Author's Note (yeah I am labelling it now, as a new resolution):
Hey guys, this is Chapter 7 for you all! I wanted to post this the same time as chapter 6 to make up for the days I haven't posted, but my fingers were numb from typing. I know you wanted some Percabeth, but I wanted to take it slow…so I could extend the story a little bit more… I wanted to play with my characters a little bit! (joke!)… I will always post as soon as I finished typing the chapter… I apologize if this was a crappy chapter…but I guess, some will be….well, anyways there so you guys know what to do…read, review, and enjoy! Love you all! xoxo –thatasianwritergirl
Secret Meetings, the Unexpected Guest and Battle Strategies
(Annabeth)
There's a full moon tonight…I admire those nights. But it makes me homesick; I used to look out my window at home, stare at the moon and stars until I would sleep. A warm breeze passed through me as I passed by, blowing through strands of my hair.
Almost everyone is at the dining halls, doing the usual things they do. They were gambling as they ate their supper of some kind of a broth and sour bread that the camp's cook made. I ate mine faster, so my tongue still burns a little from the broth, but I had to meet up with Malcolm at the general's tent. Everyone looked beat up, tired, and sweaty. Clarisse is still in the infirmary, either plotting revenge on me or wincing because of the pain, either way, I am ready for whatever happens.
I made my way through the rows of tents and weapon stands. The shadows of the tents seemed scary, and it made the paths dark. I found the portion of the camp where the high officials stay. I never liked them; they always get the special treatment, based on what I am told. Malcolm tells me about his life as one, they get the highest honours, gets the more comfortable things, like the big tents, like the one I am standing at. It was the biggest of all tents, a beautiful white linen tent with sea green trimmed edges. I was mesmerized with the sea green trimmed edges since they had delicate and fine embroidery, which would have been beautiful on an important woman's best dresses or robes.
"Annabeth, is that you?" a voice said, a familiar one. I laughed and turned around, seeing a dark figure coming towards me and that figure was Malcolm. From the darkness, I could see that he had a smirk on his face, with the help of the pale moonlight giving light to his face.
"Of course, it's me, who else would it be?" I asked with sarcasm.
"I could recognize you anywhere of course…Annabeth, you are my little sister."
"I know, so why did you ask me to come here?"
"Before I answer that, let's discuss my reasons why inside the tent."
"Are you sure, Malcolm? I can't go inside unless I am summoned."
"Come on, you have your big handsome brother with you, so you won't get into trouble."
"Really? Because I recall the last time you said that, we both got in trouble."
~~~Flashback~~~
"Malcolm, you know papa said we can't play with the bread, you know we would get in trouble, it's sinful to waste Demeter's blessings!" I said in my little ten year old voice.
"Calm down, Annabeth! It's not like we're not going to get in trouble, besides the baker isn't here."
We were in the middle of town, at the town fair. Our town has these yearly celebrations in honour of the gods, and this was one of them. They had good food, games, and a performance at the theatres, but the people who play the characters are men. It is awkward to think about it, especially when they are men playing women too…
"Are you sure, Malcolm?"
He put one arm on my shoulder and said. "Annabeth, when you have your big brother by your side, you will never get into trouble."
~~~End of Flashback~~~
"Aww, Annabeth, that was when we were young children, this is a different situation, you can trust me now." he said in a playful manner.
I hesitated…I mean after that incident, the baker got mad at us and chased us all the way to our cottage. My father gave both of us a punishment and a lecture on how not to play with bread. He opened the tent flap and let me inside. He lit an oil lamp which gave some light to the small room. It looked really comfortable. A bed which seemed to have warm and comfortable cushions…which reminded me of my bed at home instead of the cloth beds we have in the tents. At the middle of the tent was a table with a mosaic map of Greece and Sparta, there were figurines on different places.
"Malcolm, are you sure we would be alright here?"
He came up to me and ruffled my hair. "Little sister, for the thousandth time, we are alright in here, the commander is also my friend and allows me to come in anytime to conduct battle strategies and such."
"Oh….so I ask again, what is the real reason you asked me to come in here?" I asked curiously. Knowing my brother he has something mischievous planned most of the time.
"Is it a crime to talk to my sister about home?"
"No, it isn't. Plus, could you explain to me the strategy? Something seems wrong here."
"I will, later…but first you have to tell me everything about home." he said in a relishing tone. I think he missed Atalanta a lot.
I started to tell him everything about home. How the celebrations were and how the baker who recognized us from before would glare at me every time I pass by his stall, the woman whom he left behind, Calypso, kept asking me how he is in the army and apparently who hasn't moved on from him, Bobby and Matthew's games in the farm. When I was talking about Calypso, his face fell for a short time. I could tell that he misses her, she is this sweet friend of mine and she simply loves and adores my brother. But when I told him about the other things, he was laughing.
"Now I wish I could go home, I missed so much, even the simplest things." he said with a sad look of homesickness plastered in his face.
"Don't worry, you will someday." I said as I glanced at the map with the figurines. "Well, Malcolm, since I told you everything, you better explain to me the battle strategy, something feels wrong with it."
He sighed and started to explain it to me, moving and pointing to the figurines around, telling me what they stand for and telling me the whole plan. They sent the trained soldiers to the boarder of Sparta and they would send us the message to come for battle. No wonder why I sensed there was something wrong with this.
"Malcolm, why don't you try sending scouts to Sparta, to spy and report their strategy, a few people instead of an army to the boarders, and you can send the troops to these mountains; this is where the Spartans are likely to attack…." I said as I kept moving figurines around, explaining things for my new quickly-thought strategy.
"Nice one, Annabeth, you are even better than my commander."
"Better than me in what, Malcolm?" a voice asked.
We both turned around and saw a man. He was wearing purple robes, Greek armour, and gladiator sandals. He was handsome; he is the type of man that any girl in Atalanta would fall for, other than Malcolm, as I have heard. It was impossible to compare him to something, like a statue carved by the greatest sculptors in Greece. He had black raven hair, a strong and muscular body, a handsome face with an expression of amusement, and the most mesmerizing physical trait, are his eyes. Sea green eyes that remind me of the calm seas and oceans that I have seen on the way here. He soon wore a confused look; I guess I had an analysing look in my eyes, a trait of mine that drove the men away, which was a blessing and a curse. Something told me he looked familiar. His eyes showed concern…something I haven't seen in a while.
"We were looking for you after you ate supper, apparently you had an unsaid appointment with you, Malcolm." the commander said in a formal voice
"I am sorry I haven't told you and well, in battle strategy, I believe I haven't introduced you to my sister, Annabeth." Malcolm said in a serious and strained tone.
"Hello, Annabeth, you must be the sister that Malcolm's told me about, he speaks highly of you. I am sure you already know my name." Percy said in a cryptic tone.
"Yes, commander, you are Perseus, son of Poseidon, my mother's sworn enemy. Besides you have introduced yourself in front of the whole army."
"You don't have to be so formal, Annabeth, this is not training. Malcolm had told me about your training status, I am impressed, for a woman, especially when it is illegal for one to be in the Greek army." he said in an arrogant tone.
"Thank you, I must go now, it is getting late." I said stiffly. I am trying to hide the anger boiling inside of me; I shouldn't have tried to come here in the first place if I came here to be insulted. I turned back to my brother and he had that sympathizing "I am sorry" look in his face. I ignored it and got out the tent.
As I walked away, Malcolm called out to me. "Annabeth!" I turned around and saw him approaching and he said. "It's alright, Percy didn't mean that. He was just in one of his arrogant moods."
"Well, he is someone I don't want to deal with for a while. I better get some sleep, Malcolm." I said stiffly as I walked away with the words in my mind that I might in the future regret shrugging off….You don't know who was in front of you, destiny will work wonders….