Olympus Reborn Book 3: A New King Rises

Chapter 1: The Big Reveal

Artemis's POV:

Today was going great. The keyword was. It started out with my idiotic twin brother showing signs of waking up two weeks after he defeated Python. After my brother was up and I told him that father, and the council, wanted to speak with him. I abruptly left before he could remember how to use his medical powers, so he wouldn't find out I'm pregnant.

He may be my little brother, definitely more immature, and an absolute ton more promiscuous, but he treats me like I'm a five year old most of the time, and wants to scare away any guys that even get with in a mile of me. Which I didn't really mind, for a long time, mainly because I didn't want to risk experiencing heartbreak again, but now I have Percy, who's not even capable of causing me heartbreak because of his domains of loyalty and family.

I'm getting off track here, my husband, Percy, would say it's ADHD, but most of us gods have never been tested for that, so I don't know if it applies to me or not. After the semi boring meeting where Percy explained that him and I won in our bets, since in my case he lived and in Percy's Python is now dead dead, Percy and I teleported to the hunt, who were at Waystation for the moment, resting there, as their rooms were only just starting to get completed in the Palace.

We were enjoying lunch until, Percy got an IM from his mom asking if he could babysit. I, of course, say we could, and at this point I'm happy that I said we because I don't know how he would have reacted without me there. So Percy and I left the hunt in Thalia's hands and telling them to rest there until our return.

We arrived at Sally's house around 5pm to start babysitting Estella, my lovely sister-in-law. We stayed up with her doing mostly whatever she wanted, which included eating all the cookies. Now, I know what you're probably going to say, Estella is what like 2 or 3 years old how come she doesn't speak. Well, she's just really shy, and has only just started opening up to me and her brother. Otherwise she's mute by choice and doesn't speak when strangers, to her, are around.

Anyways, around an hour or so until we were expecting Percy's mom and step-father back there was a knock at the door, which caused Estella to immediately bury her face into the crock of my neck and start feigning sleep.

After Percy threatened my brother, and made sure it was actually him, he allowed him in, where he looked surprised to see me there. So I had a little fun, since I kinda sorta accidentally told him I was married, and if he was smart married to Percy, but I got to play my games.

Shortly after that, Estella for no explainable reason started crying into my shoulder, and it wasn't long, before Percy was next to me trying to sooth her.

I don't know how long that lasted, but as soon as she started calming down, the phone rang and it started all back up again. I discreetly told Percy to take the phone call and I'll work on calming Estella. 

However, this is where that was comes in, because shortly after Percy answered I could tell it wasn't good just by the change in his posture. I was over by his side in an instant and started rubbing circles on his back.

After, he finished talking on the phone my brother asked where he was being dragged off too, but when Percy answered , I knew it wasn't good, from the first one, but the second answer he gave had me crying into his chest and he crying into my hair. I was also pretty sure Estella cried herself to sleep on me, but all I knew is that her sobs and cries eventually stopped.

I don't remember much from that point on, but I do vaguely remember being in a hospital, a car ride with an officer to a precinct in the city, and signing papers accepting legal responsibility over Estella.

What I remember clearly next is my father coming to the realization that Estella, is Sally's child. To which Hera said Percy could take care of her if he could get her out of mine and Hestia's arms, which I quietly mumbled that I wouldn't let her go. 

I had a quick stare down with Percy, because at this point I knew that hiding our relationship would be pointless as I would start to 'show' soon. I won that argument, so I dropped the news that Percy and I were married, which got shocked looks from those who didn't know, while the other just stared on plainly as if it were an everyday occurrence that a man hating maiden goddess announces that she's married.

Well I didn't say I was married I just said that Estella was my sister-in-law.

There, now, I'm pretty sure you're caught up to why my day thus far has been terrible.

"What?! How can you two be married and I not know about it. I'm the goddess of marriage" Hera said, or well shouted, outraged that she didn't know about it.

"Well sister you shouldn't be overlooking certain places"Hestia said in our defense.

"You helped them" Hera accused.

"Well if by help you mean officiate then yes I did I 'help' them" Hestia said with a slight chuckle

Hera got upset and left the throne room, probably to look for proof of the marriage in her archives that she ignores. However, my father just seemed to figure out that I was married.

"No, I forbid this. No no no no no" he whined, only for me to get really mad at him. He made an oath to me and now he's just going to break it.

"You made an oath not to interfere in my love life, and to allow me to marry whomever I wanted, so long as I remained a maiden till then" I responded almost in tears.

"You didn't have my approval to marry" He defended, but it was a weak defense, already defeated by my previous statement

"but your oath" I mumbled, "plus I had my mother's permission and blessing which is enough for me" I finished more quietly, only to feel my husband's arms wrap around me and for me to sink into their comforting embrace.

Hera flashed in shortly after I sunk into the embrace, only to throw her copy of our marriage certificate at us. "How you two not only got married, but did so without my knowledge and making it so I can't absolve it is an impressive achievement" she said

'Well no dip you can't absolve it, I'm pregnant' I thought. Or so I think I thought as I noticed the multiple looks directed at me, except from Hestia, Apollo, and Percy.

"You're...You're..." My father mumbled

"Pregnant yes she is" my brother said, and I didn't know if I should kill him or not...I'm still debating.

My father started looking really mad, before an idea came to him. Of course, Percy and I guessed that this might happen since we started dating, but now it finally was happening. "Fine then, The hunt is to be disbanded then" Father said, with a smirk a mile wide, like he just won the greatest prize ever.

I was about to protest but he declared the matter final and done. "I'm still keeping my lieutenant" I said, "after all she's not technically part of the hunt, but is my assistant".

Father grumbled knowing that he couldn't technically force my lieutenant out of her job, but seemed perfectly fine with the hunt being disbanded.

"Fine. Now Apollo what was this about Hermes and something with your Palace" father asked

"well when I was mortal Hermes came and pranked my palace, repainted the entire interior only leaving Hermes was here written in the original golden color in my bedroom, and he reorganized everything. It took me like 30 minutes to find my bow, which was hidden under my bed" my brother complained, and I was secretly smiling as Percy, Thalia, Chris, and I were getting off without blame on this prank, unless Hermes decided to open his mouth.

"What I didn't do that" Hermes tried to defend himself, "I wouldn't leave my own name to amateur work. I'm obviously being framed" 

"Amateur, would be one room, but this is all of my living quarters that have been messed with" Apollo responded, not buying it

"Apollo what do you want me to do about it, as he didn't break the laws steal your things, or break anything" Zeus said annoyed

"I don't know I didn't think I would get this far" my brother responded, only for my father to dismiss the meeting, and for Percy and I to go back to my hunters, well adopted daughters whom are my former hunters, but with Estella coming with us...for obvious reasons.