Chapter Text
Over the course of the next few weeks, Percy (and by extension, Camp Half-blood) received several godly visitors. The first was Poseidon, who appeared one day while Percy was walking on the beach.
“Dad.”
“Percy, my boy.” Poseidon took a step closer but hesitated. “I came to… to see how you’re doing. Are you well? Your family?”
“Yes. We’re doing good.” Percy maintained the distance between them, waiting to see what his father would do.
Poseidon sighed. “Percy, I’m sorry. I don’t know how much of… this… is my fault, but I know I deserve the blame for at least a portion. In all the eternities that you and I will exist together, I’m not sure I shall ever atone for bringing you into this kind of life, but I just want you to know I don’t regret it. I won’t blame you for hating me. I know I haven’t been a good father to you. But no matter what you are my son, and I love you. If you ever find it in your heart to give me grace, you will always be welcome in my court.”
Percy looked out over the sea. “Right. I’ll think about that.”
“I understand if you don’t want me around you. I won’t stay here long. I just wanted you to know that I want to do better for you. Whatever you need, you can call for me. Nothing in all of Olympus will stop me from coming if you do.” Poseidon turned and followed where Percy was looking out to. For a moment, the father and the son stood on the shore staring out at the horizon.
“You know what I want?” Percy said quietly after a moment.
“What?”
“I want to give everyone else the chances I never had. I want to make a safe place for heroes to come and shelter from the world, and I want them to have a safe place to live and grow old and die happily. I’m not even very old, and of the few demigods who made it to adulthood with me, I don’t know where most of them are. I don’t know how many of them are surviving out in the world, or how long they’ll keep trying to survive. I want my heroes to be safe. And I want them to grow up feeling loved.”
Poseidon glanced sideways at Percy. “A noble wish. I can help you with at least part of it, if you’ll let me.”
Percy nodded just once. Poseidon took a deep breath in, and his physical form began to glow. Last time Percy had been told to look away, but now he watched without caution as Poseidon’s body lost any of the human qualities it had once had, becoming a being of pure light, the sound of the roaring sea and the smell of sea salt on the breeze. It was easy to forget, sometimes, that the gods were not merely undying humans. In his true form, Poseidon was the very essence of the sea, the heart of the ocean. The tide bowed before him and the earth heeded his commands. Not too far out in the sea the waters parted, and from the earth rose an island with green grass and tall cliffs, trees and rocks and birds.
“A safe place,” Poseidon said, returning to his usual form beside Percy. “It will remain hidden from mortals, as the camp is. You are free to build on it. Make a city for your heroes to live safely. I have no doubt you will make it great, my son.”
Percy did not look back at his father as he disappeared again into the seaside air. The island was big enough to build a small city on, just as Poseidon had promised. It seemed impossible that mortals would not be able to see it right there, but then again, the mortals did not know about the existence of New Rome either. For the first time in a long time, Percy felt hopeful.
::
The first thing they built was a bridge. Annabeth led the design, of course, and they reached out to every child of Hephaestus they could find - including their old friend Leo Valdez - to help build it. The camp buzzed with excitement at the thought of being able to found a city together. It took a long time to convince the campers that they did not need to sacrifice their meals to him and that they should still just call him Percy, but it felt good to be able to bring some optimism to the doomed existence of a demigod.
The bridge was starting to come together when Percy was visited by Hera. The queen of the gods stood looking out at the bridge and the island, a soft sort of smile on her face. It was Leo who had spotted her first, sending Percy back to the shore to speak to her.
“Queen Hera,” Percy said, not knowing how much respect was appropriate to show when she had brought herself into his own domain.
“Perseus.” She nodded her head to him in greeting. “It is good to see progress already. I look forward to seeing what you will build.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing demigods finally have hope for the future,” Percy replied.
“Yes. I suppose I had never considered how few of you get old.” Hera looked out at the gaggle of Hephaestus kids who were laughing together as they laid the paving stones. “I wanted to apologise to you, Perseus. I provoked you into destroying my own temple to force you into claiming a domain you did not want. I do not ask your forgiveness. I know you will not give it. Just know that your wife and your daughter were never in danger. Not for one moment.”
“Why do it?” Percy asked quietly. “Why did you so desperately need me to claim it that you kidnapped my wife and my infant daughter out of our home while my back was turned?”
“You were getting dangerous. That kind of breakdown was due to happen at some point. I merely manufactured the circumstances to cause the least amount of damage possible. Even with my planning both Poseidon and Apollo together could not restrain you.” Hera looked at him, her gaze firm and piercing and unreadable. “The demigod Percy Jackson was more powerful than any mortal should ever have been. Now the god Perseus is at least as powerful as an Olympian. I hope you will use your power wisely.”
She had vanished before Percy could come up with a response, leaving behind nothing but the faint scent of lotus flowers.
::
Hestia was a regular fixture of Camp Half-blood. She stayed in her usual spot by the fire, tending the flame and going unnoticed by most of the kids at camp. Percy made sure to take the time to speak with her every now and then. Of all the gods of Olympus, she was secretly his favourite. She always had nice things to say to Percy and spoke fondly of his demigods. Plus it did not harm his opinion of her at all that she made for an excellent babysitter when occasionally called upon. Usually she was happy to keep Lily by the fire, feeding her marshmallows and singing camp songs to her until Percy or Annabeth came to fetch her, but today she had brought Lily over to Percy.
“Hestia!” Percy greeted her warmly, opening his arms to lift his daughter onto his shoulders. “I hope this little rascal of mine hasn’t caused you too much trouble?”
“Never.” Hestia chuckled softly. “She has been a delight as always. I actually have a message from Olympus. You and I have been summoned to the council.”
“Both of us?” Percy asked. “I wonder what they want?”
Hestia just shrugged. “With my youngest brother, who knows. Take my hand, I shall bring us both there.”
Adjusting Lily so she was secured on his shoulders, Percy reached out and took Hestia’s offered hand. A warmth flooded through his body, a sensation reminiscent of being wrapped in a blanket beside the fireplace on a bitter winter’s night, and in a moment they were standing not at camp but in the throne room of Olympus.
The council was in chaos as they arrived. Voices talking over each other, arguing, Percy’s name being brought up multiple times. Instinctively Percy looked first to his father’s throne. Poseidon made eye contact with him, giving him a sly grin that made him feel even worse about his being brought to the council.
“Our guests have arrived,” Apollo interrupted the debate, speaking over the top of the rest of the Olympians.
“Oh, very well,” Zeus grumbled. “I suppose there is no more space for discussion. We move to a vote: all in favour of increasing the council to fifteen?”
Every hand went up. Percy shot Apollo a questioning look, but like Poseidon he only grinned back and shook his head slightly.
“And all in favour of granting the fourteenth seat to Hestia, goddess of the hearth?”
Again every hand went up. Percy carefully reached up to take Lily down from his shoulders and hold her against his chest.
“Dada, joos?” she asked, blinking up at him with big grey eyes and pointing, much to Percy’s amusement, at Dionysus.
“Shh, sweetheart. Juice later, okay?” he whispered.
“Perseus.” Zeus’s voice rumbled like thunder across the throne room. “Why have you brought your mortal child to the council of Olympus? She was not invited.”
“Sorry, Lord Zeus. Normally I’d have Hestia watch her while my wife and I are both busy, but…” He shrugged. “You summoned her as well, so the baby had to come with.”
Zeus let out a long sigh. “Your position is unstable as it is, boy. Nevertheless our discussion has been had and must be put to vote. All in favour of granting the fifteenth seat to Perseus, god of loyalty?”
Percy was taken aback. This vote was not unanimous - in fact it was very close. He counted quickly in his head. Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Athena (somehow), Dionysus, Hades and Hestia (who was still standing beside him and shot him a teasing smile as she raised her hand). Eight in favour of him - was he understanding this right? - becoming the fifteenth Olympian. Zeus looked around, counting to himself, then frowned and counted again before sighing.
“Very well. We have a majority. The fifteenth seat of the Olympian council is granted to Perseus. Understand though, boy, your position is not secure. Should another candidate come along the council would move to replace you before any other here present.” Zeus glared right at him.
“Of course. I’m sorry, Lord Zeus, I want to understand properly given I wasn’t here for the discussion you all seem to have had. There are fifteen Olympians now? And you gave the final seat to... me?”
“There were other options.” Demeter folded her arms. “Some of us would have preferred not to have you on this council.”
“Three is a sacred number,” Athena spoke up. “Previously there were twelve Olympians on the council because twelve is four threes. Having Lord Hades on the council made the number uneven, so we determined that rather than remove one of the thrones we have built, it might be preferable to build two more. We all agreed Lady Hestia should have her throne reinstated as the fourteenth. Who to introduce as the fifteenth was a topic of much discussion.”
“You deserve your place here, my son,” Poseidon said. “None of us, even those who did not wish to have you join the council, can deny that you have done more for Olympus than perhaps any other candidate that was brought up. And dare I say, having experienced your power firsthand, I do not believe it is fair or accurate to call you a minor god. You may be young, but you are deserving of the title Olympian.”
“Yes, thank you, brother.” Zeus narrowed his eyes at Poseidon. “So long as Perseus understands that this is a council and he may not do whatever he pleases all the time. You have been granted the seat, boy, because you have been appointed as the representative of heroes and demigods whom we may yet have need of. No other reason.”
“No, of course not,” Percy agreed. “So I get a fancy chair?”
Zeus rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I have to put up with this for eternity,” he muttered. “Yes, you get a ‘fancy chair’. You are also expected to attend councils and participate. Ideally without the child. Now I believe that concludes our business, so unless there is anything else to put forward, the council is adjourned.”
Hestia returned Percy and Lily to Camp Half-blood. Old ways to change, he thought as he headed up to the Big House to tell Chiron what had happened.
::
Apollo had been a fairly regular visitor to camp ever since his time as Lester, but he made a point of spending some time with Percy walking around the foundations of the city. Annabeth spent all her time designing these days; she had plans to replicate the temples on Olympus in a slightly smaller scale on the tallest hill of the island. Every night she talked his ear off about how she was going to lay out the streets, the different homes she was going to build. He relished every minute.
“That would be a great spot for a theatre,” Apollo said, stopping him near a wide ditch. “Put a stage at the bottom, and seating all around. I’d be more than happy to run occasional theatre camps.”
“That would actually be awesome. It would be nice for the kids to have some form of entertainment that doesn’t require multiple nights in the infirmary afterwards.”
Apollo laughed. “Hey, now, who said they won’t need the infirmary? I’m kidding, little cousin, I’m kidding. But seriously, let me know when it’s finished. I’ve been into musicals lately, I’d love to put a few on. And I promise I won’t always give my own kids the main roles.”
Percy smiled and shook his head. “I’m sure you won’t.”
“Oh, and, not to bring up your curse or anything…”
“He says, bringing it up.” Percy raised an eyebrow at Apollo. “Go on.”
“Well, sometimes I get struck with inspiration so great I can’t physically restrain myself from creating. Perhaps it’s part of your curse that this was one of those times, but… I have written a ballad about you and Annabeth. It might be my best work. If you don’t want to hear it, I’d understand, but…”
“Apollo,” Percy cut his cousin off. “I would love to hear it. Maybe when we build this theatre, you can put on a show for us?”
The god of music smiled widely. “I’ll make it my debut performance.”
It took two years to build the theatre in the end, but it was well worth it. Every seat was full for its first-ever performance, and not all the attendees were residents of New Greece (as they had dubbed the city, not wanting to offend either Poseidon or Athena). Folks gathered from Olympus, New Rome, and all over to watch the debut performance of Apollo’s epic ballad - which, Percy found out the night before he was supposed to be commissioning the playbill, he had developed from a single song into an entire three-part epic musical performance. Percy and Annabeth sat in the VIP box, having been welcomed as Apollo’s personal guests of honour. It was a beautiful performance, and Percy hoped nobody was looking up at him at the end when the nymph playing the part of Annabeth sang a haunting solo as she was taken by her mortality to Hades because he could barely see through his own tears. When the curtain fell, there was a standing ovation.
::
Annabeth Chase died at the age of eighty-one, having lived a long and happy life with her greatest love. She had been growing weaker and weaker, her mind starting to cloud, but still Percy had stubbornly told himself he would get a while longer. She had taken her final breath with her husband and her daughter beside her, lovingly tucked into a bed in the New Greece hospital.
“Dad,” Lily said softly, tears falling from her cheeks. “It’s okay. You knew this was happening. You can let her go now.”
Lily kissed her father’s head before leaving the room. She had family and friends to go and mourn with. Percy, though, would mourn alone forever.
“My Wise Girl.” He tried to smile at his sleeping wife. “What will I do without you?”
He sensed the presence that appeared behind him before it spoke.
“Perseus. It’s time.”
“Thanatos.” Percy looked up into the face of Death. “Is there anything… any way I can…?”
Thanatos shook his head, but Percy already knew. “I’m sorry, Perseus. I knew you would ask. There is nothing you or I can do.”
Percy gently brushed her grey wispy hair away from her face. Even in her twilight years, she had been the most beautiful woman in the world. Aphrodite had complained to him sometimes that she always aged when she was near him, because Percy could only ever see his wife in the goddess of love.
“As a personal favour, Perseus,” Thanatos said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder, “I can grant you a moment.” The god of death reached for Annabeth’s hand, and when she took it, she was young again and the most beautiful woman Percy had ever laid eyes on. She turned to smile at him, and although Percy knew this was her spirit and her body still laid peacefully on the bed, he took her one last time into his arms and stared into those beautiful grey eyes that he had loved so much, desperately committing every detail to memory.
“Hey, Seaweed Brain,” she whispered teasingly, and Percy smiled despite himself.
“Hey, Wise Girl.”
“I’m going soon.”
“I know.” Percy pressed his forehead against hers. “I haven’t forgotten what I promised you. There won’t ever be anyone else for me. I’ll never stop loving you. Never.”
A soft tune began to play from just outside the open window. Percy didn’t look away from Annabeth for even a moment, so he didn’t know who was playing, but he knew the song well. It was a beloved favourite in New Greece - the soft, lilting melody that played in Apollo’s musical when the characters Percy and Annabeth first fell in love. In the many years since it had debuted, the melody had become synonymous in Camp Half-blood and New Greece with the sound of loving someone utterly, of pure devotion, pure loyalty.
With their final moments together, Seaweed Brain and his Wise Girl danced together one last time.