Malcolm POV
Where am I?
That was the first thought that came to my mind when I opened my eyes to sunlight streaming through the glass window of the room I'm currently in. Panic set in me for the first few seconds as I couldn't recognize where I was. I was up as fast as I could, looking around the room in search of an exit and any weapon I could use.
In my search, I finally figured out where I am. Seeing my bag and sword on a chair beside the bed reminded me of the things that happened yesterday. Of the stuff I learned, we learned last night.
The Price, the Truth, Hazel, and Percy.
The Harem.
I intended to call my sister and camp last night before I went to sleep, but my tired body and exhausted mind won in the end. The moment I entered this room, one of the nymphs led me to, my mind absolutely refused to come up with any way I could deliver the news to them in any constructive way. So, I just opted to sleep and decided to use today to formulate how I would share what we learned yesterday and today with those at camp.
'Hunnnng!'
I hummed as I stretched. With one last look around the room. I grabbed my phone and saw that it was already late in the morning. I got off the bed and grabbed my bag, heading towards the bathroom to freshen up.
I had a lot to do after all, and I was already late.
After a quick shower, I headed out of the room and down to the kitchen, where I found two of the servant nymphs cleaning up what seemed to be breakfast. They both looked at me as I entered and bowed slightly.
"Good morning!" they both greeted me.
"Good morning, do you happen to know where my other companions are at the moment?" I returned their greeting and asked about Will and Clarisse's whereabouts.
"Miss Clarisse woke up early and asked to be taken to the training room. She's been there with Mistress Hazel, and Sir William took a walk around the mansion and is currently relaxing in the pool area," answered the blue-haired nymph.
"What would you like for breakfast, sir?" asked the red-haired one.
"Just some eggs and toast, please, and please call me Malcolm," I replied.
"Of course, sir Malcolm, they will be done in a minute," the red-haired one said as she busied herself with preparing my breakfast while the blue-haired one just continued to wipe down the table. I sat down on one of the tall chairs along the breakfast bar.
"Just Malcolm, no need to add sir," I said as I waited for my food.
"I'm afraid we can't do that, sir. You are the master's guest after all," the blue-haired one replied quickly. Being one of the oldest Demigods alive, I knew there was no changing their minds, so I just let them be. 'Worth the try at least.'
"What are your names again?" I asked to fill the time.
I saw the blue-haired one stop her movements and turn to me with a smile on her face. "I am Blueberry; she is Ruby, and the one that's not with us right now is called Aethra," Blueberry answered.
"It's nice to meet you two, Blueberry and Ruby." I greeted them with a nod of my head.
"The pleasure is ours," the both of them bowed to me before resuming their chores.
After a few minutes, I was served, and I ate quickly, not wanting to waste more time. I was already the last to wake up; I need to get a move on. After finishing my food. I turned to Blueberry and asked to be taken to Percy. I needed to ask him a few things.
"Blueberry, can I ask where Percy is right now?" I asked.
Blueberry turned to me and answered. "Master is currently at the workshop; I can take you there if you'd like."
"If you could, please. And thank you," I replied.
Blueberry smiled as she gestured for me to follow her. I got off the high chair, thanked Rudy for the delicious food, and followed Blueberry out of the kitchen. She took me through the back entrance and around the west side of the mansion. We followed a short trail of path stones towards what seems to be a small one-room house. Only this one has pipes running along one wall, going up the roof. A chimney.
"Is that the workshop you mentioned?" I asked, Blueberry.
"Yes, that is Master's workshop," she answered, smiling while her hands played with a leaf-shaped silver pendant on a silver chain around her neck.
I followed as she reached the door and knocked. "Come in!" I heard Percy's voice call out. Blueberry opened the door and stepped in while I stayed beyond the threshold, waiting to be welcomed in. "Master, Sir Malcolm asked to be led here," Blueberry told Percy, who was hunched over a work table, surrounded by tools of all sorts. He lifted his head and looked over to me. He gestured with his head, inviting me in, and I finally entered the workshop.
"I shall be taking my leave now," Blueberry announced as she turned back and went out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Once it was just Percy and me in the room, I took the time and looked around properly. The room looked familiar to me, with the tools and the general vibe of it. It was exactly like the Forge back at camp, only on a smaller scale.
And that was what weirded me out. What was Percy doing blacksmithing? I remember him saying that he now can make weapons and armor on his own. And some part of me didn't actually believe that. His skills, or lack thereof, were legendary back at camp. Just like with archery, so what was happening here exactly?
I turned back to Percy, who was back hunching over the table, hand moving over something. I went closer to him, wanting to see what he was working on. Standing by his side, I looked down and saw Percy working over a silver-colored pendant. Percy had his eyes on a pair of microscopes as his hands moved, imbedding what looked like a large sapphire into the piece.
I remained quiet as Percy worked, recognizing the serious expression on his face as concentration. I didn't want to be the reason he messed up after all. So, I just watched as Percy moved with precision born of familiarity and practice. This wasn't something he was just starting with. He's done this a lot of times before. And he was good at it.
It was about 10 minutes after when Percy finally sat up, done with setting the gemstone, and stretched. He looked at me and grinned. "Sorry about that, Malcolm. I have to finish this as soon as possible. I'm already behind schedule as it is," he said as he scratched the back of his head. A habit he's had since he first came to camp, all those years ago.
"That's fine, Percy; I enjoyed watching you work," I told him. And I was telling the truth: watching Percy work on those small, delicate pieces was something else. I was used to seeing him be the bigger-than-life hero that he was back at camp, just seeing him as he is now. It was mind-boggling.
"You did? That's great!" Percy replied enthusiastically. I smiled at him as he turned back to the work he was doing. Just as he was about to continue, I decided to ask my first question.
"When did you get this good with your hands, Percy?" I asked. Percy paused his movements and turned to me. A teasing smile on his lips, and I knew he was going to reply with an outlandish statement. And I was proven right.
"I've always been good with my hands," Percy said with a wide grin on his face. I stared at him for a bit until he laughed, and I joined him. After a while, we stopped, and Percy went back to his work. I thought he was going to ignore my question, but he started to tell me the history of how he started to be a jewelry maker.
"It was around 3 months after Hazel came to live with me. Before then it was just me and the nymphs. I've told you that the mansion is blessed by the gods, right?" Percy asked. I remembered him saying something along those lines yesterday, so I nodded. "The nymphs were self-sufficient, so there was no need for me to provide for them. And I could just live of the land. I could hunt or I could fly to New York to my mom from time to time." He went on.
"Basically, before Hazel came. There was no need for me to think about finding a regular income. But that all changed when Hazel came through. Now or back then, an income was needed all of a sudden. I mean, there was no need for it immediately. Her father gave me a sizeable sum for her 'upkeep,' he told me. But I couldn't rely on that forever." His story went on, and he continued working on the pendant.
"So, together with Hazel. We thought of a way we could make money. When Hazel told me how her curse was lifted after the war with the giants, a thought came over me. What if we can take advantage of Hazel's command over the precious metals and riches of the earth? That would solve all of our money problems, wouldn't it?" he continued.
And thinking logically, using Hazel's gifts would theoretically be a sure way of earning large sums of money. But it also came with its own set of problems, like how selling raw gemstones would likely be questioned by the authorities about the origins of them. And that would not be good for all parties involved. That can be avoided by selling them on a black market of sorts. But that also comes with its own set of problems. As I was thinking of all the possible ways they could earn from Hazel's gift, Percy went on with his story.
"But we couldn't just sell them as is. That's just asking for trouble, so we had to think of some other way." It seems I didn't have to think hard as Percy was about to tell me how they came up with selling jewelry as a solution. "It was then that Ruby suggested turning them into jewelry," Percy said, surprising me. So, it was the nymph that came up with the idea.
"Now I know that you know how bad I was at anything forge-related," Percy said, and I nodded. "But it was still a valid suggestion, so instead of ignoring it, I decided to do the only thing I could think of." Percy paused as he reached under the work table and pulled a tray filled with diamonds of all sizes.
While Percy was working, his mouth was moving also, continuing with the story.
"I went to Olympus and cashed in a favor Hephaestus owed me. I asked him to teach me how to make jewelry," Percy said so casually. Like having one of the Olympians owe him was something normal. Maybe it was to him, but for us ordinary children of the gods. It was something we never even thought about. Only Percy would have done enough for the gods that they ended up owing him.
And only Percy was brazen enough to actually ask the gods something in exchange for what they owed.
"Okay, so you asked to be taught by the god of blacksmithing himself, easy," I said sarcastically.
Percy just laughed at what I said. "Well, asking him was the easy part. Learning from him was another story all together. Hephaestus, I learned, was a strict teacher. And a bit of a perfectionist," Percy said, head bowed over the microscope, hands busy.
"But he was also fair and good with acknowledging the efforts done by those who are learning from him," Percy continued. That was something new I learned about the god. It was stuff like this that reminded me that Percy was one of the small number of demigods that actually knows the gods a bit more than we do.
"So, after 3 months of training, Hephaestus acknowledged my skills and declared that I was now good enough to go on my own. I was very happy with that, you know. Finally, I found something I could be good at beside fighting wars and finishing quests!" Percy's voice held a bit of pride in them. And it was well-earned, in my opinion.
"Before he sent me off, Hephaestus did something I never thought he would." Percy paused again. This time adjusting the pendant before resuming his work. I looked at his work and discovered that almost half of the pendant was now completely encrusted by small diamonds surrounding the central sapphire.
"Hephaestus gave me his blessing over the forge. He said that now that I could work with my hands, it was better for me to branch out with all aspects of blacksmithing. Which is how I became able to create weapons and armor on my own." Percy finished.
Silence filled the room as I digested what I just learned. Percy was blessed by Hephaestus himself. And he used that blessing to make and sell jewelry. That was actually a great idea, especially with Hazel's gift. It was almost too good to be true, and yet it was happening in front of me.
"And then you started selling your works?" I asked just to continue the conversation.
"Not immediately no; during the training I created a bunch of rings and simple bracelets and necklaces. But how to sell them? I had no idea. We didn't know the first thing about sales and the laws about them, so we had to ask for help for that as well."
That is true. Setting up a store wasn't something that's easily done. There were a bunch of permits and all sorts of legalities you have to do first before you can start. I wonder how Percy and Hazel got through those.
"So, I reached out to my mom for advice, as I always do. And she suggested we take advantage of the freedom we got from the deal with the gods," Percy said. "The freedom to use technology, and so we started to sell the stuff I created online," he added.
That was one great way to utilize the benefits gained from the rewards granted to him. I myself can confidently say that life as a demigod has been made easier by the demigod-safe phones developed by Camp. The convenience it provided us cannot be quantified. But it did change the way we do things.
While it was still not available to all demigods. There was still enough to be handed to those who were going away on quests and the councilors. It was just bad luck that mine was destroyed during the ambush months ago. Then again, it led to us meeting Percy, so maybe that was fated as well.
"And so, we set up an online store and applied for all the necessary legal things that were needed. Mom got me in contact with a lawyer that handled all of the legal stuff. We signed a few documents, and then we were good. Celestial Creations was born."
"Mom also found a web designer to do the website, and we launched, and finally we were done. Oh, we also got a professional photographer to take sample photos of my pieces, and we uploaded those to the website. After all of those, we just waited for orders to come in." Percy ended, checking the pendant he was working on. turning it over under the light.
I have to say, the way it sparkled under the light was mesmerizing. Like a handful of stars trapped in a pendant.
"That almost sounds easy," I commented after Percy's statement.
"It does if you're only hearing about it. Believe me, it's anything but easy when you live it," Percy answered. "For the first 3 weeks, there was no order coming in. The hits on the website didn't even reach triple digits," he confessed. I thought as much. Starting a business was easy; running a business is hard.
"Again, Hazel and I were left clueless. We both had no idea how to change things, and so I did the next best thing. I asked for help," Percy said, and again, I had to admit. He's really matured.
"I prayed to Hermes and asked him to meet with me. Then I asked him for advice on how to run the business better." What Percy said blew me away. Here was the son of Poseidon, asking for help from Hermes. The father of one of his most hated enemies.
"Hermes also owed me a bunch of favors, so I cashed in on them. His advice was to hop on the newest trend and start a TikTok account. Using that, we will market my pieces by making videos showcasing them, coupled with music, and we got ourselves an advertisement for almost no capital."
"I listened and started to create videos of my pieces and uploading them to TikTok. It started slow, but the views on the clips and the hits on the website started to gain traction. Then on the second week after the TikTok account was launched, I got my first sale." Percy's voice took on a wistful tone.
"That was one of the happiest days I've had ever, you know. Finally, something I built with some of the people I loved has borne fruit; it didn't just go to waste." I got the feeling Percy was talking about more than just his success in business but his life in general. Including the part he spent with my half sister. I wanted to ask but I managed to stop myself.
"From then on, the sales kept on rising and rising, and we were making more money. Then my designs got more recognition, and all of a sudden I was getting orders for custom-made jewelry. Then the second member of the harem came into our lives, and now we have a model we can use to showcase my pieces more effectively!" At this point I had to stop Percy. Something he said earlier managed to pass through my mind, but now it was back. It was something important.
"Percy, wait!" I racked my brain for that nagging feeling I forgot something crucial. some important piece of the puzzle.
'What was it?' I asked inwardly.
I replayed in my mind all that Percy had said in the last hour.
'After 3 months of training, Hephaestus acknowledged my skills.' Nope, not this one.
'Hephaestus gave me his blessing over the forge.' Not this one either.
'The freedom to use technology, and so we started to sell the stuff I created online' close, but still not it.
We signed a few documents, and then we were good. Celestial Creations was born.' Wait...
'Celestial Creations'
That was it!
"Celestial Creations!" I shouted, making Percy jump slightly.
"What in Hades! Are you okay?" Percy asked.
"That's the name of your store? Celestial Creations?" I ignored his question and asked instead.
"Yes, it is. Why?" Percy confirmed.
"Then, is the second member of the Harem Piper?" I asked directly.
It all made sense now. I was blind! How could it have slipped my mind? Piper is modeling for a jewelry store. Her suddenly appearing after being gone for 3 years. Percy being a jeweler.
Two members of his Harem.
The other member having a job away from here.
It all fits.
I stared at Percy as he turned to me with wide eyes. Shock was obvious across his face, as if he couldn't believe I managed to connect all the dots. Then he smiled as he nodded.
"You really are your mother's son," Percy murmured before turning back to me. "You are right, Malcolm. The second harem member is Piper," he confirmed, turning back to his work.
I was speechless. Here I was shocked to learn another one of the missing demigods turned out to be living with him and was a member of his harem, and he was talking about it like we were just talking about the weather.
"How?" It was all I could ask, given my state of mind.
I heard Percy sigh before he answered.
"I don't think it would be right for me to be the one to tell her story. She will be coming back home in a few days so you can ask her yourself. For now, just know that she became a harem member of her own free will. You remember the conditions in joining right?" Percy asked at the end, glancing at me.
I nodded.
That information was still fresh in my mind after all.
"Good, keep that in mind when thinking about this Harem of mine," Percy added.
I was quiet as I thought back to all I learned, ever since I met up with Percy. It has been one eye-opening truth after the other. From learning of the reward, he got his engagement to Hazel. The Harem and now Piper also being a member. And if I remember correctly, the Piper was also engaged to him.
At this rate, Annabeth will lose it. And as much as I would like for her and Percy to get back together. I just don't see it happening, not easily anyway. It could still be possible, if Percy ever forgives her, of course. But now, even if he does forgive her, I just don't see the other two women accepting her into the harem warmly.
Annabeth has, after all, hurt Percy badly. And if last night was any indication, then Hazel and Piper will be hostile to my sister for her past mistakes. And Percy already said that he won't force them to do anything they were against doing. Just like his warning, Annabeth was not going to be welcomed here.
I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice an hour had passed. I didn't notice until Percy had to shake me to bring me back to the present.
"Yo! Malcolm!" Percy called loudly, shaking me out of my thoughts.
"Huh?" was my brilliant response.
Percy laughed as he pointed at the doors of the workshop. I turned and saw the red-haired nymph, Ruby, standing by the door.
"Lunch is ready; we should go," Percy told me as he headed towards the door and stepped outside as Ruby stepped aside to let him pass. I stood and followed him, and together the three of us walked back to the mansion. I hung back a few steps behind Percy and Ruby and watched as the nymph clung to Percy's arms, her head leaning to him as they walked. Making the nature of their relationship obvious.
We went in the mansion through the same back door and headed straight to the dining room. Upon entering, I saw that Percy and I were the only ones not present. I quickly sat down so as not to make the others wait any longer.
As I sat, I saw Clarisse grinning at Hazel as the former praetor smiled lovingly at Percy as he sat down his chair at the head of the table.
Percy leaned over and kissed Hazel on her cheek, making her blush. After Percy looked at all of us before clapping loudly,.
"Let's eat!"
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Clarisse POV
The sun had just broken through the horizon when my eyes opened. Immediately my hand reached for the knife I kept under my pillow after seeing the unfamiliar room. A quick glance around revealed where I was; memories from yesterday came back quickly.
'Oh right! I'm at Prissy's place.'
I sighed as I dropped the knife on the bed. I relaxed for a few minutes until I felt the need to move. Being a child of war, the need to move, to prepare for the day ahead was something I could never get rid of. The feeling of needing to make sure I was as ready for war as I'll ever be was a constant thought at the back of my head. Chasing away laziness and idleness out of my mind.
It was that thought that pushed me out of the bed and out of the room in search of something to do. I went down the stairs and headed into the kitchen. There I found two nymphs working on breakfast.
'It seems I was the first to wake up,' I grinned.
"Good morning, Miss. Would you be wanting breakfast now or later?" The blue-haired nymph asked as the both of them bowed.
"Just a piece of toast and water," I answered as I sat down on a seat.
The red-haired one quickly handed me my plate and a glass of water. I made quick work of the food. Not really a breakfast person, and I wanted to ask if there was a place to train in this mansion. Knowing Prissy, I was sure there was one. But you never know how the years changed him. Seven years ago, I never would have thought of him having a Harem and now he's got 4 or 5 women all to himself.
"Is there someplace here I could train in? If not, I can just go outside and train there," I asked after eating. "We have a training room in the basement; would you like for me to take you there?" The blue-haired one answered.
"Sure, thanks!" I replied, showing a bit of gratitude.
I followed the nymph out of the kitchen and down a hallway; we went down a set of curved stairs at the end of the hall. At the bottom of the stairs, the place opened to an open room as large as the dining pavilion back at camp. It was a square room with multiple doors on 4 walls. The blue-haired nymph went to the one on the far side, directly across from the stairs.
She opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter. "The training room, miss," she said as I stepped past her. "Thanks," I told her. Once I was inside, I looked around the room and saw multiple racks filled with all kinds of weapons. Swords of all sizes and lengths, spears, axes, and hammers. I even saw a bunch of bows hanging from one of the walls.
There were also a bunch of armors set up on the stands scattered all around the room. I nodded, satisfied at the setup, when my attention was grabbed by a series of whaps and heavy panting from one corner of the room.
'Whap! thunk! slash!'
By the corner of the room, I saw Hazel, daughter of Pluto and former Praetor of New Rome. She used to be the girlfriend of my half sibling. Now she was the first member of Jackson's harem.
hah!
Prissy having a Harem! still couldn't believe that. Hard to believe that the guy who turned down godhood for a girl who wasn't even dating him yet would be engaged to not one but two different women. And not the one he gave up godhood for.
I shook my head to drive those thoughts away. Hazel was swinging away at a training dummy with a sword. 'Humm.' I hummed in approval. Her technique was good, and there was ample strength in her slashes. She's good. Though I was also a bit confused, the Roman way of fighting with a sword usually was composed of thrusts and stabbings. Not the way Hazel is moving now.
'Must be because of Prissy,' I thought.
After a few more minutes of watching her train, I step closer to her. Hazel stopped when she saw me, and she greeted me with a smile on her face. "Good morning, Clarisse!". I just grunted in response. "You're good! A bit different from a typical Roman warrior's style but good enough." I gave her my honest opinion on her skills.
"Thank you! It took me a while to get used to this style, but Percy insisted. He said that I should get used to all kinds of fighting styles," Hazel explained while spinning her sword around her body. There was a fluidity in her motion; clearly, she was used to her sword and was familiar enough with it.
"Prissy made that sword too?" I asked.
Hazel lifted the sword and gazed at it for a bit. "Yes, he did. Percy's made almost all of the weapons and armor in the mansion," she said. "Though the majority of them was made during his training with Lord Vulcan," Hazel added.
"He trained with Hephaestus?" I asked, surprised.
"Oh yes! It was a few months after I was sent here by my father," Hazel told me with a smile. Clearly remembering it fondly. I wanted to ask more about that, but something about what Hazel said bothered me more. So, I decided about that instead.
"What do you mean you were sent here by your father?" I asked.
Hazel stared at me after I asked that question. I could see the internal struggle she was going through. I thought she was going to dodge answering me, but after a few seconds she sighed and sat down on the mat, placing her sword across her lap.
I wanted to train, but I figured I could do that later; getting answers was a priority for now. So, I followed her down on the floor and sat down as well. I didn't bring my spear with me down here since all I wanted was to train my body, so I leaned back on my arms and waited until Hazel began explaining how she got here. Then I remembered I haven't apologized to her yet about my manners, or lack thereof, last night.
"By the way, I'm sorry about how I acted towards you last night," I said, looking her right in the eye and showing my sincerity. Hazel smiled and nodded. "I accept, but please do keep an open mind about our set up here. Especially when the second member of the harem comes back," she responded.
"I'll keep that in mind." I nodded at her request. It's not like it was a hard request to begin with. And I've somewhat accepted it anyway. I was just surprised last night, that's all.
"What happened with you and Frank anyway?" I asked, now that we are okay, mostly.
Hazel giggled; why was she giggling? I don't know, but she was giggling for some reason.
"Do you want to know why my father sent me here or what happened between me and Frank?" Hazel asked after her giggling fit. 'Oh yeah, I asked her that first,' I thought. I forgot about my first question. I was about to say to answer my first question, but she beat me to it.
"I'm just messing with you! Besides, those two questions are related anyway, so just listen to my story and you'll get your answer!" Hazel said. The way was nonchalantly describing that; it was unnerving but also reassuring. I think it meant that she has accepted her place here and truly is happy where she is. The past no longer haunts her, whatever that may be. And that is good.
I stayed quiet as Hazel got ready to tell her story; she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She opened her eyes as she exhaled, then she started.
"Before I started, a bit of context about me that not many know." she started with that. A secret about herself. Okay, why not?
"I am actually a lot older than I look, first of all. That's because I was born back in 1928," was her declaration.
"What?" was my response.
"Yes! I am that old. And no, I am not immortal. And unlike Nico, I was not stuck in the Lotus Casino," she added.
"Then how?" I questioned.
"Long story short, I am someone who has died once. Yes, I died when I was just 13 years old. Then I spent decades in Asphodel, just wandering the wastelands of the underworld. That is until I was found by Nico," she continued.
"He was going around in the underworld looking for his sister, the one that died on the quest with Percy. But instead of finding her, he found me instead. So, Nico took advantage of the Door of Death being opened and unguarded to sneak me out to the world of the living."
That was very surprising. I never thought that little emo death brat had it in him.
"Anyway, Nico knew that he couldn't bring me back to camp half-blood, so he took me to the Roman camp. And that's my background." Hazel ended her explanation.
"So, you were resurrected; I didn't know that," I confirmed with Hazel. "In a manner of speaking, but that's not important right now," she responded. She paused, and I saw a seriousness on her face that wasn't there before. 'It looks like the reason for her being here is a heavy one,' I thought.
"As for why my father sent me here, it has something to do with my time in the underworld as a dead person." Hazel started, her voice tinged with sadness, and I knew instantly the topic would be heavy. "As a demigod, I'm sure you know that about the nightmares we get." She started, and I nodded. I was not a stranger to nightmares; we've all had them since we were kids. It just comes with being a Demigod.
"Add to that being one of the prophecy kids, and as a child of the big three plus surviving a war, then you get a demigod with an even worse bout of nightmares than most." I can see how that would be true. As a demigod who has survived not one but three wars, plus a quest. I know just how much worse our nightmares were.
"Well, my nightmares were more special. You see, my time in Asphodel has guaranteed that my sleep will be plagued by visions of my time there," Hazel continued in a small voice. "The dead are not supposed to be walking among the living, my father explained to me. As I have already died once, my spirit itself longs for the underworld, coupled with my memories of my time there. and the trauma of the wars. Well, if safe to say, I suffered greatly." Hazel confessed, and I thought of her as a strong person before; now I think she was one of the strongest.
And she has more than earned my respect.
"And that's where Frank comes in, or rather where he didn't come in. To be fair to him, Frank did try to do his best. At first, the nightmares were manageable. But as time passed, they became worse until just his presence wasn't really alleviating my suffering," Hazel said with a small smile.
"Then he became busier and busier with New Rome and his new duties. I tried to bury myself with the same work, but I found myself doing worse with my duties, so I quit and passed the mantle to someone else," she went on.
"Then one day, I just couldn't handle it anymore. His lack of time for me has got the better of me. So, I decided to end it. I broke up with him. He tried to fight; he did, but I knew we were heading towards a more hurtful heartbreak if we continued, so I steeled myself and left." Hazel paused here. I took the chance to talk.
"So it wasn't because he was cheating or that he was abusive? That's good," I murmured. Hazel frowned at me as she responded. "I don't know where you got that idea from, but you really should not jump to conclusions."
"Frank was a good boyfriend. And he was a greater friend. He just wasn't equipped enough to handle someone with baggage like mine," Hazel added as she defended her ex, who happened to be my half-brother. "Because of that, I called on my father for help. And he sent me here."
"And it was the best decision of my life," she suddenly declared with a wide smile.
"Even if you're a member of a Harem?" I asked. "Yes!" she responded.
"Besides, the vows we took when we joined are almost the same as what marriage vows sound like, so in a way, it's just like being married," she said, and I remembered what the vows were from Percy last night.
"And you're really in love with the Kelp for brains?" I asked in a teasing tone.
"Yes! I am very much in love with Percy!" retorted Hazel.
"What did you even see in him? I'm not trying to say he's not attractive; it's just that I never saw the appeal," I told Hazel.
"That's good! One less woman I need to worry about!" Hazel's response was unexpected. "Was there more?" I asked. "You have no idea!" Hazel almost shouted at me.
"Have you ever heard of how I and Frank met Percy? No. Okay, I'll tell you." Hazel was very giddy as she spoke.
"I first met Percy when he stumbled on the entrance to Camp Jupiter. He was dirty, his clothes were torn, and he was being chased by two Gorgons all while carrying the goddess Juno!" Hazel started, this at least I knew from Frank.
"That first glimpse of Percy for me was the most memorable. I thought he was a god in disguise, you know. Not because of his looks, no, because of the aura of power he exuded. Like the world waited for his command," Hazel added.
"Then all throughout the journey to Greece and the war. I slowly developed a crush on him. But I never acted on it. At the time he was very devoted to Annabeth, even willingly falling to the Pit just for her." I noticed a harder edge in her tone as she talked about Annabeth. And considering how she reacted to me last night, I think Percy was right in that Annabeth won't be getting a warm welcome from the women of this mansion.
"And after living with him, well, I was a goner. One day, I just couldn't hold back any more, so I confessed my love for him, and he accepted." Her smile was so wide and bright I was surprised I was not blinded.
I felt her genuine feelings for Prissy, and that complicated what I was about to tell her. I just hope she won't blow up on me again. Percy isn't here right now to hold her back. And as much as I love a fight, I wouldn't want to be responsible for any injuries to his fiancée.
"Umm Hazel, thanks for explaining to me, but I'd like to return the favor. The reason I asked is because I plan on telling everything I learned here to Annabeth when we get back to camp," I said in one breath, then paused to see how she would react.
Hazel stared at me for a few minutes before she nodded. "I figured as much; I know that you and her go way back. You've known each other longer than her and Percy. So, I can understand why you'd do that," she said.
"Yes, that, but also because I believe she's still in love with Percy," I added.
"I know, I never believed even for a minute that Annabeth wasn't in love with Percy. But her love for him didn't stop her from doing the most horrible thing. So even if she's in love with him still. Nothing really changed." Hazel responded.
"In the end, Percy will decide if he will ever forgive her and welcome her back in his arms, or not. All I'm going to do is stay beside Percy and support and love him in whatever his decision might be," Hazel declared.
Hearing her say those things solidified the fact that she was actually happy here and that she was here willingly. So, I nodded and grinned at Hazel.
"He really got lucky with you!" I spoke. with a grin.
"I'm the lucky one, actually!" she retorted, not knowing she walked right in my trap!
"Really? How lucky are we talking about? Cause based on what I heard last night. It seems you got lucky multiple times!" I asked teasingly.
I watched as Hazel blushed but didn't deny my words, making me grin even more.
"So Hazel, tell me. Is Prissy really that good in bed?" I asked while leaning closer to the smaller girl.
Hazel blushed some more, but she looked me straight in the eye before answering.
"He's the best."
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Will POV
As always, I was up the moment the sun broke through the horizon. Freaking Genetics! I don't even share genes with my father! So why can't I sleep in? Where's the justice?
Sigh
I glanced at the glass balcony doors and saw the forest beginning to light up from the early morning sun. I contemplated staying in bed for a few more hours, but habit is a thing that is very hard to deny and break. Back at camp, I would have been up the moment my eyes opened. Making my way to the infirmary to check on the overnight patients and see if we had any additions during the night.
Now though, I didn't have to do that, given that this land was even more protected than both demigod camps. Warded from the gods themselves! Still, my body demanded that I get a move on. So, I got up and freshened up before going out of the mansion.
'Let's check this place out'
I went down and out of the mansion without meeting anyone. It seems like I was the first to wake up, as always. I went to the middle of the clearing and basked under the soft, early morning sunlight. Closing my eyes and just letting the light of my father's domain wash over me. Enjoying the heat, imagining it as my father's embrace.
After a while, I opened my eyes and looked up at the sun. Unlike others, being the Sun god's child allowed me to stare at the Sun for a longer period without any discomfort. Staring at the Sun for me is just like looking at a light bulb. I tried to make out the chariot of the sun, but all I saw was a ball of light.
I shook my head and laid down on the soft grass and just idled away the morning, counting the clouds that floated across the sky. Listening to the chirping of the birds on the trees. It was peaceful here. I had almost forgotten what it was like to not be so busy and stressed all the time. Even now, when there was no active prophecy going on, being the head medic still makes my life hectic!
And I wouldn't want that kind of life for others.
Laying down here on the grass, in the middle of the woods. Surrounded by nature and your loved ones. I can see why Percy and Hazel kept to themselves. It's peaceful, and if anybody deserved a peaceful life, it was Percy.
I closed my eyes and just willed the time to go by as my mind went blank for the first time in a while.
I wish Nico was here.
After I don't know how long, I went back to the mansion area and sat down on one of the lounge chairs around the pool area. The view from here was just stunning, with a clear view of the lake, shimmering from the morning sun. It was breath-taking. If I were living here, I would spend the most time here, just enjoying this view all day.
While I was enjoying the view, I noticed the pool water casting a rainbow on one of the pillars surrounding it. 'I should contact Chiron and inform him we got here safe last night,' I thought. Fishing a Drachma from my pocket, another change implemented to all demigods going away from camp. Always have a couple of Drachmas ready for emergency use in your pockets.
"Oh, Fleecy, do me a solid! Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood!" I prayed, then I tossed the golden coin at the rainbow. Tink! The Drachma passed the rainbow, hit the pillar, fell, and rolled on the tiled floor. My eyes followed it as it rolled and stopped by the edge of the pool.
I stared at the coin on the ground, wondering what went wrong. I got up and went to pick up the coin. I inspected it to make sure it was a real Drachma. With the Stolls around, it was very possible for one of them to swipe my Drachmas with one of their fake ones for a prank. Then again, even they would not jeopardize the safety of a camper going out of camp.
'Nope, real Drachma.'
Checking that it was a real Drachma, I faced the rainbow and tried again. "Oh, Fleecy, do me a solid! Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood!" This time I said it slowly, enunciating every word properly. Once again, I flicked the coin to the rainbow and watched as it went through it without the intended effect. This time though, the coin fell in the pool, and I didn't want to dip in the pool this early.
'It's not the coin, and it's not me. Something is not right here.' I decided to get inside the mansion; it would be much safer inside. At least until I find out what's happening. I found two of the nymphs in the kitchen preparing breakfast. "Good morning, sir!" They both greeted me as I entered. I smiled back and returned their greeting.
"What would you like for breakfast?" asked the red-haired nymph. "Eggs and bacon, please," I replied as I sat down on one of the high chairs. "Excuse me, but can I have your names, please?" I asked the blue-haired one. It was getting annoying not knowing the names of the nymphs in this place.
"Of course, my name is Blueberry; she is Ruby, and the one that is not here right now is Aethra," Blueberry answered, gesturing to Ruby, who was cooking breakfast. Aethra must be the white-haired nymph from last night. "It's Aethra's day off today, so she is sleeping in," Blueberry added.
"A day off, you guys get days off?" I asked, intrigued.
"Oh yes! Master insisted on it. We tried to decline them when we were first sent here to serve, but Master wouldn't take no for an answer. So now we have a day off, one every week," Blueberry explained as she busied herself with breakfast prep.
"Here you go, sir," Ruby said as she handed me a plate with my breakfast. "Thank you," I thanked her as I started on my breakfast. I watched as the two continued to get food ready for the other inhabitants of the mansion.
After eating, I left the kitchen and went back to my room to take a quick shower and maybe try to sleep some more. I didn't have anything I needed to do here anyway, and I wanted to take advantage of the safety of the place to relax before we have to go back to the normal stressful life at camp.
After showering, I climbed on the bed and laid down. The next thing I knew, I was hearing a knocking on the door. 'I must have fallen asleep,' I thought as I got up and opened the door. I saw Ruby with a smile waiting for me. "Lunch is ready, sir," she said.
"I'll be down in a sec," I said. Ruby turned and went back down as I went back to my bag to get a few things. Then, like her, I went down and made my way to the dining room, where I found Hazel and Clarisse on their seats around the table. "Did you just wake up?" Clarisse asked. "No, I just went back to sleep. But I was up with the sun, like always," I answered.
I turned to Hazel, who had a smile on her face. "I hope you slept well," she said as a greeting, and I took this chance to ask about the IM issue. "I did; thank you for the room, by the way. I do have to ask something." I spoke. "Hmm?" She tilted her head at me, waiting for my question. "I tried to contact camp earlier, but the Iris message won't work. Why is that?" I asked.
Hazel smiled as she nodded. "Ah! That! Yeah, IMs don't really work here," she said with a wave of her hand. I noticed Clarisse sitting next to her raise an eyebrow at her. Clearly also not something she was told. "I guess I should explain, huh?" I nodded. I wonder why IMs are unusable here.
"This place was rewarded to Percy by the Gods; as long as he lives, this place will be a safe haven for him and those he invites against monsters and the gods themselves. That includes their domains and influence," Hazel explained. "That means things like IM's and shadow travel will not be usable here because they are directly influenced by a god, which this place actively guards against," she added.
I remember that protection from God's thing from yesterday, but I didn't think it extended to IM's and things like that. Will my inherited skills even work here?
"So, no IM's?" I asked. "No IM's," Hazel confirmed. "At least not within the barrier. If we need to send one, we usually go to the beach," Hazel said, turning to her left. "It's about a 30-minute ride from here." She turned back to me and continued. "If you really need to send one, you can use one of our motorcycles here or an ATV," Hazel offered.
"No, no. That's ok. I just wanted to inform Chiron since I had nothing to do this morning. I'll leave that up to Malcolm. He's the leader anyway." I declined. I still remember the first time I rode a motorcycle. It was during the 2nd Titan War; Percy just grabbed me from the battlefield and made me ride one with him to go to Annabeth. Now that I think about it, that might have been the moment I knew I liked men. I still wouldn't want to be riding on a motorcycle ever again. Even if it's with Nico.
The danger it would pose just doesn't make sense to me, even if Nico would look absolutely handsome on one. The thought of him riding one and getting in an accident just fills me with dread. So, no motorcycle for me.
"If you're sure, but if you change your mind, just let us know, okay?" Hazel responded. I nodded and waited for lunch to start.
"Ruby, please go and call Percy. Tell him lunch is ready." Hazel tells the Red-haired nymph, who nodded and went to call our host. I just sat and waited for about 10 minutes until I saw Percy and Malcolm enter the dining room.
'So that's where he's been,' I thought as Malcolm sat down beside Clarisse while Percy took the seat at the head of the table. I saw him kiss Hazel on the cheek, causing her to blush slightly. Then he smiled at the nymphs standing around the table before announcing the start of the meal.
As we ate, Percy asked us what we planned to do for the rest of the day.
"I'll just relax by the pool; it's been a while since I just sat around not doing anything," Malcolm said, and I agreed with him. As fellow camp counselors, I know how busy we get on a daily basis.
"I think I'll join him there. Maybe go for a swim," I said after him, getting a nod from Malcolm.
"I will join you in your workshop; I'm curious about what you do here. Then maybe train a bit before dinner. Since we still can't have that spar," Clarisse said, the last part directed at Hazel, who has vetoed the planned spar until Percy finishes the current project he's got going on.
"Fair enough. Just to let you know now though, it's boring work," Percy accepted.
"If it's boring, then I'll just leave," Clarisse retorted.
"Alright," Percy agreed, and we went back to our meals.
---------------------------
Extra POV (Percy)
It was early evening when I decided to stop for the day, checking on the platinum chain I was working on. I was happy with how it turned out; I set it aside together with the pendant I managed to finish after lunch. All that's left to do is attach the lock and polish them all, and then I'm done with this.
'I should be able to finish this tomorrow,' I thought happily.
"Hunnnn" I stretched my back, feeling good from being hunched over the work table for long periods of time.
I stood up and went out of my workshop, officially done for the day. I walked back to the mansion and noticed voices coming from the pool area on the other side of the mansion. Deciding to go there immediately, I went around my home and saw everyone having fun and relaxing by the pool.
Will and Malcolm were smiling and floating about in the pool while Hazel and Clarisse were sitting down on the lounges nursing drinks in their hands. The nymphs were scattered around doing their own thing.
The view brought a smile to my face. I felt happy to see my family and friends relaxing, no doubt taking advantage of the safety this place afforded them. And the lack of responsibility they got from camp. I would accept them all here if it was possible. Sadly, I knew they wouldn't accept that. They all have their own lives to live after all.
"Percy! Are you done?" Hazel was the first to spot me as I came around the mansion. I walked up to her and gave her a kiss on her lips. We parted and I gave her a smile as I nodded. "Good, you should freshen up; we'll have an early dinner tonight," she added. "As you wish, my lady," I teased as I grabbed her hand and kissed her wrist. I felt her shiver and I knew I was going to have a night to look forward to.
I nodded to my guest and made my way inside the mansion to take a shower. I've had a long, productive day. It's time to unwind a little.
--------line break---------
"Ring... ring... ring..."
We were in the middle of dinner when the alarm sounded all over the mansion. I sat up as Clarisse and Malcolm got ready for battle, typical demigod instinct kicking in. I heard giggling from my side and saw Hazel covering her mouth with a napkin as she tried to stifle her laughter.
"Relax guys! It's just the alarm," I said as I tried to calm down my guests.
"Alarm?" Clarisse asked, eyes roaming around. Checking the outside from the windows.
Hazel took the chance to explain what it was for. "It's the alarm that lets us know if there is someone outside our border. The same thing happened with you guys when you arrived last night. Same when you were being attacked, Malcolm," she told everybody.
I saw Clarisse relax as she sat back down, while Malcolm was still very much alert. But he sat down as well.
"So, who's outside?" Will asked mid-bite. I looked to Hazel, and she looked back at me. "A god," I said, causing Will to choke for a bit. Ruby immediately gave him a glass of water. Before I could invite the god inside, Clarisse asked me a question.
"I thought this place kept you away from the gods?" she asked, understandably confused.
"That is true, like I explained. Part of my reward is freedom from the god's meddling. But that doesn't mean they can't ask me for favors. It only means that they cannot force me to do their bidding. Or send me on any quest for them," I explained.
"Like what my father did for me," Hazel added.
I smiled at Hazel before invoking the words that allowed visitors in my domain.
"I, Percy Jackson, invite the god into my domain," I declared.
As soon as I said the words, shadows gathered from every corner of the room as the temperature dropped. The shadows coalesced until they formed Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Father of Hazel. He stood in one corner of the dining room, eye-taking every face in the room before settling on me.
All at once, everyone except me and Hazel stood up and bowed to the god in reverence.
"Greetings, Lord Hades!" They said one and all, earning a nod of recognition from the Dark God himself. Hades turned and stared at his daughter. His form flickering to his Roman one as he greeted her. "Hello, daughter, I trust you are well?" The god asked.
"I am more than well, father; I am happy and at peace," Hazel answered with a wide smile. Grabbing my hand from the table and bringing it to her lips for a kiss. "I am glad for it," Pluto said before looking back at me, shifting back to his Greek form.
"What brings you here, Uncle?" I asked. Hoping he isn't about to ask for another favor.
"Nico came to me earlier today; it seems he's finally found out what happened to Hazel and to you along with the rest of Camp Half-Blood. He is demanding that I send him here," Hades said, shocking me. I always knew I couldn't hide things from Nico. But for things to happen at almost the same time?
I wonder what The Fates are playing at right now.
"I am here to ask to be allowed to send him here," Hades added, asking for his son.
"I have no problem with Nico coming here. But it's up to Hazel to decide," I replied as I turned to Hazel.
Hazel looked to me, shocked, but only for a bit. She was silent for a few minutes before she made up her mind. "I want to meet Nico as well, but can you send him here tomorrow? In the morning would be best so that we would have an entire day to catch up," Hazel told her father, who nodded.
"That is acceptable. I shall send Nico beyond the border tomorrow," the god confirmed before he dissolved into shadows and disappeared from the room.
"Well! It seems we'll be having one more quest joining us tomorrow!" Hazel announced, making me groan. I ignored Hazel as she instructed the nymphs to prepare another room for her brother and went back to my meal.
Seeing me eat, the others followed, and soon we were all back to enjoying the meal we had in front of us. Excited for the next day.
extra extra POV
On the balcony of a room on the second floor. In a mansion in the middle of a clearing in the woods. A man sits on a chair, looking over the dark night as he gazes at the stars.
In his hands, he held a phone. He has been contemplating making a call since after dinner. First, he planned to use Iris messaging but learned from Will that such things were impossible inside the bordered land of Percy.
And so here he was, wasting time debating making the call or waiting until he was face-to-face to share all he learned about his host.
And he learned a lot. Some of those he wasn't comfortable sharing over the phone. But he knew the other person would want to know as soon as possible.
With a deep breath, the man pressed the call button and waited for the call to connect.
After a few rings, he heard a click and a voice who asked who it was on the other end calling.
The man braced himself and started to speak.
"Annabeth, it's me. I have news."