Warning: This chapter involvs Stollsest, at the verry end. So if you're not a fan I suggest not reading the last two paragraphs. Otherwise the story of how the Stolls join the crew of the Huntress is important for the upcoming chapters.
=Connor=
"What exactly do you do for a living?" The girl glared at me and my brother as Percy lounged across our couch and his brother ate all the food we had set out. Her name was Clara, I think. I'd better not say until I know for certain. Travis and I shared another couch. I was lounging, my head resting on a pillow while Travis sat on my legs. "Percy said you can spread our tales,"
"That we can." Travis leaned back against the cushion. "I'm a writer, Connor's a… merchant."
"A thief." She corrected, arms crossed over her chest as she glared at us both.
"That's such a… downgrading name isn't it Con?"
"I prefer to call a Business man. I buy and sell stories, Trav here, writes them and gets even more money for it." I explained. "And at that point the story's are legally ours, so we… cut deals with other storytellers."
"They can talk as long as they pay up." Travis smirked. Clara turned her attention to Percy.
"And you trust them?" She demanded.
"Clarisse they're brilliant at what they do, the best in the business." Oh… not Clara. Clarisse. I'll need to kept that in mind if she's going to become a character in our stories. "We need our name to get out there, to become feared and that's exactly what the Stolls can do for us."
"And the money?"
"We'll share. You need a ship first right? We'll start spreading the rumors, there are some guys who'll pay quite a lot to hear bull shit and that's exactly what we give them." Travis stated.
"We take in the gold, split it… 25-75 at first you getting the bigger portion so you can save up for that ship." I continued.
"After that we break a better deal for the money, say… I don't know 45-55? Every time you port we give you shair of Drachma's, gold, whatever we've collected." Travis shrugged.
"And you trade us your story." I agreed. "You'll be legends within the year." She studied us both.
"We don't need money for a ship." Percy said, grabbing both of our attention. I sat up a little, looking at him.
"Uh… do you already have a ship?"
"No," Percy shook his head. "But this will be our first legend. Come with us down to the beach, I'll show you. But first a permanent deal, we want more than half of what you collect." Travis looked at me.
"I don't know Perc, we need to make a living too." I commented.
"Not that we don't trust you or anything, but you're just starting. If we're going to be your exclusive story tellers…" Travis noted.
"And you hit rock bottom right away…" I agreed.
"It will be more than worth it." He stated. "Have I ever led you two wrong?"
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Percy stood in the edges of the water for three days, no moving, no eating, nothing. Clarisse was growing irritated with him, Tyson was bored and honestly so was I. Travis had gone to get us something to eat, and maybe a deck of cards or a wench to play with. We had small collection of watchers too, which wasn't bad. "Jackson en-" Clarisse started, the boy boy moved, wading into the ocean. I sat up, scanning the water. There was an eerie silence but nothing else happened.
"Son of a bitch," I whispered, a smile creeping onto my lips. Clarisse stared at me but I shook my head. When Travis returned, not too long later it was with snacks for us all. He studied my expression as I examined the water.
"What did I miss?" He asked. I shushed him, and the silence crept on. It felt like hours had passed before a shimmer in the water pulled my attention.
"Trav," He looked at me, eating my portion of the meal he brought then followed my gaze. Seconds later a ship black as night burst from the water, it's mast black falling into place and turning as if preparing to sail. A flag was beating in the wind with a sword and trident crossed, and printed in fine handwriting along it's side was one word. Huntress.
"Son of a bitch," Travis gaped at the ship. Standing on the foremast was her captain, black jacket beating with the wind with his arms crossed over his chest, daring anyone to challenge him. A small lifeboat drifted through the water, an invitation for us to join him.
"Clarisse," I turned to the daughter of Ares as she and Tyson both got up. She eyed me. "Tell Percy he's getting 60 percent." I stated. "And make sure he brings back a good story." The girl studied me before nodding and joining Tyson on the small boat. They were taken to the Huntress as I stood. Once aboard the ship surged forwards, and vanished into the water. I smirked. "I always knew he'd make us rich."
"Well then, let's go spread the wealth." Travis chuckled.
Pollux and Castor were always attentive listeners. Not that they had much choice, the sons of Dionysus had gotten used to our antics whenever we sat at Mr. D's Drink and Dinner. The most popular Inn at The Hydra. The dinner itself was popular for it's famous one of a kind meals, (thanks to our residential Daughter of Demeter, Miranda). And the alcohol they served here was first class, created by the bar tenders themselves. To top it all off, they had the entertainment. Travis said that I was magic with words, I had to say the same thing to him, his books always sold out quicker than he could write them. It was only natural, being the sons of Hermes. God of Messengers, if there was something to be told, we could tell it. And in the way that captivates our audience best. And Percy knew this. He had been the one to point it out to us, so we owed him our careers. Not that we'd ever admit it to him.
The twins had once hated that we came by two or three times a week, to drink and tell our stories, and eventually they kicked us out. Our banishment lasted two months, in which we moved to spin our tales elsewhere. The Inn lost customers quickly. Most of them had only come to listen to our tales while eating or drinking. So they came to us, apologized and asked us formally to become the official entertainment to their Inn.
"Two of your best," I told Pollux, sliding the coins to him. He eyed me and took the coins.
"Why? What happened?" He asked, getting two cups ready.
"Just got the best story to tell, need to celebrate." Travis grinned.
"You're always saying that." Castor stated. "Aren't you both low on coin? Why would you waste it?"
"Are you complaining?" I mused. "You're getting money for your best drinks and we'll be getting money for our best story."
"I seriously doubt that this will be your best," Miranda walked out from the kitchen carrying a tray of food. She brought it over to one of the tables as Pollux gave us our drinks. I took mine and finished it quickly. Travis took his time, watching me as I walked over to the table Miranda was serving.
"So have you heard of the Huntress?" I asked, sliding a chair over and sitting. The black haired girl rolled her eyes, ignoring me as the other demigods turned.
"The… Huntress?" The first boy asked.
"The ship that rose from the pits of Tartarus three days ago." I continued.
"I heard of a ship rising from the ocean, is that the one you're talking of?" The second spoke.
"It didn't just rise from the ocean, the son of the sea god pulled it up from the darkest trenches in the sea. He rose the ship from the darkest parts of Tartarus, to take vengeance on those who stole his lover from him."
"Son of the sea god you say?" The girl sitting at the table asked. "I didn't think there was one alive."
"The Prince of the Sea you mean." I corrected her. Aside from the conversation at my table. The room was silent, it usually was when I spun a new story. "He's cruel, as vicious as his father's strongest hurricane, and he's seeking revenge."
"Because of his lost lover?"
"Wouldn't you want to take revenge if your lover was stolen from you?" I asked. "Several months ago the two had set to sea, traveling from the camp to find their own place. Like we all do. Instead of finding The Hydra, they washed into the Sea of Monsters. The Prince used his powers over the ocean to protect them, keep them safe while at sea. He couldn't have known that Blackbeard ruled the Sea of Monsters. They captured them, and forced the Prince to watch as they raped and tortured his lover, it twisted his mind, drove him insane before finally they marooned him on Polyphemus's island, leaving him to die at the hands of the Cyclops. They didn't know that he was a son of the sea god, he could just rise his own ship from the depths of hell. Fueled by anger the ship dark as night came to his call and now, he's haunting the seven seas, looking for his lover and taking the most beautiful and powerful demigods to crew his ship. Kidnapping them from their homes, their lovers out of rage. If he doesn't get his, they shan't have theirs." I stood, walking from the table and starting back to the counter where Travis was watching me.
"Why did he come to The Hydra?" I stopped and turned.
"A daughter of Ares." I answered. "He took her to crew his ship," I scanned their faces. "And I'm certain that won't be the last sighting of the Huntress here. After all the man that leads her has to port somewhere." There was a stunned silence as I made my way up to the rooms. Finding room 13, the largest in the Inn, the one Travis and I called home.
It was a while later before Travis returned, I had made myself comfortable on our bed and started reading one of his books when I felt his hand dipping under my shirt and the other taking the book from me. I gasped a little as he bit down on my ear, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close. He was smirking, I could feel it as he trailed kisses along my skin. "You're brilliant." He told me. I closed my eyes, "a genius. I need to reward you."
"T-They… They-" I gasped again as I felt his free hand slip into my pants.
"We got more money tonight then in the last three months together, I have orders for the book, a list of names and and several copies for friends and family, and this is just the first night." He told me before biting down on my pulse. "Keep using that cunning tongue of yours and you'll be rewarded nicely." He growled before capturing my lips in a hungry kiss.