262This is the longest I've ever gone without updating and I am so sorry. I'm not going to give any excuses. I feel horrible about it.
Thanks to any of you who are still reading and to everyone that reviewed, favourited, and followed even when I didn't update! You're all awesome.
Malcolm
The Kingdom of Zeus
He had failed.
He failed his father. His step-mother. Himself. Everyone.
Especially his sister.
As soon as the soldiers had gotten off the ships, the island had become a bloodbath. It wasn't war. It was savagery. Innocent women and children were being slaughtered.
His grey eyes paid no attention to the barbarity around him. They only scanned desperately over the island, searching. He searched for her blonde curls, tan skin, and her sharp grey eyes.
Suddenly, his eyes stopped on a lifeless body. The person was obviously an athletic young girl with a mass of blonde curls. His breath got caught in his throat as panic built in his chest. It couldn't be his sister, right?
He needed a closer look.
Not able to breathe, he inched towards the body, wanting so desperately to confirm his fear was false, but afraid it would be true. Next to the body was another girl, this one with red hair instead of blonde. He gently pushed her to the side so he could kneel beside the blonde girl.
This wasn't his sister. It couldn't be his sister.
Though he touched the redhead, he couldn't touch the blonde. It felt stupid, but he was scared to. The young soldier shifted slightly so he could see her face. Her entire body was covered in blood. It was hard to tell how much of it was hers. Her features were still visible though. He had to do it. He had to see.
After all, it couldn't be his sister.
Taking a deep breath, he let his eyes look down at the face.
There was sadness, like when a child breaks his or her favourite toy. Then there was grief. Grief was worse than sadness. It was the feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, and being trapped in despair with no escape. Then, there was overwhelming grief.
Overwhelming grief was the most extreme level of pain and sadness that crushed you until you couldn't even breathe. You couldn't eat. You couldn't sleep. The world became a colourless living nightmare.
Overwhelming grief was what the soldier felt as he ran away, arms wrapped around himself and clutching on so hard like he had nothing else left. Wave after dark wave of despair wracked his body. He felt empty, but he felt pain, like he had been picked clean by vultures. One thought rang through his head again and again: Annabeth was gone.
Hiding behind a home as the screams died down, he rocked his body, curled up into a ball. Annabeth was dead. His sister was dead. She was dead.
Dead.
It was the only thing he could think of. A single word. It held so much power. It had broken him.
Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
He repeated it over and over again.
A small surge of sanity washed over him. Small, but it was enough to pull him out of his trance. The soldier stood up bravely with determination like only a true soldier could do. He would bury his sister's body. Somewhere away from this bloodbath. Somewhere the sun shines, where the flowers grow, where there is life.
Somewhere like their home.
The soldiers of King Hades had already left. The warships could be seen leaving on the horizon. He had no way off the island. But he searched for his sister's body anyway. He had to do it for her.
Finally, he reached the place where he had found the body before. His spirits lifted slightly. There was still something he could do to make this better.
But she wasn't there.
His spirits came crashing down as the realization struck him. Her body could have been moved and destroyed. It wouldn't be surprising after seeing what brutality the soldiers were capable of.
The grey-eyed soldier fell to his knees. He never knew it was possible to feel grief this strong.
He was a failure.
"Annabeth."
I kept walking. I couldn't talk to him yet.
"Annabeth," he said a little louder this time. I swerved into another corridor, hoping he would stop following me. I picked up my pace, hoping vainly that I could lose him.
He sighed exasperatedly. "Annabeth!" he shouted so loud that I winced. I glanced around me, trying to find another exit, but I was at a dead end. Groaning, I kept walking to the far end of the hall, not having another choice. I was trapped.
"Annabeth?" It was more of a question this time, not shouted anymore. The hallway was silent except for my own light footsteps. He had stopped following me.
It was only then when I realized that I was doing exactly what I didn't want to. I was running away.
Letting my feet stop moving, I heard him start walking again towards me. Not at the brisk pace he chased me with, but at a slower speed. More gentle.
"Annabeth, just let me apologize," Percy said pleadingly.
I blinked, confused by what he had just said. "Why?" I asked.
"For not letting you fully explain last time. For making you leave. For being so harsh to you. I didn't mean to, I promise I didn't. Thalia, I'm so sorry," he said so quickly he didn't notice his mistake.
"Annabeth," I reminded him, trying to sound gentle. "I'm not Thalia, remember?" He nodded, and opened his mouth to apologize again.
"Percy, don't." He looked surprised at my harsh tone. Breathing in and out to calm myself, I said, "You have no reason to apologize. I'm the one that messed up. I kept such a huge secret from you, and I shouldn't have done that. If you want to tell people, then do it. I'd understand why. No one wants to marry a slave girl. I'd understand if you don't forgive me too. I wouldn't forgive me."
Staring at the space beside his head, I tried to form an apology. Definitely something I'm not good at.
Forcing myself to look at him in his eyes, I said, "I'm sorry. Everything was my fault."
I didn't expect what he did next. I didn't deserve it either.
Slowly, he reached for my hand. I let him hold it. For a while, he just cradled it in his larger hands, his confidence building every second I didn't pull away.
"Come with me," he said. Not letting go, he led me to his room. I hesitated before going in, remembering what had happened the last time I was in his room. Percy noticed my hesitation and gave me a small, but encouraging smile.
Biting my lip nervously, I stepped into the room. Do this for Percy, I told myself. Percy motioned for me to sit down in my usual chair, but I shook my head. "I'll stand," I told him.
"Then I will too." He pushed the two chairs off to the side and stood leaning against the wall before he spoke again. "Talk to me."
"About what?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Just tell me about yourself. There really isn't much I know."
I nodded. It was the least I could do.
"I told you already my father was a farmer and shepherd. He was also the best father I could ever ask for. My older brother Malcolm, he was annoying, but he loves me and I love him. I have two younger brothers, Bobby and Matthew. They were babies when I last saw them, and I thought I hated them. I know better now though, and I wish I could have seen them grow up. And my step-mother…" I thought about what I should say about her.
"I was young and stupid. She was trying to be a real mother to me, but I couldn't see that. I miss all of them and I regret every mistake I made with my family."
I continued telling him about my life. I told him about everything from the pirate attack to fooling around with Rachel on King Zeus's island, and he listened. I told him about everything I wished I could fix. As I kept talking, it got easier.
"And now, I'm here. To everyone but Rachel, you, and me, I'm Princess Thalia. I don't know what to do." My arms crossed across my chest and I shook my head in distress.
Percy pondered on everything I had just told him, scratching his head in thought. Finally, he said, "You miss your family, right?" I nodded in response. "You want to see them again?" I nodded a second time, not certain why he was asking. "Then you're going to see them again."
I stood up straighter and searched his face for any sign showing he was lying. "What do you mean?" I asked.
Percy grinned, obviously excited about his idea. "It'll be an adventure. Just the two of us, or maybe even with Rachel. We'll find your family and we won't come back until we do. I can fight, and I'm sure you'll learn to fight quickly. What do you think?"
Already, I could spot some major flaws in his plan. "But what would you tell your father? That you want to risk your life to search for a family you don't even know?"
"Then I won't tell him. We'll run away. It'll be easy to get out of here. I have a boat, I know where to get supplies, and I have maps of all of Greece." He seemed proud of his answer.
"But if you run away, taking a princess with you," I said, cringing as I called myself a princess, "your father would send search parties."
"We'll travel quickly. I'm good at sailing, and they'll have to search all of Greece! They'll never find us." Sensing my reluctance, he added, "I promise I won't stop until you're reunited with your family."
I remained silent. I couldn't say anything. My voice got caught in my throat. Percy frowned. "What's wrong? Don't you want to be reunited with your family?"
I couldn't figure out how to voice my fear. "What if it's impossible?" I finally whispered, not able to speak any louder.
"What do you mean impossible?" I sighed, not wanting to explain. Percy could be so clueless. "We can find your family. It's not impossible. It's completely possible! Well, it would be hard, but…"
I let Percy continue to ramble. I needed a moment to think.
The last time I saw anyone in my family was during the pirate attack. I didn't get to see if they were captured.
If they survived.
"What could possibly stop us from finding them?" It took me a while to realize he had stopped talking. "Well? What could stop us?" Percy repeated.
I had to face this fear sooner or later.
"Death," I said in a hoarse voice. As I spoke that single word, the entire room grew colder. I shivered, regretting saying anything. But it was too late to back out now.
Changing to a whisper, I added, "Death could make it impossible. What if they're all dead?"
Percy looked surprised, unable to find something to say. "Annabeth…" he started to say when I shook my head. I couldn't listen to him continue.
Understanding what I meant, he stopped talking. Instead, he walked over to me and held onto my hand, cradling it like he did before.
Neither of us said anything for a while. I closed my eyes, trying to think happier thoughts. I had been telling myself that my family could be dead since I last saw them, wanting to prepare myself in case I ever discovered my fears were true.
"I don't care whether this mission is impossible or not. I'm always going to help you, Wise Girl. I promise," Percy said, interrupting my thoughts.
A smile slowly spread across my face. Not a big smile, but it was genuine. "Thanks Seaweed Brain."
I know that the end isn't very good... I couldn't figure out how to write it.
Well, now that it's summer, I'll have more time to write and update! :)