Rhiannon's History Lessons

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Rhiannon was woken up by the sound of her own stomach, as it raged and grumbled about her lack of food. A sigh escaped the small eight year old as she pat it gently. Today was going to be the day after all. She looked around as the rest of the group slept in their temporary makeshift beds. Homeless, she was probably the youngest one. She always had been. When they first talked she was only six years old, most where probably ten or thirteen. Too young to do anything legally about their situations. They ended up banding together. She smiled and pulled the covers over one of her friends, this was her family. She loved her mom and dad something terrible, and she loved these guys. She might have been the youngest, but some how she managed to be the one taking care of them. She'd be the one to lecture them on the dangers of smoking, or alcohol, especially on their young bodies. She already had a lot of book smarts, her dad read her all kinds of books and scientific journals. She had no idea about most of these television shows or movies that the other kids talked about, but they didn't know what she talked about most of the time either. She hadn't stopped reading just because her dad wasn't around to help her with the big words anymore. She could still go to the libraries, still read books in the relative comfort of a building. She even let the other kids in on the secret, and it was where they would go to be warm in winter, or beat the heat of summer. During opening hours anyway.

Everyone started to wake up, readying themselves for the food heist, this grocery store the older kids had been watching. They'd have no one but the owner in today, like every Wednesday. It was a small place, and while Rhiannon thought corporate places would be better the older kids seemed to disregard her opinion on it. She supposed that was just how it was, they were in charge. She wasn't particularly fond of it, but oh well. Might as well listen, they probably know what they were doing. They had to be older and leaders for a reason. Doing this kind of thing even before she came here.

Sure she looked a little like a raggamuffin, but that was normal. They all happened to look a little raggedy, considering where they lived, or didn't live. They entered one or two at a time, going to whatever section they were supposed to in order to grab the things they needed. A loud noise sparked the initiative, their signal to run. Grabbing what they could and heading out the door. Rhiannon wasn't slow, she was nowhere near the last one out, but luck wasn’t with her that day, as she turned to look and make sure the rest of the got out, she saw it. A gun as the man fired from his hip at the group of children. Fire burned her cheek, and a scream escaped her lips as she crumbled to the ground. The pain was so much she couldn't think, she simply sobbed and yelled, some of her words formed begs and please for her mother and father. Opening her eyes she tried to see through the tears and reached out for her friends. They came closer and grabbed the things she dropped as they ran away.

Her face hurt, where were they? Her friends? Her family? Where was anyone? The sound of cursing and a dark shadow brought her attention back to someone looming over her. She looked at the gun, not the person, down it's barrel as it was pointed directly at her head. She was too terrified, she wanted her mommy, her daddy. It hurt, she was hungry, she was scared and crying. The weapon turned and the man drew his arm back to strike her as hard as he could with the rifles butt. She couldn't tear her eyes away, even to flinch, even to try and block. Nothing. Another shadow crosses her vision, because that’s all they were. She couldn't see the faces, couldn't figure anything out about them. In a moment Rhiannon was staring at the open sky, the stars above her head. Her little heart pounded in her chest, and the feeling of pain on her face leaving her without a though. She couldn't turn to look at what happened, where anyone was. She couldn't do anything but sit there frozen in fear.

Someone with long black hair bend down and picked the small girl up setting her on her feet. Soft gentle words, with conviction and command came to the woman's lips. “Run away.” Then a gentle push in the right direction send Rhiannon stumbling, walking at first then running. Full tilt she ran and ran not sure where she was going or why, just that she wanted far far away from what hurt her. Her lungs burned, she could still feel the warm blood dripping down her face from the wound, and it made her want to run fast. To try and out run the pain, run farther, farther. Until she was lost.

The ground was familiar to her by now, but this wasn't cold hard city streets, or sidewalks. It was the cool soft ground. Rhiannon's heart thumped hard in her chest, she was already panicked, but a new kind of fear spreed over her. Lost, alone. Where was she? She should stay still so people could find her. That's what her daddy told her to do, but no one was ever going to find her. She was all alone. She cried and cried, sobbing into her messy clothes. Dirt got into her wound, and it hurt more. That gritty feeling in her flesh. The sound of rushing water seemed to be the only real thing to her. She walked toward it, wanting to find it before she was eaten, or shot again. On the ground, almost shining in the low light of the stars and moon she saw something. A gray and red fox. Red with blood, she couldn't help but move a little closer as it's little whimpers sounded so scared and hurt. She knelt down next to the fox, and tried to see if it was okay. She picked him up gently as she could carrying him with her to the river. His soft fur made her feel more comfortable, less alone.

At the river she washed her face, and the little gray fox turned out to be a little white fox. She washed them both, trying to focus on something other than the pain in her face. Then she took him and cuddled close to him in the shadow of a split trunk tree. The only reasons she sleep was from blood loss and exhaustion. She was still scared, and it was not a restful sleep. But she couldn't keep her eyes open a moment longer.

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Rhiannon was in the war room, walking circles around the maps she had spread across the table. A stack of papers sat on the desk off to the side, how she hated it. Monsters fighting each other daily for petty reasons, same with the demigods and legacies that seemed to have joined. Fought each other. It was a pain, and she had to deal with it and hand everything down the line of command. With a stick she moved and nudged the pieces on the board, representing the different formations she, Nick, and Simons could remember. Her eyes scanned the board, If Jolly was smart she'd set them up letting the natural wall act as a defense so she'd only have to block from two sides. Fifth cohort had a new centurion, so she had no idea's on what Redpath would be doing. She hated unpredictable variables. Rogers would most likely not stay with his group, as he never really did. He'd find and block for the people he supposedly cared for. The thought of him brought back unpleasant memories. An iris message Simons had the misfortune of hearing. Along with her explosive anger that nearly had her tumbling off the roof of the highest tower in Mount Orthys. Trying to end the stupid mirage that hung over the edge of the tower. Josh...no Rogers, telling his lies again. Calling her in a friendly way, as he always had. Always lies. Mortals and immortals alike, all liars.

A knock came to the door as she was doubled over trying to regain her composure. With a sharp breath she was back. Her cold calculating self, the mask of calmness she had learned to put up and keep up at all times. She had tried before in Camp Jupiter, though without as much dedication to it.

“Enter.”

A dracanae opened the door and half slithered half walked into the room, with a small salute it was back to standing at attention. Rhiannon noted the fact it seemed to keep far away from her, and didn't fully enter the room. It was ready to make an escape in case it's new came upon unhappy ears.

“Missss. Rhiannon. Jassson Kyoto has esscaped.”

If Rhiannon hadn't already been standing at her full height, all five foot four inches of terror, then you might notice her muscles tighten at the words.

“The guards on duty, I'll see them in the training yard. They have Fifteen minutes.”

With that the dracanae was out of the room much faster than it came in, closing the door behind her. It would take Rhiannon maybe ten minutes to walk to the field, less time if she hustled. For now? She used a strength spell and threw the table against the stone wall splintering it as she stomped on the pieces left. First That felicity broke into the halls and stole Stone from his cell. That idiot Simons let them both escape and she dealt with that in a very civil way she thought. This was the second occurrence, and she wasn't about to let it go as easily.

Looking at the mess she made she started cleaning up a bit, the table she left off to the side broken and the figures she put on the desk with the paper. She rolled up the maps putting them back in their case before leaving. More paperwork she made for herself.

Two rambunctious looking demi-gods were waiting for her, though she was sure she had four on at a time for the dungeons. She asked where the other ones where, something about being out sick or something. She'd deal with them later, running until you couldn't breath was a great way to deal with a cold. She gave them a series of drills to go through, and for eight hours that's what they did. Rhiannon also did them, every drill as often as they did. No food or water, and she wouldn't allow them to sleep or pass out. It was a lot like how she trained Josh just before he left for the quest, to make sure he didn't get himself hurt. That worked so very well. She wasn't using her smells to move earth against them though. Wasn't trying to shoot off fire balls, no this was only strength and endurance. When she was certain they had nothing left in them she let them go. Sweaty and beaten they lay on the cool grass. The sun still shone over head, but on the other side of the sky. She'd have their reports on what happened tomorrow, for now she had better clean up that war room before Saturn came back and saw the shambles.

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Failure. She supposed the word shouldn't be anything new to her, or surprising. That's really all her existence was anyway, and right now she was failing miserably at killing her emotion. How did Prometheus do it? She talked to him about it before, how emotions were so counter productive to wise decisions. She looked at the cloth ring on her finger, wore and nearly torn in half from how often she took it off, threw it away, and put it back on. Tying it over and over again on her finger was difficult. Putting her fingers on it she was about to take it off again, but frowned. She couldn't. She cared. In her heart she felt married to him still. With a growl she ripped the ring off her finger, taking a few layers of skin with it around her knuckle. Clenching her injured fist she shook trying to force away the emotions. Trying so hard, when the voice in her mind threatened at the door. Whispers growing louder as she sat down on her bed roughly. Rocking back and forth she held her head, thinking more and more on the voice, lending it power instead of ignoring it.

Eventually it began to subside, and Rhiannon relaxed her body. Tired, her hands numb from squeezing so hard. Her eyes caught her throwing knife, and she eyed the dark board on the wall. Five in all sticking out in the shape of a smiley face. She pulled them out, one between each of her fingers and gradually began to throw them. A dull thud as the first one fell. She twitched her nose. That was annoying. She threw another, and it didn't stick in the board. Looking at the next one she spun it around, pricking her finger. They could feel again. Pinching at it she saw the blood oozing out. It calmed her a little. Looking again at the knife she placed it against her skin. Drawing a small line across her skin, letting the blood ooze up through the break in her skin. She sat and leaned back on her headboard, simply looking at the bright droplets of red on her skin.

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(( Wrote this for Valentines day, moving here ))

The night was deep and dark on the mountain, a heater keeping Rhiannon's chilly stone room at a livable temperature. The light that shone over her books and papers was a oil lantern. Propane heater and oil lamp, she was living the high life here. She liked the burning smell better any way, liked to watch the fire dance when she was too tired to think or read. She'd do anything she could to keep herself busy, to not think. To not have time to feel. Glancing at the clock it had turned over the day, it really was Valentines day. Febuary 14th, this would have been her first Valentines day with a boyfriend, with a husband. Instead she was here. Looking at the cloth ring still tied to her finger she slipped it off, untangled the knot and took a small knife to her shirt. She cut an equal length piece from her own shirt. She wondered if she could even remember how to do this. Celtic things had a special place in her heart. The stories, the design, perhaps it was because of her name. An old Celtic goddess. Even her rune stones were written in ancient Celtic.

Her fingers worked before she could even finish her thoughts. It was smaller than she was used to working with, she hadn't even planned to do this. It was so stupid. Hadn't he broken her heart? Hadn't he left her with the praetors and their friend? She bit into her bottom lip, not hard enough to bleed. Not yet, but it kept the tears back. She wouldn't cry over him again. Not someone who broke all of the promises they ever made, not someone who never cared. So what was she doing this? She stared at the cloth pieces, weaved together in an ancient Celtic knot, a wedding knot. It was supposed to be two people doing this. Not her by herself. She grit her teeth and put it to the side. The old pale cloth and the vibrant cloth shone against eachother, complementing eachother. The soft thump of a book hitting the table echoed in her room. She leaned on her elbow, turned away from the knot, and began to read about some strange occurrences in Eerie Indiana.

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Baby bump progression, and why no one noticed before

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Her mind was falling again, the voice grew stronger again. She had only recently returned to camp, at least it seemed to be recent. Compared to the long drawn out time she lived in Orthys. Josh was gone, taken, and she had been at fault. It was always her fault. Her house in the mountains, she didn't think anyone would make a trap there. She lived with her mom and dad without any monster attacks. She never worried about monsters growing up, only humans. Wasn't it still the same? Still humans.

"Perhaps if Saturn won the humans would learn thier place" cooed a vile voice in her ear.

"Shut up. They aren't..... They're not all bad." Rhiannon stammered out, a broken resolve in her reply.

"They kill eachother for nothing. They relish stealing from others. Even Josh..."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" she screamed loudly, then clenched her teeth hoping no one heard her. It was mid-day. She hoped everyone was gone from her house. That the neighbors were out.

"They already know you're crazy. They are too. Humans after all."

"Just being human doesn't make you crazy."

"Doesn't it? Murderer."

"Animals kill too."

"For food. For safety. To live. Humans do it for fun."

"So do dolphins."

"Is that validation? Do you feel better murderer? Thief. Traitor."

"Stop.... just... just leave me alone."

"Never. I'm here to stay, I just tell you the truth, don't you like that? Better than the liars. Mercury..."

"I trust him."

"Trust? You don't really trust anyone"

"I do... Josh. Mercury. I trust they.... care."

"But you know they don't"

"THEY DO!"

"No one can care about you. Its just pity, and you know it."

"No..."

She sank to the floor holding her head, trying to will the voice away. She could only do it at Orthys when she bleed. She promised though, promised Josh to never do that again. Her hands dropped to her legs as tears fell softly down her face. She stayed that way, staring at nothing. Her eyes seemingly hallow, and dead inside.

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Rhiannon couldn't believe it. Not only was this tiny little alien wrinkly and fragile, it has her head of hair. Curly beyond belief. It looked like a little afro on his head, so thick, so fluffy. She got to hold him, bond a little with him before they let the anxious father hold his new born boy. Both parents reluctant to let the tiny human leave the room, but it was necessary. Arthur was put in the hospital nursery, and Rhiannon was supposed to get some rest from the operation. She wanted to be awake for it at least, though they put up a curtain so she couldn't see. Probably for the best really. She was a mom. This little alien was her little alien. Her and Josh's.

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It had been a long time since she stepped onto temple grounds, still not sure she wanted to step into a temple quite yet. She left Arthur with one of many babysitters she now had. Charlie would dress him up in funny costumes, Mercury probably fed him a lot. Josh was his father and did everything to dote on him, and Ed was the staple. He cared, and he knew the routine pretty well from living at the house. Leaving or staying in, she didn't care what he did. Just didn't want him to let himself get beat up over that stupid traitor business. Nor did she want him to think their family was going to break apart. If it did, then that might be it. The final straw, when they would break. Some day they weren't going to come back from all this pain, and suffering.

Looking around a minute to make sure no one was around, she knelt on the ground, sitting back on her heels. "Lords and Ladies. I'm here to apologize. I don't deserve forgiveness, but I'm sorry. Sorry I tried to over throw you, get you hurt, because I hated humans. The things they did to people. I never hated you, I shouldn't have helped to bring back your enemy." she bowed her head, never one to really see the gods as something unreachable she figured someone would smite her where she sat. That's why she left Arthur. She didn't want him to get hurt. But a little time passed, and nothing happened. Hopefully they heard her. She hadn't said anyone's name specifically, nor had she been in anyone's temple.

Since there was still a heart beating in her chest she stood up, let her legs carry her away from there. If anyone saw her, or heard her, they were safe from her knowledge. She hoped no one did, but people could hide. People could have been in the temples. It was night, and the moon was deep and dark in the sky. Shadowed over. She hurried home, to her family.