The Daughter of Artemis

11

Gwynn_____

      I don't have any clue how many days past in the wolf den. Time passes funny when you're chained to a wall. Whatever day it was, I was approached by Lycaon. He walked up to me and smiled at me. His beast like hand gently grabbed my face and he looked at me like he was pleased with what he saw. What he saw was a damaged girl that was covered in dirt and blood and she had a tear stained face. My mother always told me to never show weakness, but no one here cared, no one here spared me a second glance. To them I was already dead. But I could tell that Lycaon wasn't looking at me, but at the potential I had in his grand scheme. 

     "Tell me child, how much is your mother willing to give up for you," he asked sweetly. But I knew that behind his kind tone was venom.

    "I think you know," I answered meeting his gaze.

    "I am hoping she will give me Olympus, but what power does she have over the throne? Other then being Zeus's child, none! So how can I overthrow Olympus with just one weak child?"

    "Your guess is as good as mine. And my mother would never betray her people for me!"

    "I disagree! See, wars are won with secrets. And your sisters think you are adopted. How will they feel when they learn that their goddess has been lying for a considerable time? They won't be happy. In their disbelief, I will strike. The gods will fight amongst each other and I bet your mother will turn on Hera. I mean it is her fault you exist, is it not? The gods fight and then I bring in my army and then I will rule as I once did."

    "Good luck with that. My mother is smart and Athena will see through your plan. You won't win." His stare turned icy and his once gentle hand tightened.

    "You haven't see war, little one. You know nothing about what is about to happen!" He turned his back to me and rallied his troops. Beasts of all shapes and sizes gathered around to hear their king speak. 

   "Children! Now is your time to rise! We will take back the night and the hunt! The gods think they are above us and the spoiled Artemis thinks she can hunt us like prey. We are not prey! We will strike against Olympus tonight! And I will rule as I used to! And you, my children of the night will run through the streets without fear of a small girl with silver arrows!" The werewolves howled in approval. Lycaon nodded in my direction and two large wolves approached me. They released me from the wall only to bind me in manacles. They held on to my arms and escorted me to Lycaon's side. 

   "This Child of the Moon will be the first to perish. But we will wait until Artemis is begging like a dog infront of us!" Another wave of howls rippled throughout the crowd. In the very front of the group was Rosen. She came up to me and pulled out a dull blade. This is how I go out, huh? By the blade of a sister? I asked Hades. But instead of cutting my throat, she slipped the knife under my silver necklace and pulled. The chain snapped and fell to the floor.

  "May Artemis protect you," she whispered in my ear. We hunters usually say this when we head into a particularly dangerous hunt, but she didn't mean it as a prayer. The simple phrase dripped with hatred.

   "May she guide you safely to the underworld," I answered. Her eyes met my and for the first time I thought I saw her, the real Rosen. But as soon as I saw her, she was gone. 

   "Open the portal," Lycaon ordered. I couldn't quite see what the wolves were doing but all the wolves stepped away from something in unison. I was dragged to Lycaon's side and I could now see what it was the wolves stepped away from. It was a swirl of shadows on the wall. Black swirled together with darker shades of black, if that was even possible. Lycaon walked up to the shadow and said "Olympus" in a very demanding tone. He tossed a golden drachma into the shadows. In a flash of gold, the shadows were gone, in their place was a hazy image of the gates of Olympus. I was ushered forward to the portal. The two big dogs left my side and Lycaon took my arm in his. Touching him made my skin crawl and my stomach churn. If he dragged me through that portal right now, Olympus would see a wolf king and a small hunter throwing up whatever contents she had in her stomach. But instead of kicking and screaming and puking, I held my head high. Lycaon thought he was leading me to my death but I knew I was leading him to his.