Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter
The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: Symphony of Tempering
Chapter Six: Sweet Sixteen Shenanigans
Beta: ShadowofAxios
It was a balmy night and Rhode was unable to sleep, so whilst most of Camp's occupants were enjoying a good night's sleep, she found herself chilling with her Aunt Hestia by Camp's central hearth.
"I am glad you get along with Triton and Amphitrite." The goddess of the hearth, home and family said as she passed Rhode a melted marshmallow on a skewer.
"Thanks Aunt Hestia," Rhode said as she happily took the offered treat. "And yeah, I'm glad too. Amphitrite and Triton are great. Really, really wonderful people."
Aunt Hestia smiled as she watched Rhode chow down on her gifted snack.
"It is truly fantastic when families get along," the child-like goddess said with a happy grin. "And it looks like the other side of your family has just arrived."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Rhode asked as she finished her treat, but her aunt had already vanished.
Before she could ponder the question further though, the answer presented itself.
"Rhode!" An excited voice shouted from behind her.
Spinning around, she was shocked to see Emily running towards her with Gaige and Penny trailing behind her.
"Emily?" Rhode gasped as the daughter of Aphrodite literally pulled her to her feet and into a hug.
"Rhode!" Emily repeated herself as she shook Rhode demandingly. "Are you okay? Are you safe? Were the injuries you sustained from Electra fully healed?"
"Em, sweetie, I think you're giving her brain damage from shaking her like that." Gaige pointed out with Penny nodding in agreement.
"Oh, sorry." Emily said as she stopped but instead of letting Rhode reply, she kept talking. "But Rhode, answer me. I need to know. After Ethan died, I can't lose you too!"
"I-I'm okay." Rhode offered a shaky thumbs up. "And what happened to Ethan?"
Emily sniffled and letting go of Rhode, she began rubbing at her eyes.
Gaige sighed and pulled Emily into a hug, whispering comforting words to her lover.
"Uncle Ethan was killed in a monster attack while working at an internship," Penny explained. "Creator Two was deeply affected by the loss."
The daughter of Poseidon felt a small part of her die inside at that. Ethan was such a good guy. She walked over and wrapped Emily in a hug, Gaige joining in. Penny joined in shortly afterwards.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Emily. It'll be okay. It hurts, I know. We're here for you."
"It's alright." Emily lied, rubbing at the tears leaking out of her eyes. "It's been months. I've had time to grieve."
Rhode nodded skeptically, but knew better than to call her friend out on her lie.
"Thank you for coming to check on me. You're the best." She offered the older girl, her grip just a touch tighter in a show of her honest appreciation.
"I'm sure you all had plenty of things to do. So coming down like this mustn't have been easy." Rhode said as they all pulled apart.
"It was nothing," Emily deflected. "I had to see with my own eyes that you were alright."
"No, it's a something." Rhode insisted. "I'm good, healthy and healing not just in body, but in other ways too."
"Yes, Creator Two. You should not downplay what you had to sacrifice to come back to Camp." Penny insisted.
"Penny-" Emily began only to be cut off by the copper haired daughter of Hephaestus.
"Emily abandoned everything to make it back to see you. She's going to fail and need to repeat an important internship because of this trip," Gaige revealed with a tweak of her nose. "The only reason we weren't here the day you got back was because Chiron went out of his way to keep it a secret from us, 'cos he knew she would do something like this. We only found out when Clarisse let something slip the last time we IM'd Camp to check in."
"Emily!" Rhode said, shocked by what her friend had done.
"It's really nothing Rhode. I can always get another internship next year. It's fine." Emily reassured the daughter of the seas. "I would've been back for your sixteenth birthday regardless. Now, I'm just a little early. That's all, really."
Shaking her head, Rhode smiled kindly at the blonde. "I really appreciate it, Emily. You didn't have to do that, but still, thank you. You're the best."
"I wanted to." Emily insisted as she pushed Rhode towards one of the benches that surrounded Camp's central hearth. "Now why don't you tell me everything that happened to you since I last saw you. And I do mean everything. I want to know all of it."
Emily was looking at her so intensely that Rhode gulped nervously.
"You sure you don't want to, I dunno, grab a bed in your Cabins first? I mean it's pretty late."
"We slept on the flight over." Gaige said as she sat down cross-legged on the ground in front of the bench Rhode and Emily were sharing.
"And my batteries are fully charged." Penny affirmed as she sat down next to her creator with her legs tucked demurely under her. "We are conversation ready!"
Rhode chuckled at the automaton's enthusiasm.
"If you're sure-"
"We are." Emily said with a stern look. "Now, quit stalling and get talking."
"Yes ma'am!" The daughter of Poseidon said with a playful salute before with a smile on her face she launched into her tale about all the things that she had gone through during her stint at Atlantis.
"I still can't believe Emily managed to put this together so quickly," Rhode said to herself quietly as she surveyed the party her friend had organized to celebrate her sixteenth birthday.
She and her family had only been back in Camp for less than two days but she somehow managed to not only organize the party but also bake her an impressive cake shaped like a model Atlantis, one she guessed she consulted with Bethy on since it was remarkably accurate in regards to the city's layout and architecture.
Truly, the daughter of Aphrodite was just made for becoming a professional baker and events planner like she was working towards! It was honestly a little frightening how good at this kinda stuff Emily was.
Now, her party wasn't some grand bash or anything. It was a modest affair being held in the part of the common area just in front of Cabin Three just like she liked it but that did nothing to detract from Emily's achievement considering the limited time and resources she had available to her. She had even somehow managed to get in touch with those who would be sending her gifts to make sure they weren't any duplicates! Which was no mean feat since beyond the host of gifts from her friends, Rhode had also got presents from her divine family. Heck, even Iraklis had sent her something!
The most striking of these gifts was the beautiful dress that was Amphitrite's gift, which Rhode found herself staring at in stunned admiration.
It was an A-line off-the-shoulder long tulle dress. It's skirts consisted of two parts, a mesh overskirt decorated with applique designs in the shape of various frolicking sea creatures and an underskirt that protected her modesty. It had a sweetheart neckline that she knew from experience, and because this was from Amphitrite, would enhance her bust wonderfully without exposing too much as to make her uncomfortable. The whole thing was green, predominantly sea green but with other shades here and there to create a nice contrast.
The dress had even won the approval of Aphrodite Cabin! No mean feat considering just how insanely fashion conscious they were.
I can't wait for the chance to wear it and wow a crowd! Rhode thought as she walked around the mannequin that the dress had come with one more time.
"Still kinda shocked how our stepmom is sending you gifts." Percy commented as he ate some of Emily's elaborate cake.
Rounding on him, the elder sister raised a brow at him. "What makes you think that, Percy?"
"I just thought she'd give us the Hera treatment." He confessed freely.
"Percy! I already told you, she's not like that!" The birthday girl fumed. Personally she found Amphitrite above such a thing, but she wasn't going to say it out loud and disrespect Lady Hera about it.
She learned long ago that she had to roll with the divines' various quirks. It was the only way to survive as a demigod sadly.
"Yeah, I kind of doubt that still. I'll wait until I actually meet her." He blithely retorted.
Frowning, she put her hands on her hips. "You know nothing, Perseus. I've met her. Lived with her. And she's been nothing but motherly to me."
"Yeah, by giving you tons of fancy clothes." Percy joked in an attempt at deflection, pointing at her new dress and the more plain, but still elegant open front dress accentuated with a jabot collar and a bow tie she was wearing for the occasion.
"Percy," Rhode hissed. "And I explained that the dresses were for me to fit in while I was in Atlantis and that I wear them now because I like to. I like looking pretty once in a while, but don't change the topic! Our stepmother is not our enemy."
"Yeah, maybe not. But she's not my mother either." Percy said with a shrug. "I've already got a mother."
"She isn't trying to replace her!" Rhode insisted. "She's trying to be kind."
"Yeah, like I said, I'll need to meet her to decide if that's true. Sorry, Rhode, but I really can't just take your word for it. Not on this." Percy said with a shake of his head.
Feeling her anger rising, hoarfrost started to cover the grass around her feet in response. She was about to gift her baby brother with some harsh words when Bethy stepped in.
"Percy, chill. Why are you acting so hostile? It doesn't pay to antagonize a god for no reason." The wise blonde asked.
"I don't want to talk about it." Percy said with a frown, put his plate down and walked away.
"I'll talk to him." Bethy said as she hurriedly followed after him. "You cool down Rhode."
Rhode was about to ignore her little sister's advice and follow anyways when her phone rang.
Frowning, she fished out the divine artifact and saw that it was Amphitrite calling and hastily answered the call.
"Hello Rhode. Happy Birthday!" The Queen of the Seas greeted happily.
"Hi Amphitrite, thanks." Rhode said with a smile, much of her anger forgotten at the sound of her stepmother's soothing voice. "But you didn't call me just to tell me that, right?"
"Sadly no. As you know, Zeus is still not happy with you so we need to keep our contact as minimal as possible to avoid setting him off."
Rhode sighed at her Uncle's temper. Dealing with it was a pain but something that she just had to live with.
"So what's up?"
"I'm calling to let you know why Percy Jackson is so tense today. I've just learned that Triton visited his dreams last night. What for, I don't know but they ended up getting into an argument."
A grunt of frustration escaped her at hearing that.
"Yes, so whatever the boys have argued about no doubt led to this. I'm sorry it ruined the festivities, my dear."
"No no, it didn't go that far. Some drama during a b-day bash isn't out of place here." Rhode returned with a weak laugh. "It's just building some tension is all."
"That's good to hear." Amphitrite said diplomatically even as Rhode could hear her disapproval of the notion of a tense birthday being a norm. "I nevertheless apologize on your brother's behalf. I would make him do it personally, but I am worried he'd say or do something stupid and make it worse."
"It's fine." Rhode said with a smile, thinking of the myriad ways she was sure Triton would manage that. For all that he was a god that had lived for millenia, he was a total goof a lot of the time. "I'll deal."
"You shouldn't have to," Amphitrite said with an audible frown. "Next time you are having your party down here in Atlantis."
"Sure," Rhode agreed easily. "Can my friends from Camp come?"
"Of course. Any friend of yours is a friend of our House."
"Then it's a deal. Next year we'll have my party in Atlantis."
"Yes, we will." The Queen of the Seas affirmed. "But for now, try to enjoy the rest of your party. Happy birthday Rhode."
"Thanks Amphitrite," Rhode said with a smile. "Love you."
Something felt warm and fuzzy inside her as she said it. Like she'd got back something she'd lost.
"I love you too, Rhode," her stepmother replied easily. "Now go enjoy your birthday."
"I'll try."
Hanging up the phone, she looked to where Percy had marched off to. Hopefully she could at least try and talk with him to settle this issue with Triton.
"Rhode, sweetie, just leave it for now." Emily said with a soft smile as she came over.
"Yeah, but-"
"Sometimes things are best left to friends rather than family. Especially when the issue is family. Friends will give a fresh perspective." The daughter of love offered.
Nodding in agreement, the brunette decided to change the topic. "How are Atlanta and Fergus doing? Hear from them?"
"Not too sure," Emily shrugged. "I haven't been in touch with them as much as I've liked lately. But they're probably swamped."
Rhode frowned. She knew Emily was probably right but she wished her old friends had at least told her why they couldn't come. Instead, all she'd received from the couple were a basic happy birthday card and a pair of generic gifts in the form of vouchers for Amazon.
"Rhode! Happy birthday!" Su said as she and Lee wandered over.
She was about to greet her and Lee, but seeing Su in that dark green floral maxi cheongsam she was wearing and how it really showed off the daughter of Demeter's petite yet succulent figure left her just staring at the other girl in what could only be described as lust.
"Thanks Su." Rhode said after some finally successfully fighting down the urge to pull the Chinese girl into a kiss and get her out of her dress, offered her ex-girlfriend a smile and pulled her into a tame hug.
"Happy birthday," Lee said with a roll of his eyes as the hug dragged on and he grew impatient.
"Thanks Lee." Rhode said as the two girls pulled apart.
"Su, you're as thirsty for Rhode to water your soil as always I see." Gaige said with a teasing chuckle as she came over with Penny to join their little group. "Thought you two broke up."
"I have no idea what you mean!" Su huffed, her cheeks looking cute and rosy.
Rhode's were too. She was getting better at reminders of the cluster that was her love life but they still had her feeling like a heel at times. Or mortally embarrassed. This was one of the latter occasions.
"Gaige," Lee said warningly, shooting the daughter of Hephaestus a dark look.
"Hey, didn't mean anything by it." The tinkerer said, raising her hands defensively. "Just teasing."
"Sorry Su, Gaige is still working on her tact." Emily apologized.
"Creator is still a work in progress." Penny chimed in with a smile, patting her mother on the arm comfortingly.
"See what I have to deal with? My whole family's against me." Gaige said with a shake of her head, her pigtails going this way and that.
"No we aren't," Emily said with a giggle. "We're just helping you improve yourself."
Gaige pouted and everyone laughed at her expense.
"It's great to have you back, Rhode. Percy's fun, but Camp felt quieter without you." Su told her with a soft smile that made Rhode feel like a terrible person.
"And my life emptier." The daughter of Demeter added before blushing furiously and scampering away.
Shaking his head, Lee shot Emily a glare.
"Your advice to Su sucked." He told the daughter of love. "It's following it that got her into the mess she's in."
"I told her to push herself, not force herself into being something she wasn't." Emily said with a frown.
"What do you mean?" Rhode asked, looking at Emily suspiciously.
"Ask Emily," Lee said as he left in search of Su. "It's her fault."
"Emily, what does Lee mean?" Rhode demanded, her hands on her hips.
"Before you left for Hogwarts last year, Su asked me for some advice on how to court you." Emily explained with a weak smile and held her hands out. "I told her that she needed to be more forward, push herself outside of her shell a little if need be to do that. She might've overdone it a little though."
"That or now that it's backfired, she's regressing a little." Gaige suggested. "Either way, Lee's blaming Emily's advice."
Rhode felt her shoulders go slack. "He shouldn't. If it's anyone's fault then it's mine. I was the one who broke Su's heart."
"Love is messy." Emily pointed out comfortingly. "We're all liable to end up being left or leaving others emotional messes pursuing it. It's the risk we all take."
"Everyone is sad," Penny observed. "This is sub-optimal. Perhaps we should change topics?"
"Sounds like a plan." Rhode said, smiling at the automaton. "So anyone got interesting stories to share?"
"Oh boy, do I!" Gaige said excitedly, bouncing on the soles of her feet.
For the next ten minutes or so, Emily and company chatted amiably with Rhode about the things that had happened to them since the last time they'd all been together. Sadly, their little catchup session was interrupted when Luke walked over.
"Rhode, do you have a minute?" The son of Hermes asked.
Rhode exchanged a look with the others who all made motions of assent even as they shot Luke wary looks and walked away to give them some privacy.
"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" Rhode asked her brother in all but blood.
"Could we have a little more privacy?" Luke insisted, looking around at their friends that surrounded them sipping at drinks, nibbling on snacks, chatting and enjoying the music playing from Rhode's stereo.
"Sure," Rhode said as she led them a bit away from the party, still in view of the others but well out of earshot.
"So, what's on your mind, Luke?" She asked as the older boy leaned against a tree with a contemplative look on his face.
"Look, we both know the gods are going to judge you soon." The tall blond started off, a dark look in his eyes as he spoke. "We should run away from here. The gods, they might actually kill you Rhode. Camp isn't safe."
Rhode looked at him in shock, hearing him say that Camp of all places wasn't safe? Some anger flashed through her and she glared at him for the insinuation.
"Luke, this is our home! We have friends here, family! I'm not just going to uproot all I've got here to run when the gods could snap their fingers to get me to them wherever I am."
"Fools! All of them!" Luke shot back with surprising heat. "Maybe if we run, they'll realize the folly of their ways and leave like us. Besides they wouldn't dare to just smite you. After all you've done, they fear you. What you could do to their precious Western Civilization!"
"I doubt they're scared of a teenager, Luke." Rhode's nostrils flared as she glared at him. "What could I even do to them?"
"You could decide their fate."
The cold, dark whisper that left the son of Hermes' mouth sounded like honey in her ears. And it frightened her to a degree. It sounded unnatural and evil!
"What?"
"Shall reach sixteen against all odds. Which you have. Olympus to preserve or raze. That's your choice. You have such unbelievable power over them, Rhode. They wouldn't dare strike at you, not when you have a heel on their fate."
Rhode took a step back, her heart hammered in her chest.
She didn't know the Great Prophecy. Practically no one at Camp did, yet Luke knew of it?
A dark part of her was tempted to ask what the rest of it was, because prophecies were finicky even if you knew the whole thing.
"Luke, that's not for me to decide." She shoved those thoughts away into the darkest corners of her mind. Right now, she had a brother to talk out of doing something stupid. "Hell it could be about Percy, not me."
"Him? Some rookie that got lucky? Annabeth had to hold his hand through that quest!"
Rhode frowned. She knew, heck all of Camp knew, that wasn't the case. Percy had defeated Ares in a duel. That wasn't just some rookie getting lucky!
So why is Luke saying that?
She was about to confront him about it when a booming voice interrupted her.
"Rhode Evans! Your presence is demanded by the Olympian Council at once!" Hermes said as he suddenly appeared in the middle of their conversation.
Luke paled at the sight of his father and instantly turned and ran.
Hermes looked at Luke's retreating form and bit his lip. But he otherwise ignored the other Campers who had all fallen to their knees in respect at his presence. Instead, he grabbed Rhode's shoulder and proceeded to teleport them both away.
You'd think the Council would summon me first thing in the morning since me turning sixteen is supposedly such a big deal. Rhode grumbled in the privacy of her own mind as she stood at attention and watched Hermes staunter lazily over to take his seat on his throne inside the Hall of the Gods where the Olympian Twelve held council.
I'm buying you time to get your head together, Rhode. I hope you appreciate it. Hermes told her telepathically, sounding just a tad chiding. Oh! Watch your thoughts too. Remember everyone here can read your mind.
Yes, Rhode, police your thoughts. Father warned as he nodded gratefully to Hermes who was taking his own sweet time getting comfortable. As for the delay. It is a power play. We are ninety percent certain that the Great Prophecy is not about you and thus your Uncle is willing to risk it to assert his authority and show that he can summon you anytime. Even from your own birthday party.
Alright, I understand, Father. Rhode steeled herself as she prepared to greet the council.
"It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Lord Zeus," Rhode said, offering the King of the Gods a curtsy. He nodded and she turned to offer one and a polite greeting to his wife before doing the same in turn to every one of the Olympian Twelve.
"Yes, yes, now that you've greeted us all." Zeus said dismissively once she was done. "It's time we get this started. Let's decide the fate of Poseidon's bastard daughter."
Rhode winced at being addressed that way but knew her place and held her tongue. Her Dad though had no such compunction.
"Really Zeus?" The Lord of the Seas said with a displeased frown. "Can't you behave in accordance with your station? I never behaved as badly when I was the king of the gods back in the Mycenaean age. Rhode has been nothing but loyal to Olympus and has assisted us on many occasions, the least its king can do is show such a hero enough respect to address her by name."
To Rhode's surprise this was met by nods from most of the other Olympians and Zeus huffed in annoyance but nodded disgruntledly.
"Alright, now that Dad has been reminded of his manners for the day can we get this farce on the road?" Apollo said with obvious irritation. "I get barely enough rest from driving the sun everyday and this meeting during my nightly break is eating into it!"
"Mind your tongue, Apollo." Hera chided with a wrinkle of her nose.
"Oh come on, O Queen of the Heavens!" Apollo countered, addressing Hera by her title mockingly. "We all know Rhode here isn't the child of the Prophecy."
"We don't know that for sure," Dionysus chimed in with a malicious little grin. "It could be her."
"Did you not hear Apollo, D? It's not Rhode." Hermes insisted with a roll of his eyes.
"Or at least we are pretty sure it isn't her. Besides, so what if she is? The kid's done every quest asked of her. For Olympus' sake let's not ostracize one of our A-listers when we might need to bust more skulls down the road." Ares grunted, looking bored as could be.
"Oh? You feel that way about her brother too?" Dionysus mocked.
"Fuck you, Apollo's sun was in my eye! The urchin got lucky."
"Let's not get distracted here," Hephaestus said, looking up from the gadget he was tinkering with. "If we do, we'll be stuck here for days and I'd not rather waste that much time being away from my forges."
"Hephaestus has a point," Artemis said as Athena nodded in agreement as well. "Though I would like your thoughts on the matter as well brother. What do you think?"
"Like Apollo and Ares said, the girl is likely not the child of the Prophecy." The god of fire said with a shrug. "I don't see a point in punishing her just on the slim possibility that she might be."
"I must agree." Athena nodded. "It would neither be just nor wise. The injustice of such an act would engender anger towards us that is best avoided."
"Besides, she's such juicy entertainment." Aphrodite tittered from her throne. "It'd be awfully dull to get rid of her!"
"You only say that because she's been corrupted by the taint of love." Artemis said, sounding disgusted. "And not just your brand either. I hear Lesbos has got her claws into her as well?"
"You say taint, I say blessed~" The goddess of love countered. "And let Lesbos do her thing, she's been nearly fading, the poor dear. So what if she's playing the connection that Sappho girl's poems made to her island hard? If it saves her from fading, it'll be worth it no? Or are you cruel enough, Artemis, to want to see her fade?"
Is Lesbos why I have feelings for Su? Is nothing about my life natural?
Are anything wholly natural and without godly influence? Athena of all gods spoke into Rhode's mind. Do not think too much about it, inheritor of Pallas' armor.
At least what she called her at the end there explained why the goddess of wisdom that was notorious for her feud with her Dad was being so generous to her.
"I make no such accusation!" Artemis said, jumping to her feet as she glared at the goddess of love either ignoring or having not heard Rhode and Athena's telepathic conversation.
"Girls, please focus." Demeter tutted at them. "We have more important things than for you to bicker over your clashing domains. While I am not pleased with my niece, I cannot damn her too harshly for her loyalty is sound."
"You're saying that only because you want to see her and your own daughter married." Hera said with an eye roll.
Demeter is rooting for me and Su?! What!? Is my love life part of the Olympian betting pool or something?
It was something to think about later when her life wasn't being decided.
Zeus perked up at this seeming support for Rhode's destruction on his wife's part and looked at her with a grin. One that vanished as she continued.
"Now, I personally like the girl myself. Even if she is illegitimate. Amphitrite has accepted her into her House and though it loathes me to condone her birth, that all but legitimizes her and I can accept that."
The King of Olympus looked as if he wanted to sulk, but kept his head held high.
"Actually, speaking of that. Poseidon?"
"Yes, sister?" Father asked, blinking at Hera suddenly addressing him.
"Why hasn't she been legitimized yet? I spoke to Amphitrite just recently and am certain she would not object."
Father just blinked as he searched for an answer and drew a blank.
"You just forgot to go through with it didn't you?" Athena said with a deprecating chuckle.
"Ah, yes, it did slip my mind…"
"If that's the case. Zeus!"
"Yes, dear." Zeus said with a put upon sigh. "Rhode Evans, by my authority as King of Olympus, I hereby legitimize you as a daughter of the House of Atlantis with the full rights and privileges a mortal child of that House is afforded. There."
He said it with such petulance that the king looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Uh, thank you, Lord Zeus." Rhode said, too shocked to be more polite.
"You've been awfully quiet, Poseidon, about whether your daughter should live." Athena said, eyeing Father with a suspicious look. "Nothing to add?"
"Perhaps we should let Rhode speak her thoughts on the matter?" Father suggested. He waited for the other Olympians to object and when none of them did, he turned to Rhode. "Rhode, anything to say?"
Rhode stared up at the gods, brimming with resolve as she calmed her beating heart, "If this Prophecy is about me...I'll take it on. You might not have confidence in me, but I do. So does my Father. But it could be about my brother...Personally I hope it's me since Prophecies are kind of a pain in the butt as we all know."
She casually shrugged and continued when no one so much as reacted to her statement.
"You know where my loyalty is, it's with my family, which is Camp Half-Blood. Which means it's towards you guys. That's my piece."
"Anyone else got anything to say?" Apollo asked, radiating impatience.
He was met by a round of negatives from the others.
"Very well. Then we shall begin our vote for the life of Rhode Evans." Zeus grunted with a furrowed brow. "All for killing her and eliminating the potential threat she poses?"
"Eloquent." Hera said with a disgusted shake of her head.
"Oh, shut up and just vote." Zeus said, twitching in annoyance.
Dionysus lazily raised his hand. No surprise there. He hated all half-bloods that weren't his own children on principle and thus naturally jumped at the chance to bump one off.
The god king himself also agreed and thunder boomed as he raised his hand. Since he was the one that was gunning for her death in the first place, this wasn't all too much of a shocker either.
The surprise vote came from Artemis, her childish face looking as if it was etched from stone as she raised her hand.
"Arte? Why?" Apollo gasped, looking at his twin in shock.
"I have no need to explain my views, brother."
"She's just upset that Aphrodite smacked her just now about Lesbos and is taking it out on Rhode," Hermes surmised, shaking his head in disapproval.
The diminutive goddess' pale cheeks turned a light gold as she blushed in embarrassment even as she glared at Hermes.
"Anyone else? Anyone?" Zeus all but begged, staring at every god with narrowed eyes.
Rolling her eyes, Hera pushed matters ahead.
"All opposed?"
All nine of the remaining Olympians put up their hands. Even Aunt Hestia, who didn't have a vote, put hers up from her seat at the hearth in the centre of the room. The red hot fire poker she used to tend to the Flame of the West held aloft almost as if in warning.
Rhode couldn't help but offer her Aunt a smile for that.
"Rhode Evans is permitted her life. Yada yada, etcetera etcetera. Now get her out of here." Zeus glowered, dark storm clouds crackling above Olympus.
"I'll take her!" Hermes said.
Before anyone could object, the messenger god teleported to her side, grabbed her arm and they were gone.
Instead of popping back to Camp though, they instead appeared on top of a mountain somewhere.
"Um, Lord Hermes? Where are we?" Rhode asked with a touch of nervousness as she looked at the god suspiciously.
"Not important. Just some random mountain." Hermes shrugged, he had a frazzled look to him, his sky blue eyes darting around before he calmed down. "Just needed a secluded spot to have a word or two with you."
"Oh, okay," Rhode said, nervously. Whatever had the god so anxious was making her worried. Very worried.
"First off, thanks for giving me an excuse to get out of the meeting. It's boring as the Pit and any chance I get to get out of one even for a bit is wonderful."
"You do have five thousand plus deliveries stacking up." A voice hissed from his pocket.
"You also have a meeting with the Amazons in twenty three minutes." A second voice hissed from the same pocket.
"Martha, George, hush." The god said chidingly. "This is more important."
There was the sounding of unintelligible hissing for a moment before there was silence and Hermes gave a satisfied nod.
"Alright, so the main reason I wanted to talk is about Luke." Hermes said, looking serious. Sad too, but mainly serious.
"What about him?" Rhode asked with a frown. "Yeah, he's been kinda weird lately, but nothing's wrong, right?"
"Something is most certainly wrong, Rhode." Hermes said with a shake of his head. "Luke has fallen under the influence of-"
"Uh-uh, Lord Hermes, no spoilers." An ancient looking crone said as she materialized with a pair of scissors pressed against the messenger god's neck and causing a bead of golden ichor to form on its blade.
Rhode froze at seeing the crone, gulping nervously. At least it was just a pair of scissors and not those bronze maces of theirs.
"Greetings, Lady Atropos." She stammered out. How else does one greet one of the Fates?
"Hello dearie. Now, Lord Hermes needs to be going now. We need to have a talk. So why don't I send you home instead."
"Uh, sure?" Rhode said, uncertainly eying the very pale Olympian.
Without another word, Rhode was teleported away. This time, much to her relief, directly in front of Poseidon Cabin back in Camp.
"The fuck was that about?!" She asked herself, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She collapsed on her knees, feeling a cold sweat roll down her neck.
Recovering her bearings after a few minutes, Rhode finally got back to her feet and made it into Cabin Three to find Percy sitting in a chair just by the door, snoring lightly. He was a light sleeper apparently as the sound of the door opening startled him awake and he shot to his feet.
"Rhode, you're back." He greeted her happily with some drowsiness in his tone. "How did it go up on Olympus?"
"They agreed to let me live." she said with a dismissive shrug.
Percy breathed a sigh of relief and Rhode rolled her eyes.
Sure there was a chance they'd kill her but it was a tiny one. Dad had almost gone to war with Zeus to keep her safe once. Did anyone honestly think he wouldn't be willing to do so again? Then there were all the patrons, she was wary of calling them friends, among the Olympians she'd made over her years of Questing as signified by their numbers saved into her phone. Surely, some of them at least would stand up for her. Between all that, she had never been too worried about the Council ruling against her.
"Have you been waiting for me to come back the whole time?"
"Yeah," Percy said with a shrug. "I was worried. The others all reassured me that it would be fine, but I couldn't really believe them, so I waited."
"That's sweet, Percy." Rhode said whilst ruffling his hair, much to his annoyance. "So that's the only reason you waited up for me? To make sure the Council let me live?"
"That and 'cause I wanted to talk to you about the thing with Triton." Percy confessed with a curled lip. "But you got back way later than I thought you would, so we can talk about that to-"
"It's fine. Let's talk about it now." Rhode assured him as she grabbed a chair and sat down on it directly across from Percy. "But first things first, I've got to know exactly what Triton said during his dream visit that had you so riled up during the party. Otherwise, I won't know what to tell you."
"It was nothing really, just some sma-"
"Percy," Rhode said, shooting him a stern look.
The boy startled, jerking back in his chair slightly as if scalded.
"Fine," he said in a whine. "He came into my dream to tell me to be good to you on your birthday."
Percy started to get a little riled up at this even as he continued.
"Which is BS because of course I wouldn't ruin your birthday!"
Rhode couldn't help but smile at that even as Percy kept going.
"So I got a bit testy about that and we started low-key arguing with each other."
"About what?"
"All kinds of things," Percy said with a huff of annoyance. "Mostly silly stuff. Triton was especially focused on warning me to not get too big of a head just because I had Dad's favour right now, his words, and that he, not me, was Dad's heir."
"Like I want to be." Percy continued with a shake of his head. "I just found out who he is. Between that and the whole Quest for the Master Bolt, does he really think I've had the time to even worry about that?"
"Fair," Rhode allowed. "But consider things from his perspective. You are a threat to his position as heir."
"But I don't want it!"
"Doesn't matter," Rhode said with a shrug. "Like I said, you are a threat. One, you're a boy and thanks to the rules of inheritance that Atlantis operates under, you could inherit Dad's throne. Or have a much better chance at it than a girl like me."
"But my mom isn't Dad's wife. That's a big deal for these kinda things, ain't it?"
"Usually," Rhode nodded. "But getting you legitimized is easy. Dad could do it if he feels like it. Or Zeus might do it to drive a wedge between him and Triton and Amphitrite. Heck, Hera browbeat him into doing it for me just now when I was up on Olympus."
"It can't be that easy?"
"It totally was."
The young boy looked thoughtful. "Okay, I can totally see Zeus doing something like that. The trying to drive a wedge thing. But he'd have to make me a god to have it work, right? I mean Dad's heir can't be mortal, can he?"
"Right again." Rhode agreed. "You'll at least need to be an immortal. Though turning a mortal into one or even a minor god is pretty easy for a god. They used to do it all the time, remember all the heroes who ended up as gods? Mr. D chief among them?"
"Wasn't he like almost a god from the get go?"
"Okay, bad example." Rhode shook her head with a frown. "But you get my point?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Good. So the next time you run into Triton or Amphitrite for that matter, be the bigger person and try not to take their coldness, if they show any, to heart. Okay?"
"I'll try," Percy said, looking just a little mutinous.
Is this what it's like dealing with me when I'm being rebellious? Thank the gods that other people were as patient with me as they were.
"Try your very best, Percy." Rhode encouraged with a tired sigh. "But for now let's get to bed, okay? It's late."
"Sure," Percy said, as he stood. "I'll go to bed then. Night, Rhode."
"Night, Percy." Rhode said as she too stood and walked off to get changed for bed.
It had been a long night and she couldn't wait to hit the hay.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!
And so, Rhode lives! It's a Greek miracle! Not going to lie, that council meeting was pretty fun to do. Just the sniping convos of the gods, alliances made, grudges brought forth. It was a lot of fun to do.
Nameless: We even slipped in some explanation of who Lesbos is and what's her agenda. Hope you guys caught what we were trying to say there.
Now, Rhode's party was where the real action was at. We got a lot of fun to take from the Emily/Gaige/Penny family dynamics, to Su showing off her stuff. Some arguments on parents and advice. Of course the biggest thing was Luke trying to pull Rhode with him, but don't think he'd give up just like that. He's Luke… he'll take what he wants like the thief he is.
Nameless: Rhode is really developing an appreciation for dresses huh? Considering she was wearing them almost all the time while she was chilling in the Atlantic, she'd have to or gone mad. Wonder how Thalia will react to this… Hmm… It'll be interesting to say the least.
So we've got a couple reviews based on the last chapter questioning how Percy could have defeated Rhode. The answer is simple: Percy is superhumanly talented skilled with the sword. Like absurdly so, even for a demigod. He is the child of one Great Prophecy and a major player in another. The Fates have blessed him with the abilities to serve his purpose in both. In contrast, Rhode is neither. Yes, she is a child of the Big Three but she's just not as special in the grand scheme of things as Percy and that matters in the world of the gods. Add in that it has been established fact that Rhode is average at best with a sword. If they had gone all out (i.e. Rhode uses her power and Spellbound) she'd win but they were sparring with swords (barring the occasional punch).
E4E: You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!