Percy Jackson and The Olympian Anthology:
Emotional Honesty Is The Best Policy
Rachel Elizabeth Dare sat on top of a hill directly behind the Big House, watching the beach as Percy and Annabeth smiled at each other, leaning in for a kiss. Her chest tightened as she watched Annabeth's lips press against his. She reached up gently and touched her own lips as she thought back to the kiss she'd given Percy just before he'd begun his final battles with Kronos' army. She felt a slight burn as her eyes began to water and her chest tightened painfully further.
As she continued watching, the other campers spontaneously appeared behind the new couple and picked them up, carrying them to the water on their shoulders as they smiled and laughed, holding each other's hands.
"May I join you?" a voice from behind her asked. She turned in time to see Artemis striding up to her in the gentle starlight. Rachel stood up quickly.
"Lady Artemis, it's an honor," she said, stiffly, before a gentle hand reached out and placed itself on her shoulder gently.
"My dear child," Artemis said, her form smaller and younger in appearance than Rachel was. Behind her, Rachel noticed for the first time, her patron god and the goddess's brother, Apollo. "You have had a very long day. In more ways than one." The goddess smiled knowingly towards her.
Rachel looked between the goddess and her brother for a moment before she realized that her tears were flowing down her cheeks very much at this point.
"Oh no, I'm fine!" she said as she brushed away the tears and smiled reassuringly at the pair of immortals.
Artemis looked at her brother momentarily before returning her gaze to the girl.
"Young one," she said, softly, growing into an adult woman with beautiful silvery eyes and brown hair. "I am a maiden, much as you are, now. I know, however, the difficulties of this life of maidenhood. It may be a life without the physical contact of a man, but the emotions you will feel cannot be helped."
"My lady, it's ok. I'm fine, really," Rachel replied, forcing a smile again as the tears began flowing down her face yet again. "It was never really-"
"We may be young," Apollo spoke for the first time since the three had been speaking. "And I may have gifted you my sight as the Oracle, but do not take that to mean that we are blind. Nor are we stupid."
Artemis smiled softly at the girl.
"For once, I agree with my brother," she said as she reached out and touched Rachel's cheek. "It is important, now, that you be honest. You must be honest, however, with yourself as well as others."
Rachel smiled as she looked into the goddess's eyes, nodding softly to show her understanding.
"He is a truly admirable young man," Artemis said, casting her gaze to the lake where the campers stood waiting above the water's surface for the couple to resurface. She looked back at the girl, whose eyes had begun to water again and she could feel her preparing to sob her pain out. "It is such a shame that my brother recruited you first," Artemis said, softly as she gazed into her eyes. "You would have made a fine huntress."
"Th-th-th-thank... y-y-y... you," Rachel said, her speech almost incomprehensible as she held back her sobs.
"You are a beautiful young woman and so brave," Artemis said, pulling the girl into a hug and stroking her hair softly. "And, when you are relieved of your duties as the Oracle, I will be happy to adopt you as a huntress."
The girl sobbed into the goddesses chest, her hands balled up into fists against the goddess's chest as Artemis held her. After a few minutes like this, Rachel seemed to calm a bit and Artemis looked down at her, loosening her grasp on the girl.
"Lady Artemis?" Rachel asked, not looking up from the goddess's chest where she still clung tightly to her dress.
"Yes, Miss Dare?" Artemis smiled down at her gently.
"Does it ever get any easier?" she asked, stifling back more sobs but losing that battle.
"No," she said, softly, still stroking the girl's red hair as she sobbed into her chest. "One day, maybe, you'll find a way to ignore it, but the love we feel for people never truly leaves us."
Rachel sobbed heavily into her dress as she held her, holding her up as the poor girl's legs grew too weak to carry her. What seemed like hours passed before Rachel grew calm enough to speak again. She stood from the goddess's arms.
"Thank you very much, Lady Artemis... Lord Apollo..." she said, her gaze cast downward.
"Remember what we said," Apollo responded, pulling his sunglasses off. His eyes were as bright as the sun for a moment, until he blinked and they became just like mortal eyes, except that his irises were a light, golden yellow. He looked at her and smiled and then looked at his sister and nodded. "I should go. Nighttime isn't my true domain. I mean, since I am the Sun God and all."
"Farewell, Lord Apollo," Rachel responded, bravely walking up to him and hugging him. "Thank you so much."
"For what?" he asked, his gaze a combination of confusion and shock, his arms up like he had no idea what to do with them.
"For claiming me as the Oracle," she said, looking up at him as she hugged him. "Otherwise, I'd have been lost and confused about who I really am. I'd have been strange for no good reason."
"Oh..." he said, still looking down at her awkwardly, before reaching down, tentatively, with one hand, and patting her head. "Uhhh... I guess... No big deal.?"
Rachel let him go and wisely averted her eyes before he revealed his true from and flew back to Olympus, leaving Artemis and Rachel alone. As they sat in silence, staring at the stars for a few moments, footsteps could be heard behind them. Rachel turned to see Thalia Grace walking up to them.
"Lady Artemis," she said, stopping a few paces behind the goddess. "The hunters are healed and awaiting further instruction."
"Tell them to eat and drink to their heart's content, tonight," the goddess answered, looking at her. "We shall leave tomorrow evening."
Thalia looked at Rachel curiously.
"You may join us if you wish," the goddess offered. Without another word, Thalia sat down next to Rachel. Rachel felt nervous under the other girl's penetrating gaze.
"So, what's up?" she asked Rachel.
"Matters of the heart," Artemis answered.
"Ah," Thalia said with a knowing, yet sad look at the other girl. "Percy?"
Rachel nodded. She was sure she'd have cried if she had any tears left.
"He's a great guy, no doubt," Thalia said, gazing off into the starry sky. She glanced down at the water where Percy and Annabeth emerged and ran away, hand in hand, from the other campers. She sighed softly and looked back at the new Oracle. "Can I tell you something?"
Rachel looked at her quizzically but nodded, just the same.
"I used to like him," she said, smiling softly at the couple's antics. "You know, a little bit. Even if he is just a dork and an idiot..."
Rachel stared at the other girl.
"But," Thalia began again, blinking away some of the moisture that had built in the corners of her eyes. "He's brave and he's loyal to a fault." She smiled at Rachel again. Rachel looked back at her and both girls looked prepared to cry. They wrapped their arms around each other and Thalia smiled as a few tears fell down her cheeks. She suddenly pushed the girl away to arm's length and held her shoulders firmly.
"You tell anyone and I'll not only deny it, but I'll kick your butt," she said, sternly. "I can't have anyone knowing I cared for that Seaweed Brain."
Rachel smiled and nodded, before the two embraced each other again.
As they held each other a bright flash caught them off guard and, once it was over, the Lady Artemis was gone, leaving only small piece of paper that read:
To Rachel: Be honest with yourself as well as others. Not just prophetically, but emotionally.
******** Olympian Anthology *************
Rachel couldn't wait to see Percy and Annabeth for Thanksgiving. She had a four day weekend as did they and they had all agreed to spend the holidays together, if possible. The happy couple was coming to pick her up and take her back to New York for the holiday. She felt her chest tightening as she thought of Percy.
It still didn't feel right to her, being best friends with Annabeth despite having feelings for Percy and having kissed him before the start of his final battles against the Titans. She felt so guilty about it and yet she couldn't help but be friends with Annabeth. She was the best friend she'd ever had.
Her cell phone rang as she was finishing putting her toothbrush in her pack and she nearly leapt out of her skin. She saw the caller ID after her initial shock and she hit the answer button, lifting the device to her ear, immediately hearing a pair of bickering voices on the other end of the line as Percy tried to get directions while Annabeth made the call.
"I'm about to drop you off here in the middle of a snow drift, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said as he complained about the confusing directions they'd gotten. "Hey Rachel, do we take a left on Sycamore or a right on Saint Helen Drive?"
"Saint Helen," she said with a smile, her chest tightening painfully.
"I told you it was a right," Annabeth said, and she heard Percy mocking her and a loud slap. "I will drop you off out here, Horse Boy."
Rachel laughed a little at that.
"Anyway, we'll be pulling up any minute now, so I'm gonna go so we don't keep on these monster magnets," Annabeth said.
"Alright," Rachel said. "I'll be downstairs waiting."
"Okay. Bring a coat, though. It's cold."
With that, the phone call ended.
About twenty minutes later, Rachel was in the back of the Prius as Percy drove them back out of the boarding school grounds and towards New York. She felt her face heating up again as she thought of the kiss she'd given Percy only a few months before in this very car, her sitting in the same seat as Annabeth. She watched the couple arguing and felt her chest tighten again.
"You okay?" Annabeth said, turning to look at her. "You look all red. If you're cold, I'll turn up the heat."
"Uh... No, I'm fine," Rachel said, smiling at her.
"Alright," Annabeth responded, looking at her quizzically. Soon, she was instructing Percy on how to get back to the interstate.
'I have to tell him... It has to be soon...' Rachel thought. Suddenly, she realized her sense of urgency and a sense of panic settled on her. 'Why do I have to do it soon? What's going to happen?'
"Are you sure you're alright?" Percy asked, looking at her through his rearview mirror. Annabeth's gray eyes were piercing her again, causing her to forget what she'd been thinking about as she vehemently denied anything being wrong as they continued driving down the snowy roads to New York.
********** Olympian Anthology **********
"We're home!" Percy said, hanging his jacket on the coat-rack on the inside of the door as he set Rachel's bag on the couch while he walked to his bedroom, where he tossed his hoodie off.
"Welcome back!" Sally Jackson walked out with her fiance, Paul Blofis. She smiled at Rachel and Annabeth as they walked in the door. "I'm glad to see you again, Rachel! It's been so long. Are you well?"
"Yes, ma'am," she said, blushing slightly from the attention. "It smells delicious in here."
"Please tell me the food is normal colored," joked Annabeth as Percy walked back in the room, smiling wryly at him.
"Real funny, Wise Girl," he said, walking into the kitchen past his parents. "You want anything to drink, Rachel?"
"Uh I'll take a grape soda if you have one!" she shouted.
"Take your coat off and stay a while," Annabeth said as she shucked her extra layers.
Percy walked back into the room with a grape soda in one hand and a root beer in the other.
"Gee thanks for asking if I wanted one, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth teased him as he handed Rachel the soda. He looked at his girlfriend, exhasperatedly, handing her the root beer before returning to the kitchen.
"What else needs to be done in here, Mom?" he asked and Sally smiled again at the girls before returning to the kitchen.
"Don't touch that, Percy! Get out of the pie!"
"Oh boy," Paul said, shaking his head as he returned to the kitchen, returning after a moment, holding Percy by the shirt before standing in the doorway to prevent any further intrusion. "Go on and entertain your guests."
Percy blushed and licked the pumpkin pie from his finger before walking up to Rachel.
"You'll be staying in the guest room with Annabeth," he explained, picking up her bag again and leading her to the room. They set down her things and pulled a spare air-mattress out and Percy set up the electric air pump.
"This is nice for a guest room," Rachel said, looking around, suddenly noticing Percy's schoolbag and other of his things in it.
"It's actually my room," he said. "But while you two are here, it's yours."
"So where are you sleeping?" Rachel asked. She blushed furiously as she realized what she'd just asked.
"I'm sleeping on the pull out couch for now," he said, simply, not even looking up from the air pump as he finished plugging it in and started blowing up the mattress.
"Oh," Rachel said simply. She felt awkward being alone in the room with him.
"You can go back to the living room if you like," he said, looking up at her with his deep, sea-green eyes.
"Ok," she said, dropping her things at the foot of the air-mattress before walking out of the room. She walked back into the living room to find Annabeth on the couch, drawing on a sketch pad she'd brought while National Geographic played a document on Ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
She sat down next to the other girl, occasionally stealing glances at the plans she was drawing up and some of Daedalus's notes, which were indecipherable to her but Annabeth seemed to understand completely.
*************** Olympian Anthology ***************
The Thanksgiving holiday passed and, soon, the weekend was coming to a close. Annabeth had to leave and couldn't drive with Percy and Rachel to take her back to school. After a quick kiss, Annabeth headed to Camp to talk to Chiron about a problem with the construction of the new cabins and the camp.
Neither her or Percy spoke a word as he drove her back to her school. In fact, it wasn't until he reached to fork in the road that had given him such trouble the last time he'd driven here that he even uttered a word to her.
As they saw the school approaching, something screamed inside Rachel.
'This may be the last time you see him! Say something!' it seemed to scream and that cold sense of dread washed over her anew. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to him but it wasn't her place to interfere with fate.
"Hey... Um.. Percy?" she said, as she averted her gaze.
"Yeah?" he said, focusing on the road but looking over at her when he could.
"I just wanted you to know..." she said, softly. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
"For what?" he looked at her quizzically.
"I'm so sorry for lying to you," she said. "I was scared of my fate as the Oracle and I was afraid of what it would do to me if I'd actually... You know..."
Silence filled the car as he pulled up and into the gate of the school.
"I don't get it," he said after he parked the car.
"Well, the truth is..." she said, still not looking at him for fear of losing her courage to keep talking. "The truth is... I love you..."
"Oh..." he said. His expression was unreadable as Rachel glanced at him.
"I'm so sorry," she said, her face turning brilliantly red and her eyes burning and filling with so many tears that her vision blurred. "I... I-I-I... I wanted to tell you... But... m-m-my fate... I couldn't be with you and... and... and I knew that you'd be happier with Annabeth and-"
Percy cut her off with a strong hug, holding her to his chest.
"Don't do that to yourself," he said, after a moment. He let her sob into his jacket. "Don't think about what-ifs, Rachel..."
Rachel heard the dark tone in his voice and looked up to see tears streaming down his face.
"Trust me," he said, breathing a deep, shaky breath. "It'll eat you alive if you do..."
"Percy..." she said, softly touching his cheek. "Thank you so much... For everything you've done for me. You've shown me the way to my true fate and you've been a great friend. You and Annabeth both! You're both a great couple and you truly deserve each other."
She smiled as her body wracked with sobs and she collapsed into his arms again.
"I'm so sorry for telling you this now," she choked out between sobs. "I have no right to interfere with you and Annabeth."
"Don't worry, Rachel," he said, stroking her hair softly. He smelled nice. Like the ocean breeze on a clear day.
After a few minutes, she'd finally composed herself enough and he lead her back to the entry to her dormitory.
"Well, I'll see you for Christmas break, too, alright?" he said, smiling at her as she pushed open the door.
Rachel felt a wave of sadness as she forced a happy smile back at him.
"You bet!"
She knew, somehow, that this would be the last time she'd see him for a long time yet to come...
Just as she'd feared, only a few weeks later, a hysterical Annabeth called her, sobbing and wailing that Percy had disappeared and no-one could find him...
