Hey guys. Are you proud of me for updating in a few days, because I am extremely proud of myself. So in this chapter, you find out Kara's relationship with some of the gods, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Hestia. You also get some Zara fluff. So please go head and start reading.
"Ok, Annabeth, I will be back tomorrow afternoon around three. I want to be the best angel you can to your father, ok. Your favorite tv dinner is in the freezer, you know how to use the microwave. Please be good while I am gone." I was running around the house, making sure everything would be fine when I left.
"Kara, I'll be fine. You do this every year, but this time you're freaking out." I turned to look at her, it had been only a few a days since we had come back from Boston.
"Because your uncle Fisher is out of town visiting his family this year," I said, getting down on my knees so I could look her in the eye. "And they will be no one to protect you if monsters come here." She had such a strong scent for such a young age.
"Where are you going anyway and in a dress." She looked me up and down, and I remembered why I hated the council meetings.
"It is not a dress. It is Lonic Chiton." I said picking her and placed her on my knee, I still had to get my armor on and do my hair.
"Isn't that for men?" She smiled and moved my pedant back into place.
"So?" I said, putting her back on the ground, I grabbed my sheath and looped it around my waist.
"Where are you going dressed as a man? Are you going to see Zoe?" She looked so hopefully that I would say yes and in reality I was going to see Zoe there, but that was not the main reason.
"Well, twice a year the gods hold this big meeting, every gods is allowed to attend." Some are made to attend, because I can think of better things to do than watch three years old argue, like actually watching a three year old.
"Can demigods come, too, because they are part gods?" She looked hopefully, maybe she could go with me. "Because I want to dress up too."
"Sorry, but you can't. Only special demigods that go to a camp can come to this." I said looking around for my boots.
"How can I become a special demigod?" She lifted up my boots and I realized I would never be able to make it in time without her.
"Well, first you have to older and you have to attend a special camp for demigods."
"I want to go to the camp."
"You are not old enough yet and have you seen my armor?" I said turning around in a circle.
"Silver or crystal?" She sighed and I wondered who was truly taking care of who.
"Silver, crystal is actually for battle." She pointed at the closet we were next to and I gave her a kiss on the forehead.
I walked over and opened the door, the armor stand held the polished ceremony armor the gods made me wear for the solaces. I quickly grabbed the breastplate and strapped it to me, at least I could look like I had put on my armor.
"All of it, Kara." I turned around and saw Hermes, tapping his foot impatiently at me.
"Fine." I slid on the greaves over my bare legs, the vambraces slid over my chiton, summoning my sword I slid it into the sheath, and looked at Hermes.
"Shield, helmet, and spear, then we can leave." I sighed and clenched my hand causing my onyx shield to appear and I placed it on my back.
I placed the silver helmet over my hair, hoping my ponytail wouldn't come undone. I reached deeper into the closet and pulled out my spear, I looked more prepared for war than a meeting with the gods.
"Wings. Zeus wants you to be there before the meeting starts and the camp is coming for this one." He looked at me with an unamused expression, I guess Zeus made it very clear that I should be there before the meeting started.
"Not here, she doesn't know about my wings yet and tonight is not the night for that story." I whispered to him and he smiled at me.
"Come on." He reached out to take my hand, but Annabeth grabbed onto my leg.
"Please let me come with you, I really want to meet my mother." She gave me, owl eyes and I wished she didn't go to that instantly.
"I promise on your birthday, you will meet Athena, okay." I pressed a kiss into her forehead after peeling her off my leg.
"Swear on the Styx."
"Annabeth…" I had told her a thousand times, what a swear on the Styx meant.
"Swear it on the Styx or you will be taking me with you." She glared at me and for a minute she looked just her mother.
"Just swear it on the Styx, Kara, Zeus is going to hang me by my sandal straps if we are late." He tapped his watch and motioned for me to get on with it.
"Fine. I swear on the River Styx that Annabeth Chase will meet her mother on her fourth birthday." I said, hearing thunder boom in the background, sealing me to this.
"You can go, now. I promise to not bother daddy." I smiled at her and gave her a hug.
"Tick tock." He grabbed my shoulder, making me turn to face him.
"Shut up, Hermes. Cover your eyes, Annabeth," I said, as I felt myself start to turn to pure energy.
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"Go mingle and try not to kill someone." Was all Hermes told me before fluttering off into the crowd of immortal bodies.
"Hello there, sweetheart." I turned around and threw my spear at the source of the voice, it found its mark in Eros's wing.
"Ow, what was that for?" He said, trying to pull my spear out of his wing.
"Meddling in my love life and entering my dreams. Stay away from me." I pushed my way into the crowd, trying to lose him and the feeling of sadness.
I pulled the crystal back into my arm. Removing the shield from my back it shrank back down into my ring and I placed it back on my finger. I slowly removed my helmet, I hate how Zeus made me look like a weapon more than a person, and I bumped into someone, causing me to drop my helmet.
"Oh, I am so sorry about that." I was going to continue with that statement, but then the smell of designer perfume attack my senses.
"Darling, it has been so long since we lasts talk. We must catch up, come let us talk." Aphrodite grabbed my arm and started to pull me away from my fallen helmet.
"Aphrodite, I was just going to go talk to the demigods before the meeting," I said, trying to lose her iron grip on my wrist.
"Come on you can have one drink with me before you talk to those mortals." She flung me into the table that held refreshments and snacks, but I wasn't going to be drinking anything Aphrodite gave to me.
"No, Aphrodite. I am really goo..." She shoved a cookie into my mouth and I had to swallow it so I would not choke. Chocolate chip, I moaned knowing it was Artemis who made it by just the taste.
"I will never know how Artemis makes them so good, but they leave so much of a chocolate taste in your mouth after eating one." She pressed a glass of clear liquid into my hand, but she forgot the reason was I love them was that.
"No I am good, now if you excuse me, Aphrodite. I would love to go meet the campers." I put the glass on the table and walked away, looking for the throne room.
I felt her grab my shoulder and spin me around. "Why don't you want a drink?" She pressed it into my hand and I knew that was a very dangerous drink.
"Because the last time, I drank something from you. When was that? Hmm, two hundred years ago and I almost caused a war. You are not a subtle person and I know something is in that drink." I said dropping it on the floor, a pink liquid flowed out of the glass shards, lust potion.
I glared at her and she gave me a nervous smile. I turned away, walking to no where in general.
Tonight was already going great, now I just need with someone to flirt with me and Zoe to see it and think I was doing it back.
"Hey! You mind if I walk with you?" I turned my head to see a girl about fifteen trying to match my strides.
"Where you going, kid?" I smiled as I saw a glare shot in my direction, she apparently did not know who I was.
"My mother wanted to talk to me and I never been to Olympus before, so I am looking for the throne room." She looked at me and I saw who her mother was, Athena. Grey eyes looked at me and I saw the gears turning, trying to figure who I was.
"What Athena have to say to you?" I saw, pushing Apollo away from a hunter, he had managed to single out.
"How did you know my mother is Athena?" Oh, how I loved messing with her children when they didn't know me.
"The eyes give it away. Every god's children have something that makes you look at them and say that is so and so's kid." I smiled at her as I grabbed another cookie from a passing wind spirit.
"Oh, so who is your godly parent." The gears were really turning now.
"Shouldn't say." I took a bite of the cookie and frowned, almond cookie. I didn't like nuts.
"Why?" She looked mad, I apparently found her little tick.
"That would give it away and doesn't Athena pride herself on her knowledge of everything." I knew the answer to that, but I always like hearing what the demigods thought of their parents.
"Well, yes…"I cut her off and I saw her give me a death glare.
"Ask any question that doesn't involve heritage," she opened her mouth."Or age, or even powers. Yeah, no powers."
"I want to say you're a nature spirit because you are annoying." She sighed, trying to think of something to ask me. "Is this your first solace meeting?"
"First, thanks I pride myself on annoying people and, second, no this is not my first rodeo with the gods." I grabbed a glass of a passing nymph and took a drink. Hopefully, Aphrodite hadn't tainted all the drinks.
"Are you immortal?"
"Yes and no. I can't die from old age, but diseases, poisons, and small knives can kill me." I felt like I was on The Dating Game.
Bachelor number one, how can you die?
"Do like the gods?" I think she knew who I was.
Bachelor number two, do you people?
"Not all the time, Juliet." I smiled at her as my wings sprouted from my back.
She stopped in her tracks and stared at me. I turned around and looked her, her grey eyes were large like Annabeth when she was surprise at the ending of a story.
"Milady." She tried to bow, but I grabbed her arm to stop her from bowing at me.
"No bows. I hate bows and besides there are so many more people you should bow at instead of me. I like handshakes and maybe some fist bumps. Now come on, your friends are waiting for you in the throne room." I pulled her through the crowd that had formed in front of us while she tried to bow at me.
"How did you know my name?" She asked after I had parted the crowd with a snarl and a flap of my wings.
"I like demigods. They aren't as annoying and don't live as long, sadly, as the gods. So, I learn names. Juliet, daughter of Athena. Sixteen. Two quests completed. Dating Michael, son of Demeter. Preferred weapon spear, but can do some major damage with a sword. And you only attend the summer session, but Michael persuaded you to stay for winter this year." I was counting my fingers at the end of it, it was a weird power I had.
"That is stalker level knowledge, but I am weirdly impressed." She smiled at me and I was going to return it, but I heard yelling behind me and lowered myself to the ground.
"All Athenian children are proud of my demigod knowledge. Everyone else is just freaked out or wants to use it against their enemies." I heard feet hitting the ground as if someone was jumping and a few seconds I felt something land on my back.
"Kara, thee has missed thou." She pressed a kiss on my head as she wrapped her legs around my waist.
"Ditto, Zoe. Have you meet, Juliet?" I said turning so she could see Juliet clearly.
"No. Does she have an interest in being a hunter?" I loved having her on my back, keeping the space between my wings warm and knowing exactly where she is.
"I am dating a boy." She smiled sheepishly, she apparently knew how most of the hunters behaved towards girls dating.
"Oh, okay. As long as thou is happy, but just incase." I felt her let go of my neck and reach into her pocket.
"Thanks, I guess." I think she was more shocked at Zoe's response to her dating, than getting a hunter's card.
"So, Zoe do you have a destination in mind or just want to enjoy the ride." I asked as we started to walk again.
"Thee is probably going where thou is. Where is thou going exactly?" She readjusted herself on my back so that all the gods could see where she was.
"Throne room, I am helping this little lady here." I tipped an imaginary cowboy hair and started to walk like a cowboy down the streets, but strangely Zoe tighten her grip on me when I smiled at Juliet.
"Can I ask question?" We both turned to look at her and burst out laughing.
"A daughter of Athena not asking a question. Unheard of. Right, Zoe?" I turned my head just as Zoe was trying to plant another kiss on my head, but she caught my cheek.
One of the few things that I like about solace meetings is I don't have to act, I can just be my normal love sick fool around Zoe.
I blushed, but played it off like that was meant to happen. I saw her smile and I smirked at her causing her to laugh which made me laugh.
Gods, I love that laugh and would do anything to make it stay.
"Guys." We both stopped laughing and looked at her.
"What?" We both said simultaneously causing another look from each other.
"I thought you two couldn't date each other. I mean she a hunter, partially immortal, but she can't date." She looked at us as I grabbed Zoe's hand and brought it to kiss it.
"Well, do you know the Thanksgiving paradox? Everyone asked about your life. Did you get a lover? How are your grades? Is school good? Stuff like that and to us this is Thanksgiving. Well, this and the summer one, but not the point. We act like we are dating, so the single gods stay away from her and the single goddesses stay away from me." I said as we arrived at the doors of the throne room.
"Oh, you guys are really good at acting." She smiled at us as I pushed the doors opened with the wind. I didn't feel like growing to a giant yet.
"Well it helps that we dated once, thousands of years ago, before thee became a hunter mind thou." I noticed her voice almost broke at dated, as if she didn't like that word.
"Oh, do you mind if I ask why…" I started to vigorous shake my head no, and Zoe sighed sadly.
"No, just no. We don't talk about that day." Zoe said simply as the doors opened wide enough so that the demigods inside could see it.
Everyone turned to look at us, mortal reflex. I saw Juliet tense at the sight of forty eyes on her and us.
Milady Kara was chanted throughout the room and everyone started to bow. I held out my hands, as if to say stop, and they all looked at me.
"No stop, I told Juliet, I don't like bows. I am more a handshake, firm mind you, or a good solid fist bump. No bows. Go bow to your parents or something." I said walking forward, Zoe grip on me tighten than before and I could almost feel an emotion on her, but I couldn't tell.
"I am going to go hang out with Michael and my friends." Juliet said splitting away from us.
"Ok see when the meeting starts," I waved at her and I felt Zoe wave, too.
Two girls broke off the group of demigods, daughter of Hermes and Apollo, single. Oh gods, no.
"Hey there, Kara." They both smiled flirtatiously and waved their hands at us.
"Back off, thou is thee." I felt Zoe lean down and kiss my cheek.
"Oh we can do that, too." They leaned forward and tried to place kisses on my cheek, but I managed to back away, before they could and Zoe could smacked them.
"Abby. Maci. I love Zoe and could never love either of you the same way as I love Zoe." That was the truth, but I couldn't think of love anyone other than Zoe.
"But...but...you are so hot." No I wasn't.
"No, Abby, she is not hot," at least she understood, "she is adorable in a older kind of way. Like an older dog you love." She reached out to scratch my chin, but Zoe slapped her hand away. I like having four hands.
"Back off her." Zoe was gritting her teeth, trying to keep the angry in.
"Hold on," I whispered to her with my wings extending out to their full twenty foot wingspan.
I gave a hard flap that lifted us up about ten feet, that was a push even for me. I hadn't had another passenger on my wings in a few years and I hadn't even been able to use them in a while because of Annabeth.
"Thou is a little shaky. Has it been awhile since thou has flown or had a passenger?" She reached out to take my hand, but almost fell off in the process. I caught her, but now she was in my arms.
"Yeah it has been awhile since I flown even with a passenger, but I think I'll be fine." I flapped my wings again taking us to the level of full grown gods.
"Thee trusts thou." She placed another kiss on my cheek and I wondered why she did it, no could really see us.
"Good, because you should. If only one person in this universe would trust me, it should be you." I shifted in my arms so now she was in them bridal style, but she didn't seemed to care.
"Thee knows everything about thou." She smiled and twisted causing me to start spinning in the air.
"I wouldn't say you know everything about me." I smirked and gave another flap of my wings, I was mainly depending on the winds for this, but I still had to act like I was using my wings.
"What don't thee knows about thou? Hmm." She smiled and leaned forward our foreheads touching.
"Pegasi taught me to fly." I smirked when I heard her beautiful laugh.
"Really?"
"Why do you think I always land with one out in front of the other." I landed on my guest throne with of course a foot out in front of the other.
"Kara, thee has something to talk to thou about." She looked nervously at me, that was not a good sign.
"What's wrong?" I took her hands and started to massage small circles in them, trying to keep her calm.
"Thee been having dreams about thou." She looked at me, her volcanic eyes flickered around, nervously, like she thought there was someone listening to us.
"Ok, so…" I trailed off, hoping she would answer the question for me.
"Thou has golden eyes in most of them, but one time thou had stone-colored eyes. But in all of them, thou wasn't thou." She looked at me, seeing if I was following her.
"What do you mean I wasn't me." I looked at her, her eyes were very widen as if she was frightened of me, now.
"Thou was attacking thou's friends, the gods, even thee."
Visions of Kronos and I working together, she must have been getting them, too. I had been plagued by more of those vision since the meeting with Kronos. I didn't know that what the stone eyes meant, but I didn't think it was good.
"Zoe, you know that I would or could never turn against the gods and especially you." I brought her closer, her head on my shoulder.
"Thee knows, but they are so real. Thee wakes up in a cold sweat everytime, and everytime thee does thee believes she is still in them." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, trying to make herself realize that I was there with her.
"Zoe, I have had the same dreams, but trust me," I lifted her head up so she could look me in the eye. "I would never betray any of my family and even if someone was controlling me, I would never hurt you." I placed a kiss on her forehead, a simple gesture that we both did without much thought, but I wanted to move down to her lips so bad.
She looked down not answering and I wanted so bad to make her smile or hear that musical laugh she made.
"Hey, can I tell you something stupid." I placed my finger under her chin, making her look at my smirk.
"What is something thou does that is not stupid?" I saw a smile graced her lips quickly, but it disappeared as quick as it came.
"Good question, but this was really stupid. Even more stupid than usually." With that I launched into the story of how I thought I had lost Annabeth at the park, but we were actually playing hide and seek and she was right behind me the whole.
"Oh my gods, that really was more stupid than usual." She was laughing so hard, that tears were streaming out of her eyes.
I was about to say something else, but Hermes zipped into the room. Great the meeting was starting.
"Zoe, I know you and Kara are dating but Artemis requests that you and the other hunters sit near her throne." He fluttered in front of us, his hand outstretched to take her to Artemis throne.
"Oh ok." She reached out to take his hand, but I stopped her.
"I got it, Hermes." I snapped my fingers and my outfit changed. Jeans, Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, leather jacket, and combat boots.
"Zeus won't be happy with you." His eyes held uncertain light to them, probably wondering what Zeus would do to him or me.
"I does it look like I care what the god of lightning wants me to look like. I like this, this is me." I helped Zoe get on my back as Hermes followed us over to Artemis's throne.
"That is why I like you, Kara. You don't care what the boss man says." He flew lower to tell the demigods to go wait near their parents' throne.
"Here is your stop, milady." I bent down allowing her to hop off my back and onto the arm of the throne.
"Thank thy kind knight." She took my hand and allowed me to get up off the ground.
"No problem." I started to leave, but she caught my hand.
"At least let thee thank thy kind knight." She brought her lips to my nose like she used to do when we were dating. I let the blush take over my face as she pulled away.
"Thee wins." She whispered to me as she pushed me off the edge of the throne. I opened my wings as I fell, but didn't flap until I was almost skimming the floor.
It caused her to laugh, as I waved at her and flew over to my throne. I could still do some aerial tricks even after only flying an average of four days a year.
I landed in the seat of throne and sat down. Relaxing, I concentrated on growing in size to the of the gods. When I opened my eyes I could now see Zoe perfectly across the room, she smiled at me and waved.
Tell the demigods to close their eyes, Kara. I heard Zeus speak in my head and I sighed. The drama king wanted to show off his power.
"Demigods close your eyes the meeting is starting and Zeus wants to show off his power to you," I said, waiting for all of them to shut their eyes.
"The last part was not need, Kara." Zeus glared at me, but I just shrugged him off. I didn't care what he thought of me, but as long as he didn't touch Zoe I wouldn't touch him.
"Does it look like I care?" I raised my eyebrow at him, asking if he expect me to say anything different to him.
Everyone turned to look at me, shocked, except Zoe. She just raised her eyebrow at me as if asking if I could act better to the king of the gods.
"I could have asked you not to come this meeting." He said like he controlled me and probably expected to start quivering in my seat.
"Oh, so I could actually watch a three year old instead of watching a group of immortal gods arguing like three year old." I looked at the room before me and saw Zoe shake her head. "Oh wait before I forget and burn to a crisp. Athena, you are coming to meet your daughter on her birthday. Thanks to Hermes, who didn't want to be late, I was made to swear on the Styx." I looked at him and he smiled sheepishly at the assembled crowd.
"I mean Zeus said don't be late with Godeleus, again, and the little girl wouldn't let Kara leave. So… I mean… what else was I supposed to do?" He got quieter with every word, Zeus rage was growing with every word.
"You have no respect for anyone in this room…" I cut him off and I probably should have been happy that I couldn't be killed by lightning.
"I have respect for the people who treat me like a person, not a weapon. Every solace, you make me wear chiton, armor, and have my wings out like I do for battle. I respect the demigods, who take your crap. I respect most of the gods in this room and all the gods who couldn't come. I just don't respect you and your wife." I glared at him and he raised his lightning bolt at me.
I raised my onyx shield and glared at me, daring him to strike me where I stand.
"I could banish you to…" I cut him off again and this sparks were coming off his lightning bolt.
"No you couldn't. Our oath works both ways, as long as I don't do anything against you, you can't banish me." I said standing up.
"You two stop that this instant. You choose something to fight about every solace and then try to kill each other. You know you may actually kill someone this time, so stop fighting and let us actually get some things down. Put down your weapons and sit down." Hestia spoke calmingly and we lowered our weapons. I looked down in shame, she was like my second mother.
"Yes, Hestia." I mumbled and putting my shield away.
"Let us actually begin, then," Hera said, glaring at me as if this was my fault, which I'll admit it was partially my fault but not all of it. But she always blamed me for everything.
So that is it guys. End of the chapter.
QOTD: Should I write about the meeting or just skip to the end of it and have anyone of you read Night.
Godeleus out
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