What's the story behind Denmark and the Netherlands?
Like, behind the ship? Or just in general?
Denmark and the Netherlands has a long history of friendship as well as many similarities between them. They have been trading partners since the Middle Ages, especially regarding cattle trade, that peaked in the 1600s and is this ongoing with Denmark exporting a calves to the Netherlands. Many Dutch refugees fled to Denmark during the Eighty Years War between 1568 and 1638, which further established links between them. They had a rough patch in the 1620s when Denmark upped the toll through Øresund because they were low on money. This cuased the Netherlands to join Sweden in war against Denmark in 1643. Still, after this, the Netherlands and Denmark-Norway remained allies and the Netherlands came to help when Sweden attacked Copenhagen in the 1660s. The Netherlands saved the city from capture. Likewise, Denmark-Norway helped the Netherlands in the war against England in 1665, which resulted in Dutch victory, as well as in the Thrid Anglo-Dutch War between 1672-1674. Further on, Denmark attacked southern Sweden as retaliation after Sweden had attacked the Netherlands in 1675. Sweden won the battles on land, but lost at sea.
Both Denmark and the Netherlands have similar terrain, extremely flat, and as such has both a love for biking and have infrastructure that facilitates this. Apparently the Danes and the Dutch are two of the few countries that celebrate copper wedding anniversaries (12,5 years) in the world, and they are both known for having similar mannerisms.
So, Denmark and the Netherlands have a long shared history of allegiance, trading, and cooperation between them, as well as cultural similarities and shared interests. Also, both their languages are incomprehensible garbage
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Imagine Percy having a really rough day. His power, what he’s done, who he’s had to be to do those things, are weighing on him. Frankly, he scares himself. He doesn’t know how any sane person would want him around, much less around kids, especially as a counselor.
He puts on a brave face. Maybe if he looks happy no one will remember there’s a person behind that face who can’t look at himself in the mirror.
He doesn’t know how it happened; maybe he agreed to it when he was lost in his mind, putting on the “chill older counselor” face everyone expects, but he finds himself in the sand volleyball pit on the team of campers from the less populated cabins. The Demeter and Hermes cabin teamed up on the other side.
The game itself is a fog to Percy. The only breaks in his gloom come in the form of reminders: that’s only a volleyball (images of a giant hurling rocks at him flash in front of his eyes). they’re calling the ball (the sound of campers crying out for help in countless battles echo in his head). that’s just sand (the phantom touch of Gaia’s earth brush his legs)
Before he knows it his team is cheering: they won. He doesn’t know how–or if–he contributed any. He chastises himself. A good leader wouldn’t let themselves be distracted. Wouldn’t…his shoes are gone.
He could’ve swore they were right there? If he wasn’t so caught up with himself he would know where he put his shoes, that’s so stupid what would have happened if he was in battle and he got distracted, then it’d be on his head if another camper got killed again because of him, he shouldn’t have even played what was he thinking—
A Hermes kid was holding them up, taunting him, retaliating for their loss. He took one step towards them and they took two steps away. Their face was…playful? This was a prank. They’re pranking him. Don’t they know what he’s done, why their cabin is so empty now?
He took another step. This time the kid let out a excited laugh and ran a few feet away. This was a game. For fun. The kid knows but doesn’t care. They just want to have fun with an older counselor. camper. cousin. whatever the relation, they genuinely just want to mess with him.
But why would they—unless. Unless they aren’t afraid of him.
They see him as a leader, and like any other rotten kid, they want to tease whoever’s in charge. The kid is just being a kid, doing kid things. Like stealing someone's shoes and knowing they won't be hurt because of it. Because they believe Percy is good.
He tries to ignore the similarities on the kids face to one he knew so well, one he thought was good when he was the kids age.
I'm not Luke, he reminded himself. A tiny whisper in a corner of his mind hissed how are you any different?
He looked at the kid again, who was still holding out the shoes, attempting to lure him into a chase. The kid took a couple more steps away, grinning wildly as Percy’s face set in determination.
I’m going to be the person Luke needed, and the one he never was for me. We deserve better.
He sprinted after the Hermes kid, laughing lighter than he had in months.
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