A Crown of Golden Leaves: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Capvt XV: Controlled Chaos

Capvt XV: Controlled Chaos 

 ANNABETH dreamt of slimy hands pinning her arms above her head, against the wall. Something horrible was pressed against her lips, the smell reminding her of several different kinds of food being digested. 

 When she woke, there was a hot, prickly feeling in her eyes and her heart was beating so hard and quick she thought it would burst out of her chest. She wiped her hand across her face and the pale skin was wet. Tears.

 Percy's side of the bed was cold; he hadn't been here for a while. She took several deep breaths and pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead. It was just a nightmare.

 Her back felt sore though; no wait, everything was sore. Her shoulders ached, and her legs felt a bit . . . mushy. It was probably from all those punches she had thrown.

 She glanced down at her knuckles; they had been rubbed raw.

 That was pathetic.

 His words still stung for some inexplicable reason, but she knew he had a point. Her punches were weak, and she needed someone to guide her if she wanted to learn how to defend herself. It was just, she never expected Percy of all people to offer.

 He'll probably decide I'm useless though, she thought. Then he'll give up on me.

 She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, fingers catching on the knots. No. He wouldn't. She didn't really know him, but if there was one thing she understood about him, it was that he was honorable. And sarcastic.

 The door opened slowly, and when she looked up, Piper stepped neatly into the chambers. She smiled a little. While Luke and Nico were somewhat distant with her themselves (Nico, she understood, Luke, not so much) Piper hadn't ostracized her, and for that, she was grateful.

 "You alright?" she asked, a concerned expression crossing her face as she sat the tray of food down on the foot of the bed. Annabeth wiped the back of her hand against her face again. "You look tired . . . and miserable."

 "I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile on her face. Piper looked unconvinced. "I promise."

 She raised an eyebrow, and a contemplative look crossed her face before it settled back into something neutral. "Okay, but you can tell me if anything's bothering you if you want."

 Her smile felt much more genuine now.

 "Thanks Pipes." She pulled the tray into her lap and broke the bread in half. She dipped one half into her tea and offered the second to her friend, who took it and stood.

 "Alright," she said, her voice much lighter now. She took a bite out of the bread. "It's warm again—" which made no sense, it had been snowing that night. "—which means you'll want something light instead of heavy." She rummaged through the wardrobe with one hand, still chewing on the bread.

 "Everything's light," she remarked, starting on the gruel.

 Piper paused to shoot her a flat look. "Everything is loose and draping, which is a pain when you're running." She gestured toward her chest area, and Annabeth ended up snorting water up her nose. Yuck. "Seriously, if I could, I would wear armor under these things to keep my balance."

 "...oh," she said softly, thinking back on how she and Percy spent the whole night trying armor on and then how he taught her how to adjust all the straps. He had been incredibly insistent on it, and she had thought it odd at the time.

 "Oh, what?"

 "What?"

 "What?" Piper shook her head, perhaps to clear it. "I mean, you just said "oh". What were you thinking about?"