OMG I'm sorry I haven't updated in the past few weeks! I've been busy with final projects and papers in my college classes as the semester is coming to a close. I swear the professors wait until the end of the semester to give you all the homework and assignments, and it really pisses me off. Oh well. Here's a longer chapter for you, thank you so much for reading, adding this story, and reviewing! It really makes my day.

Feel free to check out my new story, Pawn (link on my page!). It's an original, and it's really my first time ever posting something like that. Please let me know what you think! I have a preview of Pawn at the end of this chapter for any of you who are interested!

Cheers!

Ally Layne.

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"Persephone Jackson. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!"

I looked up at the dark specter in front of me with gritted teeth. Blood oozed from cuts that littered my face, mostly from the empousi that had been following Annabeth and I ever since we landed in this place. However, at the moment I didn't know where Annabeth was, and I doubted that she was safe.

"Your friend will be meeting her demise at the hands of my lovely children, Jackson. You are out of options. Bow down to me, and I will let you die peacefully."

I couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. There was a dark mist-like figure that was solitary in front of me, and I was being restrained by what must have been its minions. I found myself wishing Annabeth was with me—she would know what this monster was.

If you know what something is, you can kill it, I told myself.

"From what I've heard you're normally a lot more talkative, Jackson. Hmmm... I guess I'm going to have to use some other methods to have a decent conversation."

I was forced into a lying position, and my mouth was forced open by some unseen force. The specter moved forward like a wolf stalking its prey. I didn't need to be able to see the specter's face to know the demeaning grin that must have taken over.

"How many teeth do you think will get you to squeal?"

Teeth?

My eyes widened as I started to struggle against the restraints. No way this dude was going to be doing that to me, I was so not a fan.

I tried to speak, but whatever the dark mass was doing it was keeping me from making a sound. So much for having a decent conversation, I thought. This thing probably just wants me to suffer.

"If you want to speak, Persephone, you're going to have to mean it."

I struggled even more. I mean it. I swear, I mean it.

Darkness spilled into my mouth. I screamed. No sound could be heard in the dark cavern.

The specter only chuckled.

Pain riddled my senses, and I could feel a pop in my mouth as a bottom tooth was pulled. I could taste the blood that immediately filled my mouth, and pool up in the back of my throat. My screams kept me from swallowing, and instead, I started to choke on the blood.

The darkness only laughed at me.

...

My eyes opened as soon as my ears registered the screams that riddled my rooms, and I found myself sitting up in bed with my sheets strewn all over the floor around the bed. Gerds was going to be pissed.

"Persie!" Speak of the devil and she'll appear. "Are you okay?"

I looked at Gerda in confusion, suddenly registering the tears that were running down my cheeks. "Yeah, I-uh, I'm fine, thanks Gerds."

I immediately started to wipe at the tears with my hands and leaned back down on the bed with a sigh. The nightmares came every night, and quite frankly, it was becoming really exhausting.

"Well, I apologize for interrupting you, but you were screaming bloody murder, Persie," Gerda spoke with a lilt of sarcasm. I immediately looked at her in shock. "By how loud you were, I thought someone was in your room!"

"I never knew you could be sarcastic, Gerds!" I exclaimed. Her eyebrows furrowed at my blatant avoidance tactic.

"Persie, you really should talk about-"

I groaned and ran my hands down my face in annoyance. "Look, Gerds, I know you want to help but talking about this stuff isn't going to help me."

She crossed her arms. "And avoiding it will?"

"Uh, yeah. Avoidance fixes everything, you know."

"I thought you were smarter, Persie," A calm voice spoke, causing Gerda and I to immediately turn toward the door. It was opened, which surprised me as I didn't hear a thing, and Arwen was standing right in the middle of it with her usual glowing smile.

"Milady, pardon me, I did not notice you-"

Gerda immediately curtsied, but Arwen cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Please, Gerda, we are among friends."

Arwen immediately turned to me, and her smile dropped slightly. "Do I really look that bad?" I asked.

The Lady of Imladris pursed her lips but didn't answer. That was enough for me.

"It's the nightmares," I explained, running my hands along the sweat-ridden sheets that lay beneath me. "I can't control them, but I still sleep so that's good."

"Do you get them every night?" Arwen asked quietly. She slowly made her way to me just as one would with a petrified animal. "There are potions I am sure you could take-"

I slammed my hands on the bed. "I don't need any potions! I'm fine! Stop treating me like a petulant child!"

Arwen and Gerda immediately retreated into guarded and closed-off stances, obviously frightened from my outburst. I groaned when I could feel the air start to pick-up and swirl around us with the salty smell of the sea.

I needed to calm down.

"Look, guys, I'm sorry," I said, as the wind started to dissipate around us. "I guess I just got wound up. I shouldn't be taking it out on you, I mean, you just want to help."

The elleth immediately relaxed at the sight of my changed demeanor. "Your moods are as wild as the oceans you hail from," Arwen commented with a small smile. "I can understand how you are the daughter of the god of the sea."

I let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, me too."

Gerda clapped her hands enthusiastically. "That is more like the Persie I know! Now, if you and Lady Arwen are going to be on time, we must get you ready for the luncheon!"

I fell back onto the bed with a heavy sigh. "Do I really need to go?"

"Yes, Persie, you must. If you will be taking up residence here under the desires of the Valar, then we need to make sure the courts of Imladris are aware of your presence," Arwen explained.

"Do I have to wear a dress?"

Arwen let out a giggle. "Yes, you need to look your best, Persie. These elleth will certainly not think the best of you if you show up in your usual clothing."

I leaned up on my elbows, looking at the Lady of Imladris curiously. "Then why did you let me wear your riding clothes to the meeting?"

She grinned. "There are no courtier Ladies allowed at the council meetings, Persie. It is only their husbands who are in attendance."

"And it doesn't matter what they think?"

Arwen shrugged. "My grandmother, the Lady Galadriel, is on your side. I think that is enough to sway them to your advantage."

Gerda just smiled knowingly. "Indeed, the Lady Galadriel is a formidable elleth while navigating the courts of any elven land."

"But you still insist that I wear a gown," I grumbled.

"The Lady Galadriel will not be in attendance today," Arwen said, moving over to the wardrobe to peer into what gowns she had at her disposal. "You will need to be formidable on your own."

I grabbed my pen. "I could just stick them with my blade. That usually works in my favor."

Gerda let out a gasp as Arwen rolled her eyes. She must have seen and heard it all from her brothers, I guess. "Persie, you need to wear a gown, and you need to go to the Luncheon. My name and my Ada's name are depending on it."

Why does my fatal flaw have to be personal loyalty? Why can't it be eating or obliviousness or maybe even sexual prowess?

I let out a groan. "Fine. But I still want to let riptide out to play for a bit, even if it's just to scare them."

Arwen smiled. "Deal."

The elf ladies ended up shoving me into a green satin gown that remarkably made me look like I had a figure. I had no clue how they did it, but Arwen and Gerda seem to be miracle workers. However, I noticed rather quickly that the capped sleeves showed off my tanned arms which happened to be riddled with scars.

A sad look crossed Arwen's face as she saw the crisscross patterns of individual marks from a blade that made their way up my forearms, but she wisely said nothing.

Gerda's face went white and her eyes widened as she saw the marks, and I swore I saw tears glisten in her eyes. "Persie—I had no idea—"

I shook my head, tearing my arms away from their grasp. "Is there any way I can wear sleeves?"

The two elleth looked at each other knowingly. "Persie, your scars do not portray who you are," Arwen spoke, holding my hands tightly.

Oh boy.

"Look, Arwen, I don't want to deal with this today..."

"My father would be able to help you with this," Arwen continued. "Ada knows much about healing, including the healing of the mind."

I pursed my lips. "Maybe later."

The silence that followed was deafening. Luckily, Arwen was willing to abide by my wishes.

"Of course, Persie. We can discuss this in due time. Now, let Gerda fix your hair and I will fill you in before we meet with the harpies."

Gerda let out a giggle at Arwen's description of the other Ladies in the court. In my currently numbed state, the effects weren't anything special.

"I will find you a dress with sleeves," Gerda told me, before moving to the wardrobe that looked as though it had steadily started to overflow with gowns. I wonder when that happened?

Arwen immediately grabbed my shoulders and gently moved me to sit in front of the vanity where a brush sat along with a few different pieces of leather and ribbon, various clasps and clips, and various shades of powders.

Yuck.

Arwen smiled at me through the mirror, her blue eyes shining brightly as the morning sun seemed to hit her face just right. A part of me felt insecure from the beauty that radiated beside me, but the rest of me didn't care enough to feel too bad about it.

There were countless other things I constantly worried about. The last thing that I needed to lose sleep over is the way I look.

Suddenly, the scars that riddled my body started to tingle, making me aware of their presence. There's no way I could hope to compete with someone like Arwen.

"Are you sure you are okay, Persie?" Arwen asked as she started to run a brush through my hair. I immediately winced as she hit a few knots and somehow was able to work through them without too much struggle.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Arwen."

The elf's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You are my friend. Of course, I will worry if you are not feeling well." She met my gaze through the mirror. "We can skip this luncheon if we must, Persie. I will not make you undergo more stress than necessary."

I shook my head rapidly. "No, this is important. I need to make friends, right?"

Arwen smiled radiantly. "Yes. The more we can get in favor of your presence, the better."

"I found you a dress!" Gerda exclaimed, walking toward us with a gown in her hands. My eyes widened, taking in the massive dress that my friend brought with her. It looked like something that Aphrodite would wear: definitely not a dress that I'd ever picture myself in.

It was green, a dark, emerald green, and looked to be made of silk fabric. It was simple but elegant. There were sleeves, but even as it was in Gerda's arms, I could tell the sleeves were the long, elegant ones that I guessed were typical of the elves.

"It is beautiful," Arwen breathed, moving to run a hand across the long bodice. "Great choice, Gerda. I am sure Persie will look lovely in it."

Gerda beamed at her Lady's praise.

"Do I really have to wear it?" I groaned, though less seriously than I had before. "I'm not a dress person."

Arwen rolled her eyes. "You must wear a dress to this event, Persie. Now, let Gerda help you into it, and I'll tell you about the ladies of the courts."

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The next thing I knew, Arwen and I were being escorted by Lindir to the luncheon with Gerda following us quietly. I didn't like that Gerds was being put into the shadows, but I figured on my second day here it would be a bit much to try and get her into the thick of things.

But it's not like that hasn't stopped me before.

Only this time I had promised Arwen that I'd be on my best behavior and not screw this up. She had a reputation to maintain with these Ladies as well, and I'd hate to be the reason she lost their respect.

Gerda and Arwen had forced me into the gown, which was far more comfortable than the last. I wasn't ready to be flaunting around my scars, battle wounds or not, especially now when I was going to be dealing with some bitchy elf-ladies.

Gerda had put my hair up in an extravagant up-do, which was basically an elegant version of a messy bun with various clips shining in their specific places. She had placed a line of charcoal underneath my eyes like some sort of eyeliner. Apparently, it made my eyes "pop."

There were many Ladies in the hall, where a long, narrow table sat in the middle that looked to be ready for a seven-course meal, but I hoped I wouldn't have to stay seated for that long.

My gown flittered at my sides, reminding me of the smooth surface of the ocean. I smiled. It was nice to have a little reminder of home.

"Lady Persephone!" someone exclaimed from behind me, cutting me of my thoughts. Arwen and I turned to see who had spoken, and I grinned when I saw the familiar face.

"Alma! I thought I told you to call me Persie?"

The blonde elleth laughed. She was wearing her blonde hair in long curls that trailed down her back and was donned in an elegant dark blue dress. There were silver flowers that had been embroidered along the skirt of the gown that flowed with every step. "We are not in private, my friend. It is always smart to be careful in these circles," she explained quietly, leaning in slightly to speak into my ear. I knew that elves had a good sense of hearing, so seeing Arwen's knowing look for myself told me all that I needed to know.

Don't trust these Ladies.

"Arwen told me that there are a few Ladies whom I'll need to be on guard with," I agreed.

Alma nodded. "Lady Arwen knows these circles better than anyone."

The elf in question quirked an eyebrow. "Is that a remark on my age, mellon?"

"No, it is only that you grew up in these circles and-"

Arwen's bell-like laughter cut Alma off. "I am only kidding, Lady Alma. It is only because I am the daughter of the Lord of Imladris that I am so knowledgeable."

I rolled my eyes at the humility. "Arwen, you should have more confidence. You are the Lady of Imladris. Flaunt it, own it, and work it girl."

The two elleth stared at me as though I grew another head. "Work it?" Arwen asked curiously.

I nodded, feeling the mischievous grin slide onto my face. "Work it. Strut it out."

Alma turned to Arwen in question. "Does she always speak like this?"

I gapped at the blonde. "Hey!"

They happily ignored me as Arwen shrugged. "You get used to it."

Alma had to hold a hand to her mouth to try and smother her snicker.

"Well, Ladies, look at what mortal we found!" a high-pitched voice rang out, deriving the rest of us of our good moods.

I turned to face the demon-elleth with a blisteringly sweet smile. "Lady Mirwen. What a coincidence to find you here."

The blonde elleth looked at me with tauntingly icy blue eyes and her mouth drawn in a sneer. Her shimmering black dress was even more revealing than the one from yesterday, with a neckline that plunged so low I bet if I moved it down a centimeter it would show her belly button. Skank. "I certainly would never expect to find such muck like you at an event like this."

Arwen's shoulders stiffened, and her deep blue eyes flashed at the other Lady. "Lady Mirwen, I suggest you watch your tongue." She placed a calming hand on my shoulder. "Lady Persephone is a friend of mine and my father's guest."

A blonde eyebrow lifted. "I didn't know Lord Elrond allowed such filth in our esteemed home. It is shameful to see the standards have sunk so low."

I ground my teeth together. Arwen can handle this. She told me to play nice, and that's what I'll do. Yep. Not going to freak out one bit.

Alma let out a low hiss from beside me. I guess she didn't get the whole "be on your best behavior" memo.

"It is alarming how an orc like you would be allowed in court," Alma seethed, placing her hands on her hips in anger. It was like seeing Annabeth reincarnated, really.

A small tinge of sadness tried to latch itself on me, but my inner badass shrugged it off.

I found myself nodding along with Alma, smirking at the pure shock that littered her face. Then, I had to hold in my snort when it was replaced with rage. She looked more like an angry wet cat, to be honest.

"Mirwen!" A voice called, cutting off whatever the other Lady was going to say in her anger. We all turned to see another elleth standing with a group of other Ladies, all sitting together and bringing some elvish wine to their lips. "Come here, I would have a word with you!"

The look on Mirwen's face shifted dramatically from outrage to peacefulness. It was the kind of grace one would expect from a Lady of the court.

"Coming, nana!"

Nana?

The young elleth that had just spoken was this bitch's mother?

Actually, I suppose I could see it. The blonde hair, striking good looks, and dainty frame seemed to have carried over in the gene pool. I wonder if her mother is the one to blame for her terrible attitude and shifty mood swings.

"You're going to be sorry you said that, Lady Almarian," The she-devil said, then turned back to face the rest of her arrogant posse.

"I swear, her moods change more than Aphrodite changes her clothes," I retorted, as the three of us watched her walk away. "And trust me, that is definitely saying something."

Arwen and Alma looked at me suspiciously. "Who is Aphrodite?" Alma asked.

I grinned. "She's the goddess of love and beauty," I explained. "Her looks change due to the eyes of the beholder so that she's everyone's perception of beauty."

They nodded. "It seems then you are right in that comparison, Persie," Arwen commented, her eyes a shade darker as she looked disdainfully on the other elleth. "It is exhausting to have to deal with her-"

"Bitchiness?" I finished.

Alma let out a not-so-Lady-like snort.

"Yes," Arwen agreed. "Bitchiness."

"Well, we should try and enjoy the rest of this event, Ladies," Alma spoke, wrapping her arms through Arwen and my own's.

I laughed. "I think we should start off with some wine. Loosen some things up a bit."

Alma paled slightly. "I don't think I want to see an intoxicated version of you, Persie."

"I second that," Arwen giggled.

"You guys are such old-ladies. I'm so going to have to teach you how to have fun!"

I was glad that having friends like these allowed me to remember what was important: enjoying every moment together. This was a new start, a different world, and some new friends. I was going to make the best of it.

No biotch and her cronies were going to change that for me.

However, little did I know at the time, that dealings with the she-devil were only going to get worse.

A lot worse.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

As promised, here is the preview to my new original story, Pawn:

Life is a game

We never intended to play.

Detective Ophelia Blake has officially lost everything. Her friends and family have all died at the hands of the one person she couldn't catch- the deadly Nightshade. Wallowing in defeat, the genius packs her bags and heads from New York City to St. Paul, Minnesota where she hopes to leave her past behind.

If only it were that simple.

After a chance meeting with the mysterious billionaire Mr. Thorne along with his comedic driver Archie, she becomes immersed into the world of the rich and wealthy. She quickly discovers that her past will not stay in the past, and finds much more danger than before.

Will Ophelia learn how to defeat her demons?

Or will she end up like her namesake- driven into madness?