Percy Jackson: Guardian of the Huntress

"Dig Two Graves"

"Lady Artemis, please be reasonable!"

"I am being reasonable!"

I sigh in exhasperation as I watch my charge storm around the Hunters' camp. The Hunt was wisely staying inside their tents, allowing me to deal with the very angry daughter of Leto.

"Lady Artemis." I try again, "Sit down for a minute and relax. Think this through before you do anything rash."

"Rash? RASH!?" She nearly screams at me, "Oh no Perseus. She is getting exactly what she desrves. Arrogant Princess of Phygaria."

"They were merely words." I try to quell the brimming rage.

Perhaps I should back up a little bit. Three days ago, someone insulted Artemis' mother: the Titan Leto. Now, Leto herself is a fairly peaceful Titan and accepted the insult and continued on with her life. Her prideful twin children, on the other hand, had not taken the insult well. The foolish mortal who had decided to insult Leto was a princess of the area known as Phygaria. Her name is Niobe. Niobe claimed that, because she had more children than Leto, seven boys and seven girls compared to Leto's one of each, she was a better mother than a Titan associated with motherhood. It was a very foolish action on her part, but Artemis and Apollo need not take action against the mortal.

Mortals are not known for their logic and reasoning.

I've been protecting the goddess of the hunt for about a year now, and I learned quickly that her rage is not one you want to feel. If I do not manage to bring Artemis' temper down to...acceptable levels, then Niobe will very much regret having any children.

"So, it is by mere words that you are bound to me?" She whirls on me, "Are you saying that words do not truly matter? Because if that is what you are saying, then your oath does not truly matter."

Okay, where did that come from? One second she was angry at Niobe, the next she is screaming at me.

"I am bound by my oath." I growl out, "That oath is impossible to break, lest I wish to be cast down into Tartarus itself."

Some of the anger disappears from the goddess of the hunt's eyes, "I should not have implied that." She says apologetically.

"Lady Artemis." I continue, "It is my job to provide council in times of stress. I am here to do more than protect you and the Hunt. If there is any problem or situation, it is my job to intervene."

"Oh?" She says sarcastically, "And what would be your council, Guardian."

Artemis reverts to calling me Guardian whenever she is stressed or angry, "I would suggest that you go to your tent and get some rest. You have had a very stressful day."

"So now I'm being sent to my room like a child?" She demands.

"Of course not." I say quickly, "I am merely looking out for your health and safety. Even a goddess requires rest."

I can see the bags under her eyes. Artemis has been in a state of complete rage ever since Niobe issued her proclamation, not once resting in three days, a long time even for a goddess. Unfortunately, that means that I've been up the entire time as well, trying to clam my Charge. I need to end this quickly before any control I have over the situation dissolves completely. Artemis' shoulders sag and she relaxes the death grip on her bow.

"Perhaps some sleep would do some good." She mutters tiredly.

I put a hand on her shoulder, "Come and rest. You can continue your tantrum in the morning."

"It's not a tantrum." She says, "It's..."

I don't hear the rest as she steps into her tent. Rubbing the back of my head, I try to shake some weariness from my body. I still have one last thing I need to do before I can rest. I reach into my belt pouch and pull out a large, golden coin. The mortals use a silver version of the same thing, called a drachma. Groaning, I manipulate water from the nearby river to form a rainbow. Iris, newly appointed goddess of rainbows, had decided to ease some burden from the messenger god Hermes' shoulders, and created a form of communication using rainbows.