Sorry for not updating for so long! It felt awful leaving you fans (if I have any) alone.
This is the final installment of Children of Lightning. It will be about Jason meeting Juno for the first time, and is based on the comment in the previous chapter. Initially, I was going to the battle in the Wolf House in Thalia's point of view, but Jason's point of view wouldn't leave me. So, voila! Here this is.
This is dedicated to SummerSpirit18, my number one reviewer.
Jason sighed in his bunk in the Fifth Cohort and rolled over. He was now eight years old, and had spent five years in the legion- longer than most of the teenagers who were twice his age. He was an excellent fighter, especially for one his age, and when he had been claimed by Jupiter the year before, he had been delighted. Of course, he knew who his father was, but it felt good for Jupiter to acknowledge him. He followed all the rules, had all the procedures memorized, and could speak Latin fluently.
In short, he was the perfect Roman soldier.
Still, he was tense; worried about something that no one was sure when it would come. And knowing the goddess' nature, it was only a matter of time before it happened. Even some of the legionnaires had commented on it, teasing him, wondering aloud when the calamity would happen.
Juno, his father's wife, would strike against her husband's illegitimate child.
Of course, Jason didn't blame her. Even at his young age, he understood his father's sin. And he also knew that it wasn't Jupiter's first time with Jason's mother. He pulled a photograph out of his pocket, a well-worn piece of paper that he always kept with him, folded and unfolded many times. A girl, about eleven years old, stared up back at him.
Thalia Grace, his sister. Now, most of his fellow legionnaires laughed at him for carrying this picture. They said that, in his search for family as a young boy, he had picked up a photo of a random girl and claimed it as his sister. But he was absolutely sure of it.
He even had memories of her, and much more faded memories of their mother. The older woman screaming at him, while blood trickled down from his lip; his mother passed out on the floor, a bottle in her hand- he had no positive memories of his mother.
Jason sighed and walked to his father's temple. He had never met him, apart from some barely-there memories of his father speaking Latin to him. For all intents and purposes, he had never had a true family- if he was asked to draw a picture of his family; he would draw his weapons, and Thalia. That was it.
When he got to the temple, lightning was crackling over it, and Jason groaned. Not that he hated lightning- he was a natural with it, in fact- but that meant that Octavian was inside. The pompous auger was two years older than him and had just joined- and spent more time in his Jupiter's temple than Jason did.
He was used to having this place as a private area, maybe because he felt closer to his father. But since Octavian had started doing auguries there, it had felt like the space had been invaded, and Jason seldom went there anymore. Who would?
But Jason was confident that at least his father favored him over the bratty augur. He threw the doors open with his seven-year-old hands, already calloused from years of training.
"Out, Octavian!" He shouted, hoping to inject some sort of confidence and authority into his voice.
"I'm offended that you would confuse me for that fool of an augur." Jason froze. It was not Octavian's nasal voice that he heard- it was a woman's voice, filled with authority. He turned slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements- he had no idea who this mysterious woman was.
She was tall, pale, and dark-haired. She held a staff in her hand, and a light crown was woven into her hair. A goatskin cloak was draped over her shoulders. Jason recognized her instantly, and his heart filled with fear.
"Lady Juno!" He gasped, and fell to his knees. He trembled slightly, waiting for a killing blow.
"Rise, my champion," Juno chuckled. "It is so refreshing to see a child of Jupiter giving respect to me. You are much better than your sister in this aspect, I assure you. Thalia... ah, she is so much like her father."
"She's real," Jason breathed. A rush of warmth flooded through him.
"Of course. But I am here to talk to you.
"Why me?" Jason said boldly. "Are you here to kill me? If you are, don't do it in a round-about way. Just fry me to ashes."
Juno laughed again. "I will not kill you, Jason Grace. After all, you are my champion, and I am your patron."
"What do you mean?" Jason was intrigued. Did this mean that Juno, the scourge of all children of Jupiter, actually liked him?
"Your father gave your service to me as a child to placate me for his unfaithfulness. He would have chosen Thalia, but I wanted you. You are a faithful Roman, and I knew he favored her more, though you are his son."
Jason felt a rush of pride in his abilities take over. "Thanks," he murmured.
"I come bearing a gift, as I do not have much time," she continued. She opened his palm and pressed a coin in his hand, a gold piece with Julius Caesar on one side and a battle-axe on the other. The inscription under the face read "Julius" in Latin- the "i" instead of a "j" and a "v" instead of a "u". He turned it over in his palm.
"Flip it," she commanded, and he did as he was told. As he caught it, a sword appeared in his hand, well-balanced, and pure imperial gold. He stared at it in awe- though it was slightly too heavy for him to carry, he could wield it.
"When it lands on tails, it will turn into a lance," Juno added, "and to turn it back into a coin, flip either weapon." Jason nodded in comprehension. "Use this weapon wisely." She smiled slightly at him, the corners of her mouth tilting up.
And then she disappeared.
Jason walked out of the temple, gazing at his newfound weapon. He had not been killed by a vengeful wife, as he had predicted. He had been blessed, and had been given a favor. He had been assured of the reality of his family. He was elated.
"Hey Sparky," Dakota, using his old nickname called out. "What's with the new sword?" "It was a gift!" Jason shouted back. "From who?" Dakota took a swig from his Kool-Aid.
"From Juno!" Jason grinned. Dakota dropped his canister of the red, sweet, liquid. "You're joking," he said. "But I thought Juno hated all sons of Jupiter."
"She said she was my patron, and that my father gave me to her when I was a baby," Jason explained. "What do you think it means?"
"Nothing good," Dakota shook his head. "That probably means you have some big destiny in the future. I'd be careful if I were you."
Jason wasn't listening. But he kept the sword with him almost everywhere, as a sign of Juno's favor. He knows how unique his situation is.
Years later, when he breaks his sword, he gets a new one, also from Juno. And he remembers Dakota's words. His destiny is around the corner, with his friends and his family.
And so ends my first multi-chaptered fanfiction. I hoped that those who followed it had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I am always open to critique, so please send me some, and I will reply.
For those reading SPQR, I will be posting a new chapter soon; maybe even two in one go. I haven't had much time to work with it.
Thanks for reading!
-PhoenixCycle