Chapter 4

The teary eyed daughter of Atlas looked at the snow mournfully, as if a loved one of hers had passed. Her tears dripped to the snowy ground, as she remained quiet, oblivious to all the stares she was receiving from the hunt and her mistress. Along with the stares from the campers. But inside her head, Zoë was scorning and cursing herself angrily, a cold fury had wrapped an iron fist around her heart, but the anger was not directed at anyone, not her brother, not Heracles who had betrayed her years ago, she was angry at nothing.

No, the lieutenant of the hunt was angry at herself, at the actions and the choices made by her thousands of years ago. The regret and sadness the huntress had felt all those years ago for her brother had arose after being buried deep in her heart when she believed she had finally been able to move on. Zoë had been upset and distraught after she got Perseus cast out of the garden, from their family ever since she herself had been banished. At first, Zoë was immensely pleased after Perseus had been banished from the garden.

The two were immensely close, inseparable from each other. But this only made Zoë crave for a life away from her brother. While she loved him dearly, at most times, she hated the fact she that her sisters were much closer to Perseus than they were to her. A closer bond then she should have to them.

She was jealous, angry and just plain furious after years of bottling up the emotions against her brother, despite him actually doing nothing wrong. When she had gotten him thrown out of the garden, her sisters hated her even more, looking at her with angry black eyes. Furious expressions upon their beautiful faces and tense posture as if they were doing there best than to try and attack her or possibly kill her. They rarely spoke to her after his banishment, and when they did, her sisters spoke harsh and cruel words that always hurt her and made her want to curl into a ball and die. She did not understand why her sisters loved Perseus so much, but not her.

But, after she herself was banished, the regret and sadness weighed heavily down on her heart. Tearing at her emotions and her soul. The guilt and shame of what she did to her brother was ripping her apart from the inside out.

Despite her feelings now, seeing her brother also made her indescribably happy and giddy. Long ago, she had come to terms that he had perished, as there was no way he could have regained his immortality. But now that she knew he was alive, she was happy and glad. She would rather him be alive and hate her for eternity, then for him to be dead and love her.

Zoë had no idea if she should smile or continue to cry, she was selfish if she believed that Perseus would forgive her for something she did to him long ago that ruined his life, his relationship to their sisters and lose his twin sister to anger and jealousy, whom he was closest to.

Her brother was the most stubborn person she had ever met, despite herself of course. But Perseus always stuck by his family, usually no matter what the cost.

Back in the days of the first Titan war, the Hesperides along with Zoë had chosen to remain neutral in the conflict of the war. Calypso, another child of Atlas now imprisoned for her actions in the first Titan war against the gods, of course fought for her father against the Olympians.

Perseus followed her to combat, while he never chose a side, and since most had never even heard of him. He was able to protect her without getting punishments when the Titan's lost the war. However, Perseus upon the imprisonment of Calypso was about to exchange himself for his sister and take the punishment by revealing himself to the Olympians. Only Zoë and the other Hesperides were able to restrain him from doing so and putting himself needlessly into danger.

At first, Perseus was furious at them because they would not allow him to help Calypso, bu that did not last long. After a few days, he already forgave them and was spending just as much time with them.

Zoë admired her older brother, of course later on that led to even more jealousy she had against him. Why could she not be that great? Why was he so special to their sisters and everyone else they knew? Most likely because he was always on the side of his family, no matter what. Caring for them and protecting them no matter the costs, willing to throw his own life away to save his sister.

Perseus always forgave his siblings, no matter what they did to him previously. Why would it be different now?

Did he hate her? Did he even care for her anymore? Did she change him into the type of man she despised? These questions swirled through her mind, addling her brain, adding to the pain and sorrow she was feeling. The iron fist around her heart seemed to squeeze even tighter as she thought of these questions, these questions filled her with so much sorrow and pain she let lose a heart wrenching sob and fell to her knees once again.

She was shaking, but not from the cold. All the possibilities about her brother and what he felt for her was the reason behind the shaking, her teeth clattered as she continued to shake ferociously.

Her black eyes gazed at the snow surrounding her, she felt a strong pang in her heart. Everything she had pushed aside and buried long ago was now resurfacing, threatening to rip her apart, she remembered clearly almost everything the two had gone through. And of course, the snow had to be one of them.

Her brother was odd, always making a big deal out of snow whenever it fell upon the mountain. Of course, since they were on a mountain, snow fell down more than a few days and she could never really fathom why Perseus loved snow so much, while looking beautiful at first glance, snow was dark and cold, very dangerous in some situations and very hazardous.

Remembering everything of Perseus was killing her, her skull was pounding rapidly, her stomach felt queasy and she felt like she was going to puke any minute. She felt so vulnerable and cold despite her warm hunting attire, she felt like she was going to freeze up at any second and just die.

Suddenly her stomach exploded in an immense pain, she doubled over on the ground retched loudly, she could hear many footsteps rush towards her, crunching the soft snow.

But immediately the pain's intensity kicked it up another notch and she puked, crimson blood flowing out in rivulets from her mouth, splattering across the white snow, with a soft hiss the snow melted from her blood, and she puked up more, her mouth was filling rapidly with blood, more quickly than she could let it flow from her mouth, the grass that could now clearly be seen was covered in her blood.

The pain in her stomach increased even more, and she let out a blood curling scream, or as close to one as she could get. A gargled hiss as she started to choke on her own blood.

Fresh tears leaked out of her eyes as her vision started to darken, and the last thing she felt was a warm comforting grip grab her shoulder blades, a soothing calmness washed over her and she fell straight into unconsciousness.

Dream Flashback

Dark, obsidian black eyes stared at a young man with intelligence and a wicked gleam, her dark hair and copper skin glowed with a silver hue in the moonlight above her. She smiled at the man before her, examining the bright blonde hair of the guy before her.

Sharp electric blue eyes, skin with a perfect tan, as if he had been kissed by the sun. Hanging from the mans back was a lions skin cloak. Lightning flashed through his eyes, illuminating them to a small blue glow.

Zoë smiled at the man before her, he would be perfect to help her perfect the plan she had been working on for months. She decided to ask him what he was here for.

"What are you here for?" she asked with an eyebrow raised, fake curiosity gleamed in her eyes, but the man seemed not to notice her as he was scanning her body up and down. Zoë noticed his eyes travelling up her body but she would have to deal with that for now.

The man flicked his long blonde hair to the side and looked into her eyes for the first time. "I came here for an apple of immortality and instead I find one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He said with fake sincerity, covering up the lust that was overcoming his senses as he looked at her.

Zoë' copper cheeks turned red from a mad blush. But then she laughed loudly. The son of Zeus narrowed his eyes at her. Anger easily seen upon his handsome features.

"It is impossible for you to get an apple from the tree, not only would you have to face the dragon who would most surely kill you, but you would have to face the guardian of the whole garden beforehand." She said as she pointed to the monstrous, one hundred headed dragon who was coiled around a large tree, where golden apples glittered in the branches. The dragon seemed to be sleeping peacefully, smoke shot from each of his nostrils as he softly snored.

"I am Heracles son of Zeus, no enemy can oppose nor defeat me." He said smugly with a smile on his face. Zoë chuckled silently.

"Then you are truly a fool, turn back now or face the consequences if you go through with your 'task', as you say." The son of Zeus narrowed his eyes once again. So dangerously close his eyes looked like slits.

"Out of my way, miss. I have a task to complete, and show you my true power and might." He said smirking as he looked at Zoë with lustful gaze, unnoticed by the future huntress.

Heracles barely took a few steps forward when a calm and collected, but also a dark and dangerous voice that radiated an immense amount of power. A man suddenly materialized out of nowhere in front of him. A neutral face expression, and a warning in his eyes that looked exactly like the woman he just spoke to.

"Last warning, child of the sky. Turn back at once or you might not live to see another day." Heracles glared at the man angrily, his body started to shoot off electrical sparks. The man while intimidating, was not scary to the son of Zeus. He had faced much worse opponents with his bare hands, and this guy was a fool to fight a Prince of the sky.

"Step aside, you ignorant little nymph. Or else you will not live to see another day fool. No one can challenge and handle the might of a child of the King of Olympus." Heracles bellowed at Perseus.

Perseus just casually raised an eyebrow at the arrogant child of Zeus. "A child of Zeus, but not Hera. Always knew your father was a slut." Perseus mocked with a grin.

Heracles shook with rage as thunder crackled loudly and a lightning bolt dropped from the sky and sailed towards the child of Atlas, who was still smirking.

Shame and fury entered her heart like a vortex or a storm. But before the horrid dream could continue and show how she really got Perseus banished from his home.

Zoë' eyes snapped open and she immediately spun her head around in all directions to pinpoint exactly where she was at. Her back and legs were groaning from being awoken as the place in which she was lying was just so comfortable.

The huntress tried to force herself to sit up, but a strong and slender hand pushed her down forcefully. She immediately feared the worse at the force of used behind pushing her back, her mistress nor would her sisters be that harsh when keeping someone immobile.

She thrashed around, as her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light and she became dimly aware of her surroundings. Her vision started to focus on the person who was forcing her down on the bed.

When she could make out the stern silver and yellow eyes of Artemis, along with her bright auburn colored hair. She immediately calmed, but the expression upon the goddess' face was not exactly a happy one, nor was her face an angry one.

Artemis looked straight into her emotionless eyes, one of the few times she had ever done that before. "Zoë, what the Hades was that?" She growled out at her, making her lieutenant flinch back at the ferocity of her tone. There was a dull throbbing of pain in her stomach region and she took a deep breath before speaking as calm as possible with the pain.

"What do you mean, Mi' Lady?" She asked. The goddess of the hunt rolled her eyes, then glared at her, anger now visibly seen in her bright silver eyes.

"You had a stomach ulcer. You lost a lot of blood from puking." Zoë' eyes widened, her memories from last night and the events before she had fallen unconscious came back to her and tears once again blotted her vision.

The goddess of the hunt looked a tad angry, Zoë could easily see that. "Who was that boy? How did he know you?" Artemis asked with narrow eyes, and Zoë had to try hard to keep the hurt off her face. Did she not hear that he was her brother?

"That b-b-boy," She grimaced, she did not like talking down to her family like that. "Is Perseus, son of Atlas and Pleione, my full blooded brother." She finished and Artemis tensed slightly, fearing the answer she had just received.

"And my twin." Artemis nodded, she had heard the conversation of course, but she wanted to clarify her words from yesterday. Her silver eyes burned with anger at just the thought of the arrogant nymph. Artemis turned and looked at Zoë with curiosity.

"Well Zoë, he has caused you a great deal of misery, we shall track him down and end him, so he cannot trifle with us anymore." She said with a smirk, hoping her lieutenant would come with her on the hunt for the disgusting male.

Instead, her obsidian eyes flashed with anger. Her copper skin quickly turned red from the anger and raw fury rising inside her like a hurricane. Suddenly, Artemis felt a sharp sting across her cheek, the force of the slap was strong, forcing her neck to snap to the side, she raised her hand to the mark on her cheek, already showing the blood risen to the area of the attack.

Zoë had slapped her. Before she could snap at her and yell at her, she exploded. "How dare you?" She screamed, as the goddess of the hunt flinched backwards from the pure venom inside her most faithful huntresses voice, she had never imagined Zoë would dare to speak to her like this.

"You are not going near my brother, I do not care if you kick me out of the hunt, I do not care about anything you do, if you try to harm my brother," She grabbed Artemis by the scruff of her collar and pulled her dangerously close to her, so she could whisper in her ear. "I will destroy you. No matter how, or what. I will end you." She growled in a hoarse whisper, the goddess paled violently, even more so than normal. Something about the tone of her voice scared her out of her mind.

Artemis forgot all about how her huntress smacked her and showed her disrespect. She shifted her weight, trying to change the subject. "What did he do to you for you to be hurt so much?" She asked softly.

Her head dropped and her face immediately went downcast. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up at Artemis with broken eyes. "It is not what he has done, but of what I have done." She said in a quiet whisper, Artemis could barely hear it.

"What did you do?" She asked curiously. Zoë squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head back and forth quickly. Artemis raised her hands in surrender.

"Fine do not tell me, I will not push you my lieutenant." Artemis turned towards the flap to the exit of the tent. The daughter of Atlas could see the amount of hurt in her eyes.

Artemis stopped at the door, sighing loudly, without turning around she spoke. "Zoë, I am sorry. But he spoke against me and my hunters. And I cannot allow that to happen. He must be found, either I will take him to Olympus, or if he fights back I will kill him." She said before she walked out of the tent without looking back at the enraged huntress.

Zoë tried to sit up but immediately the pain in her stomach worsened immensely and she laid back on the bed, her rage slowly melting away from her. She mulled over her thoughts.

"Does he care for me anymore?"

"Does he hate me?"

"How could I do that to him?"

"Why?"

"Selfish."

"Selfish."

"Traitor."

As her eyelids started to close, and she started to fall back into the realm of Morpheus, her mind mulled over the last words her sisters spoke to her after Perseus' banishment. Tears pricked her eyes as her eyes were now even closer to closing.

"We hate you."

The words utterly crushed her insides as she struggled to remain awake, she had to stop Artemis from harming her brother, so she could hope to make amends with him. She remembered Perseus' words in the clearing.

"You have forced my hand, you were the one who claimed us to no longer be family. And I am upholding your wish. Goodbye Zoë."

The huntress felt like killing herself, her brother had never called her by her real name unless he was angry at her or she needed a stern talking to, usually calling her sister or baby sis.

The relationship she used to have with Perseus, kind of reminded her of Artemis and Apollo. Except she truly did care for her brother and he called her sister endearingly, not just to annoy her.

So much pain, so many tears. She had not been this vulnerable, nor had she cried this much in years.

Her vision finally blacked out and she passed calmly into the realm of Morpheus. This time, she was plagued with absolutely no dreams.