Hazel's pov
Bythos turned towards the remaining merpeople after the bulk of the crowd dispersed. Most of those still present were young. Guppies. Huh? The young ones are referred to as guppies instead of children. If you're wondering why there's a voice in your head, it's me,Raven. That made sense. Kind of.

"Does anyone have any questions for the princess?"the combat teacher asked. I looked over at Raven. She didn't react,so I assumed that the guppies asking questions was normal.

"What's with your eyes?" A little boy with coral red skin asked.

The little purple skinned girl next to him elbowed him hard. "You can't just go around asking people about their eyes," she hissed.

"No,that's alright," Raven said. "To answer your question,I'm Asian,and we have different shaped eyes."

The little boy nodded,looking fascinated. Raven raised an eyebrow. "Is there something else?"

"It's just so cool. I haven't seen anyone with eyes kinda like that since the first time Hazel came here." Oh. He meant Frank.

"Well,I'm glad you think it's cool. "She answered question after question,and talked to all of the guppies. And remember, this was Raven,who hardly talked on land. After a while,when the last dying rays of the sun were filtering through the water,Raven was finally done. She turned to us,tired looking. "Well, hungry, anyone?"

Belinda nodded,and Raven relaxed slightly. "Good. We've been invited to the palace for dinner."

I felt fear trickle through my veins. We were going to see Raven's dad? What if he didn't like us because we were children of the underworld? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. As long as Poseidon was like Percy,we'd be okay.

Poseidon's pov didn't expect that,did you?

My daughter along with my brother's two daughters were coming over for dinner at my request. I had no problem with children of the underworld,just as I had no problem with their father. It was my upstart brother Zeus that I wasn't particularly fond of. Even so,I did not necessarily hate Zeus.

The older daughter of Hades,Hazel was her name,seemed nervous,most likely because she believed that I hated children of the underworld. On the other hand,her sister was perfectly at ease in the water, especially in her temporary mermaid form.

When I saw Raven,I could immediately tell that she probably hadn't slept in at least two weeks. She was just working too hard. I was afraid that having her lead a regiment during both of the most recent wars had driven her to this,but I wasn't sure. She always worked too hard. I just wish that she would spend more time with Calliste. If anyone could teach Raven to actually relax and have fun outside of fighting,it was Triton's daughter.

Dinner passed mostly in silence. No surprise there,although Raven was usually more talkative when under the sea because the water kind of cheered her up. Today however,she seemed just as dark and brooding as she did on land,looking deep in thought. I could practically feel the brooding emanating from her. Even Hades' kids seemed less dark!

I was concerned. Raven's mind seemed preoccupied,and she was working herself too hard due to the most recent attacks. Percy may be my favorite son,but Raven was my favorite daughter,even though she seemed so dark. I also knew that what she feared would happen would never come to pass. Raven would never betray us and side with the enemy. Although she seemed to have no permanent loyalties,she really was fiercely protective of her family,even if it wasn't obvious. Everything she had done, all of the horror she had been through,it all had something to do with family.

My older niece that was present seemed to be trying to be polite. Or maybe it was just because of the time she had lived in. I certainly was aware that my brother's oldest surviving daughter was once dead. Belinda on the other hand,was extremely at home here. The fact that she was quite literally out of her element didn't deter the eager demigod in the least.

Raven's pov
Poseidon cleared his throat. I could tell that my father was going to bring up the matter of the fact that I still was ruling alone. I was honestly just sick of it all. On land my cousin Anna and her siblings try to set me up on dates because most of the single guys at Camp are apparently interested in me. I couldn't see why,and I wished that they'd just go away. In water,Calliste introduced me to all of these merman. I mean,enough is enough. Apart from that though, Poseidon was a good father.

"So,how have you been?"

"Okay." But okay doesn't mean anything. Okay just means that I'm surviving,that I'm barely holding on. Okay means just surviving, not really living. You can be dead inside and still be okay,just because you're alive.

"Any news of any suitors you're considering?"

"Father,we've discussed this. I'm never going to get any sort of love life for the same reason I don't take in students anymore." I felt him wince. Clearly he did indeed remember my reason.

Still,my father pressed on. "However,I have heard that you have indeed had a student for the past few years."

"That's different. He's my cousin,and my best friend." I could sense Hazel's worried expression became more prominent. Belinda looked back and forth between my father and I,like it was a ping-pong match.

"Philonecron was your cousin as well," Poseidon pointed out. A soft gasp escaped my lips as the memories that I usually kept carefully locked up flooded out again. It was overwhelming me with one huge tide of sadness and regret. I felt myself being pulled under by the tide,but regained my composure at the last second.

My father drew in a startled breath. Clearly he didn't mean to break down my walls and tear apart whatever was left of my heart with that simple sentence. I straightened up. "I believe that it would be best for me to leave now." My voice was colder and more defensive than usual,betraying none of my inner turmoil.

"Erm,yes. Can you help with some of the hippocampi? The newest group is rather wild, and you're the best trainer." As if he thought that a compliment would take my mind off of the dark place that the mention of him sent me to. I simply gave a sharp nod before heading off,hearing my father groan and put his head in his hands as I left. Yup. I was definitely the problem child. Even Demeter though I was creepy and needed to eat more cereal, and although she's biased about anything that has grain,she might actually be right in this case. However,I'm never giving up my black clothes. That's one thing I'm not changing even though the rest of my life has been altered.

Hazel and Belinda followed me,as well as Poseidon. They waited a good distance away as I placed my hand just in front of the hippocampus' muzzle. It whinnied softly, approving,before it leaned forward so its muzzle was touching my hand,allowing me to stroke its head. Hazel gasped and Belinda giggled. "She's like Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon when it comes to working with animals," she whispered. What was that,a movie?

I swam back over to them. Belinda frowned. "I forgot to ask,how do you find your way around underwater if you're blind?"

"In this form,I have a lateral line senses vibration like a fish. Echolocation works too."

The daughter of Hades nodded excitedly. We went back to the surface,where we were greeted by Frank and her brother, reassuming our human forms. "So," Nico started. "How did it go?"

I just groaned and fell backwards,my fall cushioned by the sea grass in the shallow water. Nico merely stared curiously,slightly amused. "I'll go ahead and take that as a 'terrible'."

Five stars for that deduction. Ten points to Griffindor! And I think I'll stop rambling right......about.......now.