The Five Demigods Who Saved Olympus | Book 1, 2, & 3

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Noelle stared deep into Poseidon's cerulean blue eyes. She didn't move once, she stayed still in her spot. She didn't speak, though she had been spoken to. She wondered how he looked the same as he did. It had been well over a decade. She then remembered Hestia had told her that after a certain age, nobody ages. Noelle's breathing appeared calm on the outside. If anybody had seen her, they'd see she looked calm on her exterior. But, on the inside, she was far from it. Her breathing was rapid but sounded still at the same time. Her heart beat loudly. Inside her was a fire. A fire that had always been there, festering.

"Cronus is having a difficult time crossing my waters. He shouldn't be here for a while. You and the others have time to rest, and gain your strength back." Poseidon said. Noelle stayed quiet.

"We've been watching over you all in Olympus. You all are doing well. I hope your hands are alright and have healed by now." Poseidon said, looking down at her hands. They hadn't. Noelle hadn't taken the time to heal them yet. They were still in an immense amount of pain, but she was mostly able to ignore it.

"Please say something." Poseidon said in a barely audible voice.

"I'm sure you've got much to say. I will stand here and listen to all of it, sweetheart." Poseidon said. But, Noelle stayed quiet. She almost reacted to the name he called her, but didn't. She couldn't believe the audacity of him, though.

"Phelia, please." Poseidon said, calling her by her birth name, a name she hadn't been called in so long.

"I was 6." Noelle quickly spoke after him.

"I was 6 when you made me an orphan." Noelle continued. Poseidon looked to the ground, not being able to meet her eyes anymore.

"You took away one of the only two people on this Earth that I love." Noelle said, her voice faltering slightly. She quickly swiped a tear away from her red cheek so he wouldn't see.

"Two?" Poseidon asked, looking back up to her. He knew who the other was. His siblings were right. They are in love.

"Is that all you have to say?" Noelle asked in disbelief, tilting her head slightly. Her voice was quiet, more deadly, and terrifying than if it were loud. Poseidon didn't like the way she looked at this moment. He wasn't sure what else to say. He was sure about one thing, and that was that Noelle had his temper.

"I didn't know." Poseidon said quietly.

"I didn't know that she was in any danger. That she was drowning, sweetheart. You must believe that." Poseidon said.

"You know who sails your oceans, you know when a man steps foot into your waters, and you know who it is. You can feel them within you. I know this.. because I feel it too." Noelle said, maintaining her low tone.

"How can you stand there and tell me that the woman, my mother, you grew to love while I was in her stomach and the woman that you watched over every single goddamn day was drowning and you had no idea of it?!" Noelle raised her voice at him.

"She's dead.. because you failed to keep her safe. I am motherless... parentless because you failed, Poseidon." Noelle said, pushing even further because she knew Poseidon would never hurt her. While it was true, Poseidon wasn't going to stand there and listen to her call her a failure, though he knew it was true.

"I never loved your mother." Poseidon said.

"Hestia said you did. And I believe her. I'd believe her over you any day." Noelle said fiercely. She sat down on the street and leaned her back up against the wall of the building she and Poseidon stood behind.

"I never loved your mother." Poseidon repeated.

"Months after I met your mother, I left the ocean for the same purpose as before. Only this time, I didn't have my siblings with me. I went on my own. Your mother happened to find me that same night, and I learned of your existence. I wasn't allowed to stay through her pregnancy. Zeus would've known if I did. But, when you were born I did come to visit you. Zeus found out and forbade me from coming to see you again. So, I didn't. I only visit you in your mind. I grew to love you. Love you like I hadn't with any of my children before." Poseidon said, taking a place next to Noelle. Noelle wanted to move away, but something stopped her from doing so.

"I watched over you in your younger years, though you couldn't see me. I watched you grow. I watched you play with the water in the ocean. You were only a little babe, and the water fascinated you. I watched you watch the tide go in and out like it were the most interesting thing to ever be seen with the human eye. And that day.. I watched you. Not your mother. Only you, sweetheart. I could not feel the water taking her under. I could only feel your little hands splashing it the ocean." Poseidon said. He reached his hand up to caress her cheek, knowing she wouldn't feel it. But, Noelle turned her cheek.

"I've watched you all of these years." Poseidon added. Noelle turned her face back to him, wanting to hear more.

"I watched you all throughout your adolescent years. And... I suppose I must tell you... your being here is entirely my fault. I came to Earth just before we found Cronus had woken. You see, if we're here for too long, Cronus will know. And that is how he awoke. I was here too long, simply because I was watching my little girl read books in a library near her house. I watched you finish an entire book in just 3 hours. I watched you walk to your favorite café and drink the same tea you always had. I watched you wake on a beautiful Sunday morning and close the stubborn curtains because you couldn't look at the sun so early in the morning." Poseidon said, laughing to himself.

"I couldn't watch you from the realm we're in now. The realm that allows us to be here together, even if it isn't that way in the real world." Poseidon said, revealing to her how they were able to speak.

"I had to see my little girl in person." Poseidon stated.

"Look at you now, almost 18." Poseidon said, a smile forming on his face, revealing his pearly white teeth.

"I am proud to call you my daughter, even if in your eyes I am not your father." Poseidon said with his voice breaking. A tear slipped from his eye and down his cheek, falling into his beard. He emitted a sound from his mouth. It sounded as if he couldn't take the sadness in the atmosphere anymore. The sight broke Noelle's heart.

"Though I was there throughout your life, I know it's not the same as being present. And I apologize for the pain that I have put you through, Noella." Poseidon said, once again, calling her by a name that she hadn't been called in so long. It made her heart ache. It was the name her mother always called her. Named after her mother's favorite holiday, and the date she was supposed to be born on. December 25th, Christmas.

"If you choose to hate me, I cannot say I blame you, sweetheart. But, just know. I love you. The water in my oceans would dry up before I ever stop loving you." Poseidon said. Noelle knew full well, with him being immortal and him eternally being King of the Seas, that day would never come.

"I'll take my leave now. Rest, Noella. Please." Poseidon said. Noelle stood, wanting to reach out so he wouldn't leave, but he did. Noelle watched the colors around her fade back to the way it was before. She reached her fingers up to her head. The strange feeling of being in the clouds was gone, and she was left with a headache. Noelle placed a hand over her chest, finally being able to let her emotions out. She fell to her knees and wailed, not caring if anybody passing in the streets heard her. She remained there for a few minutes before gaining her composure and walked to the building, wiping away her tears on the way. When she made it inside, she didn't see them. She assumed they had already gotten rooms for them so she walked to the reception desk and asked the lady there for which room they'd be at. She then took the elevator to their floor and walked down the long hallway to one of the rooms. She knocked and waited to see which members of her group would be on the other side. When the door finally opened, Donovan stood in front of it. He moved out of the way for the rest of the group to see who was at the door. Noelle gave everyone a wave and said,

"What's up?"