Born to Fight

1674BC, 10 months later

Poseidon scrunched his brows as he studied the bundles that were being placed in his arms. "Um..." His confused eyes moved from the bundles up to the warm gaze of Gia. "These... these are my sons?"

She chuckled warmly. "Well yes... Twins, strong boys. As you asked for." She said in a soothing voice as she stroked a finger along one of their chubby cheeks.

Poseidon arched a brow as he continued staring down at the two sets of eyes staring back at him. "Yes... but they're... babies..."

She giggled again. "Yes. That is the way of things, no?"

He swallowed. "Well... I was expecting..."

"Adults? I birthed them." She said simply as she continued to caress their cheeks.

"As I can see..." His gaze moved from the babies in his arms back to her as he pressed the two bundles back into her arms. "I have no use for babies, I need warriors."

She frowned at his obvious rejection. "As they shall be." Her stern words softened as her attention moved back to the babies. She handed one baby back to him. "This is Orion. He shall grow into a great hunter." She nudged him when he didn't take the baby back right away. When he finally did, her attention moved down to the baby still in her arms. "And this is Areion. He will be your greatest warrior."

A muscle in Poseidon's jaw twitched. "I need them both to be great warriors."

"They are what you need, trust me." She said in a soothing voice as she pressed the baby to her breast.

He let out an irritated huff. "Very well, I'll return in five years. You can have them broke from the tit by then no doubt?"

She frowned as she watched him carry the baby to the bed and set it down. "You will not visit them at all until then?"

He sent the child in her arms a cursory glance before shaking his head and making his way toward the door. "I will not. I NEED warriors now not infants. Every day that is wasted is another day that my daughter is chained to the bloody ocean floor and forced to be a creature she was never meant to be!" He didn't wait for her reply as he stormed out of the cottage and disappeared.

Gia frowned as she watched the door slam shut. She let out a heavy sigh as she carried the baby in her arms over to the bed and placed him down as well. "He will come around my loves... you will see." She stroked both their cheeks. "He is grieving still, but you shall see... He is not a naturally cold man."

5 years later

The two tiny bodies trembled as they lay naked in the grassy meadow, young bodies pushed past the point of fatigue.

"Again," Poseidon ordered as he paced around them in obvious frustration. Two pairs of tear-filled Hazel eyes met his. He watched in growing frustration as the boys tried to push themselves up from the ground but collapsed instead. "Again!" He bent and gripped both their heads, using his powers to force their tiny bodies to shift. He gritted his teeth in anger as a hand clasped his shoulder tightly.

"Stop, father. You've gone too far." Triton nodded down to his two younger brothers. The bear cub was too weak to sit up let alone stand. The trembling foal vomited as it shifted rapidly back into human form. "You're pushing them too hard. Let me train them." He shrugged. "It may even play to your advantage. Zeus just sent his newest daughter there to board and train..." He shrugged. "More like hide and protect her from Hera, instead... She's the same age as Pellas." He felt the tension ease under his hand and loosened the grip on Poseidon's shoulder.

Poseidon pondered several options but eventually shook his head. "No, I'd never stoop to his level and torment a child or use one of his own children against him."

Tri arched a brow as he shifted his eyes back and forth between his father and the twins. "You'd never torment children who aren't yours, you mean?"

Though guilt plagued his expression, Poseidon shrugged. "It's different where they are concerned. They were created specifically for this purpose. By Gia no less." He studied the children as he rubbed his chin. "This must be some kind of joke on her part... right? There's no way they are simply children... right?" His features hardened. "No... They are warriors and children of Gia, titans, not mere children." He waved the children away. "Train them as you would adults. I need them ready as soon as possible. Your sister's life depends on it."

Triton knitted his brows as he watched his father depart back into the palace. With a heavy sigh, he uncrossed his arms and moved over to the exhausted children. He shook his head with a pitying half-smile as he scooped them up into his arms. I swear he's not always like this... I promise." His heart throbbed even more as the twins buried their tear-streaked faces into the fabric of his shirt, each muffling their sobs, as he carried them toward his waiting cart. "Don't worry, you'll not go through this again. I'll train you properly." He placed light kisses on each auburn head, pleased to hear the sobs fad with the action. He couldn't hide his warm smile as he placed them into the hay-filled cart and covered them with extra furs. Their heavy, swollen eyes shimmered back up at him with hope and admiration. His smile widened as he ruffled their hair. "You won't be the only children there either. It will be a lot of work, but fun as well... so rest up, little brothers."

He had barely made it into the saddle and gathered the reins when soft snores sounded from the cart. He glanced down at their now sleeping forms, and his smile faded. "Had I known I'd be bringing back children, I'd brought better accommodations..." His eyes traveled up to the palace. "I would ask him..." His eyes shifted back to the sleeping boys. "But I wouldn't want to risk him changing his mind." With one last glance up at the palace, he snapped the reins.

The journey took three days, but the children seemed to be in good spirits. With each wide smile they gave him, he was even more grateful for his mother's call. She'd been conflicted from the moment Poseidon had brought the boys into the palace, not wanting to show any kindness to the children of her husband and another woman... but the two beautiful boys had quickly won her over. It had begun to feel like she was watching her husband torment her own children each time he'd force them into his so-called training. She'd not been able to stand by any longer. After nearly eight long months she'd summoned him to the palace and begged him to take his brothers under his wing and protect them from their father. It had pained him to see his mother in such a way, but what was even more concerning was seeing his father still grieving so much.

He forced a smile as he lifted each boy to the ground before taking their hands. He led them into the compound where servants were lined up waiting on his arrival. He nodded to them as he neared, but his focus quickly shifted to the beautiful woman standing at the end of the line of servants. She had a wide smile spread across her full, rose-stained lips. One slim, elegant hand caressed the top of her swollen stomach as the other cradled its growing girth. Two sets of tiny hands clung to each side of her skirts as wide, bright eyes stared not at him but at the children that followed beside him. Tri chuckled as bent to kiss his wife's lips before greeting each girl. "Pellas, Athena..." He nodded to each boy, who seemed equally shy. "This is my younger brothers, Orion and Areion. They will be staying here as well and training with you girls. What do you say?"

Pellas was the first to release her mother's hem and step forward for a closer inspection. She rubbed her tiny chin thoughtfully as she leaned closer to one and then the other boy causing each to hide behind Triton's legs. Her sparkling eyes met his as an enthusiastic smile widened her lips. "Wow daddy not only do they look exactly the same, but they look so much like you!"

Triton chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "You're right, Pel, they are identical twins." He gently placed his hands on each of the boys' backs. "Why don't you take them to the nursery and get to know them better? I bet you'll be surprised to realize how different twins can actually be."

Her smile widened to a full, ear-to-ear grin revealing several missing baby teeth.

"Good girl." He said patting her head again as she took both their hands and lead them toward the main house. His gaze moved back down to the girl still clinging to his wife. "Athena, why don't you tag along as well. It's always fun to meet new friends."

Several emotions flitted across her cherub-like face until finally, her bottom lip began to tremble, and she ran off in tears. Triton's brows tented in confusion. "What was that about?"

Libya laughed as she embraced her husband, pressing her pregnant belly firmly against his lower abdomen. "I believe she is slightly worried and maybe a bit jealous that she is already getting replaced as your foster."

He scrunched his brows as his arms instinctively encircled his wife. "That is ridiculous. I would never..."

"Ah yes, You and I know you wouldn't, but for a girl who's just been rejected by her own father..." Libya purred as she ran her fingers through his short beard. She pressed up onto tiptoes to meet his lips as he lowered them to her. "I've missed you, husband." She murmured against his lips. "You should retire to our chambers..." She leaned into his soft lips as he pressed another kiss to her lips with a husky moan. Just as he was about to deepen it, she pressed a finger between their lips. Her eyes held his heated gaze. "As soon as you speak with Athena, of course."

He let out a groan. "You minx. I swear you could convince a bird to live underwater."

She chuckled as she stroked his beard one last time before patting his hard chest. "I doubt my amazing husband would ever need convincing to do right by a child." She nodded toward the area where Athena had disappeared. "Now go speak with her. I'll meet you in our chambers once I greet my new brothers-in-law." She giggled. "It is rather strange to think of those adorable boys as such." She shook her head as she continued to chuckle, heading inside the main home. "How silly..."

Triton followed the narrow path that led around the complex to his daughter's favorite hide-out. No doubt Pellas would have already brought the girl here enough times by now that she would find it blindfolded. Triton followed the low sound of sobbing as he neared the heavily shadowed training shed. He arched a brow as he lowered himself down onto the ground beside the girl. His eyes trailed over her trembling body. Her knees were pressed against her chest and her head rested on them. Her arms wrapped tightly around her knees making her already small body seem that much smaller. He reached out and patted her head. "What is it, dear?"

She sniffled as she turned teary eyes up to meet his bright seafoam green eyes. "I... I can't say..." With another sob, she buried her brightly tented cheeks into her knees once again. "It's too embarrassing." She whispered.

Suppressing a chuckle, he asked. "Would it, by chance, have anything to do with the arrival of my brothers?" though she didn't answer, the shallow gasp said all he needed to know. "Are you afraid they will take away from your training time?"

Her head snapped around to meet his warm gaze. "You will have to train them more because they are your brothers, and they are boys. You won't have time for me any longer... I'll be nothing to you once again." She burst into hysterical crying as the last bit of her sentence left her lips.

Triton patted the young goddess's back. "They will not take away from your training time or our time together. If anything, I was hoping you and Pel would be able to teach them and help with them since they are still much younger than the two of you."

Her shimmering eyes met his once again. "Really?" Her smile brightened as he nodded but quickly fell. "Promise?"

He chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "Promise." He reached out and wiped away a trail of tears with his knuckle gently before holding his arms out to the girl. "Now how about a hug?"

Athena launched her tiny body into his arms gleefully. "Thank you." She whispered, placing a light kiss against the soft hair of his beard.

He set her on her feet as he pushed himself up from the ground. "No need to thank me, you've become like a daughter to me as well. My home and arms will always be open to you." He sent her a wide, warm smile as he held his hand out for the girl. "What do you say we head back now?"

She nodded, her cheeks flushing as she took his enormous hand. Though her tears had faded, her smile faded, and her heart pounded from the warmth of the hand holding hers. She stared up at his wide back. {What were these feelings? admiration, Gratitude, love... Whatever it was, they grew stronger each time she was around the massive sea god.}