Chapter 2 - Poseidon
It wasn't particularly well known throughout history that Poseidon did not have daughters. Not those borne of his own ichor anyway.
Rhodos, Kym, Beni - they were all his daughters through marriage. Daughters of his Queen, Amphitrite. But it had always been a point of contention between them that when Amphitrite took a lover, she gifted them with daughters.....when she bedded her own husband, she could only give him sons. A son even, as Poseidon was not overly fond of his wife, as such he rarely took her to their marriage bed.
Amphitrite had done her duty as Queen of Atlantis and gifted Poseidon an heir, Triton. But both she and any other lover he had taken, had never been able to give Poseidon the one thing he truly longed for. That made his metaphorical heart yearn.....a daughter.
A daughter who was his, not whenever her mother wished for some peace from the children she'd spawned, but truly his.
Maybe that's why he had not been able to stay away from Sally Jackson. There had been something about, something that called to him that he had responded to despite the oath he'd taken.
Truly it wasn't a surprise when Sally had told him she was pregnant.
The surprise came several months later in agonising flashes.
He'd entered the hospital room looking for his child and found Sally alone. Since she had announced her pregnancy, Poseidon had kept a distance to keep them safe. And in this time, he found he didn't feel quite as strongly for her as he'd once thought.
He'd scoured the hospital until he'd come upon the neonatal nursery. Where he'd been delighted for all of several seconds when he'd read the name plak - 'Baby Girl, Jackson' - only to discover that his little girl drew no breath and there was no beating heart within her
chest.
Stricken, the heartbroken Sea God had lifted her cold little body into his arms only to realise someone had already been here.....someone had already dared to desecrate the memory of his little girl. Furious, he spun around and came face to face with Zagreus.
"What have you done?!" Poseidon thundered, clutching his little pearl close to his chest.
Zagreus smiled sadly, "Nothing, my Lord. I may not be a true psychopomp any longer, but for the souls of such small children; I collect them myself. She was already dead when I got here."
"Is this my punishment? For breaking the oath on the River Styx? My little brother has spawned two demigods and they are perfectly healthy. So much so that he continues to act the same to them as always - uninterested. But I have longed all of my existence for a
daughter, and the first time I get her - she is taken from me?"
"I don't know, my Lord. I only know it was unsanctioned. The Fates asked me to come here, and they know that if I could do something, there would be no chance of me not doing it." Zagreus responded.
"What will you do?" Poseidon queried, a desperate hope yawning ever wider in his chest.
Zagreus smiled, "Look down. It's already been done."
Poseidon shifted, looking down into the tiny face cradled close to his heart and found himself breathless. His little pearl was alive, open-eyed and breathing. And what beautiful eyes they were.....
One eye the same vibrant sea-green of his own and the other the stunning, deep purple of the hyacinth flower.
Poseidon jolted, "That eye...he's returned?"
Zagreus nodded, "The Fates believed it was time to allow Apollo his happy ending. Time that Zeus was reminded that he does not truly rule the cosmos, they do."
"So it's true. This is..."
"Prince Hyacinthus of Sparta. The first and only true beloved of the Sun God, Apollo."
Poseidon felt torn. He was so happy that she had been returned to him, his beloved little pearl....but she was already destined for another. She wasn't truly his.
Zagreus disagreed, "My Lord, Apollo learnt all at your feet. He learnt everything that he is today. Everything that drew and captured Hyacinthus' heart, was taught by you. As we both know that Zeus is no real father. Do you truly believe that Apollo would take her from you?"
Poseidon sighed, "No, you're right. Anyone else, he would have stolen her away in a heartbeat. But not from me. Is he looking for Hyacinthus?"
"No, Hyacinthus wasn't scheduled for rebirth. Not after being Icarus. As much as he loved Apollo, he never truly believed he'd have Apollo for an eternity. Hyacinthus never knew that Apollo was looking for ways to make him immortal. Both Zeus & Hera refused, but now it's up to the Fates - and they've already decided." Zagreus decreed.
Poseidon frowned, "Decided what exactly?"
Zagreus grinned, "Hyacinthus will finally be immortal. And it will be entirely under his own power. For the first time since Dionysus, Hyacinthus will ascend under his own power."
Poseidon felt relieved, not only was his first daughter here and would live...she would be immortal. He would never have to lose her. And Poseidon would finally be able to recognise Apollo as his own son when he married his little pearl.
"What will be her name, my Lord?" Zagreus questioned.
Poseidon smiled, "Perseas Hyacinth Jackson."