Athena's Daughter

Chapter Five

All Characters belong to Rick Rordan along with the story line.  This is what I think will happen next.

JASON

Everyone filed into the Senate building, Annabeth ooing and awwing over the structure and design.  Jason felt amazed by it as well, even though he had seen it before it felt knew, like he was seeing it through new eyes - reliving his first time in a way.  Reyna banged a mallet at the back of the room where she sat on a dias which was flanked by her dogs Argentlam and Aurum.  Surrounding the podium was a circular structure that held benches ascending so that it was styled like a circular theater.  Everyone in the room quickly began to find there seats.  Percy pointed out to Annabeth where she should sit and then kissed her on the cheek before heading toward his spot on the podium.

When everyone quieted down Reyna stood up and scanned the room.  "Today, as everyone is well aware is a unique and important day.  Our decision here can effect our future in ways that I am not certain we could predict if we tried.  Today, a ship arrived in our camp under a white flag of truce," she explained with a pointed glare at Octavian.  "They are Greek and by all accounts are our enemies. "  Murmuring errupted amongst the senators and the greeks looked uneasy.  "Silence!" The room quieted and looked back to Reyna.  "I have agreed to up hold the laws in which we live by.  They claim to come in the hopes of forging a treaty of peace.  AS they are here under a white flag, if our decision is unfavorable to the greeks and we chose not to except a treaty, they will be allowed to leave in safety as the laws of the laurel branch dictate.  Are we agreed?"

"Aye," the senate confiremed with a few mumbled nays.

"Then we will treat them as a diplomatic party so long as they are here. I expect them to be treated as such.  Now on to the topic of a treaty, what does the Senate have to say?"  She asked before reclaiming her seat to listen to the discussion.

Jason wasn't surprised and neither it seemed were Reyna and Percy when Octavian stepped forward to speak first.  "Praetor Reyna, the Greeks have been our enemies since Rome began.  Recall the saying that we are taught from the moment we learn to talk, 'beware the Greeks baring gifts.'"

"I believe that saying came from the trojan war," said one of the Greeks and Jason noted it was annabeth.  Of course it was Annabeth.  "What I don't understand is this continued annimosity towards us when it was a child of Athena that founded Rome."

"Lies!" Octavian snapped.  "Avanteus was a child of Minerva, the first Roman demigod."

Annabeth rolled her eyes,  "Avanteus was the only survivor of the Trojan war and fled to what is now known as Rome where he began the Empire and he was a son of Athena.  If you don't believe me ask Minerva herself.  A fact is a fact Octavian and you can't change them."

"Then why do you try, the Goddess Minerva would never stand for you because it is untrue,"  Octavian sneered.

"Minerva I assure you would back me on this,"  Annabeth disagreed.

Octavian laughed,  "A greek demigod who thinks she has the favor of a Roman Goddess."

Annabeth shook her head.  "No, not a roman goddess, a greek goddess.  Athena, Octavian is my mother, and so then is Minerva."

Octavian snorted,  "Since when do Godly parents care what their children do.  Just because you are her daughter doesn't make you special to her in anyway.

Annabeth was about to make a snide remark, one that Jason was sure would have stung, but Reyna decided at that moment to put an end to it   "ENOUGH!" she shouted.  "Octavian sit down.  You have said your piece apparently.  Now I would like to say something.  The past is the past.  We look back on it, we learn from it, but only a weakling dwells in it.  Rome was a strong empire but it fell because of it's unwillingness to cooperate both on the inside and with those on its outside.  I refuse to make that mistake.  If the senate chooses not to negate a treaty with these Greeks I want a viable argument, not one condusive to their race.  Am I clear?"  Everyone in the senate nodded and Octavian's face flamed red.  "Good, then I want to remind everyone that something history continuously teaches us is that for an empire to continue, to endure, it has to have a willingness to bend and yield.  Allies come and go, enemies become allies, allies become enemies.  As to that happy thought a reminder that while we sit here and argue over the petty intricacies of trust our enemy, Gaea, is awakening, her giants are rising and soon we will be at war," Reyna said glaring at the room meeting the stares of the senators.  "Since I feel that most of us are unprepared to make a decision today then I will insist on having a second meeting tomorrow morning giving the senate time to think and too contemplate the priorities of this camp."