Won't Say I'm in Love [Pertemis]

25- My Mother's Blessing

Percy

I attempted to smooth out my shirt as I waited for my mother to answer the knock on her door. When I flashed, I had willed myself to be in something (anything) other than an Ancient Greek tunic and a laurel wreath crown with sandals; therefore I wore a blue polo shirt, khakis, a leather belt and cut offs.

Movement behind the door.

My heart crept into my throat.

Only too late did I realize I was in the form of a 22 year old, and probably looked like a party-bent frat guy.

Finally, the door swung open revealing Paul. He stared at me in confusion. "Er... who?"

"Paul," I said. "It's me."

A flash of recognition filled his face. "Percy!" He grinned, and pulled me into a hug. "What brings you here?"

In the corner, my little sister (or half sister, I usually ignore the half), Estelle Blofis sat in the living room playing with her toys. She was 5 now. It had been a rough last few years. I hadn't seen her in a few months, and she'd grown much too fast for her big brothers approval.

"Er..." Paul said. "She might not recognize you, your godliness." He motioned to my clothes, giving me a joking bow.

"Oh," I looked down at my body. "Right." I snapped my fingers and was 17 years old again.

"Your mom told me about your... er, promotion," Paul grinned hugely, offering me his hand as we walked through the threshold. "Congratulations, son!"

"Thank you," I said, shaking his hand.

"Percy!" My mom came out of the kitchen and flung her arms around me. "You haven't Iris messaged me in a week!"

"Sorry, mom," I said. "Kind of eventful."

She eyed me. "Even as an immortal, you're in danger."

I shrugged. "Bad luck?"

"You have the worse." She agreed.

"Bubba!" Cried Estelle from the living room. She ran towards me, and I knelt and received her in a hug.

"Estelle," I said, smiling warmly. I pulled away to look at her. "I think you've gotten taller. You're gonna be bigger than me one day."

She nodded her head vigorously. "One day I'll be bigger and stronger than you."

I smiled. "Of course you will, kid."

"Percy," my mom said as she wiped her hands on a rag. "Chocolate chip cookies in the oven."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are they blue?"

"Well of course," she said.

"Percy look!" She showed me an action figure that was half man and half horse.

"A centaur," I said. "That's cool. I have a friend named Leo that could build you a whole army of centaurs and heroes."

"Really?" She beamed at me.

I chuckled. "Why don't you show me the rest of your collection?"

She ran out of the kitchen making a bee line for her bedroom. I heard the sound of rummaging boxes and plastic.

"Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?" My mom asked.

"I'd love to," I said, pulling out a kitchen chair. "And... there's something you should know."

Paul sat down across from me. "Not more trouble, I hope."

"Well," I grimaced. "I think we'll have it under control soon, it's just about the way we bring it under control."

"And how's that?" My mom eyed me warily.

"Unity among Olympus," I said.

"Oh, that sounds like a good thing, then?" Paul asked.

"Don't jinx it," my mom warned. "Not with Percy's luck."

I shrugged. "Of sorts... Mom, I'm getting married."

She dropped her spatula in the sink, and whirled around. "You what? To who? When?"

Paul and her both began bombarding me with questions. "Alright, alright," I said, raising my hands in a quieting gesture. "I'm marrying another Olympian."

"How?" Paul asked. "All the Olympians are already married, except for..." His eyes got bigger.

"Artemis," I said. "The goddess of the Hunt. A unity among the Hunt. The tides and the moon go together."

My mom stared at me in shock. The only sound was Estelle rummaging through her toy chest.

Paul was the first to speak. "I, er, with all due respect, I thought she was a maiden goddess?"

I sighed. "I... desperate times call for desperate measures?"

"Maybe we should talk about this," my mom said, sitting down at the table.

"Percy!" Estelle ran in with an armful of stuffed animals and Barbie dolls.

"Estelle, sweetie," my mom said kindly. "Why don't you go find a movie we can watch after dinner. Percy can watch with you and play with you."

Estelle grinned hugely, then turned to me eagerly. "Really?"

"Whatever movie you like," I said. "Just let me talk to mom and Paul for a few minutes, okay?"

She nodded and scuttled off into the living room heading straight for the TV and DVD player.

"So," my mom said, refocusing on me. "It looks like you have a lot to fill us in on."

Artemis

"But milady, how can they?" Asked one of my hunters in a small voice.

I shook my head sadly. "Let's just be glad it's Perseus, and not some other loathed god."

They all nodded in agreement. Percy was about the only man that had their approval, and I could say the same.

"But the hunt won't be disbanded will it, milady?" Asked a hunter.

"No," I confirmed. "Because he is the god of the hunt, it will actually strengthen the hunt."

"We will keep our vows, Lady Artemis," Thalia said finally. "We swore off men, and you did too. Had this not happened, you would still be without them."

I felt a tingle of guilt, but waved it off. It was okay to have feelings, you can't control them. You just can't act on them. But you did, you kissed him! I shook off my thoughts, and looked humbly towards Thalia. "Thank you, lieutenant."

"Of course, milady," Thalia bowed. "We stand behind you Lady Artemis. Now, don't you need to catch up with Lord Perseus?"

I heaved a sigh of relief. I hadn't been aware of the dread and fear building within me, the fear that my hunters would not accept me. "I suppose so." I bowed them off and flashed to Percy.

What I didn't realize was that I was ruining a dinner party.