𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐒 | percy jackson

babysitting duty

Battle cries echoed through the forest, springing life into Ciarda's mind. This was her element. It was what she was made for. 

Carefully, she watched as Annabeth took charge, captaining the team of blues. "Alright. We have twenty minutes before the second conch horn blows and it's game on. You know what you're doing?" 

"Yes Ma'am," Luke nodded, turning to leave but she stopped him again. His dark hair wafted in the wind, sticking out from under his helmet. "Does today feel like a winning kind of day to you?" She questioned. He offered her his natural smirk: "I'll see you on the other side."

Luke banded the blue army together and led them right, marching in time to their fear-instilling war calls. Percy stepped to follow before the singing of metal and a hard object, on his chest, stopped him. He looked down, his reflection clear and polished in the golden sword. 

The blade scraped back, creaking against the metal while it left a scar on his armour. Percy's eyes met Ciarda's. 

"Not you, Sunshine, you're with us," She huffed - it was not her decision. Annabeth gestured them to follow her, Ciarda holding her tongue. Percy realised she didn't like being told what to do. 

The wooden bridge that spanned over the forest terrain was covered in multi-coloured flags. Wavering in the wind, Ciarda steadied it with her feet. "Hurry up Percy!" Annabeth insisted, nauseously looking down at the three-hundred-foot drop. 

"Are you sure this is Health and Safety approved?" Percy mumbled, pushing down lightly with one foot. His yelp repeated down the valley as Ciarda grabbed the scruff of his collar and yanked him along the bridge with her. "Why did we bring him?" She cursed Annabeth. 

"You can see them," Ciarda mentioned to the female, pointing across the bridge with her sword. It glimmered in the summer sun. Below them, the blue army set up their first line of defence. From such a height, Ciarda smirked when she could still hear Luke barking orders. 

"I cannot believe you'd rather have me here, than down there. It is where I'm meant to be, Anna," Ciarda huffed. The nickname made Percy's eyebrows furrow - he'd assumed the two didn't know each other well. "And I want you here; I know what I'm doing," Annabeth smiled sarcastically. 

Ciarda didn't fight her, surprising Percy who noticed she usually argued with whatever was said - just because she enjoyed the disagreement. 

"Keep moving, Twinkletoes," Ciarda shoved Percy to the other side of the bridge and into the forest where thick, cold mud caked the floor. It was much colder in the shade of the trees, goosebumps feathering Ciarda's arms. 

The caked mud swallowed Annabeth's boots and dirtied the end of Percy's sword. 

Walking along the slippery banks, Pery tripped and fell, his knees dampening in patches. "You are utterly useless," Ciarda huffed, gesturing to the boy along with the chorus of her sword. 

"Where did you get that?" Percy queried, trying to keep up with the La Rue girl's runner pace. "My father," She replied sharply. His blue eyes zeroed in on the hand, splatters of blood that stained the wrap around it screaming violence without using the word. 

"Is that-" Percy's eyes widened when he scanned the engravings on the handle. "Achilles' sword." She marched ahead quicker, clearly not enjoying his company. 

"She comes around eventually - makes you earn her trust and respect." Annabeth turned to him with not even a comforting smile in hand. 

She knew what it was like to grovel at Ciarda's feet and get minimal in return. The girl was as relentless as the Gods, and Annabeth sometimes wondered who would win if they ever got into a dispute with her.