Roman Holiday

The Maiden (Reyna) And The Kelpie (Aughisky)

Reyna was positive that during the daylight hours the ride from Dersingham to Dunsany Castle in Ireland would have been amazing. The route Wayne took to get there had them passing through Manchester, Liverpool, two national parks, taking a ferry across the Irish Sea, landing in Dublin, and finally driving north through the Irish countryside to what was bound to be some sprawling, stone castle with turrets and a moat. And in an ideal world such a trip would have allowed them to stop and explore the ancient English cities and forests, take serious pictures in front of historic landmarks only to quickly turn into goofy pictures that would make the locals roll their eyes, and they could sample the local fare (or McDonalds if they were feeling exceptionally American). But they had left the Cock and Bulls in the late afternoon, and darkness soon settled over the land. And if that wasn't enough, an hour outside of Dersingham it began to downpour, making it all put impossible to see out of the Reliant Robin's back window; she couldn't even make out Cú's chariot behind them.

And in the dark of the car, surrounded by their cursing, blond, somehow scrawnier, Welsh driver, a snoring boar piglet, and a daughter of Aphrodite who was apparently having a quiet existential crisis, Reyna was allowed to think for the first time since she was taken from her apartment.

Just not about dying and being resurrected by Celtic Zeus... She needed to be alone to think about that little highlight. Alone and with a pillow to scream in...

She thought about Annabeth's abduction, their strange, Welsh speaking driver, meeting the demigods of old, their trip to the Otherworld, meeting King Pellinore with damaged armor, the strange coyote that (somewhat) saved their lives, meeting the Dagda with his ability to resurrect the dead, and did her best to connect them all; some easier than others. And after an hour of riding in silence, she realized what they needed to do.

"We need to call Nico," she said as the robin whipped around a corner; Wayne letting out a string of what she assumed was profanities as he gripped the wheel tighter.

Piper looked up from the sleeping boar piglet in her lap and frowned. "That is literally the last thing we should do."

"Why?" she scowled. "Cú and Diarmuid died, that hole in Pellinore's armor had to have been from a fatal wound, and I have a gut feeling that Annabeth wasn't abducted by the queen of the fairies, so with so many dead people walking-" Wayne blared the robin's horn at a passing lorry "-around I think it would be wise to call in someone who can lay them to rest. Pluto's armpits, I think we should call in Percy too, he should know what happened to Annabeth."

"I take what I said back," the daughter of Aphrodite huffed. "That is literally the last thing we should do."

"WHY?!" the resurrected praetor growled. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't call in the two strongest demigods alive for backup? And don't give me the whole we-don't-need-any-man-to-help-us excuse, because that is just stupid! That kind of thinking gets people killed! And guess what? It already did! Someone I care about: ME!" There was a flash of lightning and in that instant, the white light illuminated Piper's tearstained face. Did I just make her cry? She sank back into the ancient vinyl seat and tossed her head back with a sigh. "Just give me a good reason. Please."

The Greek demigoddess sat silently for a time, stroking the snoring piglet in her lap, before finally taking a deep breath and answering. "Because Annabeth and Percy broke up..."

"Okay... Not what I was expecting to hear... ever... So we won't call Percy, but that doesn't explain why we can't call Ni-" In the dark of the car, Piper lowered her head and gave her a look "-no fucking way... Really? I thought he was with that 90s stereotype?"