ARTEMIS

Okay… maybe you are curious how it all began? Sorry for that. I’m not good with words or anything that has something to do with narratives or story-telling. That’s my twin’s forte, you see. 

So anyway, here is how it all began: 

(Three years ago)

Right after my twin Apollo had gone to drive the sun home, I got my silver chariot ready for my duty to drive the moon. Well years ago, I thought this was such a boring job, but now, it feels different, the moment I saw her. Every night since then, I hope to catch a glimpse of that woman. That woman who has a dire wolf as her pet, and is followed by two kids, one no more than 8 years old, the other around 15. They ran and ran through the forest, and stop as they reach the tall and wide acacia tree. 

That night, I was hiding, (well, yeah, okay more like sneaking) behind a thick rose bush. Watching the two young ones, and the other woman, who obviously is their mom. The mother, I noticed, was holding a book. And to my surprise, it was a Greek mythology book. Somehow, at that moment, I just wanted to jump out and reveal myself.

“Ya! Kim Yerim! Wannie! Come here!” the woman called, looking up the acacia tree. The older girl came down first. Her face covered with saps, her shoulder-length brown hair covered with leaves and twigs. Well despite all that, she still looks cute. (okay, sorry ignore the last sentence I just said)

“Eomma, Yerimie won’t come down!” She says, (Wannie, I assume) 

The woman just sighs, and says: “Kim Yerim! If you don’t come down right this instant, I swear you’d be a monkey!”

“She already looks like one…” -muttered Wannie.

“YA!” yelled a kid, Yerim from somewhere up the tree, and in a flash she’s on the ground, kicking her sister’s . “I heard that!”

“Okay, stop it you two, I’m gonna read you a story”. The woman said, waving the book to the other two. The girls obeyed, sitting at the bottom of the tree, their backs facing the trunk. The woman smiled to herself and sat in between the two. 

“What’s our story for today?” asked Wannie.

“Today, I would tell you the story of Hestia. The Last Olympian.”

I know it’s weird, since I personally know Hestia, but I found myself immersed with the mother’s story-telling. 

But then, even before she finishes the story, something  happened.

“Kim Taeyeon. We meet again, at last.” Says a man from the dark. When he stepped forward, the two young ones hid behind their mom. Taeyeon just maintained her poker face.

“Choi Siwon. What do you want?”

“Ohh, playing brave, are we? You think bravery alone can save you? You are surrounded, Tae-Tae.”

And as if on cue, a few more men came, all armed with guns and hunting knives. 

“You ing little pirates.” Taeyeon snarled, and brought out a dog whistle.

“Oh, don’t bother calling your pup. He ain’t alive to save you and your little kids anymore.” Siwon said, and threw a lifeless body of a wolf.

“I thought he just disappeared to hunt… How dare you?! You’ll pay for this, Siwon!”

“Really??? You think you can beat me? Well, yeah maybe you can, but you no longer are an Amazon.”

An Amazon? Wait how did I not notice? 

“She may no longer be an Amazon, but my mom can still crush you!” yelled Wannie.

“Full of confidence, young one. Unfortunately, she can’t. She no longer has her weapons. Her skills are now rusty. Is this the life you chose, Taeng? Raising two orphans? You look so different from the time you slaughtered my brothers.” Siwon said with a smirk. “I have waited for years, Taeyeon. I swore to their grave that I would find you, and have my revenge. I looked for you, tracked you down for years. And now, here I am”. 

“Eomma, let me help. I can fight.” Wendy said, as Yeri wraps her arms on her waist, shaking.

“No, Wendy. I need you to run. Use your skills to protect your sister. On my signal, you run. Understood?”

“But-”

“No! This is my fight, Wendy. Don’t worry about me. Don’t look back. And don’t come back.”

I can see Wendy does not like what her mother says. But she still voiced out what’s going on in her head.

“Promise you’ll come after us, okay?”

Taeyeon looked into Wendy’s eyes, caressed her cheeks, and whispered: “I promise.”

She smiled at Yeri, before she looked back at Wendy and said “Now, go!”

“Oh yeah, go on let her run. We’ll come after her. Right after I’m done with you.” said Siwon.

Everything happened so fast I bit back a curse for my father Zeus. I really hated his rules of not helping mortals. I watched everything against my will, as I saw how Taeyeon was overwhelmed 25:1. She managed to kill 3 with her bare hands. Then five, seven, but I can see how she grew tired. 

Soon enough, the men held her down to the ground. Siwon knelt down and caressed her face. He motioned to his men to make Taeyeon stand. He touched her jaw, his hands making trails on her body, his left hand resting on her inner thigh. He grabbed her long brown hair and said, “Final words?”

“ you.”

Siwon’s smile faded, and forced himself on her. Once he’s done, he stabbed her multiple times, and left her there to die. They forgot about the kids. 

When they were gone, I went to Taeyeon. She’s still alive,  but not for long. When Taeyeon saw me, she tried to raise her hand and speak, and at that moment I knew she’s not about to ask for help. I closed my eyes, and using my hunter’s instinct, tried to visualize where the girls went. I saw them safe with some girls I knew as Kang Seulgi, Park Sooyoung, and Taeyeon’s best friend, Tiffany. I turned back to Taeyeon and said, “They are safe. Don’t worry, they were found by your friends.” 

With the last bit of her strength, Taeyeon turned to me and what she said gave me a splitting (literally) headache I’ve never felt in years. 

“Thank you, Lady Diana”. 

(end of flashback)

So yeah… I think this is where it all began. How I, a goddess, one of the twelve Olympians, came to know about a certain mortal I had no idea would change the rest of my life.