The Colosseum

Hey guys! I'm back!

So you know how I said that I was making sure that I wouldn't write new stories while I'm already writing one?

Well, I just broke that promise! muahahahahahahahaha

This was just an idea I had after reading a few stories like this and I wanted to make it become a reality.

So here we go -

Chapter One: Introduction

(Published 10.22.17)

Introduction

Jason, the ruthless Prince of Rome.

Annabeth, the ambitious Princess of Athens.

Frank, a clumsy soldier in the catacombs.

Piper, a simple villager girl.

Leo, and orphan shopkeeper.

Hazel, young Roman servant.

Percy, a prisoner in the Colosseum.

"Mother, let me go!" she yelled. "Luke's life depends on me. I can do it."

"Annabeth, this is not a matter that you have to take care of!" Athena boomed back. "We need you here in Athens, where you can be of real assistance."

"Mother!" Annabeth said, offended. "That's most unfair. You know I'm a skilled fighter."

"Stop, both of you," Frederick stood up. He looked towards Annabeth. "We have both agreed that you are not going to Rome. It's too dangerous there!"

"But - "

"And as for you, Athena, you must not underestimate your daughter! She is very skilled and intelligent." He smiled warmly at his daughter.

Flattery, Annabeth thought slyly. "Thank you, Father. May I go to Rome?"

"No!" Her parents both said and Annabeth winced. She would have to come up with a new plan.

She ran to her room. Three servants were waiting for her at the door.

"Dismissed," she waved them off. Her servants didn't like to be dismissed, for it was their job to serve.

Annabeth collapsed on her bed. Oh, what it was like to be a woman in a man's world!

Wait... that was it. A woman in a man's world. All Annabeth had to be was a man? She got to work, smiling.

A few hours later, near ten o'clock at night, she was ready. She wrapped some cloth around her chest flattening herself and then put on a hand-woven tunic. Then she put on short pants, again handwoven. She did pride herself in her weaving skills.

She packed a backpack with some food and extra clothes which, of course, would be confiscated if she got to the Colosseum, but it was just in case.

Then there was her knife. Luke had given her this knife, but now it would be used for something other than self-defense. She would use it to cut her hair.

Annabeth's cascading curly blond hair would soon be gone, much to her dismay. But she pulled out the knife and slashed.

In three strokes, her hair was short. It wasn't full-length anymore, only half-way, but she still didn't like it.

"There. All done." She went off to the boats, sneaking out of the palace through her window.

She wiped mud on her cheeks to hide her feminine features and smudged dirt other places on her face.

She plunged herself into a small rowboat, one that would attract the least attention. The center of Rome was all the way across the sea and on the other side of the peninsula. It would be a three-day journey.

Her love, Luke, would be waiting, for her there in his prison...

Wouldn't he?

He was walking through the corridors of the palace, looking for some privacy. But servants always found him just so they could bow down in all of his arrogant royal glory.

People bowed down to him in the mere hallway, and he just wanted to sulk in his room. Was that too much to ask?

He finally got to his room, where more servants swarmed him. They held bowls of grapes, hot towels, and some were waiting to give him massage.

"Please, I would like some privacy right now." The servants happily bounded away. Jason let out a loud sigh.

He was getting an arranged marriage. To some worthless girl named Reyna, far away in Spain.

And for their first date, they were going to watch a gladiator fight at the Colosseum. Fun.

Jason himself hated gladiator fights. They were ruthless, bloody, and quite unnecessary. For some reason people liked them. So did his father.

Jupiter was... how would you explain him? Powerful? Regal? A total nutter? Maybe that last one.

But anyway, Jupiter was the emperor. So he went to every fight there was. So his son did, too.

Another reason Jupiter was a terrible father was that today he had told his son that he was getting an arranged marriage. Also, the girl he was getting married to was coming today. Great planning, huh, dad?

So he decided to get dressed. He put on the royal purple toga, donned a sash, and put on his sandals. He walked out of his room to find even more servants, now with bowls of cherries, a glass of wine, and more massages, which Jason again refused.

He walked down the hallways ignoring the many people that bowed to him, straight until he arrived in the throne room.

The doorman opened the door, revealing a lavish throne room. Couches were scattered everywhere for seating. Jupiter was sitting on his throne, next to his wife Juno. Jason's stepmother.

Jason didn't think much of Juno. She was nice enough, they didn't really interact much. She was definitely commanding. After Jason's mother and died, Juno had... well, replaced her.

In front of the thrones, two girls knelt. He couldn't see their faces, but one had dark hair in a braid and the other's was curly and golden.

"Ah! Jason! Come in!" Jupiter beckoned. The girls turned around and Jason could immediately see which one was Reyna. She had regal features and a broad nose. He could tell that she was a warrior.

The younger girl must've been a servant. She had dark skin and a cute face, but her stance told him that she would hurt you if you crossed her.

"Very nice to meet you, I'm Prince Jason Grace of Rome, Son of the Emperor Jupiter and Beryl Grace." He held out his hand. Juno pursed her lips. One thing she hated was when he talked about his mother.

"And the same to you." His future wife took the hand. "Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, Daughter of Bellona and Juan Ramirez-Arellano, advocates of Rome to Spain," she said confidently, drawing up her chin to look distinguished. "And this is my handmaiden, Hazel. She is new."

Hazel murmured a, "Hello," and bowed.

"Well," Juno said, irritated, "You two should get to know each other. The next fight is in two days and that's a long time to wait! Do something until your little date."

Jason was quite disappointed. This wasn't love at first sight. Hopefully, Reyna would start to grow on him.

It had been two days since the soldiers had dispersed from the village, and Piper was following them.

Where were they taking her father? Where were they taking the rest of the villagers? They hadn't taken Piper. She had hidden on the boat.

After the boat and having not eaten in a day, she was weakening. But she couldn't lose sight of the group.

Suddenly, a shadow engulfed her. Piper looked up to see gates.

The gates of Rome.

She excitedly kept following the soldiers into the gates and was overwhelmed. Shops everywhere, not a tree in sight. It was too much.

But soon, the men and women split into two groups. Women to the left, men to the right. Piper could only imagine where the men were going - the Colosseum.

So of course, she followed the men.

They marched through the city, Piper hiding in the back. She looked around, amazed. There was so much here! So much compared to -

She was on the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a high voice yelled.

"Excuse me, I was just walking." she retorted back. "You got in my way."

It was a boy. He had curly dark hair and warm brown eyes, at this second filled with rage. He had pointy ears and his face definitely looked like it had Latin descent. He was scrawny and looked no taller than herself.

"Well, goodbye, but I need to rejoin my group." But when Piper looked around, she had no idea where they had gone.

"Well, sorry, girl, but it doesn't look like they're anywhere near here." the boy said, confirming her fears.

Piper mentally cursed herself for being so ignorant. "Now how am I going to find him?"

"Woah, woah, woah," he said. "Slow down. Find who?"

"My father." Piper murmured.

"Here. Come sit down in my shop. I'll get you some food and rest. Then we can talk."

"Piper," she said.

"What?"

"My name's Piper."

"Leo," he smiled. Leo led her into his indoor shop.

Piper's life just got a lot more interesting.

And there you have it! Chapter one!

Next chapter I will have more characters in there and the story will thicken. For now, I mostly want to follow Annabeth.

Hope you enjoyed and please keep on reading for more chapters.

Review, follow, and favorite so that you can be able to know when I've posted a new chapter.

-Clearcloud