Down in Flames - Rewritten Entirely

Chapter 12

There were a handful of places Percy figured his father would be, but sitting in the throne room was not one of them. Save for diplomatic meetings and royal events, Poseidon was rarely ever found on his throne. He tended to favour his private office or the courtroom. Even when Annabeth suggested they check the room, Percy had doubted they'd find him.

As if it wasn't surprising enough to see his father on his throne, there was an Athenian soldier standing at the foot of the throne. Around him stood a squadron of soldiers but Percy was sure that if they were to look outside, they'd find even more.

Percy and Annabeth had hardly stepped foot in the throne room before they were noticed. As the heavy doors were left to close on their own, all eyes turned to them. All too quickly, Percy remembered the rumours about the Athenian princess.

"Perseus."

Poseidon's voice echoed through the throne room and Percy almost flinched. Perhaps this was a bad time.

"Father," Percy greeted, bowing his head.

Although the Athenian soldiers had turned to face him and Annabeth, neither of them moved away from the doors. Whatever this meeting was about, it was not friendly. Even if the soldiers weren't staring at him with narrowed eyes and sharpened swords, Percy had the feeling that he was not particularly welcomed. Especially with Annabeth at his side.

After a long bout of silence, Poseidon's voice echoed through the room again. "Did you have something to say, son?"

Percy shared a look with Annabeth, but she didn't appear to have any intention of speaking up. Holding his breath, Percy took the tiniest step forward and raised his chin.

"Father, there's something you should know," he said.

Poseidon raised an eyebrow and gestured to the Athenian soldiers. "Perhaps you should wait. We have visitors."

"We would like to hear what the boy has to say," the army general said. His eyes narrowed and his frown deepened as he looked at Percy. "Perhaps he will be of more assistance."

Around Poseidon, the councilmen murmured unhappily but Poseidon said nothing. Percy glanced up at his father, waiting for his permission to continue before speaking again. It was bad enough to have interrupted him before. If he did so again, he would likely face the consequences.

With the Athenian soldiers still standing between him and Percy, Poseidon nodded minisculely.

"Annabeth has brought Queen Athena's locket," he announced, holding up the necklace. There was no way his father would recognise it from across the room, but when Percy held up his mother's locket right beside it, whispers started up. "What we know about this war has been a lie."

Poseidon's eyes narrowed and Percy hesitated. Perhaps he really should come back later. There was no need to confront his father with over a dozen Athenian soldiers in front of him.

"It's been a lie," Percy repeated, a little less accusatory this time. He took another step forward and Annabeth followed him as he said, "It was rioters that killed Mother, not the queen. We were lied to and tricked into fighting another man's war."

By the throne, the councilmen whispered furiously amongst each other. Poseidon sat in silence, undaunted by the whispers around him but showing no sign of acknowledgement to what Percy had said. If his father was upset, Percy could not tell.

"Is that what she told you?" Poseidon asked, silencing the men around him with a wave of his hand. "She brought you the queen's necklace and told you the war was a lie?"

Percy nodded.

Poseidon scratched his chin and turned his eyes away from Percy. His gaze stopped on Annabeth and Percy heard her breath hitch.