{Day 2}

Artemis stiffened up as a man with white hair and tan skin stormed forward, his teeth grit in anger and his blue eyes lit with... Fear?

"W-what?" He asked, flinching as the man gripped him by his arms, his eyes wild with worry.

Artemis took a couple of steps back, yelping in surprise as the man pulled him into a tight hug.

Artemis froze up, blinking a few times in surprise. The man simply wrapped his arms around Artemis tighter, his face burying into Artemis's hair.

"I know that you can remember me." He whispered. His voice sounded tight and afraid. What was he afraid of?

Artemis looked up, trying to pull him off, but he stayed latched on as tight as his arms would allow him.

"No." Was all he said as he started to sink to the ground, Artemis coming with him.

After what felt like eons, he slowly let go, sniffling a little and wiping his reddened and teary eyes.

"I... I'm sorry." He said, clearing his throat and trying to stop himself from choking on his sobs.

Artemis watched him for a moment, confused and conflicted before he reached out, gentle as he took the man's hands in his own.

"Don't apologize," he said, smiling shakily as the man looked up, his blue eyes flashing with memories and pain.

"You know me, right?" Artemis asked, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"You know why I'm here... Don't you?" Artemis continued. The man paused, slowly gaining his composure and nodding slowly, seeming to try so hard not to break down again.

"I... I know why Hera sent for you." He whispered, closing his eyes tightly.

"Hera?" Artemis asked, his mind flashing back to the only person in his life who's name he had known to Hera.

"My mother?"

The man nodded, breathing deeply.

"Zeus asked her," he whispered, "he asked me... He asked me if this was the right choice. Because I am Thoth, the knower of all knowledge."

He pursed his lips, shaking his head. His expression was bitter and cold.

"For a mother to sell her own child to the gods like that," Thoth whispered, "it is unforgivable."

Artemis felt a choking sensation take over his throat.

"She... She sold me?" He whispered, a slice of pain going through his heart horribly, he felt his body stiffening up, and pain bloomed in all corners of his body and heart.

Emotional pain.

The worst sort for anyone to ever feel.

Thoth gasped, "I-i was not supposed to tell you that," he said, but it was too late.

Artemis rushed to his feet, clumsily running as fast as he could away from Thoth.

Tears in his eyes, and a tuning sensation in his ears, he felt hopeless.

A choked sob retched through his throat as he collapsed in a field of wild flowers.

He covered his face, wiping away the tears, but they continued to come in full.

He sobbed more, burying his face into his hand while whimpering. How could Hera have done this?! His own mother..

He hiccuped softly, wiping his eyes furiously. A soft whinny came from a ways away, and as Artemis looked up, his cart and stags stood not too far away, pawing at the ground gently.

He got to his feet and silently got into the chariot, gripping the reigns and clipping them softly.

"T... Take me away." He said, wiping his eyes again as the stags took off into the air.

Artemis looked down at the ground, a shimmer of white hair meeting his eyes. 

Balder.

He stood in the flower field, his eyes wide and reaching up to Artemis, and Artemis could faintly hear his voice yelling to him.

"No! Don't take him!" Artemis looked to where he was pointing, but it was too late.

A huge bolt of lightning struck the carriage harshly, the stags screeching as the chariot was derailed, Artemis falling out of it and plummeting to the ground.

Artemis gasped, reaching up desperately, but he couldn't get a grip.

"I have you, darling." A voice hissed in his ear, and Artemis's world went dark.