The Daughter Of Night

Chapter Thirty-Five - A Frosty Welcome

Chapter Thirty-Five - A Frosty Welcome
Posted: Wednesday 19th June 2024

Camp Half-Blood looked exactly the same, apart from the massive Athena Pathenos which now stood atop Half-Blood Hill, lording over the valley.

It was towards the end of winter break, so the camp was not full and did not have the usual hustle and bustle of the summer, but I could still see a few people moving between the cabins and activities. The weather was nice enough, no snow coated the camp and there was only a slight chill in the air. But I was still set shivering. My Leto's Mothering Corner jacket didn't do much to offer me warmth and I made a mental note to visit the camp's lost property to snag myself a warmer jacket.

I made my way towards the Big House slowly, not looking forward to rehashing all of the questions I had answered to Percy and Annabeth already about my long absence.

I found Chiron in the rec room. He looked up from his game of solitaire when I entered the room and his face turned to an expression of shock.

"Ariadne," He said, setting the cards in his hand down on the table, "I was not expecting to see you again."

"Well here I am," I said.

"We weren't certain that you were alive," He said.

"I am," I confirmed, "Can I sit?" Chiron nodded and I plonked myself down on the sofa, my feet and back where aching.

"I am pleased to see you," Chiron said, "perhaps you can help us."

"Help with what? What's going on?"

"A great many things unfortunately," Chiron said, "The oracle has stopped working, travel has become near impossible, Iris Messages and cell phones have stopped working and campers have begun disappearing."

"Wow," I muttered, "what do you think I can help with?"

"I am not sure yet," Chiron said, "but having an immortal at camp cannot be a bad thing at the moment. Dinner will be served soon, join us? You can tell me where you've been after a warm meal."

"Yes please," my stomach was rumbling quietly.

*

"Campers," Chiron said to the small number of slightly subdued campers gathered for the meal, "we should welcome back Ariadne to our midst today. Hopefully her return can herold a change in our fortunes."

I smiled faintly at a small smattering of applause.

"Now let's eat," Chiron said.

I loaded up my plate and moved to the pyre to scrape my food into the offering bowl. I wasn't sure who exactly to pray to, but I settled on Zeus, sending a small prayer for mercy towards Apollo.

I re took my seat at the head table beside Chiron and wolfed my dinner down before I could be interrupted. It was strange to be back at camp. Most of the friends I had made during my previous time there had left as they were now too old for Camp, but there were many familiar faces amongst the group. I specifically avoided the eyes of Nico Di Angelo who was sat at the Apollo table beside Will Solace. I still owed Nico an apology (more than that really) for allowing him to be taken captive by the giants.

I couldn't avoid his eyes forever however as nearly the moment I was finished with my meal, Will Solace was standing in front of me with Nico beside him.

"How many months?" Will asked.

"I think seven or eight," I replied, distinctly avoiding Nico's eyes and focusing only on Will, who looked uncomfortably like his father.

"Prenatal vitamins?" Will was in full doctor mode and I was thankful for the excuse to avoid talking to the son of Hades beside him.

"Leto insisted," I nodded.

"Leto?" Will asked.

"Titaness of Motherhood," I replied, "your grandmother."

"Oh," Will nodded in understanding, "well as I'm now your doctor I'd like to do a full check-up."

*

"Well as far as I can tell it all looks good," Will said after a thorough examination of my belly.

"What do you mean as far as you can tell?" I asked as I shoved my shirt down over my stomach. We were in the camp infirmary for my full check-up, Nico was lingering in the corner of the room.

"Well I don't have an ultrasound machine and I don't necessarily think that mortal technology would work on - is it a god?"

"I think so," I confirmed.

"Well I don't think that godly pregnancies work the same, but I can't see anything to worry about, I'd say you're about eight months along. The baby - or god - should be born by the end of January."

"Great," I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My eyes finally settling on Nico. I didn't have the words to say to the boy that would excuse what I had done to him, but I decided that now was as good a time as any to try.

"Nico," I started, "I'm- I'm really sorry. I didn't want to- I don't know how I can make it up to you."

Nico was silent for a moment, "It's okay," he said eventually. "You didn't have a choice."

"I'm still sorry, I should have known- I shouldn't have taken you down there- I shouldn't have put myself in the position of having no choice."

"Percy said you were able to overcome Nyx," Nico said bluntly, "He said that Nyx ordered you to kill them and you didn't."

"That's true."

"How?"

"The baby," I confessed, "Artemis thinks that the baby's godly essence was able to overcome Nyx's commands. I don't think it's permanent. I still owe my life to Nyx, I'll be indebted to her until I die."

"So when the baby is born-"

"I'll leave," I said, "I'll go far away where I can't- where she can't make me hurt anyone."

But Nico's words made me think. I was certain of my plan, but I wasn't sure there was anywhere I could hide from Nyx and she would surely use me against my son, and if he was powerful enough to overcome Nyx before he was even born then I was sure there was nowhere I could hide from him either.