The Pirate of Greece

Chapter XII (Annabeth)

The day was grey and miserable again. Rain came down in sheets as the distant sound of thunder rolled over the hills. The ground was mushy and muddy, the winds threatened to rip through clothing and the temperature seemed to drop with every step she took.

Annabeth hunched her shoulders against the rain and wrapped her cloak tighter. It was madness to go walking in this weather, but she wasn't expecting it when she stepped foot from the palace in a more peaceful, sunny time, heading towards the docks with everyone else. The onslaught of weather was not expected, and because of this, Percy and his ship were not due to depart until the following morning. The seas were too rough to set sail in without the ship being forced back into the docks by the hammering waves, the high possibility of colliding with the shore rocks. Percy had said he would've risked it if it were just him, Tyson and Grover, but the son of Poseidon didn't like the chances with a ship filled with more men and cargo.  In the end she had to call it off and tell them to wait.

By the time she departed from her quarters to make this journey the rain was relenting and the clouds were blowing over. However, halfway to her destination another storm came out of nowhere and made her shiver down to her bones. Annabeth clenched her teeth and suffered through the assault, cursing the gods responsible all the while. And, she admitted, she cursed Zeus most of all.

Now she stood atop of a hill ringed by a gully on one side and an overflowed stream on the other (the one she crossed by creating a makeshift pulley system. The bridge that normal occupied the stretch had been underwater).  A large, baby blue house stood at the top of this particular incline, being battered by the harsh winds and rain.

This was where her destination was intended. The building half a day's journey away from the main part of Athens. She was starting to regret it.

Nonetheless, when Annabeth knocked against the wooden door and waited she was eagerly anticipating the person inside. The door opened quickly to reveal a middle aged man with thinning brown hair and a short, scruffy beard. His eyes were brown and intense, but it was his white stallion bottom half that marked him differently than humans.

"Annabeth," the centaur said with surprise.

"Nice to see you Chiron," she replied with a smile, shrugging her cloak on a little more tightly. It was nearly impossible to wipe the droplets of water away from her eyes by the time Chiron ushered her inside and set about cleaning her up. He offered a large cloth to wipe away the water and even started up a nice fire in the grate, the flicker of flames dancing along the walls. Annabeth stood as close as she could to the fireplace after shrugging off her cloak and draping it over an armchair. She stood there for five minutes before he trotted in again bearing a tray of steaming honey mead. She thanked him as she grabbed the mug and took a big gulp, inwardly sighing as she felt the warmth rejuvenate her body just as the fire did.

"What brings you here child?" Chiron said as he placed the tray down, "and I would not expect you out of all people to go walking about in this weather."

She turned and placed the drink down, unbuckled her weapons belt (you could never be too cautious when travelling the roads nowadays) and placed this down also, slumping in another chair.

"I thought I might drop by for a chat seeing as my day is yet to turn eventful," said Annabeth.

"I presume there is more than just that. What is on your mind?" He said in a fatherly manner.

Annabeth had known Chiron for as long as she could remember. After the fateful night of running away from home when she was young, she'd doubted that there would ever be a place to call home again. But with the help of a couple of friends, they managed to find Chiron who took them in like family. He raised them, trained them and cared for them, just like he had for all the other demigods that were struggling and in need. Annabeth just managed to know him for longer and became more attached. He was the closest thing she had to a father, so she wasn't surprised when he knew something was troubling her.