Their Choice

"Luna!" Peter yells at me. He throws a pebble at my bedroom window. "Come on. Remember what today is?"

I sighed and tromped over to my window with heavy feet. How had I forgotten about Solis', my cousin's, and also Apollo's son, birthday.

I opened the window and said. "Okay, I'll be there is a minute!"

Ugh... I thought. Solis loved being outside, going on picnics and all. But I got quickly sunburnt in the sun and... ugh. And also, his birthday parties were always unicorns and mermaids. But hopefully, this one would be less unicorn-y.

Why couldn't he do something more sensible? Like say... wolves and silver?

I'd tried to tell Mom I didn't want to go to the party, but no way she would let me miss my cousin's fifteenth birthday.

I walked to my bathroom and braided my dark hair over my shoulder and tightened the silver belt around my white tunic. I sighed. Sadly, I was ready to go.

I slowly walked to the door of our silver house. Mom, Artemis, had the only silver house in Olympus, the rest of the buildings were all of gold.

I began slowly walking down the path that lead to the commons area, where Solis' party was, my dread growing stronger and stronger every second.

I casually fanned myself with my hand. At last, the gathering area came into view. I gritted my teeth.

"Hey, Luna," My best friend, Mira, said. She was Hera's daughter, which basically made her a princess, but status didn't matter on Olympus. I looked to my friend. Her long yellow hair was hanging in curls down her back, and her warm golden skin glistened in the sunlight.

I looked around the clearing. Hera and Apollo were whispering while staring at us, and I felt it. I saw all my friends: Amber, Hephaestus' daughter, Cupid, Aphrodite's son, Luma, Zeus' daughter, and Peter, Hermes' son.

Thin silver and gold strands hung between the trees. A gold platter of ambrosia sat on a table at the other side of the clearing. A fancy fountain spouting golden water was in the center. Tables were organized around the clearing, the largest with a gold table cloth that was so bright my eyes began to ache.

"Hi, Mira." I responded, glad for the distraction. "How's the party been so far?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, I just got here when I saw you."

"So... what do you want to do?" I asked slowly.

"We're going to go see your cousin." She grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the center of the party.

"Hi, Solis!" Mira said dreamily. I rolled my eyes, my cousin, he was way too over the top. Not that I didn't look up to him, but he got on my nerves with his Oh-I'm-so-cool act. But he really was just stuck up because his father was the stupid sun god.

Not to mention that my best friend had a major crush on him since we were all toddlers, which made me loathe him even more.

But I couldn't blame her. With his blonde hair, chiseled cheekbones, and green eyes, he had every girl in Olympus falling head over heels for him.

But not this girl. And also: liking my cousin... EW. Well, Zeus was married to his sister, but still!!!

Trumpets rang out through the clearing of trees. I looked up, expecting to see Lord Zeus' chariot, pulled by two white pegasi.

But instead, it was my mother in a silver chariot pulled by glistening deer, it had been enchanted to fly.

I wondered why the trumpets were playing. That usually only happened when... Oh no! Hmm... I guess Mom was the princess of the moon. But the herald trumpets hardly ever played when a princess or prince arrived at the gathering.

The cart landed in the center of the party grounds. My mother, in all her silver glory, leapt down from her ride.

"Hi, Mom." I said as soon as she walked up to me. I covered my shoulders with my arms so Mom wouldn't see my blistering skin. I saw in her hair a couple of leaves. "Oh no, did the deer get out again?"

Mom nodded grimly. "But not to worry, I rounded them all up."

I smiled at the ground. "I'm glad you got all of them rounded up. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't?"

Mom shrugged. "Oh, by the way. The Night-Dwellers have requested a king or queen, guess who it is?"

"You?" I asked. Mom shook her head. "Me? But... why?"

Mom laughed. "It appears that the Night-Dwellers ancestors are part of our flesh and blood, they're your cousins. You know how the rumors have been? That Hades was the father of them? It turns out that isn't true. Queen Luna." She said in a sing-songy voice.

To say I was flabbergasted at this would be a major understatement. I just expected to always be the weirdo granddaughter to the king of the gods.

But it turns out that I was so much more then that.

We were all lead to the tables around the clearing. I sat between Mom and Solis. Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter, and Apollo sat at our table. Sadly, Era had to sit with Demeter's twins. They were the most gross people in Olympus, spouting snot wherever they went.

I could feel my face grow hot, sitting near such legendary figures. I mean, King Zeus and Queen Hera had seen me every summer. But still!

Once everyone had sat down at the tables, Mom stood again and clinked her spoon on the side of her crystal goblet.

"I just want to say, Solis," Mom began. "That I am very proud of you and happy birthday."

I growled, Mom's speeches were always terrible. Every. Single. Time. Luckily, though, my growl couldn't be heard through the cheers of the crowd.

Suddenly, I knew what this really was. It was a terrible, terrible thought. I slid lower in my seat before Mom could continue her speech.

"I also want to congratulate my daughter, Luna." Mom stared down at me lovingly. "Congratulations on becoming Queen of the Night-Dwellers!"

"To Luna, Queen of the Night-Dwellers!" The crowd echoed. With each repeat, I wanted to disappear more and more.

I began thinking that I might be a terrible queen, but then again... it was their choice.