Hi. Thanks so much to ButterflyFlyToMe, who was the first person to volunteer their services as my BetaReader! Hooray to you!

Thanks to those of you who reviewed, and I'm sorry to everyone else who offered to be my BetaReader, but first in, first served!

On with the story.

Chapter 12:

New Home- For Now

"I understand that you are the two women that a team of our people rescued from a tower that was ablaze," the man in the wheelchair said emotionlessly.

"You understand correctly," Annabeth retorted.

Thalia shot her a warning glance. Annabeth's rash mouth had brought them enough trouble already.

The man, who had introduced himself as Chiron Brunner, Jupiter's Land's leader, was studying Annabeth warily.

Annabeth raised her chin and stared right back into his eyes.

Thalia looked from Annabeth to Chiron, observing the silent conversation they were having.

Finally Annabeth looked away, staring at the floor.

Chiron cleared his throat and smiled kindly. "I'm sure you are both weary and in need of rest. I can arrange accommodation for you, and food. You can work for it tomorrow. We are quite in need of a new seamstress, and the public loom is getting dusty. I assume you both are trained in the art of sewing?"

"Um, well, actually_" Annabeth tried to tell him that she had never even touched a loom, let alone worked one, but he ignored her.

"Come, you two. It is tradition to have a public gathering in the Arena when we have newcomers. And I'm sure the village would be very interested in meeting the princess."

"How_" Annabeth stared at him.

Chiron chuckled, looking at her with amusement in his eyes. Thalia nudged Annabeth, pointing to the castle insignia on the hem.

"Oh." Annabeth blushed. "That reminds me, may I change into a pair of overalls, trousers, anything but a dress?"

Chiron nodded, smiling. He lifted his head and called, "Ella! Can we have a pair of men's overalls, please?"

A red haired, skinny woman appeared in the doorway, holding a bundle of faded beige material. She handed it to Annabeth and scurried back out the door.

Annabeth took the overalls gratefully, looking around. "Where may I change?"

Chiron pointed to a doorway that Thalia hadn't noticed. Annabeth bowed slightly and took the doorway, leaving Thalia alone with Chiron.

"Miss Thalia," Chiron started.

"No," Thalia said. "Just Thalia. I'm only a maid to the princess."

"Okay, then, Thalia. I'd like to know how you came to know the location of this village?" Thalia shifted uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze. She couldn't lie to that kindly face.

"Well, um, after Beckendorf left us_"

"Dobbing on me now, are we?" And suddenly the man himself was there in the room, arms crossed, a glare on his roughly handsome face.

Thalia stood up and twirled around, anger flaring in her eyes. "You!" she shot. "You have nerve to show your face to me!"

Beckendorf stared woodenly at her. "I don't know what you're talking about, girl. I don't need nerve to show my face to you. I did what I had to do."

Thalia threw back her head and laughed in amazement. "What you had to do," she echoed. "Do you know of three boys named Andrew, Christopher and Ethan?" she asked.

Beckendorf's face morphed into one that portrayed darkness. "How did those names come to taint your tongue, girl?" his voice was deeper and graver than normal.

Thalia gulped. "First off, Mister, my name is not girl. My name is Thalia. Second, why does it matter to you? Please don't lie to my face; I know those names bear meaning."

Beckendorf sighed, his face clearing of any emotion. He sank down onto a wooden chair.

Thalia noticed Chiron watching with an intense expression. Just then, Annabeth opened the door and came out wearing the overalls. Her waist- long fair hair was brushed out, curling at the ends. Her grey eyes sparkled, until she laid eyes on the large man inhabiting a lot of the space in the room.

She shrank down a bit, trying her hardest not to be noticed. If Beckendorf noticed her, he didn't say anything.

"Those three boys…" Beckendorf started, trailing off. He was staring out the window, past all the farms and mud- brick buildings, past the crowds and the tents of the markets, past the distant hills… he seemed to be looking beyond the land itself… into the past…

Beckendorf's Flashback

Charles Beckendorf had never been happier. He had finally built up the guts to ask his dream girl out- Silena Bearegard. She was so exquisitely kind and pretty, with those big blue eyes, that long, luscious black hair…

They were happy together for two years. Beckendorf had been thinking about proposing. And then those three boys came.

"Charles Beckendorf, loser, and Silena Beauregard, blue blood." Ethan Nakamura laughed one day. "Like they're gonna last."

Andrew Jabawaki continue, "She'll betray him one day. I heard that the handsome lord, what's 'is name? Luke Castellan?"

"Yeah, that's a one," Christopher Rodriguez chimed in.

"Yeah, I heard that Luke Castellan was courting her. It's not like she really likes Beckendorf."

Charles had been walking back from his girlfriend's house when he heard the boys' conversation. He froze on the spot, dread settling in his stomach. Could it be true? No… They're just gossiping… He assured himself. But a hint of doubt always remained in his mind every time he saw Silena after that.

Flashback Off

Beckendorf finished his tale with: "I always doubted Silena after that. Me and those boys, we never got along. Ruthless gossips, nasty rumour spreaders, disgusting pervs- you gotta hate 'em."

Thalia studied him. She believed that he was telling the truth. She cleared her throat and glanced at Annabeth. "Beckendorf," she started.

Annabeth quickly walked over and clutched Thalia's arm. "You sure?" she whispered uncertainly. "I don't really trust him after_"

"I got this," Thalia reassured her friend. "Look, I know you don't trust my friend Annabeth and I. But you have to believe us. We mean no harm to you, nor your village. And, just so you know, we encountered Christopher, Andrew and Ethan on the way here."

Beckendorf's head snapped up, and his eyes locked on Annabeth, who was blushing so hard that Beckendorf guessed the story before it was even told.

"They messed with you, didn't they?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"They gave me a potion!" Annabeth burst out. "It was an accident, I didn't mean to let them_"

Beckendorf gazed at her with mixed emotions in his dark eyes- pity, confusion, and indecision.

Thalia rested her hand lightly on Annabeth's arm.

The blond dropped her head. "I'm so sorry, Beckendorf," she whispered in shame. "I'm sorry that I chose not to marry Luke Castellan_" Thalia saw Beckendorf's expression turn deadly. "And I'm sorry that the war started because of that. I didn't mean for a war to start. I just wanted a say in my future_"

Just then the door burst open and a black haired figure darted in. "Beck – oh, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, but_"

"Spit it out, Jackson," Beckendorf chuckled.

"Bandits!" the Jackson kid gasped. "Bandits are attacking. And_"

And just then the kid seemed to notice that Beckendorf was not alone. He nodded to Chiron, and saw Annabeth and Thalia.

Annabeth gasped.

It was Percy.

Cliffhanger, much? Oh well, that means you'll have to keep reading, doesn't it?

Has anyone read the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore? I really recommend it, if you're looking for new reading material! Amazing! It's a trilogy that goes: Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue.

Also, is there any way to make a new book for FF? I really want to write FanFiction for the Graceling series, but it's not listed. I'd really appreciate it if somebody could help.

Just to warn you, there will be some interesting twists coming up in later chapters, things that you have probably never seen before.

Have we introduced Mr di Angelo to the story yet? No? Look forward to meeting him soon…