Hello my lovely readers.
It has been like a year since I wrote something. My writing is a bit rusty so bear with me but it will improve as the chapters move on.
Rating: T
Pairing: Richard John Grayson x Reyna Avila Ramirez - Arellano
Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort, humor, friendship, romance (A bit later), adventure and gore.
Warnings: Post Traumatic Stress from both Reyna and Dick because even they can be strong for so long. OOC-ness. Kissing (later). Contains spoilers for Blood of Olympus
Timeline: three years after Blood of Olympus in the Heroes of Olympus and just after Season Two ended for Young Justice.
How can you be a hero when you can't protect those who matter?"
She knew she wasn't normal. She knew even before she learned of her heritage. Spirits of dead ancestors didn't appear in normal people's homes. They don't mutter harsh expectations and cruel words in the mind of a child.
They told and reminded her of her bloodline and that she was weak. She would never be a powerful warrior worthy of the Goddess Bellona whose ichor courses through Reyna's veins. That she is a failure and the legacy of Rome will die with her and her eldest sister.
She would hide in the comforting hearth with her sister who answered the little girl's questions on what the ghosts had said.
"Our Mumma, is a Goddess? " six year old Reyna asked looking at her sister with big onyx eyes.
"That's right. We are demigods. Like Hercules"
" Then one day I will grow up to be a hero then?" Wide eyed Reyna asked, completely awestruck.
Hylla giggled as she poled her sister "The best hero ever!" As Reyna burst into giggles as the tickle monster attacked.
But the moments of bliss were rare in Ramirez - Arellano household and things took a turn for the worse as the humanity of Julian Ramirez - Arellano was peeled away and all that was left of the once strong and handsome soldier was the insane shell of a man he once was.
A mania Nico had said. Her father had turned into a mania.
"A human withers away until he's not human any more. Only his worst qualities remain"
Worst qualities. Worst qualities. Human withers away until he is no longer human. These thoughts echo in Reyna's mind like ice shards that impale her. Could things have been different if Reyna tried to do something -anything- to hold the threads of her father's sanity? Had there been a way for Reyna to save her father from his fate?
But no. Before fleeing her home in San Juan, the cowardly Roman killed her own father. How can anyone do that?
How can you be a hero when you kill your own father?
She lived on Circe's island for two years; fresh food and clothes, spa treatment, learning magic, her own stash of potions and no evil spirits haunting Reyna and Hylla. They were finally happy.
Until that blasted son of Poseidon came along and released Blackbeard and his pirate crew to wreck havoc on Circe's island- Reyna's new home.
Being taken captive on the ship under the tyranny of Blackbeard Reyna felt like a little girl back in San Juan again. But Hylla was there and everyday Hylla kept Reyna safe.
Seeing Hylla, sweet fashionable Hylla who found ways of hiding when they were younger, who taught herself sword fighting to keep Reyna safe.
Reyna remembered her twelve year old self biting her kip and cowering in the corner as Hylla faught the pirates and a thought ran across her mind her mind as she watched the pirates sword slash across Hylla's forehead.
How can you be a hero when you cower in fear and your sister protects you?
And maybe something in Reyna had snapped that day when she tended to her wounded sister. A burning passion to protect her family ignited in her and she too learned to defend herself and others around her.
Thus, she learned to duel with her sister and everyday they duelled the pirates earning their respects until they were willingly freed by them as they feared the daughter's of Bellona who would topple their Captain and takeover.
So when the two sisters arrived at the crossroads they embraced each other fiercely, the silver Torch and spear , the symbol of Bellona, burned fiercely as they separated with a promise. A promise to be Queens and heroes in their chosen paths.
And Queens and Heroes they did.
Hylla Ramirez - Arellano, Queen of the Amazons.
Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano, the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata who led the Romans in the war against the Titan Krios on mount Temp.
Until that quest in Charleston. The daughter of Bellona and the son of Jupiter had gone to retrieve Imperial Gold weapons for the Legion. Confidence was blooming in Reyna as they walked in beautiful Charleston that a beautiful relationship between the two praetors will flower. He was strong, handsome and disciplined but rebellious in his own nature as he tried to change the Legion. But perhaps those were some of the qualities she adored.
However, it could never be for the Goddess of love herself had spoken to her denied her the love she sought:
" You will not find love where you wish or where you hope. No demigod shall heal your heart. "
And that was true. Reyna's heart yearned for affection that her sister bestowed upon her. Her desire for a tender touch made her stomach twist every time she saw the sweet exchange of lovers kiss and gentle caress. Her soul burned in lust for the love of a lover who would hold the broken pieces if Reyna Avila Ramirez - Arellano and let her break apart in his arms, tell her that she doesn't have to be strong anymore because she has someone to share the burden with. And he will slowly but surely put together the pieces of Reyna Avila Ramirez - Arellano together again
But for Reyna there was no one. For the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata had Ben rejected not once but twice by the sons of the big Three Gods. Roman and Greek. Jason Grace and Perseus Jackson.
But you know what? Reyna could never stop the love she felt for the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. No matter how many times she was rejected, how many obstacles rose up or how many times she fell and was dragged into the abyss and had the wind knocked out of her and hopelessness took root in her heart. Despite the stress and emotional turmoil and trauma she faced or monsters that left scars on her body. Because of love. Because of the love that swelled in her her new family.
Because she cares so much that it hurts as if she was going to bleed to death from the pain of it.
The wind was knocked out of her when the Greek Trierem had fired on the Forum. Her heart pounded as Oct avian rallied the legionnaires for war while her mind screamed Stop! This is exactly what Gaia wants! We can not do this! But this was the Roman pride and she would be no good to her legionnaires if she, the Praetor, backed out from this insult. But she didn't want Octavian to lead the Legion to their deaths for the augur was mad with power and his dream of becoming a hero.
When the Oracle of Delhi and the faun - sorry satyr- arrived with a message from Annabeth for the hope if peace, Reyna seized the opportunity as swiftly as it arrived.
That is why she fights. That was why she took that suicide quest to retrieve the Athena Parthenos and bring it to the Greek camp to bring peace between the children of Olympus.
She travelled among the storming ventus, the shrieking gryphons and growling monsters in dangerous storms. The Roman Praetor and her pegasus Scipio. But the Fates were -and still are- cruel for a poisoned gryphon claw was aimed at the Scipio's rider who protected her by taking the strike himself as Reyna slayed the beast.
It was Reyna's strength combined with Scipio's did they finally arrive at the Argo II in Epirus where she put her friend down.
Scipio. Her pegasus. Her friend. Her comfort and confidant. She never had to stay strong for Scipio. She would breakdown in his mane and he would listen to her pain and emotions and give her comforting nudges and snorts. He never complained or made a fuss.
And he died saving her. Because even Scipio knew the gravity of the quest his rider was about to part take and she had to survive and that had cost him his life.
And his rider knew that there was nothing she could do but a thought still echoed in her mind:
How can you be a hero when you can't even save a pegasus?
Reyna swallowed at the haunting memories of lugging the Athena Parthenos cross country with Nico di Angelo and Coach Hedge appeared behind her eyelids.
Her face flushed at the humiliation they faced in Alberto which involved a hot spring but her face drained of its colour as the memory bled into the form of Orion when he massacred the Hunters of Artemis and the Amazons. She could see the mutilated corpse of Kinzie the Amazon second in command. She saw Phoebe the three thousand year old Huntress and the young Naomi who lay broken on the concrete floor and many other nameless Amazons and Hunters who died at the hands of the giant to give the three questers passage.
Yet the thought struck her:
How can you be hero when you let others die for you?
Dread filled Reyna when Nico di Angelo released her raw emotions in a black storm of darkness upon Bryce Lawrence. Her body was ice as she experienced Tartarus, the utter loneliness that the son of Hades had been experiencing for so long. It broke her heart and she finally understood the pain and exhaustion she felt from the son of Hades and she realised that Nico di Angelo is stronger than any other demigod she had ever met. He carried a burden that no one should ever face; being prejudiced against his heritage, pulled out of his own time line and into s completely other world, keeping a huge secret from two different rival camps about the other to prevent a civil war and now the Ambassador of Pluto agreed to bring the Golden Statue of Athena to Camp Halfblood despite knowing that he would be lost in the darkness.
She watched him turn into mist. She couldn't touch him or even lend her strength. She felt like a helpless 7 year old again curled in her fireplace trying to block out the ghouls.
All she could do was watch as Coach Hedge brought Nico di Angelo back from the brink of death and the demons whispered:
How can you be a hero when you can't even save your friend?
She could still vividly see the monstrous 'allies' that Octavian had summoned who turned their back on the Legion and greatly outnumbered the Greek and Romans. She saw in her mind the battle against Gaea.
She remembered the clang as metal met metal, the disgusting spluish as flesh was cut through, explosions , screaming and cursing, the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata and Leaders of Camp Halfblood shouting orders and battle cries rang across the battlefield.
Her nostrils flared with the metallic stench of blood and death and could almost taste it (despite sitting in the sanctuary for own Praetor's quarters).
All that bloodshed because Reyna had left the Legion at the hands of power hungry and maniac Octavian. All because Reyna decided to trust the enemy more than her comrades.
No. It was the only way to stop the war.Reyna gritted her teeth as tears trailed down her cheeks. We needed to bring peace to unite the gods. The daughter of Bellona clutched her head and shook it furiously but the demons were merciless.
You only tell that to yourself to suppress your guilt and shame. Just like what you did when you killed your father. You are weak and pathetic that is why you are cursed to walk this land alone. No demigod shall heal your heart just as Venus had said. You had killed your father. You had killed your pegasus. You had doomed the son of Hades. You had caused the massacre of the Amazons and Hunters in San Juan. And you, Reyna Avila Ramirez - Arellano are the cause why there were so many casualties among the campers of Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-blood. Had Victoria and the Fates not been smiling in the favour of Olympus, Gaea would have won. You are no hero.
The white walls of her room began to bleed.
"No" Reyna whispered as she crawled backwards on her floor.
The broken forms of the fallen appeared.
Kinzie.
Reyna gasped.
Phoebe.
She crawled further back.
Scipio.
Fresh tears fell from her eyes.
Adam Rose.
She crawled back further. They moved closer.
Bobby Mathews.
She moved further. They moved closer
Dakota.
Octavian.
Leon Woods.
Gwen Stacy.
Julian Ramirez - Arellano.
Reyna's back collided with the wall as a sob escaped her.
"Hello sister"
Hylla Ramirez - Arellano
As the demons whispers echoed through her mind.
"How can you be a hero when you can't save those who matter"
I know Hylla doesn't die but for the sake of the story she is. I am sorry for the back and forth between memory Reyna and her real self. I wanted to show the vulnerable side of her that nobody sees. She is the strongest female character and deserves more respect.
The next chapter will be Dick set just after Wally's death and before he takes his leave of absence.
Question: where do you guys want Reyna and Richard to meet? It can be any city but San Francisco, Bludhaven and Happy Harbour.
Reviews are loved and criticism is appreciated and Flames don't hurt me.
Princess of Flames
ยค Angel