Desert Winds (a Percy Jackson AU)

The Day After

    Piper slept fitfully in the barn that night. When she met her mother-in-law in the weaving room, Hera's face was lit up. Her ox-like eyes were bright and a smile played on her lips all morning. Piper didn't talk at all, but merely worked on stitching up a torn blanket.

         At lunch, Hera was chattier then normal, but Piper remained silent until Michael brought up the subject of Reyna's disappearance. "I saw her older sister, Hylla, in the marketplace this morning."

     Piper looked up from her lap where she was toying with her food. "Really? What happened?"

     Michael shrugged. "We chatted. She told me that Reyna had come to live with her before moving to another town to get married."

    For the first time all day, Piper relaxed. Her breathing became more regular and when lunch ended, work seemed more bearable. Reyna was alright; Jason has not killed her. Why am I even considering this possibility, Piper thought; he never was anything but kind to me.

      She accidentally pricked herself with a needle and that burst of pain helped her realize something: it was his kindness that made her wary. She had grown up with a father who was too busy to spend time with her. When her parents had divorced, she stopped seeing him and her mother was too wrapped in her own problems to notice Piper's pain. Her parents' lack of attention had taught her that people just didn't really care about anyone besides themselves. It made her difficult to trust people.

*****

      "So how did the night go?" Hera said.

      Her lips curved upwards as she took in the sight of her daughter-in-law. Piper's hair was disheveled underneath her veil and dark circles shadowed underneath her eyes. Piper sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I'm exhausted."

      "I'm sure you must be," Hera said. "Now when will it happen?"

     Piper looked up. "When will what happen?"

     "When are you two getting married?" Hera asked.

     Piper shook her head. "It didn't happen. It's not going to happen."

    Hera's eyes narrowed and her smile turned upside down. "He doesn't like you?"

     Piper flinched, but nodded. That must be it, right?

     "Well, next time you try maybe—" Hera said.

       Piper stood up. "No, there will be no next time. I'm tired of you trying to arrange this relationship. Do you know how fake this feels? I feel like some common woman!"

     "You are a common woman," Hera said.

      "You know what I meant!" Piper said. "I don't like feeling this way — so dirty and tainted — and I sure don't like you trying to arrange another marriage for me."

      Hera stood up to face her daughter-in-law. "It's your job," she said. "Your duty. You promised that you would stand by me."

     Piper breathed heavily and blinked back tears. There was a burning feeling in her chest. "Yes, and I've done that," Piper said, her voice cracking. "I have stayed by your side. I have helped you, but I won't do this. I just can't."