"You're getting good at that," Nico says, as they take a break from fencing practice.
"I have the best teacher," Thalatta tells him with a smile.
"I by no means am the best. Percy is way better," he says then finishes the last of is water.
"May I ask you something?" he continues.
"Certainly," she says.
"I've seen your father, you look nothing like him," he says.
"My mother, she was beautiful," Thalatta says then pauses for a moment.
"I didn't mean to upset you. You don't have to tell me," Nico says reaching for her hand.
"It's fine. I just miss my mother. She died when I was very young. My father and grandmother, Lady Leukothea, have mostly raised me, but my mother was a descendant of Queen Anacaona of Xaragua," she explains.
"So you're a Hatian princess too," Nico says with a smile.
"You could say that," she replies with a smile, "Do you know others?"
"Well my sister is a Creole princess, sort of," he says with a snicker.
"Yes, we can talk about you in French behind your back and you will never know," Thalatta says with a laugh.
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Nico says with a grin then continues, "But since you both love me, I don't guess it would be too bad."
"Since we both love you?" she repeats with a raised eyebrow. Nico only grins.
"Did your mother have purple hair as well?" he asks changing the subject.
"No," she says with a smile, "That is one of my gifts from my father."
"A gift?" he asks.
"You see it is my duty to rescue those lost at sea, but I am of slight build and many times I need help freeing those who have become trapped. My hair acts as a lure. When I waive it in the water, it attracts sea creatures that come to my aid. I have freed many trapped sailors that way," she explains.
"I can see how that would work. Uncle Poseidon has a fishing vest with bright colored lures on it. I guess I never thought about your beautiful hair working that way too," he says.
"Nico," she says then moves a little closer to him, "My time here will be ending soon."
"Please don't remind me. I don't like to think about that," he tells her.
"I do not want to leave you," she tells him softly.
"I don't want you go. I want you to stay with me forever," he says looking into her eyes.
"I do not understand how we can be together. You cannot live with me under water, and I cannot live with you in the Underworld," she says, as tears come to her eyes.
"It would kill me to be apart from you even for a day, but I have been thinking about something. It would be better than never being together at all," he explains.
"What is it?" she asks anxiously.
"My stepmother, Persephone, she only stays with my father for part of the year, the rest of her time she is with her mother tending to the harvest. Maybe our parents would agree to something like that. Part of the year we could be together here at camp, and part of the year we would tend to our family responsibilities, you in the sea and me in the Underworld," he explains.
"Will your father agree to that?" she asks.
"I'm more concerned about your father agreeing. After all, I am the son of Hades. Not many fathers would want that for their daughter," he answers.
"But I love you Nico di Angelo, my father has to understand that," she says, as tears start to run down her face.
"There is always one other idea," he tells her, "If our fathers won't agree on their own."
"What is it?" she asks hopefully.
"You're father is more likely to agree if he has to," he says.
"What do you mean," she asks not understanding.
"If there was a child," he says then blushes.
"You mean if I were pregnant," she asks quite shocked at his idea.
"It would only be a last resort," he assures her.
"But we have not been together and when father returns for me I must go with him unless he agrees to the plan. You are not…"
"No, I'm not…I mean I want to be with you like that, but your honor is important to me. If he says no, you could sneak back to camp at night. We could be together then. I'm not ready to become a father yet, but I will if that is the only way to stay with you. I love you Thalatta," he tells her.
"Yes," she says after several moments of silence.
"Yes?" he repeats not understanding.
"If they say no to our plan, I will sneak back to camp at night and be with you until I become pregnant and our fathers have to allow our marriage," she says almost in a whisper.
"Hopefully it will not come to that," he says holding her in his arms.