Chapter 21

POV Change – Nico

Everyone stared at Thalia in shock. Percy sighed and simply rested his head in his hands like he suddenly had a migraine.

Grover coughed. "Thalia…"

"No! He's not our leader! He's not even the fucking oldest here! His father isn't even the leader of the gods! Why is he telling everyone what to do?!"

I was about to retort, when Will spoke up. "Thalia, ease off. Did anyone else step up to the plate?"

She huffed. "Percy doesn't give anyone a chance to!"

Annabeth looked outraged. Jason was staying conspicuously silent. Percy was still resting his head in his hands. Everyone looked uncomfortable. I was…pissed. I was the only one allowed to get angry at Percy. No one else should ever criticize him. A little voice in my head told me that this was a bit…immature. I ignored it. I was very good at ignoring that little voice.

Will replied, "Percy hasn't taken complete control. He's bowed to Annabeth's advice. He's let the Stolls lead us. You're painting him to be a tyrant." His voice was mellow and calming. His gaze was soft.

Thalia snorted. "If he isn't a tyrant, then why didn't he ask if I wanted to go instead of coming to the conclusion that I would ask 'How high?' when he told me to jump!"

Percy stood up. He sighed out through his nose. "Fine. Pick a leader. Pick a council. Pick a committee. Pick your nose! I'm fucking through. I'll be out with Blackjack. Arion might follow me, Hazel, so if he's missing, don't freak out. Or freak out if you want to. I can't tell you what to do." He nodded to us all curtly.

Percy walked out of the room. Annabeth hissed at Thalia. "Sometimes, I can definitely tell that you're the daughter of Zeus." She shot out of her chair and marched after Percy.

I sighed and shook my head. "Do you want to go, or not, Thalia? Choose!"

She glared at me, but shook her head. "I'm not going. Find someone else!"

I sighed. "Thranduil asked you to go."

Frank worried his bottom lip. "I guess I could go and shift into an Elf…"

Calypso was already shaking her head. "No. You don't know their language, their culture, anything."

Hazel froze. Her golden eyes were wide. "I used magic in front of Saruman!"

We all paused at the abrupt change in topic. I groaned and put my head on the table top. She raised her hands in defense. "Percy was in trouble! I had to help!"

Will touched my hand gently. "She couldn't help it, Nic. Besides, Saruman probably noticed us being all magic anyway. We're all in danger of Sauron's notice. Those attacks on Percy will most likely include us now."

I sighed and nodded. "Those wraiths aren't dead. They can only be killed by those who are destined to kill them, or if their source is cut off. We obviously aren't destined, because we're not from around here."

They nodded. I sighed. "Thalia, you should apologize to Percy for being a bitch."

She gave me the evil eye. I yawned. Thalia and I had a weird relationship. I could call her the most horrible names, but she never took offense. As long as we didn't bring up family, we were swell.

She grumbled and huffed, but she didn't move. I rolled my eyes. "Brat. Who else will go to the Elf-King? I could always go and report to Percy what's going on."

Will was already shaking his head. I knew what was going to come out of his mouth before he opened it. "Nope. You are not going to overexert yourself traveling."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously? Will, come on!"

Leo snorted and shook his head. "I've got other things to do than listen to you two love birds quarrel. I'm heading to the forges to work on your weapons."

We all nodded. Well, everyone else did. I was too busy telling Will to back off!

POV Change – Leo

I shook my head and walked past the stables. I saw Annabeth kicking a post and slashing at it with her new dagger that I made her.

I cleared my throat. "Please, do not take out your anger on the dagger. She didn't do anything to you, and she has feelings."

Annabeth turned sharply. I watched as the haze of anger faded from her eyes. She snorted. "'She'? What's her name?"

I shrugged. "Jade."

Annabeth smiled slightly. Her smile faded a sigh later. "What got into Thals?!"

I shrugged. "She's scared, and she's too proud to admit that she's scared. Everyone both loves Percy and hates him. I should know. I love and hate him too because of it."

Annabeth looked confused. "Because of what?"

"His confidence. Even if he insists that he's scared shitless, he still gives off this aura. He rises to the challenge. I've never seen him paralyzed in battle. I've never seen him crippled with fear. He doesn't know the meaning of the words 'give up'. People love him, because he's the one that they can turn to. However, people also hate him, because he seems to have it more together than they do."

Annabeth sighed and leaned against the previously abused post. "I understand what you're saying now." She groaned. "So Thalia is finally feeling that?"

I shrugged again. "This isn't to say that she hasn't felt it before. Jason's probably felt it. Will's definitely felt it. All the guys are getting frustrated that Percy fucking Jackson is so damn perfect. Or so it seems. Percy insists that he has failings, but the very fact that he's willing to admit it, means that he's humble! Once again, even when trying to assure us he isn't perfect, he showing us that he's one step closer to being perfect than we are."

Annabeth snorted dryly. "I see." She gave me a side glance and sighed through her nose.

I sighed too. "He's a brilliant fighter, a natural leader, a birth Prince and a Crowned Prince. He's handsome. He's kind. He's humble. He's the friend of the gods, most of them. His father actually cares about him. His mother's still alive and knows about the Greeks and loves him. Percy Jackson has it all together. He's perfect."

Annabeth smiled sadly. "And no one likes perfect people." I nodded. She sighed again and shook her head. "Thanks for explaining it to me, Leo."

I frowned. "Where is Percy, anyway?"

She made a half shrug and half shake of her head. "I have no clue. He just hopped onto Blackjack and galloped off down the street. He wasn't armed, and he didn't tell me where he was going." She gritted her teeth. "Let it be known, Percy Jackson isn't perfect. He's a fucking Seaweed Brain!"

I tried to suppress all my worry. "Don't worry, Annabeth. Nothing of the Shadow likes sunlight. No one will try anything while it's daylight."

She smiled. "True. I'm going back in to…discuss some things with Thalia. Where are you going?"

"Forge. See you later." She smiled at me. We parted ways.

I sighed and walked down the street. I turned suddenly, looking around the street quickly. Nothing. Frowning, I turned around again deciding my nerves were just really jumpy.

I made it to the forges no problem only to find a whole bunch of Riders. They were laughing and joking. Master Tolkin saw me and roared for me to come over.

"Where have you been, boy?!"

I blinked. "It's my day off, Master Tolkin." He huffed.

"That's no excuse! These men need repairs done to their helmets and weapons! Hop to it!"

I sighed and started up the forge. Another man, a rider, walked closer to me as I started up the bellows to make the fire hot. "Aren't you a little young to be in a smithy shop?"

I looked at him and spied his chest plate. "I made that chest piece you're wearing. No, I'm not too young." I turned back and started going about fixing his helmet. He blinked.

"But this is a work of a master! How is it that you could do something like this? You jest!"

I sighed and suddenly wished that his head was still inside the helmet I was pounding the dents out of. I growled out a response. "Age doesn't define talent. Leave me to my work, Rider."

He backed away and spoke loudly to the other guys about my bad manners. I rolled my eyes again and focused on work.

3 hours later

I was finally done with all the repairs for the soldiers. I turned to Tolkin. "You're paying me overtime, or I'm going to go to Gondor with my trade."

He nodded quickly. "Of course!" He counted out the money and handed me a pouch. I counted it, pocketed it, and went to do my personal things. I needed to make a sword that was fit for Percy. I looked around and pulled out Riptide. Amazingly, the sword had stayed with me longer than it was suppose to. I guess it was because Percy gave it to me willingly. The Sea Prince had been reluctant to do so though.

I started measuring it and checking the balance. I had to make it exactly identical so he wouldn't have to waste time learning a new sword. I started singing in Ancient Greek, the way my father taught me. I pounded the metal to the beat of the music I was singing and weaving magic into the sword. I spent the rest of the day on it.

When I got back, Percy still wasn't at the inn. Annabeth wasn't there either. Thalia looked slightly sick. Hazel was pale. I turned to see Grover staring into the bottom of his mug. His eyes were dull. I turned to Piper. "What's happened?"

She stopped playing with a butter knife. "Percy didn't come back. Annabeth and Will went out looking for him. She hasn't come back and neither has Will."

I looked over at Nico. He resembled stone. He wasn't showing any feelings at all. I frowned. "Then we'll all just have to look for them." I went to my room to grab Festus. Jason was already strapping his new weapons on.

POV Change – Clarisse

We finally found the three jerks. They were sitting beside the river; Percy was floating in it. Annabeth and Will seemed to be bending over him. They hadn't noticed us approaching. Nico was about to lay into Will, full lecture mode and everything, but he froze. We all soon found out why.

Percy was shredded. He was cut to ribbons. It was obvious that his body hadn't stopped bleeding. The river was darkened just by his blood. Will was bent over him, murmuring spells and incantations. Hazel quickly ran over and started speaking her own spells to help the healing process. Calypso too joined the group. Everyone else just stared.

Thalia spoke first. Actually, she shouted, but no one cared. We were all shouting. "WHAT IN TARTARUS HAPPENED?!"

Annabeth was gripping her knife in a nervous rhythm, squeeze, relax, squeeze, relax. "Percy was ambushed by a pack of orcs. Larger this time. We came in time to help him fight them off, but Percy was pretty beaten up by that time."

I looked Jackson over and noticed that his hands were shredded the worst. I glanced at Nico's sword. It was still in its sheath at Nico's side. I groaned. "Prissy, you didn't actually try and fight a hoard of orcs with your bare hands, did you?" Annabeth was glaring at him and fussing over him. An interesting combination.

Percy hissed. "I'm fine! You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Will rolled his eyes. "Sure, Percy. How about you just let the doctor make of his own diagnoses." I shifted slightly, not knowing what to do when there weren't any monsters to bash around.

Percy huffed. Hazel backed away. She leaned against Frank. "That's all I can do."

Calypso was speed growing some natural herbs and giving them to Will. Percy sighed. "They're getting bolder. They even came out in the fucking sun!"

Travis frowned. "Um…you sure they were orcs?"

Percy frowned. "What else could they be?"

Connor pursed his lips. "Were they tall?" Percy nodded. "Dreadlock kind of hair?" He shook his head. "White painted hand?" He shook his head.

Travis frowned. "Wait…were there any Uruk-hai before Saruman made them?"

Connor shrugged. "No clue, man. I thought they were created by Saruman only after the disbanding of the Fellowship, which hasn't even happened yet."

Nico sighed explosively. "Why the hell does it matter?!"

Connor snorted disdainfully. "We need to know what sort of new monster these guys have cooked up."

Annabeth frowned. "Maybe they were just some really tough orcs?"

Connor laughed condescendingly. "No, Annabeth. I already have the answer to what they are."

I growled at them, "Then what were they, birdbrain?"

He sniffed at me slightly. "Really tough orcs."

Frank barked a dry laugh. Jason just shook his head. "So how come Percy's being targeted so much?"

I sneered. "Maybe because Prissy pissed off Sauron by killing his top attack dogs?"

Percy snorted and then winced as Will started cleaning his wounds on his thigh. Grover sighed and shook his head. "By the way, we've decided that I'm going to be taxied around by Nico."

Nico glared at the satyr. "Thanks for the glorious description….Taxi." He muttered. Grover just gave him a sweet, innocent smile. No one was fooled. We'd seen how murderous he could be if nature was being attacked, nearly bit my head off once.

I sighed and shook my head. "So what? We all stay helplessly inside of Edoras?" My voice showed just how ticked I was with that thought.

Percy struggled to stand, much to the displeasure of the healers surrounding him. He shook off Will's hand as if it were a pesky fly. "We stay here until we gather enough money. Then we move on. This time, we're going to Minas Tirith."

He turned and bowed mockingly to Thalia, ignoring his wounds on his back, which had reopened slightly thanks to his idiocy. Will was glaring at him. Percy ignored him and focused on Thalia. "That is, if you don't mind, Princess?"

She bristled, but I stopped all argument by putting my spear between the two. "Lighten up, both of you. Stop emulating your dads."

Leo barked a laugh. "Clarisse is being a peacekeeper?!" Connor and Travis were gaping.

I rolled my eyes. "Would you like a fight between Percy and Thalia? Two Big Three Brats? We're trying to avoid Saruman's attention!"

He blinked. "Nope. That's something I wouldn't mind missing." I nodded.

Jason groaned and got us back on topic. "Does everyone agree?"

Will stepped forward. "No. We're moving closer to the Elves."

Percy did a double take. "Why?"

"I don't want Nico to strain himself."

Nico glared at the sky. "Oh for Zeus' sake! Will Solace, enough!" Will huffed but didn't back down.

Percy just shook his head. "Okay, fine, Travis, Connor, what cities are safe for us to go to that are up North?" The brothers pulled out a map from nowhere and poured over it.

"Aha!" Travis pointed to a spot, and Connor nodded.

"Perfect." They turned to Percy and said in synch. "We've found the perfect spot."

Everyone just sighed and didn't even ask how the fuck they did that. Percy smirked. "Do tell."

"Dale."

Travis nodded. "It's inhabited by both dwarves, and men."

"It has a rich economy." Connor added.

"Also, it's near Thranduil's palace, so Nico can teleport whenever he wants." Travis said with a smile.

"It's perfect." They chorused.

Piper coughed. "Except…Smaug comes in and razes the place to the ground and becomes the Dragon under the Lonely Mountain. If Bilbo doesn't have the Ring yet, we could be traveling to a poverty stricken Lake Town and going to our eventual destruction in when Smaug attacks Lake Town later. I read the Hobbit."

Travis huffed. "Party pooper."

Percy stared at the two brothers. "Are you guys trying to get us killed?!"

Staring at them incredulously, Jason groaned. "Seriously, pick another city!"

Connor rolled his eyes. "So finicky! Fine!" They looked at the map again.

"Here's one!" They looked at each other and nodded. "Bree!"

POV Change – Annabeth

I stared at the Stolls and then nodded slowly. "It has a moment of happening. We can watch out for Thorin's eventual arrival there. It's hobbit land, so Sauron won't think of us going there. It's near Imladris as well."

Travis did a double take. "How did you know Rivendell was Imladris?"

I smirked. "Connor told me."

Connor shrugged innocently. Percy was nodding. "It sounds good. Let's go back to the inn and prepare. We'll probably have to leave within the month." Everyone nodded.

Sorry for it being late. *winces I'll update this Thursday too.

Ink...