Apollonia sped walked back to the Apollo cabin, not looking back. It's times like these where she wishes she could hide at home in her father's temple, but alas, sometimes things don't work in her favour, especially this whole day. She finally got to the cabin and gently opened the door. The Apollo cabin was always relatively clean considering many of her medic siblings are sticklers on above and beyond hygiene.

She went straight into the bathroom to take a shower. She stood underneath the hot water blankly staring at the golden tile wall in front of her getting lost in her thoughts and finally able to breathe. She was ecstatic when Aphrodite blessed her with a soulmate all those ancient years ago. She truly was. She's been waiting for the special person for years and when he finally arrives, she already fell. Until she saw the damn tattoo. Right, when her eyes laid to rest on the tattoo, her world crashed down around her and in the moment of weakness— her Roman form was released.

She got out of the shower and walked straight to her bunk, mentally drained. She got to her bunk that's under Will's and tapped her clothing charm and was suddenly into her tank top, shorts, and slippers. After cleaning herself up, she just stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and her skin paled, she looked sick. She disregarded it and turned to get into her bed.

When she tucked herself in, the cabin door opened, revealing only Will, her darling brother. He slowly made his way over to her and sat beside her at the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked softly, along with Chiron and their dad, Will probably understood her situation best. The main reason why she can't accept specifically a Roman as her soulmate. It will open up major centuries-old wounds for her. She told him about some Roman demigods existing in society but not a word about the camp, as she swore under oath.

Apollonia grabbed his hand, still laying down, "I feel better now than I was an hour ago. Thank you for holding me up back there, Will. I probably would have fainted or fallen to my knees in despair," she softly chuckled at the end.

Will smiled softly at his sister and squeezed her hand, "Of course. I'll always be there for you, Polly. Remember? Forever and Always?"

"Forever and Always, Willy" Apollonia said back with a smile.

"Get some sleep Dad Jr. Dad said he wants to talk to you tonight when you sleep. Probably gonna tell you about his draft haiku." Will said cheekily while moving the hair to the side of her head.

"Okay, I'm dreading this now, thanks a lot Willy, good night." Apollonia smiled at him then was out like a light, hearing only a faint good night before falling to a dream world.

**********

Apollonia was in a flower field that was near her home in Ancient Greece, dressed in her basic white chiton and peplos, back to when she was human. Her eyes immediately started to become blurry with unshed tears. Being in this field reminded her of her mother just by looking at the fluttering petals of the dancing flowers around her. Her favourite field.

She suddenly felt a presence behind her and she whirled around quickly arming herself with her bow.

She saw her father with a bright smile on his face, holding his arms wide expecting her to give him a hug. She tapped her charm to put her bow away. She then sprinted up to him in a blur, immediately jumping on him, he instantly caught her unfazed, as if this happens daily. They stayed in the hug for a while before Apollo pulled away but kept his hands on her shoulders, holding her from a small distance.

"You sang beautifully earlier. How's my little sunshine doing?" Apollo asked his daughter with a light smile.

"I'm doing okay, dad, don't worry about it," she said, looking down to try and conceal the lie from him. This immediately made Apollo frown. He was the God of Truth, he's the one parent that you literally cannot lie to and get away with it. He knows when his kids especially lie to his face.

He raised her chin to make her look at him, "I know you're not, my little sunshine, I saw what happened earlier. Just because Olympus is closed, doesn't mean we are not watching over our kids. I've been keeping an eye on you all day," Apollo said, making Apollonia look down at her beautiful brown gladiator sandals.

"I guess it wasn't the most ideal," She said, still looking down.

"Not ideal? Hun, I had to save you from Zeus blasting you earlier. You offended him by making him think his son wasn't good enough for you. He was saying since you're immortal you'll be fine, but I told him I'd rather not have him knock out my Champion daughter. I know you knew instantly what his warning was, we were all watching you. So, I'm going to ask you again, how are you, my little sunshine?"

Apollonia felt her breath constrict to the point where she couldn't breathe like she was drowning in cursed water and couldn't reach the surface. She felt like her heart was trying to claw its way out of her chest and into a fire. Her lips started to tremble and her body started shaking. She couldn't hold in her cries anymore. She was like a dam that has been without maintenance for too long, it eventually breaks. Her father knew this just based on her reactions the whole day, he always keeps an eye on his kids. The sun sees all, even in the shadows. The incident at the campfire being the cherry on the top, she was about to break and he was prepared to catch his daughter before she hit the bottom.

"I-I'm not good, dad. My soulmate's a Roman. I can't– I can't–" Apollonia's high defences finally broke in choked sobs. Apollo pulled his first-ever daughter into his chest to comfort her. He knew why she hated Romans, when he discovered who Aphrodite paired her up with, he was furious at her, how could she do this to his precious Apollonia? He hated seeing his children in pain. He would send small trinkets or gifts whenever his kids were low to cheer them up.

"They k-killed her–– dad!  I'll end up killing Jason! I can't be with him! I can't!" Apollonia screamed in raw agony, Agony that she held in for millennia. She was finally letting out all the pain and anguish physically, and Apollo just held his daughter tighter to his chest and stroked her hair gently.

"I know they did, sunshine, I know," he said soothingly.

She didn't calm down until she felt her heart and her burden slowly become lighter, her eyes running dry and red, no more tears left to cry. She felt like she could breathe again, her heart clearing up. Left with just soft sniffles she pulled away from her dad a little bit but still hugging him, he was her anchor in many ways. He had three thousand years to know his daughter, he knew her best. He always knew what she needed.

"Why did you pick this place?" Apollonia asked quietly, her voice rough and raspy from sobbing her pain out.

"Because I knew you needed this, my little sunshine. To bring you back to when you were innocent, pure, mortal... happy," Apollo paused for a second, "Back when you were untainted by the ruins of bloodshed and war."

"But— I won those battles and wars, didn't I?" Apollonia asked in a small voice as she suddenly felt small. Was her father not proud of her? Was she not worthy enough? Were those battles just a test for his love?

"Yes, you did. But at a great cost, you were never the same. I'm your father, Apollonia, I notice when my child is unhappy. I brought you here for a reason. To make you remember how happy you were. How happy you were with your mother in this exact field the day before you went off to your first battle. As much as you despise the thought, Jason... he can make you feel like that again, sunshine..." Apollo said in sorrow. Like most parents, they want the best for their kids. Apollo sees how even in her happiest days as an immortal, will never be the same pure happiness she possessed before the wars, especially the war with the giants, the only war where they fought side by side. They ruined and corrupted her soul, after seeing so much bloodshed and destruction. Apollo knows her soulmate is the best way to get back his pure happy child again. Even if he is a Roman, he just wants his daughter to feel as happy as she did three thousand years ago, before she became the Legendary Apollonia. His bright daughter, who made his bright world, even brighter, just by being born. His first daughter. His only champion. The child who made him feel proud when she shows the world how strong she truly is, mentally and physically. She, along with his sister, are two of his greatest weaknesses. He would travel to the void and back if it meant his daughter would remain safe.

"Father— how could you even— That's not true––" She stumbled on her words, wanting to say something, but doesn't know what.

"Oh, but it is, my daughter. Ever since your first battle, back to your mortal days, your soul became chipped... tainted with pain, that you grew to hide very well. You paint on many faces, but even your immaculate hiding skills cannot beguile me," Apollo turned her around in his arms so she faced the flowers of the field she loved so much, "In this field... was the last time you were truly happy. Filled with love. Only Jason can heal the many millennia-old wounds that scar your soul. You know this deep down, Apollonia. He is not like the Romans that killed her. I know why now, Aphrodite paired you up with a Roman. It was to heal that specific wound. To make peace with your Roman form that you fight with so constantly. Your biggest wound. Only he can heal," He told the daughter in his hold softly, trying to make her see.

Apollonia stayed quiet, taking in her father's words while gazing out at the field. Of course, she knew, but healing that specific wound is nearly impossible. Her soulmate being a Roman felt like a stab to the gut with a dagger coated with salt that was twisted around repeatedly.

"He wouldn't want me anyway–– dad. I'm too broken. I must keep him away, I carry too many scars, you said it yourself. He deserves someone worthy, untainted, someone— not as broken as I," Apollonia said in a near whisper.

If he wasn't standing right behind her, he probably wouldn't have heard a thing. Apollo's heart clenched and twisted painfully while unshed tears filled his eyes as his beautiful daughter degraded herself right in front of him. Calling herself unworthy. If anyone was worth being happy and loved— it was his daughter. She's fought for Olympus despite sometimes being just a chess piece for some gods. She did it all, no questions asked. Pure loyalty to her family flowed through her veins, this making each betrayal cut her soul deeply. She truly had a heart of Gold and Diamond.

A moment of silence graced the two before Apollo spoke up again.

"First Daughter of Apollo. Only Champion of Apollo. One of the greatest heroines of all time. You deserve him more than you know. He is ready to fight for you, my dear. You must meet him halfway. Do something for you this time. Be selfish just this once, my little sunshine." Apollo's voice was as gentle as the breeze.

"I have to go. Your brother wakes you, It is time for your quest to save Hera to begin, sweetheart. I love you. Remember my words. Remember this field. Let him in."

**********

Alrighty! A new chapter is up! I have up to Chapter 11 written but I still need to edit them 'n shit.

I love a nice father-daughter moment in books, don't you?🥰

Any idea who 'her' is?  I'll leave you in suspense for that and give you time to give come up with theories. You won't find out who 'her' is until many chapters later🤭