Noah,
As we drove into the gate of Azul's home, it looked like just another mansion, but, when we got a while into the drive, we found that his home was a work of art. The driveway was made of beautiful orange and white tiles, and sweet flowers and trees lined our way, drawing your attention towards them and the horizon of Utah beauty.
Then there was the actual home.
It was a large Grecian estate. It stood out prominently and was stately but still blended in to some aspect with nature. The columns had orange stone at the top and bottom of each one with marble elsewhere. The porch was tiled with the same orange and white tiles, and the front door was open and letting in a gentle breeze that swayed the white curtains on the inside. It was large but not as large as most of the homes the gods keep.
It was… beautiful.
I wasn't exactly sure what I would be walking into, especially with his name being Azul, but I was pleasantly surprised as Sam brought the jeep to a halt.
I looked back to Charlie, who had put her phone up. Swift's black car had stopped in front of us, and, as she was getting out, Sam did everything not to stare at her.
But none of that worked.
Charlie got out next and distracted Aiden from Sam checking out his sister, and Kate followed. This time, I felt her eyes on me, but I wasn't sure I was ready to meet them just yet. And then Chester followed, giving the house a once-over as he kept on his shades and tried not to snarl at Aiden.
Luckily for Chester, he was able to control himself unlike Sam.
We were all forming a huddle to ask what we should do when a handsome man in his early twenties came out of the front door.
Azul was what I had pictured. He looked like a lost prince of long ago. His cheekbones were high, his skin olive, his hair curly and black, and his face reminded me of many I saw at camp, the same sort of features of people from around or in Greece.
He stood in a pair of jeans with paint splatters on them, comfortable walking shoes, and an old tee shirt. Sticking out of his back pocket, he had a paint brush, and there was a streak of paint on his neck.
"Hermes sent you?"
We all nodded.
Azul shook his head but motioned for us to come in.
We did.
As I entered, there was a grand marble and orange entryway that had a large and grand staircase that led to many rooms upstairs, and there were many archways and doorways here. Azul led us through a couple, and we found ourselves in an odd place…
We were outside for starters.
And it was… Greek. The grass was green, and I could see rolling hills and oceans in all directions. The grass was lush and perfectly clean, and there were little wildflowers growing here and there. The air was warm but not hot, and the clouds seemed to be the perfect amount of fluff.
"I built this for my daughter, so she could keep a piece of Greece," Azul explained as he went to a comfortable couch and set of chairs sitting towards the edge of this hill, "You see, she doesn't remember much of it. Our child had a strange birth, so she grows like normal humans, though she is immortal. She grows much slower, too. Centuries and centuries have made the equivalent on her of ten years does to you. She's just a child, and I want her to know where she is from. But it isn't the same as when she was born."
Azul took a seat, and we followed to sit opposite him.
I was honestly a little shocked by him. He reminded me of… well, my dad. Back before he married Annabeth and had Charlie. When it was just the two of us and my mom was never around. When he was trying to take care of me by himself but make it look like my mom was there, too, though she hadn't been since I was three.
"A little girl needs her mother," Azul's jaw tightened, and I began to realize why he wanted Aphrodite to come so much. Honestly, I probably would have been on my side if this wasn't so important to the quest and therefore my sister's life.
Azul looked over the scene he had created for his daughter.
"So, I suppose Hermes has sent you."
Charlie nodded, and Azul seemed to like her more, probably because she was kind of around the age of his daughter.
"You are here to get the painting from me to give it to Aphrodite. She is too busy with her new lover, I assume. Who is it this time? They always seem to rank above her daughter," Azul was bitter but not for himself. He was bitter for the sake of his daughter, who had every right to grow up bitter herself.
Charlie's eyes fell to the grass at her feet.
"They just need the painting, Azul," Swift crossed her arms.
"Oh, Theodora, you know why I can't do that."
Swift blushed at her name.
"But let's be cordial. I don't get many visitors here. The other immortal children and turned-immortal lovers live elsewhere, and I go to visit them. No one much likes to make the trek to Utah," Azul stood, and his smile turned friendly, "You must stay for dinner. Meet my daughter as well."
Azul clapped, and a servant seemed to be painted out of thin air.
"Please take these young friends of mine to the guest rooms. They must be tired. And in an hour, make sure that they get to the art room," Azul told the servant, and I had to admit that I was tired as we bid our goodbyes to Azul and followed the servant.
"We must convince him," Chester spoke up as we were going up those grand stairs and being led to the guest rooms, "We have to get that painting."
Charlie nodded, and the others kept talking as Kate fell back to tlk to me.
It was the first time we had spoken since this morning, and I honestly didn't even want to speak to her. I wasn't ready yet. I just couldn't get past it.
She didn't remember. It finally happened. We finally kissed. We were finally together. The world seemed to be perfect just for that split moment. I couldn't have imagined how good it felt to know that Kate was mine, that we loved each other. But then I woke up, and she didn't remember. And I realized that she never said she loved me, that she just kissed me when she was drunk.
"Are you alright?" Kate asked timidly. She seemed to have been able to tell that it had hit a soft spot to hear about a little girl whose mother was more interested in her current fling than she was her.
Kate had been there through it all. She saw my father raise me practically on his own, and she saw as Annbeth became like a mother to me. She saw JoJo always be late to pick me up, miss times to come and see me, an call with a lame excuse. She saw JoJo move to LA and start dating Annabeth's ex, Henry. She saw as I had to be in the wedding where JoJo became Johanna Alexander and embark on a life of becoming the new Mrs. Oz. Kate was there to watch the constant media frenzy to hear that Annabeth Chase's husband's ex was marrying Annabeth's ex. And Kate was there to watch as JoJo and Henry began a new life in California without me.
"Yeah," I shrugged.
Kate didn't believe me, but we had already reached our rooms. And I think we might have reached our talking maximum for the day.
The servant touched the doors, and they each became imprinted with our names.
Then it just disappeared.
"Well then," Swift looked at the door, "might as well."
And, just like that, we were all off to our rooms.
Charlie,
The willow was beautiful. The canopy bed was made of three willow trees forming the base and the leaves held together as a canopy. The floor was mostly marble except for around the bed where it turned to grass. The walls showed a moving scene of a garden with lines of willows, and the air smelled of the sweetest flowers. The ceiling showed perfect clouds pushed by the same gentle breeze that filled the room.
It was the kind of place that made you want to shun the modern world and fall into life with nature.
And it was the relaxation I needed.
The bathroom where I decided to take a bath wasn't as comfortable. It was the same sort of design. The floors were green and white tiles, and there didn't seem to be any walls, just open air and the same picturesque scene. Though it took me a while to work up the courage, I finally took off my clothes and slid into the lilac scented bath.
By the time I was out of the bath and dressed in a dress as green as my eyes that had been left on my bed while I was bathing, the sky in the room was beginning to show that it was almost sunset.
As I was sitting on the grass and gazing up to the sky, I was stunned by the sudden opening of the door to see the same painted servant with some of the others behind it.
I quickly stood and followed afterwards.
I fell to the back of the group with Kate and Swift.
Swift seemed to like Kate, and Kate liked her, too. Well, she would have if it hadn't been for Noah, I think. Kate and Noah seemed a bit more vulnerable and much more susceptible to jealousy. And a pretty girl at a time like this could make Kate nervous, and it did.
"So, the willow room. It had willows, I am presuming."
"Yeah. The oak room?"
Kate nodded.
"I'm starting to think Azul remembers what I used to mumble under my breath. He stuck me in the palm room where I was surrounded by sand blowing everywhere," Swift crossed her arms, and I noticed the sand was actually all over her and even in her hair.
And I also noticed that Kate and I had changed into dresses matching our room, but she hadn't.
"Did he give you a dress?" Kate asked.
"No, he gave me a gown," Swift pouted, and I tried not to laugh as I tried to picture Swift in a gown.
I could only see her like this. In leather with tattoos peeking out from her shorts and jacket. I couldn't picture anything else.
"You guys got okay stuff. I could handle that, especially with all that sand in my room. But a gown made to look like palm leaves wrapping around me? Hades to the no."
I looked back at Kate and thought she got more than an okay dress.
It was a sundress and a little odd, I will admit. The top was leafy green and had the texture of leaves, and the bottom was a light brown with darker lines to resemble tree trunks.
Kate had gotten to take a bath instead of a rushed shower that had been miserable with a bad hangover, and her hair was controlled with her curls back. Her eyes, though still tired and very much hungover, were brighter. And she just seemed little more at ease.
Not enough at ease though.
Her eyes kept darting to Noah and lingering both questioningly and longingly. Before, she had been able to keep her love for Noah under control, but whatever happened last night brought it to the front lines. Also, whatever happened was worth wondering about. He seemed to be questioning everything just like she was. They were both constantly in thought.
And their feelings seemed to have intensified.
I worried that this would be it for them again. They had separated before, and I worried that it would happen again. But there would be no magical second chance like this again. It would be over, and they would carry on with their lives miserably.
As Swift and her younger brother began to talk, I found myself wrapped up in questions about Kate and Noah.
And then Chester broke me out of it.
"You okay?"
My eyes shot to Chester, who was wearing his same jeans and tee shirt, only it was for a different band this time. He hadn't changed into whatever had been left in the room, but I had doubted he would as he had the Cherry Blossom room.
"Yeah, just thinking."
"I know, we need to figure out how to get him to give us the painting."
Oh gods, right. I had forgotten.
"Right," I quickly got with the program, "What should we do?"
Chester shrugged.
"Looks like a pretty screwed up situation."
"But just about all godly families are like this."
"Not mine," Chester answered.
I had never heard anything about his parents other than the fact his father was Pluto.
"What's your family like?" I asked, and Chester seemed to let out a little panic. But he was saved by the arrival to our destination. With the opening of the door to the art room, the painted servant disappeared.
"Oh wonderful, you're here. I want you to see my work," Azul called out, getting up from a couch.
There was so much art.
Different pieces all amazing in their own way. Modern works with odd designs and weird subjects. Classic and details scenes. Serious portraits. Impressionistic movement paintings. Drawings. Sculptures. They were all beautiful, all special, and all different.
You wanted to take them all in, and it almost gave you a headache.
But my eyes didn't linger on the artwork long before I saw a young girl.
"This is my daughter, Weslinena," Azul put his hands on his daughter's shoulders.
She was so beautiful.
She had her father's coloring. Her hair was dark black and curly and falling into her dark eyes. Her cheekbones were high and her eyes shaped like almonds. But she also had bits of whatever her mother's form had been at the time. And it went together to produce one of the most beautiful children I had ever seen.
She was dressed like her dad, very much a tomboy, but that didn't shock me since her mom hadn't been around. She was wearing a pair of jeans with pair of boots tucked in. A big grey hoodie covered up most of her tee shirt, and she wore a necklace that I could basically guarantee you was from her mom.
"Weslin, Dad," Weslin blushed, and Azul smiled lovingly at his daughter.
"It's great to meet you," Kate smiled, "I'm Kate."
Weslin nodded towards her with a nervous smile.
Noah was right after her.
"I'm Noah, and this is my little sister, Charlotte."
"Charlie," I corrected him, and Weslin's face lit up knowing that I also had my battles over my real name versus my nickname.
As Sam bid her hello, she smiled at him, but he was too intoxicated with Swift to put on full charm. So, as Aiden smiled a friendly hello and said it was an honor to meet her, I could almost see Weslin fall in love. The same love was not granted to Chester, who just earned a cordial hello before her eyes returned to handsome Aiden. Weslin seemed to like Swift, but Swift was a little more interested in finding a polite way to ask what the Hades happened with the room assignments and dress left for her.
"Speaking of your rooms," Azul cut Swift off before she could get into her polite way, "what do you think of them? I just remodeled. You see, it used to be rooms after famous artist. Like the Juniper room was once the Monet room. But I realized that nature is the most beautiful thing in the world, and Weslin and I were hiking when we got the idea to have the rooms like nature. It took forever to get it, and I haven't really stayed in the guest rooms. So I don't know how they are."
"They're beautiful," I answered before Swift could use that to complain about the sand.
"That's wonderful."
As Azul smiled, I could see how Aphrodite fell so madly in love with him. He was amazing. Gentle and a wonderful father. Sweet and fun. And very caring and very thoughtful.
"You all must be hungry, let's get to dinner, shall we?"
I tried not to let out a moan as I realized that dinner would be full of coaxing and begging to get that painting.
Aiden,
After a long dinner of begging, pleading, coaxing, and influencing, we still had not gotten the painting, and we were all much too tired to retire to the study and talk of art or Weslin or any other form of small talk. Sam and Chester went to bed, and I didn't know where Charlie, Kate, and Noah had gone. They were around somewhere, and we were safe so I didn't worry for Charlie.
Charlie.
Worrying for Charlie.
It was always happening. I was always watching Charlie just a little closer. I knew she would handle herself. I knew that she didn't need me, but I wanted to be there. I wanted to protect her, and I wanted to be sure that she was alright. It wasn't a matter of needing to protect her like she might think it was.
I wasn't sure what she thought of me, but I had a deep fear that it was the same way she thought of her older brother, Noah. Being "Brother-Zoned" was worse than being "Friend-Zoned" by far.
Usually, this all did not happen.
I did not fall for girls younger than me. I didn't fall for girls not in the military. I didn't have to compete for her affection with another guy. I did not have the constant fear of her death. And I most certainly did not fall this fast.
It took much longer. Weeks, months, maybe even years for the feeling to officially form and for me to officially acknowledge it. But it had already formed, and it had formed stronger than anything I had felt before.
And it had caused the worst jealousy I had ever felt in my entire life.
Before, jealousy had been with someone getting a promotion I wanted, someone having something I wanted, or someone being more skilled than me. Jealousy did not equate into my love life, but it had now.
It was driving me up the wall just to see Chester and Charlie talking!
"So, Baby Brother," Swift smiled as she leaned over the railing of my balcony, ruffling her hair.
She had taken off her jacket, and I could see her tattoos. She had one on her arm, which was the roman tattoo. One on her wrist of a dagger. Another on her thigh of an eternity symbol, which I could slightly see. One of an arrow flying on her back that I couldn't see. And the wing tattoo on her neck that we shared.
She was a member of one of the most elite Roman Forces in the entire world.
Swift wasn't in it like I was though. I was high up in the military, and, though I did a lot of secretive work, I was also a public figure. I was supposed to take my place as Praetor one day. Swift blended in to the background. Everything she did was a secret.
Including now.
I wondered what she was doing here now and why. And I wondered if it had anything to do with Charlie.
I knew what our "Force" did. And I knew that we would naturally have someone watching someone like Charlie.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a beach somewhere during your break with Daddy?" Swift called Apollo 'Daddy' mockingly at first, but it had grown on both of us since. I think it gave us a sense of being normal, something we most certainly weren't. We weren't even normal for demigods.
"They stopped by to see Apollo for help, and I just kinda ended up with them," I shrugged, and Swift eyed me.
After a pause, she added.
"She's pretty you know."
I knew who she was talking about, but I tried to pretend I didn't.
"Who?"
"You know who," Swift raised her eyebrows.
"Kate?"
"Yes, Kate is very pretty," Swift smirked, "So is Charlie."
I did everything not to blush, but I didn't have to. She knew I liked her, and she knew it was her job to tease me about it.
"She's very pretty, indeed, even if she is only thirteen. And you two seem to be very good friends. With her running after you when you looked completely insane and started chasing me. You would have to really care to follow someone who looked insane like that," Swift attempts at subtlety weren't working.
"I guess she is," I shrugged, trying to play it cool. My attempts also weren't working.
Then Swift gave up the whole charade.
"You like her! You really like her!" Swift sang loudly, and I quickly tried to quiet her.
"Shut up!" I blushed.
"Oh my gods, you got it bad!" she kept laughing.
"I do-do not!"
"Oh no, it is adorable, really. Just… shocking."
"Shocking?"
"Yeah, Aiden fell for a girl. Aiden who is always working. Always thinking of New Rome and what you could do to be better for it. You never had time for things as silly as girls," Swift laughed, and she nudged me, "This is good for you. Have fun. Date her. Oooh, have your first kiss! And come to me as your big sister and tell me about it. And I can tease you about it, and I can help you get ready for your first date! And I can help you pick out gifts for her. This is awesome."
I stared at my sister.
There was a lot to address there, so I chose at random.
"How do you know I haven't had my first kiss?" I crossed my arms, trying not to sound like a girl being defensive of her first kiss.
"Because I know you."
I accepted that answer and didn't push it.
"And you are thinking too far ahead. I just like her. It isn't like I proposed or anything."
"You just admitted you like her."
Now I was the color of a tomato.
"So, what's up with her and that guy Chester?"
I made a face.
"I don't know."
"Someone's jealous."
"I am not."
"Fine, you aren't jealous, Mr. Grouchy Pants. Well then, what's up with Kate and Noah? Are they together?"
"Nope, in love with each other not-so-secretly. But not together," I shook my head.
"Maybe I could fix that," Swift's smile turned mischievous.
"No, don't mess with this, Swift."
"It's just what they need! I promise, if I stir things up, they'll be together in no time. I will push them together."
I rolled my eyes but still let out a small smile.
"So, you'll stick with us?"
Swift let out a small smile, too.
"If they'll have me."
I smiled wider, and I hugged her.
"You know," I said as I was pulling away, "that'll make Sam pretty happy."
"Please. As if I would go for him," Swift rolled her eyes, and I smirked.
"You just jinxed it. Now you two will probably fall in love, get married, and have a bunch of mini-Swift's and mini-Sam's," I laughed, taking in my turn to make fin of her, and Swift's eyes narrowed.
This was what we did, what we had always done. I was her only family, or the only family she truly saw as family. We shared the circumstances of our mothers. Though we shared the lack of them in our lives, there were different reasons for that.
Swift was the granddaughter of a politician. When his twenty year old daughter fell pregnant, she reportedly went to a year abroad in England. In reality, they hid her off until the baby was born, and little Theodora was first to be adopted by a wealthy couple there. But monsters caused havoc, and Lupa found Swift and brought her to New Rome. There, she became a pet project to work in the military.
I was it for her, the little brother she adored. We told each other everything, and we teased about everything, too.
Instead of firing back like I knew she wanted to, she pulled herself to sit on the railing.
"Now that I am on your team, we should start figuring out a way to get that painting," Swift put on her thinking face.
"We could sacrifice Chester's life in exchange."
Swift shoved me.
"Be nice."
"It was just a suggestion," I crossed my arms, "We could steal it."
Swift nodded that it was a good idea, but she continued to think of something a little better.
"He won't budge. He says he wants to Aphrodite to come and see their daughter. Maybe we take Weslin with us to see Aphrodite or something."
"I don't think he wants his daughter to see her mother's new lover," I pointed out.
Swift nodded, and she finally let out a defeated sigh.
"Sam's been thinking about it," I told her.
"And?" she looked annoyed.
"He has a few ideas, maybe you could build off them," I smiled.
"Maybe you and Charlie could work on it together?" Swift raised her eyebrows, and I quickly took the hint to shut up.
