duchessina (taylor's version)

Dionysus was worried about what he would see. 

He had heard from his nymphs who heard from the dryads who heard from the naiads who heard from the Nereids that Triton had rushed to the Twins. 

He scarcely believed it but then he saw his uncle, the man who was more of a grandfather to him, confront Hera and Εileithyia about his mother’s labor; when it was revealed that they were not the cause of Dionysus’ mother’s pain… well, Dionysus knew fear and the way it drew a mortal to insanity.

Then the Morai showed up.

Whispers spread like wildfire.

Olympus was terrified. 

The seas were still. 

Mortals prayed and sacrificed for protection, for forgiveness, for whatever they had done to displease the gods. 

Athena, for the first time in centuries, was allowed into the sea.

The gods were nervous.

Even Zeus was worried for his grandchild.

If Hera and Eileithyia were pale and refused to speak of the birth…

Dionysus knew he was spiraling.

He knew as the god of madness where this line of thought was heading was bad for his psyche.

He knew he should just suck it up and go to his grandf- to Poseidon and ask to see his mother.

He had done it before, he could do it again.

He could-

“Dionysus?” 

Dionysus looked up and saw Apollo, exhausted eyes darkened by what happened during the birth, smiling despite it all. 

“Mother-”

“She’s alright. She is recovering well. Would you like to see her and meet the baby?” Apollo asked, gently. 

Dionysus couldn’t speak, only nod. 

At that moment, he wasn’t a god; he was just a young boy who wanted his mother. 

Apollo took his hand and led the now child-like god of wine and madness down to the seas.

Dionysus couldn’t focus on his sea family nor on Athena having an awkward conversation with Rhodes about scholars. 

No. 

Not when Apollo opened pearl encrusted doors to reveal Loyalty’s personal royal apartments; sea blues and greens decorated the place with bioluminescent algae and pearls serving as lighting. Dionysus could see all the crafts the demigods had made for her at the camp and the toys children sacrificed for their sailor father’s safe return in places of honor. 

Though the reception room to the inner bedroom laid his mother after what must have been the worst pregnancy and birth if rumor was correct. 

Dionysus froze in place. 

“Dio?” Apollo knelt down. 

“Do you promise she’s okay?” Dionysus asked. 

“I promise. I swore I would heal her and ease the birth, and that is done and over with. I swore I would help her heal after the birth, and she is making great progress.” Apollo said. 

“Did… does she still love me even though she didn’t carry me?” Dionysus asked. 

“I promise you this, Dionysus: your mother loves you very much. It doesn’t matter if you were born of her or not, you are her child because she chose you and she kept choosing you every day since. You are Perseleia’s child Dionysus. No one can take that away from you.” Apollo assured him. “Now, are you ready to meet your little brother?”

Dionysus nodded and allowed the god who was more of a father to him than a brother to lead him into his mother’s room.

His mother looked exhausted; Dionysus could see the fractures in her mind and in her psyche where madness threatened to slip through and as he made his way to her side, the cracks started to suture close. He wouldn’t let his mother suffer anymore than she already had. 

“Dionysus, meet your baby brother. This is Asclepius.” His mother’s smile was tired but her eyes were shiny.

Asklêpios.

To cut open.

That was why Hera and Eileithyia were horrified!

That was why the Morai showed up on Olympus! 

That was what happened to his mother!

The birth had gone wrong… that is the only explanation as to why Apollo would have had to cut his mother open!

Dionysus looked at his mother in horror but she only laughed softly as she held out the bundle of blankets in her arms to him. 

Dionysus painstakingly tore his gaze from his mother to the infant before him.

He was small. 

He was unimpressive.

The baby looked like a deformed vegetable if he were being honest. 

“I know he may not look like much now, but he will eventually become a great healer. Even surpassing his father.” His mother said; did she ever prophesize over Dionysus when he was younger?

Dionysus reached a pudgy, child-like finger towards the infant and stroked his nose. 

“I’m your big brother. I’ll protect you. I promise.” Dionysus swore.

///

Dionysus placed the leopard stuffed animal next to his sleeping brother’s body.

Asclepius knew better than to use the Physician’s Cure to bring back the dead… Dionysus couldn’t fault him for using it on their mother’s dead ringer. 

He swore to protect his little brother.