"Why?" I didn't say anything so she continued, a storm in her eyes, "Why save me?"
"No reason," I said and it was true, I had no reason to help her, none at all. Why was I doing this!
"Ok, Penelope," I said, "Tell me what happened, I wanna hear your side if the story."
"Well," She said, playing with the bracelet around her wrist, twisting it around without realizing it.
"We spent months trying to pin you down, to follow your course, we finally pinned you down, it was my chance to get you so I sent half my navy after you. Alice was sent to play me, nothing more than a simple voice trick, easy magic. All my copies faces were covered and if you would take off the veil there would be nothing but a blank sheet so their real faces couldn't be seen, there is no face other than the bottom half, it's a handy magic trick."
I snorted at that and she grinned but continued solemnly,
"But then everything went wrong. She was given the order to wait, the fleet was to scare you, nothing more. She would bring you to me and I would take care of it. But then you attacked, 50 men, wiped out hundreds in a matter of hours. Alice was dead and you were free but we knew the only way you could go was over Athena because you were returning home so as soon as you were sighted we pulled you down. But Rachel, Alice's sister was too proud, she was given Alice's position because Alice hadn't yet fulfilled her duty and loyalty to me. I thought she wasn't good enough but it turns out she was capable of a lot more…
Nico found out, he escaped and found out about my copies and ran back to tell you, it's protocol to wipe our prisoner's mind but I didn't want to kill you. I did when I sent out the navy after you but I thought there would be a better use for you so I put you in a cell, figuring out what to do but Rachel got involved so you never knew about the trick but that's too small, there must be something else you figured out. I...I don't know, it must have been important." She's gotten up and started pacing the room, lost in thought, speaking more to herself than anything else.
"Why did you want me? What for?"
Penelope wiped her face towards me,
"Because I thought the world would be better without 50 bloodthirsty pirates. And I needed you. I thought I could make you serve under me. And..." She stopped herself, "Yeah, that's basically it."
There was something she was hiding. But was it good or bad? She'd built quite a good reputation for herself. She must be up to something.
"OK, I'll help," I said, thoughtfully and Penelope turned to me as if she'd only just seen me.
"Come with us. You want your kingdom back, I'll help," she looked at me, astonished.
"But," I said, getting up from my seat, "It's not up to me, we'll have a vote and decide together, and I can't trust you yet" I finished and opened the door wide, as I predicted, three people stumbled forward shouting and gasping. Penelope laughed from where she stood.
"Aw! Not nice, dude," Leo complained as he got up and rubbed a sore spot on his head where it had collided with the floor.
I just smirked and took my seat again,
"Get the rest, please," I told Magnus, he nodded and ran out the door and five minutes later we were all assembled, sitting in our places, eating apples.
"Right," Clarisse said, her feet propped up on the table as she carved into an apple, "Why should we give this chick a free ride? We don't owe her anything."
"Yes," Hazel agreed, "She could be dangerous."
"Yes," Leo said, "How do we know she isn't another copy!"
Around the table many of my crew shouted their agreement and shouted arguments at each other but everyone fell silent when Penelope spoke, she didn't shout, she just seemed to speak to everyone like a wave.
"She," Penelope said, "Has nothing to gain by hurting you, she just wants to get her country back and," she said, stretching the word, "Were you to assist her, she would reward you all greatly."
The room fell silent as she finished and I said,
"How can we trust you?" I didn't mean it as an insult but I was worried, I hoped she realized that too.
"I swear it," she said casually, shrugging, "on the river Styx."
She didn't say the name in fear or respect but as a challenge to anyone who dares doubt her.
"Then the curse is to be yours and yours alone," I said,
"I think we should help her," I continued, addressing my crew, "I think we should assist her to fight for the throne, what do you think?"
Penelope clearly wasn't happy with this democracy, once a Queen, always a Queen.
"I think we should." Said Will, chewing his apple, "Everyone deserves a home and help."
"Aye," said Leo as he juggled three apples, "But first we will need permission from the Queen. Our Queen."
"Agreed," Frank said, "but first we must consult the Gods."
I nodded in agreement,
"All in favour say, Aye!" I stated. After a moment of hesitation, Ayes rang round the table but Reyna stood and slammed her hand down on the table,
"NO," she declared, "She is the reason we were attacked, she is the reason our friends are dead. Percy," she said outraged, "How could you? Because of that bitch, Margaret is dead."
I felt the words like a blow but it no longer shut me down but woke me up and instantly I made my decision. I had a purpose now, I was going to get the Queen her throne back.
"REYNA," Jason bellowed, "STAND DOWN!"
Reyna bared her teeth at him, but before everything could go to hell, I spoke.
"This is why I am doing this. Margaret is dead because we attacked the Greeks, they killed 12 of ours but we killed hundreds of them. So now I am giving them their Queen back as an apology, we're pirates but we save lives so that's what we are going to do. We are going to pay back for their deaths as well as we can. We killed brothers, fathers, and sons and a sister."
I looked Penelope in the eyes and saw her eyes brimmed with tears and spoke to her directly.
"I'm sorry,"
Reyna slowly sat down and faced the Queen,
"Aye." She said, not sounding very pleased about it, "I will stand with you, daughter of Athena."
Penelope nodded her thanks,
"Right then," I said as I took out a map from among the many others stuffed in cupboards.
"Where do we go now, princess?"
I spread out the map before me, all of the known world laid out before me.
She grinned ferally and we got to work.
"And so," Penelope said, moving a little model ship representing the Slayer across the map,
"We win back my crown,"
I grinned at her, she really was smart and intriguing to listen to.
"Sounds brilliant," I said and her grin grew even wider,
"OK." I addressed the rest of my crew, "back to work everyone."
One after the other they all left until it was just Penelope and Percy in the room.
"OK, Now what?" Penelope asked and I got up from my seat,
"Let's see what you've got."
She looked at me curiously but followed when I left the room and went to the training room, on our way we passed the cabins but I walked on.
"When the crew isn't working they are free to do whatever they want, training, reading, socializing, anything you like."
Penelope looked around, touching the gleaming swords and looked at the sharp daggers.
"Did any fighting, princess?" I asked as I uncapped my pen with a skunk the blade came out, Penelope undid her cloak, letting it drop to the floor and she looked at the stacks of weapons and grabbed a spear. She inspected the weapon and walked to the mat in the centre of the room, I joined her and she held the spear across her chest, legs apart, ready to fight.
"C'mon then," She said and I smirked and got into my fighting stance, only two meters between us.
She came hard and fast, swinging the staff from left to right, crossing the distance between us in one leap, I parried back and she attacked again, slamming the staff down on my foot. I gritted my teeth in pain and attacked her left but she was ready and stuck the staff between herself and the sword. While she was distracted I spun my sword around to her right but she jumped back just in time. She struck and I parried, I struck back and she ducked, she hit my sword hand hard, making me drop riptide as the butt of the staff connected with my chest, sending me flying back. I flew back, hitting the ground hard but I was still on the mat and felt riptide reappear in my pocket. Penelope stood there, waiting for me to get up,
Okay, new tactic.
I stood and approached her, ready for her.
"You don't seem so surprised that my sword comes from a pen and reappears in my pocket."
I said, twirling my sword, she just smiled and attacked,
"I've seen it all before," she said as I parried her attack to my leg, she stepped back and attacked again,
"It's Riptide, the sword of Hercules," she said and I attacked but she parried with the staff,
"I am Greek you know," she finished as she attacked, sweat dripping down her brow, I swung aside her attack and brought my sword down on her staff, snapping it cleanly in two,
"So am I," I said as she stared at the broken pieces in her hand but she recovered quickly and brought the two pieces together to block the attack.
"If you're going to join us," I said as she parried again, "You're going to need a better name, more... Well, I don't know," her two pieces swirled over my head as I ducked,
"Less Greek," I finished my thought,
she snorted as she stuck a piece between my feet to trip me. I jumped back in time and she spoke,
"Like Perseus isn't a Greek name." I faltered and she struck me on my left but I spun, dogging the strike,
"How do you know that?"
Penelope rolled her eyes and thrust her longest piece forward,
"Percy, short for Perseus, the Greek demigod, duh."
I grinned as I parried her shot,
"Of course, smart ass."
She panted as she jumped back and said,
"Why should I have a new name when yours is as Greek as could be?"
She was stalling,
"I have another name," I answered as we struck and parried again.
"But you need one too," I told her and she aimed her stick at my side and as I slashed my sword at her but she was ready. she spun and trapped my sword between her two sticks and twisted, sending my sword flying out of my hand and up into the air, she caught it easily. Meanwhile, she swept her feet under mine, it all happens so fast I barely had time to process what had happened. I lay on my back as she brought my sword to my neck, panting heavily. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked her in the eyes and she smirked,
"Annabeth," she said, "Annabeth Chase,"
I smiled up at her, Annabeth. It suited her,
"I like it," I said truthfully and she thrust out her hand, I accepted her hand and shook it,
"Nice to meet you, Chase."
She smiled and shook it back and pulled me to my feet.
"Likewise," she said as we went back to training but what I didn't see was the figure in the shadows, she'd walked in to ask me whether we could train together only to find me fighting with the Queen, too lost in her eyes to notice her standing in the doorway. Reyna sighed to herself, love had abandoned her again and not left her intact.
Sorry for the long absence so there you have it, two in a day. I'll be posting everyday or every other day from now on.