Percy is sitting in Reyna's kitchen feeding Sophia her morning cereal, when Jason knocks on the door. "Morning cous," he says showing him inside.
"Look at you, Daddy," Jason says impressed with how Percy had taken to his new responsibilities.
"She's amazing," Percy tells him, "I never would have thought we were ready, I mean you remember just a couple months ago at the wedding, we were worried about all the baby talk and getting pregnant. As soon as she was given to us, though, we just knew what to do."
"So are you not telling anyone who gave her to you," Jason asks.
"We just want her to be ours. Our parents know and a couple of others who were there when she was brought to us, but besides that we aren't saying. I hope you can understand," Percy explains.
"Yeah I can. Can I just ask one thing?" Jason asks.
"It wasn't Zeus," Percy assures him.
"Thanks man, I appreciate that," his cousin says. "I was hoping to talk with you about something before the Senate meeting this morning."
"Is this about Octavian?" Percy says.
"So Reyna has already gotten to you," Jason says a little upset.
"She just told me what was going on and how she felt about it, but I haven't made any decisions yet. Why don't you talk to me, tell me what you're thinking," his cousin suggests.
"Well you know Octavian has figured out Ella's special ability," he says putting air quotes around special ability, "He's arguing that he should have, well custody of her. Can you believe that, custody like she's a child."
"You can't let that happen, you know that. Octavian can't be trusted," Percy tells him.
"I know that, Reyna knows that. That's the one thing we can agree on at least," Jason says reaching his finger over to let Sophia grab hold of it.
"Reyna wants to remove Octavian from the position, make Will augur, and let him work with Ella," Percy says from his talk with Reyna from the night before.
"Will doesn't have the gift of prophecy, and he's Greek. No offence but this is a Roman camp," Jason says.
"Does Octavian really have a gift, or does he make half of it up?" Percy asks his cousin. "I mean some of his prophecies are so vague that in hindsight you can twist them to mean anything, and he was convinced the Argo II was a trick, that you were here to take this camp out. If it was up to him, and thank gods it wasn't, Camp Jupiter would have attacked you guys before you could even land."
"You have a point, but that only supports removing him," Jason agrees.
"As for him being Greek, I'm Greek and I was made praetor. Rachel isn't Greek, Roman, or a demigod and she's the Oracle of Delphi. I think we need to ignore some of the old Greek/Roman thinking if we are ever truly going to unite these two camps. Just because we completed the task of defeating Gaea and closing the Doors of Death, doesn't mean we can or should go back to hating each other. Look at you and Piper you're in love with each other. Look at your Greek sister, who adores you, Will and Reyna having a child, Katie now a centurion, Frank, Hazel and Dakota have gotten along great at Half-Blood, all this shows that we are one family," Percy explains.
"I thought you said Frank hated living with his siblings," Jason says reminding him of their conversation from the night before.
"That doesn't count, I would hate living with his siblings too," Percy says with a laugh, as he cleans rice cereal from his daughter's face. "The fact is they get along outside of the cabin, Frank just needs a little more peace and quiet sometimes. That has more to do with his being an only child and Clarisse's inability to control her brothers and sisters than being Roman."
"So you are going to vote with her?" Jason says figuring that by the way Percy is talking he has made up his mind.
"No, you haven't told me what you think should be done," his cousin says.
"I think Ella should become Augur," Jason tells him. "I know she seems childlike and a little scatterbrained, but when you ask her a specific question she can answer it. We just need to weed out some of the useless trivia that comes along with it."
"Aren't you worried that Octavian would do something to her out of revenge or in an attempt to get the job back? He killed Gwen, I don't care what anyone thinks," Percy says concerned. "I mean I know Ella is fast and capable of taking care of herself most of the time, but Octavian can be dangerous when he's pushed. If he'd stab Gwen in the back just because his team was losing a war game, imagine what he would do to Ella for taking his job."
"We could post guards for her," Jason tells him, "Always keep her protected."
"Do you think she would really like that," Percy asks knowing Ella is a bit of a free spirit.
"She would like it if it were Tyson," he says watching for Percy's reaction.
"No can do," Percy says lifting his daughter from the car seat he was using as a high chair and giving her a bottle. "I didn't say anything last night because Ella was there, but Tyson hit it off with Shelly. They hit it off so well, that I'm gonna be Uncle Percy soon."
"No kidding, well great for them," Jason says realizing that ends that idea. "Still there are others she like and would allow to hang around her."
"Not that I'm saying I've decided one way or another, but have you talked with Will about any of this?" Percy asks.
"I haven't and I don't know if Reyna has," Jason answers.
"I'm not too sure that Will would be thrilled with being the augur, especially if he doesn't have his dad's gift for prophecy, but he seems to get along with Ella pretty well. Don't get me wrong, I think that if all of you really wanted Will to take the position, he would do his duty and give it his everything," Percy says.
"Where are you going with this?" his cousin asks.
"Make Ella the augur and Will her protector and interpreter," Percy suggests. "I know for a fact that Will could take Octavian in a fight no problem. Have you ever seen the guy use a bow and arrow? He's the best I've ever seen outside of the Hunters, and I bet he rivals any of them, even your sister. He's also the best healer next to his dad. If something were to happen to Ella, he would be there to heal her."
"I never thought of that," Jason says actually feeling a little stupid for not seeing it. "Are they still here?"
"No Reyna wanted to head over early for the meeting and Will went with her," Percy tells him.
"Are you available to head on over there and talk to them about this before the meeting. I would like for us to be in agreement on the solution before we bring up getting rid of Octavian," Jason asks.
"Yeah, let me give my angel here to her momma and grab my robes," Percy says then heads upstairs.
Percy and Jason have donned their purple praetor robes by the time they enter the Senate house, where Reyna and Will are looking over some scrolls. "Good morning gentlemen," Reyna says when she looks up and sees them.
"Good morning, Praetor," Percy says greeting her back.
"Reyna, Percy and I have been talking this morning," Jason starts.
"I should leave you three alone," Will says wanting to give them some privacy.
"No Will, I would like for you to stay. This involves you as well," Jason tells him.
"Have the two of your come to some sort of agreement," Reyna says a little disappointed.
"Not exactly," Jason says, "I mean Percy had a totally different thought, and I can agree with it, but we wanted to discuss it with both of you before the meeting."
"What is it?" she asks.
"I've listened to both of your ideas. The most important thing is getting Octavian out of power. I think we can all agree on that," Percy explains.
"We can," Reyna agrees.
"Will, I've never head you mention any prophetic powers. I know you got a lot from your dad, but did you get that?" Percy asks.
"I am pretty good at dissecting prophecies, pointing out where multiple meaning or false leads may be, but I don't see prophecies, no," Will tells him.
"Do you want the position?" Percy now asks.
"I…I will do whatever is best for the camp, best for the legion. If it is believed that I need to do this, I will accept the responsibility, but I do not seek the position. I do not need power or authority," Will tells them.
"Where are you going with this?" Reyna asks looking at Percy.
"Ella is the real power here, but she needs help to do it. She needs protection, she need interpretation, she needs a little guidance," Percy says holding his thumb and index finger apart a bit to show how much guidance she needs.
"You're saying make Ella the augur and Will her interpreter and protector?" Reyna confirms with a hint of understanding the brilliance of the plan in her voice.
"I think that inside Camp Jupiter the only person she needs protection from will be Octavian, and Will is totally capable of that. More importantly, Will seems to understand Ella and he knows how to explain prophecies for her. Once Ella provides a prophecy she tends to get off track on key word trivia, like an Internet search engine. Will can work around that," Percy tells them.
"I can usually tell where the prophecy ends and an Ellaism begins," Will agrees.
"You would be amenable to this, assisting Ella instead of the other way around," Reyna asks her boyfriend.
"She is the one with the power, she already sleeps in our attic, and she likes me. I certainly think this arrangement would work, and it wouldn't look to the rest of camp like nepotism. I mean you getting me a position of power just because we're having a baby might not sit well with some," Will says looking at Jason for that last part.
"Will, I…" Jason starts.
"I understand some of your feelings. I'm a newcomer, a Greek…"
"I'm sorry about all of that, my thinking that because you are from the other camp… Well Percy made me see some of the error of my ways. You are a good man, a good warrior, and a good friend," Jason says holding his hand out to Will.
"I appreciate your saying that," Will says shaking the praetor's hand.
"So does that mean we all agree? 'Cause I sort of feel a group hug coming on," Percy chuckles.
"I do not know about a group hug," Reyna says with a smile, "But I can accept the compromise."
"I will do whatever needs to be done in order to make this work, even if that means running Octavian out of town on a rail," Jason says taking her hand.
"That sounds like fun," Percy laughs.
