Hey everyone! First, I just need to say that I am so sorry this took forever to come out! It's been nearly a week since I last posted, and I apologize. I have been super busy, but I promise I will get better! Anyway, it's time for yet another chapter. Comfort In Preyna is so close to gaining 20,000 views, all thanks to you guys! I don't know how I can express my appreciation for you all, but I hope you know how grateful I am for each and every one of you. Just a reminder, I do reply to everyone's reviews, in case you guys were wondering. (Except for Guests! I wish I could reply to you guys but I can't, and I'm sorry!) If you have sent me a review for the last few chapters, I've replied to you, so if you want to see what I said, you can check out your Private Messaging, and there will most likely be a message for you! (I'm sure a lot of you already knew that, but just in case!) Review shoutout to iNeptune! You are amazing! Poll update: Preyna is currently in the lead with a total of 5 votes. Second place is a tie between Percabeth and Pertamis. Anyway, let's get on with the chapter!
Percy's POV
Percy was happy that he could spend some quality one-on-one time with Annabeth. Though, that day all he could think about was the other main girl in his life, Reyna. His stupid heart couldn't help but think about what a date with her would be like. Would it be similar to his dates with Annabeth? Or completely different? Only one way to find out, he thought. He knew that was wishful thinking, though. It wouldn't be fair to Annabeth (whom he still loved), Reyna (to whom he felt deeply attracted for some strange reason), or himself for that matter. Yeah, Aphrodite was most definitely laughing from the heavens.
Nevertheless, Percy had made a commitment, and he had to stick to it. Not to mention that food and alone time with his girlfriend sounded pretty darn amazing right then.
It was the day after he had promised to take her out, and Percy had just finished eating a small lunch, for he knew he would eat more at the cafe. Well, actually Annabeth told him not to eat too much, but Percy decided that was probably best.
Percy was about to walk out of the mess hall in order to train for a few hours leading up to the date, but he noticed Reyna had an anxious look on her face. This was very unlike the usually stern and confident expression her regal features usually bore. Percy decided to ask what was wrong.
"What's up?" Percy asked Reyna.
She flinched and turned. "You scared me, Percy!" She exclaimed. "Sorry, I was just thinking."
Percy gestured for her to go on. "About... what?"
"Well, you know that quest we sent out a few days ago? Well, I told them to promptly return in three days. It's been three days."
Percy's mind turned to the day the trio had left to find their missing friends. Where were they now? Hopefully on their way back and not in some monster's digestive system. His stomach dropped. "You're right."
An unnerving pause passed between the two as they contemplated the consequences of sending out three inexperienced demigods on a quest. Well, more like a wild goose chase, for nearly everyone suspected that two missing legionnaires were in the hands of the giant army. Hopefully, though, the other three wouldn't become an addition to their half-blood collection.
"I'm sure they'll return soon," Percy said, trying to lighten the mood. Reyna didn't look so convinced.
"Yeah. They'll be fine," she agreed hesitantly, though Percy could hear that she didn't fully believe her own words.
Jason walked up behind Percy, scaring him as he had done to Reyna. What was up with praetors scaring praetors today?
"What's up?" He asked as Percy recovered from his initial fright.
Reyna relayed the situation to Jason. His electric blue eyes grew dark. "I had forgotten about that," Jason admitted. "They're capable. I'm sure they'll be ok. If they weren't, they would've sent a signal to us by now."
"Using what?" Reyna demanded. "How could they possibly find a way to contact camp?"
"Giant eagles?" Jason suggested. "We've done it before."
"And where are they going to get those?" Reyna asked.
"Well..." Jason looked weary. "They'll find a way, giant eagles or not."
"On the bright side, maybe they found the demigods and are on their way back right now. Would you rather have them show up today with no luck, or tomorrow with their friends?" Percy said.
"I don't know what I think right now," Reyna said. "But I do know that we can't have the legion go into a state of panic."
"Like they're not already in a state of panic," Percy mumbled under his breath. Luckily Reyna didn't hear, but Jason shot Percy a strained look.
"We'll let's just see," Jason said. "Let's not get too worried. If they're not back by the end of today or tomorrow, that's when we can stress."
Reyna nodded. She looked genuinely worried and worked up over this matter. Percy felt bad for her and wanted to comfort her in some way, but he didn't know how.
Percy placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her so that she was facing him. "Hey, it'll be ok," he assured her. "Don't worry."
Reyna glanced down at the hand making contact with her but surprisingly didn't shake it off. "Yes. You're right," she said firmly as if willing herself to believe Percy's words.
Percy put his hand down, but his palm felt warm from where they had touched. Reyna rubbed her shoulder.
Jason walked away, so it wouldn't be awkward. Percy gave Reyna another encouraging smile, and she blushed, her cheeks filling with warm colors, which complimented her skin tone.
Percy turned and walked away towards the arena, which he was originally heading to. He told his friends he would meet them there, and he wasn't one for going back on his word.
()()()()
Same POV
Percy walked back to his cabin to get ready for his date. He was to meet Annabeth at the cafe by two o'clock, and it was currently one. He decided to keep it casual because obviously, this was not a formal date. And, he knew Annabeth. She usually liked casual dates. The Paris one, though, had been an exception.
He decided to wear a polo shirt and jeans. That was casual enough, right? Percy couldn't deny that he was still not quite used to being in a dedicated relationship, but he was trying his best, and he hoped that was enough for Annabeth. They had been dating for four months before Percy disappeared, but being the person he was, it wasn't nearly enough time for Percy to get in the flow of dating. The one thing that did come easily to him was loving Annabeth. That he couldn't deny, even when dating was difficult.
Percy continued to get freshened up as best he could before he left. He strolled over to New Rome, and the quaint little cafe nestled in the middle. When he arrived, Annabeth was already there, looking stunning as usual. His hair was in a low ponytail and naturally curled. She wore a plain light blue T-shirt, faded jeans, and high tops.
Percy slipped into the chair right across from her. The table they were at was outside, but they were alone. It seemed like most of the customers were eating inside. Percy didn't mind, though.
"You're late," Annabeth smiled teasingly.
"I'm not late, you're just early," Percy replied.
"Fair point," Annabeth said.
"You look pretty," Percy said.
"Thanks," Annabeth grinned. "You look very handsome, as always."
Percy couldn't help but think how good Reyna would look in Annabeth's outfit...
"Anyway," Percy replied. "What are you gonna get?"
"Uh, probably just some hot chocolate. I don't care that it's summer. The hot chocolate at this place is so good!" Annabeth answered.
"Agreed," Percy said. "Though, I'll get a large cookie for us to split."
Soon, a waitress came to take their order.
"Two hot chocolates and a large chocolate chip cookie," Percy said. The waitress scribbled something on her notepad.
"I'll be right back with that," she said, walking back inside.
"These guys don't accept drachmas, do they?" Annabeth asked, fingering a blond curl that had slipped loose from her ponytail.
"No," Percy said. "Guess again."
Annabeth groaned. "Denarius?"
"Yeah," Percy said. "I thought you would've known that."
"Shut up," Annabeth lightly swatted at his forearm where his tattoo was. She stared at it for a moment, fingering the ink. Or whatever it was.
"Hey, you know Reyna, Jason, and I were talking about how the group was supposed to be back by today," Percy said out of the blue.
"Oh," Annabeth withdrew her hand. "I forgot about that." Her eyes grew stormy.
"Yeah, so did I," Percy admitted. "I want to believe that they will arrive later today, or at least tomorrow, but I'm not so sure."
"I'm sure they're fine," Annabeth said, almost as if she were using charm speak. "They're capable and strong. Most demigods are."
"Yeah, you're right," Percy said, trying to feel better. He had gone from comforting Reyna to being comforted by Annabeth. Not very praetor-like at all.
The waitress arrived with their refreshments and smiled warmly as she set the food down. "Enjoy!"
Annabeth took a sip of her cocoa. "Mmh, that's good," she sighed. "Drink some. It'll make you feel better."
Percy obliged. Yep, the hot chocolate was just as good as when Reyna had first given him a drink. And, yes, it did make him feel better. The cafe's hot chocolate was almost better than Nectar for the gods. And Percy had tried Nectar before, so he could testify.
"See?" Annabeth asked.
Percy nodded. "Yeah."
Few words were spoken after that. The couple split their cookie in half, though it was far larger than either of them had expected. Percy time and time again had thoughts about sharing this with Reyna. How similar would the situation be? Would they have talked more? Percy didn't know, but he longed for answers...
Suddenly, a horn was heard from Camp Jupiter, which was to Percy's back. Something inaudible was yelled. Annabeth stood. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah, I'm not deaf," Percy replied, standing just as abruptly. Annabeth gave him a side-eye.
Percy fished a few denari out of his pocket, and set it on the table, hoping it was enough to pay for their snack. "We should probably go," he speculated.
"Well, yeah!" Annabeth retorted sarcastically.
The two sprinted towards the camp where shouts could be heard, though what the legionnaires were saying was unclear.
When the two arrived inside, there was a large crowd gathered near the Caldecott Tunnel. Percy and Annabeth ran in that direction to find five campers passing through the tunnel to meet the crowd. Unfortunately, the group looked terribly worse for wear and beat down. Reyna had an arm around a girl that Percy assumed was Reese. Her limp was beyond noticeable.
"I need some medics!" Reyna yelled frantically. Several campers had gathered to watch the return of the missing demigods. Luckily, they were all in one piece as far as Percy could tell.
Two legionnaires ran forward. One stabilized the girl and the other lunged toward Ezra who was clutching his side and grimacing in pain. The other three, Sierra, Donna, and Saul didn't need support at the moment, though their bodies were littered with many deep red cuts and large bruises. What had they endured? A whole army of monsters possibly? If so, how would they have survived with just the five of them?
The crowd created a pathway for the healers and campers to walk through, toward the infirmary. The three who were not being supported trudged behind them. Percy pushed through the crowd towards Reyna. "When did they arrive?"
"Just barely," Reyna breathed. From the few words I've heard, they did not have a pleasant time, though their mission was successful as you can see. We'll have to hear more once they are in a condition to explain what happened."
Percy nodded, breathless. At least no one had died, though that was yet to be decided by the Fates. Darn the Fates and their bad timing.
"Yeah, at least they survived," Percy muttered. The crowd was thinning, due to the injured campers being guided elsewhere. Annabeth sidled next to Percy.
"They looked horrible," she whispered, "though I can say I've seen worse."
"Is that so?" Reyna asked, quizzical.
"Sorry, I just meant the Battle of Manhattan and such," Annabeth answered.
"I see," Reyna replied, brushing off the matter. "I'd better head down to the med bay, and see if there are any critical issues. You guys are welcome to join me."
"I want to hear what happened," Percy said. "And what the next group-" he gestured towards himself and Annabeth- "might have to endure when it's our time."
"That's understandable," Reyna said. The group of three jogged down the camp where everyone was now gathered. With Percy and Reyna in matching regalia, they almost looked like the couple, and Annabeth was the outsider. Percy didn't know whether he liked or disliked this thought, but it gave him a fluttery sensation inside.
The trio walked inside the infirmary and met a healer. It was the same one that had been tending to Reyna when she had hurt her arm; Lucas. "Are any of them available to talk?" Reyna asked him.
"I think Saul can. I'll go get him," said Lucas. "Hold that thought." He jogged towards a room presumably where Saul was, and stepped inside. A moment later, he walked out alongside a boy with dark brown hair. He had deep brown eyes, and a bandage wrapped around his muscular bicep.
"You wanted to talk?" The boy, Saul, asked.
"Yes. Let's step inside," Reyna said, as a group started to form. They followed Saul inside his room, and Lucas insisted he would be back. Annabeth followed because Reyna said she could join them.
"Well, first of all, were you kidnapped by the giant army?" Annabeth asked once they were inside.
"Not exactly," Saul said, looking spitefully at his wounded arm. "Something sort of... possessed us. I know that sounds weird. Not even my girlfriend believed me."
"Wait, what do you mean by possessed?" Reyna asked curiously.
"Well, all of a sudden, Reese and I weren't the same people. We were taken over by something. A spirit maybe? It made our physical bodies follow the giants. They finally let us go when we were at their base," Saul explained.
"Eidolons," Annabeth whispered under her breath.
"What?" Percy asked, having overheard her.
"It's a spirit. Usually evil. They temporarily take over someone's body to do what they want," Annabeth explained, projecting her voice this time.
"I've heard of them," Reyna said, nodding. "The giant army has control of them?"
"Well, I wouldn't say control, thought they probably used a bribe of some sort to get them to do their bidding. They don't really have minds, just a will," Annabeth said.
Just when Percy had thought he had killed or at least heard of every monster in the world, of course, he was proven wrong. He suspected there was an endless list of monsters, both Greek and Roman, that he would hopefully never meet or fight.
"How could I have been so stupid?" Saul groaned. Naturally, a child of the war god would have this reaction. Not only did they have to beat others up, but they saw a need to beat themselves up when things didn't go right.
"Don't blame yourself. You can't see them coming, though if you are powerful enough, you can will them away," Annabeth explained.
"Well, anyway, what happened afterward?" Percy asked.
"Well, naturally we tried to escape," Saul said. "That didn't work out. A day later, my girlfriend Sierra, and her friends showed up."
"Did the army notice?" Annabeth asked.
"Well, yeah, otherwise we wouldn't have these," Saul gestured to his various wounds. "Reese and I were being kept in a large chamber, though I'm not sure where. I don't know how our friends managed to find us."
"Well, I'm glad they did," Reyna said. "This is very useful information. Do you know how far away their base was?"
Saul shook his head grimly. "No. Remember, the weird demon was in me, so I didn't really have my mental capacity in check."
"Oh, yeah," Reyna mumbled, clearly bummed.
"Well, at least you guys are back," Percy said.
"Yes, we need the legion at full strength if we are to win this war," Reyna pointed out, straightening up.
The four continued to talk for another five minutes or so, but soon Reyna stood. "We'd better let you rest," she said. "We'll leave you be."
Annabeth, Reyna, and Percy left the room, and Lucas walked in behind them.
"What now?" Percy asked.
"Well, we will wait for the rest to recover, then start training again. Especially you seven," she said the last words as if she were anticipating the end of the world. Which perhaps, she was. It gave Percy comfort that maybe she didn't want him to leave. Maybe she was catching feelings for him as he had for her.
Reyna strayed away from Percy and Annabeth, claiming that she would go catch Jason up on what Saul had said. Percy got the feeling it just made her uncomfortable to be around the couple. This made him feel guilty.
"Well, so much for our date," Annabeth said, with a far-off look in her eye.
"Hey, it's alright," Percy said, taking her hand. "We still had some time together."
"You're right, that was selfish of me to say," Annabeth sighed.
"You, selfish?" Percy joked. "Can't imagine."
"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth grumbled, though Percy could see that she was smiling.
Well, here's this! Again, I may or may not put a little Preyna twist in the next chapter, so stay tuned. Again, I am sorry it took me forever to post this. I will get better at making this a top priority in my day, though it already has been for the most part! And, sorry for the long author's note at the start. I had a lot to put in, though I could have taken some of that info and put it here. Oh well! Again, thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. I did have a guest who said that Vitellius's concern was odd since praetors did get into relationships sometimes, but let's say that for the sake of the plot, Vitellius's concern is valid. Also, I thought since I didn't incorporate Leo's eidolon in this story, I would put some in this chapter, just to tie it together. Anyway, I won't keep you any longer! Please review and check out the poll, which again, Preyna is dominating! Well, see ya!