The Son of Time

Chapter 50

Percy's point of view

The next thing my mother said, was "I'm happy for you Percy, but what about Luke? If you marry his mother where will he go?"

I answered, "Camp, he's already agreed to it..."

Dad cut me off saying, "You told him?"

I replied, "Sort of. During the reward ceremony he basically told me that he had known how Amber still felt about me for  a while, and when I visited him the evening after he got to camp I admitted that I still feel the same way about her."

 I told them how during the ceremony Luke had basically told me to get back with Amber. My mom was a little hurt that I had lied to them, but she was still happy for me nonetheless.

At one point she said excitedly, "My little boy is getting married!"

Sighing I said, "Mom I'm not a kid anymore."

She replied, "You could be over one hundred and you'd still be my little boy." 

Sighing once again I didn't bother arguing with her. My dad just looked amused by our conversation.

Shortly after that I left. While I was thinking about everything that had happened I realized that I now had the power to change or completely remove ancient laws, I often felt that the laws were too confining, but I knew that I would have to consult the council before changing anything.

I decided I would visit Amber to make sure she was alright. I figured she would be home by now so I teleported to her apartment.

 I knocked on the door and it opened shortly afterward. she shut the door behind me and I looked at her, I hadn't noticed it earlier but she was wearing the earrings I had given her years ago. I took that as a good sign and asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She nodded and said, "Yeah I'm fine, I was just a bit shaken up earlier but I'm fine now, the car not so much."

I nodded and said, "Yeah Hydra acid will burn through just about anything."

She asked me, "Is Luke safe? Will Zeus try again?"

I shook my head in response.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked.

I answered, "Because Zeus is a little occupied with reforming in Tartarus right now, we won't have to worry about that airhead for a few years, maybe more."

"What did you do?" she asked.

I was slightly amused by the fact that she immediately guessed that I was responsible for Zeus' current situation. I answered "I released the entire council from their oaths of loyalty to him, since they all had grudges against him and no longer believed that he was fit to rule he didn't last long after that."

She asked, "If Zeus is gone who is taking care of the sky? And who's the king of the gods?"

I replied, "For your first question there's the wind gods, and Ouranos even though he cannot assume a human form is not completely powerless. For your second question we have chosen a new king."

Curiously she asked, "Who?"

I answered, "Well none of us really wanted the position, but in the end the rest of the council agreed that I should be king. I didn't really want to but I accepted that they thought I would be the best choice."

For whatever reason Amber didn't seem all that surprised that I was made the new king. She said, "I'm not surprised. You are kind, caring, loyal, modest, and selfless. That's why I fell for you so easily, and why I still love you. You will be a great king."

I said, "you're just biased because of how close we are."

She said, slightly annoyed "I am not. You will make a great king." I didn't bother arguing any further.

I knew that I had already asked her and that she had agreed, but I was going to ask her again if she would marry me. Partially because I was making sure she wasn't having second thoughts, and partially because I hadn't really gone about it in the most romantic way the last time.

For one I hadn't given her a ring yet, and I hadn't knelt either. The first time I asked her it wasn't really planned, it had been a spur of the moment decision, but this time I was prepared. I got down on one knee in front of her, and surprise and confusion flashed across her face. She probably guessed what I was doing but couldn't understand why since I had already asked her.

I said, "Amber, I know I asked you this already, but will you marry me?" I held out the ring I had gotten for her.

Still confused about why I was asking her again she said, "Yes." Without hesitation. I slid the ring I had gotten onto her finger. Obviously being a god I hadn't bought the ring, since I was a god I could basically make anything out of nothing. So I had just imagined what I wanted the ring to look like and it had appeared in my hand already in a ring box. I suppose I could have gotten Hephaestus to make one, but I wasn't quite ready to tell anyone else, and it was just as easy to get one the way I had. The ring had a gold band with a sea green stone surrounded by smaller white diamonds. She stared at it for a minute before saying, "It's beautiful, but why did you ask me again? I already agreed to marry you."

I said, "I know, but I originally planned that when I proposed to you I would do what I just did now, when I asked you the first time it was a spur of the moment decision, so I ended up not doing everything I had planned. Also I didn't doubt your love for me, but I wasn't sure if you were comfortable with Leaving Luke at camp and living with me on Olympus. If it makes you feel better about it I realized that now I am king of the gods I can change or completely remove ancient laws so if you end up being more restricted by them then me I can change them to give you more freedom." After I had proposed to her again we had sat down on the couch, and I had my arm around her.

She leaned over and kissed me before saying, "I'll admit that I wasn't sure about leaving Luke at first, but I know now that I will never really be happy without you, and I will still be able to see him."

I said, "I suppose that Luke said the same things to you that he did to me."

She just nodded.

I said, "My parents know."

"What?" she asked

"About us. That I proposed to you." I explained.

Once again she nodded

Explaining further I said, "I figured that they deserved to know before anyone else, but my dad has insisted on meeting you before I announce it to the council. I'm not sure if he's doing it to annoy me or because he is a bit overprotective of me. Either way once he gets something in his head it is best to just go along with it, after all he's not called earthshaker, or stormbringer for nothing.

She nodded again seeming slightly nervous at the prospect of meeting my parents. I suppose I couldn't really blame her, if I was in her position I probably would be too. We agreed that they could come the next day, since the sooner they meet her the sooner I could announce it to the council.

Partway through our conversation she had rested her head on my shoulder, and eventually I noticed that she had dozed off. I did my best to move her without waking her. Once I was out from underneath her I carried her back to her bed. I could understand why she was tired, she had a tough day.