The hero of Olympus

Chapter 9

"Yeah, I think it would be best if we didn't celebrate without Thalia, or else we might end up incurring her wrath," I spoke up and many of the hunters silently agreed.   Chloe was a bit nervous about meeting with Thalia after that.

After we had dinner many of the hunters made sure to interact with Chloe and include her in the conversations and stories by the campfire   I was happy to see her smiling and acting like a kid her age should be so I patiently pondered while staring at the flames.

"Percy I wanted to go over teaching you how to teleport and unlock your divine form tomorrow," Artemis told me and I shook my head in agreement.

"Please I never want to be picked up by you in the moon chariot ever again!" I trembled at the thought of Artemis's horrible driving skills.

I was shot with a barrage of arrows after that comment.

Long after the rest of the hunt had turned in for the night Chloe was escorted to a tent she'd be sharing with one of the other girls.   I stayed by the campfire and waited before making sure everyone was asleep.

"I know you can hear me." I spoke to the flames of the campfire, "Aunt Hestia."

The flames crackled and the dying embers began to roar back to life again a small figure 8-year-old hopped out of the fire and sat next to me on the log.

"Since when did you know?"

"Since the beginning.  I have to say you are quite good at hiding since even Artemis hadn't noticed you." I said and she nodded.

"What you say is true...I was hiding nearby." Hestia said while poking a stick at the firewood's dying embers. 

"Chloe is your daughter isn't she?"

"Yes but similar to how Athena is still considered a maiden despite having plenty of children I did not give birth to her in the traditional sense," Hestia explained and I nodded.

"Thought so...I'm not one to judge, but It seems odd to me that you'd decide to have a daughter after hundreds of thousands of years of not having a single one?" I asked her and she looked at me with her amber-colored eyes deep with sadness.

"Well, you see even gods can get quite lonely from time to time..."

"Right, my bad no need to explain that to me." I realized my stupid question, "but why leave her with that bastard uncle?"

"I did not mean for her to be cared for by that man. After her father passed away, the mortal court decided she would be placed under that scumbag's care as he was the only living relative. I could do nothing but watch because of the Ancient laws restricting me." Hestia sighed and for the first time, I saw her displaying genuine emotion.

Not to say her kindness was an act but it felt like she was more in the moment and speaking her mind not worrying about keeping a polite or calm demeanor.  In a sense, it was like I had met the true Hestia who wasn't just masking her true feelings to maintain peace among her siblings nieces, and nephews.

"Well, I'm sure Chloe would understand and be more than happy to meet you.  She is much like you since she isn't one to be resentful."

"Thank you for the kind words Percy.   You do not know just how grateful I am to both you and Artemis for saving and taking in my daughter I will consider what you said to me...Until we meet again."  She disappeared into smoke and the campfire completely extinguished itself and I decided to call it a night and retired to my tent.

The ancient laws...

"It would be nice if those laws didn't exist," I said to myself.