Chapter 9

As they all sat down to dinner, everyone was surprised to see that the three strangers that had mysteriously appeared on the beach were sitting right next to Perci and across from her at the high table where the elven lords, Gandalf, Aragorn, hobbits, Durin folk and the former Company of Thorin Oakenshield, and the four humans from Rohan and Gondor also sat.

"Perci, who are they?" Merry asked curiously, gesturing to the three strangers that were dressed similarly to Perci.

Perci smiled widely, the smile making her eyes sparkle. "This, Merry, is my father, Poseidon and my uncles Zeus and Hades."

Those that knew Perci's heritage choked. Posiedon and his brothers watched, slightly amused. Their daughter and niece had filled them in as much as she could about this world, and although they were slightly angry about their hero and themselves being pulled into another world's and another's gods' mess, they could see that Perci loved and thrived in this place.

This place was good for her. But they couldn't figure out why they wer brought here. Nor how.

"You're gods then?" Frodo blurted out, having known Perci's heritage from Bilbo and Perci herself from having known her through the years.

"We are. I am Posiedon, God of the Sea, Earthquakes, and Horses, King of the Sea. Perci is my first and only daughter I have ever had in my thousands of years."

"I am Hades, God of the Underworld, King of the Dead. I am Perci's Uncle."

"I am Zeus, God of the Sky and Thunder, King of the Gods. I am Perci's other Uncle."

"Oh," Frodo said faintly. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You as well little one. Now, Perci, what did you agree to do?" Poseidon asked, his demeanor changing from cheerful and bright to stern as he looked at his daughter.

Perci shrugged. "I just volunteered my services to escort Frodo to a volcano to destroy a ring that houses a small amount of the will and power of a being that is almost equal to your father."

The three gods stiffened. "So another Kronos then?"

"Basically."

"You're saving the world, again?"

"That's what I was brought here to do by the Valar. And if I happen to find family and friends, and maybe even love, among those here, then it is just a bonus to defeating another evil being."

Posiedon and his brothers exchanged glances, knowing that they couldn't change her mind. "Very well. But do you have any idea of why we would be brought here?"

Perci thought. "Maybe because there is a high possiblity of me dying and that you three were the only ones strong enough to live through the travel between Earth and Middle Earth and then back again. So the Valar probably wanted some from home to know about me and my fate so that you would either mourn or praise me."

"Logical." Zeus said, knowing that the Valar seemed kinder towards their creations then the Greeks or their Roman counterparts.

"And more then you would ever do." Perci muttered.

Zeus glared at his niece, the atmosphere around them all crackling with energy. "What was that?"

Perci rolled her eyes. "Chillax, Uncle Z."

"Brother, I don't think that that is a position you want to put yourself in," Hades warned. "Remember what happened to the Giants, Kronos, Gaea, Ares, the Titans, and others. Don't be on the other side of her or everyone will hear about it when we go home."

Just as quickly the charged air disappeared and Zeus glared angrily at his plate.

Posiedon and Perci exchanged looks, rolling their eyes and thinking the same thing: what a drama queen!

And that was how the people of Middle Earth met the Big Three gods of Earth, the father and uncles of the Queen of Atlantis.

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The month passed quickly, Perci spent as much time as she could with her father and uncles, knowing that she didn't have long. The others of the Fellowship understood, well, most did anyway.

Later that night, Perci stood on the bridge leading to the beach just looking out at the sea a week before they were to leave when she was disturbed.

"Dad, I said I wanted to be left alone." Perci said, not looking.

"I'm not your father."

Perci's eyes closed at the voice it was time to talk, it seemed.