Author notes - Hi guys!
1. This is my first fanfic, so please - no flames.
2. I have a problem - English is not my first language, so I might have a few grammar mistakes. please write me if you find some so I can fix it.
3. I do not own PJO, TLH, Rick Riordan or Percy (I wish, duh). I do adore them all.
4. R & R?
5. ENJOY!
One – Shot – Silena's Dream
Silena was walking in her wide cabin, while cleaning and organizing it. The neatness should be here every minute, and she wanted to make sure her cabin will be perfect, as usual, that her mother won't be ashamed at her, like she was in her dream, this horrible dream she will never be able to forget. She remembers this dream, as sharp as clear. It was a warm night, a few days after Percy, Annabeth, Tyson and Grover went down to the labyrinth. Silena had barely managed to fall asleep. When she finally could sleep… she had this stupid dream.
She found herself in a beautiful garden, above her only blue sky and this huge, magical castle, like the one you can find on every regular girl's tales about the princess and the "happily ever after" ending. She looked around her. The garden was green and lovely, flowery and colorful. There were many usual plants, like Orchids and fruit trees, but there were also a few strange and mystically plants, this strange tree for example. She came closer to it, trying to figure out what the hell it's supposed to be. It was pink, with tiny solver flowers, glimmering in the light of the eternal sun. Its trunk was covered with tiny Greece names with odd signs by them, coming and going, like a marathon of these words. She touched its trunk, trying to read these engraved names. Suddenly she heard a voice behind her back. It was quiet, yet powerful. "A wedding fit from Demeter for me and for Hephaestus." She quickly turned around to face the lady, embarrassed from catching during her action. The woman smiled. She was beautiful. She had some of Silena and from her brothers, the best of them. Emily's freckles. Gordon's glamour blond wavy hair. Claire's white teeth. Page's little cute nose. And she had her own eyes, Silena's eyes. The diagonal cat-eyes, kaleidoscope-like. She was so similar to her children, yet so much prettier than they will ever be. Silena's jaw opened with shock.
"Mom."
Aphrodite smiled, not showing any clue to the embarrassment she felt in this situation. She stood by Silena's side and touched the tree's bunk. All of a sudden, the names stopped running. She bent onto the branches and grabbed one of the silver flowers. She twisted it between her fingers, and then weaved it in Silena's hair, at the top of her ear. "Let's talk." She said to her daughter and indicated to a white bench in front of a crystal-like lake, hidden under the oak tree's shadows.
When they set down, Aphrodite sighed. "Close your mouth honey, it is does not appropriate for a girl of mine, especially not a successful one like you." A hint of a proud smile flashed on her lips. Silena regained her composure. "What are you doing here? I mean, what am I doing here?" she was confused. The smile on Aphrodite's face eliminated, and for a second a deep sorrow took over the pretty face. Something in Silena's heart pinched. "You came here because… I need to talk to you about some… decisions you had received recently. The chunk in Silena's throat grew. "Luke?" she mumbled hesitantly. Aphrodite nodded, "Luke." Silena lowered her sight, embarrassed. Her mother looked forward, to the big castle above them. Then she turned to Silena.
"Are you complete with your decision?" Silena distorted her face. "I… I don't know." "How long is this spy-thing lasts?" a short break. "This is the third year." "How long?" Silena directed her sight at her mother, and replied strongly and clear. "Three years." Aphrodite nodded distractedly. Long minutes passed by as both the beautiful women drowned in the own thoughts, until Silena broke this silence.
"Well?" she said. Aphrodite shook with confusion. "Well what?" "Well, like when-will-you-yell-at-me-I'm-a-very-unsuccessfully-traitor." Aphrodite's reaction surprised her. She smirked. "Why would I say such a harsh things?" she got Silena unprepared. "Um… am I not an unsuccessfully and a traitor girl?" she asked with confusion. Aphrodite burst with laugh. "Unsuccessfully? You? You are one of my most successful girls ever!" Silena straightened with a bit of pride. "And traitor… I don't know." Silena's pride was gone with the wind. Poof, you are the best, poof you suck. "It depends on you. Do you feel comfortable at camp half-blood?" "Of course I am!" Silena protested. "And how do you feel every time you… send Luke your… reports?" Aphrodite had difficulty to end this line. Silena replied – "bad." She strangled a little. "Look, I'm not going to tell you what to do, because, in the end, you are the one to choose your own path. I won't deny I am disappointed, but I hope you will do the right decision, and you are still my daughter, no matter what your actions are." Aphrodite told her. All of a sudden, Silena was shaken. One tear rolled down on her cheek and fell on the ground. For a few minutes that seemed to be forever it was silent. And then Aphrodite did something that surprised Silena the most.
She hugged her. It only made her cry grows harder. "Hush…" whispered the goddess of love. "I'm sorry", Silena sobbed. "It's just… all this years I looked forward a mother that will support me and love me and protect me and… and… and will hold me tight like this whenever I will fall apart. And now, when my dream finally comes true…" she expected the goddess will loose her grip, but once again, the goddess got her unprepared – she only tightened it.
"I'm sorry", Aphrodite whispered. Then she held Silena's hands and pulled her to stand. They walked to stand in front of the pink tree. "As I said, this is Demeter's wedding gift she gave me and Hephaestus. All these names – "she touched the trunk and again, the names and the signs frozen all of a sudden – "are names of lovers and their destiny. Take for example Jennifer K. and Brad S." she pointed on a couple of names with a sign of an empty heart with a line in the middle of it. "The heart with the line in it indicates about a broken heart, unsuitability. There is neither love nor connection between them. This relationship's destiny is to fail. On the other hand, let's take your friends, Percy and Annabeth." Aphrodite pointed on their names – Percy J. and Annabeth C. Silena shrink a little as a reaction to the familiar and hurt names, but Aphrodite ignored it. "Can you see this sign?" Aphrodite smiled on the direction of the sign – a great red heart, with the sign of infinite, ∞ in the bottom of it. Silena smiled. She didn't need any translation. Then Aphrodite became silent. She gently touched the tree for the third time with an infinite softness. "And this is," she focused Silena's attention. Silena's eyes widened with shock. She read the names combination, with distrust.
Silena B. and Charles B.
"What… what is the meaning of this sign?" she whispered with terror in her eyes, pointing with her finger on the embedded sign. She was afraid that if she tries to speak loudly, she will cry once again. Her mother kept silent, doesn't ready to explain the meaning of the dark read heart, almost like blood, with a knife in its bottom. A chunk choked her throat. "They threatened that… they will hurt someone I… I love. If I will ever quit." She started to cry again. Aphrodite held her tight, cries with her deep in her heart.
"The dawn is coming." Aphrodite said. "We have only a few minutes before you will wake up." "What? But, mom – ""No, my dear daughter. We don't have any time." She sighed. "I hope you will consider wisely your steps. Anyway, I know that you will do the right thing, in the end." Silena raised her eyes, surprised, but the goddess avoided meeting the broken-hearted girl's eyes. Finally she sighed and stood in front of her daughter, holding her hands. "Farewell, darling." "Goodbye mom." "And… I am sorry, honestly." Aphrodite stared at her with pain, with mourning in her eyes. Silena wanted to ask what's the big pain, but then she felt pulling in her guts. Everything faded, and a few moments later she found herself awaken in her bed, her fingers holding a tiny silver flower, glimmering in the light of the rising sun.
"Silena? Silena?" she heard a voice calls her name, and stopped her daydreaming. Beckendorf stood by her, embarrassed. A few days had already gone since that terrific dream, and Beckendorf haven't done anything yet to distract her attention, only sneaked deep thoughtful glances at her from a while to while. "Can I talk to you?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck. "Sure, let's go outside." She nodded with a smile and turned toward the exit. They walked one by each other, their arms touch-a-touch, until they made it to the coast. Silena stepped forward, leaving her feet in the water. Beckendorf followed her and then turned to her, this deep gaze lying on her face. "Please?" he whispered. Silena only had to nod. She closed her eyes as his right hand, his big dark-colored fingers combined with her long, lean and bright fingers, and his left arm lied on the back of her neck, while he was leaning toward her, his lips touches her soft lips.
'Whatever will happened, I live my present. And my present is here, with Beckendorf. Here, at home.'
