Arrows and Riddles

Pillow Talk

After the dinner fiasco, Artemis returned to her room for the night. Unlike Oliver's, her's was changed into a guest bed suite. It still had the gothic architecture that she loved so much and so didn't have in Gotham. Reds and silvers accented the grey stones. Oak shelves lined the wall with ancient books that no guest would ever read. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone else that night. After Oliver had left with his apple and Russian babble. Her mother saw to criticize her life in Gotham despite all of her achievements that caused what Tommy described as a typical mommy and Missy fight. Moira rubbed Artemis the wrong way and she stood up for herself.

So, she needed to relax. she plugged her phone in and drew a bubble bath in the adjoined bathroom lined with marble. Artemis threw off the wig, leaving the cap that kept the silvery strands out of sight. She pursed her lips at the mirror but she slipped into the tub. The scent of cherry blossoms filled the large bathroom and she drifted off into sleep as the bubbles dissolved the taut tension in her muscles. Artemis awoke a few hours later, jolting awake as she slipped under the surface. She gasped, coughing as her nose burned. Her chest heaving to gain an even breath. "Whoops." She grunted. She hauled herself out of the tub and into a fluffy towel. It was a soft forest green and it felt plush against her skin. Artemis wrapped another towel around her hair and exited the adjoined bathroom to her room.

She moved to her dark oak nightstand and picked up her slim, silver phone. Artemis pulled back the gold and red comforter, she sat on the soft cotton sheets and glanced down at her phone.

10 missed calls from Edward N.

5 messages from Edward N.

"Whoops." She repeated. Eddie wasn't going to be too happy. She hit redial and waited.

By the second ring Edward Nigma answered. "Artemis Queen..." he started, his voice cool over the speaker. He didn't hide his annoyance from her, he rarely did. "Did you know the telephone was invented on March 10, 1876 by Alexander Bell? How many years is that?-"

"A little over a hundred years, Eddie." Artemis muttered, snipping his lecture at the bud. It was too late for an argument with the Riddler for her. That would have been bound to continue well into the morning.

"Just answer, next time? Will you?" Edward asked with a heavy sigh. "Especially after what happened with your assistant and Jon."

"I will try, I won't make promises." Artemis answered with a scowl. She made a mental note to make Black Mask pay for his mistake, once she returned to Gotham. "How is Amy? And Johnathan?"

"Shaken but fine." Edward replied, smoothly. "How was the reunion?"

"Terrible, dreadful, vile. What other adjective could I use to describe it?" Artemis wondered as she twirled her hand and shadows danced across her fingers, playfully. "I was soaking in the tub after the terrible welcome home dinner that ended in a fight with me and good ole mum."

His voice seemed softer on the other line, only slightly. "Oh? What drama befell the Queen Compound?"

"Oliver found out about Walter being married to Mom, the wedding I wasn't invited too.-"

"You wanted to go?" Edward interrupted, skepticism laced the Riddler's already sarcastic tone and she huffed at him. Artemis continued to type on her laptop with a little more force than she previously had.

"Maybe." She drawled, lowly. "Maybe I just wanted to show my mum that a turned out to be fantastic. That I am brilliant without her." Artemis frowned at the soft Persian carpet, she wanted that. To prove her wrong. That's what she wanted.