[ Hi, guys! I'm alive! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in like FOREVER!, but I've been working a lot on my novel( I'm so close to finishing it, it's not even funny) and school just started up again, so I haven't really had time to just sit down and post one chapter after another, but I decided to finish this one since you guys have been dying to read it. I hope you like it!]
Octavian slowly opened his eyes. His head was spinning and one of his eyes wouldn't open all the way, but otherwise he felt fine. He tried to get up, but the minute he lifted his head off the ground he felt sick to his stomach and the dizziness increased to a max level.
"You're awake. How are you feeling?" Reyna walked up beside Octavian. As far as Octavian could tell she was the only one in the room.
"Reyna?"
"Yes, I am Reyna. Are you feeling dizzy? You hit your head pretty hard when you fell. You fell at least fifteen feet, Octavian. You're lucky you didn't break anything, but I am concerned about your eye. It's very swollen and looks to have been burnt." Reyna moved in closer and gently touched his eye with a cold rag. A surge of pain swept across Octavian's face.
"OW!" Octavian shrieked and smacked Reyna's hand away.
"Hold still!" Reyna snapped and pressed the rag onto his face once again. Octavian wanted to yelp, and cry, but he couldn't not in front of her.
"Reyna, did the Greeks get away?" Octavian asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. I have a plan though. We'll discuss it tomorrow, but for now you need to rest."
"No, we need to go. We need to catch before something else happens." Octavian tried to sit up even with the pain pulsing through his body, but he had to. There was no other choice.
"Are you deaf? You need your rest. I can't you waltzing around camp with that bruise on her head and that eye. Your father would kill if I allowed it, so sit." Reyna pushed Octavian back onto the bed, but he didn't want to rest. He didn't want to wait. The Greeks were out there and so was that freak, Leo Valdez.
"No," Octavian tried to get up again, but Reyna wouldn't even let him attempt to get up.
"You're as stubborn as a pegasi. I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall." Reyna sighed. "I sent Mary to go and get your father. He should be here any minute."
"Reyna,"
"Yes?"
"How are you coping with Jason coming home with that Greek girl wrapped around his arms? I'm just curious. I know…I know that you liked him." The last words came out like poison in his mouth, but it was the truth. Reyna had truly liked Jason and he knew it.
"I'm a little upset, confused and happy. I'm happy to know that he's alive, but I'm also so angry. I really liked him and he just comes home and shows off his pretty new girlfriend and completely disregarded that I'm even there. I felt…I felt like he didn't want to remember us." Reyna sighed and put her hand over her mouth. "You know sometimes I wish that I had told him no the night he confessed to me and went for the other one instead." Reyna paused and looked down at me and blinked. "I'm so sorry. I should leave you be." Reyna walked over to the door and opened it. "Oh, hello, Mr. Martini, I was just leaving." Reyna smiled and left the room.
"Hello, my little one." Octavian's father's smiled and sat down next to him. "How are you feeling?"
"I've seen better days, but I'll be fine." Octavian smiled and nestled his head in his father's lap. His father gently stroked his hair held his hand.
Octavian closed his eyes and fell asleep and for once there were no nightmares just darkness. He missed the having dreams that he couldn't remember. Those were his favorite dreams.
The next day Octavian got dressed and ready for the senate meeting. The ambrosia had gotten rid of his eye overnight and the dizziness was gone. He still felt tired and sore, but he could cope with that. Octavian put on his toga and belt of assorted teddy bears and his trusty dagger and headed down to the senate building.
"You look much better, Octavian. How are you feeling?" Reyna asked.
"I feel fine, thank you." Octavian smiled and took the stage. He talked about the Greeks and the bombings and what he thought they should do and to his surprise Reyna actually agreed with him. The other senators tried to object, but Reyna wouldn't hear it. The plan was simple. We were going to get on the eagles and hunt the Greeks down and even more we were leaving today. . They were a select few of centurions from each of the cohorts.
"We will be back soon. If anything is to happen while we are gone you all know what to do." Reyna rose from her seat and ordered the rest of us to gather our things and meet her at the border.
Octavian gathered his things and hurried to the border.
"You pack fast." Reyna looked down at his small pack. She sighed and looked out towards the forest. "Have you told your father of the senate's decision?" Reyna asked.
"No."
"Good. Let's keep it that way. I need you on this quest. If your father ever knew he would never allow it." Reyna sighed and looked up at Octavian. "Are you ready?" Reyna asked as the others gathered around.
"Of course, I'm not scared of anything." Octavian raised his head up high with pride.
"Of course, you're, Octavian. You're not scared of anything except, the dark, bugs, spiders, snakes and the occasional mice that scurry across the floor." Reyna grinned. Octavian could tell that she was trying to hold in a laugh, but quite frankly he didn't think it was very funny at all.
"Reyna," Octavian grumbled and glared down at Reyna. Reyna smiled and walked over to Terminus.
"Hello, Terminus. I presume that you know exactly why we are here. In that case, there are exactly fifteen of us. We are going after the seven."
"Is that so," Terminus looked at everything with wide eyes. His eyes seemed to get even wider and his frown longer as he looked at Octavian. "Whose bright idea was it to bring this nuisance along?" Terminus gestured his head towards Octavian. Some of the people behind Octavian laughed at Terminus's comment.
"For your information, Reyna, asked me personally to go on this quest. Thank you very much." Octavian looked down at Terminus as a prideful grin swept across his pale face.
"Do not question my authority, Terminus. You may be a God, but you work for the praetor of New Rome. You listen to me." Reyna looked down at Terminus. Power and sheer force sparked in her obsidian eyes.
"Fine in that case all of you line up so I can check your ID's and allow you permission to go on this quest." The others pushed past Octavian and left him staggering in the back. Octavian growled and waited patiently. The line died down quickly and Octavian showed Terminus his identification card. Terminus looked at the card and at him several times before he began his usual 'pat down'.
"Terminus, let Octavian through!" Reyna exclaimed.
"Fine, but be warned, Martini. I've got my eye on you!" Terminus exclaimed and watched Octavian till they were all safely down the hill.
"It's finally a fact. Everyone at this camp hates me, even the pegasi!" Octavian moaned . One of the pegasi who was tied to the eagle chariots neighed. "Oh, shut up." Octavian grumbled and stepped into the eagle that had his favorite pegasi, skittles, at the front.
Skittles was actually his pegasi, but when the legion needs a spare pegasi Octavian's always willing to lend them some help. Skittles loves it and it makes her happy so it make him happy. Sometimes Octavian believes that skittles and his stuffed animals are the only friends he has now since Jason betrayed me and Reyna, unknowingly, went along with it.
"Hey, skittles. You're such a good girl." Octavian gently stoked Skittles mane and pulled out an apple from his pocket and put it up to her mouth. "Don't tell, Reyna." Octavian whispered and hoped into the eagle and sighed.
"Don't tell me what?" Octavian looked to his right and screamed. Reyna was sitting down next to him with a smile on her face.
"N…nothing." Octavian stuttered his face turning bright red.
"Alright, I'll let it go, but seriously you're so sensitive." Reyna laughed and grabbed the reigns and ordered Skittles to start running. Within a few minutes they were in the air aligned in an orderly fashioned like a flock of birds with Reyna and Octavian leading the way.
Not much happened for a while, but Octavian couldn't help but look down at the world below. He had lived at Camp Jupiter since he was eleven and due to his father's rule of no going outside of the city's limits he hasn't seen the outside world for seven years. The cities were so beautiful. The skies were bright and the air, though it was filled with smoke, smelled so fresh. He felt so free.
"Octavian, if you look any closer you might fall out of the cart." Reyna grabbed Octavian's toga and pulled him back in the chariot. That was the worst mistake Reyna had ever made. Octavian jerked back and bumped into Reyna sending her flying over the edge. Luckily her foot got caught on pack and armor.
"REYNA!" Octavian screamed. "Reyna, don't move. I'm coming for you." Octavian scooted over to Reyna and grabbed her foot. That's when things got really bad. Just as Octavian went to grab her foot Skittles freaked out due to the intense amount of weight on one side of the chariot and turned to the right sending them both flying out of the chariot.
The others noticed their predicament, but were unable to help because of Skittles. They couldn't get close to them without making things worse.
"REYNA!" Octavian grabbed onto Reyna and held her close to his chest as they fell. Reyna lached her arms around his neck and waited for the fall. Octavian wasn't going to lose his life and hers because he was being reckless. Octavian whistled. He knew Skittles was scared and probably terrified, but Skittles was their only hope. If he could only get her attention Skittles could swoop down and catch them before they hit the cold water below.
Octavian whistled again, but nothing happened. Skittles was still frantically trying to regain her balance. The water was getting closer. Octavian whistled one more time in hopes that the third time would do the trick. He waited, but nothing was happening. They were still falling. Octavian closed his eyes and waited for the impact, but when it finally came they were still dry and breathing. Octavian opened his eyes and looked around. They were back in the eagle with Skittles leading the way. Octavian slowly let go of Reyna. Reyna unlocked her arms from his neck and took in a deep breath.
"We're still alive!" Octavian cheered.
"Octavian," Reyna began still trying to control her breathing.
"Yes."
"Don't ever look over do that again." Reyna grumbled and punched him in the arm.
"I can promise you that." Octavian turned around and waved to the others that way were safe, but when they cheered Octavian already knew who they were cheering for.
"I'm sorry about all of that. I didn't mean_" Reyna put a finger over Octavian's lips to silence him.
"Quiet! I thought I heard something." Reyna ordered the others to quiet down as well as they listened quietly.
"What is it?" Octavian asked a little to late because not a moment later he heard it. The most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He wanted to go down to it and sing along with them. Octavian peered over the edge to get a glimpse of where the sound was coming from. He didn't even seem to notice that he was slipping off the edge once again.
"Don't you dare!" Reyna grabbed Octavian and pulled him back into his seat and handed him two earplugs. "It's the only way to get past the sirens safely, now put them on before I stuff them in your ears myself!" Reyna ordered. Octavian loved it when she got angry. He could feel the power radiating out of her.
The rest of the ride was silence, literally, Octavian couldn't hear a thing with these earplugs in. He felt bad every time Reyna tried to talk to him. All he saw was her mouth move. He just nodded and smiled.
Octavian sighed and gazed out towards the horizon. They were still over the ocean, but they were closing in on a rather large bay. That's when he spotted them; the Greeks. They were down by the docks as if waiting for them. Octavian couldn't wait to give them a proper Roman greeting. Octavian grabbed the reins of the pegasi and dived. Reyna beat him on the arm and pulled out one of his earplugs and screamed in his ear.
"What do you think you're doing? We're going to crash, you idiot!" Reyna tried to grab the reins, but Octavian wouldn't let her. Instead he pointed down to the docks where he was headed. Reyna's intense cries stopped and she sat straight up in her seat very calmly and nodded in agreement and ordered the others to follow.
"You know this works out perfectly." Reyna stated.
"Why?" Octavian asked. "I just wanted to greet my dear friend Percy Jackson before I burned his precious camp to the ground!" Octavian grinned.
"I want to see the look on all their faces when I tell them the news. I'll make them pay for what they did to my camp." Reyna snarled.
Octavian laughed and landed on the docks. Percy's blonde girlfriend, Annabeth was there with Piper and Hazel. Octavian opened the door and walked out onto the dock. Reyna ordered two others to accompany him but he ignored their names and marched on forward with his sword drawn.
"Surrender to Rome!" Octavian shrieked.
"In your dreams, Octavian," Hazel growled.
"Please, Octavian, we can explain. What happened back at camp was a setup. It wasn't our fault. Please, listen to us." Piper pleaded, but her charm speak was not going to take him down this time.
"Can't hear you! Ear wax, a procedure for flying over sirens," Octavian snickered, but in all honesty he could hear them. He just could care less about what they were saying. All he wanted to see their faces when Reyna told them of their plans.
"You're disgusting!" Hazel snarled. Octavian smiled and pretended to not hear the rather rude comment.
"Put down your weapons and nobody gets hurt!" Octavian ordered.
Piper gasped and dropped her weapon on the spot. She looked terrified. She should be. After all she was arguing with the greatest centurion to ever walk this earth. Hazel roared and slammed her blade on the ground. Annabeth looked at Octavian as if confused by his question.
"Are you deaf?" Octavian barked. "I said put down your weapons!"
Annabeth gasped and threw her blade in the water. She looked back at him and shrugged.
"I said put it down not throw it on the water!" Octavian shrieked. "That could have been spoils of war and you threw it into the water!" Stupid blonde, Octavian thought. "You two," Octavian pointed his sword at Piper and Hazel, " I don't want any funny business_" Octavian paused. He heard a sound. A sound like a title wave was coming. Octavian looked to his right just as a huge wave knocked him and his fellow romans into the water.
Octavian panicked and tried to swim back to the surface, but he didn't know how to swim. He was going to drown. Someone grabbed him and Octavian latched his arms around what appeared to Dakota's shoulders. Dakota didn't look pleased to have saved him, but Octavian wasn't letting go.
Percy Jackson appeared out of the water holding Annabeth's dagger in his hand. They kissed. Octavian growled and shrieked; "Get me out of here! I'll kill you!" Percy said something but, but Octavian couldn't understand him. "What?" Octavian yelled, but Percy and Annabeth had walked off the dock. Octavian growled and gripped tighter onto Dakota's neck.
"Dude, take a chill pill." Dakota gasped trying to keep the both of them on the surface. "Let go!" Dakota cried.
"No!" Octavian wailed. Octavian gripped on tighter. Dakota growled, but didn't say anything. Octavian was glad.
Octavian looked towards the shore. Reyna was talking Annabeth. They both seemed to be in a very bad mood. Annabeth growled and the two went their separate ways. Reyna got in one of the Eagles and grabbed Octavian and the others still remaining in the water.
"Are you alright?" She asked after pulling him up into the Eagle.
"I'm going to kill Percy Jackson and his little blonde girlfriend. I'm going to kill them all!" Octavian snarled.
"Octavian, I haven't said this to you in a long time, but for once I actually agree with you." Reyna grabbed the reigns and ordered the pegasi to go. They were heading for Camp Half-Blood. The hiding place of the Greek demigods just as they had planned, but the plans had changed just a bit. This wasn't just a meet and greet situation that might involve some fighting. This was war!