(“My little Lunar. My little star. Little Huntress, be courageous. One day, you will be a great hunter like your mother. But for now, you must stay a sweet child. Love animals like your siblings, and care for them.”) ~~~ Lunar blinked. What did he mean, ‘Daughter of Artemis’? She was a maiden goddess. Impossible. Lunar remembered the story her Papa had told her, during the second archonship of Herakleides, The Scion of Artemis gave all on Delos a message, that Artemis was to join Athena and Hestia in maidenship officially , as a Parthenoi. Lunar couldn’t believe what he had said, because before that, Artemis had had no romantic relationships. It was commonly known on Delos that Artemis had never wanted to fall in love. Or have children. It was impossible for Lunar to be her daughter, right? Maybe they were wrong and it was Apollo, using a different sigil.…Right? “There must be some mistake, Artemis has never had children, Chiron. You know that as well as I do.” Chiron cleared his throat, and the others stood up from where they had kneeled. “Lunar, let’s go find Lady Artemis, and perhaps she can explain. I don’t even know how this is.” Lunar followed Chiron to the Big House, where Artemis had been when he left to start the game, Chiron explained to Lunar. Lunar just nodded numbly, *How is this possible?* She thought. *There has to be some mistake.* When they reached the Big House, Chiron led Lunar to the porch. Artemis was there, sitting stiff-backed in a chair, as if waiting for them. “Hello, Lunar. Chiron.” She said, not even glancing in their direction. “Lady Artemis.” They replied simultaneously, in the same stiff tone. “So you all saw then, yes? I was watching you the whole time, Lunar.” Artemis said, finally turning to look at Lunar. “Are you really my mother?” Lunar couldn’t help but blurt out. Artemis nodded, a solemn look on her face. “I have a lot of explaining to do, don’t I?” She asked, looking deep into Lunar’s eyes. Lunar nodded, then took a seat and stared at Artemis, waiting for her explanation. “Long ago, in the year 104 B.C, or the archonship of Heracleides, I met a very handsome, kind, compassionate, and understanding young man. I fell in love immediately, I didn’t know it could happen that fast, but it did. I took on a mortal persona, getting close to him. It took a few weeks before he was willing to sleep with me, but when he did, I got pregnant. It was very different for me, I’d never fallen in love or had a child before, but I had a short pregnancy, and gave birth to the child on my own. I left the child with her father, knowing the consequences, she lived in Delos, where a mother leaving her child was horrible.” Artemis took a deep breath, then continued, “ I watched from a distance, waiting for her to grow older. I had hoped to come back for her when she was 18, but I never got the chance. When she was 16, she disappeared.Just gone, taken somehow in her sleep. I wasn’t able to find her, she was hidden from view somewhere far, far away. Then, yesterday, I saw her. Looking just as she had 2115 years ago. Lunar, as I’m sure you have already guessed, are that child. I became a maiden officially, a year after you were born. The temptation to give up godlyhood and live with you and your father was too strong. So, I took the coward's way out. Make a vow on the River Styx, never to marry, fall in love, or sleep with someone. I never stopped loving your father though, he left a hole in my heart at his death. He died 50 years after your disappearance, Lunar. Hoping, waiting for you to come home, to be with him again. He loved you so much, he didn’t die till the day he turned 100.” Lunar started sobbing, her tears flowing out from the talk of her father, the only person she had ever had. Her mother was finally here, but the person who taught her everything she knew about life, was dead. And had been for just over 2000 years. Lunar’s tears fell until there were no more, and when she could cry no more, Artemis stood up and walked over to Lunar. She simply opened up her arms, and Lunar fell into them, more tears falling from her eyes, drying them up until she could barely open them.
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