Bless the broken road [Chase, anyone else]

Chase stopped for a second and climbed a tree. It was a gorgeous day at the academy and there was no way he was spending it with anyone but nature. Ever since he'd left Artemis's group he felt a constant longing to be outside in his element. His leather quiver shook as he climbed the tree and reminded him of the day he had recieved his arrows from Artemis. Although HIS bow and arrows were not of the shining silver like Artemis's, his gleamed or metalic steel, a strong substance that he chose. As he reached a sturdy branch that would support him, he smiled and sat to think. Although when he sat still, his visions usually came a-knockin'. This was no exception and he made sure to hang on so he wouldn't fall. Chase was instantaneously transported to a dormitory where his aunt Athena was sitting next to a crying girl who was probably his cousin. Athena was whispering hushed things but he knew that the girl was still sad. She kept screaming at the sky for someone named Leander. Chase was now sitting on the tree and he looked in the general direction of the dorms. He couldn't see them because of the forest, but his heart still went out to his cousin, and he wondered himself where this Leander person has gone. He looked down at the forest floor to see a beautiful doe and her fawn. He smiled at them and looked to the sky, wondering what his mother was doing.

Adablle looked out into the canopy of trees. She missed her proximity with the ocean but still she needed an open space where she could let loose to her voice. If there was one thing she loved more than the ocean it was signing and she couldn’t do it in a place as crowded as the academy for fear that all boys within a one mile radius would come running to proclaim their newfound love, or maybe even come to kill her. She didn’t know as it all depended on what magic she strung into her words and it was impossible for her to sing without inflicting some kind of feeling into the listener. She stood at the border of the trees closing her eyes to see if she could hear anyone moving about. Convinced that there was no one there that could be affected by her angelic voice she opened her eyes again and smiled widely walking deeper into the shelter of the trees. She started quietly at first almost whispering the words then kept raising her voice until the beautiful sound was carried wayward by the wind for long distances around. She sang of the ocean she missed. “You are the lighthouse the seamark. The Tempest created this tide. I’m pulled to the black silver ocean where the current and heavens collide.”

I was slowly gliding through the trees, letting the still winds carry me where I wanted to float. I heard a soft voice ringing through the woods. I new it had magic ringing inside it, but it didnt seem to do anything to me. I glided over to it, and it was a young half-blood, singing with as much beauty as her voice had. I landed and slowly started to crawl across a tree til I was hanging above her, listening with as much concentration as I could. I could hacve sworn that I had heard ot before, but I knew that was impossible, but it kept making me think of some sort of love. From when I was so young, that I couldnt remember. I dropped down behind her, and tapped her shoulder. "Im sorry if I scared you, but dont turn around for a moment, but I have to ask where you learned to sing like that?"

Adabelle stopped signing abruptly with a choke of words and a sharp gasp. Her shoulder stung slightly where she had been tapped but whoever it was asked her not to turn around. She took a few deep breathes to get her racing heart rate back to normal then clutched her hands into fists hoping she hadn’t affected whoever this was with her song. She did notice that the strangers voice had an odd ring to it. “I didn’t learn. My voice has been like this since I have memory, my mother was a Siren.”

Chase had slowly been navigating through the forest on the tree branches. He didn't know why he was moving toward it, just that he needed to see what was attatched to the beautiful voice he was hearing. As soon as he was slightly to the left of her position, above in the trees, he sat on the branch with his legs swinging down and listened for a few moments before a half creature thing dropped down behind her. Before he called out, he saw that it wasn't going to attack her so he said nothing, neither would know he was there, and he could keep watch on the thing while it talked to the lovely lady on the forest floor. She looked kind, even though her mother was a siren. She was beautiful and her voice was a soft flutter but she could sing, yes, she could sing.

I smiled as realization of the magic I heard in her voice came to me. She could most likely manipulate emotions like a siren does. I gathered my wings up behind me, and slowly said to her, "If you want to turn around, do so. I promise that Im no where as near as scary as I look." I held my breathe as the girl turned around and looked me slowly up and down. I tried to keep my claws from showing, and from giving the hawks glare that my face always wore. But there was no hiding the beak with its wicked gutting curve and the horns

Adabelle turned around slowly expecting the worst to be standing there behind her. She looked him up and down once then shrugged "You aren't much different from what I'm used to seeing." she rubbed the spot already getting sore on her shoulder and added "just keep those talons to yourself." Addy looked around the canopy of trees taking in the bit of sunshine that made it through the blanket of leaves. She spun in circles humming quietly although she guessed the creature wasn't bothered by her song she still didn't want to risk it. Suddenly a flash of brown shot past the corner of her vision and she turned to look up. Adabelle gasped when she saw the man sitting up there. His hair was a brilliant red even without help of the sun golden streaks seemed to be scattered through it almost as if he were made of sunshine himself. He seemed so at ease in the branches but she wondered how he'd even made it up there, what if he fell?!?! "I think you should come down from there." she told him trying to control the shake in her voice.

Chase smiled and looked at the beautiful girl beneath him. "Dont worry, I know what I'm doing." he whispered unsure if she could even hear him. He set his hands on the branch, gripping it stiffly. Quietly, he was a literal hunter, he swung a full 360 degrees around the branch before dropping down and landing on the balls of his feet with so quiet a thud, he could've imagined the sound. Looking up from the ground, he grinned and stood up slowly. For the first time he fully appreciated the soft woman before him and he definately thought she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. He turned to the half-creature behind him and nodded a quick hello with an eyebrow raised surprise at his figure. Turning back to the woman, he bowed, taking her hand and kissing it. "Chase Rousseau," he said looking up to her eyes, "And you?" he asked. Growing up with Artemis, who hated men with an alarming passion, he was taught the most gentlemenly way to act.

I nodded as the man jumped from the tree to ground, with out so much as a sound. I was a little annoyed at the lack of introductions to me, I stepped forward after The girl gave her name. "I am Keaton, winged scion of Hades. From whom do you claim lineage?" I stepped forward, flexing my wings

She looked up and hid behind her hands as the man jumped off the tree. She didn't hear him land and would have stayed that way eyes covered if he hadn't taken her hand kissing it tenderly. Adabelle was shocked by the attention. It almost seemed like the two were jockeying for position and she wasn't used to it, on an island full of sirens one tended to be mostly ignored and especially not by men like Chase. And the creatures there weren't half as civil as Keaton seemed to be despite his appearance. On the island the only men she saw had hate for her, people that hated her for being kin to the creatures that had broken their ships and killed their friends. "I'm Adabelle Durand daughter of Zephyrus and a siren."

"Hmm the sweet summer wind," he said sweetly. Turning to the half-creature his eyes went flat as he said, "I am kin to Apollo, biologically anyway." and turning back to Adabelle he smiled, "But I much prefer to call Artemis, the huntress, my mother. She raised me and taught me the ways of the world." he said. Chase began to climb a tree again, settling himself on a branch only about five or six feet above the ground. "I prefer the trees to anything. So if you ever need me in the future you shall know where to find me," he said watching Adabelle for her reaction on the fact he was adopted, well kinda adopted.

Adabelle blanched at the sight. She had no idea how the man could just climb up a tree and sit there like there was nothing wrong in the world with being so high from the ground. It seemed strange to her that Artemis had accepted a boy into her group. She had only heard tell of the goddess since she was always so secluded from everything in the outside world until now. She was only familiar with Poseidon and vaguely knew of her father. 'My father' she thought. He had promised to visit once she was settled but she knew he wouldn't. Suddenly she couldn't tamp down her mouth anymore the words were practically tumbling out of her. Sadness at being left so alone. "It seems like everyday is the same and I'm left to discover my own. It seems like everything is gray and there’s no color to behold" Realizing the power that had escaped her in those few words she slapped her right hand over her mouth and looked up at Chase sitting in the tree fearful of the effect.

I heard the outburst, and knew that it contained more power then what she had been singing earlier, like a spear to a rock; but it didnt change the effect it had on me, I was still unaffected by her strange music. It was beautiful and haunting, filled with her sadness. I looked up at the tree with her, and tried to tell if I would have to help the fool sitting in it. Normal half-bloods were always so reckless. I couldnt tell if the power of the song had hit Chase, I prayed that it didnt. "Chase, are you all right up there?"

Chase felt an instant wave of sadness come over him, his shoulders slumped and his eyes turned toward the ground. After a minute he felt a little better and he hooked his knees over the branch and swung down so his head was pointed downword, and looking at her upside down he lifted his palm to her shoulder and smiled. "Everything is an adventure here so don't worry it'll all get better soon," he said. Chase was impressed by the power of her voice, "If your wondering why Artemis accepted me it's because she was mad at Apollo for leaving me in the woods, apparently I wasn't crying or anything, and took me under her wing and teaching me to be all that I am." At that moment he recieved a vision and dropped from the tree branch. He instantly saw his cousin, the same girl from before, locked in a kiss with a man, so this was her Lee... When he came back to he was laying on the ground. It must have been only a few seconds after he fell. "Gods I hate these visions....My mother as Cassandra you see?" he said, standing up, leaning against a tree, and rubbing his head. "Prophetic mother, prophetic son and boy do they cause me nothing but pain..." he smiled in spite of his throbbing head.

Adabelle felt horrible, why hadn't she reacted sooner? She'd seen him fall and had held her arms out to catch him but in that split second instinct took over, she would have been crushed by his weight, and she snatched her hands back letting him fall head first onto the hard forest floor. She knelt next to him trying to keep her mouth shut only letting loose a breath when he explained about his visions. So it hadn't been her fault. Still she tried her best not to speak only nodding in understanding. She stood offering her hand to pull him up to his feat.

"Thank you, Adabelle." Chase said as he got up. "So I'm fairly sure my story is pretty widely known, but how about you? What's your story?" Chase asked, sitting on a low hanging branch that was only about two feet off the ground, to ensure safety. He watched Adabelle, standing, at patted the branch, smiling as if to say 'hey at least your feet are still touching the ground,' and awaited the story that followed his question.

"Nothing nearly as interesting." she sighed. "The only reason I left was because I grew tired of being ignored all the time. My mom spent her time doing her job, stranding men on the shore, and my father hardly ever visits. I raised myself and then I fell in love. With the ocean, so Poseidon took a liking to me and he suggested I come here for study. One of his daughters comes here also. My dad said he'd visit once i got settled in but..." she paused. "I sort of doubt it..." She missed the ocean so much, she missed writing her name in the sand only to see it carried away by the waves, perhaps meant for a greater purpose. She missed whispering to the sweet salty sea air and the cool breeze the tide brought with it. Maybe if her mother had told her just once in her life that she loved her, she would have stayed.

Chase sensed a deep ache to be near her home, near the sea and he smiled sadly. "Im glad that I'm lucky enough to have the love of my life right on this campus. The forest and the trees are my home, they have been ever since I was a tiny child being raised by a godess who considered this as much her home as I do. When I'm crossing the forest on branches of hunting with my arrows, or simply enjoying the day I feel exhilarated and...home." he said thinking about being up in the leaves and the arrows he was given by Artemis. "At night this place is really gorgeous," he said half to himself, half to Adabelle if she was listening. Staring off into the trees, he remembered Adabelle's father. "Im sure he will visit you, the west wind passes through her quite often." he said grinning and climbing into a nest of branches that saw out all the way to the practice fields. "In fact," he shouted to the below "I think it shall be visiting very soon." Chase did have a feeling that her father would visit.

Adabelle watched him closely as he spoke of his love for the forest. This one loved his forest equally if not more than she loved her sea. It's endless depths and timeless beauty. She shook her head and turned away from the slight bate of the wind. "I hope he does not show his face here, I honestly do not wish to see him. If I've made it this far without him then I'm ready to let go. That's what I came here for, a new beginning, even if it meant being away from my beloved shores." She sat on the forest floor toying with the leaves. The trees here were unlike anything she had ever seen so accustomed was she to palms and sea grass, twigs laced through soft sands. "I only wish I could have brought the beaches with me."

"Hmm...Adabelle? I have found that when I get a feeling something is going to happen," he hopped down onto the branch that he was sitting on earlier, balencing pricariously on his arches, he whispered down to her, "Itsprobably going to happen." He swung down to the ground and sighed "I have never been to the beach," he said quietly. "The forest has been my home for so long, I've never hadthe desire to go somewhere else, although, it may bot be so bad." he said. Sitting next to Adabelle, watching her toy with the leaves on the ground and be could practically envision her sitting in the sand on a lonely lazy day. "You know, leaves are amazing, they soak up all the energy off the sun and jeep trees alive. It's beautiful." he said admirigly

"Well if he comes there won't be much I'll be able to do about it. You'd love the sea, its wonderful. I've never met anyone who doesn't like visiting a beach every once in a while. The sheer power of it, you know it could suck you down but it's so pretty, and its fantastic under the surface! You should go one day, at least for the sights. I wonder if there are any beaches nearby." she wondered to herself. Adabelle listened intently to him talk about the leaves, it was so fascinating how a thing as small as a leave could feed those enormous, lumbering trees. "There are so many strange creatures in the ocean, some not even discovered yet but I get to see them. Its almost surreal down there, in the kelp forests, the reefs." she smiled remembering the lazy nights spent in the kelp forests weaving through the fish and otters.

Chase closed his eyes and imagined himself doing what Adabelle was describing. "It sounds wonderful," he sighed opening his eyes. You've never seen nature though, until you've seen it when night gently becomes day. The blooming flowers and the beautiful sunshine breaking through the night is a gorgeous sight for anyone, even if all you've known for your life is the beach." he got up, shaking his shirt off leaves and scraping his hands together. "Well I ought to be off, got work to do in the library, well, either that or hunting, I haven't decided. You're welcome to join me, with whatever but I really ought to be going to busy myself in one way or another. Goodbye Keaton," he nodded and knelt to kiss Adabelle's hand. "'Twas nice to meet you m'dear." his eyes twinkled and he turned to headtoward the school.

I nodded and looked at his back as he walked away. His adoptive mother had given him a strange scent. He smelled like any mortal should but he also had an after tinge to it that rang of her power. It was unnerving. And with the visions he had, It made him smell closer to the Oracle. And that scared me even more. I looked at Adabelle and nodded off into space. "So youve never been to the underworld have you?"

Adabelle looked towards his retreating form longingly still unsure of weather she should follow or not. Quite distractedly she attempted to answer Keatons question. "No. I haven't. I don't think I'd want to though I have heard tell that it is quite a wretched place." she hummed a few bars and walked a step forward. Would she follow him? "Thank you for your company Keaton. I should be going to my room now I expect my father will visit soon." with that she trotted quietly into the trees following the sight of Chases back getting further and further away.

Chase heard Adabelle's footsteps and he stopped. He jumped onto a branch and climbed a little higher, then he walked on the branches back to where she was. He dropped down from the tree and began walking next to her. "So you've decided to come with me after all, my little island-resider?" he asked softly. Chase had the strange urge to grab her hand, but stopped himself and heard Artemis's voice. " Now don't go being despicable like most men and make advances on young women, if she likes you, shell come to you." she had told him long ago. Chase smiled to himself and looked at Adabelle for her answer to his question.