I am so sorry for the delayed update. I have been so unbelievably busy with my schoolwork, and unfortunately, it comes before Fan Fiction. I am getting some reviews, although I would like to get lots more. I know that many people are reading, but not as many are actually reviewing, which makes me sad. Enjoy!
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Belle should have been happy during breakfast, considering she was finally at a table that belonged to her, not crammed in with Hermes cabin. But now, sitting all by herself at the Artemis table, she couldn't have felt more alone. Yes, she could take up as much room on her bench as she wanted. Yes, she now had someone to offer her food to. Those small details didn't make up for the fact that she was lonely. It also didn't help that all the campers were whispering–undoubtedly about her. Belle was a 'freak' of nature. It didn't seem to really matter that Belle's mother hadn't broken her vow of maidenhood. But then again, people will be people, and Belle's story seemed to be the focal gossip story today.
It wasn't until breakfast was over and the campers dismissed that Belle realized she had barely touched her food. As she stood to leave, she heard a voice calling her.
"Belle," said Chiron. "May I have a word with you?"
Reluctantly Belle turned around and walked over to where Chiron was standing in his centaur form. In all the years that Belle had been coming here, she never really got to know Chiron very well. Percy in the Poseidon cabin and Annabeth from Athena were almost like teacher's pets to Chiron. Belle knew it was mean to think, but they had known Chiron forever, and they were always talking like old friends. Belle wished that she could say the same for herself.
"Of course, Chiron." Was Belle's reply. "Concerning what?"
The centaur sighed. "Your mother came to me last night to tell me of your decision to join the Hunters after your thirteenth birthday. Is that correct?"
Belle nodded. "I want to be able to remain a teenager for the rest of eternity, not just a week or so shy of becoming thirteen. Is there anything that's wrong?"
Chiron shook his head no. "I just wanted to inform you that if you wish, up until your initiation into the Hunters you do not have to be subject to the different activities at camp."
Belle stared back at Chiron with a blank look on her face. "Come again?"
"If you wish, you may not have to go to any assigned lessons. If you want to practice with a sword, you can. If you want to practice archery, you can do that also. From what I hear, the Hunters are strong in all of their skills, and I'm giving you an opportunity to prepare and practice more than the other campers. Would you be at all interested?"
"Yes, if that's okay with you." Belle answered, her mind racing. If she could be allowed to train with whatever she wanted, then maybe she could work to overcome her fear of fighting against others.
"All right then," Chiron said. "Now I don't want to see you goofing off. This is an opportunity for you to prepare for the next millennia."
Belle nodded happily. "Thanks, Chiron." She scampered off to her new cabin.
In Belle's opinion, cabin number eight didn't look all that spectacular in the daytime. It shined like silver in the moonlight, and then, Belle thought it was the prettiest cabin. In the daytime, it just looked like a plain building. But it reflected Belle's style. Belle liked things simpler than other folk. She wasn't sure if she could have survived living in the Aphrodite cabin with all the decorations.
Belle reached her cabin and opened the door, softly, as though she might wake a sleeping baby. She wasn't sure why though. It wasn't as if the Hermes cabin that she had always stayed in was quiet. Belle walked over to her bed and opened her duffel bag that she had brought. It took a few tries before the zipper finally opened and she was able to get to its contents. Belle felt around in the inside pockets, trying to find her lip balm. At last, she was triumphant. Belle had a slight obsession with lip balm. Not so much with the lip balm itself, but she always had to have some with her, considering Belle absolutely hated having chapped lips. On many days she could always be found applying some so her lips didn't dry up. Alexis, Belle's foster-sister who was a daughter of Apollo, had once teased Belle about being a daughter of Aphrodite, considering Belle was always putting on lip balm. That comment had irritated Belle. For as long as Belle could remember, the possibility of her being a daughter of Aphrodite was virtually nonexistent. The first clue was that Belle was not stunningly gorgeous. She was by no means ugly; she just wasn't as pretty as the Aphrodite cabin. Any hint that she might have been a daughter of the Goddess of Love was thrown out the window when Belle refused to wear makeup because she 'thought it made her look like a drunk clown.'
After applying a satisfying amount of lip balm, Belle glanced around her cabin hurriedly to make sure nothing was too out-of-place, and exited the cabin. She thought that it might be best to try working with her sword first. Belle was especially happy when she saw Percy walking towards the arena. Once, last year after the war, Belle had made the mistake of going into the arena for the first time all by herself. Needless to say, getting knocked over by a friendly hellhound was enough to scare anyone. Now, Belle found it much safer to go in after Percy; he acted as a sort of shield.
Fortunately, by the time Belle worked her way to the arena, the hellhound's loud barking and wagging of her tail had subsided.
"Belle!" came an enthusiastic voice to her left. "Over here!"
Belle scanned the area until her eyes rested on her friend, Aimee. She trotted over. "Hey there, Aimee."
The blonde smiled. "Hey Belle. I haven't had a chance to talk to you since last night. How does it feel?"
"How does what feel?" was Belle's response.
Aimee rolled her grey eyes. "To be the first daughter of Artemis, silly. I mean, do you feel any more special?"
"Should I?"
"Well, you did get claimed."
Belle sighed. "I know, but it doesn't really matter because I'm joining the Hunters. I won't be staying here at camp that much."
Aimee let out a high-pitched squeal. "You're joining the Hunters!" she composed herself. "That is amazing! I have actually once considered joining them, but then I couldn't see my family, so I decided not to." A look of realization spread across Aimee's face. "That means you'll get to see Thalia! You are such a lucky girl."
"Who gets to see Thalia?" Asked a voice in front of the girls. Annabeth Chase turned around to look at her cabin mate, Aimee, and Belle. "I haven't seen Thalia in what seems like forever."
"I-I do." Belle confirmed. "I just told Aimee how I'm going to join the Hunters and Aimee said that I'll be able to see Thalia."
"Did I know you were joining the Hunters?" Annabeth asked Belle.
"No, my mom just gave me the option to do so last night after the whole…Mt. Olympus incident."
"Oh, okay." Annabeth responded. "Now I get-cha. That will be amazing to get to see Thalia. I know you haven't really met her, but to…some of us she is one of the best friends a person could ask for."
Belle nodded her head. She had personally met the legendary girl only during a small part of a summer, and other than that never really had any contact with her. Then again, Belle thought, nobody ever pays me any attention. I just get shuffled around into the background with the rest. In fact, the only "camp hero" Belle had ever really talked to was Annabeth, and that was mostly because she was Aimee's half-sister. Belle couldn't help but wonder, and hope, that being with the Hunters would finally earn her a place in this world, not just another undetermined in the Hermes cabin.
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Like, don't like? That is why I need your reviews. Otherwise, I have no idea what I'm doing right or wrong. It just complicates matters and takes even longer for the story to get posted. Just today I read in an author's note the following:
Reading and not reviewing is like stealing.
I thought that was a very good analogy. Albeit I don't necessarily take it to the extremeness of actual theft, but in a way I can sort of relate to it. In other words, review!
~ Sarra
