Chapter Forty-Two - I Give Birth (To Life)
Posted: Thursday 22nd August 2024

Whilst the rest of the camp lined up and took numbers to beat Leo up, we settled down at the table and discussed plans. Leo and Calypso agreed to accompany Apollo to Indiana to find the next Oracle.

They were going to leave the next morning.

Percy left after dinner and Apollo and I stayed up past curfew, sitting on the beach together quietly.

"I know I can't come with you," I said, "but the next time we see eachother, the baby will be born. I don't know what will happen to me then."

"You'll be fine," Apollo said in a voice that didn't convince me, "you always come back to me."

"And if you're not fine?" I asked.

"I have to be," Apollo declared, "I must restore the oracles. There is no other choice."

"I know," I said.

"You should not worry yourself about me. Simply worry about our Caius here." He placed a tentative hand on my stomach, "he will be born soon."

"The one who could destroy even Zeus," I muttered.

"Perhaps," Apollo agreed, "Ideally not. The next time we are reunited we will have our family complete."

I smiled vaguely. Apollo wasn't new to being a father, I had always known he had countless children. I hoped that he would love this child as much as he loved Will, Kayla and Austin as I had witnessed that love for myself now and I knew it was rivalled by almost nothing.

"I swear on the river-" Apollo started, I slapped a hand over his mouth before he could complete the oath.

"No more oaths on the River Styx," I said, "We've both broken too many of those already."

"You broke an oath on the Styx?" Apollo asked.

"I swore not to go against Olympus, didn't I," I reminded him.

"Oh," Apollo said, "you have suffered the consequences already?"

I shrugged, "not sure, I think so, but I could be wrong."

"I think Nyx is punishment enough," said Apollo.

"I agree, but I'm not sure the fates or the Styx goddess will," I replied.

I rested my head on his shoulder and looked up at the night sky, wondering if Nyx was watching us at that moment. I could never be sure, but I knew she would be keeping tabs on me.

"I love you, Ariadne." Apollo said, "I love you more than I have loved anyone in my entire life. This child, our child, is made from love and he will bring only more joy to our lives."

"I love you too," I said, "and I hope you're right."

*

By the time I woke up the next morning, Apollo was gone. A pit in my stomach warned me that I would perhaps never see him again.

I tried to put this aside and busy myself with helping with the restoration efforts that were already underway to fix the Demeter cabin. The whole camp was pulling together to help mend it, even Lacy from the Aphrodite cabin had donned some overalls, rolled up her sleeves and was helping to

"Put that down!" Will Solace stalked towards me, I dropped the handful of rubble that I had picked up. "You are absolutely forbidden from manual labour."

"Oh come on Will, I was in a battle yesterday, I'm fine!"

"And that battle wiped you out for almost a full day!" Will reminded me.

"I'm not going to just rest on my laurels until the baby is born," I complained.

"I don't think it will be that long," Will said.

"What makes you say that?"

"I think your waters just broke."

*

Will was right. My waters had broken. He wasn't panicked per se, just extremely flustered.

"You told me you'd done this before!" I said as we headed over to the Apollo cabin.

"Yes, for a wind spirit delivering a Satyr, not a god who also happens to be my half-sibling!" Will said.

"Well, it can't be that diff- owch!" I bent over as the first wave of contractions ripped through me, "this is horrible!" I complained.

"Breathe through it!" Will coached.

"I'm going to take your breathing and shove it so far up your- owch!" I complained.

"Right, this is happening a bit quicker than I expected!" Will said, "Okay just breath, it'll be fine!"

"If you tell me to breathe again-"

"I was talking to myself!" Will said. "Austin, Kayala, help her to the cabin. I need to go and get set up!"

Will darted off and Austin and Kayla swept over to help me.

"I'm fine!" I waved away their helpful arms, "I can walk."

By the time I had waddled over to the Apollo cabin, a hospital bed had been set up in the middle and Will was hurrying around preparing surgical equipment.

"Put this on!" Will commanded, thrusting a dressing gown at me.

"Why do I have to change?" I asked.

"Well I can't deliver a baby whilst you're wearing trousers can I?" Will said.

Begrudgingly I realised he had a point and I went into a corner to change out of my clothes and into the gown. I cast aside my wet trousers but folded the rest of my clothes off to one side.

Two more sets of contractions ripped through me as I was changing, slowing my progress quite significantly. But eventually, I rested down on the hospital bed.

Will did an evaluation and apparently godly labour progressed much quicker than the average mortal pregnancy as he told me it was time to push. Austin and Kayla were stood either side of me by my head. I supposed it was a family affair so it was fitting for Apollo's children to be present.

"Already?" I asked, "That was quick!"

"Apparently the baby is keen to be born," Will said, "the next time you get a contraction, push like there is no tomorrow."

I wasn't certain there would be a tomorrow if I was honest, so it wasn't that hard to follow his directions. The next time pain ripped through me I pushed, I pushed with everything I had. Through my screwed-shut eyelids I saw a golden light filling the room, a whoshing noise accompanied the light and I heard the sound of something hitting the wall, perhaps it was Will being thrown back.

As the pain subsided, so did the light. I slowly pried my eyes open and saw before me a figure in full battle armour. He carried a helmet under one arm and was wearing a bronze breastplate. His hair was tousled as if he had just stepped out of a windstorm. He was looking right back at me with his dark obsidian-coloured eyes, which were the only thing that told me that this was not Apollo.

No, this was my son.

He looked around and took in the room.

"Oh hello there," he smiled at myself, Kayla and Austin. Will was across the room, scrambling to his feet from where he had been blown away from me, "I'm Caius. God of Life, Immortality and Mortality. It's a pleasure to meet you."