It's his cawing that wakes her up, the rough sounds making her blink sleep away and sit up.

He had left his cape draped over his young wife, warming her as he watched from his perch. She had slept peacefully through the night, only twitching twice with what appeared to be the beginnings of nightmares that he had easily soothed away.

After a few seconds of waking up and searching for him, she'd stood up and left the temple, wrapping his cape tightly around her. He spread his wings and took off.

Watching carefully to make sure she's safe on her way back to her ship from above, once he saw her getting greeted by her crew, he flapped his wings harder, flying straight up, towards Olympus.

It was strange for him, having a wife, it's something he'd never managed to have, Eros' petty interference stopping every love he ever had from staying. However, this young demigoddess somehow married him- in some sort of ritual that he still has no idea what it is (his current theory is when he saved her life by catching her before she fell down that hill)- and threw his entire worldview upside down.

He'd once vowed to never marry, though he'd attempted to break that vow several times, but that fact still didn't stop him from not having any idea how he should act as a husband. Most of his reference came from his father and Hera, but even then he recognised that while they were happily married, they also had their problems.

He understood that he had to protect and provide for her, but nobody had told him what to do when his wife didn't want him to do that. She yelled at him when he tried to stop her from doing dangerous stunts, and he had to ask Artemis to explain exactly what he did wrong (he begrudgingly accepted he was maybe a bit too controlling there, but he still thinks she shouldn't be putting her life in danger over a bunch of mortals), and then when he tried to share his wealth with her and she tried to refuse confused him, though she did accept them after a little bit of coaxing.

That's something he'll have to ask his sister. She's much better at romancing women than him, unfortunately, though he'll never admit that to her.

Coming up to Olympus, he spread his inky black feathers and glided down, straight through his window and into his temple.

Landing on the table, he transformed into his humanoid form, golden and youthful.

"So how did it go?" Artemis asked from where she was lounging on his bear skin rug. "Did she accept your apology?"

"Of course she did- it's me after all!" He smirked, stealing the goblet from her hand, ignoring her cry of annoyance.

"Sure," The sarcasm was thick on Hermes' tongue as he rested his elbows on the table. "Did you actually listen to everything she said, or did you give a general apology and let her assume the rest?"

"I'm sorry, who invented that tactic?" He shot back pointedly at his trickster brother. "Oh that's right, you did because you are too petty to ever apologise properly."

He raised a single eyebrow, and Apollo sighed. "The latter, but she's too smart and pointed it out that I was avoiding saying anything directly, and made me do it properly."

Artemis laughed, stealing her nectar back from his hand. "I like her. You said she's going to Delos? I'm definitely going to meet her there."

"Do not scare my wife away," He glared at her. "And don't go telling her stories about me either!"

"Of course I won't," She lied, and then winked at Hermes right in front of him.

Hermes hid his snicker by stealing the goblet, ignoring Artemis' whining about then getting their own nectar. "Are we sure she's your wife? I still don't understand how you got married."

"Don't a few mortals consider saving the other's life a marriage pact? I caught her from tumbling down a cliff," He pointed out.

Artemis snatched her goblet from Hermes, draining it so they couldn't steal it again. "True, but you're forgetting the fact that you haven't slept with her. Mortals and Immortals agree; a marriage is only complete once you share your marriage bed."

"She's shy," He weakly defended his wife. "She's probably just scared or something."

"Yeah, scared to get married fully without her father's permission," Hermes said. "Which, how's it been going with buttering Poseidon up?"

He wrinkled his nose, leaning back to rest his back on the table. "We've bonded on the fact that we both don't like Troy. He's confused as to why I'm talking to him- thinks it's about the war, he definitely doesn't know what Rhea has been up to, nor the fact that I've been with her."

"Oh, so her father doesn't know. Perfect." Artemis snarked, "I'm all for girls breaking out of the control of men, but if the man is the most volatile god in the pantheon, maybe we should, you know, tell him?"

"And end up with me skewered on his trident? I think not." He argued.

"Hey!" Hermes said, stopping the brewing argument. "Maybe we should convince her to tell him? Artemis, you're right, but that will also probably end up with another war. Apollo, continue to charm him and then we'll throw Rhea at him and let her explain. He likes his children, play on that."

"This is why you're my favorite brother," Apollo told him with a smile.

Artemis rolled her eyes, "No, it's because you sleep with him."

Both men squawked in protest, pretending as if their illicit affairs wasn't an open secret.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved them off, "Now, can you please tell me where your cloak went? And stop stealing my peplos, brat!"

"And so we will travel far…"

Deme was nervous about the future.

For all of the confident demeanor she puts on around others, she was in reality a rather anxious person. Her entire life she has relied on the good will of others- of her master's, the king and queen of Ithaca- but now she doesn't have to anymore.

Deme was a free woman, her fate in her hands and the gods'.

And Rhea's.

Rhea set Deme free, and for that she was eternally grateful. From the first moment they met, Rhea has always treated her with kindness, and in the few moments she'd lashed out, she'd immediately apologised, treating her like an equal. Deme was Rhea's closest friend, in a way that Deme could barely comprehend, so rare it was to see before she'd met Rhea, and for that she would follow her to the ends of the earth.

If she worries exactly what the end of the earth entails, then there's no need to bother Rhea with that. Her heart aches everytime her friend thinks she will abandon her, so she's promised herself she would do her best from ever leaving her permanently.

Until then, she'll fuss and hover and annoy. Make sure her friend is alright, and maybe open her fucking eyes to the god that is obviously in love with her.

Honestly, after what she walked in on (and isn't she glad that they still had their clothes on), Deme was ready to shake her friend and yell at her. Lord Apollo was giving her bedroom eyes, and Rhea was still chatting about how they're such good friends. Idiot.

But still, her idiot.

She needs to pray to Astarte that those two work it out soon, not to mention her offerings to Eros, Ishara, and Aserdus. Hopefully if she catches enough love and fertility gods' attention to the problem, they'll help out.

Deme likes matchmaking just as much as the next girl, but Rhea's vehement objection to ever being with any man, ever, is just strange to her and drives her batty. Even if they prefer the same gender like Deme does, people still get married and have kids, and simply have their lovers on the side. Rhea refuses even that. Even the god she is head over heels for, and who reciprocates, she won't entertain a thought for a relationship.

Maybe if she set up a trap with a nice private dinner-

"Deme?"

Blinking, the girl turned around to stare up at the gentle first mate who was looking at her in concern. "I've been trying to grab your attention for a while now, are you alright?"

"Just thinking," She smiled up at him. "What's wrong?"

Avraham frowned, "The dry air is gone, like Rhea predicted."

"Oh." She hadn't even realised, but Rhea had the sail down instead of just using the oars. "Poor Iphigenia."

He shook his head, "A god should never ask human sacrifice, to kill a daughter- despicable."

"No they shouldn't, yet they do and we act." She said bitterly, before noticing the absolute disgust the man had spoken with. "Do you have a history with…?"

"Not personally, no. Do you know the story of my namesake?" He asked.

"No," She replied with curiosity, "Though Rhea does. Can you tell me?"

"Sure, kid," He patted her head as if she was a five year old and not recently turned fifteen.

She sat on a barrel as he told her the tale in that soothing voice of his.

"...Over mountains and rivers…"

As Penelope stared out at the dining hall, she couldn't help but notice every empty space.

Just one year ago this hall was bursting at the seams: full of laughing and shrieking teenagers, boasting soldiers, meek servers, and gossiping ladies.

She would sit beside Odysseus, watching carefully as their foster children became more and more rowdy around food and drink until either an older, responsible one reigned their group in or an adult stepped in to tell them off.

Rhea in particular liked to start eating beside Penelope until she heard something of interest at the lower tables, then she would disappear into the chaos. Occasionally, a particularly loud shout would come from the youngsters, and she would always find Rhea right in the center, oblivious to how everyone would naturally gravitate towards her. Smiling so brightly as she laughed, a few times her eyes would raise to seek out hers or Odysseus', looking for their approval.

But there were no circles of excited children anymore.

It began with Rhea, leaving to seek the Oracle in a desperate attempt to avoid war, and Melas and his cousin, Kyros- both faithfully leaving to go support their family as war approached on the kingdoms of the Aegean.

Suddenly, despite it still being early spring, all the children were called away in droves; girls being married off in rushed contracts, boys being shipped off to a war they were too young for, and lord and ladies called home to support their kings.

Penelope was left with a newborn and a husband desperate to escape the mess he started all those years ago by having men swear oaths to her cousin, Helen.

Oh, Helen.

Penelope had never been fond of her cousin, always jealous and fighting pettily with the girl who all the men longed for and left no suitors for Clytemnestra and her. Especially with her powers, the way Helen reflected everything anyone ever saw when they looked at her, the way she could look the perfect angel to Aunt Ledo and a sweet wife to Menelaus and a petty brat to her even when all three saw the same interaction, Penelope never stood a chance in knowing her cousin enough to like her.

But this? Castor was the one to send the letter to her, detailing how Helen had been stolen by Paris just like she had been stolen all those years ago by Theseus, but this time it was so much worse. Not only did Odysseus have to play the madman to escape a war by Helen's mistake, but every other woman of the Aegean had to lose their husbands too.

Her husband got taken away, as if he's Helen's husband instead.

Just like Rhea said, Odysseus' plan didn't work, and she was left alone, with a newborn, governing over an empty Ithaca.

A little hand slapping her face, babbling not-quite-words at her with a beaming smile, and the emptiness in her abated just a little.

Bouncing Telemachus on hip, she smiled down at her son.

She shouldn't dwell on the bad, she must focus on raising her son to be the best prince he can be.

Standing, she left the hall.

"...To the dark crevices of our world…"

Melas felt sick to his stomach.

Kyros didn't seem to be taking it much better, leaning on the ship's rail, eyes closed and pale.

"They killed her," Melas whispered to his cousin. "She had no idea, Odysseus tricked her, and they killed her. We started a war with the death of an innocent."

"Mel, please." Kyros whined, burying his face in his hands. "I can't."

Neither of them could. Seventeen years old, and sailing off to war. They've never seen real bloodshed- never killed a man. They were unprepared for the reality of what was to happen. The horrors they will see before they die.

They missed Ithaca, the gentle comfort of childhood they didn't appreciate enough until it was too late. Left reeling as the last of their innocence has been brutally ripped away from them.

"What are you thinking about?" Melas asked his cousin after a long few minutes of silence. The wind was blowing through their hair, that stifling dryness to it gone, but the sickly scent of copper seemed to follow them.

"If Rhea was here, she would have stopped it." Kyros replied, still refusing to open his eyes. "Probably would have offered herself up instead, or talked to her Pater about it. Hells, she would have made the ships sail herself with her powers."

"But she's not here." Melas bit out, "She escaped this war; don't you dare be selfish enough to wish her to be here."

Kyros finally opened his eyes, staring mournfully at him with big doe eyes. "Is it selfish to wish innocents saved?"

The older boy had no answer for him.

"Melas! Kyros!" A voice called out, snapping them to attention. "Don't just perch like a bird on the rails- do you want to fall overboard? Come here and help your fathers with their numbers."

"Yes grandfather!" Both boys replied obediently to King Nestor.

They let the topic go uncontinued.

"...All in the hopes that I will see you again…"

Odysseus has never been a fool.

As Athena herself has dubbed him, he is a warrior of the mind, and his tricks are his main weapon.

When he came to find Achilles for the war, he had to admit he wasn't all that surprised by his dress-up trick, especially once they sat down afterwards to talk about it. The boy with him- the boy he was obviously madly in love with- reminded Odysseus of Rhea and her compassion even while her anger burned bright. He thinks that Rhea would love Patroclus, and she would probably start a fist fight with Achilles after one conversation.

Maybe that's what made him look at those boys like they were another pair of his foster sons, maybe it was the fact they let him wax poetics about Penelope without complaining like Diomedes does.

Either way, that's what led him to be standing beside them that day as they approached the shores of Illium, watching Achilles throw spears, one after the other, each landing a killing blow.

As they approach the shore though, Odysseus grows very aware how while every man is itching to attack- to kill- not a single one approaches the edge of the ship, too afraid of the consequences of doing so. They've all heard about how an Oracle said that the first man to land on the shores of Troy would be the first to be killed, and not a single man will take that chance.

Odysseus wanted to growl in annoyance: cowards, the lot of them. But he was quick, he believed that he was far smarter than any man here.

So he took his shield, his sword, a prayer to Athena, and jumped off the ship with a battle cry.

Instead of landing on the white sand below him, he landed on his shield, thankful for the strange wind that helped steady him as he wobbled.

The trick did it's job, because Protesilaus was landing behind him a second after, and running up towards the shore.

He didn't make it very far, a spear suddenly pinning him to the ground through the stomach, but he did get the rest of the men moving, the fear that they'd be the first to die dismissed.

Soon, the air was filled with battle cries and the grunts of men dying.

After the battle, Odysseus will pay his respects to Athena- thank her for her help.

Then, as he sets his tent for the night, he would turn his thoughts to his family; his Penelope, and how Rhea and Telemachus are coping without him.

He doesn't know whether to pray that the war ends quickly so he can go home to his family, or for a long and glorious war where his name will be immortalised as one of the greatest heroes of all of the Aegean.

So, he doesn't. He just plans for the campaign that will happen the next day, and hopes for both.

"...Where I will finally swallow my pride, and let you say goodbye."

My eyes briefly flickered away from the landmass on the horizon to the cawing of a raven flying overhead.

Hair whipping around my face, I kept my focus on my target.

For all that Delos is now anchored to the earth, it's still a mythical island and a home of an immortal. The ship seemed confused, the gentle tugging at my gut getting more insistent, like how Olivia would pull on my ear as she whined that she was tired.

Standing on the bow of the Black Pearl, I gently coaxed the ship past a valley that seemed to glow with godly power and towards the nearest mortal port.

My crew is mortal, and so they couldn't stay nor visit the godly side of Delos, I have to go there myself.

The persistent raven cawed again, and to my surprise, landed beside me on the ship's railing.

It was a rather large bird, as big as a small child, and with the boldness of a creature that knows how big it is. It's black feathers shimmered with iridescent shades when the sun caught them, like they were covered in oil, and I believe that if it wasn't for those bright rays, it would've been like staring into a void.

"Well aren't you a beauty?" I muttered, reverting back into my native English. It cocked it's head to the side, like it was trying to figure out what my words meant. "Are you one of Apollo's?"

It definitely recognised his name, cawing, and hopped forward towards the fingers I held outstretched. Scratching around its head, I smiled at the content sounds it emitted.

Switching back to Greek, which the raven seemed to understand, I mused out loud to my animal companion as I maneuvered the ship.

"Apollo keeps you well-fed, hm? Hopefully he'll extend that same kindness to me when I find him. I'm craving that herbed goat cheese we ate together back in Aegina, that was delicious." I said over the waves crashing against the ship's prow. "I've missed him. He's a good talking partner… and I'll admit, a good partner in general, if only he would stop being so bossy."

The raven fluffed up it's feathers, both preening and annoyed at something or other.

"We've got a lot to catch up on, actually." I continued, eyes automatically searching out a free docking space. "My birthday is coming up, my 18th birthday- it would be the year I reach complete adulthood at home now- and I want to spend it here on Delos. I still have to ask him if it's okay, this is his home after all, but I do hope he'll say yes."

The raven gave another crooning purr, then startled, flying off with no warning.

"Rhea?" Deme's voice reached me, "How close are we?"

"One hour until we're docked," I told her. "Does Avraham have everyone ready?"

She came to stand beside me, black hair pulled back into a single braid over her shoulder, and green chiton tied low on her hips. "Yes, he does."

I squinted at her, confused. "That's not your chiton."

"No, it isn't."

"Whose chiton is that?" I asked, mind reeling.

"Whose cloak and jewelry is that?" She shot back.

I paused. "Fair enough."

She snorted, defensiveness falling away. "I just borrowed Hyrmione's spare chiton because Brison tripped and let mine get dirty while moving our things for docking. Relax, Rhea, I'm not crawling into any beds that I shouldn't be."

I blushed, "You're three years younger than me, I have to look out for you there. Shut up."

She laughed and gave me a hug. "Sure. I'll go make sure Brison hasn't fallen overboard while nobody was looking."

I didn't watch her walk away, knowing that she'll be just fine onboard. Instead, my eyes caught the strange raven's shape again, observing how it faded into the distance.

I returned to steering the ship.

PART ONE COMPLETE

A/N

Ah-ha! So I've finally completed the first arc/act/part of this 3 part fic! Don't worry, the fic will continue on in this doc/story, you don't have to be on the lookout for a second bit in the series. There'll be a timeskip between Part 1 and Part 2, and while Part 1 is about moving on after grief, Part 2 is about relationships! Also, my friends made a lovely playlist for this fic 'Sing O Muse' by IzzyMRDB on spotify!

Since I know y'all are here more for the history facts than the story lol, here's your fun facts! Apollo's sacred animal is a Raven, after the time he invented them. There's a pretty heavy implication that Apollo and Hermes have slept together in a few classical works, and I love that for them. The gods mentioned in Deme's part are all fertility or love gods, most of which are Hittian and Anatolian. Avraham's thing with human sacrifice is the way I got taught the story of Abraham, that God won't ask you to sacrifice your children to him like the pagan gods of the neighbours, my Christian-raised friends have told me that's a strange interpretation, but from context and the hebrew this makes more sense? The story of Odysseus and the shield is real, dude's a jerk who loves his family, and that story is from the lost work of the Cypria.

I also have a PJO discord server for this fanfic (and my other fics) that anyone can join! (Just remove the spaces) : / / discord . gg/ hfXGUeraTg