The Gift of the Lethe

Meeting the Family

A hush falls over the long tables once they arrive, kids dressed in orange turning to face the three women. Across the hall from them, Pallas catches a glimpse of mortal-turned Ares shrinking back in his seat, trying to hide among the throng of his children. Pallas bites back a laugh at that sight. One of the kids at the table before them stands, a slight frown on her face.

"Annabeth? What are you doing here? How-" She breaks off, her gaze snagging on Athena. Quickly, the girl dips her head, her pale copper hair swinging over her shoulders. "Mother."

Athena smiles. "Thera. How are you?"

Thera shrugs. "Good, but it would be better if we knew what was going on to cause that storm on Olympus." then her face pales. "Apologies, Mother. I didn't mean-"

Athena touches her shoulder. "You're fine, Thera. To answer your question-" Her gaze sweeps the whole room and her voice rises to speak to everyone. "To any of you wondering about the recent storm, or why Ares is currently mortal and at camp, Zeus has been overthrown. Ares assisted him in fighting against us, so as punishment he is to spend a year here among you, confined to camp and learning from you all as a mortal himself."

One of the campers at another table raises his hand. "If Zeus has been overthrown, what's happening to the throne?"

"I am now Queen of the Gods. This will be a permanent change, as Zeus has been stripped of his rank, and of his domain, which has been taken up by a newly named goddess, who shall be present at the next solstice council-"

A series of gasps echoes through the pavilion, punctuated by a sharper gasp from Athena. Pallas slips into a defensive stance, startled by the sound, only to belatedly realize that there is now a child attached to the back of Athena's legs. She must have slipped over while they were distracted.

The brown-haired girl grins up at Athena as the goddess twists around to look at what had slammed into her. Athena's expression had been sharp, a little stern and a little angry, but it softens as she locks eyes with the six-year-old girl. Careful not to topple over, she crouches down to the girl's level to look at her with a soft, encouraging smile.

"What is it, Maria?"

The girl gives her a gap-toothed beam. "I told Thera you would come! She didn't believe me, she said that the gods don't have time to visit us. But I prayed, and you came! I've been hoping you would ever since I found out you were my mom too." She pauses, and her face falls slightly. "Will you tell me what happened to Mommy? Thera took me away with her from home over the winter and we came here. We left Mommy behind, and there were noises. Thera wouldn't tell me what happened. But you should know, will you tell me?"

Thera swoops around Athena to grab her sister, face red as she tugs on Maria's arm. "Sorry, Mother."

Athena shakes her head. "No need to apologize. May we join you at the table?"

Thera quickly nods. "Of course. Come sit next to me, Maria. Don't bother Mother."

Maria glances back as Thera pulls her away, but Athena stops them both. "Sit with me."

The campers move aside to make room for them at the table, Thera sitting on one side of Athena and Maria on the other. Pallas sits on the other side of Maria, the girl twisting to look at her.

"Are you a new sister?"

Pallas blinks. "Umm, no. I'm Pallas. Your siblings might know of me."

The boy sitting across the table from her frowns. "Why would we know of you? Are you famous?"

The boy beside him jabs an elbow into his side. "Really, Andy? Her name is Pallas, she came here with our mother, and she thought we might know of her. She's the Pallas from Mother's childhood. But- didn't you die?"

Athena pauses from where she had been having a hushed conversation with Thera, much to the displeasure of Maria, who is trying to eavesdrop. Pallas had caught the words 'Mom', 'attack', 'dead', and 'monsters' while having her own conversation, so she is comfortable giving the two of them as much privacy as she can for this conversation. Athena leans across Maria to look at the boy who had admonished Andy.

"She did, and was reborn. If you have any more questions about our circumstances, I would prefer if you asked us outside of the dining pavilion, where we might have more privacy."

Some of the campers at the table nod at that, accepting their mother's request. Annabeth ducks behind Pallas to tap on her little sister's shoulder.

"Maria, I think Mom needs to have an important conversation. Do you want to sit with me while she has it? You can come back afterward."

Maria nods and slides off the bench, dancing over to the far end of the table where Annabeth had been sitting. Athena flashes her a grateful smile and takes a moment to whisper to Pallas.

"Maria and Thera have the same mother, besides me. Thera became aware of her heritage a few years ago, at age ten, which is when Maria joined the family. After Maria arrived, the frequency of monster sightings and attacks increased, as there were now two demigods in the household. This past winter, a monster got into their house and killed their mother. Thera fled here with Maria."

Pallas grimaces. "Poor girls. That must be tough."

"Indeed. Maria still doesn't know, as you noticed."

Pallas falls into a thoughtful silence, and Athena turns back to her daughter. When the whispered conversation ends, Pallas leans toward Athena to murmur, "You know, you never did tell me what all those bedrooms at your home were for."

Athena flushes. "The rooms are for all of them. Zeus wouldn't allow my children to visit, of course, but I wanted the rooms anyways, for if it ever changed. Annabeth secretly helped me design them to match each of their tastes, and I used the rooms as a way to honor my children. Now that I can change things, they can finally be used for their true intent."

Pallas smiles and kisses Athena's cheek, enjoying the goddess' flush. "That's very sweet of you, and yet another of the infinite reasons why I love you."

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What do you think of this final chapter? Was it a good one? What do you think about Athena having rooms for everyone? Let me know if you have any little snippets you might want me to write, as I do have tentative plans to write short aus or extra scenes. Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next book!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out