Never a Swan Song ((Lúthien Anárion))

No matter how hard his sister tried to push him away, Elijah would never allow her to do so.  Before she had been kidnapped, their relationship was tumultuous at best.  And in all fairness, how could two children of Discordia have any other kind of relationship?  For all the bad, there had been plenty of good as well.  The few run-ins the two had had since Lúth had returned to camp missing her memories, hadn't been too great, although there was definitely something different about it all.  For one thing, although Elijah hadn't voiced this curiosity, his sister had more murky memories about him than just about anyone else.  Including Calix.  The difference was that the girl wanted to rebuild everything with Calix.  It was understandable...love and all...but the boy wished his sister would care even a little about rebuilding her relationship with her brother.  Or building a new relationship, since everything before was kind of bracchae.  But Lúth didn't seem to care much.  Elijah, however, held out hope.  He had always wanted a brother or sister growing up...but a combination of Jody not being able to have children of her own and how much of a handful Elijah was had made that impossible.  The boy still remembered the joy of Lúth being claimed in front of him.  Her hatred of the Gods and Goddesses, especially their mother, was a bit of an issue, but it didn't make the son of Discordia care about his sister any less.  And where Elijah would eventually run out of patience with anyone else, he had an infinite amount of it for his sister.  He would wait forever and ever for the day she needed anything from him.  Maybe a swan song would be needed eventually, but it would take a very long time before Elijah got there.

It was later in the day, and Elijah had played hooky from the Principia that day.  Jack had left around the time Camp Jupiter 2.0 was getting ready for Morning Muster, and the small boy had slipped by after, carrying his bag out to the lake.  It was getting chillier as the season was changing...trees around were turning gorgeous shades of red and orange and yellow and brown.  Fall was Elijah's favorite season, though he felt a bit bad about that since it was Ceres's mourning time.  Ceres was a Goddess the boy really didn't want to get on her bad side.  Something about her being so motherly, perhaps.  Though, if he could talk to any Goddess about Lúth's kidnapping (other than their mother), it would probably be Ceres.  Her daughter had been kidnapped by Pluto...she would get it.  Maybe the boy was just being a baby about it all...his sister would never need him.  "Sounds like a swan song," the boy muttered sarcastically to himself, pulling his hoodie tighter around him.  It was his favorite...a giant blue zip up he had stolen from Jack.  It was warm and comfy...the warm part wasn't such a big deal, though.  Having grown up a stone's throw from Canada, Elijah was fine with the cold.  Despite his thin frame and lacking any sort of "meat" that would keep him warm, fifteen winters in Bridgewater had sort of turned into a cushion.  Upstate New York had nothing on Northern Maine, and Elijah was mostly fine in the colder weather.  Right now, his hoodie was more than enough, even with the chilly wind blowing off the lake.  It was quiet, good thinking time.  But what to think about?  It wasn't that Elijah was lacking things to think about...quite the opposite...and he had no idea where to start.

Reaching into his messenger bag, Elijah pulled out a blue crystal hanging from a long chain.  It had been Discordia's claiming gift to Lúth...and his sister wanted nothing to do with it.  When she had been missing, the small boy had worn the crystal all the time.  It was part of how he knew the girl was still alive.  Well, there was that feeling in his heart, but the blue crystal kept a steady beat on his chest...like a heartbeat.  And Elijah had known all along that it was Lúth's heart it was beating to.  Whether she liked it or now, the crystal was hers.  Holding the crystal in his hand, the boy frowned slightly.  When his sister had first returned, the crystal had glowed brilliantly before it stopped.  Now, when he held it, there was no beating, no glowing.  Elijah figured the reason was that the crystal wasn't meant for him.  Maybe if he prayed really hard to their mother, it would do something...but the boy had a sneaking suspicion she had already lent a hand by causing the heartbeat and glowing while Lúth was gone.  Elijah didn't want to ask for more.  Besides, the last time that sort of thing had happened, Jack's pendant from Venus had left a nasty burn on the son of Discordia's chest.  He would rather not repeat that little incident.  But he had to get the pendant back to his sister.  It was important, though he had no idea why.  Just one of those compelling things.  Sadly, Elijah turned the crystal over...she wouldn't take it back.  Gods...if only the girl would give her brother a chance.  Build the type of relationship Elijah wanted.  Maybe that was a little too much to ask for.

All in all, Elijah was in a decent mood.  He was finding himself in those more and more these days...dating Jack was making the boy much more positive and good willed.  Funny how that sort of thing happened.  Slipping the crystal back into his bag, Elijah stood, slinging the bag over his shoulder.  Maybe he would get some paperwork done before going to dinner.  Although he didn't really want to, he hated spending days being unproductive.  Dragging his combat boots slowly, the boy wasn't exactly feeling welcomed by the sight of the Principia.  Yes, it was his home in every way...where he worked and lived and all...but right now, all his thoughts were a little too chaotic to deal with the order that was kept in those walls.  Maybe Calix was around to talk to...that would be nice.  And the boy would probably see Jack and River at dinner.  For some reason, as much as a good mood he was in, Elijah felt something big around the corner...something that would knock him off his feet...metaphorically, of course.  Maybe it was a good thing...how could a son of Discordia say no to a little chaos?  Grinning as his mood elevated in a second, Elijah pushed open the heavy door of the Principia, ready to greet that chaos like an old friend.

It was late. Or was it early? Lúthien actually was completely lost when it came to the time. She had a large smiled that simply refused to leave her face no matter how hard she tried to calm herself down. It refused to happen. She was on her way to the Principia. She had begged Calix to just give her a moment to break the big news to her brother. Even though Calix and Elijah were best friends, Lúthien felt like this was the time to make up for the way she'd been acting before. Well, not exactly that, just a chance to get that sibling relationship she still couldn't wrap her head around. Lúthien wasn't the social type to begin with and she knew she just wasn't proper sister material. She would just be a good friend though and see if she could somehow find a way to make that seem sisterly to him. All in all, Lúthien was the kind of woman that just liked to be independent a little too much. She didn't want to depend on anybody and didn't want others to depend on her for something as simple as sharing a breeding machine (mother). She'd figure that mess out later though. For now, she just had some news to tell.

Lúthien hurried over to the principia, to where she figured she'd have the biggest chance of finding Elijah. Why couldn't he be just that tiny bit more like Calix though? Nice schedule so he was always easy to find. It saved the chaotic Lúthien a lot of time when she could just go looking for him and he'd be exactly there where he was expected to be. It saved time and trouble and made it very easy for her to find him. To distract him and lead her lover astray from work when she pleased. Although Lúthien at the moment really wanted to keep her brother off his work, she had to find him first. She glanced down at her hand for a moment and smiled widely again. She had some great news to share and she was impatient as possible. With a bit of luck, Elijah would be in the principia and save Lúthien the trouble of searching half the world to find him.

As she approached the principia she noticed a shape walking up. The shape was male and rather small. Lúthien had no doubts that it was her brother. Once more the young Austrian woman smiled brightly. She stopped for a moment to admire the beauty of the ring that was now on her finger. A new addition. After that she looked up and walked toward her brother. She was rather glad the strange chaos radiating thing only happened at negative times or she would have blown up the entire camp with the amount of energy she was sending out. Still too much to contain and Lúthien almost just skipped over and tackled her brother into a hug. That wasn't the wisest idea though, considering her brother could be just as volatile as she herself was at times and he was the type to fight first and ask questions later. Only for that reason did Lúthien hold herself back and just walk over to Elijah. The most notable difference was the pace. Not slow, bored and potentially sarcastic in her walk alone. No, this walk was fast, excited and obviously constricted. She wanted to run but she didn't, she just walked. 

When she was just a few feet away the woman lost control. "Elijah!" She called out happily and ran the last bit, hugging her brother without thinking about it for a second. After the hug she let go and smiled for a second before hugging him quickly, releasing him once again and hopping up and down a few times before twirling. "Elijah, you'll never ever guess what just happened." She said and paused less than half a second. "Not that I'm going to let you guess. I'm much too eager to tell you." She said with a chuckle and held her hand in front of her face. The hand that was now decorated with a sparkling diamond engagement ring. "I'm getting married!" She squealed and smiled at her brother. She was so happy that this moment would be make or break for the rest of their lives. If Elijah for whatever mad reason decided not to be happy but somehow worried or went on to attack Calix, she'd never forgive her. Every single thing about her screamed that she felt like the happiest person on the world. Calix was her soulmate, the one she couldn't even spend the rest of her life away from, even if she wanted to or tried. He was the one for her and Elijah knew it. He knew that Lúthien and Calix depended on each other and had a love that was extremely strong. Now they had chosen to get married. It would be the happiest moment in Lúthien's life and she hoped that her brother would share in her joy. If he did, well she'd forget all the bad stuff forever. She'd do everything she could to be a big sister. All he had to do was be happy. Lúthien didn't know why and what that feeling was, but she actually wanted him to approve, unknowing of the fact that siblings often wanted their close brothers and sisters to like the person they dated. It was new but the start of something bigger.

There was no one in.  Why was it at such good times, no one was in?  Sometimes Elijah felt like he was always in a bad mood when people were around...though maybe the people were the cause.  Whatever the case, maybe he should go looking for Jack or River.  Or Calix...Calix was usually here, though...unless he was with Lúth.  In which case, maybe Elijah would go looking for both of them.  Elijah's family...Jack, River, Calix, and Lúth (of course)...even if they weren't actual blood relation (other than Lúth), they were the important people that the boy had never had in his life.  River and Calix...his best friends, who wouldn't have it any other way.  Lúth, the sister that the small boy had wanted his whole life...and Jack.  The man who loved Elijah with every fiber of his being...and Elijah loved just as much.  Everything the son of Discordia had...had always wanted.  The mortals always stayed away.  It was probably because of the boy's emotions.  The chaos he radiated for all those years without even knowing.  His peers that gave him distance...they didn't want to get to know him and he didn't want to get to know them.  That was how Elijah had been.  He knew he didn't need anyone...or thought so, anyway.  When the boy had met River shortly after arriving at camp, he realized what he had been missing out on.  Friends...and now...the people in his life that weren't going anywhere.  Lúth was back, and everything was...complete again.  Things made sense...well, as much sense as they could when two children of Discordia were involved.  Scratching the back of his head, Elijah looked around.  He wasn't sure what to do now...maybe take a seat at the long table and wait for people to come in?  That would quickly put him in a foul mood.  Maybe he really should just leave and train in the arena or something.  But he had sensed something.  Something weird.  Elijah was staying right there.

But the silence was deafening.  With a soft sigh, the boy turned around, walking right back out the door.  Was it okay to leave the Principia unlocked?  It had been unlocked when Elijah had gotten there...that meant Calix couldn't be too far.  But the small boy wasn't really comfortable leaving it unlocked.  His room was in there...and there were important things in his room.  So after thinking another moment, Elijah pulled out his keys.  Lock up the Principia and go out?  Get some training done or something?  Why couldn't he stop questioning every move?  "Well, darn," the boy mumbled darkly.  There were just those moments.  But there was something behind him...Elijah's eyebrows furrowed.  There wasn't something behind him...there was someone behind him.  And Elijah knew that feeling.  Because even when a child of Discordia was a good mood, they gave off some pretty weird emotion readings.  And it was much easier to know the feeling when one lived it.  Lúth was behind him and she was happy.  No, more than happy...absolutely elated.  Which was a good thing...on so many levels.  Maybe she would actually be nice to her brother.  Treat him like a proper sibling.  The good times that Elijah always wished for.  When the older girl called out his name, Elijah turned, watching Lúth lope her last few steps before she hugged him.  Okay, that was a bit scary.  Lúth didn't hug her brother.  The last time that happened had been...the boy didn't want to think about the last time that had happened.  But this was definitely different.  Because the girl's mood was elevated...so she was hugging her brother because of something good.

The words were barely out of Lúth's mouth when Elijah shook his head.  "How 'bout I don't guess and you just tell me," he said with a cheeky grin.  His sister let go of him and started bouncing.  When she excitedly said she wasn't going to let him guess, the boy raised his eyebrow.  This was so out of character for the daughter of Discordia...but Elijah wasn't worried.  Because he could tell there was nothing to be worried about.  Lúth was still talking, and then her hand was right in front of her face, about halfway to hitting Elijah's.  It took the small boy a moment before he saw it.  A gorgeous, sparkling diamond on his sister's ring finger.  And then her squeal about getting married.  Elijah could be completely dense at times, but this one couldn't be more spelled out if Lúth tried.  "Calix proposed!" the small boy cried out happily.  "Oh my Gods!" he grinned, tackling his sister in another hug.  "Lúth, I..." Elijah trailed off, eyes wide with excitement.  He wasn't entirely sure what all he could say...words rarely failed him, but this was a special sort of excitement he couldn't figure out.  "Lúth..." the boy tried again, taking a deep breath.  "Oh my Gods!  Congratulations to the two of you!  You know there's no possible way I could be more excited for the two of you!  This is just the best news, and..."

With a big smile, Elijah held his sister tighter.  "You two deserve each other.  I only want the best for you...and Calix is the best.  My sister and my best friend...despite what's happened before..." it was probably a bad idea to bring that up at all.  "Well I'm so happy!  This is perfect...you two...I get to make the first toast at the wedding, right?  You wouldn't let anyone else do that, would you?" okay, maybe the boy was getting a little ahead of himself.  But how could he not?  "Lúth...tell me everything!  I want to hear it all!  How he proposed...was it romantic?  I bet it was perfect for both of you..." Elijah was definitely starting to feel his sisters mania.  It was infectious.  Taking the girl's hand gently, the boy studied the engagement ring.  "It's absolutely gorgeous," he said softly.  Inspecting Lúth's ring a little more, Elijah smiled.  "Calix certainly knows you...and what's perfect for you..." it struck Elijah a bit odd...they were all so young.  But when you were a demigod and tomorrow was never guaranteed, why wait?  Would Elijah have a ring like that sometime from Jack?  Odd to think about, but the boy pushed the thought from his head.  This wasn't about him and Jack...this was Lúth and Calix's time.  "So tell me!" Elijah burst out again.  "Start talking...and don't stop until you've told me everything!"