Author: TippierCoffee
Disclaimer: I do not own — nor do I claim the rights to — the Percy Jackson universe or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner, Mr. Rick Riordan.
Advice.
Nico stared at the empty space where Willow had been only a minute ago. She ran off so fast, Nico swore she left a streak of golden light after her. He wasn't even sure he would call what she had done running. More like bolting. Hyper-jumping from one end of the room to the other and outside again.
"That was… interesting," his father stated.
Nico just stood rooted to his spot, dumbfounded, with a weird sinking feeling in his chest. Sure, he knew people got tired at different points of the night, but he had kind of hoped Willow would stay until two in the morning. Then again, she had appeared to be alone.
As he thought about it, he realised he didn't really know anything about Willow, other than the fact she was mute, and she made him feel safe. Sure, he might have mistaken it at first, confused about his own adrenaline, and the warmth that spread through his chest every time she smiled at him, but as the night had gone on, Nico had pinpointed the feeling. Safety and comfort. Warm like a blanket, surrounding him with a light only he was aware of.
"I didn't even get to give her a notepad," Hazel stated.
Nico didn't say anything. He was still trying to wrap his mind around everything. The night, the comfort, the relaxed air. The way Willow seemed to understand him like no one else had, and how she had left him without even as much as a good bye. Not even a squeeze on his shoulders, and that was even weirder. Nico did not particularly like being touched. He didn't hate it per se, he just preferred people not touch him and respect his personal space. With Willow, he hadn't minded it.
"Wonder why she left in such a hurry?" Frank questioned, and Nico decided in that moment that he didn't want them all looking at him.
He let his eyes glide over each of his family members and Frank, and then he turned on his heel and searched the crowd for a long, deep purple dress with shimmering silver sparkles. Her hair was in a tighter braid than she usually had it, her dark eyes sparkling as she danced around with Thalia, who seemed much more relaxed now.
"Reyna," Nico whispered once he reached her, too scared his voice might crack if he tried speaking louder.
Reyna turned to him, worry sneaking into her eyes. She arched an eyebrow and opened her mouth to talk, but Nico shushed her, took her arm, sent a quick apology to Thalia, and dragged Rayna off.
He took her through the crowd, bachelorettes trying to cut him off, and he honestly didn't want to deal with them, so he shoved them out of his way, a few of them stumbled, and they let out loud huffs of protest.
Rayna kept up with him, but still he wouldn't let go of her wrist. He dragged her out of the ballroom, through the grand halls, and up the many flights of stairs until they reached the library where he all but threw Reyna into her chair. Instead of sitting down himself, he paced around the floor, agitated.
He had started making sense of some things, just for other things to occur, and the sinking feeling in his heart — which started the moment Willow was gone — irritated him. He grit his teeth and took a few deep breaths; something Reyna had taught him. He kept up the steady rhythm of each breath, counting from one in his head, until the boiling feeling in his veins turned into a simmer, until it turned into a buzz, and ultimately disappeared.
He didn't sit down right away. Instead, he closed his eyes, knowing Reyna watched him patiently. Once he felt completely calm, the anger just a buzz in the back of his mind, he sat down and looked Reyna in the eyes. She still looked slightly worried, but the corner of her lips tugged into a smile.
"Okay," Nico said, breathing out one last time. "All right. I need you to listen without interrupting me, even if you might really want to. I need your opinion once I'm done talking, but you need to hear the whole thing first."
Reyna nodded and sat a little straighter, crossing one leg over the other and resting her elbows there. She intertwined her fingers and put her lips to their side, her full attention on Nico. Her eyes had the same intensity they had when her and her family came over for meetings, and Nico was immensely grateful for it.
"I ran outside for a while to get a break from all the bachelorettes," Nico started, trying to recollect his thoughts. "I ran through Persephone's hedge maze to reach the other side where her secret cubicle is, but once I was on the other side, I ran into this other bachelorette. I thought she was going to tell on me, but I dragged her with me, and she stayed quiet. I later found out she's mute, and her name is Willow. The thing is, because of all this adrenaline, there was a moment in the maze where I thought I felt attracted to her, and it really confused me. Now, thinking back, I'm not sure I actually felt attraction, but at the same time, I felt really comfortable and at ease around her. I don't know what it is, but I felt like I could trust her, really. Maybe it's because she's mute… that sounds awful. Anyway, we danced and all, and I had to teach her, and then we ran into Hazel to get a notepad for Willow, so she wouldn't have to use charades all the time, but then, Willow just ran, and now I feel really upset and angry. I don't think I should feel this way. I mean… I don't even really know her, but I wanted her to stay, and I have no idea why she just ran. The clock struck midnight, and then she looked panicked, and then… she took off. I don't really know what to think of this whole situation, or how to make sense of it."
Reyna hummed, her eyes steely in the low lights. They pinned Nico to the spot in his chair, almost like hands holding him down. It wasn't entirely uncomfortable, but it was not reassuring either. It was an assessment, Nico knew. Reyna had always been good at assessing; as good as her general, even. She loved strategy games where she could take her time, and calculate, and win by wit, and by being sneaky and clever. Despite how much Nico adored Reyna, he did not like that look. The way she studied him, like she saw right through him, but at the same time he respected her ability to be so calculating and cunning.
"Well," she finally said, "I can't answer anything about your feelings regarding this Willow character. I haven't met her myself, so I can't really have an opinion of her either. That being said, if she shows up tomorrow, I think you should talk to her, and have her write to you. Get to know each other a little. If you feel comfortable around her, it might be a good opportunity. Maybe make her your future wife."
"My father said commoners can never learn Royal politics."
"Your father is a hypocrite from time to other, Nico. Wasn't Persephone a commoner herself?"
"Well, yeah, but—"
"And how fast did she learn to navigate Royal politics?"
"In about three months, I think."
"Which is incredibly fast. And I assure you Persephone is not the only one who can do that. Majority of our guards are commoners who have been vetted, and then taught. Even the guards need to know some politics to understand the workings of the castle properly. That is our belief, at least."
"Ours as well."
"There shouldn't be a problem, then," Reyna leaned back and crossed her arms.
"Well, as you know, my father's health is quite poor. At least that's what his doctor told him, and that's why this whole thing has been pushed up two years."
"Yes. So?"
"Well. My father thinks I'll need someone who already knows the ropes, probably so we don't have to train her. If he dies within the month, it won't do to have a Queen who doesn't know the politics."
"Allow Persephone to be in charge, then. She seems more than capable, and since you are the rightful heir by blood, you can take over whenever you want. I'm sure she would understand, too."
"You'd really request that of her?" Nico arched an eyebrow. "I may not love her, but I do care for her, in a way. A grieving widow shouldn't rule. Trust me, we saw it with my father after my mother died, you saw how bad that first year was because his focus wasn't all there. I would never expose Persephone to the same fate, especially since she married to the throne."
"Oh, you have a heart in there?" Reyna teased.
"Ha ha, funny," Nico ran his hands down his face. "The thing is, I probably won't be able to convince my father. Not without testing her intelligence at least, and Willow seems like a nice person. Should I really have her go through that simply because my father forgot commoners have brains too?"
Reyna let out an unflattering laugh that filled the room. She snorted every once in a while, and uncurled, holding her stomach. In a way, Nico really needed a sound like that to fill the room around him. It made the last of his worry dwindle, and before he knew of it, he sat and laughed with Reyna, unable to stop himself.
Everything about this situation was ridiculous.
"All right," Nico said, wiping his eyes. "So, you suggest I get to know her better?"
"Yeah, of course," Reyna boasted. "Not to sound mean, but you said she was mute, right?" Nico nodded. "Doesn't matter how much you tell her, she won't be able to tell anyone. If anything, a mute is the best company you can have, because even if they want, they can't run off with your secrets. You can tell her everything, including the man-situation."
"You're right, that wasn't a nice thing to say."
"But it was not a lie, either," Reyna pointed out, and Nico had to agree with her.
Despite the nature of it all, and how mean it seemed to use Willow like that to get everything off his chest, it held the truth.
"She could always write it to someone," he pointed out after a while.
"Then you deal with it like a professional. Say it was a rumour started by a spiteful bachelorette. Who do you think the people are more likely to believe in that situation?"
"That's true," Nico mused. "Not nice, but true."
"The truth is rarely nice."
"Yeah," Nico looked up and gave Reyna a smile. "I swear I would be lost without you sometimes."
"I doubt you'd be lost. You just wouldn't have anyone to vent to, and therefore you'd have to spend more time calming down before you could think it over properly. I'm sure you'd be more than capable to arrive at the answer yourself. You are incredibly clever, after all."
Nico let out a huff of air, not entirely good with praise. It wasn't that he disliked it, but it did make him slightly uncomfortable. As though he didn't entirely deserve it. Unable to give a verbal answer, he shrugged instead, looking anywhere but Reyna. She read him like a book.
"Don't be like that," she teased, chatting him on the arm. "You are smart."
"As are you," he chatted her back. "Seriously though, I'm really glad you listen to me every time I need to vent. It helps a lot."
"You listen to me as well."
"Of course. Always."
They sat for while, then Reyna leaned forward and touched Nico's arm. "Open up to her tomorrow, see what happens. The day after, ask if she will return the favour. If she runs ahead with some of it, just start a rumour she's jealous you didn't pick her. It will work out well, compañero."
"Yeah," Nico smiled. "I'll do that. If she returns, that is."
Criticism and/or advice on improvement is always welcome and highly appreciated.
~*~TippierCoffee~*~
