Guardian of the Hunt

Chapter 31

I am so sorry about how long this took, it was hard to get any motivation and I've been under a lot of stress lately and my anxiety has been acting up quite a lot. I'm not sure when the next update will be but I will try my best to get it up soon. Thanks for understanding.

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I glanced all around the surroundings, recognising them to be one of the many paths to the entrance of the camp. Many bright blue flowers and blood red Penta clusters shaped the path, the odd differently coloured plant stood out here and there. Night life was all you could hear apart form our relaxed breathing and light footsteps over the crisp leaves. It was strange now I think about it - We were in the midst of another war, lives were going to be lost. And yet the whole world around us just kept on turning, the animals continued to live and the plants continued to grow. 

Artemis snapped her fingers in front of my face, bringing me back to reality as we neared the entrance to camp half blood. I thought back to the Aphrodite child - or man now - and kept on replaying what he had said to me over and over in my head. I needed her to trust me, and I needed to trust her (which I already do), I also needed to get the guts to actually tell her my true feelings.

"Percy, are you OK? You've been zoning out for the past couple of minutes," she giggled, giving me one of her brilliant smiles. 

"I've just been thinking," I responded, debating whether or not now was a good time. I looked up at the sky, the stars and the moon were glowing tonight. Artemis must be happy, and she certainly looked it since she was non stop smiling and holding onto my hand - she was giving me mixed signals. I stopped in the path, looking down at our hands and taking a deep breath. The worst that can happen if I tell her is that she hates me, and I will no longer have a purpose on Earth and I will probably end up fading. The best that can happen, she says she likes me back too. I don't expect her to fully accept it straight away since this sort of thing doesn't really happen to her. "I need to talk to you."

"OK," She said, stopping and turning towards me. I took a shaky breath, smiling nervously. "Is everything OK with the hunters. Are you nervous because of all the campers knowing who you are?"

"Aha, I'm nervous about something else actually. Well I mean yeah, they all know my identity but... there is something else to talk about..." I replied, subconsciously placing my hand on the back of my neck and rubbing, giving a lop-sided grin. It was now or never really, no backing down. "What i'm going to say will.... well it will be a shock and you might hate me after, but it's risk I am totally willing to take." I looked up down into Artemis's eyes, her usually sharp and bright silver iris's turned to a softer version, calming me down a little.

"I'm not going to hate you Percy, I can't possibly hate you," She spoke, chuckling a little at the end. "You're too insufferably kind and loyal and many other things."

"Well... you never know. Over the past months you have showed me so much care and understanding. You've always been there for me and helped me when I fell down." I grabbed both of her hands, stroking my rough fingers over her silky soft skin. I gulped, continuing, "Everything here is perfect, and I don't want it to change. Ever. And... recently - with the help of some other people - I've begun to realise that I care for you. More than I probably should and i'm sorry, I truly am, I've let my emotions take hold of me but the truth is I want them to. What i'm feeling is something I never even felt with Annabeth, but i'm feeling with you -"

"Percy..." Artemis began, but I quickly interjected, cutting to the chase.

"Artemis, I am in love with you!" I blurted out, looking to the ground. My heart was beating fast and I had to force myself to not shake as I held her hands. I took a deep breath, before looking up at Artemis who seemed almost in shock. 

"I... I don't know what to say," She replied, her mouth hanging open a little. A tear began to form in one of her eyes. "I... like you too Percy, more than I should like you said. But I am a man-hating Goddess, I am not supposed to fall in love and it's a decision I've made that I can't ignore. I'll lose my hunters if I admit my love for you."

I froze. My heart seemed to stop beating for a couple of seconds. I understood completely where she was coming from, but I also wanted her to ignore her decisions, bend the rules. My breathing hitched in my throat as my hands fell from hers, falling limply by my sides. I can't handle another rejection, not from someone I care about. I gulped back a lump in my throat and blinked away the tears - memories of when Annabeth broke up with came flooding back as I sniffed, avoiding eye contact with Artemis as she began to talk again. 

"I'm sorry Percy. But you have to understand the fates wont allow it. I love you Percy but this can never happen," She whispered, trying to place her hand on my cheek but I backed away, looking straight into her eyes. 

She seemed to flinch from the overflow of emotions. I felt a tear slowly cut a path down my cheek, watching as Artemis tried to reach for me but I shook my head, backing away even more. 

"I... I need to go," I hoarsely whispered, flashing to somewhere within the camp but far from the others.

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Artemis POV

I watched as Percy flashed away, leaving behind a faint smell of citrus fruits and fresh dirt. I felt a tear fall down my cheek and onto my hand. 

The look in his eyes - broken and hurt - left me regretting the way i'd broken it to him. He should understand though, he knows that you can't just simply break the rules that have been in place before I even got my fist hunters bow. 

I loved Percy with every inch of my body. Ever since he took the Sky from my shoulders i'd steadily begun to realise that he was more than a normal man, he was loyal, brave, kind and caring. He always knew the right thing to do and he was exceptional when it came to wielding  a  a weapon. Only a couple of weeks ago did I realise these feelings were different to what I should be feeling. He was the best thing for the girls and he made them feel safer around over men. It felt good whenever I held him in my arms, it felt like it was supposed to be. And he just told me he loved me. I sniffed, biting my lip and slowly walking down the path to the camps entrance. He told me loved me and I all I said in return was that it couldn't work.

The only way it could work is if the girls accepted I was in a relationship with a man, but it was risky since there was also my father and my brother - both of them now hellbent on keeping me pure. I sobbed a little, stopping in my path and wiping the now rapidly falling tears from my eyes, some hit the floor with a splash leaving a small weed to poke up from the ground. I wanted Percy so much. 

But it just couldn't happen.

I don't think I've done this in this book yet but I wanted to say a massive thank you to all of the readers, the ones that vote, the ones that comment and the silent ones. You have all been amazing and just knowing that you like it makes me feel glad that I can make other people happy. 

I love all of you and you're all amazing, have fun!