A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!
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Percy studied the woman before him, now appropriately dressed in a blue chiton. Her curly blonde hair was brushed neatly into a braid down her back. The demigod looked to be about twenty years of age. Every so often, her vigilant eyes would look at him warily.
"Here, before you keel over from hunger again." He pushed a plate of figs, grapes, ambrosia, cheese, and bread towards her. "If you require meat, I suppose we could find some tuna."
"Tuna?"
"Yes, from the very same tuna that dared to lure you into danger."
Her gray eyes looked up at him skeptically.
The sea god cracked a small smile. "I only jest. Has my humor dulled over these years? Now eat, for you must have ample energy to field the questions I will ask, and I only imagine you have many of your own. But if you do not eat, then I will endeavor to answer none of yours."
She opened her mouth as if to protest, but then closed. "Thank you," she said quietly and then obediently picked up a cluster of grapes instead. Her shoulders would tense up, but Percy surmised that it was because he was observing her.
Her rough hands and tanned skin indicated that she was someone used to working out in the sun. She was quite pretty, but Percy knew first hand just how beauty could be used as a weapon.
Aside from the dagger, she had no other armament on her person. And yet, Percy sensed the truth when he overheard her say that she knew nothing about being a daughter of Athena, let alone being a demigod. But for a demigod of a strong Olympian to live this many years without knowing about her heritage was rare indeed. When he was about her age, he had already survived many monster attacks.
He played with the dagger in his hands. What Percy was most interested in was how this dagger came to be in the possession of a daughter of Athena, who did not know who she was, and had somehow broken into the magical boundary he had placed over his palace. In truth, he would have much rather never seen the dagger again.
Nearly a hundred years ago, this dagger contained enough power to completely destroy a soul into nothingness with a simple cut and then some. Now, as he held it into his hands, he could feel no sign of such destructive power. Even when Percy probed a bit of his godly power into the blade, the dagger did not accept the power, behaving like a completely normal dagger.
Perhaps after being used in that deadly battle so long ago, all the power was drained away, leaving just the shell. Else, it was a superior duplicate without the enchantment, and there were many talented forgers who could make such copies of weapons. Percy had encountered many counterfeits of famous weapons over the years. He would have to study the blade in more detail.
"I'm done eating, thank you." The woman announced, pushing the empty plate away.
With a flick of his wrist, the Nereids cleared the dishes.
"Leave us," Percy commanded.
"My lord..." Doris said, hesitantly. The Nereid's eyes darted anxiously at the female demigod.
"Leave. Do not make me repeat my words thrice." Percy said, quietly. It was not as though the daughter of Athena was a threat in this underwater world where the sea gods were at the prime of their power.
Ione tugged Doris out, leaving Percy and the woman alone.
Percy swirled some nectar in his goblet as he observed her. "What is your name?"
"Annabeth. And may I ask your name? My lord." Annabeth added as an afterthought.
"I am Perseus, son of Poseidon."
Annabeth furrowed her brow. "I thought Perseus was a son of Zeus."
Percy let loose a sardonic smile. "That Perseus is. My mother named me after him in hopes that I would survive and pursue a happy, successful life." Annabeth's eyebrows twitched at the sarcasm in his voice. "Where did you come from then, Annabeth?"
Annabeth told him about the village of Pegai where she grew up.
"And you say you knew not of your parents?" Percy asked.
She shook her head. "I was told the archon picked me up as an abandoned baby in a rundown temple and then gave me to his family's tutor to raise. I have never met my parents." Annabeth hesitated. "But I remember Lord Triton saying that I was a daughter of...Athena?"
"Your disposition, along with the color of your eyes, certainly would lead us to believe so."
"That...that is not possible." Annabeth said in bewilderment.
"You ate that piece of ambrosia on your plate earlier. Unless you are of godly descent, even that small of a piece would incinerate you immediately. In addition, you broke through through a magical barrier above my palace. No mere mortal would be able to do so. So, how did you end up here?"
Percy listened patiently as she recounted the fight with the amphisbaena, and how the archon had delivered her as a bride to the gods in sacrifice. Monsters were attracted to the scent of demigods. Her description of her unfound strength in the fight did not surprise him as most demigods had more strength than normal mortals, but the age at which her first monster had appeared did. Many demigods did not live to be her age.
He abruptly changed the subject. "Where did you get this dagger?"
Annabeth spotted the weapon in Percy's hands. "That dagger? I stole it from the archon in defense when I realized he poisoned me. What do you mean many demigods don't live to be my age?"
The archon of Pegai, Percy mused. He had not heard of Pegai, though he traveled frequently. This archon was turning to be more suspect. Did the village leader know the true potential this dagger had? He had to investigate more.
"I mean exactly that, daughter of Athena. Most demigods, particularly those with a strong scent, are killed by monsters, even if they did have training. And you, judging by your story, did not have training."
"But you lived, Lord Perseus. And you became a god. Like Heracles."
"We are but a few exceptions. Most children of gods do not have...happy lives."
Annabeth bit her lip as she considered his words. "I still don't believe it."
"Do not believe what?"
"That I am a daughter of Athena. As you said, monsters would have found me already, and I should be dead by now. And if I am a child of the gods, why then, do they not...notice us? If Athena was my mother, then why would she not show herself to me? I've always prayed to the gods many times to know of my parents, to have some sort of sign."
Percy sent her a look of pity. "Most, if not all, demigods are acknowledged by the age of twelve or thirteen as is when monsters first start to attack. Yours is a...special case. The gods are fickle in nature, and even more so when dealing with mortals. Do not let it burden you or take it to heart." He advised her.
"You speak as though you are not a god yourself."
"That's because I was once a demigod like you and have experienced much."
He, too, had often wondered why the Fates had written his path like this. In a way, Percy pitied the daughter of Athena more. He at least had the love of his mother, an adoring sister, and a stepfather who treated Percy like he was his own son. Percy knew of his heritage in due time and was thus both prepared in mind and trained in body and swordsmanship to defend him from the hordes of monsters.
"As for why Athena did not claim you, I cannot know of her reasons. That is up to you to discover."
A dolphin came in, letting Percy know that his father was expecting them.
"Now, let us go." Percy stood up.
"Go where?"
"To my father, Poseidon, Lord of the Seas. Pray he is in one of his better moods, lest he blast you into sea foam."
Annabeth eyed him. "You are jesting this time, right? It's not a very funny joke if you are."
Percy simply smiled, a hint of pity showing through. His father was usually good-tempered, but as nature spirits went, nature could be relentlessly harsh and cruel.
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Annabeth was proud to say her legs only shook a tiny bit as she strode into the temple of Poseidon. Carefully, she knelt down before daring to look up at Poseidon, Lord of the Seas.
Both Triton and Perseus had an innate sense of godly aura around them. But Poseidon was on another scale than most mortal minds could comprehend.
The Lord of the Seas sat on a throne of white marble studded with pearls larger than a house in Pegai. Consequently, the ruler of the seas himself was in a form much, much bigger than a normal mortal, holding a trident that would have easily pierced the amphisbaena like a small fish caught on a spear.
At his side, was a beautiful woman. Her thick hair floated around a face as lovely as any enchanting siren. In her hair were two swimming crab claws like little horns. Annabeth knew who she was, too. Lady Amphitrite, goddess of the sea and wife of Lord Poseidon. Lady Amphitrite gazed at her with a cool but regal expression.
"Rise, daughter of Athena."
"Thank you, Lord Poseidon."
When she stood up, Poseidon had shifted to much more normal size. Triton was there as well, his arms crossed against his chest. To Annabeth's relief, Poseidon had a warm visage.
"I have heard of your story from my son. To survive in the seas and to take down a fearsome monster is no ordinary feat."
"Unless she had someone helping her from the start." Triton interjected.
Poseidon raised his hand. "Peace, son. I sense she is telling the truth. But there is also veracity in our concerns. After all, a daughter of Athena wandering into our domain is an interesting occurrence indeed."
Annabeth swept through her mind. Of course, she knew that Athena and Poseidon had a frosty relationship after Poseidon lost the patronage contest for Athens. And of course, she had to be the supposed daughter of their rival.
"But I truly do not have any nefarious intentions or anyone helping me! I do not know how I ended up in this situation."
"I know, child." Poseidon stroked his beard. "But it is also possible you have been made a pawn in someone's scheme, and as the lord of my domain, I must take guard against this, you must understand. After all, no person who has fallen into the seas will have been granted a blessing to breathe underwater like you have when you first arrived. Only a person native to the seas can."
At this moment, Triton swished his tails as if slightly unnerved.
"If I may, Father," Perseus said. "It seems that Triton has been regularly taking in pharmakos almost every decade. I believe that he is the one to set such a blessing to ensure that his brides would be able to breathe when they fell into the sea."
"That is true," Triton admitted. "I did set up an enchantment like that so they would breathe when they fell into the ocean. However, I did not encroach upon your territory, brother. Although, when she broke through your barrier and fell into your palace, it is possible that my enchantment did extend that far. Perhaps, my powers may be stronger than I initially thought," he murmured.
Amphitrite's grip on her throne clenched. Both Poseidon and Perseus, and even Triton himself, did not look convinced, however.
"A foolish decision to make without informing me, Triton."
Triton bowed his head. "I apologize, Father."
"We will speak of your actions later. For now, regardless, you must understand that we must take precautions." Poseidon directed those words to Annabeth.
"Then, what happens to me now?" Annabeth asked tentatively. "I truly do not know what is going on, and I do not aim to cause trouble or fall prey to schemes. Will I be able to return to the surface?"
Although she asked that, she wasn't sure where to go. After all, Pegai was out of the question. Not with what the archon and his family had done to her. Looking at the sea gods' expression, she could tell that they, too, knew that she did not have a home to return to.
"I'm afraid not, child. However, have no fear, as you will not be a prisoner. Perseus, you will be in charge of Annabeth."
"My lord–" Amphitrite turned to her husband.
"Father–!"
Amphitrite and Triton looked as though they would protest more but Poseidon held up his hand.
"The child initially fell into Perseus' palace, so Perseus will guide her. Besides, Triton, if the humans have sent brides to the gods, isn't it only fair that she be Perseus' 'bride' this time?" Poseidon said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Annabeth wanted to say that she was not a piece of property to be bargained over, but she bit her cheek and stayed quiet. She wasn't sure if this was another part of the sea gods' strange humor.
Soon, the throne room emptied until there was only Poseidon and Amphitrite left.
"My lord," Amphitrite said with difficulty. "Do you think it wise to leave a child of Athena here? Athena may think it an insult to have one of her own as a bride to a sea god."
"Are you questioning my decision?"
"No, my lord." Amphitrite was in a hurry to say.
"There must be a reason why Athena has not yet claimed her daughter when her daughter is already passed a marriage age. But this is not her style of strategy if her goal is to unseat us from power. As such, I aim to pursue the true mastermind behind these machinations. Having that demigod as a bride will lure them out." Poseidon's usually warm eyes grew stern. "And then I will crush them for daring to play such mind games."