Chapter Text
Athena woke up in the underworld. She was dead. That would be nice, now she could finally be at peace, maybe she could see Pallas again. Although she doubted she would be placed in Elysium but maybe Hades would make an exception for her, he had always been her favourite family member.
"Pallas," She heard someone call from behind her and the sound of someone running, "Where did you go?" She recognised that voice. Just before the woman reached her she turned around and her suspicions were confirmed.
"Mama?" She whispered confused her mother wasn't dead. She was trapped inside Zeus─ dormant.
"Pallas?" Metis said, leaning down to her. That was weird, from everything she'd seen on Olympus Metis had been around her height if not slightly shorter. Had she shrunk in death? "You have to stop running off like that," Metis scolded her, "I was worried sick."
"Sorry." Athena muttered, she had only known the woman 5 minutes and had already upset her. Great.
"Who are you and what have you done with Pallas?" Metis smiles softly, "The girl I know would've given me at least twenty reasons why she should be allowed to do whatever she wants."
"Sorry." Athena apologised again wishing she knew what else to say.
"Darling you don't have to apologise you didn't do anything wrong." She felt arms wrap around her, and against her better judgment she lent into it. She hadn't been hugged in millennia; it felt nice, warm, safe.
"I missed you." She murmured into the older woman's chest. She felt the arms around her tighten.
"You aren't Pallas are you?" Metis' tone wasn't angry, merely curious, so she shook her head, "Nea?"
𓆞༄･𓆝࿐࿔*:𓆟
Pallas came too to the feeling of someone stroking her hair. She opened her eyes and saw the God Queen; Hera. She recognised the woman from a few of Zeus' visits. She was always nice to 'Thena. She hoped that had continued after her death.
"Lady Hera." She would've bowed her head but she was lying down and Hera held her head in her lap.
"Oh so you remember me?" Hera asked, smiling slightly, "If I didn't know you Athena, I would think you were pretending to avoid your siblings." That was weird, Athena had loved to prank their older siblings together. She hoped that hadn't changed. "Now, Athena, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your father has decreed that you must leave Olympus for a few months. He says it is so you can heal in peace, but really I just think he feels guilty for striking his favourite child."
Favourite child? There was no way Athena was actually his favourite.
"Now, I know you'd like to go and stay with your mortals, but the king wants you to go and stay with one of his brothers. I know you have issues with Poseidon but Apollo doesn't wish for you to stay in the underworld after such a close encounter with death. I can accompany you to his domain if you wish." Pallas nodded, she had never been to Olympus before and did not know the way from there to Poseidon's domain.
Apollo came over to them at that point, interrupting Hera.
"You should've told me she was awake. I'm the healer."
"She's been awake for less than five minutes."
"And she was struck by lightning five times. Let me do my job." He turned back to Pallas. "Now, sister, do you remember me now you have rested more?"
Pallas shook her head slightly. "Someone called you Apollo." She pointed out. "But that's all I know."
"You know Queen Hera though?" Apollo asked, seeming almost annoyed. "Who else do you remember on Olympus."
Pallas thought for a moment, she didn't remember many people from Olympus. Athena hadn't liked to talk about it. She knew that all of grandfathers siblings were on the council. "Erm, Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus," Who else was there? Athena had mentioned one of Hera's sons, a boy who Zeus had apparently thrown from Olympus. "Hef- Hephestos?" She stumbled slightly over the pronunciation but she didn't think anyone would mind. There was also that goddess Athena had said had come from the sea, "Aphrodite?" Was there anyone else? She didn't think there was anyone else of importance. "I don't remember anyone else." she admitted.
"Well this is going to be fun." Apollo muttered. "At least you remember Poseidon, seeing as you will be staying with him.
𓆞༄･𓆝࿐࿔*:𓆟
Pallas didn't like the way her grandfather was looking at her. He seemed to hold only hatred in his eyes. What had happened between him and Athena? The second Hera left he started to talk.
"Now, Athena." His voice was dripping with disgust. "I know what my brother wishes but I do not care. You will not stay here. You will go to lake Tritonis and serve my son until your father wishes to see you on Olympus again. I doubt this will even start to clear the hatred he has for you but I don't want you in my palace."
Before Pallas could open her mouth to speak one of the attendants was ushering her out of the room. She was helped into a small chariot and then she was leaving the palace of the sea behind.
Several hours later her old home came into sight. She could see her father waiting on the shore, he looked slightly impatient. Maybe Poseidon was right and he hated her now, or at least he hated Athena and she basically was Athena.
She felt nervous stepping out of the chariot to see him. Fancy that, her feeling nervous to see her own father.
"Athena." He said curtly, offering her a hand to shake.
"Triton." She responded, unsure what else to say. She wanted to call him dad but Athena wouldn't do that. She took his hand and shook it.
"Leave us." He said to the charioteer, who handed him two sealed envelopes before returning to the chariot and taking to the sky immediately. "Now, Athena, we have much to discuss. Firstly I wish to apologise for throwing you out of my home like that. You were mourning your friend and sister and I sent you back to a father who clearly doesn't love you." He glanced over her, taking in the extent of her scars, "Please tell me that's not the first time he struck you." His voice was softer, full of guilt. She took a second to process everything he had said.
"I don't know dad," She said finally, her voice so soft he could barely hear it. "I don't remember."
"That's okay." He said after a moment and Pallas got the impression that it wasn't really. "would you like to rest? No one has been in your room's since you left."
"I'd like that." She said softly, she knew some mortals refused to change anything about their child's room after a death, hoping it would look like they just got out of bed that morning. It hurt that her father had clung to her memory like that.
"Do you remember your way, or would you like someone to accompany you?" She got the impression he just wanted to be left alone.
"I remember." How could she ever forget. This was her only home.
She walked away from her father approaching the water. She slid under the surface and suddenly realised that Athena must've felt so uncomfortable all the time. How could Zeus have forced her to suffer like this.
She swam steadily towards her old rooms feeling increasingly sympathetic for Athena. The wings especially were like dragging two heavy waterlogged sacks and Athena had never complained once.
She was glad once she finally reached their room. Athena's side had an air bubble over her bed and some of her personal items she had brought down from Olympus. Items that were still there.
As soon as Athena was out of his sight Triton opened the letter. It was addressed to his father but he knew full well that Athena had come from Poseidon's palace and it was clear that he hadn't wanted to open it.
Poseidon,
As I'm sure you can see from Athena's appearance there has been a slight disagreement between her and our brother. She made what was (in my opinion) a reasonable request but Zeus took it as a challenge against his authority.
Zeus has requested that she does not stay on Olympus during her period of recovery. I believe at least part of this is his own guilt for striking Athena. Apollo does not wish for Athena to travel to the underworld while in such a fragile state. That leaves your domain as the safest place for her to stay.
Since she has woken up an issue with her mind has become apparent, more specifically her memory. She does not appear to remember anything that happened after her return to Olympus from your son's home. If it were anyone other than Athena I would suspect she was pretending to not know her siblings for the peace and quiet it would bring, but as you know that is not Athena's style.
I know that you two have never had a good relationship but please put this aside for the sake of her health. If you can not do so then please send her somewhere else. I know that Triton was a good guardian all that time ago, but I also understand there may still be bad blood between them due to Pallas' death. I know that Athena if incredibly remorseful for her death but I also know that the death was not Athena's fault. Zeus distracted Pallas so that Athena's blow became fatal, it was something to do with his e. Athena has refused to accept this as truth and continues to blame herself.
I will try to visit her as often as I can but you know how Zeus is with these things.
Hera
Triton was struggling to process everything that Hera had spoken of. He had thought Athena was smarter than challenging Zeus.
Then there was the news about Pallas. He had believed all this time Athena had killed her. He had kicked Athena out of his home because of it. He couldn't outwardly curse the king of Olympus─ that was how people got killed─ but he knew now how wrong he was to push Athena away into the arms of the man who had killed her sister.
Next Triton opened the letter addressed to him in his fathers script.
Triton,
I do not wish to deal with Athena currently so I wish for you to take care of her instead. I know there was that controversy with your daughter but you looked after her when she was younger so you know how to deal with any of her childish actions. You may treat her like a servant until her sentence is up. She was demoted by her father and must be reminded of it or else that stupid little ego of hers will remain in tact.
- Poseidon
He had known that Poseidon hated Athena but he didn’t realise it was to that extent. Athena was practically his daughter, sure he’d been mad when Pallas had died but he’d regretted pushing her away less than an hour after they’d left. But it was too late. Athena was gone. Forever. And it was his fault.
The sight of the lightning covering her skin made him feel even worse about it. He had pushed her towards the man who had done that. His only hope was that this was an isolated incident. That the king of the Gods had never struck his daughter before. Whenever he had asked his father about her he was always given some complaint about her being ‘stuck up’ or ‘favoured by Zeus’, that hadn’t sounded like his girl. Sure she’d held herself with the air of someone who knew they were important but not stuck up. As for being favoured, well, the lightning wounds didn’t look like they belonged on someone who was favoured.