Chapter 10 ~Rosamynd~
After Adrian finished talking to Chiron, Lysandra walked over to him, Vytoni in tow. They walked into the Big House, leaving Rosamynd and the others alone outside.
"Holy Mother of Gods!" Elektra gasped. "My healing kit!"
Being reminded, everyone starting rushing around, grabbing their weapons and everything they thought they needed as Elektra and Enryx sprinted off to their cabin.
"Adrian- where exactly was this girl?" Trudy asked him, helping him pick up his battle gear.
"I don't know, somewhere in the woods. Oh- there was a cliff as well."
"Well, that's informative," Rosamynd said, rolling her eyes, from behind Adrian.
Elektra ran back down from her cabin, her own quiver of silver arrows and bow slung on her back and her pouch of healing herbs dangling from her belt. Enryx was alongside her, his quiver full of goldarrows and bow slung from his back as well.
"So where are we going exactly, Adrian?" asked Enryx.
"Er.. I don't know?" He looked at the weird glances from everyone. Just then, Chiron came out, followed by Vytoni and Lysandra.
"I have arranged Lysandra, Elektra and Vytoni to go with you to save the girl in the woods. Only those four" He added, eyeing Enryx's bow and arrows.
"What? No fair!" and "Yeah! I want to come as well." - Indigent responses from the others.
"Excuse me! What I said is final- I will need you guys for something else. Now go eat breakfast, all of you- the mess hall is almost closing," Chiron said sternly. "Please! Not you four- you have to go save the girl- she must be severely injured."
"We will eat when we come back!" Adrian told the others.
"But we don't where to go!" Said Elektra. Chiron turned to look at Adrian.
"You will know when you reach there," He said smiling, earning one back for each of them.
"Bye, guys!" Said Rosamynd suddenely. Everyone turned around and eyed her, and Rosamynd blushed slightly.
"Oh! Bye, Rosie," Said Lysandra.
"Yeah! Bye!" replied Elektra. Once they were gone, Rosamynd and the others went to get breakfast, only to be greeted by people piling up empty plates, all the food gone.
"What? What are going to do... I'M SO HUNGRY!" Enryx complained.
"Oh, stop being so overdramatic, Enryx! It's not like we're going to die without one surviving of food throughout the day" Rosamynd scolded.
"But breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Enryx replied, his lip quivering.
"Oi! Stop with the puppy-dog face - anyways, what can I do about it?" came Rosamynd's reply, as she playfully hit his arm.
"But, honestly, I really am hungry," Trudy commented, from Rosamynd's left.
They jogged up to the hall, where demigods were running out. There were stains on their shirts and food in their mouths and all over their faces. One crashed into Enryx, who held the messy eater and arm's length and questions him, "What's going on?"
"You'll love this," The camper's eyes shined with excitement, "It's time for capture the flag!"
"Capture the what?" Rosamynd's eyes followed the hyper camper, who was jumping up and down, " Slow down!"
But he already took off, joining his friends who were crowding around the armoury.
The three godlings looked and one another, unsure about what do.
"This will be fun," Trudy muttered, fishing out her dagger, which was tucked inside her belt.
"Yeah it will!" Enryx whooped, grabbing their arms and dragging them towards the armoury along with the sea of other demigods. Rosamynd chose the lightest armor, relying on speed,agility and comfort, instead of facing them head on. The red team were cabins 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18 and 19. Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, Athena, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hypnos, Nemesis, Hebe and Tyche. Rosamynd looked at Trudy, then at blue team, which was Hera, Demeter, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hades, Iris, and Hecate, was now opposing them.
The crowd separated to two, blue team and red team. The demigods put on their 'warrior faces', ready to battle the opposing team.
Rosamynd nudged Trudy, on her right. "So I'm guessing you know how to play this- right?" Trudy nodded. "Then spit it out."
But Trudy's face hadn't changed since the moment the camper boy said, "Capture the flag."
"Trudy? Is this really scary, then? Is that why your face looks like you swallowed a bug?"
"What? No!" Trudy said, turning to face Rosie. "It's just because- well, I have only played once, and the last time- I - well, my bracelet came off, so I faked an injury to get off the field. But yes, I know the rules."
Rosamynd nodded in concern, but then repeated exactly what she said before- same tone and everything. "Then spit it out!"
Trudy patiently explained the rules to Rosamynd and Enryx, who had ambled over, complaining that the others were boring. When Trudy finally finished explaining the rules and such to the Rosamynd and Enryx, most demigods had already left to gather outside. The three godlings hastily picked their armors and weapons - Rosamynd choosing a sharp knife and a smaller dagger, Trudy with her spear and shield, also hiding a dagger in her belt and Enryx, who put his golden bow in his quiver with his arrows, obviously taking a sniper's front. Rosamynd and Trudy donned their bronze helmets with a red plume, while Enryx took one with a blue plume.
They split ways, Enryx going for defence, keeping his team's flag in his eyesight. Trudy, Rosamynd and most of their team went for attack, while about five demigods remained with red team's flag to defend. They strategized their attack and defence. Half of their campers were going to be combative and elemental demigods who would drive in and attack the blue team. The other half would roughly stay in the middle and slow the attackers down. Rosamynd was part of the middle bunch, while Trudy was part of the first wave.
The horn blew signalling that the game had begun. Rosamynd stayed back, looking around and noticing that she knew some of her fellow campers with her. There was one of her new half-sisters, Megan;Jillian, a girl she trained her earthly powers with; and another new demigod she occasionally talked to - Carter.
She could hear the sound of celestial bronze against celestial bronze, the clashing of swords and spears. A group of around seven demigods charged towards them, their weapons at the ready. With help from Jillian, Rosamynd made a tree trunk fall down in front of them - The demigods crashed into them, which left Rosamynd plenty of time to trap them in thorns and vines. Rosamynd instantly felt bad for them and wanted to let them go, but she cleared that idea out of her head and concentrated on other movements and sounds around them.
Suddenly there was a whole wave of demigods rushing in. This must be their attack group. How stupid to send them all in at once! Rosamynd made the leaves on the overhanging trees to all fall and swirl around them at once to block their vision, as the other nine demigods from the red team ambushed them from behind.
"Rosamynd, Jillian! Drive in!" Carter took over, giving the rights orders and making the right decisions. They were going great, until-
WHACK! Rosamynd felt the hard wood of a club beat that back of her head. She fell to the ground instantly, dazed from the sudden hit. She rubbed her eyes so she could see clearly - the person who hit her was maybe a son of Hephaestus, or Hermes. Rosamynd forced herself to find the energy to jab a long heavy branch into the attacker's stomach, which made him groan and fall backwards. Rosamynd got up quickly and jogged cautiously towards the direction of the opposing team's flag. She stopped in view of a blue banner. It's right over there- I have gotten so close to it. If I take it, my team will win, and us godlings will finally be accepted. She was about to grab the flag but an arrow flew right in front of her nose. The arrow came from the bushes, on the other side. Rosamynd turned to look at who shot it - Enryx.
"Ha, you were this close to getting it," Enryx said, making an indication with his fingers, "But no more!"
During this, Rosamynd noticed a boy, a little older than her, who sprinted behind her, running over to the direction of the flag- Enryx was oblivious to this. The boy made for the flag - he almost had it when another of Enryx's arrows sliced against his back. Although the arrow glanced back from his armor, the boy arched his back in pain but stood up again quickly. The boy growled in annoyance and he put his hands far behind his back, waiting for a few minutes. Rosamynd watched as Enryx took another arrow out of his quiver and notched it into his bow. She summoned a rock, and just when Enryx was about to shoot, she threw the rock in the air, blocking his arrow. The arrow hit the rock, and bounced back off. The boy smacked his hands forward into a loud clap and a huge wave of water washed over Enryx. The archer was pushed backwards, crashing against a tree trunk and lay there, unconscious.
Rosamynd ran forward towards the boy and the flag, back but before she knew it another arrow whistled past her ear, aiming for the camper's hand as he reached for the flag.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" The boy yelled, barely dodging the arrow. He pushed Rosamynd to the ground.
Enryx swore in a foreign language, which sounded like the word "cactus". The boy- obviously a son of Poseidon- paused for a moment, taking in the word, then shook himself out of his trance. As Enryx reached behind his back for another arrow, the boy jumped forward and grabbed the flag, shouting in victory.
Suddenly, the foghorns blew, and the rest of Rosamynd's team came into the scene. They all started cheering and hugging the boy. Trudy came as well, and even though there was a gash on her face and her clothes were a little ripped, she looked perfect as always. Rosamynd felt a little envious, but she couldn't help but smile because her team won.
"Hey! I know that boy, I don't know how, but I do!" Trudy said, gasping. "Oh, wait! I remember- it was when..." she trailed off, blushing.
"When what, Gertrude?" Rosamynd asked, nudging her on.
"I'd rather not say," Trudy mumbled, looking down as her face turned an interesting shade of scarlet.
"Aw, come on!" Rosamynd whined. Just then, Chiron's voice rang out through the enclosed set of woodland. Everyone turned to face the centaur who was galloping towards the mass of campers.
"Congratulations to the Red Team for winning today's Capture the Flag!" The centaur praised the beaming crowd of winners. The losing team grumbled, but applauded politely.
All the campers returned to the their cabins area, planning to rest and/or spend the rest of their day lounging around, visiting the medical bay and basically unwinding after the tense tournament before the celebratory campfire circle begins. Rosamynd, Trudy and Enryx headed for the medical bay, keen on mending their injuries.
"So we win," Rosamynd taunted, smiling sickly sweet, "In your face." She said, snapping her fingers in a Z formation, laughing afterwards.
"Hey, hey! Watch the face," Enryx frowned angrily.
"You're just upset 'cause you're a sore loser!" Enryx rolled his eyes and mumbled something incoherently.
On the way, They passed many demigods, who were either fuming in anger or grinning at their success. They arrived at the medical bay, where there was a cluster of injured demigods waiting for treatment. Among them was the son of Poseidon, who had a horribly bruised back , where Enryx's arrow had shot him earlier. Rosamynd walked up to him, pushing through a mass of demigod admirers.
"Hi," She finally made her way to him, and stuck her hand out. He shook it, and replied a simple Hi.
"Thanks for... you know. Winning for us." She said.
He smiled, "It was a team effort. I'm Kyle, by the way."
"Rosamynd." She said, returning the smile.
"Look, I know everyone is all happy and stuff," Enryx came bumbling over. What an idiot, "But, I really need me some medicine. I know I'm a son of Apollo, and thats amazing, but I suck at healing."
They laughed, and Kyle smiled at her again, "I'm a Son of Poseidon, by the way."
"I figured."
"You're a godling."
"Yeah, I'm a daughter of Hermes and Hebe."
"But, like, this is Camp Half-Blood. You can't come here," He said, his face darkening. Obviously, Kyle is one of those 'dim-witted' guys. "I'm joking!You should have seen the look on your face." He laughed, and Rosamynd found herself laughing along with him. Not that dumb, actually. He isn't so bad after all.
Kyle turned to Enryx, who was sulking at the lack of attention he was receiving, "Aren't you the archer who shot me?"
"Yeah, sorry about that, man." He said, not looking that sorry. "Just got carried away, you know?"
"Not really."
"Oh."
Kyle was looking at Enryx strangely, as if he was an alien, "You said something weird back then... you swore, but in a different language - Latin, am I right?"
Rosamynd looked at Enryx, then back at her new friend," What? Enryx, is there something you're hiding from us?"
"Fine," He sighed in resignation, then turned and beckoned to Trudy, who came over, her eyebrows furrowing in worry, "Yes Kyle- It was Latin."
"Wait. What was latin?" asked Trudy, after exchanging hellos with the demigods.
"I accidently spoke in Latin during capture the flag," Enrys explained, "Because Latin is kinda my native tongue."
The other three stared at the Godling in question, who was not meeting their eyes. Rosamynd was the first to break the uncomfortable silence, "So... You're Roman?"
"Uh," He swallowed nervously, "Yeah. Well, I if you don't tell anyone about this."
"Sure," They chorused, concern lining their faces.
The three looked at him silently, before Trudy broke the silent, "I wonder if they have found the girl in Ady's dream"
"What? Did you just call Adrian 'Ady'?" Enryx asked.
"No."
"Yeah, you just-"
"No."
"Yes, you did."
"Oh my gods, just cut it out already!" Rosamynd sighed exasperatedly. She was about to continue scolding him, but she was abruptly cut off by Trudy gasping in the background.
"Holy Hephaestus! Who is that?!"
~ END OF CHAPTER 10 ~