The Flagbearer

Chapter 2

There's a bit of info in the bottom AN so please read that.

Usual disclaimer about the characters etc.

3rd Person POV:

The city of Atlantis was abuzz with activity as the morning dawned. Citizens strolling around the streets, families visiting the markets and the guards patrolling the area. Amphitrite and Triton emerged from the Palace, flanked by guards as they left. The large gold gate opening automatically as the Queen and Prince approached. The pair walked in tandem, discussing the duties they were obligated to perform today before they tensed.

Amphitrite narrowed her eyes as she looked around cautiously. Her eyes went wide as she realised the entire city had stopped as they felt...it. The seas had become restless. The calm waters had suddenly thrummed with nervous energy; the water becoming choppier, on the verge of stormy waters. She knew what had caused this. The Queen looked at her son, the same knowing look mirrored on his face. There was only one reason why the seas would react like this.

Poseidon. Her husband's emotions must have been all over the place, the seas responding to their Lord's emotions. Something must have happened to have caused Poseidon to affect the waters in such a way that the entire city felt the effects. Gods were temperamental, that much was obvious, but it had been a while since the Sea God's emotions had elicited a response from the sea as potent as this one.

She felt his presence as he reinterred the seas. He had left sometime early this morning and said he would return in a few hours as something urgent had come up. It was odd to her that he hadn't just flashed himself back to the palace, but had instead chosen to swim on his return. As he landed in front of her, she saw it. A tiny, crying bundle in his hands, covered in a small oxygen bubble. The Queen of the Seas felt a sharp pain go through her heart as she realised what it was.

She steeled herself before narrowing her eyes. "Explain yourself," she hissed as she gazed angrily at Poseidon. The curiosity of the situation had caused the entire city to congregate around the deities. Poseidon's expression turned ashamed. He looked tired and weary; the normally raven black hair was turning grey. Had Amphitrite not been seething with anger, she would have been worried at the state of the sea God.

Poseidon looked stressed as he struggled to find words to describe the situation to his wife. He continued his failed attempts at cradling the crying infant to stop the wailing. The baby had not stopped crying since he had been born a few hours ago.

"His mother was an Amazon warrior, she died giving birth to him. Please Amphitrite, I didn't know what else to do. He was crying and wouldn't stop. I didn't have the heart to just leave him there." His voice was pleading. Amphitrite grimaced, cursing his loyal nature. Of course, he couldn't bear to leave the child alone. For the first time she took a good look at the crying child in Poseidon's hands. His eyes were closed, but the tanned looking skin and tuft of raven black hair confirmed he was indeed her husband's child. Poseidon slowly held out his arms, offering the child to his wife.

"Please, hold him. You were always the one who could stop Triton crying. Maybe he needs a mother's touch. He still hasn't even opened his eyes. I don't know what to do." Both Amphitrite and Triton growled at his statement. How dare he compare their son to one that wasn't hers. Poseidon seemed to realise the error in his statement as he hesitantly withdrew his arms.

In that moment, the Queen didn't know what came over her. She reached out and gently took the small child. The second he was comfortably in her arms, he stopped crying. His eyes snapped open to reveal beautiful sea green eyes, similar to those of her husband. The child made a small gurgling noise as he stared at her with wide eyes. She looked back up at Poseidon. "What is his name?"