An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Twenty-Two: Meeting Poseidon

Thorin sat quietly while the company around him settled down as best as they could in the cave where they were staying; the rain had long since stopped falling while his tears hadn’t, he couldn’t believe that she was gone.

Thorin couldn’t close his blue eyes without the image of Thalia’s fall in his mind, he knew that he would never be able to forget what had happened; it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“You should rest Thorin,” Balin said looking over at his friend, it was a shock that this had happened; she was clearly important to Thorin and it was sad to know that she had met her fate in such a terrible way.

Thorin blinked looking over at the other dwarf, he hadn’t realised that Balin was watching him; he shook his head knowing that this was all his fault.

“Laddie it wasn’t your fault,” Balin said carefully moving to sit next to him, he could see that his king was suffering and he didn’t like it; in all the years that he had known Thorin, son of Thráin.

Balin had only seen his friend like this several times, the first it had been when they had lost their home; it was something that had devastated them all.

The next was at the loss of his grandfather, Thrór, and his younger brother, Frerin, who had both been killed during the Battle of Azanulbizar followed by the disappearance of his father; so it was a surprise for Balin to see him grieving like this again.

“She meant a lot to you,” Balin guessed making Thorin look at him and nod his head briefly, there was no denying how he felt about Thalia now; she was gone and she’d never know how he felt.

***

Thalia stared at the door before her, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go inside and meet the father that she had never known; she didn’t know if she was ready for another father in her life right now.

Thalia took a deep breath knowing that she had been brought to Mount Olympus for a reason and while she might not like it, she knew that she couldn’t put this off any longer.

Thalia opened the large white doors that were decorated with golden patterns, her hands pulled the doors wide as she stepped carefully inside the room; her blue eyes looked around curiously before they landed on a tall man that stood before her.

Poseidon stood across the room from his daughter, his own blue eyes unable to leave her form knowing that he had watched over her for so long and only now had he been able to come close to her.

Poseidon hated the promise that he had made to stay away, he hated having to watch another man playing father to his only daughter and having her live a lie.

“Thalia,” Poseidon breathed, he truly couldn’t believe that she was standing before him now; there was no denying that she was his daughter, she held his eyes just as her half-brothers did.

Thalia stared at him, she didn’t know what she had been expecting when she met him but she felt speechless now that she had; she watched as he slowly approached her as if nervous about her reaction.

“I am so sorry,” Poseidon breathed stopping in front of Thalia, he wasn’t sure what she would say but he hoped that she would forgive him.

Thalia crossed her arms as she stared at the man that was her father, she took a deep breath knowing it wouldn’t be wise for her to lose her temper at any point.

“Why didn’t I know?” Thalia asked wanting answers, she was still hurt that she had been lied to and she wanted to know why she had been allowed to believe that someone else was her father.

Poseidon sighed signalling for her to take a seat, the clouded floor swirled forming to chairs; she’d want to know why she had been kept in the dark and he wished that he could have been there for her.

“Your mother did not want you to,” Poseidon said softly remembering his oath, Thalia was not to know the full truth; it would only ruin the plan.

They had needed to create three children to create a balance and the three were able to have three children outside of the promise that had been made after World War Two.

However that hadn’t stopped the three having more children, Poseidon already had a son younger than Thalia and Zeus had another daughter; Hades seemed to be the only one that hadn’t broken the rule in anyway.

“There is a rule that also states that are not allowed to interfere with the lives of our demi-god children,” Poseidon said softly continuing to watch Thalia, he was a little lost at how to talk to her; this couldn’t be easy for her especially since she had nearly died earlier that day.

Thalia swallowed, she still didn’t know what answer she had been expecting; she felt like she had been abandoned for so long and only now did he want to know her.

“Trust me Thalia,” Poseidon said knowing that this wouldn’t work if she didn’t trust him, she wasn’t the only child to be sort of put out by him not being around; her younger half-brother had pushed him away at first as well.

Thalia glared at him, she had no reason to trust the man before her even if he was her father; she knew nothing of him and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know him.

“Why should I?” Thalia said turning away from him, she didn’t want to be here anymore and she wished to get back to the quest as soon as possible; she hated to think how the company were coping with her ‘death’.

Poseidon frowned watching Thalia walk away, he knew that she was stubborn and she got that not only from her mother but from him as well; he had always been proud of her since she hadn’t ever really got along with her ‘parents’.

“Because I have always been there for you,” the mysterious voice said in Thalia’s head, she stopped walking as she realised that the voice sound familiar.

Thalia turned slowly to look at Poseidon as everything fell into place, she stared at him speechless not sure what to say now; Poseidon sighed getting to his feet and walked towards his daughter.

“I have always been watching over you Thalia, even if you couldn’t see me,” Poseidon said with a careful smile. He wasn’t expecting her to forgive him completely yet but he hoped that it would show her that he had watched over her all her life; he was her father and no one would ever replace him.

Thalia looked at him as she tried to wrap her head around the fact that the mysterious voice that had kept her from danger and harm since she was child was in fact her father.

The two were silent as Thalia absorbed the information that she had been given, he knew this was a lot for her but after nearly losing her, he was just pleased that she was okay.

Suddenly the doors to the room where flung open and Apollo strode into the room making Thalia jump in surprise while Poseidon glared at his nephew; he had hoped to speak with his daughter in piece.

Poseidon had hoped for more time, the council could wait since he wanted to enjoy his time with Thalia; the last time he had seen her, she had barely been hours old before she was taken from him and sent to earth.

“Don’t blame me… Zeus wishes to see her now,” Apollo said eyeing Thalia, she wasn’t want any of them were expecting but right now she was one of the three and that made her just as important as the other two demi-gods.