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Chapter Text

Thanatos is not a God that has children. He is Death Incarnate, no matter how beautiful he might be, and that leaves mortals with an instinctive fear of him. 

James and Lily Potter were the first exception to that rule in a very long time. 

As Thanatos holds his daughter--his first daughter, the first demigod child he has ever had--in his arms, Thanatos cannot bring himself to regret the events that have led him to this moment. 

“She's beautiful,” James tells him, gazing down at their daughter. “She has your hair.”

She did. Black fuzz lined the baby's skull. Her skin was the same dark tan shade as Lily's. It was too early to tell whether she had inherited his eye color or Lily's. Asphodel Potter's eyes were still the cloudy blue all babies had. 

“She looks a lot like Thanatos,” Lilly says to them both, smiling tiredly from where she lay on the bed. Sweat lined her forehead. “I'm glad.”

Thanatos lifted his hand and ran his knuckles along Asphodel's cheek. “...Thank you. Both of you. For everything.”

James laughed. “No. Thank you for joining us. For giving us a daughter as wonderful as Asphodel.”

Thanatos smiled. He could not tear his eyes from his daughter, not even to look at the two people who had given her to him. “Why name her Asphodel?”

Lily and James look at one another. “It's traditional to name a female child after flowers in my family,” Lily says. “You know that.”

“And…” James huffs and leans over, taking Thanatos's face in hand and tilting his head up so he could lay a kiss on Thanatos’ lips. “Asphodel is of the Underworld, isn't she? She deserves a name worthy of Death Himself.”

Thanatos blinks slowly at James, his wings ruffling behind him. Then he laughs lightly. “And Asphodel was the best you could come up with?”

“They grow in Elysium, don't they?” Says Lily. “We want that, for our daughter. Elysium, that is.”

“She will get it,” Thanatos promises. “When one day she dies, I will make sure of it.”

“She'll earn it on her own, I think,” says James, his eyes twinkling with mirth. 

“Just like you,” Thanatos murmurs, leaning over to kiss James again. Then he turns and leans over to kiss Lily as well.

In that moment, Thanatos is happier than he has been in a very long time.

It does not last.

“NO! NOT MY DAUGHTER!”

Zeus leans back on his throne and gazes down at Thanatos below him. “Do you understand why you are here?” He demands. The other Olympians look down at Death in boredom or sympathy.

Thanatos flexes his wings and then settles them along his back. He gazes up at the King of the Gods, unashamed. “I saved my daughter's life.” Though I could not save her parents.

“You interfered directly in mortal matters,” says Hera. “And you broke the Ancient Laws regarding interacting with demigod children.”

“It's so sweet, though,” Aphrodite sighs happily. “A love story for the ages.”

“It put a rather abrupt end to the druidic wars,” Ares points out. “We anticipated they wouldn't end for some time.”

“There is a prophecy involved,” Apollo says. “There's no avoiding that. Perhaps this is fated.”

“Or perhaps it isn't,” says Zeus. “It was a blatant breaking of the Ancient Laws regardless. That requires punishment.”

“But what punishment?” Poseidon muses, looking conflicted. 

They deliberate for some time, debating back and forth. Thanatos stands unbowed before them as they speak, waiting quietly for them to finish. He thinks of his daughter, of where she must be now. With Sirius, in all likelihood. He wishes dearly he were with them--but to split his consciousness and check on her--it would surely result in harsh punishment for the blatant disrespect. 

Eventually, his punishment is decided upon. For three years, he will be mortal, performing tasks at the gods’ behest. 

Three years until he can see his daughter again.

Only three years.

“Asphodel?”

The cottage in Godric’s Hollow is a tourist trap. The Potter Manor is long gone. The Black Townhouse is empty bar a mad house elf. Sirius Black is nowhere to be found.

No. Sirius Black is somewhere to be found.

“Asphodel, I'm sorry.”

Thanatos, invisible to mortal eyes, looks down at the shivering wreck that is Sirius Black, trapped within the walls of Azkaban. Rage fills every fiber of his being as he stares down at the wretched and emaciated form of the man before him. Drawing the Mist up around them, Thanatos allows himself to appear before Sirius.

“Where is she?” Thanatos asks, calmly. His ichor boils in his veins. 

Sirius startles where he is curled up, gazing out the bars with distant eyes. He looks at Thanatos, his eyes going wide. “Death,” He says, afraid.

“Where is my daughter?” Thanatos asks.

“I don't know,” Sirius says, trembling. “They locked me up and won't let me see her. My goddaughter-- oh, Asphodel! I'm so sorry…”

Thanatos breathes. 

Then, with a flash, he vanishes.

Someone has taken his daughter. He will find her. 

He swears it upon the River Styx.

He searches. 

Invisible, he hunts down Remus. Then he hunts down Dumbledore. Then he hunts down the Longbottoms. Nowhere is Asphodel to be found. 

He searches the houses of the members of the Order, then the houses of the Death Eaters, then the houses of anyone Lily and James so much as spoke with within the Wizarding World. Still nothing. At the end of his rope, Thanatos almost gives up. Until--

“Pappa? I need you. I'm sorry. Where are you?”

A prayer. So light and soft and unmistakably his daughter. The first he's heard since regaining his immortality. Immediately he follows the connection and finds--

His daughter. His precious, adorable, treasured daughter. Trapped in a cupboard, in pain and crying silent tears, her hands clasped in prayer. And the house she is in--

The Dursleys? Petunia's house? But Lily specified that their daughter was never, under any circumstances, to ever go to--

Thanatos takes one look at his daughter, his hurt and crying daughter, before leaving for the Underworld.

He needs to speak to Hades.

Immediately.

(And, well, if the Lord of the Dead will not help him, then Thanatos will simply have to take things into his own hands once again. A few more years of punishment is nothing, not compared to the safety and wellbeing of his only daughter.)

It is very rare that Satyrs get sent out for specific demigods. Most of the time, demigods end up getting stumbled upon by accident more than anything else. For the most part, that works just fine too. Satyrs are very good at finding demigods, even well hidden ones. Every once in a while though…

Chiron bows. “Lord Hades.”

Hades waves a hand, gesturing for Chiron to stand up once more. “I need a Satyr to send after a demigod.”

Chiron pauses, his thoughts racing. “A demigod, my lord?”

Hades huffs. “Yes, a demigod. Not one of mine, mind you.”

Immediately, Chiron relaxes. If Hades had broken the oath… Well. Nothing good would have come of it, that was for certain. “Then who's, my lord?”

“My right hand’s. Thanatos had a daughter a few years ago, and her parents were murdered the year before last,” Hades says, looking Chiron up and down. “I advised against sending her here so early, but apparently the situation is… untenable.”

Chiron had heard of that. There were rumors floating around the immortal sphere that Death had been rendered mortal for a few years for breaking the Ancient Laws. Which Ancient Laws hadn't been specified, but if Thanatos had a demigod daughter…

There has never been a daughter of Death before. Daughters of Hades, yes. Even daughters of Melinoe, a time or two. But never a daughter of Thanatos.

“Of course,” Chiron says, recovering from his shock quickly. “Then we'll be certain to send someone to fetch her. What is the address?”

“Number 4 Privet Drive, in Little Whining, Surrey. It's in England, near London, if I'm not mistaken.”

Chiron bows. “Then we will send someone right away.”

Gleeson Hedge was not what most people pictured when they thought about Satyrs. He was loud, at times rude, and often violent. But he was a good Finder. A good Protector. Which was why to say he was pissed was an understatement.

Asphodel Potter, the demigod he'd been sent to pick up, was a tiny thing of only four years. She was the age when children should be running around playing and laughing, giggling with their friends. Instead, she was here, working under the hot sun in the garden, bruises littering her arms.

Hedge crouches down near her, clamping down on his anger. “Hey, kiddo.”

The girl looks up at him with wide green eyes the color of greek fire. Hegde meets her gaze head on and smiles at her. “Your dad sent me.”

The girl stills, her eyes going wide. “My dad is dead.”

“Nope, kiddo. He's living,” Hedge tells her. If you can call being Death living, anyways. Whatever. “He heard you praying. Wants me to take you somewhere safe. Camp Half Blood.”

“Half Blood?” Asphodel murmurs, looking down at the ground. The flowers start wilting under her hands and she immediately withdraws her fingers from the soil. They stop wilting. Frowning, she looks back up at him. “What's Half Blood?”

“It's what you are, kiddo. Half human, half god,” Hegde tells her. “You're a demigod.”

Asphodel fidgets with her hands, squirming in place. “...I'm that?”

“Yep. Means you're special.” Hegde nods solemnly. “Means that I've got to take you somewhere safe. I'm a Protector, you see.”

The girl looks at him with wide, watery eyes. “Safe?” She murmurs. Then she bursts into tears. Hedge held out his arms for a hug and the girl ran to him, holding onto him tightly. He stood up straight, picking up the girl as he went, and then started to walk away.

No one stopped him as he left.

A loud screeching filled his office. Alarm after alarm after alarm went off all at once. Dumbledore stood up and whirled around. Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall, both in his office to discuss some disciplinary action regarding a pair of young boys from Gryffindor and Slytherin ending up in the Hospital Wing following a fight, watched with alarm as Dumbledore went from trinket to trinket turning alarms off and checking things. 

“Albus? Just what is going on?” McGonagall asks.

“The wards around Asphodel Potter's house have collapsed,” Dumbledore says shortly, waving his wand and checking the scan for results. Whatever the results were gave him a grim look on his face. He walks briskly over to the fireplace, throws in some floo powder, and announces, “Ms Figg, number 6 Private Drive.” before vanishing. Snape and McGonagall take one look at one another before following.

“--you tell me about Ms Potter?” Dumbledore is asking when they arrive. 

Arabella Figg, looking rather startled from where she sits with her kneazles, stammers a reply. “She's a sweet young girl. Quiet. Likes to garden from what I can see.”

“And have you seen her recently?” Dumbledore asks urgently. 

Figg shakes her head. “I haven't. Not for more than a week. I assumed she was simply ill or something.”

Dumbledore nods grimly. “She's not. She's gone. The wards would only have fallen like this if she no longer considers this place the home of her family--No longer the place she will always return to.”

Snape's eyes narrow as he looks out the window and sees the suburban area. “Just where are we, Dumbleodre? What family did you leave Potter with?”

“It no longer matters. She's not here anymore. Come, Severus. McGonagall. We'll need to return to Hogwarts and begin a search.”

Chapter Text

Hedge sets Asphodel down in front of the Big House. Outside it, a man in a wheelchair is waiting for them. Asphodel looks up at him and smiles hesitantly. She reaches up and grasps Hedge's hand. 

“Here we are, one Asphodel Potter, as asked,” Hedge announces.

The man in the wheelchair smiles at Asphodel. “Hello Asphodel. My name is Chiron. I'm the Activities Director around here.”

“What's Activities Director?” Asphodel asks, then flinches. Hedge had not gotten mad when Asphodel asked him things, but would Chiron?

Chiron simply continues smiling at her. “It means I help teach the people at this camp how to do things. I plan activities for the camp to do.”

“Oh…” Asphodel murmurs. She mulls the answer over in her head and then nods slowly. “Okay.”

Hedge crouches down to be eye level with her. He gives her a serious look. “You'll be safe here, alright? Chiron's one of the good ones. Everyone else here is good too.”

“Safe…” Asphodel mumbles. “Will you stay?”

“Can't, kiddo. I've got other people I need to bring here too,” Hedge tells her.

Frowning, Asphodel holds onto Hedge's hand tighter. He squeezes back and then stands up. “I'll be off. Let me know if you need anyone else rescued.”

“Was it a rescue?” Chiron asks. Asphodel hunches her shoulders. 

“Definitely,” Hedge says darkly. “Might wanna give her a check up in the infirmary.” 

Chiron hums and nods. “I'll have Hayato take a look at her. Would you fetch him for me? In the meantime, I believe watching the introductory film would be best.”

Then Chiron stands. Asphodel watches with wide eyes as he transforms from a simple middle aged man into something else, leaving a wheelchair with fake legs behind. “You are a horse!” Asphodel says with wonderment.

“The term in centaur, child. Now come along. I have something rather entertaining to show you.” Chiron gestures for her to follow him and then walks into the house. 

“Go on. I'll be right back, kiddo.” Hedge nudges her towards the door. Reluctantly, Asphodel follows the horse.

Chiron brings Asphodel to a small room with a TV in it, and sets a DVD into the DVD player. Asphodel stands watching him do this, fidgeting and glancing around the room as she did. 

Chiron looks up and smiles at her again, gesturing to the couch in front of the TV. “Go ahead and have a seat, Asphodel. This film will explain a fair few things, so it's important that you pay attention to it, alright? You are free to ask questions as well.”

Hesitantly, Asphodel takes a seat on the couch and then looks to the TV, determined to do as he said. The film began to play, a man appearing on the screen who began to explain things.

Asphodel taps her fingers on her thighs and sways slightly side to side as she watches and listens to the man on the screen talk about gods and offerings and demigods. He explains that she is a demigod, though she had already been told that by Hedge, and just what that entails. The movie isn't that long, perhaps fifteen minutes or so, but it is informative.

When it is finished, Asphodel is taken to what she is informed is the infirmary. An asian boy of about 16 is there. He helps her up onto the examination table and then gives her a thorough interrogation about her eating habits, her sleeping habits, her exercise habits, and how she was treated by her relatives. The last one… Is difficult for Asphodel to talk about.

“Did they hit you?” He asks very seriously, examining the bruises on her left arm. They were shaped like a palm print--her uncle had grabbed her and dragged her to her cupboard after Dudley blamed her for a toy breaking. She hadn't gotten any food that day.

She shakes her head no. She wasn't hit--just grabbed sometimes. It still hurts though.

Hayato gains a pinched look on his face. Then he hands her what looks like a small square of a brownie. “Eat this. It's ambrosia. It'll help with your injuries. After that, eat more at mealtimes. You'll need a lot. You're too thin right now.”

Too thin. She'd never been told that before. Never been told to eat more. It was always less. Eat less, girl. You’re enough trouble as is without taking up more food.

Safe. Hedge said this place was safe. Maybe it was.

The brownie tastes like warm milk. 

After Hayato is finished examining her, he shows her around camp. He shows her the archery range, the lava climbing wall, the amphitheater, the basketball courts, and more. Finally, he shows her the cabins. He leads her to a run down looking one and steps inside. She follows. 

The cabin is packed with children of all ages. Even so, it's obvious that she's the youngest one there. 

“You have a new cabin mate,” Hayato calls out.

“Regular or undetermined?” someone calls out.

“Undetermined.”

Groans echo through the cabin.

Asphodel shifts uneasily in place. Hayato set a hand on her shoulder. It was warm and gentle. Asphodel scanned the faces of the people in the cabin for anyone who looked friendly. A woman of maybe 17 or 18 steps forward from the many. 

“Welcome to Hermes Cabin. What's your name?” She asks.

“...Asphodel.” 

“Nice to meet you, Asphodel. I’m Olga. I'm the head counselor for the cabin. Let's find you somewhere to sleep, shall we?”

…Olga is nice. She helps Asphodel get settled next to one of the beds on the floor and steals a sleeping bag and some toiletries for her from the camp store. When dinner rolls around, she gathers up the campers and marches them up to the dining pavilion that Hayato had shown her earlier.

Asphodel is given the largest plate of food she's ever seen in her life. There's barbecued ribs and mashed potatoes and other vegetables. Then she's handed a cup by one of her cabin mates.

“Say the name of any drink you want and it'll appear,” they explain. “Watch. Diet Coke.” In their own glass, bubbling brown liquid appeared. Asphodel watched with wide eyes. 

Olga sets her hand on Asphodels shoulder. “Come on. We need to make sacrifices before we eat.” Asphodel grabs her plate when Olga gestures for her to and follows the other campers to the braisers. 

“Just scrape some into the fire. We sacrifice once for Hestia at the beginning of the meal, then again for our godly parent, then again for any one else we want to pray to,” Olga explains. “Feel free to pray in your head if you’d like. Some people pray out loud, but a lot of people are more comfortable with just their thoughts--the gods will hear you either way.”

Asphodel nods. Then she looks down at her plate. She takes a bread roll and tosses it into the fire for Hestia. Then she takes some of her ribs and tosses those into the fire for her father.

Pappa. Please claim me soon, she prays. 

Just then, gasps echo through the pavilion. Asphodel looks around to find that everyone is looking above her head. She looks up. There's a black scythe hovering over her head. 

“It is determined,” Chiron announces. “Asphodel Potter, Daughter of Thanatos, god of death.”

Olga is a good counselor and the people in the Hermes cabin are friendly for the most part. A son of Hermes called Kevin teaches her how to fight with a dagger. A daughter of Hecate named Yan shows her how to fire a bow--though she does not let Asphodel fire one herself. Asphodel finds that the people here do not mind when she asks questions and do not force her to do things like planting when she does not want to. 

Asphodel speaks with the naiads and the nymphs and the satyrs. She talks with the other campers in Hermes cabin and with campers in other cabins too. She plays capture the flag and learns how to dribble a basketball and how to climb the wall.

Then the monsters attack.

The day starts out good--Asphodel eats breakfast with her cabin, sandwiched between a pair of Hermes’ children. She makes her habitual sacrifice to Hestia--as is traditional at every meal--and enjoys her pancakes and scrambled eggs afterwards. Hermes cabin has grabbed the arts and crafts area for the first time slot of the day. She draws a picture of a flying motorcycle--she'd dreamt of it that night and wanted to get it onto paper. Adeline, a daughter of Hermes tells her it looks very nice.

That's when the yelling started. 

People are drawn to the hill--monsters, dozens of them are chasing four figures. The smallest of the figures is on the largest one's back. The other two run side by side--a satyr and a demigod. Things happen quickly--the monsters attack, the satyr plays an awful sound on his pipes that barely slows them down. The boy with the little girl on his back swipes at one of the hellhounds, disintegrating it. The girl running next to him trips on the ground, her leg bitten by a hellhound.

People are screaming and grabbing weapons. Arrows are fired, killing some of the monsters. It's not enough. The boy with the girl on his back and the satyr make it over the hill and past the barrier but the girl--

The girl isn’t going to make it. Too injured, too surrounded, too late.

Then, suddenly, with a great flash of light she is transformed and a pine tree sits where the girl once was. The people fighting pause, stunned.

The boy and the little girl on his back both scream. “THALIA!”

The last of the monsters are slain. The injured--mostly the boy and the girl who had screamed, but the satyr with them too--are taken to the infirmary. Asphodel, too lately remembered, is guided back to the arts and crafts area while her cabin mates all whisper to one another.

Later, the two survivors are taken to the Hermes cabin. They are introduced as Luke Castellan and Annabeth Chase. Annabeth stays in the Hermes cabin for two days before being claimed by Athena, an owl flying around her head after she comes up with a strategy that wins Hermes cabin capture the flag that week. Luke is claimed a day after that--a son of Hermes. His siblings welcome him into the fold, but the feeling is haunted by the girl who died--Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus.

This is how Asphodel learns about the oath--a pair of kids, aged 11 and 12, gossip.

“Lord Zeus broke the oath! That must be why Lord Hades--” says one, a daughter of Iris named Jane.

“Shhh,” hushes the other, a son of Apollo named Gerard. “Names have power, remember?”

“What's going on? What oath?” Asphodel asks them.

They both startle. Asphodel is very good at being quiet. She often startles campers here.

Jane and Gerard exchange looks. Then Gerard explains, “A long time ago a war happened. It was decided that children of the big three were too dangerous. So the big three swore on the River Styx to never have any more children.”

“What's River Styx?” She asks next.

“A river in the underworld,” Jane tells her. “Oaths made to the River Styx cannot be broken without bad things happening.”

“Like monsters?” Asphodel asks.

“Worse,” Gerard says, serious as Asphodel as ever seen him.

Asphodel's eyes go wide. “Worse than monsters?”

They both nod. 

Asphodel doesn't speak much with Annabeth at first, but some of the older kids get the idea to have them spend time together because of their similar ages. It was awkward for both of them--neither had any idea what to do with the other, so they mostly sat there and awkwardly made small talk--at least until Asphodel brought up drawing.

“I'm no good at the behind,” Asphodel complains. “Just people and stuff.”

Annabeth smiles at her, an excited gleam in her grey eyes. “You mean backgrounds? I can do that! Let me teach you!”

So Annabeth started teaching Asphodel to draw backgrounds. They focused mostly on buildings because that was what Annabeth was best at. They both had fun.

Asphodel gets to know Luke better too. Olga takes Luke under her wing quickly and Asphodel spends much time with Olga, following her around and asking her questions. That turns into asking Luke questions too.

“Can you talk to snakes?” Asphodel asks.

Luke blinks at her, looking up from where he's practicing his sword swings. He's good. Very good.

“Yes,” Luke tells her. “I can. Most kids of Hermes can.”

“What else can you do?” She asks next.

“I can run really fast,” he tells her. “And I can pick locks.”

“Can you teach me?” She asks.

Luke smiles at her. There's an odd look in his eyes when he does. “Maybe some other day.”

Asphodel likes it here at Camp Half Blood. It was scary when the monsters attacked, and strange when Thalia died, but Asphodel still likes it here. She's only been here for a few months, but she already feels better than she can remember ever being before.

She lives. She learns Ancient Greek. She learns English. She learns Math. She learns to fight with a dagger. She learns to shoot a bow. She learns to climb cliffs and trees and large rocks. She learns to run and hide and fight. She learns that not everyone is out to hurt her--just the monsters, and the monsters weren't allowed at camp.

Life goes on.

Chapter Text

“And this is the Parthenon!” Annabeth says, pointing at the picture. Asphodel looks at the picture with wide eyes. She can't read much yet--she's only five--but Annabeth is older than her and better read at eight and eager to share the knowledge that she learns. 

“It's cool,” Asphodel says, very seriously.

“Very cool,” Annabeth agrees. “One day, I'm going to build something even better.”

Asphodel grins. “Okay.”

“Luke?” Asphodel pulls on Luke's pant leg, looking up at him. 

Luke pauses what he's doing to look down at her. “Yeah, Asphodel? Something wrong?”

“Help me with my dagger please?” Asphodel asks. 

Luke stares at her for a moment, hesitant. Then his expression softens and he nods. “Okay. I'll help you. What do you want to work on first?”

Yan hands her a small bow. It's the smallest one they have, and even this one is large compared to Asphodel. “I’m trusting you with this, okay? While you are holding this, you do exactly as I say, alright? No fooling around. This is a weapon, like your dagger. It's very dangerous.”

Asphodel nods and takes the bow with reverent hands. “What first?”

“First we'll find out if you can even draw the bow. You might not have the strength for it just yet,” Yan says. “Now get into the position I showed you.”

Asphodel shifts into position as told, and then waits impatiently for Yan to look at her stance and correct things she got wrong. Then, at Yan's command, she knocks an arrow and draws the string back.

She gets about a fourth of the way to a full draw before she can't pull back any further.

Yan huffs. “Figures. This is why I didn't want you to shoot just yet. Not strong enough. Don't worry though, you'll shoot one day.”

Olga picks Asphodel up and swings her onto her hip. “You doing okay, Asphodel? Does it hurt?”

Asphodel, still staring at where she was bleeding from a deep cut on her arm, nods and says nothing. Olga sighs and carries her away from the training field and towards the infirmary. 

Hayato is manning the infirmary when they get there, working on SAT questions. He looks up when they get there and clicks his tongue. “What happened?”

“Training accident,” Olga says. “Ares kid got a bit too enthusiastic. Looks pretty deep.”

Olga sets Asphodel down on the examination table and steps aside so that Hayato can take a closer look at the injury. He puts on gloves, takes a look at the injury, and hums.

“Shouldn't be too difficult to heal. I'll clean the wound and then give you some ambrosia--it'll close it right up.” Hayato lets go of her arm and then goes to grab supplies.

In short order Asphodel is healed once more, not even a scar to show for the accident.

Asphodel wakes with a gasp, crying silent tears. A flash of green light and the sound of a woman's scream echoes in her mind. The moon shines in the cabin through the window. Asphodel shivers and turns. She looks at Luke laying on the floor next to her. Then she reaches out and hesitantly shakes him. 

He wakes up quickly, blinking his way to alertness in just a moment. When he sees Asphodel's tear stained face he sighs and relaxes. “Nightmare?” he whispers.

Luke doesn't know much about Asphodel's past, just that she sometimes gets nightmares she doesn't want to talk about.

Asphodel nods. Luke holds out his arms and Asphodel scoots over so she can go into them. He holds her and hums quietly, rubbing her back with his thumb.

Eventually, Asphodel falls back asleep. Luke is still holding her when she wakes up the next morning.

“Hermes has called for a quest!”

Asphodel watches as Luke packs a bag. “How long will you be gone?” She asks. 

“Don't know,” Luke says. The cabin is empty, bar the two of them. “The garden is on the west coast, so probably a while.”

Asphodel brings up one of her fingers and chews absently on a nail. She's quiet, always quiet, and keeps watching. 

Annabeth runs into the cabin, barely pausing at the entrance to pay respects to Hermes. She rushes over to Luke and hands him a plastic bag filled with ambrosia and another with a handful of drachma and a hundred dollars in it. “Here! Chiron said to give this to you. Are you sure I can't come with?”

“I'm certain, Annie. You're too young, I've told you this,” Luke says, taking the bags from Annabeth's hands and putting them into his bag. He stands up and slings it over his shoulder. “Marcus and Raven will be with me. I’ve even got the shoes Dad gave me. I'll be fine. And I'll be back before you know it.” He smiles at her, but his eyes give him away. He's nervous. 

“Annie,” Asphodel calls. Annabeth chews on her lip and turns. Asphodel holds out her hand and Annabeth runs over to take it. Holding on tightly, Annabeth turns around, her princess curls whirling around her.

“You better come back soon!” She says, as imperious as an eight, almost nine year old can be.

Luke laughs. “I will.”

A pegasus flies into camp, a limp form on its back. It lands with a stumble outside the big house, drawing the attention of the campers playing basketball on the courts nearby. The limp form falls from the pegasus, blood splattering on the ground. It's Luke.

Someone screams.

“Annie, you need to eat.” Asphodel pulls on Annabeth's shirt. She doesn't move from Luke's bedside. It's been more than a day and he hasn't woken yet. 

“Not yet. What if he wakes up while I'm gone?” Annabeth asks.

“Then Hayato will get you. Come eat.” Asphodel tugs again. 

Annabeth shakes her head and sniffles. 

Asphodel pulls one more time. “Come eat. Make a sacrifice to Apollo. Maybe Luke will wake up.”

Annabeh shakes her head again. A tear runs down her cheek. “What if he doesn't?”

“He will.” Asphodel says with certainty. “Come eat.”

Annabeth wipes her eyes and sniffs. “...Okay.”

Luke wakes to voices by his bedside. He can't make out what they're saying, only that they're female. He opens his eyes and winces at the light. The voices quiet. He manages to open his eyes all the way. The world takes a moment to focus, and when it does he spots two small figures by his bedside. 

“Luke!” Annabeth exclaims, looking more ecstatic that Luke can ever remember seeing her. “You're awake!”

Asphodel, sitting next to her, says, “I'll get Hayato.” Then she runs off. 

“You've been asleep for two days!” Annabeth says. “What happened? Where are Marcus and Raven?”

Luke flinches. The memories of their deaths are still fresh in his mind. He doesn't want to think about it. “They're dead.”

Hayato and Asphodel walk into the room, Hayato dressed in scrubs and looking irritated. “Finally awake, huh? Gave us a scare. Any pain?”

“My face,” Luke says. “Under my eye.”

Hayato makes a noise of understanding. “Figures that'd hurt. I did what I could, but the wound there will probably scar--at least you got to keep your eye. Any other symptoms I should be aware of?”

“Nauseous. Just a bit. And my head’s fuzzy,” Luke says.

“Right. Lemme see if a hymn will help.” Hayato places light fingers on the side on Luke's face and starts to sing a hymn to his father. A soft golden light fills the room. Luke's head clears a bit. It's soothing.

“Thanks,” Luke tells him.

“Thank me by not getting hurt any more. Those two barely left your side.” Hayato gestures to Asphodel and Annabeth. “What happened? What went wrong?”

Luke's expression darkens, hate and fear and shame roiling in his gut. “Raven died on the way. Gryphon. Laodon killed Marcus.”

“Shit.” Hayato mutters.

A tiny hand takes his. Luke glances over to see that Asphodel has taken his hand in one of hers. Annabeth is crying quietly. “Annie…” He holds open his other arm for a hug. Annabeth takes the opportunity immediately. She snuggles into his side, still crying. Asphodel quietly continues to hold his hand.

“I'll go let Chiron know,” Hayato says.

Two shrouds are burned, along with offerings for the dead. Hermes is invoked to guide the souls of the dead to Charon and hymns are sung. 

It is the first funeral Asphodel ever attends.

It will not be the last.

Chapter Text

Years pass them by.

People come and go from camp as the seasons change. Children learn to fight, to read, to run, to live. Traditions are followed, festivals are celebrated, and gods honored. They play Capture the Flag and basketball and climb the lava wall. They run and run and run.

No more quests are called after the disaster that was the quest for the golden apple. 

“You sure you’ll be fine?” Olga asks.

Luke nods and Asphodel looks down at the ground. The other kids living in Hermes cabin clamor around them. It wasn’t often that someone got old enough to leave for college in Camp. And now there were two leaving--Olga and Hayato.

When Asphodel looks up again, Luke is smiling. It pulls at his scar. “We’ll be fine,” he says.

Olga nods and claps a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “You’ll make a good Camp Counselor," she tells him. “Just remember what I taught you and you should be fine.”

Then she turns to the other kids and opens her arms for hugs.

Goodbyes last a long time.

Asphodel is six when they deem her old enough to participate properly in Capture the Flag for the first time. She’s outfitted in her armor, wields her dagger, and fights in the woods alongside everyone else.

Hermes cabin pulls a win that day, far more through cunning planning, a great deal of traps, and good luck than anything Asphodel does, but she’s proud and happy about the win regardless.

Asphodel holds her hands out, palms facing down, and prays to her father. Thank you for sending me here, πατήρ (pater).

There is no verbal response, but Asphodel swears she can feel the gentle brush of feathers on her shoulders. 

“Hedge!” Asphodel exclaims as the satyr walks over the hill. There is a girl about Annabeth’s age with him. 

“Hey, kiddo. Good to see you’re doing well!” Hegde says with a wide grin. 

“Who’s this?” the girl behind him asks, eyeing Asphodel like she’s evaluating a threat.

“This is Asphodel, daughter of Thanatos. Brought her here a few years ago. You’ll be bunking with her in Hermes cabin till you get claimed.” Hedge tells the girl.

“What’s your name?” Asphodel asks.

“It’s Clarisse.” the girl answers, crossing her arms. 

Asphodel nods happily. She turns to Hedge and opens her arms to wordlessly ask for a hug, to which the satyr happily gives her one. 

Clarisse watches the interaction then looks around to see the other kids looking over at her. A few demigods whispered to one another, wondering if they should approach. It’s Luke who actually does.

“Hey there. I’m Luke. I’m head councilor of the Hermes cabin. I’ll take you to Chiron and Mr D so we can get you settled. Sound good?”

Clarisse nods and follows him, Asphodel happily trailing behind.

Asphodel looks up from where she was reading a book. 

“Is something wrong?” Annabeth asks, looking up from her own.

Asphodel starts crying. 

“Asphodel?!” Annabeth abandons her book and goes to her friend’s side. Asphodel latches onto her and starts sobbing loud and ugly. 

When Asphodel finally calms down, Annabeth asks what happened. And Asphodel says, “Olga and Hayato are dead.”

Their bodies are found by the police three days later, partially eaten and rotting. It appears in the news as an animal attack. Only the children at camp know better.

Another funeral is held.

“O’ Hermes who dwells on Kokytos’

necessary path of no return,

who guides the souls of mortals to Hades.

Child of Dionysos, the Bacchic dancer,

and, the Kore from Paphos, Aphrodite

of the curving lashes.

You who serves in the holy house of Persephone,

as a guide to the ill-fated souls of the earth,

with whom you descend at the fateful hour.

Bearer of the sacred staff of sleep, who brings rest to everything

and again in turn, awakens those who slumber,

for, to you, the goddess Persephone has granted

the honor of guiding human souls

in their relentless and eternal march

into wide Tartarus.

O’ God, may you guide with your staff, the souls of Hayato Yamamoto and Olga Navolsky,

who is a child of Ouranos and Gaia,

Guide them to the Elysian Fields,

the pure place with wondrous light,

And filled with joyful voices and dance,

With hushed sacred sounds and holy images.”

Seven year old Asphodel holds the bow in her hands. She nocks the arrow, draws back the bow, and fires.

It misses.

“Hmm…” Yan hums, looking at the target and then at the bow. “Let’s try that again, shall we?”

She hands Aphsodel another arrow. Asphodel repeats the movements of nocking the arrow, drawing back the bow and firing. This time it hits the very edge of the target.

“Well well, your first hit!” Yan says happily. Asphodel turns to her and grins widely. Yan smiles and says, “We’ll make an archer out of you yet.”

Asphodel holds the dagger and watches her opponent warily. They circle one another carefully, assessing for weaknesses and openings. 

Clarisse is a strong opponent. She doesn’t hold back, even on an opponent as young as Asphodel is. Claimed by Ares after a particularly grueling battle against Luke just yesterday, where she managed to disarm him in one smooth move, Clarisse was high on the feeling of it. 

Clarisse moves first, rushing forward with her spear in hand, striking with lightning fast reflexes. Asphodel dodges and retaliates with her dagger, ducking under the swing and moving into Clarisse’s guard. Clarisse seemed to expect that, however, and moves back in time to dodge the blow to her unguarded stomach.

They trade blows back and forth like this, Asphodel’s three years experience with wielding a dagger against Clarisse's weighty blows and sharp instinct for battle. Then Clarisse strikes, and Asphodel’s dagger goes flying. The spear is at her throat a second later, the two of them panting from exertion. 

Cheers from the Ares Cabin come up, celebrating their newly claimed sibling’s victory against one of the fastest dagger users in the camp.

“Boo,” one of the Stoll brothers says, “I had two drachma on Asphodel.”

“Pay up,” says Lee Fletcher, eyes glinting as he holds out his hand for his winnings.

There’s grumblings from Conner, but he pays.

Eight year old Asphodel runs, laughing wildly as she races with the Stoll brothers. They run circles around her easily, wide grins on their faces. They reach the finish line--the tree that marked the end of their little track--and turn to see Asphodel already there, a surprised look on her face.

“Wha?” she says before abruptly passing out.

“Shadow travel,” Chiron muses when Asphodel wakes. “Children of Hades have it occasionally. As did a son of Melione some time ago--children of the underworld, it seems, are prone to awakening to it.”

“So Asphodel can teleport?” Travis asks, no longer worried now that Asphodel was awake and not in any danger. He looked excited.

“Cool,” says Conner. “Think of the pranks you could pull with a power like that.”

“Asphodel will not be joining you in your pranks,” Annabeth says sternly. “Don’t even think about trying.”

The siblings exchange a glance and then grin.

Shadow travel turns out to be difficult. Chiron orders that Asphodel is not allowed to practice without supervision, in case she passes out again. This works, right up until Asphodel accidentally ends up in France instead of the other side of the clearing she was aiming for and promptly passes out for a few weeks.

Asphodel does manage to shadow travel back when she wakes up, only to pass out again when she arrives back. It is at this point that Asphodel is no longer allowed to travel without bringing someone else with her. It is more difficult, but also safer.

And there are no more impromptu trips to France.

Katie looks at the very dead plant in front of them, a somewhat blank look on her face.

“Yeah,” Asphodel says. “This is why I’m banned from helping with the strawberries.”

Katie sighs and picks up the pot. “I’ll go put this into the compost bin…”

Asphodel loves Olympus. 

Their Winter Solstice field trip to the Empire State Building and what lies above is something that she looks forward to every year. She has never seen her father there, has never seen him in person at all for all that she knows he hears her every prayer to him, but she does see other gods. So many gods.

Olympus is beautiful in a way that Asphodel struggles to describe. It makes her understand Annabeth’s sheer excitement for architecture and her ambitions of building something great one day, a monument to last thousands of years. 

They are given mortal food to eat, as they cannot have too much nectar and ambrosia without burning up, and feast alongside the gods. The Olympians interact freely with their children, the one day of the year where it’s allowed, and minor gods come and go to check on their children as well.

Asphodel is eight when she meets her father for the first time.

She has his face, she realises. The slope of his nose and the slant of his chin are familiar to her, the same ones she sees in the mirror every day--just without the baby fat. Her hair is the same too, the same shade of black, the same texture as his.

He kneels before her, a god kneels before her, easily and regally. His honey gold eyes take her in and he smiles.

Asphodel smiles back. 

“My daughter,” he says, wonderingly. His wings flex behind him, the feathers glimmering blue and black and purple. “I have a gift for you.”

“A gift?” She asks. She wants to reach out to him, to hug him and be held, but she holds herself back.

She’s presented with a set of daggers, made with a metal that’s not celestial bronze, but something else entirely. When she takes them from his hands, they fit in hers perfectly. The perfect weight, the perfect balance. She loves them instantly. 

“I asked for them to be forged for you. They are made of Stygian Iron. Be careful with them, for only children of the underworld can hold them without being harmed. They can harm both monsters and mortals,” Thanatos tells her.

Asphodel stares at the daggers in wonder. “What are they called?”

“They have no name as of yet,” Thanatos tells her gently. “You’ll have to give them names of your own. Think carefully about it, alright?”

Asphodel nods seriously. Then she smiles.

“Can I hug you?”

Thanatos melts. 

“Of course.”

It's the best hug Asphodel has ever had.

The trip went well. 

Then they find out the Master Bolt was stolen.