Aricia slapped her own forehead and groaned. "Of course. It's never easy is it?"

Annabeth shook her head. "I'm sorry about this Ari, I know that this is probably the last thing you need right now."

"It's the last thing anyone needs. If one Olympian, let alone the queen of them could be captured what does that say for the others? For us? For the western civilization entirely?" Aricia asked and scratched her head.

"No idea, that's the worst part."

Jason stepped forward and stared at Aricia for a few moments before he said, "Does your mother have an known enemies?"

"Besides your father? No." Aricia snapped, then wished she hadn't. "I apologize." She said and sighed. "That was uncalled for."

Jason tried his best to avoid looking at Aricia's eyes. Purple. No contact lenses in them, just purple. He had heard the story from Annabeth, that Zeus had chained her to the side of Olympus and sent waves of lightning through her body until Hera had been able to free her. Her eyes at one point, or so Jason had heard, were brown.

"I understand Aricia." Jason admitted.

"Chiron wants to see you in the Big House." Annabeth added. "As soon as you're able."

"I'll go now." Aricia said and began to walk down towards the building. "Thanks."

Once she got there though, she was alone. She walked in to the nearest empty room and began to let her mind wander.

"Of course it had to be her." Aricia muttered as she paced an empty room in the Big House. She tried not to remember the day she arrived at Camp Half-Blood. Her satyr had been brutally killed by Zeus' beasts that same day. She tried not to remember that day almost as hard as she tried not to think about the fact it was this very room she had first meet Percy and Annabeth. And Silena.

Silena

Her death was still an open wound for Aricia. She should have been there; she should have taken the armor and died instead. Aricia sat down and put her head in her pale white hands. She had known about Silena, about her telling Luke certain things. He had lied to her, he had said, no he had sworn that no one would get hurt this way. First Charlie, and the Silena herself had been killed.

"I'm doing it to protect you." Silena had told her the night Aricia confronted her. She didn't want to believe the person she admired most was working for the other side. "He promised fewer people would die this way that you and Charlie would be okay."

Silena had wanted to stop, but Luke refused. And if he exposed to the other campers who knows what would have happened? Exile, death even could have awaited. But in the end, death had come to Silena anyway. Only this way she had died a hero, and honored as such.

"Aricia."

Aricia looked up and smiled a small, sad smile. "Hello Chiron."

The centaur looked at her sympathetically. "Things can't be easy for you right now. You've been coping with Silena's loss very difficulty I've heard." He laid a gentle hand on her head. "That is the life of all demigods Aricia. They do what they must even though death is always looming close. Silena was a hero, and you should be proud of her life, not mourn her death."

"I am proud of my sister." Aricia said strongly. "She was a hero, no matter what some others say." For the nearly four years Aricia had lived at Camp Half-Blood was had been an Aphrodite since no one lived in Cabin 2. Silena and her had been 'half-sisters' in the eyes of the camp, since they would be sharing the same mother. However, the two had shared a bond that had made them closer than that. Even if they didn't share the same mother, they had been sisters all the same.

"And now this new business with your mother being kidnapped, it can't make you feel anything but worse." Chiron finished. "Which could very much put you in line as a candidate for the new Great Prophecy."

"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." Aricia repeated automatically. "Seven people, it could be anyone. Maybe my mother isn't even kidnapped. Maybe Zeus thinks I'm involved in this too and just wants to send me off to get killed. Again."

"Jason, Piper and Leo are off on their quest tomorrow. Perhaps you should go with them." Chiron suggested. "You're mother would…"

"Not want me in harm's way. She made me swear to her that I would come back here and not do anything stupid or brave or any combination of the two. She told me to stay put."

"But that was before…"

Aricia slammed her fist on the table so hard it cracked beneath her fist. "It's a trap!" She bellowed. Outside the clouds hanging overhead suddenly darkened by a few shades. "He wants me dead again!"

"No, no Aricia." Chiron didn't get angry over the table. He was though, apprehensive about dealing with Aricia's temper. "I fear this is something far, far worse than your father being nervous about you doing something against him."

Aricia glared towards the sky, her purple eyes blazing with fury. Deep down she knew that Chiron was telling the truth, but she couldn't accept the fact her mother the Queen Goddess had been captured. Who could do such a thing if not Zeus.

"How closed off is Olympus?" She asked at last.

"Completely." Chiron answered. "As you can see, our own Mr. D. is gone."

"What of my sister? What of Hebe?"

"No word."

"Blast!" Aricia rubbed her temples. "I'll find some other way to help, I can't go with those other three demigods. It doesn't feel right. Instead…." Aricia paused and gave a heavy sigh. "I'll lead my own quest. Try to find Percy, try to find clues, try to find a way to contact Olympus. Anything, I'll save my mother my own way."

"Very well, I see I cannot convince you otherwise." Chiron sighed. "You're just like she was when she was centuries and centuries younger." He muttered. "Stubborn as a rock." He looked at Aricia and tried to find a reason to deny her request, but knew in the end she would do what she wanted. "You will go and try to seek access to Olympus."

"I'll assemble my team then." Aricia announced and began to leave the room. "And we'll report back here before me go."

Chiron gave her a nod. "Choose wisely. You may need to reveal yourself so bring either those who know, or those whom you trust with the truth."

"I understand."

Arica left the Big House and made her way down to the archery fields. She knew at least one person she wanted to take along with her on this quest. She waited until the campers having their lesson were finished before she called out,

"Rahl!"

Rahl Tolcar, son of Apollo turned and smiled broadly. "Ari!"

The pair waited until no one was watching before they share a quick kiss. Silena had warned Aricia to never let the other Aphrodite kids know if she liked anyone. They thought their mother had set forth some rite of passage, that they needed to fall in love and then break their partner's heart. Not even Annabeth or Clarisse knew about her almost year long relationship with Rahl.

"I'm glad your back." Rahl said and held her hand tightly.

After Silena's death Aricia had left Camp Half-Blood for a three month period to try and grieve and recover. However, when Percy went missing and Olympus was closed off, she knew she had to return and do what she had to in order to help out.

"Chiron is giving me a quest." Aricia said. "And I want you to come."

Rahl's face lit up. "Really? I've never been on a quest." He said and smiled. "And with you? Of course I'll go."

He still didn't know the truth about her, but if she had to reveal herself on this quest, what better way to tell him? "Kiss me again." She teased and rubbed her nose against his. Eskimo kisses, enough to make him chuckle.

"Well…." He drew out the word. "Alright I guess." He kissed her lips again left his there for a moment longer this time.

He had been one of the ones to stick up for her on her first day when Clarisse had tried to kill her during Capture the Flag. He had fought off the other Ares kids while Silena and Aricia tackled Clarisse. In the end, the girls had lost the physical fight despite getting in a few solid hits. But they had earned respect, for at last people saw the children of Aphrodite were not ones to be mocked and underestimated.

"Who else is coming?" He asked.

"I don't know yet. We should go see the Oracle before figuring out who else will come."

Rahl and Aricia made their way to Rachel Elizabeth Dare's cave. The place gave Aricia the creeps, but it was a lot better than dealing with the mummy in the attic like before.

"Rachel?" Aricia looked around the cave.

"Hey!" Rachel yawned and came into view. She looked like she'd been napping. "What's up? Business or just being neighborly?"

"We need a prophecy." Aricia admitted.

"Ah, they always do. Never get any casual visits much huh? Well this place even gives me the creeps sometimes…" Rachel was cut off as the power of the Oracle within her took over.

"Four must travel into Death so one's tormented soul can rest

Temptation rises in fields of gold to stay and never again grow old

Beneath is the key to unlock the above but you must leave the nest that houses the dove

Or else you lose that which you love.

Lovers, old enemies and new must embark as the chosen few."