Poseidon's POV
"Dad!" Rhea greeted excitedly, running into the throne room as I was finishing up with General Dolptail of Marlin Town.
"What has got you in such a good mood?" I asked my daughter whose eyes are twinkling with mirth.
"Triton said he's going to give me a mermaid tail!" She responded, to which I raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" I asked, feeling miffed that she didn't ask me. Why didn't I offer in the first place?
"Yes, but only if it's okay with you?" she inferred shyly, almost as if she sensed my mood.
"Uh...yes...well of course. How about this?" I asked as my power swirled around the two of us, moving to Rhea, shaping her legs together to turn into a mermaid tail.
Her eyes lit up in surprise as she transformed. In seconds her transformation was complete.
Colours of blue, red, pink, purple and gold shifted over her tail while she moved. Gasping in delight, she twirled around and around.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she praised.
Her smile of wonder brought joy to my ancient heart.
"I can't wait to show everyone tomorrow!" she said, still giggling at her tail, poking it.
I, in turn, switched my legs for my tail, went towards her and kissed her on her forehead. We left to show her mother her new limb.
Tomorrow my little girl is turning thirteen. She is growing up. The idea of her aging leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I can't lose her. I won't. I will do what I can so that I can keep her here, with me, for eternity.
Rhea POV
I don't really remember if I believed in reincarnation in my previous life. Of course I am certain now that it does exist. I'm thirteen today. Over the years I have forgotten that I've been reincarnated. And one day, all of a sudden, it hits me like a freight train. This has been happening less and less.
Aunty Persephone along with Uncle Hades came to my birthday party here in Atlantis. I wish I could say that it wasn't a big party. But...it was. I felt a mixture of excitement and irritation. There were a lot of people. Like a lot.
I received many gifts from the mer-citizens, in the forms of seaweed candy, pearls, clothes and armour. From my father, mother, brother and stepmother I received personalized items as well as a family trip to the underwater volcano sea resort. You can surf on the lava!
Uncle Hades gave me a gift card to get a tattoo (which promptly disappeared after my father saw it). He also gave me a pair of clip-on starfish earrings that turned into daggers.
At the end of the day I was exhausted. And happy. My family was here to celebrate with me.
"Rhea, can I come in?" Aunt Persie asked, knocking at the door.
"Of course Aunty. Come in."
Sitting down, she sighed, "I wanted to talk to you before I left."
"Is everything alright?" I asked worriedly.
"Your father has been worried about you. I haven't seen him so worried before. There are things happening that I cannot tell you or I do not know yet. But I believe your father can give you your answers. And that you can answer his questions."
"What if-?" I started to ask but she interrupted.
"-if he is angry at you? No, he won't be. He will be supportive. Your family will be supportive Rhea. You are the heart of this ocean. And let me tell you something as someone who is mortal, it is dangerous to have the love and attention of a god. Especially your father. He will never let you go. I hope you realize that." She said.
My father is overprotective. Too much. I just don't care right now.
"I...I want to tell him. But I don't know how, or where to start. I'm scared," I stuttered.
"You need to tell him," she said kindly. "Before you go to camp again this summer."
I nodded resolved. "I will."
"If you need anything Rhea. I am there for you," she said.
"I appreciate it Aunty." I replied.
"By the way...I love the tail," she said, lifting my mood again.
Poseidon's POV
"Dad, can I speak to you please? In my room?" she asks nervously. She looks deathly pale. Here you can see her relation to Hades, argh! Sometimes when she smiles, she looks more like our mother, the first Rhea. And when she is angry, she looks like me. If she does her 'snobbish' impression of the mermen, she looks like Zeus. It's disturbing.
I want to kill whoever made her feel this nervous. They will pay.
We entered her room and sat down on one of the sofas. Fiddling with her hands, she started,
"I don't really know how to start. Aunt Persephone said you won't be mad at me. But I'm afraid that you will hate me after I tell you."
"Oh darling," I said, "whatever it is, whatever happened. I will never hate you." Persephone knows and she didn't tell me. I will be having words with her later.
She looked at her hands, finding the courage to start.
"Dad, I've been reincarnated," she said. Not what I was expecting would be said.
"What?" I asked in disbelief. Reincarnation is normal, although no one knows they have been reincarnated until they die.
"It's true," she said softly, focusing her eyes on her lap, "I was reborn into this world. I remember my past life, be it vaguely. Nonetheless, you and mom deserve to know."
"Please look at me," I said softly, and she did. "I am not mad. People choose reincarnation after they die. It happens all the time. But you shouldn't be able to remember any past life. For you to be reborn, you first need to be dipped into the river Lethe, which erases your memories," I explained.
She still looked tense, "I remember dying. It was like falling asleep, when I woke up...I met the Fates," to which I tensed, she continued on, "they told me I would be reborn. That I was a gift, for you- from them and from Chaos."
"Do you know why?" I asked, frowning at the thought of their manipulation.
"No, I don't," she all but cried. "That's why I was able to finish school. Why I was studying so hard. I remember bits and pieces from my old life. That I wanted to be a physical therapist."
"How old were you when you died?" I asked her.
"I'm not sure, I had to be around twenty. It's all fuzzy," she replied, tears streaming down her face. "Dad, I'm sorry I never told you before."
"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay. We'll figure it out. I'm not angry at you," I said to her. No matter what, I still love her. She is MY child. War raged within me. And yes, California got hit with an earthquake. Like I care.
"Will you tell me about your previous life?" I asked.
"Not yet daddy," she replied, emotionally drained.
"I love you, princess," I murmured, kissing her temple.
"Love you too dad."
Meanwhile...
"Persephone, you said you would tell me after her birthday celebration," Hades stated, patience running thin.
"I did, didn't I?" She said, "I found out about this when I fetched Rhea on her quest."
"What happened woman?" He asked his wife curiously.
"Rhea was reborn..."
Meanwhile...
"Little Lord Apollo," greeted the Fates, appearing before the sun god.
He gasped at their sudden appearance.
"Greetings ladies," he said, still surprised.
"Lord Apollo, we have come to inform you of the happenings concerning Rhea Jackson," Lachesis said, her sisters humming in agreement.
They told him that Poseidon, Hades and Triton now knows that the sea princess has been reincarnated.
"Why are you telling me this?" He asked them warily.
"You have an influence over the council, regardless of how they view you. Of how you let them view you. You have a sincerity to you that not many gods have. Lord Chaos has given you his trust. He favours Rhea and he needs you to stand in for her if her father cannot."
"What can I do?" He asked them.
"A lot," they responded looking mirthfully.
"That's very helpful, thank you," he said sarcastically, but he still shifted awkwardly.
"Poseidon is powerful, more than you know. There is a reason he is called the stormbringer, the earthshaker. There is a reason Zeus hasn't declared war on Poseidon for his actions. The lord of the seas is a deadly force to be reckoned with. Stand by him. For if his daughter comes to any harm, this world will pay dearly." They finished each other's sentences.
"She is a mortal. She will still die," he replied to them.
They smiled, a true smile on each of their faces, "Not for long. The sea god will make sure that she will live for a very long time."
"What of the prophecy?" he asked them concerned.
"The prophecy is not what you think," they replied with a tone of finality.
The Fates left, on their way to see their Lord Chaos. For they will need to prepare for their inevitable meeting with the sea God.