Author's Note: Hey guys, this is Chapter 14 for you all! Sorry for late update I didn't have weird dreams to inspire me; I even had to read my own story again to think of what'll happen next... I thank you so much again for reviewing and reading my writing. So, this is again all for you, enjoy, read, review, and please try to at least recommend the story to others, lol, just kidding ! :D xoxoxo –thatasianwritergirl
P.S.: Thank you soo much for the reviews…. I love you all soo much, hope u enjoy. KEEP REVIEWING! As I said, it makes my day . I am not sure if this chapter is terrible but I guess you guys will be the judge of that (but in my opinion it kinda sucks, because I am not feeling so well, but I decided to write).This I think this MIGHT be a boring chapter, be ready for more action and romance for the later chapters! I am taking Percabeth slow, I want it to progress…you'll see the best of it, nearing the ending….I think.
Conversations with Malcolm and Promises
(Percy)
CLING! CLANG! (A/N: Yeah I admit, I am no good with writing sound effects…)
I stiffly woke up to the sound of silver china coming contact with glass vials and sunlight streaming through the seams and slits of the tent. My eyes welcomed the sight of people rushing around the place, carrying trays with vials and pots of medicine, bowls of steaming stews, and linen cloths. Some were carrying papyrus scrolls, writing things hurriedly and dashed to a corner of the tent.
When I looked to my side, I saw Annabeth. She looked really peaceful, with closed eyes in a peaceful look on her face and a small smile on her face as if she is having a wonderful dream. She didn't look like she was stabbed and knocked out in the back by a Spartan soldier. Here I am, sitting by her side, on an uncomfortable wooden stool almost all night. I felt all the regret of bringing her to the mission.
~~~~Flashback/ Dream~~~~
I felt the soft feel of a cushion. When I opened my eyes, it was still dark, I could see from a slit in the tent that there was a dark sky full of stars, the moon and its light shining through the slits of the tent. I rubbed my forehead as I squinted. I must've passed out from last time, and it is obvious a few hours have passed by.
Thoughts rushed through my head of the last things I saw, as if it was a dream. I could see flames gulfing up tents, people doing combat, Annabeth being cut by a Spartan soldier, me running with my troops through the forest, my arms wrapped around a slim figure….
"Commander, you must get some rest, you need it!" a woman's voice said. I turned to the direction of where the voice was. I saw a woman, she was very pretty. She wore ordinary clothes, a peasant's outfit. She held in her hands, a tray of stew. She set it down on my bedside. "Commander must be asleep, to heal wounds!"
"Umm….excuse me, I must find Annabeth Chase, where is she?" I asked aggressively.
"Calm down, comman-" the woman said in an attempt to calm me down.
"No, I won't not until me where Annabeth is!" I said, interrupting her, with a guilty feeling that I shouldn't have done that.
"You must really love her, do you?" the woman said with a smirk on her face.
"I don't know, I have to see her! Please tell me where she is!" I said, with anger rising on my voice. I have no wish to argue with her on the spot.
"Calm down, your blood pressure might go up, she's in next ward to right. You might want to wait till-"
"Thank you, I must go." I say getting up, interrupting her again as I rose from the bed and ran to the directions in Annabeth's ward.
I hurriedly walked through the rows of bunks, all of them empty with neatly made sheets. I passed through rows of a couple more bunks until I saw Annabeth. Her bunk was more isolated from the others, but that was good enough for me.
I touched her face gently, hopefully not to wake her up. I can't believe she was cut; she looked pale with a sheen layer of sweat in her face. If only I was there to save her in time, I should've been the one in her place. So I collapsed to a stool, buried my face in my arms behind her and let my tears and sobs fall until I couldn't keep my eyes open in the darkness.
~~~End of Flashback~~~
I don't know if that was a dream. I started to softly stroke her hair. Her golden hair slipped gently through my fingers. She may have looked pale last night, but in the morning, she looked radiant, with golden curls reflecting the sunlight and cheeks with a pale pink blush. I just hope she isn't dead.
"She is not dead, commander." a voice said. I turned to look at where the direction of the voice came from. I saw the one of the camp's head doctors, Will Solace. Most of the camp doctors are rumoured to be sons of Apollo. He must've noticed my sad expression.
He came to Annabeth's left side with his scrolls and placed his hand softly on her forehead. He smiled as he started to write things on his scrolls. He was mumbling things like 'fever is broken down, injuries are healing'.
"Ah, yes, I must tell you, commander Perseus that Malcolm would like to see you when you wake up." he said in a messenger kind of way. "Your injuries were worse than Annabeth's but you seem to heal faster, so you may visit him at the next ward, just across."
"Thank you, Will, I'll visit in a while, you may go back to your job." I said as he nodded and went away. I looked at Annabeth who still held that radiant look.
"I'll be back, Wise Girl, get well soon." I whispered as I smiled and kissed her forehead, silently whispering to her.
I stood up from my stool. Thinking that my back really aches from sitting there all night….well almost all night…then I had once last glance of Annabeth before going to Malcolm's ward. There are many paths leading to the next ward. The "next ward" as they say is for troops with major injuries. Troops usually don't get major injuries until the war, so it's practically empty, except for Malcolm.
I went to this private section of the ward, which was parted with a linen partition. A nurse came out and said, with her face with a flustered expression and is stuttering. "Oh, commander…uhh...you may come in, second-in-command Malcolm Chase is inside and is expecting you."
After saying that, she ran to attend to someone at the other ward. I chuckled as I went through the partition. Malcolm was smiling, sitting upright in his bunk reading a scroll, typical of him. He always had a scroll with him. He looked worse than before; there are countless cuts, bruises, and wounds on his face, arms, and everywhere. His face was blotted with many red, purple, and black spots of wounds, but some were being treated with a sort of medicine.
"Ahh….hello Perce, come in." he said, putting down his scroll down and gestured to a stool beside him. I sat down, positioning myself to a good posture.
"Hello Malcolm, how are you doing? The Spartans must've treated you badly." I asked stiffly. Not knowing if I should speak to him in boss mode or as a friend.
"Doing well, though I am glad the Spartans are not beating me up anymore." he said chuckling as he continued. "They have a terrible way of life over there compared to here."
"No wonder, your scars are severe." I said. We both laughed as if it was a joke, but I knew scars were no laughing matter.
It seemed like minutes but hours passed by as we talked about how camp life was, Malcolm's life in the Spartan army's camp (which was very terrible), the strategy, and everything. Funny thing was we were laughing and joking about it, as if it was an amusing story we heard the philosopher's tell. Malcolm even forgot that he was weak and wounded and beaten up. We were all smiling and laughing until Malcolm had a serious expression on his face.
"Perce, I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer it honestly." he said seriously as he sat up straighter.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Do you love my sister?" he asked fervently and questioningly and with a serious tone.
That question silenced me; I didn't know what to answer. I mean sure I cared about her, tried to protect her for Malcolm's sake. But I am not sure how to peg my feelings about her, at the same time, I am not sure of what she felt about me.
"I'm not sure, Malcolm. I am just confused about what I feel about her."
"Well, I think you do, besides I know she loves the boy who saved her as a little girl."
"How do you know about that?"
"I was there wasn't I?" he said with an analysing look, then he sighed, looking out the tent slits. "Anyways, Perce, I want to ask you a favour, but it's up to you if you'll accept it." he said weakly but in a firm tone.
"What is it, Malcolm?"
"Look, I want to protect my sister, but when this war is over, I am not sure if I'll survive this war, but me living or not, I want you to protect her, no matter what it takes, who knows what the Greek rulers would do to her."
I was shocked, because I did know that the Greek rulers could do that. When they found out that Annabeth joined the army, including Clarisse, they'll be sure to execute them. I can't let anything happen to them, especially Annabeth.
Normally, I don't experience those type of emotions, since all the time, I could see all soldiers come and go, perishing in battle, taken hostage by enemies, and other countless things I could list like natural disasters and disease plagues. Mostly, in the army, if you die, anyone can replace you. But now…I don't feel that way, weirdly, I feel like if Annabeth dies….nobody can replace her.
"Alright Malcolm, but how do I do it?"
"I don't know but I know you would go any lengths to protect her, I mean, you were the boy who saved her life when she was little."
"How do you know about that?" I asked, shocked.
"Perce, you don't use your brain but I was there, remember?" he said, chuckling.
"Oh yes, I forgot about that, so your point is?"
"Please do whatever it takes to protect her."
"Okay I will Malcolm." I said, hoping not to regret the decision I have made. Besides, I don't think I need to hesitate, I mean Annabeth's my friend, and I'll do anything for a friend. Yes, I consider her a friend, but a person whom I had mixed feelings about. "Malcolm, I must go, I have to see how Annabeth is doing."
"Thank you Perce, besides I have to rest, Will says the more I rest, the more I recover, I also have to talk to Annabeth when she gets recovered."
He snuggled in the sheets of his bunk like a child. It wasn't long before he fell asleep; I chuckled, seeing his amusing sleeping expression. I stood up from my stool and went out of the ward, making my way back to Annabeth's bunk.
When I approached her bunk, I saw her there, smiling at me. She looked better; she was more radiant than ever.
"Hello Annabeth, how are you?" I asked her, taking a seat beside her stool. For some reason, I had enough with sitting on stools for the morning.
"I'm fine, Percy. I just have to stay here for today until I am fully recovered."
"I hope you get well soon, then wise girl."
I started to stroke her hair and she leaned on me, I never knew this gesture could be so natural. She still looked radiant but she seemed worried.
"Annabeth, what is wrong?" I asked, hoping that nothing is wrong with her.
"Percy, what do you think will happen to me when the rulers find out that I am in the army? Or if I die in that battlefield?" she asked, turning to look at me, with a nervous tone in her voice.
"Nothing will happen to you, Annabeth."
"How do you know, Percy? You can't control everything." she said with tears forming in her eyes, with a few stray ones trailing down her face.
"Because," I said, wiping the tears off her face. "I will never let anything happen to you."
"Thank you Percy." she said, smiling happily.
"Annabeth, I have to go back to inspecting the camp, will you be fine?"
She nodded and started to lay down back in her bunk. I smiled and gave her another kiss in the forehead.
"Get well soon, Wise Girl." I said, repeating what I just said to her hours ago, as I walked out of the infirmary tent, catching a glimpse of Annabeth's small smile.
One thing I have to make sure about is that no harm comes to Annabeth. In my mind, a small voice kept repeating the sentence, 'Nothing wrong will happen to you, Annabeth.' Right now, it is more than a duty, it's a promise. And I am going to make sure that I will fulfil it, even if it costs me my own life.