As always, review and whatnot, but I wanted to just say sorry for the ungodly amount of endless filler and plot building in this post. I sort of started rambling in a 1am haze of writing halfway through, and I'm too dead tired to properly edit it. I'll go through and make it prettier here and there tomorrow, but for now, enjoy a Piper POV and my sorry attempt at a female character. Review and enjoy!

Chapter Dedication: For Jess, and her incessant demands for me to write more Jasper.


VII

Piper

Piper tapped her foot impatiently on the marble floor beneath her as she waited; arms folded under her bust and eyes staring holes into the target of her frustrations, ignoring the faint tinkle of the jewels in her golden circlet. Standing in front of her, bent fully over the entrails of a butchered teddy bear, Octavian stood in traditional toga and sash, murmuring to himself – using his knife to sort the innards of the once-adorable stuffed animal carefully. Around them, the Temple of Zeus Optimus Maximus gleamed with polished perfection, despite the absence of the King of the Gods on Olympus. Jason had commanded its construction, along with similar temples to Hades and Poseidon, immediately after his coronation as Caesar. A wise move to Piper, as it immediately equalled Percy and Nico with Jason and it pacified the Romans and Greeks both.

After the return of the Athena Parthenos, the gods' split personalities had healed, and they had held council amongst themselves. The result had been a dictation to their Greek and Roman children, commanding the acceptance of both cultures as one. The invocation of a god or goddess by their Roman or Greek side still had a definitive effect on their manifestation, but it was less about their name and more about the belief and perception of the individual or individuals invoking them.

Calling on Ares or Mars would still produce the figure the invoking individual perceived most, Roman or Greek. The name itself was irrelevant – the differences were more tradition than fact, now. Old habits die hard, however, and Romans and Greeks still maintained their cultural names, despite both sides having mutually agreed to adopt a primarily Roman organization to their fledgling new Empire.

"Are you done yet, Octavian?" Piper finally asked, striding forwards with a click of her heels on the floor. Her single-shoulder dress, a formal mark of her station as the Chief Ambassador of the Empire, flared around her feet, the scarlet fabric rippling like a river of blood. Absent her shawl, her tanned arms were completely exposed; the toned and strong muscle within stealing nothing from her femineity. Piper, as a daughter of Aphrodite, had managed to perfectly balance physical prowess with pure sensual beauty – appearing as an ideal blend of both outgoing and elegant. "Rachel is waiting, and Percy is on his way from Manhattan already. We need a damn reading already."

In reply, Octavian sighed in a long-suffering manner, but nodded, turning to face Piper. The years had somewhat softened the Augury, whose narrow and pinched features had become stronger and more masculine – he was nowhere near as powerful looking as Percy, or Jason for that matter – but there was a new kind of dignity to the Augury, which was aided by his apparent acceptance of his position. At Jason's proclamation as Caesar, Octavian had seemingly given up his mad quest to grab power; instead investing himself in maintain and holding the position of Augur. "The days ahead will be difficult, but the omens declare victory on the horizon – hard-won, but ours."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes with great difficulty, Piper nodded, turning with a flick of her waist-length brown hair and striding back towards the entrance. "Hurry up, Octavian," she called back to him, "Rachel will give you hell if you're late again." At the mention of the Oracle, Octavian hiked up his toga and jogged with the sound of slapping sandals after Piper, seemingly in no mood to be rendered unto the mercy of a grumpy Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

Stepping outside the temple, Piper nodded politely to the two Praetorian Guardsmen on duty, returning their respectful bows with a warm smile. Every movement she made was measured, graceful, designed to draw attention and impress. She had fallen into the role of Ambassador with perfect ease, and had been instrumental in forging several Alliances overseas with other remnant nations that had held out against the Monster incursion. In America, the New Roman Empire was the largest power – soon to be the only power, if what she had heard was true.

Yet across the globe, other nations thrived as well. The Humanity Resistance Army in Russia, the Confederate People's Republic of Asia in China, Japan and India, even the Special Warfare Operations and Resurgent Democracy in Australia. The last was the most impressive to Piper, as the Australians had managed to use the lethal flora and fauna of their homeland to devastating results, effectively hamstringing the Monster incursions and liberating mass swathes of their land. It was one of the few truly safe locations on the planet, and if she had her way, would soon be part of the Empire's foreign holdings.

At the base of the stairs to the massive, thirty foot high temple, a modified Chrysler 300C sat waiting for them, its hood painted with the Dove of Aphrodite, and Roman Eagles flying from flags attached to its bonnet above each headlight. The car itself was heavily modified, thanks to Leo's mad genius. It had a reinforced steel plate on its underside, in the unlikely event a bomb were to go off beneath it, as well as glass that could stop a missile and celestial bronze framework throughout the vehicle and its interior to make it poisonous to monsters.

Its rear was modified to comfortably seat four people, with a triple layer of steel to protect the fuel tank and specialised foam designed to counter-act the combustible nature of fuel, meaning that even a direct bullet hit would not detonate the petrol. The car ran on diesel, so as to allow it to drive in any condition and had a V12 engine of Leo's design. Its wheels were Kevlar and rubber composite with deployable steel treads for slippery roads and the ability to replace each tire three times with the push of a button, should they somehow be shredded.

The plating of the car was also reinforced with Imperial gold between the metal plates, and each door weighed as much as the door of a Boeing 747 aircraft. The exhaust was located within its own compartment under the car and was only deployed when the vehicle turned on, to avoid any chance of sabotage. The hood of the car was magically sealed, and could only be opened by someone possessing the correct key and code combination. Furthermore, the entire vehicle was filled with warding charms fused into the construction, making it a giant steel pain beacon to any monster within one hundred yards.

To Piper, it had seemed ridiculously excessive, even before Leo had explained the on-board weapons systems, secret mobile armoury and the celestial bronze, tank buster bullet fed mini-gun. When she learned that it had been designed to drive on water, could submerge and was capable of deploying glide wings when launched from an aircraft, however, she had been less exasperated. She had been even more mollified when Jason had informed her that the vehicle was for her personal use, and would travel with her no matter which country she visited.

A Praetorian Guardsman in Kevlar and imperial gold stepped out of the driver's seat, bowing to Piper and opening the door for her to enter, the man offering a lesser bow to Octavian. Many of the Praetorian Guards had been from Camp Jupiter or the United States Special Forces. Few of them had any love for the Augur. Piper, however, had charmed them all quite effectively. Sliding elegantly into the seat on the far right of the car, Piper adjusted herself and crossed her legs elegantly, not paying attention as Octavian settled himself into one of the seats opposite her.

The door closed, and Piper heard the thud of the pressurized seals locking, the faint hum of the life support system kicking in to filter and recycle their oxygen. The car was capable of function on hydroelectric power as well, if needed, which meant fuel could be conserved underwater thanks to the on-board turbine system. "Is it true she had a prophecy?" Octavian asked Piper quietly, looking out of his own window, his face unreadable. "A new great prophecy, after nearly eight years of nothing?"

Piper turned to the Augury, her eyes scanning him for a moment, before she looked down at her lap in thought. "Yes, she had a prophecy. I was with her when it happened." Octavian turned to her, raising an eyebrow, "what was it?" Piper shook her head, looking back to the window. "I was ordered not to tell anyone until Percy and the others arrive. Jason wants to convene a full war council before we can move forward with fulfilling the Prophecy."

"A war council?" Octavian asked in surprise, "What does the Caesar require an entire council discussion on?"

Piper simply shook her head, however, and remained silent. Wisely, Octavian did not press, instead returning to staring outside of his window – expression sombre, and mood ambivalent. Piper had no doubt the Augury was attempting to puzzle out what she was hiding from him, but she was confident he would have a hard time doing so. She could still scarcely believe the prophecy, and she had heard it firsthand. When she had told Rachel what she'd said, the Oracle had asked if she was being punked. After she realized she wasn't, she had all but collapsed out of shock.

Piper couldn't blame her.

The Chrysler rolled down the roadways of Romana Prima in relative silence, undisturbed by the pedestrians, chariots and horses populating the area. Because of fuel restrictions, most motor vehicles had been abandoned or handed in to the Military in exchange for money. It was very rare that anyone not in the government drove anywhere, and for that reason almost every car was given a wide berth – allowed to pass through even the thickest of traffic unimpeded. Their destination was no secret, of course. Piper could already see it, looming in the distance. The Imperial Palace was a marvellous affair, a reconstructed and enlarged version of the government building that had been present when the city was still called Olympia. Colonnaded marble columns and statues of the gods dominated it in every location, and the Praetorian Guard patrolled every entrance like prowling wolves.

Atop it stood a massive statue of the three chief gods, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. While in ancient roman culture, Mars Ultor had been the patron of the Empire, the effective merge with the Greek half of their theological source had altered the manner in which the Empire operated. Mars was given his due, still, of course – every single barracks had a statue of the War God in all his glory. The palace, however, was reserved for the sons of Kronos – and the most elementally imperative gods in Olympus.

"The people look hopeful," Octavian said quietly, his blue eyes sliding across the faces of the citizens they passed on the roads. "There's a palpable feeling of joy in the air. I believe the news of our assimilation of the Texan Alliance has spread. They're excited."

Piper nodded in agreement, she too having noticed and felt the level of increased morale present throughout the city. It was important to pay attention to the shifting whims of the populace, even when total control remained with Jason – the will of the people was a powerful thing and son of Zeus or not, incorrect action against the population could be a disaster. Loyal as their military was, there were limits to anyone's tolerance. Thankfully, Jason had yet to prove himself an inadequate Caesar.

Piper fought down the urge to sigh as she thought of Jason. It was difficult at the best of times, speaking about him so casually, especially to Octavian. It had been years since they had broken up, but still, a part of her loved him desperately – and she couldn't help but pine after the blue-eyed Emperor and his ripped, perfectly moulded body. Outside, houses and large forums passed by without event, the massive expanse of the city swallowing them as they drove through a tunnel. Romana Prima was huge, having been aggressively expanded following its adoption by the Empire. The city housed millions, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

In a world torn asunder by war, it was a truly safe place – a thing almost impossible to find in their day and age. Piper was proud of it, not just because of what it represented, but because she knew it was she and her friends that had pioneered its birth. "We're almost there, my Lady." The driver said from in front, gently turning the car into one of the restricted access roads leading directly to the palace. "We've received word that the Imperator expects you and Lord Octavian in the conference room as soon as possible." At that, Piper blinked and avoided looking at Octavian. She could feel the Augury's eyes on her, attempting to pry the information he needed out of her skull. Now more than ever, Piper wished Rachel had never delivered the damned prophecy.

When the Chrysler pulled up to the large, steel palace gates, the driver lowered his window and exchanged a few words with the sentries on duty, seemingly adhering to standard procedure. A few moments later, the Chrysler rolled into the Palace's massive front park. Most buildings had lawns, not the Imperial palace. A literal park, large enough for several Legions to occupy comfortably, marked the initial point of the Palace. A large, elegantly built road led towards the palace through the centre of the park, flanked by evenly spaced pinewood trees along its length – its body was carefully monitored by sentries at key checkpoints, each group manning heavy weapon emplacements and tracking the car's progress with the fixed munitions.

The Praetorian Guard were very protective of their Imperator.

"I will never fail to appreciate the grandeur of this palace," Octavian murmured, "what a brilliant tribute to Roman culture." Piper wanted to snort, but she knew he was right – never mind that Octavian himself had been the central proponent for designing the grounds in this manner. It did add a certain gravitas to the Imperial Palace, and no visitor could drive up to the Palace without feeling the sheer power of the Empire.

Such grand designs had not been seen in centuries, and Piper couldn't help but feel awe and pride every time she was given the chance to experience the long drive to the palace steps. It took them five minutes, several more gun emplacements and two large tanks aiming at them menacingly to reach the actual palace. The entrance had been crafted with grandeur, a titanic pair of golden doors, each emblazoned with lightning bolt of Zeus clutched in the talons of an eagle. The doors themselves were wide enough for several hundred people to walk through in a line, and were guarded day and night – they never shut – by a full regiment of the Praetorian Guard.

Marble pillars were interspersed closer to Piper's arriving vehicle, holding up the massive roof, which by itself stretched out a good thirty feet further than the palace's initial stair. The reason for that, of course, was more than just to be impressive – even with the structure nearly six stories tall, the primary point of such a reinforced roof were the three godly statues upon it – gleaming into the midday sun. Piper did not have time to admire them, however, stepping out of the car the moment her door was opened.

Octavian followed, and after a brief pause to settle their attire, the pair moved purposefully towards the three large steps leading to the doors. Even here, there was a large crowd, as palatial staff and civilians wishing to petition the Caesar, or one of his representatives – the Ambassadors that answered to Piper – about a matter of state or personal concern. Jason had decreed an 'open door' policy, and requested enough staff exist to handle matters in an ordered and expedient manner. His wish had been fulfilled, though this meant that as they entered, they were forced to weave through a relatively large crowd of a few thousand citizens petitioning for assistance and recognition.

The roof, inside the entrance chamber, was breathtaking – Piper always reminded herself to look up when she visited the palace. Its arced ceiling held magnificent paintings of the gods on Olympus, the Roman legions and – perhaps most importantly to Piper – the Seven Demi-Gods who had ended Gaea, despite the tragic cost of the victory. Nico had even been given a place with the Seven, standing next to Jason on his left. It was indicative, a telling of the position of the three children of the primary gods. Percy to Jason's right, his enforcer, champion and commander of the Imperial Legions; Nico to his left, his shadow, his assassin and caretaker of all things unspoken and… shady, that the Empire needed taken care of.

Piper herself stood next to Annabeth in the mural, the pair of girls painted with chins held high, and eyes alight with power. Still, the artist had managed to capture the energy between Annabeth and Percy, a faint melding of their stylistic auras, as if they were joined at the soul. Piper's heart ached at the thought, and she looked down from the ceiling, focusing on weaving through the crowd. Beside her, Octavian was admiring the large purple banners imprinted with the Imperial Eagle and S.P.Q.R, while also looking to the various portraits and statues that lined the perimeter of the entrance hall.

A statue of Hermes, god of messengers, dominated the centre of the Hall – standing tall above a fountain, representing the clerical nature of the hall's functions.

As Piper and Octavian began finding it more difficult to push through the crowd, and Piper almost considered resorting to mass charmspeak; a path abruptly cleared through the throng. It took them only a few moments to realize that as opposed to divine providence, it was the fact that the Commander of the Guard himself, Proteus Julius Maximus, had arrived on the scene. Piper took a moment to admire him, a twenty-three year old Demi-God son of Mars, his eyes the gold of the summer sun, his hair an exceedingly rare and exceedingly gorgeous shade of blood-like crimson, and his features akin to that of a movie star or prince charming, save of course for the serious set of his lips and the lethal elegance of his movements.

Proteus was like a prowling lion, his chiselled jaw permanently set into a locked position, and his emotional state unreadable. It was impossible to tell if the commander of the guard was going to pat you on the back, or cut off your head. To top it all off, he was tall, standing at six feet and five inches and built like an American football linebacker. His armour fit well, and the tight shirts he wore showed off the powerful bulge of his muscles. Not too large as to be slow, but large enough that he could do very serious damage.

"Commander Proteus," Piper said with a smile, "what a pleasant surprise. I presume your presence here means the Imperator is very impatient to see us." At her side, Octavian remained silent, lips set to a thin line. He had tried being lippy with Proteus once, years prior, and the son of Mars had broken his jaw. Piper didn't think Octavian could ever forgive the insult.

"You are correct, Lady Mclean," Proteus answered in his coldly professional baritone, "please follow me. Caesar is waiting."

Piper did follow, though she took her sweet time, well aware that every eye in the Chamber was now upon them. Her speed forced the Praetorian Commander to slow down for her, and that was significant to any who saw it. Proteus slowed for no one but a very, very select group of people – one of the Seven? That was the definition of select. The twenty guardsmen and guardswomen that had accompanied Proteus formed an honour guard as the small group advanced, passing through a set of doors deeper into the palace, and out of sight of the thronging masses. It took them a good ten minutes, several staircases and multiple detours to arrive at the chamber where Jason awaited them. Proteus didn't knock, the door had been kept open in expectation, and he marched in while the guard took up positions outside. Within, Jason, Reyna, Rachel, Praetor Dakota, Praetor Will and the Praetors Connor and Travis Stoll stood waiting around a holographic map table, projecting an image of the planet with real time satellite mapping.

The first thing Piper noticed was that the Stoll brothers, now older and hardened by war, were deep in discussion and laughing quietly to themselves, while Dakota gave them sour looks from across the map table. Clearly, they had pulled a prank and Dakota had not been too thrilled. Will, the short former head of the Apollo cabin, remained indifferent to all of them – more focused on observing Piper, Proteus and Octavian than listening to Connor and Travis congratulating themselves on a prank well done.

Rachel was the first to greet them, giving Piper a wave and wry smile, before marching right past her to Octavian. "You're late," she informed him coldly. "Why were you late?"

"I was reading the omens," he protested weakly, "it took a lot of divining."

"You were being difficult again."

"No, I swear, I wasn't." Octavian's look of terror nearly cracked Piper up.

"If you're lying to me, Augury…"

"Damn it, woman, I swear on the Styx!"

Immediately, Rachel beamed and wrapped her arms around Octavian's neck. "Good, then you're not in trouble." Before anyone else could do more than smirk, she kissed him, quite ferociously, uncaring as to who was watching. Piper shook her head, still amazed at exactly how strange love was and the kind of thoughts Aphrodite would have had she been there to observe this strange pairing.

"Piper," Jason's voice washed over her, and Piper turned; her heart constricting as she looked at her ex-boyfriend properly for the first time. Jason was taller, stronger, more matured. Everything about him, the ridiculously powerful features he had inherited from his father, had bloomed in his adulthood. The way he spoke, the way he talked, his jaw, his cheekbones – even the manner in which he gestured. There was presence to Jason, power, fathomless and incomprehensible. Many considered Percy to be most terrifying warrior in the Empire, but Jason was the greatest leader. Percy could inspire fierce loyalty, that was true – even Jason would follow Percy if he asked, but Jason could lead a nation. He could be impartial. Most of all, he could be in control of himself.

"Glad you decided to join us, Ambassador." Piper smiled faintly at his words, her heart doing backflips in her chest. It was completely unfair that the bastard, the gorgeous, breathtaking bastard still had this much power over her feelings. She had thought herself past this last time they'd spoken, but the time apart had just made her ache for him. She felt her fingers trembling, and forced them to be still.

"My apologies for being late, Imperator. Are we ready to begin?"

"The Lord Protector, Chief Strategist and Praetors Valdez and Zhang are due to arrive in twenty minutes." Proteus said from somewhere to the right of Jason, "I believe we should wait for them before he proceed."

Jason had seemingly already come to that conclusion, because he merely nodded, studying the map before him. At that, Piper herself turned to look at the map, and noticed with a pang that Russia had been marked with a large, descending eagle, its talons expanded. A lightning bolt was flying from its open claws, aimed at the country, the entire image a static rendition upon the otherwise ever-changing map. She swallowed.

It was precisely what she feared.

Looking at Jason's face, the way his brow creased as he stared at the map, she knew in her heart that she had been right all along.

The Empire was going to war.