HI EVERYBODY, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OR WEEKS…NO MOTHS I THINK SINCE MY LAST POST. I APOLOGIZED FOR NOT GIVING YOU ANY NEWS OR ANSWERING TO YOUR PM AND POSTS. THESE LAST MONTHS HAD BEEN HARD ON ME WITH A LOT OF SCHOOL STUFFS WHICH DIDN'T REALLY GIVE ME THE TIME TO WRITE ADDED TO THE FACT THAT I HAD A MAJOR BLOCK. I'M NOT ABONDONING THIS STORY OR ANY OTHER WITHOUT AT FIRST TELLLING YOU OR ASKING SOMEONE ELSE TO FINISH IT SO DON'T WORRY THOUGH I REALLY DID CONSIDER DOING SO BUT I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT ALL YOUR WORDS, REVIEWS AND FAVORITS GAVE ME THE STRENGHT TO HOLD ON, SO THANKS TO Y'ALL AND BE SURE THAT YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GIVING ME THE STREGHNT AND INSPIRATION TO WRITE. I'M BACK AND SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS AS I USED TO DO BACK THEN.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER FIC, DON'T WORRY I'M CURRENTLY WRITING AND I THINK THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO POST TONIGHT OT TOMORROW NIGHT AFTER SCHOOL.
HAPPY NEW YEAR BUDDIES, AND ALL MY BEST WISHES AND POSITIVE THINGS FOR THIS WHOLE YEAR ;)
PS:FOR NOT POSTING EARLIER BUT I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS TO DO AND WELL I JUST FORGOT ABOUT THE FIC. I'M STILL LOOKING FOR A BETA READER FOR ALL MY STORIES (2) SO FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
Chapter 13
The young couple peacefully made it back into their house on Olympus, Artemis watched her husband falling on the couch. She wanted to ask him something but she thought better to let him sleep, she could tell that Percy hadn't hold out time like that since forever but as remembering the last time he did it brought heat on her face making her feel funny. She went in her chamber still thinking about their daughter and took out a book that she had left on her bed, it was about relationships between mothers and daughters; she thought it was funny that she was reading such a book but who would've thought that she would get married and have a beautiful and wonderful daughter; Too much beautiful for her own good and too much strong willed for our own good she thought as she planned on 'checking' on with Aphrodite about all those boys around her because she wanted no stupid boy too close to her daughter because she would rather have her join the Hunt like her aunt or join the vestals though she still not knew yet about Rome.
Fifteen minutes later she heard her husband steering, god's she never understood how he didn't need long hours of sleep…well except when she laid against. She couldn't hold herself back anymore and went to see him. She found him stretching without his shirt on and she lost her thoughts at the sight. She had seen him bare chest countless times but it stills had the same effect on her and she loved it.
"Like what you see Mrs. Jackson? Want me to show you more" he asked her with a teasing smile on his lips and she nearly said "yes" as she blushed scarlet but she miraculously was able to stop herself and gather her thoughts.
"Will you be leaving soon? Do you really have to see him tonight, can't you wait for another day?" she hopefully asked him buying some time before going for the real subject.
"You know I can't Art (the only other way she had allowed him to call her as it sounded sexy and good the way he said it) it's been too long since the last time I saw him and I have to check on the little ones." She thought that it was better for them to talk now even if he had to leave soon.
"Do you love me Perseus?" she asked him earning her a quizzical look from him.
"Why do you ask? Is it about what Zoë said, you shouldn't put too much heart in it."
She negatively shook her head "just answer me please" she urged him.
"Damn it Artemis, how can you ask me something like that after 14 years of us being married to each other. I do love you and if I didn't I would've walked away as soon as Zoë was born or do what the other gods are good at doing."
"And I wouldn't stop you as I swore, but it would nonetheless be painful" she whispered the last part though her husband heard it. He walked to her and hugged her making circles on her back with his middle finger as she always liked him doing it to her.
"What is wrong Artemis, why now after all these years? You know that I wouldn't intentionally hurt you especially by going after other women."
"I know but it doesn't stop me from feeling insecure whenever I see all these women around you" she raising her head from his chest, she looked at his beautiful eyes remembering the first time she hazardously saw the scrawny little boy along with the daughter of Athena by his side on Olympus. They just had given back Zeus' lightning bolt preventing a war. She had looked at the little boy being cheered on by some immortals and he had looked lightly scared but really embarrassed by all the attention when she had expected him to show off or to be proud of his accomplishment. But now he was a man, not any man but her man; a strong, beautiful and sexy husband who was the father of her only child but soon not only of one child.
She looked away because she couldn't stand to see the answer in his eyes when he would answer to her. "Do you still love Annabeth?" she whispered with a hint of fear and anxiety in her voice. She felt him tense in her hands, "You know, I heard you talking about her with Zoë and even I could tell that there still was affection and longing in your voice." She didn't want to accept it but she always feared that she slept with her shadow by her side.
"Did you expect me to feel nothing about her when things were cut from us by a bullet? I won't lie to you, yes I still love maybe as much as fifteen years ago, her death tore something from me, something from my soul and heart but I do assure you that I love you with my whole being. You can't expect somebody to stop loving a dead friend or lover…" the word was barely pronounced, almost whispered but she nonetheless heard it and it did tingle her whole being "…just like you can't stop loving Zoë Nightshade even though you must have been prepared to her death for thousand years. But you have nothing to worry about her as…she's dead." he said it with finality, sadness and understanding.
"I know but what if she was to choose rebirth in ten or twenty years or sooner than that, what would happened to us then." She saw a flash of hope in his eyes but it quickly disappeared as he wanted to say something but stopped him "no let me continue, after our anniversary last year I went to see Aphrodite and Eros, and…" she blinked back her tears as her voice became too thick for her to talk.
"And what did you found out?" he asked her cupping her cheek. There was love, interrogation, and compassion in his eyes. She could stand lying to him but the truth hurt her already.
"We found out that each time Annabeth was supposed to remain a maiden, in service for her mother… she always fell in love with you even though you always had been human back then. Percy, your life and hers had always been bounded into a not, she's your true soul mate while I have none and was destined to be alone for the rest of my life…" and then her voice cracked, her tears were freely running on her cheeks.
Seeing his wife crying like that made him understand that this knowledge hadn't help her these last months and seeing daughter fighting against her, supporting Annabeth, had hurt her more than he had expect.
"Oh my moon" he hugged her as she cried on his shirt.
"Please don't leave me. I wouldn't stand being alone again, I don't want to lose you Perce I love you too much. I'm willing to share you with her, with any women as long you stay by my side. Don't leave me please; I will whatever you want me to do, just don't leave me alone, please…"
"Please don't cry my deer; I can't stand seeing you like that, I'll always be by your side" he said kissing her forehead.
"But for how long" she managed to say through her sobbing, but her husband kissed her deeply putting all his love and passion in and she responded with the same way ending up with her tears on their lips.
"As long as you shall want me by your side" he managed to say after parting his lips from her for 5 seconds then kissing her again.
"Then…" kiss "…stay fo-forever..." kiss "no matter what happens…" kiss "…or you do" she said as she tore his shirt and him did the same with her chiton. Soon all their clothes were on the ground and they found themselves in their room expressing their love and passion for each other.
XX Hours later, Percy woke up on his bed he felt a warm body next to him, he turned his head to see his wife's peaceful face, he caressed her cheek and she unconsciously smiled he could tell that she was happy and rested after all that happened this day from her fight his their daughter to her insecurities about Annabeth's return but also about all those female immortals around him. Being the regent of a big sea as the pacific isn't as simple as he first thought and he didn't have any other choice than getting along then working with those many sea goddesses including the other immortals.
"Please don't leave me. I wouldn't stand being alone again, I don't want to lose you Perce I love you too much. I'm willing to share you with her, with any women as long you stay by my side." She must be really be scared if someone as possessive as her was willing to share him though he didn't like the thought nor seeing her beautiful face torn by fear, pain and anxiety. But that Annabeth might be coming back? Some deepest part in his heart and mind rejoiced at the thought that Annabeth would once live again, that he would be able to touch and kiss her. But he quickly shut this part and kept on caressing her face and how she would frown whenever he paused.
Now he understood why she never liked leaving him alone at Pearl City just like she was always tensed when there. But more importantly he understood her bad moon thought he expected her to be pregnant but it seemed like it wasn't the case. He decided to leave by now and come back before she wakes up.
"I will soon be back Arty, just wait for me" he rose and cleaned himself before putting some clothes and disappeared in vapor.
Percy appeared in the Massachusetts; he stood before the front door then magically opened it without making any noise. He already knew were his legs were taking him to, he glanced at the various and numerous pictures of a little family composed of a young woman in her middle thirties or late, you could tell that she was strong with broad shoulders. She had brown hard eyes and dirty blond hairs, there was no picture of her alone; either she was with a man with blond hair and blue eyes or with two children of the same age, a boy and a girl. The boy had green eyes and brown hair while the girl had blue eyes and sandy blond hairs just like the man beside the woman. Though they looked different, you could tell that they were siblings and the mischief in their eyes only confirmed it though it looked stronger in the girl's eyes. The woman's eyes were always softer when beside the children and her position always was protective of them as if expecting a sudden attack.
Percy headed straight for the stairs, he climbed them slowly not wanting to rouse anyone but also his mind was still thinking about everything that happened this night, well it was almost morning by now but he cleared his mind when he reached the of the room he wanted to enter, he paused and glanced at the door at his left that was at the far end of the corridor but he also glanced at the other doors feeling a little bit observed. He slowly opened the door and as soon as it was opened he saw the two children, he couldn't help but smile at the sight. Even though they had their own bed and that their mother encouraged them to sleep in their own beds, they both were on the same bed and Perseus guessed that the boy had joined his sister probably because she had a nightmare and was scared he thought watching them. The girl was curled into a fetal position with her head almost on his chest while the boy had a protective hand on his sister's shoulder. The god took a step to get closer but a tip of a celestial bronze spear stopped him.
"One more step and I swear by Ares' name that I'll tore your neck with it." A female voiced growled hidden in the darkness near the door "now tell me what you are doing in m house in my children's bedroom before I impale your head on the spear" the female whispered so that the child wouldn't rouse from their sleep but there was an edge in her voice that said that she wouldn't hesitate to kill him on the spot. The young god sighed, it looked like his friend didn't recognize that he was the intruder but as there was no light he understood her situation.
"Would you really impale an old friend coming for a visit, daughter of Ares" he said.
"No friend of mine comes so early before the morning for a visit. Neither would he get into the house while it's closed then sneaked in the chamber of my children trying to not make any sound"
"You children of Ares are all bear-headed" it was all he could say to make her understand who her visitor was.
"By the gods Prizzy, what are you doing here" she asked lowering her weapon but not releasing it. She took two steps back then lightens the room; it only was a little lamp so that the light wouldn't disturb the kids' sleep.
"It's lord Perseus to you mortal" the god said with a stern voice. There was a deafening silence in the room, only the children's snores were heard. The two adult faced each other and then cracked into fits of laughs. They were so loud that Perseus motioned at his friend to calm down before they would wake the children.
"So bear head, you look like on the edge. How come you're now sleeping in their room armed for war?" He asks her once he settles himself on a little chair beside his friend's.
"Yeah, I'm so worn out. Those kids are little monsters, worse than their own parents. Raising them alone is harder than I thought…" she trailed; Perseus understood that she was thinking about her late fiancé who died along with their unborn baby few days before their marriage. Even though Clarisse helped him accepting Annabeth's death, it was her baby' and younger brother's deaths that got them closer. He was the one who made her join the Amazons for few months until she left them to hunt down monsters alone by herself for 2 years, Perseus ended it by bringing her two children; the unexpected twins of Katie Gardner and Connor Stoll. After monsters attack, they thought they had killed the young couple but Katie survived more or less, thought her brain stopped working her heart didn't, that's when Percy felt that she was pregnant and took her body at Atlantis where her 'life' was sustained until the babies' birth and then they stopped her heart as she had already been in Elysium when brain died. Thanks to Nico he had been able to contact Katie's ghost and informed her that she was pregnant and that her heart was still beating. He then explained what he planned and she accepted without second thought and she was the one who proposed him to give then to Clarisse and Chris which he did.
The two lovers came back together to raise them; and for five years everything was nice until Chris' death when monsters attacked them, but that day it wasn't only Chris who died their little Charlie Rodriguez they had worked harder to conceived died he too, killed by a dracaena that none saw where it came from. Since then Clarisse became a little bit paranoiac when it came to her children. They were closed friends and Perseus was the children's patron and their 'uncle' as they called him.
Percy put his hand on her shoulder after a rather long silence he broke it.
"Chris and you are their parents, Katie and Connor might have conceived them but you're their parents, their mom and dad. The one they want to make proud and the one they will run to when hurt."
"Since when did you know so much about children Prissy" she said after he removed his hand from her shoulder.
"Well I kinda have a daughter me too, though she's way older than yours and so much stubborn"
"And you're the one to complain? You had always been stubborn so now it's your turn to live hell" she then laughed heartily. She glanced at her children and smile "now that I think about, we never thanked you for bringing them to us, though it's too late for Chris to do the same" she whispered the last part but he was able to hear it.
Like usually Percy felt uncomfortable with compliments and gratitude though it wasn't as easy to see like back then but Clarisse was grateful that godhood hadn't changed his personality.
"He already did, and as I told him there is no need to thank me. You're wonderful parents for them and that is enough to me." he said which startled her, she gave him a questioning glare and he just smiled at her "you was too much into taking care of them that you didn't see it but it happened when they were two."
There was another silence in the room as the two adults looked at the peaceful children before them.
"Tell me why you are now sleeping in their room ready to battle Sparta."
"It's to protect them. Something or I would say someone has been hunting us down Perce, all the councilors during the Titan war II had been killed and most of their seconds too. The last ones still alive are: you, Nico, Miranda, Lou, Travis, and I. Travis is broken and the rest had been killed by monsters working together." She looked at him right in the eyes "it hadn't happened since the last war."
"A mother had been awoken by her sons' demise. She's taking care of all the veterans, those who led their siblings against her children."
"So what is Z-" he cut her by putting his hand or her mouth.
"Don't say the name if you don't want a demonstration of what paranoia can do to your house" he released her once she nodded.
"He closed the mountain and forbade us to have any contact with y'all, but some of us know how to go against orders without getting caught. We're taking actions of our own." He said cautiously avoid o say Olympus so that no god would feel him and Clarisse quickly understood what he was talking about.
She smiled at him shaking her head "you'll never change Prissy. Even now you're still sneaking and going against orders" she looked at the girl who moved closer to her brother while he tightened his arm on her. "You should be watching your daughter because that mother will try to get to you and the best way to do it is to hurt Zoë."
"Yeah I know, Artemis and I already warned her but I know that she's too much like me which for now is a good thing. But nonetheless she has friends and family which shall be able to help her if necessary which won't be the case for us because the other guy is watching her mother and I carefully with special attention."
"You know I can help after all Thalia and I are her godmothers though it's been a long time since I last saw her. Do you remember their show in kinder garden with her playing Andromeda? Too much funny for us, but it wasn't the same for Poseidon and Artemis of course." They both laugh remembering it the only one who didn't know of their presence was Zoë herself.
"First you must protect your own family Clarisse."
"She too is my family Perseus, don't you dare forget that." She replied angry at his comment. Seeing that he words had hurt her, the young god had no other choice than apologizing.
"I know that too well Clarisse, I'm sorry if my words hurt you. She's also your family as much as your children are mine too." the woman nodded "but I want you to protect these kids first, Zoë knows that at first sign of danger she has to jump into any form of water closed to her but they don't." he said indicating the twins.
"Oh please do you think that I would hesitate to drop them into the sea? Every time we're on the beach the number of dolphins and sharks quadruplet but never one of the sharks attack. I even spotted some playing with the twins. Once at school they said that I allowed them to play with sharks, well I had to go at school and say that they were toys and balloon I would put into the sea for them, but those kids had the nerve once to go play with them on school visit at sea." She laughed recalling the headmaster telling her that her children were lucky to have stayed among five sharks over two hours without being chewed while the teachers ran for their own life. Later she had to say to the children not to play with sharks when other people were around. "Your 'guards' must be more discrete or they will be hunted by coast guards" she once again laughed as he nodded at her.
"I have to go now" he said standing.
"Why don't you stay? They had been asking for you for a long time. They will be disappointed to know that they missed you" she said with a little sadness in her voice.
The god went to the children and touched their faces "don't worry I will be there for breakfast but for now I have to see their uncle." He looked at his friend "and you have to sleep you look tired, don't worry nothing will enter here" she wanted to protest but he waved his hand sending her into a dreamless sleep. With that he disappeared in a flash.
The god appeared into CHB he looked before him to find out that he was before cabin #6, he stood there looking at it remembering all the time he would get in there or just stand where he was expecting his best friend to come back "…your life and hers had always been bounded into a not, she's your true soul mate…" he remembered his wife's words but before he could dwell on it he saw a shadow comes out of Hades' cabin the person halted when she saw him but then ran into Demeter's cabin. A shadow appeared behind him he knew who it was.
"So Miranda is still sneaking into your cabin then comes out before Chiron would wake" he said. Everybody knew that most of times Chiron waked at 5 am which also was the time Dionysus would come back from Olympus.
"Yo cousin, how are you doing" Nico asked clapping Percy on the back.
"Don't try to elude my question Nicholas" he said knowing that his cousin never was fond at the way his girlfriend used to call him. Indeed Miranda had told her mother and father that her boyfriend's name was Nicholas so that Demeter wouldn't turn Nico into corn or feed him with cereal (which he already had to do each time he visited his father to avoid her annoying the two of them) until he would die from an overdose of it.
"Come on man, you're annoying. Yes it's her and we have no choice with Chiron's rules and curfew there is no over way around."
"Then marry her if you want to make it easier for the two of you" the god said.
"I planned to do it…but I'm scared of it Perce and I know that she too is afraid of it. She can't stop herself from thinking about her sister, and with that goddess hunting us down, she's afraid that I might die on my way to my father and stay there forever…" he trailed.
"You can just get engaged and then get married 2 or 4 years later" he glanced at his cousin who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
"Yes you're right though her mother would rather cut her tongue than seeing another one of her daughters getting married to some 'shady dude who doesn't eat enough cereals' as she sweetly refers to us."
The two cousins then laughed together but they made sure not to be loud enough, it felt great because lately they hadn't have the time to see each other but more importantly to laugh together especially with it was on a god's behalf.
"So you're here for your daughter?"Nico asked once he stopped laughing, he saw his cousin's eyes unconsciously going at cabin #3. "Oh you're still thinking about your old cabin?"
"No I'm not here for her; we had talked few hours ago. And no I'm not missing my old cabin, it's because she decided to sleep in that cabin."
"Oh so you're worried that Poseidon would do something to her? Don't worry uncle isn't that type."
"I'm not worried about her security but about what she might found in that cabin." Nico understood that it was better to avoid what was in that cabin because he already had an idea about it. "You're here for Travis then."
"Yeah it's been a long time since I last saw him."
"You should also take timer to say hi to Grover, he's been missing you. About Travis, why don't you just tell him about his nephews, it might help him because there hadn't been a real change in him since the last time you know." But the god negatively shook his head.
"He wouldn't be able to take care of them without even thinking about protecting them. If it was the case the children's grandparents would've told him but it isn't the case." He paused looking around to register the changes that happened here since the last time.
"What about Lana and her friends?"
"Oh they are still doing fine; it seems like your wife helped them with Enceladus. She contacted me just after their fight."
The god nodded he had figured it out that Artemis was the one who helped the little company to fight the giant because of the commotion I brought between Zeus and her."So she remembers you." He said after leaving his thoughts aside.
"No but she got the feeling that she knows me though she can't remember when and where. Persephone and Hera are playing a dangerous game, but who would've thought that those two women could associate themselves." To which Percy nodded then they parted their way as Percy joined Travis in the back of Hermes' cabin.
Once he finished talking with Travis it was already morning and he worried about the thousand words he's wife was going to say at him for leaving her alone in their bed in the middle of the night. As the perspective of seeing his wife now didn't really enchant him, he decided to go back at Clarisse's house and see the children. Once he got there he found out that the children were already awaked save for their mother who they had painted the face with some silly and childish drawings. The kids greeted him warmly, asking him thousands of questions about where he was, how he got into their house without having the keys, he told them that their mother expected him early in the morning to surprise them but it looked like she forgot about his coming. They made toasts and pancakes for breakfast and Clarisse founded them on the table eating and giggling whenever they looked at her; she only found later that her face was painted while asleep. She chased the kids in the whole house still unable to catch any them when her friend was only laughing. In the end she had to swear (while panting) that she would hurt or ground them if they stop hiding, she accepted by growling. Later before afternoon, the young god left the little family to join his wife; he found her still asleep in their room which brought him a smile. He sat on the bed just above her belly and caressed her hair and he was pleased to see her react to his action with a smile.
The next day Chiron observe to changes: first Travis looked better and even went as far as volunteer for some activities with his siblings or just over campers which pleased Chiron and warmed his heart, seeing him almost like back then. The other change was about cabin from which Zoë came out, at first he didn't seem to notice but it wasn't the case for the girl's mother. She noticed that Zoë was more relaxed than usually but there was a lot more determination and proud in her eyes and she carried her head higher if possible it was harder to notice but she did change. Seeing her that way and judging by the cabin she came out from, Calypso understood that something had happened to her last night: probably a visit from Poseidon and Perseus because she felt the presence of the last one in camp.
Chiron noticed from the next days that Zoë was training harder than she used to especially with the powers she had from her grandfather. When she wasn't training she would have more fun with her friends and animals or would just sit and meditate as Annabeth had taught her. Now she sat on the ground with her feet inside the lake, some fishes were nudging at her feet teasing her or trying to have their attention but she pretended not feeling nor seeing them, didn't they understand that she was playing them.
Not so far from her, three naiads were talking among themselves giggling whenever they looked at her or would just shake their hands at her which she would answer the same. She was sure that they were talking about her parentage but it no longer disturbed her nor did it shame her, she was proud of her parents who ever they are though she wouldn't admit it to her mother. Since that eventful night, she had been having a lot of dreams some of them were about her father in company of two twins which made her wonder if she had siblings her father didn't told her about and if his father had cheated on her mother like she first assumed but she remembered that sometimes assuming things was never good and if her father had other children he would've told her but it didn't stop her from wondering who they were. There was also that taunting voice that gave her dark thoughts whenever it showed her father with some unknown children when his only daughter was alone; but the voice underestimated her will that she had inherited from her parents. And there were also the wonderful moments she would have with her grandfather Poseidon, showing and teaching her the wonders of the sea. Plus the dreams about her mother reading a book to have hints on how to work their relation as those in which a tall and beautiful redheaded woman sang her lullabies.
Between all those dreams she barely saw Annabeth but she was grateful that her teacher always listened to her nonstop complains without being bored or stopping her. When she had told her about the collar and the plans her father had about them, she saw so much longing and sadness in Annabeth's eyes along with few tears that she stop from falling, seeing her that way ached her heart but not as much as before because she knew that Annabeth was the one who made her father move on without guilt and she welcomed her here to teach her; and she was grateful for her sacrifice. She asked her to describe how the collar was, which she did and her father's wise girl drew it on a paper. Annabeth warned her about the poisonous voice telling her of a half-blood turned rogue like that without revealing his identity just like she told her that the Crooked One did the same with her father but the guy was too much crazy to be broken hinting that his daughter might even be crazier that's why she was teaching her. When she told her about the tall and beautiful redheaded woman, Annabeth was puzzled admitting that she didn't know about though Zoë felt like she had seen the woman some were though younger but where? She couldn't tell.
Lost in her thoughts and little game of hide and seek with fishes she didn't notice Chiron along with her mother coming to see her about her recent activities. She just felt sooth hands tenderly wrapping themselves around her shoulder with a chin atop of her head. She tensed at the contact but relaxed once she recognized the wonderful smell of her mom, automatically tightening her hands on hers. The old centaur looked at their interaction with a small smile and he still couldn't believe that the scrawny little he had trained back then had turned into a man and a father of a promising little girl who now he trained. He hit the ground with his hooves drawing their attention.
"Zoë dear, these last days you had completely changed your schedules and you seem to enjoy camp more than at first and even training more than I can remember ever seeing your father. Mind sharing with me what made you change?" he asked her looking right into her eyes.
"Yes I too wanted to know it" her mom added. The girl just sighed and then shrugged before looking at her father's old mentor knowing they would expect answers.
"I have inherited not only the Olympians' enemies but also my father's which makes me the half-blood with the biggest number of enemies whether monstrous or immortals. I talked with dad and mother few days ago, along with grandpa P they made me understand and see things differently including about myself." At the last part she gave her mom a light smile. The centaur nodded but was a little bit disturbed by the way the girl called her grandsire they probably have met he thought.
"That's why you're…cool, as you young people say it nowadays" Calypso said to which the girl nodded.
As if reading her father's old mentor's worries and questions, she added: "Don't worry Chiron, grandpa P encouraged me to get into his cabin whenever I feel like it and he doesn't mind me calling him 'grandpa P'."
Chiron was startled by the god's choice but quickly understood that Poseidon most likely was happy for having once again a mortal granddaughter that he could spoil as he usually did with the last ones; but also because he was the coolest with Hades among the big three.
"I think that I should be teaching you Latin."
"Latin?" the girl asked startled, "what use will it be when we're going on a war." She asked and could see the startled look in her mom's eyes as in the centaurs.
"What war are you talking about, dear, there is no more war since the last one when your father defended Olympus" he said nervously "and beside, you father was also taught Latin and he found it really useful few years later."
"I know that we'll have to fight dad and Art-mo-mother told me so. And that I might on her high list because what dad did 14 years ago." She said it looking at the centaur right in the eyes. "She'd been invading my dreams taunting me, it's Ga-" she started to say the name but her mom clapped her hand on her daughter's mouth stopping her from uttering the name of the fearful goddess.
"Never say her name, never. Do you hear me?" Calypso said with a light hint of fear in her voice. Even thought she thought that she was able to remain calm, her daughter perceived her fear and worry especially with the part about the goddess invading her dreams. Zoë wondered how her grandma did whenever her father went on dangerous quests, Sally ever knew the risk her son had been taking? Even if she's strong, dad probably never told her the whole truth she thought, unfortunately for me, my whole family is full of gods who will always know about my quests and failures. She shuddered at the thought? Not wanting to lose her mood she changed her thoughts "don't repeat what your father told you to anyone else or their will be panic among the children."
The centaur nodded at the woman's word and Zoë swore that she wouldn't share what she knows with anybody but she could see that Chiron was disturbed and lightly relieved that her parents told her about what was coming after them. Though he was surprised that the girl didn't panic when she learned about the foe when he expected her to be scared to hell, the little girl accepted the threat and took it like challenge preparing herself for what is to come.
"Is it really important for me to a dead language only used by monks and priests?" she asked Chiron. But it was her mother who answered to her question without faking.
"Honey" she started as she held her daughter closed to her as if afraid that she would disappear and lost her forever "you will need it later. Beside it's a part of you inheritance, trust me."
After that they didn't asked her any question, the mother kissed her daughter's brow then forehead before going with Chiron, leaving the little ponder on what they said. They were all expecting the return of those on their quest, as it should've been over by now.
After their 'little' conversation and probing on it for gods know how much time, Zoë went to visit her friends; some of them were in the middle of their activities along with their siblings whom she preferred not to disturbed. Her feet took her to cabin #6 to see how Kim was doing she couldn't help herself than stare at the cabin wondering how much it had changed since her father's and Annabeth's time. She knocked on the door to find herself face to face with a blond girl in her early twenties who almost looked like Annabeth with the blond hairs and eyes color; those calculating grey eyes analyzed her for a moment but seeing that Zoë wasn't disturbed nor scared of those eyes (she's used to Annabeth's which she think are scarier when in the middle of a fight).
"Percy Jackson's daughter. Of all of places, I didn't expect to see you here." The woman said looking at the female version of Percy standing before her. Oh gods, I hope it's not another girl with a crush on my father "how can I help you, sea spawn."
Zoë was startled by the way she had call her; she almost jumped on her when she realized that there wasn't rude tone in the woman's voice. "Pardon?" was all she could stutter still buzzed by the reception; which made the older girl rolls her eyes, and Zoë could see that it was the same way Annabeth did whenever she acted too much like her father.
"It's the way mom used to refer to your father when he dated my sister" she looked at the little girl's eyes to see if she understanding her and she was pleased that it was the case "even though Annabeth never liked it and always showed it, mother never stopped which I suspect she enjoyed. And when we learned about it, the whole cabin also started to refer at him the same just to get under Anna's skin which always worked." The woman grinned at her when she talked about the last part with a lost and happy look in her eyes. Zoë couldn't help but grin back at her, but the woman's eyes were slowly overwhelmed by sadness. And Zoë understood that she must have been one of the youngest in their cabin back then and most likely closed to Annabeth.
"The two of you were closed" she asked and the older girl's eyes came down on her.
"I was the youngest back then, and Anna always took care of me from the day I arrived here to the day she left us. I don't remember a day she wasn't there for me nor a night she wouldn't take me in her arms before sleeping to avoid me nightmares." There was a pause as none moved or talked for a minute. "I'm happy that Percy was able to move on. I was afraid that he would die when he collapsed that day or do something harsh once he would wake up as many of us thought. Fortunately he did the right thing and I'm happy for me. But you're not her to listen to sad sorry, wanna see Kim?"
Zoë just nodded unable to talk, Danielle didn't register that what she had say had a big effect on the little girl before here as she walked into the cabin. Those few little words had warmed Zoë's heart blasting her fear about her dreams and a certain goddess. She walking in following Danielle, as she passed by she found an empty bunk in the girls' side of the cabin which also was the first one. The bed was neatly done and the desk cleaned with pencils and architecture books in order onto it. There were pictures on the desk and wall beside it: some show a little Annabeth along with the girl Thalia and a boy who looked like a son of Hermes, then Annabeth still with the boy though they both were older, and then there was pictures of herself taken when she was concentrated or lost in her thoughts, pictures of two little boys, a man who looked like her, pictures of her cabin mates, pictures of her and Thalia only, few of campers before Empire State Building though they were of different time and some showed a destroyed background. And then pictures of her and her father after their first quest, one with Grover as the other without him. Then the 3 of them with a Cyclops the rest were their first pictures as a couple and she prefer not to dwell on those afraid of the pain and shame she might feel.
"That was her bunk and her desk. We changed nothing since the last time she ordered her things." Prue's voice said behind startling her, and then she walked away calling Kim's name, telling her about Zoë.
Zoë found Kim lying on her bed reading a book; they talked for half an hour until Zoë said that she had enough of seeing her moping around. She forced her out of her bed and took her out of her cabin. First they went to see Rachel to know if there was any kind of news from the gods or of Damian's whereabouts through her dreams, when they learned that there was nothing they left, remembering that her mother had taught that taking care of flowers helped easing your worries and kept them at bay, she took her much older friend to help Calypso planting flowers after that they visited the stables but not for the pegasi, they looked for the hellhound and Kim was relieved that it wasn't there until Zoë remembered that the hellhound must around her father's cabin and she hadn't thought of it because she had been sleeping in Poseidon's.
They headed for her father's cabin and to pass time Kim asked her why she had been sleeping in Poseidon's cabin instead of Perseus' or Artemis'. Zoë reluctantly told her that she didn't have the best relationship with her mother as it was more or less based on anger-guilt-fear-misunderstandings-nervous around each other so didn't want her to burst into the cabin that's also why she stopped sleeping in her father's cabin because he might allow his wife to get in.
"Beside grandpa allowed me to sleep in there and its sea connection is the same as in dad's cabin." She added to her friend. Kim felt that Zoë wasn't fully open with her and that there were some kind of clash between her friend and her mother. But she couldn't help feeling a little bit jealous of her because she never was over than 3 times in contact with her mother even if it would only be arguing. She was sure that Zoë had probably even met her two parents few days ago as she was aware of the changes in the girls habits and actions, and what made her feeling even more jealous was that the girl was in contact with her grandfather Lord Poseidon, then would it be Zeus himself? Thinking about the king of the gods made her remember about her own lost boyfriend. Before she could ask Zoë if she knew something a trunk jumped on them or precisely on Zoë. Kim screamed, scared to hell to only see that it wasn't a trunk but a hellhound that had landed on her friend. She had heard about a hellhound being in camp most of the time with Nico or Grover but seeing it was something different. She took out her dagger and cursed herself for not bringing her magical spear but before she could strike at the monster, she heard her friend laughing under the beast and calling it Mrs. O'Leary? Which was some lack of originality to her or too much of it.
Once Zoë managed to calm her pet, she explained to her friend how she became her 'owner' since it belonged to her father who few years ago had given her through is friend Grover the responsibility to take care of her. When she told her that the 'dog' first belonged to a son of Athena who she had founded lately to be Daedelus the same guy who had built the famous labyrinth. Then Zoë told her how her father along with his future girlfriend Annabeth Chase had met the infamous son of Athena. Kim was pleased to learn more about her sister's adventures and she was sure that Zoë knew a lot more about her which embarrassed her and heated her jealousy; the Zoë told the story you might believe that she was there or someone who lived it told her but she was certain that it wasn't Perseus because all the people of cabin 6 who had met him knew that he wasn't talkative about his lost love except to a bunch of very little girls and all in their cabin saw her as a model role. Listening to the story she found out how the oracle was known for her powers but it also made her forget all her sadness and worries on her boyfriend's disappearance just like the whole day did after running into shadows on the hellhound's back. By the end of the day, both girls were tired with sore tights, backs, butts and jaw for laughing too much. They each went into their cabin and had dreamless sleep.