All rights belong to Rick Riordan
Chapter 97
When Dealing with Family, Bring a Big Sword
(Percy)
If look could kill my father would have been blasted so far into Tartarus I would probably never have seen him again unless someone went digging for a while. Judging by the withering glares of the two women in front of me and what I knew about one of them's hormonally enhanced temperament he still might be.
"Kym I can explain…"
"My name is Kymopoleia. You gave me it after all, the least you can do is use it father!" The other goddess shouted back in response practically spitting the word father out like it left a bad taste in her mouth.
Looking across at Artemis I noticed her briefly look at me and got the feeling she was telling me to stay out of this. Something I honestly didn't have much problem doing in fact, after all here was someone else calling my old man out for being a terrible father and I got to stay out of it. Sure I had been having a moment of male bonding for the last ten minutes but that didn't exactly excuse at least seventeen years of doing a pretty terrible job.
"We should not be having this discussion here, Kymopoleia." My father said trying to sound calm causing my sister to frown.
"Nice try but if you think you are getting out of this you have another thing coming. You probably want to return to beneath the surface where you can put a tight lid on this and pretend nothing happened. And after we are done here I will return to the sea except it will be under my terms, and it will be to give my dearest Mother her just desserts as well." Kymopoleia told him treading a fine line between civil and outrage. Though if I thought she was seemingly pissed at my dad judging by the way she called him father well it seemed that she was even more angry at her mother by the way she hissed it out.
"Artemis." He implored at the goddess who suddenly looked surprised at why he was asking for her help.
"With respect uncle, I helped her get into here did you really think I am going to stop her. Besides I agree with her so, unlucky. Try and leave and I will have you dragged back." She said firmly, crossing her arms and looking towards me in such a way that pretty much even an idiot could work out that she would have me do it. The worst bit was I would do it pretty much without hesitation.
'Dear gods I am so whipped.' I thought to myself with a sigh.
"Perseus?"
"Sorry dad but my hand are tied." I told him with a shrug before walking around alongside my Fiancee.
"Anyone else you want to try desperately? Maybe phone one of your brothers? Oh wait all you will get is laughter in response." Kymopoleia said laughing with about as much pitch as a dolphin.
"Did I mention she is completely insane." Artemis whispered into my ear.
"She seems saner than you on most mornings in fairne-umph." I whispered back before being cut off by a 'gentle' elbow to the stomach.
"Missed you too." I said taking a breath as she mockingly started to pet the top of my head.
"Oh I know you love it really… besides I am not going to be pregnant forever." She said with a strangely seductive tone whilst placing a finger under my chin and lifting it up so we were looking into each other's golden eyes. For once I was glad Perseus was nowhere to be seen as I would have had to put up with his laughing, whilst I stood there like a guppy mouth opening and closing without anything coming out. I knew what I would have liked to do or say but it is not the sort of thing one should do in the middle of a family argument. (Or in a public place for that matter if you wanted to avoid criminal charges.)
"You make this way too easy for me." She said with a grin as I merely nodded and let her take a hold of my hand. Meanwhile my sister seemed to have finally got over her amusement at my father's expense which was good because she had one of those laughs that is just annoying to hear.
"What exactly do you want from me then? To formally acknowledge a divorce from Briares for you?" My father suggested narrowing his eyes only to be shot back a look of disgust at the hundred handed ones name.
"That would be nice but ultimately pointless seeing as I never acknowledge the marriage myself and that freak only ever laid hands on himself. If my so called husband ever comes near me again I will cut off every excess limb on his body as painfully as possible. He will wish he faded with his brothers." She said with a tone of glee that suggested she wanted to do it a little too much. If anything she reminded me of Perseus with a serious chip on her shoulder towards the whole world.
"I cannot just give you a divorce, I and your uncles had to swear on the Styx to give them something for their aid in the war."
"Well would you look at that, I never knew you were a god of magic father, turning women into trophies." Kymopoleia said glaring as I couldn't help but chuckle loudly at her comment.
"It was not my decision." My father said sadly.
"Oh I know that already, after all mother never did like me. As soon as she found out I was goddess of Storms she pretty much distanced herself as far away as possible. So once Zeus needed a 'volunteer' that wasn't one of his kids she signed me straight up." She explained just about keeping 'calm' until thunder boomed overhead.
"Go fuck yourself or better yet come down here and talk to me in person." She shouted back into the sky. The sky however remained rather quiet. The thing was even if Zeus wanted to do something first she was currently technically in Titan territory as a guest even if Artemis was a goddess technically and second well he had probably had enough getting attacked back for one month. Courtesy of me, Artemis, my father, Hades striking someone down for an insult in front of three of those people was not exactly a smart move.
"Wow no wonder you two get on so well. Both of you have a thing against your old man." I whispered to Artemis.
"Well he has spent several millennia being an asshole to just about everyone he didn't want to sleep with. And generally being one to those after the fact." She said with some level of hostility.
"Why do I get the feeling that our daughter will not let me be a deadbeat like everyone other guy in this family?" I jokingly whispered into her ear earning me a look that could have put Medusa to shame. Well one thing was for certain if she perfected the death glare to the same degree her mother did, well I would be putty in her hands.
I decided to avert my eyes from the glaring woman next to me and noticed that we starting to draw a crowd. This ranged from the slightly annoyed looking Hesperides who I guess were angry we were trampling their immaculate lawns with the barest trace of footsteps. To the now fed it seemed Ladon who was trying to find a way of pointing every head in our direction simultaneously with if my eyes did not deceive me Calypso sitting on top of one of them like a large scaly deck chair. Other than that there was starting to appear a few familiar faces from inside the palace come to see my dad's embarrassment. Just because there was peace in the pantheons didn't mean they couldn't be using every opportunity to get dirt on the other side? Old habits die hard after all.
Like the not so covert so called 'General' that was crawling through a flower bed several yards to our left. Now to give the guy credit he had shrunk himself down a bit from normal. Still doesn't make it hard to spot a seven foot tall guy built like an outhouse crawling through a bed of pansies.
Unfortunately for Atlas my turning my head in his direction as a result of sensing him there alerted Artemis to physically look in his direction from behind me. Well I couldn't see her expression but I was guessing by his sudden look of wide eyed terror despite the camouflage paint on his face that it was not a good one.
"I can't believe I am saying this but leave him alone." I said quietly but firmly holding her hand so she couldn't use it to summon a weapon. If she decided to throw a knife with her free hand I was pretty much out of options seeing as I only had the one fully usable one.
"Look at the crowd we are drawing, this is better than I could have ever imagined." Kymopoleia said almost gleefully as my dad looked less impressed.
"What exactly do you want from me? I cannot annul the marriage without Briares consent lest Styx will take punishment from both of us."
"Oh is that all I need I am sure I can persuade him to sign something. He only needs one hand to hold the pen right." She said with glee as a large flamberge like blade appeared in her hand. The undulating sword was almost as tall as she was but she held it in one hand as if it was no heavier than a kitchen knife.
"You cannot torture him into agreeing either!" My father shouted in response to her taking a practice swing at the nearest flower bed which just so happened to be where Atlas was hiding narrowly missing decapitating the Titan's head. Judging by her slightly prolonged look at the area afterwards she had now spotted him as well.
"And why is that exactly because of the whole I must promise to be a good wife crap and not do anything that goes against the will of my husband. Well guess what I have broken that vowel plenty of times and he keeps on coming back so what difference does another go make. I have enough punishment being in his very presence, whatever that stupid accursed river can throw at me can't be anything near as bad."
"If I may comment that stupid river also has a massive chip on her shoulder towards this family and me in particular." I chipped in only to be laughed at by the goddess.
"Sounds like a personal problem, what is she going to do attack me in the ocean? I would like to see her try and besides her little attack dog does not do well when wet. I know what happened last time he tried swimming in waters he did not belong in. I can guarantee he won't survive a swim in my waters." She explained and I got the feeling she was talking about Pallas but past that I didn't understand what she was referring too. Something to ask Artemis afterwards I suppose.
"Kymopoleia. I know you want revenge but do not act rashly. Deep down there is a part of you that does actually care about others. Why else would you help Marina?" Artemis asked surprisingly.
"I would have thought that was obvious. It is my fault her mother died after all. I suppose I owed her something in exchange for the abuse she suffered afterwards as a result. I know what it feels like to be mistreated by those that are supposed to be called parents." She said shooting our father a withering look.
"Kymopoleia!" Poseidon reacted angrily only to find himself looking down a serrated blade.
"As if you didn't know that I was responsible for that storm. The only reason I did it was because your goody two shoes heir seemed to be enjoying himself with her company. Whilst I had just found my dear freak was back. Things did not exactly seem fair so I decided to balance the scales as Nemesis would put it."
"So what you killed an innocent person merely because your brother was having more fun than you?" Surprisingly that comment came from Artemis who was now gripping my hand like a vice.
"Oh please quit acting like this is surprising or out of character for me. Besides you are not one to judge on killing an innocent any more than my father is. When was the last time you killed a mortal or better yet how many of your hunters have you allowed to die over the years for the crime of becoming smitten with a boy. I bet they would all be rolling in their graves now if they could see you with him." She said looking at me but the strange thing was though what she said was scathing to Artemis or so I imagined, to me it was as if a defence mechanism. Her eyes held nothing but sadness as if she was simply trying to push anyone that got to close away from her. I was forced to wrap my arm around Artemis to stop her breaking my grasp and tearing the other goddess apart.
"Leave now Kymopoleia! You are not my daughter and I have nothing further to discuss with you."
"That is the first honest thing you have said to me in three millennia. You are right I am no longer your daughter. The last trace of that innocent little girl died with Rhodes all that is left is this bitter creature, what you made me become!" She spat angrily her arm shaking as she continued to hold the blade towards my father's face.
"I'm… Sorry. Now leave." My father said after a short pause.
"Oh don't worry I was planning to, I have what I finally wanted in this cursed life of mine. An apology." She said with a forced smile removing the blade from my father's face. However the way she worded it had a sense of finality to it that was not right. Before I could question it further to myself she had grabbed the sword mid-blade and span it point towards her own chest.
"Kym Stop!" I shouted desperately trying to stop her by word and force as I attempted to stop time for her. Only for the power of the ocean in her to stop me from doing so. With Artemis between me and her there was no way I was going to make it in time. The worst part was looking at my father and seeing a look of weary resignation on his face making him look like he had aged massively in seconds.
Over the years I have become more used to shocking scenes of violence than I frankly should have and have similarly commited quite a few of them. But watching someone commit suicide in front of you is not something even I could watch knowing that person was my own half-sister and I was unable to stop her only made me close my eyes harder.
"Umph." I heard her cry out in more in surprise than in pain.
"Not so hasty." I heard a familiar voice call out gruffly as I suddenly opened my eyes and watched the struggle going on in front of me.
Atlas had appeared behind the goddess and locked his hands around the blade preventing the sword from travelling the last few millimetres into the goddess's heart. However as he was now located behind her directly if he let her go and she impaled herself on the sword, he too likely would likely get skewered.
"Let go of me you oaf!" Kym called over her shoulder angrily trying to jerk the blade out of his hand. The problem was she had no easier point of grip than he did on the blade and despite her inhuman strength she was quite literally out matched by the Titan who was it's very embodiment.
"Not happening anytime soon, I dislike watching pretty girls falling on their swords." Atlas grunted back.
Hold up did he just call Kymopoleia pretty?
"Err. What did you-. Come again?" Kym stammered out evidently as lost as the rest of us watching.
"Well sure if you old man feels like doing it, I will happily hand him my sword now and send him on his way to Tartarus. But a gorgeous creature like you should never take her own life." Atlas said in annoyance confirming the first statement whilst simultaneously I noticed the blade beginning to bend downwards slightly from where he was holding it.
Were it not for the seriousness of the situation I probably would have found it hilarious for the shade of crimson that Kym was turning as she blushed harder than should have been inhumanly possible considering her ichor was as golden as that running down the blade from both of their hands.
It was then to everyone's complete shock when he suddenly released one hand cupped her cheek in it and kissed her square on the lips. All the while still holding the sword with the other just as unyielding as before.
"What the fuck am I looking at now?" Artemis said in exasperation evidently as confused as I was.
"Zoe gaining a new step-mother I think." I joked into her ear as I watched as before long Kym drop the sword and start making out with the Titan who tossed it aside half-heartedly in my father's direction. Sure enough the blade was well and truly at a thirty degree angle half way down the blade.
"If it distracts him from spying on us all the time, I couldn't care less. Though someone doesn't look to happy about this." She said nodding towards my father who was frowning.
"Atlas let go of my daughter!" My father demanded only to get an index finger raised as if to say one moment in response from the pair of them. It was not for another thirty seconds that they finally separated in the desire for air.
"I'm sorry but has anyone seen this gentleman's daughter, before he goes around claiming I have them?" Atlas said sarcastically causing Kym to chuckle in response.
"Last I checked he did not have any daughters anymore, he is clearly going senile." Kym added laughing as my father turned red with anger. Sure enough I could feel the ground trembling.
"Dad enough! You would have let her die and done nothing and yet now she isn't, you feel anger at the one who saved her. I do not know for what reason you acted as you did in the past but I thought you had changed for the better. After all how can you complain about what she has done when you very nearly destroyed this entire palace over a few insults." I told him firmly and sure enough the tremors below ceased almost immediately.
"Poseidon that is enough for today, please return to Atlantis before there is any more trouble." A gentle yet firm voice called from behind us all instantly causing my father to stiffen up as if caught with his hand in the cookie pot. Overhead thunder gently rumbled as if someone was laughing at his brother's expense.
"Mother." He said bowing his head slightly to the former queen of the Titans who responded in kind before giving me a final look and disappearing into golden light leaving nothing but a slight smell of salt water in his wake.
"Now then do none of you have anything better to do?" Rhea said turning on the rest of the onlookers who suddenly realised they had places to be and began to make themselves scarce.
With the exception of the Hesperides and Calypso who began the long task of unravelling the tangled mess that was Ladon's heads whilst alternately shooting their father and Kym looks of curiosity.
"Grandmother." Artemis and I both said simultaneously causing the Titaness to chuckle.
"You know if you say that whilst holding hands people may get the wrong impression. But I am not one to talk about familial relationships taboos. Though I must say that they make a surprisingly reasonable couple all things considered." Rhea said to us before looking at the odd couple and I watched as Kym was forced to change her hair from its usual jellyfish tentacle self, to a more natural black strands when Atlas tried to brush it out of her face only to end up getting stung.
"Loud, obnoxious, violent, self-centred and yet surprisingly caring when they want to be. They were pretty much made for one another." I said causing the Titaness to smile and nod.
"They still look normal compared to you too though and somehow I think they will get into less trouble. How are you doing Percy I can see that your wound is doing well all things considered? Though I understand that the Perseus situation may take a bit longer to fix."
"I will be fine and they don't want to kill each other or us anymore so that is a start I suppose. How do you always know everything that goes on around here, do you keep our rooms tapped or something."
"As is if I would have to resort to such under-handed techniques as the mortals. I have to keep an eye on five children as well as the rest of you grand-children. I have had a lot of practice."
"Five children? Oh right Hestia never does anything wrong." I deduced quickly earning a smile from the elderly Titaness.
"Sometimes I wonder if the rest of you could follow her example but then again that may be boring." She said turning towards the new couple.
"Atlas treat her nicely, she has lost a lot. As shall you if you upset her, she is my oldest grandchild after all." She said shifting from caring to veiled threat to caring in fewer sentences. I had often heard that during the earlier days of the Golden Age that Kronos had ruled with an iron fist, Rhea was the velvet glove that it wore when a more subtle approach was needed. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt to get punched by it.
"Yes Ma'am." The Titan of strength said strangely politely reinforcing the point.
"Grandmother I am sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about dear; your father will learn to understand your decision and come to accept it. He may pretend he didn't care what happened to you but the ichor on the grass over there suggests otherwise. As for your mother, well I never liked her personally either. She has a sad habit of looking down on those who don't follow her own choices. She reminds me of Hera's darker side for lack of a better analogy. You will be staying here for a bit I take it." She said finally but the way it was put was less of a question and more of a command. The so I can keep an eye on you sort of command. After that that the former queen left without any further comment. sure enough there was also a few drops of ichor on the grass where my father had been standing below where his hands would have been.
"Artemis with regards to Marina, it was an accident what happened with her mother. I was trying to sink a pirate vessel in the area and she got to close to the storm. I learned about it afterwards."
"I know why you said it and I will not mention it to her, however should you bring up my dead hunters in vain again and you will wish that you had fallen on that sword." Artemis threatened seriously.
"I would expect nothing less from you." She said calmly with a small smile before turning to me.
"Thank you for trying to stop me, even if you could not do so. Maybe you are not so bad for a spoiled little brother."
"Any big sister that brings a broadsword taller than me to a family 'chat' is OK with me too." I said with a grin.
"Someone in this family that understands you need to be armed when dealing with annoying relatives, then again your chats normally result in said relative's deaths."
"Right then we better be off to go supervise the menagerie of idiots inside. Have fun and Atlas if you are caught snooping again she will not have to worry about losing her virgin goddess status." Artemis said laughing as Kym turned crimson and me and Atlas simultaneously cocked our heads in confusion looking at her before I felt myself being transported back to my chambers my/our bedroom in particular which was thankfully currently a Perseus free zone.
"Kym is a virgin goddess, seriously?" I asked surprised.
"Is it really that hard to believe? She may have mentioned her and her husband don't get along."
"Ok but we just left her alone with the 'Lord of Strength and Endurance'." I stated using air quotes.
"Look at you getting all defensive of your big sister, it is kind of cute. I wonder how protective you will be of Andromeda. Besides Atlas won't rush things for one simple reason."
"Because she will run him through with a sword? That is probably the sort of thing he classifies as foreplay." I pointed out with a shudder.
"In all likelihood I would agree but the real reason is much more obvious. He will not want another daughter any time soon. He already has a Titaness and four Nymphs as well as Zoe. A goddess girlfriend who will not take crap from anyone, no matter the consequences. Do you really think he wants another daughter with his strengths and her would be mother's attitude towards parents. No I think your sister's honour is safe for the moment."
"They could have a boy… Oh who am I kidding this is Atlas I am talking about." I said trying and failing to keep a straight face.
"Come on then let's go see what the children have been up to when unattended." She said dragging me towards the door and my doppelgangers beyond.
AN. Well i could list a number of excuses as long as this chapter in all fairness but generally a lack of motivation in the time i had and a lack of time in the periods i was motivated just about covers it. i pretty much had to take a week off work to get this written as it was.
Now i never planned on this scene becoming a chapter in its own right, but it ended up a lot longer than i anticipated and there was no point in including it another chapter where i would have immediately changed characters and locations. this is the first chapter in almost a hundred without a single line break or change of perspective or really change of location which is unusual for me to consider.
And Artemis can finally not have to worry about covert pervert Atlas!
Any how i hope you enjoy reading this and i am deeply sorry for the delay but i promise i will finish this story. i may kick and scream about it but i will do so.