Merry Christmas and I happy new year! Yes I am late, but I'm here now. So, better late than never? I don't know but I am so sorry I have been so busy with school work that I completely forgot about the story. Oops. It wasn't until today when I got a review that I remembered. So I am very sorry but here it is.
Right so this chapter is a rewind a few minutes for Percy's POV but it basically carries straight on. Just the comments and then we can get on with this.
NeatherStar: sorry for such a long wait, I tried to make it good like you asked and I hope you enjoy this.
Darkness Death and Riches: First of all, I love your user name. Second of all, I am really sorry for the wait (I know I keep saying this but I do mean it). Your pun is allowed I didn't touch this for a year! And more importantly a full month, for which I do apologies. It will not even here do not worry, just bear with my awful scheduling and you will find out more.
Bookadict5: I am very sorry please do not rip out my internal organs. *very scared face* But seriously thank you for your comment I saw it today and thought I really need to write, not just because I might get hit with a text book if not, but because people are reading my story and actually getting annoyed at me not updating. I can't do this to other people when I feel the same way about the stories I read. Your comment really did inspire me to write this today so I thank you and you've really made my day with your kind words about my writing. P.S. I promise if I take that long away from writing again without warning I will supply the book for you to hit me with :D
DISCLAIMER: Even though I wish I did, I do not own PJO or HOO all rights go to Rick
Percy POV
I couldn't believe it my family were all here, they knew who I was with yet they were still sad. They could see me as I was, subservient and broken, yet I could still see several people having to hold themselves back from running to me. Or maybe it was at me, maybe they wanted to kill me before I hurt anyone? Yeah that was probably it. Part of me was happy to see them. The small part of me that still believed I could be saved, that now they knew where I was they could help me. But the rest of me told that small part to shut up. They already knew where I was, she gave me to him. I couldn't even stand to look at her, she was the reason I'm like this. Instead I started to look around at everyone else. Before I got far though I realised something… all my old friends were here. All my DEMIGOD friends. I was to fight the demigods, these demigods. My friends. "No, no, no. Not them." I cried silently letting a few tears fall down my face. A small chuckle was audible from behind me. My lord found my pain amusing, as always.
After a while Lord Kronos apparently got bored of simply laughing at me and was ready to move on. "Quiet" he called quietly. I subtly looked around, why weren't they shutting up? 'They have to listen to him' I thought 'or something bad will happen.' I wanted to call out to them, to say something. But I couldn't Kronos had ordered me not to speak unless he said I was allowed, and he hadn't. I was stuck being silent and watching them. "Be quiet" he said again, louder than before. I curled in on myself, I knew that voice. This was going to be painful for them, they had to stop! Didn't they know not to disobey him? They were going to get beaten for sure.
"Silence!" My lord growled. Oh no. Oh no. 'Holy Hades this isn't good' I thought. I ducked my head quickly and placed my arms around my knees. I didn't want to see what would happen. Suddenly a hand grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, a muffled groan left my lips. A second later I felt something cold press to my neck, and a golden pair of eyes appeared in front of me. Kronos smirked once before looking back at the gods and their children. "Shut up! Or I'll splatter the floor with his blood!" Kronos yelled. I didn't understand, surely he didn't think that would help. Like they actually cared what happened to me, they would've rescued me if they did. Despite my thoughts a second later all the noise stopped, it was as if no one even dared breathe.
The molten gold eyes appeared in my vision again, along with an evil smirk. 'Oh gods' was all I got time to think before pain took over my brain. The cold scythe was slowly being dragged across my neck, sawing ruthlessly through the muscle. I cried out, my brain barely processing anything but pain. But one thing cut through the fog. A cry of "NO" that almost sounded as pained as I felt. Kronos froze, and so did I – my screams dying down to a whimper as the scythe stopped. Somebody was in trouble. In danger even.
Suddenly the hand holding me up let go and I fell unceremoniously to the floor. My head smacking against the marble floor painfully. Managing to clear the haze from my vision I turned my head up to rest my chin on the floor – I didn't even have the strength to sit up. What I saw shocked me. Nico. Nico was stood from his chair, one hand stretched out towards me. He must've been the one who shouted. After a few moments his eyes met mine. What I saw there surprised me, he was sad. But not for himself for me. He could see me being hurt and it was as if it hurt him too. Why? Why would that be? He asked me a silent question 'are you ok?'. Yes, I tried to lie, that's what he wanted to know after all. But it's hard to lie with your eyes, I'm sure I must've said 'no, not at all. Ow.'. Oh no, would he hurt me for giving him the answer he didn't want? I knew Kronos did. But I never got to find out, because at that moment Kronos drew our attention.
"Well boy? Have you got something to say?" The king spat, glaring at Nico. I began to panic. This wasn't good Nico was in danger serious danger. He needed to stop. 'Just apologies' I thought 'just say you're sorry and the beating won't be as bad'. But he didn't, the son of Hades looked down at me for a moment. He even saw that I was shaking my head, begging him to sit down. But no. Nico looked back up at the titan lord with defiance sparkling in his eye. "Yes, I do have something to say." No, no no. I began to push myself up, struggling with my exhausted muscles. I prayed to Chaos I would be able to stop him before it was too late. But Nico carried on. "You have no right to be here. You have no right to be holding Percy prisoner. You have no right to be harming him!" I didn't understand, what was Nico doing? Of course Lord Kronos can be there, he is the king no one tells him what to do. And he certainly had the right to me, to do whatever he wanted to me. They gave me to him. The gods and the other demigods, surely they knew Annabeth gave me to my master for her own freedom?
However, I didn't get to think about that for long as suddenly my arms gave out as a foot was slammed into my back. I tried to push up again but Kronos' foot stayed firmly on my back and he began to press down more, a groan of pain escaped my lips. "You mean I can't do this?" The titan asked casually before applying more pressure to my back. I winced and looked again at Nico, he was looking back at me. Horrified. Tears swam in his black eyes, I wanted desperately to wipe them away. Why was he crying? Did he know Kronos was coming for him next? "And as to the matter of having no rights to Perseus. Ask him about that." The foot left my back as quickly as it had appeared and I was dragged to my feet. Just as I caught my balance I was pushed forwards slightly. I stumbled but managed to stay up right, I was in the middle now. Still within the reach of Kronos but away from him, on my own.
I realised that everyone else was staring at the three of us; me, Kronos and Nico. But eventually they all rested their eyes on me. Some of them seemed to want to get up as well, to come closer, but they didn't. They had tears on their faces but I knew they were false. They all knew I had been condemned to this, they just didn't want to see the consequences. "Percy," a voice said quietly. 'Percy' I mused, 'that was me wasn't it?' I was sure of it after a few moments, yes my name was Perseus but I used to insist they called me Percy. Lord Kronos, he took that from me maybe that made me belong to him more? "Percy?" they called again. This time I turned to look, it was Nico. He moved to step forward but as he did there was a dull thud. A sound I recognised as a scythe end being hit to the floor, and Nico stepped back again.
"Percy, what does he mean? What does he mean ask you?" The son of Hades begged. I looked at Nico, his black hair had fallen into his eyes but he didn't seem to care or notice. I wanted to answer but I knew I couldn't speak. Kronos seemed to realise at the same I did and in a smug voice said "oh Perseus, you may speak". He was showing his power over me I realised but I knew I had to answer, he wanted me to. "W-well" I stuttered looking back up at Nico he looked angry, but not at me. "When me and a-a-anna, her" I changed my mind still unable to say the name. A small squeak came from one side but I dare not look to see who it was. "fell into Tartarus to get out someone had to close the doors from the inside. S-she tricked me. She told me the lift would come back. But she lied!" I yelled at the end, tears leaking from my eyes.
"Tell them the rest." A cold voice commanded from behind me. "Tell them why you must do as I say." I gulped. They didn't know yet and that's why they didn't hate me. Yet. If I told them they would hate me, want to kill me. But maybe that would be good. Maybe they would kill me, before I was ordered to kill them. I looked back at Nico's eyes. It was a mistake. He was so trusting, as if he expected me to just turn around and fight. But I couldn't, I stopped fighting long before I was under my lords control. "I – I" I looked around again, everyone was staring at me, they were slowly losing hope. "I swore on the Styx." There was gasps of shock and a roar of rage. I had to speak quickly to finish. "I swore that I would do as he said as long as I didn't have to fight the gods!" That seemed to calm them down a little just as it had me. "But he tricked me," I spoke slowly, looking at Nico again as if it were only us. "I won't have to fight the gods when the war comes, no. But I will be forced to fight the demigods. An-and he has strict rules, I cannot surrender, I cannot escape, I cannot purposefully die, I cannot help." I was crying, sobbing nearly. "Please, Nico. Please kill me before I hurt people."
The younger immortal looked at me with such sympathy it hurt, tears were brimming in his eyes. He was going to speak, but he stopped himself as a sinister voice spoke instead. Kronos. "Look at him, even when he was hurt, broken. He thought of you all tried to stop me from using him." He reached out and touched my face, wiping away the tears. He circled me, slowly taking in my pain. "Even when he knew you sent him to me that you gave him to me for your own freedom." Kronos was looking at someone over the top of my head. I heard an intake of breath. Before a pained cry reached my ears. "No I didn't! Percy don't listen to him, you sacrificed yourself! I begged you not to!" I shook my head desperately trying to block out her voice. I couldn't stand it, but it didn't work. The hand on my cheek suddenly grabbed my face and turned it towards her. I quickly shut my eyes, I would not look. But suddenly sharp nails bit into my skin. My eyes shot open.
I could see her. She wasn't crying, obviously, she knew what she was doing. But she looked upset, clearly she was under the impression I wouldn't leave her, that I would understand her giving me away to be tortured but no. I would not. I couldn't cope seeing her again, seeing the one responsible for all this, it broke me all over again. "No I didn't!" I screamed back at her, tears streaming down my face. "You gave me away. Y-you gave me to Lord Kronos!" I couldn't deal with it anymore; she was the reason I was like this. Broken. The enemy. Unable to be free. All because of her, I looked away. Sobbing. "No, no. You've got it wrong." She tried again. "Seaweed Brain." At the old nickname my knees gave out and I fell to the floor. Not even registering the pain.
"Annabeth" it was Apollo. "he won't listen to you. I couldn't detect a lie. Even if it's not true, Percy thinks he is telling the truth." There was a great sadness in his voice, I could tell even through my own pain. An evil chuckle cut through my thoughts like a knife, I could feel Kronos move closer to me. "Of course he is telling the truth, he wouldn't dare lie. And he knows that she left him. Gave him to me." He laughed again, placing a hand in my hair. "Now if you'll excuse us, I've got an army to prepare. Goodbye." The hand tightened in my hair, I knew I was leaving and part of me was happy. The smaller part wanted to stay, to be away from Kronos. But these were not the people I could be near, not after all they'd done. I could hear feet pounding the marble, but it would be too late. Gold filled my vision and we flashed away.
So… what do you think? If you enjoyed it please let me know by reviewing I love reading your comments they quite often make my day and they inspire me to keep writing. If you did enjoy it, you can also favourite or follow to get the new updates which should be more regular again as I get back into writing. But it might not be every week as I am getting more and more work to do from school all the time. :( For now though, see ya.