A/n Thank you to those of you who were so moved as to add this story to your favorites and alerts! Please enjoy this chapter! Questions, comments, opinions, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Miette
PS—Edited 3/21/12
**Disclaimer** I do not own PJO or the characters that I have borrowed with respect from Rick Riordan
12 Years Later
"Sorry, we haven't missed her, have we?" Nico and his wife, Eliza breathlessly reached the three figures standing by the fence.
"She stopped over to say hi, but she hasn't competed yet." Annabeth replied, hugging the couple.
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the July heat the plagued Montauk had let up slightly, making things more bearable for both the spectators and competitors, such as Sophia Jackson, of the horseshow on its second day today.
"I'm sorry," Eliza said after greeting Percy and Rachel, "it's my fault we're running later. I got held up…"
"With work." Her husband and friends finished for her.
Eliza, a daughter of Apollo ran her own Wedding/Event planning company. They did everything from small intimate gathering to large concerts and festivals. Eliza's company was beginning to make a good name for itself.
"You know, Eliza, when that baby of yours comes, you're going to have to take sometime for your own kid."
"I know," Eliza smiled, laying a protective hand over her baby bump, "I'm going to leave someone else to do a lot of the hands on work, at least temporarily, I just don't know who yet."
"What about Claude? She's good," Rachel said, referring to the Daughter of Aphrodite that worked with Eliza.
"Well, we'll see, I've got awhile yet. Where's everyone else?"
"Mom and Paul will be right back, they went to grab a drink with the kids. Beca is walking around with her boyfriend," Percy managed to infuse a great deal of distaste into the word. "Malcolm couldn't get away from work, and Tyson went with Sophia to look at the horses. He should be back in a minute; there are only two more competitors before Sophia."
"Thanks, Uncle Tyson." Sophia gave him a hug, "I've got to finish getting ready. I'll see you and everyone after my event."
Tyson patted the nose of Naida, Sophia's horse, then waved to Sophia and headed out of the barn back toward their family.
Sophia rested her head against Naida's liver neck. She was anxious.
"The two of you will be great."
"Thanks, Carter." Sophia smiled and turned toward the guy leaning against the wall. "I thought you said you weren't going to be around for the show."
He shrugged, "I wasn't, but I managed to get some free time that I wasn't expecting. So, here I am."
Sophia smiled at her dark haired friend. They'd met at these stables and hit it off…well, horribly at first. However, they'd eventually become very close friends. Whenever Carter could get away from all the stuff that seemed to keep her absurdly and mysteriously busy for a 13yearold, he, Sophia and their friend Paige would get together and generally get up to all sorts of trouble.
"I'm glad you came. Most of my family made it, too. I really hope you all aren't disappointed."
"Stop worrying! You're going to make Naida nervous. Besides, I already talked to Paige, so I know you had no errors yesterday in the Dressage."
"I did do pretty well, yesterday." Sophia admitted, "Alright, come on, make yourself useful since you're here." With Carter's help, Sophia quickly did a last check of Naida's tack, then herself.
"You both look great. It's probably about time for you to go."
"Yea," Sophia took a deep breath, trying to calm her anxiety, "walk with me?"
"Sure."
"Rachel, did you get her new…horse…stuff…?" Eliza couldn't think of the correct word for all of the equipment their niece used, as she Sophia moved to her starting spot.
"Between my family money and Apollo, I have no expenses or much to want for, plus the money I earn from my art, I may as do something useful. In this case, spoil my niece rotten."
"Evidently."
"Oh come on! She loves purple! Cross-country is the only phase of her Eventing that she has so much option in what she and Naida wear. You wait and see how badly I spoil your little one." Rachel turned away from Nico and Eliza to watch as Sophia and Naida Pearl of the Sea began their run. Everyone watched with bated breath as Sophia and Naida galloped through the course.
Sophia and Naida were making good time, flying over the various obstacles designed to emulate those potentially found in nature. Carter stood with his and Sophia's friend Paige watching from the opposite side of the course as Sophia's family, unbeknownst to him. He crossed his fingers, sending a silent pray for his friend as she and her mount made the turn for the last part of the course. It was then that he saw something was going wrong. Carter had seen Sophia and Naida work and ridden with them often enough to know that something was wrong. He watched, unable to do anything as Sophia tried to pull her horse back to control. Something had spooked Naida, a horse who did not spook, beyond belief. Sophia lost her seat, landing with an audible crack as her head slammed into the thick log that made up one of the obstacles.
"Sophia!" Carter was over the fence before he had processed what happened. He grabbed Naida's reins, pulling her down to all fours before she could hurt someone or herself.
Paige knelt at Sophia's head before being jostled out of the way by the medics who were on hand for emergencies like this.
Carter looked around once he finally got Naida settled. Some people he realized must be Sophia's family were standing around concerned. A blonde woman and a black haired man stood closest to the medics who were carefully lifting the unconscious Sophia onto a stretcher. Both had stoic expressions on their faces. An older couple stood with them, seemingly trying to comfort them. Slightly to the side stood nine people, anxiety clear on their faces. Three children, Carter guessed the boy was Sophia's younger brother she'd talked about PJ, while the younger of the two girls must be her sister Silena. What really shocked Carter however, was that he knew three of the grownups standing by. His eyes swung back to the couple he had figured were Sophia's parents. Dark haired father, blonde mother, green eyes, gray eyes, both stoic, strong, and appearing to be muscular and fit. 'Oh Gods,' Carter thought, 'Sophia Jackson, Sophia Jackson. He was debating what he should do, when Naida made the decision for him, drawing attention to him. With a snort and a stamp, she tried to pull toward her mistress, seemingly concerned about how Sophia had ended up on the ground and why she wasn't getting up with a laugh and coming back to Naida like any other time she fell.
"Paige." Carter called to the girl, causing her to come help him hold the horse away from the medics and Sophia. Naida's antics and Carters voice caused Sophia's family to look away from her for a moment. Her parents and grandparents quickly turned back from the distraction and began to follow the medics off the course, but Carter looked back over to the other six and saw three surprised pairs of eyes on him. "Would you take Naida back to her stall? She knows you better." Carter said to Paige as he slackened his hold on Naida's reins.
"Umm, ok." The girl reached out and squeezed Annabeth's shoulder as she walked by, "She'll be ok Mrs J, Mr J. I'll rub Naida down for her, then I'll come right over if that's alright."
"Of course, Paige," Annabeth threw a distracted smile at the girl who had been riding with Sophia for almost as long as both girls were walking.
Carter made his way toward three of the last people in the world he expected to see when he snuck away from camp to watch Sophia compete today. "Nico," he shook hands with his half brother. "Eliza, Oracle." He hugged Eliza and inclined his head slightly, unsure how to address the Oracle of Delphi in a situation like this.
"I'm just Rachel here."
"Aunt Rachel? And Uncle Nic and Aunt E? Sophia's talked about you guys a lot. I just never..." He ran an anxious hand through his hair. "I'm sorry I left camp without permission. Sof asked if I could come see her show." He knew it was lame, and he was probably going to be in huge amounts of trouble, but he never imagined that he was going to bump into people from camp.
"We'll worry about it later, right now we need to worry about Sophia."
"Umm-" Carter wasn't sure if he should risk saying anything, when he wasn't even sure what to say.
Nico glared at him, but Eliza turned curious eyes to Carter, "Yes?"
"Something was wrong with Naida. I mean, obviously, she spooked and threw Sophia, but I've ridden with Sophia and Naida before. I've seen her work Naida. Naida doesn't spook. She's not a skittish horse and neither Paige nor I noticed anything that could have spooked her. I've seen her get rowdy, but never like that. Before today I never would have imagined her throwing Sophia like that. It's always seemed like she and Naida had a mental connection, like she knew what Naida was thinking and how she would move." He looked between the three grownups then shrugged, "It probably is nothing." He finished lamely, "but something just feels off."
A/N Thank you for reading! I hope you're enjoying reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Please, if you feel soo moved, feel free to review. Anything that you feel compeled to say, I'm happy to hear!
Thanks again!
Miette
PS—I hope things are a bit clearer this time around. It is intentionally a bit hazy, I mean, you're being thrown right into the middle of something. But there is a difference between having questions and being horribly confused!
~~Miette
