lol sorry dear readers this is a bit awkward and overall not very good but it was a necessary part of the story so please don't cringe too much while reading

In all of his many years, Poseidon has never felt a sorrow quite as acute as the pain he feels now. This pain is quite unlike other tribulations he has experienced. Those experiences tend to yield pain like a hard blow to the chest, painful, breathtaking, leaving an aching throb for a while until it's healed, but never leaving any scarring. This sorrow is different. This pain is a needle thin blade, shoved into his heart. The pain is crippling. This pain is all-consuming. This pain is the pain of heartbreak. This pain will leave a scar.

The cries of his infant son cut deep into his already aggrieved soul, another tiny blade penetrating the preexisting wound. He cradles Percy's head in his hand. The small child's entire body can be covered by Poseidon's hands. It has been so long since Poseidon interacted with a child this small, he knows he will need his wife's help with many things.

In that moment, for the first time since Percy's birth, Poseidon thinks about Amphitrite. Poseidon hopes with all his being that his wife will accept Percy; he needs a mother. And while he could have his choice of any nanny under the sea, someone paid to love Percy would not be the same as a mother giving out unconditional love.

At this point, Poseidon is completely submerged in the sea, his salty tears mingling with the ocean water. Immediately, Percy's cries stop. He looks around curiously, his enormous green eyes, a mirror image of his father's', almost bugging out of his head. He waves his small hands, feeling the water between his fingers and toes. Poseidon smiles, beside himself with love for this small being.

He has never been able to be a part of his mortal children's lives and has always regretted not being able to be more involved. Now he finally has the opportunity to, through at a very high cost. He cannot imagine the grief Sally is feeling- everything that made her life worth living has been ripped away from her. At least Poseidon has Percy. Sally has absolutely nothing.

Before long, Poseidon reaches his Palace, sighing in relief. As much as he loves Sally, being on the surface did not appeal to him. Atlantis was where he belonged. As soon as Poseidon entered the city, he was surrounded by many of his court. His advisor appeared before him, his servants surrounded him; he felt like he was suffocating. Instinctually, he hid Percy out of site, tucking him against his chest. Picking up on the commotion, Percy began to stir and Poseidon knew it wouldn't be long before he began to cry. He wasn't too keen on the entire city of Atlantis being aware of his son's presence before he wanted it known.

"Leave me," Poseidon thundered, and everyone scattered, leaving the path to the throne room of his palace clear. In under a minute, he arrives at the entrance to the throne room. He finds a congregation gathered around a table made of smoothed sea shells, Amphitrite at the head of the table. He sees blueprints laid out on the table and assumes that the purpose of this meeting is to plan for the game room he ordered to be constructed.

"Leave us," Poseidon says, in a voice demanding to be listened to but without the force he had used before.

Everyone but his wife leaves the room. Suddenly the space seems much larger than it had before when occupied with 20 mer-creatures.

"I have something to tell you," Poseidon says, his grief flowing openly from his words. Amphitrite notices and comes close to him, laying her hand, made heavy with the precious jewelry decorating her fingers, on his shoulder. Her eyes invite him to continue. Poseidon tries to continue with words but when they fail to come he simply shifts his hands, revealing the sleeping infant cradled to his chest.

Amphitrite wears a shocked expression, that quickly fades into one of suspicion. "What have you done?" She hisses, knowing exactly what her husband has done.

"I have saved my son from certain death." Poseidon responds in a voice thick with sorrow.

"Your son." Amphitrite repeats, sneering. Not a question. "Your son is currently swimming around Atlantis. That is not your son." While she knows how common it is for the gods of Olympus to... fraternize with mortals, that makes this betrayal hurt no less. Furthermore, not only did Poseidon betray the trust of his wife but he betrayed the oath sworn on the Styx to not sire any more children with mortal women. Poseidon looks lost and despondent, and in no way about to deliver any kind of meaningful answer. "How could you do this? Not just to me- you broke the oath sworn by you and your brothers! There must be consequences?"

In response to her questioning tone, Poseidon looks up, taking his eyes finally off the human infant. "This is the punishment. It has been decided that since all of us have sired a child, we will be condemned to raise them ourselves, away from the mortal world." Amphitrite is too stunned to continue talking. How can Poseidon expect her to accept this bastard child into her palace? No doubt she'd be expected to raise him and act as his mother. She decides to say this. "I will not help in this. This is your punishment to bear and yours alone. I will not raise this bastard; he is not mine to raise. Do not expect me to mother him, he will not receive any love from me. Something as wretched as that half breed is not worthy of living in this palace." And with a twirl of her skirts, Amphitrite disappears out of the throne room, leaving a stunned Poseidon and an oblivious Percy.

/\\\

It takes only until sundown for the entire population of Atlantis to hear about the tension between the king and queen of their city. A group of merfolk had been strolling through the palace when Queen Amphitrite erupted from the throne room. If looks could kill, the group would have been annihilated. All of those who had seen their queen storm from the throne room to the residential wing of her palace rushed off to tell their friends of this exciting event, who in turn told their friends and before long no one was unaware of the queen's temper.

It took much longer, however, for Atlantis to learn of the reason for its queen's anger. For days, the tension continued to build and it seemed like the ocean almost wouldn't be able to contain the strain contained in its depths. The water was responding to its master's mood and thus the world on the surface suffered. Earthquakes frequented New York and surrounding cities in addition to the dark, rough waves that dominated the beaches.

Finally, three days after Poseidon's arrival, word was that the king had enlisted Agape, the wife of a trusted member of Poseidon's council as a caregiver for the child. Immediately the rumors of a baby, an illegitimate baby, judging by Amphitrite's anger, was present in Atlantis. Weeks went by and the rumors persisted. They only grew in accuracy as more sightings of Percy occurred. Many people had come to the conclusion that the baby must be forbidden, or else why would Poseidon hide the baby from his beloved citizens?

The silence between Poseidon and Amphitrite persisted, and soon their son, Triton, joined in, apparently siding with his mother and ignoring Poseidon. The only time the family was seen interacting was during royal meetings, and even then the interactions were stiff and uncomfortable. It was even rumored that Amphitrite would not allow Poseidon into their rooms, leaving him to sleep in the nursery.

The residents of Atlantis hoped the horrible tension that dominated the city would reside soon.

thanks for getting through that, next chapter will be very interesting (at least I hope it will, I have big plans). Anyway, please review!

Thanks for reading!

annades49800