The Unclaimed Daughter

Chapter 3

Annabeth PoV

A few days after the arena, I'm walking over to the archery range in search of Chris, as I find him chatting with a few Apollo kids as they're all practising together. Seeing me walking towards them, the Apollo kids bid him a friendly goodbye while giving me small waves as they passed me. “You look quite good at that. Have you done it for a long time?” As he looks towards me there's a slight red tint to his cheeks, as he smiles a small smile at me. “I've been doing it ever since I came to camp, although the bow I used back then was far smaller. The Apollo kids had it custom made for me, so it wouldn't be hard to draw” The thought of the small Chris using a miniature bow, made a small giggle creep its way out of me. 

“I'm surprised you're talking to me. I haven't exactly been very welcoming towards you, since you and Luke arrived at camp” The thought of Luke made me smile a little wistfully, which caused a look of pain to briefly pass through Chris's eyes but I tried not to think about it. “I've been told it wasn't personal, and that I should try to talk with you regardless of it” He looks down at his feet at this, with clear embarrassment on his face. “Yeah, I've been told I'm a little awkward too”

“I can't blame you, making friends can be hard” He nodded his head at that so quickly and so hard, I actually worried it would fall right off his shoulders. “Exactly! Most of the campers think my awkwardness is endearing, but they don't really consider how embarrassing it is” Giving him a small cautious smile, I nod gently. “I don't think it's embarrassing, but I can understand that it would feel that way when others just brush you off” His smile in response was hopeful, as he started to guide me towards a bench on the side of the range. “So, how are you settling into camp? You've been here for a few months now”

My shoulders sacked a little at the question as I looked down to the ground. “I've been fine all things considered, and my siblings have happily taken me in. But on the night we got here, a friend died to make sure Luke and I got here safely. It hasn't been easy” I felt his hand gently squeezing my shoulder, and when I looked up at him, his smile was soft. “I'm sure your friend would've been happy to know that the two of you are happy and safe, and that their sacrifice made sure of that. I'd like to think that's how my mother would've felt. And that her selfless sacrifice brought her to the peace and quiet of Elysium, rather than the Fields of Asphodel. I'm sure her and your friend are laughing it up together, celebrating that we're all happy” I hadn't even noticed the tears that had started to run down my cheeks, until Chris gently wiped them away. 

“Tha-thank you. I hadn't thought about it like that” I can see what Luke sees in Chris now. We're both just children, yet Chris seems so calm and mature. How he isn't a child of Athena is beyond me, because he's too wise to just be eight years old. “I have to get on with my activities for today Annabeth, but it was nice finally talking with you. I hope we can talk again” The small smile he gave me made me feel odd, and the small wave of his hand as he left the range made me clench my hands into fists. I like Luke, probably more than I should, but with just one conversation Chris made me feel heard and cared for. Is this what it feels like to have a best friend? Even when I barely know him? 

Chris PoV 

As the months went by, Annabeth and I talked more and more. While I still spent time with the rest of the campers, most of my free time was spent with Annabeth. I learned about her past, about her insecurities around her blonde hair, about her deep-seated fear of spiders, but I still found myself unable to share my deepest fear and insecurity with her. Something she picked up on with time, because obviously she's a daughter of Athena so leave it to her to realise that I'm holding back. It made me feel ashamed that I wasn't able to share it with her, but things couldn't stay that way forever. Annabeth just isn't the kind of girl to leave a mystery or riddle alone, so here we found ourselves sitting with our feet in the water on the small wooden dock for the canoes.