Ancient Reicarnation: The First Daughter

XXX. Reyna

I am the praetor of the legion. I judge this to be in the best interest of Rome.
-Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, The House of Hades

"Hey Percy," Reyna said to the Iris message that Percy sent. "What's going on?"

"Who's the guy next to you?" he asked.

"My boyfriend, Arthur," she replied, smiling.

Percy's jaw dropped. "Since when did you have a boyfriend." Reyna told him. "Oh. Hi Arthur. Anyways, well, you know Pandora and she..."

"But it's been five days after the war! She can't be dead!"

"That's what we thought. Apparently Khione has a right hand man and a couple of spies roaming San Francisco and New York."

"Time out!" Arthur said, holding up the symbol. "Pandora as in-"

"Yes as in the first mortal," Percy said, aggravated.

"I wasn't gonna say that!" Percy looked at him confused. "I meant Pandora, as in Pandora... Arredondo?" Percy's eyes widened.

"Y-You know her?" he stammered.

"Fifth cousins," Arthur replied. "She visited last summer. She is literally the my favorite cousin. More mature than me, and I'm older by one year."

"Is there any chance that you descended from the di Angelos?"

"Yeah, the family split several times, I guess."

"I need to tell this to Bianca," Percy said quickly. "She never knew that! I don't think Hades told her."

"Well," Arthur said, "my family is the first to stop believing in the gods."

"What do you mean?" Reyna asked.

"The Sanderas, the generation after the di Angelos, made their patron Hades. But after the death of six sons, they believed Hades cursed then with death and split into the Arredondos. Their patron became Apollo."

"Makes sense," he muttered.

"However, after the death of Joseph Arredondo, the family split into my family, the Sánchezes. We stopped believing and sudden death stopped completely."

"Interesting family history," Reyna said, processing his words.

"Nico's trying to get her spirit back," Percy said.

"Okay," Arthur said. "Did you notice strands of her hair turning white?" Percy nodded. "That's how much of her is left."

"How-" Reyna began.

"Gunshot," Arthur replied. "The point is, that's how long Nico had to find her spirit. But!" Percy directed his attention to him again. "Once he finds her spirit, a section of her hair will stay white. She dyed part of her hair black since it was white that other time. Partially that big bird's fault..."

"Well," Percy said quickly. "Chiron said that Nico had until tomorrow. You guys should come over."

"We will," Reyna replied and the IM disappeared. She sighed and sat down.

"Stressed?" Arthur asked. She nodded. "Exhausted?" Another nod. "Go eat out tonight?" She smiled and nodded again. "We should probably do it here in New Rome. Wow. It slides easily. Neeeewwww Roooome." Reyna slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Reyna?" Dakota said. "We, uh, are ready to deliver the verdict."

She stood up. "Marcus's fate was chosen?" He nodded. "Very well." They walked over to the Senate hall.

"Marcus Dodd," Larry said. "You have been convicted of war crimes against New Rome and conspiring with the enemy. Because of your crimes, you have been sentenced to death. Good luck reaching Elysium. Does anyone want to speak for the criminal?"

"I-I didn't know what came over me," Marcus said. "They killed Zandra, oh gods. I wanted to spare her! I still loved her." He and Zandra had been going out for a couple of months now.

"He was sorry," Zallia, Zandra's biological sister, said. "If he's sorry, he'll surly reach Elysium."

"Enough said," Larry said. "Praetors, what are you're decisions?"

Reyna looked at Frank. For all they knew, if they let Marcus free, everyone would think they had gone soft. They had to.

"We have come to our decision," Reyba declared. She closed her eyes. "Marcus Dodd, because you have been convicted of war crimes and attempted murder, you will be executed." She opened her eyes and saw Marcus's expression fall, and it hurt. "Take him away," she choked out. Frank closed his eyes as Marcus was dragged away, whispering "I'm sorry Zandra" on his way.

They left the Senate Hall, and Reyna saw Arthur waiting for her. "You do realize you could've came inside," she said.

"I didn't want," he replied. "Still don't feel like I belong here. I mean, I'm an augur, and it feels weird since I'm only a mortal."

"The problem with the words a mortal and immortal is that they sound the same when you say it fast."

"Well, say it slow 'cause you sounded like immortal the first time."

"I'll try," Reyna replied, smiling. She kissed him and went to her house to get ready for the night, trying to forgot the horrible things that had happened that day. She was going out for dinner with Arthur. It should be fun.