𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙿𝙰𝙽 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙺, no one knew what to make of Percy.

Except Andromeda.

"He's a son of Poseidon," Andromeda would say.

"The oath," was always the response she got.

But she herself was living proof that the gods don't keep their promises.

Her great-great-grandfather was Apollo. Her great-grandfather was Hades. And her grandfather was Poseidon. That's two broken oaths.

Andromeda and Chiron tried to teach Percy archery. Chiron was kind and patient when an arrow got stuck in his tail. Andromeda on the other hand tried to take him on another trip to the girls' bathroom, but Chiron made her let Percy go.

The wood nymphs tried to teach Percy foot racing, but he continued to fall face-first into the dirt with the nymphs leaving him behind.

They tried to teach Percy wrestling. Clarisse had Percy nailed to the floor within five seconds, every time.

The only thing he excelled at was canoeing.

"He's a son of Poseidon," Andromeda insisted.

"Ανδρομέδα (Andromeda)," Luke started slowly.

"No. I swear on the River Styx that when he gets claimed, it's by Poseidon," Andromeda said. Thunder rumbled loudly — louder than normal when an oath on the Styx was made.

Luke looked at her wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape. "That was really, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 stupid."

Andromeda stomped her foot on the pier, her arms crossed across her chest. "I know what I'm doing."

She sighed and hugged Luke tightly.

"Why'd you use Greek?" She pouted. "You only do that when you're mad."

Luke laughed almost bitterly. "I was trying to make you 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯, Andromeda."

Andromeda laughed. "I don't listen."

"I've noticed," Luke said. Andromeda smiled and pulled Luke closer to herself.

"Why did I have to promise to be 18 before we could get together?" Andromeda wined. Luke laughed. "I know. Just one more year." He kissed the top of her head.

"Andr— oh. Sorry." Annabeth stopped walking as she looked at the two, her eyes watering. Andromeda and Luke pulled away from each other.

"Chiron wanted you and Luke to train Percy today," Annabeth said, her voice wavering.

"Okay, we'll be right down," Andromeda said. Annabeth nodded — holding back a sob — and ran off.

Andromeda sighed and ran her fingers through her wavy hair.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, oblivious as to why Annabeth was upset. Andromeda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Girl stuff."

Luke nodded. "We should probably get going. Then after, you should probably talk to Annabeth."

Andromeda nodded and the two walked to the arena.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        𝙻𝚄𝙺𝙴'𝚂 𝚂𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚃𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳. The tip of Percy's blade hovered an inch from his chest.

Everyone watching was stunned into silence.

Percy lowered his sword. "Um, sorry."

"Sorry?" Luke smiled. "By the gods, Percy. Why are you sorry?"

"My turn." Andromeda smiled.

"De, are you sure that's a good idea?" Luke asked. Percy looked nervous.

"C'mon, kid. If you can beat 𝘩𝘪𝘮, you can put up a good fight against me." Andromeda smirked, taking her dagger from her belt.

"Fine," Percy sighed out.

The second spar went quickly. The moment their swords connected Percy's sword clattered as it hit the ground.

"Beginners luck?" Andromeda suggested after a moment.

"Maybe," Luke said. "But I wonder what Percy could do with a balanced sword."

After everyone had cleared out, Andromeda turned toward Luke. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Luke nodded.

"Bye." Andromeda smiled before she ran off.

Once she arrived at cabin six, Andromeda Dover knocked on the door.

"Hello?" Malcolm Pace asked as he opened the door. "Oh, hey, Maddie."

"Hey, Malcolm. Annabeth in here?" Andromeda asked.

"Yeah." Malcolm opened the door wider. "Come on in. She's on her bed."

Andromeda nodded and walked toward Annabeth's bed.

"Hey, Anna," Andromeda said softly.

Annabeth looked up, tear stains adorning her cheeks. In front of her lay battle strategies for the upcoming game of capture the flag.

"Hey," Annabeth sniffled.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Andromeda asked.

"Tell you what?" Annabeth wiped at her eyes.

"That you care if I date Luke. Especially since you like him," Andromeda said and sat next to Annabeth on her bunk.

"Why would I say anything? You two have a good relationship, I didn't want to ruin that," Annabeth muttered.

"Lizzy," Andromeda started as she wrapped an arm around Annabeth's shoulders, "you could've — should've — said something." She laughed. "Luke would be lost on what to do. It would've been priceless."

Annabeth laughed quickly. "Well, you should probably go back to the Hermes Cabin."

Andromeda pouted. "I have to do laundry today. Can you let me stay here until like five?"

Annabeth smiled. "Sorry. I'm not going to help you break the rules."

Andromeda crossed her arms across her chest and pouted. "Sometimes I don't know why we're friends."

"Because you love me," Annabeth said. "Now, it's four. You have an hour."

"Fine," Andromeda huffed out, rolling her eyes. She hugged Annabeth and walked out of the cabin.

She was messing with a piece of yarn she stole from Annabeth when she bumped into someone.

She started to fall backward and flailed her arms uselessly before an arm was wrapped around her waist.

She looked up and saw Luke, their faces so close she could feel his warm breath fanning across her face.

Luke pulled the Legacy up and let go of her waist.

"Sorry," Andromeda said her face flushed.

Luke laughed and took a step back. "You're good. Where were you?"

"Annabeth," Andromeda said. Luke nodded. "I'll see you... at dinner." He put his hands in the front pocket of his jeans.

"Free time," Andromeda corrected. Luke smiled and nodded. "Free time then."

Luke walked away from her and Andromeda smiled giddily before turning to enter the cabin.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        "𝙷𝙴𝚈." Andromeda smiled and she propped her hip on the doorway of the Hermes cabin.

"Hey," Luke said as he looked up from a box that was sitting in his lap.

"What's in the box?" Andromeda walked over and sat next to the male.

"Nothing special." Luke closed the box and set it to the side.

"Well, if it's nothing special, you won't mind leaving it here, while you and I go train," Andromeda suggested.

Luke smiled. "Okay." He stood up and kissed Andromeda's cheek and ran out of the cabin.

"I'll get you for that!" Andromeda shouted and chased after the son of Hermes.

They stopped at the arena, sweating and out of breath.

"You're gonna be sorry you did that," Andromeda said breathlessly. Luke raised an eyebrow. "Will I now?" Andromeda nodded. She pulled her dagger from its sheath that rested on her hip and lunged at Luke.

The brunette girl easily tackled Luke. She smiled, triumphantly sitting on his chest.

"I win." Andromeda smiled. Luke grinned and stood up, knocking Andromeda over in the process.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Dover," Luke said, a smile dancing across his lips while he helped the blue-green eyes girl up.

"Apology 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 accepted, Castellan." Andromeda kissed Luke's cheek and walked away.

"Ανδρομέδα Ημέρα Ντόβερ (Andromeda Day Dover)," Luke yelled, "get back here!"

Andromeda shook her head. Luke sighed and ran after her.

Andromeda turned around right as Luke ran into her, knocking the two of them down — Luke on top.

"This is the third time today we've been in an awkward situation," Andromeda muttered. Luke laughed. "Well, I know a way to make it less awkward."

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"

Like nodded and started to lean forward but was stopped by Andromeda's hand. "Just a few more months."

Luke sighed and rolled onto his back next to Andromeda. "I'm going to be counting down the days."

Andromeda laughed. "Me too."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        "𝙲𝙰𝙿𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙻𝙰𝙶!" Andromeda yelled with her arms raised in the air as she ran into the dining pavilion.

Luke laughed and shook his head.

After dinner, Andromeda was jumping in her seat.

When everyone's plates were cleared away, the conch horn blew and everyone stood.

Two Athena kids ran into the pavilion carting a silk banner.

The banner was ten feet long, a majestic shining grey, with a painting of an Athene Noctura placed above an olive tree.

Clarisse and another kid from the Ares cabin came running in with another flag.

The banner was a dark blood red, and was painted with a spear and a severed boar's head.

Percy turned toward Luke. "𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 are the flags?"

"Yeah."

"Do Ares and Athena always lead the teams?"

"Not always," Luke said, "but often."

"Shut up," Andromeda hissed. Percy rolled his eyes. "So if another cabin captures it, what do you do — re-paint the flag?"

Luke grinned. "You'll see. First, we have to get one."

"Whose side are we on?" Percy asked.

"We've made an alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares," Luke said.

"And 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 going to help," Andromeda added. "Now, 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱."

"Children," Chiron announced. "Athena has allied with Apollo and Hermes whereas Ares has allied with Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus."

The campers cheered loudly, with Andromeda being the loudest. Chiron hammered his hoof against the marble floor. "Quiet! Now, heroes!" He announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. The cabins are off-limits. All magic items are allowed. The banner 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 be prominently displayed, and may have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing, maiming, or seriously injuring is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!" He spread his arms and the tables were filled with equipment.

"Woah," Percy said, "we're really supposed to use these?"

"Unless you want to get skewered by your friends in cabin five, χαζος (stupid)."

"Here," Luke said. "Chiron thought these would fit. You'll be on border patrol."

Andromeda put on her armor, put her dagger in her belt, and grabbed her sword.

"Blue team, forward!" Annabeth yelled. The blue team cheered and followed her down to the South Wood.

"Anna?" Andromeda asked. "Where do you want me?"

"You and Luke are gonna go after the flag," Annabeth instructed.

"Hey," Percy said as he caught up to the two girls. They kept walking.

"So what's the plan?" Percy asked. "Got any magic items you can loan me?"

Annabeth's hand drifted to her pocket while Andromeda's went toward her dagger.

"Just watch Clarisse's spear," Andromeda said. Annabeth nodded. "You don't want that thing anywhere near touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Has Luke told you your position?"

"Border patrol. Whatever that means."

"It's easy. Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to us. Athena always has a plan." Annabeth walked away.

"Okay," Percy mumbled. "Glad you want me on your team."

"𝘚𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱," Andromeda said and ran after Annabeth.

PUBLISHED: may 10, 2025
EDITED: -