Kneel To No One
When Mars appears, the whole of the roman camp kneels before him. Yet one look at his face drives a fire through Percy's blood. This guy, he irritates him. A name pops up in his mind, Ares. Scenes flash by.
The god buys him hamburgers offering a quest.
At the beach, a fight, a duel. The god cheats. Annabeth, a faun, Grover? Even strength bows to wisdom sometimes .
The god visits him again, with a lady, his lady he calls her. She’s beautiful
And Percy cannot bow, he will not bow, it takes all his willpower to even not punch the guy in his face. Instead he stares the god in the eye, challenging him.
“It's you again. I remember you, I've seen you before,” Percy speaks through gritted teeth.
“I don't know what you're talking about kid,” A signature smirk.
“Of course you don't, you wouldn't remember being defeated by an 11 year old would you? Even strength bows to wisdom sometimes, that jog your memory old man? Hurt your pride so much you even cursed Riptide” Percy strokes his weapon, bringing it before the god.
The god opens his mouth to reply. A twisted anger grasps his face as he traces a scar across his arm. Yet before he could say anything…
“Greggus! How dare you disrespect a god, Percy Jackson. Clearly you're trying to get your probatio tablet revoke…”
Then Octavian gets cut off. The now standing argur gets forced to his knees with Ares, no Mars glaring at him, pushing him down with his divine might.
“You, who gave you the right to stand? Who gave you the right to interrupt when powerful people are speaking? Get your praetors to punish you. And you Perseus, for that curse your father has avenged you. Do not bring it up again.”
Percy smiles. That must be a sore spot for Mars. His father had avenged him, the thought makes him feel warm, happy.
Different thoughts ripple through the roman crowd. Awe at the fact that the new demigod had fought, and as basically confirmed by the god himself defeated Mars at a mere 11 years old.
Confusion, questions at how Percy was different from, more important than Octavian who was the argur, or even the praetors. Why the god had been angry at Octavian for simply defending the Gods own superiority, but not at Perseus for refusing to kneel.
And finally jealousy, jealousy that Percy's father cared for him so much that he'd avenged him. Fought a fellow god, Mars for him.
Percy stood oblivious to these thoughts, never feeling the golden power shining, pulsing at them all, making them kneel. He stands tall, and furrows his brows.
“Let's move on to more important matters, why are you here?”
“Always so serious Cousin, Mercury would be disappointed. You were always his favourite!” Mars grimaces, then turns to finally face the roman populus.
“I'm here to do two things, claim my Son and issue a prophecy, issue a quest, and yes Percy, you have to be a part of it…”
