The door to Artemis’ bedchamber creaked open, and in walked Apollo, his nose wrinkling in disgust at the smell that assaulted his senses. He balanced a tray of food in one hand, the other holding the door open as he surveyed the room. Clothes were strewn about haphazardly, and the once-white sheets on the bed were now a dingy gray.
In the middle of it all lay Artemis, looking pale and drawn. She turned her head away from the tray as Apollo approached, her eyes half-closed.
“Artemis, you have to eat something,” Apollo said, setting the tray down on a bedside table and pulling up a chair. “You’ve been in bed for days.”
Artemis sighed and sat up, leaning against the headboard. “I’m not hungry.”
Apollo looked at her critically. “You haven’t showered either. You’re starting to smell.”
Artemis glared at him. “Thanks for the compliment.”
Apollo chuckled. “I didn’t mean it like that. But you can’t just mope around in bed forever. You need to take care of yourself.”
Artemis looked down at her hands. “I broke my vow. I’m a disgrace.”
Apollo shook his head. “No, you’re not. You’re human. You made a mistake. It’s not the end of the world.”
Artemis looked at him, her eyes filling with tears. “But I let them down. Athena and Hestia. They trusted me.”
Apollo reached out and took her hand. “They’ll understand. They’re your sisters. They love you.”
Artemis sniffled and wiped her eyes. “I don’t deserve their love.”
Apollo squeezed her hand. “Of course you do. Now, come on. Let’s get you up and moving.”
Artemis resisted. “I don’t want to.”
Apollo stood up and pulled the curtains open, letting in the light. “Too bad. You’re going to shower and eat something, whether you like it or not.”
Artemis groaned, but Apollo was insistent. He helped her out of bed and towards the attached bathing chamber, ignoring her protests. Once inside, he turned on the water and waited for it to warm up.
“Fine,” Artemis huffed. “But I’m doing this on my own.”
Apollo raised an eyebrow. “After days in bed, you think you can stand on your own two feet?”
Artemis glared at him, but he could see the stubbornness in her eyes. She was determined to prove him wrong. With a sigh, Apollo stepped back and let her have her way.
As Artemis stepped into the shower, Apollo couldn’t help but admire her strength and determination. Yes, she had made a mistake, but she was taking steps to rectify it. She was a goddess, after all, and goddesses didn’t stay down for long.
As he waited for her to finish, Apollo couldn’t help but smile. His sister was on her way back to her old self, and he couldn’t be prouder.
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