Pertemis A Wolf's Tale

Chapter VIII: Tales Of The Night

Perseus and Artemis arrived home where Leto was already waiting at the table, a bored face resting on her hand.

They both walked in cautiously, closing the door quietly by Perseus. They knew they had screw up for arriving late. But the night on the island was the most extraordinary moment in the world. The Stars freely expressed their beauties and mights. Clearly Perseus had seen this all the time, but somehow with Artemis next to him, it felt much better. About Artemis, never in her life she had lost track of time because of a male. They kept on chatting, forgot their initial goal to reach home before dinner. Now, I had to pay for their mistakes.

"What did I say about home before dinner?" Leto asked, folding her arms.

"It's my fault mother" Perseus stepped up. "I took her a bit far away from the house and I got lost."

Leto gave him a suspicious look. Perseus, of course couldn't hold eye contact with her and revealed everything.

"You have been living under this roof for too long Percy" Leto sighed. "Do you think with that little effort in words could trick me?"

Artemis stood there, not knowing what to say. If she didn't get him mad, they could've gone back already. On this way, she kept persuading him to dart here and there. This had made their time to get home to be longer. Now Perseus was taking all the blame for her.

"It wasn't his fault mother" Artemis suddenly stepped up. She didn't know why was she so stupid like that. For a moment, she didn't have control over herself and that brain of her did it by itself. It's not like she didn't care for him anyway, but she wouldn't mind to set him as a shield. Though he had proven her that he wasn't that bad, but her expectations were still more for him to cross. Yet, she did that to help him.

"We-uh-kinda had a fight and I...well accidentally scratched him a bit?"

She didn't know if she was asking or answering. She couldn't tell lie or she would make it worse. But by telling the truth, it didn't help much either. She was trying to keep it as peaceful as possible with the incident earlier.

"Scratched him a bit?" Leto asked, rising her eyebrows, urging Artemis to say the true injuries she had caused.

"I'm fine mother" Perseus spoke up immediately. "Look! Healthy as a horse! Beside I provoked her to be anger at me. It was my fault!"

"Don't take a blame on yourself Perseus." Artemis said. "I was the one to cause the problem in the first place!"

Again Artemis couldn't control her own mouth. She kept repeating in her mind that to let him take all the punishment. It didn't matter to her as long as Leto not put that punishment on her. Yet, somehow part of her couldn't let that happen to him.

Leto stared at them, quite for a moment and suddenly, a strange smile spread on her lips. Artemis and Percy looked at her confusingly, still anxious of the meaning of that smile.

"It's good to see you guys defending each other's" Leto said. "Look like the trip was really worth it"

"Woa...What!?" Artemis frowned. "No mother. I didn't defend him, just I didn't want to be called a cruel, heartless and coward goddess that's all. I wouldn't mind him getting any punishment anyway."

Perseus gave her a hurtful look, and she took all her will not to glance at him or she would start playing with her fingers again. She didn't want to do it, they were totally happy and fine before stepping into the house. But she wouldn't let her mother to think that she was that soft and could allow herself to talk to someone that easily. Her pride had taken over her, the maiden goddess couldn't let her be an easygoing person.