Things were different now that the gods walked through Castellan. It was very rare that they interacted with them since they mainly walked around disguised. They had probably learned more about the Olympian Minor more than they had ever done in their own time. (Something that Ariadnê was smug to point out that Kheirôn had not taught them everything.)
The moment that information had been found; Háidēs and Hestia had insisted on them learning the world as it was at the moment. That included learning the proper ellinika language instead of the more modern terms that they tended to use.
It wasn't that hard to learn, but it was still very much irritating.
(That did not include learning the fighting style of this time though Arês did make surprise visits. Nothing had terrified Chris more than seeing the god appear from nowhere and attack Clarisse, Thalia, Katie and Ariadnê. His defense being that they should always be on guard because one could never know who was aiming for them.)
No one really seemed to enjoy learning the lessons except Ariadnê, Annabeth, and Will. Annabeth and Will was something that they could understand. Their parents were a part of Theoi tou Agoraioi and Theoi tou Mousikoi. Though it also wasn't too surprising for Ariadnê as she was a devotee of Apóllōn and Hermês.
Glancing about the room tiredly, Chris took note of Thalia practicing her powers under her desk while the wooden table became decorated with different flowers on Katie's end. His brothers alongside Percy had foregone the pretense of learning and were fast asleep at their desks.
(And yet somehow the three of them still had higher marks than everyone.)
Nico was paying attention though he wasn't too happy about it. He had more lessons than the rest of them due to being king, but Ariadnê and Rachel helped where they could. Ariadnê had learned what it meant to be a princess and how to rule a kingdom in their own time while Rachel also had her lessons as the heiress to her Father's company.
(And while Ariadnê and Rachel both prayed for the downfall of all monarchies in their own time as none of them could exist without conducting, aiding, or letting colonialism and the rise of fascism happen to their own benefit and exploiting the people where they declared themselves kings of—they made it their mission that Castellan would never be that way.)
He turned his gaze to look at his girlfriend. Her hair was touching her shoulders and was curling at the ends. He knew that it would not be long before she cut it into another pixie-like style similar to Thalia. He was pleased to see that she was starting to look more relaxed than she had the past few weeks. With her Father continuous spontaneous visits, she had been dutifully keeping her guard up and staying on the edge. She and Ariadnê were constantly leveling the training fields whenever Clarisse got too agitated and her powers seeped out.
Percy had to break up a fight between two potameides naides after a visit from Deimos and Phobos whose powers amplified her own. The resulting spar between Ariadnê and Clarisse had almost drifted back towards the marketplace and would have flattened it if Katie and Thalia had not come to their aid.
They had been forced to bound her with vines and ropes before transferring her back to Gleeson's Grove. Chris had elected to stay with as her throne sapped her excess power from her. None of them had noticed how tense that they had been until it was gone. Ariadnê was surprised that she and Chris had been affected considering that they were used to it.
She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned to him with a raised brow before smiling in amusement. He knew he looked completely smitten with her as he smiled back, refusing to turn away from her.
A chill went down his back causing him to tense instantly.
From his peripheral, he took note of his brothers and Ariadnê straightening. The rest of their makeshift family all tensed at their sudden movements. There was a subtle smell of ozone in the air and the shadows curled around the room thicker than before.
Clarisse placed her hand on his arm, "Chris?" He didn't hear her though. His gaze was fixated on the small strawberry-tree that was blooming from within his desk.
Chris had seen this once before. A few days after the war when they were drowning with survivor's guilt. One of the younger kids that had not been claimed yet was crying for the sibling that they had lost in the battle.
A strawberry tree started to grow within the cabin.
The leaves began to weave together—just as they did at the moment.
The sound of screeching hares filled the room—Chris heard a shaky gasp come from the direction of Ariadnê.
The scent of the fruit grew stronger as the branches began to twist themselves into a golden kerykeion—just like in his memories.
A symphony of hawks cawed within their heads—it was painful just as it was then.
The cawing, the scent, and the screeching grew louder and louder and—
Silence.
Chris opened his eyes slowly, unsure when he closed them exactly but knowing that he had done so.
Standing before him, clad in a knee-length chiton and short chlamys, winged boots, and a brimmed, winged traveller's hat.
He looked nothing like the older, bearded man that he presented as in the future. But Chris knew that this was his Father... thousands of years younger, but still very much his Father. He looked more like the handsome and athletic, beardless youth that Ariadnê claimed him to be.
If Chris had not known any better, he would have assumed that he was Travis' twin brother.
They all immediately kneeled in face of his glory as Katie gasped, "Lord Hermês."
He was the first of the Twelve Olympian Major to visit them since the war had ended. (Lord Árēs did not count as he had visited during the war.)
Chris could almost feel the emotions coming from Ariadnê. Despite the ancient laws, she had been closer to the Olympians. Chris had suspected that her relationship with his Father transgressed time and space. It was evident in the way that the god had turned to stare at her.
(He wondered how she felt to know that some part of Hermês recognized her whereas Apóllōn and her Father did not.)
His Father shook his head, turning his attention back to his sons. "Rise." His voice was almost like the hug he had received after Dionysos cured the madness from his mind and after they had won the war. The twelve of them stood slowly, walking around their desks until they could stand at each other's side.
His Father smiled brightly at them, and Chris could see why so many of their parents had swooned about his Father. He looked over each of his sons and while he was curious about the others, it was his children that held his attention.
His smile widened and for a brief moment, Chris thought he was looking at Connor. "How did you like my new entrance? Apóllōn claims that it was too dramatic and too long."
Chris was startled when Rachel stated, "It was a little heavy on the ears mi'lord. The mortal mind is not strong enough for such grace." But that was only because he thought Ariadnê would be the one to speak. A quick glance at her, lingering on the edges of the group, showed that she was a little too overwhelmed as tears streamed down her face.
He wondered what it said about him and his brothers that they were not feeling as emotional as she was.
Nothing good probably, but also understandable as they did not have the bond she oh so clearly had. (No, he was not bitter about that any more. Not after the piles of letters that Ariadnê dropped in his lap from his Father that Apóllōn technically wrote for him.)
Travis angled his body in front of his brother as he cleared his throat. Chris bit back a smile. The eldest of the trio had always been the overprotective one, taking Luke's role as their cabin's protector with ease. He was the one that protected them in their dreams from Luke and he was one that retaliated harshly against anyone that made claims of treachery about their cabin.
It was him and Clarisse that spearheaded his recovery after the Labyrinth. He had learned what Travis had said to her about being afraid to go back there, but the boy had been determined to right the wrongs with her and take care of his younger brother with the same determination that had Lady Dēmḗtēr roaming the earth for her daughter's return.
"Father," his brother breathed. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" It was seemingly impossible, but their Father's smile seemed to brighten even more.
The current youngest Olympian smiled, "I have delivered all messages that Father had for me which has left me free for the rest of the day. I decided to come here to meet the mysterious half-divine sons of mine in this strange kingdom that Arês and Zagreus won't stop talking about. Your little kingdom is a hit with Theoi Olympioi. The Mousai Apóllōnides have been begging their Father to bring them here."
The who?
Connor shook his head, shrugging uncaringly, "There is not much to know, Father, but it would be our honor to host you."
Another chill went down Chris back at the expression on his Father's face as he smiled and said, "Wonderful." He had seen it every moment he looked into a mirror as he spied and worked for Luke before he left Camp Half-Blood.
His Father was possibly spying for the Olympioi also.
Mischief lit up the god's face as he turned to Ariadnê who had resumed a casual stance. She wore the most callous expression that he had ever borne witness to as she leaned against a desk with one eyebrow raised. The god snapped his fingers, summoning a package onto the desk in front of her. "This is for you," he said.
Ariadnê glanced at it as if it were poison.
That made sense. It was not hard to remember the prank wars the girl had participated in when the mood was too somber for the upcoming war. She and her brother were very dangerous enemies while also being the strongest allies. The two of them knew better than anyone to accept anything from a child of Hermês.
And she knew better than to accept something from Hermês himself. (Though that usually did not stop her as no one wanted to accidentally upset the god by refusing a gift from him.)
Ariadnê reached for the package after sharing a look with her twin.
When his Father stated, "Tis a gift from Apóllōn," Ariadnê froze as she eyed him with an even more suspicious glint. His power of persuasion alongside his title as the god of language, learning & crafty wiles was what coined him as the god of lies in their time.
Ariadnê hummed absently as she opened the box completely. She looked over the contents carefully, reaching in touch before turning to look back at the god. She passed him two diamonds that shined as bright as her eyes, "Please. Give my thanks."
Hermês' smile faltered as Ariadnê clearly saw through whatever trick he was trying to pull. There was a certain look in his eyes as he gazed upon her. She smirked slowly and he mimicked her expression before turning to Annabeth.
"This is from Athênê Mêchanitis." Three large scrolls appeared in front of the blonde. Annabeth opened one and Chris was able to make out a bunch of diagrams before she hugged it to her chest. "Please. Give my thanks." Percy handed her a few diamonds to give to the god.
Ariadnê tilted her head before she was reaching into her bag, "And a token of our appreciation for your delivery." She had beat it significantly into their heads that Hermês was Ζεύς' personal messenger and that Iris was the messenger of the gods in its entirety. Though on occasion, Hermês could be convinced to deliver messages for others while Iris served as the personal messenger of Hêrê.
She passed him a nectar-kissed with almonds. (The ones after Katie and Will carefully looked over so that they wouldn't be poisonous. Though Chris liked to pretend that he did not know the two of them and Clarisse were carrying little bottles of -for the lack of a better word- raw almond juice.)
His Father stared in confusion at the treat before he noticed Travis miming the way to eat it. The god did as shown, noting the honey drizzle on top of that one. His eyes widened at the taste. Chris had the absent thought of wondering what it tasted like to him. "That was delicious."
Katie and Will blushed deeply as they bowed, "Thank you. We've been trying out a new recipe."
The new recipes were mainly for those that purchased from the Treats and Drinks section of Stolen Treasures. Háidēs, Persephónē, Hestia, Árēs, and Zagreus were their biggest buyers as the two were determined to find the perfect mix of mortal and divine food.
Though with the way Persephonê never failed to order a dozen of strawberry ambrosia brownies, they were clearly doing some things right..
Hermês inclined his head, "I will like some of those before I take my leave today." He turned to his sons, "Until then, I will like to spend some time with my sons." Chris fought the urge to shudder. It felt wrong to go through so many years of neglect to suddenly be thrust directly under attention. He wondered if this was how Clarisse felt with Árēs appearing so often.
He liked it, of course. It was just strange since he was so used to their parents being so distant.
"It's not easy to neglect," Ariadnê had tried to explain, but there was a bitterness to her own words as she gazed out to the sea. She was closer to the gods than most, but consequently, she was also further from her parents. (Well, until she went to fight a war at sea.)
The Eleventh Cabin only had contact with their Father through the letters that Ariadnê "found" or the ones that Apóllōn "wrote".
The next time was when he would walk into the cabin after the war and personally claim them. And he would comment on whatever achievement he knew that they made as a way of showing that he had always been watching.
Chris was the one to beam at their Father, "We'd love to." His brothers nodded in agreement as their Father smiled just as brightly. With a quick snap of his fingers, three pédilas appeared before them. He was only a little disappointed that these did not have wings, but he could feel his hair twisting around.
The god blinked at the sight as he removed his petasos which Chris had learned from Ariadnê was actually another form of the Helm of Darkness. It was actually called the Cap of Aidoneus. (See, Ariadnê. We do listen to you.) "Ah yes. I have shown the mortals my winged cap and hat. Though it would seem that your hair has gained that aspect?"
Chris had always been the child that was better suited with the power of persuasion. He was good at talking people into doing things that they normally didn't want to. It never worked on Ariadnê and Clarisse and Drew though that may have been more so of the fact that the three of them were more stubborn than his mother.
He was luring them into comfort and preying on their desire to know their Father so that he could get more information. Chris chanced a glance at Ariadnê who was watching the god with an incredibly fond stare. She must have felt the weight of his gaze because she turned to look at him with a raised brow. He looked at her and she shook her head once.
Oh, great. He was going to have to trick the Trickster.
"What would you like to see first?"
Hermês tapped a finger to his chin before snapping his fingers, "I would like to try some food from Silena's Eatery. Zagreus says that the food is worthy of the gods after all." One of the menus shimmers into his hands. "I would like to try this... Meal by Mi..Me..Mir...Miranda. What a strange name."
They were silent for a moment as they always were when the reality that they would never go back home... back to their time with their friends and their family. They would live there and die there.
(Maybe if Ariadnê was lucky she could earn herself a page in Apóllōn's tragic love life. She may kill him for thinking that though.)
It was Ariadnê who shook off her grief first. Chris had always hated the way she always needed to look strong. Always hiding the shadows of someone else like the sun and moon during an eclipse. She straightens out Connor's chiton and gives Travis an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Chris blushed when he felt Clarisse leave a kiss on his cheek before they all bowed. "We hope that you find your visit enjoyable, mi'lord."
His Father nods with a pleased smile before he follows Travis as he leads them out of the room Chris glances back once to see them sharing looks. Everyone except Ariadnê who stared after them as she absently tapped the package.
The last thing he saw before he turned the corner was her gaze connecting with his and she gave a wink.
May the Protogenoi help them.
Word Count: 2,995
Words to Know:
Theoi tou Agoraioi - gods of agriculture
Theoi tou Mousikoi - gods of music
potameides naides - naiads that presided over rivers and streams
Theoi Olympioi - gods of Olympos
The Mousai Apóllōnides - three younger Muses, daughters of the god Apóllōn
Athênê Mêchanitis - Athênê who was skilled in inventing
Things to Know:
pédilas - winged sandals
kerykeion - the greek name for cādūceus
Comments from the Author:
1) The gods did not eat mortal food, though there was a few exceptions; so the idea was that Katie made mortal food, infused it with nectar and ambrosia and it was turned divine.
