They Know
*First Person Point of View*
I groaned, fiddling with my mask. I had once again been called to Olympus. Why me? Why did I have to chose life in servitude to the gods? I should've said no. I should've declined his offer. But I couldn't. I knew that I still had things to accomplish. I couldn't just abandon those who stood up for me. Damn me and my weak heart!
My thought process suddenly cut off as Zeus spoke. "Welcome, Olympians, guardians, and campers－"
That was the moment that I noticed that the campers of both camps were also present. I'd been so deep in my own thoughts that I hadn't heard them arrive. Looking around at all of them, I could see new faces, but also old faces. I saw Annabeth, the seven, Reyna, Nico, and many more.
They all looked so much older, but then, I remembered that it's been fifteen years since we defeated Gaea together. Unlike them, I was immortal, and would remain looking like a teenager forever. Of course, I could decide to look older, as it was an ability that the Great One gave all of us Guardians, so that we wouldn't have to be one age forever.
Focusing on Annabeth, I saw that she was standing with a man and a boy. I smiled. She was seventeen when I'd last seen her. Now, she was thirty-two, and had a husband and a little nine-year-old boy who looked just like her. She looked happy, happier than I'd ever seen her before when we were together. That was good.
My eyes scanned the rest of my friends, who were all happily with the ones they loved. Jason and Piper had finally gotten together, but I noticed that they didn't have any children. Same could be said for Frank and Hazel. My eyes continued down the line and I saw Nico and Will standing together. The sight brought a smile to my face. They'd gotten together too, despite the obstacles. That was nice. Leo was still alone though, but I guess that was okay. He must've still been searching for a way to free Calypso.
Once I looked at Reyna though, my eyes narrowed. She was looking at me. Like, right at me. She knew something was up. Someone must have told her.
Once she saw me looking, she quickly turned away, whispering to Hazel and Frank, who were standing closest to her. She was whispering out of the corner of her mouth, so I couldn't read her lips, but whatever she said must've been about me, because in an instant, the two looked over at me, before Reyna smacked them, causing them to avert their eyes. Yes. They were definitely talking about me.
The rumor spread throughout my old friends quickly, and soon, all of them were staring right at me. At that point, there was no doubt in my mind. They knew. Someone had told Reyna my true identity, and she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Now they all knew who I am, and who I was.
I sighed. Note to self: demigods are terrible gossips.
"What's wrong?" a voice next to me asked suddenly. The voice, having come out of nowhere, surprised me. I leaped in the air a few inches, but quickly regained my composure, turning to Thalia, who had spoken.
"Whoa, Perce. Don't give yourself a heart attack. I'm just asking if you're okay," she said, a small grin playing across her lips.
"Sorry. I'm a little jumpy at the moment. I think they know."
Thalia seemed taken aback. "Who?" she asked.
"Them." I nodded in the direction of my old friends. She turned to look, and nodded.
"Yup. They definitely know," she decided.
I groaned. "Thanks for stating the obvious," I replied sarcastically. "What should I do about it?"
Thalia scoffed. "That's not my problem, now is it?" She put her hands on her hips, glaring at me playfully. "But if I were you, I'd either tell them, or try to throw them off your scent. Depending on who told them, I'd go for the second option. If it was a credible source, well… good luck with that."
"Thanks for the support. I know for sure that someone must've told Reyna, because she couldn't have found out otherwise. Then she told all of them."
"Ha! She couldn't keep her mouth shut, could she?" Thalia asked.
Her laugh was quite loud, and drew the attention of everyone in the room. We were so dead.
"And what about this matter is so funny, Ms. Grace?"
Thalia turned red in the face, both from embarrassment, and anger. Of course, Athena had called her 'Ms. Grace' and she hated her surname. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I wasn't listening."
I chuckled. She was so embarrassed. Called out in front of all of the Olympians and the campers? Ouch. That must've put a spear right through the heart of her pride. "Sorry," I whispered to her.
"It was my fault, Lady Athena. I apologize, but I was speaking to Thalia here about private matters. We should have been paying attention, we're sorry," I said, bowing deeply.
Athena turned up her nose. She may have changed, but she was still picky about people paying attention. "Very well. Given who you are, I shall excuse it just this once," she replied.
"As I was saying," Zeus continued, "As both of the camps, as well as the hunters, have been attacked, we must prepare. The guardians may have been able to save them this time, but just because they are here, does not mean that the demigods can slack in their training. I understand that there aren't enough trainers for efficient training, therefore, I suggest assigning a few guardians to each camp to help train the new campers."
Many nods of agreement rose from both the olympians and the campers at the idea. 'It would definitely increase the rate of which the campers learn,' I thought.
"Also, I think it best that the hunters stay at one of the camps. They are a small, powerful group, but given enough opponents, they can be taken down and we cannot afford to lose such skilled fighters. Daughter, I will leave it up to you and your hunters to decide which camp you wish to reside in until after the threat has been vanquished."
I looked at my goddess, only to see that she was annoyed by the idea, as I thought she would be. She sighed, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. Finally, she spoke. "Fine. My hunters and I will stay at one of the camps. We shall decide which one after the meeting, and head there right away," she decided.
She suddenly met my eyes, and I knew that she was going to consult me. I sent her a grateful smile. I was glad that she was considering my feelings.
Zeus smiled, apparently quite happy that his daughter agreed, but I also think that he was happy that she was speaking to him again. I'd heard the rumors. I knew that the five gods who'd defended me had cut themselves off from the rest of the council after my death. Now that I was back, their bonds were healing, which was always good.
"Very good," Zeus said. "Everything seems to be in order. The hunters at one of the camps, the guardians training the campers as to help ease the quantity problem, and our defences are in the process of being upgraded. I cannot see why we will lose the war."
The rest of the gods nodded in agreement with him, and he said, "Meeting adjourned… Unless anyone had anything to add?" He added the last part as an afterthought, but leaned back in his throne once again as silence met his question.
The campers left first, each camp followed by the guardians that would escort them back and begin their training. The gods were each teleporting back to their palaces as the hunters were leaving.
"Milady," I began, catching up to Artemis. "Which camp were you thinking of?"
She pursed her lips in thought, and then turned to me. "Whichever one you feel more comfortable staying at," she replied.
"Milady, as honoured as I am, you mustn't base your decision on me. As your guardian, I will follow you wherever you go, disregarding my own comfort﹣"
"Precisely," she cut me off. "And I've decided that this time, I will disregard my own comfort and follow you where you go. That is final."
I bowed my head. "Very well. I would prefer to go to the Greek camp. Not only because it was where I grew up, but because I feel like the Greeks will need more than the other guardian's help training. They received many more campers than the Romans, and of course there is the fact that the Romans are more disciplined than the lax lifestyle of the Greeks."
Artemis nodded. "Then it is decided. We shall go to the Greek Camp." She snapped her fingers, and everything around us folded, before white enveloped my vision.
Word Count: 1519
Dylan Walts
CSP2708