Chapter 2
The rest of the day went by pretty fast, Chiron showed me all there is to see at Camp Half-Blood. We stopped by the archery range where a couple of kids were shooting arrows with ease, we passed the climbing wall and I was shocked to see streams of lava shooting up in spouts at the campers who were hanging on for dear life, he showed me the lake and I'm not sure if it was just me but I swear I saw some girls waving at me from underwater. After he was sure I knew every inch of the camp he took me to the cabins to get me settled in. Now the cabins were some of the most interesting buildings I've ever seen, all of them different in their own way. They all had bronze numbers hanging above their doors, the buildings were numbered one through twelve. I couldn't help but study each individual cabin. Cabin 1 and Cabin 2 were giant marble mausoleum type buildings, Chiron told me these were Zeus and Hera's Cabins, both empty for they swore to never have a child with a mortal again, I heard from Collin about how his grandpa traveled with a daughter of Zeus and son of Poseidon before, the story ended well but the 3 major gods still kept their promise to not have more children, just in case. Cabin 6, Athena's Cabin, had a simple grey paint job with white curtains the only ornamental thing on the building was a small owl above the door. The Ares Cabin, Cabin 5 was the grossest shade of red and had the head of a boar above the door, I was thoroughly disgusted. I took my time gazing around at each cabin when my eyes feel on Cabin 7, but my eyes didn't stay there long for the whole building was glowing so brightly I think my eyes might have melted if I looked any longer. But of the glimpse I managed to catch I realized that the whole building was made from solid gold, the whole building seemed to be reflecting the light of the afternoon sun, I wanted to take in it beauty, to absorb the light, there was something about this cabin that just made me smile….but that's weird cause it's just a building right?
"Hey Chiron, whose cabin is that?" I asked as I pointed at the glowing Cabin 7. Chiron looked to see where I was pointing but looked away just as quickly looked away, I guess it burned his eyes as much as mine.
"Oh, That's Apollo's Cabin, The god of the sun."
"Apollo" I repeated quietly
"His children are easy to determine" Chiron informed me "Only they can look at his cabin in broad daylight without trouble."
"Oh" I said "So I guess Apollo's not my dad huh?"
"Im afraid not young one, we will still have to wait until you are claimed to be sure. But for now you will be staying in Cabin 11, The Hermes cabin, where all the unclaimed demi-gods stay. Come child let us get you settled."
I nodded and followed him to Cabin 11, the whole time thinking about what he just said. I guess I was a little disappointed that Apollo hadn't been my father because now I had even less of an idea of who it was, but mostly I was relieved he wasn't my dad, because for some reason I felt like it would be seriously wrong if he was. I mean it's not like I've met the guy before but I just knew…I got this feeling…he was something more than just another one of the gods, he was something more…to me.
Chiron lead me up to the door of Cabin 11, it looked old with peeling brown paint and wooden panels that could really use some fixing. What stood out to me was the symbol hanging above the door, a simple caduceus. He gently knocked on the door and no sooner did he take is hand away than a little girls face appeared behind the now open door.
"Chiron!" She squealed with a look of pure delight on her face.
"Hello Claire" Chiron addressed the little girl who was now standing in fully open door way of the Hermes cabin. "Is Ella here?" he asked Claire sweetly and she ran off to find her cabin mate. Not long after an older girl walked up to the door and smiled sweetly.
"Hello Chiron" she glanced at me and gave me a look of understanding, like she been in my place before, she turned back to Chiron "Claimed?" I noticed that this girl was about the same age or a little older than I was. She had long blond hair with bright blue eyes both the same color as mine. The scary thing though is that she had the same elfin features on her face that I did and the same mischievous smile that always got me in trouble with the adults. It had to be a coincidence…..right?
"Unclaimed" Chiron responded, but for the first time I thought I heard hesitation in his voice. He looked from me to Ella at least a half dozen times before he left leaving me in the capable hands of my new cabin counselor.
"Hi Im Ella! Daughter of Hermes, I hope you feel right at home here!" She grabbed my hand and nearly dragged me inside. As I followed my look alike into Cabin 11 I stopped dead in my tracks. Atleast 20 kids aging from 6 to 19 were running around making as much noise as possible. I remembered what Chiron said, Cabin 11 hosts the demi-gods that haven't been claimed yet, I looked around at some of the miserable faces of kids who would never be claimed, I couldn't end up like them, I need to be claimed I thought silently to myself. As I looked around more I noticed that atleast a half dozen of the children all looked similar, siblings, I thought, but it hit me that they looked a lot like Ella the daughter of Hermes, and she looks like me soo… Oh my gods! I wanted to saying something but suddenly all the eyes in the room were on me, no… they weren't looking at me, they were looking above my head.
"Its just another one" a boy in the corner sighed
"Now be nice!" Ella scolded, she turned to me and said with a grin "Welcome home sis" I stood there shocked and looked up, fading away was the shape of a small staff wrapped with two snakes, the caduceus. I was a daughter of Hermes.
After I was claimed life at camp went pretty smoothly. Chiron said he wasn't surprised I was the daughter of Hermes when he caught me trying to pick pocket his saddle bag (sorry Chiron!) The months flew past and I felt like I was in heaven! Every night at dinner I would give my offering to my father and all day I would train with my brothers and sisters. For a girl who had nothing, this was a major step up. Near the end of Summer most of the Hermes cabin left to go home for the year but a few of the year rounder's (which now included me) stayed. Snow started falling lightly on the campgrounds as winter drew nearer. I was just about to go to the sword arena to practice when Chiron called a meeting in the amphitheater. When the few campers currently here filed in Chiron cleared his throat.
"As you all know, the winter solstice is coming up and that is when the gods have their annual winter council meeting, we are invited each year to visit Mount Olympus on this day for a celebration afterwards. A sort a field trip I guess."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I would be able to go to Mount Olympus! I would be able to meet my dad! I would be able to meet…. His name still burned in my head like the sun itself…. I stopped and a cross between a look of pure joy and one of panic played on my face as thought to myself…. I was going to meet Apollo.
(sorry if it seems alittle slow! trust me im getting to the good parts! Hope you like it and thanks for reading!)
