Chapter [6]
The Olympians stared at the interaction between the three with wide eyes.
Percy calmed at the comfort of his two patrons. He looked back toward Zeus and his father.
"When I got there, both she and her fiancé Paul were dead. All that I found was a note from their killer." Percy spat angrily.
Poseidon stood from his throne in a rage, "What? Who killed them? I will drag them to Tartarus for eternity."
Percy's eyes darkened and he turned toward Athena, "She already is in Tartarus."
Athena's eyes widened and a look of horror crossed her face. Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out a note. He walked over and handed it to the stunned goddess.
The throne room shook violently. Everyone looked at Poseidon to see his eyes were such a dark green they were almost black.
"Read it." Poseidon growled at his longtime rival.
Athena paled a bit and looked at the note, reading it quickly to herself. When she finished, the first tears anyone had ever seen from the Goddess of Wisdom fell from her eyes. She shook her head, "I..I can't."
Poseidon slammed his trident into the throne room floor causing a crater, "READ IT!" He bellowed at the Wisdom Goddess.
Athena looked at her father who shook his head, "Read the note Athena, he deserves to know."
Athena steeled her nerves as best she could before looking at the note again.
"Dear Percy,
If you're reading this, then you somehow won the war. If that's the case, I thought I would leave you with a parting gift. Your parents are dead because you were dumb enough to think I would love you.
Enjoy life alone,
Annabeth"
Athena finished before looking over at Poseidon expecting him to try to blast her.
Instead Poseidon was slumped in his throne with his head in his hands as he sobbed. She looked at Percy expecting the same but he was just standing with an emotionless face as he glared at the floor. Demeter and Hestia were trying to comfort their brother as best they could.
After several minutes, Poseidon collected himself enough to sit in his throne and wait to hear more about his son.
Athena turned to Percy, "Perseus, I'm sorry…." She started before Percy interrupted her.
"Don't Lady Athena. You don't owe me an apology. Despite hating me, I know you would not stoop as low as to hurt my mother. She may have been your daughter but she made her own choices. I know you did not raise her to be a traitor. I hold no grudge against you. My mother's death was only two people's fault, your daughter's and my own." Percy said in an emotionless tone.
Athena stared at Percy shocked. She assumed he would blame her. She looked at him sadly, "Percy, I am sorry for judging you so harshly all those years ago but you need to know that your mother's death is no one's fault but Annabeth's."
At the mention of her name, Percy's fists clenched in rage. A comforting squeeze of his shoulder from Hera caused him to relax.
Everyone stared at the two strangely. Before Percy could respond to Athena, Poseidon spoke up.
"Percy what did you mean when you said you would be in Tartarus without Hera and Hestia?" He asked nervously.
Hera answered before Percy could, "My sister and I were watching Percy in her hearth when he discovered his parents. We looked into his mind and saw his intentions of traveling to Hades' realm to enter Tartarus, sacrificing his life in exchange for the chance of revenge against Athena's daughter. We managed to convince him not to and instead become our champion. Now he rescues demigods we send him after in the hopes they won't face a life like the one Percy has had to live."
Poseidon paled at Hera's explanation. Everyone else stared at Hera in shock.
"I thought you hated Percy?" Apollo asked, speaking for the first time.
Hera scowled at the sun god, "I disliked Percy at first. I thought he was rude and disrespectful. But after the reward ceremony on Olympus, he was trying to slip away unnoticed when he thought the throne room was empty. When he noticed I was still there, instead of ignoring me, he walked over and bowed. He apologized for speaking harshly to me after his quest in the Labyrinth and explained his reasons; I teleported him to Camp Half Blood so he wouldn't have to slip away from Olympus in appreciation for his apology. Before he left Camp Half Blood, he took the time to make a sacrifice to me, thanking me for helping him leave Olympus. So no Apollo, Percy here is actually my favorite demigod."
Everyone now stared at Percy in shock but he just kept his face emotionless.
"So now Percy rescues demigods for you and Hestia right? I thought you hated demigods?" Hermes asked.
Hera shook her head, "Actually Percy convinced me to change my views of demigods. Hestia and I now try to help them when we can by sending Percy to rescue them so they don't have to face the horrors of abusive parents or relatives."
Most of the Olympians looked at Percy with smiles, happy he was helping their children. To their surprise, his face remained emotionless.
"What was with the disguise? Why didn't you just tell me who you were? Of all men you would have been the only one I allowed to enter the hunter's camp." Artemis asked, sounding a little hurt.
Percy looked at her apologetically, "I am sorry Lady Artemis but I was trying to remain hidden. I also apologize for challenging you to an archery competition. I was just trying to keep my identity a secret."
"Don't apologize Percy, you finally put her in her place when it comes to archery. Finally she can't say she is the best anymore." Apollo said happily. Artemis looked like she was about to yell at her brother but Percy spoke first.
"Actually she is. It wasn't a fair competition. I used the moisture in the air to aid the aim of my arrows. If I hadn't cheated, she would have won easily. She remains the best archer this world's ever seen." Percy said effectively shutting up Apollo. Artemis smirked triumphantly at her brother before turning to glare at Percy.
"You cheated? So you did it just want to humiliate me?" She snapped at him.
^^^^^^^^^
add this to your library. :":"