NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: CH 30
He offered her a smile. For a moment, she looked like she was going to smile back, then seemingly remembered herself, and sat down instead.
"They are delicious," she repeated herself, as she sat comfortably and ate another cookie. "He also wouldn't let me have any," Artie said, still pouting.
Zoë stared at Artie, before changing her incredulity over to Harry. "Thou denied My Lady?" she asked, her tone halfway between shocked, appalled, and angry.
Harry shrugged. "Well, yeah. I made them for you. It would be kind of a waste to bake you cookies, and then let someone else eat them."
"You didn't bake me cookies when we first met," Artie said, still pouting as it seemed Zoë wasn't about to share her bounty either.
"I gave you macaroni and cheese," Harry replied. "And you loved it."
Artie crossed her arms, and looked away. " Yes, I did," she said, as if admitting it hurt. "Thou canst cook as well?" Zoë asked. "Not only cookies?" Harry smiled widely; he would have to do something very nice for Hestia. Her suggestion of baking cookies seems to have broken the ice with Zoë! "I live by myself, Miss Zoë," the young boy explained. "So I always cook for myself. Hestia has left me a book of recipes, and I try new ones every day. Hestia has said I learn quickly, and that I'm pretty good at it."
The Hunter nodded. "High praise coming from a goddess," she said. Artie grunted, and looked away, still not having gotten a cookie and seemingly unwilling to straight-out ask for one.
Zoë looked at her goddess, and apparently realized what was wrong. "Wouldst thou like one, My Lady?" she offered the container.
"Yes, please," Artie said, not even bothering with pretending otherwise. Snatching one, she bit into it as if worried someone would take it from her.
Zoë seemed as amused by the goddess' actions as Harry was. Not that she showed it as obviously as he did.
"Anyway," Artie coughed, after devouring her cookie and realizing that she had finished it just a tad quickly. "Zoë, I have been teaching Harry the basics of survival over the last Zoë nodded. "Very well," she said to Harry. "We shall start. Follow me." she nodded to Artie. "My Lady."
Artemis' look of amusement grew at the sight of her lieutenant's disgruntlement.
"Thanks, Miss Zoë!" Harry said, grinning widely. "Thanks, Artie!" he shot at the amused Goddess of the Hunt, following Zoë out of the tent.
The Hunter kept up a good pace, and little Harry had to leg it to keep up. "Explain to me why thou art interested in these lessons, boy," she said as they walked.
Harry's legs pumped, but he managed to keep up. "Do…" he started, and then asking, softly, "do you have to call me that?" he asked, plaintively.
couple of months, and it has come to the point where I don't have sufficient available time if I am to teach him properly. I have brought Harry here for training, in other words. As we discussed, I would like it if you were to consent to taking over his training."
The Hunter was silent for a few moments, while Harry gave her hopeful looks.
"My Lady, is this a command?" she finally asked. "If thou were to ask it of me, then of course I shall."
Artie shook her head. "I would never order any of my Hunters to spend time with a male, especially not if it is against their wishes. This is strictly voluntary."
Zoë turned her gaze back to Harry, who was still doing his best to give her hopeful looks. "We shall see," She finally decided, addressing him. "I still give thee a lesson. I shall expect the very best of thee. If thou passes, we shall continue, until such a time that thou fails. Or thou decides to stop."
Harry nodded, grinning widely. "That's how Artie's been teaching me too, Miss Zoë. I don't mind."
The Hunter seemed to sigh, and debate with herself on whether this was a good idea after all. She shot another look at her goddess, who just looked back, amused.
"My Lady?" Zoë asked. "Art thou sure?" Artie kept her amused look. "It was how I was roped into this as well, Zoë. Hestia asked me to teach the boy how to survive in the wild. I decided on giving him one lesson, make it harsh, and ensure that he wouldn't wish to continue. Instead, I found myself with an eager pupil, who kept up despite my efforts." Zoë stared at him, hard. Harry swallowed, and went on when she remained silent. "They must have gotten tired of me," the boy whispered. "Because they left me in New York after buying my passport from me for 100 dollars. I used it to buy food. And a blanket. But then the money was gone, and I was tired and hungry again. So I ate out of a skip when I could."
"A… 'skip'?" Zoë asked, her voice a curious lilt, as if she were bracing herself for an
answer she wouldn't like.
"Call thee what?" Zoë asked, confused, shooting him a look.
Harry swallowed. "Boy," he said. "It's what they…" He stopped, then forced himself to continue. Zoë had to know. "My aunt and uncle… called me that when they threw me in my cupboard without food for a few days."
Zoë looked at him, and for a moment, Harry thought her harsh look softened. It may have been his imagination. Or not. Because she kept quiet a few moments, then nodded.
"I see," she said. "Just like some of my sisters, thou hast not had good guardians." She nodded once. "I shall refrain from calling thee 'boy'." She fell silent again, thinking for a few moments. "Please remind me should I forget." She looked down at him, staring intently at his face. "Let me know if there is anything else I should avoid saying, or doing. I may not like thee, as thou art male, but that does not mean I hate thee enough to wish to remind you of certain events."