are you mine[?]

.quatre.

Patroclus stared at the dark haired boy that had appeared in his throne room, only six months after his father's funeral.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I... uh... do you know a Patroclus?" the boy stammered.

"This is he," Patroclus said, standing with one hand on his sword. "Now who are you?"

"Nico di Angelo!" the boy yelped. "Don't kill me!"

"What are you doing here, Nico di Angelo?"

"My... my father sent me. Uh, Hades. My father is Hades, Greek god—"

"Yes, yes, I know who your father is," Patroclus dismissed. "What do you want, Nico di Angelo?"

Nico flinched. "Can you please stop with the full name? Only people who are about to kill me say my full name."

Patroclus sighed exasperatedly. "Fine! Fine. What does your father want?"

"He, uh, said something about a favor?"

"And?" the older boy prompted.

"He said your army."

"My army is mortal," Patroclus snapped. He paced in front of his throne.

"So are you."

"And I won't sacrifice my people!"

Patroclus whirled around and stomped toward Nico. The smaller boy skittered away.

"I am rebuilding my city, Nico di Angelo," Patroclus hissed. "And it's all because of my father and my gods. He left me a shattered people. I prayed to every god who could help me — Poseidon, Zeus, Ares, your father. None of them answered until my father was hours from death. And even then, it was only your father. They left me desperate for help! So desperate, in fact, I made a literal deal with Death! If you think for a second that I'm going to let my people sacrifice their lives for these gods of ours, you are severely mistaken. Heed no lies — these gods are cruel, heartless creatures. Do not make mistakes. Do not lie to yourself. It's not worth it."

Nico gulped. "Um... r-right. Why are you...?"

Patroclus took a deep breath and his eyes cleared. "I'm sorry. But you must understand what at stake. Tell me how easy it is when you are rebuilding a kingdom."

"I... uh... okay."

"How are we getting there?"

"He said you just needed to say him name and he'd 'collect us' or something," Nico said.

Patroclus rubbed his forehead. "Of course he did."

He turned to face the guards at the door that had obviously had their eyes screwed tight and ears covered for privacy.

"Will you two go find my regents and advisors and them to come here in an hour?" Patroclus asked.

"Yes sir," they said in unison. Patroclus watched the younger one go with a mix of sadness and familiarity.