I don't own TUC only my OC's. I went back and changed almost all the other chapters to first person POV because that's what I write best in and I can get chapters out faster! =)

Chapter 7

Peter

As we left I couldn't keep my thoughts from going back to my goodbyes.

I ran back home as soon as I had finished eating. My father was still asleep either that or deluding himself from the fact that my mother was still missing. I saw Nike sitting near his bed watching him sleep. She looked up sadly as I approached. "Good morning Peter." She said nodding to me.

"Good morning Nike. How fare you?" I whispered so as not to wake my father.

"Just tired Peter," she looked back at my father, "I fear he worsens." She whispered.

I looked at my father and vowed silently that I would find my mother on this quest. We would be traveling in the uncharted lands, and I had seen the map that had been drawn so that those who needed to could get to the Prickers territory safely. If I could get there then I would be close enough to reach her captors. "You have the same fear as mine." I told her, "Take care of him while I'm gone. I don't know when I'll be back, but I promise when I come home my mother will come with me."

"I will, and I hope you find her. Know you and your father are not the only ones who miss her."

"I know." I went to my father's side and grasped his hand. He did not stir. "Goodbye Father." I whispered, "I promise I will bring her home."

I left the house, and didn't turn back once. Thoughts of the quest occupied my mind and I wasn't watching where I was going. "Oomph!" a girl said as she stumbled back.

"Acacia! I'm so sorry I didn't see. I wasn't watching where I was going." I said quickly then shut my mouth to keep from blabbing.

"It is alright Peter." She said as I helped her up.

"I'm really sorry." I said again. I looked into her pretty violet eyes and I watched as she began to redden.

"I…I must be going." She stuttered breaking eye contact.

"Oh, well goodbye then. I do not know when I will see you next."

"Where are you going?" She asked innocently.

"Oh, well I am going on a trip with Hazard because I am his apprenticed." I lied, remembering Aunt Luxa's warning. I instantly felt guilty for lying to her.

"Oh, well I'll miss you." she said looking back into my eyes.

"I'll miss you too. Goodbye Acacia." I said.

"Goodbye Peter." She hesitated for a moment then kissed my cheek and ran down the street looking back before she turned onto the street of the stone workers shop.

"Goodbye." I sighed and couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face as I found Aren and we flew to the tunnel to wait for Silvia and Apollo.

She actually kissed my cheek, thought as we flew. I felt the grin come back to my face and I caught Demetrius giving a funny look. I quickly wiped it off and turned my thoughts to something else, but I couldn't think.

I glanced over at Demetrius and saw him staring at the back of Silvia's head almost lovingly. Suddenly I knew why he was always the one who chased after her when she ran away, and why I overheard him asking to be the one to watch over her. "You love her don't you?" I whispered to him.

He turned to me startled. "What? I have not the slightest idea of what you are talking about?"

"Silvia." The one word seemed to bring a light to his eyes.

"This is not the place to have a conversation like this Peter." He said glancing at Simon. I shrugged and let it drop for the moment.

"How long will we be traveling?" Simon asked Little Ripred.

"It took Cleves and I two weeks to find the city, but now that all I have to do is follow the strongest of our scents it should only take a about three or four days. At least that's my estimate." Simon nodded and continued his quiet conversation with Artemis.

"What do you think Aren?" I asked him.

"About what, Demetrius or the quest."

"Either one." I answered.

"Well I'm sure that he feels something for your cousin, and I do know that Apollo feels something for Hestia." He said quietly.

"I didn't know that. When did this happen?"

"I'm not sure. We were talking about it a few weeks ago though." We both became silent for a moment, "Think you we'll find your mother?"

"I hope so."

"As do I. Why has Little Ripred not found her yet?" Aren asked.

"Because when she went on her last trip she didn't bother to take Little Ripred with her. She asked him to stay with me while she was gone, and by the time he got out there the trail had faded so much that he couldn't tell where they had taken her."

"I believe she is still out there searching for a way home."

"Yeah, Nike said that Father was getting worse." I said sadly.

"Did she? That is a shame."

"They'll probably move him into the hospital wing of the palace soon. Who knows maybe just being back in there will help him heal. I remember him having to quit because he was not only a danger to himself there but also to the other patients. I believe that is part of what drove him to insanity."

"Yes, sometimes being able to occupy yourself with something you love to do is always the best medicine, but when that thing is taken away…" Aren didn't bother to finish his sentence. We both knew what he meant.

Sorry this chapter is a little short, and probably a little boring. You did get a bit of information on Sydney's disappearence though, and why Howard's pretty much gone mental. So yeah I'll hopefully have another chapter up next weekend. Thanks for reading! ~chocoyum4~