@ruegard-week (late) Orpheus and Eurydice au
Two people died that day.
Only one actually stopped breathing
Clarisse had loved Silena.
And Silena had loved Clarisse.
Loved
Past tense of the verb love, to feel deep affection for
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Clarisse had fallen into a deep depression from Silena's death: staying in bed, barely moving
Death
The action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of an organism
Chris, Annabeth, Sherman, Mark and Ellis took turns taking care of her: making sure she ate something, drank some water, brushed her hair...
Clarisse had been sleeping on the big house, the Ares cabin couldnt handle seeing their older sister like that, it just made everything worse, the Ares cabin was slowly falling into a depression just like her.
Annabeth told her the stories Chiron used to make them read when they were read as homework which always came easy for Annabeth but always took Clarisse months to finish Annabeth knew Clarisse’s favorite stories were the violent ones: the Troyan war, the Argonauts (well, Jason's part of the Argonauts), Herakles... all of those
Obviously she ran out of violent myths eventually, so she started telling her the more calm stories (well, as calm as greek myths could get)
One night Annabeth was sitting on Clarisse's bed, brushing her hair
"Have you ever heard Orpheus and Eurydice's story?" - Annabeth asked out of the blue
"I dont think so... Chiron didnt make me read that one" - Clarisse looked down at her hands, she'd gotten thst weird habit, staring at her hands and wiping them like something was there... like blood was staining them
"Would you want me to tell you? I remember it... well... I remember the basics, not the full story, I never was a fan of love stories, so I just read them once..." - Annabeth laughed Clarisse didnt answer "'Risse?"
Clarisse didnt answer
"Clarisse"
"Huh? What?" - Clarisse answered
"Do you want me to tell you Orpheus and Eurydice's story?" - Annabeth repeated her previous question, stopping the brush on her hand while waiting for her to respond
"Yeah, whatever..." - Clarisse looked over her shoulder to Annabeth - "if you dont mind..."
"Okay! So..."
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"Im gonna do that!!" - Clarisse stated proudly
"Excuse me, HUH?"
"IM GONNA GET SILENA BACK!" - Clarisse stood up with her hands on her hips
"Clarisse what on Hades are you talking about??" - Annabeth tried to pull her back down (and failed)
"Im gonna fight my way through hell-"
"Underworld"
"To get Silena back!"
"Clarisse, you cannot do that, its a myth"
"Myths are real, you seem to forget that." - Clarisse started gearing up
"Yeah, but Orpheus didnt fight his way through 'hell', he didnt even get Eurydice without violence and being a diplomat!" - Annabeth finally stopped her - "please, Clarisse, you're like my sister... you're one of the only things I have left, you're the dearest friend I've got. And those who go... they never come back!"
Violence
Behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something; strenght of emotion or a destructive natural force
Clarisse and Annabeth locked eyes, Clarisse saw the tears she was trying to hold back
"Please, Clarisse... I beg you... I cant handle losing anyone else..."
"Its gonna be fiiiiine, Annie! I'll get her back! Im gonna fight Hades if he tries to get in our way!" - Clarisse went back to her questing gear
"NO, YOU'RE NOT." - Annabeth pulled Clarisse into a tight hug and sobbed into her shoulder - "because you're gonna die, and Im not gonna be able to handle it, I cant take it, please... "
"Annabeth."
Annabeth sobbed harder, leaving her throat raw
"Please, Clarisse! PLEASE"
"Annabeth, dont worry, I'll be fine. And when Im back so will Silena. Im gonna get a quest!"
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"You are not gonna get a quest." - Chiron declared - "you are not in a proper mental place to do so, Clarisse"
"Proper mental place my ass! I am perfectly capable of taking a quest!" - Clarisse smacked the table
"What do you even want a quest for, Carrie? - mr. D took a sip of his diet coke and burst out laughing
"ITS CLARISSE. CLARISSE LA RUE, DRAKON SLAYER, DAUGHTER OF ARES, YIELDER OF MAIMER, HEIR OF WAR."
"Whatever, Carmen, you still havent answered my question" - he opened another can of diet coke
"Mr. D's right, what do you want a quest for, child?" - Chiron held her hand - "you've already brought glory to your father, and camp is safe"
'But she isnt' Clarisse thought and 'she'll never be anymore'
Never
At no time in the past or future; not at all
"I just want to make sure there's no threat around camp." - Clarisse lied, trying to sound convincing - "considering the war just ended our battle force is weakened and most of our healers are..." - Clarisse took a deep breath, she couldnt handle saying it - "we cant take any chances, Chiron."
"Clarisse, I apreciate your concerns, we'll look into it, still, I dont think you're in a good place mentally to get one, and you're not in a good place mentally to worry and deal with this, yes, my dear?" - Chiron squeezed her hand and sent her to the room she was staying in upstairs
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Clarisse hadnt been able to sleep in a while, she spent the nights overthinking.
She hadnt told anyone either, she knew they wouldnt care. They'd give her some medication and forget about it.
She wasnt important for anything but fighting, she'd said it herself "heir of war". It didnt matter, it wasnt a big deal, losing some night's sleep wasnt a big deal, Silena would've said something against it, but she couldnt say anything anymore. Because she wasnt alive.
Alive
(Of a person, animal, or plant) living, not dead; alert and active, animated
She had to go on that quest whether she had permission or not.
She had to bring Silena back.
Even if the gods didnt permit that.
Even if the gods didnt like that.
Even if the gods were angered because of that.
Even if the gods hated them for that.
Even if she was dishonored for that.
Even if Ares disowned her for that.
She had to bring her back.
Didnt matter what it took.
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So that night she started packing: a jacket, some daggers, a pocket knife, a speaker, some CD's, a few hairties and her water bottle, obviously she couldnt forget maimer but she kept it in her belt so she could have it close enough to grab it quickly in case of a monster in her way, even though they probably wouldnt regenerate in a while, Clarisse always liked to be prepared, she enjoyed the thrill of battle, the adrenaline of not being ready, but she knew that wouldnt be smart. She had to bring Silena back, and to do so she had to think everything through, even if that wasnt her cup of tea.
And so she left camp, obviously she left Annabeth a note, she wasnt heartless. Atleast not completely
Heartless
Displaying a complete lack of feeling or consideration
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When she passed the border she saw the fleece she brought to camp some years ago, she remembered how Silena acted when she came back, taking care of her, always staying close, showing affection constantly, it was nice.
That's why she had to bring Silena back.
She thought about Annabeth, she was cruel... she knew Annabeth couldnt handle to lose anyone else, she knew Annabeth thought nobody loved her enough to stay...
Cruel
Witfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no concern about it; spoil or ruin
No, she had to stop thinking about Annabeth.
That was just distracting herself from what mattered... Silena Clarisse remembered something, there was a small little problem... how was she going to get it?
Orpheus got in by singing and playing is stupid lyre.
Another small little problem, she didnt have a stupid lyre, and she couldnt sing.
She was gonna fight her way through hell... If that was possible
She would fight the whole Olympian council for Silena Beauregard.
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It took Clarisse six straight hours to get close to the gates, Clarisse knew there were multiple entrances to the Underworld, one in L.A, one in Central Park... she went to the closest one, it was dangerous to go into the Underworld alone.
You forget yourself, you forget who you are, what you are, what you want. Because down there you're nothing, you dont have a name, you dont have a purpose, you dont have a dream, you dont have a choice. Not until you get to your destination: Tartarus, the fields of Asphodel or Elysium.
Destination
The place to which someone or something is going or being sent
Clarisse was taught the circle of life by her half-siblings when she got to camp: your mother births you, you fight for honor, you get honor, you fight for glory, you get glory, you stop being useful and you then die. The end. It was easy to understand, really. Clarisse thought she already finished the circle
"And how do I open this now?" - Clarisse sat on the floor and started looking through her bag when she saw the speaker and the CDS - "bingo..."
She turned it on, looking around to make sure no mortals were around (because, it would be weird for them to see a teenager playing music to a wall)
"Open sesame"
Clarisse sat on the floor for about thirty minutes, waiting for the stupid entrance to open when she heard the door stirring
"Wait, it actually worked?" - Clarisse stood up and turned off the speaker - "I mean... of course it worked, it was my idea and Im the best"
She picked up her bag from the floor and walked inside, seeing a bunch of stairs which made her groan and roll her eyes, she was used to stairs since she was staying in the Big House (and all the rooms were on the second floor), but they were still a big pain, atleast the ones here were downstairs...
So she took a deep breath, made a quick prayer to whoever was the god of stairs and started descending
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Clarisse was pretty sure she'd been walking for hours, but time didnt exist in the Underworld, so maybe it'd only been some minutes, yet she'd almost finished her water, and it looked like she still had quite some stairs left
Time
The indefinite continued progress of existente and events in the past, present and future regarded as a whole
And by that I mean she had only walked about a third of the way It looked like the stairs were constantly getting longer, like every time she took a step five more stairs appeared or maybe it was just her mind playing tricks
And suddenly she fell, face first into the floor She was finally in the Underworld... She was finally gonna get Silena back...
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Clarisse started walking around
"HEY, HADES? PERSEPHONE? I NEED A FAVOUR!" - she yelled, and then softer, she whispered - "Silena?"
She felt a hand on her shoulder, which made her pull out her spear It was a woman, she looked deathly pale, her hair was dark and long, she was wearing a complicated black, silk robe and her eyes looked washed out, she was gorgeous, but not as gorgeous as her Silena, nobody was as gorgeous as her Silena
"What are you doing." - the woman's voice was gentle, but somehow intimidating
"Who are you?" - Clarisse felt herself tremble, the woman's hand was still on her shoulder
"I am Persephone your lady of the underground" - that name sent a shiver down Clarisse's spine, she didnt expect her to appear - "you called me. Now, what do you need, demigod? I dont usually show up when Im called, so make it quick, dont waste my time, sweetheart"
"I want Silena Beauregard back." - Clarisse said, putting her spear back - "please..?" - Clarisse had always hated that word... she'd said it so many times before, but she didnt use it anymore, when was the last time she did? She couldnt remember anymore, the only thing she remembered is being new at camp and her half-siblings explaining that word was for the weak
"Oh, no, no, no, no, darling, her soul's already been reaped, her life's thread has already been cut" - Persephone booped Clarisse's nose - "but... I've seen how much you love her, and I've seen you fight, demigod."
Soul
The spiritual or immaterial part or a human being or animal, regarded as immortal
"You have?"
"Well, I've watched everyone fight... but I've taken a liking to you and your girlfriend." - Girlfriend that word made Clarisse blush, she didnt ask Silena to be her girlfriend, she was going to do it after the war ended, but then all of that happened... and.. that was why she had to bring her back. - "step into my office... come on, poor girl..."
"My name is Clarisse La Rue"
"No, demigod, down here, you dont have one." - Persephone started walking towards her office and Clarisse followed behind her, walking fast to catch up
"What?" - Clarisse finally caught up to the queen
"Down here, you dont have a name, demigod. You dont have an identity" - Persephone opened the door to her office - "step inside."
"Yes, ma'a-" - Persephone flickered her wrist and a chair moved in front of her - "Do I sit there?"
Clarisse looked to the queen and she nodded, so she sat down in the chair, which moved to be in front of the black wood desk Persephone sat on the other side of the desk so they could look at eachother face to face
"So, demigod, you wish to bring your girlfriend back?"
"Yes, ma'am"
"I cant do it." - she smiled warmly, something that made Clarisse feel safe - "but I'll try to convince my husband, yes, demigod?" - Clarisse nodded at that - "you will stay here until I get an answer."
"Yes, ma'am" Persephone stood up and left the room
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It had been few minutes later (which Clarisse had spent pacing around the room, looking at the time, playing with her dagger and drinking the little water she had left) when the door opened and a tall, pale man with hair long hair walked in
Clarisse sat back down on the chair when she heard the door rattle though, so he saw her sat down
"Hello, demigod" - his voice was deep, and behind him was Persephone, she had her hair up in a bun now, she could see the earrings the queen was wearing, they looked like pomegranates, but they were a soft gold color
"Hello... Hades?" - Clarisse wasnt sure if that was Hades, he wasnt as much of a bit deal, he was dissapointing in a way, not so scary
"Yes, that is indeed me, demigod, my lover has told me you want your partner back from death?"
"Yes, sir." - she sat up straighter
"Well, let me tell you, demigod. Death is eternal. But, I am up to make a deal"
"A deal?" - Clarisse had heard stories about 'dont make deals with the devil!' Like that weird actress her mom liked, what was her name again? Beryl Grace? Well, there was a rumor that she made a deal with the devil and it took both her children and later on, her, but she knew that was bullshit, the devil wasnt real, and Hades was definetely not the devil, so she was safe to make a deal with him - "tell me."
"You know Orpheus' story, I believe?" - Hades asked
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, demigod. So let me offer you a deal, but first, do you trust yourself, demigod?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you trust the so-called Silena Beauregard?"
"I do, sir"
Trust
Firm belief in reliability, truth, or hability of someone or something
"Okay, then, my offer is, you may not use your weapon until you get to your camp. Or Silena will come back to my realm, you must trust her enough to let her protect you, demigod. Once you get there, she will stay with you, demigod, but you musnt tell her the details of our deal. So, what is your decision?" - Hades offered her his hand
"Yes, sir, I agree." - Clarisse closed her eyes and shook his hand, he was cold, like a corpse, she knew how a corpse felt because she held one, Silena's. And sudenly Silena was next to her, and she was out of the office
"Silena..?"
"Clarisse? What are you doing here? Are you dead? What am I doing here? I was in Elysium when- what did you do." - Silena stared at her, her eyes had light again
"Uhm... one question at a time, please?" - Clarisse tried to joke
"Clarisse La Rue, answer my questions."
"Im sorry, Im sorry... uhm, well, I am not dead. And neither are you anymore because I made a deal with Hades, you know Orpheus..?"
"YOU DID WHAT?" - Silena shook her shoulders - "ARE YOU CRAZY?"
"'Lena, please, it'll be fine, we just have to get to camp!" - she held Silena's hands in hers
"Stupid Ares girl..." - Silena hugged her
"Im pretty sure that's my line" - Clarisse laughed
Silena pulled back and gasped, trying to hold back her smile
"CLARISSE LA RUE, YOU DID NOT." Clarisse took Silena's hand
"Come on! We have to get to camp before dinner!"
Silena rolled her eyes
"Lead the way"
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Clarisse loved walking with Silena, they spent the time talking, Silena told her how dying felt, how Elysium was like, how Luke was there, how she had spent time with Charlie, and he told her how he died
"That is... gruesome..."
"Clarisse, my face melted into your helmet. Im pretty sure there's burnt skin in there..." - Silena squinted her eyes - "and you think that's gruesome?"
"Both deaths can be gruesome!" - Clarisse protested
Gruesome
Causing repulsion or horror; grisly
"Yeah, I was joking, 'Risse..." - Silena tightened her grip on Clarisse's hand - "Im surprised we've encountered no monsters..."
"Im pretty sure its 'cause of the war, you know? Lots of monsters revived so I guess they need some time to form again completely" - Clarisse shrugged - "but isnt that better?"
"Yeah, its just... suspicious, you know? We're used to monsters always following us around... remember the first quest we went on together?" - Silena laughed
"Oh my gods. No, dont remind me!"
"It was like all monsters took a day off just to follow us!"
"Maybe they did, we're just that amazing" - Clarisse pinched Silena's wrist
"HEY!"
They looked at eachother, quiet for a second, and then they started laughing like kids
"You're so stupid" - Silena giggled - "still, we are that amazing."
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After two hours of walking (and a stop on a gas station to buy some snacks) they found their first monster, a cyclops.
Easy to beat, right?
Except because of the fact that Clarisse cant use her weapons.
Wohoo, isnt she just the luckiest?
How was she gonna not use her weapons without looking like a godsdam coward?
But the thing is she was a coward...
She knew that.
Coward
A person who is contemptibly lacking in the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things
"CLARISSE, STEP OUT OF THE WAY-"
Silena's voice took her off the trance and then she felt something warm trickle down, and her knee failed, she fell down to the floor
And she saw Silena cut the cyclops' head off
"Clarisse, are you okay?" - Silena asked, wiping mosnter dust off herself
She looked...
She looked amazing
"A-are you okay? You're the one who killed the monster!"
"Im fine, 'Risse, now, stand up, we gotta continue, get to camp before dinner, remember?"
"You using my own words agaisnt me?" - Clarisse stood up and walked up with Silena who was playing with her pink dagger before she put it back into her belt
"Maybe I am, what'cha gonna do about it, 'Risse?" - Silena stepped closer to her, teasing - "what'cha gonna doooo~"
"Shut up, 'Lena.." - she pushed Silena's shoulder playfully
"You shut up" - Silena pushed Clarisse's shoulder
And sudenly they both kept quiet, just looking at eachother's eyes
And then Silena moved closer
And closer
And their mouths touched
"Holy Aphrodite-! Im so sorry, Clarisse- I dont know what came over me" - Silena pulled away and turned around, giving Clarisse her back - "gods, Im such an idiot..."
"No, you arent.." - Clarisse reached out but stopped herself before touching her best friend - "its fine, Silena, I... I may have wanted that too..."
"What are you implying?" - Silena tilted her head and smiled
"For some reason, I think you know"
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The way was, well... lets say... awkward
They couldnt talk to eachother.
They just sneaked in glances and blushed
"I think its weird there's no monsters... like they wanna make an ambush or something" - Clarisse brought up out of the blue
"Clarisse, dont be so negative"
"Im not being negative, Im being realistic."
"And being realistic for a demigod is the same thing as being negative"
Negative
consisting in or characterized by the absence rather than the presence of distinguishing features; (of a person, attitude, or situation) not desirable or optimistic.
Clarisse took her water bottle from her bag and took a sip
"Dont ignore me, Clarisse" - Silena said, waving her hand on Clarisse's face
"I am not ignoring you. Im drinking water"
"Same thing" - she crossed her arms
"It is NOT the same" - Clarisse threw her bottle to Silena which made her yelp
"You. Did. Not"
"I d-"
Silena threw herself onto Clarisse
"You're so stupid!!" - Silena said while giggling like a child
"No, you're so stupid"
Silena saw the bushes move and pushed Clarisse away
A group of monsters came out, more than one type
And then
The Ismenian Drakon.
Her father's son.
Her half-brother.
Clarisse couldnt handle losing Silena again
She couldnt handle losing Silena to a drakon again.
She couldnt handle losing Silena to that drakon
She knew Silena would not be able to kill the drakon.
Since the girl was frozen in panic, she'd seen it before in demigods, "a common trauma reaction" Will had told her
So she could only see red.
So she picked up her spear.
The one covered in blood.
The one covered in Silena's bloody fingerprints.
The one covered in her father's grace.
And she didnt think about the deal.
She only thought about having that thing dead
She had to.
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Clarisse looked down at her dripping, sanguinary, burnt hands, her veins were green, filled with drakon venom
"Silena..." - Clarisse whispered, like she was praying to every god she still believed in for the girl to not leave her again - "Im a monster, Silena..."
"Im here, Clarisse... you're not a monster, you saved me... its fine..." - Silena kneeled down to hold her - "shh... its okay to cry, Im not going to leave you..."
Clarisse felt the tears staining her face, she'd sacrificed it all for this blue-eyed girl, and she'd lose it...
"My Clarisse... its going to be okay..."
But it wasnt going to be okay, Silena would die again.
Just like Hades said, "she'll come back to my realm", and it would be her fault again.
Maybe it was just her fate, you know?
To die because of her?
And she'll never know it was because of her...
She'll think it was just a coincidence
"Silena, Im so sorry..."
Clarisse saw a snake aproaching to Silena.
Her Silena.
And before she could kill it, it bit Silena's ankle, poison.
Silena'd die because of fucking poison again.
"What was- oh my gods-" - Silena touched her ankle and felt the burning sting, she smiled, she knew what it meant, she might've been a daughter of Aphrodite but she was smart, and she knew myths, so she embraced Clarisse - "I love you, yeah? Remember it... remember me... remember us..."
Silena held Clarisse's hand and gave it a soft kiss
"Silena..."
"Clarisse..."
"Goodbye..."
"I'll see you, my Clarisse..."
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