.1, Daughter of the Sea
….
My mother hadn't been a normal human, she was the daughter of a demi-god and the granddaughter to Hades himself. So of course in true Greek sense, when she was an adult she fell in heat with his brother. Sure you're probably thinking, whoah that's messed up, or cool Adriana you're the daughter of Zeus or you know whatever it is that people normally assume when I say the brother of Hades. Zeus actually isn't the only brother Hades has, and for the record he can go fuck himself. Anastasia West, my mother, actually fell for Hades's other brother, you know god of the sea, the earth shaker, ol' Poseidon himself. Now you're probably thinking, that's pretty cool Poseidon is super powerful and controls the whole ocean, and while that is still a generalized assumption let me say this.
Contrary to what anyone has ever told you, being a demi-god is not cool, it's not fun. Being the daughter of one of the big three makes it even less cool and all the more dangerous. But of course my mother hadn't known any of that when she fell for my father. Lucky, because if she had, then I might not have been born. Now despite all of this, and how dangerous my life was, and all the struggles I have faced. I can't say I haven't enjoyed it. I have friends, I have a mother that loves me, a half-brother who would defy the heavens for me, and a family I would die for. I've had a good life so far. Not a long one, but it's been good.
Oh, this probably isn't the best way to start my story. You're probably thinking this is just another Greek tragedy. Another young demi-god dying young. It's not. I'm not actually dying you see, just contemplating my mortality. The rate isn't too high, and from time to time you find yourself thinking on it. For myself it's more often than others. Especially now, after everything that's occurred. But were not quite there yet.
So let me go back a little, a few years a max. I need to start over in my explanation. You need to understand exactly how I got here, standing on the edge of this cliff contemplating my short life. The starting point, exactly ten years ago today. Perhaps a few years was a bit of an understatement. My stepfather tried to drown me. Joke was on him though, you couldn't drown the daughter of the sea.
I was eight then.
We'd gone out to the lake house, my mom's a doctor at this small town hospital and worked lots of hours but once a year during the spring she would take a full week off and we'd go to the lake. It wasn't too far from town but it felt like getting away. She wasn't the only one who owned a house on the lake either, her partner Dr. Greyson Gilbert owned a house on the lake too and he usually brought his family out around the same time. We were all really close.
However this one time was different. Mom hadn't been able to get the full week off like normal, she'd used up some of her vacations earlier in the year when I'd been really sick. So for the first two days it was the three of us like normal and then she had to work the next two. Now up until this point my stepfather had never shown any sign of malice or ill intentions towards me. I was my mom's world, if he had she would have never left me alone with him.
Mortals were just so easy to influence.
The following morning had started off like any other morning. Mom got up, and started getting ready for work. Next was my step-dad he got up next and started making breakfast as it was his thing and mom almost never ate more than a granola bar. After mom was ready for the day she roused me. I hadn't slept well that night, my dreams had haunted me. We all ate breakfast together that morning before she headed into town to go to work.
Everything was normal. Following breakfast I helped my stepfather clean up and then went and got myself ready for a day on the lake. The only noticeable difference were the dark circles under his eyes. I hadn't been the only one missing sleep.
We went out after getting the kitchen back in order and getting dressed. I rushed out the front door as soon as permission had been given, he followed at a sedated pace behind. Hands stuffed in his pockets rolling his eyes and sighing the entire time. Exasperated by my antics. It couldn't be helped, I loved the water. Still do.
I dove right in. Nathaniel, my stepfather, he plopped down in the sand watching from the shore. It probably wasn't an hour later when everything changed. Something in him just snapped, I think, it's the only thing to explain what happened. Chaos gleaming in his eyes.
I didn't even have time to scream. Not that it would have done any different. For all I knew we were the only ones there. No one would even hear me. He'd gotten up in a fit, diving straight into the lake after me. Yelling nothing but madness, to this day I still couldn't understand what he'd been spewing.
My stepfather, for the record was a recreational trainer, lunged after me with great accuracy. At first I thought he was just messing around. It didn't even register in my head at the time he was attacking me. Another reason I hadn't screamed. He finally after a minute or so of water wrestling got a good grip on me and slammed me down just below the water.
Drowning wasn't going to kill me, I of course didn't know that at the time. So you can imagine the fear and the panic a faced in that moment. By far it is still the most traumatizing experience of my life. I've never been more afraid for my life than I was then. I really thought I was going to die.
I don't know when I realized that the water wasn't filling my lungs that I could still breathe. It could have been seconds, minutes, hours even but I couldn't tell you. Everything happened so fast. The earth quacked, rumbling in protest, the once calm lake had become angry, waves that shouldn't have existed in the first place crashed on the surface. And everything stopped.
The King of the Sea, had arrived.
From what I would come to learned the gods weren't meant to interfere with their demi-god children. It wasn't something they did. Supposedly it was against their law or something. Even now it seemed rather odd and flawed. I was an eight year old kid, my stepfather was trying to kill me, and you're going to tell me that my father was just going to accept that. Then you obviously didn't know him very well. I think out of all his siblings, he loved his children the most. Or he really hated the rules.
In hindsight you couldn't really bind the ocean. I would learn later that the reason he interceded then was because I'd been the cause of the quaking earth and roaring waters. If he hadn't, if I'd continued to panic I would have destroyed everything in a 20 mile radios. So he claimed.
I am plucked from the lakes floor, my lungs and eyes burned from the crying and screaming I'd done beneath the surface. Poseidon cradles me to his chest, it's warm, familiar, the smells of salt and sand mix together pleasantly. It calms me almost instantly. Faintly I can hear the sound of legs pushing through the water slowly and when he's feet hit the shore it drains me completely. I no longer have the water to power my outburst.
He carries me back to the Lakehouse, I will never forget how it felt. Being carried by my father. The whole while he mutters calming words, in ancient Greek of course, into my damp hair. Poseidon doesn't put me down even after getting into the lake house, as he calls the Hospital to tell my mother to come home. My father holds me in his arms until my mother gets there, he doesn't let me go for a long time after that either.
Mom doesn't ask what happened to Nathaniel, I don't think she wants to know. I never ask either. Because I just don't care. He'd tried to kill me. It's not something you just get over easily.
They argue for a long time after she gets back. About what happens now, about what this would mean for me. The sky outside darkens, Poseidon's interference hasn't gone unnoticed. His brother was not happy. Like I said earlier Zeus could go and fuck himself.
In the end, after several heated glances and harsh words, without any input from myself that I would be going to a camp for demi-gods for the rest of the summer. My mom while not happy, in the slightest, reluctantly relented. First thing in the morning I would be taken to Camp Half Blood, more than 350 miles away. Poseidon himself would be taking me. I wondered how many of their 'laws' he broke that day.
I was still in a daze, after everything that had happened the day before or else I think I would have protested more. Instead I sort of just went docilely with the man claiming to be my father. My mother kissed my forehead promising to see me again soon and before I knew it I was no longer in the small Virginian town I called home but was standing alone in front of a large house. Of course I did what any eight year old in my position would do and I started to cry. Loudly.
"Hey what's that noise?" Someone calls out from inside the house. A teen with dark messy hair, and eyes like mine poke their head out from the opened door. Followed by startled noise and then yelling back into the house.
The teen, a boy no other than fifteen hopes off the porch quickly. His long lanky legs carry him over to me quickly. He bends down to my level, unsure. Suddenly the same sense of warm calm washes over me. Instinctually I know that we are related. I practically launch myself into him, wrapping my arms around his neck, buried my face in the crock of his neck. Still bawling. To his credit he doesn't push me off of him or anything like that.
"Ugh, Chiron?" He sounds so unsure, uncomfortable even. I would apologize later. Slowly I lift my head up to look at the new noise. The sound of approaching footsteps and wheels rolling on wood.
I am pried carefully from his arms, by another person. A teenage girl with a quizzical look in her eyes and a soft smile. "I know you're scared, but can you tell us your name?" She ask softly. My eyes turn to the boy who I have decided is my lifeline and the only person who feels familiar to me in this bizarre situation. He looks at the girl beside him she offers him a faint smile, his eyes meet mine and he nods. Encouraging me to answer the question.
I stutter out my name. "Adr..ian..a Wes…t." The blonde girl gives an encouraging nod of her head, she offers me another smile. What I don't see is the wide eyed look on the man in the wheelchair or the look he gives the teens.
"Annabeth, Percy, why don't we help Miss. West inside. So we can figure out where she came from." He suggest from his position on the porch. The teens stand to their full height, after a moment the dark haired boy who I will assume is Percy offers me his hand.
"Come on, we'll figure out what's going on." It takes me a moment to take his extended hand but when I finally do I hold it as tight as I can manage. I didn't want to lose the only sense of familiarity here.
I never do figure out why I was so attached to him, why I felt like I did, how I knew that we were related, or why he made me feel so safe. But then again I never did ask.
Eventually we settle in a small parlor of sorts. Annabeth stood behind the man they called Chiron and I had insisted that Percy sit next to me on the small ugly colored sofa. Percy while confused and probably still unsure about my preference to him did comply. To the amusement of the blonde girl.
"Miss. West do you know how you came to be here?" I blinked in confusion, didn't he realize I was eight. He must have noticed because he added. "How did you end up in front of the house?" Once clarified I gave a nod of my head, that I understood and could explain. While still unsure of the entire situation and recovering from the events of the day before I did my best. Even the parts that hadn't made sense to me. Like the fact that demi-gods were apparently a thing and my dad was supposedly Poseidon.
Chiron sighed once I had finished my explanation, Percy had stiffened beside me, and Annabeth's face was completely shocked. "I thought so. I had hoped it would be a long time before we had to meet Miss. West. But I've been expecting you." Percy shot up quickly, stalking out of the room hastily. Annabeth after looking towards Chiron went after him.
All I could do was frown. Not at all understanding what had just happened. The man in the wheelchair sighed before beckoning me to follow him. Something about a tour before lunch and introductions to the camp Director. My eyes lingered uncertainly to where Percy had stormed out, my only piece of familiarity gone. I had no idea the impact on him of what I had just told them.
"Give him some time, he will come around." I nodded my head, but the anxiety remained.
When the tour was completed, after I'd met the camp director who was supposedly Dionysus the god of wine, and just in time for lunch I was officially claimed. Daughter of the Sea, I was now one of three children in Camp who's parent was one of the Big Three. I was suddenly feeling very self-conscious and shy and in my insecurities I forgot to eat completely.
Percy, who I was informed was my half-brother didn't make an appearance at lunch. Chiron got a reluctant looking ghostly looking teen to show me to my cabin. He gave out a huff in exasperation but did eventually show me the way. His name of Nico de something, I sort of stopped listening after he gave his first name, he was the son of Hades that part I had heard but then I just tuned the rest of what he said out. Nico deposited me in front of Cabin 3 and then promptly vanished into the shadows.
The only reason I knew it was cabin 3 was because of the gaudy bronze trident intertwined with the number 3. I looked up at the building warily, it was long and low, with pieces of coral and shell along the outside walls. It was the smell that got me though, it was a mixture of my lake house home and the falls from my hometown. But smelling it now, the scents that use to bring me comfort, use to make me feel content. All they did was traumatize me even further.
I use to love the lake house and everything to do with it, that love was replaced by fear. I was afraid of the very thing I was born to love. I never wanted to step foot in that lake ever again. It would be a long time before I could even venture out there.
"Adriana?" I wiped my head around quickly, thoroughly startled. Percy gave me a sheepish look scratching the back of his head while doing so. He must have realized what his sudden appearance did. There was something different about him, perhaps what had been bothering him before he'd gotten over.
"Ugh.." Words did not seem to be my forte today. He sighed taking my poor excuse of communication skills in stride, shaking his head slightly.
"Why don't I give you a tour of the inside, and then you can pick your bed." I looked at him dumbly for several seconds my brain till trying to catch up.
Eventually I squeaked, yes squeaked, out a yes. My face flushing as I did so. I ducked my head down, wide auburn curls falling in my face. As if they protected me somehow. Percy chuckled at me, placing a hand on my shoulder and instead of letting me embarrass myself any further he ushered me inside the cabin.
The ocean beach vibes from the outside continued on in the inside as well. I took me a minute to take it all in. Seven bunk beds in total, beautiful giant windows that looked out to the ocean, the walls glowed. It was surreal. My poor eight year old brain really couldn't handle it.
I looked back at Percy, I didn't know how I felt about calling him brother yet, he was watching me closely. There was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. He probably wasn't sure how I was going to react. Maybe he thought I'd start crying again, there was still a good chance of that to be honest. I'd always been a bit of a cry baby. Percy shook his head, as if he was going to say something. But he ended up keeping whatever it was to himself.
I'd gone back to examining the cabin. Taking hesitant steps further into my new home. Mom had explained to me last night before they'd put me down for bed that I would be staying at camp until summers end. She'd come pick me up when it was over and we'd drive back to Virginia. I didn't know how I felt.
Actually that was a lie. I knew exactly how I felt then, and let me tell you it wasn't the least bit pleasurable. There were knots in my stomach, I was chalk full of nerves, scared and alone in this bizarre new world. All I wanted to do was crawl into one of those empty bunks and cry myself to sleep, praying that I'd wake up in my own bed and that all of this had been some crazy too much sun exposure induced dream.
I'd only felt like that one other time before. Lost, scared, and utterly alone. It had been a few years before that. When I'd gotten all the memories of my past life back. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this earlier. So I should probably pause and explain that statement.
Reincarnation was real. I use to be someone else.
Now I was the daughter of a Greek god, in a strange universe that shouldn't have existed. It should have all been fiction. Too bad I had a bad habit of tempting fate. Eventually they'd take you up on your offer. I should have known.
Before I was Adriana West, demi-god, I used to be a normal human. I lived a normal boring life and had wished for something greater. So it really is my fault, they say be careful what you wish for. You never know who might be listening and decide to grant you those wishes.
"Adriana?" Percy's concerned voice brought me back from where my thoughts had drifted. My eyes widened, my face flushed again in embarrassment this time from being caught spacing out. He probably thought I was ditzy or something.
My brain thought so too 'cause I couldn't form words again. Lips opened and closed like a fish out of water. Come on Adriana, say something. Anything. "Are you okay? I know it's a lot." His tone had shifted from uncertain concern, and was softer more genuine. All I could manage was a slight nod.
I wasn't, okay that was, but I would be. I'd have to be.
I watch him for a moment afterwards, he smile brightly. Like anime quality bullshit. Followed by a quick look of realization and running over the bunk that was his. He throws a candy bar at me I catch it clumsily between my uncoordinated hands. Confused.
"Nico told me you didn't eat anything at lunch." As if the reminder of lunch was all my subconscious needed, my stomach promptly growled. The embarrassment.
"Tha..nk.. You." I did eventually manage which received another smile from my brother. He gave me a thumbs up too. Percy was sort of a dork.
"I'll help you get settled, your stuff appeared while you were touring camp with Chiron, so yeah…" His voice trailed off. My stuff… It was here, I'm sure my expression dropped even further then. The final straw, it was real, and I was now stuck here.
"Hey don't make that face, just like me your only here for the summer and the summer goes by pretty fast." He bent down to my level then, calmly reaching forward to brush the forming tears from my eyes. I told you I was a cry baby. We joke about it later, and Percy did credit my first month at camp to how easy he had it when dealing with Estelle when she was born, but we weren't quite there yet.
Stubbornly I push his hand away from my face acting like the total brat I was being right then. The truth was I wasn't coping well to everything that had happened and was overflowing with anxieties. That my tide like emotions were making me grumpy. To Percy's credit, he handled it beautifully.
I'd never respected someone as much as I'd respected my mom, but let me tell you. My brother, hero, savior of Olympus, he came really close. The jerk knew it too.
He didn't say anything blinking at me, looking at my hand that had just pushed his away. Shrugging he stood. "Come on, I want to show you something. Then will come back and unpack your stuff." That's all he says before turning and heading to the door. It's not a few seconds later that I'm chasing after him.
"Wait for me." Percy stops, I reach him. Grab a small part of the back of his shirt. Mumbling I'm sorry. He pats the top of my head and nods.
"Don't worry about it." He then ask if I want to ride on his back. Informing me it would be quicker that way. I nod my head, a little unsure. Percy squats down, I climb on, hooking my arms around his neck.
I rest my chin on his left shoulder, so I can see everything. He carries me past the other cabins gesturing at each of them, explaining who the belonged to, without saying some of their names, talking about some of his friends from each cabin. A few campers stop him along the way to talk, some ask for his opinion, and things of the sort. He smiles at them, talks back, points them in the direction of someone else who could help them, going about his business afterwards.
Eventually after what felt like a million year hike through a section of woods, we end up on the top of a cliff. It overlooks the water, the sun sparkles against the deep blue. Percy puts me down and then takes a seat in the grass cover hill. He makes a motion for me to follow suit. I do, crossing my legs under me like a butterfly giving him a confused look.
"No matter how the tides turn, you are not alone." He never lets me forget it either. The words spoken to me all those years ago still echo even now. I wasn't alone. It is a great comfort.
"Adriana!" The memory fades, I snap my head around at the calling of my name. Percy, now almost twenty-five pushes through the thick canopy of bush concealing this place. He wonders over to me his hands tucked in his pants pocket casually.
I blink innocently at him. He sighs. "You're late." My brother shakes his head, muttering brat under his breath. We both laugh after a moment. The sun begins to set behind us.
We'd survived another day. Perhaps there was still hope. Percy and I linger on the cliff until the sun sets completely behind the horizon.
There was just something about endings. They were so beautiful, so amazing to behold, endings just held a certain charm to them. Yes you're sad because it's over and will never happen again. But really we should just be happy, journey's end, and a chance for something new to start. What a whimsical thing it was.
Endings.
Too bad we just weren't there yet.
…
Thank you so much for reading this chapter please review and let me know what you think. I tried my best to keep all canon characters mentioned in this chapter as true to their character as I could manage. Once again thank you for reading, I will see you next time.
Sincerely, La'Rae