I don't own Percy Jackson & the Olympians. I wish I did, but alas I don't.
And this will be chapter two of 'Lost'. Lost will have three chapters in total. Every chapter will also have three years in between them, so in this chapter, Poseidon has been lost for three years.
Again, this idea is not originally my own; Hunter10600. I also added my own ideas, of course, but the original ideas were Hunter's. I just hope this chapter will live up to the hopes and dreams ;)
Oh and I will start every new chapter with a quote, just because I like quotes! That is all you need to know, I believe. Enjoy!
Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart-
Washington Irving.
Long, silky hair that was black like a crow's feathers. Pale skin, the kind of pale vampires are famous for. Wide, familiar grey eyes the colour of the sky on a stormy night or day. Dark circles under those same grey eyes, circles that held a vague resemblance to bruises. Full, supple lips that were bruises and battered from all the times teeth had touched them, had bitten on them. That was what Athena saw when she looked into the mirror, what she had seen every day for the past three years.
Summarized, the face looking back at Athena in the mirror, wasn't a healthy nor a happy one. It was a weary one; a tired one, a desperate one. And it was the face she only allowed to show when she was alone.
When she was surrounded by people, she remained the same venerable, strong, composed woman she had been for millennia. No one would notice how weary she was, how pain and anger gnawed at her heart or how confused and wayward her thoughts were. She wouldn't allow anyone to know just how much she had fallen apart after hearing it. She wouldn't allow herself to show people how much she had relied on him, without even knowing. Not when she didn't even fully understand.
Why Poseidon? Why do I feel like someone has stabbed me a thousand times, why do I feel like my heart has been removed and replaced by an empty feeling? Why do I feel like my respiratory system has failed and why do I feel like your disappearance has caused happiness and hope to disappear as well? Poseidon, what have you done to me? And where on earth are you?
These were just some of the thoughts running through Athena's mind, every day again. She would think about his disappearance again and again and it was driving her crazy.
She couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't stop a part of her mind from always being focused on it, not even when she tried her hardest. She simply couldn't let go. For once, emotions overruled her strong will and mind, for once she didn't what to do and for once, she had met an enemy too strong to battle. Because how does one battle one's own heart ? Even her mind wasn't strong enough to win that battle.
Athena wasn't convinced she was fully aware what was happening, but she knew enough to know this had something to do with her heart. Not the rate it beat at, nor the way it spread ichor through her system, but the way it ached for something to numb or destroy the pain that had taken its residence there the day Poseidon had disappeared.
Athena knew a lot and had known a lot of pain in her life, but never a pain this intense nor a pain that left her this defenceless. She almost felt mortal, a mere mortal having an heart attack and feeling himself die, unable to do anything about that aching pain in her chest.
She simply couldn't stop it, couldn't do anything but conceal her feelings and force herself to go on. Even when it felt like someone was stabbing her with a thousand knives, even when her eyes were burning with what she knew was suppressed tears and her throat was sore from holding back sobs and strangled cries. She would have to go on despite all that, because she knew that was what Poseidon wanted.
She knew he loved nothing more than his kingdom, and wanted it save at all costs. If it was possible, he would happily give his life for it. The least she could do, was keep her promise and keep his home safe and sound. It gave a purpose to her life, made her feel slightly better that she cared for his kingdom. Almost as if he was with her.
Besides, she would chose a painful death over showing her emotions and losing her dignity.
So, taking a deep breath and steeling herself, Athena forced herself to become the indifferent, cold woman she was known as. She saw the pain and sorrow disappear from her eyes, until her eyes were devoid of any of the turmoil of emotions she actually felt. No one would be able to see she was falling apart, not even her friends.
She splashed some water in her face, carefully masked the dark bags under her eyes, healed the bruises on her lips with a gentle touch upon them and braided her hair before leaving the room she had sought solitude and some sort of comfort in.
She inhaled once, trying to calm and control herself at the same time, and inhaled his scent in the air.
Strangely, the fact that his salty scent lingered in the air even after all this time, was comforting instead of painful. It was a gentle reminder he wasn't gone, that he couldn't be gone, for even his scent lingered years.
Before she was ready to leave the room, she had to finish one of her recent morning rituals; she walked to the large four poster bed she now called her own and kneeled, taking a box from beneath it. Despite its rather ordinary occurrence, it was one of her most valuable belongings.
Inside the box were several items; her journal, the bouquet of flowers she had received that fateful day – charmed by Demeter in such a way they would never die-, a bottle of water from the spring he had once wanted to give the people of Athens ( She had no idea why he had given it to her, and only an assumption of why she had kept it) , a very ancient and valuable book and , finally, one of three calendars.
After opening the box by typing in a code, scanning her finger and putting the key she had with her at all times in the lock that now appeared, she gently took the calendar from the weathered box.
She just stared at it for a moment, at all the little red crosses it had , and sighed. 1095 crosses, each for every day he had been gone. And today would be the 1096th day she had to live without him. It was so strange, after seeing him every day from the first moment outside her father's skull. It was also a lot harder than she would have ever expected. She had never realize before how big his role in her life was.
She crossed another day and, forcing herself to push all those melancholic and longing thoughts to the back of her mind, carefully placed the calendar back in the box before closing it and hiding it under the cupboard again.
She looked at the floor for a few more moments, her arms wrapped around herself in a protective way, before she forced herself to look away or make any chance at composure impossible. Without bothering to glance back, knowing she would be tempted to stay hidden in her room forever if she did, she walked away.
Athena was deep in thought while she walked towards her destination, which happened to be the room where she and her advisors discussed all issues and events regarding the kingdom. One day, the topic could be the economy of Atlantis. The next day, it could be what colour flags they ought to have for a festivity. Each new day would bring a new topic they have discussions about, after which they often made laws.
If there was one thing Athena enjoyed about ruling Atlantis, it was diversity of the job. Each day was different from the last, each day was met with another challenge. She could use the distraction this provided.
Athena reached the gargantuan, ceiling- high platinum doors that flanked the room and nodded absently when the two heavily-armed guards in front of them made a small obeisance before opening the door.
Head held high, grey eyes betraying none of the turmoil of emotions plaguing her and back held straight, Athena walked into the room to face the challenge of the day. She stopped to glance at her surroundings when she entered.
Inside the room, there were six people. The first one she saw , was Amphitrite, who was Athena's main advisor , governor and also ambassador. She was standing with her back to Athena, but the small horns looking like crab claws betrayed her, causing Athena to recognize her even before Amphitrite's voice reached her ears.
The next was a ordinary-looking dolphin that was actually Delphin, god of dolphins, dressed in golden battle armour ( though Athena didn't know why, because there was no war going on at the moment). He had been a good friend of Poseidon and also probably his most trusted confidant. Athena had quickly noticed the obvious talent and intelligence Delphin possessed and befriended him. He was now also her most trusted confidant, as well as a dear friend.
Delpin was one of the only people she had actually trusted enough to tell her worries concerning Poseidon's safety to. She hadn't said anything explicably , but Delphin had picked up the true concern in her voice and had simply nodded and smiled at her. But she had already felt better now she could have shared her concerns.
They hadn't much talked after that, both being occupied with other business and Athena fearing the intelligent god would discover her greatest secret if she spend too much time with him. The intelligent god would quickly discover her feelings regarding Poseidon if they talked more about it.
The third person was , surprisingly, a Telekhine. After the war, Poseidon had talked to Zeus and some of the Telekhines had been freed, although they were all watched 24/7. This particular Telekhine was one of the oldest of his species and had aided Poseidon all those years ago, teaching him about life underwater. His name was Erobus.
Right now, he was barking while flinging his hands around, almost toppling over while he made wild hand gestures. He was clearly agitated.
The fourth person was shaking his head in amusement, dark eyes glinting in almost a malicious way. This fourth member was Palaemon, god of sharks and harbours, and seemed to enjoy listening to the Telekhine a little bit too amusing.
The last two people were guards; muscular, heavily-armed mermen that hold a striking resemblance to statues the way they were holding themselves, backs rigid and faces stoic. Their job was to observe silently and only move when someone attacked or was in danger.
Athena glanced briefly at the guards before striding towards the table that her advisor's were gathered around. It was big, circular and also had some comfortable chairs they often sat on when the meetings lasted longer than expected.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed a familiar mosaic laying on it. The mosaic was not only a beautiful piece of art; it was also magic and showed Poseidon's entire kingdom. Someone, probably Delphin, had placed little statues on them that were moving around. Athena assumed those represented the citizens.
Delphin and Amphitrite were staring quite intently at the mosaic, sometimes making it turn or show another part of the kingdom, while the distinctly dog-like Telekhine kept barking and Palaemon studied it all with an arched eyebrows and slight smirk.
" So Erobus, explain it to me one more time; why on earth should we allow every specimen of your species back in Atlantis? I fail to comprehend how your species could be of any use anyway" Palaemon said, still smirking slightly. He wasn't cruel or sadistic, but he did enjoy teasing the Telekhine a bit. For some reason, he found it incredibly funny whenever Erobus got agitated. Probably because he tended to trip and fall when he was agitated.
" Wroef wroef We-roef!" the Telekhine barked in response, which roughly translated to " How dare you, you miscreant!".
Palaemon smirk grew a little, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. " Miscreant? Frankly Erobus, that is not very kind of you. I haven't offended you, so there is no need to offend me".
" Wr-af wrrrraf woef!" was the quite furious answer, which would translate to " You insolent fish! You have been offending my species for the past half hour, using the most crude remarks!".
The smirk grew even more. " My dear friend, you ought to learn the difference between crude remarks and the truth. Has the thought never struck you that those crude remarks are being said so often , because they aren't crude remarks but merely the painful truth?".
" W-eraf! Wrrrroef! Waf! Waf!" came the furious reply from a equally furious Telekhine, whose ears were in his neck, whose dark eyes were burning with a very primal rage and who looked more than ready to curse the smirking shark god. Athena chose that time to interfere, before either was hurt. The Telekhines were well-known for their use of black magic, after all. She didn't want to discover just how capable Erobus was of using dark magic to hurt someone.
Taking the last step forward and forcing her face in a picture of disappointment and slight annoyance, Athena cleared her throat to make the other creatures in the room aware of her presence. Two heads immediately turned to her, while Delphin and Amphitrite were still completely focused on the mosaic and talking in hushed tones.
" Gentlemen. We are all present to discuss important matters, not to quarrel in the same manner as a petulant four-year-old would".
Erobus dark skin seemed to glow a little and Athena wondered briefly whether it was dark magic or embarrassment that caused it to glow golden.
While Erobus looked embarrassed, guilty and angry, Palaemon looked completely relaxed and smiled at her. It was typical of him not to be concerned; there was rarely anything that would concern the god. The only times he was nervous or showed any emotion apart from amusement, was when Atlantis was threatened.
Athena gave him a curt nod, not willing to pretend to be in a good mood. Pretending to be her normal, cold and calculated self was already difficult, so smiling would be impossible.
" Palaemon. I would appreciate it if you could erase that smirk from your countenance and focus on today's issues".
" You drive a hard bargain, your majesty, but you know I am willing to do anything for you" he said, making an obeisance.
Normally, Athena would have taken this as mockery, but she knew Palaemon was sincere. He might be a tease and a tad sadistic, but he was also honest and had developed a genuine liking for her. So he wouldn't just toy with her, especially since he was neither a fan of pain nor extremely gullible. People who toyed with her, would welcome the death so they wouldn't have to face the horrible torture she inflicted upon them.
" Very well. What is the most significant topic that we will be discussing today?".
" Whether the liberation of the currently still imprisoned Telekhine should happen or not" Delphin responded. He had been bending over the mosaic, studying some point at it intently, but now shifted his full attention to Athena. One of the reasons Athena liked him, was because he gave you his full attention whenever you talked to him.
" Very well. Am I correctly assuming that is the cause of this argument between two people that should be concerned with Atlantis' welfare and not petty arguments?".
Athena was convinced she saw Delphin smile briefly before he responded.
" Yes".
Athena glanced at Erobus and Palaemon, who were both looking quite guiltily now. Both cared a great deal for Atlantis, so her little remark had hit home hard. Which had been Athena's intention, because she was really fed up with the constant bickering. She suddenly understood why people had always been annoyed with her and Poseidon.
She focused on Delphin again, noting how his eyes seemed to light up for a moment with an emotion akin to mischief before he looked serious and collected again.
" You know, your majesty, perhaps it wouldn't be such a horrible idea to dismiss two of our attendants , seeing as how they are incapable of behaving as mature adults".
Erobus and Palaemon both looked up, their eyes slightly wide. Athena was actually tempted to do as Delphin accepted, even though she knew he was joking, but decided she needed the two dunderheads. Despite their habit of arguing constantly, they were wise and a great help to her.
" That is a reasonable proposition , given the circumstances, Delphin. I will certainly consider it".
" What?" Palaemon said at the same time Erobus barked " Wr-af? ", which meant roughly the same. Both men looked absolutely shocked and Erobus actually was looking like a little puppy, complete with puppy dog eyes.
Athena almost felt amusement at their baffled expressions. Had she actually been in a good mood, she would have laughed for sure. But she wasn't , so she didn't.
" Relax gentlemen, I won't dismiss you just yet, if you will actually behave properly for once. If all that you are going to occupy yourself with, is arguing, then I clearly do not require your services. Am I clear?".
Erobus nodded while Plaemon grinned at Athena and made another obeisance. " Naturally, your majesty. I apologize for my juvenile and erroneous behaviour".
Erobus barked in agreement.
" You are forgiven. Now shall we commence our discussion?".
All three nodded and Athena turned to Amphitrite, who was still staring at the mosaic in a way that suggested it held the secret to the universe, written in a dead language that she craved to decipher. She had obviously not heard a word of what had been said.
Sighing inwardly, Athena walked towards Amphitrite and lightly touched her shoulder. She was only mildly surprised when Amphitrite jumped, turned and aimed for Athena's head without much thought. Athena caught Amphitrite's wrist before it could make contact with her nose and arched one of her eyebrows.
" Do I ought to be concerned by this sudden attack Amphitrite or is there a plausible reason you just attempted to break my nose?".
Amphitrite scowled, but managed a rather strained smile. " Of course not, your majesty" she said coldly. She didn't hate Athena, but she did dislike certain characteristics Athena possessed, so she wasn't necessarily friendly towards Athena. Civil, but not friendly.
Athena smiled coldly and released her wrist. " I shall refrain from questioning that statement for the moment. I do ask, however, that you will focus on the current issue".
" I certainly will, your majesty".
Athena didn't miss how a little bit of venom had crept into Amphitrite's voice, but ignored it and gave the woman another cold, fleeting smile before turning back to the three other gods.
" All right, that is settled then. The motion of today is the following; the Telekhines ought to be liberated. All in favour of the motion, please raise your hands".
Erobus raised his hand, as did Amphitrite while Delphin and Palaemon looked both doubtful. Athena didn't vote, so that meant it was a tie and there likely would be a long discussion. She inwardly sighed.
" Delphin? Why do you oppose the motion? ".
" Your majesty. I do not oppose the motion, but I also do not agree with it. I am not certain about the right decision , which is why I refrained from raising my hand". " That is your right. So what are your arguments for neither opposing nor agreeing with the motion?".
" Well, on the one hand the Telekhines used to serve Atlantis and have aided Lord Poseidon – Athena felt a sharp pang in her chest when his name passed Delphin's lips but managed to keep her face devoid of any emotion- greatly in the past. This is certainly a valid reason to liberate them, so they have the possibility to do such good again".
He paused for a moment, glancing at Erobus. " But on the other hand, they did violate the laws concerning black magic and endangered various creatures. And then we don't even know what they originally planned to use dark magic for. This is a cause for concern and demands great caution, if you ask me. We cannot carelessly trust them, not after all that has happened".
Athena nodded. " Thank you, Delphin. Can someone who agrees with the motion speak up? Erobus?".
" Yes, your majesty. The Telekhines have suffered long and greatly for their crimes, which ought to be enough. They certainly could be useful allies and would no doubt behave well if they were not mistreated again".
" I agree with you that they have a great deal of potential, but the question is not regarding their talents, but their loyalty. Can you promise your people won't misuse their freedom? That they won't attempt to take revenge on those that imprisoned them?".
" I won't insist my people are completely innocent, but most will be willing to keep to your terms and will behave correctly".
" What proof do you have?".
" Little proof, I fear".
" That is unfortunate. Is there anything else that might be a reason to release the Telekhines?".
" We could release them , but monitor them" Amphitrite suggested.
" Monitor them? ".
" Yes. The issue is their loyalty. We could liberate them, but guard them like we have done with the already freed Telekhines. Except we won't just have guards keeping an eye on them, but also technological devices monitoring them. We could ask Hephaestus to provide us with those technological devices".
" So you propose we liberate the Telekhines, but minimalize their freedom?".
" Essentially, yes".
" That is a good proposition".
Athena looked at the other faces. " Raise your hand if you agree with Amphitrite's preposition".
All hands were raised.
" Everyone is in favour of the motion. I declare that the Telekhinese should be liberated in 24 hours and will be placed under constant security from the moment they are. Not only will they be accompanied by guards at all times, but I will also ask Hephaestus to create some devices that will follow and record their whereabouts, behaviour and facial expression".
Athena wrote this all down and signed paper with her name in Greek letters, then whistled. A magnificent, gargantuan owl with startling grey eyes and orange feathers like a phoenix immediately appeared in front of her and hooted softly. The owl stretched out her foot and , without a word, Athena bound the letter to its foot and muttered something.
Before Amphitrite, Erobus or Palaemon could react, the owl flew upwards and disappeared in a blinding light. They all looked rather stunned and speechless at this strange occurrence, staring at the spot where the owl had been minutes ago.
Athena had to clear her throat a few times before she got their attention. They quickly moved on to other topics, like what to do with the sea spirits that were once again fighting Atlantis, and were in the middle of a rather heated debate about when it happened.
Palaemon suddenly froze, gripped the arms of the table tightly until his eyes rolled back and collapsed. By then he was pale and shivering.
Erobus attempted to grab him and keep him from hitting the ground, but couldn't get a good grip. Erobus flinched when Palaeon softly groaned at the moment his knees hit the ground.
" Palaemon? What is going on?" Athena asked, kneeling next to the shocked shark god, who was moaning softly.
She felt her blood freeze and her stomach turn uncomfortably when he looked at her with wide, startled eyes that seemed to held her own grey eyes prisoner with their intensity.
" What..?" she whispered.
He closed his eyes, his body trembling as he seemed to fight himself. After a few moments of self-doubt and hesitation, he reluctantly opened his eyes and faced her. Athena felt herself tense at the guilt, sorrow and compassion in his eyes. That could never be good.
" It's Poseidon " he choked out and, for a moment , she didn't understand. She didn't understand what any of this situation had to do with Poseidon, but he was already explaining.
" I am the god of shipwrecks as well Athena and I - he faltered momentarily- I have seen his ship".
Palaemon averted his eyes again, but Athena didn't notice. She didn't notice anything except the sour taste of bile in her throat, the by now familiar burning sensation behind her eyes and the way her heart seemed to have stopped.
She froze, her eyes widened and she had to bite her lips hard when she felt the tears gather behind her eyes once more. She only barely managed to keep them at bay and had to bite her lips so hard that she tasted ichor.
What Plaemon had said was nothing more than a confirmation, but up until this moment, she had been able to tell herself everything would be all right. That he was just delayed. The chances of him getting severely injured – or never returning- were suddenly a lot bigger now she knew this. After all, who or what was powerful enough to destroy the sea god's ship on sea, where his powers were the strongest?
Athena suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her and help her to her feet. She almost sunk to the ground again, because her knees felt too weak to carry her weight and she was shivering violently, but managed to stand up.
She was pushed into a chair and someone handed her a cup of delicious smelling nectar, but she still hardly noticed. She didn't notice the worried looks her companions were sporting, nor did she notice the guards moving closer or anything of the world around her.
All she could think about, was the image of him, injured and alone somewhere in possibly the most dangerous place on earth. She felt all air leave her lungs and the bile in her throat rise at the very thought and closed her eyes for a moment, frantically trying to push the image of an injured Poseidon away.
She was still shivering terrible, but she forced herself to take deep, calming breaths in order to calm her breathing and erratic heartbeat. She had to swallow a few times before she managed to stop the bile from rising.
Someone started rubbing her back and that, along with small sips from the nectar she had been handed, slowly calmed her down. By the time her cup was empty, all traces of panic and pain had disappeared. If you hadn't seen her collapse, you would believe she was not startled at all.
She put her cup down and pushed Plaemon's hand away, suddenly ashamed of her moment of weakness. Silently berating herself, she got up and turned to Palaemon.
" Where? And to what extent is the ship damaged?".
Palaemon looked considerably nervous. " Athena..".
" Your majesty. And yes?".
" Your majesty. It might be better if you sit down for another moment, bec-".
" I am perfectly fine!" Athena snapped, fighting the urge to grab the god's shoulders and shake him very hard. How could he focus on her health while Poseidon's ship had wrecked?
" I don't think so. You are still trembling a bit and-".
" That is none of your business. And you are only wasting time with your foolish display of compassion. Poseidon has been gone for three years Palaemon. Any clue to his whereabouts is extremely significant and should be researched immediately. Why on earth aren't you focused on locating him? He is your king!'.
" And you are my queen, your majesty. But I honestly believe it is wiser if-".
Athena took a step towards Palaemon and narrowed her eyes into menacing slits. Palaemon swallowed when he noticed the cold fury in those piercing grey eyes. Even he was scared by Athena when she was angry like this.
Athena leaned even closer, until their noses were almost touching, and whispered in a low, menacing voice " I am the goddess of wisdom, therefore those decisions are mine. And I decide it is wiser to investigate the wreck and find him!".
Palaemon nodded. " You are right your majesty".
" Of course I am !".
" But –".
" But?". The low, menacing voice returned and made Palaemon flinch.
" But you ought to stay behind".
" I beg your pardon?".
" Your majesty. Right now, the fate of Atlantis is in your hands. Atlantis cannot afford it to lose another ruler. You simply cannot place your life on the line, not when so many people count on you. I am sorry".
Athena was ready to give him a piece of her mind, to give him a list with arguments why she should go and had already opened her mouth when she realized something.
She shouldn't go.
Despite her almost desperate need to see for herself what had happened to Poseidon's ship, to be involved in the investigation, she shouldn't and couldn't. Her place was in Atlantis, ruling his kingdom and keeping it safe until he returned. Palaemon was right when he said they couldn't afford it to lose another ruler.
She closed her mouth abruptly and sighed, grudgingly accepting her fate. She despised it, but she had little choice but to remain behind and wait for news. It was the logical chose, the right one. And yet, it felt like the worst thing she could do.
Pushing away the illogical urge to pull out her hair and scream, Athena simply nodded and gave Palaemon a small smile.
" You are right. Go and report on me if you find anything".
Palaemon seemed stunned for a moment that she as being this calm and rational, then remembered who it was that he was talking to and nodded.
" I will. Be safe" he said before teleporting and vanishing in a bright light that stung Athena's eyes, but nearly as much as the suppressed tears did.
Once again completely in control of her emotions , which was a display of immeasurable strength, Athena turned towards the remaining people in the room. She choose to ignore the expressions of varying degrees of shock that even graced Delphin's countenance, although he looked far less surprised than Amphitrite with her mouth open and eyes as wide as possible did.
When they finally all managed to shake off their stupor and stop their codfish imitations, they continued discussing various topics as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened, but Athena had a hard time concentrating. She automatically replied to questions and probably looked focused on the outside, but in reality, she was miles away.
In her mind, she was with Plaemon, looking for Poseidon. Not knowing what was happening, not being able to help with the research, made her extremely nervous. But she forced herself to behave as always.
When the meeting finally ended, Athena immediately got up and walked away, retreating to her room. She just wanted some time away from responsibilities and people, so she could think and examine her own wayward feelings.
When she arrived in her room, she removed her crown and send an IM to Delphin ordering him to solve any problems that might occur and not bother her. He didn't say anything, but did look vaguely concerned and asked if she was all right.
After assuring Delphin everything was fine- which obviously wasn't the truth- , she opened the doors of her adjourning room and breathed in the scent of paint, dust and old paper.
Athena was standing in a wide, circular room with one of the highest ceilings she had ever seen. The walls were decorated with drawings of sea creatures and golden, steep stairs lead to the dome that could be used as a planetarium. There was a certain atmosphere of tranquillity in the room that worked like a magnet on Athena.
The room was filled with objects as computers, easels, tables, chairs, robots, and countless others. Every place in the room was occupied with something, including the walls.
Against one wall were three objects; A glass closet, filled with any tool a person could possibly need was the first. The second, a handmade wooden cabinet filled with pencils, various colours and types of paint, paintbrushes in any size, colour pencils, rulers, charcoal and palettes. The third thing that was standing against the wall, was an enormous bookcase filled with books , papyrus scrolls and anything else that had ever been used to write important information on.
Against the other wall, stood a few tables with various objects on them, two drawing stands, a closet filled with vials – some empty, some filled-, and a closet filled with flasks, bottles, pipettes, beakers, jars, funnels, glass rods, spatulas and everything else might need in a lab.
This room had once been Poseidon marine biology lab, but Athena had altered it slightly so it was now her workplace. She always came here if she was especially distressed, the atmosphere and isolated state of the room doing wonders for her nerves.
Athena walked over to the cabinet with painting equipment and took a palette, paint and a small paintbrush. Mixing colours, she walked over to one of the easels that held a blank canvas. She studied it for a moment before she dipped her brush in the paint and started painting what was on her mind.
Whenever Athena was experiencing strong emotions that bothered her- which had been happening often these past three years-, she painted whatever was on her mind, so it would bother her less.
While Athena was painting, she allowed her thoughts to drift off to a certain sea green-eyed , handsome man that she missed very much.
Poseidon, where are you? What has occurred? Why aren't you even attempt to contact me, why can't I feel your presence no matter how often I reach out?
Athena kept asking herself the same questions she was already asking herself for years, but didn't get a respond. She didn't suddenly see the light and hear someone sing hallelujah, she didn't have some brilliant idea this time.
There was little she could do that she hadn't already attempted. There were few options left and all she could do, was assume. Assume he was attacked and now either a captive or destroyed. Assume that he would return. Assume his powers were weakened thanks to the strange powers at work in the sea of monsters. Assume, assume, assume. Athena didn't like assuming. It provided too little information, only raised more questions when you tried to use it to answer questions.
Athena was completely immersed in her own thoughts, her hand occupied with painting even if her mind was occupied with Poseidon, when the door suddenly burst open. Te sound was loud enough to startle a distracted Athena.
Athena abruptly woke from her thoughts and turned towards the door, raising her eyebrows when she saw the familiar horns shaped like crab claws and normally sparkling green eyes.
" Amphitrite, what –".
" We need to talk" Amphitrite interrupted her, surprising Athena. Although there was a certain amount of dislike between them, they had always been polite towards another and Amphitrite was generally shy and kind. It wasn't in her character to cut someone off or intrude on someone's private time.
Athena didn't question Amphitrite, but instead wiped off her hands and walked to the closet to put back her painting equipment. When she turned back to Amphitrite, the woman was staring at her painting with narrowed eyes.
Athena felt oddly uncomfortable when she realized for the first time what she had painted. She hadn't paid any attention to her painting until now, so she was just as shocked as Amphitrite probably was.
The painting showed a muscular, tan man with sparkling sea green eyes and a gentle smile standing in the sea , surrounded by dolphins and fish. The man had a woman in his arms , whom he held protectively against his chest, one of his hand buried in her long, silky hair. The woman looked up at him with startling grey eyes that shimmered with tears of joy and a small smile played around her lips. The love practically radiated of the couple.
Trying very hard not to look shocked and embarrassed by what she had unconsciously drawn, Athena walked towards Amphitrite.
" Interesting painting" the other woman commented, glancing at Athena.
" Yes. But I believe we are not here to discuss my paintings, are we?".
" No, we aren't. Shall we sit down?".
Athena nodded and motioned at a few couches in the back of the room. Without a word, the two women walked towards them and sat down.
The moment Athena sat down, Amphitrite asked her a question that made her glad she had.
" What are you feelings for my husband?".
Athena, outwardly cool but inwardly uncomfortable, arched one of her elegant eyebrows. " My emotions regarding your husband are grudging admiration and friendship. Why the sudden interest in this?".
" Don't try to bluff our way out of this Athena. I have seen your reaction when you heard his shipwreck was found. You almost fainted and I could have sworn I saw tears shimmer in your eyes. Friends do not react that strongly".
" Amphitrite. Frankly, I do not believe my emotions are of your concern. But if you truly wish to know, I was merely shocked someone managed to best Poseidon at sea. This does not bode well".
" Poppycock. You weren't thinking of the implications of revelation, but of my husband's welfare. I ask you once again, what are your feelings regarding my husband?".
" I already told you, I-".
" You are in love with him, aren't you?".
" I beg your pardon?". Athena was nonplussed and stared at Amphitrite, hardly believing what the normally calm and shyly woman had said.
Amphitrite leaned back against the cushions of the couch and studied Athena for a few moments, until the wisdom goddess started to feel uncomfortable under her sharp gaze and had to struggle to keep her composure. Finally, Amphitrite sighed.
" How in Hades did that happen?".
She averted her eyes for a moment, before looking at Athena with slightly flushed cheeks. She hesitated before she asked her next question, looking very self-conscious.
" Did he approach you?".
" What? No, of course not! We are merely friends".
" Again, friends do not nearly faint when the other might be hurt".
She glanced at the painting. " And friends also do not paint something like that".
" That is jus-".
" Athena, cut it already. Do you honestly believe am gullible enough to believe your feelings regarding Poseidon are completely platonic?".
" Yes! I am a maiden goddess, I will have you know".
" Oaths can be broken".
Amphitrite smiled grimly, obviously thinking about the big pact.
" I ought to know. My husband has broken multiple oaths, as well as our wedding vows".
" That may be, but I am not even going to consider breaking mine".
Amphitrite leaned a little bit forward, until their knees were touching. " So you will be able to push him away if he returns and asks you to? ".
" Ask me to do what exactly".
" Ask you to sleep with him".
Athena felt her own cheeks heat up a little. " Frankly, I don't even believe Poseidon would propose such an act".
Amphitrite leaned back a little and Athena felt uncomfortable again when the other woman studied her, her eyes raking over Athena's eyes, nose, lips, shoulders, chest, hips and legs before resting on her eyes once again.
" Why not? You are an attractive woman".
" So? Poseidon isn't some lower creature driven by primal urges only Amphitrite, he is not obliged to bed every attractive woman he sees".
" It could have fooled me. And you are the one who has said that, not me".
" Well, there is the possibility that I might have exaggerated".
"True. But the fact remains that Poseidon would like very much to .. bed you. Will you refuse him?".
" This is ludicrous! Poseidon would never propose such a thing, is not even here and I am a maiden goddess".
" Answer me".
" Of course I would refuse him!".
" So if he suddenly returned and he would kiss you, you wouldn't reciprocate?".
Athena felt her cheeks heat up a little more at the thought of warm, salty lips touching her own and breaths entwining, but managed to keep her tone even and controlled even if she felt anything but controlled.
" No. I would not allow him the proximity that is needed for such an act".
" So you have never wished, nor will you ever wish, to be something else than friends with my husband?".
" No. Are you finished with interrogating me now?".
" No. Half of what you said was a lie Athena, I know you feel a lot more than friendship for my husband".
" I do not, but if you are so convinced you know, then why the interrogation? It seems rather futile to me".
" I wanted to see our reaction". Amphitrite sighed, suddenly looking more like a lost little girl than the powerful, strong woman she was.
" I hoped..." she trailed off , looking at her hands which were folded in her lap. She looked up again and Athena was shocked to see the same weariness and despair in Amphitrite's eyes as she saw in her own. Apparently she had more in common with Amphitrite than she had previously believed.
" I hoped I was imagining it, that I was just being paranoid" she confessed.
" Well you are. I assure you, I-".
" Dammit Athena!" Amphitrite suddenly exclaimed, standing up abruptly. It was the first time Athena had ever seen Amphitrite angry. And also the first time she had heard her swore.
" Either you believe I have an intelligence similar to a drooling infant or you are the most oblivious, gullible woman I have ever met" she snapped.
Athena was stunned. Not only was Amphitrite behaving uncharacteristically outspoken, but she was also offending her. Never had the other woman show any disrespect and Athena didn't like the way she was being towered over. Standing up as well, she met flashing green eyes with her own cold grey ones.
" If you would have actually listened to me, you would know I have no ill-advised, romantic interest in your husband. So cease this disrespectful behaviour immediately!".
" No romantic interest? You almost fainted when you heard about the shipwreck! You two spend those last month's almost glued to each other! You have a bloody painting of you two together! How can you not be interested while everything tells me you are?".
" Then tell me, what tells you I am interested in Poseidon?".
Amphitrite rolled her eyes. " What doesn't? Honestly Athena, you have to be blind not to see it! Apart from the painting and your reaction to his disappearance, I have seen you look at him".
" I tend to look at people when I communicate with them Amphitrite, it is simply a sign of manners".
" You don't look at all the others like that. You look at him like he is a-".
" A god? Because he is".
" Don't use that tone with me, please. And do not attempt to make a fool out of me, I know where I am talking about".
" A ludicrous idea that has taken residence in your mind apparently. I do NOT love Poseidon".
" How do you know?".
" I- ".
" Have you been in love before? Have you any experience at all with the emotion?".
Amphitrite smiled thinly when she noticed Athena was speechless. " Didn't think so".
Amphitrite took a few steps towards Athena, who immediately tensed and lay her hand on her hidden knife. But she didn't want to attack Athena, not physically at least.
" Tell me Athena, what do you feel? Do you feel happy and light when you're near him? Do you inhale deeply everything time you catch a whiff of his salty scent? Does your heart skip beats whenever he lightly touches you? Do you feel yourself captivated by his eyes and hypnotized by his voice? Do you feel like someone hit you with Zeus' lightning bolt whenever you share a look or touch?".
Athena stared at Amphitrite as she quite accurately described the confusing sensations she had been through when Poseidon had still been around. Her thoughts were reeling and she felt cornered now the normally calm woman was releasing a verbal attack on her.
Amphitrite smiled triumphantly when Athena's reaction confirmed her suspicions. Her smile quickly vanished though, her momentary glee at catching the notorious Athena off guard giving place to weariness.
She hesitated briefly, not sure what she would do now she had her suspicions confirmed. She could threaten the woman and tell her to stay away from Poseidon ( easy, now he had vanished from the earth) , but she somehow doubted that Athena would take that well. Besides, it wasn't her style to threaten people.
And if she was honest, she actually felt a little bit sorry for Athena. She couldn't help the pity she felt for the woman now she realized just how much pain Athena must be in. If she felt anything similar to what Amphitrite was feeling, then she would be nearly insane with pain.
" Be careful with your decision Athena. Poseidon isn't known for his faithfulness" was all she said before turning and walking away, not willing to allow the other woman to see the tears gathering in her eyes and realize her weakness. She didn't realize Athena felt the exact same weakness.
Athena sank to the ground when Amphitrite was gone, hugging her knees and trying to convince herself that this was all some sort of mistake. She simply couldn't be in love with Poseidon, couldn't be in love with the sworn nemesis of her father and a man that could never be interested in her.
I can't be infatuated with Poseidon, that would be completely illogical. Why would I be infatuated with a man that has argued with me, doubt me and behaved towards me as though I was a revolting vermin?
It is unwise, illogical and simply impossible. I can't possibly harbour feelings like that towards him, can I?
Athena sat like that for a long time; hugging her knees to her chest, her head resting on her knees and her arms wrapped around herself, staring off into the distance. Eventually, her eyes started closing and she felt herself drifting farther and farther away until she was asleep. She welcomed the short pause from her feelings.
Athena opened her mouth when Poseidon offered her the piece of ambrosia and allowed him to put it in her mouth, sighing softly when the taste hit her. She simply loved the taste of ambrosia, especially if the amazing man that held her heart was the one giving it to her.
She snuggled against him, inhaling his salty scent along with the fresh air of the Swedish mountains, and was content just sitting together and not talking. They didn't need words to enjoy spending time together, they only needed each other.
She softly hummed while listening to his lulling heartbeat and he smiled at her, his eyes sparkling softly and looking at her with love and devotion.
He sipped his nectar and tenderly pressed his lips against hers, lingering for a second so she could taste the nectar on his lips. She licked her own lips and took another bite of ambrosia, savouring the mixed taste of ambrosia and nectar before she pressed her lips against his. She meant to pull back like he had, but the hand behind her head pushed her forward and a tongue begged for entrance.
Her eyes fluttered and closed, his smile the last thing she saw, and she felt herself responding to his soft, wickedly talented lips. She moaned softly, which made him add a little more pressure, and buried her hands in his hair, grabbing it to pull him towards her.
The tentative, soft touches gave way to tongues circling each other and mouths sucking and Athena surrendered to the passion this man evoked in her. A passion that made her desperate for more, that was addictive.
After a kiss that lasted so long even Athena was struggling with the oxygen deprivation, both pulled back at the same moment.
Athena slowly opened her eyes and looked into darkening green ones, who captivated her like always. Her eyes slowly went to his lips and she noticed how they were now swollen, just like hers were.
She lightly touched her own swollen lips and gave him one last kiss, this one fleeting and soft, before resuming her original position against him. He chuckled and kissed her bare shoulder , making her smile. She loved little gestures like that.
Athena frowned when the temperature suddenly dropped and pressed herself closer to Poseidon, wanting to absorb as much of his body heat as possible. He immediately pulled her in his lap and wrapped his strong, warm arms around her.
Her shivering stopped and she smiled at him before laying her head on his shoulder and savouring the moment. These moments were often short-lived.
She looked down at herself when she felt her skin was starting to tingle in an unpleasant way, the feeling spreading from her ankles to thighs.
She gasped when she saw strings of thick fog circling around her ankles, slowly raising towards her thighs. Everywhere the fog touched her skin, Athena felt a sharp pinch that changed into the tingling sensation that made goose bump appear on her sensitive skin. It almost felt as though insects were walking on her.
She looked up at Poseidon, wanting to alert him, but gasped when she noticed fog had reached his chest and was making him translucent, like a ghost. He shivered whenever the fog touched skin and tried desperately to get it to leave.
She tried to swipe the fog away, but it just came back and only grew. In seconds, the fog had reached Poseidon's eyes and made the beautiful sea green change into dull bluish white, the pupil actually disappearing.
Athena tried to reach for Poseidon, to say something but was thrown back and landed in a heap on the floor. Scrambling to her feet, she ran towards Poseidon with a strangled cry.
Metres away from him, the air was knocked out of her lungs when she ran into an invisible wall. She tried to break it, but her movements were clumsy and her limbs felt like they were made of lead. She could hardly move.
Gasping for breath, shivering violently and tears gathering in her eyes, she watched helplessly as Poseidon was completely engulfed by the fog. She threw herself at the wall, that was slowly becoming visible, but it only hurt her. The wall was still there.
The fog turned yellowish white, a blinding yellowish white and Athena had to avert her eyes for a moment in order not to blind herself. When she looked again, the fog was turning blue, then red, then green, then indigo, orange, violet and finally white again.
Slowly, the fog seemed to pull back, sinking into the ground. The ground glowed for a moment before all the traces of the fog had vanished and all that remained was Poseidon and a wall that was shaking.
There was a strange sound as the wall in front of Athena shattered and the remainders were blown away by the wind.
She ran towards Poseidon, throwing herself on the ground, and cradling his face. She tried to offer him her warmth like he had done with her, but it didn't help.
She gave a horrified gasp when his skin melted and fell to the ground, then turned into dust. What was left of him, was a skeleton that grinned stupidly at her.
She lightly touched the jaws that had once been her lover's , tears running down her cheeks and mixing with the dust that had once been his skin. She started sobbing, still cradling his face, and moaned his name as if that would make him return.
Her sobbing turned into a scream when the earth suddenly disappeared and she fell in a dark abyss.
She was surrounded by darkness, but could see glowing eyes and teeth as well as hear sobs and cries of pain, which didn't make the long fall any better.
For a moment, she thought she was in Tartarus, but then she landed and saw she was somewhere in a cell. It was small, cold and dirty, so a typical cell.
" Finally".
Athena turned around when she heard a voice and was more than prepared to strike down some crazy captive, but froze when she saw to whom the voice belonged.
He looked horrible, so horrible she almost didn't recognize him. His clothes were torn and blackened, leaving most of his chest bare. His shoes had melted, and were now actually 'glued' to his skin. He had blisters all over his body, mostly on his chest, and every piece of exposed skin was red, some even black. He had a bump on his head, his hair was messy and sticky and the black locks had gold – obviously from ichor- in them. He had a scratch that started just beneath his left eye and ended at his jaw, that dripped with ichor. He also had a black eye that was slowly turning purple.
Ignoring how horrible he looked, relief and intense worry overflowing her at once, she stepped towards him and lightly touched his cheek. He caught her hand and held it to his face, giving her a small smile.
"Poseidon... is that really you?".
He laughed weakly. " The one and only, owlhead".
Athena didn't know what happened, but the next moment she was suddenly in his arms, mumbling incoherently. She heard him gasp softly and pulled back when she realized she had hurt him.
" What happened?" she asked, once again noticing how horrible he looked. She couldn't remember she had ever seen him like this, so injured and yet still strong.
He grimaced. " It is a long story. And my connection isn't that great. It took me ages to contact you and I won't be able to keep the connection for long".
" Tell me your location then and I will –".
" No!".
Athena was surprised when Poseidon made a sound akin to growling, making quite clear he didn't want to do that.
" No?".
" No. You can't rescue me Athena, you will only get yourself captured. Just get Percy to a safe place".
" What does Percy have to do with anything?" .
" He is in danger. They are targeting him, you have to- ".
Poseidon's eyes suddenly widened and he cursed. He let go of her hands and grabbed her shoulder instead, looking into her eyes with his own sea green ones.
" That's them! Go! Go and get Percy far away from the sea, tell him to stay clear from water and that I –"
Poseidon disappeared for a moment and she stepped closer to him, willing him not to go. She could hardly hear what he was saying. He managed to say one more thing before he vanished.
" Go... Percy.. Danger" was the last thing she heard before everything became dark.
"POSEIDON!".
Athena screamed when she woke up, her eyes snapping open and immediately searching for a certain god.
She lay down again, disappointed, when she realized he wasn't here. Not that she really had expected that, but she had hoped he would be here. That she had somehow taken him with her.
Athena stared at the ceiling, feeling her heart hammer in her chest and her breath coming in short gasps. Her throat was dry and she could taste bile again, slowly making its way towards her mouth.
She swallowed and licked her lips, who were dry and tingling. She inhaled deeply and noticed the sharp scent of sweat lingering in the air. She inhaled again and frowned when she smelled something else than her own sweat. A sweet, tangy scent. That was definitely not sweat.
She looked down at herself and immediately noticed where it came from; there was ichor on her fingers. Poseidon's ichor. From when she had touched his face lightly.
After a short hesitation, she wiped her finger off and got up. Without another thought, but with Poseidon's last words in mind, she teleported to Percy's and Annabeth's house. And was irritated when the door wasn't immediately opened.
She knocked on the door and impatiently tapped her foot. Why did it take this long for them to answer? Jackson's life might be in danger and they didn't even open the damn door!
Finally, the door opened and showed Annabeth wearing jeans and a light green blouse. Her eyes widened noticeably when she saw her mother.
"Mom? What are you-"
Athena pushed her aside and entered the house, looking around her for any sign of Percy and walking further into the house when she didn't see him. She completely ignored Annabeth.
" doing here " Annabeth said, rolling her eyes before she closed the door.
She immediately followed her mother, silently wondering why her mother had appeared at her door early in the morning with her hair incredibly messy, her clothes rumpled and her eyes all red and puffy.
Wait a minute. Her eyes are all red and puffy.. Did she cry?
Suddenly worried – she hadn't even known her mom was capable of crying- she started walking faster and very nearly bumped into her mother when she suddenly stopped. Annabeth opened her mouth to ask a question, but fell silent when she saw the look in her mother's eyes.
She nearly screamed when her mother suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pulled Annabeth towards her. They were now so close Annabeth could see the little veins in her mother's eyes.
" Where is he" Athena hissed, that same intense, frightening look in her eyes that made Annabeth actually afraid of her mother.
" Who?" she managed to say, relieved her voice sounded normal.
" Jackson. Where is he?".
Annabeth groaned. She should have known it had something to do with Percy. It seemed as though, no matter what he did, he insulted Athena. Although it had been some time since she had a furious Athena visiting her and her Percy with the intention to kill, or at least seriously harm, Percy.
Sighing, she pointed at the small room that featured as Percy's study on the first floor. She could say he wasn't here, but Athena wouldn't fall for that, so lying wouldn't make much sense. Her mother might even appreciate the honesty and have some mercy.
" Second door on the right. Kindly refrain from assassinate seaweed brain for whatever gullible act he has undertaken this time".
Athena didn't answer anymore, too busy with sprinting up to the stairs. Annabeth watched in amazement as she saw her mother move up the stairs faster than she had deemed possible. She had had no idea her Athena could run that fast.
Annabeth quickly followed Athena, hoping she would arrive in time to keep Athena from assassinating her boyfriend. Or at least seriously hurting him.
She walked into her boyfriend's study and watched, puzzled, as Athena made a sound like a strangled sob and seemed oddly relieved when she noticed Percy launching on a couch.
" Oh Jesus, he is all right".
" Eh mom? Do you please want to explain why you actually seem relieved to see my boyfriend alive?" Annabeth asked, glaring at Percy when he looked offended and started to open his mouth.
Athena nodded. " He, I, Poseidon-".
Annabeth started to really worry when she saw her mother was quite speechless, something she hadn't deemed possible as well. This was turning out to be a really odd day already.
She gently pushed her mother in a chair, next to the couch Percy was sitting on, and smiled at her. Athena was so overcome with emotion that she didn't even protest.
" I will get us something to drink. When I return, I would really like an explanation".
With that, she turned and walked to the kitchen. She quickly made tea for herself , a glass blue soda for Percy and took some of her nectar for emergencies to give to Athena, and almost ran up the stairs. Not only was she extremely curious as to what was going on, she was also slightly afraid Athena might change her mind and decide it would be better if Percy was dead.
" So here are the- Mom?". Annabeth froze and stared at her mom when she saw her mother was now sitting next to Percy – while she had always insisted he wasn't allowed to get near her- and was staring at him. She actually poked his cheek and Annabeth didn't whether to laugh or feel worried when she saw her boyfriend's panicked and freaked out expression. He looked even more panicked when Athena started to lean really close to him, so close that their eyelashes were almost touching.
Percy send her a look that clearly meant HELP! , which made her laugh softly. Even if she was a little freaked out by her mom's behaviour as well, Percy's expression was still hilarious. The sound of laughter made Athena turn and look at her daughter,
ending the show.
" Hi". Annabeth smiled at her mom, noting with amusement how Percy tried to scoot away from Athena without raising suspicion, and set down her tray before she accidently dropped it.
She handed her mother the glass with nectar and arched one of her eyebrows. " Would you be willing to clarify why you were poking my boyfriend? Because it is peculiar behaviour and quite uncharacteristic".
" Don't forget creepy " Percy muttered, earning him a glare from Annabeth.
Athena turned to glare at him as well, but instead started staring again, not able to help herself when he looked that much like Poseidon.
Peculiar. I never noticed before how similar he and Poseidon look. Same cheekbones, black hair, full lips, gorgeous sea green eyes...
Athena woke from her musings when Annabeth gently shook her shoulder. Which was good, but Athena felt horrible looking at someone who looked so much like Poseidon. It was painful how much she craved for Poseidon's presence.
She turned to her daughter and smiled thinly. " My apologies. I was distracted".
" It doesn't mind. Although I fear I do not comprehend what you find so fascinating about Percy's face today".
Athena sighed. " It isn't his face. It is – she faltered when she once again felt tears burn behind her eyes at the memory of the inured Poseidon- Poseidon".
Percy stopped scooting away from Athena- he was at the far end of the couch by now- when he heard this. He was too excited to be freaked out by Athena.
" What? Have you seen my dad? Is he all right, because I haven't heard-".
Percy continued talking, but Athena didn't hear it anymore. All she could see was Poseidon's bruised and battered face, his beautiful eyes dim and pleading. She would do anything to have him here with her, but knew that wasn't possible. Not at the moment.
Annabeth was the first to notice her mother wasn't paying attention. She glared at Percy and motioned at Athena, who was staring off into the distance and seemed oblivious to both of them.
Percy hesitated, then lightly touched Athena's shoulder. He immediately pulled his hand back, knowing Athena didn't like it when people touched her. He didn't want to get incinerated for something as stupid as a comforting touch.
" Lady Athena? Is there somebody home?".
Percy's gentle voice made Athena suddenly aware of the room she was in and the two people who were staring at her, looking worried and apprehensive. She set down her glass with a sigh.
" My apologies for the peculiar behaviour".
She inhaled deeply to calm herself and frowned when she realized Percy even smelled like Poseidon.
" Preposterous. They even possess the same scent" she mumbled, making Percy look at her oddly again.
" What?".
" You possess the same distinctive scent as your father" she said a little louder.
" Oh. And you are saying this because..".
" Because it is implausible two people possess the same scent Perseus".
" Okay, that is not weird at all. But what was it that you were saying about my dad? Because I haven't seen him in a long time".
Annabeth nodded. " No one has. We have asked some people and no one has seen him. So do you know where he is?".
" No. No one does. He disappeared. Three years ago".
Percy dropped his soda, not even noticing it, and stared at her. Athena noticed how his eyes narrowed and his face started to turn red from anger. He obviously also shared his father's temper.
" What! My dad has been gone for three years and no one told me ? I could have helped!".
" He was occupied with something and we all knew he would be gone for a long time, so most people weren't overly concerned in the beginning".
" Why not? That is just stupid!".
" Indeed. King Zeus decided we ought to wait before sending search parties".
" Why?" Percy demanded, the soda on the floor now actually slowly turning into steam because of the anger and power Percy radiated. Not nearly as much as Poseidon of course, but he did have a lot of power.
" Your father's destination was the sea of monsters. It is a very perilous place, even for the gods, so king Zeus decided we should wait until it had been confirmed Poseidon was in danger".
Percy frowned. " I would say it is obvious my dad is in danger if he has disappeared".
" Exactly".
" Wait a minute, you disagree with your dad?".
" Usually, I would be tempted to agree with king Zeus and take certain precautions before sending my people into unfamiliar and dangerous territory, but he has delayed this for far too long. He should have send search parties a long time ago".
" Then why did no one" Percy said, balling his hands into fists and speaking through gritted teeth.
Athena smiled grimly. " I never said no one did. I, for example, created a special search team".
Percy stared at her, his anger quickly making wy for shock, with his mouth opened so wide a tennis bal could have fitted in it. When he finally had recovered enough to say something, he managed to splutter
" You? But you, like, hate my dad". Still in a disbelieving tone.
" I used to dislike him, yes. But shortly before his departure, we became.. friends. So I assembled a search party and ordered them to travel to the sea of monsters and discover Poseidon's whereabouts
" So what happened to them ?" Annabeth asked, already feeling like this story might have an unhappy ending, but hoping it wouldn't for Percy's sake.
Athena sighed. " Only one of them returned. He had varying degrees of burns, numerous bruises and missed an hand. He also appeared to have lost his mind and even Dionysos was unable to restore it".
They were all silent for a moment, before Percy spoke up again. " So what now? Is king Zeus finally going to send some people to help my dad"?
Athena shrugged. " Hopefully. I have a meeting with him tomorrow, I will certainly vocalize my thoughts on the matter'.
Annabeth frowned as a sudden thought struck her.
" But mom, if you aren't here to tell us Poseidon has been found, to assassinate Percy or to inform us of what is happening, then why are you".
Athena fiddled with her glass for a long time, suddenly doubtful of her decision to come here. Perhaps she should have left them alone, even if that meant Percy might be in danger. But Poseidon had asked her to help Percy..
" I am here for Percy actually" she blurted out and Percy immediately started scooting away from her again, still not recovered from the startling sensation of having Athena stare at him. Athena rolled her eyes what she saw what he was doing.
" Compose yourself already Perseus, I am not here to harm you. Quite the opposite actually. Your father asked me to protect you".
Percy stopped scooting. " My dad? So you spoke to him!".
" Not exactly. He visited one of my dreams" .
Annabeth leaned forward, looking fascinated by this new piece of information. " So you sometimes also dream about things that actually occur?".
Athena nodded. " Yes. I don't, not often at least, but Apollo for example does. And all gods can have a connection with each other. If we want to, we can visit each other's dreams. With the consent of the other person, of course".
" Okay, so dad visited your dream. What did he say?".
" It wasn't very clear. But I noticed he was in a cell, gravely injured and he repeated that they were after you".
" They?" Annabeth questioned.
" Yes they. He did not mention who they were , but someone is hunting you, Perseus".
" Wait a minute, let me get this right. My dad is captured by some lunatic, king Zeus is doing absolutely nothing and now the same lunatic that managed to capture one of the most powerful gods is after me?".
Athena nodded.
" Well that sucks" he muttered.
Athena lay an hand on his arm, startling Percy so much he nearly jumped of the couch. She pulled away when she saw that, but attempted to smile at him, hoping that would calm him down somewhat,
" But don't worry. I will protect you, so you are relatively safe. I assume the creature that attacked and captured your father is only very strong in the sea. Your father did warn me to not allow you near the sea or any water".
" Wait so I can't shower, drink or go to the toilet ?".
" I believe he was more referring to large masses of water, not a glass with water or something similar. But just to play safe, you will be monitored all the time. So are you ready?".
" For what?".
" For moving to my palace of course. It is by far the safest place for you. That way, some of the gods can keep an eye on you while I am away'.
Percy looked dazed and confused, but didn't protest when Athena told him to pack his stuff. He had the feeling that any protest would be useless anyway, so he didn't even try.
He did look very shocked and protested when she offered to help him pack though. The only reason she even offered, was because it would take her mind of Poseidon's disappearance, but he clearly didn't know that from the way he stared at her and promptly walked against a door.
Athena waited on the couch while Annabeth – who would also go with her- and Percy were packing, silently contemplating the strangeness of life. Take her, for instance. A few years ago, she would have incinerated Percy Jackson. Today, she had offered him to live in her palace. Life was strange indeed.
I just hope he won't provoke me to the point I am too tempted to incinerate him to resist.
I hope y'all liked it! I hope I will be able to post the next chapter next week, but I am not sure yet. I am very busy at this moment.
And Athena might have been a little OOC in this chapter- crying a lot-, but that is probably a logical reaction when someone you love so much disappears/ is injured. I would cry a lot if it happened to me, and I don't cry a lot.