Gladiators

Chapter Twelve

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Reyna asked for about the eleventh time. Percy was becoming highly annoyed. As if Percy didn't know his own way home- how insulting.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now, if you'll be quiet, I can get us there even quicker." Percy replied with annoyance, searching for the marker he knew was somewhere, which would tell him where to go. They'd already past where the Romans had caught Percy, and now it was getting to the difficult part.

Jason, Hazel, and Frank hadn't questioned him the whole way, but Reyna always seemed to want to know exactly where they were. It was only the four Romans and Percy, which Percy was sincerely surprised about. Jason didn't seem to be the kind to travel with minimal security.

Percy finally found the marker- a small hole in a tree, too small for any creature to live in. Percy looked inside, seeing the small 'x' scratched in. It was on the left wall of the hole. So, Percy took a right. Soon, they came to two trees, perfectly aligned, that stood like a gate to a wide open clearing that was surrounded by thick woods.

Percy smiled, seeing the familiar terrain. He recognized the little stream that ran through it, every rock and type of flower that grew here. The birds were singing a wonderful tune, and Percy felt at peace. This was his home.

Percy was suddenly startled out of his peaceful moment by familiar war cries. People dropped out of the trees, surrounding the group. Frank and Hazel got into defensive positions around Jason and Reyna. "Lower your weapons, or we kill you!" A muscular girl with light brown hair and brown eyes ordered loudly.

The Romans had no clue who she was, but Percy knew exactly who she was. She held a spear, and Perseus knew she knew exactly how to use it. Percy was suddenly very glad Jason hadn't made Percy wear his collar once they left the palace- he really didn't want to explain that.

"Do as she says." Jason said, looking at Percy. Immediately, a blonde girl with grey eyes and a naturally tan girl with brown hair and kaleidoscope eyes stepped forward. The tan girl had a feather in her hair. Percy knew them well- they were two of his best friends.

The tan girl put her dagger up to Reyna's throat threatening, pressing down, but not enough to draw blood. "You piss me off, I'll knock you out." Piper, the tan girl, announced, and Reyna gritted her teeth.

"And I'll kill you." Annabeth, the blonde girl, said, pressing a dagger to Jason's throat. "Duly noted." Jason said through gritted teeth. Both girls stepped back, and Annabeth ran over to Percy and hugged him tightly.

Percy hugged her back just as tightly. He could tell she was crying from the wetness collecting on his shoulder. "Where have you been? I've been so worried." Annabeth said, her voice shaky. Percy pulled her back to arm's length and smiled at her reassuringly, wiping away her tears. "I'm here now." Percy said.

"I-I thought you were..." Annabeth stuttered, now sobbing. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Everything's fine. I'm here now, and I'm perfectly fine." Percy said soothingly, wiping her tears away and pulling her back into a hug. "No wonder he wasn't fully happy." Reyna muttered amusedly to herself so no one else could hear. Annabeth soon calmed down and stepped away, back into the group.

"Nice to see you again, Percy." Piper said, smiling. "Good to see you, Jackson." Clarisse said grudgingly, hitting him on the back so hard that Percy stumbled forward. "If I find out you so much as plucked a hair from Percy's head, you're all dead." Annabeth growled, stepping threatening towards the Romans.

"Feisty friend you've got there, Perseus." Reyna said amusedly. Some of the Greeks surrounding the Romans looked at Percy in confusion, and he looked a bit defeated. Others, including Annabeth, didn't dare look away from their prisoners, but still were confused.

Clarisse lead the group into the clearing, and people slowly began climbing out of the trees and putting tents back up. Percy knew the protocol well. Soon, a middle-aged woman with brown hair that had  streaks of grey in it ran out of the trees and towards Percy, wrapping him up in her arms while crying. Percy didn't have to see her up close to know who she was. Percy was crying too as he hugged her back. He was just slightly taller than her.

Percy didn't have to see her sparkling blue eyes to know they were blue; he didn't have to smell her sweet, candy-like scent to know it was there. He didn't have to see her face to know exactly where her dimple was, or how she smiled. He could never forget this woman. He could never forget her beautiful smile.

"Mom, I've missed you so much." Percy muttered weakly into her shoulder, almost collapsing with relief. His knees were shaky. "I've missed you, too. Baby boy, I had no clue if you were okay or not! I searched and searched, but I couldn't find you. We were planning a huge search, a massive one that would span countries. Other people would doubt if you were alive, but I had faith that my son would come back, and you have." She said tearfully with relief, smiling into his shoulder.

"I'm okay, Mom, I promise. I was captured, but I'm fine." Percy whispered to her. Sally, his mother, started kissing all over Percy's face, smiling widely. Soon, a man with salt and pepper hair came up to them, holding a little three-year-old girl in his arms. "Pewcy!" The little girl, his younger sister Patricia, or Tris, yelled happily, waving her arms.

Paul, the man, handed Tris over, wrapping his arm around Sally, his wife. Sally smiled up at Paul. "Hey, sis." Percy said, holding his little sister in her arms as she hugged him around his neck. Percy kissed the top of her head.

"Percy!" He heard a shout, and suddenly a tan arm was slung around his shoulder. Percy turned his head to see the elvish face of his friend, Leo. The Latino boy had curly black hair and brown eyes. He was shorter than Percy, and had a youthfulness to him that Percy wasn't sure would ever change.

"Good to see you! Where have you been?" Leo exclaimed happily, smiling widely. "I'd like to know the same thing." A girl with black hair and sky blue eyes said, standing nearby. She looked serious. "I think we'll be going now." Sally said, taking Tris from Percy, smiled to him, and walked away with Paul.

"I, uh, better go." Leo said, walking away, leaving Percy alone with the girl, Thalia.

"I could ask you why you're here. I mean, aren't you supposed to be doing the Hunt? Artemis doesn't seem like the kind of goddess to let a lead huntress have time off." Percy said. "You're right. She's not. But for you, she made an exception." Thalia replied.