Chapter Text
Artemis walked quietly down the long hall towards her chambers her feet starting to ache from the long day. She had been nearing womanhood and had many dudes to perform as the princess. She passed her twin's door and felt a weight lift off her chest. Her father was already so busy with her brother's wedding that he wouldn’t have time to attempt to take away her freedom.
Her brother years ago was betrothed to the Princess Kalliope from the kingdom of Muse and would be talking the throne of Olympus from their father. Aries multiple affairs and violent nature and lack of any intelligence about anything other than war made him unfit to rule the kingdom.
Artemis and her younger sister were to be married off to other kingdoms to be nothing other than child-bearers and trophy queens meant to sit still and look pretty. Her younger brothers would take queens from other kingdoms and find their own plot of land to rule or take up some other high position of power, that opportunity that was not open to a woman.
A scowl crossed the Artemis’s beautiful features contorting them into something to be feared. This might have been one of the reasons the woman was able to avoid marriage for this long. One look from the princes would cause the receiver's blood to run cold as they staggered back from the aura of power she seemed to radiate. Most supers were put off by their wife having any control of their life.
The men were insecure and not used to the pure power and respect that the woman demanded and deserved. Artemis was brilliant compared to other women of her age but considering the fact that she had five brothers, it was quite easy to sneak away with Athena.
Her sister's brilliance put their father's scholars to shame, and being one of the younger royalty it was easier for her to get away with things and people were not as horrified with her bending a few rules as they were with Artemis. Athena's way with words could usually keep both of them out of trouble.
The two women were shocked at their brother's uninterest in learning about the world they lived in. The sky was filled with dragons, fairy, and Pegasus, and the woods filled with other magnificent creature of magic such as full shift werewolves, dozens of different kinds of elves, and it was even rumored that vampire hybrids still existed in the shadows of the woods and in the kingdom.
Artemis unconsciously reached up to run her fingers gently across her pointed ears that were covered by her long silver hair. The people that knew of them had ridiculed her for them saying that she was an untrustworthy half breed and asked why she couldn’t be more like her brother.
Many believed that supernaturals lived all around us and were untrustable beings of Staten, If it was true and there were supernaturals in the kingdom then you would never know. Artemis he’d herself seem a dozen people burned alive for accusations of being a being of magic. Though Artemis could not understand why the Kingdom was in the Vally of three huge mountains and the only way to get to the rest of society was through a dense forest with only one road and was filled with the creatures. The crown city, Mytikas where the royal family lived was in the center of the valley.
The moonlight filtered through the panned glass filling Artemis with energy and reflecting off the polished stone of the walls and ground that wasn’t covered with carpets and elegantly weaved tapsters that hung on the walls. Some were made by her sister's talented hands and others were bought from around the world.
Artemis reached her door causing two kights to step aside as she walked into the dimly lit chamber. The five guards that were following her positioned themselves in front of the two huge wooden doors and one followed her into the room. The doors closed with a thunk causing her two handmaidens to walk into the main room that Artemis and the guard now occupied. The two girls entered from the drawing-room and walked over to Artemis and bowed deeply.
“My lady,” they said simultaneously. Both girls had on simple floor-length dresses that were synched at the waist paired with leather lace-up sandals and simple calved circlets nested into their hair. The girl on the left had shoulder-length black spiky hair that refused to smother out without hours of work and heat. Freckles were splashed across her noes and her electric blue eyes held more respect for the princess than anyone in Artemis’s family besides maybe her sister. A simple sliver bracket sat on her wrist, the last thing her father had given her before leaving her and her mother and baby brother alone. A black sheepskin half-circle cloak hung over her shoulders covering her arms that fell to her thighs.
The girl on the left was shorter than her companion though both girls stood taller than a fair amount of the men their age. The girl's glossy black hair fell to the center of her back and matched with her piercing black eyes. A small tattoo sat inside her wrist, a marking from her previous home. The girl wore a smiler clock of a royal purple only hers was made from one of Artemis's old dresses.
"Hello ladies," Artemis smiled kindly at the handmaids as the guard walked over to the door and stood to the side of it and planted themselves there.
"Would you like me to draw you a bath, your highness?" The taller of the two asked.
"Yes, thank you, Reyna." Her father would have been scandalized to hear Artemis thank her, and call the ladies by their names, though Artemis saw them more like friends than servants. Artemis had vowed to take in the two unruly girls after the tragic situations that they had both been put through. The two of them still had plenty of courage and spirit but they had learned to use it in a way that would keep them from getting lashed.
The girls and her personal guard had been with Artemis almost her entire life, through her father's lectures, the court's ridicules, and her loneliness. Artemis walked over to her Quercus ilex wood vanity (AKA: Holly/Holm Oak) and lowered herself into the soft feather stuffed cushion as Thalia walked over with her and began to take out the few ribbons that were braided into the princess's hair. Artemis let out a sigh as her long hair was loosened and Thalia began to run a soft brush through Artemis's long silver hair then helped her out of her large ensemble of cloths then helped her into a gold silk robe embroidered with intricate silver designs.
"You are allowed to take off your helmet here, no one is allowed in without my permission," Artemis said turning to face her personal guard as Artemis wrapped the robe tighter around her form.
"Thank you, your highness," The girl bowed and removed the silver helmet revealing her coppered color skin, brown eyes, pointed ears, and long dark hair that was braided tightly against her skull. Zeus was basically forced to accept Zoë into the royal guard when Artemis scared off all the others and despised the idea of having a man be around her 24-7. Even with her small stature, and the fact that she was female, Zoë was one of the best knights in the kingdom. What she didn't have in pure strength she doubled with speed, grace, and intelligence.
"Of course," Artemis said walking over to where Reyna stood next to a large tub of boiled water. The bath smelled of roses and cinnamon and pedals swirled in the hot water. Artemis let the robe drop to the floor as she stepped into the warm water. Reyna began to rub something sweet-smelling into the princess's hair while conversing with the others in the room.
"My lady?" Thalia repeated shaking Artemis from her warmth cased daze. "Did you hear what I said?" Thalia politely asked.
"I missed it, would you please repeat it?" Thalia nodded her head as she began to speak once more.
"His majesty seemed extra happy today, we were speculating on the reason he was in such high spirits."
"We assumed that it couldn't be Prince Apollo's engagement since that happed weeks ago," Zoë chimed in. Artemis turned to look at the shorter woman who now stood at the entrance to the bathroom rather than near the large doors.
"I'm sorry to say that I have no information for you," Artemis said frowning slightly. Her father had been more distant than usually in the past week but she had no idea why. "I shall ask Athena about it tomorrow, maybe she has heard something we have not." The three nodded their heads as Thalia went to grab a soft towel and wrapped the fabric around Artemis as she stepped out of the water.
Artemis walked into her room and pulled on her nightgown waving aside the handmade's offer of assistance. She then sat down on the large bed scooting to the side to allow Thalia to sit down next to her and once again run a brush softly through her damp hair.
"Have your burns healed yet?" Artemis said turning to look at Zoë who nodded her head.
"They have gotten much better thanks to the ointment you gave me," she said bowing her head slightly. "Thank you for the concern," Zoë said, as her cheeks pinked. Artemis smiled at the guard then turned to thank Thalia. After she had put the brush back, Artemis released the girls for the night thanking them once again.
After they had gone Zoë walked back over to the door and stood guard, "Good Night you highness," she said softly. The gentle orange candlelight danced across the walls causing the princesses to let out a yawn.
"Good Night Zoë," Artemis said as her eyes slowly drifted closed.