Flowergirl, Percy Jackson

019. Fate and Forgiveness

The Fates take Luke's body. 

Lila's never seen them before. They don't look like she expected - even though they all have three different roles, they all look exactly the same. The only thing differentiating them is what they hold - scissors, yarn, needles. 

One looks at her. Lila stares back - nothing happens. The old woman stares at Lila expectantly for a second more, not a trace of emotion in her eyes. Then she turns away. If it were anyone else, Lila might think she's confused, but how can a Fate be confused? They're the literal fates. 

She holds up a piece of blue yarn - Percy looks at it with recognition, but Lila's never seen it, nor heard that story before. They wrap up Luke's body in a white-and-green shroud, carrying it out of the throne room.

"Wait," Hermes begs.

He's wearing white Greek robes, sandals and a winged helmet, looking like the perfect image of Hermes that the Greeks always made sculptures of, except for the grief marring his perfect face. George and Martha murmur Luke, poor Luke. 

Hermes unwraps Luke's face, and kisses his forehead, before murmuring words in Ancient Greek. "Farewell," he whispers, before nodding, allowing Luke to be carried away. 

Before they can talk, Annabeth's knees buckled. Percy's reflexes are so fast he manages to grab her arm, but she cries out - he's grabbed the broken one. 

"Oh gods," he says. "Annabeth, I'm sorry."

"It's all right," she says, passing out.

"She needs help!"  Percy yells. Lila reaches forward to prop up Annabeth's other side so her entire weight isn't on Percy. 

"I've got this." Apollo steps forward. He's so bright Lila can't meet his eyes, and his smile is so charming it could probably soften even Thalia's thorns. Lila's a little too tired and grief-stricken to notice. "God of medicine, at your service."

He passes his hand over Annabeth's face, speaking some words in Ancient Greek. The bruises fade, her cuts disappearing and her sleep becomes less laboured. He grins. "She'll be fine in a few minutes." He waves a lazy hand at Lila, and her wound begins to close up, her energy renewed. "Just enough time for me to compose a poem about our victory: 'Apollo and his friends save Olympus.' Good, eh?"

"Thanks, Apollo," Percy says. "I'll, um, let you handle the poetry."

The time moves quickly after that. The gods begin to repair the throne room, which takes little more than a snap of their fingers. Grover, Percy and Lila start to tend for the wounded, reuniting with everyone else as soon as she sky bridge is fixed. Thalia was saved by the Cyclopes, and she's on the mend. Mrs. O'Leary had dug Chiron out and taken him to camp, so neither are there to greet Lila, to her worry - but they are both alive. Apparently Rachel Elizabeth Dare had disappeared after the battle, but she'd been seen unharmed. 

Still, that's not everyone accounted for. Lila searches helplessly for Nico, until he finally arrives with his father, both looking a little uncomfortable. Yet, the gods greet Hades enthusiastically, and the demigods greet Nico in the same way. Both father and son seem bewildered, but Lila tackles Nico in a hug and nearly cries. 

"I'm sorry," is the first thing he says. He's a good kid, really. 

"I forgive you," Lila promises. "I was so worried, dude." 

"Dude?" He scoffs snarkily. "You've spent too much time with Percy." 

Well, Lila can hardly dispute that. Still, she ruffles his already messy hair, and he slaps her hand away, looking irritated. "You know that I love you," she tells her brother. She's never really said it to him before, but it's true.