Sing, O Muse [Percy Jackson]

one

FOR what she hoped was the last time (but she knew it wasn't), Clarion Jung allowed herself to get roped into yet another one of the Stoll brothers little schemes, no matter how much she would have preferred doing... anything else. They weren't hard to say 'no' to: in fact, it was often the first word that rolled off her tongue the instant they entered her cabin, with their upturned brows and pointed features twisted into gremlin-like smiles. As soon as she saw the portable white-board in their hands, Clarion knew she was toast. Not many others seemed to have the same weakness. Most people avoided the Stolls at all costs.

Much like Clarion used to wear down her father, Connor and Travis would follow her around like two perennial, highly annoying shadows. The strawberry fields were typically peaceful, except for when the brothers followed her down the path. The weather at camp was always pleasant - it was controlled by Mr. D, the camp director - and was always perfect for the crops. As the sun would climb towards its zenith, Clarion would meet her sister by the fields and would pluck at her lyre and sing to the berries, whilst the nymphs danced amongst the rows. Some would join her melody with their pan-pipes, but none of them liked to be overshadowed by the daughter of Calliope. The nature spirits were never good at concealing their jealousy, and they would cast dark glances at the sisters.

It was typically peaceful. But Connor and Travis had skipped their lessons to follow Clarion around; they had stopped begging her and neither had spoken in over an hour - they simply shadowed her. Just their beady-eyed gazes caused her to fidget, and Clarion decided it was useless to waste her energy trying to deny them. Everyone knew she would eventually give in.

To all of their dismay, she was their only accomplice for the majority of the year. Most of the Stolls siblings, the children of Hermes, lived at home year-round (except Julia, who didn't care for their simple-minded schemes - it was Julia who Clarion was really scared of), and the brothers didn't quite care for some of the unclaimed demigods, who couldn't play such careful roles in their plans. She had never been able to prove it, but Clarion had a feeling her sister was truly the mastermind behind their plans.

But Clarion was perfect (in terms of the Stolls' limited options). She was Connor and Travis's lucky clover - she was their golden ticket. Who would suspect the daughter of poetry to take part in such silly schemes? She was known for skipping lessons and scribbling notes on the back of her hands when she had forgotten her notebook. So, who would notice the Muse's daughter on lookout, sitting cross-legged on the path in front of the camp store?

Not even Chiron, the activities director who more accurately ran camp, who had long since grown wary of anyone associated with the Stolls, batted an eye when she stood on lookout, or when Clarion seemed to want to talk to the centaur just slightly longer than he thought necessary. He would stroke his frizzy beard, fiddling with the silver streaks that ran through it, as the girl told him a long, drawn-out story that seemed to never end. Sometimes it took him a few minutes to remember her name - he'd zone out part way as she rambled and would rack his brain for every 'C' name he knew - but he was too polite to stop her.

And for that very reason, the Stolls adored her. They knew, however rarely she would admit it, she was thankful that at least some people at camp bothered to learn her name. Clarion didn't belong at camp, just like she didn't quite belong with her father or sister - and how she definitely didn't belong in the Apollo cabin. Chiron had decided to house the daughter of Calliope with Apollo's children, under the guise that the Muses were sacred companions to their father. Clarion thought it was because the Hermes cabin was overspilling with his children, unclaimed campers and the children of minor gods. It was probably a relief to have even a miniscule reason to send her and her overflowing luggage somewhere else.

Winnie had been jealous. She had been claimed, too - the sisters had known about their mothers before they were sent to camp, but there was no special spot for the daughter of Eirene, the goddess of peace. She was given a corner of the floor, for the violet sleeping bag she had stolen from her sister, and yet Clarion had been swept away. She guessed that was the curse of being the younger sister; there was no place for Winnie, aside from her sister's shadow (and a corner of the floor).