A Crown of Golden Leaves: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Capvt XXV: On the Edge of the Ocean

Capvt XXV: On the Edge of the Ocean

A sinking feeling began in the pit of Percy's stomach as he and Jason rounded the final bend in the road, walking on foot, and looked down at the small town of Tarentum.

The ground had been scorched and upturned. Weapons had been strewn everywhere, and if Percy paid attention closely enough, he could see long, narrow white things. Bones? He was sure he didn't want to know, if the heavy, oppressive feeling in the air was something to go by.

Somehow, he knew that his people did this- Roman soldiers did this. He didn't really know how he knew that, just that he did. His pater ordered the Roman military to takeover a small trading port, and for what? More land? Roma barely traveled by sea. For his greed then? He didn't understand. Why had his pater not informed him of this? No, why didn't his pater try to form an alliance? Tarentum was small, it didn't have its own government, let alone a military. So why...

"Gods," Jason breathed, and when he turned around, his eyes were round as though he were surprised. Percy wondered if he knew about this. Probably not. "Did we do this?"

"Yeah," he said, kicking at a white rock. It crumbled to pieces, like ashes blowing into the wind. His head spun and his stomach churned. He could taste something bitter in the back of his mouth. "We did this."

He saw that the buildings were falling into the rough, unforgiving sea.

"Things will be different when you're Caesar." Jason told him quietly. Percy forced himself to smile in an effort to lighten the mood as he looked at him.

"Careful. What you're saying could be considered treason."

Jason shrugged. "It's the truth."

Percy looked back at the city. Maybe it would be different, and maybe not. He didn't know how to do anything differently from what his pater taught him, and even if he did somehow change it in his lifetime, then what about in the future? He knew human nature. Fear and greed were primary motives- mankind rarely did something that was beneficial for future generations. And even if they did do something now, some egomaniac will just come in and destroy it all.

How could he go up against something like that? Or was he just being arrogant? Ignorant? Naïve?

"Stop doubting yourself," Jason interrupted. "You'll figure something out eventually, and you don't need all the answers now."

He smiled a little more genuinely. He knew Jason was right. He'd figure it out eventually, but for now he just needed to look into the happenings of this town. Why did I think Rome was a happy place in the first place anyway? He wondered, but when he tried to think back, he couldn't remember his reasons. Maybe he had just been parroting what his pater kept telling him. It wouldn't be the first time after all.

Am I really still that naive? He wondered, but then he dismissed it quickly. Impossible. He was a twenty-year-old man, not a ten year old boy.

"I still can't understand how you like wearing scratchy peasant clothing." Jason said, suddenly changing the subject. Percy looked down at his tunic and tried not to smile at the dull brown-gray cotton. Very different from the purple silk he wore usually.

"I don't get stared at like I'm an animal on display when I wear peasant clothes." He didn't really think about his answer as he walked around his horse and pulled out his cloak.

"Sometimes," Jason began, shaking his head. "I really don't understand you."

~...~

"Two hundred denarii."