"OKAY, CALM DOWN FOR a second Hazel," Philomena said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders to keep her hands from flailing around.
The Senate had a meeting, one Philomena wasn't allowed to attend, so she had decided to use the time off to train in the colosseum with one of the dummies and strengthen her muscles (and to get rid of the anger weighing down her heart ... or was it sadness? Either way, Philomena didn't want to confront her feelings, so she used violence). Then Hazel had come running in, completely breathless and blabbering some stuff about the quest.
"Let me get this straight: the senate voted for me to join you on your suicide quest?" Philomena repeated, just so that she was 100% sure she could really kill Octavian now, without the smallest bit of regret.
Hazel nodded. "Octavian said that you should go, after all Mars suggested you to Frank."
Philomena pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Octavian should be thankful that murder was illegal, even in a camp as strange as Camp Jupiter.
But still, maybe if she left Camp, some things could become clearer. For example, Philomena could find out if Percy was a friend or foe and maybe – and this was really just wishful thinking – she would find Jason and could ... well, what she would do now that she knew that he had replaced her, she wasn't so sure.
Perhaps she could beat him to a pulp.
"Okay, then I'll pack my stuff. When are we going?"
Hazel blinked once, then again, unsure if she had heard right.
Philomena joined the quest without a word of complaint? Without throwing a fuss about how she preferred the comfort of the Legion?
However, it was best not to question Philomena, only she knew what really went on in her own head (well, most of the time), so to doubt her sanity wouldn't be the best move.
"Percy and Frank are already packing and we'll get going once we're all ready," Hazel responded.
"Okay, then let's go," Philomena said. She took her sword and put it in its sheath before she walked side by side with Hazel to the Barracks, taking everything in one last time.
Something told her that she wouldn't see Camp Jupiter for a long time.
"Behold", Frank said, his expression speaking more than thousand words ever could. "The mighty Roman navy."
Next to him, Philomena snickered. She didn't know what else to do because crying wouldn't help them. "So we really are doomed."
"There's got to be a mistake," Hazel mumbled, her eyes attached to the boat in front of them.
Once upon a time, like a very long time ago, the ship must've looked somewhat good, with its steel exterior. But now? Now it was just a rusty chunk of painted steel. Scummy water filled the bottom of the boat and Philomena really didn't want to know what was inside the moldy cooler that floated around.
Like the lunatic he was, Percy jumped into the boat, his shoes completely disappearing in the disgustingly gray water as he worked some kind of magic on the boat.
The water flowed out and a piece of steel wool that had been lying at the ground of it all, began flying across the floor, scrubbing it until the boat looked clean and tidy. Philomena clapped her hands together in a short show of appreciation towards Percy and his abilities.
"This'll do," Percy affirmed, overlooking the Pax, which he had transformed into a boat on which you would only die after one day of traveling, not one minute. "Hop in."
Philomena jumped in first, sitting down on the place next to Percy, to keep an eye on him in case he tried to do anything funny (and because this was the perfect opportunity to set Hazel and Frank up). Frank and Hazel followed suit, settling on the other bench.
When everyone was seated, Percy furrowed his brows for a second, before the boat slipped away from the dock, without oars or any of them having to do anything.
Once again Philomena had to admit to herself that Percy and his abilities were pretty impressive.
Philomena enjoyed the breeze as they moved across the water at a speed quicker than she thought suitable for the old boat, but Percy made it work.
Her brown hair blew around but she decided not to tie it up, maybe later, but for now she wanted to enjoy this moment of freedom.
She had never been that far away from Camp Jupiter in the past few years and even when she hadn't been a part of Camp, Philomena was either under her mother's protective wing or on the run from some monster hunting her down.
So really, this was the first time she experienced complete freedom. Even if the threat of her impending death hung over her head, she tried to enjoy every second of it.
"You okay Hazel?" Frank asked, making Philomena snap out of it and look over at the pair.
Hazel really didn't look all that well; it must've been seasickness.
"Here, I've got some chocolate somewhere," Philomena offered as Frank had snapped a cracker between his big fingers.
The rest of Frank's and Hazel's conversation went under in her running thoughts as Philomena had looked to the shoreline. In the distance she could make out Mount Tam above the green hills surrounding it. It felt as if the mountain was watching her.
"That looks familiar," Percy voiced as he kept his eyes fixed on the mountain.
"Mount Tam," Frank explained, his eyes quickly moving from the mountain to Philomena to then rest on Percy as he only received an empty stare from the girl. "It's still all everyone talks about in camp. Big battle happened on the summit, at the old Titan base."
Percy frowned, finally taking his eyes off the mountain to look at his companions. "Were any of you there?"
Frank and Hazel shook their heads. Philomena remained silent, her gaze settling on her hands as she fiddled with the friendship bracelet Hazel had made for them.
"No," Hazel responded, trying to get Percy's attention off of Philomena. "That was back in August, before I – um got to camp. Jason told me about it." Philomena was thankful that she let out the part where it was actually Philomena doing most of the talking while Jason added the last part, the part in which Philomena had lost consciousness. "The legion destroyed the enemy's palace and about a million monsters. Jason had to battle Krios – hand-to-hand combat with a Titan, if you can imagine."
"I can imagine," Percy spoke.
After that a silence settled over them, one that was filled with unsaid words and the silent desire for Philomena to tell them more about the battle, just so that they wouldn't have to sit here with the silence weighing them down.
Well, the silence didn't last long.
Hazel collapsed, her head almost hitting the edge of a bench, thankfully though, Philomena reacted fast enough and caught her.
They laid her down on a bench and tried to shake her awake, though to no avail. Hazel was out cold, the only indication that she was even still alive being her shallow breaths and the little whimpers that escaped her from time to time.
While Frank tried to shake her awake, Philomena sat by her side, clutching Hazel's hand tightly as she worried for her best friend, the only person who would stay by her side and whom she could trust.
HOPE speaks!
hi my lovelies
well, let's just say that I read ahead and let me tell you am I excited about Phineas and Philomena meeting
anyway, tell me, what are your plans for the weekend?
I'm going to a volleyball game tomorrow (and dinner with my team after) and then I need to sort out my closet and learn for an upcoming test, so yeah, not very exciting
love you lots and see you next time <3
YOU ARE READING
ALEA IACTA EST ; GRACE
Fanfiction"What the actual f*ck is going on?" - Philomena Yıldırım, most of the time . . . IN WHICH . . . Philomena is just another demigod in Camp Jupiter and all she wants to do is have some peaceful years in the legion before settling down in the ci...
