Princess of the Sea (Fem Percy x YJ)

26

Warmth. Nestled in blankets and with my head atop a fluffy pillow, I was surround by it. I curled tighter, arms around another pillow. It smelled like Dad, and I pressed my face against it, letting the scent surround me. The mattress creaked. Fingers brushed through my hair. I cracked my eyes open. The space where Dad had been laying was empty, blankets tossed aside and sheet rumpled. 

I turned over. Amphitrite sat against the headboard. One hand rested absently on my head; her nails scritched against my scalp. I hummed and leaned into the touch. Dark eyes flickered down to me. She smiled, which wasn't the reaction I expected. Nor was the soft kiss she pressed to my forehead.  I stared up at her in shock, blanked face. 

"Your father will return soon," she said. When I continued to stare at her, my only motion a blink, she sighed. The hand in my hair brushed down over my cheek. Soft skin pressed against mine. My eyes met hers, if only because she wanted me to look at her. I wouldn't get out if I didn't do what she wanted. "He loves you." She tapped my cheek. "And I cannot fault you for your mere existence. You are a child." She glowered, but returned her hand to my hair. "You should have been raised in the palace."

There were countless reasons I could have listed off for why that was a bad idea. But there was only one I said. "And hear everyone call me a bastard?" Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Well, that revelation came late. As they always do.

"Perhaps I should have been more clear, you should have been raised in this palace." 

"My lady?" 

She continued as if she didn't hear me. "Although, I suppose it is a good thing you were not. Poseidon is already wrapped around your little finger, I cannot imagine how he would be if he raised you." Fingers tapped against my head. "I visited you once when you were a babe in arms."

"That was you?!" I shot up. Quickly, I realized what I'd done, and I folded my hands in my lap. "I always thought that was Dad."

A soft laugh fell from Amphitrite, and she eased me back down, returning her hand to my hair. "He was enamored with you," she said as if it was a taboo thing to say. "He was standing over your crib, cradling you like the most precious shell in all the ocean. Actually, the whole matter was funny in a way. Our children had no need for our care, and your father's upbringing wasn't...the best. Of all the things I expected when I followed him, him cooing and talking to you wasn't one of them." She paused. "It was also the only time he threatened me."

"He-"

"Is willing to go to great lengths to protect anything he considers his. And he is never going to stop seeing you as that baby he held all those years ago. You might not see it, but he still looks at you the same way. As much as I can try to pretend he's paying attention to you because of your mother, he loves you."

I stared up at Amphitrite as she continued to stroke my hair. Pieces were trying to click together in my mind, but they wouldn't fit. Why would her opinion of me change so fast? If anything she should hate me more. So many times had I drawn Dad away from his duties, been too weak to handle things on my own. That's not a good reflection on him. I moved my gaze to the ceiling, tracing the lines in it. The seaweed bracelets weighted my arms. I couldn't lift them, even though I wanted to.

The handle twisted and the door swung open. Dad walked in, running a hand through his hair. Years had seemed to pile onto him, so similar to when the war was going on. "How is she?" he asked. He took a step towards the bed.

"Awake."

Dad hummed. "I want to talk to her alone."

"My point from earlier stands. If you need me, I will be in the gardens."

Amphitrite vanished, not bothering to use the door. I wasn't quite sure why they had doors, especially to their own room, unless it was so the servants could clean. Which could make sense, but they could- I bit the inside of my lip. I sat up.

"What, uh, what did you want to talk about?" His face was far too serious for this to be anything light. I doubted it would be, but there were so many bad things. What if he didn't want me anymore? What if- Had he given my powers back? I curled my fingers and felt nothing. What if he wouldn't give them back?

I could feel him watching me, the way his gaze zeroed in on my neck. I lifted my hand to cover the hickeys. My nails scraped into the thin skin of my neck. 

"No, honey, no." mumbled Dad, reaching forward to pull my hand away. "You're going to hurt yourself." Temptation danced across my skin in the form of burning. I leaned against him, wrapping my arms tight. As long as my hands were occupied, I couldn't scratch at my skin. 

I sniffled, and my fingers tightened in the loose material of his sweatshirt. "Thank you." 

Tears welled in my eyes and dripped down my face, merging with the water as they fell away. Those two words were repeated so much. I never felt like I said it enough. Dad patted my back. 

"You don't need to thank me for that , sweet-pea." 

"No." The burning got worse. Somehow my nails ended up in my wrist. "Too- Too similar."

"I'll think of something else then," said Dad. With a gentle hand, he rubbed my back. The gray cotton pressed against my face as he shifted me. It was fine. I was fine. So there wasn't really a reason for the burning. Or the hands on my legs. Or the one- "Do you have anything you want me to call you? ...Percy?" Concerned. That's what his tone was. That realization was a buoy I clung to. He cares. He cares. He cares about me. "Of course, I-" The rest of his sentence was lost. I said that out loud. I said that out loud.

"Sorry."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for. Do you want me to get that Apollo kid you talk to?" 

It didn't surprise me he knew I talked to Will. Chiron probably told him. Or Apollo made a comment. Still, I weighed my options before shaking my head.  I didn't want to bother him. You just don't want to tell him, whispered some deeper part of my mind that I hastily threw a lid on. 

"Okay, but promise me to talk to someone if you need to."

"I will, Dad."

He ran a hand through my hair. What was with everyone messing with my hair today? Not that I was complaining, just curious. "I told your uncles. They-"

"Why?"

He pulled away enough to stare down at me. Sea green eyes met mine. Slowly, as if he was talking to a small child, he said, "They care about you. And they deserve to know that I wasn't able to keep you safe."

Oh by the way, the chapter before this has been rewritten, so maybe check it out

Also, various outake:

When he's not angry, your father is nothing more than a bear looking out for its cubs. Although I believe the term teddy bear could also be applicable." 

Anyway, hope you liked the chapter

See yah