Lost In Memories and Curses (PJO HOO STORY)

CHAPTER 10: THE SEA ALWAYS PROTECTS ITS OWN

POSEIDON POV 

I was watching my son from the throne down in Atlantis. I watched him as he and Annabeth fixed each other up and she helped him with his walking. I watched him as they caught that daughter or Aphrodite and, after failed attempts of hiding it, ended up telling her the story and then making her swear not to tell anyone.

I wanted nothing more to be with my son but that blasted old thunderhead started blabbering about the ancient laws and even made a whole show with his master bolt.

My favorite son.

Percy did not deserve what this world had to offer, what our world had to offer. He was different from the rest of our family. There were no traces of evil, greed, hatred, or need for power in his heart. I can only assume that is why some of my brothers and sisters hate him.

They cannot be like him.

He is better than us all.

After this war, I want nothing more than to damn those ancient laws, tell Zeus to go to Hades (sorry brother) and just take care of my son.

I suppose I had been watching him for quite some time now. It may sound creepy, but I found great happiness just being able to watch him lie down on that girl's lap as she played with his hair. I had never gotten the chance to be a part of his life and I want nothing more than to change that.

"You can go visit him," Amphitrite told me out of the blue, making me jump out of the starling sound that jolted me out of my thoughts. "Sorry for scaring you, my lord. It's just, you have been looking at the boy for quite some time now. I'll never understand your love for that bastard son of yours, but I suppose I can have Trison assume your duties for the time being."

I had become so excited by the fact that Amphy would let me go and visit him that I just decided to ignore the fact that she called him a bastard, which, by the way, is completely unacceptable. Percy is the Prince of the Sea. I don't care if he only has demigod blood. He is my son.

"Thank you, I will go at once!"

I quickly transported myself onto the ship, appearing in the so-called lounge area of the ship. I did not want to randomly appear in their room because I supposed it could possibly give them a panic attack, something I'd rather avoid. I blipped into the room and, all of a sudden, noticed three other people frozen in their spot, staring at me.

"Wha–?" one of them started to say. He looked like a latino elf, but the toolbelt around him told me he was a son of Hephaestus.

"Kneel, you idiot!" the other girl hissed, before dropping to one knee and pulling the other boy down with her. The second boy had also gotten down onto his knees. They both looked at the ground, their heads bowed down with respect and fear.

"Arise, demigods. I have never been one for theatrics, that was more my brother," I told them, cueing thunder to rumble in the sky. I just rolled my eyes. Zeus just needs to relax sometimes and try wearing something comfortable instead of a spiffy suit. I can lend him my sandals and khaki Bermuda shorts but it's not his style.

The girl and two boys stood up, but still rather nervously.

"Um, Lord Poseidon, why are you here?" the girl, obviously a daughter of Aphrodite, said. The other boy, the one with golden hair, the son of the Roman form of Zeus kicked her in the shin and her eyes widened a bit. "Um, I'm so sorry my Lord. I mean no disrespect. We are so honored that you–"

"Oh just relax, would you?" I said laughing. The three looked surprised. I doubt they had ever actually had a conversation with a god before, much less one as chill as me. "I have simply come to see my son, Percy."

"You... you just want to visit your kid?" the latino elf said— sorry, Leo. I should probably say their names.

"Yes, of course. Percy is my son."

They looked at me strangely and with a hint of envy in their eyes. The gods have no care for their children. We live for eons, our kids are only but a blip in our radar. Sometimes, someone special comes and goes and we start to love them. And then they die, like they all do. It was best to not get attached. But I suppose it may hurt these children as well.

"He's, uh, Percy's in his room Lord Poseidon," Piper informed me, pointing to the first door to the left. I gave her a small smile before walking in that direction.

I knocked on the door before heading a shuffling set of feet and a boy opening the door a crack. He had a look of surprise when he saw me and then opened the door the full way.

"Father! What are you doing here?" he asked. He looked a little awkward around me as well. All of this was actually making me feel really upset. Why was my son acting this way around me?

"Can I come in?" I resorted to asking. He simply nodded and opened the door wider so that I could enter. Annabeth was sitting on the bed, frozen in place, before quickly tugging a shirt on. Oh gods um...

"No, father! It was nothing like that!" Percy exclaimed, his face bright red when he realized what I was implying. "We were just changing our bandages again... for like the millionth time today."

He just rolled his eyes before sitting back down on the bed next to Annabeth. I took a seat next to him as well.

"I just wanted to come and talk to you. I wanted to see how you are doing, Percy."

"Oh um," he started, kind of unsure about where to start. "Well, I guess you already do know about everything that happened. It kind of sucks, I mean I feel like we're constantly in pain, but that's okay, we're pushing through it. The war, well, I don't even want to talk about that."

I chuckled at the last statement.

"But, you, Percy. Are you doing well? You seem distant."

"Distant? What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought we were getting better, you know?" I told him. "Why did you go back to calling me father?"

"Oh, sorry, dad," Percy mumbled sheepishly. He just rubbed the back of his neck. I knew something was bothering him. I gave a look at Annabeth, who just nodded and went to the bathroom.

"Percy, what is wrong?" I asked him. "Please, tell me. I can help you."

"Dad, down there, I did things," he whispered, his eyes filling with sadness and tears. "I did unspeakable things dad. They were hunting us and torturing us relentlessly. We were already weak and in so much pain. They made a game where I would battle a monster as a sport, everyone watched and made fun. But while I just got beaten and bruised in the arena, they tied up Annabeth somewhere else and tortured her. I heard her scream every time dad. They said the longer it took me to fight and win, the longer I was keeping her there. And dad, with my flaw, it was so hard to know that I was causing her pain."

Hearing his story broke my heart. I hated that he had to undergo so much pain, but the story didn't end there.

"Dad, I discovered a new power. I... I could control the monster's blood dad. I killed them. No, I tortured them till their own blood killed them. It was fast and it was effective. But I'm a monster dad. Gods! I'm a monster, I'm a monster, I'm—"

I grabbed his hands that he started to use to pull and hit his head.

"Percy, look at me. You are not a monster. You did whatever you had to do to survive. I am nothing but proud of you son. I will help you with your powers. I'll bring you down to Atlantis someday and we will learn to control your powers. Do not be scared Percy."

He just broke down and cried. Hearing the sound of his tears, Annabeth came out of the bathroom and just sat down next to him, rubbing his back.

"I won't leave you Percy," I promised him. "I will be a good father. The sea must protect its own."