Gnossienne (Book 1)

Chapter 6

"Cassie!" Someone whispered, shaking me gently. I hummed in response, my eyes still shut. "It's time for food." I nodded, slowly sitting up, rubbing away the sleep in my eyes. Luke smiled at me.

"Morning." I muttered, making him chuckle.

"Evening, love." I glanced out of the window and saw the sun was indeed setting.

"Oh, well whatever time it is." Luke began to bend over, trying to left me up, but I swatted him away.

"I want to try and walk!" I whined. Luke rolled his eyes, but held out his hand. I grinned taking it.

"I'll make a deal, you can walk until we get to your wheelchair and then you let me push you to dinner." I huffed, muttering 'fine.' Luke smiled, helping me up. Once I put my weight of my legs, they began to shake. I held onto him as we slowly walked out of his room and out of the cabin. My wheelchair still in the exact same place. I hobbled over to it, before collapsing into it, puffing.

"That was harder than I expected." Luke smiled.

"Don't worry, tomorrow you can have some more ambrosia and then you'll be as good as new." Luke told me, wheeling me away. Cabin 11 was already there, sitting at there own table. Percy sat alone at the end, looking quite miserable.

"What's up with you, sour face?" I teased as we approached him. Percy grinned, getting up. I slowly stood up, wobbling. Luke held me steady until Percy was close enough. I fell forward into his embrace, hugging him tightly.

"You look like hell." Percy told me, pulling away, still keeping me up. I laughed as he and Luke helped me over to the our table, feeling everyone's eyes on us. I sat at the edge so it was easier for me to leave later on. Luke sat opposite us, chatting to another member of the cabin.

Chiron pounded on of his hooves against the stone ground, silencing everyone. He raised a glass, shouting out, 'To the gods!" Everyone else followed suit.

"To the gods!"

Wood nymphs appeared with platters of food; grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread (according to the aroma they gave off) and barbecue. I saw Percy lick his lips. I caught a whiff of the heavenly looking food and my stomach began to grumble. I blushed as Luke chuckled, obviously hearing it.

"You must be starving. All you've had is some rice pudding, ambrosia and some nectar." Percy was looking at his drink in confusion. "Speak to it. Whatever you want, you'll get - except alcohol."

"Cherry coke." Percy said and straight away his glass was full of cherry coke. Me and Percy shared a glance.

"Blue cherry coke!" We chorused. My glass filled with a violet shade of the popular drink. I took a sip, before grinning. 'Perfect.'

"To mom." I raised my glass. Percy smiled sadly, raising his, clinking them together.

"To mom." Percy whispered, his mind far away. I left him to think, knowing he was still coming to terms with everything. I was too, but I showed it differently from him.

Luke handed me some food, piling it up.

"Luke!" I gasped.

"What?" He asked, innocently. "You haven't eaten properly today." He went to add another piece of chicken, but I moved my plate away.

"I'm sure I have enough." Luke rolled his eyes, but obliged, giving the piece of meat to Percy, making him snap out of his trance. I picked up my food and went to take a bite when I realised everyone was getting up and heading to the fire.

"Percy will take your plate and offer some for you." Luke said, making me more confused. Percy stood up and followed Luke towards the fire. They returned and took their places, eating up.

Once everyone was back in their seats, Chiron pounded his hoof again, gaining everyone's attention. Mr D got up, with a heavy sigh.

"I suppose I'd better say hello to you brats. Well, hello." I expected him to sit down after that, considering his attitude. I didn't like Mr D at all. "Our activities director, Chiron says that Capture the Flag is Friday. Cabin 5 presently holds the laurels." An ugly cheer erupted from, what I was guessing, Ares Cabin. "Personally, I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you we have two new members." He coughed. "The ones who woke us all up last night." He muttered, not so subtly. "Anyhow, welcome Peter and Caddie Johnson." Chiron murmured something to him. "Er, Percy and Cassie Jackson." He corrected. "That's right. hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire."

The campers cheered and headed down towards the amphitheatre where Apollo's cabin lead a sing-along all about the gods. Me and Percy were beginning to settle in, now that no one was starring at us. Luke stayed with us the entire night, but I think Percy got annoyed with how close we got through out the night because he eventually left to go find Grover.

Me and Luke joked around, eating marshmallows, far away from the fire so I could relax, but close enough so we didn't freeze. He told me stories of battles he had won against others and what he dreamed of doing when he left. I rested my head on his shoulder, sighing, a smile on my face as I listened to him.

Eventually, though, I must have fallen asleep, thoughts of my mom on my mind.

If Hades is real, then the underworld is real. We can get her back. One way or another, me and Percy would get her back.

- - - - -

Just like Luke has said, the next day I was able to get up and about without any trouble. I had settled in a sort of normal routine, well as normal as I could.

Each morning, Annabeth, taught me and Percy Ancient Greek. I struggled to keep talking about the gods in the present tense, but Annabeth told me I was getting the hang of it.

Ancient Greek was actually, surprisingly, a lot easier for me to read, compared to English.

Then we would rotate through outdoor activities looking for what skill we excelled at. We tried archery with Chiron. Let me tell you, Percy should never be given a bow. Chiron ended up having to pull an arrow out of his tail, but he didn't complain. I was just as bad though. Luckily, Chiron ducked out of the way before his head was taken off.

Foot racing? The wood nymph instructors left me and Percy in the dust. They tried to reassure us that they had been practising for thousand of years from running away from love-sick gods.

Wrestling? Forget it. Every time someone charged at me, I'd squeal and end up getting in pinned to the met in seconds. In the end, I think everyone just loved to scare me and make me squeak.

Clarisse, a girl from Ares cabin, especially enjoyed beating my brother down. I think she was still butt hurt about the bathroom incident, Percy told me about.

Percy and I easily got the hand on canoeing. Percy wasn't too happy about that, but I didn't mind. At least I was near the water, right?

The senior campers watched us throughout the days, trying to figure out who are father was, but they weren't having an easy time.  Neither Percy or me were strong as the Arse cabin. We couldn't do archery, like the Apollo kids. We didn't have a way with metal work, such as the Hephaestus' kids nor did we have Dionysus' skill with vines, much to Percy's relief.

Over the few days I had been here, I was beginning to enjoy my time. Luke spent every spare moment with me, checking I was okay and if we wanted to go for a walk to the tree up on Half-Blood Hill where we would talk for hours. Every morning, before dawn broke, I'd get up and wander to the beach, watching as the waves lolled around. I loved to swim out whilst watching the sun began to rise. The scent of strawberries seemed to leak to the beach as well. Percy occasionally joined me when he was able to drag himself out of bed, but that was a rare occurrence.

I didn't grieve for my mom. I was determined to get her back no matter what.