𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓛𝓲𝓷𝓮 // Clarisse La Rue

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝔂 𝓝𝓲𝓷𝓮

Florence sprinted out of the stables, not bothering to fix herself up, not finding it in herself to care who saw her swollen lips, flushed face, messy hair or the prominent marks on her neck. In fact, she tied her hair back in a ponytail and ran into her cabin.

If it were a regular day the hickeys covering her would've been mentioned in five seconds or less, but her siblings barely cast her a single glance as they scrambled for weapons and put their armors on.

Florence followed suit, she put on her armor as methodically as she could. She sheathed backstabber and strapped as many throwing knives as she could to her thighs.

"Be safe, don't put yourself in danger." She tells Drew, who's already holding her sword. "Talk your way out, always."

"Be careful Lena, don't die."

"Look after yourself." She hugs Heather and then Lila, and Amelie and Cindy and any other siblings she can find while prays to every deity she knows.

They would be fine she told herself, they were all skilled fighters if not the strongest or most agile but it would be enough to stay alive, right?

Finally she wolfed down a half empty glass of water she'd left on her bedside table, before quickly leading her cabin out into the courtyard in the middle of the cabins. 

There she sees Mia and Ella looking scared to death, in the mess of people running towards the woods, their armour clattering in a deafening noise. Florence crouches before them pushing her own fears down so she can be brave for those two.

"Go to the Big House and stay there, help out as much as you can in the infirmary. Do not go outside of the house under any circumstances." She hugs the two tightly before letting them go.

"Okay Flossie." Ella says slowly.

"We love you ." Mia finishes.

" love you two too, now go. " She urges them and watches them begin to march towards the big house, hand in hand.

Now Florence walks her cabin to the woods with her head held high. 

It was the biggest military operation she'd ever seen at camp. Everyone was at the clearing, dressed in full battle armor, but this time it wasn't for Capture the flag.

The Hephaestus cabin had set up traps around the entrance to the Labyrinth – razor wire, pits filled with pots of Greek fire, rows of sharpened sticks to deflect a charge. Beckendorf was manning two catapults the size of pickup trucks, already primed and aimed at Zeus's Fist. The Ares cabin was on the front line, drilling in phalanx formation but Clarisse is missing. Apollo's and Hermes's cabins were scattered in the woods with bows ready. Many had taken up positions in the trees. Even the dryads were armed with bows, and the satyrs trotted around with wooden cudgels and shields made of rough tree bark. The Athena cabin had set up a command tent, a gray owl banner flapping in the wind, with Argus - their head of security - at the door. The Aphrodite cabin went around, straightened out any crooked bits of armor and properly tied saddles on the pegasi, Silena was already on top of one, hand on the hilt of her sword and commanding all of the riders whilst Florence made her way to the command tent.

"How are we?" She asks skimming over the maps. 

"We have our defenses set up as best and as efficiently we can but..." Malcolm Pace trails off.

"But it's not enough?" Florence completes with what they were all thinking.

"We must pray it is." Is all he says and Florence nods stiffly, walking back out and unsheathing her dagger.

So be it then, they might as well start praying.

Florence looks around and feels relieved when she sees Clarisse is barking out orders at her cabinmates. She's in armor now, her face is still slightly flushed and her lips are still swollen, there's a hickey poking out from under her armor collar, her hair is still braided but a bit messy. Florence hadn't even realized she'd touched Clarisse's hair at all, she smiles at the thought, feeling the lingering taste of Clarisse in her mouth.