Persephone

Chapter 10: Old Stories

Chapter 10: Old Stories

"What if I stated that your mother is one of the gods?" Adonia said as they sat together on a marble bench of the temple's garden. The garden was wide, with bushels of red roses lining the wrought gate, vines of ivy covering the dark spikes with green vines and tiny white flowers that was sprinkled around the plant.

"Then I'd believe you," Percy said simply, when inside, her thoughts were clashing with new memories popping in her head every now and then. To top that off, there was a mild throbbing happening at the left backside of her head. "What else is there to believe?"

"Attitude, young lady. I'm just preparing you." Adonia's voice softened. "Your mother was a very powerful witch, or should I say-- being? No one really knew what she was, until then she was protected by this coven, and 12 others. I wasn't born yet by that time, and she knew my great-grandmother enough to call her when she was in dire situations," she paused to take a breath. "Your mother was a mystery to all of us. No one could track her down easily, nor escape from her. She couldn't be put down either. But we all knew she was being traced down by another ominous being the moment a baby bump appeared. And that was you."

Percy almost choked on oxygen. "You're not serious?"

Adonia looked at her skeptically. "You think?" Percy raised her hands in surrender, and the priestess reached out and then placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know, I know, it's a lot to take in. But you have to learn. The past matters too, y'know. Even though we don't want to look back to it."

"Deep words," Percy countered quietly.

Adonia nodded, a shadow passing over her eyes for a moment, then quickly disappearing as she continued on with the story. "You weren't normal, to start with. She bore you for almost two years and a half. And that was the time she spent running from this force, for her life and yours. What you are, we don't know either -- and it's hard for me to guess."

"Like Kronos to the 12 Olympians? He swallowed his children and when he regurgitated them out... They were fully grown." The words stumbled out of her mouth like they were always waiting to be let out.

"That's right." This time, Adonia watched Percy carefully. "But you were borne, not spat out. And, you have untouched, raw power, Percy. The moment I touched you, I felt it. It's very much alive, like your heartbeat, like how you breathe. But to the bad ocassions that happened to you, you should be thanking your mother for putting the spell on you. If not... you would be a shining beacon. Everyone would want to have you: dead or alive. Or otherwise, to monsters or men. "

"What's the difference? Between those two, I mean. Every man is as bad as a monster. And it seems that all monsters are men these days..." Percy said.

The priestess smiled. "You're smarter than you look, child. That's good."

Percy looked at Adonia, question in her eyes. "I won't be glowing or having weird eyes or skin, now, won't I?" she asked cautiously, remembering all the stories with Demigods turning blue or having just one eye. Yes, she thought of Demigods, and what else would she be? I might as well be a half-horse or something...

"Of course, not! You're completely normal, but not that kind of normal other people would see--"

"Not that I see it," a voice cut in suddenly. Both Percy and the priestess' heads swerved to see Evander Hernes be escorted by more people with the white hoods. Percy immediately scowled. She got bad vibes from this guy, to be honest, and no matter how much he looked like Christian Grey right now, she didn't care. "You're murderously cute," Hernes even said.