A stunned silence filled the hall. Well, what do you ask a god?

Someone came up with the answer to that question.

"Why did Percy go?" someone asked, sounding a little disappointed.

Poseidon smiled slightly. "As I said, my son is needed elsewhere."

"Yeah," the person persisted. "But where is 'elsewhere'?"

His smile faltered. Uh oh. "My son is needed to see to a matter of upmost importance on Olympus. I cannot tell you more, so please, do not ask again."

The warning was clear in his voice. The silence began once again.

"What?" he said at last, his tone playful. "No one has a question for the god of the seas?"

"What happened between you and Athena?" someone asked. He asked for the person to elaborate. "The whole issue with Athens," she explained. "Is there still animosity between you two?"

Out of all the things to ask…

Poseidon stared intently at the person, as if wondering how to answer.

"That story is true. Athena and I did compete for the name of patron to the at that point unnamed city. She won, and so the city was named Athens, after her. The people of Athens chose their patron; I hold no grudge against her for that. It just seems that in many different circumstances through out time that the Lady of Wisdom and I have been on opposite sides. We just don't get along, is all."

Miss Greenly and I, possibly Rose, might have been the only ones to notice that was an obviously practiced speech. It was said too perfectly, his face too open. His eyes gave it away, though: they were carefully guarded, neutral so no one saw his true emotions.

"Do you know the demigods here?" someone else called, the same girl who'd asked Percy. She really wanted to know who we knew, didn't she?

"I have only met Eden prior, unfortunately," he said, smiling kindly at me. "But I plan to introduce my self to the other two demigods here before I leave."

"How did you meet her?" another voice asked.

He looked to me for confirmation, eyebrows raised. I nodded, giving the go-ahead. I wasn't exactly proud of how I'd first met Percy's dad, but it was a very impressive story.

"I first met Eden when she got into a fight with one of Ares' immortal sons, Phoebus, the god of fear. Eventually, Ares got bored of seeing his son being beaten by a fifteen year old girl, so went to finish the job himself. 'Put her in her place', as he put it. They were fighting on a beach somewhere in the south west of England. Porthcurno, I think.

"Anyhow, Ares came to find his son half dead, lying in the ocean. Fuming, he yelled to the sea: 'Poseidon, if this fight at all took place in the sea you would know about it. Why did you not intervene?' I materialised next to Eden - who was still standing, which I believe to be a great testament to her – and explained that I did not come to his son's aid because he started it. I wanted to let Eden sort it on her own, which I knew she was capable of doing.

"Ares, furious that his son had done something to cause a demigod to almost kill him, dragged his son from my realm and said that he was sorry for anything his son had done, and proceeded to disappear. I heard that Phoebus was severely punished by his father; not only for whatever it was he had done, but for also letting a demigod, a mortal, doing to him what Eden did.

"I stayed with Eden on that beach, tending to her wounds and letting her rest until she was ready to leave. From then I let her know that if Phoebus ever attacked her again near any body of water, she could rely on my strength to aid her, even though I don't think she'll need it."

There was a stunned silence in the room. Yes, all of that did happen. And yes, I was only fifteen. I had been minding my own business on Porthcurno beach (which is in Cornwall, for those who don't know), around dawn, waiting to see my mum raise across the sky when he had appeared. Phoebus. He looked so much like his father I had to do a double take. They had the same harsh face, same dark shade of hair. His eyes were visible, though, a brown so dark it was almost black. He'd come and sat by me, not saying a word. I knew he was a god as soon as he'd appeared, so I let him be. Eventually, he'd said: "I know what you are."

I was quite freaked out, but I asked levelly: "And that is…?"

He'd turned to face me, his eyes faintly glowing red. "A scared little girl."
"Okay," I'd said, turning away from his gaze to look at the sea and try to ignore him.

He didn't get the message.

"You want to know why?" he asked, looking giddy with excitement.

"Not particularly," I muttered.

Phoebus continued as if I hadn't spoken. "Because I'm the god of fear," he said, obviously very proud. "I can see your greatest fears, what scares you the most. You fear being alone. You know that your mother is too busy to see you, your friends are often too involved in their own lives for you, your father is always too busy with his latest conquest to be with you -"

"Leave my father out of this," I growled. No one crossed that line.

"It's quite pathetic, really," he mused, "Seeing as a demigod's life is full of loss and time alone. How do you live with yourself?"

"I get by," I bit out, trying desperately to try and figure a way out of this conversation.

"You know," he said, his voice suddenly lower, huskier. "I can find a way to cure that fear."

I raised my eyebrows at him, confused.

His hand crept up my thigh. What on earth…?

He leaned in close to my ear, whispering: "Come be mine. I'll make sure you're never lonely. Especially when you're in my b -"

It was that point I punched him. Who the hell did he think he was, coming on to me when I had no idea who he was? Did he have no idea as to my age? Or did he think that fifteen year old girls hired themselves out to men still?

Phoebus raised his hand to his nose, swiping away the golden ichor dripping from it. Now I'd gone and done it. Pissing of a god was never a good thing, but a god who probably now hated my guts? Not good.

"Oh, you're going to regret that," he snarled as he rushed at me.

That was how our feud began. We fought for a good hour or so, both of us battered and bruised (although Phoebus was obviously worse for wear) when his father arrived. He didn't yell at me like I thought he would – he just threw me away from his son before he yelled Poseidon. You know the rest from there.

Laura broke my thought.

"You got into a fight with a god?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," I said, shrugging it off. "No big deal."

Her eyes widened. "No big deal?" she spluttered. "He could have killed you!"

I gave her an odd look. "Weren't you paying attention?" I asked her. "I almost killed him. Several times, in fact, seeing as he's tried to kill me…" I paused to count them in my head. "Seven times in total, not including then."

At her stare, I sighed and turned back to Poseidon. He was now answering a question on how he managed to create a horse from sea foam, but I wasn't really paying attention. My mind wandered. Why had Percy had to go so suddenly? His father said it was 'a matter of upmost importance', but what did that mean? Had Annabeth gone too? Were they coming back tonight? I had no clue.

Eventually, the assembly was over, as break was about to begin in a few moments. Mrs Jolinwood came up on stage and thanked Poseidon for stepping in at the last minute.

"But before you are all dismissed," Mrs Jolinwood said, "Could the three demigods stay behind during break? A friend may also stay with you, if you so wish."

I looked at Laura pleadingly, and she nodded.

"Dismissed," Mrs Jolinwood called, before beckoning us forward.

Laura and I went up along side Miss Greenly. Rose stepped towards the front, too, her friend trundling along behind her. Rose's little chin was held high in confidence, and I couldn't have been prouder of her. Mrs Jolinwood had left, leaving us alone in the hall with the god of sea.

"Eden," he said happily, "How are you?"

I nodded my greeting. "Good, thank you my Lord. And yourself?"

He nodded excitedly. "Good, good. Now, who are all these people?"

I introduced him one by one to the others in the room. He gave Miss Greenly a cold look when he learned she was Athena's daughter, but that was to be expected. He was still polite, however. He was very good with Rose and her friend, Rachel, smiling brightly and being extra charming.

"And this," I concluded, "Is Laura, my best friend."

"How do you do?" he asked, extending his hand to her.

"It's an honour," she said, a little star stuck, taking his hand gently.

He laughed heartily. "The pleasure is mine, young Laura."

Thunder clapped abruptly above us, and Poseidon cringed slightly.

Letting out a sigh, he said. "I am afraid this is where I must take my leave. My brother says I have far out stayed my welcome. It was lovely meeting you all, truly. And Eden, αν χρειάζεστε εμένα ποτέ, ξέρετε πώς να έρθετε σε επαφή, yes?"

That translated to, if you ever need me, you know how to get in touch. I nodded. As well as gaining it aid in battle that day, I also gained his blessing, meaning I was under his protection. I could get in touch any time with an IM and he wouldn't be as annoyed with me as he would anyone but Percy.

He nodded, and disappeared in a cloud of bubbles.

We all went our separate ways, and our days really began.