Time passed quickly for the twins of the sea, and Poseidôn could not have been more thankful. While everyone was focused on the two alongside their integration into their society as their immortality settled within them, none would stop to think or even sense the demi divine child he sired.

They grew as fast and as slow as they breathed, plowing through forms as if they were the ones that they had been birthed within. Both of them rushed through the lessons taught to them, soaking them up happily and causing mischief simply because they could.

Perseús had originally been showing skill to one day lead his own unit and become the lieutenant of the royal army. Tritôn had already taken him over to look over the Yellow Sea and the inhabitants there. According to his eldest child, the people adored the younger twin and were impatiently waiting for his day of majority for him to take over.

(Of course, with that, he had come to the realization that Kymopoleia would do better by removing her banishment and allowing her to rebuild the old palace within the Aegean as she pleased. He would keep a slight restriction on her more storm generating powers so that she may focus on her own wave calming gifts that she received from her Mother. He couldn't recall the last time he had seen her smile so beautifully as when he placed her tiara back atop her head.)

Rhodê was doing well within the Sea of Crete, her eponym of the Aegean Island of Rhodes and the one she laid claim to on Rhode Island within the USA. She had opened an authentic Greek restaurant that Elektryone typically ran while her sons focused more on the other aspects of ruling. Ialysos, Kamiros, Lindos were more focused within Rhodes of Greece while Kerkaphos, Kandalos, and Aktis focused on Rhode Island. Makar liked to lend a hand everywhere as he was one of their best ktiniátron while he also deluded himself into believing that Poseidôn did not know about his various ventures into that despicable fighting ring at the edge of Thaumas and Ôkeanos territories.

Of course, Makar had also grown close to the twins, and he knew that the nobles were wondering if there were to be an arranged marriage in their future. A headache in a half and that was without having to deal with Eidothea's increasing warnings of the Great Prophecy alongside the prophecy of the sea.

Benthesikymê had settled nicely into her station over the Indian Sea with her daughters, Damona and Sirona covering the reach that their Mother didn't as they made sure to visit each part of that providence.

While Tritôn was stationed within the new main palace as it was the prerogative of his heir and herald, his only living daughters, Triteia and Kallistê cover the other half of the Pacific, closer to the Roman Camp watching over the children and legacies the sea held within. Ironic how they were granted the chances to have more legacies within the Romans who feared the sea instead of with the Greeks who worshiped it, yet the camp did not allow for any save Poseidôn and Aphroditê to have a cabin.

Thinking of his grandchildren brought back his attention to the twins as while they switched between forms more often than not, the two of them preferred to stay in more childlike appearances as they learned the younger that they appeared the more that they could get away with. It was something that his grandchildren had picked up, and twas probably why he could not bring himself to punish Makar for blatantly lying about the bruises he received from the fighting ring.

Poseidôn doted on them all relentlessly and without shame. The twins found it increasingly amusing especially when Aktis and Oiolyka blinked in shock whenever he drowned them in affection—something that the twins always saw as they went nearly everywhere with him if they were not under their Mother.

Like now, as he prepared to leave for the Winter Solstice meeting, he could sense the two approaching from the other room alongside his Queen.

Poseidôn glanced down at his daughter who had rushed over to her side in the appearance of a five-year old. She smiled brightly at him brightly, eyes gleaming under the faux lights. She had changed into chiton that was pale blue with golden woven in at intervals to resemble infinite-laughing waves at the slightest movement. "Ahhh, Semelē… you're wearing your shoes on the wrong feet."

"But" The young girl furrowed her brows at her Father in confusion, mind regressed just the same as a mortal child. "But I do not have any other feet, Father."

Poseidôn stared at her silently for a mere moment before glancing at his snickering wife. Perseús was resting in his Mother's arms in the form of a few month-old babe despite being twelve in surface age and half a century within the sea. His peridot crystal wreath crown slipping atop of his head.

The King of the Seas sighed fondly, turning back to his daughter. "Of course not, Little One. But here, let me help you." He bent to help her fix her shoes quickly. "Does that feel better?"

The child tilted her head from left to right, a glimmer of knowledge appearing in her eyes as her real age shined through while she wiggled her toes and nodded her head. "It does. It does."

Poseidôn laughed, watching as the waves rippled, spreading around them as he lifted her into his arms. "Alright, lámpsi tis thálassas. Let's make our way to Olympos."

"Will Lord Uncle Haidês be there?"

Despite the fact that he wanted to palm his face at her words, there was not much he could do. At least, she was still respectful. "Ναί, he should." His brother preferred the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice for his visits and the habit had grown over the centuries that the guardians of the gates were surprised when he made his sparse visits upon other days.

Her eyes twinkled, shining as clearly as the crystal lagoons of the olden days as she jumped from his arms. "I have a present for Uncle Lord Haidês!" She sprinted towards her room, and the god bowed his head in exasperation, following her quickly with the sound of his Queen's laughter trailing after him.

Semelē was halfway buried in her toybox; a gift from Eurybiê that was "as deep as the sea". It was keyed to work only for her no matter what age she presented thus Semelē had taken it to use for everything.

She found whatever it was that she was searching for as she fell backwards with an oof, her tail making an abrupt appearance as she caught herself in a nice done tumble. In her hands, it was a teal stained glass that dribbled with some of Lord Pontos' power alongside the same mageia that imbued their sand dollars.

"I made it," Her smile was just as bright as Hêlios' sun and he knew without a doubt that she was to be the sea equivalent of Apollôn for she brought light to the sea. "Lord Uncle Haidês said he doesn't remember his birthday but… but he feels as if he was reborn every time Lady Aunt Persephonê goes to the Netherworld so that means his newborn day passed with the autumn equinox and I have to give him his gift!"

That definitely was not how it worked but who was he to argue with his little princess. She skipped to his side, smilingly brightening and holding onto her present. "Are you ready now, my noelani?" She nodded her head quickly, swimming quickly into his arms. "Close your eyes and put away your gills," he reminded her. He watched over her carefully in the midst of their transportation before brushing her hair from her face when they landed on Olympos.

The Hôrai who guarded the gates of Olympos gave them a polite smile as Semelē jumped out of his arms. She smiled brightly at them also, eyes moving around curiously for Indiges who was no doubt attending to his Mother.

Poseidôn could sense the demi divine children that were on the elevator, so he made his way quickly to the throne room. Semelē skipped alongside him; her ponytails bouncing on her head while the heavenly lights of Olympos cast glows over the crown woven throughout her hair.

"All Stand for his majesty Poseidôn Basileus of the Seven Seas and her royal highness Semelē Basileis of the Sea of Japan."

The doors opened.

His Family and the visiting entourage from the Khthonioi stood from their seats, bowing as Zeus and Hêrê welcomed him and his daughter into their home.

"Brother," Zeus smiled as he inclined his head. His gaze dropped to his niece as Semelē bowed at their feet. "Little Thora."

Poseidôn took his seat on his throne as Semelē bounced to her feet. She tilted her head at Zeus who beckoned her forward with a small nod. She jumped into his arms with a loud squeal, cheering "Emperor–Uncle" as the King of the Gods twirled her about, delighting in the shrieks of laughter she exuded.

In the corner of his eyes, Poseidôn could see Euphrosynê bouncing in her own seat as his daughter's cheer was infectious.

"Enough, Husband. Pass me my niece," Hêrê interrupted. The young goddess smiled brightly as she was handed over. "Aunt–Empress," she smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I was not expecting to see you, my little Antheia." The Queen brushed a few flyaway curls from her face while she made quick work to fix the young royal's hair. Semelē's eyes lit up as she looked around the room, "I brought a gift for King Lord Uncle Haidês," she told her.

The aforementioned god raised a brow at one of his brother's brood excited tones. He approached the main throne and the young goddess' features brightened even more at the sight of him.

"Sister," he said as he tilted his head. He turned to his niece, "And what gift do you have for me, little one?" She reached into her chiton before pulling out a stain glass shard. The image on the shards showed his current mortal form alongside the one his beloved Persephonê preferred. The goddess was swinging on a giant tree that was rotten and dead at the roots yet filled with life above ground. Persephonê was leaning from one of the tree branches holding her hand out for the bouquet of rubies that were in the shape of roses. There was ancient power in this evidently in by the way the glass moved so did the image. "Thank you, Little Lorelai."

He turned as he sensed the demi divine being led to the throne room. The others sensed it also as the gods began flashing into the throne room. "My dear Iris," Hêrê called for her handmaiden. The goddess of rainbows appeared with a flutter of wings. "Take Semelē to the orchids for a while. When you bring her back, sit her with Hestia please."

"Yes, my queen," Iris said. Haidês had gone back to the throne gifted to him as the goddess of rainbows faced the young child of sea. Semelē stood from her Aunt's lap, jumping down to the ground, body aging rapidly as she descended until she was standing in the form of a young teen. Her blonde hair fell down in natural beach waves and her chiton shifted until her markings of the sea alongside those that marked her as a sea witch gleamed against her ambrosian skin. She gave her Father one more look before she allowed herself to be led from the room.


Perseús was not sure how he knew, but he knew something was not right.

The Winter Solstice was in full effect as the sun chariot had set one choe ago. Yet, Perseus could only worry as the feeling that something was wrong overcame him. It was incredibly distracting and it showed in his work. His current trainers had taken note of it, calling for an early end of the session giving him light things to review. He would have to work extra hard overmorrow to make up for not only the mistakes he had made, but also for the disrespect that he had given their time and effort.

Perseus wished that his sister was there to share the feeling with him. She, after all, was the most in tune with his emotions. But alas, she had decided to venture to the upperworld and prance around like a land dweller.

A part of him thought that she was where this feeling was centered around or near her. Something was happening at the council meeting, and it pained him to not be at her side.

The prince smiled and waved at all the staff members that bowed to him. In the 148 lunar cycles that he has lived, none would heed his words to stop the senseless bowing, so he made do by making sure to be extra polite.

Walking into the throne room after searching for his Mother's essence, he saw that she and Tritôn were holding court. It wasn't often that Mother bothered with such trivial matters. She was more focused on making sure that their army was grand. If she was not there, then she spent time with her siblings and made visits to her parents. Perseús, more often than not, found himself going with her during the visits to see her sisters. The Nêreides adored him.

(Though on some occasions Mother could be found in the Sea of Monsters taunting Skúlla as the monster had once tried for Father's affection. A mistake on Skúlla's part as Mother threw some magic herbs into the well in which Skúlla used to bathe, and thereby changed her rival into a monster with six heads and twelve feet.)

He knew that his Mother kept herself occupied to keep herself from worrying over the prophecy for he and his sister that they were not supposed to know about until their 197-lunar cycle. His Mother waved him forward as he was announced to the room. He sat calmly in his own throne beside his brother's on their Father's right side. Semelē was not fond of this part of their work despite how good she was at it—and she was scarily good, she made a diplomat from the northern regions cry a month ago— but Perseús figured that they should get used to it for they would officially take on their residences soon.

The prince glanced around, taking note that there were only 2 choes left before his Father and Sister returned to their realm. Though that was only if his sister did not get waylaid by Apollôn and Hermês—the latter that she refused to acknowledge her affection for as the nobles were looking to her and Makar to marry— whom she would plead to let her fly within their Uncle's domain.

That was something that Perseús had always found hilarious. They were always able to travel through their uncle's domain. He was kind to them, though the prince could admit that if they were demigods then it would be a different story.

(They were gods. They were restricted by ancient laws. The second that they were born khaos laced chains sank into their bones and wrapped around their throats like a noose. Break them and the protogenoi will break you.)

He turned back to the proceedings in front of him. Tritôn shifted in his seat. His mother's face was bored behind her mask of regal.

The clock ticked away slowly.

The next person came forth.

He bit back a yawn. Tritôn was reading a book that was preserved from the Library of Alexandria behind his papers. His mother tapped her fingers against her throne.

The clock ticked once more.

The next person came forth.

The room froze all at once as a presence so achingly familiar yet foreign washed over them. The sea churned with a wrath that was not unknown.

Father was angry.

Mothe—His Queen called for the end of counsel, shooing the tritoni out of the room with promises to have their issue fixed by the morn. It was just in time as not even a second later, his Father and Sister flashed into the throne room.

Offense lined her every feature, and she was trembling with uncontrollable anger. Perseus could sense the raging storm that fought for freedom inside of her.

"Husband," Mother called. "My King."

Father turned to look at them and Perseús almost jerked back from the depths of fury in those eyes. The sea roared as every second passed them by. "My Queen," Father intoned. "Prepare our people for war."

The sea stilled. Not in any niceties but in the aspect that Perseús could sense that cold, yet rational ire swam within its waves. "My liege," Mother questioned. Not that she wouldn't follow his order. But—Mother's vengeance could be more lethal than Father's if the situation arose. In fact, she tended to take more than what a situation may have due cause for—something that he and Semelē were both guilty of.

Mother was questioning how furious she should get and how far she could push her wrath before the sea needed to be calm.

"Zeus' master bolt has been stolen," Father announced. Gasps echoed around the room. His eyes darkened considerably and Perseús could feel his own anger react in similarity to the fury in that statement. His Mother and brother were tensing in righteous anger while his twin curled into herself as she desperately held back her inner storm. His twin was almost curled into herself to withhold her inner storm. Rhodê and Benthesikymê had entered the room and his normally peaceful sisters were also trembling in offense. They knew what words were coming next even before they were to be said. "And the sea has been lauded as The Lightning Thief."


WORD COUNT: 3, 044

NOTES: Rick: Hades is only allowed on Olympos for the winter solstice

Me, who hasn't found any evidence of this but also realized that this would make for a good head canon: Haidês comes when he wants to and when Zeus invites him, but made it a habit to come on the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice and it turned into ppl believing he could only come on the Winter Solstice since he was only appearing on the Equinox to escort his wife back to their kingdom.