A Daughter’s Sorrow

Six

Hestia couldn't have hoped better for Perci. She was happier and smiling. The goddess felt good too. She had helped the girl when she needed peace. The Lady of the Hearth flashed to the island and cried out as she fell over.

Looking around in horror, Hestia felt the ground shake and behind her, the sea was crashing against the beach, "No..."

The goddess rushed forward to Perci's mansion. The doors opened.

Nightmare. Nightmare. Nightmare, the Aurai whispered frantically.

Hestia didn't need to be pushed by the wind nymphs, because she was racing for Perci's room. The walls and ceilings were beginning to crack and moan under the pressure of the girl's power.

Clio opened the door before Hestia could, her hair a mess and her eyes wide. She slumped at the sight of the goddess, relieved.

Hestia stepped into the room to see the other eight muses hovering the bed humming in tune softly, stroking her face and hair to try and calm the girl. Perci was crying out on her bed, thrashing around and clenching the bedsheets. The demigoddess had tears on her cheeks and her fringe was stuck to her forehead with sweat.

The goddess moved to Perci's side and placed her warmed hands on the girl's temples. The ravenette tensed then relaxed, Hestia's touch soothing her nightmare filled mind.

The mansion ceased it's groaning and settled. The Muses sighed.

"Thank the Gods. I thought she was doing so well. We've gone a week without a nightmare, " Melpomene whimpered.

Erato hugged her sister, "At least it's not every night Mel."

"She's right. Maybe we'll get another week. Then maybe a month," Euterpe murmured comfortingly. Polyhymia smiled sadly at them all and pulled them into a hug.

Hestia sat on the bed beside the poor demigoddess. "Why don't you girls get something to eat? I'm sure the Aurai will make you anything."

The Muses curtsied to the Lady of the Hearth and left the room.

"Oh Perci. What am I supposed to do? How can I help you sweetheart?"

The girl's eyes then fluttered open. She looked at Hestia, sat up and hugged her.

Though the goddess's skin was unnaturally warm, Perci couldn't help but feel loved. She sniffled into Hestia's shoulder and sucked in a deep breath. The Lady of the Hearth smelled like a campfire. Perci's thoughts turned to the bonfire at camp.

The ravenette was only a little sad.

Unlike last time, where she couldn't think of them without becoming a huge sobbing mess.

Hestia knew this. The goddess pulled away and stood up. She held her hand out for Perci to take and they both went down the kitchen to meet the Muses.

:3

The group of eleven were seated in the dining room, the Aurai serving them all with a small giggle and brushes of wind.

"What happened at Council? I know it was a couple months ago...but still."

"Well Hera and Ares think you deserve to be a goddess-"

"What? Hera?!" Perci's eyes were wide with shock, “Are we talking about the same Goddess?”

"Yes sweetheart. I think Hera really does believe you deserve it. And Ares? Maybe just so the two of you can fight without actually killing each other."

The girl laughed, "Ares, I could kick his ass any time of the week. But Hera? Really? I wouldn't expect her to want me to-"

"Become one of us?"

Perci nodded, "So no one else wanted me to become a goddess?"

"No no. Everyone wanted you to become immortal, but those two want you as an Olympian. It was Athena who didn't want you to become immortal or a goddess. She wanted you to stay at the camp and train more demigods. Dionysus wanted the same, but you immortalised as well."

Perci nodded and looked at her plate. Chicken Kiev, macaroni and mashed potatoes.

"Artemis wants you to be in the Hunt. Apollo and Zeus agree."

The demigoddess nodded again. She liked that idea.

"And here, take this, " Hestia handed the ravenette a small charm bracelet. It had a charm that represented each Olympian, "When you need one of us, burn the charm and we will come."

Perci studied the piece of jewellery, "You don't have a charm?"

"No sweetheart, you need only pray for me and I will be here."

The Muses watched their exchange quietly, an occasional smile towards the young woman. Having known her for only 12 weeks, the minor goddesses had started to love her like a daughter.

:3

It was night and it seemed like the Aurai had known that the Muses needed to speak to Hestia, so they quickly rushed Perci to bed.

"Calliope? Is it really bad?"

"It was my Lady. When we arrived she had one every night for the first two weeks. But we began to accompany her in everything and she slept properly for two nights. Then three."

"She wouldn't go near Thalia."

Hestia nodded at Polyhymia, "Persephone's cousin. She died in the war. Thalia, her name, was Zeus's daughter and the two were very close."

Thalia, the Muse, looked sad and looked down at her hands. Urania hugged her sister then turned to the Olympian, "I think maybe we could teach her our gifts. It will keep her occupied and focused on learning instead of her past."

Hestia smiled at them all, "I think that would be a very good idea. Perci would appreciate your actions."

:3

Perci looked up at the sky, hearing thunder. The clear blue skies started to darken with grey clouds. The air around her dropped in temperature.

The young woman shivered.

She looked down to see the ground split open. The demigoddess scrambled away from the crack. The sudden heat coming from it was making her sweat. She knew where that split in the sand went to.

Perci screamed when she felt something from deep inside the crack pull her in, "Please no! Not again! Please!!"

Her cries unanswered, Perci was dragged in.

:3

She woke to the sounds of crackling fire and rattling chains. The demigoddess shook her head, trying to wake up further. She coughed and opened her eyes.

Panic filled her body when she found herself chained to a wall. Perci looked around, to see Kronos, Hyperion, Krios and Atlas.

Even...Bob.

They were staring her, evil grins on their faces. But Bob just stared, a solemn look on his otherwise blank face.

"Persephone Jackson. How nice to see you again, " Kronos sauntered towards her.

The ground beneath her began to swirl. It sucked her in, slowly.

The ravenette looked at Bob, "Please, don't let them do this. Please."

Said Titan looked away. The soil was now at her neck. Her fear of suffocating was consuming her mind, making her too scared to scream. The earth was now choking her, filling her lungs.

The demigoddess was so sure she was about to die. Right before she fell unconscious, she was yanked out and before she could take a single breath she was thrown into a bed of fire. Writhing around, the fire burned her flesh, melting it away.

All she could hear was her own pain stricken screams and the Titans' laughter.