Chapter Twenty-Five

Thalia laid awake that night. Not knowing where Luke was and what was happening to him was killing her. Eventually, she fell asleep and her dreams were not peaceful.

Triton smiled in the darkness. Luke was held captive and now, Percy was going to suffer. How? Maybe a few more days in his torture chambers would do the blonde good.

The Emperor's lips were frozen in a cruel smirk. A part of him wondered whether he was insane and yet the rest of him was engulfed in his determination and ambition. One could not doubt that the Emperor had these traits. However, ambition and determination are like hammers. They can be tools. Instruments to help you construct and build great things. Or, they can be weapons, great clubs of destruction. There was a time where the Emperor had only wanted what would please his father, which is to say, to build on Rome's legacy. Of course, he still wanted this, yet, if were one to look at him now, one would say that he had been corrupted, with revenge, pride, wrath, greed, bitterness, lust, and envy. Amazing is it not? That one so young could posses 5 of the 7 deadly sins?

However, Triton didn't see them as that. He saw a goal and the people that stood in between him and that goal. Revenge? Surely it is right, when someone keeps such an esteemed man from his throne. Wrath? Simply a tool of avenging his position. Greed? How could one be greedy about something that was already theirs? Pride? No, confidence. Lust? Jupiter and Hephaestus fashioned a woman out of clay to be a companion to man. Envy? No, Triton didn't envy Perseus, he despised him. Perseus was a threat to his authority. A man who wins the mob wins Rome. A mere gladiator cannot usurp him and certainly cannot turn Rome into a republic.

If Triton could, he would have had Perseus killed months ago. In fact, he should have been killed in Gaul almost a year ago.

His fist struck the table. Nakamura failed him all those months ago. Vengeance must be taken. All that goes around comes around. He snapped his head to the side. "Alabaster!" he bellowed.

Sensing that the Emperor was moody, the pale man quickened his pace to answer the Emperor.

"Your majesty," he said, giving a bow.

Triton's green eyes were bright with anger and Alabaster kept his distance. He had already witnessed the Emperor's wrath once before. He did not intend to feel it again. "Alabaster, I want you to send a letter to Gaul in my name. Request that Centurion Nakamura be sent to Rome." Triton turned back to staring at the wall, his fingers tapping impatiently on the wood surface of the table.

"Sire?"

"Hmm," Triton grunted.

"You are aware that General Nakamura is now based in Dacia,are you not?"

Triton turned to glare at Alabaster. "Then send the letter there!" he shouted.

Alabaster took this as his cue to leave and he left.

The night was horrible. Luke couldn't sleep well. One time he woke up from a nightmare and sat up, making the pain in his back flare all over again.

A change in the air alerted the boy that the sun had risen and he moaned. His wounds hurt like Hades. He glanced about the room groggily and his eyes fell on the bowl of water. He nearly smacked himself for his stupidity. He ripped off a piece of his tunic and dipped into the water. He didn't care about the water getting dirty. It most likely wasn't clean in the first place. He began cleaning the wounds which was excruciating. Having to twist his arms and back so that he could reach the whip marks only added to the pain of the wounds. Eventually, he finished and he leaned against the wall on his side, letting his thoughts take him to other worlds.

Annabeth traced the blade of her dagger. She never slept without it, despite her sleeping in her sister's room for a few weeks now. No, definitely not after Triton's multiple attempts of trying to get into her bedroom. Her nights were restless and her days exhausting. She couldn't look the man in the eye and she flinched whenever he drew near. Another girl might have killed herself if in her position.

Piper most likely was what kept her sanity. Piper and Percy. But then again, a fifteen year old and a man who could die in ring any day could only give so much protection. Annabeth marveled at her sister. So young, and yet, she had only seen her cry a few times over Jason. She always watched the matches. Annabeth would comfort the younger girl after each fight. Though Piper shed few tears, she was still a fifteen year old girl. What girl of that age wouldn't worry for their lover.

The blonde's thoughts drifted to the princess who she had known like a sister. Thalia. She was in the ring too was she not? Though, she was in good hands. Surrounded by three strong men as well as Percy's brother. She did not know much about, Nico was it? she did not know much about him, though, with a brother like Percy and a father like Marcus Poseidon, she did not doubt the boy as much as she would have had she not known the boy's relations. Even without the four males, Thalia could hold her own. After all, Annabeth had learned how to fight from her.

Then there was Annabeth herself. Some saw her as weak, others as strong, and then others as emotionless. Sometimes the blonde doubted her strength as well, but she knew she had to stay strong. Not only for herself, but for the people she loved. She was the older sister, the friend, the lover. No, she could not let herself fall, she would not give herself over to death. Her duty was to her loved ones and Rome. If she died, where would that leave Piper, alone? Or Thalia, her best friend. Or...Percy. Percy. Would the death of a lover be enough to make him lose his concentration? Annabeth hated to think about it, but if she died, there was the possibility that her lover might fall in the arena. Not only would Percy die, but so would her father's legacy. Rome would remain and empire ruled by Triton, a republic that would never come to be.

Annabeth put her knife under her pillow and laid down. Soon sleep came, encompassing her in its embrace.

Author's Note: A little dark. A few reflections. Mental and physical battles. Also, for those of you who don't know, Dacia, is the name for the Roman region around Greece and north of it so that's where Nakamura is. Again, thanks for reading and reviewing guys. PLEASE REVIEW I need all the help I can get. ;)