towards the West
Alice
The morning was hectic. Alice had already started packing the night before, but there was still a lot to prepare.
To be honest, Alice was nervous. She hadn't been on a quest for a long time. As a Praetor, she was used to responsibility. But most missions were just standard assignments.
This quest was not a standard assignment. The god Apollo came to Camp Jupiter in person. Visits from deities were very rare. Some demi-gods never meet a god in their entire lives.
For Alice, this was the second time. The first time was when she met her mother.
Her life had not always been easy. She didn't like talking about her past. The only person she had ever spoken to about it was Frank. He was Alice's best friend. And if she was completely honest, Frank was her only friend.
Alice had never been good at adapting to new surroundings. She never knew what to do or say when she met people.
That was probably one of the reasons why she felt so comfortable in the Legion. As a soldier, it was clear how to behave.
Alice had worked hard to rise to the rank of praetor. Frank had been able to understand that.
Alice had no idea how she had managed to make friends with Frank, but she was very grateful. However, it only made it harder to leave the camp and Frank. Alice had had some concerns at first about leaving Frank all alone with the Legion. But he had reassured her that it was all right.
So after a hectic morning of organisation, packing and meetings, Alice finally crossed the camp border. At least she got on well with her companions. Dorcas Meadowes is a strong centurion and something about her reminded Alice of herself. Barty was a different story. Although he was a troublemaker, he always stood up for his friends. It was a quality Alice could admire.
Their group moved through the forest, heading west. Alice hadn't left the camp for a long time. She tried to soak up as much of her surroundings as possible. After a while, Barty stopped.
‘What exactly are we doing here? Do we even know where we're going?’
Now Dorcas turned to her as well. Alice could see that she was asking herself the same question. She sighed.
‘Praetor Longbottom and I have questioned Augur Snape. He was able to reveal more details of the mission, though we can't be sure.’
Barty looked at her in confusion. But it was Dorcas who began to speak.
‘And what details would that be? We have a right to know what we've got ourselves into.’
Alice looked down at her feet. She couldn't tell them everything. That would only complicate things. She remembered what Frank had told her when they had discussed the situation. Just the bare minimum.
‘We're heading west. The Augur received strong mythic vibrations from that direction. We've also been prophesied that this mission will be significant for the future alliances of Camp Jupiter. It can therefore be assumed that we could also meet new comrades-in-arms. But the auguries didn't say anything more specific.’
When Alice had finished speaking, Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief. She had a smile on her face. Barty, on the other hand, had narrowed his eyes. He didn't seem convinced. Alice left him no choice to ask more questions, as she was already beginning to march on. She knew, however, that the discussion wasn‘t over.
Night slowly drew in. Her group found a less overgrown spot and decided to set up camp here. Alice lit a campfire. Together they sat around the fire to warm themselves. No one spoke. Barty stared at Alice suspiciously the whole time. It made her nervous. She felt as if he was looking straight into her soul. Dorcas cleared her throat and began to speak.
‘What's on the programme tomorrow?’
Alice was grateful for the interruption. She smiled.
‘Tomorrow we'll be travelling further west. We'll keep an eye out for anything unusual.’
Dorcas nodded. Barty looked as if he wanted to say something, but a rustling in the bushes interrupted them. They immediately drew their weapons and turned their attention to the bush. Alice wondered if she should go look, when a figure emerged.
It was a girl about Alice's age. She had snow-white hair that fell elegantly over her shoulders and large blue eyes. She had delicate cheekbones and full lips. Alice noticed that the girl was wearing a light blue dress, but it had many small tears. It was also covered in mud and dirt. Despite everything, Alice thought she was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen.
After a brief moment, in which the girl's eyes wandered back and forth between the three soldiers, she seemed to collect herself. The girl stood imperiously and her blue eyes met Alice's. She spoke confidently.
‘My name is Narcissa Black. I think we could help each other out.’