Semelē was sitting before her vanity when her siblings came to her. Mother worried over her greatly and limited the amount that she was able to help with the war preparations. Semelē was very frustrated with that, but she would not admit that she was also thankful for it. Her mageia core still ached from the slightest strain, and it was not like she was struggling alone. Perseús was now required to attend all his lessons to learn and strengthen his skill of prophecy. Mother and Grandfather both had gone over his daily itinerary and replaced a lot of his freetime with lessons – not that he had much as the war took precedence.

They had been travelling around the main kingdoms — splitting their time between Neptūtas and Poseiria so that the people could see them and ease their worries. One of the latin demidivine children that had been transformed into a tritoni at their drowning had even gifted her a painting that framed her as a velificans. It used her own hair and the waves of Lord Pontos to be her veil while the beams of Sol that managed to reach so far under the waves set her eyes aflame in the portrait.

Twas very well done, and she cast a protection spell over it so that she would not lose it like the last painting she did — now the mortals had "discovered" it in Aigaío Pélagos and were trying to set her painting in one of their little museums! She was never getting it back as Father and King Zeus had ordered that none should even try unless they had a suitable replacement.

Though, she supposed it was worth it as the mortals started a "neo-pagan" cult in her name as she was now being worshiped as Semelē Neraïda. There was currently a debate on where to place it as Athênai demanded it due to Father's infamous claim that tied the sea to the place while Nea Kórinthos wanted due to Archaia Kórinthos actually choosing Father as their patron god.

It was causing a lot of civil unrest and she was just about dying to be able to send a divine sign to showcase her acceptance of it being placed in Nea Kórinthos.

(She couldn't wait to start sending things from Atlantis closer to the surface as that way she and Perseús could be worshipped together as it was their right. Twas one of the moments that she was glad that time moved slower within the sea as all paintings and statues since their birth looked as if they had come from the olden days.)

Kymopoleia stepped up behind her, her crown of starfish woven into her hair as she took a comb to her hair. "My darling little sister," she said, eyes filled with fondness. "I have missed you greatly."

Semelē smiled in response, "You saw me mere hours ago." Her sister had demanded that she train her powers of the storms in the event that her mageia would not be healed enough in case of war. It was something that Semelē agreed to without reluctance since those thrilling days of yesteryear that she actively trained those powers.

"And yet it seems every moment that I do not gaze upon you and Perseús, the two of you aged more within the day. Seems like just yesterday the two of you were being nursed upon Mother's breast."

From behind them both, Benthesikymê was smiling slightly. "Twas because it was. Semelē was trying to avoid the attention of a few Potamoi who were once more trying for her hand so she took the form of a babe when Mother visited the nursery and refused to let her go even when she visited the barracks."

Tritôn and Perseús both scowled from their seats. "I see we will need to take a more hands-on approach," their eldest sibling muttered. He then grimaced, "Though it may come to an end if you either took a vow of chastity or accepted a courtship."

Semelē huffed. "Όχι, I prefer my way much more." Her way of course tended to be transforming those that displeased her into salmon and setting her beloved Orcinus orca who chased them all across the ocean bed until Lady Eurybiê changed them back.

And privately, she much adored the attention of a certain surface god, not that she expected it to go anywhere.

Kymopoleia braided her hair into an elaborate bun intertwined with blue Hydrangea and kelp and jewels before stepping away. Semelē rose to her feet, gliding over to her dining table where Rhodê had laid the servants lay out their dinner. It was rare for them all to be joined like this with Kymopoleia reestablishing her territory and Rhodê overseeing her sons and her restaurant chain. (Not to mention ho Kolossòs Rhódios which she had stolen away and replaced with a deep fake so many centuries ago. The actual seventh wonder of the world now stood guard at the Gates of the Sun and where the solar aureole touched the sea; a place in which Aphroditê resided with her own children, Herophilê and Rhodos.)

They all gave blessings and honor to their Aunt Hestia and thanked Lady Thalassa and Lord Pontos for supplying their meal before they began to eat. Conversation flowed easily between them, and it made her smile fondly though inwardly she was a bit sad that they could not do this with their half-siblings. None felt truly comfortable to not only have to bend in respect to the twins who were their younger and had not been through the same trials and tribulations as they nor were they comfortable to be reminded of the fact that they would only be remembered and acknowledged as bastards even when some were marine heroes in their own right.

She hated it truly as she knew that there were many things that she could learn from her brethren, but she also knew it would breed nothing more than resentment if she ordered them to teach her. She instead sponsored their endeavors both on and under surface.

Partially, she wished their parents were there to partake in the meal alongside them, but Father was still upon Olympos continuously arguing with their Uncle if the way they continued to feel numerous aeroplanes falling into the Atlantic. Ironically enough, the aeroplanes that Uncle was knocking out of the sky were now being decommissioned by the kyklopes while some of the mortals — especially those that were healers, artists, or of trained background — were being changed into hailai and tritoni. And Kymopoleia was keeping a tally of each storm that Father sent because she was determined to prove that the appalling amount that she created had nothing on him.

And Mother retreated under the care of her sisters that were doing all that they could to rid her stress.

She was just about to plate some lomilomi salmon that the kānaka ʻōiwi made — the ones that Ukupanipo, one of her Father's favored accountants, adopted — when the sound of yelling caught their attention. The six of them shared looks, respective weapons appearing in their hands — and she couldn't even be mad that they brought weapons to the table —before they stepped onto her terrace.

At the gates of the Amphilora stood a mob of angry citizens all brandishing Anti-War banners some of which were engraved into corals and if that did not piss her off; corals were not some fucking bark in the tree where they carved initials into the skin of dryads with their biologically incorrect mortal hearts.

Corals are animals and it was already bad enough that she had to deal with mortals not respecting them — she'd be damned to the pit before she allowed her own citizens to disrespect the animals under her domain.

"Ignore them," Tritôn ordered, his eyes were pained though his voice was firm. The people were chanting over and over again and Semelē noted in disgust those that had been transformed into citizens starting up their Abolish the Monarchy chants once more. Of course, for them, it was less about a monarchy and more about the things that they learned about their rulers from the Classical period. She had thought they had been placed into schooling to learn more about the culture and the difference from bull crap that they learned from the surface. "There's nothing we can do about it now. In the morning, we'll go out into the towns and markets and get permission from Mother to visit the other territories so that we can soothe their worries. We'd have to also focus on where to keep the citizens in case it does escalate to war."

Semelē huffed, "It will become a civil war if they do not stop carving into the animals. It's one thing for them to sustain themselves by devouring the various animals, but tis an entirely different offense to cause harm upon them."

Benthesikymê ran a soothing hand over her hair, "Tis understandable that you are so frustrated, little one, but remember that even with the unrest that lingers around since you have been born… the two of you have not truly seen the disparages of war. Some of them come from war torn countries and some were transformed after battles at sea." She looks at both twins as she explains this. "We must remember to be kind and have courage because our people need us to lead them dutifully. I know it angers you so to see your domains so thoroughly disrespected, but with every passing day, another hears you and takes heed of your words."

Kymopoleia snorted. "Or you can just do like the good old days and punish those for the disrespect. Aunt Dêmêtêr cursing that one dude with starvation for disrespecting her grove is like definitely my two favorites and not number two."

Rhodê and Perseús snickered while the others rolled their eyes at the words. They turned away from the windows to speak about their newly dubbed tasks for the morrow, but Semelē paused, turning to look back at the crowd and waving her hand. Mageia — the same shade as her eyes — twirled about her fingers and around the injured coral surrounding them in bubbles to heal and be spirited away. And for the children that had been dragged along, smaller bubbles appeared filled with desserts.

She turned once more when her attention was caught by something else.

"What is that" she mumbled, moving further onto her terrace where she knew the people could see her. A hush befell the crowd, but she paid it no mind. Her eyes were pinned to the ground where a man had been thumping a makeshift staff into the seabed. There was something there that called to her. It was pulling at her; magnetic in feeling that she found herself flying out from the terrace before she could even blink.

Her siblings cried out in alarm and the people echoed them, stumbling back in fear, but once more Semelē paid them no mind. Her tail switched to legs, and she fell upon her knees; guards appeared around her keeping the people back as she dug deep and deeper. All of her senses left her defenseless, but she needed to get to it. It wanted her.

Hands pulled at her fiercely in an attempt to disturb her, but her mageia pulsed around her warningly before another set of hands appeared in her vision. She knew without having to look that it was Perseús and quickly, the sand bed gave way to a diádēma crafted from orichalcum and solid adamant; it twinkled under the sea light with nine sections that she could sense calling out the jewels that once resided there.

The sound of sharp inhaling dragged her out of the fog, and she gazed upwards to see her Mother falling to her and her Brother's side. Mother stared at the diádēma in horror, "Please, Father Pontos, no. Please, they are much too young. Please."

Semelē turned to look at Perseús who was gazing back at her and in the eyes of their people — The serpents' gaze pierced the ocean's daze.

Twas the start of the Twilight Prophecy.


WORD COUNT: 2019

NOTES: Poseiria: my name for Poseidôn's kingdom. In my head, the sea is split into seven territories. The Four the Old Men of the Sea, Pontos, Poseidôn, and Ôkeanos. Poseidôn is the All-Father of the sea. He has alliances with Ôkeanos (which is somewhat flimsy) and Nêreus through his marriage to Amphitritê who is a Nêreis and a daughter of an Ôkeanis. His children with Amphitritê are the ones officially in the line of succession and rule over different provinces while his children from his affairs usually work within the government or the army. (Like how when Percy was offered godhood, he was offered to serve as only a general for Poseidôn.)

There are TWO main palaces that they live in. One in the Atlantic due to being close to Olympos and thus, Camp Half-Blood is called Poseiria and another close to the Underworld and thus, Camp Jupiter is called Neptūtas. Remember, Poseidôn is said to have constructed the brazen fence that runs round Tartarus and its gates of bronze, behind which the titans were confined and one of his daughters is an Khthonioi goddess!

Saliril - fictional name for Neptūtas' castle

Amphilora - fictional name for Poseiria's castle

Neptūtas is where Triteia and Kallistê stay.

also, Ancient Romans believed (and I do also alongside the Ancient Greeks) that the Olympian gods (in this case; the Dii Consentes also) lived within the heavens. The peak of Olympos was considered Zeus' throne. So, I made la Meta, the Roman equivalent. But the Seven Hills of Roma are also important in Roma History, so they are considered one of the gateways to the Eternal City (Urbs Aeterna) and just like Mount Olympos... the Horae, Hercules, etc etc guard the gates.

The Dii Consentes (Latin: "[the] council of the divine") is what the Olympians were called in Ancient Roma.

Velificatio is a stylistic device used in ancient Roman art to frame a deity by means of a billowing garment. It represents "vigorous movement," an epiphany,or "the vault of heaven," often appearing with celestial, weather, or sea deities. A figure so framed is a velificans (plural velificantes).