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Chapter Text

All around Olympus, the gods, minor or otherwise, could feel the waves of barely contained power surging from the council room, and they all knew what it meant. Their fears were confirmed when Hera, the majestic Queen of the Gods, quickly exited the throne room, its huge doors crashing against the marble walls. The goddess of marriage quickly descended the steps and headed for her temple, completely ignoring the dozens of curious but ever-cautious glances thrown her way. Oh, she knew perfectly well what they were all thinking and saying to each other, 'Zeus has had another mistress and she's just found out. Take cover!’ The worst thing about these all-too-frequent situations was that many now saw her as the problem!

But yes, indeed, she'd just discovered that not only had her filthy husband been having an affair with a mortal again, for several years even, but he'd also broken his oath on the River Styx by impregnating his whore.

Beryl Grace, an actress, who had been stupid enough, like so many other women, including herself unfortunately long ago, to fall under Zeus' spell. From their union, a daughter, Thalia, was born, a daughter who could well cause the end of Olympus if the Great Prophecy were to be taken seriously.

As always, she had confronted her husband, who had done nothing but threaten her to leave his whore and bastard alone. It was the same old song. And for the first time in centuries, anger wasn't what dominated her thoughts, no, she was just... so tired. She was the goddess of marriage, her very existence devoted to a man who had done nothing but scorn her all her life. Not only had she been almost forced into this union thousands of years ago, but her husband wasn't even capable of remaining faithful to her.

So yes, she was tired.

She entered her temple, made her way to the balcony and sat down on one of the most comfortable feather chairs she had, content to remain lost in thought. A peacock, one of her pets, came to rest its head on her lap, and she stroked its feathers without really paying attention.

The problem with all this was that it had been the same thing for centuries, like an endless loop. Zeus had an affair, impregnated the mortal with his offspring, and Hera became the horrible goddess who hunted down the poor woman and her innocent child. Oh, she knew that from a certain point of view, what she was doing wasn't right, but what else could she do? The last time she, and other gods, had tried to punish the King of the Gods, she had ended up chained above the terrifying void that was Chaos, and only Hephaistos, the son she had unjustly treated terribly, had delivered her from it, allowing them to have a slightly more... cordial relationship.

The saddest part was surely the fact that none of the Olympians really took her side. Hades and Poseidon hated their brother for their own reasons. Hades even more so after Zeus had murdered poor Maria Di Angelo, and countless innocent people, even though the children she had had with the God of the Underworld had been born before the oath of the Big 3.

Her sons, Ares and Hephaestus, barely tolerated her, if not hated her completely, so...

Half the Olympians were her husband's bastard children, and would always, always be on his side. Athena and Artemis, his darling daughters, and so arrogant that Hera sometimes felt like tearing her ears off just so she wouldn't have to listen to the Goddess of Wisdom anymore. Apollo didn't give a damn about any of this, too busy drooling over any mortal, regardless of gender, to worry about anything, he was just like his sire in that aspect. Besides, all Zeus's children hated her to a greater or lesser degree. Dionysus... she had driven him mad when he was still a demigod, and even after centuries, the resentment hadn't disappeared. The same was true of the twins, due to their mother. Hermes was also far too loyal to his father, so there was no need to even think about it.

Hades hated all the Olympians, except Hestia, but he hated Zeus far more, so he could perhaps take her side if it could benefit him in his 'war' against his brothers.

Likewise with Poseidon, his relationship with Zeus having been strained for centuries.

Aphrodite, the bitch, didn't give a damn about any of this either, instead of defending her, she'd be more likely to say something like 'passion must win out'. What a joke.

Finally, there was Demeter, who didn't appreciate conflict and was far too interested in her cereals, and always waiting for her daughter to return from the Underworld. Her position in the event of conflict was rather variable, even if she would surely choose the side that would settle the matter as quickly as possible.

All this to say that she was alone. No matter what happened, no one would defend her, and in some cases, it was her fault.

She sighed softly. The worst of it was that all the gods and goddesses, with the exception of Hestia and Artemis, had demigod children. They had the right to have them. All except her. Because she was forever chained to an asshole who would end up breaking her heart over and over again. Even married gods weren't above having children with mortals.

And for the first time in centuries, her husband's infidelity and his new bastard child hadn't aroused anger in the goddess of marriage, no, but longing.

It was all about her .

Because she too wanted to have a child. Because she wanted to be a mother again, and not be a bad one for once.

She didn't want to have a child just because her husband wanted one.

She wanted a child to be hers, and hers alone. She didn't want to find any trace of him in this child she wanted.

But as she quickly reminded herself, she could never have a demigod child, because she would remain faithful to her marriage.

She laughed mirthlessly at herself. Look there, the great Hera, Goddess old of many millennia, Queen of the Gods, whining like a child complaining to her mother about every little problem.

It was this last thought that made her freeze.

The next moment, she had disappeared from Olympus in an explosion of peacock-colored light.

***

She reappeared in a crowded street, unnoticed thanks to the mist. Her appearance changed to blend in and avoid having to be hidden. In place of the white, cyan-blue and gold silk dress, she now stood wearing a beige classic belted coat, black heels and her brown hair organized in a classy chignon. She advanced confidently, knowing perfectly well where she wanted to go.

If asked, no one would believe that the Queen of Olympus was visiting a pottery store, yet that's what she was doing. She entered, the bell above the door announcing her arrival, and quickly passed her gaze over the entire store. A rather impressive quantity of pottery, all with designs more eccentric than the others, were placed on the room's many shelves, giving it something of the appearance of a bazaar.

"I'm here, I'm here." declared a cheerful voice from behind the mauve curtains behind what appeared to be some sort of reception, before a woman stepped out from behind it. She wore tinted glasses that changed from orange to purple, and there was a silver-and-gold tiara in her braided hair. Her batik dress swirled with images of fern fronds, and her arms and hands were covered in henna tattoos. A macrame belt cinched her waist, and around her neck was a chain on which a brass peace symbol hung. And a big, warm smile was on her face, a smile that widened when she saw Hera. "Hera! Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you, darling." She rounded the desk to hug her daughter before stepping back a little.

"Hello, Mother." she replied with a small smile.

Seeing the expression on her daughter's face, Rhea smiled sadly. "I imagine we have a lot to talk about, but let's do it in my apartment upstairs." with a wave of her hand, the sign at the store entrance turned to display 'closed' outside. She beckoned her to follow her into her apartment, climbing the stairs behind the hideous purple curtains.

Once there, Rhea sat Hera down on the sofa while she prepared tea for them, before handing her daughter a cup and taking a seat of her own.

"Well. Are you going to tell me what upset you so much that you came to see me? Because we both know you didn't just come to see how I was faring." she said with an amused smile.

Hera thought long and hard about how she could explain everything to the titaness without it being too... weird. After several minutes of rather awkward silence when she didn't know what to say, she blurted. "I want a child."

Rhea froze, teacup inches from her lips, an expression of surprise and confusion forming on her face. "Hmmm, okay. And why come to me with this news? Shouldn't you consult your husband about this sort of thing?"

"I don't want his child." She spat venomously. "Never again will that pig lay his hands on me."

"He cheated on you again didn't he?" Rhea asked sadly, even though she already had the answer to her question. "Tell me all about it."

And so she did. For long hours, Rhea sat patiently in silence, listening to her daughter tell her everything. The discovery of Zeus' new affair. Of the child he had had with this mortal woman. Then of her desire to have a demigod child of her own, but the impossibility of that ever happening.

"Tell me if I'm wrong, but didn't your brothers swear an oath on the Styx not to have any more demigod children after that horrible war and the prophecy?"

"Yes, and it's what makes it even worse! He's the one who creates this rule and yet he's the only one to break it. What a hypocrite."

"The Big Three." Rhea shook her head with a wry smile on her face. "Sometimes I wonder if that title isn't more about which of those three knuckleheads has the bigger one."

"Mother." Hera gasped.

She burst out laughing. "Oh, come on, you can't say I'm wrong. Besides, if there's one thing I've learned over all these centuries, it's that men are always hypocrites and incapable of keeping their word. I know I shouldn't say 'all men', but unfortunately I've yet to meet a single one who breaks the rule. These days, it's even worse." She shook her head, seemingly lost in thought. "Well, back to the point. You want a demigod child, well, what's stopping you?"

"I'm the goddess of marriage, I can't have a child with a mortal, it goes against my very existence. I'm not like him . Marriage is forever, for better and unfortunately for worse."

"If I understand correctly, you want a demigod child but without breaking your promise never to deviate from your marriage?" Rhea asked, to which Hera nodded. "Well, I've got the perfect solution for you. You know, mortals are capable of some fascinating things with their technology these days." She rose to grab her laptop, which was placed on the table, before returning to sit next to the goddess. She switched it on, looked something up on the Internet, loaded the page, then turned the computer so that Hera could see what the screen was displaying. "There's a medical technique for getting pregnant based on sperm donation. Normally, it's done for couples of two women who want a child, or when the man in the couple is sterile, but hey, you're a goddess and I'm sure you'll be able to get around that. So, men between 18 and 40 can donate their semen anonymously. There are plenty of tests to check that there will be no health problems for potential future children. If so, sperm are frozen and then stored in a laboratory until they are assigned to recipients for assisted reproductive technology. Finally, in a clinic, an insemination with this sperm is carried out, enabling a woman to become pregnant."

"That sounds... strange," was all Hera could say. She was the goddess of marriage, so she didn't really care whether the couple was a man and a woman or two people of the same sex. Besides, many gods had already had affairs with mortals of the same sex as themselves. But she had to give credit to her mother's idea. Indeed, it would allow her to have a child without having to deceive Zeus with the act of sleeping with a mortal, but she still had some doubts. "But if the donor is anonymous, how do we know what the future baby is going to look like?" After all, if she was going to have a demigod child, she wanted it to be as beautiful as possible. Even if it wasn't, it would still be her baby. She'd already made the mistake of judging too quickly based on appearances with Hephaestus.

Rhea looked at her with what seemed like exasperation before laughing softly. "Well, as far as I know you have enough powers in the maternity field to know which of the seeds will give you the best child and then 'influence' the doctors at the clinic."

"But I would still bear the child of a mortal, a child not of Zeus, isn't that cheating the bonds of matrimony?" she enunciated her final doubt, even though she could already feel herself cracking up and seriously considering her mother's solution.

"Not at all." Rhea said with a shake of her head. "You already had a child alone when you conceived Hephaestus, well this will technically be the same. You won't know this child's father, you won't have carnal relations with him, and he won't even know he has a child. That's the whole point of anonymity, so don't worry, it's like you've made another baby on your own, but a demigod this time."

A complicated expression formed on her face. "But even if nobody expected me to ever have a demigod child, I'm still subject to the ancient laws like the other gods, so who's going to look after my child?"

"Me of course." replied Rhea, as if the answer was obvious. Seeing the look of shock and confusion on her daughter's face, she explained. "You gods are stupid sometimes. These laws imposed by Zeus prevent the gods from having contact with their demigod children, so they can't raise them, but these ancient laws have a number of loopholes, you just have to know how to find them. For example, a god or goddess isn't allowed to raise his or her mortal child, but that doesn't mean another god can't. You won't have the right to raise your child, but I will, because the laws don't concern a demigod being raised by a god who isn't his divine parent. Although technically I'm not a goddess anyway."

It was so obvious and logical that Hera felt stupid for not having thought about it before, and surely most gods had never thought of it either. But it would also mean that she wouldn't be able to see her child grow up.

Rhea, as if sensing what her daughter was thinking, cut her off. "Besides, you'll still be able to see that child. After all, nothing stops you from visiting your old mother, and if the little rascal should accidentally walk into the room we were in, well... bad luck... Besides, as you said yourself, nobody expects you to have a demigod child, so Zeus won't be watching over you like he does the other gods and goddesses. Besides, he'll be too busy fooling around with his actress to notice anything. And you wouldn't even have to worry about one of your brothers or sisters coming here and discovering the child, after all they're all too busy with their own little worlds to remember me most of the time. It's been decades since I've seen some of them."

Hera was torn between being quite reassured that her child would be in good hands and not discover the world of which they were part of, and its dangers, unprepared, but she couldn't prevent a small grimace from appearing on her face as she heard the end of what her mother had said. She, like her siblings, rarely 'found the time' to visit their mother, too busy with her own little problems, and she wasn't exactly proud of it.

To think that all she would have had to do was ask her mother for advice, and she was sure she would have found a solution to many of her problems. At least now she'd have a reason to see her almost every week for at least more than a decade. She would just have to be careful that none of the Olympians became suspicious of her prolonged absences or strange behavior. But she had already devised a strategy for this, especially to avoid the attention of her husband. She had once again discovered one of his affairs with a mortal woman and his bastard child, so for once her anger would not translate into an attempt to make their lives a living hell, but simply to ignore Zeus completely and give him the cold shoulder for a few years.

So she declared the words that completely changed her life from that day on. "Alright. I want to do this."

She got up from the sofa and headed for the door, but stopped before opening it, turning to face her mother.

"I wanted to know, what convinced you to help me?" She asked, finding herself curious to hear the answer the titaness would give her.

Rhea seemed to think for some seconds before answering. "Because for the very first time in millenia, when you learned of your husband's unfaithfulness and of the child he had with his mistress, you didn't immediately try to punish them. No, you were just so tired and I could even see some longing in your gaze. You're the goddess of childbirth, it's normal for you to want a child after millenia of not having one. And I can perfectly understand why you don't want one with the man who brings you so much pain." She then continued in a more cautious voice. "Besides, your rage and jealousy have already made you the villain in many people's stories over the centuries, don't be the villain in others'."

Hera winced. Oh, she knew what many people, gods and demigods alike, thought of her, whether Greek or Roman. She knew that, unable to vent her rage on Zeus, she made life hell for his mistresses and bastards, and that this made her a horrible person in the eyes of many. Dionysus, Hercules... She could name many, and she had to admit that, in retrospect and after her anger had subsided, she was ashamed of what she'd done, after all, those children hadn't chosen to be born. All the things she'd done over the millennia had earned her a reputation as a fearsome goddess whom nobody wanted as an enemy, but also a cruel and detestable one. So, now that she'd have her own demigod, she was going to turn a blind eye to the mortals who lit the flame of lust in her unfaithful husband, and ignore him altogether instead. A slight change of strategy. And if he eventually tired of his mistresses, he could always come crawling back to her feet, she'd leave him there.

"But how can I not see this child... I mean, part of me is bound to see this child as revenge against him." and that was surely what scared her the most, that she couldn't help seeing her child as a personal revenge against Zeus. To show him what it felt like. That for the first time, for once, the roles would be reversed.

"I think that whatever happens, it's bound to be the case for a tiny part of you, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to love this child more than anything, because I know you will." and just with those few words, her mother had once again managed to calm her down and restore her determination to do this. 

***

Almost nine months later, on August 18, 1993, Perseus Jackson was born. According to the hospital nurses, his mother, a woman named June Jackson, was glowing as she held her son in her arms. Literally .

Chapter Text

Nothing was more powerful than a mother's love for her child.

It was already three weeks since Hera had had her child, and she could tell it was true. Having a demigod child was different from having a divine one. Godly children grew up far too fast, and it was almost as if they were never innocent children who needed their mother's protection, who needed to discover everything with their big eyes full of curiosity. No, a divine child was already instinctively aware of many things, and became what could be considered 'adult' very quickly.

Hera had never really had the opportunity to be a mother, which was ironic given that she was the goddess of motherhood. Ares was already ... complicated from birth and didn't stay a child for long. Hephaestus, well, she hadn't seen him grow up through her own fault. Nor had Hebe really needed a mother figure for long.

But a mortal child was different. He didn't grow at an accelerated pace. He was helpless and unable to do anything on his own, always needing one of his parents to take care of him, to feed him, to put him to bed. Hera had always been fascinated by the way mortals looked after their children, and the joy they felt at seeing them grow up. Of course, there were unfortunately always exceptions in the world, far too many in fact, of parents who didn't feel this unconditional love for their flesh and blood. Because as much as mortals could fascinate Hera, others could disgust her and drive her mad with rage. Abuse. Parents beating their children. Parents abandoning their children. And many other horrors that made the goddess want to punish all these monsters. And she would if she didn't know they'd already be punished for eternity in Hades' kingdom, and the fact that she wasn't allowed to intervene most of the time.

But all she could feel for her son was endless love. That fragile little being that clutched her finger in his tiny hand when she took him in her arms. Her son was the most precious thing she'd had in a long time. He was so perfect. Of course, that was what all parents thought of their children, but still. Hera could see many of her own traits in her son, but he also seemed to have inherited a lot from his father, whoever he was. Even if he was still too young to make out any definitive traits, his tuft of black hair, green eyes and naturally tanned skin were all traits of the donor.

And the love she felt for Perseus made her understand why Zeus didn't want gods and goddesses to have any contact or to raise their demigod children. It was far too easy to become attached to them, to love them more than anything, even knowing that their lives would one day be in danger. And this love would prevent the gods from letting misfortunes befall their demigod children, which would end up causing countless problems.

But even knowing this, Hera couldn't force herself to leave her son for too long. Since his birth, she had had to make sure she was seen on Olympus at least several times a week to avoid arousing suspicion, and every time she had to part with him, she could feel her heart breaking a little more.

She had never been the most emotional of goddesses, even considered cold by many, but strangely enough, this little boy managed to melt her heart. And she had to admit, it felt good. She could finally let another side of herself express itself, the goddess of motherhood, the mother, and not just the Queen of the Gods and the goddess of marriage.

When she had to part with him, she left him in the care of her mother, who seemed as delighted as her daughter to be able to look after the "little bundle of joy" that was her grandson.

And after yet another visit to Olympus when she took note of her husband's absence, unsurprisingly, she had been reunited with her son, whom she was currently feeding.

"This is the first time in so long that I see you smile so happily." She heard her mother say from where she was sitting in an armchair a little further away. Hera didn't reply, too focused on admiring the way Perseus's little face scrunched up between sips of milk. Rhea cleared her throat. "I've had two questions on my mind for some time now, and I'd like to ask them." Hera merely raised an eyebrow, which the titaness took as a sign to ask said questions. "Alright. Firstly, why the name Perseus? Wasn't that the name of one of Zeus' illegitimate children?"

She didn't stop smiling, even as she heard the name of her unfaithful husband, and answered calmly. "Several reasons for that, which have nothing to do with him , nor with any twisted revenge. Perseus means 'Destroyer', he's my little destroyer, I don’t know why but I just had this feeling that this was the perfect name for him. The other reason is that he's one of the few demigods who had a happy ending. On top of that, he's one of the few heroes who remained faithful to his wife, Andromeda, throughout his life."

"That won't stop me from naming him Percy, can you imagine, these days a child with such an ancient name? The poor fellow would be laughed at by his classmates. And then, those who laughed at him would find themselves attacked by cows you'd 'accidentally' send their way." she laughed. "My other question was, why did you insist on feeding him yourself? The last time you breastfeed a demigod was..."

"Hercules" She cut in dryly, never really having digested the fact that that bitch Athena had tricked her into taking care of that baby. "And yes I know perfectly well that nursing that child gave him his strength, but if Zeus' bastard got it then my son certainly will too." she took a deep breath, before continuing in a quieter voice. "He'll need it, I'm afraid."

Rhea watched her hold her son closer to her chest, the baby already starting to fall asleep after finishing eating. "We both know his life won't be easy, and that's why we'll have to make his childhood as happy as possible while preparing him for the dangers he'll be forced to face one day."

Hera sighed softly. She stood up, her son in her arms, to take him to his room, which Rhea had fitted out during her daughter's pregnancy. She knew she couldn't protect Perseus forever, that she only had a little over a decade before she would potentially have to send him to Camp Half-Blood. Sure, he'd be safe as long as he was with her mother, or with her, even if to her chagrin she couldn't be as present when he was older, but his scent would eventually become too strong, and she couldn't ask her child to stay sheltered in a pottery store for the rest of his life.

She gently placed her son in his bed, covering him with his peacock-colored blanket before bending down to kiss his forehead tenderly. She didn't know how long she stood there watching him, but she still couldn't shake her wonder at how small he was. He was so fragile that she was sometimes afraid of hurting him when she took him in her arms. An unfounded fear, because she knew that her maternal instinct would never allow her to hurt him.

She turned to make sure he was sleeping peacefully one last time before closing the door, before heading towards the dining room where her mother was, to say goodbye. She had to leave already. And like every time, it was getting harder and harder.

He was already an important part of her world, and she knew he would be even more so the older he grew.

Chapter Text

Percy Jackson always knew he wasn't like other children. 

He quickly realized that most children his age were raised by their parents, both of them, or just one of them, and not by their grandmother like him. He knew he had a mom, and that she loved him very much, but he saw her almost only once a month for a few hours, and for a seven-year-old, well, that wasn't enough. When he'd asked Granny Rhea why his mom couldn't stay with them all the time, she'd stroked his hair tenderly and said 'you'll understand when you're older'. But that was stupid! He was already grown up, and he was sure that whatever the reason for his mother's long absences, he'd be able to understand. 

But even with all that, if there was one thing he knew, it was that his mother loved him more than anything. 

Unfortunately, it wasn't just this that made him different from his peers at school. He was also what could be called a 'problem child', due to the fact that he was dyslexic and suffered from ADHD (whatever that was, it was a complicated word he'd understand one day). He couldn't read like the other kids, the letters mixing up and flying off in all directions when he tried. And he had really tried several times, but nothing worked. According to his mom, this was normal and it was better for him to read Greek. He didn't really know what it was either, but it was easy to read, so he didn't bother asking too many questions. His inability to read English meant that other students made fun of him for not knowing how to, which wasn't nice, and on top of that he couldn't hold still for too long without his attention constantly shifting. 

And then, if that wasn’t enough, there were the monsters. Percy was a big boy, and he'd seen monsters on TV, like in Scooby-Doo, but the ones he saw in real life scared him. They were too weird, had too many teeth, and claws too long. But they never came near him, and Percy didn't know why. When he'd talked to a boy in his class about these monsters, he told him there weren't any where Percy could perfectly see a big black dog with fiery eyes and far too many teeth in its jaw.

According to his grandmother, he was not to talk about what he saw to anyone except her or his mom, and being a good boy, he obeyed and never spoke again about the strange creatures he saw on street corners. 

His life changed again when he was seven. Silverleaf School, where he'd been attending for years, had organized an outing for his class, and Percy was ecstatic. After all, what child who had never been out of the city wouldn't want to take a field trip to a farm? But the day quickly turned into a nightmare when Percy discovered once again that he wasn't like the other kids. 

Because when they passed the cows' pen, Percy heard them talking . He heard them as if they were talking like humans, complaining of being hungry or that it was too hot. At first he thought he was dreaming, so he pinched his arm, which made him realize that cows really did talk!

Naively, he'd run to announce his discovery to his teacher, a woman who didn't like him very much because he couldn't stand still, and scolded him for just about everything. 

What a mistake. 

Not only had she not believed him, but he'd had the stupidity to insist because he wasn't crazy! The cows were talking. But Mrs Korana hadn't liked his unwillingness to let go and had ended up punishing him, forcing him to sit on a bench while the rest of the class could go and visit the fields. 

It was so unfair that he'd almost cried. 

The next thing he knew, Mrs. Korana was being chased by a cow. Percy had laughed to see her scream in panic and run like a turkey, even though he was still worried about her. Just because she was mean to him didn't mean he wanted a cow to hurt her, after all. 

But the problems didn't stop there, no, one of the school's least sympathetic boys, a fellow called Noah Morrison, had tripped him up with a cross-foot and called him a freak and made fun of him for thinking he could hear cows. Because of the humiliation and the fact that the other students were laughing, he'd gotten back up before punching the mean boy in the face with all his might. What he hadn't expected was the awful crack that sounded when his fist connected with said face. After that, Noah was on the ground, screaming in pain, his mouth full of blood.

Percy had been in what was called a kind of 'shock state' after that, so he couldn't really remember what happened next. 

It was only when he and his mother were summoned to the principal's office that he learned that he had broken Noah's jaw and a dozen of his teeth. But that was absurd, after all, how could a seven-year-old have done that? Apparently the parents of the boy he'd severely injured wanted to do something called 'press charges', which enraged his mom, who asked him to step out of the office for a moment so she could 'have a word’ with Noah's parents and the school principal. She came back out a minute later, and simply told him he was going to change schools. 

He didn't protest; he didn't like Silverleaf anyway. 

And so Percy Jackson changed schools for the first time.

He began to wonder if the other kids were right and he was indeed a freak. After all, he was seeing and hearing things that should be impossible, and he'd really hurt a classmate without knowing how. But according to his grandmother, that wasn't the case, he was just 'special' as she put it. 

But what did special mean? 

He knew his grandmother Rhea and his mom knew things they didn't want him to know. He wasn't good at school, but that didn't mean he was stupid; sometimes he could see sadness in his mother's eyes when she looked at him. So he was sure they had the answers to his questions, but they must also have had a good reason for not giving them to him. 

So he was going to be patient, and wait. 

He wasn't going to eavesdrop at all; no, that wasn't his style. 

Well… if he did it once , it couldn't be very serious, could it? Just once. 

It was by chance! He was there by accident.

Yes, completely! He hadn't done it on purpose, so he didn't have to feel guilty. He was so ingenious sometimes. 

And so he overheard a tiny snippet of conversation between his mother and grandmother, about how 'he was too young for all that' and 'he should enjoy being a normal kid' . He would have liked to have listened more, but he had no idea of how his mom had known he was there and had opened the door suddenly, almost knocking him forward because he had his ear pressed against the door. 

He'd given her his most innocent smile and his big bright eyes, but all he'd received in return was a raised eyebrow as if to say 'do you seriously think I'm stupid?'. 

In short, his spying mission hadn't really paid off.

***

For the first time in his life, Percy was going on vacation! His grandmother had managed to convince her daughter to let them go on vacation. She'd finally agreed, on condition that they didn't fly and that the destination wasn't where there was the sea, which was weird but whatever. So in the end, he was off to a place called Yellowstone. 

Apparently it was a very old and very beautiful national park, and Percy was overexcited at the idea of being able to explore it all, even if the car journey was a nightmare because he couldn't keep still. 

But it was worth it, because once there Percy could run around and marvel at the animals and landscapes. The color of the ground was weird though, orange like cheddar cheese in places, and there were even big columns of water spurting out of the ground at times! Geysers, according to his grandmother, another complicated word he'd have to memorize.

They had chosen to stay for a whole week, visiting the various canyon, geyser and lake routes.

The only problem was that there were a lot of people who, like them, had come to visit the park. And of course there were the strange things Percy could see. 

What a bummer. 

They were taking a walk by a waterfall, and he had stepped away from his grandmother to observe a fish in a river, when Percy saw a man approaching him with a menacing air. Admittedly, for a seven-year-old it didn't take much for a man to appear threatening, just tall and frowning, but there was something different about this one that made Percy shiver. 

What definitively convinced him that this man wasn't what he seemed and that he was there with bad intentions was when he heard him say that he was lucky to have stumbled upon a demigod in this place because he was starving. Only to realize just afterwards that the man hadn't opened his mouth. Weird. 

Percy couldn't explain it, but he could sense that the man (was it really a man?) was feeling a malicious pleasure and something else that he couldn't describe but that made him feel like he was being licked by a toad. Ugh, he shivered with disgust.

And then, all at once, Percy realized that what he had in front of him had never been a man, when after closing his eyes for a moment, the man was no longer there but in his place was a monster. He must have been eight-foot-tall with heavily tattooed arms. His too-many teeth that flashed a menacing smile were yellow, as if he didn't know what a toothbrush was, Yuck, and very sharp. Too sharp, so much so that Percy wondered for a moment if he wasn't afraid of cutting his tongue off by biting it by mistake? Not really the time to think about that. He was dressed in... was it a floral bathing suit? If he wasn't holding an iron club, Percy could almost have believed he was there to wash in the river. From the smell of him he could use one. 

"What are you doing out here all alone, little one?" he asked with a grin that exposed his filthy teeth even more, as he continued to move towards Percy, who had started to back away, even though the river behind him would prevent him from getting very far. The monster, because it was indeed a monster and not a man, sniffed the air like a dog before fixing his gaze on him again. "Your scent is very strong, I could smell you from miles away. Whoever your divine parent is must be one of the oldest."

Huh?

His smell? As far as Percy knew he didn't stink, he was clean after all. He showered once a day, sometimes twice, and used a very nice-smelling soap. He almost wanted to retort to this thing that he was talking nonsense before the rest of what he'd said made him freeze. 

Divine parent? 

Divine as a god? 

Ever since he was a little boy, his mom always took time to tell him about the many legends of Greek mythology. Gods, titans, monsters, heroes. And Percy was fascinated; he couldn't even count the number of illustrated books he had about all that. And then there were the movies! One of his all-time favorites was Disney's Hercules, and he didn't even know how many times he'd seen it. His mom always made a funny face when he wanted to watch it again. 

But that didn't explain what this monster who was still approaching him again was talking about. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." he hated the fact that his voice sounded so high-pitched. He wasn't afraid! He was just... intimidated. 

"Oh, you poor thing. It's all right, it's been a long time since I've eaten and even if you're skinny you'll do."

Eat?! That giant wanted to eat him?! Hell no! 

So he did what anyone with a modicum of survival instinct would do when faced with an unknown creature threatening to eat you alive. 

He ran. 

He knew he'd never be able to outrun the monster - his legs were too short and he'd be caught out in no time - but as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and he certainly wasn't going to let himself be turned into a snack for some who-knows-what who needed a visit to the dentist. 

Unsurprisingly, as he started to run away, the monster roared and rushed after him. Unlucky for Percy, he was caught in barely ten seconds. The giant grabbed him by the leg and dragged him to face level. 

Percy, upside down and terrified, did the only sensible thing his brain was screaming at him to do. He punched him right in the eye. But just when he'd expected it to be useless, he felt his fist sink far deeper than it should have, and the monster howled in pain before letting go of Percy, who fell with a loud thud onto his back, knocking the breath out of him and hitting his head hard in the process.

He thought he saw lions coming out of the woods to attack the monster, but he must have been hallucinating from the blow to the head. After a few seconds, the man who wasn't a man exploded in a cloud of golden dust when one of the lions bit him in the throat. 

Dang, those lions were big. 

"Percy!" he heard his grandmother's panicked voice, before losing consciousness.

Chapter Text

If there was one thing Hera had grown to hate over the centuries, it was the meetings where all the Olympians got together. Having to put up with all that mess and having to listen to all their endless problems, and being forced to watch Zeus and Poseidon threaten each other over and over again. 

What a nightmare. 

How she wished she'd been with her son instead. 

She'd given her mother the go-ahead for the two of them to go on vacation to Yellowstone Park, a beautiful place that was far enough away from the other Olympians' domains to be safe. Percy was overjoyed at the idea of finally being able to let off steam and visit new places, and it was his smile that had convinced the goddess of marriage to agree to let them go. 

She had found that there was little she could refuse her son. 

Over the years she'd done her best to visit him as often as possible, even if it proved complicated, the other gods all being meddlers incapable of minding their own business. And to think she'd been like that seven years ago. 

But as much as she loved Percy, she hadn't been able to force herself to tell him the truth about who/what he was or about the world he belonged to. She just couldn't. She wanted him to keep that gleam of innocence and admiration in his eyes a little longer, before she was forced to tell him that the life of a demigod was far from easy. The problem being that hiding all this from Percy wasn't as effective as she'd have liked, because of course the Fates had made sure he'd come across as many monsters as possible, quickly realizing that other kids his age were incapable of seeing them. 

What's more, raising a child with super-strength wasn't as easy as it looked either. Rhea had to super-baby proof her apartment more than once. The worst was when Percy used it unintentionally, which only convinced the two women that they couldn't hide the truth from Percy for much longer. He would need to be ready for when he was sent to Camp Half-Blood, and for that he would have to learn to master his immense strength. 

And then there was the fact that Hera, having never had a demigod child before, didn’t know  what powers her son might possess. Oh, she had a few ideas, and had noticed the effects of her domains on Percy. He loved to cook, for example, or run the house. He also showed great respect for women, although she wasn't sure if this really had anything to do with her. 

She was brought out of her thoughts when Zeus shook the sky with a bolt of lightning, demanding silence from the assembly of major gods. 

Ah, the Summer Solstice, one of only two councils their brother Hades was allowed to attend. And then Zeus dared to wonder why their brother hated them, when he was creating more and more reasons for him to do so. 

For the first time in centuries, Hera completely ignored the various topics addressed at the meeting. She cleared her throat, cutting Zeus off, which earned her a stern look that she ignored. "I simply wish to state that whatever the subjects to be voted on, could we please hurry. Unlike some in this room, I have other obligations than chasing petticoats or liking to hear my own voice." she declared in a cold but still regal voice, which earned her more than a few shocked glances.

Apollo, for example, was doing a very successful imitation of a goldfish, his mouth wide open in surprise. Well, if she'd known that was all it took to shut him up, she'd have done it long ago.

Zeus looked at her a little longer with a look showing confusion and anger before stating the first topic of conversation. "Very well, in that case we need to talk about you Poseidon, who took a mortal lover and could very well give her a child, which goes against our oath." 

Poseidon rose from his throne, trident in hand, his handsome face flushed with anger. "Is this a threat to Sally? Be very careful what you say next, brother." 

Oh, great, as if they needed another reason for the two brothers to kill each other. Before things could get out of hand she spoke up. "As far as I understand, no children were born of this union, were they?" to Poseidon's nod, she continued. "Then I don't really see what the problem is. Let him have as much fun with his mortal as he likes as long as he doesn't knock her up." She glanced in the direction of Zeus, whose jaw was clenched. A smirk formed on her face; just because she'd mellowed thanks to her son didn't mean she'd forgiven her husband. "Besides, you're hardly in a position to make that kind of accusation, my dear." 

Zeus's gaze turned stormy and he gripped his throne so tightly that Hera thought he was going to crack it. Oh, she knew that what she'd just said would cause confusion as to whether she was talking about his old affairs or a new one. She could see Hades' eyes narrowing dangerously. Had she just caused a new conflict? Absolutely, but it was always fun to watch the brothers wage their little cold war, even if it was tiring in the long run. 

Speaking of her husband's affair, Hera couldn't help but feel pity for his children, even if she couldn't force herself to feel the same towards the fool who had fallen in love with the King of the Gods. As if Zeus hadn't had enough of having a bastard with the actress, his Roman aspect, Jupiter, had done the same a few years later. So, not even a year after she had her Percy, Jason Grace was born, demigod child of Jupiter and brother (or was it half-brother?) to Thalia born seven years earlier. The dual personalities and aspects of gods and goddesses were sometimes a nightmare. Hera, and Juno, had never appreciated being considered as two separate entities, she ( they ) thought it was stupid, but as the camps would clash if they learned of each other's existence, there wasn't much she could do. 

She knew that Zeus was confused and disturbed by her behavior towards him and his affair. In the first few months after her discovery of Beryl Grace and her daughter, he'd expected her to 'get revenge’ against them in some way, despite his threats in the throne room, but she hadn't. Although confused, he was glad she'd done so, happy to continue his cheating behind her back thinking she'd finally chosen to respect his orders. But Zeus was a God and a womanizer, so despite everything, he'd grown tired of his actress. As happy as he was that Hera hadn't made his little mortal family's life a living hell, he'd remained wary, always on his guard and ready to 'calm her down' for when she inevitably lost her temper. He'd found nothing better than to call his son Jason, thinking it would calm her down if she finally snapped, of course not knowing that she didn't care. 

And so, after a few years, still ignored by his wife, he had finally abandoned the mortal woman, and ended up ordering that his son, being a Roman demigod, be entrusted to Lupa, leaving Thalia to believe that he was dead. Their mother, Beryl, having become an alcoholic and almost violent at times after the departure of her lover, whom she resented enormously, had ended up pushing Thalia to flee after yet another argument. 

And as Hera had foreseen, Zeus was beginning to be seriously disturbed by her attitude towards him. As if ignoring him was enough to make him react. She wished she'd known that before. And so, after a while, he began to get frustrated and angry with her. 

Hera loved it. 

And the only way he'd found to vent his anger? Apart from causing thunderstorms, of course. 

Making his brothers' lives a nightmare.

That's how he'd discovered that Poseidon had been having an affair for several years with a certain mortal named Sally, with whom he'd fallen head over heels in love. Mad with rage at the thought of his brother breaking the oath he himself had broken, the hypocrite had tried to kill her. Zeus' solution to everything? Throw a lightning bolt. An attempt that had failed. The woman was currently under the sea, where Zeus could not reach her. 

Ah men, always thinking with what's between their legs instead of their brains. 

Poor Amphitrite, another woman who was continually deceived. If Hera hadn't known that Poseidon had surely threatened his son, she'd have bet that Triton would have killed the woman the instant his father went to Olympus. 

And so here was the main topic of this council. 

It was a bore. 

She passed her gaze over the various Gods and Goddesses present, observing their different reactions to her statement. She could see the glint of interest in Aphrodite's eyes, just as she could see the darkness twisting in Hades' fingers. 

Poor Thalia was surely going to serve as a revenge for the Di Angelo. 

"What does Hera mean by that, brother? Would you like to inform us of something perhaps?" Poseidon asked, teeth clenched. 

Before she could listen to the God of the Sky’s answer, the golden bracelet she wore around her left wrist tightened sharply, and her blood ran cold. 

This could only mean one thing. 

Percy was hurt. 

Hera knew that she couldn't always be there for him, that she might have to spend time on Olympus or looking after her domains, but she had found a way of knowing when her son was in danger. She had created two pieces of jewelry, a golden necklace that she put around her son's neck, and her bracelet, which would magically tighten if anything serious happened to him. 

She knew she should never have let him go on vacation, he was too... overexcited, like all children but even more so because of his ADHD. 

She stood up so abruptly that the discussion, which had turned into an argument while she was internally panicking, came to a sudden halt, all eyes turning in her direction. 

"An emergency" she said simply, making sure her voice showed nothing of the emotions she was feeling, before she disappeared in a flash of light, ignoring the stunned looks of the other gods. 

Her son was more important than this stupid council. 

She'd just have to find a reason to explain her departure later, after all it's rare for an Olympian to disappear in the middle of a Solstice meeting.