Artemis wasn't prepared for the damaged fence. At least, not after she'd spent all day painting it. But there it was, broken and splintered with paint chips everywhere.
"What happened?" Artemis demanded, standing still with wide eyes beside Apollo.
"Wagon accident," Apollo sighed, having panicked and crammed both Matilda and Benson in with Stella so they wouldn't escape.
"Damn it," Artemis cursed, chucking her hat into the dirt. "You're fucking shitting me!"
"Hey," Apollo spoke softly, "I'll fix it up with you when I get home from the bank. I promise."
"Don't bother," Artemis muttered, kicking her hat across the yard. Saying nothing else, she marched over to the large shed and flung the door open nearly ripping it from its hinges. Rummaging about inside, she scrounged together all the supplies she could.
Apollo lingered for a moment, watching his sister work in her quiet rage. Then, with a small sigh, he left and headed for the bank.
Collecting and tossing aside the broken boards, Artemis tore the fence posts from the ground and examined their holes. They were a little shallow now. Time had worn away the ground.
Shovel in hand, Artemis dug up fresh soil and piled it carefully off to the side. Then, selecting the post of her choice, she planted it firmly in the ground, filled in the empty space, packed in the soil, and repeated the process.
Slowly, the new fence began to take shape, but as time passed the sun grew hotter. Impossibly hot. Sweat dripped from Artemis' brow as she hammered in one of the few remaining boards.
"Such a shame," came a low drawl.
"Get off of my property," Artemis growled, looking up to glare daggers at a wolf like man. His eyes were narrowed and his ragged coat hung to a thin frame.
"This ain't yours darling. It's your daddy's and my feet ain't touching the grass," Lycaon smirked.
"Listen buddy, I have a hammer," Artemis sneered, standing up and adjusting her grip on the hammer's handle.
"Is that a threat?" Lycaon asked, arching a brow.
"It's a warning."
"Careful, I know the sheriff," Lycaon reminded.
"The sheriff can kiss my ass!" Artemis frowned, watching the lanky, smelly, wolf like man walk slowly along the fence line.
"I'll be sure to tell him," Lycaon cooed, tipping his hat and heading on his way.
Muttering to herself, Artemis tried to focus back on the task at hand, but her mind wandered. She'd promised to meet Zoë at sunset to help with the farm, but the chances of that happening were slim to none now.
— — —
That night, Artemis suffered the consequences of her day in the sun. Her skin was red and tender in all areas she hadn't covered with clothing.
"Arty," Apollo sighed, doing his best to be gentle in rubbing aloe across his sister's sunburned skin, "you'll be lucky if this doesn't blister."
"I know," Artemis mumbled, wincing slightly as one of Apollo's nails grazed across a burn.
"Sorry," Apollo worried. "There. That should be all. We can do this again tomorrow morning."
"Thank you," Artemis smiled faintly.
"Hey," Apollo ventured, "you okay? You seemed anxious today."
"I uh...I needed to help a friend and I didn't," Artemis explained. "I fixed the fence instead."
"You know it could've waited."
"That's a lie Apollo," Artemis shook her head. "Don't act like father wouldn't fly off the handle if things weren't fixed when he got home."
"I wish you two would come to an understand-"
"There's no understanding to be had, Apollo. This is my job. I'm a woman. I stay home and I do what I'm told. Maybe fixing a fence is man's work but father doesn't care so long as he doesn't have to do it. Talking about it?" Artemis laughed bitterly, "That's a child's idea."
"I just want you to be happy," Apollo admitted.
"I haven't been happy since mom-"
"You need to try. Don't live in the past Arty. It's killing you."
Silence settled between the siblings for impossibly long. And although Artemis was angry, she wasn't necessarily angry at her brother. "Goodnight, Apollo."
"Goodnight," Apollo spoke softly, avoiding eye contact with his sister as she ventured upstairs to her room.
That night, Artemis lay awake, uncomfortable and in pain both from her sunburn and the memories Apollo had stirred. She recalled spending summer evenings beneath a large tree sprawled out in tall grass with her mother. The way she would laugh at Artemis' curious questions and how they'd make shapes out of the clouds passing by. Those days were something Artemis couldn't forget. In fact, she didn't know what life was like without missing them.
Sure, Apollo loved their mother, but it was different for her. There was something exponentially larger that she was missing. It wasn't something Artemis could explain but she could feel it in her very bones. She'd been deprived of a life she should have had. She had memories taken before they could even be made.
But staying awake that night gave Artemis the opportunity to hear a conversation she would have otherwise missed.
"Dad," Apollo insisted, "she needs a break. Just one day. One evening of freedom."
"Absolutely not," Zeus hissed. "One day and she'll be riding off into the wilderness just like-"
"She's unhappy. She's so...she's so sad all the time," Apollo interrupted. "This isn't fair to her."
"You think it's fair for all the other women of Olympus to see your sister riding off every evening to do who knows what while they have responsibilities?" Zeus asked.
"They like their responsibilities. They hate Artemis because she doesn't. You're not-you're not even making a fair comparison," Apollo stammered.
"Enough. Not another word about it or you can kiss your wages goodbye," Zeus threatened. Apollo gave some small noise of protest before keeping quiet.
Artemis had to give him credit for trying. Apollo rarely got into arguments, let alone with their father, and he'd fought on Artemis' behalf when he had no reason to. She'd have to thank him in the morning.
— — —
Unfortunately, Apollo's valiant effort to defend his sister resulted in another day spent doing chores. There was no room for an evening adventure. Artemis didn't even attempt to try and escape because if she did, she'd only make Zeus angrier. But all the while she was worrying. Worrying about young Calypso waiting impatiently for her to show up, that something horrible had happened to the farm, and that somehow it was her fault.
It was stupid to have such fears but they were there and she couldn't shake them. Hell, she'd only known the two sisters for a short time but she felt responsible for them. Partially because it was Zeus' fault they had to fend for themselves in the first place, and partially because Artemis hated breaking promises. She had to uphold them because, well, no one had ever upheld a promise for her that actually meant something.
So, on the third day that Zeus decided to make his daughter so busy she wouldn't get a chance to breathe, Artemis threw in the towel. She was done. If he needed something fixed, painted, cooked, stitched, or made, Zeus would have to do it himself.
Slipping out to the stable, Artemis didn't even bother putting on Stella's saddle bag, and instead climbed atop her noble steed and set out for the gates of Olympus. She ignored the protests of the guards and as soon as the large doors were cleared, she spurred Stella forward towards the farm.
When they arrived, Artemis was surprised to see everything in perfect order. No, not surprised, relieved.
The chicken coupe was still in tact, the fields had been watered, the laundry taken down and folded, and the apple trees were looking rather bare as if they'd recently been picked. Swallowing tightly, Artemis coaxed Stella towards the house.
All was quiet, as the auburn haired girl left Stella to graze near the porch as she ascended the steps. Knocking lightly upon the door, Artemis waited anxiously for a response. There was no answer.
"Hello?" She called, eyes scanning the windows for signs of a young Calypso peeking out at her. Nothing. "Listen, if you're mad at me I understand. I-I didn't mean to be absent the past few days. My father's kept me too busy to-"
The door opened slowly to reveal a rather betrayed looking Calypso. "What is it?"
"I, uh, I promised I'd come by didn't I?" Artemis asked.
"Yeah," Calypso frowned, "two days ago. You're lucky I answered the door. My sister wants nothing to do with you."
"Can I talk to her?" Artemis asked.
"Nah," Calypso shook her head, "but you can talk to me."
"Okay," Artemis nodded, "will you tell her that I'm sorry I didn't show up the past two days despite my promise? My father is particularly upset with me and he's kept me so busy I can scarcely leave my own home. I've been anxious to get back here and help like I promised, I swear it I have, but...life is complicated."
"I understand, Cowboy," Calypso sighed, resting her head on the door, "but you can't let your daddy tell you what to do. Aren't you an adult?"
"Yeah," Artemis mused, "but things are different in Olympus than they are here."
"Oh," Calypso frowned. "Why?"
"I don't know," Artemis admitted. "Just, make sure she knows I'm sorry."
"I will," Calypso promised, looking left and right as if she were about to commit a crime before giving Artemis a tight hug. "Bye Cowboy."
"Bye, Small One," Artemis smiled. She was surprised to say the least, that Calypso would so willingly hug her, but it was the kind of gesture Artemis needed. It reminded her that there was still a little bit of kindness in the world.
Letting go as quickly as she'd latched on, Calypso hastily shut the door leaving Artemis standing on the porch. Pursing her lips, Artemis lingered for a moment, before turning on her heel and collecting Stella. She did her best to make the ride home last as long as possible. The wrath of her father would not be kind, but she didn't care in that moment. All that mattered was that someone forgave her of her mistakes. Even if that someone was a twelve year old farm girl.