"I think we would like to rest Father," I said speaking for us all. "Three of us have been
transformed into girls and we'll need a little bit of time to get used to these bodies.
Nausikaa and Dike will probably take longer than I will since they didn't want to be
girls. We all need a little time to absorb that we're your daughters now. Also it's been a
long day for us. Taken altogether we wouldn't learn much if we trained right away."
Poseidon nodded and said, "You make a good argument Anthea. Do you agree
Semele? You've changed the least."
Semele jumped a bit then said, "Yes Father."
"Then by all means rest," Poseidon said smiling. "Your training will begin tomorrow. I'll
also have gifts for you. Now Amphitrite will lead you to your room."
"Before we go Father could you tell our families what happened?" I asked wanting my
family to at least know I was ok.
"I've already spoken to them," Poseidon said. "Your family accepted what I told them
after a little convincing Anthea while Nausikaa's thought I was a demon and tried
banishing me even after their attempts failed. I don't think I convinced them. Semele's
family accepted me without any convincing while Dike's took quite a bit to convince
them I wasn't a demon. I told them I could bring them to this world but it would be up
to you and them to decide. Now go rest and I'll see you tomorrow." He rose and left
the dining hall looking a little worried.
Amphitrite rose and said, "Follow me girls."
We followed behind Amphitrite for a few seconds and then Nausikaa asked, "Why are
we named like we are?"
Amphitrite looked back at is smiling and said, "Your father thought ancient Greek
names would suit you. Each of your names means something. Anthea means flower
or blossom, Nausikaa means burner of ships, Dike means justice, and Semele means
once."
"Does Father have something special planned for us?" I asked extremely curious.
"Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't," Amphitrite said shrugging her shoulders.
"Either way you need to train since monsters will come after you. You're safe here in
the palace, on Olympus, and a training camp but outside of those places you are in
danger of being attacked. We can't interfere directly if you get attacked by a monster
because of an ancient rule. We can however offer some help if you ask and we can
give you gifts. Now here's your room." She opened what looked like a giant clam shell,
which it turned out to be but only half of the shell, to reveal our room.
Our room was huge with open arched windows allowing deep sea fish and other deep
sea creatures to swim through. On one wall there was what appeared to be a closet
with another giant clam shell for a door. Around the room on raised platforms there
were four vanities made of marble inlaid with gold and gems. Next to the vanities were
giant clams which I figured were our beds. This was confirmed when Amphitrite said,
"The clams won't turn you into pearls when you sleep in them."
"Uh is there anyway to close the windows and lock the door?" Semele asked blushing
a bit.
"There's no need for that," Amphitrite said smiling. "Poseidon set a ward on this room
so no male can see you girls in here unless you invite them or there is an emergency.
He made it so strong that even he can't see you in here."
"How do we open the clams?" Dike asked looking a little afraid like she would be
turned into a pearl despite Amphitrite's assurances.
Amphitrite smiled and put her hand on Dike's shoulder saying, "Just walk to them and
they'll open. You should be drawn to a particular one. That will be your bed while
you're here."
I did deal like one of them was calling me and when I went over to it the shell opened
up revealing the dark tan mass of the mollusk within. It was Nausikaa who asked what
the others were thinking. "Where are the pillows and blankets?"
"I don't think we need pillows with these beds," I said with a smile. "As for blankets I'll
show you." I untied the belt around my waist then reached up and slipped the pins out
of the fabric on my shoulders causing it to fall around my feet. I put the pins on the
vanity then picked up what had been my clothes and put it on my bed. I turned to
Nausikaa, Dike, and Semele saying, "Our clothes are our blankets."
They looked at me shocked while Amphitrite said, "Anthea is right girls. Your chitons
can be used as blankets if you desire or you can sleep without them."
"But we'll be naked if we do," Semele said looking embarrassed.
"We're all girl's here now," I told her putting my hands on her shoulders. "You shouldn't
be embarrassed about being naked in front of other girls."
"You were boy's before though," Semele said avoiding looking at me. "Mommy told me
it wasn't right to look at naked guys."
I took her hand and placed it on my breast asking, "Do boy's have breasts like a girl
does?"
"No but I keep seeing as you were," Semele said blushing some more.
"You'll soon get used to seeing them as girls," Amphitrite promised. "You may be
embarrassed right now but you only knew them for a few hours as their male selves.
Your embarrassment will fade as you spend time with them. Now I'll let you girls get
some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned around and closed the door leaving us
alone in the room.
Nausikaa looked at me and asked, "Do you know what story we're in?"
"I haven't seen this one before so perhaps it's new," I said shrugging my shoulders.
"So you have no idea what will happen to us?" Nausikaa asked looking a bit afraid.
"Well I'm not an oracle," I said smiling. I turned serious and said, "Even if we were in
one of the stories we had read it would be changed just by is being here. There's no
way to know if we'll be transformed again or not. I suspect that if we are transformed
again that Father will change us back."
"There's nothing we can do?" Dike asked?
"Well we can keep our eyes out for those things we know can transform us like the
Medallion of Zulo and the Chronovac," I said sighing. "We can avoid them and thus
reduce our chances of being transformed again. Now I'm a bit tired so let's get some
sleep." the others followed my example with taking their chitons off and using them as
blankets. Once we were in the clams they closed and I sincerely hoped that we
weren't going to be transformed into pearls.
The next morning we Amphitrite woke us up and after using the facilities which
happened to be on the other side of the closet we went back to the dining hall for
breakfast. Poseidon looked like he had a rough night. There were bags under his eyes
and he was continually frowning. "Is something wrong Father?" I asked upon seeing
him.
"Nothing you need to concern yourselves with for now," Poseidon said trying to smile.
"Maybe in a few days when you've had some training I'll tell you what it is. For now
though try to pit it out of your minds and concentrate on training. After we eat I'll give
you your gifts."
We ate in silence then adjourned to the throne room. I had expected Poseidon and
Amphitrite to grow to giant size but they didn't. Instead Poseidon went to a tray and
said, "The gifts that you're about to receive will help you in your battles. Anthea step
forward." I did and Poseidon gave me a bracelet with tiny seashells and marine
animals embedded in what looked to be gemstones. There was a metal disc in the
middle of it and the clasp was a ring shaped like a clamshell through which a bar
would go through. I put it on while Poseidon said, "This will turn into a shield when you
tap it. It can be used both as defense and offense since it will shoot water out of it."
"Thank you Father," I said bowing a bit then stepping back.
"Nausikaa step forward," Poseidon said. When she did he handed her a necklace
shaped like a hippocampus and said, "This necklace will turn into a sword when you
pull the tail from the body."
"Thank you Father," Nausikaa said bowing to Poseidon.
Dike's gift was a ring that turned her invisible when tapped and Semele's gift was a
pair of earrings shaped like lobster claws which turned into a bow and arrow when she
pulled them from her ears. Poseidon smiled at us and said, "Your gifts will return to
you should you lose them. If you want to trade with each other that is fine since I don't
know which one of you will be good at archery or good with a sword. Happy late
birthday girls."
"How old are we Father?" I asked looking up at him.
"All four of you are eleven with a few months separating the oldest and youngest,"
Poseidon said smiling more. "Anthea was born on December 6th, Nausikaa was born
on Feburary 10th, Dike was born on May 3rd, and Semele was born on May 6th. Now
you should get to your training. I have some things that I need to attend to but I'll
come by to see how you're doing later." With that we were ushered out by a couple of
mermaids to begin our training. As we left I looked back and saw the worried
expression on Poseidon's face and wondered what could make a god worry like that.