บท 20: DA : Chapter 20: The Fallen I
An Hour After Percy Left
"Andy?"
"Hmm?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah … why wouldn't I be?" Andromeda asked as she stopped staring off into the fields of Tartarus.
Rhea looked at the currently little girl in worry. After the episode with detecting her domain and finding Aphrodite, Andromeda had kept a constant blank face and seemed to space out constantly. Rhea was pretty sure that Andromeda was currently monitoring the love goddess, possibly in thinking if and how to pass judgement on her.
Even after these years, Andromeda hadn't been vocal about punishing the gods. She wanted their rule to be over, that was clear, but whether she had a hand in their punishments after all was said and done was up in the air.
Personally Rhea would be more than happy if Andromeda kept her hands clean of Olympian ichor after the war.
She was simply too sweet and kind to be brought into the torture of the Olympians regardless of how much right she had to after what they did to her family. Percy agreed wholeheartedly with Rhea but he also said that if she made the choice to participate, he wouldn't stop her either.
Looking at Andromeda now, Rhea couldn't shake the feeling that she was starting to consider to just that with Aphrodite. Deciding to voice her thoughts, Rhea began, "Are you looking into Aphrodite?"
Andy frowned for a moment before slowly nodding. "It's just that … when I felt how she is … it's like I need to constantly watch her to make sure she doesn't continue with her ways … but I can't really do anything yet, can I?"
"No," Rhea answered while shaking her head. "For now you must stay hidden."
Andy huffed in frustration before frowning at her lap. After a few moments she looked at Rhea with a critical eye, making Rhea begin to feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Hey Rhea … um," Andy muttered softly.
"Yes, what is it?" Rhea asked as she leaned forward curiously.
"Umm … do, uh, just forget it," Andy replied but Now Rhea was too curious to let it up.
"Nah-ah, there's something on your mind so tell me," she persisted while narrowing her eyes at Andy.
"It's nothing, really," Andy shot back.
"You're a terrible liar," Rhea said with a faint smirk before becoming more serious. "Now tell me what's on your mind."
Andromeda bit her lip as she looked anywhere but Rhea's face for a few minutes. She then glanced nervously at Rhea before asking shyly, "You love my brother … right?"
Rhea looked at her in slight surprise before blushing slightly while answering, "Of course I do."
Neither had really said it yet though. She knew Percy was still sensitive to that word after everything that happened with the cheater and Aphrodite's meddling.
Heck, his luck with romances have really sucked considering his first crush and girlfriend-ish relation with Rachel ended because of her being the next oracle and all that, then the odd episodes with Calypso and later on Reyna. Rhea was also shy about saying it to him due to her past with her siblings.
She hadn't loved Kronos but it was her mother's request that the two be together and she truly had tried to love him … but it just never happened. Afterwards she was alone when her children won the war and she thought she was destined to remain there for all eternity, never loving or loved.
Then suddenly she meets one raven hair man who that damned smirk … and a spark she thought would remain dead forever suddenly grew into a flame. It all started with simple companionship and training, then they became close friends until they were the closest friends could be.
They trusted each other in any situation and would always be there for the other. How could she not fall in love with him? Now if only she could work the courage to actually tell him.
"That's good," Andromeda said sweetly before adding with a smirk, "And I would love to call you 'big sister' officially."
"Andy!" Rhea shouted in surprise while her face went golden while her heart raced away.
"What?" Andy asked innocently while shrugging. "It's true and … I know he feels the same."
"He does …?" Rhea whispered softly as she looked at Andy in the eyes. "Are … are you sure?"
Did Percy truly return her love? Had he finally healed enough to love her the same way she did him?
"Yeah … but," Andy continued and Rhea felt her heart drop at the 'but'. Was there something wrong that kept him from being with her? At her look Andromeda took a deep breath before continuing. "Percy's a klutz right?"
"Huh?" Rhea asked, completely caught off guard by the sudden change in the conversation.
"Percy," Andromeda continued, "He is a big, lovable, silly klutz right?"
"Yeah," Rhea said with a tiny sigh as she looked down. "But I still love him."
"I know you do, that's why I'm going to tell you this, otherwise when he does tell you he'll mess it up somehow. I don't really feel like watching you two go in a back and forth just because of a misunderstanding so I'll be frank … but don't let him know I told you," she said seriously making Rhea nod firmly. Andromeda took a deep breath before continuing.
"Percy does love you, truly, but … you aren't the only one."
"What do you mean?" Rhea asked nervously as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress.
"What I mean is, Percy was starting to fall for someone else before he came to Tartarus and then met you. Now he holds you and that significant other in his heart but he's scared to tell you," she answered.
"Why would he be scared?" Rhea asked softly as she looked at Andromeda.
"Because he's scared to lose you if you don't take it well. He also doesn't want to hurt you in any way or make it look like he betrayed you. In fact I'm pretty sure if you made him, he'd choose you since you're together right now … but I can also guarantee that he wouldn't truly be happy."
Rhea stayed silent as she looked at the girl she considered a little sister for some time, her thoughts focused on Percy and the new information she had. So he loved her … but another as well? Who was it?
She couldn't recall Percy talking about anyone particular during their years but then again, aside from his adventures, she'd never asked that particular question and didn't think he'd want to touch on romance at the time. Not to mention it would have been awkward when they were dating too.
Still, how did that make her feel? A little hurt maybe? Yes but at the same time she knew he did love her and would never hide something like a relationship on the side from her.
Percy could never willingly hurt those he cares for … and if he did love someone else as well, then they couldn't be bad right? She was brought out of her thoughts when Andromeda poked her before speaking up.
"So … what will you do?" she asked nervously.
Rhea gave her a reassuring smile before answering, "I'm going to take a walk and think about it." That answer didn't seem to settle Andromeda at all but before she could add anything Rhea continued while raising a hand.
"I didn't say I was angry or am going to break with him.
Heavens no! He hasn't done anything wrong and I could never hurt him like that either. I just want a little time to myself before talking to him next time I see him. If he truly feels that way then we're going to need to discuss it like a couple."
Andromeda sighed in relief at her words, giving her a faint smile before hugging her close.
"That's great to hear … and I'm sure everything will work out right in the end."
Rhea smiled at her words before both left the embrace and got up. Rhea was about to turn away to begin her walk when Andy cleared her throat to get her attention.
"Yes?" Rhea asked while half turning to look at her.
"Mind if I borrow the necklace Nyx gave you for your visits to the mortal world?"
"Why?" Rhea asked with a tilt of the head.
"I want to check something," Andy answered cryptically.
"Andromeda," Rhea said as she fully turned around and crossing her arms under her impressive bust while giving the girl a critical eye. "What are you planning that needs you going to the mortal world?"
Andromeda bit her lip for a moment before replying, "I want to see them."
"Who?" Rhea asked with narrowing eyes.
"Percy's friends. The ones that he had to leave behind. I just want to check up then for him since, well you know, it's hard for him since he can't really interact with them yet and all that."
"It's too dangerous," was Rhea's immediate answer. No way in hell she was going to let Andromeda go back to the mortal world alone and risk capture and torture or worse at the hands of the Olympians.
"No it isn't!" Andromeda snapped back with irritation lacing her voice as she shifted to her adult form.
"I can take on any god that might be there and I'm only going to Camp Jupiter. Plus its night time right now and with Nyx's necklace, I'll practically be invisible power wise. Only someone like a primordial or you and Percy would be able to detect me past the charmed necklace."
Rhea knew she was right but still, the thought of Andromeda getting hurt or worse terrified her. Still, she could see it in Andromeda's eyes that she would just find another way to go if Rhea said no… the Jackson siblings, never had there been such mule headed kids before.
At least with the necklace she could be assured that Andromeda was hidden and had a means of escape. They stared off for nearly a minute before Rhea sighed while running a hand through her hair.
"Fine," Rhea finally said and raised a hand before Andy could celebrate, "But you need to be back before dawn at the latest. And if something goes wrong, pray immediately to Nyx or me or any others who can receive prayers.
We'll come in even if it means tearing apart an Olympian or two. Am I understood?"
"Crystal," Andy said with a nod before Rhea reached her dress and pulled out an obsidian amulet. She handed it to Andy who quickly put it on before focusing on it.
With a glow of power her hair and eyes became midnight black while her godly aura suppressed to the level of a minor demigod at best.
With that she gave Nyx another nod before she closed her eyes and dissolved into the shadows. Rhea sighed as she watched her go before muttering, "I hope I made the right choice …"
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