When Sun Meets the Sea ~ PJO 1

~12~

        ~Andie's POV

        Andie soon found herself in Medusa's warehouse-looking house, and she was trembling as she went into what seemed to be the dining room. 

        "You must be hungry. I left snacks on the table while I get something proper going." Medusa's voice rang through the house and when Andie looked towards the boys, she heard them talk for a moment before they sat down and dived into the food. Andie was very hungry too, but she just couldn't bring herself to even move from her spot. 

        "Thanks for coming," Percy said. 

        "This is the same for me as it is for you," Annabeth spoke. 

         "Why?"

        "You're concerned I would hold a grudge against you simply because you are a daughter of Athena?" Medusa said as she entered the room. Andie bit back a scream as she looked to the floor in fear. "We're not our parents and Annabeth, you and I might have more in common than you think. Please, sit and eat." 

        "So, you're not a monster, what are you then?" Percy asked as he ate. 

        "A survivor."

        "You must be a little more than that. There's a Fury out there that seems terrified of you."

        "Because she knows what I think of her. I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there than they planned for. The gift the gods gave me is that I cannot be bullied anymore." Medusa spoke and Andie would've applauded her for being so positive if it weren't for the fact that Andie was terrified of her.

        "What my mother did to you wasn't a gift, it was a curse." Annabeth snapped and Andie wanted to strangle her for saying something so blunt and rude to Medusa, who didn't like bullies. 

        "You are loyal to your mother," Medusa said simply. 

        "Yes."

        "You stand by her?"

        "Always."

        "You love her?"

        "Of course, I do." 

        "And so, did I," Medusa said firmly. "Athena was everything to me. I worshipped her, I prayed to her. I made her offerings...she never answered. Not even an omen to suggest she appreciated my love. I wasn't like you, sweetheart. I was you. I would have worshipped her that way for a lifetime...in silence. But then one day, another god came, and he broke that silence."

        The kids listened in silence as Medusa told her story, but Andie already knew it, so she knew what was coming. 

        "Your father. The Sea God told me he loved me. I felt as though he saw me in a way I had never been seen before. But then Athena declared that I had embarrassed her, and I needed to be punished." Medusa spoke. "Not him. Me. She decided that I would never be seen again by anyone who would live to tell the tale."

        "That isn't what happened," Annabeth argued and again, Andie wanted to wring her neck for being rude to the woman who hated bullies. "My mother is just, always." 

        "The gods want you to believe that they are infallible. but they only want what all bullies want. They want us to blame ourselves for their shortcomings." Medusa replied and Andie hated how calm she was being, he was worried that she was going to snap and turn them all to stone at any minute.