife's and Lucian's. "I'd like you to officially join Trinity." There was that word again. Trinity. What was that supposed to mean? The High Elder was a smart man. The whole family was, really. "I can see you are confused. Most people are when they hear about it. I think you have what it takes, you'd fit in well. Especially with your... particular... background. I think you'll adapt pretty well from what I've heard about your Courser life."

"It's true," Lucian added. "And I've seen you train with Paladin Addeman. I think you have the talent."

The High Elder's wife, Cassia her name was, took Artemis' hand gently. "They don't make this offer lightly dear. If they say you have the talent, you have the talent." This cause Artemis to press her lips together in thought. She's heard that name Trinity before. When people talked about it, it was like it was as like some scary story people told misbehaving children. Like the bogeyman stories that existed before the bombs fell.

"Do you know why I gave you the name Artemis?" The High Elder suddenly asked. Artemis shook her head, and the old man continued. "A long time ago when the Brotherhood was young, the bombs just freshly dropped. The first High Elder, Roger, set in rules that only humans could join. He needed people that could follow rules and orders... but he also needed people that weren't afraid to break the rules." This made Artemis raise an eyebrow. Break the rules? The rules were there for a reason.... though she did technically break the rules when she'd attacked Khamsin and killed the woman he was speaking to, even if it was for the right reasons. It had nearly got her executed until that Ghoul woman came with the recording. The High Elder must've saw by the look on her face and guessed what she was thinking about and nodded.

"The original Artemis was a close friend of Roger and the first member of Trinity, they're a shadow group of sorts." The High Elder explained, looking at Artemis who could tell by the look on his face he was about to explain much more. "They're allowed to break the rules for a good reason. Khamsin and the woman you killed. They broke the rules, but it was for their own gain. We're... usually so good about watching who can join and who isn't suited for the position for that very reason. You broke the rules too but well..." He looked at his wife and son. "Artemis... the first one that is... became a Ghoul when the bombs fell. By Brotherhood law he had to hate her now, but instead they came to an agreement. As part of their shadow group, the first Artemis would watch over the Brotherhood. Make sure laws were being followed. As the Brotherhood grew so, too, did Trinity. To bridge them together, the need to travel was granted. Different ideals gave way to allow Artemis and this new group to break the laws, should they have a good reason to do so. An outsider's point of view." He looked closely at Artemis. "You. You're an outsider. You're not of this faction. You're not even of this area. I have a feeling our members in other chapters can learn a lot from you.

His wife smiled back at him, and the air between them was as if they'd still been teenagers deeply in puppy love, and her hand found its way to her husband's cheek. "If you hadn't have broken the rules, I would be planning a funeral not only for Elder Lantre, but for my husband as well and I would be a widow."

This talk of rules and breaking them and not breaking them brought another question to Artemis' mind. "If the Brotherhood doesn't allow its soldiers to get in relationships, let alone get married, how is it you two were able to be married and adopt Lucian?" This brought a smile to the couple's faces as they exchanged a look and there was even a slightly blush on the old man's face which Artemis secretly thought was cute.