Part Three

Beauty and the Beast: The Lake

Percy did not see much of the cursed Mistress of Mykene Castle in the following days. She was always present at breakfast, sipping on her tea and regarding him calmly from across the table. Their conversations were stilted and awkward, but at least civil. Percy was free (relatively speaking) to spend his days at his leisure. He looked after the kids most of the time. Sometimes they would just play, running around the castle, being merry and mischievous. On other days, Percy would help the unfortunate occupants of the curse castle.

He chopped wood sometimes. The strong storm from nights before had uprooted a once sturdy oak tree and Percy headed out early in the morning to deal with it. Over the next few days, he carefully split and cut up the heavy tree. Their woodpile now overflowed, with enough timber to last the entire winter. While he worked, Percy could feel the hidden gaze of Athena on his back. He would turn and find her hovering in the courtyard, her blood red robes billowing in the breeze as her covered eyes bored into his. He was not sure what to make of it, but he always smiled and waved. She did not wave back. Or smile.

Tasks that Maria and Chiron could not accomplish in their current condition, Percy did for them. He fixed the fence he crashed through that fateful night (under Athena's watchful eye least he decided to run). The garden had long since been overrun by weeds, Katie being too small to tend to it quick enough. Percy helped her clear a little section off, so she could at least plant a few flowers to brighten her day.

He also explored the castle. It was huge and had so many wings and staircases that he often feared he would get lost. Lee insisted he knew the castle like the back of his hand (you know, the one he did not have anymore), but it was Katie who Percy trusted to keep them on track.

Today he was wondering alone, however. Katie was trying to round up a few seeds for next year and it was not exactly riveting to follow the little trowel around while she dug for them. Maria detained Nico and Lee ran off earlier, leaving Percy to his own devices. Not that the man minded. He was exploring the west wing of the castle today. The paintings on the wall were creepy. That was the opinion Percy initially had on his first night and it still held today. There did not seem to be a happy one in the entire castle. They were all dark and dreary, and the portraits always glowered down at him. He made a face at a painting of a stern faced man dressed in furs before turning his attention to the other side of the room.

Two large wooden door stood before him, with large brass knobs in the shape of soaring eagles. Percy admired them for a second, they were much more pleasant to look at than the creepy paintings, before curiously opening one of the doors. As he stepped inside the large room beyond the double doors, Percy could not withhold a gasp.

He was in a library.

Percy had never actually stepped foot in a library before, but he was sure this was an extraordinarily large one. The room itself was bigger than Percy's entire cottage. The ceiling was at least twice his height. But there were rows and rows and rows of shelves completely stocked with books. Everywhere he turned, books.

"It's the biggest library in all of France."

Athena's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. Percy jumped, swiveling around to watch the cursed woman appear from behind a bookshelf. She had a thick book spread open in one hand and another tucked under her arm. Her face was blank, in what he had come to think of as her default expression.

"It's bigger than my house," Percy said, awed. "Have you read every book in here?"

It must have been a trick of the light because for a minute, Percy almost could have sworn Athena's lips twitched.

"I have not. I doubt there is enough time in even the longest life to read them all." Athena turned to regard her vast collection before slowly making her way over to his side. Percy determinedly remained where he was, not even flinching as her snakes eyed him suspiciously. He took solace in the fact that they at least weren't hissing at him.

"You are free to use my library," Athena declared.

Percy had a feeling this was a big deal for her. Had not Nico said something about books being more precious to her than anything else? Heat crept up Percy's neck but he forced himself to nod and sputter out:

"Oh, ah, thanks, that's ah, real great and nice of you."

"Cease your stuttering, a library is a quiet place," Athena instructed, yet the words lacked the bite they held when he first came to Mykene. In fact, if he did not know better, he would say she was amused. Percy shut his mouth with a snap regardless. Athena turned around, returning to her book as he watched her uncertainly. Percy took her departure as his opportunity to slip away. He was almost out the door when Athena twisted around, scowling.

"You are not going to engage my hospitality? Few have ever set foot in such a complex and well stocked library, and here I offer its secrets freely to you and you turn away?" She angrily asked, her snakes snapping up to hiss threateningly at him.

Percy froze, feeling his blush creep into his cheeks as he tried to reason.

"No, ah, I mean, that's very – "

"Speak plainly, I detest your stuttering." Athena snapped, and this time there was real heat in her words. "An ill plenty of my volumes could curb should you care to better yourself."

"I can't read," Percy finally snapped back, irritated. His face felt like it was on fire, but now it was as much from anger as embarrassment. He glared at Athena, who drew up short at his call. Her mouth fell open a little as he continued to snap at her, "I'm just a farmer. I didn't have the luxury of a big library or the time to read. I've never even held a book before, how the hell am I supposed to read one?"

Athena's shock was clear on her face, but Percy could not even appreciate her blatant emotions as he turned, fuming, to leave the library. He stormed down the hall, kicking at the floor and trembling with anger. How dare she treat him with such contempt? He spent his entire life trying to keep his little family alive, he didn't have time for reading. Not that it would matter even if he did, peasants did not exactly have access to books. And that damn clerk didn't even entertain the idea of teaching him during Percy's brief time under his tutelage.

His temper cooled as he stalked through the silent castle and eventually he came to a stop as his emotions wound down. He took a deep breath to calm himself. It was okay, it did not matter what Athena thought. There was no shame in not knowing how to read; plenty of people didn't know how to read. Percy groaned and rubbed at his eyes with the meat of his hand, resolving to put the matter out his mind. Turning around, he thought he should go see what Dionysus was up too (the wine glass was always good at distracting people from the matters on hand) when he paused. He did not know where he was. Percy turned, eyeing the statues and paintings and doorways around him. He had no idea where in the castle he was.

Oops.

"Stupid," he muttered to himself, resisting the urge to bash his head against one of the ugly paintings on the unfamiliar wall.

"Percy."

Great, Percy thought sourly as the owner of the voice walked towards him. Of all the people who could have found him, it had to be Athena. She still carried a book under her arm. He tried not to sulk as she approached him.

"I can teach you," were the next words out of Athena's mouth, which was so far from what Percy expected to hear he simply blinked at her.

"Teach me what?" Percy asked dumbly, "how not to get lost in your castle?"

"You're lost?" Athena asked and her snakes seemed to laugh at him. He scowled. "Regardless, that was not my meaning. To read. I can teach you to read."

Percy wondered if this was another one of her round about ways of apologizing. He thought it was.

"Really?" He asked, frowning suspiciously at her, "You'd teach me how to read?"

"Unless you'd like the teapot to teach you," Athena deadpanned.

Percy could not help but laugh. "Was that a joke? Did you just tell a joke?"

"Of course not," Athena denied immediately but Percy just grinned at her. She moved on before he could interject, "Do you want to learn to read or not?"

"You have this strange habit of twisting everything around so I become the bad guy," Percy huffed, more amused than actually insulted. "Yes. That's be awesome."

"I am doing society a favor; you desperately need to improve your vocabulary," Athena sighed but Percy got the feeling she was actually amused. If the gentle almost laughter from the snakes were anything to go by at least.

"Come along," she instructed and she carefully led him back to the library, pointing landmarks out so he would not loss his way again.

So started a routine. They would have breakfast together, where their conversations became more amiable and two-sided, then Percy would either chop wood or help around the castle, before showing up at the library around midday. Reading, Percy discovered, was hard. Athena made it look so easy, but the letters hurt his eyes and all the combinations hurt his head. Athena was surprisingly patient with him.

"A-and so," Percy clumsily read, squinted intensely at the open book on his lap, "and so the l-little?"

He glanced up Athena for confirmation. The Mistress of Mykene nodded in affirmation much to his relief.

"And so the little…boy. And so the little boy – " Percy frowned at the next word, frustrated. "T – Tah – Toh – "

"Try sounding each syllable out," Athena suggested, her head bent over her own book, spread out on the table before her as she made notes on a separate piece of paper. Percy wondered what for. "Is it a word you've run into before?"

"I don't think so," Percy said, a furrow in his brow as he ran his fingers over the troublesome word. "It's got the letter 'T'. That one make the 'tah' sound doesn't it?"

"Usually," Athena agreed with a wave of her ink dipped feather, "Very good. What next?"

"Um, the one that makes the 'huh' sound?"

"Is that a fact or do you want me to come look?" Athena asked. Her words could have been harsh, but they were surprisingly understanding as she paused in her work.

"No, it's the 'huh' one." Percy said with conviction.

"Remember what I told you? About the change in sound when some letters, such as 'S', 'T' and 'C' when followed by an 'H'?"

"'H' is the letter that makes the 'huh' sound right?"

"That is correct." Athena gently marked her place in her book with a scrap of paper and walked over to his side. Her snakes were on their best behavior, no hissing or threatening. One blinked almost comically at him, its little forked tongue testing the air. It was kind of cute. Percy shook his head at the thought. This castle was making him crazy, he decided.

"When a 'T' is followed by an 'h' it makes the 'thhe', sound," Athena said, carefully drawing out the sound. "Such as 'thhh-roat. Or thhh-ink."

"Oh," Percy said, nodding slowly. "Oh okay. Or thhh-row."

"Just like throw," Athena agreed, nodding. The movement cause her snakes to bounce a little, and their little heads swayed hypnotically. "Do you want to try that word again?"

"Yeah okay," Percy said, returning his gaze to the book and away from her snakes. "And so the little boy th – tho – "

"Mistress?"

Athena scowled, her snakes' calm manner exciting in a second to hiss menacingly at the intruder. Chiron waited by the door.

"Chiron you are interrupting," Athena snapped, obviously displeased.

"I am sorry," Chiron said, and he actually did sound regretful. "But we called both of you for dinner an hour ago and it is getting cold."

"It can be warmed," Athena muttered. "Return to the kitchen, we will be along shortly."

Chiron slipped out the door with another apology. Percy sighed and shut the book. It would have to wait until tomorrow then. He did not want to stop, he was so close to figuring out this sentence. But his head did hurt and he was hungry. He stretched, reaching his hands towards the ceiling as he arched enough to hear his back give a satisfying crack. When he turned, he was surprised to see Athena regarding him from behind her dark glasses.

"Are you feeling alright?" Percy asked in concern, noticing her face seemed a little flushed.

She cleared her throat, glancing away. "I am quite alright. Come, our dinner grows cold."

As Percy started to put his book away Athena added, her voice soft, "You can keep that, if you'd like. To look over later in the evening or in the morning."

"Really?" Percy asked, glancing at her in surprise. Athena loved her books. This library was her life, her books were the only remnant of what used to bring her fame and pleasure. She hoarded them jealously. But she would let him take one? He smiled warmly at her, tucking the book against his side. "I'll take good care of it, I promise."

"I do not doubt that," Athena surprised him by saying. Surprised herself too, if he read the flash of emotion that rapidly crossed her face correctly. She straightened, clearing her throat. "But if you catch my book on fire, Jackson, you will join my collection in the courtyard."

Percy grinned, holding the library door open for his companion. "And I'd be the prettiest one there."

Her lips twitched as Percy watched in fascination. She had almost smiled several times over the past few weeks. Percy was determined to get a real one out of her one of these days. Dinner was a casual affair, with Lee and Chiron carrying most of the conversation (that is, Lee babbling on while Chiron tried to check his boisterous ramblings). After dinner, Athena disappeared into the quiet of the castle while Percy brought his little entourage of cursed children up to his room.

Their little nest of blankets and pillows still rested before the fireplace. The kids took great pleasure in the simple bundle, and as there was so little joy in their lives, Percy suffered the hard floor with a valiant silence. Someone tended the fire while Percy was away and a fire still flickered brilliantly as he set the children now.

"Oh, are you going to read us a story?" Lee asked excitedly when Percy brought out the book Athena loaned him.

"Ah," Percy said, aware that the heat rising to his cheeks had nothing to do with the fire crackling beside him. He sat far enough away from the flame that its light would aid his reading without endangering the precious pages Athena held so dear. "N-no. I, ah, don't really know how. Athena is teaching me."

"Oh," Lee seemed surprised, "how does a grown man no – ow what was that for!"

"Hush Lee," Katie scolded, her trowel effectively extinguishing his flame. "Sit down and keep your mouth shut."

"What did I - ?"

"Nico, did I tell you the time when Lee got himself caught behind the stove?" Katie deflected, turning to the teacup.

"You promised to never mention that incident!"

Percy smiled as the three dissolved into mutual bickering and giggling. They all seemed so much more lively and childlike than those first few nights. Certain that the children were well occupied, Percy opened up his book and determinedly stared at the sentence that gave him so much grief.

"And so the little boy," Percy read to himself. While the antics of the children should have made it harder for him to concentrate, the background noise actually seemed to help him. He struggled through the sentence, sounding out words and phrases. His pride would not let him ask the children for help, and they kindly left him to his own devices.

"And so the little boy t-thought he had dis- discoh – discovered the true m-meaning of fr-frii – free – frien – friend! Friend-shh. Friend-shhip. Friendship! And so the little boy thought he had discovered the true meaning of friendship." Percy read excited.

"I've got it! I've got it! 'And so the little boy thought he had discovered the true meaning of friendship' that's an actual sentence that makes sense. I read that!"

He looked up excited. The kids were giggling and playing among themselves, uttering ignorant of his astounding revelation. Percy felt giddy. He felt on top of the world. He could do anything. He read a sentence!

"Be right back," he told the kids, scrambling to his feet and all but dashing from the room.

"Percy, dear where are you running off to in such a hurry?" Maria tsked, "You're going break your neck."

"'And so the little boy thought he had discovered the true meaning of friendship'," Percy excitedly read.

"Sorry dear?"

"The sentence, that's what the sentence says!" Percy grinned, plopping down next to the confused teapot to show her the page, "I read a sentence!"

"That's nice my dear," she placated.

Undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm Percy eagerly asked, "Where's Athena?"

"In the west wing dear, but – "

"Thanks," Percy said, taking off towards the west wing and leaving the still talking teapot behind. He bounded up the stairs two at a time and skidded around a corner as he searched for Athena. Movement caught his eye and he twisted around, almost losing his footing as he changed his direction.

"I read it!" Percy called excitedly as he burst into the room.

Athena almost jumped. She turned to him with a frown as he skidded to a halt before her, gleefully reading from the open book in his hands. "'And so the little boy thought he had discovered the true meaning of friendship'!"

He peered up from the book, grinning so wide it hurt. Athena stared at him. The esteemed Mistress of Mykene looked utterly confused. Her mouth opened and then closed. Wordlessly, she held her hand out and Percy handed over the book.

"That is indeed what it says," Athena said finally and Percy gave a whoop of joy.

"I read it!"

"Yes, yes you did," Athena confirmed and then the strangest thing happened. The corner of her lips turned up. Like, completely pulled up. Both sides, curling up as she gazed at him through her opaque glasses. Athena smiled. Athena smiled.

"That's a smile!" Percy gleefully accused, pointing at the damning evidence on her face.

"No it's not," Athena said, attempting to cover said smile but her efforts seemed counterproductive as she smiled even wider, gleaming white teeth becoming visible.

"Oh no, that is definitely a smile," Percy cackled happily. "That's a smile. I made you smile. No, don't stop smiling!"

Athena managed to compose herself, the smile vanishing from her face, yet a happy glow seemed to remain. Her snakes swayed of their own accord, and Percy found their flickering tongues and small eyes to be peaceful and comforting rather than frightening.

"Congratulations, you read a sentence," Athena praised. Percy puffed up, grinning.

He was so excited to show Athena what he read that he had not paid attention to his surroundings, but, heart calmed and ego stroked, Percy took the time to examine them now. They were in a parlor. There were more bookshelves in this room, but the books here all had bookmarks sticking out of them, as though often their mistress relieved them of their shelves and perused their pages. Stacks of paper and wells of ink covered every flat surface. A wide window stood behind him, the curtains pulled back to reveal the entire courtyard with all its eerie inhabitance. A depressing sight. On a pedestal at the back of the room, however, encased in a protective glass dome, was a teacup.

The teacup was dark, like Nico and Maria, but little red pomegranates could be seen on its surface. It almost looked perfect, but as Percy focused on it, he could barely make out thousands of little crisscrossed white lines marring its surface. Bianca. Nico's beloved sister, painstakingly put back together only for her soul, her life, to never return.

Why? Percy wondered, turning back to face Athena, who was still staring down at the pages in the book. Why would she want the constant reminder of her curse here in her study?

"Now what does the rest of the page say?" Athena asked, calling his attention back to her as she held the book out for Percy to reclaim.

"The rest of the page?" Percy asked, his smile vanishing in an instant as he accepted the book. He looked down at the object in his hands, at the entire page full of little black letters and words in horror. "But it took me forever to read one sentence!"

"One sentence on one page," Athena agreed amiably. "Now you have to move on to the rest of the sentences on this page, and then the next page, and then the – "

"I'm going to bed," Percy declared, shutting the book with a snap as he turned on his heels. As he swept dramatically out of the room, he could have sworn he heard Athena laugh.

"Walk with me," was Athena's greeting after breakfast a few days later.

"Okay," Percy easily agreed, tucking his hand in the warm pockets of the Mykene robes he wore.

Autumn currently had the country in her warmth-stealing grasp and cheerfully banished the sun behind her gray clouds, bringing with her the relentless wind, stirring up the colorful leaves she shook from once strong trees. Percy walked side by side with Athena as she led him away from the house and into the dark forest beyond, too cheerful to let autumn's cold arrival ruin his mood. They did not talk as they walked, but traveled in comfortable silence. Percy never really was comfortable with silence, but Athena's presence at his side and the almost melodious hiss of her snakes set him at ease. Besides, the view was nice.

"I rarely come out this far," Athena confessed. "Since the horse."

"Oh," Percy said, turning to look at his companion. Somewhere along the line, in the weeks since Percy arrived at Mykene, Athena had transformed from a frightening menace to…to his friend. Athena was his friend. Percy enjoyed her company, he loved to tease her, and he was certain now that he would do just about anything to make her smile. "But that wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?" Athena murmured.

"No," Percy said firmly. "And you seemed to have pissed off the most malicious witch in existence. Who curses children? Or other innocent bystanders? And why make your eyes turned people to stone? That just punishes other people."

"Or keeps me isolate." Athena mildly objected.

"Stop it, I'm trying to defend you. It was stupid. Besides, it's not like you did anything that bad."

"I didn't do anything wrong, I just evoked the ire of a petty witch," Athena dismissed.

"You were arrogant and cruel," Percy pointed out, something Athena seemed determined to ignore even after four years of the curse. "But whatever. It's not 'eyes that turn living creatures to stone' worthy."

"Perhaps you should mention that to the witch," Athena suggested dryly. Percy laughed.

"Perhaps I will," he teased back. "Athena, where are we going?"

"There was something I thought you might like to see," Athena said vaguely. She parted the branches before them and stepped aside. "Here. Take a look."

Glancing at her curiously, Percy slipped passed her and into a clearing. The trees diverged to create a thin oval in the forest. In the center of the clearing was a lake. The surface gleamed in the early light, sparkling brighter than the stars at night. The water was clear and deeply blue, an indescribable color of unbelievable beauty and grace that man could never hope to properly recreate. It was breathtaking.

Dazed, Percy walked up to the body of water. The surface was so smooth and clear he could see his reflection, as flawless as the one in a mirror. He watched Athena approached behind him from the crystal reflection before him. She did not say anything, but his mouth opened and closed. And opened and closed as words utterly escaped him.

"It helps me think," Athena said, breaking the silence. "There's a certain peace here that cannot be replicated. Untouchable beauty."

She seemed to stare at him as she spoke and he looked up from the pool to meet her covered gaze.

"It's – " he could not find the words. "Thank you for bringing me here."

That earned him a ghost of a smile. They sat down at the edge of the lake, and Percy dared to break the serenity of the scene by stripping his shoes off and dipping his feet inside. The water was cool, but the changing season had not yet stolen all its warmth.

"You are very good with the children," Athena said. "Since the very beginning you gravitated towards them."

"I felt bad for them," Percy said, kicking his feet in the water enough to send ripples across its surface. "They didn't ask for any of this, and they're just kids you know? They remind me of these kids back in Montauk – Thalia and Jason. Their dad left before Jason was even born and their mom drinks her life away. They're always on the street, hungry and cold. And I know what it feels like to be hungry and cold and it sucks and they're just kids so it sucks worse. I just wish I could help them."

He shrugged.

"Admirable," Athena murmured.

"Do you ever think about going back into town?" Percy asked. "I mean, as long as you keep your glasses on, you can't hurt anyone right?"

"People would take one look at me and run," Athena said flatly.

"Well I mean, the snakes are a little weird at first, but they're actually kind of cute."

Hundreds of little black eyes fixed on him in confusion as their mistress frowned at him.

"Yeah, I'm onto you," he teased, "They're like adorable little reptilian puppies. They hiss when you're mad and practically hum and dance when you're happy."

"Sometimes I worry for your sanity," Athena said, turning away. "Besides, I do not expect you to understand. It is not a problem for you."

"What isn't?" Percy asked, confused as she pulled out her bag.

"Appearances."

"Men normally don't care, at least not as much as women." Percy mused.

"I mean you in general." Percy bet she was rolling her eyes under her dark glasses.

"Right. I'm pretty chill."

"No. I mean," Athena seemed frustrated, pulling out their books from her bag and turning to frown at him. At his confused look, she motioned towards his body. "When you look – "

"Well usually I look like a beggar." Percy said, glancing down at the clothes she gestured towards. When he looked back up at Athena, her cheeks almost seemed a little pink to him.

"That's still… It's difficult to understand for someone who meets society's idea of beauty."

"I do what?" Percy asked, not understanding.

"Never mind." Athena dismissed, waving her hand. "It would not work. One day my glasses would fall or something would go wrong. Here – "

She handed him his book. Percy pushed it back at her, pulling his legs out of the water to stretch out on the ground. "Read to me," he insisted instead.

"You are becoming increasingly literate, it would be foolish for me to read to you instead of you reading for yourself," Athena objected.

"Yeah…but I like listening to you read."

Athena pressed her lips together. "Do you?"

He thought she would push the point, but instead she opened the book and began to read. Percy grinned and closed his eyes, letting her voice wash over him. They stayed out by the lake until the evening, sometimes reading sometimes talking, but generally just enjoying each other's company. They migrated during the hours. The top of Percy's head currently was pressed against Athena's thigh, he could feel her heat searing through her robes. She sat next to him, reading from a book Percy did not understand but her steady voice was soothing. She must have felt his gaze for she paused in her reading to peer down at him.

Her snakes fell forward, framing her pale face with their darks ones. Percy figured the image should have been frightening, but instead it made his chest warm and a smile titled on his lips. A surprised answering smile reluctantly curled up on her own. Percy got the crazy urge to close the distance between the two, to reach forward and cup her jaw, to bring her face down to his and feel her smile against his own. The urge was so strange and strong that he did not know what to do.

"We should head back," Athena said, straightening up before he could decide how to act. "It is late."

"Oh, right," Percy said, blinking as she stood up and brushed off her clothes. He slowly got to his feet, looking out at the lake one last time. Its surface had smoothed back over with the removal of his intrusion. He could see the perfection reflection of himself and Athena, standing side by side, in the clear water.

She held her out, more in gesture he knew, but he took the opportunity to slip his arm through hers. She seemed to start, but did not pull away. They retraced their steps through the forest in this manner, arms linked together. The others had gathered in the courtyard, anxiously awaiting their return.

"You could have stayed out longer," Maria said, her voice bright and accent unusually thick. "We would not want to intrude on your – "

"We are here now, it is of no consequence," Athena cut her off. She slowly pulled her arm away from Percy, who reluctantly let her go. The cursed objects seemed to track the movement. Athena swept ahead, "I presume dinner is ready?"

It was. When he walked into the kitchen, Percy ignored his usual seat across from Athena (which was a change from the first few weeks when he sat across the entire table) but rather chose the seat directly next to her. He did not fully understand, but something changed at the lake. Whatever others might think, Percy was no idiot. He felt in, in his gut, in his mind, in his heart. The water may be rough, but Percy was never one to hide from a storm. His elbow bumped against Athena's. She gripped her fork so tight her knuckles turned white.

Percy sighed when Athena excused herself the moment dinner was over. He watched her disappear down the hall, her robe swishing behind her.

"Chin up, dearie, she'll come around. She's just confused." Maria said sympathetically. Percy both did and didn't know what she was talking about.

"Yeah," he said dejectedly.

"The children will help me clean up then they will join you," Maria said, shuffling off.

"Right," Percy muttered, watching her go. He made his way back to his room, his footsteps echoing in the deserted halls. His fire still flickered softly in his room, but it lost its vigor and strength so he knelt beside it and tried to coax the flame to a greater strength. His door opened.

"Just give me a minute and I can have this fire roaring again," Percy promised.

Athena cleared her throat. Percy glanced up in surprise, dropping the stick he used to stir the fire as he stared at her. Athena never entered his room. The room, which always seemed so excessively large to him, suddenly felt very small and intimate. The fire cast a warm glow on her face, catching the scales of her snakes and contracting beautifully with their dark skin.

"Athena."

"I – " Athena started, but her brow furrowed and no more words were forthcoming. Percy wipped his soot covered hands on his pants and stood, carefully stepping over the pile of blankets and pillows to stand before the woman.

"I don't know what you want from me," she admitted softly, and Percy knew that the admission was painful to her. "And I do not understand. You do not ask for money, or the splendor of my castle. I have seen you appreciate beauty, yet you do not hold it dear. And you find beauty in the strangest of things. The strangest of things excite you. You are compassionate to the strangest of people. I do not understand."

Percy shrugged. "I don't get what's there to understand. I'm just me. People have always said I'm strange."

The lingering gazes of his fellow townsfolk had no gone unnoticed by Percy, nor their whisperings behind his back.

"What do you want from me?" Athena repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Percy stared at her solemn face and took a chance. He reached a hand out, taking a step forward to close the distance between them. His foot accidently connected with a bundle of clothes on the ground and something hard clanged against him. Drawn by the sound, his eyes flickered down, his hand hovering just before Athena's face. It was a bottle. A medicine bottle.

"Styx," Percy breathed in horror, bending over to pick the bottle up. Ma's medicine. It was his mother's medicine. "Ma. I completely forgot about my mother. Oh gods, I'm the worst son ever. Oh gods, what if Gabe didn't get her medicine? Who's tending to her sick bed? Oh gods. She could be dead, my mama could be dead and I wasn't even thinking about her."

Panic firmly took root in his mind, numbing his senses as he repeated a litany of 'oh gods'. He was vaguely aware of someone calling his name.

"Percy."

There was a hand on his shoulder. Percy blinked at its owner. Athena's face was expressionless. It was the first time Percy could ever remember her reaching out and touching him. It was enough to momentarily silence his dire thoughts.

"Go to her."

"Yeah, yeah that's a good idea," Percy babbled, wondering why he did not think of that. He turned around, grabbing a discarded coat off the floor and tugging it on. He had to get home, he had to make sure his ma was alright because she had to be alright. She had to be because he did not know what he would do if she was not. He swung open his bedroom door, blinking in surprise when he found the others waiting outside, looking vaguely guilty. They pulled him out of his head enough though to turn around.

Athena stood in the middle of his room, her jaw clenched and hands balled into tight fists.

"Wait but – " Percy stammered, his thoughts spinning nauseatingly fast and anxiety swirling painfully in his stomach. "But can I bring her back home – back here I mean? Would, would that be okay?"

Percy was not sure when, or even how, but somewhere along the line Mykene had become home to him, more so than the little cottage outside Montauk or any other place before.

Athena faced him. Her mouth moved silently and he dimly was aware that once again he had surprised her.

"Yes," she said finally, her voice slightly breathless, "yes of course. Maria is probably a better physician than any fool in Montauk."

"Thank you," Percy said, relief spreading through him. "I have to go."

He dashed down the hall then, hurtling the baffled cursed objects as he raced away. He only prayed Sally was alright. He threw open the door and was several steps outside before something else occurred to him. He shouted back in the doorway:

"How do you get to Montauk from here?"

Percy never ran so fast in his entire life. Finding the path to Gabe's house was easy enough with Athena's detailed instructions, and he took down the dirt road as fast as his legs could carry him. His heart pounded painfully in his throat and it stuttered frantically when the house came into view. The gate he was supposed to fix weeks ago was rusted and hanging awkwardly; Percy plowed right through it without a care. He did not plan on hanging around to fix the tattered remains anyway. He threw open the farmhouse door, stumbling as he tried to come to a halt in the little space.

"Ma?!" Percy cried desperately, his eyes rapidly darting around the dingy house. Everything came to a halt as they landed on his mother, standing pale in the middle of the room. The shock at finding her standing barely even registered before Percy crossed the room and enveloped her in his arms, trembling and almost sobbing in relief. She was okay. She was alive.

"Percy," she breathed, her voice fainter than he remembered. Her voice wavered and she pulled back to take his face in her hands. There were tears in her eyes.

"Percy my baby," she gasped, tears leaking out of her eyes as she gripped his face almost painfully. Her eyes traveled over his features, and he noticed she was trembling as well.

"Shh, it's okay," he tried to say, gently running his hands over her thin, cold arms. "It's okay Ma, I'm okay."

"My baby," she sobbed. "You're alive. You're alive."

"Shh, I'm alive," Percy soothed, guilt eating him alive as she collapsed against him, his arms completely engulfing her frail body.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he repeated in her hair, rocking her back and forth. "But are you okay? Have you been getting your medicine? You're skinnier, have you been eating? Have you had food? Enough firewood? Is Gabe keeping the house warm?"

He fretted desperately.

"Silly boy," his mother gave a watery laugh, her fingers digging into his back. "I thought you were dead. Nobody could find you. The entire village has been searching for you."

"Really?" Percy's brow furrowed. He honestly had not thought that many people would care.

"Hephaestus has been very kind. He brought me food and medicine. Said everything cost your weekly wages and it was the least he could do."

What a good man Hephaestus, Percy thought fondly.

"Gods I was so worried," he groaned. Sally slapped him, her thin hand barely tapping his shoulders.

"Excuse me? You were worried? What about your poor mother? I was worried sick. I couldn't move for the first few weeks after you went missing and all I could do was lie there in bed and cry because my baby was missing and there was nothing I could do."

"I'm sorry," Percy repeated.

"Where were you?" Sally pulled away to take his face in her hands again. "They said the Mykene monster took you."

"She's not a monster," Percy automatically replied. "I mean, sure, the whole snakes for hair thing is freaky at first, and she's literally got a killer gaze, and yeah she did kind of lock me up at first. But I think it was just because she was lonely and angry, 'cause she's actually really great when you get to know her. She's like, the smartest person in the world, and actually secretly funny. She also cares a lot about the well-being of other people but doesn't know how to show it?"

Also I think I might be falling for her? Was on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed that admission before it could frighten his poor mother. Or himself.

"She…kidnapped you but she's not all that bad?" Sally repeated slowly.

"It's complicated," Percy said. "But trust me okay? I'll explain on the way."

"On the way where?'

"To the castle of course," Percy grinned, "It's wonderful Ma. I'm pretty sure I'm not even a captive anymore. Athena says you're welcomed anytime, and Maria knows medicine so – "

Percy," his mother interrupted, "Percy, when baron's daughter came back from one of her trips to the east, she said she saw the Mykene monster holding you hostage in the castle. The village rounded up a rescue party. They are heading for the castle now."

Percy stared at his other in horror. A rescue party? More like a mob. Athena's impassive pale face flashed before his eyes, the stone statures in her courtyard, Bianca's broken and shattered body.

"They can't, they won't understand," Percy panicked, pulling away.

"Go warn them," his mother sighed, her eyes drawn and worried as her boney fingers clung to his arms.

"I'll be back," he promised, "I'll be back and you can meet them all, I know you'll love them. I'm sorry – "

"Percy, just promise me you know what you are doing," His mother whispered, "and that she is worth it."

"She's worth it," Percy vowed. "They all are."

He kissed his mother's cheek. "I'll try to be back before dawn."

As much as he loathed to leave his mother so soon, Percy's fear for Athena and the others was stronger. Sally could survive a few more hours without him. As he raced back to the castle, Percy wondered what on earth could have possessed Montauk to stage an intervention on his account now. He had been gone for almost an entire season. Besides, he did not think the village even liked him all that much. Had Medusa actually seen Mykene? Had she honestly thought Percy to be in danger?

It did not really matter. Mykene was in danger now.

As the castle came into sight, Percy could hear shouting and the light of torches. The gate he meticulously fixed a few weeks earlier now hung awkwardly, the hinges torn clean off. The castle door was flung open and Percy dashed inside.

The castle was alive with angry villagers:

"Find the monster!"

"Where is the monster?"

"She turned the animals to stone!"

"She'll turn us all into stone!"

"Find the monster!"

"No, no, no," Percy chanted, pushing his way through the angry throng of villagers. If any of them realized the very boy they sought for was among them, they did not let on. They were too lost in fear and anger to realize it. They set their torches to the soft fabric of the tapestries, spreading flame and destruction on the beautiful castle. Shattered glass crunched under his feet and Percy felt vaguely ill.

"Nico? Lee? Katie?" Percy called fearfully, pushing his way towards his room.

"Percy?"

Percy almost missed the soft voice, but he whirled around and stared until he noticed a movement behind a cabinet door. He flung the cabinet open and found Maria and Nico huddled together, Katie trembling at their side. Dionysus stood protectively in front of Lee, oddly depraved of his usual wine.

"Thank the gods," he breathed, relieved to find Nico, Maria and Dionysus in one piece. "We gotta get you out of here before someone breaks you."

"What about Athena?" Katie asked fearfully as he lifted them out of the cabinet and held them close.

"Athena can look after herself, she's a big girl," Percy said, although he was not totally convinced. Mobs were violent and unpredictable; Athena could be in serious trouble. "Where's Chiron?"

"I don't know where Chiron is, he disappeared to find Athena," Maria said, her accent especially thick as Percy slipped out a side door. He could see villagers in the courtyard, shaking and bashing the stone statues in a frenzy of fear and rage.

"But he's flammable," Percy despaired, gently setting the objects down on the soft grass. "Here, I have to go look for him and try to get Athena out of there before they find her okay? Most of the people are inside so you probably won't get trampled, but stay somewhere safe okay?"

"I'll look after them," Maria promised, "Go."

Percy nodded, hesitating just a moment longer before heading back inside to the madness. Nobody paid him any mind, too lost in their chaos as he ducked through the passages Athena taught him. Where would she be?

Her private study, Percy thought. That's where Athena would be. He only hoped he could find Chiron on the way. Athena's study was at the top of the castle, beyond where most of the villagers laid siege, and Percy raced up the stairwell before they decided to climb higher.

Her study doors had been pried open. Panic gripped Percy's heart as he squeezed through them. Athena stood in the middle of the room and across from her was, of all people, Medusa Gorgon, one of Hephaestus' lethal swords in her hand.

"Athena," he said, faltering in the strange silence of the room. Both women turned to him, identical looks of surprise on their faces. "Are you alright?"

"Percy," Athena breathed. Her very being seemed to relax at the sight of him, "I am uninjured."

"No," Medusa said, her wide eyes trained on him. "No, this isn't what's supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. You were supposed to hate her. You were supposed to hate her and escape and tell the village about the horrid monster of Mykene. Then I would lead a siege on the castle and we would kill her, and you would be so grateful you'd have to marry me. You aren't supposed to side with her. You aren't supposed to like her. This is wrong, this is so wrong. She promised."

"What?" Percy asked, horrified by her little deranged fantasy.

"You're the one who called the witch," Athena said, turning back to regard Medusa from behind her dark glasses. "I should have realized that."

"She's the girl you scorned," Percy realized.

"She is."

"You called the witch?" Percy asked, outraged as he turned on Medusa. "Do you have any idea what you did? There were children in this castle."

"This isn't how it was supposed to happen," Medusa whispered again, her knuckles white as she clung to her sword.

Behind him, Percy could hear the sound of the mob growing closer. "We don't have time for this," he said, holding a hand out to Athena. "Come on Athena, we have to go before they reach us."

Athena did not hesitate to take his hand, her cool fingers wrapping around his own as he pulled her to his side. She smiled, a small smile just for him and he grinned back.

"Come on," he said, pulling her with him.

"No!" Medusa snarled, and suddenly she lunged at them. Athena neatly intercepted her, pulling her hand away from Percy to catch the girl around the middle and tear the sword from her grip, tossing both human and metal to the floor in an expert disarming move. The sharp movement jarred her, however, as Medusa's weak struggles knocked her back a step. Athena's glasses clattered to the floor.

Percy did not have time to close his eyes as Athena's eyes met his own. Her eyes were gray. Percy wondered if that was a cruel twisted joke by the gods. But gods, they were beautiful as well, wisdom and intelligence hidden in their gray depths. They were wide in horror, her mouth open and face vulnerable as panic settled over her face.

Percy felt cold. He could not move, could not close his eyes or turn his head. He could not even wiggle a finger. He was trapped, staring at Athena's horrified vintage. A strange stiffness settled upon him, a heaviness unlike he had ever felt before. Time moved impossibly slow, every second amplified and lengthened to an almost painful extent. Percy heard everything, felt everything, saw everything with agonizing clarity. Athena's eyes were ever widening, the gray of her irises boring into him.

Percy could not breathe. The cold had left him, or perhaps he simply could not feel it anymore. Athena's hand reached for his face and although he longed to feel her against him one last time, he knew she moved too slowly. She would never reach him in time. It isn't your fault, it was an accident, he thought fiercely. Athena could not blame herself. He tried to impart this sentiment in his eyes, desperately pushing the thought at those wide eyes.

"I-I l-lo-ve," Percy's throat did not want to work, his voice did not sound like his own. But he had to say it. He had to let her know. Black crowded in his vision, forcing the world until all he could see was the gray of Athena's eyes, "yo – "

A/n Athena teaching Percy how to read is the cutest thing ever. (Actually just about everything Percy does is the sweetest thing ever but then again maybe I'm bias.) This turned out to be another really long chapter, I hope it wasn't rushed there at the end. One more chapter of this arc left. Thank you so much to all my beautiful reviewers, I love you all, and everyone who's favorited or followed. I hope you enjoyed ~ *