The door was wide open in our family's little house in little Rome. I could see the hills out in the distance. I could feel the beaches and the setting sun and the whispers of parents tucking their babies into bed. Like I was about to do. I could feel everything that was beautiful and pure in this little portion of California - the most beautiful state around.
"Piper," a deep voice said. I shivered a bit. When Jason, my husband, startles me like that... it's really scary. His voice commanded so much power. Sometimes he even scared the kids. He came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my size 8 waist.
"What are you doing?" He asks.
"Just... the sky. It's red. It's kind of violent..." I trail off, knowing the effect my words will have. I turn and look at his face. I love watching it happen.
His face screws in concentration, and in this strong man that is my husband, I almost see the teenager I first met when I was 16. His dusty-coral lips. His sandy blonde hair that glints off the sun, his azure eyes like the highest cloud in winter.
Suddenly the sky changes to a fading rose-pink. I realize that this is the exact color of my lips, and the rose-pink meets the coral.
We walk back to the house together. It's an adorable little cottage with a few stories. It's only ten minutes walk to the fence which sepeartes us from the camp. We live very close to it compared to everyone else. Once we were married, Jason got his pick of any house because he was a praetor, and I loved this one, so he pretended it had been his pick too.
We stop at the door, hearing the laughter of our son and daughters. Jason looks at me right in the eyes, his face lit up by the joy his children bring him. I've never seen anyone so gentle with our daughter. I've never seen such pride over a son.
The second his eyes meet mine, I know mine have retracted to green. It is the color they become when Jason looks at me and me alone. It is said that when a child of Aphrodite gazes into the eyes of her one true love, she or he begins to glow, and Jason heartily testifies that this is true.
We push open the door to greet our progeny. Our son Beau ran up and hugged his daddy's legs. He looked up at me with pleading five-year old doe eyes and said, "mama, can I have some ambwosia?" It was our kids' favorite thing. Zeus had made it so they could have as much as a normal demigod could, but i wasnt necessarily sure that was a good thing. It was their version of the very best swiss chocolate or something.
"No, baby, no now," I say, "let's get you to bed. Tomorrow, maybe."
he plays the cute card, tears welling up in his eyes, which are rapidly changing color. (he can control it. HOW? teach Mommy, Beau!) he gives his chubby gold curls a shake, and my heart breaks a little. He lets his eyes stay blue, the color of his father's. And then he got just the teenist bit of nectar. the kid knows how to work me.
Cain rushes downstairs.
"HE gets ambrosia? WHAT? Dude, that is SO not fair. It's just cause he's cute and little, huh?" Cain is fourteen. He'd be a heartbreaker if he's just get out there with girls. But he's such a wimp. He sits in the corner of the classroom, causing schoolwide blackouts when like gets boring.
Cain gets a spoonful, and flops on the couch to watch TV.
"Uh-uh. I'm not an old man yet, son. I can stills see my watch!" Jason jokes, "I'm only thirty-three. And i know it's nine o'clock on a school night - just enough rest for you to cause a lightning strike to Mr. Cambell tomorrow. Go to bed, Cain!"
Cain drags himself off the couch, but gives us goodnights and I love yous before heading off.
Our daughter emerges. At thirteen, she's a beauty. She has long golden-brown hair and my constantly changing eyes, the only trait of mine that her brother Cain didnt inherit. She has obvously been styling her hair in preperation for Monday, tomorrow. It hangs in ringlets cascading down her back, pinner back with a pearl-and silver pin, a gift from her grandmother.
she grabs and apple. She's nowhere near fat, but... back in the olden times, puppy fat was beautiful. So, children of Aphrodite aren't sticks or anything. Common misconception. It's not just the beanpoles that are daughters and cons of beauty. But she doesnt like it and I cant say it was the best for me, either.
"I love this clip," she says, " I miss Grandma. Can we visit her again sometime? Please?"
"we only go when we're summoned," Jason says, hugging her, "But I think as soon as you start camp in a few months, you'll get to be claimed by her."
He's hinting at something huge here. In the case of quarter-gods, you never know who'll claim who. Sometimes, there will be the poor kis who isnt claimed: has too little god or goddess in them. Of course, we as the parents are told by the time our children are three who they will be claimed by. Cain was claimed by Jupiter a summer ago, and Harmony and Beau will be claimed by Aphrodite. Harmony will be claimed in just a few weeks. Then she'll be.. pretty much a legionaire.
Cain came downstairs for a glass of water. He zapped himself on it.
"Grow some brains," scoffed Harmony.
He stuck his tongue out again and got electrocuted again. She flipped her hair and started to take Beau back to his room.
And that's when the unthinkable happened: Harmony was lifted into the air by a pink beam of light and the room began to smell like roses. she was spun around and around an before we knew it, she was let down, stunned and stuffed into a very beautiful outfit, what looked to be like a pink wedding dress, complete with rosettes and a tulle bottom. her hair was done like a goddess's and she glowed faintly pink. She wore gold jewelry and her hair was held back by her special pin. And then, Cain fainted, because Aphrodite appeared in full form next to my daughter, both of the looking nearly eequally beautiful.
Aphrodite spoke: "I claim Harmony Calista Grace for my own. I know this is early, but there is somethingI require of her."
Harmony leans forward excitedly. "what?"
Aphrodite looks at her seriously and Harmony shrinks a bit in the woman's presence.
"a blind date."