Gladiators

Chapter Ten

Time went on, and they had had a few more encounters like the one on that night. Percy had to wear the collar every day, no exceptions. If Jason saw Percy without it, he'd give Percy another spanking and put the collar on him. He'd done it once or twice. Percy hated the thing.

Percy had been at the palace about two months now. He missed home. Often he'd find himself staring at the garden, which had a fountain in it. Percy hadn't gotten to exit the palace since he had come here. All he ever got to do was wander the palace, as long as Hazel or Frank was with him, or sit in his room or on the balcony. Percy had become bored. Extremely bored.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you hated it here." Percy heard a woman's voice, and he turned around to see a woman with long, black hair in a side braid and black eyes. She was beautiful, but not Percy's type. A golden dog and a silver dog stood beside her. They were about to her knees. They had red eyes.

"Who are you?" Percy asked, confused.

"I'm Reyna, and this is Aurum and Argentum." The woman said, motioning to first her gold dog and then her silver one. Percy was still confused. "I'm a close friend of Jason's." She said, and suddenly he recognized her. She was the announcer woman from the day Percy met Jason. Percy's eyes widened with recognition.

"Ah, good. You recognize me. Now, let's talk about you." Reyna said, sitting on the edge of the neatly made bed. Percy stayed quiet, standing off to the side. "Sit beside me. I don't bite." She said, patting the space beside her, and Percy reluctantly sat next to her. "Good. Now, how are you liking it here?"

"I love it here." Percy replied automatically, lying through his teeth. Jason had asked him once or twice, and Percy had grown accustomed to lying. "You know, my dogs don't like liars. Now, how about you give me the truthful answer?" Reyna replied easily, not missing a beat. Her dogs growled at Percy, as if to emphasize her point.

Percy thought about it for a while, thinking hard. "I... hate it here. I'm just a prisoner with a luxurious cell. I can't go into the garden just outside the palace, and I can't even travel the palace without Hazel or Frank being with me. I miss my home. Jason rarely talks to me, just spends some nights with me. I know nothing of him, and he knows nothing of me." Percy sighed, finally being truthful. It felt good to share his thoughts.

"Have you talked to Jason about it?" Reyna asked curiously. "When would I get the time? We do it for what feels like hours, and I'm so exhausted that I just fall asleep! He's gone before I even wake up! I can't bring it up during the event, and I can't say something before because he's too eager! I've even tried to refuse him, but he ignores me! He just continues his advances, heedless of my words." Percy replied, standing up and going to the balcony doors once more, staring at the garden again.

"Perseus, Jason has had a cold life. He does not remember his mother, nor has he met his father. All he knows is the palace, being guided by advisers who only cared about power, not him, and being told that his father is the king of the gods. He knows nothing of love or compassion. He knows how to twist words to his advantage, yes, and how to leave men and women alike speechless from his spell of passion. But not love and definitely not how to treat a real lover." Reyna said gently, making Percy turn back around to face her.

"You mean... He has no clue of what his parents even looked like? What they were like?" Percy asked quietly, saddened by this revelation, and even more saddened by the fact it hadn't come from Jason himself. "That is exactly what I mean. No one taught him of emotions. How to express them, or even feel them. He's broken inside, Percy." Reyna replied seriously.

"He hasn't ever felt...love?" Percy asked, not sure how to process this information. How could someone have no clue how to feel? "Not any kind of love besides friendship." Reyna clarified. Percy felt renewed sadness for the man he was growing to care for- and was beginning to hope that he felt the same for Percy.

"That is, until he met you." Reyna added, smiling. "What?" Percy asked, confused. "I've seen the way he smiles. How he seems far away, but he's right next to me. The way he finally looks happy. It didn't occur until you showed up. So it must be you." Reyna told him, still a smile on her face.

Percy stayed silent, trying to process the information being thrown his way. He hadn't even dared to hope that Jason would like him back, and here Reyna was, saying Jason loved him. It was overwhelming for Percy. He felt like the walls were closing in on him, and the collar was tightening around his throat.

"Which is why you have to get out of here." Reyna said seriously, staring into Percy's eyes.