"Can you quiet down, please?" Chiron used all his strength to make it sound polite, but it came out somewhat snappish anyway. He felt as if he was the only who cared about the boy. "He doesn't know yet, and it'd be very unfortunate if he found out this way."

Poseidon cleared his throat. "I agree. Can we get back to business, please?"

"All I'm saying is," continued Dionysus, "it's kind of asking a lot for me to keep this secret. What am I supposed to say?" Chiron almost felt sympathetic towards him; they all knew how threatening Zeus could be.

"That's he's a half-blood," Poseidon said, his strong voice tired, "Unclaimed, and you're lucky to have found him. He was alone, and you want to make sure no further harm comes to him."

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "And when they realize that it's none of theirs?"

Poseidon cracked a smile, cocking his head to the right. "Clearly you've been absent from Olympus for too long."

Dionysus flushed, from something other than alcohol, and changed direction. "But it could be dangerous having him here, couldn't it? Your son and all."

Dangerous for them, Chiron thought angrily. No one cared about the five-year-old boy who was about to discover his mother had died. He stayed silent of course, being the inferior of the three.

"I am sorry about that," Poseidon said, "I have broken the pact, proving my brothers right and myself wrong. I am deeply sorry for my son."

This seemed to gratify Dionysus, who nodded, but Chiron felt all the more enraged. Of course, he could apologize for his son's existence, but not for his own mistake. He wondered where his deep empathy for the boy came from; perhaps it was from his own broken home.

"And what will I do?" Dionysus asked. "Have him grow up here?" He seemed bored, and Chiron could practically visualize his brain cells stretching to maximum capacity. It was time for his daily goblet of intoxicants.

"Yes," Poseidon replied at last, "I think that will be the best course of action. He can be trained not to overuse his powers."

"Trained?" Dionysus laughed, "Evidently, you've never been to this camp before. They don't know how to control it, not even the teenagers." His expression conveyed his notorious dislike for the adolescent demigods.

"Well, keep him safe then," Poseidon said, "Don't tell him that I'm his father… at least not until the prophecy has passed."

Both Chiron and Dionysus froze; they'd forgotten about that tiny detail. "And you think… you think keeping him here will stop it from happening?" Chiron said softly.

Poseidon looked thoughtful. "It often doesn't work like that, but if we are careful, perhaps the Fates will work in our favor. Assuming that my brothers were not as weak as I, it will buy us further time."

Chiron considered this. If Poseidon could be so susceptible to mortal females, it was altogether possible that Zeus and Hades might be as well. He made a mental note to be extra careful about locating half bloods.

"Who will tell the boy, Patrick, or whatever his name is?" Dionysus asked.

"Percy," Chiron and Poseidon corrected him together.

"I will do it!" Chiron said vehemently, wanting to make sure they heard him. "I will tell him, and raise him for a year. He can adjust to the idea at his own speed. Then, on his seventh birthday, we will move him here." He was slightly breathless, fearing their response, but hoped he got the idea across. If no one else would care about the boy, he would himself.

Poseidon glanced at him, and then at Dionysus. "It sounds reasonable. He won't be as alarmed, that way. Less of a chance that he'll be... eager for revenge." He eyes flashed darkly, and then returned to their bright green. "You would really be willing?"

Chiron nodded, as vigorously as he could. "As long as you don't think he'd be bothered by me being a centaur."

Poseidon smiled. "He'll have more to worry about, I'm sure. Alright then, it's settled. Dionysus, save a spot for him in the Hermes cabin for a year from now. He can remain unclaimed, I suppose."

Chiron wanted to protest on what this could do to a demigod's mental state, but thought better of it. It was the only way, after all. "We'll do our best to ignore the prophecy, then?"

Poseidon nodded, "Yes, I think we can for now. As long as he never finds out about it, I think it will be fine."

"Okay…" Chiron said hesitantly, "I'm sorry about," he thought desperately for her name, "Sally."

Poseidon smiled sadly, seeming touched, "Thank you. And thank you for taking my son."

Chiron bowed his head, "You're welcome. Percy seems like a sweet boy, I'm sure he'll be no trouble at all."

A/N: Yay! The first chapter! Reviews are appreciated. : )