Zeus – some promises are meant to be broken.
Zeus sat down on the sofa tiredly and gave out an exasperate sigh. He had just finished yet another fierce argument with Beryl.
That woman just doesn't know when to stop! The nerve of that woman!
As angry as he was, he couldn't understand why he still came back. There was some kind of charm that woman had that kept attracting him. Perhaps it was her beauty, or her intriguing defiant personality, or maybe….
A sudden sound cut off his thought. He looked up to see his little girl.
Thalia was wearing a pair of light blue pajamas with little lightning bolts on it. A stuffed eagle was held loosely in her arm. Two pairs of identical blue eyes collided.
The little girl ran to him, and somehow, with her short legs, jumped onto his laps.
"Are you and mommy fighting again?" She asked innocently.
Zeus blinked in surprise.
"No, Thalia. And it's late. You should go to sleep." He quickly changed the subject.
"You are staying, right?"
"Um, yeah." Hesitation seeped into his voice.
"Promise me you won't leave me. Ever."
He looked down. He couldn't promise something that he would have to break eventually. But how could he say no? After seeing her sad and expecting look?
He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to reject. Finally, he said:
"I promise."
Little Thalia beamed at answer and ran back to her room.
"I'm sorry." He whispered softly. He knew he would regret this giving in.
A few days later, that same little girl looked around her vacant house bitterly. Her eyes were full of anger. Liar.
Luke – some promises can change one's fate.
Luke was very happy. His whole body was radiating happiness.
Why?
Thalia had refused the Hunter for him.
He looked up as he felt her presence. They had been together so long sometimes they could even feel when the other was coming near.
"Hey." She said quietly.
"Hey."
She sat down next to him. They had sat there in silence for a while before she suddenly asked:
"Will you ever let me down?"
"Never." He said without thinking, almost instinctively.
She turned to him.
"Promise?"
He looked into her eyes and saw all the seriousness of her question. And he answered just as serious.
"I promise. And I won't break it."
She smiled, and his face got all red people would think he had got a fever.
Years later, he felt as if his whole body was torn into pieces as he injected the poison into her tree.
Thalia – some promises are forced to be broken.
Annabeth was so excited about the Camp. She couldn't wait to try all the fun things Grover's told her about. She turned to Thalia, whose lap she was sitting on.
"Aren't you excited?" She asked.
"I'm as excited as you, Annie."
The little girl's face lightened up at that.
"We can try all of it together! We can see who climbs the lava wall faster, or spar. We can even play Capture the Flag! Your power and my brain together, they'll never know what's waiting for them!"
"Sure, kiddo." Thalia smiled at her.
"Promise me we'll do all of it together."
"Promise."
"Pinky swear?" She asked, holding up her small pinky.
Thalia laughed, unable to believe her childishness. Well, even if she's genius, she's still a kid.
She intertwined her finger with Annabeth's.
"Pinky swear."
Annabeth looked at the tree sorrowfully. She touched the bark gently, as if afraid that she might hurt it.
"You are here...I know it. You are still….here, right?"
She couldn't prevent the tears from falling down anymore.
Luke – some promises can save the world.
His legs hurt. His breath sagged. And it was raining. He wanted nothing more but to lay down right there and then. The monsters roared, erasing that thought from his head immediately. However, someone held him back.
"Luke, run without me."
"What? Are you crazy? Come on, keep running!"
"Luke."
He looked into her eyes, and once again he saw that seriousness. As if it was just yesterday when he promised her.
Nothing can change her mind now.
He swallowed hard, trying to stop his tears. She then held his face in her hands, and said:
"Protect Annabeth. She needs you. Promise you'll do anything to keep her safe."
"I promise."
His face was full of seriousness and sorrow.
His own voice echoed in his head as he watched his little sister holding the sky.
I promise.
I promise.
I promise.
.
.
.
.
Bianca – some promises are forgotten for temptation.
Little Nico slowly opened his eyes. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his fist sleepily. He turned to his side, surprised by its vacancy.
Where's Bianca? He wondered.
He stood up and looked around, feeling worried and slightly panicked.
"Bianca? Bianca? Where are you?" He shouted out.
No response.
He was now fully panicked.
"Bianca! Bianca!" He screamed on top of his lungs. Tears started to form in his eyes.
"I'm here, Nico."
He turned to the general direction of the voice and was relieved to see its owner.
"Where were you, Bianca? I was getting worried!" He said.
"I know. I could hear you from way over there."
Little Nico pouted. All she could do was sighing, seeing her brother like that.
"I wanted some fresh air so I went for a walk. That's all."
"I thought that you left me behind…." Whispered Nico as he looked down.
Bianca caught that and blinked in surprise.
"No, you silly," Bianca smiled, "I won't ever leave you. Promise."
The little boy's head jerked up at that.
"Really?"
"Of course. We've only got each other, after all."
About a year later, a certain son of Hades looked at the Hunter with hatred.
Percy – some promises can change one's personality completely.
He ran, ran and ran, until he could not lift his feet anymore. He stood on his knees, out of breath.
He didn't know what to do anymore.
She had gone.
The only person who cared for him had gone.
The only person he cared for had gone.
He could still hear her words when he closed his eyes.
We've only got each other, after all.
She lived for him.
He lived for her.
But now, with her gone, what was he supposed to do?
He let out an anguish cry of a wounded animal.
Then, all he felt was hollowness.
Beckendorf – some broken promises shatter one's heart into pieces.
She stared at his picture. At their picture.
Tomorrow was the day. When Charlie and Percy would destroy the Princess Andromeda ship. Luke's ship.
Knock, knock.
Beckendorf walked in, smiling sadly.
"Hey."
He sat down next to her and put an arm around her.
"It'll be alright." He said, assuring her and himself. He didn't sound so sure and failed miserably, though.
She didn't respond. She looked as if she wanted to tell him something, but couldn't let it out.
"Hey, Charlie." She said hesitantly.
Charlie. He didn't let anybody call him Charles, let alone Charlie. Yet she could address him any way she liked. And she felt terrified at the thought of not being able to see his smile whenever she called him anymore.
"Promise me. Promise me you'll come back no matter what." Her tears fell silently.
Her boyfriend scratched his head, deciding whether he should promise her or not. But when he looked up and saw her beautiful blue eyes, all his doubts went away.
"I promise."
She leaned onto his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Closing her eyes, the daughter of Aphrodite whispered softly.
"Don't leave me."
The next day, she felt her body and soul slowly dying when she received the news.
Silena – some promises have to be broken. For everybody's sake.
Two best friends were sitting with each other. A daughter of Ares and a daughter of Aphrodite. One was trying to soothe the other, while the other one just kept crying silently.
Clarisse bit the inside of her cheek. She was a daughter of the war god. She only knew how to fight, how to kick monsters' butts, not to comfort. All she could do was offer the girl a shoulder to cry on.
"Silena." She said suddenly, catching the girl's attention. "I know you are heartbroken and all…But tomorrow…the war…just don't do anything rash, okay? I know that it's war and it's really selfish of me. But I don't want to see you hurt. I won't be able to protect you. Don't go to some monsters and ask for death. Don't."
"…I won't. I promise."
Days later, she tried to kill as many monsters as possible, letting all her anger fill the sadness of her heart.