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"𝔗his is it." The words echoed around the car, falling on deaf ears as Ellie stared through the front windshield at the ancient Greek lettering on the entry way far above her. Hermes was watching her carefully, his hand outstretched to help her from the car. "It's just over the hill."
"Hmm." Ellie made a non-committal sound of agreement, before taking his hand and climbing out of the car. Hermes sent her a reassuring smile, as Alabaster started to unbuckle the twins. He handed the eldest of the pair, Alex, to Hermes and clung to Wren as he joined Ellie's side.
"Luke hated this place." Alabaster muttered, staring at the entry way above them with distaste. "I don't understand why he would ever willing leave things here."
"I doubt it was anything sentimental." Ellie shot the boy a sad smile. "But anything of his, or Ethan's, I want to take home. They were our family. They deserve to be with us, not in some child soldier camp."
"Ellie," Hermes reached her side. "I know that you're still in grief, but please be careful. Just as you are recovering from this war, so are they and a lot of them still see Luke as evil, despite what he did."
"My husband was never evil."
"They don't know that."
"Why not?" Ellie looked up at him with numb eyes. "Why don't they know what Luke sacrificed so that they could have the chance at a better life?"
"Because sometimes, not every hero gets to have their story told to the many. Sometimes, it's just down to the few to keep their stories alive." Hermes sighed, "and I'll keep his story alive for as long as I roam this earth."
Ellie nodded, before following Hermes up the hill and into Camp Half-Blood. As they reached the peak of the hill, Alabaster and Ellie paused, looking down into the valley that Luke had once called home. Further in the distance, they could see an amphitheatre and a large rock climbing wall, that seemed to glow orange at points. A big house was closer to them, surrounded by a large expanse of strawberry fields. To the left, close to a large lake, was a semicircle of cabins, though some were starting to be built.
It was peaceful, Ellie supposed, if she had been born in the Ancient Greek era and was unaware of what this camp stood for. But she knew far too much.
"This way." Hermes spoke slowly, leading them around a large pine tree (that had a dragon sleeping at the bottom of it, and a golden fleece flung over one of the branches) and into the strawberry fields.
Reaching down, Ellie grabbed two of the strawberries, taking the heads off of them and then holding them out to each of her children.
"Berrie." Wren clapped her hand, and Ellie grinned, letting her chew on the fruit. Alex seemed more sceptical than his sister, but ate it all the same, grinning at her with his cheeks covered in strawberry juice. Ellie was quick to wipe it off, before picking her son up and holding him to her body.
