A Daughter’s Sorrow

Eight

In the Olympian throne room, Hestia sat beside the Hearth and stoked the flames. The warmth made her think of Persephone and her path of healing and success. Someone sat beside her, making the Lady of the Hearth turn to them.

Silvery yellow eyes and auburn hair. Artemis.

"You know where she is, don't you?"

The brunette Goddess only smiled, "Perci wanted peace. She want to be away from war and prophecies. So I've hidden her away."

"If Poseidon finds out-"

"He won't unless she calls for him. I gave her a bracelet that can let her summon us. And she has the Muses to accompany her."

"So that's where they went," Artemis laughed lightly, "Does she know about the Council meetings?"

Hestia nodded, "Perci knows about your offer and the choice of being a goddess. She was shocked with Ares and Hera's thoughts. If it makes you happy, Lady of the Moon, Perci actually considered being a Hunter."

Artemis's face lit up and she smiled, "Persephone is a fearsome warrior."

"The Muses have told me that she has the Siren's gift."

"I knew she was strong, but that is beyond amazing. If she can learn to use that power, Perci would be unstoppable."

Hestia nodded then sighed sadly.

"What is wrong Aunt?"

"She has nightmares. Her uncontrolled emotions wreck the palace I have hidden her in. It fixes itself, but..."

"I've heard. Poseidon told me about his own palace." Artemis hugged Hestia, who's eyes had filled with tears.

"Perci has been through so much. And with her mother gone..."

The Lady of the Moon nodded, "Is she safe?"

"I promise you, niece. She is."

:3

Terpsichore was teaching Perci ballet.

The Muse had mentioned that even though the demigoddess was a Warrior, a girl should be graceful as well, "Well done, brave one. Next I want you to start with a retire, then plié, to demi-plié. Then a tendu devant and a tendu. A developpe."

Perci followed each position the Muse demanded, "Now let go of the barre and stand in the centre, child."

The girl abided.

"First arabesque. Second arabesque. Third. Now arabesque penchee."

Perci was beginning to sweat. Fighting was definitely different to dancing. But the strain on her muscles and tension in her body felt right.

"Brise Vole."

Perci delicately twisted around and landed on her right leg.

Terpischore clapped her hands in delight. "Oh that was perfect!! You're getting better and better. Now I want you to try a fouetté. Start with a pirouette or two, then retire. Find your spot then face the front again."

Perci frowned and nodded. The girl poured some water over herself, making her feel rejuvenated. Now refreshed, she began.

Pirouette, hook the leg, spin, spot, face the front.

Pirouette, hook the leg, spin, spot, face the front.

After eight fouettés, Perci stopped. She felt a little dizzy. The ravenette looked over to where she thought the Muse was, ready for criticism.

But the minor goddess wasn't there.

A tall lady with jet black skin and long onyx hair was in her place. Her charcoal dress clung to her hourglass figure and pooled at her feet like water. She had a kind smile and her whole being looked like the cloudless night sky, glittering with constellations.

The Heroine lunged for her bag. Grasping the pen, Perci uncapped Riptide and lowered herself into a defensive stance.

The lady smiled and held her hands up, "Peace, child. I mean no harm."

"What did you do with Terpischore? What do you want? Who are you?"

The stranger placed a hand on her chest and she gasped affectionately, "Oh my sweet. Your first question is the whereabouts of your friend! Then the tales of your loyalty are not untrue. I could cry."

"Where is she?!"

"Do not worry, child. I have only sent the Muses away for a minute. They are in no danger. I just wanted to speak to you in private."

Perci lowered her sword only slightly and let go of her frown, but was still on guard, "Okay. Who are you?"

The lady then bowed, "I am Chaos, the Creator."

Perci's eyes widened and she kneeled.

Chaos laughed. It was a pleasant sound, like a wind chime, "Please do not bow to me. I should bow to you, the great Saviour of Olympus."

"Don't. Please. I'd feel a little weird."

Chaos squealed like a little girl and stepped closer to the demigoddess. She cupped the demigoddess‘s cheeks. The primordial peered down at Perci's face, her eyes swirling like the galaxies she had created, "So modest! Oh my sweet!"

The woman seemed close to crying.

"Ah...Chaos?"

"Yes, brave one?"

"Wh,why are you here?"

Chaos blinked a few times, seemingly forgotten the reason of her own presence, "Oh!! My sweet... I know you are here for relaxation and a destress. But you know that this, " She waved her hand around the room, "Is not what you were trained for. It is not in your blood. You need a purpose. Something you can strive for."

Perci shook her head, "No. No. I'm happy here. I don't want to fight. I don't want anymore blood on my hands."

Chaos looked at Perci sadly, "You can not stay here forever. You are needed once more. To be the hero, because you are and will always be a hero."

The young woman looked down at the polished, wooden floor with tears in her eyes. Perci knew the primordial was right.

She did, "Not yet. Please. Not yet." The demigoddess begged.

"No, Persephone. I promise you, not yet. But you need to be ready, child. I suggest... you talk to the moon," Chaos kissed her forehead, "I will see you soon, my sweet."

Sparkles, like stars, exploded in the room, making Perci fall back on her ass, "Dam. And I thought Zeus was dramatic."

:3

Perci stood in front of the fireplace in the front room of her mansion, repeating Chaos's words in her head. A breeze blew past her and hands caressed her face. The Aurai no longer creeped her out, in fact their constant touches had become quite comforting.

The moon. The moon. The moon.

"She wants me to talk to Artemis."

Talk. Talk. Talk.

Perci hummed and looked at the charm on her bracelet. The crescent moon.

The ravenette took a deep breath and held it, caressing the small piece of silver, before yanking it off and throwing into the embers. Thinking it would have to melt, Perci just watched.

:3

Artemis was sitting her tent, discussing the next Hunt with her remaining Hunters. The was a manticore rampaging through a small town. She had not chosen a lieutenant, hoping that Perci would choose to be a Hunter and be her second in command.

The Lady of the Moon then felt a tug in her stomach. It wasn't painful, but she did clench her stomach, doubling over.

"My Lady!!" Several Hunters called out in distress.

The goddess held out her hand to stop them, hoping that maybe... this was her being summoned.

:3

The charm didn't actually melt. It went up in a puff of silver smoke.

"Perci!!"

The demigoddess turned, only to be tackled in a hug. Artemis leaned back and looked at her. She was delighted to see that the broken look in Perci's eyes was now gone, "Holy Hera, it is so good to see you!! And you look beautiful!!"

Perci was wearing a simple white toga that ended above her knees, with a leather breast plate and Roman leather skirt over the top. Gladiator shoes ran up her legs ending below her knees. The girl's hair was loose, threaded with small silver braids.

The Aurai, even though Perci wished they didn't, dressed her everyday. She suspected that maybe the wind nymphs had predicted this meeting tonight.

Artemis looked so relieved to see the demigoddess, that Perci actually laughed.

"We all thought you had been taken." The Lady of the Moon murmured.

Perci shook her head, "Hestia came to me. I told her that I didn't want to fight anymore. That I just wanted to be left alone. No more prophecies. No more fate."

Artemis stared at her sadly.

"No more death..." The Heroine whispered.

"I'm sorry."

Sighing, Perci shrugged.

"Why did you call me here? I thought that I'd never hear from you. Hestia told me that if you needed me you would summon me. Why did you?"

The young woman glanced away, "Let's eat first."