Longing | Percy Jackson

of the greek and rome

Bellona strolled proudly. The Romans almost fell in shock and hurry as they bowed their heads to her.

She almost scoffed.

She neared the apartments given to the ex-praetors of New Rome. Already sensing her daughter's presence in one certain room, Bellona disappeared into the wind and appeared before Reyna.

She looked poor. Dark circles under her eyes, her skin pale... this was unacceptable to her. Her daughter cannot lose a battle to grief and sadness when her future is something any Roman would dream of having.

"Stand proud, daughter." She commanded.

Reyna was simply too Roman to let her surprise delay her in obeying an order from the goddess, even if the said goddess was her mother. 

She rose to her full height and nodded respectfully in greeting, "Mother."

Bellona allowed herself to smile. Her features softened to a great degree and her eyes shone. "You are my greatest creation. Oh, I knew, you were meant to rule." She whispered.

Reyna looked up confused. Questions and doubts were clearly swirling in her mind, but she kept her face expressionless.

The mother caressed her daughter's cheek and cupped her face in a show of affection.

The mother smiled. "You, my daughter, are going to be a queen."

.

Everything was happening too fast.

One second, he was standing in the council hall and the next, he was standing in his apartment in New Rome with Neptune staring down at him and breaking the news. "Your mother has given her blessing. So, the ceremony will happen today itself. The less people know of this the better."

Percy did not get a chance to speak.

"Mars Ultor is the second most important and respected god in all of New Rome. Just as you will be crowned, he will declare that son of his," Neptune spat, "a traitor."

"You will have Bellona's respect and her special blessing when you will be wed, and our kingdom will gain a powerful ally."

What?!

Percy raised his voice, enraged. "What!"

Neptune stopped. Staring at him intensely, daring him to speak again.

Too bad, Percy did not seem to value his safety right now. His father had decided half his life without his consent, and he was just so angry. "This is not your ancient golden age where you decide everything, and mortals simply obey. Did you ask me first? If I even wanted this to happen like this?! Or wait, did you even ask Reyna?"

Neptune's temper rose equally, "Then tell me son, why did you plan to kill that filthy demigod? You prayed to me, do not forget that."

Perseus' scowl deepened, "Kill him?! I never wanted to kill him! I just wanted to prevent the rule of corruption. He would have killed this land."

Neptune laughed, suddenly amused. "Then pray tell me, why did you not stop me? Why did you let me kill him?"

Anger turned into tiredness and dejection. "He hurt Hazel, okay?! She was crying and injured when she managed to send me an IM somehow. She is locked somewhere, in one of the rooms in the palace and I haven't found her yet!" Perseus fell to his knees, a mess.

Neptune was too cruel. He saw the flaw of personal loyalty and its potential. Truly, he would sacrifice even his own morale for a loved one, and about the world? Oh, Perseus was so close to shaking it to the core. (Terra would not be happy.)
"Oh! They were right about you! I never believed it, but now, I would be foolish if I ignored this. You are a mortal god! Your nature is too much like us."

Perseus laughed and cried. "I have a girlfriend, you know. I cannot marry Reyna." He knew his attempt would be unsuccessful.

"Grow up, boy. That girl is dead."

Percy opened his mouth and closed it. Neptune continued from before, "Your new status of imperator will be announced once the ceremony is done. I hate interruptions." He said darkly.

But...

(Fight this. This cannot happen. The cost is freedom!)

"I am a Greek demigod!"

Neptune smiled all sharp and dangerous and scary, "No," he said. "You are Rome."

Percy missed his dad.

.

Lupa soon arrived to meet him. Of course, this news could not have been kept a secret from her, the Mother of Rome.

"Lady Lupa." He did not bow, just nodded the greeting.

The time he first met the wolf goddess, he had greeted her in the same way, and she had almost bit his head off.

Now, she did nothing like this.

She circled around him, looking down at him from her form of a giant wolf. She came to a standstill in front of him and in a blink transformed into a more human form, her features were still in a way wolf-ish.

She smiled, her sharp teeth on display. "Imperator."

A few moments passed and she nodded her assortment as well, "You have my blessing. Rule my lands well, destroyer. The future holds great things for you." She affirmed, "I've seen it, in my visions. But you must overcome many hurdles first."

That did not help him calm down at all.

His expression must have shown it because the she-wolf barked a laugh. "Oh child, do not worry. It has no merit."

"Yeah." He whispered, mostly to himself.

"Go. The Queen will dress you in the ceremonial armor." She ordered.

.

(The ceremony was not even due. Yet, he was already the ruler. Reyna was already the queen.)

(He was not married yet. Still, they were already in this together.)

.

Percy sometimes wondered, if it was a world with no moon and no sun to where she had gone.

None of them could bear a separation this long. It was almost about to be a whole year since the day of the Cessation.

Maybe her world had no moon and no sun. So, he could not blame her for not coming back. She must have lost track of time, that's it.

(Time had been his enemy once.)

.

Vote and comment!