A Tale of Romans and Slaves | PJO/HOO

Chapter 66: Piper

Octavian was here.

It was customary for everyone even remotely related to the king or queen to come visit when a new child was born. Rachel had locked herself in her room, something which I was tempted to do. But I wanted to be near Jason, to have him know when it was time.

He had already missed one of his children's birth, I didn't want him to miss another's.

I could barely move, having to really on the wall for support. Usually, Rachel helped me, but she was in her room. I was making my way to Jason's room, seeing as his relatives were done seeing his daughter.

I was almost there when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head.

I fell to the ground, and felt someone grab my leg. Then everything went black.

***

I awoke to find myself sitting in a chair in a small room, probably a storage closet. I could make out the figure of someone in front of me, but my eyesight was a little blurry.

I tried to stand up, only to find that I was tied to the chair. I struggled, but it was no use.

My eyesight had cleared up by then, and I could recognize the person in front of me, though he had his back turned to me.

"Let me go, Octavian," I growled.

He turned around, his sinister smile on his face. "Ah, Piper, you've finally woken up."

I narrowed my eyes at him. What could he possibly gain by doing this? He must know that Jason would know that he was the culprit if anything happened to me.

"Jason will hear about this," I threatened.

"Oh, I know that," Octavian said.

"Do you think you're tough, doing this?" I asked. "Only cowards prey on pregnant women."

"Then I suppose I'm a coward," Octavian walked up to me, tilting my head up so I was staring into his eyes. "But I want Jason to suffer, and what better way to do that than to kill the woman he loves?"

My blood ran cold.

"You'll never get away with this!" I yelled.

"Oh, I believe I will," Octavian smiled. "Who will support a king who turns on his own cousin over a dead slave who he can't even prove I killed?"

He walked back over to the table behind him.

"Help!" I screamed. "Someone! Please! He-"

My words were cut off when he shoved a rag in my mouth.

"No one is coming to save you," He taunted, lifting my chin up with a knife. I felt blood run down my neck. "Now, I'm going to cut my cousin's bastard out of your stomach. And afterward, I'm going to go see my daughter. Tell me, does she have Rachel's hair? I love that hair. Who knows, perhaps by the time I leave there'll be another child in that slut's womb."

He smiled as tears ran down my cheeks. "Now, let's begin, shall we?"

I closed my eyes as I felt the cold steel of his knife against my stomach, praying that I'll somehow get out of this. I braced myself for the pain.

But it never came.

I heard steel clanging on the ground, and gurgling. I opened my eyes just in time to see Octavian fall to his knees, desperately covering his throat. Blood flowed from between his fingers.

I looked up and saw Rachel, a knife in her hand. She was staring at Octavian with a deep hatred in her eyes.

"You are never going to go near my daughter," She growled.

Octavian opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was blood. A few seconds later, he stopped moving altogether.

I have been waiting for this chapter for awhile. I feel like Octavian's death was too quick, but I wanted Rachel to kill him, and she isn't the type of person to torture someone, even if they deserve it. Thanks for reading!