"Olivia!" I called, picking up my skirts to run after the giggling young girl.

I'd taken the little girl out of the temple and into the snow-covered garden after she'd sneezed and given a poor servant the flu, but I'd quickly come to regret the action as she was full of energy and didn't mind the cold snow. In fact, she had kicked off her boots and was running through the once grassy garden barefoot.

"Olivia!" I called, sharper. I caught up with her, quickly snatching her up and holsting the little brat onto my hip. "Don't run away like that!"

She just giggled in response, "Did you see? I was as fast as Papa's arrows!"

"I saw." Sighing, I turned back towards the temple, trudging through the snow. "You were very quick, but you shouldn't run away from me like that, it can be very dangerous."

"Sorry!" She smiled sweetly, and all my annoyance melted away.

Internally, I sent a prayer for all the mothers and cabin counsellors who have to watch over demigods, goodness are they a handful. Stopping to pick up Olivia's discarded boots, I contemplated sacrificing an apple to Luke's spirit, just as a small acknowledgement of the absolute hell he must have gone through as the cabin head of all the Hermes children and the unclaimed and minor kids.

Deme laughed at me, holding out a rag for me to wipe the mess off of Olivia's legs. "Little one is a troublemaker."

"Little one is just like her father," I corrected, trying to get the squirming child to put her boots back on. "Olivia, hold still please."

"No," She whined, but I managed to put her boots back on. In a second, she was racing back inside the temple, nearly running over an attendant.

"You've got snowflakes in your hair," Deme amusedly notes.

I rolled my eyes and pushed her fussing hands away from my hair. "You're not my servant anymore, Deme, I can do things myself."

Deme gave me a sharp glare, "I was your slave, Rhea, call it what it was. And I am fully aware that you can do things yourself, but given that you don't, I'm helping you."

I immediately deflated, "Sorry."

Deme raised an eyebrow, "Now, are you going to just keep standing here, apologising, or are you going to catch your runaway ward?"

I blanched, realising Olivia was nowhere in sight. "Olivia Apollide!" I shrieked, and began running.

Deme just sighed.

I sighed, brushing Olivia's hair away from her sleeping face.

The little troublemaker looked angelic as she slept, curled up in Deme's arms in our bed. The moonlight cast her face in a glow of peacefulness, and I wish I could have that in the daytime too.

I tried to close my eyes and sleep, but the nightmares kept creeping behind my eyelids.

"Rhea."

My lips twitched, and I turned my head to see Apollo standing by the bed.

"Prince Apollo."

He'd done this three times already, silently appearing just to check up on Olivia, never staying long.

"How is she?" He peered down at her sleeping face, soft smile on his lips.

"Just fine," I said. "She gave a servant the flu this morning and then decided to run barefoot in the snow, but she behaved after."

Apollo chuckled, "How are you?"

I startled at the question, he only ever asks after his daughter. "Well, I enjoyed the solstice, I lit a candle for you." He inclined his head at that. "How was the solstice for you? Pati told me that you have a full counsel every solstice."

He pursed his lips, "It's just more squabbling about the war. Chaos forbid I bring up the fact that Sparta has forgone their sacrifices to us for nearly a month now- they don't want to do anything other than fight each other. Uncle Hades is in agreement with me, but the only other truly neutral god is Dionysus, and he's not paying a lot of attention to this as he's in India with his new wife."

"Oh," I frowned. "And the war hasn't even truly started."

"Exactly," he growled. "I fear that when this war starts they'll forget to rule and just fall over for their own petty war, bowing to their heroes' demands."

I winced, "And is that why I'm your champion? Because you think I won't get involved with this 'petty war'?"

"In part."

I sighed, watching as Deme shifted to hug Olivia tighter in her sleep. "I am your champion, not your weapon. I won't be a tool for you to use against the other gods if it comes down to it."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You demand much from a god."

"I ask only what I know you can give," I refuted

"True." He nods, "And if I don't want to give it to you?"

"If you do not want to give it to me, then you do not truly want me."

He smirked, "Well played, princess."

I smiled back.

He brushed my hair away from my face, and I closed my eyes.

I was asleep seconds after he left.

Penelope is one of the best weavers of the Aegean, and I was so lucky to learn at her knee.

A year ago, I had more knots than thread on my loom, but with her careful tutoring, I was a good weaver. My first piece of cloth off the loom became a lumpy cloak for Papa, my second became a cape for Pater, my third a blanket for Mama, fourth and fifth a tapestry.

With the cold of the Delphi winter, I had taken the opportunity to use the golden loom in Apollo's room, weaving what was probably the finest wool cloak ever so I could be warm this winter, and now an offering for Apollo.

It was also an opportunity to teach Olivia how to weave, but I think she might be a bit too young to do it just yet.

"Gently, gently," I cautioned her as we laid the fabric out onto the basin, letting the fabric float. "Now I'm going to gently knot and tie off the fabric, and now we'll have a cloth to make your father's chiton from."

Olivia tilted her head, "And we're dyeing it first?"

"Yes, we'll be dyeing it with Saffron and Turmeric to make the cloth yellow-gold, but first we need to tie it off." I told her, carefully using my water powers and precise fingers to finish the weave.

"And…" I carefully pulled the fabric up, "Ta-da! We've got a cloth!"

Olivia shrieked with delight, "Can I get the dyes now?"

I laughed at her enthusiasm, knowing full well it would taper off as soon as she actually started working the foul-smelling dyes and ended up staining her arms with the itchy colors. "Go on."

Dyeing is hard work, and Olivia soon grew tired of it. Deme came to take her place after a while, and between us we managed to get it done. The sun was sinking under the horizon by the time I hung up the fabrics to dry.

The next morning, I was back at the fabrics again, this time with a bone needle and some embroidery thread.

Small suns dotted the fabric from handpainted dyeing of the night before, and now I stitched arrows into the hem and put straight white stitches along the collar. The chiton slowly transformed from a bundle of threads to a finely decorated fabric with my careful attention, something a king could wear to a feast.

It's a pity nobody would ever wear it.

The chiton is to be an offering for Apollo and would be burnt in his name if he doesn't claim it after three days; spring is to start in three days, and the Temple is in a buzz preparing for the return of the god and his prophecies.

To be honest, I'm actually being rather petty about the chiton. The priestesses had sewn cloaks and blankets, and others had offers of gold and incense. To sew such an 'intimate' thing such as clothing would be something only a wife or daughter would so, and I am well aware I am neither, but since the priestesses whisper about me being his mistress, then I'm gonna show them mistress.

Hmph, Penelope would support this. I thought as I lay the finished chiton onto the offering slab on the altar. Perhaps Apollo would find it funny too.

I didn't look back at it, not seeing the fabric shimmer and disappear. "Come along Olivia, it's time for your lyre lesson."

"Insane how time passes. A child is now a mother, lovers now buried, singers now silenced. It drives me crazy growing old, but it blossoms a thousand memories, like a dream."

With spring came back the busy crowds of travellers seeking the Oracle, and us hiding in Apollo's rooms more often than not.

Apollo hadn't returned to see Olivia since three weeks before spring began, and I was beginning to note his absence in the past month of spring. The prophecies were flowing, but he hadn't shown his face.

Well, until I asked Deme for an afternoon off, and let her teach Olivia how to make her own olive oil while I stayed indoors and played the lyre on the balcony. Trying to recreate Sweater Weather on a lyre is definitely not something I'd ever thought I'd do, yet it is the most relaxed I've been this week.

"What song is that?"

I startled badly, suddenly plucking several wrong notes. "Phoebus Apollon! Don't startle me like that!"

He stared at me in confusion, "Did you just call me Phoebus Apollon?"

"Mortals say people's full names when they're angry or annoyed at them," I explained, sitting up.

"Oh? And what's your full name? Or are you only named after my grandmother?" He grinned, sitting down beside me.

"Rhea Astraea Jackson Poseidonite." I sniffed, giving him an unimpressed look.

"That's a lot of names."

"Says you."

He laughed, "Fair enough. But you didn't answer my question, what is the song?"

"One I am writing." I lied, "Patience, or else you will never hear it."

"I'm not known for my patience," He said, leaning towards me, a finger coming to trace the hem of my veil. "Can I hear what you have written so far?"

I gave him a glare, but began plucking the strings. "~And if I may just take your breath away, I don't mind if there's not much to say, Sometimes the silence guides your mind, So move to a place so far away~"

"Pretty," he hummed. I could feel his breath against my ear, he'd leant so close to watch me play.

"Yes," I agreed, moving away from him. "But my song isn't what you came for, is it?"

"No it isn't," He sighed. "It's time."

I stood, walking to put the lyre away on its stand, looking away from him. "I think she's too young for this. I didn't start training until I was twelve, Olivia isn't even half that yet."

He came up behind me. "You saw her: she infects sickness on others. How long can she go untrained before she starts a plague? And her power of prophecy… It may be small now but it won't always be."

I whirled around, looking up into the blue eyes of the god in front of me. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"I know. But we can't be selfish." He smiled sadly.

Finally, for once in my life I understood my mother who never wanted me to go to camp, who tried her best to protect me from the mythical world for as long as possible. I closed my eyes to stop myself from tearing up. I miss her, I miss her so very much, I wish she was here to help me.

"Rhea?"

"I'll- I'll pack her bag. We'll set out tomorrow morning."

He nodded, "I'll watch you leave in the sun chariot. I can't interfere, but I can watch over you."

I swallowed thickly. My hand was paler than his; I vaguely noted as he brought it up for a gentle kiss.

"All my children mean so very much to me," He told me. "Take care of her- I'm entrusting much to you."

"I will. I'll do everything in my power, I promise."

He smiled, and he was gone.

"For all that my bones may be immortal, it is my heart that decides when it is time. A simple cardiac attack, and my skeleton is alone."

Olivia doesn't remember the last time she left the Temple.

Deme and I have taken her to the gardens, and to the marketplace, but she never truly left Delphi. And now she is.

"There's so many trees," she comments. "Why are there so many trees?"

"They're the homes of Dryads," I answered. "And they're the homes of the birds and animals."

"Does that mean there's no Dryads in Delphi?"

I gave Deme a mystified look. How am I supposed to answer that?

Deme smiled, "The Dryads in Delphi are really shy."

"Oh."

I mouthed a quick 'thank you' to Deme, glad I don't have to explain that Dryads don't live in cities to a five year old. That's a pout session we can avoid.

"What's that?"

"That's a sign: 'a day's ride to Delphi.'"

"But we just left Delphi?"

"That's why the sign isn't for us."

"How does the sign know who it's for?"

"It doesn't?" I replied baffled. "People know if it's for them or not."

"Okay. Can I have an apple?"

Deme smiled indulgently, "We don't have any apples, but we can buy some in Thebes."

Olivia frowned at her, "There's an apple tree just down the road."

"Then you can have some if the apples are good," I told her.

All mothers have the patience of saints. Gods, how did my mom deal with me on road trips?

"What is that?"

I turned to tell Olivia about the silence game where you can't talk or you lose, only to realise Deme said that.

...And Deme was pointing at Harpy, asleep in an apple tree.

Oh for Hades' sake!

"Harpy," I hissed and tugged on Riptide hanging on Luke's necklace, transforming it into a sword. "Take Olivia and hide."

Deme quickly followed my instructions, putting a hand over Olivia's mouth so she couldn't scream. I started slinking towards the Harpy, sword up and ready to attack.

Until I stood on a branch. Fuck.

"Scree!" The Harpy screeched, launching herself at me.

I ducked and rolled, slicing at her with Riptide, but barely nicked her.

She tried again, and hit my sword arm, but thankfully the Curse of the Styx worked strong. Her foot she scratched me with broke.

"Wanna try that again?" I taunted her, smiling.

She did not.

She tried to fly away, clearly deciding I wasn't worth the trouble, but it's my first monster in over a year, I'm not letting it go without a kill. A snarl appeared on my face.

I didn't know where the water came from- though later I would notice the completely dehydrated circle of grass around my feet- but it whipped out and pulled the Harpy back towards the earth like a rope around its waist. It screeched as it fell, and I raised Riptide above my head.

The Harpy stopped screaming.

I huffed in disgust, wiping my sword on my thigh. First monster I see in a year and it doesn't even get me to break a sweat.

"Rhea?" Deme's voice broke through the silent forest, high and horrified.

I froze, disgusted by my own thoughts. I don't fight for sport, I fight to protect.

"It's okay, Deme, it's dead." I called back to my friend.

Deme appeared from behind a tree, Olivia on her hip, wary. "The body?"

"Monsters turn into golden dust," I said, pointing at the pile of dust and feathers. "It's best we keep moving- Harpies like to nest together."

Deme nodded. "Are you uninjuried?"

I smiled, "I'm just fine," and touched Riptide's hilt to the camp necklace.

"Halt! Who goes there?" A soldier shouted, spear in his hand.

The road to Thebes was filled with soldiers watching the roads. The seven gated city was nearly as militaristic as Sparta, though not as extreme in culture, and the walled city was vigilant at every traveller that approached.

But this soldier has curly light brown hair, sky blue eyes, an upturned nose, and a mischievous smirk.

"I am Rhea of Ithaca, Deme of Ithaca, and my daughter Olivia. We are heading to Athens and will be spending only a night in Thebes." I quickly explained.

He raised an eyebrow, "No husband?"

I gave him a smile as I lied through my teeth, "He is waiting for us in Athens."

He looked up and down, clearly taking a note of my answer, then nodded. "You two ladies take this road to the large oak tree, then follow the left path. The gatekeeper will ask you your names, and make sure to tell him you are travelling alone and without any trade, he'll suggest a safe inn for you to stay."

"Thank you," we quickly bowed our heads at him, smiling.

"You ladies travel safe." He nodded, and let us pass.

"He was nice," Deme commented idly.

After the last time we met a god and she freaked out about me not telling her straight away, so I'm not gonna comment on the (hopefully) inconsequential visit of Hermes to her. Wonder what he's doing; checking up on us for Apollo, maybe?

I smiled and ribbed her, "He was handsome."

"Rhea!" She hissed back, smiling. "I wouldn't, you know I wouldn't."

"Yeah, yeah," I waved her off. "Now let's find this oak tree."

Thebes, once you enter it's walls, is a bustling city.

Olivia immediately tried to chase a chicken, and I scooped her up so we didn't get yelled at by a vendor. "Oh no you don't, missy." I said to the squirming girl, "Dinner and an Inn, that's it."

"Squared Marble Inn, Squared Marble Inn, Square Marble-" Deme muttered as she scanned the buildings for the name of our suggested inn.

"Pleaseee," Olivia whined, doing little 'gimme' hands at the ground.

"No." I said sternly, pulling her closer to me. "You can chase chickens once we're in Athens, not here."

"-Marble Inn, Square- There!" Deme pointed at a small, tile roof inn with a marble entryway.

"Oh good," I hitched my bag up higher. "We can ask them if they serve dinner too."

"Welcome to the Squared Marble Inn, how many I help you two ladies?" A woman said. She had a serving tray of ale on her hip. "We have two rooms available, but no cribs for the little one."

"That's alright, she's old enough for a bed." I smiled at the innkeeper, "Just one room for tonight. We'll be leaving by noon tomorrow."

"A silver drachma," She said decisively. "Two Obol coins for a bath, and an extra two Oboloi for dinner and breakfast."

I handed over two silver drachma and smiled at her shocked face, "Keep the change if you keep our travels quiet."

"Yes my lady," she quickly nodded and shouted at a serving girl to take us to our room and bring us dinner.

"Cheap," Deme muttered.

"We're not travelling as royal ladies anymore, we're just two unaccompanied ladies." I corrected, "Of course we're paying cheaper."

"Still doesn't mean I can't be suspicious, can I?" She refuted. "If I miss anything from being a slave is the anonymity. Could walk right into the slave's quarters and hear every gossip, secret, and lie the master's were telling."

"As useful as that was, I rather prefer you free." I chided her, "And I'm the war veteran here, I can fuss plenty over what I find suspicious myself."

Deme rolled her eyes, "Then I'm the one to only fuss over your horrible fashion and ability to refuse every marriage offer that comes near you?"

"I'm not that bad!" I pouted, letting Olivia down on the straw bed. "Remember Diamita? Girl would dress in a servant's gown and an undyed veil if her servant's were less vigilant."

Deme scoffed, "Diamita's mother was simple, she was probably a bit simple too."

I scowled at her words, "Simple or not, she was the best nurse of all the foster girls."

"Yes, I suppose so." Deme agreed, "Now, let's get these travelling clothes off."

"With a final step I complete my journey, and long for the first step. My legs ache from walking so far, so long, but the ache is dulled. Familiar. Perhaps now is a time to rest my legs, sit down. Yes. There will be another journey soon, and another and another."

The walls of Athens were far less impressive than those of Thebes, yet still quite a sight to see.

Even from the distance, I could see the Acropolis rising in the horizon; the ground where my Pater and Lady Athena once fought over this city, creating springs and olive trees.

"Halt!" A guardsman and his partner told us, and gestured us to the side so a cart may pass as we spoke. "Citizen, Guest, or Trader?"

"Guest," I quickly replied.

These guardsmen, who are clearly not Hermes, looked suspicious. "Where's your husband, lady?"

"In the city already; Apollodorus of Delphi. He told me that he'll meet me at the cave of Apollo, on the side of the Acropolis."

He frowned down at me, "Have you a place to stay until your husband collects you?"

I smiled sweetly as I lied, "We have enough coin for several nights in an inn, but my foster sister and foster brother live in Athens now that they're married and I was intending to briefly be their guest."

"Hmph," He looked us up and down. "Your names, including your daughter?"

Deme answered, "Rhea of Ithaca, Deme of Delphi, and Olivia of Delphi."

"Very well, you may enter." He nodded at us, and waved his arm towards the city gates.

"I hate Athens," I muttered. "Don't know why Pater ever wanted this sexist mess."

"At least we're here," Deme smiled, and hooked her arm around mine. "We just have to find the old centaur and the quest is over."

I laughed, and entered the city.

DELETED SCENE:

"What does it mean?" Apollo asked, baffled and lost. "What does it mean?!"

"Why are you asking me?" Hermes replied, "I only met her once, and she spent the entire time crying and panicking."

"Hermes, Sweet Brother-" "-I'm not sweet-" "She made a chiton for me!"

Hermes raised an eyebrow, "Bit bold, but it's not like we haven't had a few who've done so."

"No, she made a chiton for me, she didn't just sew it! She wove the fabric, dyed it, embroidered it, and sewed it! And then left it on my offering slab!" Apollo hissed, "She very clearly called me her husband."

"And you haven't slept with her?" Hermes frowned. "Beyond bold."

"No!" Apollo threw his hands up. "She barely lets me kiss her hand, much less get near her bed! But she stole my goblet right from my hand and drank from it, and she agreed to stay in my rooms without even a polite protest!"

Hermes looked even more confused than Apollo, "She announces that she's wife, but she doesn't even flirt back?"

"Yeah!" Apollo looked close to confused tears, "I have no idea what she wants from me."

"Marriage?" Hermes said, "If you're not already married? Maybe the mortals have a new custom and you accidentally married her."

"Ugh! I don't understand women! Maybe Artemis would know what's going on?"

"Maybe?" Hermes said, clearly having several other selves searching for the answer. "At least you didn't accept it."

"Uh," Apollo looked sheepish.

"Oh great, you agreed and announced yourself as the Not-Husband to her Not-Wife." Hermes let his head fall on his hands, "Poseidon is going to kill you."

"It was a very nice chiton and I was very confused at the moment! What was I supposed to do, leave it?"

"Yes!" Hermes groaned, "You leave the marital gift if you're not married!"

Apollo let out a whine and fell down to lay on the couch, "I messed up and I'm confused."

Hermes paused. "We're not telling anyone about this."

Apollo quickly nodded, "Anyone except Artemis."

"She's going to yell at you."

"That's fair."

Hermes sighed and stood up, "I'll go check up on her. You said she is taking your daughter to Athens? She's on the road through Thebes then."

"Thank you," Apollo sighed.

"She called you her husband and said your daughter is hers too?" A very very confused Hermes appeared back in Apollo's temple on Olympus.

"WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!" Apollo screamed into a pillow.

A/N

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, I was on holiday and couldn't write, plus drama in my life.

So, Rhea and Deme raise Olivia in Delphi, then when the winter ends they travel to Athens! tbh my mind is tired af, and my adhd is saying 'not today sis' so this AN is real short. Uhm, tell me your favourite part? I love reviews. My favorite bit to write was the 'Making the chiton' just cause I had a blast explaining the significance of it, and my discord had a field day thinking up how Apollo (and Olympus) would react to it, and I made the 'deleted scene' in response to them.

I've got the ancient greek monetary system written down in Lore, and yes, it was very fucking hard to translate thank gods my gf knows math/economy cause I do NOT. Yes, that's how you dye/make chitons in the ancient world, and yes, Rhea accidentally announced to Apollo that she married him. She thought she was being petty and that nobody would ever notice/he wouldnt even see it, but nope, she doesn't know that she went above and beyond there. Yep, Thebes was a pretty impressive walled city and military, Athens much less so before the Hellenistic years.

Lore and Translations:

1 bronze coin (Chalkoi)
24 Chalkoi to 1 half silver (silver drachmae)
3 Obol (silver coin) to 1 half silver
2 half silvers to 1 Silver drachma
10 Silver coins to 1 Gold drachma

1 Dekadrachm (Gold Drachma) = 10 silver drachma = $600 us
1 silver drachma = 6 Obol = $60 us
1 half silver (Triobol) = 3 Obol = $30 us
1 Obol = 8 Chalkoi = $10 us
1 Chalkoi ~ $1 us