It was late in the afternoon; Percy was sitting on a lounge chair in the backyard of the mansion, facing the pool. He was watching Hazel and the 3 nymphs play in the pool as he waited for Drew over the phone.
He has just finished speaking with Piper about her giving them gifts, and he asked to talk with Drew. Percy used his control over the water to mess with the girls, sending waves to them and splashing them over their faces. Making them yell and shriek at him.
Percy smiled as he looked over the girls when he heard Piper's voice over the phone telling Drew that he wanted to talk to her. He waited a few seconds before speaking.
"Hello Drew, I heard from Piper that you don't want to accept my gifts."
I waited for a bit for Drew to respond. I imagined her shocked face when she heard my voice and smiled.
"Percy?" I heard, and I laughed before answering, "Yes, it's me. How are you?"
"What? How?" I heard her confused questions over the phone. "Wait! You're the owner?"
"Relax, Drew, I'll try to answer all your questions. And yes, I am the owner," I replied, trying to calm her down. I failed.
"Don't tell me to relax! 7 years, Percy! Now you show up saving Malcolm out of nowhere," Drew snapped over the phone.
"And then I find out that you're rich now," she followed up while I just kept quiet, letting her vent.
"But what surprised me the most is that Piper told us that the owner of Celestial Creations was her fiancée! So don't tell me to relax and just tell me what the Hades is going on!" Drew hissed, making me smile.
After waiting for Drew to calm down, I finally started to answer her questions.
"Yes, Piper and I are together; I also own Celestial Creation," I started. "And it's good to hear from you again after so long," I ended.
"So, you two are really engaged?" she asked. "Yes," I said.
"But don't you also live with that Roman girl? Hazel, right?" Drew followed up.
"That's right, I also live with 3 other nymphs. Your point?" I asked, wanting to see if she would go where it thinks her mind is.
"No, it's fine; I'll ask Piper later," Drew backed off.
before I could say something, else Drew informed me that I would be having guests. "Percy, Camp decided to send some campers your way."
"Really, who did they send?" I asked her, excited to see who would come. It's been years since I saw any of my old camp friends.
"Malcolm, of course, since he's the one who knows where to go." I nodded at that logical choice.
"Then they got Clarisse to go with as well," which surprised me a bit. "Clarisse? As in Larue? What is she doing at camp?"
"Yes, that Clarisse; she was at camp visiting when Malcolm came with news about you," she answered, clearing my doubts.
"Lastly is Will solace, as a precaution in case of injuries." Drew was silent after that. I pondered about what the meeting with them would result in.
"They should arrive there in a couple of hours," Drew finally informed me.
"Thank you for letting me know, Drew." I thanked her for the heads-up before asking her to pass the phone back to Piper.
"That went well, I think," I said while chuckling a bit, and then I heard Piper giggle as well.
"I think so too. Though I'm sure Drew will be asking me more questions later," Piper replied, and I could hear worry and apprehension in her voice.
"You can tell her what you think she can handle," I suggested, wanting to lighten her feelings.
"I will, but not all of it," she decided.
"Well, I have to go now. It seems I will be having guests here in a while. We need to prepare to welcome them," I told Piper.
"That should be fun," she told me, and I could tell she was teasing me with her tone.
"I will see you soon, Piper," I promised her. "Yes soon," she accepted.
I was about to hang up when I remembered something. "I love you, Piper!" I declared loudly over the phone. I was sure Drew overheard me, and I can just imagine the blush on Piper's face, making me smile widely.
"I love you more!" Piper replied just as loud.
I ended the call and looked over the pool again. Seeing four women dressed in sexy bikinis playing with each other awoke the desire in me. Making me want to dive in and join them. But as much as I wanted to, I knew I had other things to prioritize.
I used my powers and made the water move them all towards my side of the pool. Hazel and the girls yelled in surprise at being moved, but they quickly calmed down when they saw me standing by the edge, waiting for them. I hauled them up one by one as I smiled at each of them.
Once they were all out of the pool, I informed them of what Piper told me. "I just got off the phone with Piper; her meeting with Drew went well," I shared with them. Hazel was clearly relieved by the news. She's been stressing over this meeting since we were told by Piper. That's why I invited all of the girls for a day of relaxing by the pool. As a way for Hazel to relax and forget about Piper in New York and just enjoy the day.
I then informed them of our impending guest. "I also learned that we are expecting guests from camp; they should be here in a couple of hours. So, we need to prepare for them," I declared.
"Rose and Blueberry will be in charge of dinner; please prepare enough for 3 more people, but it would be better to just cook a bit more than that. These are demigods who have traveled from New York; I'm guessing they would be hungry when they arrive," I told two of the nymphs who nodded at my words.
"Aethra, please get three guest rooms ready for our guest," I told the only oceanid in residence, who smiled and bowed her head to me.
Hazel clapped her hands after I spoke and waved the girls back to the mansion. I dried all of them as they passed by me, as a way of helping them. At least now they won't have to go back to their room to dry off and change.
Hazel was about to follow them, but I held her arms and pulled her back. She looked up at me in wonder but stayed her tongue, knowing I would say what's on my mind when I'm ready.
I guided her back to my lounge chair and pulled her on my lap when I sat back down. She leaned back against me as she sighed when I wrapped my arms around her form.
"I heard from Drew that camp sent Malcolm back here. This time he's taking Will Solace from the Apollo cabin and Clarisse from Ares," I began. "I'm excited to see them again, especially Will; I'm also looking forward to seeing Clarisse again," I paused. Hazel sat up and turned to look at me, worry in her eyes.
"Clarisse and I have a complicated history; we respect each other as warriors and leaders. But the natural competitiveness we have for each other never really went away. I'm worried how we'll react to seeing each other after 7 years." I confessed to Hazel, who by now was looking down at me with nothing but understanding in her eyes.
She leaned down to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, as I tightened my hold on her as well.
"What can I do to help?" she asked after a minute.
I smiled at her offer and decided to accept it. "Can I ask you to be the one to meet them at the border when they arrive?" I spoke. "That way I can have a bit more time before I see them again."
Hazel lifted her head from my shoulders to look me in the eye before she nodded and replied.
"Of course, I'll take care of it," she promised.
I smiled at her, then pulled her in for a kiss.
After, she leaned back at me, and together we spent a few more moments just watching the sun set as we waited until we needed to get ready to receive our guest.
------------line break-----------
Nervous
That was what I was feeling as I stood in the entryway of my mansion while waiting for Hazel to arrive with our guest. Hazel left to meet them at the border some 25 minutes ago, and I reckon they should be just a few minutes away from arriving at my door.
I turned to my right and saw the three nymphs standing in a line, all wearing classic Greek chiton of varying colors to match their hair.
The 3 of them did a great job with getting things ready; the food looked delicious, and the rooms have been prepared. All that was needed was for the three demigods to arrive.
The doorknob jiggling brought my attention back to the door. I turned my head just as it opened. The first through the door was Hazel, wearing a simple white shirt and jeans. With her sword strapped at her hips. She gave me a beaming smile that I returned as she walked through the door and stepped aside while holding it open for the rest of the people to come in.
I braced myself as I got excited to meet some of my friends who I had not seen for a long time.
I smiled as I saw Malcolm step through the door. I could see the unease in his eye as he saw me, so I nodded to him, trying to indicate that he was welcomed here. Unlike the first time, Malcolm was wearing a Camp shirt with a backpack slung behind him. He was also not injured, which was a plus in my books. Despite my smile, I could still see some nervousness in his eyes, and I got a feeling that aside from getting information about me, he was here for some other thing. I pushed that thought aside for now as the second of my guests came in following Malcolm.
Will came in with wide eyes that glanced all around the entryway. I smiled widely, as I couldn't help but be in awe at how tall he's become. Gone was the small healer I used to drag across the battlefield. Here in front of me was a full-grown man only a few inches shorter than me. Despite that, I could still see some youthful childishness on his face. His blonde hair was a bit disheveled, probably from the trek here. He was wearing the same camp shirt as Malcolm with cargo pants whose pockets were obviously full. 'Medical supplies probably,' I thought. A backpack on his back and his bow held in his hands. The lack of a quiver confused me, but I decided to ask about that at a later time.
Will smiled back when he saw me and stood beside Malcolm.
Finally, the last of my guests entered, and I felt my grin widen. The first thing I noticed about Clarisse was her body. Unlike what I thought, she has not become bulkier, but her muscles have become more refined. She became one of those people whose muscular body wouldn't be noticed when wearing an oversized hoodie.
I saw her eyes scan the place, looking for any danger. Making sure everything was safe and secure. A bag was held in her right hand while her spear was held by her left. She looked relaxed, but I knew better. Her stance was such that it would allow her to simply drop her bag, and her right hand would hold a spear. ready to lunge or swipe any attack coming her way.
Clarisse looked over at me after her scan of the room was done and returned a grin of her own.
I took that chance to formally welcome them to my home with open arms.
"Welcome! everybody to my home!"
I approached them and shook their hands one by one. Clarisse, as I expected, gripped my hand hard, as if she were attempting to crush them. I just smiled at her as I released her hand and took a step back, with Hazel now standing beside me.
"I'm sure that you have a ton of questions for us, and I promise we'll answer them all later. For now, please follow these girls to your rooms so you can all freshen up and rest a bit before we all sit down for dinner," I announced while gesturing to the three nymphs who bowed together.
Malcolm nodded, and together they all followed the nymphs to the second floor. I then held Hazel's hand and pulled her to the living room. "How did it go?" I asked as I sat down on the love seat, pulling her on my lap.
"It went fine; I only waited for about 5 minutes until they came upon the border," she told me. "Clarisse's and William's surprise at the border was very obvious when I crossed it and appeared in front of them, but that was understandable," she continued.
"They did start to ask me questions about the place, but I told them that you would take care of answering any questions they might have, so they stopped," she finished with a small smile.
"Thanks for that, I guess," I said, kissing the back of her neck, making her giggle and squirm. I wrapped my arms around her as I continued my lip assault on her neck.
The room became filled with the sounds of her giggles and halfhearted reprimands as we waited for dinner to start.
------------line break-----------
I was sitting at the head of the dining table with Hazel on my right, waiting for Malcolm and the rest to come down from their rooms.
Blueberry and Aethra were going around the table, making sure everything was set up properly, while Rose went to fetch our guest, letting them know dinner was ready.
"Everything looks delicious!" I heard Hazel say. I turned to look at her and saw that she was talking to Blueberry, who was smiling from the compliment. "They do!" I followed up with a smile for the blue-haired nymph, who blushed and nodded at me.
I looked down at the table, filled with plates filled with meat of different kinds cooked in a variety of ways that were foreign to me. There was also a number of vegetables in salad form together with fruits, some of which I don't even recognize. The nymphs have really outdone themselves this time!
'I wonder what I can do for them as a reward,' I thought.
As I was musing over that, I heard footsteps from the corridor. I turned my head to my left just in time to see Ruby enter the dining room, followed by the three demigods I am currently hosting. I stood up and welcomed them.
"Welcome once again; I hope your rooms are okay?" I asked as the nymphs led them to their seats.
"They are, thanks," Malcolm replied. "They're even better than some hotels!" Will followed up with a wide grin.
"I'm glad!" I said with a smile. "Please sit"
As my friends all took their seats, I also took the chance to say something.
"I know I promised to answer your questions, but I would like to ask all of you to hold them back for now so we can enjoy the delicious food we have in front of us," I asked. "We'll get to those questions later over drinks," I assured.
"That's fine, Percy," Malcolm agreed, though I could see Clarisse was not happy but held back whatever she was going to say.
"Let's eat!" Hazel declared with a clap of her hand.
We all started to load our plates with whatever we fancied eating. Then we all stood up and headed to one of the lit braziers at two corners of the dining room for offerings to the gods.
"To Poseidon! To Hestia! To Hades! To Aphrodite and to Athena and Hephaestus! To all the gods of Olympus!" I declared in a clear voice. I offered a whole plate of ribs to the fire and was rewarded by the pleasant aroma of sea breeze mixed with the scent of freshly opened books.
I stepped back to allow Hazel to make her own offerings.
"To Lord Pluto, Lord Neptune, and Lady Vesta!" Hazel stated with her eyes closed as she tipped her plate to the fire.
We returned to our seats to find the other already sitting down. Once we were seated, I gestured to the nymphs to fill our cups, and we began to eat in earnest.
The dining room was filled with the clicking of utensils and idle talk as we enjoyed our meal.
"So, Clarisse, how have you been?" I asked Clarisse, trying to make some small talk before we move on to the serious stuff.
Clarisse narrowed her eyes at me mid-bite; she seemed to regard me critically before she finished her bite. She chewed for a few minutes and swallowed before she answered. "I'm fine. Me and Chris are still together. I finished college about 3 years ago, and now I work at a private security company."
"Really! I'm glad; I'm happy for you and Chris. Though I'm still confused as to why you are here," I told her.
"What do you mean, why I'm here?" she asked, her tone stiff.
"Not like that, just that I know Malcolm told everyone at camp about us meeting the first time when he got back. What I'm wondering about is how you knew about me, us. Were you contacted by camp to come here or something like that?" I clarified.
"Ah! That's what you mean! I try to visit camp as much as I can. I happened to be there when Malcolm announced that he found you guys. And I was free, so here I am!" she declared.
I nodded at her while taking a bite of my food.
"How about you, Will? Anything new with you? Are you a doctor yet?" I asked with a smile.
The blonde smiled at me then said, "I decided to stay at camp full time."
That surprised me. I was sure he was going to be a doctor or something similar. Never had I thought he would stay. "What happened?" I inquired. genuinely curious.
"Camp needed me more. Don't get me wrong, Percy. I still went to college and studied medicine, but I believed our kind needed my skills more," Will explained.
"I understand," I replied. And I did understand his point.
"I just hope that you're not taking the responsibility all on your own," I followed up.
"I'm the head of the Apollo cabin, Percy. I make sure most of my siblings are trained in the art of healing among other Demigods with such a gift," he clarified with a smile filled with confidence.
"That's good," I smiled as I declared that. Happy that such changes are now in place.
We continued with other topics until we finished our meal and moved from the dining room to a seating area outside the mansion.
We all sat on soft rattan chairs and couches around a lit firepit. I had the nymphs bring out a couple of glasses as they started to serve drinks to all of us.
As we all got settled around the fire, with the three choosing to sit right across me. I readied myself for their questions as I saw Clarisse's eyes narrow upon seeing Hazel take a seat on my lap. She leaned back against me while taking a sip of her Bourbon.
I smiled at them to encourage them to start.
Surprisingly, it was Will who spoke first.
"You look and feel different, Percy." It was not a question in any way, just an observation of the obvious that I think he needed to air out to set the tone of the coming discussion.
I smiled and said in response. "It's been seven years, Will; changes are to be expected."
Will nodded, and it was Clarisse who posed the first real question of the night.
"I know this is so obvious, but I have to ask. What's going on between you two?" Clarisse asked while eyeing the two of us closely since we sat down. Or rather, since Hazel sat down on my lap.
Instead of answering her, I chose to grab Hazel's left hand, bringing it up to my face and kissing the finger with the gold ring set with a huge emerald. I followed that up by kissing the inside of her wrist, making Hazel blush madly.
Hazel smiled at me lovingly before she turned to face Clarisse to answer her.
"Percy and I are engaged," Hazel declared.
I noticed Malcolm's eyes tighten at that news, but I ignored that for now. I thanked Will and Malcolm for congratulating us on our engagement.
After a bit, Malcolm continued the questions.
"Percy, do you remember when I asked you the last time about the reward the gods gave you?" he asks tentatively.
I thought back to that day and remembered what he was asking about.
"Oh yeah! That! If I remember correctly, I was interrupted by something before I could answer you, right?" I asked him, getting a nod from him. "Could you tell me now?" he asked.
I closed my eyes for a bit before replying.
"I don't know how much you've told the other about what I shared with you back then. But I think that if I am going to be telling you the entire story, it would be better to start from the beginning," I stated. Will and Clarisse both sat straight while Malcolm nodded with a serious look on his face.
I glanced at all three of them before I started. "So, like I told Malcolm, this all started after the war with the giants. When I was called back to Olympus, where Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades made it known to me that The Fates had decreed that I be given a reward or else The Fates would decide for me," I started.
"After a bit of discussion, they ended up just asking me what I wanted as a reward. I wanted to just decline altogether, but I was reminded once again that The Fates would take it upon themselves if I were to do that, so I took a few days to decide what I wanted. My mom helped a lot, and after a few days I went back to Olympus, where I met up with the gods again." I paused to make sure they were all listening.
After getting a nod from Malcolm, I continued. "This time Athena was present instead of Hades. It was then that I told the gods what I decided on. Safety and Freedom was what I decided on as a reward." I could tell that I needed to elaborate on my choice based on the confused looks I was getting from Will and Clarisse, so I decided to clear that up before telling the rest of my story.
"To clarify for you all, what I wished was one, Safety from monsters, and second, Freedom from the gods meddling," I explained. I waited to see if anyone was going to ask anything, but a nod from Clarisse told me that they understood what I meant.
"After hearing my wish, the gods requested for a few hours to find a way to grant it. They explained that my wish was not something that has been granted to anyone, demigod or mortal ever. I left and was called after a few hours. I found the entire council present when I got back, and they explained to me what will need to be done first in order for them to be able to give me my wish."
Here I paused again, making eye contact with my friends. Internally getting ready to share something I have only told six people.
"The gods told me that in order to grant me my wish, they would need to make me immortal first. Then they went to explain that to grant me the Safety I wanted, I would be given land that would be like the camps, protected by a barrier." I continued.
"You mean this place?" Malcolm asked, gesturing with his hands around where we are.
"That's right," I confirmed.
"Then they informed me that in order to grant my wish of Freedom, a curse needs to be placed upon me." I heard Will gasp at my revelation, and both Malcolm and Clarisse eyes widen in shock.
"What was the curse?" Will asked fearfully.
I gave him a comforting smile before answering. knowing that my answer might illicit a violent response.
"The curse of the Harem"
As I expected, after a few seconds of silence. Madness descended. Malcolm and Will started to ask questions at the same time. I tried to wait them out, but when I noticed Clarisse trying to stand up, I decided to take a more direct approach.
I lifted my hand, and that quieted them all down. I also stared at Clarisse and asked her to at least let me finish my explanation. She regarded me apprehensively for a few seconds. then ultimately decided to let me continue. She dropped back to her seat and nodded at me.
I smiled at them as thanks for giving me this chance. I wrapped my arms around Hazel, who at this point went rigid with worry, trying to give her some comfort and taking comfort from her myself.
"Like I said, the gods told me that the only way to grant my wish of Freedom was to place the curse of the harem on me. The way they explained it, the curse of the harem is the only thing that can negate the curse placed by Lamia upon all demigods' millennia ago," I explained, repeating what the gods said back then.
"Why have we not been told about this before? How come we never knew about this?" Will asked.
"That's because this curse has never been placed on anyone before; I am the first to bear this curse," I told Will with a small smile.
"How come they have never used that curse before?" Clarisse asked.
"Because it takes the entire Olympian council to place the curse on anyone, willingly," I answered, stressing on the word 'willingly' to make them understand. "That meant that if even one member of the council was not in favor of it, then the curse would not be cast and the ritual would fail," I finished.
"Is that why the entire council was present that day? "Malcolm guessed correctly. His Athenian mind is now finally calm enough to think and put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"That's correct," I nodded.
"Now don't get me wrong, I still tried to decline their offer. But Apollo assured me that what was in store for me if I was to decline was far worse than what they are offering. He told me that The Fates would most likely force godhood on me, making me the god of Fate. The enactor of their will. And I honestly couldn't think of a worse, well, fate for me." I went on.
"So, after thinking about it some more, I finally accepted. But not before making sure that all of them wouldn't be pushing daughters upon me. It was your mother, Malcolm, that assured me that that will never happen," I said as I nodded toward Malcolm, who blinked at that tidbit.
"And so, after they explained the curse and I accepted, the council wasted no time and started the ritual. I was an immortal, and the curse was placed on me on the same day. To be honest, I expected it to hurt, but nothing really happened aside from a bright light that surrounded me for a few minutes," I said as I remembered that day.
"After that, they informed me that it would take a while for them to find a place for me, and so I went back to my mom's place, where I waited for a month until my dad picked me up and took me here."
Finally finished with telling my tale, I looked over my shoulder to Ruby, who was standing there, and motioned for her to bring me my drink. All of the girls know that I don't drink alcohol, so they are always ready with some kind of non-alcoholic drink for me. I took a deep gulp of the cherry coke she brought me and relaxed back on my seat as I waited on how the three would react.
It was Clarisse once again who broke the silence by asking the obvious.
"And are you a member of his harem?" she asked Hazel as she pointed at me.
I knew Hazel was blushing when she nodded her head and answered Clarisse.
"That right, I am the first member of Percy's harem," she said proudly.
I felt more than saw Clarisse glare at me as she blew up. "So, what! Are you just collecting women for your own use now?" she shouted.
I was about to respond when Hazel beat me to it, answering just as loudly as Clarisse did. "For your information, Clarisse! I joined Percy's harem willingly!" Hazel shouted back.
I held on to Hazel, making sure she stays on my lap rather than launch herself at Clarisse. I kissed her neck and shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. After a while, she settled back on me, and I whispered my thanks to her for defending me. She turned around and kissed me on the lips, then went back to glaring at Clarisse, but at least she stayed quiet this time.
While I was hugging Hazel close to me, I also took the time to look at Clarisse. I stared at all three of them before I explained how someone becomes a member of the harem.
"I know that the idea of a harem has such a negative image on people's minds, and believe me, I thought so too. But I would like to ask each and every one of you to try and keep an open mind as I try to explain what it means to be a member of my harem," I asked them. Imploring with my eyes for them to let me finish before they judge us.
"The first thing you have to understand is that despite how bad the idea of a harem is now, it wasn't always like that. Thousands of years ago, the idea of a harem was not in any way connected to slavery or sexual abuse," I started, explaining to them what a harem is. Or at least what my harem is like.
"Back then, a harem is a place where women of noble birth are housed or kept within the home of the head of the family. It is there they are protected and kept safe. And it wasn't just wives or concubines that are placed in the harem. Unmarried women of the family, young daughters not old enough to marry, widows of male family members, treasured female friends. All of them can be housed within the harem where once again they are kept safe."
"The harem is also the place where women are taught skills they need in life. Cooking, embroidery, and all such arts are all imparted within the confines of the harem."
"It is also within the harem that the heir of the family is raised. It is up to the women of the harem to teach the next generation the morals needed in order to grow up to be a respected and noble member of society." I finished my lecture, feeling a bit silly to be the one imparting knowledge with a son of wisdom present in front of me.
"It is only in recent history did the concept of a harem being a place where a man keeps a bevy of women who he can sexually exploit and subject to his whims start to arise," I explained. I can see some form of understanding dawn on their minds, so I took that chance to really get them to change their mindset.
"And I assure you, there is no such thing happening within this harem. Anything that does happen is both wanted and consensual, like in any sort of relationship. There are rules set within the harem that assure the safety and certain freedom of its members." I assure them.
"Certain freedoms?" Clarisse asked. intrigued.
"To understand what those limitations are, first you must understand how one joins the harem. Only then will you understand the rules of it," I added.
"As the master of the harem, it falls to me to secure the well-being of all its members in every aspect. Traditionally, I am also responsible for the safety of its members. But that is not applicable in this harem," I said with a smirk just as Hazel laughs at my words.
"And as master of the harem, I cannot just decide to make any woman a part of the harem like what you suggested earlier, Clarisse. There are rules that must be followed by both me and any woman that would like to join," I said to Clarisse.
"How does one become a member of the harem?" Malcolm asked in a calm, inquisitive tone now.
I smiled. 'Finally,' I thought.
"In order for any woman to be a member, first the woman must be made aware of the harem, meaning she cannot be inducted into it without her knowledge. Then the rules of the harem must be told and explained to her, so she will be aware of what is to be expected of her in the case that she decides to join." I was about to continue when Hazels spoke up above me.
"Just like how I was made aware of the rules and what would be expected of me before I joined the harem" she said while still glaring at Clarisse.
I laughed at her terse tone, kissing her behind her neck and ears, effectively shushing her up. I smiled and continued my explanation.
"The most important aspect of joining this harem is that instead of me asking any woman to join, they are the ones who must ask to be allowed to join."
Confusion—I was sure that was what they were all feeling at the moment. The concepts of what he just shared with them were so far and so different from what they thought they believed was the truth.
"I'm sorry, can you clear that up for me one more time?" Clarisse asked, rubbing her temples.
It was Hazel who answered once again. "Like I said earlier. I was made aware of the rules and expectations of joining the harem before I made my decision. Then I lived with Percy for a year here in his bordered land in safety. All that time was spent with him, turning over the idea of joining in my mind. Weighing the pros and cons of it. And after spending a year with him and falling in love, my decision was made. I asked to be allowed to join. To be the first of his women," she stated with a smile so lovely I was tempted to drag her back to my room.
"And then you became a member," finished Clarisse.
"Not really," I answered her, with Hazel finishing for me.
"It's not enough for me to just ask; Percy also has to accept me into the harem," she finished.
Everyone was quiet for a minute until Hazel spoke up again. "The most important aspect about being a member of Percy's harem is consent; remember that," she drove home the point. Making sure none of them will think of what Clarisse so obviously thought of earlier.
"The choice to join must be made willingly, and the decision to accept them must also be made willingly. No one can be forced or coerced into joining against their will," I summarized.
"So, you joined willingly," Clarisse asked of Hazel.
"I was already in love with Percy by the time I asked to join the harem, so yes, I was more than willing to be with him," she answered in a calm voice this time.
"What about the nymphs?" Will asked, surprising me. I'd almost forgotten he was here.
"The three of them were given to me by the gods as servants when they gave me this place. So, they can't be members of the harem since they cannot, by virtue of them being servants, give their consent willingly. As their very instincts make them acquiesce to my wants and needs," I explained.
"Makes sense," I heard Will whisper to Clarisse, who nodded.
Malcolm's next question was something I expected: "How many members are there currently?"
"Aside from me being the master, there are currently only two members: Hazel, the first member, and the other member, who is currently away for a job," I told him.
"A job?" Clarisse repeated, "I thought."
"You thought Percy keeps us here all the time so he can do what he wants to us anytime he wants, like a slave, right? Did you even listen to what we told you about the rules of harem earlier?" Hazel cut her off angrily.
Once again, I tightened my hold on her as I embraced her. "Calm down, Hazel," I whispered to her ears, trying to calm her anger.
"No, Percy! I won't let anybody think so badly of you, no matter who they are!" Hazel replied, still struggling against my arms.
"It's ok; it doesn't bother me one bit," I told her. "But," she tried to protest, but I kissed her behind her ears and down her neck, and that shut her up. A muffled moan was the only thing coming out of her mouth as she blushed.
After I dealt with Hazel, I turned to look at Clarisse. "Like I said earlier, I am aware of the negative image the Harem has in modern times. I also understand that it might look like Hazel is nothing more than a slave, but I assure you all. That is simply not the case!" I explained one again.
"I admit, the rules of the harem skew heavily in my favor, but that doesn't mean the members are stripped of the rights to make decisions of their own," I followed.
Malcolm, taking the chance, raised his hands as if he were a student and asked his questions. "You mentioned the rules of the harem a few times now, but we still have no idea what they are. Can you tell us what they are?"
"The Rules of the Harem are very simple. And there's really only one rule for members. It's that they have to pledge loyalty and obedience to the Harem master, which I know sounds a lot like slavery, but like I said earlier, I have taken steps to ensure that the freedom of choice is NOT taken away from any woman who joined or will join in the future," I explained, hoping that they believe me.
"Steps to ensure their freedom?" Clarisse repeated, clearly asking for clarification.
Again, I was beaten in answering by Hazel, who spoke up in defense of me. "Like Percy said, we had to pledge our loyalty and obedience to him when we joined the harem. And the curse ensures that our pledge will be binding, meaning that if we, the members, ever break our pledge, there will be consequences. But like Percy said, he has taken steps to ensure that our rights to make our own decisions are preserved," she started. The three were listening attentively.
Hazel sat up and turned, so she was facing me. She looked deep into my eyes and held my face as she continued her explanation. "The day I joined the harem, after I had given my pledge, Percy surprised me by making a pledge of his own." She smiled as she caressed my face.
"What did Prissy pledge?" Clarisse asked, and I smiled at the old nickname.
Instead of letting Hazel continue, I decided to take over for her and also remind her of what I promised on the day she decided to be mine. So, I lifted my hand and pressed a finger to her lips as I flashed her a smile. Keeping my eyes on her, I repeated the pledge I gave her that day years ago.
"I swear to lady Styx, to all the gods of Olympus, to your father, Lord Pluto, and to my own mother, Sally, to always take your wishes and wants into consideration. I promise you my protection and my devotion. I swear to never take you against your will. What is mine is yours as we now share our life on this earth." I declared, and distantly I heard the rumble of thunder as I once again swore the same thing I did years ago. Only this time, aside from the three nymphs, I had three more people present as witnesses.
"I love you, Hazel, until the end of days," I told her, with as much sincerity as I could convey. Hazel, for her part, has started to tear up. her eyes beaming with happiness as she leaned down to capture my lips with a searing kiss that took my breath away, which was technically impossible. Being the son of Poseidon and all.
After she came up for breath, she stared at me for a long moment until someone coughed from somewhere in front of us, reminding us that we were not alone. For now, that is, later would be a different matter altogether.
Hazel buried her face on my shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me. I turned back to Clarisse, who was now gawking at me stupidly. I raised my brow at her, a silent question in my eyes. asking her to say what she wanted to say.
"That was very sweet of you, but I don't understand how you could make the pledge in the name of the Styx Willy-Nilly," she said with an incredulous expression on her face.
"I was able to swear those because, by that time, I was already in love with them. So, I knew my words would be the truth, and I was sure in myself that I knew I would never have never gone back on any of the things I had promised them. So even if I make the same pledge now, tomorrow, or 10 years from now, I am certain that I would not be struck down by Lady Styx for breaking my pledge in her name," I explained to her as Hazel tightened her embrace, whispering how she also loves me in my ear, making me do the same.
After a minute of quiet, Malcolm spoke up. Repeating what he just learned about our lives here.
"So, for the last 7 years, you have lived your life here. in this place given to you by the gods after you asked for safety from monsters and freedom from the gods. A curse was also placed upon you to grant your wish—a curse that gave you a harem, and now you are living with two harem members and three nymphs," he enumerated.
I nodded, leaving it to a son of wisdom to summarize the last 7 years of my life.
"Have you been here all this time?" he suddenly asked. confusing me
"Huh?" I asked him back eloquently.
"I mean, have you lived here since you went away?" he clarified.
"Ah! I see what you mean, to answer your question. This place is my home now, but I travel around quite often, actually. But I did stay here without leaving for a while during the days before Hazel joined me in living here," I told Malcolm.
"How can you afford this place, Percy?" Will suddenly asked, reminding me again that he was in fact present. 'How can a son of the sun god be so good at erasing his presence?' I asked myself.
I turned to Will to answer. "This place was gifted to me by the gods. The place is kept functional by their blessings, so there are no electricity, water, or internet bills. But for anything else, we have to provide for ourselves. Or rather, according to the traditional harem rules, I have to provide those for the members of my harem."
"And you do," Hazel said, making me smile. "It's a group effort," I responded, making her giggle as she started to kiss the side of my neck.
"How? I mean, how do you provide for yourselves?" Will followed up with his own question.
"The three of us run a business now," I said, simple and clear.
I could see Will about to ask a follow-up question again, but he was cut off by Clarisse asking a question of her own.
"What happened to Riptide Prissy?" she asked.
I tilted my head at her question, confused as to why she was asking about my sword.
"What about Riptide?" I asked, hoping for clarification.
"Why are you not using it anymore?" she clarified. I furrowed my brow in further confusion. Malcolm, seeing that, explained everything.
"I think what Clarisse meant is that when I came back to camp after you rescued us, I may have mentioned to them that you were using a different sword that time. Anyhow, we were all wondering why that is, especially since you are well known for only being able to use Riptide efficiently."
"I see." Now it makes sense. I took my right hand from embracing Hazel, who by now was back to leaning against me, facing Malcolm and the rest. Then I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out Riptide in pen form.
I uncapped it, and my sword grew in my hand. Soon I was holding the sword my friends have grown to associate me with.
"Riptide will always be mine, unless I decide to pass her on to some other child of the sea. But seeing that my father has sworn to the creator's name to remain faithful to his wife, that seems like an impossibility now more than ever," I told them while gazing at the sword that has been with me through it all.
"But to answer your question, Malcolm, the reason why I was not using Riptide during that fight is because during my time away, I learned a lot of things to occupy my time. Included in the list of things I learned is forging. I learned how to forge my own weapons and armor," I revealed, and I saw the shock on their faces.
"Now, as a child of the sea, I am only comfortable using weapons forge under the sea, which have the essence of the sea in them or those that I forge myself. So, unlike before, I am no longer limited in the kinds of weapons I can use, with the exception of the bow, of course. I'm still hopeless with that," I said, pouting by the end.
"So, you're confident enough to spar with a weapon other than Riptide. Is that what you're saying?" Clarisse asked with a wide grin on her face. I can already imagine what's going on inside her head. And frankly, I'm looking forward to it.
"I am, even with a spear or trident," I replied with a grin of my own.
"How about tomorrow then? Let's see if you can walk the talk!" Clarisse challenged me. I was about to agree when Hazel decided to be the voice of reason once again.
"Nope, there will be no sparring tomorrow or ever, not until you finish the piece you're making right now! That order is already a couple of days behind schedule!" She turned and glared at me as she reminded me of my responsibilities. And like a husband, I nodded and agreed with her.
'Happy wife, happy life' I thought, although in my case it would be 'Happy fiancées, happy life.'
"You can have that spar as soon as you're done," she compromised, and I smiled at her.
"How long did you plan to stay?" I asked Malcolm. "We planned to stay for around 5 days to a week, if that's okay. We can camp on the grounds; if it's too much trouble," he replied to me, explaining their plan.
"There's no need for you guys to camp out. You're welcome to stay for as long as you want," I assured them with a smile. I then turned back to Clarisse, who was still waiting for a response.
"We can have that spar on the third day; I only have a little bit more to finish that piece anyway. I can finish it by tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, you all are free to do what you want; just ask the nymphs if there is anything you need," I told Clarisse before I turned and addressed them all.
"We can also go to the city if you want!" Hazel offered.
"You just want to go shopping again," I teased her.
"And if I do?" she turned to me, asking with a teasing smile of her own.
"And nothing; you go buy whatever you want." I smiled as I gave way to her whims and desires. As I always do nowadays.
"Good answer," Hazel said, kissing me.
"Thank you, guys, for giving us rooms here; I really did not want to camp out and sleep in a tent." Will thanked us wholeheartedly. And I agreed with him. Camping is not fun.
"What is that thing that you need to finish quickly?" Malcolm asked, curiosity leaking from his tone. Now I could answer and tell them exactly what I have been doing to earn money, or I could push that until tomorrow. I decided to procrastinate.
"That's a secret for now," I teased him, but followed up with a promise to tell him tomorrow. "I'll show you guys tomorrow."
With that, Hazel stood up from my lap and stretched. "It's time for bed," she announced. She turned to me, bent down to my level, and kissed me again.
"I'll be waiting in my room, Love; don't keep me waiting long," she said in a quiet voice. I was sure the others heard clearly. "I'll see you in a few," I replied, making her blush.
She stood up and bid everyone a goodnight, then she left heading toward the mansion, and I was tempted to follow her. But I held myself back, knowing I still had a few things I needed to discuss with our visitors.
"Yawn!"
I looked at Will, who I noticed is struggling to keep his eyes open. He turned to Malcolm and asked if it'd be okay for him to turn in for the night. Malcolm nodded and told him to rest up.
"Blueberry, can you lead Will to his room, please?" I called the blue-haired nymph standing near the door of the mansion. "Of course, master," the nymph replied, and then she led Will into the mansion after he said his own goodnight to all of us.
"Was there anything else you wanted to ask or discuss?" I asked after we were left alone.
Malcolm beat Clarisse, who was about to say something, based on how her mouth was already halfway open.
"About my sister," Malcolm started apprehensively. He waited for my response before continuing.
"What about her?" I asked, in a clear and neutral tone. I have been anticipating this question. I was expecting him to actually ask me about her earlier, but I guess he didn't want to start this conversation with Hazel, my fiancée, nearby.
"I wanted to ask if she could come here, to visit, to try to talk," Malcolm asked quietly, eyes down.
I looked up at the stars in the night sky, my eyes quickly finding my favorite constellation. A tribute to a friend by the goddess she served for thousands of years and contemplated. Am I ready to meet her again? Can I bear to see her face and hear her voice again?
If I am to be honest with myself, I'm afraid. Afraid of how I would react to seeing her again. Would meeting her bring back the pain and hurt I have fought so hard to let go of? Will her presence here disturb my peace?
Frankly, I have no way of knowing the answer.
But what I do know is that I am no longer the boy who runs away instead of facing such problems, plus I have the support of Hazel and Piper now. I know they won't let me spiral down if the worst happens if I meet her.
With my decision made, I looked down and answered Malcolm.
"I have no problem with her coming here," I told Malcolm. "Although," I continued, Malcolm's eyes tightening when I said that. Bracing for whatever I was going to say more.
"I cannot guarantee that she will get a warm welcome from any woman living in this house," I informed him.
"What do you mean?" Malcolm asked, confused and worried. I decided to explain one aspect of the harem that I had left out earlier.
"One downside of being a member of the harem is that all members feel very protective of one another. That is even more pronounced for me as the master of the harem."
"Is that why she blew up at me earlier?" Clarisse asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Partly yes, now don't get it wrong. What you implied earlier would have gotten her mad regardless, but add that with her feelings for me and the effects of the curse. Well, let's just say any woman in the harem won't be able to tolerate even the slightest insult against me," I explained.
"Now, I'm not saying that Annabeth will be in danger if she comes here; I personally guarantee her safety, physically at least. But for how she'll be welcomed and accepted when she comes here, that I can't guarantee," I continued.
"I see, I understand," Malcolm muttered after a while.
"Couldn't you just tell them to behave themselves for when Annabeth comes to visit?" Clarisse asked with a smirk.
"I could, but I won't," I answered her truthfully. looking at her straight in the eyes.
"Thanks for the warning, Percy; I will pass it on to her when we get back," Malcolm stated.
"It's been a long day; we should get some rest, Clarisse," Malcolm declared, looking at Clarisse.
"Alright," she agreed readily. standing up along with Malcolm.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow; have a good rest. You are safe here," I told them.
They nodded and followed Rose to the mansion and their rooms.
I sat alone for a moment and thought back to all that happened today. It started with a phone call from Piper and ended with a potential reunion with my ex. I sighed and drained my drink. I stood up and began to walk back to the mansion, but not before kissing Aethra goodnight.
After that, I went in and climbed the stairs to the second floor to Hazel's room. Knowing I was invited and expected, I didn't bother knocking. I opened the door and almost had a heart attack.
Waiting for me on her bed was my beautiful fiancée, wearing one of my shirts that was very loose on her.
just my shirt.
"Took you long enough," she called out from the bed, and I found myself being drawn to her. My feet moving on their own. Closing the door behind me, I quickly crossed the room to where I was being beckoned.
As soon as I got near her bed, I leaned down and kissed her lips with a passion I reserved only for her and Piper. Hot, needy, and full of the promise of a night filled with love and completion.
After what seems to be an eternity but really just a few minutes of our lips and tongue battling for dominance, we parted. "I'm sorry for making you wait, my love," I said in-between kisses to her jaw and the corner of her lips. Before I trailed my lips down her neck,
I was rewarded by a moan escaping from her lips. Sounding much like a Sirens call, promising me all I ever wanted and more. Only I was not holding back from answering them.
Hazel dropped down the bed, and I followed her, laying down over her as I lavished her with my love and affection.
"It's okay," I heard her say from where it was attached to her neck. "Just don't make me wait any longer," she demanded, her hand now pulling at my hair.
I pushed up and braced myself with my arms as I took in her beautiful face, blushing furiously from obvious lust and anticipation for what was to come (Heh!)
I smiled at her and declared.
"Your wish is my command, my lady!"
I then got rid of the shirt she was wearing and followed suit. Our lips met again in a dance of lovers as we shared our warmth with each other.
That night, neither of us planned on getting much sleep.