Empress (a Percy Jackson AU)

A Shrine to the Old Gods

     Juniper filled a bucket with water for Annabeth to wash herself before showing her a rocky outcrop near the sea where she could get some privacy. "Thank you," Annabeth said.

Juniper gave a small smile and left. Annabeth looked down at the bucket and then to dirt beneath her fingernails and sighed. She stripped quickly and poured some cold water over her head. She accidentally poured too much, but there was still some left sloshing in the bucket when she set it down.

Annabeth used the rosemary-scented bar of soap Juniper had given her to create a lather that she spread through her tangled hair and over her body. Then, she raised the bucket overhead once more and poured again. By the time she was done, Annabeth felt miserable, but cleaner than she had been in weeks. She was used to bathing in baths with hot water and bath attendants. Even the poorest folks in Constantinople visited the public baths.

Annabeth pulled the dry clothes over her head. Horace has been wrong about pastoral life. How could anyone stand it? Even taking a bath required labor. When she finished, Annabeth sighed and gathered up the things Juniper had given her into her arms.

She carried them back to Grover and Juniper's hut. Percy was helping Grover out in the fields. Juniper was nowhere to be seen, so Annabeth set the bucket, placing the bar of soap in it, next to the door of the hut. She knocked on the thin, wooden door. There was no response and when Annabeth put her ear to the door, she heard nothing.

Annabeth turned around and scoured the area for Juniper. She saw no sign of the woman, so she began helping Grover and Percy weed the fields of barley. "Where is Juniper?" Annabeth asked as she pulled a rough-leafed weed.

Grover didn't meet her gaze. "She's doing some laundry."

They worked for a few more minutes and then Grover looked up. "I hope it's not a bother, but could you please fetch some water from the well? It's near that grove of oak trees."

Annabeth wondered why he was acting so timidly around her. Then, it dawned to her: Grover feared what might happen if she became empress again and decided he was not a good host. She felt a twinge of sympathy and nodded, standing up and wiping the dirt off the bottom of her tunica. "I'll do that now."

As soon as she left, Percy and Grover began conversing in low, worried tones. Annabeth found another bucket near the hut and grabbed it. She headed towards the oak trees, which were closer the sea. Soon, she heard the sound of waves and felt relief as the sun overhead was filtered through the leafy canopy of oak trees.

The well was small and made of stone. As Annabeth tied the rope around the bucket's handle, she couldn't help thinking that the well looked quite old. She lowered the rope and when she rose it, the bucket was filled to the brim with water. Some of it sloshed over the sides as she untied the rope, falling into the grass and turning the dirt to mud.

Annabeth grasped the bucket and headed back towards the hut. She stopped at the sound of a voice. Annabeth set down the bucket and quietly headed towards the source. As she drew closer, words became distinguishable.

"Great goddess Hera," the voice said. "Bless my marriage bed and my womb. Aphrodite, Lady of the Doves, bless me with fertility. Please, give me the child I desire."

Annabeth stepped on a twig and it cracked. The figure, head bowed as they faced a small altar, looked behind their shoulder and met her gaze. It was Juniper.

"Perhaps God will grant your prayers," Annabeth said, moistening her lips. "If only you pray to him."

"Granted, Annabeth," Juniper said, rising to her feet. "Did you pray to your God for the death of your family? Sometimes, the gods don't hear us or maybe they don't care."

She was crying now and her eyes looked greener than ever instead of red. With her petite features and vivid eyes, Juniper looked like the dryads Annabeth had read of in lessons. She closed the gap between them and hugged Juniper rightly. Was Juniper right? Did God really care about her? Why had God let her family die? Annabeth didn't know, but she offered her new friend the only comfort she could: a shoulder to cry on and a person to listen to.