The ship had sunk. The ship had sunk.
They were free.
As soon as the sisters' feet touched the bay, they started running. They did not know where they were, or where they were going to go, nor did they cared as long as it was away from there.
The younger sister, Reyna, was tugging at Hylla insistently, her long nails marking crescent indentations on Hylla's wrist.
It was cold. It was cold, and they weren't that much prepared for that. Their breaths came as white smoke against the night air.
They stepped over puddles, almost slipped on mud. But still Reyna tugged, and still Hylla followed.
There was a sharp pain on Hylla's side, indicating her that it was time to stop. Her head throbbed, too.
"Reyna," she whispered.
The younger girl didn't want to, but she skidded to a stop. She turned towards her in one swift movement. "Keep moving," she panted, then swallowed and tried again: "We should really keep moving. We don't know whether the pirates have drowned or are searching for us, Hylla!". Reyna eyed the dark streets around them nervously. Scared.
Hylla straightened, and put both hands on Reyna's shoulder. "We need to separate." The words hurt, but it was true. "We need to go different ways."
Reyna stiffened. She pressed her lips together so they formed a fine line, and directed her dark stare towards her sister. "No."
"Reina. Escúchame, por favor." Spanish was like their secret language, one that the pirates couldn't understand, and the language in which they had planned their escape. The girls' were from Puerto Rico, and it, too, brought memories of their father before the accident.
Reyna sighed wearily, but nodded, indicating her to continue.
"If they had made it back to the shore, they would be looking for us right now. If we take separate ways, and if they do find one of us, the other will be safe. Maybe even send help." One look at her sister's pale face, and the words flew out of Hylla's mouth faster: "I want you to be safe. I know a place. Camp Jupiter. They train Roman demigods there. Safe. It'll be like a home, a new beginning."
Reyna seemed to consider this. "What about you?"
Hylla tried to sound casual. "Oh, I know a place."
"Where?"
"Remember the time I told you about the Amazons?"
"Yes. So I take it you'll be there?"
"I will. I promise. You can find me again, whenever you please," Hylla knew this was not totally true, but she wasn't about to tell that to Reyna. "I'll write to you. Okay?"
It seemed so crazy, Reyna thought, all that had happened the past month: Everything going along perfectly on Circe's island, until a blonde-haired girl and a green-eyed boy had arrived. Reyna didn't know the full story, but she knew the girl had somehow transformed the guinea pigs back into their former selves to save her friend. And the pirates wanted revenge. Some servants managed to fled, others were not so lucky. Like herself. Like Hylla.
They were kidnapped, treated badly for three weeks. They had eaten just about anything, out of hunger; slept in the shabbiest places. Then they were sent as some kinds of servants to a voyage, and they had seen their chance coming: they were going to escape.
And so they planned, and didn't weaver. They were the daughters of the goddess of war, after all. Bellona's daughters.
But now her sister wanted to leave her. Reyna knew that all she had said before was true; it made sense. But that didn't mean she had to like it, no.
For all response, she threw her arms around her. Hylla seemed surprised for a moment, then hugged her back tightly.
Both sisters' eyes burned with unshed tears when they broke their embrace.
"I want you to keep this," Hylla said, and slipped a ring around one of Reyna's fingers.
"Thank you," she said, in her best controlled voice.
Reyna then turned away, and started walking west. She stopped just under a lamplight not too far away, and closed her eyes.
Hylla could clearly see the outline of Reyna's lashes, the side of her face, her jaw, her neck. Her hair was messy, as she didn't have time to ever brush it, held back clumsily by a golden pin to keep it away from her face.
She adjusted the baggy, ripped sweater around her bare shoulders: it kept sliding down, no matter what Reyna did. Hylla suppressed a sad smile.
Reyna shook her head to herself, as if shaking off thoughts.
Part of Hylla hoped she'd turn back, tell her they would go together wherever they had to, even though it had been her idea in the first place. The other part of her felt guilty for that.
Reyna did not turn back. Instead, she started walking with renewed grace, like a queen. That's where she had gotten her name from. Hylla still could her her father's voice telling her, "Eres toda una reina. Y, además, una guerrera. Como tu madre." He would sigh then, refusing to talk for a long while, immersed in some distant memory.
Reyna quickened her walk, so now she was trotting. And then running, running off into the night, not looking back once.
Hylla watched her sadly as she turned a corner and was lost from view, maybe forever.
A/N: I was listening to "Run" by Snow Patrol.
As for the Spanish, the translations are:
"Reina. Escúchame, por favor." Queen. Listen to me, please.
"Eres toda una reina. Y, además, una guerrera. Como tu madre." You are a queen. And, also, a warrior. Just like your mother (refering to Bellona).
And of course, I do not own PJO/HOO.
Reviews are appreciated :)