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Psamathe doesn’t have children, not usually. She had had one, long ago. But it had not been a child of joy, no she had been startled and taken against her will. She had cared for the child of course, born of her form and power and will. She could not imagine not caring for the child, who hummed the tune of the waves and clutched her hand with sandy fingers of his own.
But she did not care too terribly for the father.
Her son, Phokos, had lived happily until his death. His mortal siblings betraying him out of jealousy, Psamathe would never understand mortals. She at least approved of Aeacus exiling them, though she wished Thetis had not stopped her wolf from devouring them.
She missed her child. But he was long past now. And for a long time, that was that.
Psamathe saw no reason to have another child. She had had one, that was more than enough.
Some of her siblings had many, some of her family had hundreds or even thousands. Psamathe could respect that they wished for such, but she never expected a mortal to catch her again, and certainly not without force.
Yet this one did.
Kainalu, such a beautiful man.
He had been kind, gentle, caring to Psamathe. Psamathe had experienced such before, but this mortal- he caught her eye.
He wasn’t a wealthy mortal, not like Aecus, the King who took her against her will.
She preferred this mortal’s method of wooing, a method of gentle words and patient smiles. They met at the beach, spoke amongst the waves, and walked along the sands with bare feet.
Psamathe came to love this man, this gentle kind man who did not value great power and authority, but rather kindness and care.
Aecus was a good king, a just king, but he was not a kind king.
A good king could rarely be kind.
But Kainalu was no king, he was simply a kind man.
Psamathe was unsurprised when she became pregnant, her little Leilani on the way.
Oh, Psamathe adored her daughter, long before her birth. And when she was born- Psamathe cradled her in her arms, let her soft brown fingers curl around her own sandy ones, and smiled down at those lovely dark eyes.
She hoped her daughter took after her father, she hoped Kainalu shone through.
She hoped her daughter was kind first, like her father.
She knew Kainalu would do his best to raise her. Psamathe ached at having to hand her over. But Kainalu was a kind man, and he would be a good father.
And Psamathe could no longer stay, she knew the law.
She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s hair, and another to Kainalu’s lips. And she said goodbye.
But she was never truly far.
OO OO OO OO
Leilani had grown into a beautiful young girl. Psamathe was saddened when they had to leave their homeland, it enraged her how the colonizers had stolen from them. But there was little she could do, this was not her land.
Hawai’i had her own Gods.
But Psamathe did all she should. She offered aid, she offered guidance, she gave money at times when it was in her sand. She called in favors and made certain that her family had whatever she could offer.
And when her little Leilani went to camp at long last, she smiled upon her.
She knew claiming would do nothing, she had not had a child in a very long time. She was uncertain if her symbol was even remembered. And where would Leilani go? There was no place for her except her current cabin.
So, she watched and waited and guided her precious daughter as best she could.
And then Poseidon’s son arrived.
He was kind and well-learned. Triton had ensured such from what Psamathe had been hearing. The boy would know her symbol, would he not?
She mused over it, waiting for the right time to reveal her daughter now that there was someone who would know her.
And yet would it do any good? Psamathe wasn’t certain. But she had to at least try, for her daughter, for her Kainalu.
And so, after the quest had been complete, when her daughter finished a work she was proud of, Psamathe announced her claim.
And Leilani was known.
OO OO OO OO
What she didn’t expect was for her daughter to pray to her that night and tell her that the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson, had tried to allow her into his cabin.
OO OO OO OO
Psamathe did not normally go to the announcements of royals in the sea. While she was a Nereid, she was of the sand. Yes, this included the sandy seafloor, but she was not typically one to involve herself with the big events.
But this time she did.
It was not out of the curiosity pointed towards Poseidon’s hidden son. It was not to gain new allies or make herself known. No, she came to this event for one reason.
To meet the boy who had shown her daughter such kindness.
He did not know Leilani beyond their basic greetings and a few times playing on the beach. He had known her for a few weeks, if that. Had not known her well, had barely known her name.
But the moment he learned she was of the sea, he had offered her a place.
Psamathe was curious, she wanted to meet this boy.
She wanted to be sure Leilani would be safe around him.
And so, she went to the event.
She waited through the announcement, where the boy held his head high and tails straight. Where he did all that he was meant to, with the guidance of his brother. Where he shone in the water, tails bright and lovely, power in his form.
He was a powerful little mortal. Yet, he had been kind.
Psamathe was wary of powerful mortals. She was wary of those with such responsibility.
Being kind was not always an option.
Yet, he was.
And so, when the immediate announcement was over; when the greetings had settled and there was less crowd around him: Psamathe swept forward.
She greeted him, he recognized her name at once. She spoke, and he spoke, and they conversed over the announcement, over his family… and over Leilani.
She listened to his words, his shy hesitation but raw determination that Leilani was of the sea, like Psamathe herself, and thus Leilani should have a place amongst those of the sea.
Psamathe was pleased.
The boy had power yes, but he had a power that allowed him kindness.
And Psamathe valued kindness.