Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan. I don't own Percy Jackson or the Heroes of Olympus. Duh.
Reyna knew it was stupid. After all, Jason had Piper. Piper was a daughter of Venus! Aphrodite. Whatever. It didn't matter. She was still daughter of a love goddess.
She had Charmspeak. She was beautiful without even trying. Heck, she was beautiful while trying not to be! She was the daughter of a movie star. She was one of the Seven. She was a hero.
How could Reyna compete with her? The answer was so obvious. She couldn't.
Reyna closed her eyes, burying her face in her hands, her black hair waving in the summer breeze. It was let loose, not in her usual braid. She knew she loved Jason Grace. And — gods of Olympus — Jason had loved her! He had! Truly.
And now it was gone. All gone. And it was all Juno's fault. Secretly, Reyna detested the goddess for taking everything away from her.
In the beginning, love had been wonderful. It had been warm and fuzzy and everything good. But now? Love was dark and cruel and just plain mean.
Tears stung Reyna's eyes, and she blinked angrily, refusing to cry. I will never cry for Jason Grace again, she promised herself. But still the tears came, and as one spilled over and ran down her cheek, she bit her lip to keep from sobbing.
Aurum approached her and gently pushed his muzzle under her elbow. Smiling shakily, the young praetor stroked the dog's head. Argentum made an odd rumbling noise and rested his chin on her lap. "You're good friends," she whispered to them, bringing one hand up to wipe her face with the back of her hand. What did I ever to do you, Jason? What did I ever do to deserve this?
Aloud, she repeated it, tilting her head back to glare into the sky. "What did I ever do to deserve this?" she demanded, half-hoping one of the gods would answer. But they didn't. Jason had gone and left with the Argo II with his new girlfriend. Percy had joined his own girlfriend, Annabeth.
They had up and left her alone after the warship had attacked her city, leaving her to untangle this mess. Leaving her to settle the angry mobs of Romans, leaving her at Octavian's mercy. They had left her to clean up all of the messes they'd created!
Wiping her eyes again, Reyna continued petting the dogs. It was here that she'd talked to Annabeth. Here, in the Garden of Bacchus.
And the worst of it was that she still loved Jason Grace. What is wrong with me? Aurum wagged his tail slightly, and she smiled at him. "I know. I'm being stupid. I'm praetor, after all. I shouldn't be crying in a garden."
With a sniff, she patted him on his head. "I'm better now," she assured Argentum, scratching him under the chin. Am I really? Reyna shook her head, sighing. No, I'm not. "After all, I'm talking to an automaton." The dogs didn't even bother looking confused.
On sudden impulse, Reyna leaned forwards and picked one of the flowers. Argentum whined as his head fell off of her lap, but she scratched his ear and leaned back again, examining the flower in her hand. It was an ordinary flower, with white petals.
Quite honestly, Reyna didn't know much about flowers. She didn't know what type this one was. And she didn't count the petals. Because that would be cheating.
With trembling fingers, she plucked the first petal off. Two words escaped her lips, soft and breathless. "Loves me." Another petal fluttered to the forgotten dogs' paws. "Loves me not."
Reyna suddenly shook her head, looking down into Aurum's ruby eyes. "I'm being stupid, aren't I? This is stupid." When the dog just looked at her, the obsidian-eyed young woman sighed softly. Another white petal found itself in her fingertips. "Loves me." Another petal. "Loves me n—" She drew in her breath and her heart dropped to her boots and her hand fell limp into her lap, two more white feathers shining in the setting sun.
"Even the stupid flower thinks I'm stupid." Reyna's voice broke, angry tears spilling onto her cheeks. "Even the godsdamned flower thinks I have no chance with Jason!" She fought to keep her voice from rising. "Even the flower think that Pip—"
Aurum nudged her hand with a small whine, and Reyna looked down at the golden dog. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess." Argentum wagged his tail slowly. "I know. I'm being an idiot. I'm supposed to be praetor, for gods' sakes!"
Aurum nudged her hand again, and she looked down. "You're right. The flower is stup—" Obsidian eyes widened as she looked at the flower. "Weren't there two petals before?" Aurum whuffed softly. Reyna's breathing sped up slightly, and she breathed, "Oh. My. Gods."
Argentum's tail wagged slightly faster as the young praetor's fingers dipped down. Another petal came off. "Loves me." Another petal. "Loves me not."
Her fingers hovered above the last petal. Half to herself, half to her automatons, her words practically radiating wonder, she breathed, "I could have sworn there had only been two. Why are there three now?" With a shaky laugh, she corrected herself. "One."
Aurum barked softly, and his mistress pulled off the last petal. "Loves me."
Bright eyes turned to her dogs. "Do you really think . . . he does?" Two wagging tails answered her. Reyna gently pushed them off her, and laid down on the bench, one arm dangling off the side, her ebony hair falling over her shoulder.
And she smiled. For the first time in a long time, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano smiled. A real smile.
Sure, it was just a flower. But she had been sure that something — or maybe someone — had added a petal. And it meant something. It had to.
Little something that wouldn't get out of my head. It's a little short, but I think it's alright. I might later turn this into a bunch of drabble-like oneshots, but for now it's just this. So, you know the drill. Please review!
And I know I'm supposed to be writin Child of the Snows, but I was rereading the Heroes of Olympus series...and...well...