Chapter Text
The woods were lovely this time of year Athena would concede. She still did not know why they were out there in the wilderness in the first place. Athena hated not knowing things. Her fingers fidgeted on the wheel of her vehicle, dancing on the leather. The tactile sensation calmed her down a little.
When Sally had invited her on their family vacation, Athena did not know what to expect. She surprised herself when she accepted. There was something about that woman that allowed her to penetrate Athena’s defense like an assassin. So there she was, camping somewhere in upstate New York in the woods with the Jackson-Blofis family and Annabeth.
Athena would not admit under torture that she actually was fond of everyone present, even Percy, though he was fun to tease. The idea of going on a vacation with her probably was not his idea of a good time, he was barely even willing to hold Annabeth’s hands with her around.
Vacation was something of a foreign word to Athena. Oh she knew the meaning of the word of course, she was Athena, she knew what every word meant. All of the owls and heroes under her employ have 4 weeks of vacation time to use each year that rolled over when not used. So she was aware of the concept, she just rarely takes any time off, much less an extended length of time that could be considered a real vacation.
Still, Annabeth was off, her first year finished in New Rome University, almost straight A’s and Athena could not be prouder. Percy had done well in school as well, and of course the two of them went to visit Sally the first chance they got.
It was Sally who suggested that they go camping as a family, she even invited Athena along, which is why the eight of them were in Athena’s truck. Paul’s prius was fine, but Athena had built cars that were not often used. A hobby she picked up and they were far more suitable to transport 3 mortals, 2 demigods, 2 owls and a goddess, than Paul’s compact car. This way there was leg room for all, no matter what form or creature one was, everyone could ride in one vehicle, and all the supplies were with them, much more efficient this way.
“The campsite we decided on is close, take this turn up here,” Paul told her. He had volunteered to play navigator so he was in the front passenger seat beside her. There was no reason for such a position, Athena had perfect memory after all and had been the one to suggest this place as a campsite but she humored him. Paul was the only ‘normal’ mortal in the car, his wife and daughter were clear sighted, and he was not. Still, the teacher took it in stride, much better than most of the partners' demigod parents normally find that alone would make Athena respect him. But he was a good man and a good teacher. Athena had seen far too many bad things in the past to recognize one from the other.
“We should be there in a few minutes,” Athena called to the passengers in the car to get them ready. Sally just kept playing with Estelle, she tried to get Percy and Annabeth engaged but there was only so much they were willing to do with Athena being less than a meter away.
It was a nice secluded campsite, no modern amenities but they had all agreed when Athena told them of this spot. It was near the water and they would be alone. A decent sized clearing for them to set up 3 tents and a fire pit. Athena promised Annabeth and Percy that she would keep any monsters away from them so they could be children outside of the bounds of Camp Half-Blood or New Rome. She promised them they would not be attacked. Not on the River Styx, but they both knew her word was worth her weight in celestial bronze.
Once they all poured out of the truck, they went to work. This was not an RV that they could hookup to a site's electric outlets. They were doing everything low tech. “This is a lovely spot, Athena,” Sally complimented her as they all got settled.
“Thank you,” Athena said simply. Her therapist had suggested that she indulge in compliments when she received them. Do not act humble to write them off, just accept them and bask in them. “Should I set up the campsite,” she offered. With a wave of her hand she could set up camp and they could relax.
“Oh no Athena,” Sally said with a warm laugh, “part of the draw of camping is everyone setting up together. You know, dividing out the chores so no one has to do a chore that they don’t want to do.”
It sounded pointless, inefficient, and time consuming, but Sally was a smart woman who had earned Athena’s trust. The goddess of wisdom would concede to her expertise. “Then what is my job on our excursion?”
“There are a couple jobs we need done,” Sally explained, “Paul usually has dibs on setting up the tents, or at least he tries for an hour and then Annabeth helps him,” she shook her head and chuckled fondly. She loved the man and he was a smart, brilliant teacher, but he had a blindsight when it came to outdoorsy activities. Tamsin was observing the two of them, offering gentle helpful hoots as Paul fumbled around with the poles of the tents. Not that the mortal man could understand the owl.
“Percy usually chops firewood and I have my little helpers here,” she gestured ot Estelle who was strapped to her chest and Budo who was flying above them “are going to help me fetch some water,” the little girl proudly showed off her little pink plastic pail to Athena to show how good of a helper she was going to be for mommy.
“A fine tool Estelle,” Athena told the child. “What does that leave for me,” she asked Sally.
“Well, I’m sure Percy can handle someone else chopping wood this time,” Sally admitted, a bit nervous. She had grown more used to Athena’s moods, she saw a lot of the woman underneath the armor, but that did not mean she was above being wary towards a literal goddess. Athena had done nothing to make Sally distrust her, but Sally knew that one bad day, the wrong place at the wrong time led her to end up as a cautionary tale.
“Perhaps later,” Athena said, in what she hoped was a casual voice. “But there are tasks that you need done, as your guest and fellow vacationer,” she was not sure if that was a real word, but then all words are made up so perhaps vacationer is a modern word. “I am not above getting my hands dirty Sally.”
“It’s just…,” Sally trailed off, “it’s digging a latrine for the camp,” not exactly a glamorous job for a goddess.”
“I will be happy to perform this task,” Athena said with a slight smile. “It would not be the first time either.” She summoned a spade to her hand. People always thought that war was glorious or bloody, but sometimes it is both. But above all, war is often tedious. Battle is exciting and deadly, war is more bureaucracy and waiting.
Armies needed to be gathered, supply lines needed to be established and protected, tents raised, latrines dug. Often generals and kings thought they were above the tasks required to keep armies moving. Agamenon did not ever set up his own tent or polish his own armor. Going into battle was fine for the kings of Greece, but digging a latrine and laundry was the work of slaves or at best serving men. But Athena made sure that Diomedes and Odysseus never thought they were above them.
Odysseus had been a bit resistant, he had become a king at a young age, strong and brilliant, he took the throne from Laertes more a child than a man. He was a good kid, prone to making stupid mistakes, but still, he had some of the hangups of noblemen of that era. But Athena had been a mentor since he was young, when she told him to dig a trench for waste, he did it. Even if he was laughed at by the other kings back then. At least until Diomedes started doing busy work at the Greek camps too.
People do not laugh at Diomedes, oh as the youngest king the older men tried to bully her champion. Kicking her, insulting her, saying she will never measure up to her father, but no one laughed at Diomedes. Her champion was one of the most dangerous beings in Troy, Hector feared her more than even steel skinned Achilles. They could mock her, Diomedes would put duty before everything back then and take it. But to laugh at her, no one would risk, which meant no one laughed at her bright Odysseus when she joined him in menial labor that was needed to keep the camp afloat.
Besides, latrines are important for mortals when living outside. Disease killed more soldiers than blades or bullets, same with cold and famine. It probably would not be an issue seeing as they would only be here for two nights. Better safe than sorry after all.
Finding the spot to dig was easy enough, far enough from camp so the smell would not waft and far enough from the water to not contaminate the river. With a goddess’ muscles her spade tore through the ground like it was pudding. She was done in mere minutes. “I have completed my task,” she said, going to Sally who was at the water's edge with Budo and Estelle. “Is there anything else that needs to be accomplished?”
“I suppose you can help Percy chop wood and make the fire pit,” Sally said, trying to find something for the goddess to do.
“It will be done,” Athena promised her. Budo rolled her big owly eyes but Athena did not care, she did not.
Athena walked over to Pers- to Percy calmly so as to not spook the boy. Against her nature, she normally preferred to be as quiet as possible. But she knew it would not do to startle a child who had been through as much as Percy, especially when he had an ax in his hand. It was unlikely he would be able to harm her with a wood ax, especially one made of regular iron, but Athena had not survived this long by constantly taking risks.
So Athena approached him openly and as noisily as she could to not startle the young man. “I was told to help you with chopping the wood, or if you prefer I could make the fire pit,” she offered the son of Poseidon.
“I like chopping wood if you don’t mind,” Percy told her. “If you want to make a fire pit to keep us warm tonight.”
It was still early summer, it had not quite warmed up as it would in a week or so. Nights would still be cold to the frail mortal form. A nice campfire would help keep the cold of Nyx’s domain off of them.
It was not hard for her to prepare a fire that the 8 of them would be comfortable around. Athena could maintain her temperature. Her owls had climate controlled feathers and she could easily whip up outfits to protect the mortals, but there was something warm about a campfire. And not just the fire.
“Would you like to see something interesting Percy,” Athena asked once she was finished with the pit. It would still be some time before the others finished their tasks.
“I guess,” Percy said, he wasn’t worried that Athena would kill him or turn him into something unpleasant, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t put off by her. She could be social, maybe even nice sometimes, never to the level she was towards Estelle or his mom, but nice all the same. It was strange to have a goddess, especially Annabeth’s mom, not hate him.
“Wonderful,” Athena said, as she brushed off the dirt from her clothes. “I will be right back.” She stood up and went into the woods. But she was right back, it was not hard for her to find. On her shoulder was a massive stump that she clearly tore from the ground with her bare hands.
The rest of the camp saw her and watched her place the stump on the fire pit she dug out. “Everyone can watch, it is no bother,” Athena said, she was always happy to spread knowledge around. She summoned a spear and gave it a spin so it tore through the wood of the stump through the side. Then she did the same from above connecting the two air ways. She added some dry grass and brush so that if and when they wanted to light it up they could. “There we are, a natural rocket stove,” She said, addressing them all.
“It can be a nice quick makeshift source of fire to keep you warm and cook your food,” Athena explained. Then she noticed the wood Percy had already split, “admittedly for a group as large as ours, a regular campfire would be more useful,” she did not want Percy’s hard work to be in vain. “But still, I thought it would be interesting to share what I know. A normal log would also suffice, but this is easier than knocking down a tree.”
The rest of them dispersed, Percy in particular looked pleased that his job was not taken from him. Athena let out a sigh of relief that she dodged that hurtle. Take that Diomedes! Athena had an urge to Iris message her champion, to let her know that she did not step on her words. But she did not, Diomedes was at her book club with Caeneus and Tiresias, she was not to be contacted. Athena decided to send her a message tomorrow morning to rub it in her face.
“So was this something you learned or is it part of the innate god knowledge you are born with,” Sally asked her as they left Percy to chop wood.
“Artemis taught me actually,” Athena explained, “she always invites me to join her on the hunt, often she invites me to be a huntress, but I turn her down. Still, a night camping when I have the time, learning survival skills, sleeping under the stars, there are nights when I can even see my son.” Erichthonius, her first child, the first being since her that touched the war goddess’ heart. “I enjoy spending time with my sister and seeing my son, but I cannot see myself ever becoming a hunter.”
Artemis was probably her favorite sibling, but while Athena had no plans to renounce her oaths of maidenhood, becoming a huntress did not appeal to her. It was a wonderful life, Athena had no doubt mortals and minor goddesses would find Artemis’ offer appealing, Athena would lose much if she took up the bow.
Longevity might be tempting to a mortal, but it paled in the face of true immortality that Athena already had. Not to mention Olympus would not be left standing if Athena was not around to keep the plates spinning. Besides, Athena loved her children even if she did not make them the way most Olympians did, Artemis might be lenient but she would not let Athena have a child every year.
“Maybe she didn’t expect you to agree to be a huntress,” Sally suggested, “maybe Artemis just wanted to spend more time with you, her sister.”
That made Athena pause, for a moment she wondered, maybe even hoped, Sally was right. But immediately ignored it. They worked well together and even liked each other, but Athena could not believe that Artemis would want to spend time with her just because. Who wants to spend more time with their siblings for the heck of it.
After an hour, setting up the camp was done. Athena was lounging by the river to make sure she did not micromanage everyone else’s tasks. Estelle was with her, she was still too young to go in the water, but she could make sandcastles with Athena. Athena was making a 1 on 100th scale model of the Parthenon, while Estelle was making mud pies. Both are equally good in Athena’s mind.
It was a pleasant activity that Athena could get lost in making sure the columns were just right. At least until she heard the all too familiar ringing of blades meeting. A sword of celestial bronze met a sword of drakon bone, Athena could tell before even turning around.
Percy and Annabeth had asked Sally if they could spar once they were done with their jobs, not their chores, they specified that very much. Apparently calling them jobs made them feel better than chores.
Athena could tell that Annabeth was pushing the advantage, for some reason, her heart was starting to beat quicker and her brain started to itch. “Sorry sweetie,” she said to Estelle without realizing what she was saying, “you can play later, but for now you have to go back to mommy. Budo, Tamsin,” she called out, “please take Estelle to Sally.” No matter what happened, Estelle had to be safe. She did not understand why she thought that.
Something was wrong, the words she said, she was starting to slur them, she never slurred her words, not even when she was drunk. Her shield was in her hand and she could not remember summoning it.
Memories, some of her oldest, darkest memories, the most beautiful face she had ever seen covered in crimson blood. The once shining green eyes she fell in love with marred with pain and betrayal. W-were tears running down her face, Athena could not tell anymore.
The goddess of war and wisdom’s body moved on its own while her mind was being knocked leaving her unstable. “What are you doing,” she roared without intending to.
A chill ran down Athena’s spine, she could still feel it even if she had lost control of her body. She never sounded so much like her mother, not even when she was Minerva. And she was approaching Annabeth and Percy.