Praetor's legacy

Chapter 17

These days, the campers were always on the look-out for new drama. New relationships, recent break-ups. Any bit of juicy gossip that they could talk with their friends about late at night when they were bored.

Because they've all realized that as teenagers, their lives were always going to be changing.

New crushes and new loves were guaranteed. But where love goes, heartbreak follows.

The most recent and upsetting story about change was about the one and only Perseus Jackson. Son of Poseidon, Hero of Olympus, Defeater of the Titans Kronos and Atlas, Bearer of the Sky, Bearer of the Nemian Lion's coat, and praetor of the Roman camp, Camp Jupiter.

Percy was always a care-free guy. He was the one you were always able to depend upon in times of sadness and need. During the war against Kronos, he took charge. Not because he wanted to be in charge or because he volunteered, but because that was what was expected of him. He didn't complain, he didn't mope, and he didn't even give up, although the rest of the camp almost did.

And in the end, he got the girl. Annabeth Chase. Architect of Olympus, daughter of Athena, Bearer of the Sky. The smartest strategist the camp had, and Percy's best friend.

And for awhile, both of them were happy.

But then the gods interfered again and took Percy away from them and gave them Jason.

They could tell Jason tried commanding the camp, but he just didn't do as well of a job as Percy. Percy had a way of lightening the situation and taking part of the load off of all of them. When he was gone, and Jason wasn't doing as well of a job, the camp followed Annabeth's orders instead.

They started to notice Jason and Annabeth's closeness. It reminded them of Percy and Annabeth, but that was just crazy. The only reason Annabeth was being nice to him was because he was the only tie to Percy's whereabouts.

Right?

And when they found out Percy was now the leader of the Roman camp as well as the Greek one? They weren't shocked at all. Some of the campers wore smug grins when they tried picturing the Roman camper's faces when Percy beat them in battle or became an esteemed leader.

Greek pride, they called it.

And then they found out Percy had a kid. And the kid wasn't Annabeth's.

But he explained about the reasons, and that he didn't cheat. And they believed him.

Because he was Percy Jackson, and he was their leader.

But then Percy and Annabeth broke up, and they started to doubt him. If only for a second.

And then they found out that Annabeth and Jason had been cheating on Percy, and that Percy caught them at one of "Percabeth's spots" as the camp referred to some of the more popular Percabeth date destinations.

And for some reason, the whole camp was furious.

Hadn't Percy gone through enough? He went through more than Jason, for gods' sake!

Wars, deaths, pain. All of it.

And now added to the already long list of things that Percy has gone through was heartbreak.

They noticed the difference in Percy's mood and personality. They gave him his distance, because they were sure he was hurt. And for a while they accepted that Percy was heartbroken and needed to mourn.

But then they saw that he wasn't improving.

Hazel tried. Thalia tried. Piper tried.

They all failed.

And they became worried.

A few more days of moping went by and the camp was trying to think of any way possible to get him back to his old energetic, bubbly self.

No one had a clue what to do. Not even the Aphrodite cabin.

What were they going to do if their best fighter was still moping when he fought the war. Who was going to lead them?

Because they sure as hell weren't following Jason and Annabeth into battle, no matter how desperate they became.

And the camp panicked.

A few days later though, they noticed a change.

All teenagers can sense change. It's just the way they're wired.

He actually arrived at breakfast one day. Without being forced.

He walked through the doors with a bounce in his step that hadn't been there the day before. He actually smiled towards people as he passed them, like he used to. He clapped Thalia on her shoulder as he passed her on his way to his table.

He offered the gods food with a smile and made his way to the Poseidon table and dug in.

Even Annabeth looked relieved.

Hazel and Piper let out a huge breath, like they had been holding it since the day Percy and Annabeth broke up, and Thalia whooped and hollered for the whole pavilion to hear.

And the camp heard Percy laugh for the first time since he was in a funk.

And the camp cheered and the cloud of depression that had been following everyone around since Percabeth ended lifted and was suddenly gone.

It disappeared in a second.

And relief set in.