"My brother tells me you are one of the few who has ventured into the Isles of the Pythoros."
"One of my prisoners has escaped there."
"He is dead…"
"She,"
"She is certainly dead."
The Queen paused, and then narrowed her eyes at Perseus.
"Find her. Bring her to me."
"I've been to that land. I am not going back."
"You will be rewarded." It was the first time one of her subjects had ever rebuffed her peremptory requests. She exhaled, "Handsomely."
"What good is gold to me if I'm lying dead on the forests with Stymphalian birds picking at my eyes?"
The Queen kept quiet. Her impatience had reached volcanic pitch and she was just waiting to blow and demand for his head.
Perseus, Percy, noticed her anger, and asked, "Why is she of such value?"
The queen turned away, and drawled angrily, "That is none of your concern…"
Percy sheepishly answered, "I'll determine what concerns me, thank you."
"You will do this for me!" her voice was high-pitched.
"And if I refuse?" Percy challenged, crossing his arms.
The Queen's Guard lowered their spears at him. He practically couldn't move without getting pierced. One of the guards kicked the backs of his knees and held him down.
The Queen smiled. "I have an offer for you, Perseus Jackson. I know the whereabouts of your mother, Sally. If you'd like to know them too, I would tell you."
Percy's eyes flashed with anger, "My mother is dead."
"Are you sure about that?" she raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about? I saw her die myself!" Percy was outraged.
"No you didn't. It was an illusion."
"And how do you know all this?"
"I have ears everywhere. Bring me the prisoner, and I will tell you all you need to know about where to find your mother."
The guard brought Percy up from his knees. Percy sighed, "So how do I find this prisoner of yours?"
IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO
After coming back from one of the cities to quell a raid, Luke felt exhausted. Slowly, he and his men cantered into the kingdom (another one) on horseback, only to be met by his father.
His mind was reeling the moment his father finished his first statement. "We have word of the princess of Athens." The princess was dead, wasn't she?
"Hera has kept her all these months."
Luke paused for a few moments, and then asked hoarsely, "She lives?"
"She escaped the castle, into the Isles of Pythoros." He said, immediately regretting having said it. He knew his son's relations with Annabeth and hoped that Luke would think his next actions through in a calm way. He was wrong.
"I'm going after her." He said, turning his horse.
"We don't know if she's survived. Luke!" his father looked enraged.
Luke stopped and turned. "What?"
"You venture beyond the castle walls again disobeying my orders. You're all that's left to me, do you understand? I cannot afford to lose anymore of my men—"
"I'm going alone," Luke said conclusively.
His father said quietly, "I cannot afford to lose my son…"
Luke looked down at his hands, which were gripping onto the horse reins, "I love you father, but I cannot afford to lose Annabeth a second time."
With that, he sped off, unaware of what was to come.
