Playlist:
♥ "Secrets" by OneRepublic
♥ "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift
♥ "Warrior" by Aurora
♥ "Believer" by Imagine Dragons
♥ "Depth Over Distance" by Ben Howard
♥ "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy
♥ "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers
♥ "Bury It" by CHVRCHES ft. Hayley Williams
♥ "Human" by Rag'n'Bone Man
♥ "Amber" by 311
♥ "The Exit" by Conan Gray
♥ "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic
♥ "Elastic Heart" by Sia
♥ "Control" by Halsey
♥ "Bloodstream" by Ed Sheeran
♥ "Grace" by Lewis Capaldi
◦◦◦◦◦
"Who's the girl on the bed over there?" Percy inquired, steering the conversation away from the current topic with Luke.
She possessed an enchanting charm, her flowing brown locks cascading gracefully, framing a face adorned with delicate features and a warm, inviting gaze. Her mesmerizing brown eyes exuded both depth and warmth, reflecting a subtle hint of amber in certain lights. A gentle smile graced her lips, accentuating the natural grace that seemed to surround her, while her style effortlessly blended elegance with a touch of understated beauty.
"That's Aria," Luke replied. Luke's attention lingered on Aria, an unspoken connection evident in the way his gaze remained fixed on her.
"She doesn't strike me as a child of Hermes," Percy observed.
"You're right. Daughter of Nemesis. Minor deities don't get their cabins, so most of their kids end up here," Luke explained, injecting a hint of frustration into his words.
Percy hesitated, unsure of how to contribute to the conversation. An awkward silence settled between the two as they exchanged glances, the unspoken tension palpable in the air. The room, once filled with casual banter, now held a subtle shift, inviting an invisible barrier between them. It was as if the atmosphere itself mirrored the uncertainty of the moment, leaving Percy searching for the right words to bridge the gap.
"Ari," Luke, sensing the need to bridge the gap, called out to Aria, signaling for her to join them.
Before Aria did this, she bid farewell to the boy with the blindfold, a subtle nod passing between them as if sharing a secret. Rising gracefully, she approached the boys, her presence emanating a quiet strength.
"This is Percy," Luke introduced.
"Are you going to introduce me to every brother of yours?" Aria snapped, earning a laugh from Luke.
"Just kidding," she added with a grin. "I know who you are - The one who killed the Minotaur. I'm Aria."
"Your mother's a goddess of revenge, right?" Percy posed the question but quickly felt remorseful.
"Yes," Aria replied, her smile fading as if the mention of her mother displeased her.
"So, be careful what you do, lest you wake up with shaved eyebrows," Luke joked, successfully bringing back Aria's smile.
"Don't listen to him," She reassured Percy, delivering a light punch to Luke as she spoke. "I don't do such things."
"Alright. I apologize. Ari isn't into pranks; that's more of a specialty among some of my brothers. If she seeks revenge, she'll resort to her sword, and no one stands a chance of survival."
There was an enigmatic quality in the way Luke uttered those words and gazed at her, making it challenging for outsiders to comprehend. Perhaps it was a shared, tumultuous history they had endured together.
In the distance, the sound of a conch call echoed, signaling dinner, and all the campers made their way toward the mess hall.
Aria's POV
Now, it fell upon me to incinerate the food, a task I detested. It felt ironic, a homage to my goddess mother whom I held nothing but disdain for. Despite my inner conflict, I tossed the chicken leg from my plate into the flames and reluctantly called out my mother's name. A chicken leg? She didn't even merit the bones, given all she had inflicted upon me, my father, my half-brother, and perhaps countless others.
At times, it offered a certain solace to realize that Nemesis wasn't the sole deity with such indifference. All the gods exhibited a similar trait - none of them showed genuine concern for their children. Thus, my lesson became not to rely on prayers to the gods but to cultivate self-reliance and trust in friends who had my back.
As I strolled back to my table, a pair of hands covered my eyes.
"Ready for us to defeat you?"
"You must be joking, Cleo. You don't stand a chance against us. You'll find out on Friday."
Cleo, my friend and the daughter of Dionysus exuded kindness and humor. However, there were aspects of our lives that we couldn't openly discuss. I wasn't sure about the specifics of her unspoken struggles, but I could sense that she carried a weight.
"Ari, are you coming?" Luke called out to me. I had long observed Luke's unease about my connection with Cleo, but I reassured him that there was nothing to worry about.
"I'll catch up with you tomorrow," I said to Cleo as I headed towards Luke.
...
"How about some sword practice tonight?" I asked Luke as we strolled toward the cabin.
"You know I never turn that down. 10 p.m. at the Arena"
Author's Notes
Sorry for the mystery here, it's just that things will be revealed later in the story. If you have any opinions or ideas on how something would sound better, I'd love to hear them. I'm also working on the next part, so you'll have it soon.
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Castles Crumbling | The story of Luke Castellan and Ariadne Davis
Fanfiction"Never wanted you to hate me" Ariadne Davis is a demigod residing in the Half-Blood Camp for two years. Before she arrived at the camp she was stripped of everything and now she relies on Luke for support. However, the dynamic of her relationship wi...
