Stella raced through the night, her hooves loud and certain on the rocky ground. In the distance fiery glows of lanterns came into view. Olympus was asleep, but they would be woken shortly. Swallowing tightly, Artemis ran her thumb over the handle of her gun. She wasn't sure what she intended to do, but something needed to be done.
She'd nearly caught Lycaon and his gang before they disappeared through the town's gate. Seconds later, Stella stormed through the large wooden doors and straight through Lycaon's ranks sending one of his idiot friend's falling into the dirt. A thick cloud of dust was kicked up in Stella's wake making dirt settle on their clothes in a thick layer.
The porch, albeit newly painted, was soon chipped as Stella's hooves connected with the wood. Artemis had taken her straight to the front door of her house. The noise woke both Apollo and Zeus. Inside, the lanterns flickered on and she could hear them rummaging about. With Stella still half on the steps, Zeus opened the door ready to shoot. The barrel of his shotgun glistened in the dark but Artemis wasn't phased. "We need to talk."
"Like hell we do," Zeus spat, aware of other townsfolk making their way outside to witness the commotion.
"This is perfect," rasped Lycaon who waltzed slowly onto the scene. "I was just about to get your old man out of bed."
"What is it?" Zeus frowned, his attention now drawn to the wolf like man.
"Should I tell him? Or should you?" Lycaon asked, arching a brow at Artemis.
"This isn't about you. I need answers." Artemis hissed, not hesitating to point her weapon at the menace.
"Put the gun down," Zeus glowered, reaching for the weapon but Stella nudged him back with her head. She gave a firm snort. A warning.
"Everyone calm down." A deep drawl rolled over the tense trio. Artemis knew that voice better than anyone and it made her blood boil.
"Sheriff!" Lycaon grinned from ear to ear. "I wondered when you'd stop by."
"Artemis, get off the porch steps." A calloused hand caught her by the arm but she was quick to pull away.
"I don't listen to you, Orion."
"I am the law." He replied, his scarred face looking even more marred in the faint light.
"He's right," Zeus nodded in Orion's direction. "Whatever has happened we can resolve it civilly."
"Thank you," Orion returned Zeus' nod and went to pull Artemis from atop Stella when Apollo made his presence known. Orion's grip on Artemis' arm was firm, almost painfully so.
"Don't touch her," the blonde scowled. "I can help her down. Back off."
The two boys stared intently at one another for what seemed like an eternity before Orion took a few steps backwards. Apollo, as he had many times before, carefully removed his sister from the situation. There were times she seemed so angry it practically paralyzed her. This was one of them.
He took the gun with care and passed it over to Zeus for everyone's safety while keeping an arm wrapped tightly about his sister.
"Inside. Everyone!" Orion directed his words to the neighbors before turning to the sources of turmoil. "The rest of you. To the station. We can talk this out."
Lycaon seemed pleased with the chaos and rode on ahead whilst Zeus and Orion followed on foot. Artemis made no move to follow and neither did Apollo. He stood there noting her rigid posture and waited patiently for her to relax, at least a little. "We should follow."
"It's a family matter, nothing more." Artemis replied, her voice harsh and strained. "I don't want an audience."
"May I speak on your behalf then?" Apollo questioned. "What did you need?"
"I need to know who father had arrested about ten years ago. The name and familiar relations." Artemis explained.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do," Apollo promised, giving her a tight hug before leaving Artemis alone on the porch. She watched her brother go and felt the stinging absence of his comforting touch.
— — —
Artemis waited impatiently in her room for hours into the night. It wasn't until well into the night that Apollo and their father returned. Zeus was angry. Artemis could tell  by the sound of his footsteps, but she didn't care if he yelled at her. She only cared about one thing.
A light knock on her bedroom door preceded Apollo's entrance. He looked tired and frustrated. "Howdy."
"Hi," Artemis smiled ever so slightly. Rubbing at his eyes, Apollo took up a spot on her bed.
"So I asked and it's a messy subject. The man was named Atlas. No last name from what I know. He refused to disclose it. Turns out he was part of a rival group that strongly opposed Dad taking over as head of the town. A group run by our grandfather," the blonde explained.
"So the crime was more than fraud and embezzlement," Artemis sighed. "Go on."
"Before dad and grandfather had their shoot out, Atlas attempted to poison our family. Figured it'd be easier and less messy. That and the coroner wouldn't be able to label a cause of death. But-" Apollo paused, his face went deathly pale, "Dad didn't pin the crime specifically on Atlas when he discovered it."
"What do you mean?" Artemis frowned.
"His wife took the fall. It was determined to be a woman's work. Poison is usually a woman's idea and Atlas was quick to shirk as much responsibility as he could and father couldn't justify executing two people." Apollo swallowed tightly. "Mom was there for that. She saw it happen. Tried to stop it but she couldn't."
"Of course she would," Artemis sighed, feeling the familiar sting of tears.
"Do you think-do you think that's why she eventually left?" Apollo wondered.
"I don't know," Artemis admitted, settling her head on her brother's shoulder, "but I miss her."
"Me too."
"Do you know if they were friends?" Artemis asked.
"Who?"
"Mom and Atlas' wife," Artemis clarified.
"I would assume so," Apollo nodded. "Hades mentioned them both to me once. I didn't remember until tonight, but he said they used to go on walks together. But now that I think about it I remember the execution day because Mom was sad. She never told us why either. She just said it wasn't a matter for children."
"Did-did Lycaon mention anything about a farm? Or a girl?" Artemis worried.
"No. Simply said you've been threatening him." Apollo shrugged slightly.
A moment of silence settled about the room as both siblings took time to process what had been discovered but Artemis knew that Lycaon was up to something. There was a reason he hadn't snitched.
"Thank you," Artemis whispered finally breaking the silence and ignoring the tears that slowly fell upon Apollo's shoulder. "I couldn't be there with them. I just-I couldn't. And not with Orion."
"I know," Apollo insisted, pressing a light kiss to his sister's forehead. "Get some sleep okay?"
"I will," Artemis promised.
— — —
The auburn haired girl stood silently atop the hill beneath the large oak tree watching Calypso dance in joy as the new corn stalks began to sprout.
"THEY'RE GROWING!" She growl yelled in a manner that only little kids seemed capable of doing. It would have been somewhat evil sounding if it wasn't so cute.
With a jump of glee she took off towards the house most likely to tell her sister. Zoë was drug out by the hand moments later and taken to the row of corn that was beginning to sprout. She smiled gently at Calypso and ruffled the young girl's hair, before her dark eyes settled on the hill.
Artemis didn't move or say anything. She simply watched. Zoë expertly distracted Calypso who went sprinting off somewhere else.
Artemis waited patiently for Zoë to make it to the top. "There's some things you should know."
"About?"
"About your father and mine. I don't think you were given the whole story," Artemis sighed, choosing her words carefully. "He's not in prison just for fraud and embezzlement. It has to do with my parents and yours."
"You didn't have to press your father into telling you-"
"I needed to for my sake and yours. I need answers because I have a gut feeling that this isn't the entire truth and maybe figuring this all out can help the both of us understand why things are the way they are. Because thinking about it...my father doesn't know you're here. And he should. If your dad was such a threat he'd have made sure to keep an eye on his family." Artemis explained.
"Start at the beginning," Zoë sighed, "you're losing me."
Artemis nodded and did her best to explain everything she'd learned from Apollo the previous night. "I-I think my mom might have kept my dad from knowing this place existed."
Zoë remained silent much to Artemis' worry. For a second, she feared the farm girl was going to be angry, that she'd snap and send Artemis on her way back home but that didn't happen.
"No wonder you remind me of my mom," Zoë shook her head, "she always talked about a friend from in town that was just like you. She said she wanted-she wanted to learn to ride some day. I guess she never got the chance."
"What did-what did your dad tell you? What did he say happened to her?" Artemis asked carefully.
"He told me that he and my mother were going to be gone for a couple of days but that anything I needed was in the house." Zoë recalled, her eyes seemingly looking at something in the distance. "I was nine and home alone. I-I used to get scared when it was dark out but my mother always shooed any monsters away. She wasn't there to do that. I think I was wide awake for three days because everything felt like a dream once my dad came home. I asked him where mom was and he told me there was an accident. That they'd been trying to go and trade with someone past the river but a flash flood swept them away. He said he found mother dead. Trapped beneath debris from the river."
"Then what?" Artemis asked gently.
"Nothing. Nearly a year passed, and he kept visiting Olympus. Sometimes for days on end. Then one day he showed up with a new baby. Said that the mother died in child birth. It was my new sister. Still, he kept going in and out of town leaving me with her for a while. Eventually he told me that he wasn't going to be able to come back anymore. That some men were coming to get him. That night he left and never came back." Zoë's gaze snapped away from whatever distant focal point she'd selected. Her breathing was shallow, and she looked troubled. "A few days later I saw someone on the perimeter. I thought it was him for a second but it wasn't. They just sat there on their horse watching me from afar like they couldn't make up their mind on whether or not to approach. I never knew who it was."
"Maybe a friend of your father's," Artemis proposed. "How old was Calypso when your dad left?"
"Nearly a year," Zoë sniffled.
"And you?" Artemis asked.
"Nearly Eleven. I suppose his stints in town were for the trial," the farm girl concluded.
"That would make sense," Artemis nodded.
"Gods," Zoë shook her head, her eyes welling with tears, "you know...for a while I didn't like her. Cally, I mean. And it wasn't even her fault. I just didn't understand how he could move on so fast after mother and then just leave me with her like I was responsible-"
"It wasn't fair," Artemis interrupted, "and you were a kid. You can't blame yourself for that."
"That doesn't make it right. You know, if Lycaon asked for her back then I would have said yes. Not because I didn't love her but because I was scared. I figured someone else would've been better at taking care of her."
"Wait a minute," Artemis frowned. "Was Lycaon with your father the night he left? Did your father ever have a meeting with him that he mentioned?"
"No, why?" Zoë shook her head.
"That son of a bitch," Artemis hissed.
"What is it?" Zoë asked, catching Artemis' hand before she could leave.
"I don't think your father made a deal with him. I think he's blackmailing you," Artemis explained. "It makes sense now. That's why he didn't say anything last night."
"Can you please stop talking like I already know what you're explaining?" Zoë glowered.
"Right, sorry. Long story short; before my brother told me all of this I may have caused a scene back home that got my father, Lycaon, and my sort of ex involved. Lycaon knew that I was here with you but he didn't say anything to my dad. If he had then there's a chance he'd have been here by now trying to buy out the land because that's how my dad works. Lycaon is using that piece of information to his advantage. Because even if he didn't make a deal with your father-"
"I can't keep from sharing the crops with him or he'll tell everyone that this place exists," Zoë concluded. "So what do we do?"
"We pretend we don't know anything and in the meantime I'll see what else I can learn." Artemis promised.
"If you don't mind my asking...what's the name of your 'sort of ex?'"
"Orion. It's a long stor- you know him don't you?" Artemis asked, seeing the look of distaste on Zoë's face.
"No, thankfully." Zoë admitted, "but his name sounds rather pretentious."
"Well, he plays the part," Artemis snorted. "Tell Calypso I say hello. I'll be back tomorrow."
"I just noticed Stella isn't with you."
"I needed to walk or I would have been a babbling idiot without having time to collect my thoughts." Artemis shrugged, having forgotten the farm girl's hold on her. She subtly pulled away and tucked her hands into her pockets. "Until next time."
"Until next time."