Earth's Eyes

I stared up at the giant temple to Jupiter. I almost wished I hadn't spend as much time on tumblr, as I had. Before tumblr, I was honestly, a normalish girl with good grades and a temper, but tumblr had added a mouth and a different view point (plus a rather, dirty brain). So of course, seeing the giant temple to Jupiter, the first thing I thought was: He must be compensating for something. Unfortunately, this thought also managed to be voiced.
Cleo choked, and stared at me like I just offended her great-grandma. Which is not something I do. I only offend my own ancestors--by existing. "I can't believe you just said that!" she exclaimed. "Jupiter could strike you down for something like that!"
I shrugged. "Honestly, death doesn't scare me that much," I told her. "I've spend a good portion of my life wishing I were dead."
Her face morphed into one of sympathy. I shook my head. "It's not like I'm suicidal or anything," I explained before she got too emotional. "I just don't like being alive."
"Well, I'm pretty sure that's the definition of suicidal," she muttered. "We'll talk more on this later, right now, you need to see Octavian."
She pushed open the door walked into the temple, with me close behind. A blonde boy stood at the altar, ripping stuffed animals to bits.
"What's he got against teddy bears?" I protested a little loudly.
He turned, and smiled. As least I think that's what he did. But his smiles were like the serial killer smiles--full of malicious contempt. "So this is the seer?" he asked, his voice sending chills up my spine.
"You're creepy," I said turning back towards the door. Cleo caught me, damn she's a fast learner.
"Stay," she commanded.
"What am I a dog?" I asked.
She didn't answer. I barked. She bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. Octavian raised an eyebrow at this entire exchange.
Cleo sighed slightly. "At the moment, Octavian," she started. "We just need you to see if she's allowed to join the legion. You can talk about the seer/augur relationship thing later."
I gagged. "Please don't use the word 'relationship'" I mumbled. "That has horrible connotations." For course it didn't help that looked at his face made me want to punch him. You know how there are people like that? People that you just meet and hate and want to kill instantaneously.
Octavian sneered at me, and turned back to the altar. He ripped open another teddy bear. Then nodded. "She's clear," he said, almost glaring at me.
Well, now I wanted to hit with a brick and I wanted him to know it. "One wishes to acquaint your facial features with a fundamental item used in building houses. Repeatedly," I said, quoting one of my favorite text posts on tumblr.
Cleo blinked. "What?"
Octavian turned back to the altar. "She wants to hit me with a brick," he said, as if this didn't bother him one bit. "Do you mind? I have things to do."
Cleo and I left, walking out of the temple. She was biting her lip again. But once we were out of ear shot, she laughed. Hard. Like she was totally leaning on me and unable to stand.
"I can't believe you!" she cried out, between burst of laughter. "You are so weird!"
I shrugged. "Blame tumblr."
She blinked. "What is tumblr?"
A horrible realization came to mind. "Please tell me you have computers here."
She shook her head. "Demigods can't really use computers all that much, Emma. It attracts monsters."
"I'm going to die here," I whispered, horrified. "I don't know if I can survive without a computer and wifi."
Cleo sighed and heaved me to my feet, as I had sunk to the ground in shock. "Well, apparently, you were one of the lucky ones that can use a computer," she said doubtfully. "But I'm sure you'll survive just fine. Drama queen."
I stuck my tongue out at her. "Bleh!"
"Come on," she muttered rolling her eyes. "We've got evening muster real soon, and we don't want to be late."
She ushered back to the via principalis, along which pretty much everyone was standing in orderly formations that reminded me of my brother's ROTC weekly check-up things that I never bothered to learn the name of. Or you just forgot. Hey, you're the author, you could remind me! I forgot, too. Well then, someone's completely useless. I will kill you off. Okay, okay.
Cleo left and joined the front ranks of the 1st group. Cohort. Whatever. I didn't really know what to do, so I wondered over to where my grandmother stood, next to Reyna and Frank who both stood in front of everyone, like they were inspecting them. They are inspecting them, stupid. Who's telling the story here?! Well, maybe I wouldn't interrupt, if you told the story properly. It's my story I tell it the way I want! Fine, but if no one understands what you're talking about, don't blame me. Thank you.
I walked up to my grandmother, noticing Octavian joining the same group as Cleo. He stood right next to her. Are they ranking officers or something? Yes, they are. Oh, okay then. Octavian was watching me strangely. Like there was something different about me. You know, other than the seer thing. I felt it had to do with how the earth responded to me.
My grandmother had explained a lot of things, but that was not one of them. I wondered if she knew. I didn't think she did.
"So, what did the auguries say?" my grandmother asked as I reached.
"All good," I shrugged, standing silently next to her.
"Is everything all right?" she asked. "You're never this quiet."
I just shrugged again, and didn't say anything. "Stubborn brat," she muttered. I cracked a smile and Reyna spoke to the assembled legion, introducing me as some special seer blah, blah, blah, it's not that interesting really. Oi! Do it properly! Fine. It went something like this:
"Romans! I am sure you have heard about the arrival of a seer today. Emma Roland is the seer of which we speak. Daughter of Mercury, and granddaughter of the famous Praetor Evans."
Everyone was watching me. I get nervous relatively easy. But I tend to cover it with sarcasm or indifference. Today was indifference. Or it would've been. If it hadn't been allergy season. When I opened my mouth to say something, I sneezed. But my sneezes aren't like normal sneezes. Okay? My sneezes are more like Aang airbend sneezing and launching his ass fifty feet in the air. So yeah. I sneezed and fell on my ass. Yay me!
My grandmother sniffled her own laughter as she helped me to my feet. "Well, you certainly had an interesting way of saying hello," she said, biting her lip.
I glared at her. "Coming from the person who can't even walk down the stairs without tripping on the last step?" I asked, referring to the stair case in our house that she always tripped going down. And I mean always, it's like the only predictable thing in our house.
She turned red as Reyna continued. "She wishes to join the legion. What do the auguries say?"
I glared in Octavian's direction. "I have read the entrails," he said, rather quietly, which, judging by the fact that everyone blinked in surprise, was unusual. "The auguries are favorable. She is qualified to serve."
Everyone gave a little cheer: "Ave!" Which my mind translated to Hail! which is honestly not a good thing for me to hear. Why? Because I'll either go "Hail Hydra!" or "Hail Hitler!" under my breath. Just because I'm the dorky little shit I am. Today: Hydra's turn. No one heard me though. But my grandmother wasn't stupid. She knew what I said before I even said, earning me a light smack to the head.
"Who will stand for her?" asked Reyna, looking out to the crowd.
Cleo stepped forward instantly. "I, Cleo Reshk, will stand for Emma Roland," she stated proudly. I smiled. I'd made a friend already? Well, wonder how long before she thinks I'm too weird and runs off?
Reyna nodded. "Cleo Reshk stands for the recruit, does your cohort except her?"
Cleo looked to Octavian and another boy, both shrugged. What were they partners? Sort of. You aren't going to explain are you? I don't completely understand the roman Legion Emma! There isn't a lot of information on it! Whatever.
"My cohort has spoken," said a dark hair guy next to Cleo. "We accept the recruit."
Reyna turned to me. "Congratulations, Emma Roland. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"
The rest of the legion echoed her cheer, and she turned back to the others.
"Centurions, you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!"
Then she walked away briskly, with Frank at her heels. They may have been partners, but it really seemed that Reyna did most of the work. Hang on. What was the whole defend, attack, field of mars thing?
I turned to my grandmother, but she was gone. Cleo came up, and put her arm around my shoulder. "Hungry?" she asked.
I looked at her as if she just asked me if I was breathing. "Always," I told her. "But what exactly was Reyna talking about?"
Her mouth preformed a perfect 'o'. "I forgot to tell you about war games didn't I?" she asked as she pulled me towards the mess hall.
"War what now?"
"War games," she repeated. "We have them every night. Tonight's is Siege." She saw the slightly panicked look on my face. "Don't worry. We're on defense like always. You probably won't have much to worry about."
But I did. I had a lot to worry about. I could feel it. It was just another gut feeling. But I just knew something was going to happen tonight. And the chances of that something being good were unlikely.
We walked into the mess hall and my mind was cleared from all doubts in surprise and amazement. Food whisked through the air through the power of wind spirits. Everyone sat with friends, and chatted with them happily.
Cleo sat with me, and we were joined with the boy from earlier who introduced himself as Roy. It was fun, and nice. And I made two new best friends. But all too quickly came time for the siege. Cleo helped me into some armor. The bad feeling came back. What was about to happen? I wish I knew. All I knew was that it would be very, very bad. I could almost feel death hanging in the air.
We marched on to the field of mars, and took up positions. I stood with Cleo, Roy, and Octavian at the top of a large structure that reminded me of a castle. We were to be the last defense. I wished this feeling would go away. It didn't. And I was right.

Notes

Ooooh...what's going to happen? Well, next chapter, I hope you like it! Please rate, subscribe, and comment, if you want to see what happens next.

-Kim