Conversation [after the Titanomachy] (tag: Styx)
Lottie set the basket down on the banks of the river and pulled out the blanket she'd tucked over the top. There was little doubt that she would be here for some time, so she might as well get comfortable and it was her favorite blanket for sitting on. It wasn't the sort that would work well on a bed, it was a bit too thick so it didn't conform to a prone body. But that thickness made it fantastic for things like picnics or staring at clouds or talking a sister out of a sulk.
Actually, that wasn't really fair. Styx wasn't really sulking. It had been a very rough period of time, for all of them, but most especially for her older sister. Styx had made some very hard choices, and her husband and her children were now gone. In different ways, but still gone. Truthfully, Philotes didn't know if she could have done it. Any of it, but most especially letting her kids go. There was no doubt that it's what Styx thought was the very, very best for them, because she was a fantastic mom, but Lottie was going to miss her nieces and nephews terribly and she couldn't even imagine what it felt like for Styx. It had to be like dying, over and over, every day. And that wasn't even getting into the whole thing with Pallas, which Lottie had no intention of doing ever. She just wasn't even going to address it.
But she was going to address her sister. Because while her husband and children weren't around now, the rest of Styxie's family was. And Philotes wasn't going to let her forget it. Styx was not alone, not by a long shot. And that was only if she counted the siblings. If she added in nieces, nephews, cousins and such, it was a veritable army. An army of love and affection and support. And since Styx was not coming to them, she was going to bring a reminder to Styx. Since she couldn't convince the rest of them to come with her on this vigil.
Philotes sat down cross-legged on her thick blanket and pulled the basket closer. There was a wine skin, some fruit, and some cheese in there. She had a feeling she might be here longer than she had last time. And that was fine, but she might need a snack somewhere down the line. Once she had things within easy reach, she leaned forward and looked into the dark blue depths that were her sister's waters. She was careful not to overbalance, because she didn't want to fall in. Styx was caustic, and that wasn't just a description of her occasional attitude. Her waters were literally dangerous to touch. Which made it impossible to hug her in naiad form, and Lottie was sure she knew that.
“So,” she began, “it's been about a week since I was here last, a little less, only six days, really, but I have to take care of something for Dolos tomorrow, because you know how he is, he made a mess of things, but I think I can fix it, if I'm really cute and persuasive, which is why I can't come tomorrow like I'd planned, so I'm here today instead, but that's okay, because I have plenty of things to tell you about even though it hasn't been a full week since our last conversation. Though I suppose it's not really a conversation, is it, since you don't talk back? I keep hoping though, and you know burbling your waters at me really doesn't count, so don't even try that, you actually have to come up here and talk to me. I have a lot to tell you. Moros has been busy lately, but I think first, I ought to tell you about what Dolos did, because that's actually a really funny story, and you're going to laugh when you hear how he got Hypnos involved in it. Don't worry though, Hypnos got himself back out of it, by being his usual sleepy self, so that just leaves Dolos holding the bag, which is fair since it was his bag to begin with. So. Here's what happened...”