The Owl Princess

Book 9: Chapter 1- a strange marriage proposal

Nico had asked Reyna to marry him during a walk on Ogygia Beach. They were the first people awake that morning and decided to get away from the camp so they would not disturb anyone. Reyna was used to the routine and conditions of an army camp and woke early as a rule. Nico often passed sleepless nights, tossing, turning, and struggling to fall asleep.
The sun was beginning to rise over the Aegean when they came to the beach. A line of orange-yellow separated heaven from earth, both gleaming like bronze. The blue-black outlines of neighboring islands appeared on the horizon.
A sense of freedom and exhilaration filled Reyna's body. She did cartwheels and handstands down the length of the beach.

Nico sat down in the sand next to her and tossed her an apple from his pack.
"Impressive, " he said. "Were you a Cretan bull leaper in another life?"
"My father had my sister and I learn gymnastics, " Reyna replied. "It helped with our combat training. I know it's not the most lady-like accomplishment...men seem to prefer girls who never move accept to flutter their veils and lift their skirts."
She took a bite from her apple.

"Jason's always been good to me. I can't speak ill of him. And Piper's never done anything to make me hate her..."
"Well, I hate both of them."
Nico smiled a little. He tossed the core of the apple he had been eating into the sea.
"Reyna... Will you marry me?"
"You know I'm promised to Jason. There's a treaty between Latium and Macedonia."
"Neither of you wants to marry each other. I'm a prince in my own right and Jason's own cousin, so I'm also a member of the Macedonian royal family. The treaty could still stand if you break off your betrothal to him and wed me."
"What about Prince Will?"
"He's going to marry Thalia. We'll still see each other. Nothing will change much. We'll just be married, that's all. We both knew we'd have to take wives at some point. Thalia always terrified me. You only scare me a little."
Reyna laughed and tousled his hair.
"Only a little, you silly boy?"
So Reyna said yes and broke the news to Jason during their walk in the hills. Jason looked as though Atlas's burden had been lifted from his shoulders. And why shouldn't he have? He'd freed himself from a prickly she-wolf he cared little for and could now marry a sweet little nymph he adored. If the fates had destined Reyna to be miserable her whole life, she at least wouldn't drag Jason down with her.
"I hope you and Nico will be happy," Jason said when they parted ways.
Reyna did not love Nico and knew he did not love her. They were friendly that was all. Nico had Will the same way Jason had Piper. But Will wouldn't have children who could threaten Reyna's children's inheritance. Reyna had no illusions that romance might blossom between her and Nico, as she had with Jason. Having no illusions in the first place was better than having those illusions shattered.
"You look like you could use another drink, " Thalia said while Piper danced at the sacrifice. She handed Reyna a jug of wine which she took a long swig from.
"Congratulations on your betrothal to Prince Will, " Reyna replied.
"Pollux is an ass and Nico is little more than a child. Will's the best I can do."
"I've heard that Prince Will and Prince Luke share a resemblance."
"There are rumors about Luke's mother, Queen May, and Will's father, King Apollo... But still, Will could never replace Luke."  Thalia took the wine jug back from Reyna.  "What happened between you and Jason while you were off together?"
"I released him from our betrothal and that I've agreed to marry Prince Nico."
"Nico?"
Thalia let out a booming, thunderous laugh.
"So now Jason's free to be with Lady Piper."
The light from the brazier illuminated Piper's delicate features. It made the thin fabric of her chiton nearly transparent which showed off her lovely form to advantage as she danced.
"Aside from my son, Jason is the person I love most in all the world and I like Piper. I wish both of them happiness."
"Everyone's so quick to take their side."
Thalia took Reyna's hand.
"The best thing you can do is move on and try to be happy as best you can. You'll always be miserable if you don't. "
Reyna kissed her hand.
"You're very wise."
"I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of each in the future since our husbands-to-be are sworn lovers. If you need a friend, you can always find me."
"I will."
In the flickering firelight, Thalia's freckles looked like constellations of stars, the fairest stars in the entire night sky.

Reyna and Thalia joined Jason and Nico to hunt down the witch of the island and her pet lioness. While stalking the hills, Jason spotted a small light burning off in the distance.
"Stay here while I go on ahead, " he said.
"We'll keep in readiness in case we meet with trouble, " Nico replied.
His sword was unsheathed and clasped awkwardly in his hand. The poor boy was brave but not much of a warrior.
"Don't be too long," Thalia added. She clapped her brother on the back.
Jason ran off down the path following the small light.
"If I'm not back in a half-hour, " he called to them. "Go back to the camp."
A half-hour passed and Jason did not return.
"Should we go and look for him?" Reyna asked Thalia
"If that witch or her cat has harmed my little brother, " Thalia replied. "I want to hang both of their pelts on my wall."
"I'll take that as a yes. Come Nico..."
The light Jason had followed was gone. The trio was unsure if they were going in the right direction. Thalia raised a torch and saw something run through the olive groves. A figure clad in a black chlamys rambled down towards the beach, whisps of flaxen hair blowing in the breeze.
The light appeared again in the mouth of a cave. It came from a small oil lamp held by Piper. She and Jason both looked disheveled: touseled hair, rumpled chitons in disarray, and a flushed appearance. A small smear of dried blood ran down Piper's thigh.
So that was why he'd gone off on his own? To make everything Reyna had suspected about them true.
"Piper, is Annabeth alright?" Thalia asked.
"Yes, " Piper replied. "She's back at the camp."
"I saw someone with flaxen hair run down to the beach, " Nico added.
A roar echoed from the beach and into the hills followed by agonized screaming.