A Crown of Golden Leaves: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Caput VI: Something More

"Friendship is the beginning of love; love is the beginning of life." -Anonymous

Caput VI: Something More

PERCY listened to the announcements with only one ear. The other was on the conversations around him—mostly between Octavius, Morrigan and Artorius. It was mostly small, boring talk. "How was the weather back in England?" "Do you like Roma?" Stuff like that. But once, Octavius asked which route Artorius was going to use to get back to England. Percy wasn't sure why, but a bad feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach. Octavius had asked the same question once a few years back, when an ambassador and his son had come over from China. Percy ended up becoming friends with Wang Fei* during that long visit; and they had promised to keep in touch with ink and parchment.

Fei never replied.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Annabeth shot him a weird look but he ignored it skillfully. He would never understand why the Chinese child never replied. Maybe he only pretended to be Percy's friend and forgot about him when he got home? That certainly happened a lot when he was younger.

But Fei never had the same air around him like those others did, like he was trying to get to Percy because of his title. As if he did want to be his friend. He never, not once, radiated that same superiority that made Percy feel uncomfortable around the other princes and lords.

He wasn't even counting the ladies that had swamped him after Rachel died....

Percy tightened his hold around Annabeth's hand and felt a stab of gratitude. He really was lucky she hadn't been like the rest of those women. There was that spark of intelligence in her eyes that was missing from the others, and even though she didn't know how to read or write, Percy could tell that she wanted to. Even if it was on a subconscious level.

Maybe that was why he felt that spark of attraction, that day when he had met her...? 

"Percy, your father is talking to you." Annabeth's voice hissed in Percy's ear. He jumped and looked at his pater.

"Uh... what?"

Octavius looked like he was struggling with the urge to wring Percy's neck, but he took a few deep breaths, as if he was composing himself, and released them with a gusty sigh.

"The Gladiator Games are beginning, Perseus. I would suggest you watch them and analyze their weaknesses."

The way Octavius said suggest implied it was an order. Percy nodded automatically and sighed as his pater turned away. Annabeth looked at him, her eyebrows furrowing together into a single line, but he ignored her and switched his gaze on the arena. The crowd was cheering, stomping their feet and clapping their hands, making a 'thump thump boom' sound.

Percy didn't join in; he never had. Thank the gods it wasn't considered proper for the royals to join in.

The crowd eventually went silent as the slaves were led into the arena, all in shackles and rags. Percy leaned forward despite himself, searching their pitiful faces. Their faces and arms were smudged with dirt, and there was terror written all over their features, along with hopelessness.

Percy almost felt disappointed. Not this game then. There wouldn't be a lone survivor like what happened all those years ago with the Cyclops named Tyson. He still remembered that spark of defiance in that big brown calf eye.

"Why do you not fight Octavius?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you don't like this, massacre. This slaughter of innocents. So why do you not speak out, Perseus?"