Remember That You Will Die [Heroes of Olympus] | ON HOLD

three

There were two people. The girl with medallions looked out of place sitting at the table. Her purple shirt was not unseemly among the passersby, but the gold only emphasized against such rich dark hues and it was one among the reasons for her to stand out. Another was all the similarities she had with her mother, and all the differences akin only to her. Of course, one of the reasons is, who could make Reyna, their praetor, only a face among the crowd?

But even with all this, she still blended in the little cafe by the city because she sat next to him. And he too would stand out if he were on his own. But that was it, they were not alone, but by each other's side.

"You're staying long enough for a cup of hot chocolate, what a gracious gift have the gods bestowed."

What a powerful woman possesses, she does not shed. Her voice that held a finality didn't soften for anyone, including him. But the difference is, this medium of power is driven by different sources. To others, it would be driven by duty, thus a command is heard. Now, it held surprise and rapture, therefore a tease is whispered out. A tease he accepted for he too had a prolonged instrument operated by responsibility. "Even they cannot take me from our time for too long. Or else they might risk an insane legacy, sanity took from deprivation of you, my dear praetor."

"I thought you might be winded down by all the traveling, and that your remarks might be at least a bit bitter, soldier." And she argues with him, a banter small. But no doubt that her cheeks flushed scarlet, an excuse to cover is the heat of such drink. And he knows that too, how she wishes to evade his comments and pretend they weren't for her only. And he does not blame her, because when she gives him assurances and sweet compliments, he too pretends. They were both good at that, pretending. Yet they were also their truest to each other.

Maybe that's why even the brand of gold to his skin had been first noticed by her at the span of his stay. "A raven branding?" By his wrist sat a raven in the colors of his father's morning. And it so occasionally moves, which almost made Reyna lose her composure at such a thing. "A gift from Mercury, my telltale sign when a message is coming through instead of the usual headaches." He moves his wrist close to her and allows her warm touch to gently caress the mark. "It shades itself a red when a message is on the way. Occasionally though it chirps when any of the major gods need of my service."

She wants to ask more about what he knows. But what she even keeps further is how she wished to ask if it hurt, the branding on his skin. Or if he loses sleep to stare at it and wait for the color to change. Does it cause pain to him when it does? But she restrains, knowing it was not her place. And she sure hopes it was no one's, as selfish as that may sound.

But before she could bask more in the silence, and gather the courage to slip her hand to his that rested beside his cup, duty rang in her ear again. A reminder that she may never long for him, just like she told the boy she asked to be her other half in praetorship. Percy, I too want him to sit by my side. For he is a Roman soldier in all his graces, and he can be the best. I want him to also be my half, for only he can ease my worries of wrong decisions. The certainty to my attack. But, our names are called by for duty, but apart as always.

-----

She was unafraid of all who stared at her, a survivor of Lupa's ways, and the venture to Camp Jupiter. Reyna was able to meet their eyes with her own, not with a cause of defiance but courage and confidence. 'I am new but I survived just like you.' Yet her trials weren't over. She still had to be blessed by the augur's sign, and was on her way to the temple, with a legionnaire by her side. The girl who came to be her guide was almost as young as herself. But where Reyna had rogue energy waiting to use combat, she had finesse transformed to a secret beneath the flowers she wore.

She said her name was Lana. And Reyna was intimidated by her, in a way she never was before. "Reyna." Perhaps, she was too rough with her introduction, but the other girl smiled all the same. And that was when Reyna knew that maybe there were different fears she would face in her stay. One is the augur himself, and her mother's blessing, if she'd even send one. And another is how there would be people here, soldiers such as herself, who could pass by as mortals with blissful ignorance but are more aware than herself.

Her other fear came much later after she was permitted to join, as the words of the thin scarecrow. It came in the form of a handsome boy, whose name she was familiar with even before he introduced himself. Aleksander Benedictus. He was as young as she, and perhaps had softer features than many. But to her, he was just as impressive. With his guitar and smiling face, surrounded by the children of the city, delight in his expressions as he sang to them. 

"And that's my best friend. Alek!" Lana called out his name, and even if she hit the girl for troubling him, Reyna was thankful. Because even if that smile was directed to both girls, she could say Alek sent a smile her way, the first time they met.

Just like Percy's first sight of him, and first, listen to what was spoken about him. She was in awe and absolute adoration.

-----

"Praetor!" She found herself asking for his permission, a stare and question danced in her eyes. Just like how others turned to look at her. And maybe for the rest of her days, she would be fine that he'd always be her true commander, a friend underneath. Nothing more and nothing less.

"Go, I'll visit Lana once more and be off with my duties or my cohort." If only he stopped with those words. But he did not, and his gentle kiss to her forehead was his "see you soon." An act that made her long and is envious of anyone who stood a chance with him. "What is it Octavian?"

"About the elections---"

"As I decreed before, after the Feast of Fortuna! Or would you want to have the gods be upset to our disgrace for valuing praetorship over them?"