Chapter One, Dream House

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Daphne arrived in literal blazing glory, fire flying behind her. She commanded respect from everyone who saw her, despite being a petite girl with big eyes and typically feminine features. She wore her features with a masculinity, owned her height. She stood as if she had commanded armies. 

Luke first noticed her eye, slashed through with a scar, milky white. He thought it was beautiful. 

Second he noticed her burn scars, covering the bottom of her neck and what he could see of her arms covered in a long sleeve loose shirt. She wore dark forest green sneakers with denim shorts that you would think would make it hard for her to fight, but she had clearly won many a battle in them as they were seared at the bottom and covered in splatters of mud and something with more of a red tint. 

Her hair was shoulder length and tied half up in a bun, but it was in her mouth and her eyes and everywhere. She seemed annoyed, but in a way that seemed like it happened a lot. Standing at the top of the hill next to Thalia's pine with the rising sun and still not out fires from her battle against the snake-like monster, she was powerful. 

Luke was flitting through possible options for her godly parent in his head. Apollo? There was a guitar on her back. Hephaestus? The fire made it seem plausible. He was mid-thought when she collapsed into a pile on the ground.


It was dark when Daphne woke up. She was warm, something she hadn't been in a while. A blanket covered her body. She was laying on a bed in a room with heavy curtains. A man stood by the door and it appeared as if he had eyes all over his body, but she was certain her mind was just playing tricks on her. 

Her arms were bare, stripped of her long sleeve shirt that had been protecting her. She ran her hands over the raised parts of her skin, the dips and arches. She closed her eyes again.


A man in a wheelchair sat next to the bed. He wore thick glasses and had a greying beard. He wore a shirt that said "PARTY PONIES '03" with a blazer over it. Daphne sat up. 

"Who the fuck are you," she asked, looking around the now brightened room for something she could use as defense. 

"My name is Chiron," he said calmly, as if he had done this a million times before. He bent over the side of his chair and picked a glass of something off the floor. It was golden but smelled like dark chocolate. "Here," he offered her the glass. "Drink, but not too much."

"I'm not drinking this until you tell me where exactly I am."

The man didn't set the glass down. "You're at Camp Half Blood. It's a safe place, I promise."

"I made it?" Daphne inquired, eyes flicking down to the drink and then back to the man. 

"Yes."

Daphne took the drink, the condensation cooling her hands. When she brought it to her lips, it tasted like her mom's hot chocolate. She hadn't had it since she was probably 5. She took careful sips, nursing it. 

"So they're real? The Greek gods?"

"Yes. And you are the child of one of them."

"What did you do with my shirt?"

"It was damaged. I'm sure one of the Apollo counselors took it when they were tending to you. I'm sure we could get you a replacement."

"That would be phenomenal," Daphne said, a bitter tone to her voice. She set the glass down, about half of it drunk. She flung the sheets off her legs, revealing that she no longer had her shorts either but had been outfitted in a new, more athletic pair. She tied her hair up quickly and messily, not taking time to deal with the stray curls and bumps.

There was a new pair of shoes on the floor as well, not the exact same make as before, but similar, in a new shade of green. She tied them quickly and stood up, nearly falling but hiding her moment of weakness well. Chiron studied her, her strong form, her fear of weakness. He wheeled over to the door, opening it for her. 

"Thank you. Was my guitar rescued?" Daphne asked, showing a moment of politeness. 

"I believe it is in the Apollo cabin. We can stop by there on our tour."

"Are you the one giving the tour?"

"If you would like, but there is a camper who is also prepared to show you around. Whatever you prefer."

The two exited the room, Daphne after Chiron despite his opening of the door. She glanced behind her shoulder, assuring there would be no surprises. 

"You."

"That is fine," Chiron said, stretching slightly before suddenly unfolding from his wheelchair and revealing a set of horse legs.

"What the fuck. You're half horse."

"Yes. I am a centaur. I have trained heroes for a millennia." Chiron smiled a bit, teasing. 

"Oh."

"This can be a lot, so if you ever need me to slow down..."

"No."

Daphne looked around. They had crossed another room, eclectically decorated with many florals and a tiger head and were now standing in front of an open door. Outside, she saw the camp.

Daphne gasped, a sharp intake of breath. Her eyes watered slightly. 

It was beautiful. Green hills rolled, a forest glinted in the sunlight. Kids in orange shirts ran around playfully. Strawberries grew in rows. The sun shined. In the distance there were twelve cabins, if they could even be called that, each one temple-like, unique, and decorated. 

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said, the words barely leaving her lips. "Yes, I am."

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