Jason and Reyna: The Praetor's of New Rome - Truth

A New Generation

One Month Later

"Ow, that's too tight." Jason said while I strapped his armor for him.

Jason and I were in the fifth cohort barracks, preparing for Jason's coronation as Praetor. After the battle, Jason was raised on a shield as a hero for stopping the Onagers assault of New Rome.

Until Gwen knocked the shield bearers silly for picking up Jason's near lifeless body for celebration and he was rushed to the infirmary. If it weren't for Sam catching him with Scipio, he would have died from the impact. He had woken up three days ago to find that he was now Praetor of New Rome after the passing of John Bronson.

The thought made me sad all over again. I didn't know his last name until I attended his funeral.

"You know you can always decline, right?" I told him as I readjust his breastplate straps.

Jason stayed quiet as I finished strapping his armor. His hair was cut down to a standard military buzz cut, as most of his hair was burned off during the explosion. His scar on the left side of his lip was a bright colored red as it reopened from the blistering heat. Thankfully Gwen and some of the best healers in the camp were able to mitigate most of the damage done to him. So he looked mostly the same, minus his hair.

What I was more concerned with was what was going on in that hard head of his.

I grabbed his purple toga from his bed and handed it to him.

"Did you not hear me?" I lighting knocked his head. "Hay alguien ahí? Is anyone in there?"

Jason turned around to face me, his electric blue eyes hard to read. "Reyna.... I can't help but feel like you should be the one taking this role."

I blushed. "I...... thanks. But I wasn't the one who stopped six fire balls in mid air. Your more then capable to be a leader for Rome."

"What makes you think that?" He asked.

I thought about our adventure leading up to this moment. The way Jason earnestly tried helping everyone he could.... Even me.

John had told me that Rome was built on the sacrifices of many brave demigods who fought for it. If there was any one who understood that, it was Jason. And he understood it intrinsically. It was apart of his very nature, not even Lupa could take that away from him. He valued life on a level that I couldn't even imagine. Even the lives of our enemies.

I felt so proud of him. He had come a long way when I first met him just two months ago. But I also feared for him, Jason was always ready to throw down his life for others, with little regard for his own. Even if it meant defying the fates themselves.

I gave him a reassuring smile. I grabbed his right hand and placed the toga in it. "Jason. Like I said you can always say no and no one will hate you for it. But if you do, there is no one I would be more proud of following then you."

The two of us stared at each other. I became hyper aware of the fact his hand was resting on my own. I also noticed how close we were. All I needed to do was lean forward and we could-

"Am I interrupting something?"

Jason and I flinched, startled by Gwen, who was crossing her arms and leaning on a empty bunk. We both stuttered over each other while she giggled. She wore a standard purple T-shirt, black jeans and white sneakers. Her light blonde hair was tied in a pony tail.

Her gold and sliver necklace glistened on her neck. I remember visiting her dads house so he could put the necklace together while Jason recovered. Her father explained he gave Ben and her the necklaces when he divorced their mother. A symbol of their connection as brother and sister. A symbol Gwen wore proudly.