Solangelo 2

Part 44

PERCY

'Is there no other way?' I ask, looking up to the sky. It looks cloudy. Windy. I look to Jason.
'Trust me, dude. You'll be fine.' He says, patting me on my shoulder.
'Gods. This is stupid. Okay. Okay. Let's go.' I say, hyping myself up. Annabeth takes my hand and from the moment I'm lifted off the ground my eyes are shut.
'Percy, it's really beautiful, you should look.' She says, as we rise higher and higher.
'No thanks. Nope.' I say, clutching her hand tighter, 'just tell me when it's over.'
'Will do.' She says.
It seems like hours, but Annabeth says it took just under an hour. We land, and I'm on all fours, never so happy to be on the ground.
'See, that wasn't so bad, was it?' Jason asks, helping to lift me up.
'No it-' I say, and rush over to a bush to throw up.
'You okay?' Will calls over to me, the only one not put off by my throwing up. He must be used to to.
'Super.' I say.
'Just take it slow for a sec. Have some ambrosia.' He says, passing me some. I take it gratefully.
'So where do we start?' Reyna asks.
'Dionysus said Far East side.' Annabeth says, 'we should split up.'
We split up, and somehow I end up alongside Reyna, finding our way towards the Far East side, looking for someone we've never seen before.
'Why would she even help us? We have nothing to give her.' Reyna says, twiddling her dagger between her fingers.
'She's been through the same thing. We're hoping to appeal to her solicitous side.' I say.
'Ooh big words. Annabeth teach you that one?'
'Yeah, actually.' I say.
'That does not surprise me.' She replies. I didn't realise how much I missed Reyna. We had fun when I was in camp Jupiter with her. It's been so long since we just hung out.
'So how are we supposed to know it's her? She going to have flowers coming out her head or something?' She asks.
'What like Medusa but instead of snakes, flowers?' I ask. She laughs, but is interrupted by a voice to the left of us.
'I don't much like that comparison.' A young woman says. She's incredibly beautiful. Understated. She looks kind, 'I do assume you were talking about me?'
'Persephone?' I ask.
'That's me.' She replies, 'to what do I owe the visit? I usually have no doubt that my last days under the sun before returning to the underworld will be uninterrupted. I assume it's for a good reason.'
'It is.' Reyna conforms.
'Then sit. Tell me. And then I'll decide if you're right.'
We sit on the floor in front of her bench, and watch as she weaves daisies as we tell her what's happened. At times it looks like she's not listening, but we trust that she is.
'We figured...as you've been through a similar thing you might be able to help Nico.' I explain.
'We don't mean to exploit you or anything. Or use what happens against you. We just figured you would understand what it's like, to be taken from your home and your family.' Reyna says. We're quiet and wait for a response. She holds up her woven daisies and I see she's made a crown. She places it on her head and looks at us.
'Yes, you're quite right.' She says.
'You'll help us?' Reyna asks, surprised.
'No, I don't think I will.'
'What?' I feel like I've misheard, 'you said we were right.'
'Yes, you are. I sympathise deeply with you all, and I care for Nico deeply. I'm sorry to hear of what he's gone through. But I won't help you. I don't feel it necessary. You compare him to me, yet I am content. I understand the balance it's brought to the world. While you are right that I relate to Nico, you fail to understand that I have no reason to act. I am happy, and he shall be too.' She says, her voice infuriatingly calm.
'You...you...' I say, but have no idea how to finish. I'm furious. I can barely think straight.
'You're pathetic.' Reyna explodes, jumping to her feet and shouting down at the goddess, 'I beg you let me be candid with you, Persephone, because you are pathetic. What happened to you was tragic. You were taken wrongfully, and made to love with a stranger. I pity you. I pity you, that you can't see that what happened to you was horrible, and that you deserved so much better. I am sorry about that, but the fact that you won't help Nico now, when you were in the same position, is despicable.'
'Anger is a useless emotion.' Persephone says, looking away. But she looks affronted. Affected by Reyna's words.
'No, it's the most important one. I'm angry, and I swear, I will do everything in my power to bring Nico back, because I am angry.' She says.
'I suggest you leave.' Persephone says, refusing to look at us. Reyna turns and storms away. I linger for a moment.
'I...' I falter. I don't know what to say, 'Nico was happy here. And I know you say you're happy with how things turned out for you, and you think Nico could be too, but it should be his decision. It should have been your decision. I know it's too late to change things for you, too late to give you a decision, but you have the power to give Nico one.' I stop, knowing that nothing I say will change her mind. She still won't look at me. 'Thank you for hearing us.' I say, and walk away.
'Percy.' She says. I turn back and find her staring at me, right into my eyes. They whole time we've been talking, she's never directly looked at me, 'I remember when you turned down the chance to be a god.'
'Yeah. So do I.' I say. It's hard for me to forget.
'You hurt a lot of their prides. The Gods. I remember their discomfort afterwards.' She explains. I smile a little, thinking of the hurt egos I produced, 'I was quite jealous of you. Living so briskly and freely. I was so glad you said no to their offer.'
'Why?'
'It's a horrid thing, to live forever. You think I don't remember hating my husband? I do. I do. But you must understand that I have to love him. I must, or I'd go crazy.'
'You don't have to.' I say, moving closer to her.
'Oh, I do. And I've come to peace with it. But I remember trying to find ways out. Trying to escape. I remember.' She says, and lowers her head slightly, 'I am happy now, but I remember that it was only because I had to be. I think...I think I would have liked to have chosen to be.'
'You can help Nico choose.' I say, going to my knees, holding her hands, 'please.'
'You might have too much faith in me, Percy.' She says, 'but I will do what I can. I choose to help you.'