The Roman Shadow

The Daughter of Bellona

-Percy-

"It's Jason, Reyna and Morris; they're back from their messenger run." Dakota reported hastily.

Dakota was about the age of ten, Percy's age. He had short curly brown hair and brown eyes. He was a little taller than Percy and was wearing a purple camp shirt and trousers on. He also had a small blackish-brown tablet tied around his neck. He was missing his tattoo mark so Percy guessed he was new around here.

Percy looked around at the three elder demigods present in the room. Jamie had a small smile on his face and he nodded at Dakota. Cassandra looked a little relieved at the news. Maven was still looking indifferent but Percy could make out that he was eager to hear what news the three could have brought from their messenger run.

Cassandra nodded to Dakota. "Thank you for your report Dakota." She said firmly "You may leave back to your activities."

Dakota looked a little disappointed but he turned around to leave when he spotted Percy. Dakota looked at Percy quizzically and arched a brow. Percy gave him a small wave. Dakota looked a little taken aback at first before he caught himself and smiled at Percy. He made his way out of the place and Percy's smile grew.

The people here are nice. Jamie has been great to him and the other kid he met out in the halls, Octavian was friendly. Even though there was something a little too friendly about that guy. Ignoring all that, this was the first place Percy felt like home since his real home.

Percy pushed away the heart-throbbing pain rising in his chest. It had been many months since that day. Percy reminded himself every day that he was over them. But he knew that the pain would not go, not so easily. He didn't have too many memories of his mother and his sister. But there was one thing that condolences him. They loved him. It was all that mattered to Percy. To know that his mother and his little sister adored him and they didn't abandon him. No, they were forced to leave this world and Percy along with it.

A hand on his shoulder broke Percy out of his personal musings. Percy looked up to see Jamie carefully watching Percy out of the corner of his eyes as he still faced the praetors. Percy instantly got the message and he turned his head to the praetors who thankfully hadn't noticed him wandering into his thoughts.

"- and you shall be placed as a member of the small teams of the other younger legionnaires to go out on small scale missions. You shall do small runs to gather godly supplies from retired legionnaires, pass messages to different societies of demigods gathered in different places along the country. If you do exceptionally well in those missions you shall be promoted from your probation or you will be removed from it after a year of service." Cassandra explained.

Percy nodded. Even though he missed the first part he was sure he could get that from Jamie later.

Cassandra, seemingly approving of it moved out of her praetor chair and to a small table near the corner. She reached out to a small press-like machine. She took out a rectangular piece of lead and put it between the pres and pressed it. She removed it and tied it around a small leather thread and handed it over to Percy. Percy tied it around his neck. The attention of both of the elder demigods went to Percy's feather pendant. They looked at him questioningly but he just shrugged. They didn't think much of it and left the topic.

Cassandra moved back to her chair and nodded approvingly at Percy.

"Welcome to the Twelfth Legion, Percy Jackson." She said. "You are now an official part of the Roman army. Serve with Pride, Serve with Honour, Serve with dignity and protect Rome with every to the last breath and Rome shall do the same for you. Nominis Romani pugnaturos*." (*Fight in the name of Rome).