Long Past Dawn

"Dawn!" Artemis calls out to us as we step back into the room, Hades hasn't seemed to move and his stance is still relaxed.

We walk towards them and Artemis runs forward and throws a hug around me, I freeze up unsure of what to do. Iferis walks over to stand beside Hades and he puts out a hand to touch her, she flinches after a moment and Hades takes his hand away.

Slightly confused I try to figure out what's going on between them but neither of them gives anything away. Iferis avoids eye contact thought which I find slightly strange but the air around Hades seems deathly still.

I sigh and move my attention onto figuring out how to get out of this hug but she's so strong I can't seem to wriggle out of the crushing embrace.

I give up and try to remember about the greek god unit we had around 4th grade. Why did I never pay attention to that class? Oh, I remember now, because I never thought gods were real and that everything can be explained by science. How wrong you were, little me, how wrong you were.

I manage to somehow get out of the hug and face the three of them when I suddenly remember one fact about Artemis. "How can you be my mother? Aren't you supposed to be the goddess of v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y?" The words come out crueler then I mean them to be and a small part of me regrets it slightly.

The room goes deathly still and I feel like I've somehow stepped on a land mine. Artemis's face softens as she seems to stare out into the distance as if remembering an old memory, "I suppose I am..."

I don't say anything as Artemis turns around and starts to walk away, you can't help but feel how sad she is right now, "Take her back, Hades. I'd rather be alone."

Guilt fills me and I can't help but feel bad for bringing it up, obviously, it was a bad choice, but right now it seems like I can only make bad decisions.

I turn around and head out of the palace again, this time not so taken on the silver moon designs everywhere. When I get back outside to the bustle of Olympus I calm down slightly. It doesn't matter now anyway, I'll probably never come back here again.

I suck in the pine flavored air and try to calm myself down. What the actual f.u.c.k is going on anymore? Every day I feel more like a lamb to the slaughter. Hades comes up behind me and I don't turn around to see him, "Why did you bring me here?"

Hades is silent for a moment, "You'll know one day."

I clench my fists until I can ulmost feel the skin tearing. I ignore the pain of it because right now I couldn't care less.

"I'm so bored of everyone telling me that all the time!" I shout as loud as I can as I whip around to face him, my sides heave and I pant as I try to let out the anger that's been building up inside of me for longer than I can remember.

A thin line of blood slowly trickles down my wrist and a single drop falls to the ground below before I feel the wound start to close up as if it was never there to begin with.

Hades must see it too. Something that looks like pity flashes across his face and I hate it, I hate everyone who has ever looked at me with pity, and right now, that seems like the whole f.u.c.k.i.n.g world. "Come on, I'll take you back," Hades says as he walks towards me.

I take a step back from him, "No, why should I go anywhere with you? What good did it do me coming here?"

Hades sighs and looks over at me, "Dawn, I'm-"

I don't let him finish because I already know what he's going to say, "What? You're sorry? You know what? I'm getting really f.u.c.k.i.n.g sick of everyone in my life saying that to me right now. I am so f.u.c.k.i.n.g sick of it."

Hades looks around at the people who have stopped to see what's going on. "Please Dawn, not here."

"What? You don't want everyone to hear? Do you want me to be a quiet good girl?" An image of crazy red eye flashes through my mind I feel myself shaking. "You know what, you're no better than Zeus!"

A hushed murmur passes through the crowd as the words leave my mouth and Hades looks honestly hurt. I take a step back, too many emotions boiling over inside of me, "Just leave me the f.u.c.k alone."

I hear Hades click his tongue and the crowd starts to step back, probably because they realize all the good stuff is over. F.u.c.k.i.n.g hypocrites.

Hades steps over towards the chariot and I already see Iferis floating beside it. "Dawn please, I'll take you back."

I hesitate for a second, this really is my only way out. After a moment I nod and walk over to the chariot, I really don't want anything more than to go home right now. But then again, where is home for me?

I climb on the chariot and we take off. If silence could kill then this would be deadly.

The wind starts to gro as we climb into the sky and finally I can't stay quiet any longer, "Why did you bring me here? Why now?"

Hades sighs and he moves the chariot slightly, "Because it was time that you knew."

"Really?" I scoff slightly, "Even if it makes me hate her? You still want me to know?"

"Hate has caused a lot of problems in every world, but let me ask you something. Has it solved even one problem?" Hades focuses on weaving the chariot out of the way of a few others in the sky.

I stay quiet because I already know the answer and the anger in my stomach now seems useless, he's right, what good does being angry do me? The anger in my stomach slowly disappears as the answer echos in my mind. None.

I notice that we seem to be headed away from where I figured we would be going to get back to Themyscira. Where are we going now?

Over the growing wind, I manage to ask where we're going and Hades replies with, "One last stop before we go back, someone I want you to meet."