Since you guys like the story I decided to continue it. I wont upload again until I get at least 5 reviews. Thanks to those who like the story it means a lot to me. Please Review :)
Percy was still dazed from the days events. The reunion with his friends went better than he could have imagined but the thing that made him happiest was seeing Annabeth. He had missed her so much. He was worried that she might have moved on, considering that he was gone for eight months but then he pushed the thought aside, Annabeth wasn't like that. After the amazing reunion, Percy spent as much time as possible with Annabeth but sadly as praetor he had a lot of duties to attend to. The following two days all he did was organize the camp after the battle and help load the supplies aboard the ship. Reyna helped him out a lot but he noticed that for some reason she seemed sad and worried. After a day he decided to ask her, what was up with her. Percy found Reyna in the Principia as usual. She was always pouring over some account, report or something else. He had no idea how she managed to sit like that for hours and read boring reports, it would have driven him insane.
" Hey Reyna," He greeted her, " What are you doing?"
Reyna raised her head and her sad expression seemed to brighten a bit when she saw him but then it looked sad again.
" I'm worried Percy. I'm not sure that the Greeks and Romans can get along." She said.
" Nobody started a war yet, even though the Greeks have been here for nearly two days." Percy pointed out.
" There are few of them and they stick mostly to the ship. I trust you Percy, but I cant seem to trust your friends yet." Reyna sighed.
" Jason trusts them. He lived with them for eight months and returned in a perfect mood and shape. They took care of him, even though they knew he was Roman."
" We took care of you too Percy, and accepted you as a Greek. I accepted you. I even forgave your past actions. I find it hard to trust your friends because they haven't proved themselves yet."
Percy didn't know what to say to that. There was no way the Greeks could prove themselves to the Romans so quickly. A good demonstration would be war games or Capture the Flag, but they didn't have the time to hold them yet. The Greeks were busy equipping the ship.
" Fine Reyna, its up to you whether you want to trust them or not yet. But I'm glad you trust me." Reyna smiled and nodded at that statement. Percy feeling that he had done the best he could started to walk away but then he remembered something important. He stopped at the doorway and turned to face Reyna,
" What happened with Jason?" He asked her. Percy remembered that she was rather anxious to see him. Reyna grimaced at the question.
" Nothing. He found someone else." She said harshly. Immediately Percy felt bad for asking the question.
" I'm sorry" he said.
Reyna shook her head sadly, " Don't be, its not your fault. Besides, I wasn't sure how I felt about him either. After all we were never together and eight months is a long time."
Percy didn't entirely believe her but he nodded and went outside.
He found Thalia and Rachel standing next to the Fifth Cohort barracks. They smiled when they saw him coming.
" What's up Percy, you look kind of, sad." Thalia said.
" I'm not sad, I'm tired" Percy answered, which was true. He never did get a chance to rest properly after the quest and the battle.
" Percy, how did you become praetor in a week?" Rachel asked curiously. Percy wanted to save the story till later but now he would have to improvise a bit.
" The Romans raised me on the shield to praetor two days ago when I singlehandedly defeated the giant Polybotes in the battle."
Thalia and Rachel looked surprised. However, Thalia recovered rather quickly.
" Well seaweed brain, I suppose you'll always want to play hero." She smirked.
" If it was my choice I wouldn't play hero at all." Percy grumbled causing Thalia to laugh.
Rachel meanwhile looked thoughtful, " Percy, keep a good eye on Annabeth will you? She seems to not have taken to the Romans well, especially Reyna."
Percy grimaced as he remembered Juno's warning and the prophecy.
" I'll do my best." He sighed, " But I'm afraid for Annabeth. Juno told me that Annabeth will cause trouble for the quest and that she has a tough path ahead of her. Then Ella, a harpy who memorizes every book she reads, including the Sibylline Books, recited a prophecy " Wisdoms daughter walks alone, The Mark of Athena burns through Rome."
" What books?" Thalia asked.
" The Sibylline Books," Percy explained, " They were the books of prophecy that outlined the while destiny of Rome. They were supposed to be burned but Ella seems to have found and read one of the half-burned copies."
" That prophecy doesn't sound to good." Rachel said, " Which makes it even more important that you take care of Annabeth."
" I know that!" Percy argued, " Its just that everyone, Juno, Gaea, Mars seem to be talking about some sacrifice that I have to make. Gaea wants to use me as her pawn. I'm just confused."
Thalia paled throughout the conversation but in the end she smiled at Percy,
" When are you not confused Percy? You had no idea what was going on with that last prophecy. Everything will work out in the end, just like it did last time."
" Hopefully." He mumbled but was glad for her support. He said goodbye and went to his barrack to get some sleep. Of course, dreams found him again.
Percy was standing on a beach, he turned back to see his old home, Camp Half-Blood. It was burning, overrun by monsters. The whole landscape morphed into Gaea's face. She was asleep as usual and her sleepy voice whispered in his mind.
" Do not push you luck Percy Jackson. Even if you are a valuable pawn, you are still causing me damage. Killing Polybotes was unacceptable but after you play your role in my plan, you will suffer a whole lot more than my children after they were defeated by you. Either way, you cannot win my little demigod. Soon, so very soon, my plan will succeed and I will awaken fully and then you and your friends will face certain doom." Her sleepy face smiled and dissolved in the landscape. Percy wanted to run out and punch her but sadly that was impossible. No way to hit a landscape.
Luckily the rest of his dreams weren't as unpleasant, though he did get a glimpse of Nico being shackled and led somewhere but before he got a better look the dream ended.
In the morning, he found Annabeth and the others already at breakfast. Percy went to sit with them. Annabeth had circles under her eyes.
" Hey Wise Girl." He said smiling, " Anything wrong?"
She just shrugged " Couldn't sleep well. That's all."
Percy didn't exactly believe her but if Annabeth didn't want to talk about what was bothering her than he wouldn't ask. He learned a long time ago that it was no good to press Annabeth when she didn't want to talk. Reyna made a short speech about wishing the seven of the prophecy good luck and that the Romans would stand by their side in this war.
After the last supplies were loaded, everyone began boarding the ship. Percy saw the campers sadden after they had to say goodbye to Jason, he was their hero after all. What surprised him was that the Romans were even sadder about telling him goodbye. Not wanting to leave without saying anything, he made a short speech where he talked about them being brave and that he would come back to visit them. Percy had no idea what he would do if he survived this quest. He wanted to return home but he had grown to like Camp Jupiter as well. He would figure it out later. Before he boarded he had one last thing left to do. Reyna was standing before the ship. He walked up to her.
" Well, I suppose this is goodbye. To bad I didn't get to spend more time here." Percy told her.
Reyna looked even sadder then she did the other day in the Principia, " Percy I really hope you survive. I wouldn't want Gaea to take you. If you survive remember that you always have a home with us. Your one of us now as well."
The gesture surprised Percy, Reyna never stuck him as the welcoming type but he nodded at her and smiled,
" I'll remember that. But I am Greek Reyna, I'll have to return where I belong eventually. Jason would do a much better job leading here."
Reyna just sighed and turned away, " I want to thank you for bringing my sister here. I didn't have a chance to tell you that before. You saved my camp, my new home. I will always be thankful to you for that."
Then she hugged him. Percy didn't expect that but he hugged her back. Reyna let go and when she looked at him, for the first time he saw her eyes loose the strict Roman look and tinged with red.
" Good Luck. I hope you'll come back" She added and looked at him wistfully for the last time before walking away.
Percy walked on the ship still rather dazed from the encounter. Reyna wasn't emotional type, yet she had clearly shown that she cared about what happened to him. Percy had a vague suspicion about the reason behind her care. However, he decided to dismiss it considering that he had never been really bright around girls; he just didn't understand them.
On the ship Annabeth and Jason were looking at him with they're eyebrows raised. Only then he realized that Annabeth saw his whole exchange with Reyna. He hastily explained that it was only Reyna thanking him and wishing him good luck. To his happiness and surprise, Annabeth didn't push the matter and took his hand as she gazed at the fading camp.
" So…" Percy turned to his shipmates, " Since we've got some quality time on this ship how about we talk about our quests. Juno told me she was being held in prison and I would really like to know who let her out and why."
Jason smiled, " Piper, Leo and I went on the quest to free Hera…" he began. Percy just settled into a comfortable chair and got ready to exchange stories about crazy adventures.