Annabeth slumped back into her chair, her laurel wreath slumping at an angle on top of her head. The book in front of her, Medicines of the Ancients, was most definitely not helping her in her research. Her mother was sick, and the stupid book was not helping her in any way. It was infuriating that the sun would be allowed to shine so brightly when her mother was dying in front of her helpless eyes. Whatever gods that she had to believe in were not helping in any way.
"My lady?" a timid voice called out, ringing throughout the library. "Her majesty requests your presence."
Annabeth turned to see one of the many servants in her home standing small against the large entrance of the library.
Annabeth sighs, and gestures for the girl to lead her to her mother.
"Annabeth..." Athena's weak voice carries over.
Annabeth wants to cry when she sees her mother lying on the bed, her ribs so easy to count. She is a white as a sheet of parchment. Her grey eyes are dull, and the matte meets Annabeth's shiny grey ones. Athena's bony hands wave her daughter over. Annabeth sits by her mother, and they stay like that for a while, grasping for the time they have left.
"Annabeth, I'm dying," Athena says, finally. "I can see Hades, that ever introvert, reaching out to me." She says, looking over at her daughter.
"No Mother! You can't die!" Annabeth whispers.
"σοφό παιδί *, you cant help me now." Athena smiles. It fades a second later. "But you must know this αγάπη μου**, Look at what is outside, κόρη***, Please survive, and please survive only in the right way." Athena's voice starts fading, as well as the glimmer of life in her eye. She sits up slightly, to caress Annabeth's face. "My dear Annabeth..."Athena slumps back, her eyes glassy.
She's dead.
Athena, Queen of Athens II, is dead.Annabeth lets out a dry sob, and buries her face into her mother's body, clinging onto the hope that maybe Hades will be merciful and let her back to life.
''Mother...'' Annabeth cries out in pain. Her cry elongates, ringing over all of Athens, and is joined by screams of fear, for Athens, has been invaded by creatures from Tartarus itself.
'' My lady. My Lady, you must now leave Her Highness' side. She wished me to tell you something. Something you didn't know.'' a deep voice cuts cleanly through Annabeth's sniffles. She looks up to see a dark-faced minister.
''My mother told me everything, and you have no right to speak of her in such a dishones-'' Annabeth fumed, only to be cut off by a brisk,
''Not everything.''
''So, Minister, you are telling me that these… creatures are humans back from the bloody underworld?''
Annabeth had heard many preposterous things in her life, but this was beyond her limits. Her mother had just passed, and these foolish men thought that they could feed her with lies at such a time?
''ANNABETH!'' two panicked voices bombarded into the meeting room simultaneously. They belonged to Luke and Thalia, Annabeth's closest friends. They both had crazed looks in their eyes, and when they centered in on Annabeth, they both rushed to her and grabbed her in a tight embrace.
''We're both truly sorry for this Annabeth.'' Thalia said, tears in her eyes, which Annabeth had never seen before.
''It's alright. She was going to die soon anyway.'' Annabeth sighed, looking down at her sandals.
Luke frowned at her. ''What are you talking about? Oh gods, is Aunt Athena… dead?''
Annabeth scrutinized them. She couldn't say yes. That would mean accepting it, and she was in no state to do such a thing. So she went with, ''What did you think I was talking about?'' instead.
''Here.'' Thalia tossed a satchel full of bulky equipment. ''Run Annabeth. They're coming. The zombie men.''
Annabeth gaped, frantically shaking her head, hoping in vain that it would make it all go away. ''So it's real?''
''There's some ambrosia and nectar in there- food of the gods.'' Thalia said, smiling weakly.
''But I'm not a god!'' Annabeth exclaimed.
''You'll be fine. Just don't eat too much, you'll burn up. It helps heal wounds.''
Annabeth took a moment to let this information soak in.
''Where are your bags?'' Annabeth then demanded of them.
Luke and Thalia shared a look, and Luke finally said, ''We're not coming. We're evacuating the people. You have to get to safety.''
''I should help. They are my people.'' Annabeth declared.
''And if they survive, they need a leader.'' Luke said firmly, and the two of them pushed Annabeth out the door, and guided her through the panicked streets of Athens, to the gate.
They both embraced her, tears flowing down three pairs of cheeks.
''We love you Annabeth, remember that. Please don't die. Please survive.'' they both shouted, and closed the gates firmly, and kissed Annabeth for the last time, and ran off.
The last Annabeth ever saw of them was the pair of them carrying and ushering little children to the mountains.The woods were scary. The tall trees never seemed to end, and the eerie silence of it all made Annabeth shiver. She walked and walked, occasionally tripping over her white gown. The tall woods were a tree Annabeth had never seen before, and she felt small, a feeling she hated. So when she saw an olive tree, she almost cried in relief. Her mother adored these, and their fruit. She climbed up onto the stumpy tree, and brushed off some dirt, and sat on it. She swung the satchel onto her lap and opened the white cloth. Inside was a wrap of taffy looking blocks, neatly labeled ambrosia in her mother's neat handwriting.
There was also a bottle of a thick liquid, labeled as ambrosia. Annabeth knew that it was for emergencies, but her curiosity won, and she took a tentative sip. She had been expecting something horrid, as most medicines are, but Annabeth adored this one. It fas flavored like her favorite vineyard's wine. Oh, she hadn't tasted it in so long. The ambrosia was also sitting there, and after a careful testing, It tasted like Luke's tulumbas, which Annabeth adored. Annabeth laid the two items out on a flat branch and continued scavenging through the kit. There was a change of clothes, one a gown, for some reason, and a pair of boy's pants and a modest tunic. Annabeth, after making sure nobody was in the proximity, changed into the more flexible clothes. There was also another pair of the same clothing, which Annabeth happily accepted.
There was also plenty of light foods, and 3 large cans of water, which explained the sheer weight of the satchel. There was also a book, just the one. Annabeth wanted to cry just by looking at it. Her genius mother. In her hands, lay the book that held so many memories, so much feeling, that Annabeth felt lightheaded in grief.
To Kill a Mockingbird.
This was a book, so old, that every time Athena would hold it in her hands, she would confess that she feared of tearing it. It was their special bond. Something that they would talk about when they knew they were being followed, a bedtime story. It was something they both cherished, and now, Annabeth had to cherish it on her own. The thought was so depressing, Annabeth had to take a few breaths.
She puts the book next to her, wrapping it in a tunic to keep it safe.
There was some rope, and a sewing kit, but Annabeth barely recognizes it, still dazed. And she drifts on into a restless sleep.
Annabeth grew up. She figured out the best way to kill a zombie. What was a meal? A bed?
She slept on trees, occasionally coming across a little cottage in the woods, that had been ripped to shreds. It was nothing like her palace, but she did well with it anyway, taking time to sit down and read. Never once did she cry. It felt like years, but she could tell that only months had passed. She matured faster than expected, gaining the muscle she had never wanted. But Annabeth barely even noticed. Her mind was occupied with strategies and plans, and just plain stress. This was nothing like the stress she endured as a princess. And it wasn't going to end, as far as she could see.
The sun rose, as it had so many times, and Annabeth was already up. And she was on the move. She walks and jogs the whole day, not once coming across a zombie. She was surprised but welcomed it nonetheless. They might be mutants, but killing them was unpleasant, nonetheless.
When the sun started dipping into the horizon, Annabeth saw another house. It was a small wooden thing, and its windows were boarded up, clearly in a futile attempt to keep the creatures at bay. Though her instincts screamed at her not to, she was desperate for any form of shelter.
The door slowly crept open. There was total silence. It had one room, and on one side was a pile of straw covered with a sheet. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make Annabeth sway in temptation and exhaustion. She laid down on it and slept.
What was that scratching? And why did she want to itch her neck? Annabeth's eyes fluttered open, and she let out a piercing scream. Yes, it would attract so many more zombies, but what did that matter at this point, because there was a mutant right in front of her, clawing at her throat. It's green and yellow skin was stained with rusty blood, and Annabeth, after all this time, still wanted to gag. It was disgusting. She threw it off her, and immediately fought it. She tried to cut it off, but she just couldn't! It had bloody armor on, and Annabeth wanted to cry because it could have been one of her soldiers, and she felt so bad for surviving when her own people didn't.
The door flew open, and Annabeth was ready to die because there was no way that she would be able to fight more than one. But it was a human. When was the last time she has seen a human? It was a male, a black haired, green-eyed male. He quickly stabbed the one zombie in the back and dragged Annabeth outside.
Annabeth just stared.
''Um... '' Stupid. All you say is um?
The person rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously.
He pointed behind Annabeth, just as she heard a swishing noise, and the last thing she saw was a pair of shocking blue eyes.
Hey! So honestly, this one is SO much better. This took me a long time to write, because I had to find the tense, and this one actually has a planned out storyline, instead of a make it up as you go. So Im pretty freaking proud, and any POSITIVE feedback is greatly welcomed. BAI!
* wise child
** my love
*** daughter