forest green ● jason grace

one

If Daria had known that a child of Neptune was going to carry a goddess into camp, she probably would've stayed in bed that day.

But here she was, standing side by side with Reyna, sword drawn; a raven-haired boy was wading in the Tiber River, fighting gorgons alongside Hazel Levesque, and one of their new recruits, Frank Zhang.

The odd part of it all was that the stranger didn't seem to have any weapons drawn, and since he was carrying an old lady in his arms, nor could he. Rather than attack with a sword, he controlled the water, plunging the gorgons into the water and vaporizing them. He was strong, anyone could see that; the whole ordeal was over in a matter of minutes.

The boy stood in the water, his chest heaving. Daria her legionnaires hadn't had to lift a single hand in battle, but she the field for any damage regardless. Not that it mattered. The demigods who were supposed to be on sentry duty were cowering behind her and Reyna.

"What are you doing here?" Daria demanded, focused on the old lady. She had a clever look in her eyes, and no mortal would have such a twisted sense of humor. Daria ignored Reyna's warning hand on her arm. No. The gods had all but tortured her these last few months, any respect she'd previously had went out the window.

"Well, that was a lovely trip," she said, ignoring Daria completely. "Thank you, Percy Jackson, for bringing me to Camp Jupiter."

Reyna made a choking sound. "Percy... Jackson?" 

Daria tilted her head. She was well-aware of the legionnaires muttering behind her. She was also pretty sure that this wasn't going to lead to anything good.

The goddess laughed with delight. "Oh, yes. You'll have such fun together!"

Then, because Daria couldn't get any angrier, the old lady began to glow and change form. She grew until she was a shining, seven-foot-tall goddess in a blue dress, with a cloak of goat's skin over her shoulders. In her hand was a staff topped with a lotus flower.

Reyna knelt immediately, as did the rest of the legion. Daria could hear Michael Kahale and Dakota Anderson muttering to each other, she wanted to tell them to shut up. The gods didn't come to Camp Jupiter that often, and when they did they were treated with the utmost respect. 

Daria was done with respect. "Juno. Why have you come here?"

"Juno, huh?" Percy asked. "Any chance I could have my life back?"

The goddess smiled. "Oh, the Jacksons, always so impatient. In time, Percy Jackson, if you succeed here at camp, you may solve many problems."

She turned to the other kids. "Romans, I present to you the son of Neptune. For months he has been slumbering, but now he is awake. His fate is in your hands. The Feast of Fortune comes quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!"

Juno shimmered and disappeared. Percy looked around for some sort of explanation, but no one paid him much attention. 

Daria turned to one of her best friends, "let's take him to the principia. You can question him there; I won't get in your way."

Reyna stepped forward warily, and Daria followed suit. If it hadn't been for Daria, she probably would've run him through with her dagger.

"So," Reyna said coldly, "a son of Neptune, who comes to us with the blessing of Juno." 

"Look," he said, "my memory's a little fuzzy. Um, it's gone, actually. Do I know you?"

Reyna hesitated, introducing herself. "I am Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. And... no, I don't know you."