She was dreaming. Or at least she hoped she was from what she could see in front of her. She blinked, hoping to clear the image of the smiling goddess, but still she stood there.
The girl in front of her was the epitome of childlike, her blonde curls framing a round face. Her rosy cheeks were wide from the smile on her face and Reyna was confused for a moment, before remembering that this was a dream. She went to kneel before her, but the goddess held her up.
"I don't like being bowed to. I am only the cupbearer to the gods after all."
"What…?" She began to ask, but the goddess placed a finger to her pink lips, still grinning like a child at Christmas.
"You were robbed of my domain, but I am here to help. I have a message from your mother." Her voice was sweet. Not the sweet and dangerous kind that Circe had shown her while she was living on her island, but a truly genuine happiness. If Reyna didn't know better, she would have guessed that this goddess was the goddess of happiness.
"A message from my mother? But she's never…" Reyna shook her head and the goddess motioned for her to be quiet again.
"Shh, Reyna. She didn't want to interfere with the prophecy too early, but now is your time. You remember what you must do, don't you?" Reyna nodded, almost afraid to talk before this woman.
"You will take my husband with you. You know there are many dangers to face before you rejoin your friends. It will be a difficult quest, but a necessary one for the future of the Roman and Greek demigods."
"You… You want me to take Heracles? Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"He knows how to locate them. He is a useful asset to you, and you would do good to remember that." Reyna bowed her head. The goddess smiled.
"I'm sorry. I take after my mother."
"Will it work?" Reyna asked, looking the goddess straight in her baby blue eyes.
"Only time will tell." She jerked her head to the side. "I… I must go. I've already said too much. Father is angry that this has to happen at all... You know how Heracles is his favourite."
The dream faded into black, and Reyna woke up in Jason's arms.
Jason stirred and she tried to stay still, but something had given her away.
"Rey, I thought we were doing this to stave off the nightmares…" He mumbled, adjusting his position next to her on the bed.
"It wasn't a nightmare." She said into his chest. He sat up a little.
"What was it then?"
"I… I don't think I can tell you." She whispered and she could feel him tense up.
"…But we tell each other everything."
"I just need to think about it first." Pressing her lips against his chest, she settled back in his arms and closed her eyes once more.
She felt him press a kiss on her forehead a few hours later as the light of dawn crept through her window. She had barely been able to sleep after her dream, her mind whirring with the possibilities of what it could mean for everybody she knew. Having Jason in her bed usually stopped the dreams from coming, but nothing could have stopped Hebe's message from her mother.
It was something that had been weighing on her mind for a long time and she didn't want to believe that this day would come. She had known long ago the part that she would play in this war, and why her mother sheltered her on Circe's island, gaining the goddess' trust, learning simple magic from her as well as the art of warfare. Reyna was no fool. She understood that the way of the fates was cruel and that she would have to face up to her destiny.
It was the only secret she had never told Jason. She couldn't bring herself to. He was all sunshine and happiness. How could she bring herself to darken him in such a way as to mention what she would have to do to ensure her people would be safe.
The rest of the seven would have to stay at Camp Jupiter for longer than they thought that they would. She would ensure that Jason and Percy would work together to watch over the camp while she was away. She would ensure this would work.
She called a meeting as soon as she got out of bed. The Greeks were confused by this practice of course and a few of them were extremely confused at the early start. The one named Leo had been falling asleep on his arm before Jason shook him awake. The meeting was private, just between the Seven and Percy's girlfriend, Annabeth. Octavian was waiting outside of course, ready to give them the usual omens of bad fortune. Not that she didn't believe them, she just wished that just once there would be some kind of reading of good omens, where everything was going to go well, and not the typical "Somebody is going to die" type.
She assumed that Jason would know that the meeting was about her dream and the others would know nothing about why she had called them to meet so early. Percy was staring off into the distance, his head rested on one hand, the other hand clasped in Annabeth's, who was admiring the room. Piper was playing with her braids and Leo was making fire appear out of thin air. Reyna cringed slightly. Ever since her experience with the pirates she had disliked fire that was unnecessary. The only ones actually paying attention to her were the Romans. She didn't think she would ever be able to get used to the relaxed attitudes of the group.
"I assume that none of you know why I have called this meeting together?" A small chorus of "no" was heard around the group, and she looked down at her hands.
"I have been given a quest." That got their attention.
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, straightening up.
"The quest to Greece will have to be postponed for a while while I do this."
"But we need to go now!" Annabeth exclaimed, and Reyna looked around the table to see nods.
"That's the other thing. Annabeth, you're not the final part of the quest group." Annabeth's brow furrowed, like she was trying to figure out what Reyna meant. Percy looked visibly relieved.
"The prophecy that refers to you refers to something that isn't a part of this quest, and yes Percy, I did talk to Ella. I talk to all people who enter and leave this camp." Percy put his hand down.
"So… What are you going to do?" The question came from Jason, who looked concerned.
"I think the gods mean for me to leave as soon as possible."
It was quiet for a moment before Frank piped up.
"What is the quest for?"
"I will contact you all when it is safe for me to do so." Annabeth looked like she was plotting something.
"So… You're going on a secret quest and you want us to take care of your camp while you're not here?" Piper said and Jason elbowed her.
"I trust that all of you will do a capable job and that I will not be gone for long." And with that she stood, raising her voice a little. "Octavian."
The boy scurried into the room and tried to pretend that he was not listening to everything that they all had to say. Pulling a stuffed bear out from behind his cape he placed it on the table and stabbed it quite brutally, shocking Leo awake. She almost rolled her eyes at the dramatics, but she stopped herself before she saw Jason grinning at her from the other side of Octavian.
"It's going to be hard." Octavian said, poking at the remains. He looked up "…That's it." He looked confused, poking around a little more. "I can't… That's all I'm getting."
Reyna smiled grimly. "I thought as much. I'm sorry, but the gods may be clouding your judgements. You may leave." Octavain retrieved his dagger, leaving the stuffed wolf on the table in front of her.
"That will be all, everybody." She said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand.
"Why are the gods clouding Octavian's judgement?" Jason asked as Reyna packed her backpack.
"Because they aren't happy about what I have to do." She said, dropping the bag on her bed.
"What do you have to do?" Reyna turned to face him.
"You have to promise not to tell anybody. No matter what." Jason smiled slightly.
"Have I ever told any of your secrets before?"
She was in his arms then, enveloped in the slight smell of ozone she had grown so used to.
"This is different." He rubbed her back.
"I'm sure I can handle whatever you have to throw at me." She pulled away, looking into his eyes.
"I have to gather the ancient heroes." He was silent for a moment.
"You mean like…?" She nodded.
"Heracles is coming to help me. Hebe told me in that dream I had last night."
"That explains this morning."
"I have to go. I don't know how long it's going to take me to find them. I just want to get this over with."
"I guess I'll see you when you get back." She smiled tightly.
"I guess I will."
It was evening when she left the camp, leaving Jason and Percy to explain her absence to the Romans. Sticking around longer than she needed to would just anger the gods, and they were already angered enough that Heracles had to accompany her, and she wasn't the biggest fan of the idea, but she understood that it needed to be done.
It wasn't long before she set up camp for the evening, Scipio becoming restless at the lack of area that they had covered on the ground.
"Sorry boy, we have to wait." She said to him, patting his neck.
And so they waited.
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