Summary: Perseus, first-born child of Poseidon and Amphitrite. God of the Stars and Constellations, of Navigation and of the Astral Plane. Patron of Heroes and Consort to the Goddess Artemis. Sitting upon the ruling council of the Gods for thousands of years – and now facing the end of Olympus.
Chapter Three
Once more the Council was convened, tempers somewhat cooled from the night before. Poseidon was still giving Perseus the cold shoulder but that was better, he imagined, than being ready to fight him as he was the last time they were face to face. They were still waiting on Zeus and Hera to arrive, and Perseus privately thought that Hera was probably being difficult just to spite her unfaithful husband. She was not a warrior, though she had fought in the Titanomachy and she absolutely could be dangerous. With tempers high the night before she'd stayed out of the thick of things. She would, however, make her displeasure known.
Hopefully not to Thalia directly.
Perseus glanced around, trying to get a feel for the room as they had all had time to think on the propositions and revelations exposed. He glanced past Demeter – who was reading the back of a cereal box and nodding her head as if in agreement – and Aphrodite who would most probably be useless in the coming discussion. She was one of the oldest of them, and dangerously powerful besides, but would have very little interest in children that were barely teenagers. Even she didn't believe they should be romantically involved at that age, and that was mostly all she cared for.
She'd send them a crush, every now and then, mostly just to mess with them, but otherwise she'd leave them alone for a few years. Once they got older, she would consider them fair game. Gods help them. As if she could hear his thoughts about her, she glanced at him with a somewhat demure expression, a small smile curling her lips and a blush dusting her cheeks. A rush of perfume surrounded him, and it was a delicate scent that reminded him of a field of wildflowers he'd once wandered in ancient Greece when he was much younger. A flash of memory, then, of dark hair and soft lips against the shell of his ear.
He shook himself, clenching his fist as his mind cleared, and when he looked back at her she was smiling with a more amused expression, flipping open her pocket mirror to look at her perfectly painted lipstick.
Knowing he was likely not the only one she was currently messing with – even if he did have fond memories of her – Perseus moved his gaze and it fell on Artemis to his right. She looked disgusted, her eyes on him and her lip curled slightly – an expression that didn't match her child-like appearance. He laughed at her and ignored her for the moment. She was way too uptight anyway, and while they were most definitely friends, there were some things they would never agree on.
Apollo was writing, probably a Haiku, and Hermes was looking at a list of some sort, most likely deliveries. Something was smoking between Hephaestus' closed hands – Perseus didn't want to know – and Poseidon was resting in his throne with his jaw propped on a closed fist, his eyes closed with his other hand curled around his infamous trident. Ares cleaned something out from beneath his fingernails with a large knife. Athena's face was a study of concentration as she sketched something on a pad of paper, her brow furrowed.
Zeus and Hera arrive with a clap of thunder and a flash of light.
"Bout time," Ares grunted, stabbing the knife he held into the arm of his throne. Zeus' response was merely a glare that could have melted steel. Ares didn't care at all, perhaps foolishly, but Perseus knew that it was simply in his nature. There was no fight Ares was afraid of, even if it was with his father to whom he would lose without question. He had immersed himself fully in his domain just as the rest of the Olympians had.
"Hades!" Zeus thundered, ignoring the rest of them as he and his wife took their seats. "Come!"
Perseus raised his eyebrows. Aside from the night before, this would be the first time in thousands of years – aside from a few exceptions – where Zeus was willingly bringing the Lord of the Underworld to Olympus outside the Winter Solstice. There was an agonizing few minutes where nothing happened, and just when they all thought that perhaps Hades would refuse, he arrived in their midst with an explosion of energy, his true form condensing into a body before their eyes.
For just an instant he had allowed them to see the true measure of his power, and Perseus grimaced, knowing that there was no way in hell he could match that – not by half.
They had always been stronger than him, the Big Three, even back in ancient times when they fought alongside each other. However it seemed that the gap between themselves and Perseus had only widened after they had ruled for so very long. So much of the world was within the palm of their hands that the three brothers outmatched every other immortal except perhaps the Primordials themselves. Perseus would say it was a close race, even then.
"Little brother," Hades greeted, his Helm cradled in his left arm and his smirking expression bare for all to see. He had always referred to Zeus in a condescending way, and it had always annoyed him. He was standing in the very center of the room and with a negligent wave of his right hand he created a replica of his dark throne. He sat in it leisurely – knowing that it would anger Zeus, who had refused to allow him a throne in this very room.
The face of the King twitched at the action, but his severe expression was otherwise unmoved. "I have made several decisions regarding the matters we discussed here when last we met. These decisions are not to be debated, they are absolute. You have all been gathered to listen and nothing more. If you would prefer anything else, leave now. I will not entertain it."
'Ah,' Perseus realized. 'Hera has already made her displeasure known.'
Zeus was apparently already in no mood to take any more criticism, likely because his wife hadn't let him off the hook for even an instant while they had all dispersed to their duties. While she would never feel his full wrath, or likely even a fraction of it, the same could not be said for anyone else on the Council.
Hades realized this as well and his jaw was clenched in apparent anger.
"To begin, I will speak of the truce between us regarding our mortal children. While it appears our oaths were ineffective, the four mortal children between us will be the last until the Great Prophecy has run it's course. If there are any others, now is not the time to hide them. If they are found after you have been given a chance to speak of them, they will die." Zeus said, his words obviously directed at his brothers.
"I've broken no oath," Hades growled.
"You may as well have!" Zeus snapped. "After the last War we agreed, in good faith, that we would not have any more children. You could have said then that you already had two, yet you kept your silence and allowed us to believe there were none. While it did not break the wording of the oath, it most certainly broke it in spirit."
The younger brother took a deep breath to calm himself, and Poseidon and Hades were both silent. There was an echo of truth in the words even if the eldest of them didn't want to admit it. Perseus straightened as Zeus turned his eyes upon him. "You knew, all along which among us had broken our oaths, and knew about the two children born just before it. Yet you said nothing."
Perseus winced, but knew he had to respond. "The two children born to Hades were, as you said, outside of the oath, and Thalia herself was the first child born that broke it. You would have been even more furious with me than you are now had I said anything twelve years ago. Likewise, I could not speak of my father's child without also bringing your own daughter to attention. What would you have preferred I do, other than stay out of an agreement that had nothing to do with me?"
Hades turned slowly to face him. "And yet, when Zeus' daughter was threatened, you immediately brought the rest of them into this mess."
Perseus shook his head. "I'm not a fool, despite what you may believe. What do you think our King's reaction would be had his daughter died, and then it came to light that you and my father had children as well? The retaliation would have been merciless, we can all agree, and would be likely to start a war amongst those in this room. Forgive me for using Thalia in this manner, but her introduction to this Council was the only time I believe that it would be acceptable to introduce the rest of them. I am still of the opinion that the children should not be punished for oaths broken when their mothers weren't even born at the time the oath was made."
"Moving on," Zeus said, "my daughter, Thalia, is the only one of the four that I will allow to bear this prophecy. There is no negotiation on that fact, and I will not be moved. Try to usurp that position with one of your own children, or try to remove her so that they are next in line, and they will all die – even if it means I destroy a city at a time until they are dead."
Poseidon's grip noticeably tightened on his trident at the threat, yet Hades still remained unmoved. He obviously didn't care if Zeus threatened the mortal world or not.
"I am willing to agree to a truce, provided that no more children are born from the three of us before, at the very least, this prophecy is concluded. If Thalia should happen to fail – should she die without intervention from any of you before her sixteenth birthday, then we will revisit this issue. But as of this moment, she is the child of prophecy because I make it so." He commanded, a rumble of thunder sealing his words.
That's not really how prophecies worked, but there was nothing they could say in this moment to sway him. Either she was or she wasn't, and only her living another four years would be the deciding factor.
"What are the children's ages, exactly?" Athena cut in, ignoring the look her father sent her. Apparently the 'no-questions and no-interruptions' rule for the day was being thrown out.
"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, is twelve," Perseus answered.
"Bianca Di Angelo, my daughter, is thirteen. Nico Di Angelo, my son, is ten," Hades said, his eyes cutting to Perseus with accusation.
"My daughter, Estelle Jackson, is seven," Poseidon said.
"My offer still stands to offer Bianca Di Angelo patronage, so long as she is willing to take my oath," Artemis called out. "I will not, however, accept her if she does not swear the same oath as every other young maiden in my care. She will swear off the company of men, and serve my hunt in good faith. Betrayal of that oath would see the same consequences as any other as well."
Hades looked at the child-like Goddess critically for a moment, before nodding. "I believe this to be fair, however she is to have the same protections as the rest of them as well. When she swears herself to you, she is essentially forsaking any other titles or positions once held in relation to her Godly parent. This means that she cannot be held accountable or in contempt by someone who has issue with me."
That is the way it had always worked in the past, Artemis' lieutenant a prime example. She was the child of Atlas, but due to her oath she was fully divorced from that link to her heritage and connected fully to Artemis herself. Hades was just making certain, it seemed, that his daughter would receive the same benefit.
"Of course," she responded. "She will be looked after and cared for just like the rest, her parentage immaterial. She will still have access to her abilities connected to your realm, but I will make sure that she does not use them to infringe upon it."
"That is a solution I am willing to abide," Zeus said. "This places Thalia in position for her destiny as the child of prophecy."
"And if the girl doesn't agree? If she refuses the oath?" Ares asked, his eyebrow raised in question.
"She will agree, without hesitation I believe," said Hades, waving his hand dismissively at the younger God. "She's looked after her brother for a very long time now, and I believe the responsibility is one she would love to be free of if she knew he were in capable hands."
"I thought they were in some type of stasis?" Athena questioned.
"In a sense," Hades said, a small smile flickering over his face. "I've had them placed in the lair of the Lotus Eaters for decades."
Perseus frowned. "If that's the case then they should be removed as soon as possible. Those parasites feed on the very life force of people trapped within. While a few decades shouldn't have harmed them, people have wasted away in their clutches as time slows to a crawl around them."
"And what of the boy?" Poseidon asked. "We never settled that issue."
Zeus nodded. "He will swear an oath, of my choosing, or he will reside at the demigod camp. I am willing to allow this only as restitution for my actions against the boy's mother. If he should swear the binding oath to me – which Hades and I will discuss privately beforehand – then I will allow him to be his father's lieutenant. That is the very best offer you can ever hope to receive from me."
"I will be included in this discussion as well," Poseidon demanded firmly. "I have just as much stake in this situation as the pair of you, and just because the boy is sworn to not act against Olympus, that does not include Atlantis."
Zeus nodded his agreement sharply. "In the meantime, Astraeus will choose a demigod to form a quest and retrieve them. The standard rules, of course, apply. They are to consult the Oracle, and receive no direct interference from any of us. They will take the children to Camp Half-Blood, where the girl will meet Artemis and the boy will be collected to swear his oath. They will both receive the standard treatment for any other demigod until that time."
That was agreeable enough, Perseus thought. "I can have a quest together in the morning to retrieve them and bring them to Camp Half-Blood. There, the two of them can assimilate to normal life in the twenty-first century. They went from life in the 40's to the timeless lair of the Lotus Eaters, and they'll be in for a shock. Artemis can bring her hunters to camp after they've been retrieved to make her offer to Bianca."
"The are strong, my children, but they have no training. They will attract enemies along the way. Whomever leads the quest needs to be able to handle those that would attack them." Hades said.
"I don't know who would be chosen as her companions, but I have a hero in mind that would be capable of their retrieval and safe return. Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares. She is a formidable fighter and fearless enough to face the challenges. She will see them safely to camp, even if she isn't very nice about it." Perseus said, and he noticed Ares eyeing him from across the room.
"Look, punk," the War God began. "I know my kids better than you think, and while Clarisse is definitely capable of fighting off whatever creature comes their way, she ain't got the mind to overcome the trap of the Lotus Eaters."
"And if you think that, then you don't know her half as well as you claim. Punk." Perseus said, staring right back at him. "Clarisse is tough as nails, and if nothing else she'd just kill the Lotus Eaters and stroll out the front door. With the two kids hog-tied if need be."
Ares smirked, which turned into a laugh. "I guess your probably right on that score."
"I'll send Atlanta to meet Clarisse at camp, though the quest would have to wait an extra day for her arrival," Artemis offered. Perseus glanced at her, surprised. Atlanta was one of the oldest of her handmaidens, holding the position of Herald of Artemis. It was she who carried the Goddess' hunting horn and announced her. Atlanta was also Perseus' daughter, named after his father's city. "She is a demigod and can serve as a member of the quest. She is experienced, and also has her father's talent for navigation. She could see them to safety quickly and efficiently, and if Clarisse should fail Atlanta could overcome the Lotus Eaters trap."
Perseus nodded to her, though he didn't speak for a moment. It had been a very long time since he'd laid eyes on his daughter, his only living child. Despite her being functionally immortal, because she'd chosen to join Artemis he hadn't been able to interact with her much. Atlanta was...well, she was like her mother, Perseus supposed. Just seeing her would be a blessing from the Fates.
He cleared his throat. "As is tradition, Clarisse should be allowed to choose the third member of the quest. I will suggest she choose a girl, in support of Artemis' offer."
"What about Thalia?" Apollo questioned.
"Absolutely not," Perseus countered. "She's had no training and has barely recovered from her own journey to Camp. Not to mention the fact that her scent alongside two children of Hades would only endanger the quest more. They'd be like a beacon and risk everything we're trying to achieve."
Apollo raised his hands in surrender. "Hey man, just a thought."
"Anyway," said Artemis, pretending her brother hadn't spoken, "once the quest is complete I will journey to camp to retrieve both Atlanta and Bianca. I will also instruct Atlanta to begin convincing the girl to join my hunt while they carry out the quest."
"And about the matter of Perseus training the demigods for whatever is to come?" Athena asked. "I know you said that he can work more closely with them, however we haven't discussed the details of that decision. Have you given it any more thought?"
"I have," Zeus answered. "Though I have decided to add my own stipulations. First and foremost, Thalia's training will take precedence above all others. I don't care if the children complain about nepotism. Secondly, if it is a war that comes for us with the passing of this prophecy, which seems likely if all of Olympus is threatened, then we shall meet it. In light of this, Athena will join Astraeus in training the half-bloods, and she is to begin instructing them in some of the old ways."
Athena appeared surprised, though Perseus was less so. Zeus obviously wanted to ensure that Perseus wasn't using his position to influence the demigods into breaking the ancient laws, and would only entrust his own daughter to oversee it – his trust in Athena had always been absolute. Beyond his own trust issues, Zeus had also used Athena in the past to ensure that the outcome of a war in the mortal world worked out in his favor. It seemed like he wanted to stack the deck as heavily in their favor as possible before this prophecy came to pass.
He also really, really didn't want the offspring of Poseidon or Hades to be the child of prophecy should Thalia fail, Perseus thought. His pride would not allow it.
"This should conclude the remainder of the issues brought to light within the last day," said Zeus. "Athena will keep the Council up to date with regular reports on their progress with the half-bloods. Meanwhile, we will need to start looking for signs of the coming conflict. If this is to come to pass within the next four years there will be signs. We need information about who the enemy could possibly be, and where exactly the threat originates from. Search your domains, all of you. Anything suspicious is to be brought to the Council."
Zeus didn't allow them another word. He stood and immediately assumed is true form, his energy dissipating quickly as he left.
Hera remained behind though, and she was staring at Perseus bitterly. "You shouldn't have saved her," she accused, her glare piercing. "Regardless of the fact that her very existence is an affront, we now face a crisis that could have been stalled at the very least for several more years had you just let the creature die."
Perseus stared at her, his face unwavering in the face of her wrath. "You can blame the girl all you like but we both know that her existence was no choice of hers. I remember a lot of things, my Queen, not the least of which is saving your daughter Hebe during the Gigantomachy so very long ago. I took a blade for her, if you recall, from Porphyrion himself. I have defended children, immortal and mortal alike on behalf of everyone in this room. Do not blame me for doing so when you find it inconvenient."
Rather than stick around, Perseus summoned the full strength of his energy and allowed it to consume him. He had better things to do than listen to someone who, after thousands of years and thousands of acts of infidelity, should have known better by now.
Cabin 1 was, as Perseus joked, built like what she imagined a mausoleum would be. It was made of the purest white marble and trimmed with celestial bronze. The ceiling was dome-shaped, and while it most certainly wasn't transparent, if she looked up it appeared as if white and gray clouds within the ceiling moved and shifted to a nonexistent breeze.
Actually, it reminded Thalia strongly of a really nice bank. There was no real furniture to speak of outside a single large bed that didn't quite match the rest of the building – almost as if it were added later. There were small golden eagle statues placed symmetrically in marble alcoves built directly into the walls, and a massive golden statue of who she realized must be her father. It was glaring downward, a lightning bold clenched in his right hand and a toga draped across his left shoulder. A constant, rolling thunder seemed to vibrate from the walls, almost like a storm heard from miles and miles away. The thunder was soothing, strangely enough, but the statue was creepy as hell.
There was a single alcove, slightly larger than the others that had multiple shelves and a single long rod that crossed it horizontally for hanging clothes. That was it. There was no bathroom – she would have to walk to the public showers and restrooms – and there was nothing to even sit on. No chairs or tables, not even a real closet. To be honest it looked more like a temple to Zeus than a cabin for his children.
Thalia could see herself being perfectly miserable in it.
She'd spent her second night at Camp Half-Blood there, though she didn't sleep much and resolved to find something to cover the statue's head. She also kind-of wondered how pissed her dad would get if she checked out Cabin 5 and stayed there instead. Probably better to give it at least a few days.
Tired and grumpy, she left the crypt early to shower and change in the girls restroom, luckily finding it to be mostly empty so early in the morning. Thalia had been given a shower schedule by Chiron the day before, but she figured if nobody was using it he wouldn't mind if she showered in the morning rather than the evening, which was her scheduled time. It was probably meant more for the cabins with a large number of kids so that they could stagger the times and let everyone have their turn.
She felt only slightly better afterwards, and with it being nearly another hour until breakfast and nobody else around, she didn't really know what to do with herself. The few girls that had been in the showers had left immediately afterwards back to Cabin 4 – Demeter's girls – and they had looked at her curiously but hadn't tried to talk to her.
Thalia noticed the looks she'd been given all afternoon the day before, as apparently being the daughter of Zeus was worthy of gossip and staring but no actual conversation. The only kid she could see around was a small girl just a little bigger than Annabeth. The girl was dressed in a brown hooded robe, which was weird and was staring closely at the coals of the bonfire from the sing-along from the night before. Thalia hadn't participated but she'd heard it until just before they were supposed to go to bed for the night.
She briefly wondered if this was another new kid like herself, because she knew she hadn't seen anyone even close to Annabeth's age before, and she wasn't wearing the orange t-shirt the rest of them wore. Shrugging, she decided to approach the girl. As she got closer the girl raised her head and looked at Thalia. She stopped in her tracks.
The girl's eyes were a soft orange like coals that had burned low on a fire, the light from them flickering in the darkness of her hood.
"Hello, Thalia Grace," the girl said, and something about her words seemed to drain the tension from Thalia's shoulders. Her entire body relaxed, and she remembered just how tired she was after trying, and failing, to sleep beneath the statue of her father. The little girl – or whatever she was – tilted her head curiously to the side. "Come, sit with me and rest."
Thalia tried to be nervous, having been tricked by monsters in the past, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to tense up like she normally would. Her muscles were like jelly and she found herself nodding in agreement. She approached and sat on one of the benches surrounding the remains of the large campfire. As soon as she sat, the most comforting feeling she'd ever felt in her life washed over her, and she sighed at the sensation.
"You're tired," the girl said. "Be at ease here, for nothing will bother you in this moment."
Thalia felt her head bob slightly in exhaustion, but forced herself to stay awake. "Who are you?" she asked, both enjoying and hating the helpless feeling she currently was overcome with.
The girl smiled, and Thalia felt all her misgivings vanish. "I am Hestia, keeper of the Hearth," she responded. "It's been quite some time since a demigod noticed me. Perhaps it's my own fault. I do not try to bring attention to myself, after all."
Thalia realized that she was once again in the presence of a God, or Goddess as it happened, and hadn't even realized it. If the legends were true, and she was beginning to believe they all were, then Hestia was the oldest Goddess besides Aphrodite herself – the rest of the older immortals were something else, though many of them like Hecate had taken on the title 'Goddess' despite technically being a Titan.
The orientation video had gone through an abridged version of the history of the Gods, as well as going over more modern things like Iris Messaging, Hermes Delivery Service, the Mist, and the locations of the new Greek landmarks like Olympus itself. It had also covered the various endeavors of the Gods themselves within the mortal world, such as Nike and her sportswear, Perseus' GPS Navigation, and the Amazon's tech company. Hades even had a record label based in Los Angeles which was somehow the most ridiculous of the entire list to her, even beyond Demeter's ownership of John Deere.
The video had mentioned Hestia as well, as the eldest child of Kronos and her title of the Last Olympian, whatever that meant.
The Goddess smiled at her once more, a kind gesture that soothed her thoughts. "The title of the Last Olympian is relatively simple, all things considered. It means that when all else fails, and all of the other mighty Gods have gone off to war or to their duties, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. My fires will burn when all other fires go out. I am the hope that drives the warriors to continue the fight, and I am the warmth and comfort they can look forward to at duty's end."
There was something so very peaceful in that statement that Thalia didn't even think to get creeped out by the Goddess reading her thoughts somehow. "I've been on the run long enough to know that there isn't always warmth and comfort to look forward to at the end." said Thalia instead. "Kids like me...we don't always have a home to go back to."
"Home isn't a place you leave, not truly. Just because you leave a place doesn't mean that that is where you must return. Home is an idea. It's safety and comfort and it might only last for a little while. And then, when you leave that place, Home becomes the next safe haven. Wherever you find yourself among friends or family, or even alone. If you search hard enough, Home may find you all on it's own." she paused, a mischievous smile stealing over her childish features. "Would you like to know a secret?"
Thalia nodded, her mind still turning over the words of Hestia.
"Olympus isn't really the Home of the Gods," she declared just above a whisper, as if sharing a joke with a friend. "They will tell you it is, and maybe for your father that would be the truth. But for most of us, its somewhere else in the world. For Artemis, she only finds her true Home in the wild places beyond the reach of man. For Ares, he finds his true comfort when everyone else is feeling the opposite – he is at Home with a weapon in hand and an enemy across from him. It's not about death for him, but about life, for death means the end of the fight and life means that it keeps going."
"So," Hestia said, her voice at a more normal level. "You just have to find where Home is for you, and that might be anywhere or maybe it's just a feeling, but everyone has a Home. Even a girl who ran away from a place that wasn't Home anymore when she was nine, and spent years hunting and being hunted in return."
Thalia felt her throat burn and her eyes sting, but she wouldn't cry. "Where…" she cleared her throat. "Where is home for you?"
Hestia smiled. "My Home is where everyone else is at Home, for I am the Last Olympian."
She didn't speak anymore, and Thalia didn't either. She just sat there and thought about what she'd heard. Hestia was right, in a sense. She had run away when she was nine, after her brother's death and her mother's instability. That hadn't been home anymore, not for years, and losing Jason was the last straw. So she ran, and she became hunted and used her own wits to survive. She became skilled enough to survive on her own and she began hunting the monsters that had been hunting her.
It's how she met Luke, after trailing a monster to him when she was ten. They had traveled together for a long time, hunting monsters and creating hidden safe houses for demigods. They had a lot of close calls, almost died dozens of times, but they refused to give up. After traveling together for more than a year they met Annabeth, and took her under their wing immediately because she was so very much like them. She'd run away from a place that wasn't home anymore either.
A few months later they would meet Grover, and he told them about a place that was supposed to be home for kids like them. A place where they didn't need to run or hide anymore. The journey was a long one, because kids like them with a half-goat for a guide couldn't just jump on the nearest greyhound. The three of them together attracted a lot of monsters and they'd be sitting ducks. None of them were old enough to drive – though that hadn't stopped Luke from stealing a car when they had to make an escape in South Carolina. He'd crashed the car pretty quick and they decided that was too dangerous to attempt until they were older.
And after that last, dangerous push through the storm they made it. Barely.
Maybe she was just overthinking things but Camp Half-Blood made her feel more alone than she ever had when she was on the run. The crypt she was supposed to sleep in could never be a home for a girl like her.
"Well, look at this," she heard from a familiar voice, shaking her from her depressing thoughts. "It seems dear Auntie Hestia's replaced me as her favorite."
Both she and the Goddess turned to regard the approaching voice. It was Perseus, still wearing the casual clothes she'd seen him in the day before, and he wasn't alone. Walking next to him was a very dignified woman with dark hair that mostly flowed straight, though she had a thin crown braid that wrapped around her head. She had stormy gray eyes and a severe expression that made her look both dangerous and beautiful. The woman held herself with much better posture than Perseus, who seemed to slouch a little, and wore a dark navy pantsuit that flared around her heeled boots.
"You were never my favorite," Hestia joked, a smile on her face that indicated that she might be lying about that.
"Course I was," he waved her off. "And we also have Thalia, just the girl I was looking for. Thalia Grace, meet Athena."
There was a single moment where Thalia's brain tried to comprehend the fact that she was sitting on a bench around a smoldering campfire while three Olympians stood around her. With a jolt, she stood, all of her weariness forgotten. She sketched a pathetic, awkward half-bow to the newly introduced Goddess. "L-Lady Athena," she said, remembering how Perseus said they didn't have to bow to him, but that it would be wise to do so to the other Gods.
"Be at ease, Thalia Grace," the woman said, and the corner of her mouth quirked into a brief smile, though it disappeared quickly. "I owe you my own thanks for your guidance of my daughter. You need not bow to me. As a matter of fact, as a token of my thanks, I brought a gift for yourself and the son of Hermes."
She held out her hand, a flare of light showing for a split second within her closed fist, and when she opened it she held a silver bracelet. Hesitantly, Thalia reached out to claim it. "It is enchanted, if you wouldn't mind putting it on please." Thalia did so, the silver seeming to stretch as it slipped over her hand. "When you find yourself in need simply call out to it with your thoughts and it will become a shield. I would, therefore, advise wearing it on your less dominant hand."
Perseus grinned slightly. "Give it a try," he said.
Thalia swallowed, nervous to be put on the spot, but she couldn't refuse a God. She did as directed, and was amazed to see a large round shield spring to life on her left arm. Perseus flinched, and then glared at Athena who only appeared amused. "A little warning, yeah?" he asked grumpily. "That damn head still bothers me."
Thalia turned her arm so that she could just about glimpse the other side, and flinched harshly herself as she beheld the striking image of Medusa. She quickly turned the shield away from her, and noticed Perseus refused to look at it again. Remembering the story of his mortal life, she recalled that Perseus had hunted and killed Medusa, before carrying her head around with him for the rest of his life to be used against his enemies. She laughed, she couldn't help herself.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at her. "Everyone's a comedian."
Thalia wasn't sure how it worked, but she figured reversing it would he just as easy. She did so, and it was once again a harmless bracelet. "Thank you," she said sincerely to Athena. "I will treasure it."
Athena nodded. "It's called Aegis, a replica of my own shield, though it isn't quite as potent. It will not fail you and it will not break. May it protect you as fiercely as you protected Annabeth."
Thalia didn't know much about the Gods, not really, but she did know that this was something truly special. They didn't give gifts often, and when they did, it was very rarely something so grand. The shield alone was priceless, to say nothing of being gifted to her by Athena herself. She didn't know what else to say, but apparently Perseus had that covered.
"Breakfast will be starting soon, we'd all better get to the pavilion. When the conch sounds this courtyard will be full of kids and if they see us all gathered like this they might never make it to their food. We can wait for the rest there. It means we get to surprise Chiron as well, but he'll live."
Athena nodded. "I'm unfamiliar with the inner workings of Camp Half-Blood so we'll follow your lead."
"Think about what we spoke of, Thalia." Hestia said gently in farewell. "Things are rarely as bleak as they seem. And if you ever feel the need, come and speak to me at the Hearth. I will listen."
She nodded and waved, falling into step with the two Gods who pretended not to be listening, even though she knew they could hear. She didn't want to talk about it though, so she was glad for their feigned ignorance.
The walk to the dining pavilion was short, though there were more kids out and about. They all seemed to stop and stare in shock as Thalia walked alongside the two Olympians. While most of them probably had never met Athena from what she knew of camp, they clearly knew she was someone of importance just by her appearance as well as the fact that she walked with Perseus as an equal. The two immortals never paid much attention to it though, they merely kept walking.
When they arrived Chiron was already there sipping a cup of coffee, which he nearly spilled down his front at the sight of them. He was in his normal form, wheelchair nowhere in sight, and fell into a far more graceful bow than she had managed herself at the sight of the Goddess. "My Lord, My Lady," he greeted hastily. Perseus waved him off while Athena merely nodded in recognition. "To what do we owe this honor?"
"There have been some decisions made by the Council, which we'll be informing everyone of after breakfast. They'll affect the camp as a whole, and we'll also be calling for a quest. It can all wait until everyone's finished eating though." Perseus explained. "As you're their trainer and guardian, I will tell you ahead of time that Athena will be a regular presence at camp for the foreseeable future. Also, I intend to have Clarisse lead the quest."
"Of course," Chiron agreed immediately, and it seemed like a practiced motion. He looked curious, but not alarmed. It struck Thalia in that moment that he was just as helpless in the decisions of the Gods as the demigods were. He only had whatever authority they allowed, and if they decided something, their word was law. It made her feel more sympathy for him than she perhaps had before.
She took her seat at the table reserved for Cabin 1 – alone – and waited as the others slowly trickled in with the sound of the conch blowing. Perseus sat with Chiron, while Athena took a seat at her table with her kids. They all seemed stunned when they entered and saw her seated there, but she only smiled warmly at them (the first truly pretty expression Thalia had seen from her) and beckoned them over.
Thalia didn't miss the looks of hunger and jealousy on the rest of the faces surrounding them as they all watched Cabin 10 eat with their mother. Annabeth, she was happy to note, looked like she was experiencing Christmas morning. The young girl sat directly next to Athena at her urging, and chattered breathlessly at the woman she had waited her whole life to meet. She caught Luke's eye from across the pavilion, and he nodded, raising his glass toward Annabeth in a silent signal of support.
He may have had a difficult relationship with his father, whom Thalia knew he'd only met once, but they could both be glad for the youngest of them even in the face of their own disappointment with their Godly parents. Thalia nodded firmly in reply, and turned to her own breakfast. Annabeth deserved it, and she was happy that Perseus, it seemed, hadn't lied to the girl. While it sounded like this wasn't exactly what he meant when he said she might visit, the circumstance didn't matter.
When everyone had finished eating, Perseus rose from his seat and stood at the front of the pavilion, his hands in his pockets casually. Athena soon joined him and the noise fell to a whisper. "Heroes," he said. "In case you hadn't noticed, though I'm not sure how you couldn't, we're joined today by the Lady Athena. Today will see some pretty big changes to Camp Half-Blood, so I'll ask you all to bear with us a moment while we explain."
Athena took a step forward, then and began to speak. "For reasons we cannot divulge at the moment, we of the Council have reason to believe that within the next few years our world could see some type of grave danger. While we would like to say more on the issue, some of the details cannot be spoken of outside Olympus itself. What we can tell you, however, is that this originates from a prophecy given by the Oracle of Delphi before you were all born. The exact wording of that prophecy should not concern you – we Olympians have it well in hand."
Perseus could be seen behind her pinching the bridge of his nose, but straightened up quickly. Thalia felt like the Goddess could probably work on her delivery, and if his expression were to be believed, Perseus thought so too. She glanced quickly at Chiron to see that his face had taken on a rather somber look. He was looking at the ground in front of him, though he was obviously listening.
"Due to this," Athena continued, "I will be spending several days out of each week here for an as yet undetermined period of time. During this time, we will be adjusting schedules slightly, and you will all begin group combat training with myself, as well as more individual instruction from Perseus."
The pavilion dissolved into whispered mutters at this declaration. Thalia wasn't sure what to think, though she quickly realized this wasn't normal.
"Chiron will still be your primary trainer," Perseus interjected calmly. "You will also still have a similar amount of free time as you do now. The changes will mostly be felt in your weapons training, which I will be handling, and in your more specialized training times, which will be taken over by Athena. You will especially see a difference on your Friday afternoons during Capture the Flag."
Athena nodded her agreement, and she was smirking slightly. "For this summer at least, I will lead a team and Perseus will lead the opposing team. Each week we will alternate which Cabins are dedicated to each team. We will use this exercise as a mock-up for actual combat, where sometimes your team will be small and outnumbered by a large margin. This will allow you to learn to fight more defensively. Other times the teams could be perfectly equal. We may even throw a wrench into your plans by allowing one select group to switch sides in the middle of battle – something that even the mightiest of soldiers can have a difficult time dealing with."
The whispers were back, louder this time and more excited.
"After each game, Athena's team will meet with mine and we will discuss exactly how she lost and what she could do better next time." Perseus said lightly, ignoring the affronted look she shot him and grinning at the laughs that greeted him from the campers. He was a lot better with kids than she was, Thalia noticed. "Chiron will be passing out the revised schedules to each of your counselors by the end of the day. Now, one final piece of business, and then you can all return to your day as normal."
"Clarisse La Rue, Cabin 6, step forward please," he called. There was some muttering – some shoving at the Ares table – and then a girl walked to the front of the pavilion bravely. She looked nervous, but her steps never faltered. Clarisse had pale brown hair that appeared kind-of stringy, and small dark eyes graced her strong features. She was built bigger than some of the boys and looked about as friendly as a badger.
"Clarisse, daughter of Ares," Perseus said once she had joined him at the front. "Olympus has need of you, and would ask that you lead a quest. Will you accept?"
The girl looked stunned, and her jaw worked a couple of times without making a sound. Finally, she nodded proudly. "I will."
"Excellent," he said, smiling and nodding at her. "One of your companions on this quest has already been chosen for you, but the third member, as is tradition, will be your decision. The one already chosen will be one of Lady Artemis' handmaidens, who will arrive tomorrow. She is instrumental to the quest, and so her presence was chosen by the Council, though you will take lead. I would advise, however, that you take her opinion into account during the course of the journey. She is much older than you and very experienced regarding combat with the dangers you could face."
The girl nodded.
"I also told the Lady Artemis that, as a show of appreciation for allowing one of her disciples to aid the quest, I would ask you to choose a girl as your third member. Many of the her handmaidens find discomfort around boys, and it can at times cause problems or distractions. Ultimately it is up to you, however."
"I...what is the nature of this quest, if I may ask?" Clarisse said.
"There are a pair of demigods, a brother and a sister whom are children of Lord Hades," he said, and there was a shock that seemed to ripple through the pavilion at the announcement. Chiron looked as if he might faint. "There has been an agreement made between our King and Lord Hades that a quest be sent to retrieve them. They are currently ages thirteen and ten, and have been stuck within the lair of the Lotus Eaters for approximately six decades."
"Your quest," he said, ignoring the gasps and stares of the campers, "is to travel to the lair of the Lotus Eaters, retrieve them, and see them both safely back to Camp Half-Blood as quickly as you can manage. It should also be known that a group of three demigods on the trip there, as well as five on the way back with two of them carrying an extremely powerful scent, is very likely to summon the most dangerous of foes."
"I...I understand." she said firmly. "I won't fail."
"Then please proceed to the Big House and consult the Oracle," Perseus said kindly, gifting the girl a small smile. As she turned to leave, the Ares campers began banging their cups on the table in support, which turned into a cheer as she made her way past them. Her walk turned into a jog, and then a run as she sprinted across the grounds to the Big House.
Thalia didn't know her, not at all, but she knew how dangerous it was out there for kids like them. She decided that before Clarisse left she'd make an offering to the Gods in her name. To Perseus, for her safe navigation, to Hermes for the roads she'd have to travel, to Nike for victory, and to Hestia for her safe return to the Hearth.
Perseus leaned against the railing of the Big House, his arms crossed and awaiting the return of Clarisse. Athena sat regally in one of the comfortable chairs, eyeing him critically. Meanwhile Chiron had stuffed his horse's-ass back into his wheelchair, something that Perseus understood the need for, but wondered about the mechanics.
"You told them all much, Perseus. More than perhaps was wise," Athena finally said. "There was no need to tell them about the children – where they were, and certainly not who they belonged to or about the agreement made between Zeus and Hades."
Perseus scoffed, eyeing her right back. "You have a lot to learn about children, and especially about demigods if you plan for this to work. They don't need to know everything, this is true. But telling them something is much better than saying 'it is beyond your concern'. Have you ever even given thought to what we're doing here?"
Her eyes narrowed in response. "I know exactly what I'm doing here."
"No, you don't, but that's not even what I meant in the first place. I mean here, in general. We're raising children, our children, to be soldiers for a cause they don't even know the first thing about. I'm about to send a thirteen year old girl to what could be her death, when one of us could easily go grab these two kids and be back before lunch. Clarisse and her companions will likely have to fight for their lives and claw their way to survival. It used to be okay, because we didn't send heroes on quests until they were adults and knew exactly what they were getting into, but as the centuries marched on look at how young they've gotten."
He shook his head. "Even in ancient Greece she would have been considered too young. And yet I'll do it, as I have countless times before, because it has become necessary in order to stay within our laws. However, what I will not do, is lie to them about it. Her siblings and friends deserve to know where she's going and what she's up against. They deserve to know that her actions are heroic, and that if she doesn't come back, they know exactly why."
Athena stared at him silently for a moment, and then nodded once to concede.
"One thing you will see around here is that you have to treat the kids like they matter, because they do. Not just your own, but all of them matter. Without them, we Olympians would have faded long ago, and that is a truth that nobody on the Council wants to admit. We rely on them so much more than even they know, and I believe the least we can do is be grateful for their service and be truthful with them whenever we can." Perseus said.
He fell silent as he heard footsteps from within the Big House, and then the door opened and Clarisse stepped out. The girl was pale and terrified, yet she was trying to be strong in the face of them. Her hand shook, and she clenched it a couple of times trying to ease her nerves.
"It's alright," Perseus told her gently. "In your own time, please tell us the words of the Oracle."
She tried to speak, but closed her mouth quickly. Finally she opened it once more and recited the prophecy.
Three Shall Go West To The City Of Sin
Where Time Has No Meaning To Those Trapped Within
The Compass, The Boar And the Hammer Prevail
'Lest The World Fall To Darkness Beneath The Silent One's Veil
Perseus stared at Athena grimly, his earlier point made for him. The riddle wasn't a difficult one. Hades was known as the Silent One, and were anything to happen to his children the outcome would be catastrophic. He was already furious they had been brought to attention in the first place, and should they be harmed or killed, it would likely mean war. He would never believe that the other Olympians didn't have something to do with it, his brothers most especially
The compass, the boar and the hammer were simple enough as well. His own symbol was the compass, and Atlanta was his daughter. The boar referred to Clarisse, and the hammer could only be one of Hephaestus' children. The city of sin meant that the Lotus Eaters were in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Once again, it would fall upon the shoulders of a young girl to save perhaps all of western civilization.
Author's Note: Another Chapter done, though this one will probably be the last for a week or so. I think this is a good chapter, even if the story is moving kind of slowly. Things will pick up over the next couple of chapters and we'll finally see more than just talking and thinking.
There is action coming, I promise.
As for the quest I almost wrote Thalia leading it, but thought better of it. If she is the child of prophecy, then I think the Gods would rather her be trained rather than turn her back out into the world 48 hours after she arrived at camp. I always thought that was weird about the original books and while Percy didn't go on his quest that quickly, it still seemed too early.
As far as Clarisse – I've always liked her character. Also, no matter what happens with Thalia, there are other demigods at Camp and she can't be the only one to lead a quest.
As always, review if you want to, don't if you don't.
Thanks.