Author's Note: I have permission from Rainbow Droplets to use Melanie. Silva is my character.

--x--

Melanie leaned against a tree, oblivious to the giant hulking shadow behind her. The 'thing' let out a low growl, and she whirled around. What Melanie saw was a… a, well, let's just say she classified it as the-thing-that-looks-like-the-minotaur-from-the-myths-but-can't-be-because-they're-not-real. She screamed at the top of her lungs. The evil bull man roared, and thunder boomed. On impulse she yelled, "Καλέστε την πυρκαγιά!"(1) A tree blew up behind it, but the Minotaur was already charging. With another load roar, he picked her up in one hand and the tree that Melanie hid behind in another, and began squeezing. With desperation, she called the fire up again and BOOOM! There goes the tree he was holding. The minotaur turned into dust, dropping Melanie head-first into the dirt. She let out one last earsplitting cry for help that could be heard in even Camp Half-Blood. I guess the scream, the fall, and the magic proved too much on her, as our young heroine fainted.

--x--

Silva sighed as he walked through the strawberry fields, occasionally touching one of the fruits with his slim fingers. Running a hand through his sandy-blonde hair he suddenly fled from the fruits, walking back to the camp's center. Returning to the Hermes cabin just in time for lunch, he sighed once more, then lined up nearer the front end of line. His necklace had four beads on it – one for each of the summers he had been here. Though Silva was still unclaimed, it was rather obvious who his father was – he was an expert at archery, his healing was rather good, he played music well, and a bunch of other things, not including his appearance. Silva didn't really care that Apollo hadn't claimed him yet – he had good friends in the Hermes cabin, and being nearly crippled by shyness, didn't want to have to go through the painstaking process of trying to make friends again. Finally getting his food, he quickly scraped some of his fruit into the fire, murmuring the name 'Apollo.' Having now sat down, he was prepared for the usual abuse Dionysus – he refused to call him Mr. D – would put them through. Silva vaguely remembered that they were called 'announcements'. Just as he was starting to eat, a scream tore its way through the camp, through the boundaries, and into the ears of Chiron, the campers, and Dionysus. Quickly getting up, Silva ran to the boundaries, only to see a girl comatose in front of him. He decided to wait, thinking that if he moved the girl he might make something worse.

--x--

Slowly, Melanie came to, drenched from the rain. She was most definitely uncomfortable on the roots of a tree. Melanie looked over, and saw a boy just standing there on the hill, just watching her. She gave him a big glare for not helping at all.

"Hmph." Upon seeing the girl's glare, all Silva did was grunt - it wasn't his fault he wasn't as great at healing as some of the other Apollo kids. Besides, Silva was afraid if she moved the girl, she would get worse. On another point, he wasn't sure if she was really a half-blood, seeing as she hadn't really crossed the property line yet. And anyway, Silva couldn't see any distinguishing feature from any of the gods that had a cabin.

She sighed and looked down at her hand to see if - yep She hated when that happened. Sometimes, when casting the fire spell, Melanie would accidentally burn her hand. Oops. Deciding to make the best of her situation, she stood. Massaging her burned hand she walked to the boy and said stiffly, "Where am I? And why are you out here in the middle of nowhere?" Yes, granted, the last question was a tad hypocritical but Melanie never cared about politeness, nor had she ever liked boys.

Silva waved a hand to indicate the buildings behind him, which he was certain the girl could see. "This is Camp Half-Blood. Chiron'll show you the orientation film. I know you're a half-blood since you crossed the property line. And if I'm out in the middle of nowhere, that means you are too. Why are you here?" The Apollo boy's eyes narrowed - he didn't particularly trust this stranger. Sure, she was a fellow half-blood, but...

Surprisingly enough, at the last question she blushed a bit and muttered something about, "Tried to fix my bike… I didn't mean to blow the orphanage up." and then gave him a look. "and don't you dare tell anyone that! I'm Melanie by the way. Who's Chiron and why is there an orientation film?" she said, all in one breath.

Melanie sighed, and squeezed rainwater from her hair while hurrying after the boy. They stopped in front of a big house with blue gables. She critically observed the place, and an interesting site met her eyes. On the porch there was a pudgy drunk looking man, a man with a scraggy beard and one boy about Melanie's age and was that - yep. That -boy- had a goat's bottom. "What is going on here?" Melanie demanded of no one in particular.

Well, you're obviously a half-blood since you crossed the property line, so I'll have Chiron tell you. I'm no good at explaining things, and you'll see the orientation film anyways. Now follow me." Silva, done with his little speech, walked towards Chiron, who was walking towards them as well.

"Chiron?" Melanie asked. "That would be me," the man said. "This way." Melanie followed him into a small room, and they came out 10 minutes later. She looked slightly green in the face. "They didn't have to go that far into showing how half-bloods are made…" she muttered. It would be best for all if no one asked.

Silva smiled sympathetically. "I know the feeling...I nearly threw up when I saw it. I was only nine years old. Anyways, lunch is just ending, so I'll show you your new cabin. I suppose the orientation film explained about this camp, not just the rather disgusting parts?"

"Okay, so I'm going to be in the Hermes cabin till I'm claimed?" she thought for a moment. "Wait, do you know who your parent is?" Melanie asked, ignoring the fact that this could be a sensitive subject for some half-bloods.

"Yes, you are. And...I do know who my father is, but he hasn't claimed me yet..." A cloud passed over Silva's face as he spoke. "I could tell you, but I think it's better if you guess. It's quite easy to see, actually. Just look at my appearance. Anyways, Hermes cabin is that old-looking brown-green one," Silva finished, but the cloud had still not passed from his face.

She looked at Silva. "You've been here how many years and still not claimed?" she said bluntly. Without waiting for an answer, she turned to enter the Hermes cabin. However, she tripped, and fell into the cabin instead. There were a few snickers, but they were instantly clenched when the cabiners saw Melanie's cold cruel grey eyes. "Regular or undetermined?" One said, after a moment's silence. "Undetermined," Melanie replied coolly. "Where do I sleep?" It sounded like a weird question, but it wasn't really because the only sleeping space available in the crowded cabin was on the floor way in the back.

Silva walked in after her. "Four years...not that it means anything. Plenty others have been here longer. Some of them are my kin. I think someone's not been claimed for...ten years. A bit harsh, but these are the gods. They do what they like. And you'll be sleeping there." Silva pointed to the back floor - a mere six feet of space for the girl and her possessions.

"Gods should know better," Melanie said conversationally. "Hmmm, I wonder if my immortal parent is a man or a woman." She sat down in the space dictated.

"I know." Silva was still standing beside Melanie. "It all depends - most of the twelve with thrones are male, but there are plenty of goddess. I knew a kid of Iris once. And a kid of Nemesis..."

Eventually, Melanie and Silva's conversation ended as lights out were called – each returned to their respective six feet of space to try and get some rest.

--x--

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of 'Of Suns and Magic'! PM me if you have any questions, and remember to review!

(1) Greek for 'Call the Fire'.