princess // percy jackson

i. thirty two - a sappy return to camp

words : 6233

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it had been night by the time the three got back to camp.

the familiar sight of the wooden arch announcing 'camp half-blood' was one that struck much relief and emotion in the satyr and demigods' hearts.

what seemed like a hopeless journey that would come to a hopeless end was no more - they finally made it.

"we're home." annabeth announced quietly to nobody in particular, exhausted.

grover blinked back tears as he smiled. "never thought i'd be so happy to be near the stables again."

alliah looked on at the camp - a sight she had longed to see for so, so long.

she smiled as she felt her legs about to give out.

"ah, good, we're here," she sighed. "now i can do this..."

she let herself fall to the gravel ground as her knees caved in and buckled.

the journey back to camp was one miserable trek - if that weren't obvious enough from the state of the kids.

grover was limping and this time, it wasn't because of his goat half. he had large bags under his eyes and his lips were formed in a scowl that had stayed permanent throughout the entire trip - the scowl really complimented his paling skin.

annabeth's face had been all scratched up and she was pretty sure she busted her lip while running away from 'fluffy' and just never noticed until now. her arm had been feeling numb for the past two hours now and she very badly needed to pee.

alliah's entire body had been sore since they set out on their way. it wasn't until an hour on the road when she realized her entire body had been badly sunburned from the waist down. she guessed she should've seen it coming - she knew being dressed like that in the middle of a desert would bite her in the ass sooner or later.

that, and the fact that she was pretty sure she was dehydrated and physically drained to the point that her body had quite literally just - given up.

the trio had packed water for the road, but their supply was limited with a small flask they'd found in the sand being the only item they had on them. after a few hours of trains, buses and more trains - all of which's tickets alliah had charmspeaked into obtaining - they had been just fine, since the train offered foods and drinks.

but after a while, the way back to camp no longer took bus, train or any public transport routes. having to set out on foot again, they realized they were merely less than an hour away from the camp.

there was little left in the flask and alliah figured she could hold it out until camp and let the other two take it.

turns out her selfless deed also came to bite her in the ass as the crew ended up in the wrong forest and alliah found herself without water for more than twelve hours, miserably accompanied with the endless walking and attempts to get back on the right track.

and now that they had finally made it to that familiar arch sign, alliah could stop pretending she wasn't literally dying.