Haha, I'm the most horrible person ever. You guys aren't going to have any idea what's going on with the mini quest for another-what, the fourth chapter after this? But don't worry, it's the third chapter after this one where you get more Leo/Annabeth friendship bonding. So I'm not completely horrible.
You guys just know I love torturing you. It's a favorite pastime of mine.
Divergent-R-Us (guest): Thanks for the compliments, and I'm aware of the serious lack of action right now. I'm hoping to get some in soon, don't worry, and I've been trying to find new monsters to introduce, with no luck...Rick has already used practically all of them in his books. It's rather frustrating, actually.
Random Person (guest): You ought to get an account so I can write a longer reply to your reviews. Wow. Lots of questions. Of course, I'm not going to answer any of them, because spoilers are not nice, and I'm glad I made you cry (I mean that in the best way, I promise).
Piper (guest): Awww, you're so sweet. Were the pancakes good? I think I'm going to make some this weekend...of course, first I'll have to learn how to make pancakes, but hey, there's always time to learn new things, right? (I'm a horrid cook. The only things I can make are chocolate chip cookies and mac and cheese. It's sad, really.)
Alexandra June: I have plans for that astrolabe, I do. But unfortunately, Annabeth is not going to be the one that figures out what's wrong with it, and you'll have to wait for several chapters to see what happens. And, no, no, no, don't ever think you're reviews are insignificant! No one's reviews are insignificant! I read every single one of them, and every single one of them inspires me to keep writing more and more every single day. Yours especially, AJ. I just don't always get around to replying to everyone's reviews.
drinkingthestarswithbob: I love you, I really do. Oh, wow, I broke down and said it. I've been trying not to say it in any of my replies, because I figured I might freak somebody out, but it's so true. I love all of you guys. You're amazing. And you, especially, my dear, because I love your fanfics and you review on pretty much every chapter.
NightFuryDude101(guest): Well, actually it's a Reyna chapter next, but Nico is next. As for Frank...well, you'll have to wait.
Chapter LII
Reyna
As soon as they land on the hillside, Nico lets go of Reyna's hand and steps away. She almost reaches after him, but then she realizes what she's doing and drops her hand to her side.
"I have to go back for Coach Hedge." He tells her. "I'll be right back."
And before she can protest, he shadow-travels away.
"Damn it, Nico." She curses, whirling around and looking down on the Roman camp, illuminated by the moon and stars. It looks like a disturbed ants' nest; people are swarming all over the place, and even from this far, Reyna can hear them yelling in confusion.
She takes an unconscious step forward, her brow furrowed with worry. Anyone loyal to her will have no idea what's going on. They could get hurt, or killed-Reyna has no idea what Octavian is willing to do for power. She suspects he's the one who killed Gwen-well, tried to, anyway-ever since it happened. But since she couldn't prove it, she couldn't do anything about it.
Suddenly, Reyna hears something behind her-something scraping against the ground. She freezes, and then, for the first time, she turns around to face the Greek camp.
Nico's shadow-traveling was perfect-which maybe wasn't such a good thing. Because standing only feet from her, tail curled protectively around the pine tree, is the dragon that guards the Golden Fleece.
It blinks at her. She stares, frozen in place, back at it. But it doesn't move to attack her.
Tentatively, she takes a step forward. Immediately, the dragon jerks to attention, narrowing its eyes menacingly at her. The scales at the base of its skull raise up, and it bares its teeth at her-dagger sharp white teeth as long as her hand. It backs closer to the Fleece, so that the wool brushes its side, watching her the entire time.
"I'm not here for the Fleece." Reyna tells it. She feels a little stupid talking to a dragon, but it has to be at least semi-smart if it was trusted with guarding something as important as the Golden Fleece.
It cocks its head sideways, contemplating her, and the raised scales slowly settle back down.
She takes another step towards it, and the scales rise back up. It rumbles deep in its throat, and Reyna stops immediately. She's seen the dragon shoot fire at griffins twenty feet above it in the air, and she'd rather not be at the receiving end of that, especially at such close range. There wouldn't be anything left of her except for ash.
"I don't mean you any harm." She promises it, speaking in soothing tones. "I don't want the Fleece. I'm here to help-I've come to return this statue."
She gestures to her right, at the Athena Parthenos, glittering regal and golden on top of the hill. As if the dragon could miss it.
"It's supposed to bring peace between the camps, and to settle the gods' Greek and Roman aspects. I don't know if it'll work, but I have to try."
As she talks, she steps slowly closer to the dragon. It doesn't warn her away again, so she continues.
"What do you think, dragon? Do you think it'll all turn out all right?" She asks softly, and takes one last step that brings her only inches away from the dragon's head.
Its warm breath washes over her, smelling of eucalyptus. Slowly, she reaches out a hand, and leaves it hovering centimeters above the dragon's snout, waiting.
Smoke curls lazily from its nostrils, twisting throught the air. It stares intently into her eyes, and apparently, it's satisfied by what it sees, because it closes its own eyes and leans its head forward, meeting her hand.
She gently strokes the smooth scales, and the dragon hums in pleasure.
Reyna smiles. It looks like she's made a new friend.
"A Roman warrior befriending a dragon? And a daughter of Bellona, no less. How unusual." A woman's voice speaks from behind her, and Reyna turns quickly.
Standing before her is a remarkably beautiful woman with Annabeth's blonde hair and stormy gray eyes. Her face is identical to the statue-and she's wearing a golden Greek-style dress. She radiates power, and Reyna immediately kneels, bowing her head.
"Rise, Reyna, praetor of Rome. There is no need to kneel before me." Athena says, and Reyna stands back up uncertainly, unsure what to expect.
The goddess watches her, contemplating her much like the dragon did. Her expression is unreadable. "Thousands of years ago, when the rivalry of Rome and Greece originated, Roman soldiers stole my statue. It was, and is, one of the greatest crimes Rome ever committed against Greece.
"In doing so, the Romans essentially stole me, leaving the Greeks without a goddess to lead them in battle. I became Minerva, a weaker, less war-like goddess. The Romans thought it safer, I am sure, to destroy Greece's most important goddess. But in doing so, they earned my hatred, my undying rage, an unceasing search for revenge. My children tried so many times to find the statue, to make things right, but were unsuccessful.
"Until Annabeth, that is. Thousands of years, hundreds of my sons who died in my name, and it is one of my daughers who is the one that finally succeeds."
Athena looks at her statue, her gaze calm, regal. "And here it stands. The statue that ensured the long-lasting enmity between Greeks and Romans, that always set my children against Rome." She looks back at Reyna. "You have returned it to the Greeks, to me, and in doing so, you have brokered peace between the gods' different aspects. Hopefully, your peace negotiations between the camps will succeed as well."
"Might be a little hard, with Octavian on the loose." Reyna mutters bitterly. Then she claps her hand to her mouth. She didn't mean to say that out loud.
Fearfully, she looks to Athena for the goddess' reaction, but, surprisingly, Athena is smiling, although her eyes are sad.
"You are much like my daughter Annabeth. You remind me of her." Athena tells her. Reyna just stares.
"You have had many hard times in your life, Reyna, daughter of Bellona, and many more ahead of you. But do not despair, for things are not as hopeless as they may seem." Athena tells her kindly.
"How?" Reyna says, finally finding her voice. "How will things ever get better for me?" Embarassingly, her voice cracks on the last word of her question, and she turns her head away in shame.
Athena steps closer to her, and Reyna starts in surprise when she feels the goddess' finger on her face, lifting up her chin so that she looks back into Athena's eyes. "Trust me, child. They will." She says, her voice as soft as a whisper on a breeze.
Reyna is too shocked that a goddess actually touched her in such an affectionate way, like a mother might have, to say anything back.
Athena steps away and looks thoughtfully at her statue. "I will be here again tomorrow to take my statue to Olympus. But first, it will stand today as a symbol of peace between the camps. Hopefully, it will help the peace negotiations go smoother."
Thunder rumbles overhead, even though the starry skies are clear. Athena looks up, glaring at the sky, and sighs.
"I must leave now. Zeus calls me home. But first...I understand you lost a loyal friend on your travels to retrieve the statue from Greece. A pegasus, wasn't it?"
She looks at Reyna, prompting her with a look. Reyna swallows past the sudden lump in her throat, and has to wait for a minute before she's able to answer. "Yes. His name was Scipio."
"A gift, then, to the Roman who helped return my statue to me-and peace to Olympus." The goddess waves her hand through the air, and white mist curls mesmerizingly from her fingers, forming itself into a familiar shape.
Reyna watches in awe as a pure white pegasus with sparkling fur and bright golden eyes appears in front of her. Her eyes fill with tears as she looks at Athena, overwhelmed with gratitude.
"He's beautiful." She manages to say, her throat tight. The pegasus snorts and shakes his mane, as if agreeing.
"You are well suited to each other, I think. You see, he is a warrior as well." Athena tells Reyna, smiling in amusement.
Reyna is confused, but she smiles back. After all, it doesn't do to offend a goddess.
"His name is Bellator." The pegasus paws at the ground with his hoof at the sound of his name, arching his neck and flapping his wings. He rears onto his hind legs and kicks out with his forelegs, letting out a trumpeting neigh that echoes across the hilltop before dropping back onto his hooves with a dull thud.
Warrior. Reyna translates his name mentally. She smiles.
"He's magnificent. Thank you, Lady Athena." Reyna bows gratefully, but Athena gestures for her to rise again.
"No need to thank me. You deserve much more than a new friend for what you have accomplished." Athena assures her, before stepping back. Her outline starts to glow with a brilliantly bright light that can probably be seen for miles around in the darkness of twilight. Reyna looks away as the goddess reveals her true form and disappears back to Olympus, leaving Reyna alone on the hill with Bellator.
But you're not the only new friend I've made. She thinks at the pegasus, holding an image of Nico di Angelo in her mind.
Yes, I know, a little short, Athena's totally out of character, and Reyna isn't much better. But can you blame me? It's not as if we really know too much about Athena, except that she's super protective of Annabeth, and also that Annabeth is totally her favorite daughter. Oh, and that she hates Percy.
I like Bellator, how 'bout you? It took a while to find his name...but I got it, so I'm happy. :)
Cheers!
