The First Daughter

Chapter 21:


Lilly and I woke the Pegesi, and Lilly found it impossible to try and wake Darren up, so we both collaborated and hauled Darren on Ace with me while Lilly rode Whisper and Blackjack led us. Darren sat slumped in front of me and I wrapped my arms around his holding onto Ace's mane as we flew.


We flew all night and as the sun rose we saw New Rome rise in the distance. Blackjack turned his head and neighed at us to be careful, “The god that protects the border can be a pain.”
Ace turned his head and added a comment that involved cursing.
Lilly turned her head and asked me what they said, I blew the strand of hair that refused to move out of my face and stayed plastered to my face. I yelled above the wind that was whistling against my ears, “They said that we're close to New Rome!” I took in a breath, “And to watch out for a Roman god of borders!”
Lilly said something which I couldn't understand as the Pegesi beat their wings harder, hastening themselves to the city.


The border was like a bubble covering the city completely, but one look behind the bubble and I knew something wasn't right. I heard several explosions, and columns of smoke rose from the streets. We flew past the bubble and I felt the chill of passing through a barrier, and I began to smell the smoke. Battle cries rang through the air, and I leaned to Ace, “We need to land!” I told him and Ace passed the word to the other Pegesi and we landed on a street.


Ace landed hind-quarters first so I didn't see what was going on ahead but once Ace's head ducked down I saw a girl with a short sword fighting off the little Shadow monsters that attacked me back at the big house and last night too! The girl was around my age, had long brown hair that hung around her, and was somewhat kinda short in height. She swung her golden sword around herself to protect her body, and the little demons vanished into thin air. She turned around towards us, her eyes widened and she raised her sword to defend herself, “Friend or Foe?” She asked between pants from exhaustion.


“Friends!” I replied with my hands raised for surrender, “We are from Camp Half-Blood!” The girl lowered her sword slowly still keeping her eyes locked on us.
She came up to Ace, Darren and I, passing Lilly who was dismounting Whisper, “My name is Eliza of the Second Cohort. Does he require medical attention?”
She raised her arms to receive Darren.
“He uh, fell asleep and he's not waking up.” I replied. It was true, to a degree.
Eliza pulled Darren off of Ace and hauled Darren on her shoulders, “Follow me!”
Lilly came beside Eliza and offered her help with carry Darren by putting one of his arms around her shoulders and picked up some of his body weight. I noticed that Lilly had somehow transformed overnight, mentally, and now that I look at her she seemed to have grown a couple of inches.


I readied by bow and pointed the loaded arrow to the ground and turned my head and motioned with my head for the Pegesi to follow. We walked out of the streets of New Rome and walked up this hill that Eliza called, “Mars Hill.” On the incline I saw a huge purple tent that was pitched at the top of the hill, “You'll have to speak to Gaius.”
“Who is Gaius?” I asked.


Eliza turned her head for a second, turned her head back and replied, “The emergency Preactor, and leader of Cohort 2.”
“What happened to the leader of Cohort 1?” I asked.
“He was killed in action.” Eliza replied with a grunt. I turned around and fired an arrow at a shadow creature that straggled along to catch them.


***


“...Creatures to the south.” a soldier finished.
“Continue to push them out we need them out of the city.”
“Yes Gaius.”


The tent door opened and Eliza and Lilly came in carrying Darren and I came in behind them.
Gaius stood with his hand clasped behind his back and stood with his legs shoulder width apart. He stood tall and he wore a purple “SPQR” t-shirt that seemed tight around his muscles while a toga was draped over that, and he had a sword at his side. Gaius was extremely well built in muscle and his presence demanded respect, his face was strong and his jaw narrowed into a square, his dark brown eyes were cold and calculating.
“Who are you, and why are you here?” He asked.


Before I could answer Eliza had laid Darren on some pillows and blankets that were in a corner, “Gaius, let's gain their trust before we ask the questions; Their friend needs medical attention.”
For a moment there was this pause, but it didn't feel hostile, seriously the girl just interrupted her commander! She was brave if she was going up against this guy. I looked over at Eliza she didn't seem like she had just interrupted a superior and was ready to defend herself, she looked like she just had said something and was waiting for a reply.
I turned my head over to Gaius and he just looked like a guy who was reading the situation and figuring out what to do.


Gaius then nodded his head, “Send for a Child of Apollo, and have him looked after.”
He turned to Lilly and I and nodded, “Eliza will take you to a sleeper space: You two look like you need rest.”
Well, the last thing on my mind was sleeping, like those shadow creatures that attacked me at the Big House and later last night: What were they doing here? And since they were here, I didn't feel exactly comfortable falling asleep with them on the prowl. But at Gaius's mention of rest, I felt like a cot was calling me.


Eliza headed for the entrance of the tent and motioned for Lilly and I to follow. Eliza held open the tent door back when Lilly and I walked out. “Follow me!” Eliza said with a smile. We followed Eliza to the back of Mars' Hill and we came to this smaller tent and Eliza pushed away the tent wall and revealed a decorated room full of rugs and small tapestries and pictures of drawings, and other kinds of art.
I observed them all as Eliza attempted to set up another cot, “This is my tent,” Eliza announced, “Just make yourself comfortable.” She said with a smile.


The art was amazing! Creative works, with fire, water, air, human expression, light and dark, weapons that cut, and adorable couples that kissed and held hands, held each other if they were wounded or sad. A cheap looking keyboard was against the wall and in front of it were music sheets with lyrics and different chords and notes decorating each page: I imagined that these were soft and beautiful pieces. I've tried to play the piano before but I kept on hitting the wrong keys making a noise that wasn't pleasant, and I couldn't manage to play legato, as my piano teacher taught me.
I looked away from the drawings, paintings, and musical writings on the tent wall, “You're a daughter of Apollo?” I asked.
Eliza turned her head and her smiled was instantly swept away and she suddenly couldn't look us in the eye, “No, uh... No I'm, not an Apollo daughter.” She glanced at her tattoo on her upper forearm and then looked away from her arm and continued to make a cot. The atmosphere seemed off so I tried to make conversation, “So who is your godly parent?”


That question seemed to make it worse Eliza stopped moving for a second, and after I thought she had stopped breathing, Eliza sighed and finally replied, “I'm a daughter of Mercury.”
“Oh.” I said in reply. Lilly didn't add anything but she asked if she could help Eliza set up the cot. But Eliza's smile took over again and she denied Lilly's help and finally successfully got the extra cot set up. “Now if you'll excuse me,” Eliza said, “I'll leave you two for your rest and I'll go check up on your friend.” And she left the tent.


Lilly rolls her eyes over to me, “That was weird.”
I thought about trying to defend Eliza but nothing came into mind, “Let's just get some sleep.”

Notes

whoo hoo! A new chapter!

SOrry I've been slow guys, I've had some head trouble. (Like I've been getting dizzy and headaches after I passed out and hit my head on the floor and woke up going "Whoa: how did I get here?" deal) I've been doing my best lolz! Thanks for being patient with me! But yea! New characters! XD and Camp Jupiter!