Hi, sorry for the wait, here's a rundown of translations:
Efcaristo (Greek)- Thank you
Vale (Latin)- Hello/ greetings/ at ease
Geia sou, paidi (Greek)- Hello, child
Poiós eísai (Greek)- Who are you?
Ego eimai (Greek)- I am
Elliniká (Greek)- the Greek word for the Greek language
Pollice verso (Latin)- turned thumbs (means thumbs up or thumbs down, no one is really sure)
Parakaló (Greek)- You're welcome
Boró na do to moró? (Greek)- Can I see the baby?
Eínai aftó to moró sas epísis? (Greek)- Is this your baby as well?
Óchi, aftó den eínai to moró tou. Aftí eínai i anipsiá mou (Greek)- No, this is not his baby. This is my niece.
Tóte se poion aníkei to moró? (Greek)- Then who does the baby belong to?
I aderfí mou (Greek)- My sister
O megálos eípe óti ítan polý árrostos (Greek)- The big man said that she is very sick
Nai, eínai árrostos, allá tha veltiotheí (Greek)- Yes, she is sick, but she will improve
Aftó eínai kaló. O ánthropos tis iliofáneias tha tin voithísei? (Greek)- Oh, that is good. The sunshine man will help her get better?"
Akoúsate ti sas kálese? Sas kálese ton 'ánthropo tis iliofáneias (Greek)- Did you hear what he called you? He called you the 'sunshine man'
Will had to wake him up, which was slightly embarrassing since he was a Praetor of Roma and he shouldn't have to be awoken by a Medicus, but he was grateful nonetheless. He had led Kallisto and Annabeth back to the slave room. He almost envied them for being able to sleep during the day, but his thoughts were shut down the minute he opened the door for them. The room reeked of urine, vomit, and sweat. Everyone was huddled together, though not voluntarily. There were as many as 250 slaves crammed into one room.
Will had woken everyone up just before dawn, so most of the slaves were still asleep. Still, the old woman Annabeth and Kallisto were with was awake and alert.
Percy grabbed Annabeth's arm on her way in. She looked up at him.
"Yaya?" He asked, pointing to the old woman.
"Yiayia," She nodded.
"Ne-mare-tea," She pointed to the same woman.
Percy was confused, one of the words was probably the woman's title, and the other was probably her name, but he didn't know which one.
"Nee-mare-tee," he repeated. She nodded. She took a step forward and then stopped herself, turning back around to face him with a grin on her face.
"Efcharistó," She reached on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Percy grinned back at her, his eyes soft.
"Vale, Annabeth," He said as she shut the door.
"Pear-cy," She answered and turned back around to her family.
Percy began walking down the hall to his own room. He opened his door to see the sunrise over the Ionian Sea. He looked at his bed and the table next to it that held the flickering remains of his sacrificial fire he had lit at the beginning of the night. He smiled when he realized he didn't have to make an offering to sleep soundly in the infirmary. He shook his head, the smile still on his face, and began to change his robes. There was no time to sleep, yet he had to look like he had slept.
He kept his white toga one but changed his paludamentum to an orangey-red colored one. His dark hair kept falling into his eyes, so he swept it up into a low ponytail. He grabbed his rings from the table and slid them onto his fingers.
He gently blew the remains of his sacrificial fire out and left the room.
0~0~0~0~0
Percy's day was slow, which stressed him out even more. Since he was on a ship in the middle of the Ionian there was no way of Roma communicating with him. There were probably a plethora of things he should be doing but had no idea they needed to be done because he was on the ship.
Percy decided his night would be considerably more productive.
Before they had left, Will told Annabeth and Kallisto to return again for another dosage of herbs and to check up on Annabeth and baby Hecuba, so Percy knew they would be back at the infirmary. He had told Will that he would accompany the girls.
He was still going to the infirmary, certainly, but first, he wanted to stop by the slave room.
When he got there he cracked the door open, hoping not to wake the prisoners. He held a papyrus candle in his hand to give him light. He waved his hand that was holding the candle around the room until he spotted the boy with the nasty cut to the foot.
"Boy," Percy whispered as he shook the kid's foot.
"Boy, wake up. Wake up, boy."
The kid woke up grumbling about something. The grumbling made it hard for Percy to comprehend what he was saying, though he probably wouldn't have understood it anyways since it was most likely in Graeci.
The boy yawned and smacked his lips. His eyes grew wide as he looked up at Percy. The boy reached out to shake awake the woman next to him, but Percy grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Come with me, boy," He said, his hand still wrapped around the boy's wrist. He started to drag the boy up and moved toward the door, but when the boy stood up he planted his feet firmly on the floor. Well, somewhat firmly, since it looked like he was in a lot of pain with his injured foot.
Percy pulled at the boy slightly but he sat down. Percy signed, wishing he could speak the Graeci language. He rubbed his free hand over his face and then used that same hand to point to the boy's foot.
The boy looked down at his foot and then back at Percy's face and slowly stood back up. Percy gently pulled on the boy's hand again. The boy followed, stepping over the bodies of Corinthians. When he came to the broad shoulders of a strong young man he jumped, coming down hard on his foot. Percy quickly shushed him and picked him up, setting him up on his shoulder.
"We're gonna go see the Medicus. His name is Will. He's a very nice man, all sunshine and rainbows. He smells like flowers, too. There's going to be some women in their, too. And a baby. The baby's name is Hecuba. The women are Kallisto and, uh, I call her Annabeth, but I guess you would call her, umm, Annie..oak..hiss. I think. I'm not sure. Anyways, she's the one with blonde hair that looks like a Christani angel. Kallisto will be on the bed. She's sick, very sick." Percy knew the boy couldn't understand him, but he hoped the tone of his voice would soothe him.
"Okay, boy, here we are. Let's set you down, now," Percy clamored to the floor and set the boy down. Percy slowly opened the door, allowing the boy to go in first. He timidly entered, flinching a little when Will looked up and spoke.
"Percy, I was wondering where- Oh, hello, who are you?" Will said. The boy just stared in response.
"Geia sou, paidi," Annabeth's voice came from farther inside the room, "Poiós eísai?"
The boy, who had been hiding behind Percy's leg stepped out at the sound of Annabeth's voice/ He mumbled something quietly.
"Harpalos," Annabeth said, pointing at the boy.
Will said something to the boy in Graeci. Despite the comfort of hearing his native tongue, the boy still seemed to be more comfortable around Annabeth.
"Ego emai…." Annabeth trailed off, looking up at Percy and then back at her sister, "Ego emai Ann."
"Ann?" The boy asked. Annabeth nodded. Harpalos turned back to Percy and pointed to Annabeth.
"Annabeth?" He asked Percy. Percy's eyebrows shot up. He didn't realize that the kid had picked the names out from all his murmurings spoken on the way down the hall.
Percy nodded, "Annabeth."
Annabeth walked over to Percy. He noticed that Hecuba wasn't in her arms. Annabeth put a hand on his chest and said something to Harpalos.
"-Pear-cy," He caught his name at the end of Annabeth's sentence. She said more things in Graeci to the boy. Will was smiling at Percy while Annabeth spoke. He made a mental note to ask him what Annabeth was saying.
"Praetor, why did you bring this boy here?" Will spoke once Annabeth was done talking to the boy.
"Look at his foot, Will. He's been lying in the slave room for five days now with that open wound. Can you help him?"
Will looked back at the boy and then back at his foot. He grimaced at the wound but nodded in response to Percy's request.
"Yes," he said, "I think I may be able to do something about it, but it looks bad. I can't promise that it will heal fine."
"Just do what you can, please."
Will nodded.
Annabeth said something to him. By the inflection in her voice, Percy assumed it was a question. Will responded to her, and Annabeth looked down at the boy's foot. Annabeth asked the boy something and Graeci, to which he responded in a quiet voice. Something flashed across Annabeth's eyes at Harpalos' respond. It looked suspiciously like the emotion Percy saw in the eyes of his charge right before a battle. The look was quickly replaced by a much softer emotion. Annabeth said something to the boy. He nodded and walked over to one of the beds and sat down.
Annabeth walked over to the herb table and took two slivers of bark off a stick. She used a small knife that was on the table to cut the bark from the stick. She then took a small bowl from the dish cabinet and dunked it in one of the barrels that held clean-ish water. She set the bowl down on the table next to the two pieces of peeled bark and walked over to the makeshift furnace in the room. She took her knife and cut a groove into a plank next to the furnace. She took another stick and rubbed it up and down the groove. When there were enough sparks to set fire to the stick she tossed it into the furnace. She left the furnace and walked back over to the table. SHe placed the two slivers of bark in the water and walked back over to the furnace, setting the bowl over the top of the fire.
Percy wondered why Annabeth was the one making herbs but then realized that Will was over with Kallisto, looking over her body and quietly asking her questions.
Percy walked over to where Annabeth was using a pestle and mortar to ground up some green leaves.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Percy," she responded. He waited for her to say more but she just continued to mash up the leaves. Green juice was starting to pool at the bottom of the mortar.
"Percy," She said again. She turned around to look at him, a smile on her face.
"You drool when you sleep." She spoke slowly, and in single syllables, like she didn't really understand what each word meant, but judging from the smile on her face she understood what the entire sentence meant.
"You... you are speaking Latina!" Percy almost shouted at her, a smile on his own face.
"La-tin-ah," She repeated.
"Yes, yes," Percy nodded enthusiastically, "You spoke Latina."
Annabeth nodded, "La-tin-ah." She still spoke in single syllables, but Percy could tell that she understood that Latina was a language.
"That's...that's amazing, Anna- wait, I drool when I sleep?"
Annabeth smiled. "You drool when you sleep," she repeated.
Percy started to laugh, a real one, that came from his gut and made him clutch his stomach.
"That...that's..that's the first…" He tried to speak in between guffaws, "The first thing….you learned….in Latina... was an insult?"
Annabeth smiled again.
"La-tin-ah," she repeated. "Percy, Latina," she pointed at him.
"Yes, Percy speaks Latina, and Annabeth speaks Graeci."
"Graeci,' she repeated and pointed to herself.
"Yes, Annabeth speaks Graeci."
Annabeth stared at him. "Annabeth..speaks...Graeci," She started, "Antiochis...speaks...Elliniká."
"Eh-lin-nee-kah…..that is what you call Graeci?" Percy asked.
"Annabeth speaks Graeci, Antiochis speaks Elliniká," She said again.
Percy realized that she was separating herself into Annabeth and Antiochis. He wondered if that had a deeper meaning to it.
"Elliniká," Percy said. Annabeth nodded.
"Percy, Latina," She put her fingers to his lips, "Annabeth, Graeci." She placed her fingers on her own lips.
"Antiochis, Elliniká," She put her fingers to her head.
Percy nodded, "Yes, good."
Annabeth turned back to her mortar. "Neem," she said.
"Neem," Percy repeated. Annabeth nodded. She took a jar that held an orange colored powder and shook some of it into the green juice she had made.
"Kourkoúmi," she pointed to the jar once she had finished.
"Uhhh, kor-kow-mee," he repeated."
Annabeth smiled and nodded. She started to mix the powder and juice together so that it made a funky colored paste. She set the pestle in the mortar and walked over to the furnace, peeking into the bowl to see the liquid. She cautiously dipped a finger into the bowl and pulled it out quickly. She grabbed a blanket from one of the beds near the furnace and used it to cover her hands as she picked the bowl up. She set it down on the table and threw the blanket carelessly on the table. She grabbed a clove of garlic and her knife. Before she started to chop it up she stood on her tiptoes to look over at the boy's wound. When she came back down on her heels she grabbed another clove. She cut them into long but thin slices.
She took the blanket off the table and wrapped it around her hands again, picking up the bowl with the water and strips of bark. She walked over to Harpalos. She looked up at Percy, who was still by the herb table. He quickly strode over to the two Graeci.
Annabeth said something to the boy and began to unwrap the strip of Percy's paludamentum that had been around the foot. She started to pour the liquid over his foot. Percy grimaced at the thought of such hot liquid spilling over an open sore. Harpalos' face twisted in pain, but he said nothing. When about half of the bowl was left Annabeth set it down on the ground.
She put her hand up to the boy and said a single word. The boy nodded.
Annabeth walked back over to the herb table and picked up the orange paste. She walked back over to the boy and knelt down to his foot. She dipped her fingers into the paste and began to spread it over Harpalos' wound. Again, the boy's face twisted, but he said nothing. When Annabeth decided that there was enough on the foot she placed it back down on the floor. She walked back over to the table, picking up the sliced garlic cloves. When she reached the boy she knelt down and began to place the garlic strips over the orange paste. When she ran out of slices she reached into the cabinet next to the bed and pulled out a strip of wool. She wrapped it around the boy's foot, tying the knot directly above the wound as Percy had done a few days ago.
She stood up and nodded at the boy. He laid down on the bed and rested his head on the pillow. Annabeth took a blanket and spread it over the boy's body, tucking the corners underneath the boy. She patted his leg and started to pick up the bowls she had set on the ground.
"Is he going to be okay?" Percy asked her.
"Oh-kay," She repeated.
"Yes, 'okay,' it means, um, good," Percy gave her a thumbs up.
She gave him a blank look. She set the bowls on the table and copied Percy's movements.
"Yeah, pollice verso, turned thumb. In this case, it's a thumbs up, meaning something good. It's a good sign.
"Good...sign," Annabeth looked down at her thumbs.
"Yes, will Harplaos be thumbs up?"He pushed.
"Thumbs up, Harpalos," She said.
Will laughed from where he was sitting near Kallisto.
He said something to Annabeth in Graeci. Judging from the motions he made with his hands, Percy concluded that Will was explaining what Percy had said.
Annabeth nodded and turned back to Percy. "Yes," she said, "Harpalos okay."
"Thank you, Annabeth," Percy said.
"Thank you," Annabeth repeated.
"Efcharistó," Will said to Annabeth. She nodded.
"Parakaló," Annabeth said to Percy and then turned back to the bowls, picking the one with the hot water up and placing it back over the furnace.
Will smiled, "She said 'you're welcome.'"
Percy nodded.
"Kallisto," Annabeth said and pointed to her sister. Will and Percy both nodded as Annabeth walked toward Kallisto.
WIll walked over to the boy and inspected the bandage.
"She did a good job," he said. "She's incredibly knowledgeable, it is rather surprising."
"Why?"
"Why what?" Will responded.
"Why is it surprising?"
Well," Will started, "you were there when Lydus was interrogating her, yes?"
Percy nodded.
"Then you know she is the granddaughter of a fish merchant?"
Again, Percy nodded, "I think she said she was trained in crafts, right?"
"Yes," WIll assured, "She never mentioned about being trained in medicine, and I doubt she can read, so she must have watched others do it or figured it out herself. Or maybe she can read, she seems suspiciously intelligent."
Percy and Will looked over to where the girls were. Percy felt a small poke in his side. He looked down the see Harpalos looking up at him from his spot on the bed.
"Yes, boy?" He asked. Will turned to look at them and translated for them. Harpalos looked at Will, and then back at Percy, then to Will, and back to Percy. He said something in his language.
Will smiled and replied.
"What'd he ask?" Percy questioned.
"He asked who Annabeth was to you."
"Well, what did you tell him?"
"That she was your secret lover."
"You're kidding."
"Yes, I'm kidding. I said she was your friend."
"Friend," Harpalos whispered.
"Yes, boy, we are friends. Annabeth is my friend. I will be your friend," Percy said to the boy.
Will translated, and Harpalos nodded, his eyes still on Percy.
Harpalos said something else in his language. This time Will hesitated before translating for Percy.
"He….he wants to know what's going to happen when everyone gets off the ship."
Percy sucked in a breath and dropped to one knee, "When we get off this ship someone will take you and undress you and take you to a crowd of people, and then I will talk with some people, and give you back your clothes, and then you will come home with me. It's very scary at first, but I can make my house a safe place for you. Are you alright with that?"
Will translated, looking between Percy and Harpalos a couple of times before finishing his sentence.
Harpalos turned his attention from Will to Percy and nodded.
"Alright then. That's what we'll do. Do you have any family on this ship?"
Again, Will translated. Harpalos responded with the same set of syllables that Annabeth had used back on Graecia.
"He said his-" Will started to say something but Percy cut him off.
"His grandma, right?"
Will nodded silently.
"Tell him that his Yaya can come to my house with us."
Will nodded and turned back to Harpalos. As Will and Harpalos spoke Percy turned back to see Annabeth and Kallisto talking quietly. He pushed himself off his knee and walked over to them. Annabeth looked up at him and said something to her sister, her eyes still on Percy.
Kallisto smiled and placed Hecuba in Annabeth's arms. Annabeth stood up and cocked her head toward the bed next to Kallisto's. She sat down on it and looked at Percy expectantly.
"Pillows," He nodded. Just as he had done last night, Percy began grabbing every pillow that could fit in his arms and then arranged them behind Annabeth.
"Yes," she nodded, "okay." She leaned back.
"Percy," she patted the spot next to her.
"Yes, what is it?"
She repeated her previous actions. Percy sat down next to her.
"Hecuba," Annabeth said to him.
"The baby, yes?"
"Baby," she repeated.
"Yes, baby, a, um, a small human. That drools a lot. Like Hecuba."
"Percy you drool in your sleep," She smiled at him.
"Yes," he smiled, "I drool when I sleep, as you so politely told me."
"Yes," she agreed.
"Hecuba?" Annabeth looked up at Percy, raising Hecuba a little bit toward him.
"Um, sure, I'll hold her," Percy stretched his arms out.
"Yes, okay," Annabeth said.
"How have you been, sweetheart? Did you miss me? Did your auntie miss me? I bet she did; I'm pretty awesome. You're pretty awesome, too, you know that? You're a strong girl, like your mama and your auntie."
"Pear-cy speak," Annabeth commanded.
"Um, I am speaking."
"Yes, Percy speak."
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm speaking to Baby Hecuba. And baby Hecuba listens."
"Listens."
"Yes, with your ears," Percy rearranged his hold on Hecuba so that her head was still supported but one of his hands was free. He pointed to his ear.
"Yes. Hecuba listens. Annabeth listens." Annabeth stated.
Percy smiled, "Yes, Annabeth and Hecuba listen."
"Percy, give Annabeth the baby, please. I'd like for us to try nursing again," Will's voice gradually got clearer as he walked closer to them.
Will spoke to Annabeth in Graeci as Percy stared into Hecuba's big grey eyes. They were the exact same shade as Annabeth's eyes.
"Yes, Percy, Hecuba," Annabeth opened her arms toward Percy.
"Yes, you nurse now."
"Now,"
"Um, I'm not really sure how to explain now if you don't know other words."
Will must have said the Graeci word for 'now,' because Annabeth nodded and repeated the word.
"Percy you drool when you sleep," Annabeth stated.
"Um, yes, so you've told me," Percy laughed a little.
Will shook his head, "No, Percy, he wants you to sleep."
"Oh!" Percy looked back to Annabeth, "No, no, it's okay, I should stay awake and help Will with Kallisto and Harpalos."
"Yes, Harpalos," Annabeth nodded her head toward something behind Percy.
Percy turned back and saw Harplaos creeping up to the bed he and Annabeth were on.
"Boró na do to moró?" Harpalos asked Annabeth. She nodded and slanted toward him so she and Hecuba were closer to him.
Harpalos let out a little gasp when he pulled the blankets back to see the baby.
"Isn't she cute?" Percy asked Harpalos. He said nothing in response but looked back at Percy for a split second and then turned back to Hecuba.
"Eínai aftó to moró sas epísis?" Harpalos was looking at Percy expectantly.
"Uhhh…"
Annabeth laughed from beside him. Will had a small smile on his face.
"Óchi, aftó den eínai to moró tou. Aftí eínai i anipsiá mou," Annabeth said.
"Tóte se poion aníkei to moró?" Harpalos had a sort of baffled look on his face.
Annabeth nodded toward Kallisto, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, "I aderfí mou."
"Oh," Harpalos whispered.
"O megálos eípe óti ítan polý árrostos," Harpalos said to Annabeth.
"Nai, eínai árrostos, allá tha veltiotheí," Annabeth said to the boy.
"Aftó eínai kaló. O ánthropos tis iliofáneias tha tin voithísei?"
Annabeth laughed and nodded.
"Will," she called and beckoned him over from where he was standing next to Kallisto.
"Akoúsate ti sas kálese? Sas kálese ton 'ánthropo tis iliofáneias,'" She laughed.
Will had a small smile on his face, though it didn't seem to reach his eyes. Instead, there was a certain sadness in them.
"What?" Percy asked.
Will turned his body toward Percy, "The boy called me 'the sunshine man.'"
Percy held back a snort, "It suits you."
"Ha ha ha," Will rolled his eyes as he walked away.
Percy didn't notice until Will walked away, but Annabeth and Harpalos were speaking quietly to each other in their language. They would frequently look between Will and Percy.
"You guys talking bad about me?" He smiled and leaned toward Annabeth.
"Annabeth and Harpalos speak thumbs down about Percy?" He rephrased for Annabeth.
She smiled somewhat tightly and shook her head, "No. Annabeth, Harpalos no speak thumbs down Percy. Annabeth, Harpalos speak Percy okay. Percy thumbs up. No Percy, no Will, no Graeci, thumbs down. Romi thumbs down."
The smile fell off Percy's face. He looked down at the sheets and played with the sheets before speaking, "Yes, most of my, um, charge are thumbs down. But when we get to Roma things will be thumbs up."
"Roma."
"Yes, Roma. You say Romi."
"Say."
"Yes, you speak Graeci, you say Roma. You say words. You speak a language. Graeci is a language. Roma is a word. Baby is a word. Percy is a word. Plant is a word," Percy tried to think of more words that she had heard him say.
"Yes, Annabeth say word, Annabeth speak Graeci."
"Percy say Roma thumbs up?" SHe said it more like a question than a statement.
"Yes, Roma is thumbs up, because I will protect you in Roma."
"Protect."
Percy nodded, "Yes, protect. Like, when you are in pain, when you hurt, I will protect you. When thumbs down men try to hurt you, I will protect you. ANd when thumbs down people try to hurt Yaya, or Hecuba, or Kallisto, you protect them."
"Yes," Annabeth agreed, "Percy protect Annabeth, Annabeth protect Kallisto, baby, Yiayia."
"Yes. You protect your family."
"Family."
"Yes, family. Kallisto, Hecuba, and Yaya, they are your family. Annabeth, Kallisto, Hecuba, Yiayia, you are all family."
"Yes. Family thumbs up."
"Yeah," he said, "family is thumbs up."
"Hey, guys, I hate to break up this rather heartfelt Latina lesson, but dawn is coming soon, and I would like for everyone to be in their, um, rooms when the sun comes up."
Annabeth looked at Will as he spoke, He said something to her in Graeci, probably his previous command."
"Yes, okay," Annabeth answered. She pulled Hecuba away from her breast. At this point, the baby had fallen asleep and her mouth was simply open, drool dripping onto her aunt's breast.
Will said something else in Graeci, this time directed at Harpalos. The boy nodded and then walked out the door.
When all of the Graeci had gone Percy made his way to the door. Before he reached it, though, Will grabbed his arm.
"I told the boy to come back again tonight. He will be fine, I'm almost certain. That wrap that you put on helped keep a lot of the bad humors out, so thank you."
Percy nodded in response and started to walk toward the door again, but Will tightened his grip.
"Percy," he said seriously, "When Annabeth and the boy were speaking she told him that Kallisto would get better. I don't think that's going to happen. I won't be surprised if we lose her in the next few days. I believe she had Cholerae. It's extremely common and extremely deadly. Honestly, I'm surprised she's lasted this long. Come back here to the infirmary tonight. If they are not here I will send you to check on them. Brace yourself for a rather uncomfortable next few nights. Annabeth's lost a lot of family in the past few days. Losing Kallisto would be heartbreaking for her. They're very close. But it also means that she will have two people dependent on her; a baby and her grandmother. We need to do everything we can to lighten her burden."
Percy nodded solemnly, "Alright."
Will let go of his arm. "Brace yourself. She will be in pain the next few days. I heard your conversation earlier. Protect her and her family, please."
Percy nodded. He watched Will walk to the back of the room before turned around and walking out the door.
Hella long AN coming up. Oh my god, when I first got onto FF I was convinced that I would be able to update every week and that I would be so good at staying on task and now look at me. I'm so sorry. But, in my defense, not that you want to know, but I got a kitten (I literally went to help out at my local animal shelter and brought back a cat on my first day working there; pretty much explains all you need to know about me in a sentence), broke up with my boyfriend, went to three different doctors because I'm going on a mission/awareness trip to Guatemala and I have Type 1 Diabetes so people watch me like a fucking hawk, and now I'm laying in bed eating soup and typing this. Anyways, sorry for the wait. I'll try to do better. I am, however, going on a camping trip for the next week sans WIFi and internet so I may (very strong may) end up posting another chapter today/tomorrow and then go MIA.
On the bright side, I have like four other WIP so you may see them by the end of July. Maybe. I don't know, I've kinda proven myself to be a little flakey.
By the way, if any of you have music recommendations I'd love for you to share it. I like basically all music, truly.
Anyway, please leave a review. I went through a stage of writer's block (which is why this took so long) and I swear I read and reread every review at least fifty times. I love your reviews so much.
Te amour- "Greatly enjoying this so far. The language barrier is a great touch, it's cute, emphasizes personality and adds to potential character/plot development as something they'll have to get through in the future.
Not sure about the modern slangs and some of the words. I imagine Romans would not have used words such as "boobs" and they were definitely not advanced enough to know what cognitive damage is. I would suggest refraining slightly from using relatively complex words and technical terms considering the Ancient Roman's technological capabilities were far inferior to our era and they probably wouldn't have used a word in day to day speech which was as complex as "quintessential". Perhaps the slangs are something to take the place of what the Romans would have used in their time?
Regardless, terrific start. Looking forward to more."- Thank you so much, I didn't actually think of that when I was writing it. I tried to use as few slang words as possible, at least when they're speaking. A lot of what to Roman's did were similar to what we do today (i.e. graffiti, political cartoons, etc.) but the language itself didn't have nearly as many synonyms as English does. And yes, the language barrier will be a very relevant conflict in the plot. Thank you so much for your review!
percabeth9 "This is an amazing story. I really want to read the next chapter."- Here you go, darling. Thank you for reviewing!
Artemis0406 "you must have done incredible homework to write this.
great story" - You have no idea how much work I've put into researching this. If I put in half as much work into school as I do into this fic I'd be set for an Ivy League. Thank you so much for your review!
Peace "This was pretty good I'll admit I should really expand on this thx
Also little word of advice this wasn't really M rated worthy I would put it at medium T" - I had originally put this as M because I thought I'd get into a little more sexual stuff in later chapters, and possibly because of the violence during the attack on Corinth, but as for now I agree with you; it's probably T. I may ut it as T for a little bit and then change it back to M, I'm not really sure. Thank you so much for your review!
Guest "I love reading this chapter! Especially the charades part, which is really funny in my opinion. I really like how you never go short on words and would explain the scenario very vividly, but still not going over the top with descriptions. It put a nice touch in this story, and I really really hope I'll be reading more of this soon! Totally loved it!"- I love the charades part too. There's definitely gonna be more charades in the future, because, like I said to te amour, the language barrier is gonna play a big part in the plot. Thank you so much for your review, I appreciate it!
Guest "Hey! Doctor here! Once the baby reaches 6 months and is able to eat other stuff (like gerber and stuff) you breastfeed less, most mothers stop breastfeeding around 1 year or 2 years...5 years old who still breastfeedid is not really normal (also is really painful for the mother)"- Okay, first of all, there is a whole ass doctor reading my work what the fuck is up with that wow. Second, I, obviously, am barely a teenage girl and have never breastfed so I don't know how long one would like to breastfeed, but I can imagine about the time they start growing teeth I would switch to (probably pumping, but they didn't necessarily have that in the Ancient Mediterranean) baby food. What we know today as "baby food" didn't come around until the Industrial Revolution. As I've read the most common baby food in ancient times were basically powdered grains and mashed up fruits. From what I've read we don't have any records of how long women actually tended to breastfeed in Greece, but in Egypt and India, they moved onto some sort of baby food at around six months, which is the age Hecuba is. But, I've also read that in less developed countries woman will breastfeed children for five years because it conserves money and subsistence crops as well as providing health benefits to both the baby and mother. Honestly, I have no idea what they would have done. But, as you may have been able to tell, I was hella excited about your review, so thank you so much!
Guest "This is really great! It's so different from anything I've read on here before and I can't wait to see where you go with it."- Really? I was so worried that it would end up like all of the other Ancient Greco-Roman stories on FF. PJO/HoO is like the perfect series to write historical fiction fanfiction on so I expected there to be a lot of parallels between my story and every other story. Thank you so much for reviewing!
a dodge "OMG i didnt realise this updated im such a happy doggo. anyways, this chapter was so freaking cute. we need more baby hecuba and percabeth"- Baby Hecuba and Percabeth give me life; it's hands down my favorite thing to write. Actually, Percabeth + children, in general, is my favorite thing to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, thank you so much for leaving a review!"
Loverboi2000 "Wjthsohcjek akifao
How are you 14? Your writing is beautiful! My fourteen-year-old self (and my current self) is extremely jealous!"- Oh my fucking god I'm literally screaming (It's chill, though, I'm home alone). I fucking love your work like what the hell you saw my story and liked it what the fuck. Oh my god, I'm, like, fangirling, I love your stories so much, oh my god, thank you so much for writing your stories and reading my story and reviewing my story oh my god.