Rome

A triumph had been thrown for Scipio upon their return. Scipio Africanus accepted his reward, but did not forget the legion commanders who had given him victory. They had completely reformed his legions. From the traditional format of hastate, principes, and triarii, into multiple lines of principes. The new formation was brutally effective. A transformed reliance on the gladius resulted in initial casualties as the formation was forced to pass through the spear lines of the African soldiers before carving their way through them. The extreme casualties of the battle had been nothing compared to the slaughter in the city as his legates convinced him to raze the city to prevent the war they knew would follow in fifty years.

Publius Scipio Africanus did not forget. As consul for life he had spent the last two years reforming the legions. All of the reforms that should have happened in the 80s and 70s BC, his legates implemented now in what they believed to be 198 BC. Though no one near them understood what the years meant or had any inclination what they meant when they used the term BC. The legions were expanded, in both eligibility of membership and size. Fifteen were formed. Three immediately went north to counter Gallic interference on the road to Iberia where three more were sent. The Urban legion was enumerated as Legio I. It answered to the senate alone, but was strategically only half the size of the field legions. Between Sicily and North Africa five legions were divided. The remaining four were designated for the Graecus invasion. Generations before the Greeks had slaughtered Rome's ancestors at Troy and they would have their revenge.

"The Macedonians and Illyrians supported Carthage. For the honor of Rome we must avenge this insult." Scipio was speaking to the assembled Senate. The tribunes and his fellow consul were silent. "In my old age, I ask the Senate to appoint as pro-consul of Greece and praetor of the army, Jason son of Jupiter, legate of Legio XII Fulminata. He will take Legio IX Hispania and Legios XIII and XIV Gemini." There was uproar, but they knew that in the end no one was going to argue against a son of Jupiter. The vote carried as they knew it would.

The legatus next to the newly elected pro-consul was dark skinned and stark contrast to her now superior officer. A single dark braid draped over her left shoulder. The praetor's blond hair and blue eyes were distinctly Gallic in appearance and not Roman or even similar to the Latins or the conquered people of Hispania. With the dark hair and eyes she resembled them, but Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano was not from Hispania. But then again, Praetor Jason Grace was not supposed to be alive, but here they were.

Jason and Reyna left quickly after the vote. They made their way to the villa gifted upon Jason by the Senate. Reyna looked at him longingly. She should not, she knew that, but damned if she did not want him still yet. He knew it too. Though she had learned weeks before that women were very attracted to his position and power and he had his choice of them.

"How long until our legions are ready?"

"The path to Illyria is clear. The Gemini legions under Frank and Hazel have pacified the route, not that Illyria is nearly the threat that Macedon is. We march tomorrow."

He leaned in close to her ear, "Come to my bed tonight. I've seen how you look at me." She smiled in spite of herself. If she did not make love to him tonight, she might never. Reason A: Tomorrow they would lead over eight thousand legionaries and four thousand auxiliaries on the road to war. Reason B: Jason might meet that Aphrodite girl again in Greece, the one he did not currently seem to remember.

This Rome was far from the Rome they had learned about. The Republic that failed to conquer Greece until winning at Corinth in 146 BC and not fully until 88 BC did not exist. Here they defeated Hannibal three years before at Zama, in their fourth year with the legion. It meant that they had been here for seven years now. They had arrived in 207 BC and now Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano would lose her maidenhood to the Son of Jupiter in 200 BC. Their knowledge of history had already prevented a Third Punic War after Jason, with Reyna's knowledge, encouraged Scipio to raze the city of Carthage with a "in fifty years" warning.

The Marian type reforms were their hope to avoid the Empire all together. If the army was not tied to specific generals, but paid from the state the possibility of rebellion and civil war was much lower. Inside though she already saw the future though. Jason would be emperor before he realized it. Such was the lot of a son of Jupiter in Rome. She knew with equal certainty there was only one demigod powerful enough to stop him. And he waited in Greece. Rumors held that unlike the Macedonian wars of the past would not happen. Greece was not weak and begging for Roman support against the King of Macedon, the Greeks had pushed back and overthrown their Macedonian overlords under a warlord of sorts.

Jason pulled her toward his bedchamber once they reached his villa. The slaves he had been gifted upon their return to Rome had prepared the chamber for them. She knew that she was not his first, even if he was hers. In Rome, men of his power and stature were the envy of men and the goal of women, even if they were already married to one of the envious men. Soon Reyna's armor and clothing were on the floor as he ordered her to open her legs and dipped his head between them. Her fingers gripped as his Gallic blonde hair. She honestly had not expected him to pleasure her first. But the involuntary spasms passing through her were testament to him. A lustful look was on his face as he kissed her and positioned himself.

"I think you're ready for me." He took her softly, caringly as she cried out at his first thrust. As she grew accustomed to it. Later than night, in what she assumed had to be Jupiter bestowed stamina, he was much more forceful. She hated how much more she preferred the second option.

The next morning it was more difficult to mount her horse than she would admit. But the legions began their march at the scheduled time. Beside her, Jason's expression was hard to read. This Jason seemed completely untainted by the Greeks and strove only to further the glory of Rome. When he spoke of the Greek friends it was never as demigods, only as fighting companions. Reyna did not know how he would react if they had to face them battle.

What she feared more though was Percy Jackson. How would he react if he waited in Greece? Greeks were more emotion driven than Romans already. His being a child of the sea only magnified that. As powerful as Jason was, her mind betrayed her and she remembered his power the night before. As powerful as Jason was, if Percy felt betrayed, he had the power to at the least, match Jason. Though as violent as that reunion could become, she truly dreaded the potential encounter with the spawn of Aphrodite. Because she would only lose Jason again. Now that she had slept with him, the loss would be that much worse.

"You seem distracted, Legatus." Jason's statement was loud enough for those around them to hear. "Did something disturb your sleep last night?" The officers around them heard the question, but they could not see his shit-eating grin and wink.

"Something small." Reyna surprised herself with her response, but the smile that followed betrayed that she appreciated her response. Though she received more pleasure that Jason had to cough to cover his shock at the words. This was not like either of them, but neither stopped. That evening, after a day of marching and a dinner with the senior centurions and tribunes, she and Jason reexamined her evaluation of size.

The march was scheduled for six weeks. Frank and Hazel would a camp ready for the army. Illyria had been quiet other than bandits for years, Macedon with King Philip V was a different story. No campaign into Greece itself could be completed without first defeating the Macedonians. They all knew this, they also knew the heirs of Alexander would be no easy task. Even with the advantage of discipline and flexibility over the phalanx, the Macedonians would be a formidable opponent.

Athens, Six Weeks Later

"Patér, patér!" Zoë came running into Percy's bedroom and both he and Annabeth had to quickly separate and pull sheets over themselves. They had planned to spend the morning as they had most of the night, and many of the previous nights, in bed without clothes. Annabeth believed Percy completely that there had only been one moment of weakness in a timeline that made little sense, what she could not get out of her head was a theory that it was a divinely caused liaison. She knew how brain children worked, being one herself. But Percy also was insistent that the child was not a brain child and that disturbed her more, since her working theory was that the girl was a daughter of Athena. He had been adamant that he would not reveal the mother of the child until the mother's choosing.

She remembered her initial return. Percy had refused to be with her initially. The shame he felt at having "failed" her, in his words would not allow him to be with her. She had ensured he understood her forgiveness by physical means eventually, when he simply refused her verbal pardons. Hell, for once I tried to make it easy for him and he doesn't believe it. Honestly, she would have forgiven him had been with more women. He had been alone for seven years. The first two years he had been the only demigod, the gods and other demigods slowly joining him. Zoë had seemed to preempt their arrival. That was still over five years ago, as she would turn six in three days.

As if summoned by the thought of her, Zoë was currently crawling onto and across the bed, forcing Annabeth to hold the sheet more closely to her chest. Fortunately, Percy wrapped his strong arms around Zoë and held her tight. Her arrested movements allowed their thin coverings to be at least somewhat effective. "What is it, little one?" Conspiratorially Zoë leaned into Percy's ear, spoke so loudly he winced.

"I know matér is not here, but can Annabeth also be my matér." There were tears in his eyes as he embraced his daughter and looked at Annabeth.

"I think she should decide that, ask her, little one." Annabeth clutched the sheets under her arms as Zoë turned to her. The nearly six year old put her arms around Annabeth and spoke softly.

"My matér has never been here. I don't know her." Annabeth's heart was breaking inside. "Can you be my matér too?" Annabeth was blinking away tears as she nodded and wrapped her arms around the girl. The girl she was concerned might be her half-sister and unfortunately natural born daughter of her mother. Damn you, Mother. How could you fucking do this? Leave a child with him, fuck him even? She thought angrily. Zoë was beaming and quickly ended the hug. She began running for the door.

"Where are you going, little one?" Percy called out.

"The fountain over the sea to thank grandfather for my new matér!"

"Thank you," Percy said, turning to Annabeth.

"Of course," she responded with a smile. "Now prove how thankful you are." She let the sheet fall. A roguish grin split Percy's face and he leaned toward her hungrily.

"Ahem!" The throat was cleared loudly enough that Percy reached for his sword and stood despite his nakedness as Annabeth dove under the sheets again.

"While impressive, Sea Spawn. I would ask that you cover yourself before your next guest arrives."

"Fucking mother," hissed Annabeth. Percy was wrapping the blanket around his waist, his torso bare.

"It is precisely that tone as to why I am here." A small flash of light announced the arrival of a second goddess. One who was much more opposed to Percy's choice to cover as little of himself as possible just to antagonize the first guest. Annabeth noticed a golden blush creep into her cheeks. No, she said mentally.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of two such ill-timed but honored guests?" Percy asked sarcastically.

"The truth, for I will not allow my daughter to despise me."

"Lady Artemis," she said out loud. The auburn haired goddess inclined her head slightly.

"It is good to see you again, Annabeth, though it is regrettable I can no longer accept you into my hunt." Annabeth merely nodded in return while Athena winced.

"That's an excellent way to greet people," muttered Percy even while the Patroness of the Hunt greeted him with "Perseus."

"No," gasped Annabeth. Percy's comment had only solidified her suspicion from Artemis's earlier blush. Surely not, she thought, surely she isn't the mother of that child.

"Annabeth, I must beg your forgiveness." Annabeth studied the goddess, "I left the girl with Athena to bring to Percy, she was his daughter after all. I thought I would be able to keep her myself, but my hunt soon arrived and I was not nearly the parent she deserved. Hippolyte had named her and then left her with him, but in doing so I have now forced motherhood upon you." Annabeth was lost. Percy had not wanted to discuss the lineage of his daughter and having only been back for these short weeks she did not yet feel qualified to force the issue.

"My lady. I have forgiven him, and am willing to do the same for you. I just ask that you clarify what you are saying, I don't understand." Percy interjected before Artemis could continue.

"I have not yet revealed the mother of my daughter. Perhaps it would be best for me to tell that story first." Artemis's mouth dropped into an "o," realizing that her words made no sense, before blushing even deeper golden understanding why Annabeth appeared so shocked and unnerved by the situation.

Annabeth studied Percy. A week before he had stumbled his way through a proposal, before giving up and throwing an apple at her saying "This is easier." Yet now, half naked, speaking to two maiden goddesses he seemed at ease, reserved even. Sadness washed across his face before he began to speak in a low tone. The words and the emotion playing across his face revealed to her the cause of the prematurely grayed temples and the streaks of silver already appearing in his thick beard.

"About a year after I awoke here, Athens received a call for aid from Ephesus. They were under attack by the Amazons. Ephesus was a victory for our growing alliance here. It provided access to the east and a safe port in Ionia. I set sail with a thousand soldiers." His eyes danced to Athena and she nodded approvingly. Annabeth realized that she must have been advising him as king. Percy was no idiot, but he could be rather goofy at times and Annabeth had wondered how he had charmed his way into the good graces of not just Athens but Greece at large.

"We landed and attacked the Amazons on their flank while the Ephesians distracted them. While an effective tactic, it was still blood bath. They fought on horseback and their ability to fire arrows while moving was very effective against my hoplites. So I made their horses obey me and throw them. I broke out of the phalanx and attacked with Riptide. There were many casualties before I found myself face to face with their queen. I killed her bodyguards and when I had my sword to her throat she revealed that soldiers from Ephesus had raped several of her Amazons when they found them sleeping. We struck a deal. In return for peace, I would kill the offenders." Annabeth gasped. While she was horrified at the actions of the Ephesian soldiers, she never would have seen Percy as judge, jury, and executioner. "I followed through with it. Seven men, killed by my hand, not nearly as many Amazons as we had just killed, but peace and alliance with Ephesus. After that, Hippolyte suggested a way for a long term peace between us." He stopped. Athena and Artemis had cast their gaze upon the floor. Annabeth's eyes flicked between them and Percy. Soon she had pieced it together. She opened her mouth to speak and Percy just nodded.

"Two and a half, three years later, I received word from Lesbos. They were under threat of a Pontic fleet. They were also part of the kingdom I swore to protect. My Greek fleet was not as powerful as it is today. I sailed to Lesbos and then sunk their fleet in a storm. I did not know the Amazons had sailed with King Mithridates. I killed my daughter's mother, Annabeth. A princess of the Amazons was an orphan at barely two years old." He fell silent and Artemis spoke.

"The Amazon's were infuriated and believed that he had broken their piece. Hylla prayed to me to come save the girl. The other Amazons wanted to kill her and send the body to Perseus to torture him. I took the young girl and for a while took care of her, but as the Hunt began to appear I found myself out of my element. If I had brought the girl to Perseus, too many questions would have been asked."

"So you asked my mother to bring her here." Annabeth was not asking. She had finally connected the dots to Zoë's story. A part of her understood why despite the joy Percy displayed every time he saw her there was pain under the surface. Another part of her was shocked her mother had assisted him at all with anything.

"Mother, Lady Artemis. If we might be allowed to dress, could we continue this?" Percy clearly needed a moment, she could tell. She knew that moment would be better with just her there. While Artemis might have been oblivious to it, Athena understood.

"Of course, Annabeth."