Chapter Sixteen

From his spot on the bench, Percy could see the Colosseum rising over the tops of buildings. He loved this spot on the bench, where he had a clear view of the outside world. He returned his gaze to ground level, where his freedom was restricted by the metal bars that rose from the dirt to the ceiling. The bars allowed him a view of the streets, the crowd bustling in the morning. A gladiator fight was scheduled for tomorrow. The Emperor had decided to provide the citizens with a four-on-four fight. The four gladiators picked from the royal prison, and the four masked gladiators that had so moved the crowd in their gallantry the day before.

Once in a while, people would come near the iron bars to stare in at the gladiators, while others would simply joke and jeer at the slaves in armor. The day grew hotter, less people paced the streets as the sun shone from its high place in the sky. Percy was startled from his daze by the nearing of footsteps to the bars. He looked up to see a maiden in royal robes with a guard behind her.

He wondered what she could possibly doing here. The gladiator confines were not the proper place for a woman of such high authority. Her hair was brown and choppy, her skin gilden from the sun. Her eyes confused him though, they seemed to change color every second. She seemed familiar, as if he had met her or at least seen her before. Then he remembered. She was the sister of Annabeth, Piper. What could she possibly be doing here?

She seemed distracted, as if she were looking for someone. She glanced around the dark, shaded gladiator confines for a few minutes and Percy watched her eyes. After a while he decided to at least attempt to help her. "My lady?"

Piper turned to him. "Yes?" Something about those sea green eyes was familiar.

"I was wondering if you were looking for someone. Perhaps I could help," Percy said.

Piper stared at him then smiled. "Yes, um, have you seen a boy here, with blonde hair and blue eyes?"

Percy sat back in his bench. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He didn't know anyone like that except Luke and she wouldn't look for Luke. Who could she look for? He thought hard, could she be looking for-oh. "I'm sorry milady, Jason's not here."

Piper's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How did you know?"

Percy gave her a lopsided grin. "Why milady, I served your father faithfully. I ought to know who his sons are, especially the one I was saddened to have not seen at our meeting up in Gaul."

Piper's eyes widened. The sea green eyes, Gaul. "Perseus?" she whispered.

Percy grinned. "I go by Percy now and thanks for keeping it quiet. Can't have your brother killing me before I fulfill Emperor Poseidon's wishes."

Piper raised an eyebrow. "Emperor Poseidon's wishes?"

"My, lady-"

"Call me Piper."

Percy smiled. "Before he died he told me Rome was to be made a republic. Reveal this to no one and do not tell of my identity. I will make sure the true Emperor's orders will be fulfilled."

Piper nodded and turned to walk away before she was stopped by his voice. "Oh, and Piper?"

She turned. "I'm sorry about Jason," he said. She nodded and walked away.

Percy got up from his seat on the bench. Thalia would want to know about Jason. He walked down the bench until he found Thalia laughing next to Luke.

"Thalia?"

She looked up, her electric blue eyes bright from laughter. "Yeah Perce?"

"Can I talk to you?"

Thalia gave Luke a look and nodded solemnly at Percy's serious tone of voice.

Percy led her to a more secluded part of the bench and sat down. The black haired girl sat next to him, wondering what could have possibly gotten the goof ball to be so serious.

"Thalia, I need to talk to you about something important. It has to do with your brother."

Thalia knit her eyebrows. "Which one?"

"Jason."

Thalia's eyes darkened at his mention of her brother. Whatever he had to say about her favorite brother in such a serious tone of voice couldn't be good. "What about him?"

"Piper came a few minutes ago looking for someone. I wanted to help her so I asked who she was looking for. She said a blonde boy with blue eyes and I thought about Jason. Turns out I was right. Thalia, something must have happened to your brother to have gotten him into the gladiator prison."

Thalia's eyes flared. "This stinks of Triton!" she screamed while Percy frantically tried to quiet her. No need for the whole city of Rome to know about their predicament.

Thalia breathed heavily. "Triton had had to have done something to him. Jason can't be here! He's only fifteen!" She stormed off and Luke came running.

"Percy, where's she going? What'd you say?" he asked.

Percy shook his head. "It's better for her to say."

Luke turned his head at the angry girl concerned. "I better go talk to her."

As Luke left, Percy sensed Nico come up next to him. "What happened?" the younger boy asked.

Percy shook his head grimly, resting his hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"Thalia, wait!" Luke called.

"I want to kill that son of a-" Thalia ranted.

"Thalia! Stop!"

The girl finally slowed and in her strides and Luke caught up to her. "What happened?"

Thalia was still breathing heavily and sat down. Her shouts had drawn the attention of other gladiators and she glared at their stares. "Buzz off!"

The gladiators immediately returned to their activities and glared at the floor.

"Thalia?"

The girl snapped her neck at him, still glaring.

Luke rubbed the back of his neck nervously. If looks could kill…

"Tell me-I mean, please tell me what happened," he pleaded.

Thalia continued to glare at him until her eyes softened and she sighed. "Jason's a gladiator."

"What?" Luke exclaimed.

"Percy saw Piper who had come looking for Jason. Jason is in gladiator prison."

Luke was shocked and he stared blankly at here for a moment before he came to his senses. "Are you sure? I haven't seen him," Luke pointed out.

Thalia shook her head. "He might be in the royal gladiator prison, the Emperor's personal gladiators." Her glare returned. "Triton's turned him into a play toy." Then she did something that surprised herself and Luke. She cried.

Luke was caught off guard. Thalia never cried. She was the tough girl, the "take no crap from no one" girl. But they were talking about her brother here. The only one that she truly cared about and cared for her back. And now he was sentenced to the arena to fight for the Emperor.

He did the only thing he could do, he hugged her.

Thalia was startled at first from sudden contact but quickly leaned into the hug. She rested her head against his chest as she cried. Luke stroked her hair, trying to sooth her. Eventually her tears stopped coming and she look up into his eyes. Luke was surprised at how close her face was to his and suddenly his body took over and he leaned in. Thalia froze from the sudden feeling of his lips on hers but it didn't take long for her to kiss back. Their lips moved in sync and they held each other closer, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Eventually they broke the kiss for air and stared breathlessly at each other. Luke was scared. What if she thought he had taken advantage of her fragile emotional state? All thoughts of worry disappeared when she smiled and kissed him again and Luke knew, that if he died tomorrow, he was glad he had been able to share this moment with her.

Author's Note: And behold the magnificence of romance! If you're a Thalico fan, sorry. It just didn't fit my plot. Oh, I figured I might as well put in the ages for the main characters to lower confusion:

Percy: 23

Annabeth: 23

Thalia: 19

Luke: 19

Nico: 16

Jason: 15

Piper: 15

Triton: 21

Thanks for reading guys! Please review, it always helps!