AN: So, it's been a while. Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it, it's kind of short, but the next chapter will be longer. Until the next update, enjoy the chapter.
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Lost In The Echo.
Chapter 3: Compromise.
The silence that sprung between the three gods and immortal demigod was so thick the legionaries minding their own business could feel it. Like a thick blanket of dread hanging over the camp.
At one point Octavian began blabbering about reading the Auguries, and appeasing the gods, but one of his relations (a daughter of Apollo, and seeing as he was only a legacy that made her his aunt, oddly enough) put a stop to this by slapping him over the head.
This went on without the gods or Percy's knowledge. They were still on Temple Hill, and the awkward silence was only broken when Percy was tired of the staring contest happening.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, my lords," she asked, much more respectful than she would have been to their Greek counterparts.
True, she knew that there was only slight changes between Greek and Roman gods, but at least the Romans showed some form of guilt for their Greek counterparts curse. They couldn't remove the curse, of course, it was a Greek curse, and they simply didn't have the means of removing it. Only those who placed it originally could remove it.
By the time the Greeks had become Roman, which she found quite fitting, karma if she did say so herself. She was especially aware of what they'd done to Athena, one of the goddesses who backed her father quite a bit in cursing her, simply because she was Poseidon's daughter and their rivalry was in it's prime back then.
She digressed though, the point was that by this point she'd been so alone, without much family left in the world.
Sure, she had Phoebe and Philonoe, but they were Hunters of Artemis. She didn't see them often because she avoided all gods like the plaque back then. The only occasions she saw them was when her father tried to make amends, and when Ares came to taunt her, and pick a fight, or the time Zeus had come to her when she was going by Leda, Queen of Sparta.
After getting to know the Romans, and realizing just how different they were, even if only slight in most cases, or not at all in few, she'd given in and chosen to fight for Rome. She didn't worship the Roman gods, far from it, eventually Rome came to see her as Ananerio, or simply Nerio, said to be the wife of Mars – this was far from truth, though some time in the future they did bear Bellona together.
Many didn't realize Bellona wasn't born a war goddess. She'd been a demigod at one point, but had proven herself as an immortal charioteer of her father, Mars, and was granted godhood. Eventually, after about a century she came to somewhat trust the roman gods, though she used the word trust loosely. They were on better terms than she was with the Greeks.
Out of the Greeks the ones she saw and tolerated the most were Artemis (rare as it was to see her, but she lived mostly in forests, so the occasional meeting was expected), Hermes (he was one of the few who didn't agree with her curse, but was outvoted, much like Artemis who tried to defend her but in the end sided with her father, being at the prime of her daddies girl phase back then), and Ares (who seemed persistent in challenging her to fight him every few months, if he could find her that is).
Once or twice Poseidon tried to talk to her, but she tried to be as far from her father as possible, she had never been able to truly forgive him. He was one of the big three, the god of the seas, one of the most powerful domains since he had power over both the earth in some ways, and the sea which covered most the earth. Despite all his power he hadn't been able to save her from her fate, and she'd hated him ever since.
It may seem petty, or selfish, but she'd been so loyal to Olympus, to her father, and they'd betrayed her. They'd thrown her loyalty back in her face. Why? Because she was the first and only mortal daughter of Poseidon. Because she was female, and in those days it was truly a mans world. Because she was powerful, with abilities and strengths inherited from all her father's domains, which was hardly seen in any of his mortal sons.
Zeus' paranoia had won out over his logic, and Athena hadn't helped.
Demeter was too concerned over the fact her daughter was in such a place as the Underworld half the year to care for a niece she'd never met. Aphrodite was upset with her because she'd cursed her name when Andromeda had stolen Perseus away from her, taking her young son with them; so it was petty revenge on the love goddesses part.
Hephaestus was still trying to sway his wife into seeing him as worthy of her back then, and simply didn't bother to care for a demigod girl who he'd never met. Ares was upset over her victories against his children at camp and of course himself. Never before had a female demigod bested him in a battle. Never again would any demigod accomplish what she had.
Hermes had thought cursing her was a bit much. After all how could a mortal demigod, powerful or not, female at that (again, in those times females were not seen as a threat to powerful males, like the gods, especially not mortal women. Though the gods changed little in a millennium, they had changed somewhat with the mortals), cause a problem to them? One of the few to vote against her curse.
Apollo, well he sided with his twin, and honestly she'd never known a reason other than the fact he was an arrogant male god, who in those times was much more arrogant than he was in modern times.
As said, gods didn't change much, being immortal and all, but they did change somewhat. Apollo for instance wasn't quite as dark as he once had been, was more laid back from what she'd heard from Hermes on rare occasion.
To be honest, she'd never met the sun god, so she never even thought much on his roll in her curse. This didn't mean she still didn't blame him and hate him as much as she did the other gods. She'd never met Demeter, and many of the other gods in person either.
Hera was actually a lot worse when it came to demigods, especially those born to her husband, back in those days. Hera disliked, if not down right hated, most demigods, and she knew her being with Perseus hadn't made Hera like her any better. Her decisions on her curse was clear, and expected, if not petty.
One way or the other the gods all had their part in her curse, and she made no allowances for any of them. None of them had her trust or loyalty, which in the end was what mattered. Her fatal flaw after all was personal loyalty, as twisted as it had become in recent times.
"There has been stirrings in Tartarus, and amongst the Titans," Jupiter began, being the straight forward, no nonsense man he was. "Our Greeks sides have decided to ignore this for now, and thought I would rather do the same...I am able to put my pride aside."
Jupiter seemed less than happy to be saying all of this, and Percy was not surprised in the least.
"I am aware of the slow rise of Kronos...Saturn," she said, nodding. "I've had the dreams, and Oceanus mentioned it the last time we met. It's one of the reasons I came here, to at least give warning to my children and the camp. The Romans have been quite kind to me, it's the least I could do."
Neptune's nostrils flared at the mention of Oceanus, while the others brothers seemed concerned by her admission.
Did this mean their father had already gotten Anastasia (Percy) on his side?
"You still see him?"
Percy raised a delicate eyebrow, before rolling her eyes.
"Occasionally. I was at Montauk, and he came to me with the news. I'd been having dreams for a while by then, and wanted answers myself. We talked, he agreed to leave Sally out of this silly war of the gods and Titans."
"Right, the demi-titan..." Pluto muttered and Percy glared, not liking the tone he used or name he used to speak of her eldest mortal daughter.
"Yes. Now what do you want, other than to tell me something I already know."
"We need your help," Neptune began. "We believe the prophecy to mean you."
"The Great Prophecy?" she asked, actually shocked by his declaration. "That thing is about a demigod of sixteen, I'm over three thousand years old, father!"
"Chronologically, yes," Pluto said. "But physically, you are sixteen."
"I was a day from seventeen..."
"Still just sixteen though. Our Greek forms are in denial, so we've decided to take it into our own hands. You need to go to Camp Half-Blood, Persis," Jupiter said. "You can not help Camp Jupiter, they believe you to be a goddess, and even with the domain they believe you to wield you can not interfere with mortal quests or affairs. As far as they know, in any case. At least at the Greek camp you will be free to help defeat Saturn, should he rise."
Percy looked at them blankly, a bitter look in her eyes.
"I can't believe you're asking me to help Greeks," she hissed, shaking her head. "I'd rather die...but seeing as I can't maybe come back when I can."
The big three sighed, they knew it wouldn't be easy to convince her, but they hadn't wanted to resort to this.
"Would you do it to help your children?" Pluto asked. "You're descendants? Perses still has descendents around after all, as few as they are. The three remaining happen to be demigods."
Percy's eyes flashed in anger, and her fist clinched at her side. How dare they bring bring her family into this. She'd already been doing all she could to help her demigod children, which was why she was here. The gods were unfortunately right about her not being able to directly interfere with the battle ahead of Camp Jupiter.
They thought her a goddess, if she began fighting alongside them again, in a era when gods didn't normally interfere on such things, then they'd begin to ask questions she wasn't comfortable answering.
She'd talked to Oceanus about keep their daughter out of the war, and even Kronos seemed eager to barter with her for her help. He'd offered her the safety of her children, even to become a Titan, a queen if she desired. Tempting offers, and Titan's usually weren't ones to lie, manipulate yes, but not outright lie. They found it beneath them in most cases.
She didn't want to see the world in shambles though, and she wasn't willing to go that far in her bitterness and hate of the Greeks. As much as she hated to admit it, her flaw was still personal loyalty and there was still a sliver of loyalty left to her old life. Not even thousands of years of hate could kill or twist her flaw completely out of shape.
Still didn't mean she wanted anything to do with the Greeks, or the Great Prophecy. Pluto still had a point though, she had descendants at Camp Half-Blood. Only one, currently living in any case.
She doubted they even realized they were distantly related to Perses, son of Perseus and herself (though to her great dismay myths marked him as a son of Andromeda). Annabeth Chase, ironically a daughter of Athena, and Thalia Grace, who was currently a tree. Jason Grace was here at Camp Jupiter.
"If I do this...I need something in return," Percy finally said. "I need to talk to your Greek forms. If I agree to help we must compromise."
The Big Three looked wary of changing forms in the Roman camp, but finally they nodded and with a slight, barely noticeable shimmer and slightest change of features they stood as Poseidon, Hades and Zeus.
Poseidon's eyes widened when he saw her, the first time in centuries.
"Ana," he breathed, and she grimaced but let it go for now.
"What are we doing here..." Zeus began but suddenly stopped as the past few minutes came back to them all. Their Roman memories clicking with them and they exchanged looks.
"I'm not exactly happy to be in your presence either, uncle," Percy seethed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Will you help us?" Poseidon asked, and his brother grumbled, not wanting to admit that even if she wasn't the child of prophecy they may still need her help.
She was a warrior, more skilled and experienced than any demigod alive. More so than many of Artemis' hunters even, and most of them had been alive for centuries. The Romans didn't build a temple to her, or dub her a goddess of warriors, especially female warriors, for nothing.
"Don't think I do this for you, If I do this it's for my descendants, and children. Out of what little respect and tolerance I have for the Greeks who didn't vote for my banishment. In return for my help I only ask one thing."
Zeus glared, but nodded. He supposed he owed her this, even he'd come to see that maybe, just maybe he'd been too quick to jump to conclusions and curse the daughter of Poseidon. His only excuse was he was a much younger god back then, much quicker to jump to conclusions. Not that he'd ever admit to this aloud.
"Name your compromise, Anastasia."
"It's Persis or Percy this century," she finally snapped, before continuing. "When the war is over I want to be released from my curse."
Hades and Zeus hesitated for a split second, while Poseidon was already nodding. More than happy to see the curse lifted from his only daughter, and finally Hades and Zeus nodded.
"So be it, I swear on the River Styx that when the war is over, and Kronos beaten back, that your curse will be lifted," Zeus said, and thunder boomed overhead.
Blinking furiously at the tears that threatened to fill her eyes at the prospect of finally being free of immortal life, a life without much to really live for in the first place, other than the children she would have on occasion. Sometimes four or five in a century, the ones currently in Camp Jupiter were the most she'd had living at one time in the same decade.
"Give me three days, I will leave for Camp Half-Blood then," she said.
"Ana...Percy," Poseidon corrected himself at her slight glare. "I'm sorry for everything you've had to go through. Be careful, daughter."
With those words said, Percy watched as the three gods left, leaving Percy to sit on the edge of her offering alter with a heavy sigh.
What had she gotten herself into?
