Artemis raised her eyebrows, "I thought you were helping me? Now we are telling everyone who I am?" There was a lethal venom in her tone, almost challenging Perseus to make a misstep.
"Not everyone. Trust me, let's go."
...
She followed him slowly, eyeing the ever-watchful guards. At the sides of the tent there were two, and at the front, there were four, all diligent, all challenging any prospective visitor to their king.
However, Perseus seemed to have the right to enter whenever he pleased, and he entered the embroidered tent without paying the guards any mind. Artemis found herself following, pushing the swaying flaps aside to step into the interior of the tent.
Inside, it was very spacious, the magnitude of the exterior slightly ill-preparing her for the enormity f the space inside. Her own tent in the Hunt was magically expanded, but here, Alexander didn't have that luxury. There were fur pelts and rugs strewn across the floor, which was already covered in a heavy cloth. Four wooden timbers support a coned roof, that tapered to a small area in the center of the main room, which housed a massive wooden table. All over the table were maps, and little marble and stone statues, no doubt representing troops. Behind the main room was a curtained off area, and two torches that were in place on the wooden supports. On either side of the center where the table sat, drawing all the light and attention in the room, there were armor racks. One set of light leather armor, similar to Perseus's, another set, much more ornate, with shiny bronze gauntlets, vambraces, and a breastplate with the ancient symbol of Troy emblazoned on the front.
But Artemis didn't pay that area much attention, as at the head of the table Alexander stood, stooped to study a small map on the table. To his right, Hephestion sat back. Both immediately snapped their sharp gazes to Perseus, then herself. Artemis recalled that the last she had seen of Alexander was after her victory over the Chimera. She was still a goddess then, but now, the tables had turned.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting Alexander, but I wanted to introduce you to our Amazonian guide. Cleoxene." Perseus raised his voice for her cover name. Artemis cocked an eyebrow at him, giving him a sidelong glance. His face was impassive, and he did not break eye contact with Alexander. What was his play?
"A pleasure to meet you Cleoxene. The beauty of the Amazons does not diminish with you!" Alexander laughed. He stood up from his poring, and moved over to her, offering his arm. Up close, his features were much more prominent. Young like Perseus, but with that same deep thoughtful gaze, albeit, Alexander had a more lustful aura. She clasped his outstretched arm, noticing a similar wiry strength akin to Perseus. As she caught his eye, she saw a flash of suspicion cross over his deep blue eyes, and his golden eyebrows furrowed deeply.
"Many thanks. At least the King of the Macedonians meets my gaze." She replied, giving him a hard glare that he would probably understand. Whatever the Macedonians were, their King didn't seem to be dim-witted.
Before Alexander could respond, Perseus murmured from her side, "Secure the tent Alexander, she has a lot to tell you."
Artemis was almost certain Alexander knew who she was, but did nothing to challenge Perseus. He moved past both Perseus and herself to the entrance of the tent. Artemis glanced at Hephestion, who shared a similar expression to Alexander, before she turned away, admiring a hung pelt of a mountain lion that was draped across two of the wooden supports.
There was a muted voice from the front of the tent, and Alexander reentered, the flaps secured behind him.
"Right. I do believe we have met before… Cleoxene?" Alexander asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed, although I am not who I once was. I am Phoebe Artemis."
Perseus snorted from her side as Alexander swore softly, sending a glowering eye to both Perseus, and his dark-haired friend Hephestion
"My apologies, for not recognizing you Lady Artemis. Your Amazonian disguise is quite convincing."
"I suppose that is reassuring," she replied, disregarding his comment for now. She turned away from the feline pelt she was studying, "I am not here by choice. By killing the Chimera for you, I angered Zeus, and he has banished me here out of fear. I received much more sacrifices than he, and because of this, Zeus felt challenged."
"Fear, Lady Artemis?" Hephestion echoed, looking every bit as shocked as Alexander before her.
Artemis shrugged, "My Father is power hungry and unwilling to risk another gaining too much power."
Perseus cut in, "Our men sacrificing to Lady Artemis gave her power, too much so in Zeus's eyes. I found her after her banishment. We came to an agreement, if you'll permit it Alexander."
Alexander scoffed, "An agreement? I was going to ask about that bruise on your face, but it isn't hard to imagine who gave it to you now. I knew you were rash Perseus, but only you would provoke a Goddess."
Perseus snapped his gaze to her, with a questioning glance. She sighed heavily.
"Not a Goddess anymore," Artemis corrected, "I was stripped of my powers upon my banishment. They will be fulfilled once more when your campaign has ended. While I have no powers, I can assure you that my battle prowess remains. I would follow your campaign from your army, under my Amazonian disguise."
"Of course, we will allow this. Only a fool would turn away an Olympian Goddess. Will you fight for us as well? I'm sure that you are still deadly with that bow." Alexander reasoned, pointing to the bow that was secured over her right shoulder.
Artemis paused. Would she fight? The answer came to her all too quickly.
"I will not. I said to you that you will not receive assistance from me at your disposal. However," She owed Perseus something, and she wanted that debt gone as quickly as possible," I have no problems with advising you about the dangers that lie ahead."
She snapped her gaze back to the feline pelt that hung between the wooden pillars. 'Hmm.'
"In addition, any monsters your army comes across, I will handle. The Persian Empire is your fight." Artemis looked back to Alexander, judging his reaction. Perseus besides her stiffened when she had said that she would not fight. She didn't give in, as an Olympian Goddess, she would not embroil herself in a mortal war. Monster hunting was something she would continue.
Alexander had a pensive look on his face, with his eyebrows knotted. He turned away, resting his left hand on the sleek pommel of his sword.
"What are you doing?" Perseus whispered sharply, "Why will you not figh…"
Artemis glared at him coldly, silencing him. His deep green eyes were swirling with confusion and even worry.
Before she could deliver a particularly crushing reply, Alexander began to speak.
"Lady Artemis, I think your terms are somewhat agreeable, and I have no doubt that your advising would prove indispensable, however, I have many advisors on warfare. Something that you are likely not familiar with. I mean no disrespect… but if you are to stay in the campaign with us, I need something useful from you in return." Hephaestion, now at his side, nodded in agreement.
Artemis felt her eyes widen for a spilt second, before she mustered steely control over her features. How dare this sandy haired upstart call her, the Olympian Goddess of the Hunt, Useless! Had she had any access to her power, she wouldn't waste a second thought in turning this this cocky Macedonian King into a mewling kitten, to be carried off by eagles.
She dimply heard Perseus groan under his breath.
It was then she realized. It was altogether wonderful to think about killing Alexander for that ludicrously rude comment, but that was all that she could do. If she drew her weapons on the King, she would die. Painfully likely. If she mouthed off to him, and put him in his place, what then? He would imprison her, and Perseus wouldn't stop him, even if he could, she reckoned he would not.
She had to survive, and that would mean making concessions. She wasn't Phoebe Artemis anymore. She was Artemis, a mortal that had to get through this Campaign in the East.
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