This chapter feels more like a filler and it probably is. That's why I'll update two chapters instead of one.
Tell me what you thought and if you have an suggestions.
Chapter 4: To the Center of the City
Jason held her arms softly and studied her. "I can't believe how much you've grown!"
She laughed and nodded. "I know, I know! It's… been a long time."
He smiled weakly, Piper looked at her feet before she met Hazel's eyes again.
"How have you been?"
The daughter of Pluto smiled, unsettling Piper a bit. "I'm fine, thank you. And you guys?"
Jason and Piper exchanged a glance. He gently took her hand.
We're fine", and glancing at his girlfriend for confirmation, said: "We're fine, aren't we?"
Piper smiled, giving him a look only he could decipher. "Yeah. Yeah, we are."
Hazel smiled. One of her companions cleared his throat and Jason could've punched him for interrupting their moment.
"Miss Hazel", the man carefully chipped in. "We're close…"
She sighed, nodding as she turned to face her companions.
"I know.. I haven't forgotten." She turned back to her friends with a smile, but Piper noticed it was forced.
Jason felt the need to thank her for finding them. Even if she had trapped them at first.
"Thank you, Hazel", he whispered as they followed the group. "We were lost and who knows what monsters could've attacked us if he had stayed longer…"
"There are no monsters here.", Hazel said quietly, but he heard.
"What do you mean? Hazel! Wait!"
Hazel ignored him. The group had stopped their moving and stood in front of the largest, most gigantic wall Jason had ever seen.
"Everytime someone crosses our borders we built a wall to protect the main part of the city. It's usually me, who does all the work though."
The others stepped aside as Hazel came closer. She stretched her fingers, rolled her shoulders to loosen her muscles.
Hazel raised her arm, feeling the earth and metal in the wall. She closed her eyes, exhaled deeply, before opening them again. She moved her arm to the side, stroking the air it seemed. The other arm joined the dance-like movements. Then, as quick as the wind, she lifted her foot and stomped down, her arms stretched to the sides.
The earth trembled and Jason watched in awe as the walls separated slowly. A cliff formed between the walls and it continued to move apart until it was wide enough for them to pass. The walls jerked loudly to a halt as the ground underneath shook again.
Hazel and her companions walked through the cliff. Jason and Piper however stood with mouths agape, their eyes large as they stared at the walls. They caught themselves when Hazel asked if they were coming and followed them through the gate.
The walls were thick and strong. Jason suspected it would be impossible to break through them unless loads of greek fire were used. And even then it wouldn't be enough. It would still take a lot of effort – the blood and sweat of many soldiers – to conquer the city.
They were through. The earth swallowed the walls again.
Hazel turned to Jason and Piper. Her face was a mask of smugness and confidence.
"Cool, right?"
Piper laughed, touching her shoulder. "Didn't know you could do that!"
"Yeah, I learned to do this when we rebuild the walls." She laughed at the memory. "Dear gods… what a horrible day…"
"What do you mean?"
"It rained the whole day. It was awful. The mud… everytime I lifted a rock I'd slip. And when I tried to stand up again I'd slip again. It sucked."
"And then you moved the walls.", Jason stated impressed.
"Yeah… but that wasn't until late in the night." She shook her head. "We… were so tired, you have no idea. My arms and legs and my back hurt like you couldn't imagine. And the rain… the stupid rain."
"Why didn't you stop?", Piper asked. "If it was raining so hard, why didn't you leave it for another day?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. Everytime I thought 'bout telling the others to stop, I'd lift a rock and think: ‚Just one more and then I'm done'. And before I knew it, it was night."
"And tired." Piper smiled.
"And hurting everywhere. Angry too. Seriously, I don't think I've ever been so angry before."
"Well, I think it's impressive. And brave", Jason said. "That's how Rome was built."
"Ancient Rome or New Rome?", asked his girlfriend.
He shrugged. "Both probably."
They walked for twenty minutes. Piper noticed that the mist had followed them deeper into the city.
"What's up with the mist?", Jason asked loudly. "It's literally everywhere!"
A man, they would later get to know him as Abe, turned to him.
"It protects the city"
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
The man smiled. He had a pleasant way to smile, very gentle and warm. "Yeah. But don't ask where it comes from. 'Cause we don't know either."
Piper took his hand and squeezed it gently to tell him to drop the subject. Her boyfriend smiled weakly. The time to ask questions would come later anyway. Probably during dinner. They would have a full plate. And then the friendly, conversational questioning would start. Where are you from? How long have you been together? What do you do for a living?
Just because he grew up among strong and disciplined roman demigods, didn't mean he had no idea how regular dinners worked.
Piper's father had made sure he knew exactly how the questioning was done.
„Just ignore the mist. ", Hazel called from the front.
„Ahh, we're here", a woman sighed.
Piper's eyes widened. The annoying mist grew thinner, the walls were behind them, now they stood facing the centre of the city. There was still a lot of work to do – unfinished buildings, healing ruins and trees in the middle of the streets, but Piper could invision how great this place would become in time.
„It's amazing", she said to Hazel, who smiled proudly.
„Yup. All us", Abe said and stretched his back. „So, m'lady. If you don't mind I'd like to go and greet my family."
Hazel rolled her eyes, one of Abe's friends shoved him jokingly.
„Sure. You're dismissed." The companions cheered. „Go and rest."
The group split, each member walking in different directions.
„So, do they know you're a demigod?", Jason asked.
She shrugged in response. „It never came up."
Piper frowned. „And how do they explain your powers then?"
Hazel shrugged again. „Don't know."
„Oh." Piper felt she didn't want to talk about it. „Where are we going?"
„To the pavillon. The headquarters in a way. It's where we usually meet."
„Like the forum in New Rome", Jason said.
„Yeah, something like that. We're not that many. Enough to defend the city against robbers but…"
„Not enough to face an army?"
She nodded solemnly. „Yes."
„I guess that's why you've built the wall."
„It wasn't the only reason. A city needs protection and the wall is a perfect tool."
Piper shook her head. „I can't believe the news didn't report about the wall and the city. But it's probably the work of the mist, right?"
„Yes."
„And do you create the mist?", he asked curiously.
The fact that Hazel evaded his question by pointing at a building and talking about its history, made Piper nervous, disappointed and hurt her. She was confused, could not explain all the secrecy. First the mist, then the strange river and no one felt like explaining anything to them.
They and Hazel, the seven chosen demigods of the prophecy, had gone through so much, lived through life-threatening quests and journeys… hadn't that brought them closer? Did Hazel not trust them? Surely, she hadn't forgotten about the Giant War?
A look at Jason was all she needed to confirm that he felt the same.
Why, Hazel? Why all the secrecy?
But Piper didn't ask. And years after she would still ask herself if the future events could have evolved differently if she had only asked more questions.
They followed their friend in silence. Neither of them tried to re-start the conversation. Piper and Jason were too hurt and confused and had hundred questions floating in their heads to try, and Hazel struggled to think for a solution to the mess she had brought herself and her friends into.
„We're here", she announced quietly as the main square.
Piper felt the heat of the campfire emanating, but what she noticed first was the soft music of a guitar. A young man stroke lazily the strings, while an older man – probably his father – groped the keys on the accordion.
Piper felt relief wash over her. Not because the music was good (they were not even really playing) but because it gave her a sign of life.
The smell of food made her stomach turn painfully. They had been so busy with other things that she had forgotten how hungry she really was.
They entered the forum as Jason had called it. When the people inside saw Hazel they moved to greet her, but hesitated when they noticed the two demigods. A woman rushed her kids into a house and closed the door behind her.
What a warm welcome, Piper thought bitterly.
„Who's that, mommy?", Piper heard a girl ask her mother. The mother shushed her.
„Good afternoon, everyone!", Jason said with a polite and inviting nod.
"We are the good guys", Piper said with determination.
The effect was immediate. Piper was pleased as the people relaxed.
Hazel nodded. "Yeah…yes. They are fine."
"We're sorry", the man with the accordion brushed away the dust from his pants. "We're just not used to any visitors."
Piper smiled. "It's okay. We understand."
The man beamed and went back to his instrument.
"We were told it was safe here!" The woman with the little girl glared at the newcomers. "We were told that no one could-"
"It IS safe, Ebele. The situation hasn't changed."
Piper and Jason froze. Their eyes shot to the main building, searching the source of this very familiar voice.
A young woman with curly blond hair and stormy grey eyes stood at the steps to the main building. Their old friend glanced at them with her intelligent eyes, her face was serious and not at all excited to see her old friends.
"Jason, Piper, welcome to my city."
"I didn't know, Annabeth", Hazel said tiredly. "I'm sorry."
Honestly, I don't like this chapter. I don't remember why I wrote it or why. Maybe to show that Piper and Jason are not welcome. I don't know.
