Ferret-Girl smiled at me wryly as she started to lead me down the lane.
"I hope you're not afraid of ghosts,"she said.
"Ghosts?" I repeated intelligently.
"Lares. House gods."
I stared at her blankly.
She sighed. "They're like guardian spirits."
"Oh," I said as an old man screeched something at me,"What are they saying?"
Ferret-Girl bit her lip. "Well,"she began,"they're calling you Graecus. It's nothing to worry about, really."
"Okay," I said deciding not to press it any further since Ferret-Girl sounded like she was reassuring herself, mostly.
"So,"she said,"what was your name again?"
"Ella Riordan. Yours?" I asked getting tired of calling her Ferret-Girl.
"Gwen,"she said, not giving a last name,"Wonder what Lupa saw in you."
"Who?" I asked. This girl talked like I was supposed to be Encyclopaedia Jones or something.
She stared at me. "You mean you weren't trained by Lupa?"
"Never heard of her. I'm just looking for a phone so I can call up my dad so he can take me home."
"Boy, have we got a problem here,"Gwen muttered.
•~•■•~•
Gwen led me on until the road divided. One path led south across a bridge, up to the hill with all the temples. The other road led north into the city, a miniature version of Ancient Rome. Unlike the military camp, the city looked chaotic and colorful, with buildings crowded together at weird angles. Even from this far away, I could see people everywhere just enjoying their day.
"You raise families here?" I asked as I watch a little boy run through a garden.
"Yep,"Gwen said,"when you get accepted into a legion, you do ten years of service. Then, you get to do whatever you want. Most demigods get back out into the big, bad world but here, it's like a sanctuary. We can go to college. Have kids and raise them without having to worry about the monsters. "
"Is that what you're gonna do?"
Gwen nodded. "It's a chance to be normal, you know? To do what you want simply because you want to."
"Uh huh," I said not really getting it but trying to understand.
Gwen gave me a smile and pointed out a building on the summit," That's where we're going. Octavian reads auguries at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus."
It was a big white temple with huge columns and pillars supporting a domed roof. Clouds swirled above it giving it a sinister look.
Inside, it wasn't much better. It had huge, spotless mosaicked marble floors etched with Latin writing. The ceiling was gold and sparkled, not a cobweb in sight. In the center of the room, there was a huge altar of a golden statue of what I assumed to be Jupiter in a purple toga. The entire place was built to be intimidating, just like the principle's office but even more so.
There was a guy not much older than me standing on the dias. He was a runty thing, tall and thin with straw-colored hair and an oversized t-shirt and a toga. He had a crazy look in his eyes like he was on a battle field. In one hand, he had a stuffed animal. In the other, he had a knife.
"Ella,"Gwen said,"this is Octavian."
"The one who has been upsetting all our ghosts,"he said bluntly,"how interesting."
"Uh hi,"I said,"what are you going to do with that?"
He laughed,"We read the will of the gods with them."
I blinked in confusion. He tossed the stuffed animal to me. It was cut in its stomach, spilling fluff everywhere.
"You cut them up!" I said.
He laughed again," We used to use live animals to examine the guts but nowadays that kind of thing isn't permitted so we use these instead."
He stepped of the dias. Closer, he was more intimidating than I realized. Those blue eyes had a sense of madness in them, like he would cut me up like that stuffed animal if he thought he could learn something from me.
"So,"he said,"you wish to join the legion?"
I hesitated,"Um, yes?"
He scanned over me and I could practically see him trying to analyse whether I'd be useful or not.
He picked out a panda bear for him next victim and plunged his knife into it. I watched as he stared at the fluff, concentrating. After a few minutes of pondering, he threw the panda corpse onto a big pile of stuffed toys and muttered to himself. He turned to us a huge grin splitting his face.
"Good news!" he said. "Ella is permitted to join the legion. We'll assign her a cohort at our usual time. Tell Reyna I approve."
Gwen nodded as she walked out of the temple. I followed.
"Who's Reyna?" I asked.
"Reyna is the current praetor. She's only just earned the rank and we're waiting for someone to join her. Don't worry about her. She's quite nice really. Once you get to know her." Gwen said hesitantly."Come on. We've got to get you bathed before the ceremony."
•~•■•~•
I shifted uncomfortably as I watched kid after kid tumble into the space.
After a mental head count, I estimated two hundred fully armed kids, not counting the Lares who kept standing halfway through living people and shooting me suspicious glares. After they got sorted out, a slim girl on a pegasus(a pegasus!) rode through. She had piercing dark eyes and long,glossy black hair pulled over her shoulder in a braid.
"Colors!" Octavian shouted.
The standard-bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skincapes and held poles decorated with each cohort's emblems. The last to present held a long pole with nothing on top.
"What's that supposed to be," I whispered to Gwen.
"It used to have an eagle on top. It got lost. Now please be quiet unless you want to be embarrassed on your very first ceremony."
Reyna got off her pegasus. "Romans!"she announced, "this is our newcomer Ella Riordan."
Everyone turned to look at me. I blushed. "Hi," I managed to croak out.
"She wants to join the legion," Reyna continued,"what do the auguries say?"
"I have read the entails!" Octavian announced proudly, " They are favourable. Ella is permitted to serve!"
The campers shouted," Ave! Hail!"
"Recruit," Octavian asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"
"No-o. I just need a phone so I can call my dad and get back home!" I said.
Reyna and Octavian exchanged looks. The campers began to mutter.
"Silence!" Reyna said, "you will get a phone to call your family and tell them you are safe but you will NOT return home. Without the training of Lupa you found our entrance. That cannot be a coincidence. Also, you must learn to defend yourself and earn our trust before you leave. It is my duty as a Roman to make sure you do not get killed as soon as you step out of the protection barriers."
Octavian wrinkled his nose," Still, she has no letters of reference. Will any legionarres stand for her?"
"I will," Gwen said stepping forward.
Mutters and laughter rippled across the room. Gwen was in Fifth cohort. She had told me that they weren't very respected.
"Very well," Reyna said," Gwendolyn Anderson, you may stand for the recruit. Does you cohort accept her?"
Gwen had a staring contest with a lanky, black haired boy. Eventually, he sighed and said,"My cohort has spoken. We accept." His words were slightly slurred and he stumbled a little. Was he drunk?
Reyna looked at me almost pitifully.
Congratulations, Ella Riordan. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"
The rest of the legion echoed the cheer.
Reyna got on her pegasus and steered him away, probably glad to be done with me.
Centurions," Reyna said looking over her shoulder, "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Bonam fortunam!"
A bigger cheer went up-for the war games and for dinner. The cohorts broke ranks and ran for the mess hall.
One of the guards gave me my name plate and I turned to Gwen.
"Thanks for doing what you did," I said.
"No problem,"she replied.
"Umm. What does it mean standing for me," I asked.
Gwen laughed.
"It means I make sure you're on your best behavior," Gwen explained. "I teach you the rules, answer your questions, make sure you don't disgrace the legion. "
"And... What if I do something wrong?"
"Then I get killed along with you," Gwen said cheerfully. "Hungry? Let's go get something to eat. "
Author's note:
There's my long chapter for you. My sis was having a party and I was bored so lucky you! Two chapters in a day. Also, don't kill me for changing Gwen's character because in dear Uncle Rick's books she is an optimistic, outgoing girl but I wanted her to be more mature and serious so she could teach Ella the ropes.