Page 38 of Arrogance
Act III
Betrayal
Chapter 18
Artemis
Mount Olympus was never a home for me. At least it never felt like a home. My father expected me to live in a palace on Mount Olympus, just like all of the other Olympian gods and goddesses. Even Apollo made a permanent residence there, having servants work for him on hand and foot. However, I could not become accustomed to such a lifestyle. No. My place belonged in the wilderness, among the vast forests of evergreens, with plenty of animals and beasts at my disposal to hunt.
Mount Olympus was not ideal for a huntress and so I informed Zeus that I would remain on the island of Delos with my mother, Leto. Once my father learned of my stubbornness and knew I would never budge with any other recommendation he made, he gave in and allowed me to live where I pleased. Much to my satisfaction, I continued to reside in Delos.
I preferred the privacy and isolation from mortals and other gods and goddesses. I was fully content with having just my mother and the animals by my side. Apollo would visit on the occasion as well. So, I enjoyed this minimal company that I had. I was a lone wolf and preferred it that way. Anyone else by my side would only be a distraction. And as Goddess of the hunt, I needed constant focus and concentration for my trade.
Right now, my focus was on a doe in the far distance. She grazed on a few leafy shrubs to satisfy her palate. Perched in the canopy of a tree, I had the perfect straight shot of the animal. Drawing my bow and a single silver arrow from my quiver, I held my aim, steady and firm. Ready to release my shot, I was forced to pause, noticing the deer convulse before falling to the ground.
Alarmed by this reaction, I leaped from branch to branch, hopping down to the forest floor to inspect the deer. As I approached the animal, I became aware that it was dead. A single arrow stuck out from within its neck. Blood heavily draining from the location of the arrow all over the dirt and debris on the ground, leaving a dark crimson pool. My hand gently stroked the creature’s hide near the inflicted wound. Someone had hunted this deer, which meant someone else was here on Delos I was not expecting.
I twisted and spun around, shouting through the woods. “Who goes there!?” My bow and arrow still drawn, ready to attack whoever was sneaking around my forest, hunting my prey.
A rustling sound came from behind me. I sharply turned with my weapon raised, aimed at the figure that was slowly stepping towards me. It was a man. His chest was bare and visible. A single burgundy cloth tied around his mid-region. A tan strap was wrapped around his waist, holding a quiver of arrows. His hair was dusty blonde and fairly long, matching his facial hair. A handsome creature, for sure. “It is I, Orion,” he replied. “Son of Poseidon.”
“Orion?” I repeated his name aloud, unable to recount who he was.
“Yes. I am also a hunter, Goddess,” he began to explain. “I have traveled here to Delos to seek you out.”
“Whatever for?” I lowered my bow. My defensive stance now relaxing.
“A demand from your father and mine,” he revealed. “I was told to come and stay here. To seek your guidance and master my hunting skills even more.”
I shook my head. “Absolutely not. Poseidon nor Zeus informed me of such conditions. I do not take companions by my side.”
“I mean no harm, Artemis. I could be of service to you, if you would allow me to. You do not know of my archery and hunting attributes. I promise I will not get in your way.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, unsure of what to make of his proposition. If this were truly a mandate from Zeus and Poseidon, I would have no choice but to succumb to these terms. I then glanced down at the deer on the ground, studying the clean shot made by Orion. Clearly, the man had impeccable hunting skills to make such a clean and effortless shot. That was a given. But I could not just reward him with my trust. I needed to learn more about him and know exactly who I was dealing with before welcoming him to Delos so easily.
“So, you too are a god?” I asked with skepticism, since it was my first time hearing of this Orion character, and I knew almost all gods and goddesses that existed. Never once did Orion’s name come up in any tale or conversation.
“No. I am a demi-god. My mother is a mortal,” he clarified.
I cringed at the thought of Poseidon bedding a female mortal. It was a travesty. Gods and goddesses should never fraternize with humans in such a way. It showed they had a lack of control and personal values. Such interbreeding was unnatural. If I had my way, I would prevent all gods and goddesses from this intermingling. Those like Poseidon and Aphrodite would be punished for such atrocities they often committed.
“That explains your natural skills in hunting. No mortal can shoot like that,” I explained. However, my mind immediately drifted to Adonis, a mortal who did have wondrous skills in archery. He was the only exception to this rule, although I suspected some magical talents were given to him by Aphrodite or another for him to somehow triumph over me and Apollo in my archery competition several years ago. My bitterness over the loss still lingered.
Orion must have been able to pick up on my vexation as well. “Yes. But I will be an asset to you, Artemis. You have my word. I will not be a burden whatsoever.”
Although he continued to proclaim his value to me, I was still cynical. Orion still had yet to explain why he was sentenced to spend time her in Delos to begin with. He had to have committed some crime or done something to provoke Zeus and his father. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be in front of me at this very moment. “But surely you were told to come to this island, not of your own free will. You must have done something to anger Zeus and Poseidon. Clearly, they had every intent on sending you here in order to bemyburden.”
Orion let out a heavy sigh. “This is true. But what I have done is not as terrible as you may think.”
“Well then, go on. Tell me why they sent you here then, so I can decide for myself if it’s alarming or not,” I demanded.
“Very well.” Orion moved to a nearby stump. He plopped himself down on it before beginning his story. “I lived on the island of Chios for quite some time. It didn’t take me very long to befriend the ruler of Chios, King Oenopion, especially once he learned of my bloodline. He considered me one of his most resourceful advisors, which allowed me to participate in all of the King’s extravagant feasts and festivities, many of which were full of debauchery. In my time spent at the King’s castle, I became very fond of his daughter, Merope. She was a beautiful princess, one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Something unsettling stirred within me as Orion mentioned his attraction towards Merope. It was difficult for me to decipher as to why, but it left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth and a stinging sensation in my gut. Why was it bothering me in this way?
Orion continued. “Merope and I became closer with the more conversations we had over time. But one night, I completely misread the situation. At one of King Oenopion’s parties, I had consumed way too much wine, more than I ever should have. I was inebriated, and my mind foolishly became angered that Merope had not admitted her undying love for me. So, I approached her bedchamber and stumbled into her room. Needless to say, she was caught completely off-guard by my intrusion. I approached her and demanded to know why she didn’t love me, as I did her. Before I could even utter another syllable, she screamed for the guards. They came rushing in and Merope fabricated what had happened. She claimed that I came on to her and touched her inappropriately, which I did not do at all.”
I immediately interrupted him, disgusted by all that he just informed me. The biting feeling I felt in my stomach was now turning into more of a queasiness from how appalled I was by his actions. “How would you have known if you touched her or not? You said you were inebriated.”
