A/N: Hello! This is just a cute moment between Eli and Richard. I felt like we needed a little more character development, and I wanted to write a Richard POV. I think I'm going to do more of them, write me and tell me if you agree :). Remember to review guys, I'm not getting a great response, and it makes me a little sad. You don't have to have an account to review anymore, you just have to write your name, so it would be appreciated. Anyways, here it is guys. Chapter 10. Enjoy!
Chapter 10
Richard POV
I was sitting on the newly-replaced couch in front of the newly-replaced television. A newly-replaced lamp was lit beside me, washing me in a pool of yellow light. It was past midnight, everyone was asleep but me. I had sat while Ms. Martian showed our new guest to her room. I couldn't sleep, there was no way. What had happened tonight? Before today, I was almost normal. Despite being a Batman's sidekick and Bruce Wayne's adopted son, I could say I was pretty normal. I could at least say I was human. Now I had to find a way to rethink everything. I could never look at anything the way I used to. I had always assumed that the Greek world existed; I had to when I had to answer to an Amazon. But now that I knew I was a part of it? Now that I had met someone else from that world? A shiver went down my spine at the thought of her. Elizabeth. I had done an instant search of her name once I was alone. I had come up with a newspaper article that had chilled me to the bone. It was about how an entire convent orphanage was ravaged by what seemed to be wild animals in a small Polish village. Every nun, orphan and person standing in their path had been ripped to shreds, including a hunter named Aleksy Budka was discovered three miles from the convent in the same condition, the only way of identification was a family insignia in the base of his rifle. The only survivor had been a single orphan girl named Elizabeth Eleanor Zimny. The police were unable to locate her. A picture had been given in the newspaper of a sweet 5 year old girl with the longest blonde hair and most piercing green eyes I've ever seen. Her smile was large and spoke of innocence and carefree behaviour. She was hugging someone, but whoever it was, was cut out of the picture. I ran the picture through aging software just to be sure. There wasn't a doubt; there was my Protector at five years old. The news article was nine years old. I remembered seeing flashes of images that didn't make sense to me at the time, when Ms. Martian tried to enter her mind. They make sense now. What a mess that plan turned into.
Elizabeth had seen a lot of things at a young age. I wonder what happened to her when she "disappeared"? Did she go to that camp immediately? What was it called? Camp Half-Blood? I'll have to remember that. I wonder what that place is like. She told me it was a good place, that it was her home. I wonder if I'll ever get to see it now. My…mother, I guess…told her to not let me set foot there. I wonder why, if it's so good. I remembered the look on her face, how pale she got and the exact fraction to which her eyes widened when Nyx told her this. She definitely wasn't feeling the aster in that moment. She said she was going to teach me how to fight things I've never fought before. I wonder if she meant things like those snake woman she killed earlier. Everyone seemed convinced that they were basic assassin-type women that we've dealt with tons of times. But what I saw was different…I thought I was going crazy until I interrogated Elizabeth. Until she basically flat out told me that I wasn't crazy.
Monsters, gods, demigods, they've never been more real to me. My life won't ever be the same. Suddenly a voice spoke from the shadows. A voice that is starting to become familiar.
"Hey." Elizabeth greeted. I jumped three feet into the air and whipped my head in time to see her emerging from the darkness dressed in flannel pajama bottoms, a camisole and wrapped in a crimson blanket. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and her face was free of makeup, face paint and masks. I hadn't heard her approaching, barely even now as she padded towards me. My eyes followed her as she sat on the couch cushion beside me. She arranged her blanket on her lap and organized her hair, sweeping it to one side of her head, leaving the shoulder closest to me bare. I felt something in the pit of my stomach as she smiled quietly at me. Her eyes were the colour of the most precious emerald. I looked away before I could get completely enrapt in her. I looked at the floor when I talked to her.
"Why aren't you asleep?" I asked her. I heard her laugh breezily. It made me want to smile. I pushed that away, what is going on with me? I can't like my Protector! At least, not in that way.
"I could ask you the same question." She informed me, a smile still in her eyes as I gazed up at her. "Yeah, but I asked first." I tried for a joking smile, attempting to lighten our situation. I knew she saw right passed it and I was grateful when she let it go. "Wind Cabins…the children of the four wind gods…we have specialized training at night. I'm not used to sleeping at night I guess." She shrugged her shoulders gracefully. Her fingers picked at her blanket- a nervous habit, maybe? - As she asked, "And you? Why are you sitting alone in the dark?" I took in a deep breath and looked her directly in the eyes. "I don't know what to think about all this." I confessed. "How did you handle this? All this craziness about gods and monsters, how am I supposed to believe I'm suddenly a child of an all-powerful god when yesterday; my mother was a dead acrobat? I was never normal but I was always human at least! How am I supposed to react to this? What is a normal reaction to someone telling and proving that your life is a lie? How did you handle it?! You were so young-" I froze, my eyes widening as I realized I had lost myself in my rant. She didn't know I knew anything about her. Her eyes softened and a tired smile crossed her face. "I'm not stupid Richard, you know? I knew you were going to look me up. I also know exactly what there is to find." I still lowered my eyes, suddenly ashamed about sticking my nose into something so personal of hers. I don't let anyone into my past, why should I force myself into hers? She placed her hand over-top of mine. Her skin was soft and warm, like the heat off a bonfire. I couldn't help but look up at those clear, emerald eyes. "There isn't a normal reaction Richard. It's all different, depending on the person." I suddenly couldn't help but notice the barest of accents that she held. It was watered down and worn out and almost gone, but still hanging in there. Just in the way she enunciated some words and sharpened some vowels spoke of her other life in Poland. Why hadn't I noticed that before? "I was a different case, you have to know. I grew up believing I didn't have parents and that they left. I thought I was just another orphan who could pretend she was a princess or pirate or fairy but would always be just another orphan. I wasn't sad with my life, my siblings and I are hardly ever sad. We find contentment in any situation. But finding out I had a father and was a hero all in one day…that was good. I was in love with the idea so much, that the danger I had just experienced didn't scare me." Her eyes had drifted to the shadows on the other side of the room, lost in thought. I wanted to hear more, I have never been so interested in another life story before. "What happened then? After that night, after meeting your father?" I prodded gently. I didn't want to risk scaring her away. "My father kept me in a field that I haven't come across since. He trained me in the art of self-defence and taught me how to control my powers, which he explained to me were very strong, until I was nine. Then, one day, he told me that he was taking me to a camp he had never mentioned before. One that was now looking to take in children of minor gods. So I went to Camp Half-Blood and I stayed there, alone in a newly made cabin for a week before my brother, Ty showed up. The rest followed and it became apparent that I was the leader of that cabin, the first to arrive at camp. I've been there ever since." She told me. I was interested to know that that was how the camp politics works. The first to arrive or the one that has been there the longest is to lead them. I don't know why, but the thought of her having siblings…freaked me out. "Do you see your dad anymore?" I asked. She nodded and answered, "Often, unlike the other campers." I don't know what she meant by that. Before I could ask, however, she spoke. "I'm going to see if we can start training tomorrow, so you should get some rest." She stood, heaving the blanket around her shoulders. "Good night, Richard." And with a kiss on my cheek, she disappeared.
Alright guys! Once again, tell me what you think, it's always a joy to know! Oh, and if you notice that there aren't spaces between words, my spacebar is a little messed up so just try to ignore it please! The next chapter is pretty interesting. Wally is a little bit of a jerk and something happens back at Camp...maybe Eli can even make sense of a few things. Who knows! I'll upload soon, so remember to review! BAII! :D