Mark of Athena Ch.7
Disclaimer: I do not own the Heroes of Olympus, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or any of the characters in these combined series. I wish I did, but I don't.
AN: May I just say that I enjoyed writing this chapter WAY too much.
Annabeth
The rest of the day flew by much too quickly for my liking. I hung out with Thalia while I gave Percy and Grover some "guy time". After an hour, though, Thalia ran off to go "supervise" Jason and Piper.
I found Percy easily, still walking around the camp with Grover. As soon as he saw me he smiled and pulled me by my hand to his side.
"I was just about to come find you," He said.
I chuckled, knowing that it would have been, at least, another hour before he thought about looking for me. I knew how he and Grover got. Plus, I knew that Grover had missed Percy almost as much as I had. They needed their time to catch up.
"It's good to have our trio together again, just like old times," Grover grinned like a little kid on Christmas morning.
I smiled but couldn't help thinking to myself, Yes, just like old times... only completely different.
"Man, this place is... great and all, but I have to say: they are not the most welcoming to satyrs. And if I get called a faun one more time! I am a satyr. S-A-T-Y-R." Grover complained, mostly to fill the heavy silence.
Percy laughed, "What's so bad about being a faun?"
Grover looked at him like he was a complete idiot, "Fauns were a nuisance. All they did was eat all your food, beg like a hobo, and talk you to death." The eat all your food part, at least, reminded me of a certain satyr.
He continued, "They weren't nearly as respectable as we satyrs. Couldn't smell monsters or anything."
"They are Romans. They don't know any better," Percy defended.
"They better learn," Grover huffed.
I sniggered, "Or what? Are you going to bleat them to death?"
Grover turned to me, a look of faux hurt plasted on his hairy face, "You cut me deep, Annabeth. You cut me real deep."
I rolled me eyes and laughed loudly. Percy smiled and squeazed my hand lightly.
Grover looked at Percy and I and grinned, "I have really missed you two."
"I've misssed you two, Buddy," Percy said, giving him an awkward half-hug because he refused to release my hand.
They looked at me expectantly..
"Grover, I haven't been gone. I have seen you almost every day," I stated.
Grover shook his head, "You have been just as gone as Percy," He said in a sad voice.
I blushed and Percy switched his hand from holding mine to wrapping it around my waist.
"Jackson!" A harsh voice barked behind us.
Percy spun around instinctively, twisting his arm, that was around my waist, at an odd angle. Not that he seemed to care, or even notice. I removed it easily and turned to glare at our rude intruder.
"Reyna," Percy greeted warily.
"I need to speak to you. Alone."She turned to me, "Official praetor business. Sorry."
"You don't look too sorry," I snapped.
She just smirked and pulled Percy away by his arm.
I'm sorry, He mouthed.
I huffed and tried not to think about how much I would love to slap that smirk off her face.
Percy
"If this is praetor business, then why don't you go talk to Jason," I asked, annoyed.
Reyna's eyes flashed dangerously, "You are praetor, Percy. Jason is not."
I rolled my eyes, "What do you want, Reyna?"
"I don't appreciate your attitude," She said.
"Well, I don't appreciate you dragging me away from my friends and not saying what you need to say," I snapped.
"I will be taking Piper McClean's place on the quest to Rome," She stated, as if her coming out and saying it would make everything okay.
My eyes widened, "What? Why? I thought you were staying to keep watch over Camp Jupiter. Do you really want to leave Octavian in charge?"
"What difference does it make if Octavian annoys a few campers if there are no campers to annoy? I am doing what is best for the world and in return what is best for my camp. You will need my knowledge of Rome and the culture-"
"My girlfriend is the daughter of the wisdom goddess. We aren't exactly lacking in the knowledge department." I retorted.
"The Greek wisdom goddess," Reyna argued.
"And? She is not so limited that she can only understand Greek ways." I defended.
"No one knows Rome as well as I do."
"We don't need to know Rome as well as you do. We only need a basic understanding to get by. For gods' sake, we will be on a flying warship most of the time, anyways!"
"Your one-track mind does not allow you to see all possibilities, so you have no clue what you will need."
I huffed and tried a new approach, seeing that I was getting nowhere, "Why do you want to take Piper's place, anyway?"
I already knew the answer to my question, but I was curious to see if she would answer me truthfully. I doubted she would.
"What use is a Venus-"
"Aphrodite," I corrected, automatically.
"Whatever! We don't need her," She claimed.
"How do you know? You have never even seen her fight."
"And? Neither have you."
"I have, and she is a hell of a fighter," Annabeth jumped in from out of nowhere.
"For an Aphrodite," Reyna sneered as if Annabeth had been standing there the entire time.
"For anyone." Annabeth argued.
"A matter of opinion," she growled.
"Why don't you just say what this is really about?" Annabeth was so angry I took an automatic step back.
"I will not argue with you, greceous. There will not be more Greeks on the ship than Romans."
"So that's what this is? You are more concerned about your own stupid pride than doing what is best for your camp."
"I am doing what is best for my camp! I am sending three of my campers. I will not have an attack happen where they are at a disadvantage."
I jumped in, "There will be no attack. I would swear with my life."
"I am not interested in your assurances. You have not been with them in almost a year. They might have been planning an attack on our camp since the day you were taken."
"I have known these people since I was twelve years old. I know that they would not fight for no reason." I offered.
"That is ridiculous!" Annabeth defended, as if I had not said anything "We didn't even know there was another camp until we found Jason."
Reyna's expression never changed as we spoke.
"There is no talking reason to her, Annabeth. She has made up her mind." And it was true. I could see that Reyna would not budge. She would continue to spurt out excuses until we agreed that she should come on the quest with us. And if it came to a fight, I knew she would be more than happy to try to show that Romans are still superior to Greeks.
"Of course not. Especially since we both know the real reason for all of this." Annabeth snapped.
I prayed that Poseidon would keep Annabeth's mouth shut. I really did not want a fight between Reyna and Annabeth.
"Oh, really? Why don't you enlighten us then, since you are all-knowing."
"I don't have to be all-knowing to see that Jason doesn't want you. That you are pissed off because Piper got the guy you have been trying to get for years. And she didn't have to try nearly as hard as you did."
Sorry, Son. Even I can not control the mouth on that one. You would have done better to pray that Athena would shut her daughter up.. A voice rumbled in my mind at the same time that I saw Reyna draw her dagger.
I stepped in front of Annabeth protectively, though it was proobably protecting Reyna more than Annabeth, considering I was keeping Annabeth from lunging at Reyna. I drew Riptide.
"Watch yourself, daughter of Athena," Reyna growled.
"Or what?" Annabeth challenged, a teasing grin played at her lips.
"Annabeth!" I scolded, exasperated. It seemed that she was trying to start a fight and I was doing everything in my powers to keep it from happening.
I considered spraying water in both of their faces and hope it would calm them down, but I knew that it would just make Annabeth angry with me, and I did not want her mad at me with a dagger in her hand. I would save that idea for last resort.
Reyna grinned wickedly at the idea of a fight, "You obviously have not heard of my battle skills."
"Or you haven't heard of mine," Annabeth took a step forward, pressing her chest against my back. Her way of begging me to move. I stood planted in front of her.
Reyna smirked, "It appears that there is not much to hear about except that you would have your boyfriend fight for you."
Reyna eyed my defensive stance as if sizing me up for a fight.
Annabeth's hands flashed to her dagger, "I don't need Percy to kick your-"
"ENOUGH!" I shouted, shoving the two farther apart.
Of course, as much as I would love to tell you that they both realized that this had gone to far, or respected my authority enough to back off, but I have no reason to lie to you.
I spent one terrifying minute trying to keep the two apart and avoid their weapons until a few nearby guys plus Grover heard the fight and kindly helped me tear them apart.
"You are not helping matters," I murmed in Annabeth's ear as she settled on my lap a few minutes after we broke the fight up.
Annabeth pouted, almost making me forget that I was angry with her. Almost, but not quite.
"She was being unreasonable. It wasn't my fault!"
"You are supposed to be a diplomat."
"I am no diplomat, Percy." She snapped, "If you want a diplomat, go find Katie. I was trying to talk some sense into her and in the process she insulted my friend and then she insulted me, and I got pissed off. I am sorry that it got out of hands, but that is all I will apologize for."
I sighed and kissed her neck lightly, "I don't want to fight, Annabeth. I just know that Reyna is going to get what she wants, regardless of what we say. Now we are going to have to ride around watching our backs for gods know how long."
"I'm sorry," She offered.
I sighed, "It's fine. I'm just glad you are okay."
"Please," Annabeth snorted, "I so could have taken her."
AN: Who would have won that fight, I wonder? The world may never know.
Anywho, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review. Love, Jess
