Frostbite: A Percy Jackson FanFic

Chapter 4

A/N:

I'm so sorry for not updating in ages - and for the fact that this is a relatively short chapter: it's a filler that sets up the later plot! I'm back to properly writing now, so new chapters should be out relatively quickly (key word: should). Thank you all for reading! :)

Percy:

There was an instantaneous uproar as everyone got over their initial shock. I, myself was confused; I had never met Khione personally, but Jason, Leo and Piper had. They had described her as cold hearted and merciless, a key pawn in Gaea's plan, not someone who would be interested in mortals other than to freeze them. So a Demigod child, one that has been around for 17 years without any of us knowing? Almost impossible. I say almost, as, well, I've learnt that impossible doesn't exist.

"Silence!" Chiron bellowed, instantly quieting the crowd of Demigods. "I do not have all of the information about this occurrence, but Astraea is still a Demigod of this camp, daughter of Khione or not, so shall be treated as such. Any objections to this will be taken up with me in priv..." He never got a chance to finish his sentence, as a bright flash interrupted him.

"Careful whose name you mention, centaur. It may come with unintended consequences." A cold voice drawled.

"Khione..." I heard Leo whisper from behind me. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious, Leo Valdez? Astraea is my daughter after all, I have every right to visit her whenever I, and my father," she spat the word, hate evident in her voice, "deem fit." Every syllable was filled with malice, ice cold and had a hard edge. Each was sharper than a blade, and had a greater impact than one. Khione smiled an icy smile, making the crowd of assembled teenagers involuntarily shiver -- bar Astraea. There was something flickering in her eyes, almost like recognition - a memory trying to surface, fighting its way through a pool of hazy, viscous liquid blocking it. 

I was so focused on Astraea that I missed the reason for the new bout of shouting going on around me. The Ares cabin looked like it was about to declare war on the Hermes and Athena cabins combined. I glanced backward and caught Leo's eye.

"What's happened?" I asked, bewilderment evident in my expression.

He gave me an incredulous look. "Dude...how did you miss that?" I just shrugged in response. "The majority of the Ares cabin wants to kick Astraea out -- their dad has a massive grudge with Khione." I gasped, outraged. Even with a petty grudge, what gave them the right to act this way to her, when they don't even know who she is. Do you know who she is then, Percy? Really? A small voice nagged at the back of my mind. Shut up, I told it.

Leo hurried on wide-eyed, taking my look of frustration as one directed at him. "I don't agree with them, obviously, and neither do the Hermes or Athena cabins - they are defending her, but they're definitely outnumbered: most of the camp hate Khione for what she did during the Giant war. It doesn't help that Astraea appeared out of the blue, with an aura that can rival even yours, and a completely new set of powers. She is an unknown entity, and a few people think that her memory loss is a bit too convenient." When he put it like that... I nodded my thanks, and turned my attention back to the almost-fight.

"Look, Clarisse, I get that we don't know her all that well, but what reason would Khione have to send a spy to camp? The war is finished - and this is supposed to be a safe space for all Demigods." Annabeth gave Clarisse a cold glare, one that could almost rival Khione's. Clarisse seemed to shrink a little - not even I can withstand one of Annabeth's Owlglares, trademark pending.

"Honestly, children, I am right here, you know?" Khione continued, voice heavy with sarcasm. "I would give a little more respect to a Goddess who can freeze you before you can blink. Or did they forget to teach you manners at this ridiculous camp of yours?"

At everyone's blank stares, she sighed melodramatically.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter to me much either way. I just came to introduce myself to my daughter. Oh, and to give her this." As Khione said this, she lifted her hand, shooting a beam of ice at the floor. When the mist cleared, instead of a pile of snow as I had been expecting, a beautiful, chestnut Pegasus stood in its place. It had gorgeous, snow white markings on its face, forming a crescent moon, and patches of white in its wings. It was, apart from Pegasus himself - "Don't forget me, or donuts, boss," a voice complained at the back of my mind - or Blackjack, the most magnificent Pegasus I had ever seen. It walked unsteadily over to Astraea, and nuzzled her gently. She looked too shocked to properly process what was going on, but brought her hand up absentmindedly to stroke the horse.

"His name's River." Khione smiled kindly at the scene - the smile of a parent. "I wish you the best of luck here, my star." And with that, she vanished into a collection of snowflakes.

"Well, that took an unexpected turn."

"Thank you, Mr Captain-Obvious-Valdez." Came Piper's sarcastic reply.

"My pleasure." That was enough to break the tension and shocked silence. Another shouting match ensued instantly - much to Chiron's protests - regarding Astraea's stay at camp.

I glanced over to her, briefly noting that she had the same confused expression as earlier on her face, before she mounted River and cantered away. No one seemed to notice, all too wrapped up in Astraea's future to notice that she wasn't present, until I caused a small Earthquake. At once, everyone looked towards me, various looks of shock, awe and annoyance plastering their faces. Chiron just appeared troubled.

"Enough!" I yelled, my voice projecting over the clearing. "You're so focused on your own welfares', that you failed to notice Astraea running off! Because she was frightened, of all of you! Now, I'm going to go and talk to her - she has no memories, has just found out that one of her parents is a 'bad guy', and has been scrutinised by the place that promised to protect her. If you value her at all, you will get off her case, and leave her alone until I've had a chance to reassure her that we aren't going to abandon her!" And with that, I turned on my heel, and stomped off in the direction in which she had fled.

Zeus isn't the only one that gets to be dramatic.