Searching for My Soul

by InaLndofMyth

“Not wine,” the boy said softly. His hypnotic green eyes flickered to the bones scattering the ground. Blood. The pond was a pool of blood. And Annabeth’s hands were coated in it. AU: 95% of people find their Soulmate before their time runs out. The 5% is quickly discarded of. Follow Annabeth through her Mating and find out which % she’ll be.

1. chapter 1

The young woman sighed as she bit her lip, turning and twisting her decision over in her mind, doubting and questing and wondering and dreading again and again and again. There were so, so many sacrifices she must make; so many experiences and moments she would give up should she see this act through. Her life would be completely altered, as would her family's. Could she do this to them? Could she tear away what they had know for years?

Cease these thoughts, she reprimanded herself firmly. She took a shaky breath. Worrying would do her no good. What was done was done; there was no turning back. She couldn't reverse this, as much as she wished to the stars and moons beyond. She simply couldn't. It was inevitably, irrevocably happening.

A door creaked open a floor below, that the woman heard with her sharp ears. Footsteps echoed beneath on wooden slates. They paused just before the first step of the narrow staircase. They were waiting.

It was time.

She turned to the bed and tearfully bid her room, her home, her life and her loves farewell. She forced herself to ignore the snoring from the bed. It tore her heart to pieces to leave them all like this, but she didn't have a choice. She hope and prayed that they might understand in time that she did not have a single choice.

The young woman paused at the door frame. Despite her forbidding thoughts, she glanced over at the wooden crib. Oh, how it pained her to leave her precious little love without a word or farewell or a memory to remember her by. Before being able to hold herself back, she flew to the crib's side and grasped the baby's small hand.

The baby would wake a few minutes later, unaware of the woman sobbing downstairs as she was lead away from her life. The baby was unaware of the love that once lived in the home. The baby was unaware of the pain, despair and betrayal the absence of the woman would cause. The only thing the baby could possibly be aware of was the unbearable, burning sensation as flames awoke and licked and curled all around until the baby was swept into oblivion.