Daughter of Hera
A/N: Okay so my hiatus is officially over! I am so sorry you guys had to wait this long but at least I ended it before my said date, mid-May. Anywho, I've decided that updates will be once in two weeks unless I grind out a chapter beforehand and find time to update. I have also put up a new story- Look Out Ladies, Here I Come! Do check it out; I'm sure you'll love it! I deleted my two previous A/Ns but have left the first one!
Disclaimer: Is Rick Riordan a girl? I don't think so.
The sun streamed through the window, making Jayda squint and open her eyes. She jerked upright and let out a sigh of relief when she noted that it was only 5:30. They'd agreed to meet near Thalia's pine at 7, so that left her with plenty of time to get ready. That was good, because in the mornings she could take up to forty minutes to get ready.
She got into the shower, washing her hair out and removing the dust and grime of the previous day. She'd been told how demigods rarely got a chance to clean themselves on quests and she savored this chance. Wrapping herself in a towel, she plodded out into her room and noted how hot it was. She swapped her jeans for shorts and quickly dressed and exited, picking up her pack and putting on all her weapons.
She didn't feel like having any breakfast, so she grabbed some juice and a breakfast bar. She fondly remembered how her dad emphasized the importance of a healthy breakfast. Quickly chewing, she ran down to the Camp boundaries, where she saw no one. She looked at her watch; it was 6:30 already. She settled down at the base of the pine, ready to wait a while for Jeff and Annabeth.
She must have fallen asleep because the next minute, Jeff was shaking her awake and telling her to come with him to the Pegasi's stable. She followed him sleepily, till she bumped into him when he stopped suddenly. She was about to make an annoyed comment when her eyes alighted upon the scene in front of her. Chiron and another satyr were trying to control one of the Pegasi, a wild one by the looks of it. It had a magnificent aura around it, as if it came from Olympus itself. It was white with a golden mane and Brown hooves. Its coat was shiny but its mane was tangled.
As if by some force, Jayda was drawn towards it, despite Annabeth and Jeff's warnings. The Pegasus calmed down gradually as she came nearer but still bucked and whinnied. Chiron and the satyr came away from it and she touched its nose with a hand. Immediately, the Pegasus stopped protesting and nuzzled her hand. Her other hand came up and stroked his mane, combing out the knots. She dug around for something to give it and was handed lumps of sugar, which she fed it one by one.
Are you the Special One? A voice said in her head, leaving her taken aback but she answered none the less.
Is it you? She asked looking at the Pegasus.
Yes, it is I.
You sound so different from the rest of them.
Perhaps you could say, I'm older and less… flamboyant than my brothers and sisters. I sense a kindred spirit in you. Do you wield the Set of Divine?
I do.
Then it is you who I have been waiting for. My lady, I pledge allegiance to you. I shall follow you to the ends of the Earth and Heaven. With that, the Pegasus bowed to Jayda. She looked shell-shocked for a moment and then bowed in turn. Thank you, wise Pegasus. I am honored. What may I call you?
I have no name, so you may name me as you see fit.
May I call you… Snowfire?
It would be my honor to wield such a worthy name.
Then she turned to everybody and said, "Well? Shouldn't we be leaving now?"
Annabeth was the first to recover. She shouldered her pack and led everyone to the camp boundaries, with Blackjack, Porkpie and Snowfire following behind. "Wait!" Leo ran up to Jayda and handed them all something. "These are for you. They're inflatable sleeping arrangements; they can become both sleeping bags and tents for two each. I had them enchanted by Hecate's cabin so it'd be easy for you to… well, all you got to do is press this tiny button," he gestured to a red circle, "once or twice, depending on what you need." He trailed off awkwardly and scratched his head with his hand. On an impulse, Jayda flung her arms around him and whispered, "Thank you so much Leo. I won't forget this."
He hugged her back and said, "Come back safe Jayda."
Chiron cleared his throat. Jayda blushed and removed her arms from around him and sent a glare to a smirking Annabeth. She turned to the centaur. "I'm sure we decided that we're supposed to go to the Arctic Circle. We look for uncharted land, is that right?"
"Correct, child, that is where the Riphean Mountains are supposed to be. But remember, no demigod has gone there before so we do not know what may happen. That means you must always be on the alert. I suggest that when you rest, someone stays on guard. It helps to prevent unpleasant… surprises." Chiron looked grim and Jayda visibly gulped.
After some final advice, the three demigods climbed onto the Pegasi, Chiron having provided protective covering for them, and took off, circling overhead as the demigods waved goodbye to Chiron, Leo, Jason and Piper. Then, they turned towards the north and headed towards the Acadia National Park, their first stop.
A/N: How'd you like the first chapter after hiatus? Admittedly, I am out of practice but this is the best I can do right now. Review!