the random oneshot i could come up with as a christmas present to you all.
join the discords, link on my profile and i hope you enjoy this...thing I've written.
"Keep your guard up, niece! Good, now straighten your back!"
The clang of swords drowned out the excited murmurs of the crowd watching the battle between the two duelists. The sun bore down on the arena, a clear indication of the transition into the warm summers. The fragrances of a plethora of succulents and flowers still hung in the fresh air, only improving the jovial spirit of all watching the fight taking place in front of them.
Dense trees encircled the arena, providing the audience with shade and coolness. However, the stage itself wasn't protected by their shadows, instead, remaining exposed to the heat of the sun.
The two opponents danced around each other with grace, their swords nothing but a blur to the eyes watching them. Bronze struck against bronze as the girl narrowed her onyx orbs, eyeing her opponent vigilantly. The sea-green eyes of her adversary met her, his lips curling up in amusement and mirth.
"Reposition your legs, Zoë. They're too far apart. They will only serve to hinder your balance."
Zoë growled, growing annoyed by her uncle's constant orders. Her chest heaved, sweat pouring off her body as she pranced around her opponent under the heat of the sun. A sharp clang sounded as she swung her blade towards her uncle's midsection, who parried it easily.
Her anger grew at the show of his skill, and her strikes started turning sloppy. In the back of her mind, she knew how dangerous it was to fight uncaringly against her uncle, who loved to dose out punishments in the form of heavy spars whenever she did something incorrectly.
However, the heat of the sun, coupled with her tiredness and her uncle's chastising voice, was enough to make her ignore her usual prudence. Her frustration became evident in the form of awkward maneuvers with her sword as she desperately tried to hold on to the spar she was rapidly losing.
"Focus," the man warned, blocking another sloppy strike. "Anger is your enemy, Zoë. So is carelessness. In battle, either of them will prove to be your first and last mistake. There are no second chances in real life."
Clouds of dust arose as their feet disturbed the dirt in the arena. Zoë's eyes burned slightly, both due to the dust and her own sweat dripping off her brows. She could hear the encouraging shouts of the audience in the stands, though she wasn't sure who they were supporting.
Zoë narrowed her eyes, feinting a jab to the left, before thrusting her blade violently towards his right flank. To Zoë and those watching, it seemed the fight would end in favor of the Titaness, however, the man spun around suddenly, dodging the incoming strike that she was sure would hit him, before slashing at her sword. His motion was so fluid and fast, that neither Zoë nor their audience saw it coming.
His Xiphos struck her blade with such force that she was put off-balance. Thrusting all his weight towards her grip, he twisted, and Zoë's sword clattered onto the ground. The tip of his bronze sword rested an inch away from her unguarded chest. Zoë was panting whereas he didn't even seem perturbed by the rigorous fight.
"Yield?"
The audience fell silent.
Zoë looked at him with wide eyes before analyzing the situation, hoping to find some way to beat him. However, she knew she wouldn't be able to find any flaws in her uncle's impeccable stance and style. Scowling and panting furiously, she reluctantly conceded, "I yield."
The sounds of applause and rambunctious cheers filled the arena as her uncle nodded and retracted his sword. Zoë crossed her arms petulantly and looked away. "I thought I could finally beat you," she grouched, kicking her dropped blade away. "I even kept my mind cool this time."
The Titan laughed, the sound of mirth bringing a reflexive grin to her face. Offering an easy smile, he stepped forward. "Relax, Zoë. You did better than I expected. You certainly lasted longer than the last time we sparred."
Zoë winced and clutched her shoulder, reminiscing about their last 'spar' which had ended with her getting thrown around the arena after she had gotten too cocky. She had to spend three days in the infirmary under the care of her sister.
"But," he said, turning serious, and the Hesperide straightened slightly. "It wasn't enough. You lost your temper much quicker than last time. That is something you have to work on, Zoë. You get angered by the simplest of things during your fights. Every little mistake of yours results in you losing your head which causes you to make more errors."
"I'm trying," Zoë said, frustrated with herself. "I don't know why I get so annoyed at these spars! I try to keep myself calm, but in the end, I always get frustrated. It happens every single time. It's like something is irking me when I fight you, and I can't help but get irritated," she huffed.
He offered her a sympathetic smile and bent down to pick up her sword. With a reassuring nod, he offered the blade back to her, hilt-first. "It's okay, Zoë. You have an eternity to learn from your mistakes. I'm proud of the fact that you're working on your mistakes to make yourself better than your victories. Forget about actually improving, it makes me happy that you reflect on your mistakes and strive to develop."
Zoë flushed under the praise. Her uncle wasn't someone to hand out unnecessary or undeserved compliments to anyone. His praises were only given if justified.
She eyed her sword in her uncle's outstretched hand with dislike as he nodded encouragingly. With a sigh of defeat, she accepted the blade and sheathed it. She knew she was a little petty, but she was extremely competitive. She didn't care if no one in Othrys could beat her uncle, it still put her off that she couldn't too.
"But between you and me," he said conspiratorially, his green eyes shining, and Zoë leaned forward. "I can confirm that you probably received your attitude from your hot-headed father. I remember how petulant he'd become whenever I'd beat him. Wouldn't eat for days, just out of spite."
Zoë giggled despite her best efforts not to. Her uncle chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Don't tell him I said that."
A laugh sounded just as Zoë opened her mouth to respond. The duo turned to the source of the sound, and Zoë saw her uncle's eyes brighten. Silver-eyes, filled with mirth and pride walked towards them, and she smiled instinctively. Her uncle stepped towards the approaching Titaness and held out his hand with an exaggerated bow.
"Milady," he smiled.
"Oh, Chaos have mercy upon us," the woman said teasingly, accepting his outstretched hand. "Did I just hear Percy make a joke? It's the end of the ages!"
"Are you sure you're with the right person, Aunt?" Zoë asked, crossing her arms, smirking. "He loves making jokes in front of me. I wonder why he isn't the usual jester in your presence."
Percy laughed and wrapped his arm around the Titaness' waist. "I am not the serious person you make me out to be, Selene," he said, pushing her lightly. "I can be hilarious if I want to. Zoë can attest to that."
"Jokes about Titanic politics do not count, my dear," Selene shot back, though there was no bite to her tone. "I nearly went mad when you repeated the anecdote about my father being Lord Kronos' elite. You seemed too proud for coming up with that. And let me tell you, there was nothing to be proud of about that one."
"Elite?" Zoë frowned, brushing away the sweat from her brows. "That does not even make sense."
"That is what I said too," Selene crossed her arms smugly. "But your uncle didn't seem to share my sentiments. I am sure even your father Atlas makes better jokes than your uncle."
Zoë cringed. Her father did definitely not know humor.
"It was extremely amusing," Percy defended crossly. "The anecdote could not have been more accurate. And I find it hard to believe that my brother tells better jokes than me. Atlas doesn't know half a joke if he's ever seen one. I, on the other hand, have all the qualities of a jester."
"But what does it even mean?" Zoë asked confusedly, still stuck on the supposed pun. "Elite? You're a better fighter than Hyperion."
Percy sighed in exasperation, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You were my favorite niece, Zoë. But, it appears that Calypso just moved up a spot. I cannot have a favorite niece who does not appreciate my stupendous sense of humor."
Zoë spluttered. "What? You have favorites?!"
Selene slapped Percy on the arm lightly. "Don't tease the poor girl, Perseus," she chastised before turning to Zoë. "Don't mind him, dear. He's just trying to be witty. None of us have favorites. We love you all the same," she reassured calmly.
"Except Aegle," Percy interjected thoughtfully, drawing another slap to the arm. "The girl always seems to be in a foul mood. Don't get me wrong, I love her to Tartarus, but she just puts me off sometimes. I think it's her eyes."
"Uncle!" Zoë said, scandalized. "You're not supposed to reveal such things."
"Precisely," Selene accentuated, glaring at Percy, who smiled sheepishly. "We love all of you the same, Zoë. Be it Aegle, Calypso, Erythea, or you. Your uncle is just joking."
"He better be," Zoë harrumphed, crossing her arms. She loved all her sisters to death, but she couldn't deny it was a special feeling to be her uncle's favorite. It was common knowledge that Percy was one of the most respected Titans on Othrys besides the Titan Lord. However, while Lord Kronos was respected because he was feared, her uncle was admired because of his characteristics and qualities.
The three fell into a brief silence, only punctuated by the soft trill of birds above them. Her gaze flitting around, Zoë once again marveled at the mountain's gardens which were maintained by her sisters. Even if she wasn't involved in gardening, she could admit that she was impressed by Calypso and Aegle's work. It was beautiful. The scenic landscape of the beds of flora around the arena and overlooking the valley was designed to perfection, highlighting each and every beautiful quality of Mount Othrys.
She had loved the place as a child, and it seemed the love never did fade away with time. While she did not enjoy aimlessly sitting around and observing the enchanting flowers as much as she once did, she still adored the gardens. There was a reason she spent most of her day in the arena, which was built in the near vicinity of the flower beds.
"I am never going to get used to Zoë calling me Uncle," Percy stated randomly, jolting Zoë out of her musings. "It makes me feel remarkably old. And it feels strange to be addressed like that."
The Hesperide blinked. This was the first she was hearing about this.
"She is your niece, is she not?" Selene asked.
"She is yours, too."
"Yes, but I don't feel 'strange' when she calls me Aunt," Selene pointed out. "It makes me happy when the girls call me that. It just shows their adoration for us."
"But you're so..." Percy waved his hand, searching for the word. "Matronly."
Selene snorted, putting her hand over her mouth. "Me, matronly? Do you see me as Rhea, dear?"
"Not really," Percy admitted, running his hand through Selene's auburn locks. "But at the same time, you have similar traits to Rhea. You both are extremely kind, and you both love to interact with children. I would say that you two are just as pretty, but I love Rhea in every platonic sense of the word, and I would rather not make it awkward for me. Believe me, when I say this, I have never seen any of the children in the palace badmouth you. You just have this healthful and beautiful aura that draws people in."
"Is that what happened to you?" Selene teased, her cheeks lighting up a rosy pink. "I drew you to me?"
"Unquestionably," Percy replied, smiling gently. "You were just so...you, it was impossible not to get obsessed."
"Oh, are you obsessed with me, now?" Selene asked in faux surprise, her silver eyes glittering. "What would your father say if he saw his battle-hardened warrior confess about his obsession over a simple Titaness of the Moon?"
"You are anything but simple, my dear. And-"
Zoë cleared her throat.
"As adorable as this is," she interrupted pointedly as Percy opened his mouth to add another remark. "I would rather not witness this get out of hand, seeing I am your niece. I've had enough of you two being disgustingly in love in the past and it was enough to make me want to gouge my eyes out. So, before you go any further with your...actions, I'll clean up and retire to my room," she said snippily, crossing her arms.
Selene laughed and shook her head amusedly. "You don't need to worry, Zoë. We would never get intimate out in the open."
The Hesperide niece raised an eyebrow. "I have trouble believing that."
"And Arethusa just climbed up a spot," Percy said flatly.
"Uncle!"
"Vlákas," Selene muttered, rolling her eyes at Percy's antics.
"We are just having fun, Selene!" Percy defended, noticing the look of displeasure flash across the Titaness's face. "I'm sure Zoë is enjoying herself, too."
"No, I'm not," she replied snippily.
"Traitor!" Percy gasped dramatically, leaning exaggeratedly on elder Titaness. Selene slapped her hand to her mouth to stop herself from giggling out loud and pat his head in faux sympathy. Percy glanced at her, looking pleased.
"As amusing this conversation is," Selene said, clearing her throat. "If I remember correctly, Zoë has to learn medicine from Calypso in a few hours. Calypso has been far too eager to teach her 'violent sister some peaceful measures' and I promised her she could do so, once Zoë's sword-fighting lessons ended with Percy."
"What?" Zoë looked horrified by the idea. "You did what?!"
Percy snorted. "What she has done is perfectly sensible. There is no point in perfecting your skills as a warrior unless you don't learn the necessary skills to survive in a war or battle."
"How will learning medicine help me become a better warrior?" Zoë grumbled, crossing her arms. "I don't need to learn the names and uses of countless herbs to perfect my archery or swordsmanship."
"It won't," Percy said immediately. "I never said it would. However, medicine is crucial knowledge, regardless of your primary area of learning. It is especially important if you're a soldier." He explained seriously. "What do you think will happen if a fellow soldier or a friend gets fatally harmed during a battle? What will you do? The first twenty minutes after a life-threatening injury are the most important. If you do not know how to perform the basic treatments or stabilize someone, you might as well have lost your friend."
"But we're immortal," Zoë protested petulantly. "Even if someone gets fatally injured, they won't die."
"You are missing the point, Zoë," Selene said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What if it was Aegle or Arethusa, who was wounded? They wouldn't die but would you be prepared to lose them and never see them again for a thousand years? Moreover, it's not only in the case of war. Disaster can strike anywhere. What if you accidentally harmed your sister while sparring? Granted, we have excellent healers on the mountain, but as Percy said, it is better safe than to be sorry."
Zoë floundered pathetically, having no reply to her Aunt's words.
"Besides," Percy smiled secretively, noticing the gloomy look on Zoë's face. "I'm sure Calypso wouldn't mind some lessons on archery. After all, it is only fitting that you teach her something, too."
Zoë perked up before nodding eagerly. "Finally! I have been dying to teach her archery, but she'd always refuse my offer. Even Lenatos wasn't able to persuade her to pick up a bow. I can finally show her the advantages of archery over other weapons, and since Uncle has ordered her, she won't be able to refuse!"
"Just don't go too harsh on her," Percy advised lightly. "She's still a gentle soul who is proficient in doctoring. She might not be able to do what you want her right away, so, be patient with her."
Zoë and Selene paused and exchanged glances before simultaneously bursting into giggles. The ever-polite Titaness of the Moon muffled her sounds of laughter with her hand while Zoë had no such compunctions. She chortled, clutching her stomach, and gasped for breath. The joke certainly wasn't as hilarious as Zoë was making it out to be, but the heat and her tiredness were making her slightly delirious.
Percy blinked, looking confused. "Uh, did I say something amusing?"
"You are just proving your inability to make conscious jokes, my dear," Selene chuckled, gazing at his clueless face fondly.
Percy's eyebrows furrowed further, his face scrunching up in confusion before his eyes lit up. He rolled his eyes amusedly and pushed Selene gently. "I intended to make that pun."
"Sure, you did," His niece snorted, leaning on the tree beside her. "Even my father could see through that lie."
"You overestimate Atlas, then," Percy shot back, sending Zoë into another bout of giggles. Selene rolled her eyes and looked at Percy, who did not look sheepish in the least. "That is unkind of you," she scolded. "What has your brother done to you?"
"Nothing," he shrugged, smiling mischievously. "I just like making fun of him."
"Some brother you are," Selene crossed her arms, her lips curling upwards despite her words of discouragement.
"Brothers always tease each other. Our quips towards one another just show how close we are."
Selene stared at him before squinting dubiously. "That makes no sense."
"It doesn't have to," Percy huffed childishly, poking Selene's nose. "Not everything makes sense, my dear. It is the peculiar world that we live in. Moreover, if it did, I wouldn't be in love with you."
A pause.
Selene furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before they shot up in indignance, mustering the most offended look she could've mustered. "Perseus!" she exclaimed, scandalized. "How dare-"
Percy threw his head back and started laughing, capturing her smaller body in his grasp as she furiously tried to wriggle her way out of his embrace. "Let go of me!" her muffled voice called out from his shirt. "Perseus! I can't breathe, you dolt!"
"Ow!" Percy cried as Selene punched him in the gut harshly, using her Titanic strength to free herself. This, however, did nothing to stop Percy's laughter, and he continued to chortle in a strange combination of laughs and groans, with some coughs punctuating in between them.
Selene smirked and detached herself from him. "That's what you get for mocking me, dear," she said sweetly as Percy slowly sunk to the ground, looking winded. "I hope you remember it the next time you decide to mock your lady."
"Noted," Percy gasped, clutching his abdomen in pain. Zoë watched in fascination as her aunt stood triumphantly over her uncle's twitching form. She gave Selene a look of awe and admiration, bouncing on her heels.
"Forget about my uncle, you're my new idol, Aunt Selene!" Zoë grinned excitedly. "As far as I know, you are the only one in Othrys to send my uncle to the ground with nothing but a single strike. The famed Destroyer is nothing against his beloved!" Zoë announced dramatically, spreading her arms like a king's herald. "The strongest Titan warrior has been discovered and it's not the famed Perseus Evgenis!"
Selene giggled and stepped back from the sprawled-out body of the Titan. Percy huffed and got up, wagging a finger at Zoë. "You have just sealed yourself a thirty-minute spar in the evening, followed by a training routine of my choice."
Zoë paled. "That's completely unfair! I merely laughed at you, along with Aunt Selene. That does not warrant a punishment!"
Percy rolled his eyes. "I do not care about that, niece. The 'punishment', as you put it, is handed out because of the results of today's spar. You lost your composure, yet again, which resulted in your loss. You have been training with me long enough to know that your mistakes will have consequences. Today's fight did nothing but prove that you can develop and grow from your errors."
Zoë sulked. "It doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Chin up, Zoë," Selene said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your uncle does all this because he loves you. I remember when Lord Iapetus used to train Percy all those years ago. We were just young Titans then, just as you are. Yet, every insignificant error resulted in harsh punishments and unnecessary rebukes. I am certain Percy felt the same way then, as you do now, but he persevered and became the warrior he is today."
"It is true," Percy nodded, noticing her questioning gaze. "My father used to run me ragged when I was training under him. Even the smallest of mistakes would end with me being subjected to rigorous and harsh punishments. I used to dislike my father for what he would put me through, but I reap the benefits today."
Percy unsheathed his sword as the celestial bronze Xiphos glinted in the sunlight. It didn't matter that Zoë had seen the blade thousands of times before, the beauty of the leaf-shaped sword never seemed to take her breath away. It was rumored that the blade was a gift to Lord Iapetus from Lady Clymene which was subsequently given to her uncle.
Percy turned towards Zoë, and his expression relaxed. "I'm not saying I was better than you are now just because I used to train harder, Zoë. If anything, you are a much more refined fighter than me when I was your age. I just want to stress over the fact that practice does make perfect. And you have so much potential to become one of the greatest warriors of our age."
Zoë flushed slightly, the words of praise and encouragement pleasing her before she nodded her head in determination. She knew she was far off her uncle's level of skill but it didn't mean she would give up. She would train until she became a warrior who could stand toe to toe with Percy.
Selene smiled widely, noticing her determined expression, and ruffled Zoë's hair. A slow grin appeared on Zoë's face, the infectious smile of her Aunt calming her frayed nerves.
"You know, this blade was given to me by my father after I beat him in a sword fight," Percy mused, a strange twinkle appearing in his eyes. Zoë straightened in intrigue and leaned forward. Selene smiled wider as if she knew what he was going to say next.
"Perhaps, the day you beat me, Anaklusmos will be yours."
lol that is the most random shit i could come up with.
a special thanks to my beta, Fate. idek how he keeps up with my BS but thank fuck he does. also thanks to Alex, who beta-ed this chapter before Fate did (totally didn't forget i'd already had this chappie proof-read by him.)
so cheers to you both.
and also a couple of things- yes, i know I've been awol for 4 months. now any of my readers who live in India, might know about NEET. it's basically a test that'd either get into med-school or get me honor-killed by my family. so i literally do not have time for anything except studying right now.
that being said, i will try to write more because, well, the people in discord keep harassing me lol.
speaking of which, join the discord! the link is on my profile. so is the link to the emerald library. we have tons of fanfic authors there. please join :)
anywho, i hope you enjoyed this random-ass oneshot. keep your eyes out for something in the near future ;)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
bbyee