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The Big House was crowded this afternoon. All the cabin heads had gathered along with several additional campers with drawings in their hands, a few dryads, Mr. D, Chiron, and Grover.
Percy had been to one other vote for the bead design, but it had been a lot more… lighthearted than this. The room was heavy with grief for the lost demigods and an activity that was normally filled with joy felt… tedious.
Miranda sat next to him, twisting the drawing in her hand, Percy’s own fingers felt sweaty as he held the drawing in his hand, one entrusted to him by Grover and some other satyrs.
“Alright everyone,” Mr. D called, interrupting the low murmurs between the campers. “Let’s start showing the ideas. Mitchell, you first.”
Michael Yew, of the Apollo cabin, stood next. He spread out his cabin's design on the table and weighed down the corners with snack bowls so everyone could see.
“We actually debated between like a dozen designs,” he explained. “It was a hard choice. But we settled on this.”
The design in question was a silver moon, with a string coming from it to make it bowlike. Notched on the string was a golden arrow, akin to a lightning bolt.
“We tried to incorporate everything, from Zeus’ fist being the location of everything to Thalia’s involvement and the Hunters– we couldn’t fit in everything without it getting cluttered though. We tried to include the labyrinth in the background but it just got too complicated.”
“I like the arrow,” Miranda offered. “It’s very pretty and captures the idea pretty well.”
There was a murmur of agreement, with Silena in particular seeming to really like it. I thought it looked nice, but I wasn’t sure if it really captured everything that had happened over the last year.
“Very bright, now you Claire.”
Clarisse huffed, but stood up, unfolding the drawing in her hands.
It was a rough sketch, with faint red stains on the corners that Percy rather thought were blood. The drawing itself showcased Zeus’ fist, roughly drawn before the battle had destroyed it, surrounded by bristling weapons colored in orange.
“Our pitch represents the battle we just fought,” she explained. “Showing us united and ready to oppose the enemy!”
“A good idea,” said Chiron with a warm, if wane smile.
There was a smattering of agreement from the campers, but none seemed particularly drawn to it.
“Matthew, next,” Mr. D ordered.
There was a brief series of whispers as the campers tried to figure out which guy whose name started with an “M” Mr. D was talking to. Eventually, Malcolm from the Athena cabin stood up and cleared his throat.
Annabeth gave him an encouraging smile.
“The latest battle was horrible, and stands stark in our memories,” Malcolm started. “But it is not the only event of great impact that’s happened this year. Indeed, another one occurred over the winter, so it’s understandable that not all of you would know of it… however I feel that some occurrences capture the spirit of the camp, and our ability to work alongside others of divine-”
“Come on, shorter speech,” groused Clarisse.
Malcolm shot her a dirty look but dutifully unrolled his drawing, on proper architecture paper, and placed it on the table with some weights to hold it in place.
“Behold,” he declared, spreading his hands, “a design which captures the strength of the camp, the threat of the Titans, and our ability to unite to face a deadly foe.”
“Is that supposed to be Annabeth?” Beckendorf asked hesitantly.
Percy leaned forward and blinked. Yeah, that was either Annabeth, Artemis, or him, but knowing the Athena cabin it was probably Annabeth.
This drawing was made much like how he imagined the cabin members would make architectural designs, with sizes detailed alongside the bead, details to the side with notes explaining what each part was, and notes along the bottom explaining how the design was decided and what they determined the meaning to be.
The actual design showcased curly whisps of a sky that swirled to balance on a figure’s back, the figure detailed in silver. Notes alongside it noted that it referenced the Hunters who led the quest.
It was a beautiful design and, with context, did cover what Malcolm wanted it to.
“So you’re trying to show off Annabeth,” Connor said flatly.
“Did you hear anything I said?” asked Malcolm, looking distinctively peeved.
“Now, now,” Silena interrupted. “I think it’s a lovely design, thank you for sharing it. Even if we don’t use it for the bead, it would be really nice to have painted.”
Malcolm settled slightly at that and nodded, “thank you.”
“Great,” Mr. D declared. “We do love creative designs. Now, Peter, you’re up.”
Percy swallowed and stood, spreading his design out on the table.
“This design is by the satyrs of the camp, representing the battle that we won and the force that helped us win it.”
The design on the table was colorful, with a wooly mammoth centered on the bead outline, and flowers covering the rest of the area. Extinct flowers surrounded it, ones that Percy had seen when visiting Pan. Further out were flowers representing the dead and injured in the battle of the labyrinth.
It was a little bit stained, with grass and bark. And the material it was made out of was one Percy had never used before but had been told was a natural fiber. It looked different from the rest, but Percy liked it.
“The wooly mammoth is to represent Pan,” Percy explained, “who gave His power to Grover and sent the enemy running. The flowers represent Pan, and His loss, along with the— well, the dead and injured in the battle.The flowers are supposed to be their favorite flowers, or ones sacred to their parents…”
Grover sent Percy a grin while the campers mused over the design.
“It’s pretty,” Miranda said. “Captures the battle in a gentle way that reminds us of what’s important.”
“How did you find out their favorite flowers?” Michael chimed in.
“The dryads and the satyrs asked around if they didn’t know already,” Percy explained, because he’d wondered the same thing.
“Very well,” Mr. D said with a nod. “Flowers are always nice. Pollux now.”
Pollux, the only one in the camp now (with Castor… gone) to get his real name used, stood.
His skin was sallow, eyes surrounded by dark rings from sleepless nights. His skin was too pale and his grief visible.
He didn’t speak his explanation, simply unfurled his design. It was simple, yet complex, with only one element to it. A labyrinth. Intricate and detailed, with a near heart design in the center.
The symbolism was obvious and so was the purpose.
“We lost many because of the labyrinth. It led to the mount, it led to the deaths, it led to some even returning to us,” Pollux said with a faint voice. “It’s not varied, or filled with great symbolism… it simply is what we dealt with. What we lost so much to.”
Percy wasn’t sure what to say in the face of Pollux’s emotions. It was clear he cared deeply, and Percy understood. His brother was among those they’d lost… leaving Pollux alone.
“It’s a very heartfelt design,” Connor said.
“Yes, I like the subtle heart woven into the design,” agreed Annabeth.
Mr. D looked at his son with sad eyes, the most emotion he really tended to show beyond annoyance and anger. “A good element… Sally you next.”
Silena stood as Pollux sat and unrolled her own drawing. It was on a black background, which was odd for the cabin. It also depicted a maze, but in the center was a pair of golden eyes.
“We chose to symbolize the maze, as Pollux did, but to also showcase the threat that led to everything,” she said softly, but smoothly. “We lost much to this battle, which is why we chose black for the background which showcases our grief and loss. I fear we will lose more in the days to come, but we achieved victory this time and that should be remembered.”
This design made Percy uncomfortable, he couldn’t help it. The golden eyes in the center made him shiver but he did his best to refrain from showing that discomfort at her design. He wouldn’t be voting for that one though.
Annabeth looked equally discomforted and several other campers frowned at it.
“Shiny,” Mr. D noted. “Caleb your turn.
Connor stood, rolling his eyes at the mis-naming as he pulled out a crinkled paper.
He did his best to lay it flat on the table, but it was a little bit… rough. The edges torn in places and he had to pull a sticky note out of his pocket to stick back on it.
“Okay! So we let the entire cabin help with this design, sorry it’s a bit rough.”
It was rough, and clearly the younger cabin members had helped cause there were doodles to the side and they’d used crayon to color in the design. But the design looked good anyways.
A skull sat in the middle of a grayish background (colored with crayons) and the skull had a crown of flowers on its head.
“So a skull, which is first off cause of, you know, all the deaths. But also because we got a child of Hades! Two, if you count Bianca who joined the Hunters but uh-”
Connor shuffled through some notes in his hands.
“Ah right, and the flowers are to symbolize Pan and all that stuff that went on. New life too! ‘Cause even though people died, we lived and we’re here to keep fighting.”
Well, it was rough, but the idea was nice. And Percy liked the way that it included Nico, who deserved some inclusion. Percy would have to tell him later about this design.
“I like it,” Silena said. “Especially how the kids got to help.”
“Eh, the lines are a bit rough,” Clarisse said with a small nudge towards her design.
“Well yes,” Malcolm sniffed, “the kids helped. They did a good job.The symbolism present is well done.”
“Alright,” Mr. D said. “So we’ve seen all the submitted designs and what-not. Now then, write down your favorite and put it in the box- where’s the box?”
Everyone looked around for the box.
“Okay, put it in-” he grabbed a snack bowl, “put it in here.”
Percy accepted a piece of paper from Grover, who’d volunteered to hand them out, and then obviously voted for Grover’s piece. He liked all the others, but Grover’s was personal.
He put his vote in the bowl and waited for the final vote to be handed out.
Mr. D took his time going through all the votes. Chiron, behind him, sighed periodically as Mr. D didn’t write anything down on the paper Chiron had handed him.
“Alright, the votes are in and with four votes, the Dionysos cabin vote wins. Obviously. It was the best.”
Connor smiles, a little sad and a little pleased.
“I think there should be two beads this year,” Malcolm grumbled. “The year has certainly been crazy enough to warrant that.”
“Now then,” Mr. D said, smoothly ignoring Malcolm, “Marcus and Benjamin, have your cabins get started and as usual the volunteer sheets are in the front room for anyone else who wants to help.”
Percy got up along with most of the room and headed to the volunteer sheet. He wanted to help make the bead this year. It felt important to honor those who died.
They’d be remembered.