Gladiators

Chapter Fifteen

"So, what happened while I was gone?" Percy asked Annabeth and Piper. They were walking along the beach, which wasn't too far away from camp. It was just south of camp and through the trees, in fact.

"Well, Nico disappeared, only leaving a piece of parchment, telling us not to worry on it. We assumed he went to find you, not to go down to the Underworld." Annabeth said, and Piper nodded. "Well, most people don't assume someone went to the Underworld on vacation." Percy replied easily.

"Everyone was looking for you, you know." Piper said quietly. Percy once again felt guilty for wandering off and getting captured. But it wasn't like Percy had asked to get capture or get taken hostage. Percy had just wanted to get some meat for camp, and suddenly he was being ambushed by soldiers. Not the highlight of Percy's life. He should've listened to his mother and not gone out. But he hadn't listened, and he was captured.

"I'm sorry. I know, I should have stayed in camp, but we hadn't eaten in days! We needed meat, and I thought the Romans were far enough away that I would be safe." Percy explained apologetically. "Did they hurt you?" Annabeth asked, her anger suddenly ready to overflow. Percy cringed, remembered everything that had happened. How could he tell his best friend that he had...done it with a Roman?

"Percy? What happened?" Piper asked softly, her hand on his shoulder. "Uh, well, I was... Jason's, sort of, I don't know, live-in prostitute? But free?" Percy said, not sure how to word it. "Prostitute?" Piper and Annabeth exclaimed simultaneously with outrage, and Percy instantly knew he had worded it wrong.

"Well, not exactly prostitute. More like prisoner that he had sex with." Percy quickly said, not thinking. "Prisoner?!" They exclaimed, and once again, Percy worded it wrong. "It's not as bad as it sounds!" Percy rushed out, and they looked madder than hornets. "How can that not be as bad as it sounds?" Annabeth shouted, throwing her hands up in the air.

"There were...real feelings." Percy said slowly, cautiously, and the girls' eyes softened. "Oh, Percy. You love him, don't you?" Annabeth asked sadly, her voice soft and comforting. "Maybe, I don't know. I mean, I've had feelings for Nico for so long, how can I just suddenly like Jason? After he imprisoned me?" Percy asked, stepping towards the sea. He stared out at the setting sun, wondering if it would give him the answers he needed.

"I can't pretend to know the actions of a love goddess, but Aphrodite has us have these feelings for a reason." Piper said slowly, and suddenly a pink cloud of smoke appeared next to the three, and there stood a woman. She was gorgeous- her eyes were blue, but her hair was black. Her facial features were like a mix of Jason's and Nico's, but more feminine. She had a pink dress on, and beautiful jewelry adorned her neck and ears.

"Really? You should, considering you're my daughter." The woman said as the three stared at her in amazement. "You're... Aphrodite?" Annabeth asked, and the woman nodded with a smile. "You're my mom?" Piper asked, the wind rustling her hair, which seemed to make Piper more beautiful. Aphrodite nodded again.

"Now, what could the daughter of Athena, the daughter of Aphrodite, and the son of Poseidon possibly be talking about on a beach that would need my attention? Oh yes, affairs of the heart." Aphrodite said, still smiling her perfect smile, as she put her hands on her heart.

"Uh, yes. I was just wondering what to do about Jason and Nico." Percy said, stepping forward. "Ah, yes. Sorry about that, but I do just love a good love triangle! I couldn't resist letting you fall for Jason while Nico pined over you in the Underworld." Aphrodite said, almost with satisfaction.

"Why put us three through that pain? I'll have to choose, and no matter who I pick, someone will get hurt!" Percy said accusingly, his ire growing. "Ah, but you don't have to pick." Aphrodite replied, her eyes softening. "I'm not in the habit of cheating like you." Percy said hotly, referring to her well-known affair with Ares, and every other affair she had. She'd had plenty. Piper happened to come out of one of them, apparently.

"Now, that's just rude- and I wasn't even referring to cheating. Consent from both can lead to happy days." Aphrodite said before disappearing in a cloud of pink smoke. "Well, that was fun." Annabeth said sarcastically. "Yeah. Fun." Piper replied with a sigh.

"So, you're a daughter of Athena." Percy said, looking at Annabeth. She looked at him wide-eyed. "I hadn't even thought about that until now. That's so cool!" Annabeth exclaimed happily. Percy and Piper smiled.

"Well, we better get back to camp. It's getting dark." Piper said finally, and the other two nodded. They headed back to camp silently, all thinking their own thoughts about who they love.