Two kids ran into a clearing. There were leaves in their hair and mud on their feet. They laughed and giggled as they tackled one another, playfully nipping at each other's skin. One of them rolled away climbing up the nearest tree. They looked back down at the other, "Come on, Livia. We have to get to the top."
"I'm scared," Livia sat at the base of the tree. The other climbed back down in front of her. "Don't worry. I got you. We can go together."
"Promise?"
"I promise! And I keep my promises. You and me together until the end!"
Livia placed her hand in his, "Okay, Jason. Let's go."
(The screams were inhuman.)
"One. Two. Three. Four. Ughhh."
A girl landed harshly on arms as her sword was knocked out of her hands.
"Get up, Livia Basilea . How can you be worthy of the sea if you let such obvious tactics bring you down?"
Livia groaned, body aching and bruised as she stood to her. She summoned the practice sword back to her hand. Blood oozed and healed from the wound on her head. Her blue eyes narrowed in determination, "Again."
( . .)
"My cohort has spoken," Marion said, smiling reassuringly at Livia. "We accept the recruit."
Deidre looked at Livia with consideration. "Congratulations, Livia Jackson. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"
(Power rushed into her, imbued by earth herself.)
Three kids laughed as they sat around a table in front of a big box. They were careful to decorate the areas that they measured off for themselves. The only girl had the middle which she split into three sections. One for each boy at her side and one for herself.
"That looks really pretty you three," a familiar voice sounded. They looked up to see the last member of their quartet.
"Are you sure that you don't want to add anything, Kalina?" the eldest boy asked.
Kalina shook her head, "No. I will live longer than you. What's ten years compared to centuries?"
The other girl laughed lightly, "And you don't look a day over 15. What's the secret?"
"Chlorophyll," Kalina deadpanned.
("What you once were you shall never be again.")
A group of female-presenting Romans sat in a room. Some of them were doing their nails, applying acrylic made from imperial gold. Others were braiding each other's hair, weaving twine coated in poison within the locks.
Livia was carefully detangling Annia's curls and trying to not tense as Reyna combed through her hair. She didn't trust her at all, but Livia would put up with her because she knew that Jason liked seeing his friends get along.
The conversation around them was talking about the most gruesome kills and the worst demigod dreams that they ever had. Livia didn't participate in the second one, but she was a little bummed when she found out little Malysia had a more daring kill than her own. The child of Somnus had given someone a major case of sleep deprivation mixed in with a hallucinatory drug that let him roll around in a field of poison ivy and just raised his paranoia to an all-time high until the man was pulling himself apart with pliers and feeding on poppy flowers.
But that's what happens when one neglects Sleep and painless death becomes painful.
("Die first and become one of the universe.")
Livia turned to him as his thumb caressed the back of her hand, "Jason… promise me, that no matter the outcome; you and I shall never become enemies." He looked her in the eye; two different hues of blue met and mixed together, "I swear it," he declared. He brought her hand to his lips as he placed a kiss upon her hand, "I swear it on the River Styx." The thunder that rumbled the land sounded more ominous than usual.
("Earthshaker, Stormbringer. Hail Livia, daughter of the Sea God. Daimona goddess of Rome.")
The screams cut off abruptly.
A body laid almost unnaturally still within a crater in the ground. Eyes fluttered open, burning brightly with divinity.
Demigods— greek demigods landed on the ground, eyes burned out. Monsters vaporized in the face of the raw power.
Livia stood slowly.
The water from the river rushed about swirling around in personification of her anger and grief. The Athena Parthenos took aim at her. The water swallowed it down. She had promised to cart it back to New Rome.
(Livia was Rome.)
Blue eyes had flooded with power, zeroing in on the blonde girl in her grips. Stormbringer felt almost like an extension of her as she moved closer. Absently, she could sense the ancient power flow out of the atmosphere.
(I will give you the revenge you seek.)
Her brother was dead.
It wasn't fair.
Her best friend was gone.
It wasn't fair.
Grey eyes looked at her with fear and she relished in it. Her sword glinted under the sun.
Metal clashed.
Her gaze zeroed in on Percy blocking her strike. Challenge raised in her eyes, "Do it." She could see his own anger in his eyes. "Strike me, Perseus."
He stepped back and she scoffed. She could feel him try to gain control of her element. Power surged through the air and Annabeth screamed as pressure was forced upon her.
The taste of the storm lingered on her tongue, and she stepped to the side as lightning struck where she stood. Annabeth cried out again as she wrapped the sea around the bolt of lightning.
Jason appeared at Percy's side, a grimace on his face as she used his attack against them.
Livia looked at Jason blankly, "Cousin-mine, how nice it is to see you."
Her tone of voice made it clear that it was not nice at all.
"Give it up, Livia," Jason ordered. "You can't beat us both."
"Do you want to bet, Jason?" She laughed. A mocking sound filled with bitterness and promises of pain. "You have never been stronger than me. You are weak."
His facial features hardened before gentling out. "Please, Via. If you love me—"
"LOVE," she screeched. "I DO NOTLOVE YOU! You are not worthy of any love that Venus may bless you with. You will die broken and unloved! Your precious Piper would not be able to save you again. You cannot cheat death!"
Livia did not know how she knew that, but she could see it so clearly.
"Let Annabeth go," Percy snarled. His sword was clenched in his hand. The other campers, both Roman and Greek, circled her. She sneered, feeling drawn to every one that bore a SPQR sigil. She could feel them. They feared her.
Good.
Just as she promised all those years ago. Her name would petrify their very beings.
Piper stepped in front of her, confidence and determination woven throughout her body. "Let. Her. Go." Livia could feel the power in each word.
She cackled. The girl had never been able to charmspeak her. She was not Medea. She was not Khione. She was not even Gaia who was not at full strength.
She was Livia.
She was Rome.
"No." Livia tilted her head to the side. "I don't think I will."
Jason stepped forward; a pleading look on his face. "Please, Livia. Don't do this. We're supposed to be family."
Family?
She scoffed. They were no longer a family after he abandoned her for the greeks… after he abandoned Octavian.
"Blood is thicker than water, but you can drown in either. So tell me, brother dearest," her smirk turned dark and bitter. "and cousin mine , how do you want to go?"
She could feel people manifest beside her. Hatred and love danced around each other within her heart. An echo of her own voice spoke beside her: "Let Terra be witness to me in this, and arching Uranus above, and the downward water of the Styx—most solemn and most fearsome of oaths with the blessed gods that, I shall pray for their downfall, every day from now till the end of their pathetic and miserable lives may they know no peace. If my blade encounters theirs in a battle, I will only leave when their heads roll on the ground in front of me. If their traitorous tongue ever dares to speak harmfully against those, I consider mine, I will break their jaw and rip it out their mouths myself. So long as I live, their family lineage shall feel nothing but pain."
"There is beauty in death," she heard Venus say. "And there is death in beauty."
Livia's lips curled into a smile as her voice echoed around them, carried by the wind to be heard by all. "I pray, old gods, rise from the deep. If eternal madness I cannot shake, a thousand bodies leave in my wake."
She stepped forward, centuries… millennia of power rushing through her veins. She turned to look at Piper. She would kill her first.
But no—
Livia reached out to the connection within her, dragging the girl forward. Reyna looked at her in fear. "Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, for your crimes against Rome… I hereby order you to die!"
"You have no power," the girl argued as she tried to get away.
An unnerving cackle surrounded them. She smiled with all teeth as she eyed her once-friend. "I think you'll find that I have all the power needed."
"Rome will never stand with you," the younger hissed. Livia leaned in, letting her essence pour into her eyes. "I am Rome."
She tossed the girl into the air where Arce swooped in to grab her. Seally emerged from the river, mouth opened wide.
"Livia, STOP!"
Everyone froze in place.
She turned at the sound of Esra's voice. The old praetor stepped forward, Leila and Mike at her sides. "Please, Livia. Stop."
"They killed us," Livia replied. "They hurt us."
Leila moved closer, tears in her eyes. Daniele and Chelsea emerged from the troops. "They did," her centurion acknowledged. "Octavian is dead, but you are still here."
"What you once were you shall never be again."
Chelsea reached for her hands. Livia took note of the pink bracelet on her wrist. "You were born from tempered winds of a storm. You were the sea and the sky. You were born from the same celestial dust of the creatures within your fathers' respective kingdoms. You have never been human. Not entirely."
"Octavian. My brother." Images rushed through her mind. She gasped. "My son."
(Livia. Daughter of Eilanna and Neptune. Lover of Mercury. You are no longer. Livia. Daughter of Sally and Neptune. You shall be.)
Mike glared at the ground, "Octavian made his choices." Livia turned to him. Rome–no, she saw what he had done. He betrayed Octavian. Arce threw Reyna away and swooped towards the boy. Seally roared in anger. Octavian adored her animals. Divinity gathered in her eyes. This was Venus' son and she adored her boy, but he betrayed—
"He was in love with you," she snarled. Mike jerked. "He wanted to ask you out on a date." She brushed the hands off of her as she moved closer. "He wanted to plan his life with you. He wanted to ask you to foster a child with him. He loved you."
"I—"
"But he loved Rome more. He loved me more. HE WAS LOYAL!" Her voice boomed. "And you betrayed him."
Esra rushed forward, grabbing her wrist tightly. She didn't cry out as the power within Livia instinctively boiled her blood. "It was Octavian's plan to die!" Livia turned to her. Esra let herself be heard by everyone. "You know this, Livia. He told you that he had already foresaw his death. He wanted everyone to hate him so it would make it easier for them to let go."
"It's not fair," she cried. "He was my brother."
"I know," Daniele said as he walked over to her. "But he could not cheat death."
Livia felt a shock rush through her. The barebones of the plan she had thought of rushed to her. She reached for that connection within her, and somewhere near, Hazel and Gwen and Jason dropped to the ground screaming in pain. "You are right," she said, turning to them. "You cannot cheat death, and if I cannot have my brother, then no one else can have their siblings."
"What about Percy," someone yelled.
Livia screeched. "HE IS NOT MY BROTHER!"
"Pluto and Venus would not accept you harming their daughters," someone said. "And neither would Jupiter and Juno for Jason."
"Hazel and Jason were borne from affairs after Pluto had sworn to never take on any other mistress nor to love another other than Proserpina. Jove had loved Juno for three hundred years before he married her and any child, he bore outside of their marriage bed was for prophecies only. The oracles are broken. There are no prophecies anymore."
"And Gwen?"
"What has she done to be worthy of life? No, some deaths should not be prevented. You cannot cheat death. Besides, there is beauty in death and there is death in beauty."
"Let my sister go," Nico snarled. Livia smiled with all teeth, "Give me my brother."
"I can't do that," he argued. Livia tilted her head, and the screams increased in volume. Her hand rose up, catching and throwing away the arrow that had been aimed at her face. She snapped her fingers, and blood rained down from the trees.
"You will," she smiled.
"You won't win," she heard someone say.
"I already have," Livia repeated. "If you want your siblings to live, you will give me back my brother." She looked Nico in the eyes, "Or shall I take this conversation King Jove and King Zeus about how Pluto and Hades both are not respecting their own laws of the dead and see how they will take it about an escaped soul."
Nico clenched his jaw, and a ghastly light appeared around him. The grass wilted in a perfect circle before a trench was carved into the ground. Her eyes narrowed as he moved around bringing food and drinks to the trench. Blood moved out of her control flooding into the grave.
"Let the dead taste again," he murmured. "Let them rise and take this offering. Let them remember."
He began chanting in another language. She shivered as the words seemed older than Rome. The words automatically translated themselves within her mind.
The grave started to bubble. Frothy brown liquid rose to the top like the whole thing was filled with soda. The fog thickened. Dozens of figures began to appear among the gravestones: bluish, vaguely human shapes.
The screaming slowed to a stop.
He drew his sword-a short blade made of solid black metal. Livia never saw anything like it. It wasn't imperial gold or that celestial bronze mess greek used. Iron, maybe? The crowd of shades retreated at the sight of it.
"One at a time," Nico commanded.
A single figure floated forward and knelt at the pool. It made slurping sounds as it drank. Its ghostly hands scooped the liquid from the pool. When it stood again, she could see it much more clearly–a woman dressed in roman armor. She had wavy blond hair and blue green eyes, a clasp shaped like a lyre on her cloak.
Livia froze.
"Speak." Nico said.
The woman frowned as if trying to remember. Then she spoke in a voice like dry, crumpling paper: " I am Aurelia. Aurelia Verus."
Livia stepped closer. This was— Octavian's mother. This was her mother. She gasped. This was her daughter. Her descendant.
"Livia," the woman stated. "The daughter of Neptune."
"You know me?" She knew the woman had not seen her since she was a babe, and she had not been present when she was accepted into her family.
"You are the best of us, Neptune had said," the woman replied. "I watched you grow from my vision pool. And I watch you live alongside my Octavian."
Livia flinched, sadness filling her. "He died."
"Everyone dies," Aurelia told her. "It's the life of a demigod."
"He was loyal," she argued. "Rome rewards— I reward loyalty."
"You will see him again," the spirit assured her. "You are not the only one to be born again."
"I cannot do this without him."
"You can. You will."
Livia could sense the absolute sincerity in her words.
"I–Can I see him?"
"Not yet," Aurelia soothed. "You have to make peace with his death first."
"I can't do that." Livia licked her lips. " Mom, please ."
Aurelia walked closer to her; hands hovered her shoulders. "You were warned that the path that led to your ascension had two choices. The shorter path will lead to the deaths of hundreds. A civil war unstoppable that your wrath will only fuel until nothing is left but the deathless gods. And the longer path will lead to those whose fate have already been set. Two deaths that will blind you to anything but your own pain."
She didn't ask about the second because she already knew. She hated Jason in the same breath that she loved him. He would die soon.
"You are to be the best of us," Aurelia assured. "And there's someone out there holding their breath waiting on you to fail. Make sure they suffocate."
Livia jerked, hearing those familiar words. The child of the sea nodded, tension seeping out of her spine. "Pranjal," she called. "Heal them, please."
The medic rushed to her side, giving her a critical look over before nodding and turning to the trio on the ground. The cyclone of water laid Annabeth down none too gently as the river spat the Athena Parthenos back onto the ground.
Aurelia smiled encouragingly at her as Arce brought Reyna back to the camp from within the woods. The woman smiled, "Do not fret, my daughter. We will see each other again." She stepped back to the grave. "We— you have created a beautiful legacy and though Athena tried to wipe us out… we still live through you and through her too."
Tears streamed down Livia's face as she could sense a fledgling connection to a child across the country. A little girl.
"lux aeterna," Aurelia stated as she began to fade away. Livia's own voice was a whisper as she replied: "lux aeterna."
She turned back to the campers, greek and roman alike. She looked at them before stepping forward. Her hands drifted over the tattoo engraved in the skin of Esra, Pranjal, Leila, Daniele, Chelsea, and Malysia. There was more she needed to get to, but Livia had more important things to focus on. She looked at them, a soft smile on her face. "Rome rewards her own."
She flashed away.
Livia sat in the Senate Hall, awaiting the Dii Consentes and the romans as they finished the last of the trials. She was not technically on trial as everything she had done was legal, but it was for formalities' sake that she was to be introduced to the council.
She was a little bored as she had already cleared her office of her belongings for Leila and took the moment to spirit away everything owned by Octavian and the Verus family. She left a detailed planner that showed everything that was going on within New Rome for Leila and color coded her notes in a way that she knew the older girl had liked. It would make her transition to consul much smoother than her own had been.
Mike could rot for all she cared.
Footsteps drew her attention.
She looked up to the prophesied six standing before her with Reyna and Nico at their sides. Livia rolled her eyes, turning away. She blinked when she saw that Sally Jackson and her husband stood on the other side.
As much as she wanted to flash away for peace, Livia was not a coward. She ran from no one.
"Can we talk," Jason pleaded.
Livia didn't reply. There was nothing to be said. They were lucky she was allowing them to keep her sigil on their skin.
"Livia, please."
Livia stared at the son of Jupiter. "Would you die for me, Jason?" He hesitated for just a second, glancing at his girlfriend. "Yes."
Livia huffed, disappointed filling her once more. "Octavian gave his life for me with no hesitation. He told me once that there will be a day where he won't be here anymore. He told me not to follow him no matter how much I long to do so. In life, I loved him dearly, and in death, I love him still." She turned her gaze to look at Percy. "He holds a place in my heart that no one could ever fill."
She looked back at Jason, remembering that Octavian had told her that Jason was to die also. She remembered being able to foresee the Fate of all Romans. Jason would die soon—
"No, would you– would you live for me, Jason?"
"Liv... Livy–"
"My name is Livia," she snarled.
"Livia," Jason pleaded. "We cannot get back together. I'm with Piper now and you have Mercury."
Her features shifted into disgust. "I will never take you back, even if we were the last two people on earth and it was up to us to repopulate the lands… I would fall into Khaos willingly before loving you."
Jason flinched.
She leaned closer; voice infused with power. "Tell her, Jason Grace. Tell her you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell her the real reason you ran from Camp Jupiter, and why you are trying so hard to atone for your mistakes." She quoted the words so easily for him and Nico to hear. "Love does not always make you happy. Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. The only way to conquer it is to face it. And only one of Cupid's sisters has had the courage to face him and it was not the one you're dating. I refused to wait for you.'
"You were there," Nico muttered.
"I am Rome," she sniffed.
"Cupid isn't my brother," Piper muttered. Livia sniffed disdain, "Thank Pontus for that. Still–Venus and Aphrodite shared the claim of motherhood to those born of them. It is the same as Hazel and Nico not being half-siblings yet still lay claim to kinship."
"And if they can do that, you can too," Annabeth stated. Livia turned to her with a raised brow. "Twins have played an integral part in both of our histories. Greek and Romans cannot come together if you and Percy can't put aside your differences."
"Our differences," she muttered softly. "You think it is simple differences where he is greek and I am roman. No, our differences go back further where his mother abandoned me… where she gave me up. And I am supposed to accept that neglect because he has my face?"
"What about your Father? Neptune neglected you too," Hazel snapped. Livia's eyes moved to hers, voice scathing she said: "My Father is a god. You cannot begin to understand the power that is at his fingertips. I wish all of us, including me, stopped trying to reduce these otherworldly beings to fit our primitive mortal mindsets. We—roman demigods were never supposed to be born. The age of the half-divine started with the legacy of Apollôn and ended with Remus and Romulus and yet here we are. Hel, the greek age of the half-divine was to end with the birth of Aeneas."
"Stop," Percy cried. "This isn't going to solve anything."
Jason nodded, "Useless arguing over who is wrong and right is how the Romans and the Greeks got divided in the first place."
Livia rolled her eyes. "Actually, we were divided long before Rome even became an option when Lady Eris threw the apple of discord and Paris chose Lady Aphrodite as the fairest. The Trojan War happened where the gods chose sides and Lady Aphrodite's son Aeneas and Mars' twins Remus and Romus go on to find Rome where they become the greatest empire of all time. We then go back to invade Greece to get rid of any stragglers. And then Lady Athena's statue which had gotten sacked by the GREEKS first! It was her darling Odysseus that stole her statue from Troy. And our dear Roman ancestors that descended from a Trojan princess took it back! After all, Troy would not fall while the Palladium remained within its walls. It was Octavian's family that found it and hidden for years to come which she then decides the best way to recover it is by sending her abominations on suicide quests and picking off the Romans like she did systemically with Octavian's family line. You do remember Octavian, right? Our best friend before those Greeks sunk their claws into you."
"Livia—"
"Get out of my face, Jason. I never want to see you again."
"I'm sorry."
She turned to him, eyes cold: "You once swore that we would never become enemies. You broke your oath and I hold you to it. You can keep your apologies. May the Parcae curse your soul."
Jove ordered Mercury to summon all the gods at once to an assembly, and to declare that any absentee from the convocation of heavenly citizens would be liable to a fine of ten thousand sesterces. The theatre of heaven at once filled up through fear of this sanction. Towering Jupiter, seated on his temporary lofty throne, made his proclamation: 'You gods whose names are inscribed on the register of the Parcae, you all surely know this young girl who was reared by Lupa's own hands."
Livia was careful to not take her eyes off the king and shoot a glare at Sally Jackson.
"She stands before us today, golden ichor within her veins. My Honoured son, Mercury, has chosen the girl, and robbed her of her virginity, so he must have and hold her. Let him take Livia in his embrace and enjoy his dear one ever after.'
Juno straightened in her temporary throne at her husband's side. "Yes, I will give you to marry luck-bringing Mercury, and you shall be called his lady; since all your days you have loved each other forever."
There and then Jove gave her a cup of ambrosia, and said : 'Take this, Livia, and become a Dii Consentes. Mercury will never part from your embrace; this marriage of yours shall be eternal.'
Livia accepted the cup, letting the food of the god embrace her in its entirety. The gods smiled at her pleased. Jove raised his hands to her, "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail Livia, daughter of the Sea God Neptune. Champion of Salacia. Daemon goddess of Rome, Sea breezes, Beauty, Heartache, Combat, Rainstorms, and Loyalty."
Livia did not flinch as she felt domains fall upon like weighted bands. She could herself open up to the domains of her divinity. She kept her face carefully blank as she sank deeper into her identity as Rome reborn, sensing children and legacies within the ancient lands.
At once a lavish wedding-feast was laid. The bridegroom reclined on a couch of honour, with Livia in his lap. Jupiter likewise was paired with Juno, and all the other deities sat in order of precedence.
Then a cup of nectar, the gods' wine, was served to Jupiter by his personal cup-bearer Juventas, his youthful daughter, and to the others by Bacchus. Vulcanus cooked the dinner, the Horae brightened the scene with roses and other flowers, the Gratiae diffused balsam, and the Parcae, also present, sang in harmony.
Apollo sang to the lyre, and Venus took to the floor to the strains of sweet music and danced prettily. She had organized the performance so that the Musae sang in chorus, a Faun played the flute, and another sang to the shepherd's pipes.
It was as the celebrations were winding down. Gods flashing away to attend to their duties and soon none were left but the Dii Consentes Major, their lovers, and the mortals.
"If I may have but one request, Lord Jove," Livia pleaded, now that the room was emptied. "I would like to speak with Sally Jackson." The god raised a brow before waving his hand in agreement.
Livia turned to Sally Jackson who looked both hopeful and wary. "Never contact me again. Forget that you ever birthed twins like you have been doing for the past seventeen years."
"Livia—"
The child of the sea raised her voice, standing up from Mercury's lap: "I'm going to live my life without you as I have for the past seventeen years. I don't need you. I never did. So you can stay there, making every excuse under the sun, and wasting your breath."
Sally flinched.
"But I'm going to walk out those doors, go to college, raise my goddaughter, grieve for my brother not of blood but of heart, I'm going to do whatever tasks Queen Juno and King Jove assign me. I'm going to be with Mercury. I'm going to assimilate myself into my Father's court and continue to be my Stepmother's champion."
Livia stepped closer, careful to keep the ground from rumbling in wake of her rising anger.
"I'm going to have a lot of children. I'm going to protect the legacy of Verus from anything else Athena may pull for a statue that was not the Greeks to begin with. After all, as far as she was concerned, she was better than everyone in this room because she didn't come from a woman."
Her laugh was cold and bitter. "Which is funny because she prides herself on her children being the best, but her daughter nearly fell to my sword and only survived due to your son. Percy who came from a woman. Percy who you chose to keep and to love."
She stared the woman directly in the eye, not letting her look away for a moment. "My children will come from me, and I won't ever choose between them. And they will never know you. They have grandmothers with Queen Salacia and Lupa and Maia. They will never have to wonder if their mother ever loved them because looking at you and listening to you… you will never tell me how to love my kids. To hell you!"
"That's not fair, Livia," Sally Jackson tried to argue. "I was told that I couldn't keep you together. That your lives would always be in danger. That your natures would one day kill each other."
"Lady, if you're trying to appease your guilt, then you're talking to the wrong person."
"Don't talk to her like that," Percy snapped. Livia turned to him and sneered, "Oh screw you and screw her too!"
Livia turned back to the counsel, making eye contact with King Jupiter; "If you force me to live with her and make nice, I will find a way to kill myself. I will kill her, her husband, her daughter, and her son. You can kill me, throw me into Tartarus. You can wipe my existence from the minds of all that know me. You can hang me over Khaos. You can take my powers away. You could make me as harmful as a body without bones or a mind. You can relentlessly torture me from day in to day out but if you place me anywhere near that family… I will not stop until they are nothing but a memory and I promise that and I keep my promises. That I swear on the River Styx."
She looked almost unhinged, but everyone knew her words to be true. Thunder rumbled ominous in the background and they all looked horrified to witness the descent into madness one of their most level headed children had become.
Neptune stared at his daughter, seeing the absolute conviction in her eyes. The sea was not forgiving. It was not merciful. She was the kind of sea that battered relentlessly at the coastline until it crumbled away or carried the innocents from shore and let them drown, or smashed ships and killed entire crews without mercy.
He raised his hand, cutting off Sally and her son's protest. "As you speak it, so it is."
Jove and Pluto gave him looks of consideration before inclining their heads as they looked at their sisters. Vesta, Ceres, and Juno hummed before turning back to the godling before them. The six of them looked at the other Dii Consentes who shared their agreement.
Jove turned back to Livia. "Very well. Your… request shall be approved as it is as I will it."
Livia sighed in relief. She glanced at Mercury who gave her a soft smile. She bowed before the council once more before exiting out a side door. Arms wrapped around her immediately, and she breathed in Kalina's familiar scent. Tears brewing in her eyes, she whispered brokenly: "How come she never wanted me?"
Livia nursed her goddaughter on her breast as her own belly was round with child. She held a healthy pregnancy glow as she and Kalina looked through baby names within her newly constructed temple. Something was happening within New Rome, but she was under strict orders from her Husband and Father to not interfere and let the godlings handle it. Not only was she pregnant, but the ancient laws prevented her. Not that she cared much for helping those that still spat on her brother's name instead focusing on helping Leila be the greatest consul she could be.
(And of course, it had been so easy to manipulate their minds to place Daniele and Chelsea as praetors.)
Though she could admit that it was very uncomfortable pullings at her. And besides, Pranjal would have a fit if he found out she was doing anything too strenuous. He had taken it upon himself to be her obstetrician as both Apollo and Apollon were unavailable. Pranjal was the only person she truly trusted with her and her children's health. He was throwing himself into the teachings of Aesculapius, Lucina, and Capheira regarding medicine, childbirth, and the ocean's healing. Capheira had after all nursed Neptune himself.
She could sense Mercury and Hermes hidden with Berkeley Hills as they focused on building their own home and nursery.
"The child was conceived in November and will be due around your birthday. So, what about Nova?"
Livia shook her head, "No, Nova Verus was originally going to be her name." It should honestly still be her name, but the surrogate had named and signed the papers before any other decision could be made. And well… Livia was very fond of it.
She hummed as she tapped her notebook, "What about Hermaia… Hermaia Annia Verus?"
Kalina smiled softly at her, hand hovering over her belly for permission which Livia granted. She rubbed alongside her swollen belly, smiling beautifully when the child within kicked. "I think it's a beautiful name. And I think your next child shall be named after me."
Livia laughed brightly, "Fine. Kalen Meerholz Verus or Kalina Leila Verus." She carefully weaned the babe off her breast, passing her over to Kalina as she fixed herself up.
Livia stumbled, pain filling her. Kalina looked at her in worry.
"Jason," she muttered.
She flashed away in a blink of an eye. Horror swept through her as she saw Jason, pale and dying on the ground.
"No," she muttered, falling to her knees beside him. "No. no. no . You can't leave me too. Jason… Jason…"
"Livia…"
"It's Liv," she pleaded, rain pouring in reminiscence of her tears. "You can call me Liv."
Jason smiled sadly; a shaking hand raised to cup her cheek. "I have loved and been loved but I have never loved anyone like I did you. I broke my promise. I hope you can one day forgive me, cousin-mine."
"Get up. Please. I do. I forgave you before the war even started."
"You and me together to the end. I promised, didn't I." He smiled at her, fingers running through her hair, singing softly " We were just kids when we fell in love. "
"No. No. No."
"We are still kids, but we're so in love."
She laid her head on his chest, hearing how slowly his heart beated.
"Darling, just hold my hand."
"Please," she cried. Desperately trying to staunch his blood.
"I see my future in your eyes."
"Don't leave me. I can't do this without you. JASON!"
Somewhere off the coast of Rome, the world flooded with her tears.
this was titled |the seventeenth year| - trials of apollo in my outline... but I have not read the ToA nor do I intend to. So, this is what she has been up to while Rome is in dumpster fire in the background.