Born To Rule

Chapter Ten: New Friends and Finding Feelings

Nico's pov

The welcoming ceremony wasn't grand or anything, but it made me feel closer to a family than siding with the gods did. When I first got to camp, it was basically, train hard and suck it up because kids don't get coddled, they get quests. Like how is that fair for a child, no older than twelve be forced to fight for their life while the gods sit and watch. Why is it okay to be forced to endure all this pain while still being a child?

"Hey, you okay there Nico?" I hear someone behind me ask. 

I turn around and see Percy standing behind me with a half smile, but I could see the worry burning in his eyes. 

"Yeah, I'm good, actually no, I'm great. Just thinking how I feel more like we're treated like equals and not someone to be used. The gods would have never have allowed us to do this." I say, giving him a small smile. 

"Yeah, it's like that here. No darkness here Nico." he says, his eyes shining with something I hadn't seen from him. Happiness. 

"Well, hopefully it can stay that way with me around. Being a son of Hades kind of spoils people's mood." I say, a frown appearing on my face.

Percy just laughs and wraps his arm around my neck. 

"Don't worry about that, no one pays attention to that. Just be in the moment. You're one of us now." he tells me, giving my hair a shake with his hand. 

"Nico, do you mind if I take Percy off your hands?" I hear a voice ask behind me, causing me to turn around and find Kronos standing there.

"Not at all, go ahead. I feel as if I should mingle with someone I don't know." I say, giving a small smile.

"Okay, as long as you promise not to hide away." Percy says, leveling his gaze me with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Okay, okay, I promise I will actually go mingle." I tell him, laughing at his antics.

"Alright, I'll see you later than." he tells me, walking away where Kronos leads him. 

I sigh, not actually used to socializing. So this is gonna be a challenge. I force myself to move towards the snacks and not bolt out of here. In my haste to the table I run into someone and their drink smashes into me. The drink is cold and I can feel the wetness soak into my shirt.

"Hey, this jacket was expensive." I say, complaining that the stains will take forever to clean out. 

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I can get your jacket cleaned if that would make up for it." the mystery person says rapidly. 

"No, it's fine." I tell them, looking up after I finished examining my jacket. 

And the moment our eyes meet, I stand their in shock. His eyes are the darkest green I have ever seen and his hair is as white as snow. I can feel my mouth drop open. I have never seen someone like this before.

"If you keep your mouth open, you'll catch flies." the mysterious man tells me, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I immediately close my mouth and start to feel the blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"Sorry, I just haven't seen anyone with eyes that green before. Who are you?" I ask, pulling myself from the shock. 

"Oh, I got them from my father Koios. My mother absolutely adores them. I'm their newest born child and she refuses to leave my side. So I had to escape. Oh, sorry, I'm rambling now. You asked who I am. I'm Walden." the boy, Walden, tells me. 

"My names is Nico. Normally people don't like to even talk to me. I usually make them uncomfortable. Being the son of Hades and all that. Death makes people weary of me." I tell him, with a slight frown.