Dreams

Chapter 3
The next morning I wake up to find myself alone in the bed. Artemis probably left to go have the talk with the other gods and goddesses that she mentioned last night before we slept together. I stretch, yawn, and make myself get out of the bed and make my way towards the bathroom. I step into the bath and it takes me a moment to notice that my wings are nowhere in sight. As soon as I think about it, I feel my flesh opening up and the wings protruding. There is no pain this time. An idea pops into my head and I decide to try it. I think about pulling the wings back into myself and feel them start to recede back into my back. I relax in the bath and wait for Artemis’ return.

Meanwhile…

Artemis paces the meeting hall waiting for all the gods and goddesses to make their appearance. When everyone is finally gathered, she tosses the scroll onto the table. “What is the meaning of this Artemis, calling all of us together when we have better things to do?” Aphrodite spoke looking around and flicking her hair with her hand.
Artemis lets out an aggravated sigh. She never was one to get along with Aphrodite very well, even though she was more tolerable than some of the other gods and goddesses. “That scroll that is sitting on the table is a prophecy that I believe is going to come to pass very soon.” Athena picks up the scroll and reads it aloud to the other gods.
“Sister, what would make you believe that this is coming to pass… This speaks of one of the major battles of good and evil that is to come and pass.” Athena says as she sets the scroll down in the middle of the table. Artemis turns her gaze toward her father, Zeus.
“Father, you remember the favor I asked of you earlier that had to do with the girl I have chosen to be my protégé? Do you realize that the little trick you played left her with angel wings that are blue, silver, and white in color?” Zeus’ face went to one of merriment to a troubled look in a matter of seconds.
“You mean to tell me that that was the outcome? This is not good… It seems my little joke might have had a very serious outcome. But Daughter, you do not seem to have an explanation for the rune marking or the giant sword.” Zeus responded. The other gods and goddesses watched the exchange between Artemis and Zeus with interest.
“Actually, I do. I just haven’t shared that quite yet. For her eighteenth birthday I gave her a sword that I had crafted by Hephaestus. The rune is what made me think of the prophecy. After the angel wings appeared, a tattoo appeared on her lower back that wasn’t there previously. It was the symbol for courage.” Artemis’ eyes went from one person to the next in the meeting room. “I plan on training her. If it turns out that she is the one the prophecy speaks of, I will have her ready for it.”
“Seems like I’ve screwed things up a bit. If this is true and is going to come and pass, we need to prepare the four Powerbands. She will receive them after she passes the training and a special test that all the gods and goddesses shall create together.” Zeus looked around as the other gods and goddesses nodded their recognition of his statement. They dispersed to their respective places they wanted to be, but Athena hung back and approached her sister.
“If you want Arty, I will educate the girl for you as far as knowledge and politics goes.” Athena offered. Artemis glanced into her sister’s eyes.
“Thank you. I think you and I both will have our work cut out for us. I should get back to her before to long. Goodbye Thena.” Artemis left and made her way back to home.
When she entered the bedroom, she found the room empty. She slowly opened the bathroom door and saw Faith relaxing with her eyes closed in the warm bath. “Good morning Faith.” Faith’s eyes snapped open as they turned to see who was behind her. Faith’s eyes locked on Artemis, and she gave the goddess a warm heartfelt smile. “ I went and talked to the other gods and goddesses this morning about the prophecy I told you about. I’ll be taking you to the Amazons later today for training.”
“You’re taking me to the Amazons for training… They’ll let you just drop me in there and train me?”
“They aren’t as bad as they are made out to be. And yes, they will train you. I was the one who set them up, so I would expect them to do a favor for me when I asked for it.” I put a smile on my face as I watched Faith climb out of the bath. That is when I noticed that her wings were nowhere in sight. “What happened to your wings? They aren’t there anymore.”
“Oh, I discovered this morning that I can take them out and put them back in my back when I feel like it. It doesn’t hurt like it did the first time.”
“That’s good.” Faith reaches out to put on some clothes. “Wait, I’m going to bring you something you can wear for your training. Knowing them they will start you as soon as you get there.” I went back to the bedroom and pulled out some clothes and a pair of sturdy leather boots. I took them back to the bathroom and handed them to Faith.

Faith’s view

Artemis left the room to go and find suitable clothes for this Amazon training she was about to throw me in. She came back and handed me white underwear, a white, flowing miniskirt that had a golden belt to go around it, and a white top with gold stitching that had two straps over my shoulders that crossed in the back and cut off right below my breasts. She handed me a pair of brown leather boots to slip on. “I’ll also help you get a pack together to take with you. You won’t need a lot to take with you.” She walked out of the bathroom and I followed her. She threw a pair of sandals that had straps that wrapped up the legs and more pairs of white clothes. All the white clothes had either gold or silver trimming. She threw in a few other objects that she thought I might need and then set the knapsack in the corner of her bedroom. “I’ll take you down there later today. Right now, I’d like to spend my time with you.”
She took my hands and led me over to the bed. She sat down and I sat down beside her. Looking into her eyes I realized how much I was going to miss her while I was going to be training with the Amazons. I wonder how long I’ll be there. Why can’t she just train me instead of me having to go down there. “ Why can’t you just train me? I’d rather stay here with you.” She pulls me close to her and holds me against her.
“I could train you, but what you’ll learn there will be more helpful to you in the long run. They’ll show you the dirty fighting and tricks you will need, and I will come down there and train you too. You don’t think that I’m just going to leave you down there for a couple of years without coming to see you do you?” She kissed the top of my head and then tilted my head up and placed a soft kiss on my lips.
“So, I’ll be with them for a couple of years…”
“Yes, you will. That will allow you the amount of time to learn everything that you need to learn.” I lifted my head up and kissed her lips. We laid down on the bed, and Artemis told me of what went on at the meeting in detail. She explained that after my training with the Amazon, Athena would be teaching me some of the other things I would need to know. After talking for a little while, she pulled me up against her and I laid my head against her shoulder. I turned my head and her lips moved to meet mine. We kissed slowly and the burning feeling was building up, but there was no rush or haste. Time seemed to slow down and being there in her arms was everything I wanted or needed. She pulled away after a little while and brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “It’s time for me to take you down there.” I nodded my head as we both stood up, and I grabbed the knapsack out of the corner of the room. She came over to me and wrapped her arms around me and the next thing I knew we were surrounded by a forest.
We walked down a dirt path that led to huts and houses. No men were present, only women were walking around tending to things that needed to be done. As Artemis and I approached the village, the chief began to approach us with the rest of the Amazons in tow. Then all of them hit the dirt, bowing down to Artemis. Artemis shook her head with a look of disgust on her face. “Why are you eating dirt? Stand up now!” The Amazons stood up slowly, many keeping their heads lowered. Artemis walked up to the Amazon Queen and said, “I need you to train her for me. I want her in her own hut by herself and need her marked with my markings. I want her to be able to take on the things that I have in store for her to do and I need you all to have her ready for me.”
“Yes Artemis, it will be as you wish it. She will be trained and marked, but I see no reason for her to have her own hut.” The Amazon Queen looked quickly down after she said the last part.
“She will have her own hut because I said that she will. Understand?” Artemis gave all the Amazons a look over as she said this.
“We will give her a hut by herself, oh great goddess.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll stay here until you’ve got the hut ready and marked her how I tell you.” The Amazons started to rush around getting thing ready. I turned to Artemis.
“What do you mean by marking me?”
“I’m just letting everyone know that you work for me, and if they do anything to you they face my wrath.” I walked with Artemis over to the middle of the encampment. The Amazons came, grabbed my arms, and dragged me over to a table. They threw me on top of it and tied my arms and feet to the four corners.
I yelled at Artemis, “What are they doing to me?”
“It’s alright Faith. Calm down. They are just going to tattoo you. The way they do it, it’s better that you be tied down than move around while they are trying to do it.” I could only see Artemis, I couldn’t see the what the Amazons behind me were up to. Artemis said to the Amazon behind me, “I want her marked from her left shoulder and down her back. Make sure to go around the rune mark in the small of her back.” I felt the back of my top being cut off, and then a searing burn on my shoulder. I yelled, screamed, and cried until all I could do was just lay there. Artemis had come to stand beside my head and was telling me that it would be ok. A few hours later it was finally finished. Whatever they had done to me was over. I felt my back being washed off and saw Artemis nod her approval at what had been done. They untied me, and Artemis helped me to my feet. She had put a new top on me as soon as I had stood up because the other one had been sliced off me earlier. I turned my head and looked at my left shoulder. A complicated design started there and continued down my back. “You are marked as mine now. I must go back to Olympus and take care of some things. They will start your training tomorrow. I love you.”
She kissed my lips and then vanished. One Amazon with blonde hair told me to follow her. She led me to a small hut and told me that this would be my home while I resided here. I walked into the hut and fell onto the bed. As soon as my eyes closed, I was with Morpheus in the land of sleep and dreams.

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Hey people. leave some reviews and tell me what you think. i'm trying to decide how far i should take this story. i'll definitely get back to you if you do comment on it. later. ~Wolf Faith