Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be a man, if I owned it, wouldn't I? So nope.
Story: The gods offered Percy godhood. He said no. They don't accept that. How will Percy deal with not only having immortality being forced on him, but becoming essentially the gods' plaything? Polympians.
Set after all the books.
Spoilers: All books.
Warnings: Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…

Pairings: Olympians/Percy –Bold so I don't have to repeat myself to people.

Conquest of Paradise
Chapter Six: King of the Sacred Grove

Percy was overjoyed and very pleased with the newest development. That of Hades having snuck Nico into Percy's palace, and now Percy had company. It was so refreshing to have someone his age, a friend he could just talk to and relax with. Someone not attached to this whole mess…

"Hey, have you actually gone and explored this place?" Nico asked nonchalantly, frowning as he examined the board.

One thing Nico hadn't inherited from Hades was the god's spectacular chess ability, Percy mused in amusement. He easily took the other's Rook, after Nico had moved a pawn randomly.

"Check."

Nico twitched. "Aw, geez. You're as good as Dad, Perce."

Percy grinned. "You play against him a lot?"

"Not a lot, but I play against him often enough," Nico huffed. "Too much if you ask me. I lose every time. I'm so going to lose now."

"Your dad's the one who taught me how to play."

Nico threw his hands up into the air. "No wonder! Ah, damn. At least I'll play to the end and stubbornly hold out."

"Are you hoping you might get lucky?" Percy was grinning mischievously, utterly carefree.

"Psh. Luck won't even be able to help me," Nico muttered darkly. He made a move.

Percy grinned widely and took that chess piece.

"Checkmate."

Nico cursed loudly, starting to pout after. Percy laughed at him, before his laugh died out and looked bittersweet over the board.

"I haven't seen all of this place, I think. And really, the places I went through was mostly a blur because I wasn't really…paying attention," Percy inwardly sighed.

Nico eyed his friend quietly.

"Nico, do me a favor, won't you? Be a good son. Help him."

Percy felt Nico grab his hand and then he was being pulled off the bed. Rushing to get his balance right, he stumbled after the younger boy for a few moments before gaining his rightful stability.

"N-Nico, what are you doing?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in question.

"Let's go exploring! You got an awesome place and there's probably a whole bunch of cool stuff to see! And plus, I'm going to be staying here, so I wanna check everything out!" Nico explained excitedly, though he put on just a little more excitedment for his friend and to liven him up.

Percy's lips slowly moved into a reluctant smile. "Alright then. I do remember there was a large pool here…"

"What? Really! You gotta show me!"

And so Percy switched places with Nico, leading the way through the labyrinth of hallways until he reached a gigantic room. The ceiling was extremely high above them, and they could see the mural of the sky and clouds splashed across it. The clouds moved across the ceiling, and it looked almost like there was no ceiling above them.

"Hey, it's like Hogwarts!" Nico grinned at him.

Percy gave a fond smile. "I think Athena's a fan of the Harry Potter series…" His smile faltered and he looked back up at the ceiling. He wished he wouldn't know things like that about the others…

"Let's go swimming," Nico said suddenly and without warning, pushed Percy into the water.

In retaliation, Percy had the water spring up and grab Nico, pulling him into the water after.

Afterwards, as Nico rested breathlessly beside him on the edge of the pool, Percy gazed out at the expanse of the pool. It looked almost endless, and stretched from one end of the room to the other.

"It's large enough to host all of the Olympians comfortably, and even more than enough of others. I-if you wanted to…"

He averted his eyes down and away from the pool, only to see the glittering green of the marble floor.

"I was reminded of your eyes…I chose it because the green marble matches them, and depending on the lighting, changes the shade of green –like your eyes darken or lighten depending on your emotions…"

Percy closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Man, this place is cool," Nico murmured.

The god looked over to his friend. "Yeah…Athena designed it. All of it."

"Really? She did all this for you? Wow…"

"…Yeah, wow…" Percy blinked and smiled reluctantly. He leaned over, placing his forehead against the marble, its coolness cooling down his head. "Wow," he muttered.

He was feeling conflicted again.

As they enjoyed the pool room, elsewhere in Olympus, Zeus and Poseidon stared the other down.

"He needs to see people. He needs to see me," Poseidon said firmly.

"I'm not so sure of that," Zeus stubbornly refused to back down. "After everything, he would need space, wouldn't he? And he would not want to see us after what we had imposed on him. He would want that isolation."

"Do you know for sure?" Poseidon glared heatedly. "Did you go and ask him! And he wouldn't want to see all of you, but I'm sure I would be fine. I am his father. I tried to protect him from all of this! You could at least let him see me!"

Zeus looked obstinate, so Poseidon sighed and forcibly calmed himself down before he went to talk to his brother again.

"Zeus, I know you're really more lost at what to do and afraid to face him. And you know as well as I do he's going crazy there, by himself. You know even better that the others are sneaking in to see him. You might as well allow him visitations. Why don't you go to see him first?"

Zeus looked at him hesitantly, before he shifted unsurely and then gave Poseidon a brief but jerky nod.

"Don't do it. Don't let yourself slide into that contentedness."

Percy frowned, shivering.

"Do not give an inch to them."

A ghost of a touch caressed the side of his face.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," a feminine voice murmured into his ear.

His eyes snapped opened and he saw Adrasteia calmly watching him from his favorite window, dark eyes actually gleaming in the darkness.

"A-Adrastreia, what are you doing here?"

But she didn't answer him. Instead, her dark eyes, reminding him of voids, continued to watch him in silence in the darkness. Hesitant and wary, he slid off of his bed and trekked towards her. Just as he was about to come face to face with Adrastreia, he heard a noise at his balcony and his head whipped towards that direction. Seeing nothing, he turned back to Adrastreia, only for her to not be there anymore.

Frowning, he glanced around his room before he decided to check out the balcony and see what had made that noise. He was surprised and caught off guard to see, of all visitors (and new gods and goddesses he'd expected to come sneak a visit) that it was Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Hunt.

Only she was in the form of a six year old, and looked shyly up at him and too adorable for him to be as scathing as he tried to be with the others.

"H-hi, Percy," she gave him a baleful smile as she hesitantly waved at him.

"This is…this is manipulative," he sighed, but smiled sadly.

She didn't answer him, but she gave him an apologetic look, which was all the more made adorable on her childlike form.

So he quietly came closer, but didn't come to her. Instead, in the middle of the balcony, he lay down and looked up at the Olympus stars. She hesitantly plodded towards him, sitting Indian style next to Percy once she'd reached his side.

Percy stared listlessly at the sky as he lay on his back on his balcony. With the wind blowing his hair gently, he closed his eyes and relished the feel.

"Hey, Percy," Artemis said softly, her hands tentative and yet gentle as she touched his cheeks. "Do you want to come with me and just run through the fields? We can even play tag."

Playing a child was so much easier. There were no worries in interaction, no tension because of who they were and what had happened, and she didn't have to watch herself.

He turned his head slightly, looking at her, and a soft smile graced his lips.

"Why don't we go then?" he quickly got up and turned to her, holding out his hand.

Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't take her eyes away from him. She reached out and took his hand firmly, and led him off to a jump off his balcony and landing gracefully on the grounds of his home with nary a trouble.

Without further ado, she sped up and then began to run joyfully as she led the way to the fields. She tagged him first and then a game of tag began between them.

It was exhilarating. It had been so long since she'd been able to have a companion to run with like this. She couldn't remember a time where she'd let herself go and be free with a male companion.

Yes, yes you do.

Artemis flinched and drew back from the memories. She didn't want to think about those times, and especially not with Percy. But it was hard not to, because she was afraid history would repeat and she would be the cause of Percy's demise…like his.

And she did not want to lose Percy as she had lost the one male she had truly deigned to consider, before Percy had come along though.

Finding Percy, he looked tired but content, and had gone to stare appreciatively at the stars again with a small grin on his face. With a tentative step towards him, she took a deep breath and began taking small steps in his direction, and with each step she grew older.

By the time she'd reached his back, she was sixteen and her height had reached to his shoulders. She unsurely embraced him from behind, comfortably settling the side of her face against his back and nestled between his shoulder blades. She breathed in deeply, taking in his scent. She reveled in the smell of wintergreen and (here, a small smile graced her lips fondly) a slight hint of strawberries. She would have thought he'd smell a little of ocean or some sort of water-type scent. However, she (like the others) quite remembered Percy's liking for strawberries, although wintergreen was a mystery to her.

She could feel her face warm as she felt his calloused hands reach up and cover her hands, which had clasped and were held across his sternum. The touch sent tingles across her skin and she felt like gasping from the feel of it.

Artemis kept quiet, however, and simply soaked in his presence and his warmth.

She felt him shift and then he was looking down at her and she could see something in his gaze that made her retract her arms, steadfastly locking them to her sides in embarrassment.

"Wasn't there a vow you swore?" he spoke without a tone, but she felt judged all the same.

"I know," Artemis whispered. "But it's been so long since Orion and the Fates swore it would be okay and I just…"

"…I'm not Orion," he said quietly.

She flinched. "I know!" she repeated, voice rising. "It's been so long since him and I cared for him so much, but you've made me feel so much more than he had. I don't want you to be Orion. I want you to be Percy and care for me back…even if it's only a little bit."

And she felt frustrated and lost, because this is not something she has ever faced before and now she wasn't sure or understanding anything, so unlike how she usually was and preferred to be.

The lack of control daunted her and she didn't like that.

"I know, Artemis, I know," he said tiredly.

And he was gently embracing her and she could feel how exhausted he seemed of everything right then.

Despite that, he was holding her willingly, and she could maybe feel hope for herself and the others.

And despite herself and unable to help it, she felt tears (she hatehatehatehated this) roll down her face and she buried her face into his chest and cried. She didn't cry, though she reluctantly admitted that it happened rarely. But she never cried in front of anyone. Ever. The only exception had always been in front of Apollo, her beloved but stupid twin that she loved so much.

And now Percy.

"I was three and asked for six wishes from my father, one of which was to remain a virgin maiden forever," she whispered. "I made that vow and that choice –I can rescind it."

Artemis swallowed harshly. "We're all fools, Percy, all of us. But we're all fools for you, and we're all so desperately, pathetically needful of you. All that we –that I ask, is for you to let us into your heart, even if only a little, because whatever you're willing to give is everything we can beg and clamor for. Just…please. And whatever you want, we'll give it. Just tell me it!"

She refused to burst into sobs again, but the tears were coming back once more and she went back to wanting to be in his embrace and burying her face into him again, to keep the tears from showing and baring her weakness. But she forced herself to let them come, to acknowledge and accept them, and to not force the emotion away like she was used to doing. She looked up and into his beautiful sea-green eyes, and bared it all, hoping he could see into her own eyes and read the sincerity, read her open face that she hoped showed everything.

Artemis hoped, above all, that he could see the vulnerability she was openly showing to him and trusting him to not reject her in the face of her rare exposure of her being, done only and meant for him.

She tried to never be vulnerable or to show that vulnerability to anyone. But here, for Percy, she would bare her soul to prove to him how sincere she felt, and that she wanted him to know she was letting him see this side of her to show how genuine this all really was, all the while inwardly praying that he would not throw her away still.

But then he was embracing her again and she was leaning heavily onto him, as if wanting to sink into him and become one.

And Artemis desperately wanted to say what she and all the others had been wanting to say to him so honestly, but none of them had ever dared to.

I love you.

But she didn't, because she knew it was too much, too early. So she stayed quiet, and savored being with him under the starry Olympian skies of night, in her favorite fields.

Percy looked up then, and locked eyes with the ever watchful Adrastreia. He felt his eyes darken and cloud over angrily, and his arms around the goddess tightened, almost to the point of being painful. But she didn't pay it any mind, wanting to enjoy this small time with Percy as much as she could.

Adrastreia suddenly smiled.

Zeus stared up at the structure with a frown on his face. It looked grand for sure, but too imposing and unlike Percy. It spoke nothing of his personality, of his kindness and strength and bravery.

It was a pretty castle, and that was it. And Percy was trapped in it, despite it supposed to be his home.

Zeus winced and knew that he should have come sooner.

His feet felt heavy as he walked the long path to Percy, the path that seemed much, much longer than it really was and should have seemed in reality. His steps even seemed to echo and he felt the guilt lay just as heavy deep inside of him.

He looked up suddenly, feeling an odd feeling, and found Percy watching him with an inscrutable gaze, eyes dark and unrevealing as the young god half lay languid on his balcony's railing and watched him coming.

And so comes the inevitable meeting between kings –the King of the Heavens and this lonely King of this sacred place…

Started 7/3/13 – Completed 12/1/13

A/n: So, uh, this is part four of my birthday updates. Please leave a review as a birthday gift? :D

To Guest1: Isn't there too much angst already? :D Haha…

To cool: Thank you! I'll try to keep it up.

To guest2: Thanks!

To Kiria4L: No, thank you! And as for Adrastreia, there's another one, aside from the one you're thinking of. I gave some more hints this chapter :)

To iloveyou: Thank you! I'm glad you like how I've written Percy and the gods. Percy will definitely interact more with the gods, I promise, and he'll start to be a little more rebellious probably. I'm glad you like the plot and that you don't mind the lack of sex in here.

To Guest3: I'm guessing that whole sentence was "I WILL KILL THE GODS"? :D Hahaha.

To Primordial Rage: Okay, go ahead. I'm rooting for you to kill the gods XD

To TheOrchid: Thank you for your support and patience. I try to update faster, but it really doesn't always end up that way. I'm really happy you like this story so much, and that you consider me the best writer in the fandom –which really helps, given I've been lately very upset with the PJO fandom, considering the immaturity of some rabid shippers. I'm glad the whole 'god of humility' is working out for some, as it really fits into the theme I'm going for with this story. And yeah –misery coming up because of the ominous woman is guaranteed :) You're welcome and again, thank you!

To i like it D: Thank you! As for Percy changing his appearance, I'm too sure as it doesn't really fit the story, but maybe later on there could be something. Sorry :)

To Guest4: 'Holy shniz' –I like that catchphrase XD

To Natalie: Thank you! As to who the lady is, it'll be revealed, but for now –it'll be a mystery! Glad you thinks so, as I really try to emphasize emotions and worked hard on the plot :) I really try to give everything depth here, as well as anything I write.

To Nova: I'm glad you like it! I try to write original and unique stuff :)

To Guest5: Thanks!

To Guest6: Sorry for the long wait!

To Meagan: I have a soft spot for Hades :) I tend to like writing him and give him special scenes. I also think he's misunderstood.

To Lex: Great poetry going on :D And yeah, there might be a little sexual situations, but not too soon and not too much, if it's not needed. There will be a lot of angst and stuff, and the gods will definitely be sincerely regretful. However, as I said before, this is a redemption fic. So while Percy will be angry and somewhat hateful for awhile, this is not one of those cliché, typical fics in the fandom where Percy gets all powerful, hates everyone, blah blah blah. As I said before, forgiveness is inevitable, but not immediate.

I'm glad you can see and appreciate all the emotions being put into this, and that righteous fury is being a big part right now. And at the moment, yeah Apollo and Hades are the most forgivable (I'd like to add Hermes to that), but I disagree that a good story has to have Percy refusing to forgive while everyone is regretful. It can be a good story, but EVERYONE writes that and I'm not doing it. And what I'd really like to focus on is the realism and emotional aspects. This has nothing to do with victory over Percy's body or the gods being able to have sex with him anytime or whatever. Sorry if that's what you're looking for, but I'm not going for it.

As for Luke, he might come in. I haven't decided yet. And Athena did deserve what she got, but I don't know if it's the least harsh. On an emotional scale, her existence to Percy basically is nil, and she's basically a substitute for her daughter. Being a sub and for her daughter no less would definitely suck, yes? And Percy has yet to show any sympathy or honesty to her, at least to her face. As for Hestia, that's not the end for her. Percy just currently needs her for now, but later on circumstances might change.

Thank you for your reviews and I'm sorry if you were really looking forward to one of those revenge fics.

To Guest7: Thank you! I'm glad you like it and how it's going so far. And don't worry –I won't abandon it!

To Guest8: Don't worry! Here's a new update! Sorry for taking so long!

To Guest9: Yeah, the ending is worrying. There's going to be more to it :) Thank you!

To Guest10: Sorry for taking so long! Hope you enjoyed this.

To DeadnotSleeping: Thank you! I'm glad you liked the story, even with the darkness and sadness. Even the characters, who I all work on. I also try to weave in the Greek myths to all my PJO writing, so I'm glad some people don't mind.

To Guest11: Definitely will!

To Chloe: I'm glad you do! And thank you, especially for your patience!

To Ta: Sorry for taking so long! Hope you like the chapter!

To Gus: As for making this a reading-the-books story, maybe later on when I finish this story :)