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It felt like your brain was going a million miles per hour. You moved down the gangplank of the Argo II, slowly swivelling your head to take in the city. New Rome, your sister had said. It looked just like a normal mortal city. Normal in a comforting way.
Lots of gasps caught your attention, turning back to the middle of the crowd to see your sister with her knee on Percy’s chest. “Schist, I thought she was kidding about that…” You hissed under your breath. Maybe not the best first impression.
Your attention instantly goes to a girl in purple robes with long braided black hair. She must be the leader, you rationalize. All Roman eyes were on her. Her eyes swept over the Argo’s crew, silently analyzing all of us.
Her gaze is striking. That was your first thought when she looked at you. You couldn’t recognize any emotion on her face. Impressive. You watched in disbelief as she looked you up and down.
You took a sharp intake of breath. Was she really… Her gaze stopped on your waist where your sword sheath was. Oh, she was just… Ok, that made more sense. Nonetheless, you flushed bright red and looked down at your shoes.
Once all the sides of the quests were explained and cleared up, Piper and Jason headed off to explore. “(Y/N).” Percy snapped you out of your thoughts. He walked up to you, pulling you into a hug. “Gonna take Annabeth to see the city?” You asked, already knowing the answer.
“No.” Your face fell. “Reyna wants to talk to her.” You looked over her shoulder to see her talking to the black haired girl from before. Oh schist. Annabeth looked over her shoulder before turning back to Reyna.
“Wait!” You called out before you stopped yourself. “(Y/N)!” Percy hissed. “Let her see him.” You continued, walking up to the girls. “It’s been months since they’ve seen each other. I can tell you whatever you want to know.” You lifted your chin up to look Reyna in the eyes. Still no emotion.
You held her gaze for a moment before she turned to Annabeth, muttering one word. “Go.” Annabeth gave you a look but you brushed her off. You could handle yourself.
“Come along.” Reyna turned on her heel, heading into the city. You hurried and caught up with her, matching her pace. “Your sister, I assume?” She asked. “Yeah.”
Nothing else was said for a while. You jumped as Reyna let out an ear piercing whistle. “Any reason for the cardiac arrest?” You asked, barely holding back the scathing tone. No need to piss off the leader. For the first time, you saw a hint of a smirk on her lips.
Suddenly, two dogs came bounding towards you, one gold and the other silver. You gasped as they took either of Reyna’s sides. “Oh wow, they’re beautiful!” You started to reach out but retracted your hand back. Not smart.
“My dogs don’t like liars, daughter of Athena.” Reyna warned you. Oh. Well it’s not like you had anything to lie about. You nodded and continued to follow Reyna through the city, her speaking more freely now. You were trying to take in all the details of the city you could, all the shops and stores. So you were kinda half listening. Something about Miverna’s chastity.
Before you knew it, you were heading into a large garden. You gasped audibly, stepping ahead of Reyna. “This is… incredible.” You spoke, voice barely above a whisper. “The Garden of Bacchus.” Reyna said, taking a seat on a nearby bench.
This was where your mini trial would take place. “Let me get your side of the story. No lies.” She warned, her dogs sitting at her feet, staring you down. You swallowed hard, Titan War memories and scars still fresh.
“My dad dropped me off at camp when I was 10. That was the last time I ever saw him.” You started, delving into the last 6 years of your life. The quests, Luke’s betrayal, your friends and siblings dying…
“But he made the correct choice in the end. He was a hero.” You muttered fiercely, wiping a stray tear off of your face. Reyna looked over you. “I thought I could trust you.” She nodded approvingly.
“You wear your emotions on your face.” She stated. Where else would I wear them? “Sometimes that’s a good thing. Other times…” She trailed off, standing up. “It’s gonna get you killed.” She stated.
“You sound worried.” You smirked, crossing your arms. Reyna froze, turning to shoot you with a glare. “If any other Graceus stormed into praetor planning like that, I’d have them executed.” She crossed her arms. “Then why didn’t you?”
“Whenever the Romans felt threatened, they would invade anyone around them, including the Greeks.” She explained, pointing out the shrine of her mother, Bellona. “It doesn’t have to be that way!” You exclaimed, raising your voice.
Reyna looked you over, making you flush with embarrassment. You felt like a child being reprimanded by a parent. “We could work together. No more bad blood.” You knew that having the Romans as enemies would be a death sentence for all.
“I… would like that, daughter of Athena. But my Romans, they don’t forgive easily.” She admitted. You snorted. “You say that as if they wouldn’t follow you to the ends of the earth. I could see it the second we arrived.” You didn’t notice the tinge of pink on Reyna’s cheeks.
“Your optimism is infectious. But optimism is nothing on the battlefield.” “Pessimism will kill faster than hunger or thirst.” You quoted, challenging her gaze again. She held it.
She looked you up and down until she finally met your gaze again, making you blush again. Before either of you could say anything, an earth shattering boom shook the ground and the city lit up with fire