reflection ● jason grace

Apparently, 5 year olds are children now

As usual, Daria got up to the sound of Lupa's howl.

They were five now. Daria and Jason had been friends for nearly two years and they'd learned about the world together too. Sword-fighting, Latin, better English. They were smart and powerful and they trusted each other. There was no Daria without Jason at her side.

Except for now, the minutes after she got up and before she went to sleep. For some reason, Lupa wouldn't let them sleep in the pile with the rest of the wolves.

No doubt, Jason would already be there, waiting for their instructions. No doubt he would make fun of her for being late. She quickly threw on her fur clothing and ran outside. 

Lupa sat by the tree stump where she liked to meet with her pack. Usually though, there weren't that many wolves with her. Daria walked up to Jason, not bothering to whisper. Lupa could hear everything. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," he muttered back. "Maybe if you weren't late we would know."

Daria stuck her tongue out at him as Lupa called the pack to attention with a howl. Her eyes pierced through her and Jason. "Today," she said in Latin. "You two will leave for New Rome."

"Where's New Rome?" She whispered out of the side of her mouth.

"I don't know," Jason hissed back.

"You will travel north," Lupa continued. "To the hills. You will survive or die on your own merits," she liked to say that a lot. "If you reach the hills, tell them Lupa sent you. Jason, tell them you are a son of Jupiter."

Jason nodded sharply, silently. When Daria opened her mouth to ask a question, he groaned. She elbowed him.

"What do I say?" Daria asked. "Won't they ask me who my parents are too?"

"They will not. It is not rare for a child your age to remain unclaimed."

"But what if they do?" She pressed. Jason sighed beside her.

"Then you will tell them," Lupa paused. "That you hold the fate of Rome in your hands. Go," she placed her snout of each of their heads. "Make me proud."

    "Who's Jupiter again?" Daria asked as they walked. She knew who Jupiter was, sort of, she just wanted to talk to Jason. They were walking to the place Lupa told them about, staying out of sight from other humans. Daria was skipping, crunching orange leaves beneath her feet, which she knew annoyed her friend.

    "My dad," Jason answered.

    "Yeah but, what does he do?"

    "He..." Jason thought about it, walking slowly beside a twirling Daria. "He's a god, right? So I think he can fly..."

    "Like you can."

    "Yes. And Lupa told me he lives in the sky."

    Daria frowned. "How? Wouldn't he fall?"

    "I don't know. Maybe he just flies all the time..." Jason shook his head. "Stop asking so many questions!"

    Daria stopped her skipping. "You just don't know anything."

    "Do too!"

    "Do..." A shimmer in the distance caught her attention. "What's that?"

    Jason squinted. "It looks like a big house."

    "There's a river...This must be that New Rome place!"

    Jason's eyes sparkled with excitement. He grabbed her hand, "come on!"