Is Thalia OOC? Yes. Do I care? No. This is my fic. The characters are how I decide I want them. Personally, I choose to believe my version of her is better. (Disclaimer: It is not.)

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"I'm bored!" Damian declared. The training yard around him was covered with eviscerated dummies.

"You just finished training for today, demon child." Jason was fixing the chain of a punching bag he'd broken. He liked fixing things. It made him feel more stable. It was relaxing to do something that he just knew he had been doing for most of his life.

Cassandra was sharpening one of Damian's daggers. Over the past week, Jason had learned that while she knew how to use every deadly weapon he threw at her, she didn't like using them. She much preferred hand combat. Jason wasn't entirely sure why, but he did know it definitely didn't affect her abilities.

"Master Damian! A note from your mother." A servant ran over, an envelope in hand. He quickly bowed at the young heir before leaving.

Damian perked up. Maybe there would be something of interest in the letter. He wilted a bit after opening and reading it. "Mother was just reminding me that I have a British Literature lesson in a half hour."

"Ooh, what are you reading?" Jason stood up, and started heading in the direction of the closest palace door.

"Some Shakespeare play, I think. We already finished Beowulf, which would have benefited from having more punctuation. The lack of a good place to pause made it a less enjoyable story."

"This from whom a pause from would be quite pleasant. OW!" Damian had rammed an elbow into Jason's hip. "Da*nit, kid!"

Cassandra joined them, handing Damian his sharpened and polished knife. He examined it before nodding with satisfaction and sliding it into its sheath.

"At least she's good for something." Damian scoffed.

Suddenly, Cassandra's eyes darted behind them. She jumped into a nearby bush and, after a the sounds of a quick scuffle, returned, dumping an unconscious man on the ground. She raised an eyebrow at Damian.

"Mother sent that note to distract me!" He said with all the indignation the entitled seven year old could muster. "That's cheating!"

Suddenly, there was a firm hand on his shoulder and Cassandra was looking into his eyes. Her face conveyed how serious the situation could be. She snatched up the letter, aggressively jabbed it with her finger, flicked the bottom of his chin and gestured around them. She pointed at the now groaning guard and then at the kid.

Damian's genius-level IQ wasn't needed for him to understand that he was being reprimanded for not paying attention. He crossed his arms and looked away from her, pouting. "How dare you. Acting like you're better than me." He controlled himself after his brief grumbling session and then turned back to his bodyguard and slapped her. "Don't touch me, peasant!" He snatched his note out of her hand.

She stared back at him, completely unfazed. She started back towards the palace door and Damian didn't have much choice but to catch up with her.

Jason was shocked she'd just let Damian hit her. She always seemed to know what someone was doing before they did it. Maybe she was just trying to let him blow off some steam. No matter, Jason personally would've hit him back. Or wouldn't have let him in the first place. But even in his annoyance, Damian was paying better attention to his surroundings now.

When they got inside Damian made a beeline for Thalia's study. "Mother!" A window looked out onto the training yard they'd just left.

"Yes, darling?"

"You sent a note to distract me?! That's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair. Battle isn't fair. You need to be prepared at all times for your safety, my love."

"Isn't that what Cain is for?! What is the point of having her if I still need to be ready to fight myself?"

"It may come that she's outnumbered, or not present. It is critical that you also remain prepared. Protection does not guarantee safety, Damian."

"Yes, Mother."

"Do you understand me?"

"Clear as crystal, Mother. But Cain hit me!"

"From what I saw, you did the hitting."

"After she did first!"

"I believe she only flicked you with her finger, and that it was a reprimand for your lack of awareness. She cannot speak; she must get it across to you somehow, love."

"But, Mother-"

"No 'but's about it, young man. Go off to your lesson."

"Yes, ma'am." Damian sulked off, Cassandra close behind him.

Jason stayed behind.

"Is there something that you want from me, Jason?" Thalia asked.

"I was just wondering... why did you let Cassandra get away with doing that to Damian? You scold me when I hit him."

"As I told him, she cannot speak. How else is she supposed to express herself?"

"I guess. But, why not teach her sign language? That's a thing, right? It would be so much easier for her to communicate that way."

"I agree. But David chose not to."

"Why not?"

"That is none of your concern, child. He is her father. He can raise her however he sees fit."

"Yes, ma'am." The wheels in his head were starting to turn. If he could somehow get his hands on a sign language book, maybe he could teach Cass-

"Jason." Thalia said sternly. "I see that look on your face. You are not to go against Cain's wishes. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Thalia."

"Good. Now, off you go. Those Austen books you requested are on your table in the library."

Jason nodded and headed off to the library. He had plans other than Austen.