Hello again! I updated quickly. This is so fun (and hard) to write. Thank you soooo much for all the feedback and followers. It surprised me (and no, I didn't sprint down the stairs to proclaim this news to my dog, really!). Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Jason spluttered to the surface. He'd swallowed at least three mouthfuls of the salt water, and it was so cold. So so cold. He was flailing, and then searching. He was searching so hard for Frank, and Hazel and even Octavion. Any proof that he wasn't alone in the middle of a nightmare. He was surrounded by wreckage of his ship. With a sudden feeling or dread, he realised that the soldiers would have been dragged to the sea bed by their heavy metal armour, and the slaves were in chains...

"Frank!" He called desperately, his voice cracking, "Hazel, please!" The open space absorbed the sound. There was no echo. He grabbed wildly onto a piece of wood left over from the ship. It was large, as big as a chariot, and curved. It would be a suitable boat for at least ten survivors. Surely. And there would be survivors. There would.

Suddenly, around ten meters away from him, two figures burst up. His heart leapt, before sinking back to the dark sea floor. They weren't his two friends; they were two of his biggest enemies. Perseus seemed unharmed, but he was struggling to drag Annabeth, princess of Ioannina, above the water. Jason knew they would die, and then he'd be safe (well, as safe as he could be out there) but his typical self took over. He was honourable, but sympathetic.

"Over here!" he called. Perseus turned, his eyes widening as he saw the Roman praetor beckoning to him. For a moment, it seemed like he would decline the offer, but then, thinking better of it, he started swimming towards the wreckage. Jason picked up how he seemed to be travelling faster than he'd thought possible, like the currents were propelling him along.

"Here," Perseus said once got to the raft. He pushed the unconscious Annabeth up to Jason. It looked like it was painful for him to trust his love in the hands of the enemy. Jason took her under the armpits, hauling the body up. She was heavy for a girl, like she actually had muscles under her skin. Much unlike the Roman house-wives. The only women to have muscles to the Romans were slaves.

Once Annabeth was safe, he put a hand out to Perseus. The Prince reluctantly took it, eyeing the sword at his hip. Once he was safe on the boat, Percy immediately rushed to Annabeth. She wasn't breathing and her lips were tinged with blue. Jason heard Perseus muttering under his breath.

"Maybe I can help," he offered.

"No. Be useful and call for survivors," the prince replied bluntly. Jason wasn't used to disrespect, but somehow managed to swallow his pride enough to co-operate. What Perseus was saying did make sense. He drew a shaky breath in and put a hand to his mouth.

"Hello? Is anyone there; we can help you!"

"Help! Please, we need help!"

Hazel was trying not to go under but she didn't have the first idea how to swim, and it was all she could do not to drown her master in the process of using his as buoyancy. Frank tried to calm her, but the girl was panicking. She'd been through too much.

Frank hoped that the promised help would come soon. He wasn't sure how long he could keep them both up. As he spluttered to the surface for the umpteenth time, he saw a dark shape a few meters from himself. Another survivor!

"Hello?" He called. The head turned, and he saw the face of a girl. She was a little younger than he was and was stereotypically Greek royalty beautiful.

"Who are you?" She called.

"It's okay, we're friends," Frank reassured. The girl swam over. He concluded that she was definitely of some status; swimming wasn't a luxury peasants could afford.

"Let me," she said to Frank, gently readjusting Hazel in the water, rolling her onto her back and supporting her head. Hazel ceased struggling, finding herself more stable in the water. Frank supported her back.

"Who are you?" Frank asked.

"Piper," she answered, seemingly reluctant to offer information.

"There's – a boat coming," Frank spluttered.

"Stop using your arms to keep afloat. Kick wide with your legs," Piper scolded.

"Um, okay." Frank complied, and found he could finally catch his breath. He stroked his freed-slave's hair.

"Don't worry, helps coming soon."

Percy had managed to get Annabeth breathing and had expelled the water from her lungs. She was still unconscious, but he figured she'd be okay. He'd also managed to direct the currents to drive the boat towards the voice they'd heard without the praetor realising. If that secret got out, the Romans would have – not an angle to attack, admittedly – but an idea on how to play their battles. He'd be keeping his scabbard free while in the company of that invading Roman.

As they topped a wave, he suddenly caught sight of a huddle of people in the water. A Roman legionnaire, a dark-skinned girl he guessed was a slave, and another girl. There was something familiar about the way she looked. The olive hue of her skin, her choppy brown hair...

"Piper!" He yelled. The raft was ten meters away, but she heard him fine.

"Percy!" she cried out, sobbing furiously, "I'm sorry- I stowed away."

"Be quiet, I'm coming." He focused on the water beneath him, manipulating the currents to his will. The raft edged towards the group. As it reached them, Hazel was the first aboard, shivering and whispering incoherently in her native tongue. Next, Frank pushed Piper up. She looked more guilty than afraid, so Percy smiled forgivingly at her, though it only seemed to make her even more ashamed. Finally, Jason pulled his colleague up. He gave a weak salute, then slumped forwards, exhausted.

Percy checked Annabeth first, reassuring himself she would be fine, then went to Piper. His fiancée's personal maid (though only that, a maid) was also a close friend to the royal family. She had been sent there to be protected from the monsters which continuously attacked, by her father, a poor but young farmer. He'd known the royals would take her in; they were always giving out kindness to the poor.

She had arrived alone, with only a letter in explanation of her arrival. Percy had been eight at the time – Piper six – but the children had swiftly become friends. At first, Piper was set to work in the kitchens, but as she grew, it was clear she was too intelligent for such tasks. Though called a handmaiden, she was more like Annabeth's sister.

"I stowed away," Piper sobbed. Percy pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay, it's okay," he muttered into her hair. He hugged her until the girl fell asleep.

Leo went under again. The cold was numbing his limbs and sapping the strength from them. Every now and then, he swallowed a mouthful of the vile, salty water. A shackle was still clamped round one ankle, weighing him down, and he didn't have anything to get rid of it with. Every minuter he was closer to drowning.

"Hello? Is anyone there; we can help you!" The voice was clearly audible over the rushing of the water. It sounded close. The slave couldn't call out – he was too tired – but if he could get closer... It was another few minuets before he heard anything again.

It was like the raft suddenly appeared out of nowhere. One second, nothing. Then he caught sight of it, twenty meters away. In his current situation, Leo couldn't quite make out who was there, but he didn't have time or strength to fret about that. Using the last ounce of his energy, he lifted a hand and drew in a breath.

"Help!" It sounded too weak and quiet to him, but apparently it was enough, as two of the figures turned to him, "help me, please!" At first, they seemed too taken aback to take action, but then realisation dawned in their faces. The dark-haired one dived in, and swam strongly to where Leo was. Once the prince saw Leo's eyes fluttering, he immediately turned him onto his back, hauling him back to the raft.

It seemed like an age, but finally Leo was out of the water. He didn't have time to think about his position as a slave, or the consequences of having the hairpin. As soon as he was safe, he passed out.

Percy was trying to get back onto the raft. He was more tired that he let on to the others, using a lot of energy controlling the water. As he was hauling himself up, the swell in the water increased like a giant fin had...

"It's back!" The praetor yelled. And from the water behind him, the looming figure of the Ketos Aithiopios reared over the seven refugees.

I'm sorry, I have a liking of cliffhangers. I will update as soon as possible. Please review!