x
By the time the son of Hephaestusā vision slipped into a field of black, the warm waters of the beach rolling across his ankles with the ebb and flow of a morning tide, Liv was standing just inches away. Dark hair blew in the wind, the fingers of the sun illuminating hints of red and gold. Her eyes stared out into the woods that were just ahead, and she just stood there quietly. Thoughts flooded her mind. Emotions flooded her being.
That was the curse of being a child of Poseidon; emotions are always as ever changing as the very sea itself. One moment she reeled in the bitterness of events that have already transpired, and the next she is feelingā¦ horrible with the outcome. When the cold logic of her actions washed over her, she knew she had let the monster, that was her unstable emotional self, take over. When the thrill of anger was gone, there was only that sharp pang of regret.
Duke hadnāt done anything to her. If anything, he was one of the more agreeable Demigods. Yet, as she turned around slowly to glance at his unmoving body, he was laying there in the sand because she had taken advantage of his genuine nature. She tilted her head and continued to stare down at him in silence; her thoughts flirting with several things.
She could walk away and make her point. This would mark her as a threatening Demigod, and this was what her father would have wanted. However, sheād possibly alienate herself from everyone. Her father was right - she is not privileged like a daughter or son of Zeus. No one would spare her for her actions. No one would be able to see her point of view. Sheād just be another monstrous spawn of the Earth Shaker. Part of her didnāt mind this idea, but Liv still had a rational mind - even if her emotions sometimes overshadowed it greatly.
She could help him; drag him into the sea and heal him. Water was a natural element of healing, and Poseidon could do it. Liv could do it. But then what happens after? Sheād just be another Demigod that talked the talk but never walks the walk. Another big mouth. She would have made threats that she could not go through with. Sheād definitely let her father down.
Either way, she doubted that it would matter. Nothing would change. She could stay or leave, heal or not - the outcome is the same. It settles nothing. Neither choice would make her feel worse or better about herself or her fatherās approval.
All children seek the approval of their parents. Itās a perfectly natural phenomenon that contributes to confusion, hostility, insecurity, and more in both humans and Demigods. Poseidon was hard to please, and though he loved all of his children dearly, it didnāt mean that he had to treat them with kindness. He was either scalding hot or extremely cold. Thereās no in between.
She ran both of her hands through her now short hair; a gesture of conflicted emotions that caused her to be confused and painfully aware of herself in this particular situation. With a heavy sigh, she looked back down at Duke and made her decision. Though sheād likely regret it, she knew that this was the best course of action. There was no pride in making an innocent pay for someone elseās slights. Sheād settle her scores with the appropriate individuals when the time is right.
She moved behind him, leaned over and grabbed his ankles. Limp bodies are pretty damn heavy, and Duke was no exception to this. Liv was not the strongest, either. She pulled and pulled, the tide lowering a bit and the waves slipped further from the shoreline. She had to drag him back a bit more, and once she got him into a place where he was at least partially covered by water, she fell back onto her butt and cursed his weight. His head ended up on her lap, face up, of course. Somehow.
She closed her eyes, tapped into the gentle side of the seaās power, and stayed her more dour emotions and thoughts to pave the way for her more docile and friendly nature. Thatās how this was supposed to work, right? She was supposed to suddenly feel sorry, which she did, and that she was being irrational - and magically, the water was supposed to do something glowy and heal him.
But nothing happened. Nothing happened for a few minutes, and it was just awkward.
Until Poseidon entered the scene himself, as haughty as ever. His towering figure rose from the ocean, arms crossed over his chest as he walked toward them. The water that shallowly surrounded Duke and Liv began to work its healing magic, and the Hephaestus son would soon be able to awaken with no pain and no snake bites. He spoke as Duke healed, āIt seems you are my daughter after all. The rage. The jealousy. The bittersweet thought of vengeance. Alas, you can not yet follow through. You will learn to get past the guilt when you realize that no one will ever care for you the way you care for them. Only then can you wash away the traces of your guilt. If you want my crown, you will have to bear its weight.ā It almost sounded like he was reminiscing about himself. He looked down on Duke with a tilted head, then back to Liv. He cared a great deal about his children, but his love was a little more on the tougher side. āFortunately for you, I was in the area. I would advise you not to use the power of the sea soā¦ recklessly, unless you are prepared to handle the consequences. Wasteful.ā
With that said, he turned away and disappeared into the ocean before his daughter had the chance to respond. This just left Duke, Liv and one awkward situation. Yet, she couldnāt find it in herself to just leave the scene, and she most certainly did not want to drag him back out. So, she just sat there, her hands limply laid on his shoulders, as the ebb and flow of the sea all but calmed.
That was the curse of being a child of Poseidon; emotions are always as ever changing as the very sea itself. One moment she reeled in the bitterness of events that have already transpired, and the next she is feelingā¦ horrible with the outcome. When the cold logic of her actions washed over her, she knew she had let the monster, that was her unstable emotional self, take over. When the thrill of anger was gone, there was only that sharp pang of regret.
Duke hadnāt done anything to her. If anything, he was one of the more agreeable Demigods. Yet, as she turned around slowly to glance at his unmoving body, he was laying there in the sand because she had taken advantage of his genuine nature. She tilted her head and continued to stare down at him in silence; her thoughts flirting with several things.
She could walk away and make her point. This would mark her as a threatening Demigod, and this was what her father would have wanted. However, sheād possibly alienate herself from everyone. Her father was right - she is not privileged like a daughter or son of Zeus. No one would spare her for her actions. No one would be able to see her point of view. Sheād just be another monstrous spawn of the Earth Shaker. Part of her didnāt mind this idea, but Liv still had a rational mind - even if her emotions sometimes overshadowed it greatly.
She could help him; drag him into the sea and heal him. Water was a natural element of healing, and Poseidon could do it. Liv could do it. But then what happens after? Sheād just be another Demigod that talked the talk but never walks the walk. Another big mouth. She would have made threats that she could not go through with. Sheād definitely let her father down.
Either way, she doubted that it would matter. Nothing would change. She could stay or leave, heal or not - the outcome is the same. It settles nothing. Neither choice would make her feel worse or better about herself or her fatherās approval.
All children seek the approval of their parents. Itās a perfectly natural phenomenon that contributes to confusion, hostility, insecurity, and more in both humans and Demigods. Poseidon was hard to please, and though he loved all of his children dearly, it didnāt mean that he had to treat them with kindness. He was either scalding hot or extremely cold. Thereās no in between.
She ran both of her hands through her now short hair; a gesture of conflicted emotions that caused her to be confused and painfully aware of herself in this particular situation. With a heavy sigh, she looked back down at Duke and made her decision. Though sheād likely regret it, she knew that this was the best course of action. There was no pride in making an innocent pay for someone elseās slights. Sheād settle her scores with the appropriate individuals when the time is right.
She moved behind him, leaned over and grabbed his ankles. Limp bodies are pretty damn heavy, and Duke was no exception to this. Liv was not the strongest, either. She pulled and pulled, the tide lowering a bit and the waves slipped further from the shoreline. She had to drag him back a bit more, and once she got him into a place where he was at least partially covered by water, she fell back onto her butt and cursed his weight. His head ended up on her lap, face up, of course. Somehow.
She closed her eyes, tapped into the gentle side of the seaās power, and stayed her more dour emotions and thoughts to pave the way for her more docile and friendly nature. Thatās how this was supposed to work, right? She was supposed to suddenly feel sorry, which she did, and that she was being irrational - and magically, the water was supposed to do something glowy and heal him.
But nothing happened. Nothing happened for a few minutes, and it was just awkward.
Until Poseidon entered the scene himself, as haughty as ever. His towering figure rose from the ocean, arms crossed over his chest as he walked toward them. The water that shallowly surrounded Duke and Liv began to work its healing magic, and the Hephaestus son would soon be able to awaken with no pain and no snake bites. He spoke as Duke healed, āIt seems you are my daughter after all. The rage. The jealousy. The bittersweet thought of vengeance. Alas, you can not yet follow through. You will learn to get past the guilt when you realize that no one will ever care for you the way you care for them. Only then can you wash away the traces of your guilt. If you want my crown, you will have to bear its weight.ā It almost sounded like he was reminiscing about himself. He looked down on Duke with a tilted head, then back to Liv. He cared a great deal about his children, but his love was a little more on the tougher side. āFortunately for you, I was in the area. I would advise you not to use the power of the sea soā¦ recklessly, unless you are prepared to handle the consequences. Wasteful.ā
With that said, he turned away and disappeared into the ocean before his daughter had the chance to respond. This just left Duke, Liv and one awkward situation. Yet, she couldnāt find it in herself to just leave the scene, and she most certainly did not want to drag him back out. So, she just sat there, her hands limply laid on his shoulders, as the ebb and flow of the sea all but calmed.