Hey! So I decided to write another story. And yes, Percy will be in this story too.

~This chapter is dedicated to my best friend, Cadence, who promised me that whenever, wherever I need help, or just someone to talk to, she'll be there. Cadee, I promise that to you too. Love you!~

The grey owl flew over the Greek village. The villagers were going about their everyday lives, unknowing of the creature above them. She glanced at all of their faces, looking for one man in particular. It had been years since she had last seen him, but she knew she would be able to recognize him instantly.

Finally, she spotted a farmer tending to his sheep. She swooped down to a nearby tree, where she carefully watched. She was certain this was the man that she was looking for. His sandy-blonde hair, brown eyes, athletic build…

Yes, this was the man she was searching for.

A small clay-brick house stood near the field. The farmer's home. She flew closer to the building and looked inside. There, a young girl was building an intricate tower out of toy blocks. She was small for her age, but the owl knew that she was almost seven years old. The girl's shockingly grey eyes stood out. All the villagers wondered where they got there colour from. Everyone wondered if she and her older brother had been adopted by her brown-eyed family.

The owl felt a fleeting feeling of happiness before she realized that there was nothing around the girl's neck. The happiness gave way to a sense of defeat, though there was nothing she could have done to prevent this.

"Frederick, protect her," the grey owl thought to herself. "Give her the silver owl. Protect her."

"Annabeth!" Malcolm shouted, waking me from my dream. I blinked, trying to remember what it had been about before giving up. "Annabeth!" Marcus yelled even louder, as if I didn't hear him the first time.

I clamped my eyes back shut. Staying still, breathing slowly, I waited for him to leave. "Annabeth!" he called for a third time. He was clearly starting to get annoyed.

I groaned and stretched my arms above my head. Sitting up slowly, I looked towards the door and saw Malcolm standing there with a smug grin on his face. I scowled. How was he so happy this early in the morning? "What." Rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I got out of bed.

Malcolm smirked. "Good morning to you too."

"You woke me up this early just to say good morning?" Malcolm only laughed, and I added, "So what is it?"

He shook his head and said, "It's your turn to take the sheep out."

With a sigh, I shoved past Malcolm to get to the sheep, though I never minded taking the sheep to the valley to graze. It was peaceful there. No dad, no step-mom, no little brothers, and best of all, no Malcolm. Before I shut the front door, I heard him shout to me, "You forgot to say good morning!"

Malcolm was the oldest of my three brothers. Everyone we know has told us we could be twins. We both had blonde hair and identical grey eyes. Neighbours, friends, and even our family have pointed it out at one point in time. Despite the shoving and yelling, we were close. Not that either of us would ever admit to that.

I unlatched the fence and started ushering all the sheep out. I glanced over at the mountainous landscape, blinking to get rid of the drowsiness from sleeping. It was a long walk to the valley.

I plopped down on the grass, legs aching from the long walk, and watched the sheep wander.

The valley was just a short walk from my home. In front of me was a huge stretch of green, dotted with pink and white flowers which filled my nose with an intoxicating scent that was almost too strong. The only sound was the lilting tune of the rolling brook, swollen with the summer rain. I closed my eyes. I liked it here.

The five white sheep that belonged to my family wandered around the valley, grazing on the grass and flowers. The sixth, a fluffy little lamb born last spring, was nuzzled against me. I mindlessly pulled up a handful of grass to feed to it.

"You know," I said to the lamb, "you're lucky. Your life is so easy. My family does everything for you and all you have to do is eat and sleep." The lamb said nothing in return and only ate the grass in my hands. Not that I expected a reply.

Soon, the sun had turned the blue sky to vibrant shades of orange, pink, and purple. I stood up and, sticking two fingers in my mouth, I whistled as loudly as I could.

"Come on!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, cupping my hands around my mouth. "Time to go!"

The sheep have been doing this nearly every day of their lives. They knew what the whistle meant: we're going home. With a swarm of sheep and a stubby white lamb jostling around me, I climbed up the slope back to our small brick home.

After I put the sheep back in their pens, I bounced through the open door and slammed it shut. The house was dark, lit only by the sunlight streaming in through the window "Daddy! I'm home!" I yelled.

My daddy looked up from my two baby brothers. He looked relieved to see me there. "Annabeth, do you mind watching your brothers while I get your dinner? Thanks."

He left without waiting for my answer. With a sigh, I trudged across the room to the crib Daddy had built for my twin brothers.

I slowly peered inside. Both Bobby and Matthew were fast asleep. Out of boredom, I started poking one of them to see if he'll wake up.

"Annabeth!" My head whipped around to see my step-mother, snatching my hand out of the crib, knowing my efforts were futile. She had already seen. "What are you doing?" she shrieked. She grabbed my hands and continued, "Look at how dirty your hands are! Don't touch your brother until you wash your hands!" She stormed out of the room, leaving me staring down at my hands. They weren't that dirty.

Soon Daddy came back, holding a slice of bread. He handed it to me and sat down on a wooden chair. His wooden chair. The one that, due to an unspoken rule, no one else was allowed to sit on. With a stern look on his face, he said, "Your mother looked angry when I saw her a second ago. Annabeth, what did you do to her?"

Ever since Daddy remarried, he's always been too busy for Malcolm and me. She was beautiful, even I had to admit. Her hair always shined, and when the light hit it just right, it looked golden. The fact that she had brown eyes like him was a bonus. They had Bobby and Matthew, who were way too adorable and also had brown eyes. The perfect family. It would have been nice, if Malcolm and I haven't slowly been fading into the background. The only time I ever got to spend with Daddy was in the evening. That is, if the twins were asleep.

"I didn't do anything," I said. My dad just sighed and beckoned me over. I curled up on the ground beside him, leaning against his chair. "Daddy, tell me about mommy," I insisted, just like I do every other night.

He smiled down at me warmly. It was times like these that made me feel like I still might just have a chance at being part of his family. "Your mother was a very special person," he began, just like he did every night. "She was very smart and beautiful, just like you." I burrowed my head into his side and kept listening. He draped his arm around me, hugging me closer to him.

"You have her grey eyes, Annabeth. You could tell just by looking into her eyes that she was a remarkable woman, capable of doing anything she sets her mind on. Yes, your mother was very special."

He paused for a second. "Maybe she was too special. That's why she had to leave us. She's a very important woman."

"Do you think she'll ever come to visit?" I asked, knowing what his answer would be before I even opened my mouth.

"Perhaps."

We sat in silence. Daddy tells me the exact same things every night. My mommy was smart. My mommy was beautiful. My mommy was special. It was all I knew about her.

"Tell me more," I finally said. My dad looked at me with a blank expression on his face. "Tell me more," I pleaded again. Tell me she cared. Tell me she didn't want to leave. Tell me she loved me. I choked back the questions that have plagued me all these years, instead saying, "You must know more than that!"

Daddy didn't say anything. For a second, I was afraid I had gone too far by asking for more, but he sighed and spoke. "She was from Athens. I met her at the Parthenon. Soon after, we had Malcolm. Two years later, we had you. But she was too busy to stay. She had a job, a very important job. That's why she left us."

I soaked in the new information he had given me. She left because of her job? She had a job? He was about to say more, when my step-mother walked into the room. "Time for bed, Annabeth!" she said. I winced, but a quick glance at her told me she wasn't mad at me for bothering my brothers before.

I relaxed and looked outside. The sky had grown dark, and small pinpricks of light were starting to appear in the sky. The moon had come out and was casting silvery shadows in the house.

"Can I wait until Malcolm comes home?" I asked her.

She frowned slightly, but answered, "Very well." She left the room, leaving me with Daddy and the soft snores of the twins.

Daddy watched me carefully. Suddenly, he smiled. "You know what, Annabeth? I think you're old enough."

"Old enough for what?"

"Come with me." He led me to the back of the room and opened a small wooden box that lay on the table. I had never paid much attention to that box. It was old and plain, nothing special. I had passed by it so many times in my life that I had forgotten it existed.

I peered over Daddy's arm, eager to see what it contained. I was shocked when I saw. Inside the box was a silver necklace, as beautiful as the box was plain. On the necklace was a silver owl charm. It probably cost more than their entire house did.

"Your mother gave me this right before she left," he said. "She told me, 'Give it to her when the time is right. It will help her one day.' I asked her how I would know when the time is right, and she told me I would just know. Now is a pretty good time, don't you think?"

I stared at the silver owl. The owl's huge eyes stared back. "Will this really protect me?"

He ruffled my hair playfully and put the necklace around my neck. "I promise it will. I love you my little Annabeth." I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

The silence that filled the room was broken almost immediately.

Malcolm barged into the room, slamming the door wide open. Beads of sweat ran down his face. He had clearly been running. His grey eyes were wide with fear.

"Pirates!" he screamed breathlessly. "The whole town's under attack!" His voice faltered and he closed his eyes. "Dad…" he moaned. His knees buckled and he nearly collapsed. He leaned against the wall, too exhausted to do anything else.

I ran to the door to see. At first, I saw nothing unusual. The small town looked fast asleep.

Then I saw it. My blood ran cold. A tall tower of grey smoke billowed into the night sky. In the few seconds that I stood there and watched, the flames had engulfed entire houses. The screams grew louder and louder with each passing second.

I gasped and ran into my brother's arms, shaking hysterically. My eyes were clamped shut, but I could still see the flickering orange flames. The image of my burning town and the sounds of the desperate screams were seared into my mind.

My home was under attack.

Malcolm's arms wrapped around me protectively. Though he was only two years older than me, his arms were already strong and muscular from working in the farm fields. This action usually made me feel safer. It didn't work this time.

Fear flickered in Daddy's eyes, but it disappeared so quickly I decided I had imagined it. "Malcolm," he said calmly, "take Annabeth into the forest and hide. They won't find you there. I'll get your mother and the twins. We'll find you, okay? Now go! Promise not to come back for us!"

After Malcolm muttered a quick promise, Daddy shoved us out of the house and ran to get my step-mother. Malcolm grabbed my hand firmly and started racing towards the mass of trees that borders our town.

I quickly glanced behind us as we ran, desperate for one last look. I had a feeling I wouldn't be back for a while, if not forever. Daddy was inside the house, leaving the door wide open. With my free hand, I gripped onto the silver owl necklace. I thought back to what Daddy had said as he gave it to me. I promise it will. I love you my little Annabeth. We weren't perfect, but he was still my family. I came to a stark realization.

I couldn't leave him.

"No!" I screamed. I shook my hand free of my brother's grasp.

Malcolm tried to grab me again, but I ran out of his reach. "What are you doing?" he yelled back at me angrily. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

I glared at him. "Are you really going to leave Daddy like that? What if the pirates kill him or take him as a slave?" I yelled. In a softer tone, I whimpered, "What if we never see him again?"

Malcolm reached out his arm to grab me again, but I continued screaming. "We're family! Families are supposed to stick together. I'm not leaving Daddy!" I turned around and ran as fast as my legs would take me. Angry tears blurred my vision, but I hastily wiped them away with my arm.

I ran blindly through the dark. The darkness came alive around me with shadows materializing from thin air. The shadows morphed into more and more screaming villagers and the occasional pirate. None of them paid any attention to a seven year old girl though. I stumbled over a man, still barely alive. He choked, coughing up blood before looking up at me with desperate eyes. He looked like he was about to say something. Then he didn't. He was gone. Dead bodies were already strewn all over the streets.

I was nearly home when I felt someone from behind grab my shoulder, jerking me backwards. "No, Malcolm! Let go!" I thrashed wildly, but the grip on my shoulder only grew stronger.

"Let me-" I cut myself off with a gasp. An unfamiliar face loomed down at me. A wicked scowl was pasted on his face.

I did the first thing I could think of. I kicked his leg as hard as I could.

He didn't even flinch. "Do that one more time and I'll kill you." He grabbed me tighter and pressed a knife against my neck, drawing some blood. Enough to sting, but not enough to kill, though if he pressed a bit harder, I would probably bleed to death. I whimpered softly as he dragged me past the dead bodies and burning houses to the rocky beach. A small wooden rowboat, bobbing slightly in the waves, was there waiting for him.

"Get in the boat," he said in a gruff voice. He pushed me and I stumbled in. He grabbed a thick braided rope and used it to tie my hands behind my back. I winced at how tightly it was tied, but I didn't dare make a sound.

In the boat were two other children, a girl and a boy, just as defenseless as me. I recognized one as the baker's daughter, but I doubted she knew who I was. A mountain of food, jewellery, and other precious things that the pirate had stolen lay at my feet.

The man grabbed the wooden oars and, with long and strong heaves, the man rowed us to the ship anchored in the ocean. A shudder ran through my body as I thought of what would become of me.

Too soon, we entered the dark shadow of the ship. The rowboat teetered a bit, then stopped right beside the ship, nearly touching its side. A tattered and frayed rope ladder hung over the side.

Glancing back at the shore, I saw the flickering flames slowly dying and the screams gradually fading. Everyone that couldn't escape was either dead or taken prisoner.

The forest that dominated the island taunted me, and I couldn't help the thoughts of what could have happened. I could have escaped with my brother. I could have been safe. And as guilty as it made me feel, I wondered if Daddy had been worth giving up my safety for.

I was suddenly filled with a single burning desire to jump into the ocean and swim to shore. We weren't too far away, I might still be able to do it. It would be difficult with my hands tied behind my back, but not completely impossible.

I jumped as I heard a splash behind me, shaking me from my thoughts. I turned to see what had made the noise, but I saw nothing. I looked at the girl and the man to see if they knew what it was. They were looking back and forth from the water to the seat where the boy had been sitting.

Realizing I wasn't the only one who thought of jumping, I scanned the murky waves for the boy, but he had disappeared. All of a sudden, a pained cry cut through the night like a knife, but was quieted almost immediately. I shivered, but not from the cold. The silence was worse than the scream.

The man smirked, as if the boy's death amused him. "There are dangerous creatures in these waters, girls. Go ahead and jump. Try to swim to the shore and see what happens."

Both the baker's daughter and I shook our heads, refusing to meet the man's eyes. I slumped down on my seat. There was no escape. I might as well just accept that I would be scrubbing toilets for this man for the rest of my life.

"Now, will you do exactly as I say?" The girl and I both nodded. A smile grew on his face. "Good." With one swift motion, he sliced the ropes tied around my wrists. I jerked away at the sudden moment, but apparently he was good with his knife, since he didn't accidentally cut my arms off. He did the same for the other girl.

"Now up!" he commanded. He kicked the other girl and she stumbled onto the rope ladder. Her pale white hands gripped onto the first rung to keep herself from falling. Shaking with fear, she climbed up, bit by bit.

I gulped. I was next. With the man's gaze on my back, I put one hand on the ladder. Trying to muster up all the bravery I had in me, I grasped onto it tighter with both hands and pushed myself up, the frayed rope causing a burning pain in my hands. The ladder swayed slightly as I climbed.

Trying to calm myself, I concentrated only on climbing. I watched my hands inch up the ladder. Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand. I barely noticed when I reached the top.

I crawled over the side of the ship. When my feet landed on the deck, the floorboard creaked, causing me to jump. I tried to look for the other girl, but I barely had time to look around when someone behind me picked me up and swung me over his shoulder.

I heard the creak of a door opening. I looked up to see a dark room. Then, I was thrown in.

Though I prepared myself for the impact, I cried out as I landed. Whoever had thrown me in here threw me hard enough for me to bang my head on the back wall. I slumped down against the wall, rubbing my head, trying to get rid of the throbbing pain.

The room I was in was dark, but I began to see faint outlines as my eyes adjusted. There was nothing in the room except for some boxes in the corner.

I heard a choked sob beside me. I spun around and saw the baker's daughter. She couldn't have been more than five years old. That would make me, being seven, the older one here. Her eyes locked with mine before welling up with tears.

I scurried over to her and awkwardly put an arm around her, unsure of how to approach the situation. I didn't know how to comfort the girl.

"We'll be alright," I started to say. But that would be a lie. Daddy had drilled into my head that lying is very bad. I tried to think of something good about our situation.

"Well… at least we're not alone, right?" The little girl looked up at me, tears spilling from her deep blue eyes. Timidly, she nodded.

I smiled, trying to seem upbeat about our situation, or at least as upbeat as I could be. Maybe it would rub off on her. "I'm Annabeth, what's your name?"

"Kallista," she whispered. "My mommy and daddy called me Kallie."

"Well Kallie, we'll stick together, okay? Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

Kallie sniffled and rubbed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "You promise?" she said. "We stick together?"

I tried to smile at her. As confidently as I could manage, I said, "I promise."

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