The fabulous Rick Riordan owns everything!
This was orignally longer, but I split it up into two pieces. I'm not quite sure about the writing in this chapter, it still seems rough and unfinished. Maybe I'll do a rewrite when I have the time, but I wanted to post it for all the people that asked me to continue!
The first thing she noticed was the columns. Soaring, reaching up to the ceiling, perfectly preserved. Out of instinct Annabeth reached for the sketchpad that she kept to map out plans for Mount Olympus's renovations. Meeting empty air, she frowned.
Percy laughed quietly in her ear, nudging her slightly to keep moving. "Impressive, I know."
"It's amazing." Annabeth breathed, moving along the walkway toward the front. She kept her face turned toward the ceiling, studying the mosaics and columns. "Look at the size of these columns…I wonder how much the roof weighs? And the craftsmanship at the top! Percy, this is incredible!"
Her pocket buzzed, and Annabeth automatically stopped and fumbled around, bringing out the small communicator she had thrown in just before she started climbing. With an exasperated sigh, Percy shepherded her to the side of the walkway and shielded her from the crowd as she flipped it open, Leo's face filling the screen.
She had to lean in to hear over the din of the still filling Senate House, Leo talking in his usual rapid fire fashion. "Annabeth! Holy Hephaestus, what's going on down-"
"Move it punk." Annabeth rolled her eyes as a protesting Leo was pushed to the side, Clarisse taking the communicator from him. She looked off screen, talking to someone on the Argo II. "Leave it. I said leave it. There you go." She turned back to Annabeth, her face grim. "So. We need to come in to kick some Roman butt or what?"
"It's okay Clarisse," Percy interrupted from over her shoulder, talking loudly to be heard over the chattering crowd. "She's with me. Hey, move around," he said angrily to someone trying to shove them out of the way.
"Percy!" Though Clarisse's scowl didn't budge from her face, Annabeth saw her eyes light up. "Err…punk. See you didn't get killed or anything." From behind her came several hoots, Travis and Connor Stoll grinning and waving excitedly before being chased away by one of Clarisse's siblings that was howling threats of a painful death.
Percy smiled, extending one arm out further to keep Annabeth from being jostled by several passing senators. "Yep, I'm still here."
"Well aren't we so lucky to have you back. Are you really wearing a bed sheet Jackson? You look stupid in that thing by the way."
"Listen Clarisse," Percy's smile faded from his face, his voice growing serious. His eyes flickered over Annabeth's head at some unknown object, his face tightening before he returned his gaze to the screen. His voice was lower. "Get some of the others on backup. Just in case."
Clarisse's eyes narrowed and she made some quick hand motions to some people off screen before turning back. Her voice was flat. "Are the Romans preparing to attack?" Annabeth saw several of the others hurrying about the deck, carrying armor, weapons, ambrosia and other battlefield necessities. Malcolm and Piper seemed to be heading up the mobilization effort, directing campers every which way.
"No!" Percy's retort came out a little louder than intended, several Romans giving them funny looks. Percy grimaced and lowered his voice again. "No, but doesn't hurt to be prepared. Get Will?"
"Will?" For a second the utmost confusion crossed her face, mirrored on Annabeth's. Why would Percy need Will? "Umm, sure. Will!" Clarisse shouted.
The screen tilted as Clarisse handed it off to someone. Will Solace appeared, his brown hair sticking up in every direction, arms full of arrows and Band-Aids. He looked out of breath. "What's up Percy?"
"Will, can you grab some of your stuff and come down here?" Percy said firmly, ignoring Annabeth's confused frown. "I need your help."
Will looked as bewildered as Annabeth felt. He shrugged. "Yea, umm sure, let me get my bow and I'll be right there."
Annabeth started to speak, her mouth forming the words when Percy squeezed her hand, cutting her off with his own words. "Great. Just come into the Senate House. First row."
Will nodded and handed the screen back to Clarisse. She looked mystified, but too busy to worry much about it. Even as they watched several campers came up to ask her something. "Anything else we should know about?"
"No, thanks Clarisse, I'll let you know if I need you guys."
Clarisse rolled her eyes. "Yea whatever punk." The screen winked off.
Annabeth opened her mouth, a million questions on her lips but Percy put a firm hand on her waist, guiding her forward. "No time, no time." he muttered. No time? She pulled away from him with a heave, arms crossed in front of her. Percy looked at her with surprise on his face. Though there was a grumble from people trying to find a place in the crowded Senate House, Annabeth refused to budge.
"No, you're going to explain now." She insisted, her gray eyes flashing. She'd be darned if she was about to try to negotiate an alliance with these Romans without knowing why Percy seemed so anxious. "Why did you tell-"
"Annabeth!" Percy grabbed her arm, tugging her to a shadowy alcove by a column. He whirled to face her. "Can you be a little quieter?" he hissed, his eyes darting over her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Annabeth whispered angrily at him, her arms still crossed. "Telling Clarisse to have backup ready? And why does Will need to be-"
"Shhh!" Moving forward, Percy clapped a hand over her mouth. She promptly wrenched it down and shoved the heels of her hands into his chest, the impact rocking him back on his heels. "Okay fine. Look. You see that kid over there? Tall, skinny, light hair?"
Annabeth peered over to where Percy was pointing at a cluster of Roman senators. One of them was gesticulating wildly, shooting suspicious glances over where Jason stood talking quietly with the purple cape girl. "In the toga? Yea."
"That's Octavian." From the way Percy's face darkened Annabeth surmised the skinny senator was not their friend. "He's the augur, which is kind of like our Oracle. He's angry that I was made praetor instead of him."
Octavian. Where had she heard that name before? The girl in the purple cape had been shouting…Annabeth hissed in a breath. "He's the one that shot down the ladder."
Percy's face tightened, his sea green eyes sharpening. "He's up to something. Sorry about the backup thing, but you were falling…"
"It's fine Percy," Annabeth said, her mind racing at a million miles an hour, the crowded Senate House fading to the back of her mind. So that was why Percy seemed so on edge and had Clarisse ready the rest of the campers. Someone had purposefully tried to kill her. Well, maybe not kill but at the very least scare her. And from the way Percy was acting, it was pretty clear that this wasn't the first time he'd had to deal with this Octavian's schemes. Something must have happened between them before. It was also apparent that Octavian would not be helpful in establishing an alliance with Camp Half-Blood either, and Annabeth internally groaned. It would be tricky enough to speak before the Roman Senate without any openly hostile people, but it seems that that idea just went out the window. Now she would have to figure out how to convince the Senate to listen to her and not to one of their own. Maybe Jason could-
Light pressure on her chin broke off her chain of thought as Percy tipped her face up, one finger under her chin. "Hey," he said softly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're zoning out there."
Annabeth stared at him for a moment, and then it registered. He was really here. After months of searching, Percy was standing only inches away from her. Emotion welled up in her. "I've missed you Percy!" Throwing her arms around him, Percy staggered back a step before chuckling and hugging her tightly. He must have realized the direction her thoughts took her, because he drew back and smiled at her before leaning in closer.
A loud gong sounded and Percy quietly cursed in Ancient Greek. "I have to get to the front. I swear I'll explain everything afterwards. Come on." He put an arm around her shoulder and steered her to the front row before giving her an apologetic look and climbing to sit next to the purple caped girl. Annabeth took a seat next to Jason, who seemed angry about something.
Up front, the girl in the purple cape kept trying to get everyone's attention. "Attention. Attention!"
Jason suddenly stood, a blast of lightning arcing from his spear to the legion's eagle with an ear splitting crash. "Shut up!" he roared.
The entire building was stunned into silence, the eagle still smoking slightly. Annabeth sat rigid. This was a great way to start negotiations.
