Chapter 7 Warming Tale

Helllloopollp guys it's me again! Now I know I've been really busy recently, so the update is not regular. Can't help it ya know. I'm in my important year and just to let you know 11 in high school, so I can't possibly mess things up. Anyway, managed to get a free time to make a chapter for you guys. Honestly though, I was having the thought of stopping the story until I finish high school. But then I remembered you guys and I thought it was just too cruel. So here is the chap. Short but cute!

The fact that I was still shackled up didn't enlighten me. I thought he'd already warmed up to me. I thought he was opening to his past and yet when the sun rose, we turned into Master and Pet again. But somehow I was happy about it. Not that he locked me up after our little cuddle in the night, but the fact that he had changed the ankle to shackle. So now my injured ankle was able to heal properly.

I touched the sides of my arms and pulled the knees up to my chest. His warmth was still there no matter how long had it passed. That night when he had his arms around me, it was the best night and sleep I had ever experienced.

I heard heavy and slow foot step as well as grunts out side the door. My head popped up to see Freyer carrying a stack of heavy boxes into the room. The poor girl. She was quite and cared only for Percy, which it concerned me a little though but still reassured me that he had someone to protect his back. I knew she was guilty about that incident though, honestly she was the victim in there. The fake letter she received had Percy symbol on it and everyone would have been fooled. That was why she wasn't there that day because the assassin told her to run an errand for Percy and they were able to put wolfsbane into Percy's drink. The Wolves were still pursuing the suspects and now all directions were pointed to the Olympians, though no one knew how they could sneak into the Wolf's territory.

But Freye was definitely suffering from the guilt and to redeem herself, she had been taking on extra work lately and I felt sorry for her. Percy already said it was not her fault.

Having it in my head, I approached the poor girl.

"Hey, do you need any help?" I tried to be friendly. I knew she wasn't in good moods around these day, even though normally it was still hard to tell what she was thinking. But it was good not to anger her. Never thought I would be afraid of angering a servant, I laughed in my head. I made Zeus throwing his bolt and below, I made Poseidon to cause tsunami from anger and I had never been afraid of setting people off. Yet ever since my captivity, I somehow learned which situation was best to open my mouth and who should I make friendship with.

Freye glanced at my chain and than at my face. I still had that stupid grin on it.

"The length of your chain can barely reach the bed. My destination is the back room." A cold, apathetic voice.

I turned nervous and a little embarrassed. I looked at my chain again. True I could only walk in a radius around sixteen feet, I could make it to the door and to the walls on my left, but everything on my right was out of reach.

"Well..." I scratched my head. "At least I can share the loads for a short distance."

She looked around, to the door, then to the boxes and back at me. She sighed.

"Do what you want" and continued to carry them.

I knew she wanted my help. It just became her pride was bigger than her strength, so she sounded like she didn't require my help. Happily, I grinned and shared with her the loads. She looked at me in surprise but I didn't say anything but smiled. The stuff was heavy, I didn't know how could she manage to make it that far. Only if the Bronze chains didn't contain my power. Otherwise I could've picked these up with one hand. We made it to near the back of the room until I felt a pull at my ankle. The shackles froze and creaked in alarm. I looked at the chains in disappointment, it had reached its limit. I turned to Freye and my smile dropped. She responded with a sigh and shook her head before lowering the boxes to the ground.

"I'm sorry" I told her, "I wish my chain was longer"

She was quite for a moment, then suddenly took a hold at the bottom box and picked all the stack up following a grunt. She didn't look at me and just walked pass, but I heard a mutter from her lips.

"Thank you"

I didn't see her for the rest of the day after that.

Night fall and things just returned to its own schedule. The lanterns magically lit and the walking of people outside the doors stopped. It's been so long since my last encounter with the Moon. I dear it so much but what can I do? The cave was like a second Underworld. You don't know whether it's day or night unless the lanterns are on.

Th doors opened and I didn't bother to look. Percy stepped in with his usual black tunic and pants. I hadn't seen anyone in this cave wore any other colour except black. None had a different hair colour either. All were black except their skin which was pale and fair. He gave me a glance and a smile that somehow sent my heat beating wildly.

"How was your day?" He asked without looking, pouring some tea into a cup.

"Oh don't even bother" I sneered in sarcasm. "It was beyond great. You know what my day is like. Besides from walking to the middle of the room, I can only count blocks at this corner."

He took a long sip and placed the cup on the table hard enough to make the other cups rattling. He turned to me and I stiffened. Did I anger him again?

He walked closer as I pressed my back more onto the wall behind. Until my spine was straight and I went rigid, then he would stop approaching me. He was at my level, his eyes gleamed with the light of fascination and curiosity. He never looked at others this way. His hand suddenly attempted to move towards me and I pressed my head more onto that cold wall. Please don't make a scratch on my face with your claws, I plead in my head. But his hand turned and his finger gently lifted my chin. His leaned closer, his eyes looked down at me in an arrogant yet seductive way. I swallowed hard as he whispered on my lips, my heart dropped at that moment.

"You get it for being my pet"

He pinched my cheek playfully before standing up and left to the bathroom. I sat there looking at the blank and tried to feel the sensation of that pinch, which was slowly dissolving into my skin. Why was it so hard to breathe?

He never took me seriously. Not my words or attention. He found mocking and teasing me entertaining and he kept on with the game. Dinner was served as always and Freye would bring up how plates of hot and delicious food. The smell of soups and steaks got my stomach churning and rumbling. But I knew my treat, a loaf of cold tasteless bread all the way.

He glanced down at me while I was drooling over the dinner he had and smirked.

"Don't expect much from this goddess" he said looking at the hot food before picking up the loaf of bread as usual and waved it before me. It pulled me back to reality and I glared at him. 'Jerk!' I wanted to mutter but instead just turned away from the table.

"Here" he threw it on the floor in front of me. "Know your treats"

There he again still observed for my reaction. I knew what he was expecting. He wanted to mock my pride and that I wouldn't except his food. I didn't know why he still found it fascinating. It's been nearly three months he'd been throwing me food like feeding a dog. Yet he always wanted to get another reaction out of me. No happening buddy.

I rolled my eyes at his smuggling face and picked up the bread. I ripped the edges until now it had a shape like a steak. Satisfying from my work, I looked up at him with a smirk while his eyes widened in surprise. I picked up the artificial-handmade steak full of starch and about to take a bit before a hand reached out and grabbed my wrist. I startled and opened my eyes to see Percy sitting right in front of me. Before I could get a reply, he snatched the bread from my hand and threw it across the room. I attempted to reach for it but I was too late, my stomach screamed in agony as it watched my dinner laying flat on the other side of the room. I retrieved myself and faced him. A smirk was still there on his face as if he wanted a new reaction from me. I wanted to slap him so much but I knew it wasn't a wise idea. The guards would be pouring in any second if I make any attempt to hurt him. I tried hard to suppress my anger, yet my eyes were already wet a little. I don't normally cry. I just didn't know why when I was in front of him, I felt weak and pathetic.

"What do you want now?" I tried to keep normal but tired voice, mixing with a sigh to show him I'd had enough of his games. "So I'm gonna be starved from now on?"

He smiled at me which irritated me even more. Did he drink something wrong? Suddenly he turned his head to the direction of the back room and ordered.

"Freye! Make me some soups and spaghetti!"

I looked at his grin in surprise and confusion. Until Freye Brough out a tray of his order and placed them in front of me, the smell of the food hit my nostril like a wrecking ball. My stomach rumbled just from the gentle smoke of the hot plates. He picked up the folk and held it to me. I frowned at him as he raised his brow and urged the folk forward.

"What now?" I said to him. "Magical food that will disappear the moment I touch it?"

"Tsk" he sighed and swirled a handful of spaghetti on the folk and pushed it towards my mouth. "Ahhh?"

Was he seriously trying to baby feeding me? I looked at him weirdly and confusingly and he kept itching the food onto my lips. It was compelling that I just wanted to open my mouth and swallow them all. But my pride kept me from doing and also that situation was so embarrassing.

"Say Ah common" he kept pushing the food towards me. "Don't be shy. Say Ah and eat ok?"

The more I leaned my head back, the father he pushed forward. Until finally, my mind gave out because of the delicious taste of spaghetti on my lips and I reluctantly open my mouth. He just wanted for it and pushed the food into where it should be. The taste of hot food hit my tongue like flour coated chicken dropping into hot oil as they start frying. He retrieved the folk from me mouth and grin.

"That's the good girl"

My cheek changed colour in embarrassment and I snatched the folk from his hand and started digging into the food like there was no tomorrow. It had been so long for me to taste something other than bread and I mourned for this. I couldn't breathe from the eating and I forgot how good the stuff was. That was probably the best meal ever in my life.

Until when I felt the food kicked in, when I hunger had subsided and I slowly down my craving on the food. I looked up at him from the plate I was holding and he stuffed a laugh. That laughter soon turned out to be loud and he squirmed on the floor, holding his stomach. After awhile with my looks of confusion, he sat back up swept his tears.

"Oh my Chaos" He grinned and reached out his hand. I thought he was doing something to my face again, but he just cared my cheek gently and swept the tomato sauce from it by his thumb. I just realised my manner and all and I looked down in embarrassment.

"Just how much more can you surprise me, Artemis?"

My heart beat stopped. Did he just called me by my name? Did I hear that wrong? Did he just....My eyes widened in shock as I looked at the almost finished plate of food. He had never called me my name ever since my captivity but rather addressed me as goddess and pet and that. Surprisingly enough he also said it in a soft voice that I almost didn't recognise. Even the old Percy couldn't make it that soft and caring.

He retrieved his hands and leaned back from me.

"I thought you all goddess was the same" he said. "Take your pride above all and wouldn't know what is the best situation not to be brave and be smart. I thought you would never eat the breads I gave you."

"Oh trust me I'm worse than who you are imagining" I matched his tone. I realised once he spoke in this arrogant voice, I could return to be the sassy Artemis. "It's just I don't want to die with an empty stomach."

He chuckled and leaned closer to me. Too close for my brain to like but for my heart to not melt from it. He let out breath dancing a little before saying.

"Well guess what? Now you don't have to taste breads anymore."

I finished his dinner as well that night.

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