Bucky's pov
The last three days was one of the longest times he ever had, even from his time in World War II, even after he become the winter soldier. He knew that there was a lot more to being a demigod than rescuing demigods, training and fighting monsters. But nothing could prepare him for what happened in the last three days and if Emily was dealing stuff like this in world War II and before, he wondered of how she even made it though. Emily told him being a demigod was dangerous and as well as telling him a few things about the two groups of demigods after he learned about the Romans. But he had no idea till entering the wolf house and feel the cursed land that he realize that there was much more to being a demigod than what he thought. It seemed that thought crossed Steve's mind as well, Steve still hadn't learned of use his powers or at least not fully. He has some control over the plants but it was nothing compared to Emily of who has been using her powers over plants for over seventy years. Besides Steve was more comfortable with fighting with the shield than anything else.
Bucky did get use to the bow and arrows as well as the sword quite easily enough, thanks to Emily and the blessing of Apollo. When the one giant came from the sphere and disappeared into the earth that Bucky couldn't believe he want to help Jason but Emily stopped him. Bucky watched and listen to Jason and he couldn't believe what he was hearing, for Bucky meet Jason a few times before the battle of Manhattan and Bucky hasn't seen him since. When Bucky meet Jason was when Bucky learned about the Roman demigods and that was before the demigod battle of Manhattan. He wasn't present during the avenger battle of Manhattan, for he was still the winter soldier and Emily was his only memory during that time from his old life. When Emily manage to get Hera to send Bucky, Steve and Lauren to the avenger tower that he felt like he was going to throw up when he disappeared and appeared on the dinning table in the avenger tower.
When Bucky got down that he throw up in the sink in the kitchen as well as Steve, Lauren looked ill but she didn't throw up though. Bucky wished that Emily shadow travel them here instead for Bucky managed to get use to Shadow travel in the last few months. When Bucky and Steve stopped throwing up that Bucky explained everything he could about the romans and their history and the rivalry of Greeks and Romans. When Bucky finished that no of them spoke, a pin could have drop from the ceiling and it could be heard in the silence. Bucky could tell that they either confused or puzzled, Bucky was surprised to see the shocked look on Lauren's face. He knows that he has been frozen in time or was an HYDRA weapon in the last seventy years. Bucky thought she would have learned about the Romans by now, but it seemed that she hadn't heard about the Romans quite yet. Than Lauren spoke.
"How did you know about the Romans?"
"Jason, the blond hair male, and two girls that were in the forest where Emily's cabin was a few months ago before the demigod war, when we went there to take a break from the world. Phil was there as well and there was a scream, the other two girls were Reyna, daughter of Bellona and the other one was Jennifer Richards, daughter of Pluto. When the three couldn't hear that she explained this to phil and myself about the romans and the oath that she made that she couldn't tell anyone unless if they found out without meaning to."
"So are you saying that there is a chance that might be a demigod war with Hera's gamble of switching Percy and Jason?"
"Exactly." None of them looked to thrilled when Bucky said that.
"Have you been to this other camp?"
"Yes, as far as the Romans know that I am just a friend to their ambassador of Vesta."
"Vesta?" Bucky nodded.
"Hestia's roman form and name." Bucky got up. "Look if you don't mind I am going to bed." Bucky went to the elevator to go to Emily's and his level.
Emily's pov
Before leaving the wolf house that Emily picked her sword up before she swished the sword and it changed back into the necklace. When Emily ran into the shadows and reappear into another shadow that she reappeared in a shadow in Vesta's temple. She snapped her fingers and tugged at the sleeve of her Lieutenant USA uniform and it become her blue bracelet. She took off the blue bracelet and green bracelet. Emily walked out of Vesta's temple and slowly made her way down to the main building in Camp Jupiter. As she walked down there that she thought of the fight she just been in, she knows that Khione wasn't died but she was unsure of where the goddess was now. Emily dragged herself out of her thoughts as she entered the main building an entered the Praetor office. Reyna and Octavian looked up as Emily entered the office, Emily heard enough of what they were saying that she knows that they were talking about Jason. Reyna was the first one to spoke up
"Ambassador Blackthrone, have you heard any news about Jason?" Emily looked at Reyna, she watched Reyna and Jason since Reyna got there. She watched even more closely after their last mission, for it was clear that Reyna likes Jason a lot. But Emily knows that Jason doesn't feel the same way about Reyna though, Emily felt sorry for Reyna. Reyna always been hard to read for the most part expect when it went to how she felt about Jason. Emily did noticed after that one mission Reyna and Jason had that Reyna was acting differently around Jason. Jason was easier to read due to his greek like nature, Emily knows that Jason was leading Reyna on. For Jason only saw her as a friend and nothing more, honestly, Emily just couldn't see the two of them together. In a way that Reyna reminds Emily of Annabeth, it was weird for they were the female leaders of their own campers or co leader or secondary leader. But they looked so utterly different, though the same thing can be said about Percy and Jason as well. Emily did expected Reyna to ask about Jason when Emily entered the office, she cousin't tell Reyna of where Jason was or what he was doing.
"The only news I have is that Jason is safe. I need to talk to you two." Emily explained the bit of what Bests wanted to do of which was to make Emily the official protector of the Roman State and the Home. After that, that the romans spend the day making the stage and doing things for the ceremony that night. When night fell that everyone from Camp Jupiter gathered on the field of Mars of where the stage was made. Reyna went on the stage first of which was jut part of the ceremony, when Reyna was done that Emily went up on the stage. Than Emily called out to Vesta like how suppose to be in the ceremony, as soon as Emily called to Vesta that she appeared before the Romans. All the Romans knelt before Vesta, even Emily, unlike Hestia, Vesta appears to be older than eight years old. Vesta appears to be twenty, instead of mush brown hair that she was regular brown hair but her eyes were still the same for they were still red flames that was like a cozy home fire. She was wearing a brown roman style dress and her hair was up in a roman hairdo, Vesta walked over to Emily before she placed her hands on Emily's head
"Rachel Blackthrone, today I am giving you my biggest blessing and honor that any could be given. Today I am making you the protecter of the a roman state and the home, from this day forth that you will protect the Romans and it's people."
As Vesta spoke that Emily could feel the protection of New Rome enter her, Emily could feel the protection somewhat before. But now she could feel every single protection that New Rome and Camp Jupiter has, it was a strange feeling. She could also sense the ones that were loyal to New Rome and Camp Jupiter as well as able to sense the one traitor that was spoken of. Emily also felt warm as well, the last time she felt that warmth was when Hestia made Emily, her champion. When Vesta lifted her hands from her head that she could hear the gasps of the Romans that gathered. Emily looked up at Vesta wondering what happened and why the Romans gasp when Vesta lifted her hands from her head. As soon as Emily looked at Vesta that Vesta waved a hand and a mirror appeared in front of Emily, when Emily looked in the mirror that she was surprised at what she saw. Her appearance didn't change or at least not in the way that it did when Hades adopted her when she gained a second appearance, plus Emily has a feeling that the changes would stay no matter what appearance she would be in from that point on. She was still her in her daughter of Hades appearance, but her eyes has a warm and fiery glow to them along with the mad gleam that was always present in the appearance she was in now. That was not the only thing, for she has an orange glow around her like the howling commandos has the golden glow around them as well as the hunters have the silver glow.
"Romans, welcome your new protector of the roman state and the home." Than Vesta disappeared in a flurry of flames, when the flames were gone that emily got up from where she was kneeling before she faced the Romans. All the Romans were still kneeling, she knows that they were waiting for her to give he order to stand up. Emily walked to the edge of the stage and looked at the Romans that were gathered, there was young and old, Emily could hear a couple of babies among the crowd.
"As your new protector that I will say is, that I do not take kindly to those who think they can gain powers because they want it or feel that they deserve it. Those position of powers is for those who should be worthy of it, not someone who is power hungry and don't know how to use the powers properly or even abuse those powers. I know a couple of you want to replace the open praetor seat and a couple of you are also using blackmail to gain that open seat." There was mutters from the Romans at those words, Emily looked at each of the Romans as she paused. When he muttering stopped that Emily went on. "Many of you know that I was the ambassador of Pluto before I handed that title to my younger brother and younger sister that I took the mantle of ambassador of Vesta even though many of you thought I should reform the Vestal Virgin of which you knew I couldn't do and if I couldn't do it, I wouldn't do it." Than she heard Octavian from the crowd.
"Ambassador, it always been the way of the Romans to gain power." Emily looked over at Octavian.
"I am aware of this, Augur, but this must change now." There was some more muttering from the Romans, Emily expected this for it was the roman way to gain as much power as they could. However being protector among the Romans meant that emily could remove the protection if she felt that the Romans were not showing honor to Roman. There were also many other things that emily could do, Emily proved more than once that she would do what she must to protect Rome before. That includes traitors and anyone who was power hungry that has no right to a rank like praetor, or any kind of position. Emily raised her hands and all of the Romans went silent. "I know we just got out of a war and there is a praetor missing, but there is something else more important than that. For another war is coming, it would be coming in the very most a year. The earth is stirring and waking, she must be put back to sleep. In order to do this that the last thing that is needed is for a power hungry roman to take the place of praetor, but that is not the only thing, there is a traitor that is present, right now." There cries of outrage when Emily said that, than Octavian manage to speak up quieting everyone.
"How do you know this?" Emily jumped off the stage that she was on and walked over to where Octavian was kneeling, she spoke as she walked to Octavian.
"I know this for two reasons, one because Juno warned me of this war as well as this traitor. Two because I am now the protector of the Roman state and the home, so I can sense when is a traitor or becomes a traitor. I can sense when one becomes power hungry." Emily looked around at the gathered Romans, it was so silent that she was sure that everyone could hear a pin drop. "So know this, if you become power hungry that you better watch you step, for if you try to blackmail someone or commit any crimes to make sure you can get a better position, that you wish that you never did. For you will be cast out form New Rome and end up in the field of punishment, you better hope that the punishment is bearable." Emily was glad that Bucky wasn't here, Bucky knows that Emily could handle herself here, but he never once seen her go into her Roman mood of which was just as scary as when she fights. Emily stopped in front of Octavian and looked at him before she went on. "I will say this, the traitor that I am speaking of wasn't a traitor that I would make sure that he gets what he has coming to him."
"Why is that, Ambassador?" Emily glared down at Octavian, Emily could tell that he was scared, scared that she knows he was the traitor and that she knows that he has been blackmailing Hazel and Jennifer. Because of the fact that Hazel was dead and that Jennifer comes form a line of Greek legacies, that Octavian hates Greeks because of an old rivalry.
"Because the traitor has been blackmailing my two sisters since Jason disappeared to gain the seat of praetor. I don't to we to kindly to anyone blackmailing my sisters, lucky he was smart enough not to blackmail me as well. Though he doesn't have anything on me though, even if he did that he would I be too scared to act on it for he knows I could kill him and won't be bothered by it. That as princess of the underworld and protector of the roman state and the home that I could pass his sentence in the afterlife now if I decide to." Octavian was shaking now, it was clear now that he knows that she was talking about him and she was aware of the fact that he was the traitor. Emily grasp Octavian's sleeve and pulled it off, the sleeve ripped off from the shoulder, there was two marks on his skin. One mark was of the earth itself while the other mark was a Scythe, the marks of Kronos and Gaea. "Alecto!" Alecto appeared before Emily and before Octavian of who jumped up and backed away from the fury in fear. Before he could take another step back that Emily put her stygian iron sword against his throat and Reyna was behind Octavian with her dagger in his back. All the Romans were disgusted when they see the marks on his arms.
"Octavian, you are deemed a traitor to New Tome and it's people, you have put New Rome I to danger by siding with Gaea and Kronos in the wars. You have been blackmailing my sisters, things that you should keep to yourself and not to use to gain you the rank of praetor. Plus, what you have been blackmailing my sisters doesn't concern you at all." Emily laughed and looked at the Romans gathered, making it plain that she would do what she can to protect Rome and the people but she wouldn't allow any traitors or blackmailers no matter who they are blackmailing. But the punishment would be worse if they were blackmailing any siblings of hers, than Emily looked back at Octavian. "Anyone who blackmails my sisters will pay dearly for it, even if I wasn't here to make sure you get what you deserve that my father would have made sure that you would have gotten when you deserved. From this day forward that you will be taken to the field of Punishment of where Alecto would tear you to shreds in the most painfully ways possible while you are hanging from a cliff. Than you will come back to life each day, it would be repeated till you die of old age, when you die of old age that you will still be hanging from that cliff but it would be lowered so that you are hanging an inch over black hellfire. You remain like that till I decided to let you drop into those flames, than you remained till I decide to toss you into each of the rivers of the underworld. After I do that, that I will throw you into Tartarus of where you will never be able to escape." Emily looked at at Alecto of who was smiling gleefully when Emily said that, Emily knows that Alecto would enjoy that. "Alecto, take him down below for treason and treachery against Rome and the gods as well as blackmailing fellow Romans and bringing dishonor to Rome."
"With pleasure, my princess." Alecto grasp Octavian's arm before he could say or do anything and they were engulf by the shadows. Emily looked at the Romans gathered of who were looking at her in fear, emily than spoke and it was in a soft tone but it was serious at the same time.
"Remember this day, Romans. Of what I had told you, this is no game to play and there is no room for blackmailers or ones that are power hungry. We are entering a time of war yet again and you need to make sure you are ready for it. For you will need to ready for what awaits, in order to make sure that the earth goddess is defeat." Emily walked backwards out of the gathered romans, she merely nodded at Reyna before the shadows engulf her. Emily reappeared inside the Empire State Building, Emily swish her sword and it changed back to being the skull necklace. Emily put the necklace back on before leaving the Empire State Building, it was late here, unlike at Camp Jupiter. However half of the city was still awake, Emily crossed the street and went into the avenger tower, as soon as she was inside that she snapped her fingers. Her appearance changed back to her normal birth appearance, Emily looked at the metal wall next to her. Her hair was blond and straight, her eyes were blue and her skin was slightly tanned, however like with her daughter of Hades appearance that her eyes have a warm and fiery glow and the Orange glow was still around her. Emily shook her head and went to the elevator before pushing the button to go to the main level.
Emily wanted to take her mind off of what happened, she needed to do what she had done. Though next time they would be outcasted like quite a few other roman demigod's and legacies have been before. That those demigods or legacies would never be able to come back to Camp Jupiter or join the legion. That the would be left alone to wander till they die than they would be judged by that point, unless if she has to judge before they die. Once the elevator doors open that Emily stepped out and she was greeted by a rather funny sight. Apparently the avengers waited up for her the night before, otherwise Steve, Tony, Natasha, Clint, Thor, Lauren and Bucky were asleep on the couches or chairs in the living room. Though Arabella wasn't there among the avengers, most likely because of the fact that she was in the underworld at the moment. Bruce was there and he was the only one sitting there fully awake, she wasn't sure if that was because of the other guy or not. Emily looked around at the avengers before looking at Bruce, once more, it seems hard to believe at times that Bruce could become the hulk.
"Let me guess you were waiting for me?" Emily walked over to the kitchen as Bruce got up and followed her into the kitchen.
"Yes. Where have you been? Bucky did tell us something about something becoming official in this Camp Jupiter."
"As ambassador of Vesta, or Hesta, I am sort of a protector of the roman state and the home. For Vesta is the stern guardian of the roman state and the home. She made it official today that I am the protector of the roman state and the home. I protect the Romans and I take care of any Romans that are traitors and I already took care of one this morning." Emily started cooking as she spoke, she could see that Bruce seem taken back.
"You mean you killed him. That doesn't seem like you."
"He is sort of dead. I gave him a punishment to fit all the crimes he has done." Emily looked up from the pan that had eggs in it and Bruce was about ready to say something but Emily spoke. "Don't ask me what kind of punishment, for you don't want to know."
"Is it bad as Loki's punishment." Emily looked over at Bruce.
"Bruce, the only thing you need to know about that is that the punishment was taken care of. Do you mind if you help me?" Bruce gladly help her with the cooking, as he helped her that he spoke.
"So what is with the glow in your eyes and the one around you."
"When everyone else joins us that I will tell everyone." It didn't take too long for the others to wake up and joined them in the kitchen. Steve joined in the cooking as well, he was getting better at cooking, partly because he was a son of Demeter and partly because Emily helped him learn. She told them of what basically happened at Camp Jupiter that day, she didn't tell them of what happened with the traitor or Octavian. She just told them that they didn't need to worry about what happened to the traitor for he got his punishment. But she brought up of why she was the warm and fiery glow in her eyes and the Orange glow around her. Of which was the result of becoming the protector of the Roman State and the home. None of them questioned after that, after everyone ate that they went to their own level leaving Emily and Bucky alone. It was Bucky that spoke up.
"Emily, I know what you said about the Romans and that you got to know what they are like. But exactly what did you do to the traitor?" Emily sighed when Bucky said that, she walked over to him and took his hands in hers.
"Bucky, don't worry about him. I know what I told you about the Romans, that they are warlike and that they can be more power hungry. The traitor was trying to buy his way to power to become praetor and with the war with Gaea, the last thing that is needed is someone like that as praetor. That is besides the point, he was also blackmailing at least two of the campers, maybe more to get his way to power. He always twisted the words of the praetors to use to his own gain as well as helping Kronos and tried to help Gaea to rise again. Knowing him and fi he learned about the Greeks that he would march the legion there and kill them claiming to protect Rome. The tif he did that and he was left in charge without a praetor that I am sure he would bring in the former legionnaires that were casted out of Rome for different crimes they committed. But all he will do is seal the fate of the fall of Rome. Even without of what he could have done if I hadn't placed the judgement on him that he has too many crimes against him already against both Rome and the gods and that is something that can't be put aside. Yes I put a somewhat harsh punishment in him, but trust me when I say this. If I didn't put the judgement on him and let my father decide or even the judges that I am sure his punishment would be worse."
"How?"
"It depends on who it is and what they did. Most of the time it is the judges that decided, expect for certain people." Bucky shook his head.
"Sometimes, I wondered of how you managed to do what you do in the last seventy years and how you lived so long."
"Sometimes I wonder that too." Emily and Bucky slaked to the elevator to go to their own level.
The next night that Emily went to Camp Halfblood by herself, Tony and the avengers wanted to know what the meeting would be about. Emily told them that everything that would be talked about would be pretty much the same thing as what she told them last night. However they still wanted to know of what was going to go at the meeting, Emily told them that if they bring up anything that she hasn't covered that she would tell them. Emily told them that there was little chance of that happen expect for another way to get to Camp Jupiter besides Emily's way of getting to Camp Halfblood. Besides Vans or Pegasus, she wasn't sure of how else they would get there, those ways of traveling would be long. However the Pegasus were still trying to find Percy of which didn't surprise Emily at all, since he was the son of Poseidon. When Emily got to camp that the first place she went to was Cabin One to talk to Jason to see what else he remembers. When Emily entered the cabin that she saw Jason standing in front of Zeus' statue looking at the statue. Emily been in here enough times to expect to see that statue, but the statue still unnerved her, not even the Hades cabin could unnerve like the state of Zeus could. Than Jason spoke to the statue.
"I know you can hear me." The statue just stared down at Jason, Emily felt sorry for Jason, unlike with most other demigods, even the Romans, have meet their godly parent at least once but Jason never meet his father. "I wish I could talk with you in person but I understand you can't do that. The Roman gods don't like to interact with mortals so much, and—well, you're the king. You've got to set an example. I remember some things, I remember that it's hard being a son of Jupiter. Everyone is always looking at me to be a leader, but I always feel alone. I guess you feel the same way up on Olympus. The other gods challenge your decisions. Sometimes you've got to make hard choices, and the others criticize you. And you can't come to my aid like other gods might. You've got to keep me at a distance so it doesn't look like you're playing favorites. I guess I just wanted to say … I understand all that. It's okay. I'm going to try to do my best. I'll try to make you proud. But I could really use some guidance, Dad. If there's anything you can do ... help me so I can help my friends. I'm afraid I'll get them killed. I don't know how to protect them." It seemed that Jason realized that he was no longer alone and he turned around to faced Emily. Emily walked over to him and spoke as she did so.
"I am sure your father is looking out for you and your well being. He may not appeared to you but he has appeared to Thalia and Lauren and he always looked out for them even now. I am sure he does that with you as well, but I think he is unsure that he should appear before you." Jason nodded when Emily said that, Emily put her hand in his shoulder. "Jason, there is a small chance you may never meet or see your father but there is a small chance you may. I can't make no promises, but I am sure one of these days that you will be able to talk to him face to face even if it takes years."
"I hope you are right." Jason looked at her. "Since when did you have an Orange glow?"
"Last night, when I officially become the protector of the roman state and the home." Jason stared at her when she said that before he looked behind her. Emily took her hand off of Jason's shoulder before she turned around, a woman stood there in black hooded robe with a goatskin cloak over her shoulders and a sheathed roman sword, a gladius, in her hands. It was Hera, actually in this case it was Juno.
"Hera." Juno pushed her hood back.
"To you, I have always been Juno. And your father has already sent you guidance, Jason. He sent you Piper and Leo. They're not just your responsibility. They are also your friends. Listen to them, and you will do well. However Hestia has sent Emily to help guide you back."
"Did Jupiter send you here to tell me that?"
"No one sends me anywhere, hero. I am not a messenger."
"But you got me into this. Why did you send me to this camp?"
"I think you know. An exchange of leaders was necessary. It was the only way to bridge to gap."
"I didn't agree to it."
"No. But Zeus gave your life to me, and I am helping you fulfill your destiny." Emily could tell that Jason was trying to control his anger, Emily wasn't happy about the exchange either. She also didn't like being used either, but she also didn't want the godly family to be torn apart either. Everything ehe ever did was to help and protect the demigod's on both sides of the family, as well as to help make sure that the world of the dead and the world of the living don't merge together. Emily put her hand on Jason's shoulder and she could feel him calm down as she helped calm him done by using hope. Jason looked down at his camp shirt and his tattoo, it was a dangerous mix for a Roman to be in Camp Halfblood, just like it would be the other way around. Even though Emily didn't like the plan, that Emily knows the camps would have to work together to stop Gaea. They have to work together, aware of each other, unlike in the titan of where the worked together but were unaware of it.
"You're not giving me all my memories. Even though you promised."
"Most will return in time. But you must find your own way back. You need these next months with your new friends, your new home. You're gaining their trust. By the time you sail in your ship, you will be a leader at this camp. And you will be ready to be a peacemaker between two great powers."
"What if you're not telling the truth? What if you're doing this to cause another civil war?"
"I am the goddess of family. My family has been divided for too long."
"They divided us so we don't kill each other. That seems like a pretty good reason."
"The prophecy demands that we change. The giants will rise. Each can only be killed by a god and demigod working together. Those demigods must be the eight greatest of the age. As it stands, they are divided between two places. If we remain divided, we cannot win. Gaea is counting on this. You must unite the heroes of Olympus and sail together to meet the giants on the ancient battlegrounds of Greece. Only then will the gods be convinced to join you. It will be the most dangerous quest, the most important voyage, ever attempted by the children of the gods." Jason looked up at the statue of his father.
"It's not fair, I could ruin everything."
"You could. But gods need heroes. We always have."
"Even you? I thought you hated heroes."
"I have that reputation. But if you want the truth, Jason, I often envy other gods their mortal children. You demigods can span both worlds. I think this helps your godly parents—even Jupiter, curse him—to understand the mortal world better than I. I am the goddess of marriage, It is not in my nature to be faithless. I have only two godly children—Mars and Vulcan—both of whom are disappointments. I have no mortal heroes to do my bidding, which is why I am so often bitter toward demigods—Heracles, Aeneas, all of them. But it is also why I favored the first Jason, a pure mortal, who had no godly parent to guide him. And why I am glad Zeus gave you to me. You will be my champion, Jason. You will be the greatest of heroes, and bring unity to the demigods, and thus to Olympus." Emily was sure that Jason was scared and worried that he could do something wrong. Emily put her other hand on Jason's shoulder and that relax him some.
"And if I fail?"
"Great victory requires great risk. Fail, and there will be bloodshed like we have never seen. Demigods will destroy one another. The giants will overrun Olympus. Gaea will wake, and the earth will shake off everything we have built over five millennia. It will be the end of us all."
"Great. Just great." Someone pounded on the doors. Juno put her hood back over her face and she handed Jason the gladius.
"Take this for the weapon you lost. We will speak again. Like it or not, Jason, I am your sponsor, and your link to Olympus. We need each other." Juno vanished as Piper walked into the cabin, she looked a little surprised to see Emily there but Piper knows that Emily was no threat on her claim to Jason since Emily was already married and Emily was quite a bit older than Jason, both by looks and her real age.
"Annabeth and Rachel are here, Chiron has summoned the council."
Emily walked into the room with Jason and Piper, she sat in the extra chair at the table. Clovis was there as well as Leo, Clarisse, Travis, Butch and other counselors from other cabins. Including Miranda from the Demeter cabin, Emily smiled and nodded to her half sister, at the moment Katie was at school and couldn't come here. Rachel was sitting next to Chiron at the head of the table and she was wearing her Clarion academy school uniform dress. Emily had to admit that it looked odd to see Rachel in her school uniform after seeing her in shirt, jeans and tennis shoes covered with drawings and paint. Annabeth wasn't relaxed though when Emily saw her, she looked like she was battle ready.
"Let's come to Ellen, please give Miranda her nose back. Travis, if you'd kindly extinguish the flaming Ping-Pong ball, and Butch, I think twenty pencils is really too many for any human nostril. Thank you. Now, as you can see, Jason, Piper, and Leo have returned successfully… more or less. Some of you have heard parts of their story, but I will let them fill you in." Everyone looked at Jason of who told them the story with Piper and Leo filling in details, when Emily came along in the story that she added in her own details. The story took a few minutes to tell, Jason ended with Hera's visit in the cabin.
"So Hera was here. Talking to you."
"Look, I'm not saying I trust her—"
"That's smart."
"—but she isn't making this up about another group of demigods. That's where I came from." Clarisse tossed a sausage to Seymor.
"Romans. You expect us to believe there's another camp with demigods, but they follow the Roman forms of the gods. And we've never even heard of them."
"The gods have kept the two groups apart, because every time they see each other, they try to kill each other.
"I can respect that. Still, why haven't we ever run across each other on quests?"
"Oh, yes. You have, many times. It's always a tragedy, and always the gods do their best to wipe clean the memories of those involved. The rivalry goes all the way back to the Trojan War, Clarisse. The Greeks invaded Troy and burned it to the ground. The Trojan hero Aeneas escaped, and eventually made his way to Italy, where he founded the race that would someday become Rome. The Romans grew more and more powerful, worshipping the same gods but under different names, and with slightly different personalities."
"More warlike. More united. More about expansion, conquest, and discipline."
"Yuck." Many of the counselors looked just as uncomfortable as that, Clarisse merely shrugged it off like it would all right with her of which wasn't a big surprise to Emily. Annabeth twirled her knife on the table.
"And the Romans hated the Greeks. They took revenge when they conquered the Greek isles, and made them part of the Roman Empire."
"Not exactly hated them. The Romans admired Greek culture, and were a little jealous. In return, the Greeks thought the Romans were barbarians, but they respected their military power. So during Roman times, demigods started to divide—either Greek or Roman."
"And it's been that way ever since. But this is crazy. Chiron, where were the Romans during the Titan War? Didn't they want to help?" Before Chiron could say anything that Emily spoke.
"They did help, Annabeth. While the Greeks, myself included, were leading the battle in Manhattan that the Romans conquered Mount Othrys, the titan's base in California. Because of the two groups not knowing about each other that we said that it just crumbled when we best Kronos."
"Hold on, You mean that Mount Othrys didn't just crumbled when we beat Kronos."
"No, It didn't just fall. We destroyed their palace. I defeated the Titan Krios myself." Annabeth's eyes were stormy, her eyes showed to how fast she was thinking.
"The Bay Area. We demigods were always told to stay away from it because Mount Othrys was there. But that wasn't the only reason, was it? The Roman camp—it's got to be somewhere near San Francisco. I bet it was put there to keep watch on the Titans' territory. Where is it?"
"I cannot say. Honestly, even I have never been trusted with that information. My counterpart, Lupa, is not exactly the sharing type. Jason's memory, too, has been burned away."
"The camp's heavily veiled with magic. And heavily guarded. We could search for years and never find it." Jason looked at Emily. "You know where it is though, ambassador?" When he said that, that Emily slapped him on the back of the head.
"Here it is Ghost girl or Emily or even Rachel for all I care, praetor. But yes I know where it is. I have to, you dit." Chiron smiled slightly when Emily said that. "But like Hera or Junoa, what you feel like calling her, said you have to find your own way back." Rachel, the only other one that wasn't nervous besides Emily, spoke up
"But you'll try, won't you? You'll build Leo's boat, the Argo II. And before you make for Greece, you'll sail for the Roman camp. You'll need their help to confront the giants."
"Bad plan, If those Romans see a warship coming, they'll assume we're attacking."
"You're probably right. But we have to try. I was sent here to learn about Camp Half-Blood, to try to convince you the two camps don't have to be enemies. A peace offering."
"Hmm. Because Hera is convinced we need both camps to win the war with the giants. Seven heroes of Olympus ... some Greek, some Roman."
"I believe that is what it means, when you brought Jason, that thought crossed my mind." Annabeth looked at Emily.
"How long have you know about the Romans?"
"Seventy years. I never said anything because the timing was not right. Besides demigods need to find their fate without looking to the gods for help. Sometimes we have to keep things to protect our families. Even if none of them like doing it." Annabeth looked at her with thoughts across her stormy eyes
"I know you well enough to know that you wanted to protect us." Emily nodded than Annabeth looked at Rachel. "Your Great Prophecy—what's the last line?"
"And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."
"Gaea has opened the Doors of Death. She's letting out the worst villains of the Underworld to fight us. Medea, Midas—there'll be more, I'm sure. Maybe the line means that the Roman and Greek demigods will unite, and find the doors, and close them."
"Or it could mean they fight each other at the doors of death. It doesn't say we'll cooperate." There was silence that followed that statement.
"I'm going. Jason, when you get this ship built, let me go with you."
"I was hoping you'd offer. You of all people —we'll need you."
"Wait. I mean that's cool with me and all. But why Annabeth of all people?" Emily knew that Jason and Annabeth figured out the truth of what happened to Percy. That was something Emily knew since she saw Jason coming from the lake.
"Hera said my coming here was an exchange of leaders. A way for the two camps to learn of each other's existence."
"Yeah? So?"
"An exchange goes two ways. When I got here, my memory was wiped. I didn't know who I was or where I belonged. Fortunately, you guys took me in and I found a new home. I know you're not my enemy. The Roman camp—they're not so friendly. You prove your worth quickly, or you don't survive. They may not be so nice to him, and if they learn where he comes from, he's going to be in serious trouble."
"Him? Who are you talking about?"
"My boyfriend, He disappeared around the same time Jason appeared. If Jason came to Camp Half-Blood..."
"Exactly. Percy Jackson is at the other camp, and he probably doesn't even remember who he is." After a few more hours that the meeting ended and Emily went back to the avenger tower. Bucky was laying on the bed fast asleep, when Emily climbed into the bed that he shifted onto his back. Emily put one arm over his chest and placed her head on his chest before falling asleep listening to Bucky's heart.