DISCLAIMER: I do not own PJO, HoO, Star Wars, and any other familiar references in this story. All rights belong to their original owners.

Of Royalties and Responsibilities

Chapter Five

Percy remembered the first time he met Annabeth's brother, Malcolm.

He had been sitting alone at lunch one day, when suddenly a scary blond with gray eyes had sat in front of him, munching on an apple so casually as if he had introduced himself to Percy before.

"My name is Malcolm Chase of Mylita," he had said. "I'm the Red's captain this year."

It was a conversation that led to one of Percy's proudest achievements. He was a freshman then, but for some reason the whole senior class and the rest of his team thought he was the perfect person to enter the saber competition for the Olympics that year. If putting a freshman wasn't already a big of a deal, then Percy winning it definitely was. He was the first fifteen-year-old in Olympic Academy history to do so.

That event was years ago, and he'd won the succeeding saber competitions for every Olympics. Every single year, every Captain-elected senior would hold his breath upon receiving his team list; everyone would absolutely die to have Percy Jackson on their team. It almost guaranteed them a chance of winning the whole games.

And now here he was.

Flipping through his list of teammates, on his last year at the academy. The seniors in his team didn't even hesitate calling him Captain after seeing his name beside theirs.

It was a given, honestly.

"Frank, I'm putting you up for archery, obviously."

"What about for aircraft racing?"

"Honestly? Do we stand a chance against Jason? That dude's a freak with planes."

"That, he is," Percy laughed, looking up from his list to see Leo and Frank just as immersed with the members list as he was. He'd never seen Leo this focused while reading something. "We could always put a freshman on the spot. It could be good practice. No better time like the Olympics."

"You would know," Leo pointed out. "But I'm afraid no one's as mad as you were, Perce. Everyone's dying for you to graduate just because they want to win sparring for once."

"I could always… you know. Not spar. I could sit out this year, since I'm captain now."

Leo and Frank gasped dramatically. "Don't you dare!" Frank clutched his chest at the same time Leo pouted and said, "Come on, bro, I want to win this year!"

"That's because you have an ongoing bet with Piper." Percy rolled his eyes but chuckled. "But, fine. I'll spar."

"Smart man," Leo approved, bringing his eyes back to his list. "I think we have a pretty good line up this year. The only person I see in this list that's most likely to cry here is… well, you, Percy, after we win this whole thing."

"I'll have the tissues ready," Frank piped in unhelpfully.

"Good call. I'll bring water in case he gets dehydrated."

"We might have to put Annabeth on speed dial."

Percy snorted. "I'm not going to cry, guys."

Annabeth took this time to sit right next to him and the rest of the boys at the table. "Aw, love, why are you crying again?"

"Because we're going to win the Olympics," Frank filled her in.

"I'm not going to cry!"

Annabeth nodded in mock understanding, offering Percy a kiss on the cheek as consolation. She turned to the two other boys. "What are you gentlemen up to?"

"Figuring out our line-up for the Olympics," Leo said, pushing the list closer to him and away from the princess. "And technically, this is supposed to be a private meeting, you, Green scoundrel, you."

"First of all, I take full offense with the scoundrel remark, and second, I'm your captain's girlfriend," Annabeth retorted, smirking. "And if the Blue Team's leader breaks down in tears, I'm the only one who'll know what to do."

Frank considered it. "She may have a point."

"I'm not going to cry!" But of course no one was listening to Percy, who, ironically, was captain of said team in question.

Leo still hadn't let go of the paper. "Touché, princess. Touché."

Annabeth gestured to the list. "May I have a look?" She scowled when even Percy had a bewildered look in his eyes. "Oh, don't be silly. I'm not going to squeal you out. Piper and I decided we'll have a bet to see who's going to win this year, and I want to make sure I'm not going to be putting my study hours at stake for nothing."

"Why is Piper betting against everyone?"

"Oh, just let me see that." Leo wasn't liking the look in her eyes, and Percy gave him permission, anyway. He let the paper slide across the table. Annabeth grinned smugly as she read through it.

The rest of the lunch went by without trouble, with Percy and the boys discussing the first team meeting and Annabeth flicking through the pages like her life depended on this bet.

Then she stopped. "Percy?"

Leo was in the middle of talking about his next prank on Professor Charon. Percy turned his head to her, half-paying attention. "Hmm?"

"Ethan Nakamura is on your team," she said, voice suddenly lowering. She took a good look around the cafeteria for good measure.

Percy scrunched his brows, receiving the list from her. "I didn't notice."

"You know," Annabeth started. Leo and Frank had their attention towards them now, too. "We've been meaning to find a way to talk to him without raising suspicion. Perhaps now would be the time?"

And she was right.

Ethan Nakamura hadn't been at the Academy when all the events with Luke transpired, but Percy was sure he's heard of the stories going around campus. He's never bothered to check the accuracy of those stories, mainly because he and Chiron's Army all agreed that talking about it would raise suspicion.

And at Chiron's insistence, they held off talking to Ethan Nakamura. Percy had argued months ago that it was best to tell him what was going under the school boards' noses, so the poor prince could at least have peace of mind. Percy thought that he would at least be assured that there were people inside the Academy who could understand the gravity of the situation.

Maybe Chiron's Army could have a new ally.

But Ethan was too young, Chiron said. And even though he was a freshman like Hazel, who was already accustomed to the secrecy and the training of the Army, he simply had too much on his plate and the pressure of everything might cause him to say something.

So, despite his protests, Percy and the rest of Chiron's Army remained quiet.

They would approach him from time to time, with the occasional how-are-yous and we're-here-if-you-need-anythings. But to mention anything about the attacks on Tephus and what they know about it? Zilch. Headmaster's orders.

"I could do so after the team meeting, if he decides to attend," Percy said. The rest nodded along with him. "I mean, I'm not going to bombard him with information, just… I'd just like to genuinely ask how he's doing."

"The broadcast team was just about to do a cover on Tephus a few months after the attack," Annabeth shared. "The silence from Kronos' Army is suspicious, sure, but it regained enough time for Olympus to at least recover. Ethan's mother, the Queen, seems to be doing well."

Frank looked glum. "I'm not sure we could say the same for Ethan, though. Hazel said he wasn't at the Freshman Assembly a week ago, and her brother Nico said he rarely leaves the boys' dorm. He lives right across the hall."

At that, Percy's decision was final. "I'll talk to him. We'll just have to make sure he attends."

Silence surrounded the table again.

And Leo, being Leo, spoke despite the mood. "So…" He turned to Frank. "You and Hazel, huh?"

Percy managed to smile when Annabeth threw a fry at the Ceprione prince across the table.

"Are you okay, cousin?"

Luke blinked, snapping out of the thoughts in his head and turning his head at the intrusion. Slowly, he remembered where he was. At the Academy, sitting at lunch by himself, and…

No, he wasn't in Tartarus.

How he forgot for a second, he wasn't sure.

Connor took his usual place across from him, the trademark worried look on his face. "Luke?"

"Uh, sorry." Luke muttered. The images were perhaps too vivid this time. It was one thing to have nightmares about Tartarus and the stories; it was a completely whole different thing to actually be having delusions in the middle of the day. "Spaced out a bit."

Connor wasn't buying it one bit, but he nodded hesitatingly. "Um… okay. I was just going to ask you about you joining—"

"Joining!" Luke was suddenly full of alarm. "Joining… joining what?"

"—um, the broadcasting thing?" It was Connor's turn to blink. "You were talking about auditions a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to ask you about it."

"Oh." The feeling of panic wouldn't go away. "Oh, uh, that. I… I haven't been able to audition. I just forgot about it, I guess."

"Really? Why I haven't seen you around, then? I thought you were busy with that."

The truth was, Luke was held up at the gym at night holding private sparring sessions, but of course he wasn't going to tell Connor that. He had been sworn to secrecy by an authority who had all access to the other parts of the Academy.

His days were filled with saber trainings and stories of Tartarus. He was well aware that all the free lessons he was getting were an orientation and initiation into a certain army that was currently growing.

And he was spared from all the trouble because his mentor just so happened to be a professor at the Academy.

Luke didn't really know what lie to come up with, and Connor was getting equally uncomfortable with all the silence. He chuckled nervously. "It's okay; you don't have to tell me. I just want to make sure that you're feeling okay around all of… this. The Academy can be overwhelming, but you get used to it."

"I hope so," Luke chose to agree. "We'll be home for winter break soon, at least."

"Yeah," Connor laughed quietly. "Travis has been pestering me lately. He keeps calling and asking if one of us can stay at home with him."

Luke would've joked that, yes, he does want to stay at Pherena, even if it meant bearing with all the memories of his father.

But then…

He remembered he was starting a new life here.

And he was afraid someone ought to kill him if he suddenly backed out now.

Leo was doing a very good job of hyping up the team.

By the time the first meeting was over, everyone seemed to be in good spirits and were hyped for the Olympics. It certainly helped that their team captain was undefeatable at sparring since his first year.

But aside from the original agenda he was dealing with, Percy knew the day wasn't over yet.

It was a good thing Ethan Nakamura was a beat behind the others; he stayed back while the rest of the team exited the room after the meeting, giving Percy a great opportunity to approach him without the ruckus around.

"Ethan," Percy called him. The Tephus prince stopped in his tracks. He turned to Percy with brown, bewildered eyes.

It almost took Percy aback.

But— "Hey, Ethan. I just wanted to ask you how you're holding up."

The look in Ethan's eyes was something Percy knew he wouldn't forget. "What do you mean?" Ethan asked, taking a step back. "Why wouldn't I be? Everything—everything's fine."

It was the most Percy had heard him speak. "No particular reason," Percy managed to say. "I haven't seen you around lately, that's all."

"Why?" Ethan demanded. But he wasn't mad, no. Percy thought he looked kind of… scared? "I'm—I'm just doing my stuff here at school. Studying. I'm fine."

"That's…" Now what? "…good to hear, I guess. What do you think about joining—"

Ethan looked like he was about to throw up. He managed to chuckle out his next words. "Joining! Joining… joining what?"

"Um." Percy paused, getting more and more freaked out by the second. "I meant the line-up for the Olympics this year. Have you thought of which sport you wanted to join? No, actually—Ethan, are you sure you're okay?"

"I…" Ethan gulped. "I have to go, Percy."

"Hey, Ethan, wait—"

But the Tephus prince bolted out the door. He pushed through the crowd forming outside.

He wasn't too far off, so the least Percy could do was cry, "You can talk to me if you need anything!"

He wasn't sure if Ethan had heard.

End of Chapter Five