REYNA XI

SQUEEZING THE LEGION IN A NORMAL NEW YORK APPARTMENT WAS TIGHT, but the Romans had managed it. The word impossible wasn't in their vocabulary.

Scipio was cramped in there as well, nuzzling Reyna while she gently stroked it. Every eye was focused on Octavian instead of her. And it annoyed her a lot.

Octavian was telling what he saw when he was sacrificing some of his precious teddy bears. Reyna saw a few people muttering jokes about Octavian to each other and Reyna had to restrain herself from joining in, even though it was her duty to punish them and redirect their attention back to the augur. Octavian didn't notice though, so Reyna felt she didn't have to intervene.

Reyna, now fully changed, noticed there was a few people missing from the First Cohort, Octavian's thugs had disappeared and it made Reyna uneasy when she wondered what they were doing. For all Reyna knew Octavian could have sent them as a search party.

Octavian glanced at Reyna half way through his speech. Reyna felt powerless right now, she knew there would be chaos if she stood up and told Octavian what he was doing was wrong. But the situation was too complicated, the Greeks had offended the Camp and they were now acting on a Goddess' orders.

However she still had power over the Cohorts, each time her gaze fell upon someone, they squirmed and nervously looked back. Reyna didn't like that they were afraid, but at the same time it pleased her when they never did that to Octavian.

Suddenly noises were heard in the back of the apartment, and it wasn't the usual snigger about Octavian. It was screaming, a small girl screaming and a deep voice which still managed to sound childlike was shouting.

Reyna leaped down, her dagger in her grip and strode towards the sounds, and every head in the legion ignored Octavian's cries to listen and turned to the noises. There was a few startled gasps and Reyna had to shove (she'd apologise later) some legionnaires to see what was going on.

And then it was Reyna's turn to gasp.

Percy's friends – the harpy and the Cyclops – were in the grip of Octavian's six thugs. One clinging to the harpy, the other five were wrestling the Cyclops who was shouting, "Let Ella go."

Reyna had to admit, even though Cyclops weren't her favourite monsters, the selflessness was admirable as the Cyclops just wanted his friend to be safe. If he was a demigod Reyna would definitely welcome him into the legion.

"Ah," Octavian clasped his hands together, "Griffin, bring them to me."

Griffin was the ugliest, biggest one out of the lot. The Legacy of Mars tugged at the Cyclops so the other five would follow. They didn't have enough brain cells between them to do something on their own accord; they followed Octavian like little puppies.

Very thug like.

They consisted of four boys and two girls, who were likely to get mistaken as boys since they lacked a lot of femininity. Reyna cared very little about her feminine side and it was clear so did they. Each one was in the First Cohort and Reyna guessed they owed Octavian a favour, whether it was blackmail, or thanking him for standing in for them, Reyna didn't know.

But what they lacked in intelligence and free will they made up with brute strength.

"Octavian, what do you think you're doing?" Reyna asked, her dagger still in her hand.

"I'm just bringing in valuable visitors."

"I'm pretty sure visitors aren't supposed to be treated like prisoners," Reyna said, her tone was scolding as if telling off a little child. See how Octavian likes to be treated as a toddler.

Octavian just smiled at her and dismissed her comment and his thugs proceeded to him and carried the Cyclops and the harpy down to him.

Usually Reyna would have found it slightly amusing, the first Cohort being downgraded to carrying harmless monsters to Octavian. But right now she was terrified by the lack of control she had. Things may have been different if Percy or Jason were here with her.

And for once Reyna thought Circe was right. Men were pigs, they always left and they were more interested in power and adventures then women. And she wanted to be in the safety of Circe's island again. But the legion needed her. And she did owe Percy for saving the legion.

"Drop them," Reyna commanded.

The harpy opened her mouth, "Air resistance causes a raindrop to deform as it drops and eventually to fragment. Raindrops keep falling on my head is by B. J Thomas. Thomas the Tank Engine appeared in 1946. Ella likes trains and Tyson."

"Shh Ella," The Cyclops, who Reyna presumed was Tyson said, he was blushing slightly and when Ella's cheeks began to redden.

"You seem awfully good at remembering," Octavian said.

Griffin straightened up, "She's been like this the whole time when we found them hanging by a sandwich shop."

The longest sentence Reyna ever heard him said. He deserved a sticker for that one.

Ella didn't say anything and looked at Tyson for help who said, "Tyson said leave Ella alone."

"Tyson should really stop talking in third person," Octavian chided, "And Ella is very useful to us and the legion, and if is Tyson isn't careful Ella will be left alone."

Reyna had never liked Octavian, when they first met. Reyna was more wild and uncontrollable and was incredibly stubborn and Octavian's blackmail never worked on her. He was a jerk, but he had never been cruel and evil. Something wasn't right.

"Octavian, I command you let them go," Reyna said, pushing her way through the legionnaires standing face to face to Octavian.

"And let our enemies be free, people may think your with the Greeks dear praetor," Octavian's voice was scathing.

Reyna tensed. She had already left two homes - her father's home and Circe's island, and she wasn't planning on leaving another one. She wouldn't let that change happen.

Octavian had won. He had finally found a weak spot in Reyna, even though circumstances with Jason was killing her slowly inside, she would survive, but she wouldn't be able to cope without the legion, and end up being all alone.

But what could Reyna say? Her eyes burned as she just let Octavian's tyrannous behaviour carry on.

Octavian turned his attention to Ella, "You recited a prophecy at the feast, correct?" The harpy said nothing and just stared at him loathingly, "Wisdom's daughter walks alone?"

Ella recited the rest, Reyna noted that Mark of Athena seemed to be important and probably linked with Annabeth, the only child of Athena/Minerva Reyna had ever met. The key to endless death? Reyna wondered whether that linked in with Thantos and nothing about a woven jail seemed particularly happy.

"And you've read the sibylline books?" Octavian said, his eyes were greedy and Reyna could see slight golden flecks blending with the blue.

Ella nodded, "Sibyl came to Tarquin, the last Roman king, and offered nine books for an immense price but burned eight. Ella read all the books. The bestselling author J. K. Rowling wrote 7 Harry Potter books, the first one published in 1997."

When Harry Potter was published wasn't the answer Octavian was looking for. "What was the contents of the other eight books?"

"There are only seven Harry Potter books. Eight films. There are eight planets in the solar system. In 2006, International Astronomical Union redefined the term "planet", and Pluto didn't meet all the necessary conditions. So it was put in the new category of "Dwarf planets."

Reyna stifled a laugh. If you looked up annoyed in the dictionary, a picture of Octavian's face right then would've been there.

"The sibylline books. Not Harry Potter."

Ella eyed him carefully, and Tyson was struggling even more and that's when one of Octavian's goons, Katrina daughter of Victoria – the god of victory, pulled out her gladius. Time seemed to slow down as Reyna's heart sunk in Tartarus.

Reyna was glad she never sheathed her dagger so she was easily able to deflect Katrina's strike, and she remembered what Percy did in the War Games. The disarming strike. It was silent as Katrina's gladius cluttered on the floor.

Reyna stood up straight. Part of her didn't care about the punishment she may get, another part wished she had done nothing.

"Enough," Reyna icily said.

Before Octavian said anything, Ella murmured the words of a prophecy.

The dove's attempt will end in vain,

As a brawl starts with a profane,

Discord's control will soon conclude

As the end of a fiery feud,

The gods' young may perish at war,

Unless nature tries to implore

Reyna's eyes widened along with the rest of the Legion. Tyson was accidentally released free as he went to a protective stance over Ella, who seemed to be trembling.

"Octavian, you've got your prophecy, let them go," Reyna said.

Octavian said nothing. So Reyna assumed her role of praetor and ushered the terrified Cyclops and Harpy who kept glancing back quickly as if they expected war to break out right then. Reyna didn't blame them.

As soon as they were out of harm's way Octavian said, "We have a quest. We must leave at once."

For a second Reyna thought Octavian's eyes were glowing gold.

The Legion was mixed, the first and the second Cohort looked slightly excited, Reyna knew some were genuinely nice people and half of them weren't obsessed with winning and war. But the third, fourth and fifth looked hesitant.

Dakota looked at Reyna sympathetically, despite that he was always intoxicated with Kool Aid, Dakota was cleverer than he let on, and he observed things differently. Maybe it was all the sugar.

And Reyna noticed he seemed sad. She found that he was fighting Jason at Fort Summer. It must have killed him to do it. And the way he stood, his shoulders hunched it seemed it did.

Reyna cleared he throat, war was inevitable, but maybe if she started to take control it may not be as severe. Annabeth refused being a peace offering, and Reyna understood that, she had a quest to complete. But because of that, the Greeks and the Romans will be at war.

"Twelfth Legion," She called, "We depart to Long Island at once. First, Fourth and Fifth Cohorts will attack the front being led by the First, while the Second and the Third attack from the side, but you will wait for my call or for the Greeks to attack. Understood?"

The whole legion looked at Reyna with their undivided attention; there were not witty remarks just obedient looks. Reyna wondered whether the Greeks would make a sacrifice, something important so the whole war could be avoided, but she would brainstorm that later.

They clearly understood Reyna.

She marched outside and the Legion broke the silence by talking to one another, Octavian was surrounded by his 'friends' sending glares at Reyna that Medusa would be proud of. But she chose to ignore that.

She also ignored Octavian's battle plan. He wanted to attack full on, in descending Cohort order. It was smarter to send a team by the sides, sneakier less expected, like the Trojan horse. And making the first lead was a risk by Reyna, she didn't trust Octavian, but she trusted the other centurion, Bobby, son of Mercury.

No one questioned the Amazons not being involved and Reyna was glad. She didn't want to get Hylla involved in a war which she didn't belong in. If she couldn't keep the legion safe she could do her best to make sure Hylla was out of harm's way.

Bobby was one of the guys that everyone liked including Hannibal. Bobby stayed outside with Hannibal, since trying to put an elephant in an apartment was ridiculous. Reyna, him and Jason went on a quest together, and in some ways Bobby felt like an older brother.

He wasn't the best leader, but he bothered to know everyone's name in the Twelfth Legion, and probably pranked everyone at least once in the legion. He was a talented fighter and had been in the legion since he was eight. So Reyna trusted him.

He nodded at her as Reyna and Twelfth Legion Fulminata filed past him, looking as organised as an army of teenagers can be and separated into groups where they slid into black BMWs.

He slipped in the same BMW as Reyna and took the role of driving. He had even forged his own driving permit for the opportunity. A few members of the First shared the car with them and Reyna began filing him in, trying not to sound bias or call Octavian every swear word she knew, which was a lot.

And in the meantime Reyna was praying to the Gods for some answer on how to stop the next Civil War.

After months of not doing anything, and you are all free to call me *insert your choice of insult here* I feel genuinely awful. However, I'm attempting to make it up, the first step being producing this chapter and continuing with the fanfiction.