Chapter 2 here we go! This took me the entire day to write since 7 am lol It's now 6 pm for me and I wanted to write three chapters for three of my longing fics...I'm tired lol. But I hope you'll like it! Please tell me what you thought of it!
Poseidon helps her into his chariot, and then they make their way back to Atlantis. The Sea God also makes sure to tell the news that Kym is coming home to Amphitrite through their telepathic bond. He knows that his wife must be waiting on bated breath. He hears her respond and he knows she's excited.
They both stay silent during their ride home. Kym doesn't speak at all and Poseidon is a bit scared to approach her. He was simply happy that she still let him hold her hand, despite not being able to hug her yet. He relished the simple contact, and he hoped there would be more occasions for him to show her his love.
Once they arrive close to the palace, they get out of the chariot while a merman guard goes to bring it back where it belongs when not being used. Poseidon sees Kym struggling with her disk, so he tries to offer a gentle hand.
"I can carry it for you if you need it." He says gently. Kymopoleia looks up to him, tightening her grip on the disk unconsciously. "No, it's fine, I can manage." She is then finally able to pull it back onto her back. And she descends from the chariot, without asking for help.
The palace is a bit of a walk away from where Poseidon keeps the chariot. So both deities make their way through the rather busy streets of Atlantis. Which doesn't help calm Kymopoleia's anxiety about coming home again.
Their people stare at her. Some of them fled away from her as if she was cursed or something. Others simply make comments that are not in their range of hearing. At least, not her Father's. He seems lost in his thoughts a bit.
Kym doesn't dare to hold his hand publicly because she knows they will comment on it and possibly make fun of her. Or maybe they wouldn't dare since she's not alone. But still, she prefers to leave some distance between her and Poseidon.
This makes her father a bit sad as he watches her walking at a fair distance from him. He also doesn't miss how she grips at the leather straps holding her disk on her back so tightly that her knuckles are white. His heart aches as he sees her anxiety and fear, he thinks it's because she's scared of coming into a new Palace.
He can't bear to see one of his children so afraid. So he tries to gently bring her comfort while respecting her boundaries, so he lays a gentle hand on the back of her disk.
Kymopoleia feels his gesture and looks up to him and he smiles at her. The grip she had on the strap releases a little bit.
The young goddess tried to steal her nerves as she heard whispers coming her way as Poseidon and she arrived in Atlantis. Kymopoleia had wondered how Atlanteans would react to her coming back.
She heard the people saying many horrible things.
"Poseidon must have lost his mind for good, bringing her back to cause more chaos." One woman said.
"Maybe he finally saw reason and will throw her in Tartarus." Another voice responded.
It made Kymopoleia shake.
Maybe they were right, her Father would play the part and then throw her away and never want to see her again.
"Does she truly believe she can simply walk back in after all these years? She's a disgrace to the Royal Family."
She tried to not listen to them, but she couldn't help but fear for what awaited her inside the throne room. Were her siblings going to be happy to see her return? Did they still love her? What if Mother doesn't want her back? Even if technically her Father had said that she wanted her home, Kym has trouble believing it.
Her heart was pounding inside her chest, she would have probably wobbled through the stairs. Kymopoleia wanted to return home, but she was starting to question if her wish wasn't a bad idea.
They finally reach the gates of the palace, Poseidon steps forward and two Merman guards bow at him. They speak for a few moments. Kymopoleia doesn't really pay attention. She's too focused on the people watching her from behind now.
It was as if they followed her to watch her get banished for good. Their shatter becomes louder this time. Poseidon turns to look behind to see what the ruckus was all about, he didn't expect to see his people point at Kymopoleia like she was some sort of public attraction.
He narrows his eyes, feeling his temper running thin and raising his hand. "Enough," he said. His tone left no room for argument. And so every person stopped talking and focused on their King's command.
The young goddess looks up as she hears her Father's command. She didn't expect him to react that way.
"You may take your leave and not return until I say otherwise." He orders as some merfolk are still lingering around. But they finally make their leave.
He looks down at his trembling daughter, and his glance softens. "Don't listen to them, Kym." He says gently. "They don't know any better."
She nods silently. But deep down, she believes that he doesn't care about her anyway.
He's just pretending, like everyone else.
Taking a deep breath, she watches as the guards open the grand coral doors leading them inside the palace, Poseidon gestures for her to go first. He smiles encouragingly. She does.
She takes in the view of her parent's new Palace. It was truly beautiful, the exterior was shining in a rainbow of color. The walls had been made using an abalone shell with the blue of the sea reflecting on it. At the same time, the walls were technically white on the outside.
Although she felt uncertain about her willingness to come back, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of safety as she walked inside the corridor. She missed this feeling for a long time. Kymopoleia feels her breath pick up pace as they get closer to the next room.: the throne room.
She can hear hushed sounds coming from behind the huge doors. One guard steps forward and knocks before they enter. Her hands start shaking involuntarily and she tries to calm herself.
Poseidon leads the way and guides Kymopoleia with him.
When she enters, she sees Amphitrite and Triton standing up from both of their thrones. She sees that her Mom hasn't changed very much since the last time she saw her. Amphitrite still wears her hair the same way she usually does when she's off duty. Her hair is down and she has her crab claws pins neatly placed on either side of her hair. And to Kym's surprise, she's smiling at her.
Kymopoleia is thankful no subjects are here at this time, they can't bother her or make fun of her as her mom rushes from her throne and waits no time to pull her into a tight embrace. "My little one, I missed you so much." The Queen of the Sea says as she holds her youngest tightly as if someone is going to separate them again.
The young goddess loathes to admit it, but she sighs in contentment as she smells her mom's sweet smell mixed with the sea air. Kymopoleia desperately wants to call her "Mama" again but she's too shy and thinks it would be inappropriate to call the Queen like this.
Poseidon watches the scene smiling. He's relieved that Kymopoleia accepted her mother's embrace. He's also envious, but he hopes that she'll feel comfortable with him soon. He longs to hold her in his arms.
Mother and daughter stay like this for a few more moments before Amphitrite finally pulls away and discreetly wipes away her tears. Triton, who had been quietly watching beside Poseidon, swam forward, his conch shell strapped to his side.
"It's good to have you back, little sister. " The merman says, smiling warmly at her, she blushes a bit as he pulls her into an embrace. She had not anticipated such affection from her family.
Triton had always seemed more formal and he was busy being the heir the oldest. So they weren't very close growing up, along with the fact that their age gap was huge even by mortal standards. Kymopoleia had thought Triton wouldn't have been happy to see her for that reason and because she was so different from the rest of their family.
Triton had been very sad when he found out Kymopoleia had left because she felt like she didn't belong there. He felt guilty that he did not spend more time with her. Like his parents, he had been consumed by his duties when she was born.
After the heartwarming reunion, awkwardness settles in and silence fills the throne room. Everyone seems to be grappling with their own ways of not making Kym uncomfortable as she looks down at her feet and fidgets with the straps of her disk slightly.
Amphitrite decides it's a good time to show Kymopoleia around and let her settle in as she sees the metal disk is still hanging on her daughter's back.
"Kym, why don't I show you your room? It's been a long journey back home." Kymopoleia looks up to her Mom, and she quietly nods.
Amphitrite smiles at her youngest daughter. Then they make their way over to the family wing. During their walk, Kymopoleia doesn't dare to talk much. She's simply taking in the details of this new palace.
It seems like not much has changed, but this one seems to be a lot bigger. As they walk through the halls, Kymopoleia sees the portraits of their family directly on the walls, she sees Rhode and Benth as children, and then there is Triton wearing his formal robes when he officially began to train to become King.
And to her surprise, Kymopoleia sees a picture of her as a toddler. She's cradled in her Father's arms and her parents actually do seem happy to have her.
"You were such an adorable baby," Amphitrite says when she looks at the mosaic. "I wish you could all go back to being little ones again."
Kymopoleia sighs softly, she also wishes she could feel the same love she used to feel when she was this small. When she didn't make storms and when her parents seemed to actually care about her.
They continue to walk and finally, they reach Kymopoleia's room. It's directly across Rhode's.
"This is the room we made for you when your Father built the Palace," Amphitrite says as she opens the huge door. She encourages Kym to enter.
The young Goddess looks around the room. Her eyes landed on the bed which had a canopy and the bed was placed directly in front of the huge window looking outside towards the sea, where a worn stuffed animal had been placed in the middle of it.
Kymopoleia grabs the plushie and smiles. She thought her parents would have gotten rid of it by now. She thinks she'll finally be able to sleep peacefully now that she has her seahorse once again.
"We hoped that you would come home someday, so we kept most of your belongings. But we can get you new things if you don't like these anymore."
"No, I like it the way it is." She responds. "Thank you for making me a room," Kym adds shyly. Amphitrite gives her daughter a reassuring smile. "Of course, we wouldn't forget about you sweetheart."
As the Sea Goddess finishes her sentence she realizes how much Kym seemed isolated from them. And the thought hurt her badly, she wished she had done things differently with her youngest child. But then, she left and now, Amphitrite was determined to make sure her daughter felt loved and accepted with them.
Amphitrite's heart aches as she silently observes her daughter holding the plushie like she used to as a small child. The Goddess wishes Posseidon would see this after they spent so many years thinking that their child was only capable of expressing rage and anger.
Kymopoleia had been created directly from Poseidon's emotions, which is what they believed caused her to be so angry all the time. But then again, Poseidon tried to control himself despite having a similar temper, while Kymopoleia seemed to find comfort in the chaos and destruction she had caused.
But now, Amphitrite saw another side of their daughter that she once thought was not possible.
"I'll let you settle for now, if you need anything, I'll be in my office." Kymopoleia realizes that her mom saw her hug the plushie and quickly puts it back into its place on the bed. "Okay."She responds quietly.
Amphitrite refrains from hugging her once more even though she really wants to, but she's afraid of scaring Kymopoleia into leaving again. So she gives her daughter a gentle smile as she closes the door behind her.
Kymopoleia settles down in her new room, she places her metal disk close to the nightstand just like she used to back when she lived in the ruins. She checks the huge wardrobe and sees that it is filled with outfits already. But there are some empty shelves where she places some of her old clothes.
She eventually falls asleep, clutching her seahorse plushie.
….
As the day progresses, Poseidon and Amphitrite go about their duties, while Kymopoleia stays in her room. Sometimes, Poseidon looks out towards the hallway leading to the Throne room hoping to see her. But she doesn't appear. He knows it will take some time for her to feel comfortable around them, but he hopes she will feel at Home.
Amphitrite isn't much better, she sometimes stands in front of Kym's room and tries to hear if she's doing well. She wants to give her space, but at the same time, she would love to spend more time with her.
Once nighttime has settled, the royal family gathers around the dinner table. All waiting anxiously to see if Kymopoleia will appear. Sadly, she doesn't make an appearance yet, which worries Amphitrite deeply.
"My love I don't think Kym might want to come out for the night." Poseidon tries to reassure her but Amphitrite shakes her head. "I don't like to know she's alone in her room. Maybe I should check on her?" She sits in her seat.
"Or she might simply need some time alone," Triton adds as he sips on a cup of nectar. "After all, it's been a lot of changes for her and she might feel overwhelmed."
Amphitrite bites her lip. "Maybe you're right, Triton," she agrees. I hope she'll come to us if she needs something."
Poseidon takes her hand into his and gives it a gentle squeeze as he sees Amphitrite struggle. "I'm sure she'll open up more during the next few days." Amphitrite smiles hopefully.
"I hope you're right Po." With that, they go back to their meal, chatting about Rhode and Benthesykime's arrival the next day for a family reunion. Along with Percy coming for a small holiday.
Amphitrite cannot help but make a plate with different kinds of foods they have. Then she makes a note for her, hoping that Kymopoleia will see the love she has for her despite everything. So if by any chance Kymopoleia is hungry, she will find it on the counter in the kitchen. But then she sighs and realizes that Kym might not know where the kitchen is.
The Queen finds a servant who is cleaning the plates from the table and asks them to bring the shell platter she prepared to Kymopoleia's room. The servant nods and does as they are ordered.
After that, Amphitrite prepares for the rest of her duties, she has to attend a council in Atlantis because her dear husband is too bored out of his mind, and they exchange places every other time except on Olympus where they both attend along with Triton.
When Amphitrite comes home, she finds the platter empty and on the counter. The note isn't there anymore. She smiles softly and makes a mental note to try and spend more time with her.
….
Percy arrived back in Atlantis the next day, along with his two Godly Sisters for the "Family reunion" Amphitrite had planned since Kymopoleia's return. Percy was happy that he got to bring her home, even if they didn't know each other that well.
Amphitrite had been more than happy to have him there with them once more. She was always very kind and welcoming to him. The Goddess of the Sea had even baked him cookies the first time she learned he was going to spend the night there. And she had given him a manatee plush when she showed him to his room.
"Make yourself at home, darling, we'll be eating soon. I hope you're going to enjoy staying with us for the holidays, And maybe one day your mum can come and join us as well!" She says enthusiastically.
"Thank you, Amphi." He replies politely as he takes his place around the large table.
Oh, how he thanked the gods that he was lucky enough to have her as his stepmother instead of Hera.
As he sat down, Kymopoleia entered the room shortly after. She was still adjusting to her surroundings, having been back for a little bit now, but still distant and quiet. Percy notices her nervousness as she fidgets with the hem of her dress.
Amphitrite was surprised to finally see her daughter come to dinner with them. Her heart swelled with joy and relief. "Kymopoleia, I'm so happy you decided to come down for dinner!" she exclaimed happily.
Kymopoleia looks up, her cheeks blushing slightly at the attention but also relieved to see how happy her mom was to see her. She feels her gentle hand guide her towards a seat next to hers and at Percy's left.
"Here, you can sit with your brother." She says, her tone is gentle.
Percy tries to give her a gentle smile, and Kym settles down next to him quietly. But he does see the way she responds with a shy smile of her own. She seemed a lot more reserved than in his dreams.
Then, the rest of their siblings also take their places. Rohde and Benthesykime sit across from them while Triton faces their father at the other end of the table.
Poseidon was the only one missing. Amphitrite had told them that he had some important business to attend to with his counselors. Everyone chatted peacefully, while Amphitrite kept glancing at Kymopoleia discreetly. She wished she could offer her youngest daughter some comfort without being overbearing.
They wait for a few more minutes until Poseidon finally arrives. "My apologies, the Council kept on going longer than anticipated." He says as he smiles at everyone.
But before he can sit down two of his daughters rush to give him a cuddle.
"Papa!" Rhode exclaims as she's the first one to reach their father. It had been a long time since she and Benthesykime last saw him, having their own palaces to run now. Poseidon can't help but smile as he holds both of them, his fatigue from the council completely forgotten.
He adores cuddles.
Kymopoleia watches the display of affection silently, but Amphitrite doesn't miss the longing in her eyes. She had never seen this side of him before. She always assumed he was harsh and authoritative. But it was far from the truth.
Poseidon also sees the way their youngest daughter seems to hesitate in giving him affection so he tries to offer her a warm smile. But as soon as their eyes meet, Kymopoleia looks back down at her plate, leaving Poseidon sad that he can't reach her yet, but he's hopeful that with time, she might feel more comfortable.
The dinner goes smoothly. They all chat joyously while Amphitrite shares some funny stories about how she met their father and how he sang her whale songs when he courted her. And how sad he was when she first refused his advances.
Even Kym, who had been silent throughout the meal, giggled quietly. The rare sound seems to bring everyone to a pause. Rhode and Benthe exchange a silent glance as they hear it, silently promising to make sure to bring it out more as they spend time with their little sister. While Amphitrite beams at the small victory. Poseidon smiles in response. They all missed spending time together as a united family so much.
….
As she settles into her new life back in Atlantis, Kymopoleia still sort of avoids her parents. She feels like an outcast in her own home. Especially when everyone seems so comfortable with each other and she's not. She feels alone, and she can't help but wonder if coming back is a good idea.
The young goddess has had a lot of nightmares since returning. She thought they might go away but they didn't.
One particularly restless night, she lies in her bed, holding her seahorse plushie in hopes it will bring some comfort. Her breathing suddenly becomes more shallow and she has a hard time gasping for air. She sits up in the bed and tries to soothe herself. But it doesn't work.
Then pictures of Tartarus appear in her mind, the mockery of the Atlanteans too. And it becomes too much for her.
Kymopoleia knows that she should seek help, but she doesn't want to appear like a burden when she already has caused so much trouble to her family. And a part of her wonders if they might not even make fun of her.
She hesitates in front of her bedroom door until she feels like everything around her is getting dark and closing in. So she leaves quickly and starts making her way towards her parent's quarters. Her heart is beating fast inside her chest.
The young goddess finally reaches her destination. Their door is open, which surprises her but she enters quietly and looks around the huge room.
The nest is empty and she sighs sadly, she had hoped that her Mom would be here at least. But then she remembers that she does her duties at night sometimes and it might be one of those.
She doesn't know where her father could be, and she'd rather not bother him. Unknown to her, Poseidon is actually inside his study which is adjacent to their bedroom.
He's working on a few more treatises for Atlantis. His mind is focused on the task at hand, but he's always alert if his family needs him. Poseidon hears the silent footsteps inside the other room, and being an attentive father he recognizes when one of his little ones needs comfort.
So he sets his paperwork aside for later and goes inside his bedroom and he sees Kymopoleia standing in the doorway of his room.
It was not rare for one of their children to come to sleep with them in the nest if they had a lot of stress or nightmares. Both Amphi and Poseidon encouraged them to come anytime. But Kymopoleia hadn't been there for a long time, and they thought she might not feel comfortable for a while. They accepted it. But a part of them was sad that she might not want to come back into the nest.
Triton only came when explicitly invited. Only Rhode and Benthesykime seemed to come often on their own anymore.
She's almost out of the room before he catches her by the forearm.
"Kym, is everything alright?" He asks. His tone is gentle and full of concern as he watches her shake silently.
Kymopoleia bites her lip and looks down at the floor in shame. "I-I had a nightmare." She admits softly. She almost closes her eyes and waits for her father to make fun of her, and to tell her that she's almost grown and doesn't need to sleep into the nest like a baby. But he doesn't.
"I understand," he says, all too familiar with the feeling of being scared at night. He still has nightmares about his father.
Poseidon takes her small hand into his own as he gently guides her towards the nest.
"It's alright, come here." With a reassuring smile, he pulls back the blankets and gestures for her to climb in. Kymopoleia hesitates slightly but then she decides that it's going to be the only way for her to get some sleep tonight. So she crawls into the bed and settles underneath the warm blankets. Being in the nest brings an instant sense of peace.
Poseidon joins her on the left side, he can't hide the joy he feels at being so close to her again. It has been too long since they were able to give her such affection, so he secretly relishes the fact he might be able to cuddle her.
"You're safe here, little one," he whispers tenderly, trying to help her relax because she's still very stiff.
Amphitrite will be back soon and will be overjoyed to see their youngest daughter back in the nest.
At first, Kym stays a bit far away from him but then Poseidon feels Kym getting closer to him as he purposefully extends an arm so she can cuddle into his side and sleep like this if she wants to. He remains patient and understanding. But after a few minutes, he feels her get closer, her movements are tentative as if she is scared of possibly being rejected.
The thought makes him heartbroken. But he holds her protectively when she finally settles in his embrace. His arm wrapped around her.
That's how Amphitrite finds them. Her eyes widened in shock and overwhelming joy at seeing her in the nest. The scrolls she had been carrying almost fell from her grasp. "Kym!" She squeals but catches herself as she sees her daughter blush.
"Sweetie, is everything okay?" she asks as she puts the scrolls on the nearest furniture she can find before she approaches with gentle steps. Her love for her child is evident in her eyes.
Kymopoleia still nestled in her Papa's side blushes slightly in embarrassment. "I-I had nightmares, I couldn't sleep well," she confessed.
Amphitrite looks at Kymopoleia saddened at the sight of her daughter's tired face. Her motherly instincts are screaming, so she waits no time and changes from her formal attire to her nightgown faster than Poseidon had time to think.
In the next instant, Amphitrite appears on Kym's other side. She quickly adjusts the blankets to reach up to Kym's chin, fretting over her youngest child.
"How long have you been without sleep? Are you feeling alright?" Amphitrite asks with concern, searching for signs of exhaustion on her daughter's face and gently rubbing at her dark circles. She also plants a gentle kiss on Kym's forehead.
Kymopoleia is not accustomed to receiving such parental care and affection, but she welcomes it, she misses her parents, and she feels loved.
Poseidon chuckles at his wife's smotherhen tendencies, "Is the bed uncomfortable? Would you like to cuddle? We can cuddle!" Amphitrite persists, not giving Kym a chance to respond.
Her mother continues to check for any signs of discomfort, while Poseidon recognizes that their daughter might be feeling overwhelmed. "Amphi, my love, I know you mean well, but perhaps Kym needs some space," he suggests, as Amphi proceeds to wrap Kym in every blanket known to the gods.
Despite the overwhelming display of affection by her mother's worry, Kym whispers reassurance. "It's okay, Mama." Amphitrite stops her smothering for a second."I missed you calling me Mama," she says. using a term of endearment instead of the formal "Mother" she had used when she first returned.
Kymopoleia gives her mom a gentle smile as she sees how emotional she is. She never realized how much her parents seemed to love her.
Amphitrite restrains herself from hugging Kymopoleia too tightly, aware that she may not yet be fully comfortable with physical affection. But just having her back in their company is already a gift. She finally settles next to Kym's other side so she knows she'll be protected from harm.
Poseidon smiles as he sees Kymopoleia beginning to relax.
The paperwork will wait until tomorrow.