Chapter 4

The man spoke as if his titles meant something. I cocked my head. "Okay." I stared at his men. There were men and women, but there were no children. I frowned and then motioned for the others to come down. Clarisse hovered near the daughter of Aphrodite. She had gotten closer to Piper. I guess because of the memories of Silena.

"Percy Jackson, son of None and from the land of Nothing."

Thranduil frowned. "What are you doing in my kingdom?" His eyes caught sight of Calypso and Piper.

The other Elves were murmuring amongst themselves about them. Calypso huddled closer to Leo. I cleared my throat. "We got lost."

Connor spoke up. "We lost the path going through your woods. I suppose we're lucky that we actually came across you. We don't want to do anything but travel through. Could you show us the way? We won't harm anything unless it attacks us first."

I blinked and stared at the Stolls. They were doing their damn best to look earnest and innocent. And by Hera, it was frighteningly convincing. Thranduil looked pensive.

"Very well. Legolas, take Erendial, Falia, Dallanda, and Fereel and escort these mortals to the path." He looked at Calypso keenly. "Unless…" He turned back to me. "You are the leader of this group?"

I looked around. "Actually…"

Leo nodded. "He is our leader; he just doesn't like to admit it. He's weird that way."

Thranduil blinked and looked at me closer. I shrugged. Staring, he continued to speak. "Would you like to join our feast?"

Warning bells went off. I swallowed slightly and coughed. "And this food that your people eat, any side effects for us mortals?"

His lips twisted into a faint smile. "This mortal thinks." There were chuckles. He nodded. "Yes, but we have food and drink that you can consume safely."

"Why?" It was a bit blunt, true, but I was suspicious. This guy could be a very well hidden monster for all I knew.

He chuckled. "Because your women are pleasant to look upon."

Jason bristled and moved closer to Piper. I coughed slightly. "They're…" I search for an old term of dating. "…already spoken for."

The king sighed. "Pity." He nodded to Calypso. "She would be a perfect bride for my son." The blond, Elven man behind him stared in surprise at the king, his mouth agape.

Leo did a double take. "You mean not all of you are girls?"

Piper clapped a hand over his mouth. "He's an idiot, please ignore him, my lord." She used a slight edge of charm speak.

Thranduil looked perturbed, but he ignored Leo anyway. I sighed. Leo really was an idiot sometimes.

"If you could just show us the way to the path, I promise that you will never be bothered by us again."

There was rustling. Thalia whipped out one of her few steel tipped arrow and shot the spider before it could even break cover, before even the Elves could react. It tumbled out with an arrow through it's gut. An Elf went over and retrieved it, only to freeze. He started shouting in Elvish.

I sighed. "Form up. This might be trouble." Instantly, there was a circle of defense around those who couldn't fight without a weapon very well.

The Elves noticed our defense and stiffened. Thranduil raised a hand to calm his people. "I understand that you might think we are about to attack. It is obvious that you do not understand our tongue. We were merely commenting on your enchantments. We have never seen them before. They are very well made."

Leo blushed. He was the one who was making the Hunters' weapons now. Ever since his father showed him, personally mind you, how to weave magic into metal, and cloth. "Thank you."

Thranduil looked at him intently. "You did this work?" He took Thalia's arrow from one of his soldiers. Leo nodded. Thranduil focused his piercing gaze on the son of Hephaestus. "Can you also fashion swords?"

"Swords, daggers, bows, arrows, jewelry, crowns, armbands, shields, spears, anything." Leo shrugged. I sighed and spoke in Greek.

"Leo, we want to be able to leave this place, not be forced to stay by a greedy king…"

His eyes widened. "Though, I can't do it very well. I'm just learning. My father is much better. He hasn't taught me everything yet, hardly anything at all really." Leo twiddled his thumbs and coughed.

Connor just shook his head and muttered something about horrible liars in Greek. "What he means to say, my lord, is that he is still in training. He is still an apprentice. That arrow was done with his father's help. My friend here is easily intimidated by your presence. Please pardon his stammering and ramblings."

Thranduil smiled. "You, are a very good liar." Connor blinked.

I sighed and shook my head. "I would very much appreciate it if we could leave the woods before night comes."

Thranduil looked up. The light was dimming. He shook his head. "No. It would be too dangerous for you to travel now." He eyed Leo again. "You will stay at my palace tonight and leave in the morning."

Annabeth spoke up. "We would not want to interfere with your feast, my liege."

He smiled. "You would only be interfering if you refused to join us."

"Out foxed." I muttered. I sighed. "We cannot say no to such a…generous offer."

Thranduil chuckled and led the way. In no time, the table was set and the food was served. I motioned for all of us to come around me. "Be careful what you drink."

"No shit, Sherlock." Clarisse muttered.

I rolled my eyes. Annabeth sighed and spoke quietly. "Calypso will guide you. She'll probably have the best resistance to everything. Let her taste something first and then, if she signals that it's okay, you can drink or eat it." They all nodded.

The feast began. I was seated nearer to Thranduil's right. I was actually sitting beside his son, Legolas.

We didn't talk.

Annabeth was seated beside another Elf. In fact, we were all scattered around the tables. No doubt the Elves were instructed to do so by some subtle signal of their king's. I sighed and shook my head.

"The wine does not agree with you…Percy?"

I turned to face Legolas. "Oh no, it's delicious. I'm just thinking about the long journey that we have ahead of us."

Legolas nodded. "What is your destination?"

I frowned. I racked my brain for any memory of the map of Middle Earth. Hoping that it would be in the right direction; hell, I was hoping it would even be a place in Middle Earth! I answered slowly. "We're traveling to Rohan." That was on Middle Earth, right? The town where all the horse riders lived?

The Elf Prince frowned. "What were you doing on the Old Forest Road? It is completely out of your way."

I lifted my hands in a helpless gesture. "As we said, we were lost." He nodded dubiously. I cursed myself. I should have said something else.

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