Triton told me that he will be introducing me as his daughter for the time-being to keep me safe.
"That's weird", I say, pulling a face.
"I know what you mean, but we have to do it for now", he tells me with a similar face.
Today my father and brother will start my training, I'm excited but also nervous.
My mother was worried about me, and made herself very clear about it.
"Poseidon, she is still a child. She's too young to fight", my mother said.
"Sally, she needs to learn. Her training at school will not be enough. She will be safe in my domain while she trains. I promise".
My mother relented of course. I don't think many can resist my father's face when he pulls it like that. I wish I could do that with my mother. Imagine it, 'Mom, can I have some chocolate, along with all the sweets in the world, please', and then, 'Bam! I have all the sweets in the world. But no...I don't have my father's talent to pull a face like that...yet', I think while smirking evilly at the last thought.
"What's with that smile on your face?", Triton asks curiously.
"Nothing, just imagining myself being as awesomely convincing as dad one day", I whisper to him.
He lets out a roaring laugh, causing my parents to look at us.
"What's that about?", my mother asks.
"Nothing mom", I reply quickly.
"That doesn't look like nothing. But I'll drop it", my mother says.
We headed a few miles into the ocean and there my father gifted me with my very first sword, made of celestial bronze. We were standing at the bottom of the ocean. I can move normally and feel more energized than on land.
I take it from his hand and feel the tip hit the floor due to its weight.
"This is definitely not the sword fighting I do at school. It's heavy", I state.
My father lets out a laugh and says, "You are right daughter. Your training will be different than that of your school. Your brother and I will help you become the best warrior I know you can be. Your path won't be easy. But we believe in you. There are monsters out there who would do nothing more than to harm and kill you. And many demi-gods have died because of lack of training, especially at their young ages. You will have an advantage that they didn't have".
He showed me how to hold my sword properly, it is still difficult due to its weight.
"Dad, it's really difficult to lift it", I complain.
"Stop complaining, now hold it up".
I struggle slightly until my father waves his hand over the sword, making it lighter.
"Thanks dad", I respond and stand ready.
He advances on me and basically kicks my arse for an hour.
"Your endurance is good Rhea, but you won't last long in a fight. Your core and balance needs work, and we'll focus on that for the next few days. You're fast due to your age and can use it to your advantage but only for so long", he tells me and I groan, lying flat on the ocean floor.
"Dad, have mercy please!", I beg him and I hear Triton snort in the background.
"Not a chance little sister. When I was your age he was even worse with me than with you", Triton quips in.
"Oh hush you", my father tells Triton, "You are an excellent warrior my son, and that is due to my training".
I was surprisingly not sore the next day and when I told my brother that, he started to laugh again.
"Darling sister, the thing about training is that it can take a day to two before you feel any muscle pain. The trick to getting through it is to continue training"
"Yay, I have so much to look forward to", I say sarcastically.
Days passed on Montauk and I trained and trained, and trained, and trained.
After a week I finally got a break for just one day. 'The joy!'
I stayed indoors with my mum and watched a movie called 'Troy'. My mom and I had a feast, we had popcorn, chocolates, ice-cream and blue cookies.
"This is really nice mom. I've missed you these past few days", I tell her.
"Me too Rhea. I'm happy that we can at least have this day together", she responds, hugging me to her side and we continue with the movie marathon.
After a few hours we heard a storm brewing and the waves crashing against the beach violently. All we saw were lightning across the sky, striking the ocean in different places as far as the eye could see.
"What's happening mom?", I ask her scared.
"It seems that the gods are fighting again", she says to me, but I can see it in her eyes, she is worried that it's about me.
Hours later the storm passed and my father walked into the cabin, my mom was asleep.
"Dad!", I whisper and run into his arms. He picks me up and carries me to the kitchen, as not to disturb my mom.
"What happened? Are you alright?", I ask him.
"I'm fine. I had a disagreement with my brothers, is all", he replies.
"Did you resolve the conflict then?", I ask him warily.
"We did, in a way. Your uncle has broken his vows as I did with you. He sired a daughter too, Thalia, your cousin who passed away a few days ago. He turned her into a tree to save her life", my father responds sadly.
"I'm sorry dad. It must be really difficult for him right now as well as for you. I don't know what I'll do if I lost you or mom, or Triton", I respond.
"Your heart is too kind daughter. My brother does not deserve it. He would try to kill you if he ever knew of you", he tells me angrily.
"Well that's his loss, I would be a great niece to have. I can bake blue cookies. I bet none of the other nieces has done that for him", I say jokingly with my arms in a superhero pose, trying to get my father's mood up.
He laughs heartily, "It is his loss indeed".
"What have you been doing all day?", he asks me.
"Mom and I had a movie marathon and ate a lot of junk food", I say and receive a disapproving look.
"What? It was fun. Mum treated me today cause someone…hmph…dad…has been training me non-stop for days on end".
"Tomorrow Triton will train you. I have to go back to my kingdom and sort through some things", he says.
"Yes! I mean, 'Oh no, don't go'", I say blushing.
"Oh so that's how it is daughter. You haven't missed me at all today I see", he says in an offended tone but I can tell he is joking.
"No…not at all dad. Psst. I've missed you plenty, not your training though".
"You should get to bed my child. It's late", he says.
"But dad…I don't want to go to bed", I say pouting like the petulant child that I am.
"No, it's late and you have training tomorrow. Come on", he says, making sure I get into bed.
And so I slept soundly until my brother jumped on my bright and early in the morning for my training.
I trained almost every day and I am happy to say that I've seen so much improvement physically and even mentally. Even if I do have ADHD, I can focus my mind better on the tasks at hand.
We were relaxing after another brutal few hours of training. Triton was telling me of all the mischief he caused when he was younger. Our father was speaking to one of the messenger sharks close by, when all of a sudden there was a bright, followed by the appearance of the Fates.
We were startled and all of us were in battle mode within seconds. My father standing in front of us.
"Ladies, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?", my father breaks the silence.
"Poseidon, we have come to give you a warning. Zeus is watching you closely now and will soon discover Rhea as your daughter. He must not know that she is your daughter yet for if he does, he will be merciless. You would do anything to defend your kingdom and family, and war would break out that would end this world. Continue to train her in secret if you must, but only Triton must be seen with her, as she will be known as his daughter for many years", the three of them spoke each sentence after the other.
"I thank you for the warning my ladies. But when will be the right time to reveal who she is?", he asks them.
"You will know when the time is right Lord Poseidon. Zeus is filled with grief and Hades filled with hatred. Hades will be more lenient if he were to find out about her from yourself. But choose your timing wisely", Laches says.
"As for you, Rhea Jackson, walk with us", Otropis says.
"No! She goes nowhere with you", my father says.
I remember them from before I was born. They still look as intimidating as ever. I need to speak to them.
"Dad, I'll be fine. Let me speak to them", I implore.
"Very well. But head my words fates, if she is harmed in any way then my wrath will know no bounds. Are we clear?", he says intimidatingly.
"Of course Lord Poseidon"
I walked with them, still in eyesight of my father. But now he can't hear us.
"Rhea Jackson, first born daughter of Poseidon. Chosen of Chaos. You have a long path ahead of you. When you are at the age of twelve, you must head to Camp Half-blood. You still have time to train now and to be prepared of what is to come. You know of certain events that will happen. The way those events happen will be different than what you know. You now have a father and brother who will stand by your side no matter what. Their love for you is great, so great that it can devastate this world".
"Can I ask something? Why was I the one chosen? I barely remember all those books. I barely even remember my past life", I ask nervously.
"You were chosen by Chaos himself, seen as the best fit to strengthen his family, to bring order to the chaos his family faces".
"Oh, no pressure at all then", I respond sarcastically.
"You are here for a reason Rhea and your father has wished for a daughter for millennia, and Chaos has granted his wish. You'll understand better in time. For now, you must be careful, you mustn't be seen with your father except within his kingdom. Speak with your father to go to Hades about you. Meet with his soon, so that when the time comes, you will have allies. We will speak again young demi-god, your father is anxious and will not wait any longer", the Fates tell me in their creepy voices.
"Thank you", I respond with a small bow towards them.
I walk back towards my father and brother and can clearly see the worry on their faces. The Fates disappeared in another bright light.
My father is in front of me in an instant and I hug him. To be honest, it's really scary standing in front of them like that, so exposed. I've kept being reborn a secret for my whole demi-god life and just thinking, 'what if my father finds out and doesn't want me anymore?', is frightening enough.
"What did they tell you Rhea?", he asks me, voice full of worry.
I pull away from him and say, "They said that I have to go to camp half-blood when I am twelve. And that…I have to meet Uncle Hades soon".
He sighs and asks, "Is that all they spoke about?"
I hesitate, "Yes, that is all".
"Very well daughter", he says and calls for Triton.
"Yes father", he responds.
"The Fates have spoken, I cannot visit Rhea anymore outside of my domain. They said nothing about you. The plan will continue as long as possible for you to 'act' as her father. I will introduce the idea of her to some of the other gods as your daughter. We will continue her training in my domain this summer", he says.
Poseidon's POV
When I saw Rhea speaking with the Fates, I could feel my heart in my throat, 'It's never a good thing when the Fates focus on you'. And their attentions were solely on my little Rhea, from the moment they arrived they had their sights set on her.
I saw her hesitate to tell me what the Fates spoke to her about, and it pains me to know that she doesn't want to tell me. And what pains me the most is that I cannot spend as much time with her as I had wished.
Her training has improved to such an extent that I believe she would be able to compete with some of the beset warriors in my kingdom. She is a quick learner and I am glad that they have at least some semblance of training at that school of hers.
We spoke a few days ago that she wants to improve her archery training, 'Because I really suck at it and I refuse to suck'. Let's just say that she really makes me laugh, she brings joy back into my life, a joy that I did not realize I did not have. I've truly been blessed to have her. I've never loved any of my other demi-god children as I much as I love her. I can feel it in my bones that if she were to perish that I would go to the underworld and drag her back to the land of the living, no matter what.
I want her to stay in my domain, she'll be safe here, but I know the Fates won't allow it, or her mother for that matter. I don't know who I am more scared of, The fates or Sally Jackson.
Triton POV
Father had to leave to go to another council meeting. It's been three days since the meeting with the Fates.
Rhea is taking a day off from training and I am enjoying spending time with her and Sally.
My mother Amphitrite often wonders where I am going, she doesn't know of Rhea. I'm not sure how my mother would treat Rhea, if she would like her or hate her, but I really don't want to find out any time soon. And if she finds out that I've hidden my 'own child' from her, then she would surely try to maim me, and might like Rhea. But if she finds out that she is my sister, I would fear for Rhea's life.
My father doesn't treat my mother the way he treats Sally. My mother is more of a 'snob' and Sally is an easy going person. My father is more free with Sally, acts more like himself than with my mother.
He doesn't love my mother, that much is clear, but he cares for her at least. I understand it now, although when I was younger I resented my father because of his affairs with the mortals, I resented mortals. 'What made them better than my mother?', I would ask myself.
But as time passed, I came to understand my father better, I came to understand that marriage does not always mean love. And my resentment faded away.
I love my mother, but I have a deeper bond with my father. I respect him more than her.
Sally is constantly worried about Rhea. She cares for her, supports her, listens to her. Those are admirable traits that I wished I could've seen in my mother. My mother barely spent any time with me, 'And why would she be worried about me? I am god'. If she had invested more time in me than what Sally invests in Rhea, I might've been a better man, or I might have been worse. The Fates know.
Rhea POV
"Do you know what sucks Triton?", I ask him.
"No, dear sister, what sucks?", he asks humorously.
"That dad can't even come to the beach anymore. And when I do see him now, I just train, train, train. And then I leave".
"Mmm, maybe I could talk to dad about that", he suggests.
"Maybe, but I don't want to bother him. He is really busy", I say.