Delusions

2 | REYNA

Reyna's eyes shot open. She already knew something was off. Different. She looked around and her suspicions were immediately confirmed. Just last night she had fallen asleep in a silver tent in the Hunt's setup camp. The girls had all had a marshmallow fight after a successful day. They had hunted down a hydra. She was in fantastic spirits. They weren't far from Camp Half-Blood so they were planning to visit the next day.

This was DEFINITELY not a tent.

For starters, she was no longer even laying down, but sitting straight up in an ugly, floral print armchair. She was in some sort of living room. No windows though, just a door in the far corner. She looked down at herself and was both shocked and disgusted to a level at what she saw.

She wore a dress that seemed like it came straight from the 50's. She wore what would be considered a more "traditionally feminine" bright cherry red circle dress that poofed out around her at the skirt of it. The dress covered a lot, but still managed to accentuate her curves and whatnot. She wore shiny heels of the same color and she noticed her nails were polished with the same color as well.

She quickly began to grow uneasy and she felt her breath get more rapid. Trying to control her breathing, she rushed over to a mirror hanging on the wall over the couch, experienced enough with heels from Circe's island to easily keep her balance. She sucked in deeply when she saw her face though.

It was caked in makeup, complete with bright red lipstick. Her hair was now cut as short as her chin and curled, like some sort of brunette Marilyn Monroe. She somehow looked much more frail as well, weak even, all of her muscles completely gone.

She quickly whipped around to see a man standing in the doorway. Man was a bit of an overstatement though. He couldn't have been much older than her, maybe seventeen or eighteen. He wore a cold expression on his face, standing in front of the door.

Reyna quickly felt her panic turning into rage. "You!" She screamed. She could easily take him on. "You... you did this to me!" She gestured wildly at herself.

"You dare be mad at me?" He scoffed. "You've done a more than poor job at preparing yourself today! Not to mention how you're acting right now!"

"What do you mean 'preparing myself?'" Reyna scowled. "I owe nothing to prepare for anyone."

"I'm disappointed," The mysterious boy said, scowling, "Dinner wasn't ready, the stove wasn't even on! The house is cluttered! I already told you that red is an awful color on you and I never want to see it on you in it again! You act as if you have a right to be cross with me! You are not allowed to say anything against me! Reyna, we've been over this millions of times. You are weak. You are meaningless. Your only purpose is to be an obedient, submissive, housewife. You're a female, afterall. What else do you think they're meant for? Know your place, Reyna. Or else I'm going to have to take matters into my hands."

All at once Reyna felt her rage bubbling up until it just exploded. "That has got to be the most sexist thing I have ever heard!" She screamed. "I'll have you know you, a complete, creepy, stranger has no place in telling me what I can wear, what I have to do, and what my place is! I don't even know who the hell you are!"

The boy's face twitched. "Hugo Ashford. Your husband. Your master. And I suggest you watch your language, dimwitted bitch."

"Why don't you?" Reyna spat. She was usually well put together in weird and tough situations, but the combination of her being both annoyed, angry, frustrated, and upset was not good. "Now I do know who the hell you are or what you want with me but fucking let me out!"

Reyna brought her hand forward to slap the boy, 'Hugo,' but was shocked when he easily caught her hand before she could even process what was happening. "I warned you," He said lowly, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Reyna had no clue what the Hades was happening, but whatever the case, this was awful.