I don't own Percy Jackson. Really, I don't! I am not even a native English speaker.
I don't even technically own the plot of this, because the original idea came from Hunter10600 . We spend some talking about the idea and finally decided this should have three chapters, of which this is obviously the first one.
Warning; some fluffiness ahead.
High in the sky, well-hidden from mortals and protected against creatures with no good planned ( theoretically, at least) , Olympus was buzzing with activity. Despite the late hour, gods and goddesses were awake, either working or relaxing. Most people were at their palaces, so there were little people outside on the streets or in the gardens.
The gods and goddesses present were too occupied with themselves to see the tall man walking towards a gargantuan, modern palace made from the strongest materials on earth, designed by Athena herself and decorated by herself as well.
The huge, metallic obstruction could only be entered by friends of the goddess ( after they had visited for the first time, had their irises scanned, their DNA taken and fingerprints made, of course. We are talking about the child of possibly the most paranoid person ever and paranoia can be both hereditary and contagious) , so we can quite safely assume this man was a friend of the wisdom goddess. But then again, you know what they say about assuming.
The goddess in question was very occupied at the moment and completely unaware of the man approaching her palace. She was fully absorbed in one of her inventions. Or actually various of her inventions since she was working on several things at the same time.
Athena was running from one place to another, scribbling down notes at a furious place every now and then, and seemed to be painting, writing and inventing at the same time. She was muttering under her breath as well, in at least three different languages.
Few would recognize the wisdom goddess at this moment; her hair was extremely dishevelled to the point no brush could save it anymore, her clothes- a pair of jeans and a blouse- were rumpled and had stains on it, her face had various colours of paint on it and there was a pencil stuck behind her ear.
The most noticeable differences were her eyes and mouth however; her eyes - normally cool and composed, like a robot's - were practically shining and her mouth was stretched in a grin so wide her jaws must be hurting. It wasn't something you expected from the indifferent, composed and stern woman.
She sometimes stopped smiling briefly to frown, mutter something and smile brightly again. This was a continuous process; run to a part of the chamber, smile, frown, mutter, smile.
The chamber didn't look any better than her; mountains of papers inhabited at least half of the floor, written in every language that had ever existed in Athena's neat, flowery hand script and made it difficult to walk.
Another part of the floor was inhabited by whirring, spluttering and even hooting ( those were robotic owls) devices, that created approximately as much sound as the insects in a rainforest would and should have made it difficult to hear your own thoughts. Athena seemed to barely notice them though. She was apparently used to the noise.
There were also various paintings against the wall, all covered by a canvas. But if they really were made by the goddess, they would be breathtakingly beautiful like everything she made.
The only painting that wasn't covered by a canvas, was the one Athena was working on. While also writing a book and inventing something that would no doubt change the world as we know it, of course.
Apart from the devices, papers and paintings, there were also various tools scattered across the room; one of the tables made of Mahoney wood – by Athena herself-, lay a hammer, on a chair a drill , on a another table a gigantic saw. On the floor, on places were there weren't piles of paper or devices, there were pens, pencils, colour pencils, erasers, scissors, glue, crayons, pair of compasses and various other writing tools.
The chamber was big, so big you couldn't see where it ended, and was not only filled with all Athena's contraptions, tools and notes, but also paintings, finished books and statues. All the furniture had been hand made by Athena and depicted owls, dragons, flowers and horses. The wall paper was silvery at one side of the room and gold at the other; the one held the moon and a landscape at night, the other the sun and a landscape in the day.
Athena paid no attention to all the beautiful things to see in the chamber however; she had seen it many times and she was too absorbed in finishing her newest invention, book and painting.
She was so absorbed , in fact, that she only noticed the doorbell when her guardian robot Chikaka tapped her shoulder and signalled to the giant screen that had appeared from the silvery wall; it showed a tall, handsome, familiar man with sea green eyes and a small smile gracing his features.
Athena arched one of her eyebrows when she saw him, surprised he was there. He rarely visited her. She normally visited his palace if she needed or wanted to talk to him. She briefly considered ignoring him, but decided against it. She had some time and she couldn't help but be curious. Now he was here, she wanted to know why.
She gave the secret command that would open the door and he winked at the camera, which made her roll her eyes. He could be almost as much as a drama 'king' as her Zeus sometimes.
She waited, folding her arms and sighing softly every now and then while looking at what she had been so absorbed in. She didn't have to wait long, luckily; the man quickly appeared, grinning at her. He didn't seem surprised at her dishevelled appearance; in fact he seemed to find it perfectly ordinary, since he had seen her like this before.
He stepped into the room and Athena narrowed her eyes when she realized he was holding his arms behind his back, as though he was hiding something. Was he armed, prepared to attack her? Just because they had been civil, friendly even towards each other for some time now, didn't mean she fully trusted him. Millennia of distrust, rivalry and contempt didn't just miraculously vanish in thin air.
He rolled his eyes when he noticed the all-too-familiar look in her grey eyes, which only made her narrow her eyes to menacing slits, glaring at him.
" Calm down Albert Einstein, I am not here to attack you".
" Poseidon. Firstly; what is the reasoning behind this impetuous visit? And secondly, what are you hiding?".
Poseidon chuckled and stepped closer to her, ignoring the way Athena tensed a little and grabbed her sword, that was disguised as bracelet.
" Well, firstly; I am merely here to see goodbye. And secondly; I brought a gift".
Not giving Athena the time to recover from his unexpected response, Poseidon showed her what he had been hiding; an ancient book and a bouquet of daffodils with leaves of an olive tree between the flowers. With a proud smile and a small obeisance , he handed them to her.
Athena looked nonplussed, her eyes wide, but quickly recovered and smiled uncertainly at him. She accepted the presents gracefully and carefully examined them ,as though she expected them to explode in her face. When she had assured they were completely harmless- and also quite thoughtful- she rewarded Poseidon with a bright smile.
Not many people knew it, but Athena liked flowers a lot. She wasn't a very sensitive or overly emotional person, but she appreciated beauty and could be very kind and compassionate when she chose to.
"Thank you. That is very thoughtful of you Poseidon. I fail to comprehend the goodbye part though. Why would you visit me to utter those words? Where are you going?".
Poseidon sighed, looking uncharacteristically sad and tired. " Can we move to your living room? I need to tell you something?".
Athena nodded, slightly concerned by his strange behaviour. He had not just visited her, which was a rare occurrence, but also brought gifts – not uncommon, but still strange- and seemed nervous and tired.
She glanced at her unfinished work once more and then led the way to her living room, after locking the door of course.
She and Poseidon walked in silent, keeping a respectful distance between each other. It gave Athena the time to think about this situation, about them.
Athena felt strangely concerned at the sadness and tiredness blurring his sea green eyes. Just as confusing as the way she felt slightly nauseous with concern and nerves, were the little pointed glances they kept sharing while walking towards her living room.
Since the beginning of this 'friendship', Athena had felt.. different. She had been unable to explain it, to her utmost annoyance, but she and Poseidon kept sharing glances, she kept seeing some powerful emotion in his eyes she couldn't quite place and she felt herself feeling more comfortable around him every time they met. She didn't know what was happening- but had made many hypotheses to explain it-, but there was something different between her and Poseidon.
The atmosphere in a room where they both were, had always been tense, but it seemed a different type of tension now. It was stronger and somehow different, no longer like both were about to attack the other, but something else would happen.
She had anticipated the feeling that someone had injected her with adrenalin, taken away all the oxygen in the air and filled the room with static electricity ( not that was possible, of course) that made her hairs stand on end, would disappear, but it hadn't. Those feelings had actually become a little stronger. Which was strange, because she shouldn't feel that way now they weren't rivals, enemies, anymore. She should be able to relax, but the tense atmosphere remained in the background.
Those thoughts were one of the many that ran through Athena's head when she saw Poseidon's sea green eyes this dull and his posture slightly slumped, as though he was defeated. She still saw determination and pride in his eyes, but not like normally. He somehow looked older, like carrying a great burden or even greater responsibilities.
But he already had both a burden to carry and even greater responsibilities; he was burdened with ruling so many people, among other things, and had an entire kingdom to care for. With great power, also comes great responsibilities after all. So that couldn't be it, he had always had great burdens and responsibilities and they had never bothered him that much.
Pondering what on earth was amiss with Poseidon, Athena didn't even notice they had reached the door leading to her living room. She only noticed when Poseidon lightly grabbed her wrist, tugged on it and nodded in the door's reaction.
Feeling distinctly embarrassed, Athena turned and walked through it. She sat down on her grey loveseat- it had been a present from Aphrodite- and was surprised when Poseidon sat down next to her. He normally chose another chair or couch to sit on.
She couldn't ever remember being this close to him before, so close she could feel the warmth radiating from him, inhaled his salty scent along with oxygen whenever she inhaled and see the perfect blend of green and blue in his eyes. It made her ichor flow a little faster, her cheeks apparently having the wish to turn gold, but she managed to suppress a blush and appear outwardly cool and composed while from the inside, she felt like someone had put all the organs residing in her stomach on fire.
The unfamiliar feeling intensified when Poseidon took one of her hands in his larger ones and she could have sworn her heart stopped beating for a moment, before beating more rapidly than it ever had. She suddenly saw black spots appearing before her eyes and had to inhale deeply in order to calm herself.
This seemed to have a rather unfortunate consequences; with the oxygen came his salty scent and the slight layer of sweat covering his tanned skin. She swallowed, shaking her head when those strange feelings she had been having for months now returned with more force than ever, threatening to make her lose her composure.
She managed to regain her composure and look calm and at ease eventually , instead of uncomfortable, slightly breathless and confused. She would have to deal with those feelings later.
Poseidon smiled softly at her and Athena immediately smiled back, unable not to when he gave her such a confusing but amazing smile. His smiles always made her feel happy and light-hearted.
She was stunned into silence when he suddenly raised her hands and kissed her knuckles softly, her heart immediately accelerating and thus annoying her. She knew she to pull away her hands and reprimand him, that it was what she would normally do, but she was too stunned to do much except stare at him.
" You really have soft hands" Poseidon said, his voice strained and that intense, unidentified emotion in his eyes intimidating her more than his powers had ever could. It made her deeply aware of the proximity, of him.
She laughed nervously and, to her disgust and annoyance, sounded slightly breathless.
" What is that supposed to mean?".
He started smiling, but it quickly vanished and was replaced with sadness. Sighing, he abruptly stood and Athena was half relieved, half disappointed. She considered sending him away so those feelings, feelings he invoked and she didn't understand in the slightest, but she couldn't. Not when he looked so sad and lonely.
Damn it. Despicable emotions that force me to listen to him and support him, to allow him in my life.
She felt angry with herself for feeling this way, for feeling so confused and uncertain, things she wasn't familiar with. All the anger and annoyance immediately disappeared at his next words though. All thoughts left her for a moment when she heard his next words. Feelings like concern took over .
" I have to leave for an immeasurable amount of time. I need to control the sea of monsters, to check on it. There have been more disappearances than normally and I-I".
He sighed, his voice lowering to the point it was barely a whisper. " I am concerned. I just know something is amiss and as god of the sea it is my duty to keep everyone safe".
Athena stood up, closing the distance and standing behind him. She lightly touched his arm and he turned. She tried to not look as shocked and hurt as she felt, and to not notice the dark circles beneath his eyes or how his eyes on her made her feel slightly dizzy, overcome with emotion.
" I thought you couldn't do much about the sea of monsters?".
He caught her hand, bringing it to his forehead and Athena took a step back when the confusing feelings she had barely managed to suppress returned. He didn't seem to notice, still holding on to her hand like a drowning man would do to a lifeline.
" True, but I can try. And it isn't as lethal to go there for me as it is for other gods".
He squeezed her hand softly, that strange emotion that made Athena's chest tighten darkening his eyes.
" Besides, I would hate myself if anything ever happened to you".
" I am perfectly capable of defending myself Poseidon".
Athena desperately tried to hold on to her indifference, but felt herself being pulled into his eyes, like they were connected with an invisible string. She still didn't know what on earth was happening- not a sensation she liked or often experienced- but she felt herself smiling and squeezing his hand, no longer attempting to escape his grip.
" I am convinced you wouldn't be bothered that much. After all, you have insisted you despised me for millennia".
The emotion in his eyes intensified and Athena suddenly found herself being pulled towards him, his breath warm and humid and his eyes flashing while he spoke. She shivered a little as reaction and her throat went dry, making her more confused than ever.
" Never! I swear Athena, I don't know what it is, but I feel like you are a part of me. Call be insane, but these past months I have quickly developed a certain – he hesitated- fondness of you".
In a softer, calmer voice he continued. " I learned much these past months and I discovered how much of your personality is hidden. You might be indifferent, cold sometimes even, but you can also be kind and sometimes even appear human. Not often, but you have emotions as well. You just tend to hide them".
" Emotions are dangerous. They overrule the mind at times and force you to decide things you shouldn't decide".
" Emotions are necessary, wonderful even. Don't you think people need happiness, hopeful and content?".
" Do you believe people need anger, hate and fear?".
" The good comes with the bad, isn't it?".
" Yes. But emotions are not something I desire to have".
" Not even love?".
Athena froze, her eyes flashing with the emotions that had earned her some sleepless nights and occupied her mind of late. Her tone was cold, indifferent when she answered though.
" No".
" Liar. As wisdom goddess, you know more than everyone else people need love".
" Give me one good reason they would".
" Because without it, life is empty".
Poseidon suddenly let Athena go and slammed his fist into the wall, startling her. She had no idea why he suddenly looked so provoked and hurt.
Logic, knowledge and machines, Athena understood. Emotions not so much. Athena didn't deal a lot with emotions and especially found it difficult to understand deep, powerful emotions like love and hate.
Athena took a small step towards Poseidon, hardly thinking about it and watched as he seemed to struggle with himself, sinking to his knees and taking deep breaths as if he was trying to calm himself. The earth shook and small cracks appeared, but Athena didn't notice. She was too focused on the god before her.
Kneeling next to him, she lay her hand on his arm and when that didn't work, slowly turned his head towards her. She barely recognized what she was doing, but some instinct made her go to him, made her reach out to him.
" What is going on Poseidon, what is truly going on?".
Poseidon closed his eyes, his hand burying in his hair while he seemed to think and struggle. Finally, he opened his eyes and met Athena's concerned grey ones.
" No one really knows what is there. There are hidden dangers even I do not know of, many enemies and it's energy even influences mine. I know something is wrong, I can see and feel that much, but I have no idea what. It is driving me crazy. That and you".
" Me? ".
" Yes you. How can it be that I have seen one Athena for millennia and you now turn out so different? It is bloody confusing!".
" You are not the only one who finds this confusing, I am just as baffled and in the dark as you. You know I am not an expert on emotions".
" You are an expert on any subject".
" You need to experience emotions to fully comprehend them and even then, they are complicated. I need some more millennia before I fully understand them".
He laughed and got up, offering her his hand and pulling her up as well. She was glad to see the life and sparkle return to his eyes for a moment.
" Do you ever stop seeking new knowledge?".
" No. Do you ever cease being a temperamental cretin with little self-control"? Her tone was light and teasing, a side of her coming out that normally was locked up safely deep inside her.
Athena was only like this around people she really trusted and Poseidon felt his heart and mood lighten when he realized that. He hadn't told her yet, but he had an idea he knew what he was experiencing. She, on the other hand, obviously hadn't. And how could she? It wasn't a feeling she was familiar with. She normally ignored her emotions.
He smiled at her softly, taking in her features and the light and intelligence in her grey eyes. He would have to go without them for a long time, he knew. The thought was strangely depressing.
" Probably. Although I do not believe I really am a cretin".
"So you admit to having a temper and little self-control?".
" I admit I become angry and don't always makes the best decisions".
" That is the eighth world wonder. I never believed you would admit you aren't flawless".
" I don't think any creature is flawless".
" Hmm".
They stood like that for a moment, their hands still entwined, sweet smiles making both of them look younger and eyes locked. The moment was short-lived however, as Athena quickly realized that this was strange behaviour and pulled back, straightening herself and giving him a small nod. She was furiously attempting to put on a professional demeanour, but found it difficult as his eyes were still locked with hers and threatening to pull her back in.
" At any rate Poseidon, we should talk about the real issue here ; your travel to the sea of monsters. How long will you be there? Do you have planned anything?".
" Actually, that is another reason I came here".
" You want me to aid you preparing for this journey?".
" Not exactly. I want you to rule my kingdom while I am gone".
Athena opened her mouth and closed it again, her eyes wide and shocked. was likely the first time in her life that Athena was tongue-tied. Poseidon chuckled and the sound woke her from her stupor and made her glare at him.
" What are you talking about, you idiot?".
" I am talking about the most intelligent, talented and perfect woman watching over my beloved kingdom while I am gone".
"But you care more about your kingdom than anything else, why would you desire me to watch over it?".
" Because I trust you. And I know you will be the only person who can actually handle something like this".
" I have nothing to do with water!".
" You don't need to. I can borrow you some of my powers and that , combined with your many other talents, will make it possible to take over my duties".
" So you are just anticipating I will be willing to guard your kingdom, work harder than ever and wait patiently while you are gone? That seems- ".
" Athena.. please. I need you. My kingdom needs you".
" You could just stay" Athena said in a soft, small voice. She almost sounded like she was begging and she forgot the hide the concern in her grey eyes. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to remain with her, to get fully acquainted with her and to get to know him as well as she knew herself. He intrigued her, pulled her towards him like a magnet and was a mystery she was desperate to solve. He was so different from what she had thought he was. And now she was just discovering who he really was, he had to leave. It wasn't fair.
" I can't, I really can't Athena" he said and she looked away for a moment when emotions threatened to overpower her again. Panic, fear and concern. He had always managed to invoke all kind of emotions in her, even when they had still been rivals. And like kept happening for months, Athena found them overwhelmingly strong, threatening to overpower her and leave her vulnerable and defenceless.
But she was stronger than that and quickly managed to recover herself and respond to his silent question. She still felt horribly confused though.
" Then I will gladly rule your kingdom for you".
He gave her a tired, but still brilliant smile and squeezed her hand softly before kissing it.
" Thank you. I can't tell you how much that means to me".
" I think I know". Athena , uncomfortable now the tension in the atmosphere was more pronounced and her own feelings were making themselves known, quickly focused on the more technical issues.
" So what are the necessary preparations that require to be taken before you can leave?".
" We will need to go to my palace, I will give you a part of my powers, give you a list with instructions to follow and leave. I have already informed my people of my plans and my most trusted servants will guide you. Shall we teleport?".
" Yes, I- " .
" You will have to put your arms around me".
"Why? I have been to your palace before and that was never necessary".
" I have made some adjustments since the last time you visited. It is a lot more difficult to enter my palace now. Just trust me".
Athena hesitated, but nodded and allowed Poseidon to gather her in his arms. She was stiff and uncomfortable at first, but slowly relaxed and smiled a little, thinking to herself it wasn't a bad place to be.
He smiled back and concentrated and the last thing Athena saw before darkness obscured her vision, was his smile. His smile and strong arms around her made her sigh softly and happily.
When she could see properly again, they were in his palace. She was disorientated for a moment, but recovered and quickly stepped away from him when she realized how intimate their embrace was. She looked around, trying to calm down her heart, and noticed that there were more guards. She also noticed how grim and concerned most people looked. She didn't comment on it though.
Poseidon started walking and she quietly followed him while studying the people around her. Although the guards didn't show much emotion, she still noticed they were tense and more heavily armed then normally.
She had visited Poseidon a few times in the next month and before that, had come here on a weekly basis to aid him with the restoration of his palace. Her father had requested that of her , both to 'thank' his brother for helping and to keep an eye on him.
So she knew the guards, their weaponry and the decorations quite well. Well enough to notice the tense atmosphere and the small chances that had been made; more guards that carried more and heavier weapons, several traps and enchantments protecting the palace, more emergency exits and she was convinced Poseidon had discussed what to do in the case of an attack.
They walked deeper into the palace, ignoring the beautiful decorations around them and nodding to the guards they walked past that made obeisance's, until they finally reached the destination; Poseidon's personal chambers. Poseidon was married, of course, but they had not only a bedroom together, but also their own chambers.
Poseidon's consisted of a game room ( the first thing Athena had helped him to repair, which had exasperate her at first, then made her laugh), a gargantuan pool that led into the sea ( like those swimming pools where there is another pool outside) with chairs at the side, glides and everything else you could possibly want in a pool, a sauna, a bathroom complete with hot tub, shower with massaging jets, all kinds of oils and body lotions and an enormous bath tub ( Athena had gotten a small giggling fit when she had discovered Poseidon's rubber duck, Donald Duck) and to her surprise, a library.
They went to the library this time and Athena admired the various shelves with ancient and expensive books ( some about charms, but most about sea life), looked surprised at the various scientific books ( it was a shock every time she saw them) and rolled her eyes when her gaze drifted to the children books he supposedly had for his children.
Poseidon ignored the books however and walked towards the back of the library, signalling Athena should follow him. She did and watched with interest when he pressed one of the painted fish on the wall, another lighted up and he send a powerful wave through its mouth, resulting in a small door appearing.
They went through the door and followed a tunnel until they reached a labyrinth that was almost an exact replica of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. Poseidon removed her shoes- this earned him a funny look of Athena that he ignored- and she followed him while he navigated them through the labyrinth. After a while, they reached the end ( by then, Athena suspected Poseidon had removed his shoes to enable himself to navigate or that his water senses also worked with earth and he thus knew exactly where they were) and ended in a small cave that consisted of a lake of lava.
Poseidon parted the water so they could pass and they walked towards a door on the other side, that Poseidon unlocked with a key that hang around his neck. He had to break the key in two and put the two pieces in separate holes before the doors opened. Athena gasped when they did, surprised and impressed by what she saw.
The room they were now in was divided in two halves; one was a turquoise lake , that also had a waterfall and various sea creatures like dolphins. Athena could see various strange objects laying at the bottom, guarded by huge sharks ( as big as small ships with teeth sharped than any saw), squids, hungry sirens, a Kraken and many terrible creatures she had read about but not seen in real life yet, gigantic creatures with rows upon row of sharp teeth, poisonous and spikes tails and glowing eyes.
The other half of the room was like a big living room ,with even a fire and some shelves. Stalagmites and stalactites were everywhere and the ground was made of moonstone; the light coming from a small hole in the ceiling, falling on it and making small rainbows in the air. But the walls were even more dizzying; they were made from rare and valuable metals and Athena also saw a great deal of magical weapons hidden in the wall. The wall was like a safe ; the hard stone protecting jewels, crowns, sceptres, swords and others.
Poseidon walked towards the wall, lay his hand on it and concentrated; Athena could feel his aura of power, could feel his power slipping in the wall and watched while Poseidon commanded the wall to open for a few seconds so he could take a few things from them; a brilliant celestial golden crown, decorated with words of power and small gemstones like diamonds, sapphires and lapis lazuli's, a white and gold sceptre with the largest moonstone in the shape of a triangle Athena had ever seen, that had glowing coal in it that made it glow orange-red and a small necklace in the form of a shell that changed colours every few minutes.
Athena could feel the power of those three items coming in waves towards her and hitting her hard, feeling as though they sucked something from her. Energy perhaps. She had to concentrate hard in order not to be affected.
Poseidon reached her and carefully placed the crown and sceptre on the ground so he could put the necklace on her. She shivered slightly when he tenderly fastened the clips at the back of the necklace, either from the cold shell touching her skin or his warm fingers on her skin and his breath in her neck. She decided it must be the first one, because she couldn't possibly be attracted to him . It would destroy her if she was, if she had to watch him leave while she liked him this much. It was easier to ignore any feelings she might have. She had done that for millennia.
He took a step back and smiled tenderly. " Perfect".
He touched the shell softly and muttered something and Athena felt as though a blanket was wrapping around her ; her skin absorbing the magic the necklace radiated and warming her, making her feel safer and more at ease in this strange territory.
Her eyes widened when she suddenly could smell better, could breathe better and define different tastes in the air, could taste the oxygen but also other substances like carbon dioxide. She could suddenly feel the earth rumble and almost speak, could see the different colours of the water much clearer, could feel the sea creatures watching her.
She turned to Poseidon with the questions clear in her eyes and he immediately gave her the answers.
" It makes you connect with the sea and a little with the earth, makes you notice the water or other liquid substances around you and clears your nostrils and lungs. All the objects in this room have powers connected to the sea and the earth, like this one. They need my touch to be activated and only the person wearing it can use it".
Athena nodded and Poseidon put the crown on her head. She gasped softly when her sight suddenly shifted and she could not only see the cave, but also the palace and his inhabitants, the citizens of Atlantis. She could feel them more than see them; feel their heartbeats, their ichor or blood flowing through their veins and their feet touching the ground every few seconds. She could also see the borders of the kingdom and feel the different types of earth that existed in Atlantis.
She almost fell when all these sensations hit her at once and she felt a strange pressure on her head , almost if her head was being opened and all this new knowledge was being poured on it. It felt similar to a very painful headache.
Poseidon quickly caught her in his arms when she staggered a little, dizzy and disorientated, and only let her go when she assured him she could stand.
" The crown allows you to connect with all my citizens; to know where they are and whether they need you. Blood, whether it is ichor or mortal, also consists of a percentage of water, so you can easily see that. The earth catches vibrations, which is why you can feel their heartbeats and see them without actually seeing them".
Athena nodded, too overwhelmed to really say anything and he took the last object in his hand; the sceptre. He summoned his trident and pushed his power into it, before touching the sceptre with his trident and watching the moonstone light up with a dazzling array of colours.
He muttered something and a ray shot from it towards Athena, surrounding her and making a small tornado of colours and light around her, then went back to the sceptre. Athena watched as an image of her appeared in the gigantic moonstone, before she suddenly started glowing with a white-blue light and become translucent for a moment, so she could see the ichor flowing in her veins.
She could actually feel her muscles change a little; her arms becoming slightly more muscular, but not noticeably. You wouldn't notice it if you didn't know. Her hearing changed; she could suddenly understand the creatures in the lake perfectly, well also still knowing all the human languages.
She raised one of her still glowing hands and was shocked to see the water of the lake react; a small wave appearing. She tried it again and the water reacted.
" Hydrokineses. The sceptre is basically about my 'magical' abilities. You know have hydrokineses, as well as the ability to speak with any sea creature and more strength. You can also endure more pressure and have a higher fire resistance, but you won't really notice that".
Athena was still studying her hand and turned to Poseidon to ask some questions, but suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. The world started spinning, the colours were too bright and she staggered. Poseidon could just catch her when her knees gave away and she fell. She tried to protest when he picked her up , but before she could even make a full sentence, everything became black.
When she woke up again, she lay on Poseidon's bed. She was shivering slightly and still felt weak. Luckily, she no longer felt dizzy or nauseous.
She sat up and noticed she now wore a long, emerald green dress and her hair was combed and braided. Frowning, she examined herself and noticed someone had given her a pedicure – her nails were now silver- and she was still wearing the necklace and the crown. The sceptre was on the nightstand, glowing softly just like she still was.
Poseidon stood at the window, staring outside at some far away point. He was apparently lost in thought , not noticing Athena was awake, and Athena took the time to study him. His hand were behind his back and he stood still as a statue, an indecipherable look on his face. He looked pensive and still slightly tired, but Athena couldn't place the look in his eyes. It was a very strange look.
She frowned, annoyed there was so much she couldn't quite place or comprehend lately, including her own strange emotions. She despised not knowing something, strived to know everything and craved to learn new knowledge. Not knowing something like her own emotions, was very frustrating to her.
He suddenly sighed and turned towards her and Athena knew that he had been aware she was awake and likely also that she had been staring at him for some minutes. She attempted to not think about the implications of that.
He walked towards her and sat down next to her, the bed dipping slightly under his weight. Athena was immediately very aware of his proximity, his familiar salty scent once more invading her senses, and felt those strange feelings return, making her nervous.
" Do you feel better?" he suddenly asked, turning his head to look at her.
" Yes. I do not yet feel normal, but better already. What happened?".
" You passed out in my arms and honestly, I am surprised it didn't happen earlier. It is a very tiring process to absorb all that power and your body will needs several days to adjust. It isn't used to the powers of the sea, so it will likely struggle at first, leading you to feel ill. But that should pass soon".
" That sounds logical. But what happened after I lost consciousness? Why am I wearing different clothing? And where have been all this time?".
She narrowed her eyes slightly in suspicion and asked" You haven't watched, have you?". She was quite sure he wouldn't do that, that he would be polite in wait in some other room while she was dressed, but she wasn't convinced. You never knew with him.
He rolled his eyes. " No, I haven't watched. And after you passed out, I carried you to my bed and called for some maids. They changed your clothing, to fashion people from Atlantis wear. I suggested they would just put on a pair of pyjama's or a negligée, but they disagreed. They were convinced the queen should be dressed accordingly. Hence the dress and hairdo".
Athena took some time to process this, fighting another blush when she thought back to the moment in his arms, and eventually nodded.
" So what now?".
He sighed. " I will leave shortly. When you fall asleep again".
"Who says I am preparing to go back to sleep?".
" Me. You need rest Athena".
" I can decide for myself –".
He covered her mouth with his hand, successfully quieting her. " I know. But trust me on this one okay?".
She could hardly say no, as she was indeed tired and his voice was so pleading and soft, so she nodded again and he removed his hand.
" All right. But do not assume I am taking orders from you".
He smiled, the humour returning to his eyes for a moment. " Never. Are you going to lay down again?".
She nodded and lay down, watching him when he got up again and kneeled next to the bed, looking at her. The look in his eyes hadn't changed yet and she hated it that she didn't know what that look meant.
" Why are you watching me?".
A shrug. " You look different, somehow. My powers suit you".
A softly added. " Just like that dress".
She smiled, for some reason not provoked by his staring or proximity like she might have once been. It was actually quite nice to smell him, look into his eyes and hear his soft breathing. It made her feel cared for and protected.
They sat in silence for a moment, both smiling and secretly enjoying the proximity, until Poseidon suddenly started singing a soft lullaby. Athena sighed softly when he brushed some hair of her voice and kept singing, his voice unbelievably beautiful and soothing.
" Close your eyes little girl and drift away. Close your eyes little girl and all will be okay". Athena softly sang with him. " Close your eyes little girl and dream a happy dream. Close your eyes little girl..- she stopped singing to yawn for a moment before continuing- close your eyes little girl and be safe and sound tonight. Close your eyes little girl and only open them at the first rays of light".
Athena soon felt her eyelids starting to close, despite her struggle to keep them open, and Poseidon grabbed her hand, placed a soft kiss on it and continued singing the song until her breathing evened and her eyes were completely closed. He sang the last line and pressed a tender kiss on her forehead, which was the last thing Athena heard or felt before she was asleep.
He just sat by her bed for a few moments, humming and looking down at her. He thought she was unbelievably beautiful ; her face slightly flushed, her lips parted in sleep and a small, loving smile playing at her lips.
While he was sitting here and looking down at her, trusting him enough to allow him near her in her sleep, he couldn't believe he had ever thought anything negative about her. That he had ever seen her as annoying or cold. She was beautiful, intelligent, funny, charismatic and surprisingly kind.
You have no idea, have you? He silently asked the bewitching creature asleep in his bed. She didn't answer of course.
He placed a tender kiss on the hand he was still holding and smiled when she snuggled towards his hand, sighing contently in her sleep.
You are so beautiful in you sleep. So relaxed and warm. Do you know right that I am watching you, have you noticed how it is become harder for me to tear my gaze from you during meetings? Have you noticed how I inhale your scent when you pass? Have you noticed any change at all Athena or are you, who is unfamiliar with such strong emotions, completely oblivious to what is happening?
He wished he had the opportunity to sit with her, watch her sleep and talk about these things when she woke up, but he knew he hadn't. He had to leave, despite the fact he craved to stay with her, to cherish a day together with her. He had no idea how his feelings towards her had changed this much, but he was starting they had already been there, in the background. They would have to talk about that when he returned.
He managed to free his hand from her grip, smiling again when she mumbled something and tried to reach for it again, and got up. He kissed her forehead once more, his lips lingering on her soft skin for a brief moment and walked away. He didn't look back, because he knew he wouldn't able to leave if he did, if he saw what he was walking away from.
Athena woke a few hours after that, sighing happily when she noticed his salty scent. She rolled over and inhaled deeply, not caring she was behaving uncharacteristically or strange. She just wished to inhale his heavenly scent and feel his comforting presence. And that is when she realized and bolted upright in bed, her eyes shooting open and looking around, hoping for once she was wrong.
But she wasn't of course; he was gone, the only thing of him left his scent. He had left hours ago, she knew.
She lay down again, staring at the ceiling while struggling with her disappointment and those other undefinable emotions. She just lay there for a moment, picturing his sea green, soft smile and soothing voice. She imagined him being here with her instead of some insane mission so far away from her.
Why do I feel this? What could possibly lead to me yearning for him, worrying about him and caring this much in general? I am a wisdom goddess, I ought to know this and be able to control it, but I can't. How on earth am I going to stay sane with these kind of emotions?
Athena lay on the bed for several hours, thinking about her new responsibilities and confusing feelings and finally decided to just ignored them like she had always done. It couldn't be more difficult than it had been these past years. She ignored the little voice telling her something different.
Feeling a little better, she dressed and picked up the list with information Poseidon had left for her.
The next weeks, went by surprisingly fast. Athena was occupied all the time; strategizing in case of another attack, attending formal parties, discussing issues with her advisors and dealing with citizens. So also had her own duties, so she had little time to think or worry about Poseidon too much. Therefore, she wrongly assumed those strange feelings had been dealt with, instead of just pushed back while she was too busy with other things.
That her feelings were anything but dealt with, was proven during an emergency meeting she had to attend months later.
She walked into the throne room dressed as queen of Atlantis; with the sceptre, her crown, her shell necklace and a flowing sea green dress that was decorated with little diamonds around the neckline. Her father immediately noticed her attire and narrowed his eyes slightly. He had allowed her to be queen of Atlantis, but he hadn't been happy about it. He was afraid she would turn against him.
She gave a small obeisance and a quick smile. " King Zeus. May I inquire as to the reasoning behind this sudden meeting?".
Her dad nodded, looking grim and serious. That was the moment Athena truly noticed the tense atmosphere in the room.
Athena noticed the other gods looked confused - apparently he hadn't told anyone what was going on yet- and felt slightly concerned. Whenever her dad looked like that, something terrible was happening. She wasn't prepared for just how terrible she would feel at his words though.
" Poseidon is missing".
Athena staggered, all the ichor left her face and she suddenly felt nauseous. It felt like someone had kicked her in her stomach, impaled her heart and tore it from her chest. She felt a dull ache in her chest, her head was throbbing suddenly and she felt nauseous. It was possibly the most painful feeling she had ever experienced.
" Athena, are you all right?" her dad asked with concern and Athena suddenly remembered she was in the throne room, with all the other gods watching. She couldn't show how horrible she felt. She had to live up to her reputation.
She straightened and , with an enormous display of strength, managed to keep her expression only slightly concerned.
She noticed Aphrodite look extremely worried though and had the rising suspicion Aphrodite knew exactly how Athena felt. Which was ironic, because Athena still had no idea what she felt for Poseidon. She definitely cared for him, but she didn't know to what extent. This was neither the moment nor the place to think about that though.
She managed a weak smile. " My apologies king Zeus, I was just shocked".
He nodded and she walked towards her throne, glad to be able to sit down. She felt like she might faint or break down if she didn't, and was shocked at her own feelings.
The rest of the meeting went over her head; she missed everything that was said while she struggled with her own emotions and fear. Keeping her face expressionless and attempt to listen or at least look like she was listening, was one of the hardest things she had ever done.
She managed to be composed until the end of the meeting, but practically fled the throne room when she could, transporting to Atlantis without a second thought. Then, she threw herself on the bed and did something Athena never thought she would do; she cried for Poseidon.
She felt tears slid down her cheeks and hated herself for her weakness, but she couldn't stop them from escaping her eyes. She couldn't do much more than hug her pillow and cry. She couldn't be composed and cold now her heart felt torn, now she was sick with worry and fear for his safety. She couldn't relax, couldn't smile or even feel anything but that tremendous pain when he might be injured or lost forever. She had never felt this horrible before.
Now she had the perfect answer to why she didn't want emotions; they hurt too much.
Yay! The first chapter of Lost is finished, I hope y'all liked it. A few quick notes; I know Amphitrite is technically queen of Atlantis, but I think Athena would make a better one and Poseidon ( if they were friends) would trust her with it more. Besides, that shows how much he cares for her ( in this story) already, because he wouldn't allow her to rule Atlantis otherwise.
Oh and the shoes off thing, was inspired by avatar and earth bending. Toph could 'see' with her feet and I came up with the idea Poseidon could as well. Because he can also cause earthquakes and everything.
And the fish he pressed was one of many, many fishes only he knew the name off. So it would be very difficult to find the right one and open the secret door.