However, as often as he got prayers for help or strength, he also frequently got the vengeful kind. With mortal media and the net being flooded with the picture of him on the moon, it wasn't too surprising he became the mental image for the angry and spiteful. Particularly from scorned lovers in fact, as ironic as it felt for the dark god.
...
Zoe was already making a record of how many prayers to 'smite' someone's significant other he was getting. It was usually about lying and cheating, from the petty to the severe. 'And they don't even know about Nico yet,' he mused. He snorted just picturing Nico bitching and groaning while getting mentally swamped with angry prayers and such demanding divine retribution and all that sort once the mortals learned about him.
Still, things like that would have to wait until they settled their war first. Then they could go about getting personally involved with the mortals and the mess it was bound to be.
So, he just sat there was he let the prayers come and go, answering where he was needed and could. His own training with Nyx and the flexibility of his divine mind allowed him to sift through them at a blistering pace. He wasn't sure how some of the others personally imagine the prayers but to him, it was like standing in the middle of a controlled blizzard. Every prayer was a single, unique snowflake whipping around him in the wind, vying for his attention as he deftly snatched them up to look closer.
The designs told him about them and what they wanted or needed. Some were small and soft little things that he let rest in his palm as he listened to them. Others were harsh and icy, with sharp edges that he had to catch firmly with his fingers and hold still. Whatever form they took, once he listened, he'd chose to act or not and in doing so, he'd add a design or mark to the flake, so he knew the prayer had been answered.
After that, he'd release the flake. However, instead of being carried back into the flurry around him, it would fall to the snowy floor and make small piles around him instead. Later on, he'd come back for them and move them to his mental forest, taking each flake and attaching them to the branches. Any prayer flake coming from a new individual would be attached on its own while any reoccurring prayer flake would be merged with the previous ones Percy had picked out before.
Only when the being responsible for the prayer finally died would the flake turned snowy leaf finally fall to the floor for the last time.
It was his personal record and way of seeing how those affected by his prayers did in life. Zoe, Lupa, Lamia, and Medusa could do the same as his mental guardian and Shadows—after he spent the mental equivalent of a week teaching them his method—however, they rarely answered prayers even if he gave them the allowance to. Being linked to him meant they were trusted to act in his stead—especially if his focus was elsewhere—but they usually preferred to leave the final choice up to him.
Granted, each had their own touchy subjects that quickly got them to act, but much like Percy had been taught by Nyx, he also stepped in and cautioned them on certain prayers. He thanked Chaos all four of them had plenty of years under their belts and knew how hasty decisions could have unintended consequences, so it wasn't hard for the warnings to stick.
Instead, they collected the prayer flakes that caught their attention and made lists for him to review later on in whatever methods they prefer; Zoe and Medusa using tablets while Lupa and Lamia liked writing them down in scrolls. Whatever methods they chose, they each had a time and place they liked to bring them to his attention for review and the final say.
Usually late at night before going to bed or early in the mornings right after breakfast, depending on how the day goes.
'I could let Raven have a longer break and review with them tonight,' he noted as he finally opened his eyes, exhaling as he rolled his shoulders. Though it didn't feel like it in his mental plane, he'd been sitting still for a while. The morning light coming through the large windows of the throne room was significantly stronger, so it had to have been an hour or so.
However, his attention quickly shifted as he looked to Rhea's throne.
His wife was sitting much like he had, her eyes closed and leaned back as she settled whatever prayers came to her. 'I wonder if she's thought about a guardian or an assistant yet,' he mused as he tapped a finger on his arm rest, watching as Rhea slowly breathed out and opened her golden-hazel eyes.
It didn't take her long to look in his direction, a small smile playing on her lips as she got up and stretched.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," he said as he watched her, appreciating the way her snug clothing complemented her sensual form.
He knew she made it intentionally showy and loved every moment of it.
"Good to be back," she playfully replied in a low, purring voice as she made her way to him and settled herself in his lap, back to him.
He chuckled knowingly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her closer, breathing in her scent as she leaned against him. The married pair were content to sit like that for a while, simply enjoying the close contact and warmth.
"How's Raven?" she asked after a while, getting a slight hum from him.
"Asleep and should be out of it for a while," he replied as she shifted on his lap to sitting across it and looking at him. "Raven started that last session pretty early and she's still trying to catch up to all of it… Makes me wish I'd done more to teach her before all of this," he added, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Hey now, I know you and Andy weren't expecting this so soon but what's done is done.".
"… I know, it's just…"
He sighed as she snuggled her head against his shoulder as one of her hands came up and started to trail her fingers through his hair. He tightened his arms around her in response, appreciating the gesture of comfort for what it was. They remained silent for a little while, content in their embrace.
"Well, she's getting rest now and I think I'll give her the day before we pick things up tomorrow," he said, breaking the silence as he looked at her properly.
"Will Andy stay all day with her?" the lioness asked.
He hummed in thought for a moment before asking, " Not the whole day but probably until afternoon or so. She wanted to make sure Raven rests and then eats before she comes and gets me."
"Okay, then what do you want to do?" she asked.
He blinked at that, opening his mouth to answer before closing it just as quick. What did he want to do? 'Everything has been war this, plan that, or just responding to shit going sideways. But I can't really do much about the war at the moment.' They were playing the waiting game for now, letting the anger, hate, and paranoia fester among the Olympians and their army. Their thoroughly mauled pride and seething desire for vengeance amongst some of their most influential assured that they wouldn't turn tail just yet.
Honestly, he was just waiting for an opening.
Something to fully separate most of the mortal army from the Olympians, that way he and the others wouldn't have to hold back as much. He knew there were plenty demigods in the army that were as gun-ho about this war as the gods, but that was a minority that could be easily picked out and separated later on. But that was also speculation and planning for later.
However, he was pulled from wondering as Rhea used a finger to tilt his face towards her.
"You could use a break yourself, so how about we visit Hestia and the others?" she asked, waiting a few seconds before adding. "We can see how Athena and Cloelia are doing."
...
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