PJO Fanfic- Ode to Silena

Summary: Grief, a wedding and a godly visit. One-shot.

The gods may have many children, but just like any other parent, they loved them. Aphrodite sat alone in her palace on Olympus, gazing at a picture of her daughter. Silena looked happy, grinning alongside her father, with chocolate stains on their teeth. The goddess cracked a smile through the tears that streaked down her flawless cheeks. She paid no heed to any new offerings she could sense. For one moment, there was no Goddess Aphrodite anywhere else.

"I am so proud of you, Silena," she muttered to no one in particular. She was in her pure immortal form, with no split versions of herself walking other parts of the earth. For once, she was altogether, and all of her was focused on Silena. It was the least she could do to honour her fallen child.

There was a dull knock on her door, as though the unexpected visitor knew she was grieving. Being a goddess, Aphrodite could tell who it was.

"Come in, Ares."

The god of war stepped in, also in his immortal form. Should any mortal or demigod stumble through the door right at that moment, they would've been incinerated instantly. His gaze swept over his lover. His heart suddenly felt heavy, as though he shared Aphrodite's grief.

"They made her a shroud, Ares. It's hot pink but has an electric spear on it. Your cabin's symbol." A smile crept onto the goddess of love's divine face. As the god of war comfortingly embraced the goddess, a small image shimmered before them. Aphrodite wept silently as she gazed upon the image of her daughter's special shroud reduced to ashes, as plumes of smoke that definitely emitted perfume scents rose to the heavens.

Ares tightened his embrace. Though he may not like Silena, as she was the daughter of his lover with another man (and a mortal at that), for one moment, the god of war decided to cast away that dislike. The two gods clung to each other, just like they had when Hephaestus caught them in his net, and let silence hang over them, as Silena's shroud continued to burn in the image.

"She will be happy in Elysium, don't you worry. She did you proud." Ares decided to leave Kronos out of the picture. "And if that Hades actually refuses her a place in Elysium, I will introduce him to my greatest sword."

Aphrodite smiled, suddenly feeling a pang of envy for messenger gods like Hermes and Iris, and others like Hecate, who have been to the Underworld, to the realm of Hades. Did they pass through Elysium? Did they meet their dead children again? Did they see them living their afterlives away, basking on the golden shores in that artificial yet beautiful land in the Underworld?

"Pray tell, dear Aphrodite, what goes on in your mind?" Ares couldn't help sensing a turmoil in his lover's divine head that had to do with something other than her daughter's demise.

The goddess of love locked eyes with her lover-for-not-even-the-gods-would-know-millenia. "Do you think Hades will let me into Elysium?"

#

Silena paused in the gateway of Elysium, her eyes scanning the golden fields that stretched on for as far as the eye could see, she inhaled the scent of her favourite flowers. She couldn't believe she had made it here. After all, she... Silena recalled her trial. At first, they had accused her of cowardice, for not having been able to stand up for herself and her principles and for helping Kronos. Though she had gotten the Ares kids to join the battle, and died trying to kill the Drakon, she only deserved a place in Asphodel. But then...

"Are you saying Hades, great overlord of the dead, wants her in Elysium?" she had heard one judge whisper to another.

"I heard it was Ares who pushed him. Oh well. We are not ones to judge the intentions of the gods. And after all, Elysium is also a place for those favoured by the gods. If the god of war and the goddess of love think this demigod child fit to be in Elysium, then there she goes."

"Silena?"

Silena shook her head. It couldn't be. She didn't want to believe it. Better not to gather any false hopes.

"Silena!"

She finally turned. The voice had sounded real. Tears brimmed her eyes as she gazed into the face of Charles Beckendorf. He grinned down at her, before sweeping her off her feet. Silena held on to him, as though afraid he was just an image that would disappear, as they shared a kiss.

"Charlie? Is it really you?" She didn't know much about Elysium, and wondered if all who went there were visible to each other. She had no doubt Charles made it, though.

"Yes, yes. I was waiting for you." Charles pulled her into an amorous hug, and Silena remembered how they had shared similar ones back when they were still living, and how, each time she had wished the moment would last forever. How she wished she could be with Charles forever, but back then her heart had been plagued with the secret she carried. Well, maybe now she could.

"Check out the lovebirds!" came a familiar voice.

The two of them broke apart and turned to see Lee Fletcher from the Apollo cabin racing down towards them, waving wildly. "Hi there, Silena!"

"Silena Beauregard!" Michael Yew came into view, eyes wide. "But..." He shook his head and changed the subject. Residents of Elysium, especially the demigod ones often avoided the topic of their demise.

One by one, more demigods came into view. Silena didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You know..." Lee Fletcher began, a small grin starting to form on his face. "There are such things as weddings in Elysium."

Silena cocked an eyebrow. She smiled slightly, but didn't turn. Not until Charles pulled away from her, and subsequently went down on one knee, and gazed up at her with an earnest look on his face.

"Silena Beauregard, wonderful daughter of Aphrodite, would you marry me?"

All the demigods' expectant stares turned to Silena, as tears began to brim her eyes again. This time, she let them flow freely. "Yes, Charlie," she responded, then cleared her throat. "A big, fat yes, Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus." She tried a more regal tone.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" yelled Michael Yew, as his brother and Castor whooped and did a fist bump. He then turned to other puzzled residents of Elysium who had just arrived. "Come on people! Who's up for a wedding, Elysium-style?"

#

Every resident turned up, even those who had never met Silena and Charles, mainly because they lived and died eons before the demigods' births. Well, you made friends quickly in Elysium. Perseus was there, and so was Diomedes (though he had wounded Aphrodite, it had been Hephaestus who crafted his armor) and Achilles. Even Zoe Nightshade was present.

Silena gazed at her reflection in the shinting stream. Flowers decorated her hair and a makeshift veil hung over her face. Her dress had been woven by a fine dressmaker who had also made it to the Elysian Fields. In a matter of moments, she was to be wedded to Charles. Her Charlie. And they would live happily ever after, just as both of them had always wanted. She just needn't have to choose to be reborn. She was supposed to be happy, but...

"Is something wrong, Silena?" asked one of her long-deceased sisters, another demigod daughter of Aphrodite who had perished on a quest in the 1950s.

"No, I just..." A tear fell with a tiny plop into the stream. "I just wish my father could be here today. He would never have a chance to walk me down the aisle. And maybe mom. Also, the other demigods as well..." Especially Clarisse, she thought to herself.

Her sister placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay, they're all heading here someday soon, right?" A voice called her name in the distance. "I have to go. You're due in fifteen!" She ran off.

Silena sat alone by the stream, not quite checking her reflection anymore, but merely ruminating on the ones she had left behind. It seems that not even Elysium can take away that heavy feeling. As she sat there, she suddenly sensed a strange presence behind her. For one moment, she forgot she was in the Elysian Fields, and turned cautiously.

"Mom."

Aphrodite smiled.

"What... what are you doing here?" Silena's question wasn't harsh, merely due to her astonishment. She slowly got to her feet. The goddess reached out and held her daughter's hands.

"Give me some really good reasons why I can't be present at my own daughter's wedding."

Silena cracked a smile. But it quickly faded. "Did it... did you have to pay any... heavy prices to come here today?"

"Don't worry yourself about something so trivial, dear." Aphrodite waved the question away. "Tell me more about this Charles Beckendorf."

"I thought you would know him. I mean, you are the goddess of love, you make people fall in love, don't you?"

Aphrodite laughed. "Love is a curious thing, dear. So, do tell me."

"Well, he's a son of Hephaestus..." Silena began.

"Ah, Hephaestus..." Aphrodite looked wistful. And for one moment, doubt flickered on her face.

"Mom." Aphrodite's attention was redirected to her daughter. "Just because we're descended from you gods doesn't mean we will inherit all of your traits and much less, your history. Besides, I love Charlie."

Aphrodite, being the goddess of love, didn't really need to be reminded, but she nodded. "Of course, dear."

For the next few minutes, both mother and daughter sat in silence by the stream, reveling in each other's company. The silence was only broken when a fallen Huntress of Artemis came racing towards Silena.

"Silena! It starts in... oh." The Huntress bowed low before the goddess.

"Don't worry. I'll be there." Silena beamed. As the Huntress bowed once more before running off, Aphrodite raised a hand and gently touched her daughter's arm.

"May I?" she inquired, tentatively.

"Of course." Silena offered her arm and both mother and daughter headed towards a new chapter of Silena's afterlife.