Hello. This is an AU set in the late 1700s. I hope you enjoy it, I'll do my best to make it interesting.

I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

Smears of black now stained the polished wooden floors. Sparks and ashes lingered in the air and accumulated like snow. Boots clicked on the floorboards and screams pierced the air, accompanied by cannon fire. The typically peaceful waves now raged, tossing the ship.

The captain breathed in the familiar scent of gunpowder, basking in the glory of yet another successful looting. Piracy was a difficult business if you didn't know what you were doing. Good thing Percy did. He was currently engaging the crew of the Atlantic Angel in battle, and he'd given the order to board and loot already. The ship looked new and the crew looked young, the poor things probably hadn't had experience with sea travel and piracy.

"Captain, the vessel has been boarded." A boy said. His curly hair blowing in the wind, he was currently lighting a cannon and aiming for one on the ransacked ship.

"Great Leo. From the looks of those crates, I'd say this is a trade galleon that's full to the bursting point with goods. We'll get a good profit." Percy high-fived Leo as the cannon fired.

The cannon ball's impact was accompanied by a girl's shriek. He froze. Percy may steal for a living and slaughter men to save his neck, but he had morals. He would not have a girl harmed, he respected his mother too much for that. But why was she on the trade ship? As anti-feminist as it may be, the crew was usually men.

He slung a grappling hook over the side of the ship and onto the cargo galleon's rigging. He gave it a tug to see if it would hold, then swung himself from his own ship, the Argo II onto the other one. The Argo II was a Brig that Leo and Percy had acquired some years ago when they first began piracy. They'd won it in a game of cards in a pub, then Leo fixed it up. It was a cool ship, but the galleon looked elegant to Percy, with the cursive script depicting the title Atlantic Angel on its side.

By now, most of the cargo ship's crew had been captured, but one man still stood strong. He was older than the other crew men, with a brown beard and a care worn face. His hat and jacket made it clear he was the captain. He was fighting Percy's crew, Beckendorf and Michael Yew. Both of them at once. Impressive for an old guy. Beckendorf did a quick swipe towards the man, who parried, and Michael kicked at his shin, causing him to grit his teeth.

"Need help?" Percy asked, stepping forward. Beckendorf smiled, striking over the captain's head, but the older man blocked gracefully. Michael wasn't very good with a sword, as Percy knew, so he just kicked, trying to get him to fall. Percy and Beckendorf both attacked now, but the Captain shook his head and began blocking faster and dodging a couple of times. He pressed his sword to the hilt of Beckendorf's and it clattered to the deck.

Michael was persistent. The Captain eventually dropped to one knee. Michael smirked.

A heeled leather shoe stepped on Michael's boot, causing him to grunt and pull back his foot. Percy looked behind the captain, and stopped slashing at the Captain. Behind the man were two girls, about his age of sixteen to seventeen (Who cares about birthdays?). The first one wore a blue gown with lace, and a blue bonnet. Blond ringlets spilled around her shoulders, surrounding her powdered face. Her eyes didn't fit the frilly girl look though. Her gray eyes were analyzing him and Michael.

Next to her stood a girl with choppy brown hair in feathered braids, and much simpler garments. A plain cream colored dress and an apron. No powder on her caramel colored skin. Her colorful eyes startled him too.

"Captain Jackson, we've tied him, what now?" Beckendorf asked. He looked back and saw that the Captain had been tied up and placed by the main mast with the rest of the crew.

"Send the Stolls to check the cargo in the hold. Check everything on board." Percy said, and they obeyed.

"Captain Jackson, a word, if I may?" The old Captain asked. He sat with his hands folded as if he were relaxing with some tea. "You see, we were traveling, not delivering, so I'm afraid all I've to offer is my money. You may take it in exchange for leaving us. You see, we'd much rather not be delayed, as we have limited days' worth of food and water on board. We must set out soon, or starve." Percy wondered what cards the old man was trying to play. He'd just admitted weakness. "I am saying this, knowing that it portrays us as weak. I do not think you have the capability to kill a whole crew of men, Captain Jackson. You really don't appear the type."

Percy looked at the man in front of him without speaking until boots pounded on the deck towards him.

"Hey, we checked the cargo hold! There's no crates, just luggage. A lot of it." Travis Stoll said, emerging empty handed. "Connor's checking any other rooms or compartments. But no crates so far."

"A nice deal, but this is a bit of an expensive ship, huh?" Percy asked the old Captain. He looked back to the girls, who had not yet spoken. "And she looks fancy-schmancy. Filthy rich. High class, correct?"

"I am of class, so let me school you." The blonde spoke. "I may be rich, but I am not the filthy one here. I'll give you riches in exchange for safe passage. That's all we have to offer." Percy signaled for Beckendorf and Michael to tie them up as well. The girls noticed, and they each extracted a dagger from their dress sleeve.

Beckendorf blocked as the blonde sliced towards him, but her friend managed to jab him in the leg before Michael took her dagger. The blonde knocked him out with the hilt of her blade, and started towards Beckendorf again. Percy put his own sword to her throat, and she dropped the dagger in defeat.

"Oh really?" Percy said. "So why put just you here, Goldilocks?"

"Well, this way I travel in comfort, Captain Cretin." She snapped back.

"Where are you travelling, then? Visiting family? Someone who could afford this wouldn't live on the little island colonies you're headed to, Princess." He said.

"Okay, so maybe we have business there. Clearly my family has a merchant in it, why else have the trade ship? Our business here is none of yours, pirate pig." She said.

"What business could you possibly have by sending a girl, not even an adult girl, empty handed. No cargo to trade. Explain that, curly?" Percy said, now frustrated. He was just curious now. "Look, you trust me, I trust you. Plus I'm running out of witty banter names. I'm Captain Percy Jackson, who are you?"

"I'm Annabeth Chase, this is my maid Piper McLean." The blonde said.

"Great, and what is the cargo called?" Percy pressed.

"It's a better trade than cargo, but the trade I offer you is money. Will you take it?" She said, annoyed.

"Not letting you go until you explain why they sent an underage girl on a useless expedition to the islands." Percy said. "What exactly could be worth more than cargo? Huh? What's worth enough to be sent here on a freaking galleon? What is so valuable? What are you trading?"

"My hand in marriage!" She spat.

That's it for now. I had to re-type the last part, sorry if the dialogue got a bit weird, I lost track of what they revealed already. I know it was repetitive :/

Anyway, who'd like to guess who Annabeth is engaged to?