Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter

The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: Symphony of Tempering

Chapter Fifteen: Path of Self-Destruction

Beta: ShadowofAxios

Trigger warnings: Dubious Consent, Rape(?)

"Alright, we're all here. Let's get this meeting started already." Zeus grumbled as the last of the Olympian Twelve took their seats on their thrones in the Hall of the Gods on Olympus. "What is this all about, Poseidon?"

"It's about time! You know, brother, that I have been trying to call for a meeting for months to discuss the situation at Camp Half-Blood."

"Is this what this is about?" Zeus said dismissively. "We discussed this alrea-"

"And those discussions were hardly to my satisfaction!" Poseidon said, cutting his brother off bluntly. "And if that is the case again, I will do something rash."

"I agree with Poseidon," Demeter said, glaring at Zeus. "We need to discuss what happened and is happening in earnest and not just brush it aside as we have thus far."

"You're only saying that because of the Tantalus angle." Zeus shot back at their sister.

"I will not deny it." Demeter admitted. "But Poseidon's point still stands. We need to discuss this properly."

"Yes," Poseidon said in a ominous hiss, Olympus shuddering at his barely restrained anger. "Unless Dionysus is held to account by the Council for his recent treatment of my daughter at last, I will be forced to gain my satisfaction through other means."

"Poseidon," Zeus said, his eyes narrowed. "Are you really threatening war over a half-blood?"

"I damned well am!" Poseidon said, his voice glacial.

"You do realize that threatening Dionysus over this is tantamount to questioning my authority? Which means it'll be a war with me as well and not just him?"

"I know." Poseidon confirmed. "You put Dionysus in Camp after all and as self-centred and petty as you are, you'll see questioning Dionysus's actions there as an assault on yourself. So I made my ultimatum having already factored the likelihood of war with you into my calculations."

"You have, have you?" Zeus growled, lightning arcing off his body as he glared at his brother.

Poseidon did not back down and met his brother's sparking gaze with an unwavering one of his own.

"Oi," Dionysus said, cutting in and interrupting the staring contest even as he rolled his eyes. "Why by the Pit are you so angry Uncle Poseidon?

"You beat up my daughter-"

"After she challenged me." Dionysus reminded him, his eyes narrowed. "In a place that is under my authority, and hence is my domain. And even then all I did was smack her around a little, even had the courtesy to send her flying into the ocean so she could heal. Can you say you'd do the same Uncle to any foolish half-blood who behaved so disrespectfully towards you?"

"No," Poseidon growled. "So, you were restrained then. But what about what you did setting Rhode up with that Overland boy. What you did there was unforgivable."

"I wouldn't go that far." Aphrodite tittered even as Poseidon leveled a glare at her.

"Believe it or not, Uncle, I did that for the girl's sake." Dionysus said with a tired sigh. "Here, see for yourself!"

With a wave of his hand, the wine god sent a pair of images that Poseidon immediately recognised from their quality as prescient glimpses of the future. Something that all gods had from time to time. Though that understanding just filled him with horror as he processed just what the images were.

Poseidon felt like he had been struck in the gut by one of the Hekatonkheires. The first image burned in his eyes as he looked at his sweet, spirited daughter chained and collared like an animal. Naked as the day she was brought into the world and forced to kneel beside a throne of rubble that Luke Castellan sat upon, leash in hand.

He trembled, rage, bile and even more rage warred within him as he felt his domain churn and a tsunami or two was created. He couldn't care at the moment.

The first, horrid image faded, thank Mother, and was replaced with Rhode, clothed, happy and looking barely any older than what she was now. Holding a swaddled babe in her arms with a tuft of snow white hair and sea green eyes.

Hair that reminded him of that Overland boy.

And that may have set off an earthquake in California. He'd have to apologize to Hades later. He still wanted to kill something though. Hopefully he could find someone dumb and needed punishment. Whalers were good targets for that. Yeah, whalers.

Dionysus, the snide little asshole that he was, looked at him with a bored expression. "As you can see, it was either or. I went with the lesser of the two evils. You are welcome."

"Are there no other options?" Poseidon asked, practically begging.

"Sadly no, Uncle." Apollo said, shaking his head. "I can vouch for Dionysus' vision based on my mantle as the God of Prophecy."

"I- Right, thank you for your vigilance." He said, tone low as his heart felt like it was breaking. The hard path his little princess was on was a terrible one.

And for him as well.

"Jack, I told you that I wanted to stay away from you." Rhode told the white haired boy as they stood across from each other in the empty Dining Pavilion late one night in winter.

"Yeah? Then why did you come tonight? Why didn't you just throw the note asking you to come into the bin or a fire when you received it?" Jack asked with a knowing smirk. "You know you can't stay away."

Why didn't I? Rhode thought to herself as she recalled how she'd instead hidden the note she'd received via one of the unclaimed Cabin Eleven kids from her friends. The moment she'd realised it was from Jack… It was like all her promises to stay away from him vanished and she just had to read it, and knowing her friends wouldn't like it if she did, she'd hid it from them. Then when she'd found it was a request for them to meet up for a date… Rhode just couldn't resist.

"I-"

"Ssh!" Jack said as he walked over and cupped Rhode's face. "You don't have to say anything. I know what you want."

"W-What?"

"This." Jack said with a smarmy smile as he pulled her into a kiss that despite her misgivings Rhode couldn't help but enjoy.

This is wrong… But I just can't resist him...

"Argh, why can't he take a hint and just slow down a little?" Rhode griped to herself as she walked back to her Cabin from her latest date with Jack a month after their date in the Dining Pavilion.

With everyone, except strangely Mr. D, actively working against their relationship, their dates, whenever Jack could wheedle her into one, had been clandestine affairs that saw them sneaking off to secluded parts of Camp, usually but not always the woods, together.

Seriously, did he ever hear about how being pushy was a fucking turn off?

It was like he was trying to have them fail as a couple!

Though the things we get up to are wonderful! Rhode had to admit to herself. Despite what she'd promised her family and herself, and much to her own chagrin, Jack had repeatedly managed to get her into doing all kinds of things with him.

Does this mean I'm slutty or just a bit raunchy? I mean, Poseidon is my dad so it's not weird, right? It's just a healthy appreciation. Yeah. Rhode concluded before shaking her head to clear it and focus on the important thing right now. That's not the point! The point is he needs to cool it and just accept that I'm not ready to go all the way dammit!

"Rhode!" Su said suddenly and Rhode almost jumped out of her skin as she turned to face the daughter of Demeter as she stalked towards her from the direction of the woods. Though thankfully not from the direction where Rhode and Jack had their rendezvous earlier.

"Oh, hey Su." Rhode greeted warmly. Even if things were a touch strained between them… Su made her feel jumbly inside. "What were you doing out in the woods so late?"

"Collecting some plants that only flower at night for potion-making." Su said, lifting the wicker basket full of the herbs she'd picked. "What about you? Sneaking off to see Jack again?"

"I, uh, was just taking a walk."

"Liar," Su accused, a pretty pout on her face. "Rhode, honestly can't you just stay away from him? Do we really need to charm your Cabin so you can't get out at night?"

"Don't you dare!" Rhode hissed, recoiling at the mere suggestion. One of the more extreme ones that had been raised by her friends and family to keep her away from Jack. "Besides, I know what I said before, but I can't just give up on him okay? I just can't!"

"Rhode, we know that. That's why we're trying to keep you two apa-"

"So we can't be happy together!?" Rhode shot back, not really even believing her own words and driven mainly by a desire to just be right. To win the argument.

It was petty. Extremely so. But after how downbeat Jack had made her feel, she needed the win. She needed to feel like she was in charge.

"And are you two really happy together, Rhode?" Su asked pointedly.

Rhode had no answer to that. None that wasn't a lie anyway, so she just turned away from Su.

"This conversation is over!" She declared as she stalked away.

Maybe I should give in to Jack after all! That'll show these naysayers! Rhode told herself, ignoring the quiet whisper at the back of her mind that asked whether that'll be true at all.

Rhode was dreaming once more, she could tell as much through the blurred edges of her vision as she walked back from the Canoeing Lake to the courtyard between the Cabins in the dream version of Camp.

"Huh, what's with the crowd?" Rhode asked, as she saw the gathering of Campers in the courtyard.

"Didn't you hear? Jack's dead."

"About time."

"Seriously, he was freaking out all the new kids."

"Maybe we'll get some peace."

"W-What did you say?" Rhode asked in horror as she turned to look at who was saying such awful things and found nothing but blank faces. Literally. Despite being dressed like Campers, the crowd of people she was standing in was full of nothing but faceless people.

So ignoring them and the increasingly hurtful things they were saying about Jack, Rhode muscled her way through them to the centre of the crowd and what they were all standing around. Something that to her horror turned out to be a pyre.

A pyre with a very familiar body lying on top of it.

"Jack? Jack's dead!?" Rhode cried out in horror as she saw her boyfriend's dead body lying atop the pyre. He looked oh so handsome dressed up in his best clothes as he was and with the beautifully stitched cloak laid over his body.

But Rhode hated it. Absolutely hated it!

Because it was Jack's funeral clothes.

And then the pyre burned. And burned and reached high into the sky as smoke choked the air.

Rhode could only watch, helpless, lost and fearful.

"Jack!" She screamed as she shot awake inside Cabin Three.

Not that where she was registered immediately. It took her a moment of glancing around her for her to appreciate that the nightmare she'd just experienced wasn't real. That said…

"I need to find Jack!" She declared as she threw off her comforter and hurried out of her bed.

Without so much as throwing on a robe over her bedclothes, a simple comfy nightgown that Triton had given her as a present, she rushed out of her Cabin to find her boyfriend. Thankfully, it was easy enough to do so.

"Rhode!" He shouted the moment she stepped out of her front door and he ran over from Cabin Eleven. "Oh thank the gods that you're okay!"

"I should be the one saying that. Wait! Why are you saying that?"

"I had a dream-"

"One where we'll never see each other again?" Rhode asked, horrified as she thought back to her own dream of his own death.

"Yeah." Jack said with a pained look on his face. "We were out on a date in some city and we were at a pedestrian crossing. When the light turned green, you crossed just fine but when I tried to follow I found I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't follow. And as I struggled, my surroundings suddenly shifted and next thing I know I'm on Charon's boat and sailing down the Styx."

"It won't happen. We won't let it." Rhode said with determination, ignoring the churning of her gut telling her she might not be able to do anything about it.

If they both had a dream where Jack died… Then there was a good chance it was prophetic. And whilst the details of how the prophesied outcome might come about or even what that outcome might be wasn't always clear, such visions were never wrong.

"You had one too?" Jack asked, alarmed. His pale lips puckered in worry.

Rhode nodded and pulled Jack into a hug.

He's still here. He's not dead. Not dead, thank the gods. Her mind rambled as her strong arms tightened around him.

Her ears picked up at the soft pounding of hooves on gravel and the couple turned to see Chiron trotting over. A candy stripe night robe hanging over his frame and draping his flank.

"I am unsure why you two would be out this early in the morning, but no matter." He said, judgement written all over his face. The daughter of Poseidon felt a flush of embarrassment take over her face. "Rhode, get dressed please. We need you at the Big House."

"Uh, sure. Got it, Chiron." Rhode nodded and headed off back to her cabin to dress with more modesty.

"So Chiron wants to send you on a mission?" Jack asked as he and Rhode walked out into the woods that night for their clandestine date.

"Yeah," Rhode said with a nod. "He wants me to go over to some military academy in Bar Harbor, Maine called Westover Hall to help Grover pick up a pair of sibling demigods that he discovered there. Apparently, the Titans' forces were spotted in the region and he thinks that Grover needs some backup."

"You sure that you're needed for this?" Jack asked skeptically. "It sounds like busy work that someone else could be doing instead. You're a counselor after all."

"It's not my decision to make." She replied with a shrug. "It's Chiron's and he's already decided to send me. More importantly, I'm worried about our dreams last night. They might have something to do with this mission. The timing is worrying."

"Yeah, it is." Jack agreed with a frown.

"And that's why I want to make tonight count." Rhode said as they walked into a clearing that would be perfect for what she had in mind.

"What do you mean?"

Rather than answering, Rhode just looked around them and nodded when she saw that they were deep enough into the woods for it to be unlikely for them to have company. Just to be sure though, she pulled out her wand and quickly cast Protego totalum, the Muffliato Charm, Cave inimicum, and the Disillusionment Charm over the small clearing that they were in.

"Rhode, what are you doing?"

The right thing I hope. Rhode thought to herself even as she shot Jack what she thought was a comely smile.

Rhode dropped her wand into the pocket of her shorts and then grabbing the hem of her Camp tee, she pulled it off and tossed it aside.

"You wanted to go all the way, didn't you?" Rhode said in answer as with only the slightest hesitation, she unhooked her bra and threw it on top of where her tee had landed. "Well, now I want to too."

Nervously, she covered her breasts with her arm. Her throat feeling dry and her feet burning to leave. But she quashed the thought. If the dream she and Jack shared was prophetic like she feared it was, this might be the only chance she had to do this with him. She had to take it.

So instead of leaving, she kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her shorts. Her green eyes darted to look up at him, unsure if she should go fast or slow. Her heart pounding in her chest.

"Rhode are you sure?" Jack asked, looking at her with a mixture of want and questioning.

No. Rhode thought, even as she said the opposite. "Yes, I am."

"Sorry, Rhode." Jack said as he pulled out of Rhode fully. Like it was just a small mistake that he had just cummed inside her. "I couldn't help it."

She glared at him, upset and glowering.

"You could have!" She shouted as she pushed Jack off her.

After the shock of Jack orgasming inside her, all her restraint evaporated. And ignoring as her boyfriend offered his apologies, feeling his cum dribbling down her legs, she went to grab her wand.

Shit! Really should've learned how to cast the Morning After Charm. Rhode thought to herself angrily as she settled for a Vanishing Spell to clean the jizz off her body, before she hastily began getting dressed. I hope that's enough.

"I'm going to bed." Rhode said as she slipped on the last of her clothes, her Camp tee, knowing her spellcraft was not enough. She could still feel some of Jack's cum inside her.

"Rhode, wait! I'm really sorry! You don't need to leave. We can-"

"No! No, I opened myself up to you, trusted you and, and-!" She stammered out angrily, but couldn't say more. She just felt too confused and upset and really wanted to kill something!

And I shouldn't have done this at all! Or at least insisted he used a condom.

She refused to accept blame for this though. This was Jack's fault! All his fault!

It was his fault that she was feeling awful, used, dirty and just disgusted with herself.

This was a complete mistake. I-I can't deal with this anymore.

Thus ignoring Jack's continuing pleas, Rhode fled back to Cabin Three desperate to get as far away from him as she could.

Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!

And there we go, the nightmare chapter that we all were dreading. Yes, yes from what you can see at the beginning, we've been building up to this. It's not pretty folks, but tragedy is a theme in the Greek Mythos for a reason. Not everyone can be happy. Not everyone can be happy. Be it parent or child. Rhode's in for a bumpy road, here's rooting for her.

Nameless: For those confused why Rhode is suddenly drawn back to Jack after all the drama in the last arc about how she was going to try and stay away from him, we hope our little scene showing she just can't stop herself helped to make things clear.

And then there's the version on AO3, yeah… if you want a mood killer, go for it. Though it may be realistic on newly cherry popped kids. It wasn't fun for us to write it. Just to let you know.

Nameless: So for those of you on FFN in the mood for reading our attempt at writing an unpleasant first time, go hop over to the AO3 version of this chapter. We wrote the whole sexual encounter out over there. Word of warning, it spoiled our mood quite a bit to write that so we expect it'll do the same to you when you read it so do it at your own peril. Sorry in advance, especially to the AO3 readers who didn't skip it. We chose not to label it since doing that really breaks the narrative flow so yeah… Sorry! As for the ambiguity of our trigger warning, considering Rhode initiated the encounter and largely dictated its course we honestly don't know if the rape warning applies hence the question mark.

You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!