An Honour: Artemis

Possessive of a sheltered heart, fiery attitude and frosty eyes, this deity calculates and cultivates her identity and her worth, a standpoint that projects a grounding view of humanity. Her quiver is always full of sharpened arrows, which never fail to hit their target, a truth that is at times unfortunate. In step with this is the temper of a Titian, and a thirst for revenge or cruelty of a sort. This streak of evil causes many acquaintances to be taken aback as it belies their expectations of a sweet conservative pious maiden. Watching mankind for afar, she has developed a wisdom and outlook that, despite her experience could stand her in good stead. However blending with this strange mixture of cruelty and worldliness is something of a naivety and innocence which causes her to also be protected and encouraged by her fellow Olympians. 

An Honour: Chiron

Learned teacher of man and God, Chiron faintly echoes the shallow lustful nature of his brothers while dedicating himself to his loved ones and his books. Unlike his brothers in character, he is able to view his world objectively from the shelter of his papered cave, and provide meaningful instruction for his fellow deities and protégés. Though the fires of immortality burn through his veins, the love and gratitude of the gods will do much to ensure that his skills are appreciated and his name is written in the stars. Chiron’s poison arrow is an immortal pain, an insecurity of his worth that could, if not overcome, terminate his future. 

An Honour: Ares

One of the least threatening of the deities in spite of his martial prowess and rearing is Ares. This god’s title means very little for he repeatedly fails to realise the ideals that the Gods are supposed to imbue. One of the more passionate of the cohort, this soldier, surrounding himself with glory, follows his emotions and flaring passions in regimental style. The repetition and predictability of these offences reinforces that he cares not for the merits of an individual conquest but purely for the fact that he has a conquest to achieve. It is for this reason that he falls before the strategy and wisdom of the calm and controlled Athene. 

An Honour: Athene

Goddess of wisdom, strategy, and foresight. As the eldest of her father’s daughters, she has subsumed the maternal role and organises the events of the season while still keeping a watchful eye out for her younger sisters. As a replacement Hera she has subconsciously absorbed her stepmother’s marital feelings, although with more pressing matters at hand, it has so far had little affect. This immortal princess has been found to be generous with both her time and her possessions. The pragmatist in her demands that she never approaches an adventure blindly or unaware of the possible outcomes or pitfalls that could eventuate. Meanwhile as the strategist, she may hold an ace or two up her sleeve, and has proved more than once the benefits of strategy and foresight especially combined with the passions of [war]. However it must not be forgotten that she has both a wit and a sense of humour that does unexpectedly bubble to the surface, influencing her generosity and contributing to her already bright-eyed personality.

Dawn Farewell

The girl stood at the fence quietly watching as the bus rolled down the slope and out of sight. She had woken early that morning because she needed to say that final goodbye. Needed to say something, though she still knew not what. The previous night had been the beginning of the end: a festive gathering of friends, though there contained a thread of sadness: it had been the chance to farewell old friends and wish them well in the years to come. For the girl, the young man had prolonged that farewell until the last minute. She’d hoped to spend the morning with him, watching the sunrise over the lake, bringing with it new hopes and new paths into the world. Unfortunately she had watched the sun rise alone, unprotected from the chill that was creeping through her veins.

As the bus rounded the corner and was lost from sight, the tears the girl had fought so hard to hold back had welled up and cascaded down her face. However she remained motionless, unable to halt their course or quench their flow. It was possible that that had been their final meeting. The last time he would stand before her humble and distressed by her silence. The last time she would see him, hear him, laugh with him, tease him, and be comforted by him. The last time she would watch as a smile lit up his eyes and face

Her thoughts moved through the approaching future in which he played no role. Already he was becoming little more than a pleasant memory and the cause of a wonderful week. She knew he’d never fade. The memories they shared were too precious and too important to her: they were all she had to remind her of that idyll. But the last one was most precious: as he stood waiting for the words to come to her, as the bus stood waiting for him.

The sun’s embrace was now warming; it curled around her back and lapped at her stained cheek. But the girl felt nothing. She had already slipped into her memories for that last embrace before he had disappeared into the still morning.