A Crown of Golden Leaves: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Caput XXXVIII: The Tolling of the Clock

"Just remember, a dark shadow need light to exist but light doesn't need darkness to be luminous."  - Gwen Hayes     

Caput XXXVIII: The Tolling of the Clock

THE sky was painted in a thousand shades of pink and red and purple and orange. Red bled into orange and pink, and pink and purple bled into blue. The red and orange sun touched shimmering golden white yellow water - the sky reflected off of the deep blue sea. The world was bathed in a golden glow that almost hurt his eyes to look at.

"Percy," the wind whispered into his ear. He turned, twisting his upper body though his feet remained planted in the white sand. His mother smiled, sadness in her eyes which reflected the movement of the sea behind him. She reached out and touched his shoulder, hand surprisingly solid. She looked like she wanted to tell him something, but couldn't.

"Matera...?" he prompted. She shook her head at him. He thought there was darkness on her face. "Matera, what is wrong?"

"I'm sorry," a melodious voice said, "she can't hear you or speak to you." Percy jumped and spun in a circle. A woman at on top of a rock in the middle of the sea, though her voice sounded like it was right next to him. Her long hair, which looked like it was made out of seawater, flowed down to her bare waist.

Percy yanked his eyes back up to her face. The sea woman had a sly smile on her lips. He looked back over at his mother was standing - but she had gone. All that remained was a warm touch and the wind playing at his hair.

"Where did she go?" he asked, turning back to the sea woman - A naiad, perhaps? The sea woman shook her head.

"Back," she replied with a shrug of her bare shoulders. "Back to where she belongs."

Percy studied his feet. He buried them into the sand, watching as the sand shifted between his toes. Odd, how tanned they were when he didn't step outside very much. He avoided the sun as much as he could since it burned his skin easily.

Back to where she belongs. That must be back in the underworld - Though why he could see her now was strange to him. But then again, this was his dream. He would dream up a naked woman and his mother talking to him, wouldn't he? Especially with Annabeth -

Nope. He was so not ready to deal with that can of worms. He shoved that thought into the box in the other corner of his mind for future examination when he felt ready to tackle it. Which was not now.

"Be brave, mortal king." The sea woman's voice startled him into looking up at her accidentally. He fixed on her eyes to block out everything else as she stepped out of the water and in front of him. "You'll need all the courage you can muster when the hour of despair strikes."

Percy frowned. "What are you talking abo-"

Moonlight bathed the room in a silver glow. Percy stared up at golden and red draperies. The shadows twisted in the decoration, taking on the shapes of the monsters that he thought had once hidden underneath his bed. The shadows looked like they were laughing at him.

Despite himself, goosebumps erupted on his arms and even the hair on the back of his neck rose.

Suddenly, he became aware of the fact that Annabeth was draped all over him - Like a starfish. He wasn't exactly sure how she did it, but she had hogged all the blankets again. (He pretended that he wasn't hogging the pillows.) And she was snoring by his ear. Loudly.

Or those might be from Annabeth.

His heart started pounding so hard he was half afraid it would burst out of his chest.