Some Other World

I Play The Bad Guy (Only Momentarily)

It took quite a bit of coaxing to get Natasa to climb into the saddle on Anareem's back, but once she and Maggie were both up there, I was a lot less worried. I already had a plan on what to tell the others when I got back.

Anareem grumbled quietly for a minute or two, but took off without complaint. I didn't bother trying to argue with her about it, she'd do it or she wouldn't.

Saphira was soaring over the camp when we got near, but Eragon wasn't on her back. I didn't think much of it, allowing Anareem to take her time in finding a landing spot.

"There are so many people..." Natasa sounded worried. I nodded.

"There are, but they're on our side. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're safe."

"Son of Poseidon, you may be a Rider, but I hardly consider you capable enough to keep me safe."

Ah yes. Good old fashioned Athenian hatred of my parentage. My favorite childhood memory.

'I could throw her.'

Do not, Anareem. Just ignore her.

I didn't say anything to Natasa. She'd deal with it in her way, and if my experiences with Annabeth were to be looked back on as a precedent, she'd only do it at her own pace. No use in trying to push it too hard.

I got down first when Anareem landed, offering Maggie my hand to get down. For a moment I thought about trying to help Natasa as well, but the look she gave me when I turned away from Maggie told me everything I need to know.

I motioned for the two of them to follow me. "C'mon, lets get you cleaned up a bit, Natasa. And Maggie, we should go take another look at that stone. I want to try and see if there's anything else that's important about it."

Maggie nodded, sighing. She seemed subdued again, and I made a mental note to make sure she was okay once I'd gotten Natasa settled.

The Ancient Greek demigoddess was doing me absolutely no favors. She trailed behind us, growling ferally at anyone who happened to pass. I didn't know what to do, so I didn't address it until we'd reached the privacy of my tent.

Without drawing Riptide, I lunged sharply at Natasa. Her reactions were what a demigod's should be, but I had the advantage of Rider magic.

Maggie covered her mouth to muffle a loud scream as the two of us toppled to the ground. Natasa tried to grab for her knife but I got there first, tossing it away.

Wrestling her wrists into one hand and pinning her down, I grabbed her second knife and held it to her throat.

"I am going to make myself extremely clear right now, Natasa Meli. This is not the time or place for rude unfriendliness. The only way I will be able to get you home is if you cooperate with me and listen to what I tell you."

She spat in my face. I flipped my grip on the knife and held it closer under her chin. 

"You were a friend of mine in the mountains. You have been hunted and attacked, and when you found me you asked for help-"

"I would never ask for help from a son of Poseidon-"

I cut her off. "I don't care. I'm your only chance back home and you'd do well to remember that, or I'll leave you out in the mountains again. Follow my story and I will get you home."

Natasa snarled, but her struggling slowed, so I took that to mean that she understood me.

"Are you going to cooperate now?"

"Out of necessity only." She growled.

"Fine by me, so long as you do it." I got up off of her.

"What on Earth was that?" Maggie hissed, eyes wide.

"I wanted to make it clear that she has to follow orders and play by the rules to get home, because otherwise she'll be insufferable." I shrugged, fixing my shirt. "I figured it would be easiest to just work it out now, so she doesn't try to turn on me later... and she needed to be taken down a peg, so it worked out."

"That was your way of working it out?" Maggie shook her head. "Kids."

"Hey! I'm twenty-two."

"And I'm fifty-seven, your point?"

"Gods, you're gonna use that against me forever, aren't you?" I rolled my eyes, laughing a little.

Maggie smiled. "I might. You'll have to see what happens."

"I hate waiting." I wrinkled my nose. "It's the worst."

[A/N hi yes is there any way I can skip the queue of people who want to fight Ross Geller so I can do it first]