Hey guys, this is Chapter 6 for you all! I am super sorry if I posted quite late…I needed some ahh…inspiration for the story. I have written so many drafts for this…. So read, love, review, and enjoy! PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING, I need it to go on with this story…I need to know what you guys are thinking, should I add something or suggestions, anything. I need to know your thoughts…as long as it won't wound me that much….but so far, I just want to thank all who read or alerted or favorited (sp?) this story, it means so much to me, especially if this is my first fanfic, keep doing what you are doing. Love you all! xoxo –thatasianwritergirl

P.S.: I learned it's not commander, it's more of general in an Ancient Greece, but I'll stick to commander, looks dignified...in a way. Also I try to make the uniforms and food as authentic as possible, so no blame

First Day of Battle Training

(Annabeth)

I woke up to the sounds of Greek horns, I immediately dressed up to the uniforms we were supposed to wear, well for girls in the army, a short Greek dress that came to my knees, a pair of gladiator shoes, and Greek armour. I grabbed my dagger and put it on the sheath of my waist.

I stepped out of the tent and walked around. Everyone seemed busy, going around, trying to get their portion of porridge and salty biscuits or was that bread. For the army, the troop's food rations is not nearly as luxurious unless it's the high positions in the army, yes Malcolm also told me this too. He said it's hard to get up in the army. Right now, I could imagine him having fresh baked biscuits, maybe something with rich olive oil…something I used to make for father and the boys back home, just thinking about all of that makes me miss home.

"Annabeth!" I heard someone call. I turned around and saw Luke, also dressed in battle gear, with two bowls with bread.

"Good morning Luke." I said as he handed me one bowl.

"Good morning, and next time, try to be earlier, your rations might run out, many of the men here are really stingy about the rations, even if they are horrible." He said with a sarcastic look.

"Thanks Luke, though you know you don't have to do this for me."

"No problem, Thalia would've wanted me to take care of you; she'd be worried to death if she saw you in these battle grounds. Anyways, do you want to join me with a couple of men I met up around?" he asked. With his tone, I have the feeling that he wants me to say no, thank you.

"No, it's alright, you go enjoy yourself, I need to be alone."

"Alright, see you around." He said before he turned back to meet up with the men he was telling me about. I sighed as I looked around, looking for a potential place to sit down.

Many of the makeshift wooden long tables and chairs are occupied, with men eating their rations, picking their noses (gross!) while playing pinochle or a few luck card games, which involved gambling, as if they had no life. I have seen their kind in the village; it's not really pleasant to see when you are shopping for basic goods; but I already got used to that. I spotted one with barely anybody there, and I saw the only one occupying the table, Clarisse La Rue. Now I know why the other men didn't want to sit beside her, she'd beat them up before training even started. I wouldn't go near her unless I am so desperate to even talk to her nonetheless even ask for favours. Right now, I think I am, since if I don't find a table soon, I will eat horrible-tasting food mixed with Greek soil.

"Clarisse, may I sit here?" I asked, hoping she won't beat me up. She looked up from her porridge and said. "Well, well, isn't it the little punk, have a seat, looks like we have got catching up to do."

I nervously sat down, hoping for the best, but I know that I can't wish for that when I am in battle. She had this sinister, joking look on her face. She took a spoonful of porridge and ate it.

"Well, Chase, the food's terrible but you have to live." she said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin and picked up her spoon again. "So what brings you here to the battlefield, little punk, isn't big brother in the army already?" she grunted as she took another spoonful of porridge to her mouth.

I was surprised by her openness. I was getting ready for her to attack me, beat me up. I think she got more um…humane, might as well stay on her good side. "My father was enlisted to join the army, since as they said they have only a few soldiers, since Bobby and Matthew can't volunteer…I did." I said, eating my bite of breakfast. She's right, the food is terrible.

I waited for her answer, I was expecting that she would say "Sad story, huh, punk?" or something worse but instead, she said. "Huh, didn't know you had it in you, punk. I am still considering you as a dollface. Warning you I am not going easy on you in fighting…." she said as she got up and left me there…to eat, before the Greek horn sounded, to signal the beginning of training. I remember what Malcolm told me about his initiation to the army, we would be training with advisors until the end when the commander and the second in command will determine your strength, help you master it, and assign your new position in the army. This process…..what he said….will be no different.

SLASH! CLANG! SWHOOSH! CLANG!

Those are the sounds my dagger makes as it collides with the blade of my opponent. Using a dagger is tricky but it is best to take a risk. Now I am in fighting with one of the toughest men around, undergoing combat training. They say in the army, you need combat training. My training advisor, Adrastos, says that I should use my swift and quickest instincts in combat as well as clever strategy. I took it and so far, I have defeated ten men….and it seems like I am doing well. My "opponent" looks beat up already with blood, cuts, and bruises; but I could still see he won't be giving up easily. Mercifully, well in my definition, I knocked him out and he lay face flat on the ground. He looked very weak so I did no more damage.

"SAFE! Winner, Annabeth Chase!" Adrastos called out, holding one of my arms up, like they always do when someone wins a duel.

I felt victorious, like I won a battle. My mental victory was crushed when Adrastos said I had to fight one more opponent for me to be finished for the day. He asks for volunteers but the men looked scared and disgusted of me. I know what they could say in their minds, they couldn't believe, I, a girl, would be able to beat them. They also looked like they wanted to curse me to the pits of Tartarus.

"I am willing to take this challenge. I want to see how little punk's goin' to beat me," A girl's voice said. I knew immediately who it is before I turned to see Clarisse La Rue, coming to the scene, sharpening her nails with one of her deadly knives and daggers, with a spear behind her back. One thing is she is tougher than any of the men that I've fought with. She threw her knife and it landed, piercing the ground, now the men had more fearful expressions. "Which is not likely to happen, because I…always win."

"Alright, get ready with your positions, ladies." Adrastos said, gesturing to the duel circle, which is a large, stick-drawn circle on the dusty ground. We "stepped" in and we got ready with our weapons. I held a tight grip with my dagger while Clarisse dropped got her spear, which had a shiny, deadly blade. Many thoughts racing through my mind in split seconds, mostly one is how do I beat her and second are the good and bad things that could come out of it if I do or do not beat her in the duel.

"FIGHT!" Adrastos called out, signalling the start of our fighting duel.

Clarisse started moving to me and was about to thrust her deadly blade through my chest. I was quick, but the blade left me a long cut across my left cheek. I swiftly and quickly jumped on her back and tried to strangle her. Now the men were laughing since it seems like I was a strangling baby and Clarisse was the mother who was trying to loosen the grip and trying to thrust me off. I knew this was not going to last and I can't stand do be humiliated any further, so I took out my dagger and started to stab her back and legs. I knew she was getting weaker since she was on her knees. I took the opportunity to get off her back and I kicked her from the back, which left her face flat. Like my last "opponent", she was lying face flat on the floor, too weak to move.

After that moment, everything was a blur. Adrastos proclaimed me the winner, and I moved on to different challenges, while my opponent "victims" were sent to the apothecaries in the infirmary tents. I did well in archery as well as the obstacle course. When I finished for the day, a messenger came to me.

"Are you Ms. Annabeth Chase?"

I nodded and he pulled out a papyrus scroll from his pocket and handed it to me.

"This is for you, from Second-in-command officer, Malcolm Chase."

I thanked him as I took the scroll and he ran away. I took it gently as to not rip the paper accidentally, unfurled it and saw the message.

"Meet me at the front of the general's tent at night and congratulations with your training status, Annabeth." -Malcolm