Chapter Nineteen
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths!
Guys, can you believe that a: we're now in October and b: we're only 22 reviews away from 200? Bring on the holidays, the spooky season, and thank for your continued support!
Oh, just as a head's up I will be going on another vacation in November (this time to France) and I'll likely be starting a hiatus around time for the holidays. I'll still try to write when I can but no updates guaranteed from the middle of November to the end of December :D
slytherin4thewin: Considering who their dad is, it's practically in their DNA :D
danifan3000: I mean it's possible though really the only change is that Harry has an extra sister and a sane father. But anything can happen!
AmethystDragon14: Yay! I know I was melting from the fluff as I was writing it! Of course Harriet's a natural, a captain protects their crew after all :D And yeah, I melted a little as I wrote the Jess and Henry part :D
OceanBlueSeaEyes: You can and should say it! Mal and Uma definitely laugh in the face of danger, and so does Jay once they're friends with him!
twilightgirl587: Lol oh man I know what you're referring to and I always feel bad for those kids, because it's not like the parents sat the kids down before the gender reveal to tell them so they're just as shocked as the parents are. And yeah, I loved that Tinkerbell move too, hence the reference :D
IWantColouredRain: Oh, I didn't mean it to sound ominous! Sorry if it was! :D
Hope you guys like the chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Persephone sighed as she sat next to her mother, the elder Goddess electing to do most of the talking in the meeting they were in, though they hadn't even started yet. They had finally managed to get time with both Zeus and Eric to discuss Hades potentially having a day off the Isle to see the birth of his child.
The birds chirped as they flew by the open window, causing Persephone to smile slightly as she heard it. It was a beautiful May day which made her hope that Hades would be able to get the day off the Isle all the more strong. He should get to experience the sun again.
"How's Ariel doing?" Persephone asked Eric as she looked over at Poseidon's grandson-in-law. "I know we're getting close to her due date."
Eric nodded and gave Persephone a smile. "We are, it should be any day now actually. Ariel's thrilled of course but getting her to relax is more complicated than it should be at times. And thank you, by the way, for the present. I'm sure Elle will love the seagull plushie."
"I saw it and immediately thought of you," Persephone said before chuckling. "You know I just realized something. I'm going to have to change the nickname I use for my sister. It's a bit too close to Elle's name to avoid confusion."
Demeter shook her head. "Honestly Persephone, is this really the right time?"
"Nothing wrong with a little friendly chatter between family, mother, but you're right. The last thing I want to do is keep Zeus or Eric for too long, especially with Ariel being so close to her due date. Thank you both for meeting with us."
"Of course, I'm more than happy to meet with you both, Lady Persephone, Lady Demeter… and you as well Lord Zeus," Eric nodded; reverting to using the titles of the Gods as the meeting had started. The last thing he wanted was to be accused of impropriety or favoriting his wife's family.
"You know titles aren't necessary, King Eric," Persephone said but made sure to use Eric's title just in case. "But thank you. I was hoping to meet with you to discuss a rather…personal matter."
"If it's personal, I don't see why you asked for my attendance," Zeus spoke up.
"It…the matter involves your brother," Persephone told him.
"Poseidon?"
"You have another brother," Demeter said and Persephone swore she saw her mother roll her eyes. Not that she blamed her mother for the eye roll, it just wasn't expected in combination of a defense of Hades.
Zeus' face darkened somewhat. "What did Hades do?"
"Funny how that's your first thought, that Hades did something," Persephone shot back. "Think about it Zeus. Why would I want to talk about the father of my child as we get closer and closer to my due date?"
"You can't be asking—?"
"Why is this a shock to you? Should Hades have to wait months to see his child?"
Eric sighed and shook his head. "Okay, okay. Let's keep our heads and talk about this calmly. We're all family here after all, I'm sure we can reach an agreement that makes everyone happy."
"They're talking about removing Hades from the Isle!" Zeus exclaimed.
"To see the birth of his child!" Persephone shot back. "I know that's a hard concept for you, Zeus, considering you have more children than Midas has coins in his vault but Hades does love this child and as the pregnant one, it's what I want. I want my husband by my side as I deliver our first child!"
"And we're not keeping our heads," Eric sighed. "Honestly I think dinners when Ariel's sisters visit have been calmer."
Demeter shook her head and then slammed her hands on the table. "Honestly Zeus, you're acting as if you're only a mere century instead of the eons old God you are," she snapped. "This is your niece or nephew we're talking about, my grandchild! Believe me, I'm not exactly fond of the idea but as Eileithyia has informed me, multiple times I might add, it's better for the mother and the baby if there's as little stress as possible right now. And if Hades being at the birth eliminates stress for Persephone, then the idea has my support."
"And what's to stop Hades from trying to take over Olympus again?" Zeus snapped back. "Or rallying up forces to take over Auradon entirely?"
Persephone couldn't help but roll her eyes as she heard that. Hades? Wanting to rule? He barely liked ruling the Underworld, why would he want to rule live idiots as he called them?
"Considering he'd likely be under constant supervision by you and Poseidon, would he get the chance to do so?" Persephone asked instead. "Not to mention, as I've stated before, the whole purpose would be to get Hades to my side while I give birth to our child. I know Hades, he wouldn't leave me alone if he thought I'd get hurt because of it."
"If I may?" Eric spoke up. "What if, and I'm not saying we'd go in that direction, but what if we allowed Lord Hades to attend the birth of his child and then leave that night?"
"That's rather cruel, don't you think Eric?" Persephone asked.
"Maybe, but it'd guarantee the safety of Olympus which Zeus is understandably concerned about and it would allow Hades to see his child and be with you during the birth," Eric said. "I don't see any other way that we could encompass everything everyone's wanting without a bit of compromise."
"I suppose…if Persephone's giving birth at Demeter's farms it'll be okay if Hades is here," Zeus said.
"Absolutely not, my grandchild deserves to be born on Olympus!" Demeter said firmly.
"You'll have Hades on Olympus?!"
Eric sighed and shook his head. Honestly it felt as if he would have gotten more accomplished with his council…and he had Leah to contend with there.
A knock on the office door, though, halted all conversation and Eric turned his head. "Yes?"
"Eric?" Grimsby's voice called from the other side.
"Grim? Come in!" Eric said as he stood up to see his advisor and the closest thing he had to a father. "Is everything alright? Louis hasn't destroyed the castle again has he?"
Grimsby shook his head. "No, no, nothing like that…it's Ariel, Eric."
"What about Ariel?" Eric asked, his body going rigid as he heard that. "What happened?"
"…Eric…her water broke—."
That was all Eric needed to hear before he sprinted out of the room. "Whatever decision you three make, I fully support," he called over his shoulder. "Grim, does Ariel have her hospital bag?"
"Yes, yes, Eric. Carlotta is with her right now," Grimsby said. "Well, Carlotta and Max but that's almost to be expected. I'm sorry for interrupting your meeting especially as it was with Lady Persephone. However, Ariel did not want to leave for the hospital without you."
Persephone sighed as Eric and Grimsby's voices grew fainter and fainter the further they got from Eric's office. She didn't blame Eric for leaving the meeting to be by his wife's side. After all, he was the one who once declared that he 'wasn't going to lose Ariel again' while rowing to take part in a battle that was way out of his league.
There was no question that Eric loved his wife.
"So…what's the decision?" Zeus asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between the three Gods.
"You're King of the Gods, Zeus," Demeter said. "One would have thought you'd be chomping at the bit to have final say."
"Do you really think that little of me, Demeter?"
"Considering what you did to Iasion? Yes."
"Enough," Persephone said and both Demeter and Zeus looked over at her. "This is not the time to be rehashing the past. Not when a member of the next generation of our family is being born. Not when my child's cousin is being born. So here's what we're going to do. Hades is going to come to Olympus when our child decides they're ready to join us in the world, Zeus is not going to complain about it and we're all going to get along. Any questions? No? Good. Now, I'm going to go to the hospital to see if Eric or Ariel need anything. Zeus, you might want to tell Posideon that his great-granddaughter is being born. Mother—."
"I'm coming with you," Demeter said and the tone of her voice left no room for arguing.
"Very well," Persephone nodded. "Then let's be off. I don't think this is news that Posideon should wait to hear."
The Gods nodded and soon Persephone found herself in front of a very familiar building, considering she had been going to it what felt like almost every week. However, as she stepped inside, looking around to see if there'd be a clue to where Eric would be, she felt herself pulled to the side by her sister.
"Eile? What are you doing here?" Persephone asked.
Eileithyia sighed. "Apologies for pulling you to the side like that, but…you don't want to disturb the royal family right now."
"What happened?" Persephone asked, keeping her voice down as they went to sit in the nearly empty waiting room. In all honesty, the room looked almost deserted had it not been for the hospital staff bustling around. "Is it Ariel? Is she alright?"
Eileithyia sighed as she sat down, Demeter looking over at her daughter as Persephone's question had captured her interest. Not that she wanted anything to happen to Ariel, quite the opposite. After all, Posideon had done nothing to her or her family.
"Eile?" Persephone said, her soft voice trembling slightly in trepidation. "Is…is it Elle? Did…did something happen to Elle?"
"You could say that…" Eileithyia said and ran a hand through her hair, the peacock feather trailing through her fingers.
"Eileithyia?" Persephone prompted and her sister sighed once more.
"You…forgive me Persephone, I'm trying to find the right words to use that won't seem like gossip as Ariel is both the High Queen of Auradon and a member of our family," Eileithyia said once she was able to speak. "Elle was born a few minutes ago, it was a fairly quick labor, but there's…there's been a complication."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh for Olympus' sake Eileithyia, stop being so coy and just tell us," Demeter exclaimed and Eileithyia jumped slightly, having not have noticed Zeus and Demeter arriving with Persephone.
Wait, I thought Zeus was going to go tell Posideon…oh does it matter? Of course Zeus did what he wanted to do, Persephone thought with an internal eye roll.
"From what Eric told me, Elle had to be rushed into surgery," Eileithyia said and Persephone's heart sank. "Apparently…apparently her legs were born fused together…"
"Oh the poor dear," Demeter gasped, making sure to keep her voice down as to not draw attention.
"I'm going to go inform Posideon," Zeus said.
"Is that a good idea?" Demeter asked. "Shouldn't the family…?"
"Demeter, you know Posideon as well as I do and you know that if he gets even a whisper that his great-granddaughter has been born, nothing will be able to stop him from coming and while normally that would be great, I don't believe Ariel and Eric would want the company right now."
Not to mention it'd be good to have a small break from you, Persephone thought as her hand gently rested on her stomach. I mean, you were kind enough to agree to have Hades come be by my side when the baby comes but there's just too much tension right now for us to sit awkwardly in a waiting room.
"Right then," Eileithyia nodded. "Zeus, you go and inform Posideon. And do your best to make sure he doesn't come down if possible. Ariel and Eric don't need the whole mountain to come down on them right now. Not when they're worried about their daughter."
Zeus nodded and, with a slight showing of common sense, went outside to teleport. Persephone let out a small sigh and rested her head in her hands as she sat down on the uncomfortable waiting room seats. This feeling was strange to her, this feeling of the unknown.
Normally the thought of a Godling needing surgery would be laughable at best but Ariel already had her divinity diluted from her mother Athena and then Eric's mortality would have diluted it even more for Elle.
Please…whoever's listening. Hera, Eile…as the Goddesses of childbirth and pregnancy respectively, please make it so Ariel can hold her daughter. So that Eric can see his daughter grow up. So that Triton can meet his granddaughter. So that Ariel's family doesn't have any more tragedy in their lives.
"Your highness," she heard one of the hospital staff say and looked up to see a disheveled Eric walking through the double doors; still wearing the green hospital gown he would have been given to be at Ariel's side during the birth.
"Eric? How is she?" Demeter asked, her voice oddly gentle as she navigated Eric to a seat.
"How…how do you—?"
"I told them," Eileithyia said, her voice soft. To Persephone's surprise, instead of getting angry, Eric merely sighed and nodded his head. Then again, Eric wasn't exactly the type to blow his temper. In fact, the only time Persephone had really ever heard of him having an angry expression was when Ursula was trying to blast Ariel with the trident.
To be fair though, that was a pretty good reason to be angry in Persephone's book.
"Eric?" Demeter prompted, her voice gentle as she rested a hand on Eric's shoulder.
"She's still in surgery," Eric whispered. "Elle, I mean. I haven't even told Ariel yet, I didn't want to leave Elle's side but the doctors told me it might be better if I waited out here instead of up in the viewing gallery."
"Eric, you should be with your wife," Persephone said, sitting down next to him. "Elle'll have a fight but if there's one thing I know about your family, it's this. Your family is full of fighters. You fought to keep Ariel safe when Ursula was trying to zap her with the trident, Ariel fought to have you in her life, and something tells me that you've both passed on that fighting spirit to your little girl. Now, go be with your wife. Don't think about the kingdom, about work. Elle's what matters right now."
Eric sighed and nodded. "You're right, I know you're right. I just…I needed a minute. If I go into Ariel's room right now, she'll be worried and—."
"Eric, I mean this with all possible respect since you are the High King but don't you think she'd be more worried that you haven't come back into the room? Let alone with your daughter in your arms? She's just given birth in a body that she's still getting to know compared to her sixteen years as a mermaid. And now her daughter needs surgery, something I'm sure she's completely unfamiliar with. Go be with her."
Eric blinked for a moment as if that thought hadn't occurred to him but sprung up as the shock cleared his brain. "Right, right, you're so right. Um…I'll need to appoint a regent, I won't be able to do my duties—."
"Eric," Persephone said gently as she stood up and put her hands on the younger man's shoulders. "One thing at a time alright? Zeus has informed Posideon so you don't have to worry about Ariel's family descending on the hospital, the only thing you have to worry about is spending time with your wife and daughter."
"…Thanks Aunt Persephone," Eric whispered and Persephone smiled at the familial title. It was rare that it was used, especially since she was technically 'Great Aunt Persephone' to Eric and Ariel, but she didn't mind the use at all.
"No thanks necessary, now go," Persephone told him and Eric nodded, making his way back to Ariel's room.
"You didn't tell him our decision about Hades," Demeter said as Persephone sat back down.
"There'll be time to do that later," Persephone told her mother. "He's got bigger things to worry about right now…and Gods I hope that little girl is going to be alright."
"She will," Eileithyia said as she sat on the other side of Persephone. "Like you said, our family's full of fighters. You'll see, your child and Elle will be fast friends in no time once your baby's born."
"I hope you're right," Persephone said with a small sigh.
"I'm always right, haven't you learned that by now?" Eileithyia asked and Persephone couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. Trust her sister to find a way to ease the tension.
Please be okay, she thought as she glanced at the double doors Eric had walked through; her fingers brushing her own stomach and for a moment Persephone didn't know if the thought was directed toward Elle or her own unborn child.
It could have certainly applied to them both after all.