Disclaimer: PJO and HoO are not mine... ok?
Author's Note: Last day of training before...
52. Lake Days
I woke up the next day in Paris' bed with something hard and soft next to me. I opened my eyes at the presence and I saw Henry chest. I felt one hand surrounding his waist resting in his lower back. His arm was my pillow and I could feel his breathing on my hair. I was barely getting used to the situation when I felt him stir. He opened his eyes and we stared at each other in peace and love.
"Hi there" said Henry and kissed me lightly.
"Hi, what are you doing here?" I said out of curiosity.
"Don't know exactly. I remember bringing here to bed. You passed out in the lake by the way. I think I must have fallen asleep here" said Henry smiling at me.
"Oh" I said and sat up. Henry did the same and placed his arm around my shoulder. I turned to see him and he cupped my face and kissed me tenderly.
"Pearl, Henry, breakfast is ready" said Paris in the doorframe. We broke our kiss to look at Paris clearly red and embarrassed.
"Sure, we are going" I said to Paris and she walked to the table. We stood up and walked to the table holding hands.
At the table, Frank and Leo were eating with Nico, Piper, Philip and Paris. They all waved and said good morning to us and we did the same.
"How was your night?" said Leo with a big grin on his face. He was clearly looking to corner us. I was already red when Annabeth passed by Leo and hit his head.
"Shut up, hero of Ogygia" said Annabeth.
"You spoil the fun" spatted Leo at Annabeth. I giggled at him.
"Are we training after breakfast?" said Henry at Leo and Frank.
"Yes, Williams. I know both of you are tired. We are the same. I also slept the whole night" said Frank.
"Also hugging someone?" said Leo smirking at Frank.
"Shut up, you idiot. Just because you are running away of Calypso that doesn't mean that you have to make fun of everybody's relationships" said Piper with her fist on the hair ready to hit Leo.
"Who said I am running away? We are just in a break" fumed Leo.
"Whatever you say, Leo" said Piper.
"Who is Calypso?" said Paris at Leo.
"My girlfriend. She lives in an island. I visit her a lot" said Leo at Paris.
"Oh. Why doesn't she visit you?" said Paris.
"Well, because she doesn't want to leave yet, but I am working on it" said Leo and winked at her.
"Oh" said Paris and kept eating.
"Any luck?" said Piper concerned.
"I think she is just to scare of the outside world. She has lived there for centuries. She feels that the Gods will treat her bad and she is too sweet to handle it" said Leo sadly. Everybody stared at Leo. He sounded so heartbroken, so unlike him. The rest of the meal was quiet.
After breakfast, we walked with the kids and the whole city again to the lake. Already there were people in the front seat with chairs, benches and blankets on the shore.
"Merry Pearl. We fight until lunch" said Frank as he and Leo waked to the middle of the lake.
"What is Sarah cooking today?" said Leo.
"Mmmm… I think she said minestrone soup and chicken pot pie" said Frank and drew his sword as well as Leo.
"Ready, salty lips?" said Henry and kissed my cheek. I nodded and we drew swords.
"Ready, steady, go" yelled Frank and the training started. We fought for over four hours before lunch break.
I was panting hard but I wasn't as exhausted as yesterday. Henry and I were getting better each passing minute against Frank's animal shapes and Leo's burning sword. We fought until we weren't anymore.
"It's lunch time" said Frank looking at the sun. He was breathing hard and put away his sword.
"I'm starving. Let's go to eat" said Leo walking to the shore.
"Sure, 2 hours break and don't be late" said Frank and waved goodbye at us.
This time I walked with Henry holding hands to the shore. We were breathing hard and really tired but not as bad as yesterday. Annabeth and Piper had the picnic blanket ready for us. We sat with them and ate. Annabeth made us drink Nectar to keep our strength. I have never liked that thing. It was supposed to taste like your favorite food but since I liked everything, it just tasted like everything. Ice cream and chilly just didn't belong together in my mouth.
We had a lovely lunch with the girls. I took a nap leaning on the tree while Henry chatted and joked with Piper. The lunch break was over when I heard Frank's voice. I raised my eyes to see him holding hand with a petite blond woman around 30, long hair, brown eyes and smiling at us.
"Hi" I said and rubbed my eyes. I stood up in front of the pair.
"Hello. I'm Sarah, you must be Pearl. Frank talks a lot about you. You are as prettier as he said" blurted out Sarah awkwardly making Frank blushed.
"It's good to know that I'm pretty in your book, General" I snickered at him.
"More than pretty, Merry Pearl" said Frank and I giggled blushing red.
"Nice to meet you, Sarah" I said shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you too. Are you ready to fight?" said Sarah and then I realized she was carrying a sword on her waist.
"Sure, do you fight?" I said. She looked to sweet to be fighter. She looked more like a baker or chef.
"Of course, I do. Most people here do. I was a centurion back in my days" said Sarah.
"Ready, Sarah?" said Annabeth carrying her dagger.
"Yes, Annabeth, it's been a while" said Sarah.
"Certainly" said Piper walking at us.
"This remains me of that time with Sasha" said Leo, and I was surrounded of the grownups that fought in the great Giant War.
"I know" said Annabeth a bit sad. It probably remained her of Percy.
"Merry Pearl. You will make everybody fight on the water" said Frank and we walked to the shore.
"I don't know if I can. There are too many" I said as I counted 6 fighters: Henry, Piper, Annabeth, Sarah, Frank and Leo.
"Sure, you can" said Annabeth patting my shoulder.
We walked to the middle of the lake: Henry and I against Piper, Annabeth, Sarah, Frank and Leo. Seven of us, just like during the Giant War. We fought until sunset.
The next day, we raised the difficulty and I trained against a barrack of 10 legionaries. Each day, we raised the bar until I fought against the whole cohort. For over a week, we trained against the cohorts. I was a pretty tiring week.
