Bloodied Water

•Part Two•Prologue•

3rd Person POV
2 Weeks Ago

The sun had only risen an hour ago and the birds had only just woken up, but the early waking Hunters had already risen and begun morning tasks. Some left to gather fire wood, others sharpened arrows, some fed the wolves, but all of them were nervous.

The Winter Solstice dawned and Artemis was not due for another couple weeks. There was no way she could go the entire meeting without being noticed with extra weight on her and she couldn't skip the meeting. If she did, conflict may spark and she could get in serious trouble, even worse trouble if they learned why.

Percy sat by the fire staring into its flickering blaze. He had noticed the change in attitude around the camp, he himself also held the hunts nervousness. He was determined to keep his wife and unborn child safe at all costs, and he had a feeling he knew what the end results were going to be.

"Percy, have you seen Lady Artemis at all today? She hasn't showed up." Thalia called from his side. He remembered seeing her asleep in the tent whilst he freshened up the room, changed into his clothes, made her breakfast, rehammered the tent posts, cleaned the carpet, dusted the taxidermies, and warmed her morning clothes, but he hadn't seen her leave. And yes, he made every morning as comfortable as possible for the capable hunting goddess.

"I haven't actually, I'll go check on her. Be right back." He left without much talk and checked on his wife, worried she was in some sort of trouble. Inside, he found the tent exactly as he had left it, except for the fact the Artemis was now awake and looking into her mirror. She wore the bear hoodie she knew Percy liked and stared miserably at her stomach, which stopped the hoodie from fitting properly. Tears welled in her eyes and she glared at the unwanted fat.

"Arty? Babe...what wrong?" She began crying and put her hands in her face as she ran towards Percy and hugged him. Percy loved hugs but sad hugs weren't fun. "Arty, please don't cry, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I can't even fit into my hoodie! I'm so fat! I hate it! I'm so needy and I hate it! I'm so useless and I hate it! I—" She was quickly silenced as lips met hers, quieting her rant.

"I hate it when you talk like that." Percy grumbled, staring into her eyes. "You're so perfect, you have no idea."

"I worked my entire life to not be all these things, but....just look!" She sobbed. Her appearance never made much of a bother to her, and now for some reason it did. She didn't care how other gods thought she looked, she just wanted the respect and fear out of the males that surrounded her. But now, when this one looks at her, all she can think about is her looks.

"You're so beautiful, in no matter what condition, you can't bring yourself down like this. When you do, you bring me down as well." She stopped crying and sniffled for a moment before looking him in the eyes.

"I j-just hate it when you see me like this..."

"You hate it when I see you looking beautiful? What kind of logic is that?" She laughed quietly before pushing him a little.

"S-stop it!"

He laughed to. "I mean it!" The two spent a bit laughing and hugging for a bit before Percy decided they should leave. "Now. Come on. The girls are waiting for us." She kissed him one last time before the two walked outside their tent to greet the girls. Together.

Present

A dark forest in Oklahoma stood blanketed in crystal white snow which fell in soft flakes. The surroundings were calm and quiet, not much occurring. Many animals were in hibernation and weren't awake to witness the slow falling of the snow.