Chapter 26
Artemis POV
My boy, my poor Percy. Of all the dirty underhanded misdeeds, of course he would be granted the one that caused memory loss, and apparently only of the good ones. I sigh as I rake my hands through my amber hair, my mostly unused 20 year old form brought to the surface when Percy started screaming. I couldn't help, and neither could Apollo.
That probably was the worst part, watching someone you love in agony, and knowing you can do nothing about it. We all sat in the Big House, waiting for Chiron to break the tense atmosphere. Eventually a mist poured from the attic and a withered corpse stumbled down the stairs, a green fog pouring from it's lips with another prophecy promising more pain.
"Go where withered soul meets gilded hero,
Where once was still is,
A bond borne from pain,
A bloodied name,
Visit the grave of the father,
And feel mother's love again,
Beware revenge,
For those who seek it will be lost,
The journey takes double,
For there will be trouble,
The broken trio,
Becomes whole again."
Fathers grave? Did that mean... Surely not even Percy could have such horrible luck. And the journey takes double, did that mean there would be two groups? Or one large group of six? Six half bloods together would be extremely dangerous, especially with Percy in the mix. I open my mouth to protest, clearly Percy and the others were in NO condition to run off on a quest when Chiron spoke.
"Clearly the prophecy is for the three of them, as the last lines surely mean they can be fixed, however a journey with double seems worrisome, and a bond borne of pain?" A perplexed expression crossed his face, "Whatever could that mean?" I shake my head. The old pony had lost his senses if he thinks i'll let my boy have to travel the MORTAL world with NO memories, and MONSTERS at every turn. I think not. Again I open my mouth to protest when Apollo exclaimed,
"That's great! Then Perce and the boys will be fixed in no time! I say we get on straight away with picking the other three companions to get them moving as quick as possible." Chiron lifted a brow and smiled,
"Very well, I think i'd like to send Annabeth Chase as she has a sharp mind and a rather protective nature, as well as Grover Underwood, while i'm aware that sending a male with Percy may seem wrong, I can assure you is incredibly kind and gentle, and may be partially able to understand our young Nico and a bit of Percy as well. Which will be important as I can not go with to be translator. And my final choice I believe should have help picking, one, Di Angelo as she already knows Nico and the others and how best to calm them, two, Grace who would be a fierce protector and has much experience in surviving as a child of the Big Three in the mortal world, however this would put two of the Big Three children together away from the safety of the camp and i'm not sure that's a good idea. Three, Nightshade as she has know Perseus longest and how best to help him cope. What do you think?" I wanted to say never, forget it, he's NOT GOING, but another godly part of me knew that he would have to fulfill his prophecy and there was nothing I could do to prevent it from happening.
I sigh and look at the three, curled together leaning on Ms.O'Leary, Percy carding his hand carefully through Nico's hair, and his other lightly scratching Leo's wings at their base, both puddles of content as he watched over them, both relaxed but vigilant with the way his eyes constantly scanned for possible attacks. I smile lightly as I was reminded of the first time little Perseus stood up for one of his sisters, even though he was terrified.
...
The town nearest to their camp smelt of metal and smoke, with an undercurrent of baked bread. Maybe that's what had lured them in.
The bakery was tucked in a corner nearly in an alleyway with a rickety sign that hung on with only one chain and clattered against the building with the breeze. A grimy OPEN sign hung in the door window and they cautiously stepped inside, a soft chime announced their presence in the store and a soft looking woman strolled in from the back,
"Well, hello customers!" the way she spoke was soft but when she said customers it was gravelly and set off alarm bells. Before I could utter a warning a large man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Phoebe around the waist and throat, she squealed in outrage and fear, the man reaching up to grope her chest and lick her ear, his eyes bright with maniacal lust and violence. What appeared to be his wife hissed,
"Lovely of you to join the feast little half bloods!" The man sniffed her hair and gave an approving groan she quaked with fear and suppressed memories, both her own and those she knew Percy would now relive and a single tear rolled down her cheek, the man licked it from her face. Percy previously quivering at the sight of the large man suddenly shook, and an unbridled fury seemed to escape him. With a screech the creature, because really that was no man, stumbled as the ground shook and a torrent split the sky open, water rushed in the door and wrapped about him, causing him to release Phoebe in his shock and attempts to get it off, he eventually was lifted into the air in a bubble of water as he flailed and drowned. Once he was well and truly dead he melted into golden dust and his wife screeched as Zoe fired a single arrow directly through her head and she too crumpled to dust.
...
Brave even in face of his greatest of fears, that's what her little Perseus was and no doubt he'd do it again, she just had to trust him, believe in them. "I say we strike Grace, she adds unnecessary complications, and as much as I want to say Phoebe I know that Bianca is the correct choice here, where Leo and Percy stabilize each other Bianca will stabilize Nico. Plus I think Nico recognized her before Percy's breakdown."
Chiron nodded and I knew he thought the same, he simply wanted me to have the opportunity to send one of his sisters to help protect him.
Sighing I head over to Percy and his cuddle puddle, he tenses and eyes me warily but doesn't growl or attack. I take that as a good sign. Sitting down across from him I smile and observe the way he's curled around them, to protect them, my mind supplies, from me. Trying for a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes i reach out slowly, he flinches, hard. I press my lips together, it's like starting at square one again having a four year old terrified of any sudden movements.
...
We were setting up camp for the first time with Percy, he didn't seem to like the moving, his body still ached i'm sure. But he kept a distance from everyone, and never asked for help or to slow down, even when he grimaced with every step and the smallest of whimpers escaped his lips. I had tried offering to carry him, but the terror even the suggestion brought made me rethink it. Every stumble made my heart clench, like a new hunter I feared every breath would be his last, after all, not everyone can survive a past such as his.
...
Reaching to swipe a leaf from his hair only for him to lunge backwards so sharply he tumbled to the floor and scurried back on hands and feet, eyes wide and breath shaky. I froze, Zoe froze, all the hunters froze, even the wolves froze. His green eyes watered but the tears stayed locked in their glassy underwater prisons. Slowly a wolf came from the bushes, his breath hitched, it was the leader the matriarch of the pack. She came closer and he clenched his eyes tight, only to open them in shock when all she did was snuffle him like a pup and nudge him up. She walked next to him for the rest of that day, his tiny hand clenched in her silver fur.
...
Waking to a feeling of fear I sped to Percy's tent, for some reason I knew it was him in trouble,
But when I got there it was just him, curled in a ball gripping a pillow with silent tears running down his face, even months after being with us he wouldn't make a sound in fear or pain. I doubt he ever will.
...
Reaching to take his empty plate to clean only for him to lean so far back in his seat away from my hand I feared he would fall from his seat. Only to not be the only one and watch with dread the second Phoebe realized her mistake in trying to catch him, he screeched like he'd been burned and lunged off his seat, breathing ragged as he back from the table. We all stared and eventually light came back to his eyes and he bowed his head, a near silent apology and he ran to his tent.
...
No, it will not be easy to regain that trust. I blink suddenly as a soft head butts my still outstretched hand, Percy's wary neon green and blue eyes peek up at me through the fringe of his unruly bangs. Smiling gently I hum and pet his hair, he doesn't relax or take his eyes off me but he lets me have this, a moment to build trust, before he pulls away, something like hope in his eyes.
Percy POV
The silver one- mom - my brain supplied seems... nice. I'm not sure whether that means safe or not for brother and mate though. I see the way silver-mom-silver reacts to men, kinda like me actually... I coo at her and she smiles a little stronger, for some reason I don't like to see her sad. I glance at brother, curled around my tail and letting out soft chirps in his sleep, for some reason I can't seem to stop running my fingers through his hair. I glance at mate, coiled around my hips and head resting on my lap his quiet rumbles put me at ease.
I etch their faces into my memory, I'll never forget them, never. Not the gentle curl of brothers soft brown hair, black in little spots where soot and ash cling to it, nor the liquid night that rests atop mates head, nearly swallowing his black horns if it weren't for the way they stuck out from his hair like twin daggers, sharp but so sensitive I knew that no one but me and mate could touch them. The way brothers white and grey wings fold over himself like a blanket, feathers ruffling as he settles deeper in to sleep. The way mates fur covers his legs all soft and thick, like armour or a cloak.
Finally, I etch into my brain the sharp angles of brothers face, a mix of not enough food and not enough sleep, the bags under his eyes and tiny glowing feathers scattered like paint across his cheekbones, the orange glow that seemed to radiate from his skin and feathers like a furnace burned within him. Or the way mates face was soft and slightly round, olive skin and faint freckles like an angel, I blush, well... cherub i guess... that's not much better I wince.
I'm not sure where this feeling came from, I remember him before in small flashes, wide nearly black eyes, an excited smile, a scared frown, an octopus in bed... wait, what? A memory of soft hands and gentle warmth pressed against my back, a smell of earth, and pomegranates with a feeling of safety. I blink my eyes, silver is still in front of me, watching me, watching us. I tense slightly,
how long was I not paying attention?
Stupid, she could have hurt brother and mate!
Idiot idiot idiot...
She smiles and shakes her head. Slowly getting to her feet I realize there is more people in the room now. A blonde girl with grey eyes not quite the same shine as silver-mom- more of a matte like a stone compared to silvers steel. Another girl, a vague memory of mate hugging her and saying her knows her comes to mind, she has olive skin and black hair, much like mate... The third new person is a boy, no satyr. His furry hindquarters giving him away, with a cap on with red yellow and green, he seems to be nervously wringing his hands, releasing some distressed bleats every now and then.
I narrow my eyes, I don't like those noises, they sound too close to mate in distress. Considering for a moment, I let out a soft warbling coo, his reaction was instant, a glazed over look in his eyes and his eyelids drooped, a soft bleat and I smiled. I don't like people being scared, I nod my head next to me and he seemed to wake up, a slight jolt to his frame as he eyes me unsuredly. I nod and with everyone watching he makes his way over, I nod again, something telling me to protect protect protect, and he melted into our cuddle puddle, brother extending a wing in his sleep to lay across his back as mate reaches out to fist a hand in his baggy hoodie.
I glance at those around us, a lot of raised eyebrows and strange noises passed between them all and the new addition to the puddle turned red with an embarrassed grumble. Frowning I reach out, hesitating for only a moment, pain pain pain don't touch, I run a webbed hand up his face and under his cap, his eyes widen and shoot to me, I freeze, don't make eye contact it only makes him angrier, I look to the floor. A hesitant hand comes into view and I flinch, please don't, when there was no pain I slowly look to the new one, a shaky smile on his lips and I can see the same fear reflected back at me, don't hurt me please please please, he lets out a quiet bleat and I relax, combing my hand the rest of the way through his hair I feel something click into place in my chest,
Pack something whispers. I nod, Pack. I glance at the new pack member,
"Can you understand me?" I ask, he blinks, awareness coming back,
Nodding he replies, "Yes, can you understand me though?" I blink, it's a little hard to understand like someone talking with an accent, but memories of girls in silver flash through my mind, I have practice with that. Smiling, I nod back. His grin stretches across his face and something tells me it's a rare sight.
I memorize it.
AN:
HOOOOOOOLLLLLYYYYYY SSSSSSSHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Goddamn it's been awhile. Sorry guys, lol I know I promised not to die again buuuuutttt...
To be completely honest tho,
I've lost multiple important people to me in just a couple months and that plus work...
I know, I'm an asshole. BUT! I didn't abandon this! Just like I promised. I have no idea if anyone is even reading this anymore which I can't blame you if you're not. But, if you are.. then, thanks, for sticking with me this whole time. Even tho i'm an unreliable writer which is honestly my own biggest pet peeve with stories that I read lol.
Anyways, once again no promises that i'll get the next chapter out soon because I suck lol. And as always, ideas are ALWAYS welcome, even if I don't add them to the story I can tell you nine out of ten recommendations I've been given have been put in the story...Just a thought.
Well, that's it, thanks guys. ttyl
Wolf