Why Do Weddings Have to Include Family?
When Percy is ready, he leads his father and brother outside to wait for the ceremony to start. As soon as they step outside, they see Athena standing just a few feet away talking with her son Malcolm. She shoots them a dirty look then quickly looks back to her son.
"If you boys will excuse me for a moment, I want to have a word with the mother of the bride," Poseidon says.
"Please don't start a war," Percy begs as his dad walks away.
"My Lord," Malcolm says acknowledging Percy's dad as he gets to them.
"Son," Poseidon says since he doesn't know which one of Athena's boys this is even though he spots the family resemblance.
"Would you give us a few moments, son," Athena says placing an emphasis to show that the boy is hers not Poseidon's.
"Sure Mom," Malcolm says actually a little relieved to get to leave the two of them alone.
"I didn't expect to see you here today," he says.
"She is my daughter," she replies.
"Trust me, I realize that. What I meant was I didn't expect you to be here to show support for the two of them," he continues.
"I am here to support her not him," she tells him.
"I know why you hate me, but what exactly has my son ever done to you to deserve such wrath?" he asks bluntly.
"Being born of you is all it took," she says but can't help but chuckle at her own answer.
"Was that a smile?" he asks as a grin covers his own face.
"No," she says but really can't hold back the smile now.
"Despite everything you and I have been through over the past few thousand years, our children are in love and are very good for each other," he continues, "After everything they have done for us, I believe we owe it to them to be accepting of their choice to be together."
"I have already told my daughter that I will support her marriage, but that does not mean I have to love or even like her husband. I promise not to kill him, is that not enough?" she says.
"Well it's a start," he says with a chuckle.
"It is more than you deserve," she says no longer smiling.
"Is that anyway to talk to your favorite uncle?" he says trying to lighten the mood at least to the level it was at before.
"Like you are that," she tells him.
"Hades, really?" he says now laughing.
"Neither of you deserve the title. You brothers are all the same," she says then thunder rumbles in the distance.
"I don't believe your father approved of that statement," he says, again with a chuckle.
From out of nowhere, a flash of lightning strikes very close to where Athena and Poseidon are standing but neither of them flinch. As the smoke clears, Zeus and Hera appear next to them.
"Talking about me again, sweetheart," Zeus asks his daughter.
"Sorry father," she says but it doesn't sound much like she means it, "I did not know you were planning on coming to Annabeth's wedding."
"She is my granddaughter is she not?" he says.
"Yes, of course," Athena says to her father, "Hera, it is nice of you to come."
"Well I am the goddess of marriage, so it is my duty to attend despite the participants," Hera says smugly.
"Don't anyone actually be thrilled for the happy couple," Poseidon says a little upset at his family.
"I'm thrilled for them," comes another voice from seemingly nowhere.
"Aphrodite," Athena says as the goddess shimmers in next to the four of them.
"Traveling alone today," Zeus ask curiously since no one appeared with her.
"I don't go anywhere with my husband and Ares, well I just couldn't get him to come. Hard feelings you know," she tells them. "Oh there's my daughter. I'll see you all later. Piper," she calls as she walks away from the other gods.
"I'll take that as my cue to take leave as well," Poseidon says then kisses his sister's cheek and walks away to talk with other wedding guests.
"I half expected you to put a stop to this," Zeus now says to his daughter.
"We know I tried," Athena says shaking her head in defeat.