The Gift of the Lethe

A Parliament of Pom Poms

Pallas closes the cover of the book she's been reading, a fascinating thing Athena gave her on all the world's fighting styles. Half of it was gibberish, letters in an alphabet that she's never seen, but the rest of it is the familiar writing she is used to. She had just finished a section about halfway through about something called Muay Thai. She definitely wants to try it out, and it seems like something Athena would know how to do. Perhaps they could practice it together?

When she looks up from the book, she finds Athena to be actually drowning in balls of fluff across from her. She stares for a long moment before a shocked laugh bursts from her throat, followed by another. It soon turns into full-on cackling as she continues to stare in disbelief. She can just barely see Athena's face peering out at her from her swath of feathery friends, gray eyes narrowed in an attempt at showing annoyance. She fails miserably at that, her eyes are sparkling with her own laughter.

"Thene, why are you covered in a parliament of owls?"

Athena laughs. "They've amassed while you've been engrossed in that book. Did you realize you've been reading for three hours straight without moving an inch?"

Pallas blinks. "It's been three hours?"

Athena nods, dislodging two of the owls that had come to rest on her head. They flutter down to the floor and press against Pallas, their feathers soft against her knee and thigh. Pallas strokes one of them, only for the other to nibble at her finger in an attempt to catch her attention. Pallas obliges the owl, using her other hand to stroke its feathers. With a few murmured words, the owls covering her take flight, soaring out the window to leave her with just the two in front of Pallas. One of them moves over to her and nudges her with its beak. Pallas can't help but smile at the bird's antics. Athena smiles down at it.

"Needy, aren't you?"

The owl hoots softly and nibbles at her finger. Athena smiles and strokes it for a moment before murmuring to it.

"Go hunt, winged one."

The bird follows her command and soars off through the window, followed by its companion who gives Pallas one last affectionate nibble before launching into the air. Pallas frowns at the owls as they fly off.

"Isn't it too early for them to go hunting?"

"Pallas . . . it's dusk."

Frowning in confusion, Pallas takes a closer look at the sky outside the window. She could have sworn it was blue, but no. The sky has turned a deep shade of violet, becoming a vibrant red nearest to the horizon. How could she not have noticed that before?

"When did the sky change? It was blue."

"A few minutes ago." Athena hesitates for a moment before continuing. "Do you want to stay with your father tonight?"

Pallas narrows her eyes at Athena, recognizing the expression on her face. Calm on the surface, but there is a slight upward tug at her lips that she only ever uses when she's being sneaky.

"What are you planning, Thene?"

Athena raises her brow. "What makes you think I'm planning anything?"

Pallas snorts. "Because I know that expression on your face. Don't lie. You are planning something."

Athena sighs. "There are some things I have to do and I don't want to leave you alone."

"I can take care of myself, Thene."

"But this modern world is also unfamiliar to you. Even now you haven't been fully immersed in it. I'm not going to dump you in the sea and expect you to know how to swim."

Pallas frowns. "But I do know how to swim."

Athena stares at her for a moment before a smile blooms on her face. "I didn't mean that literally. It's a saying, I'm not going to throw you into a situation that you haven't learned how to handle and expect you to already know what you need to know."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Good, I wouldn't wish to confuse you."

Pallas stares down at the book, tracing the embossed words of the cover. "If you have plans, then I would love to stay with my father tonight."

Athena reaches out to touch her arm. "Plans or no, it's still your choice."

Pallas nods. "Still, I think Father would be happy."

"Is there anything you want to take with you?"

Pallas grins at Athena, dancing from side to side. "You. At least come with me, even if you can't stay for long."

"Of course."

Athena rises to her feet and holds her hand out to Pallas and power begins to fill the room. Pallas takes it and lets Athena pull her to her feet and into the circle of Athena's arms as the power wells and brushing feathers swallow them. Pallas opens her eyes to find them in the entrance hall of her father's palace, currents pushing them towards the open waters.

Athena releases Pallas to allow herself more strength with which to fight the current. Pallas panics for a moment, fearful that Athena won't be able to breathe. But she needn't have done so, the blessing Triton placed on her when she first came to stay with them has held, allowing Athena to breathe on her own, without assistance from any of those that control the waters. Satisfied with that, Pallas sends a ripple of her power through the water to alert her father. A blur of green flashes toward them and stops, revealing her father. Pallas raises an eyebrow at him.

"You do realise that I'm not going to go anywhere in the short time it would have taken to come at a more relaxed pace?"

"But that doesn't mean it has sunk in yet."

Pallas tilts her head and sighs. "I suppose that's fair."

Athena touches her arm, just a brush against her skin. "I have to go, but I'll be back tomorrow."

"Okay."

Athena kisses Pallas on the cheek and kicks backwards before disappearing from sight. Pallas grins at her father.

"So, what's changed around here beside our garden?"

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Did you like the dogpile of owls? I had fun writing that. What did you think of this chapter? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out