Disclaimer; I don't own PJO or the characters. I don't own the photo cover.

Chapter 1

The loud clatter of hooves pounded against the gravel path, leading through the forest. Annabeth waited, crouched behind the thick branches of bushes, her heart beating against her chest. She glanced up out of the corner of her eye and spotted Thalia leaning against the tree trunk of the branch she was perched on.

She nodded towards Annabeth, her bow knocked at her neck. To Annabeth's right, Leo kneeled next to a boulder, just his curls peeking out from above. Across the gravel path hid Luke, hiding behind the bushes, as Nico stayed perched in a tree, his bow and arrows also ready to fly.

The clatter of the horses got louder, the carriage coming closer. Soon, the carriage came into view, pristine and white; the carriage of a noble, heading to the royal castle.

Not yet…not yet…

Annabeth waited, waiting for Luke's signal.

The carriage rumbled closer.

Annabeth's eyes searched for Luke's. And then he brought his forefinger to his lips, and the whistle of that of a sparrow's sounded from the sky. That was their cue.

The carriage was about three seconds from passing them, when one of Thalia's arrows flew with a whizzing sound from behind it. It landed right in the shoulder of the driver of the carriage, and he let out a cry as he fell to the ground. The horses reared back in shock, and that's when Annabeth jumped up from her hiding spot.

Leo had already destroyed the wheels, and Nico's flaming arrow hit the roof of the carriage. Annabeth flung open the door, reveling two noble women, frightened and screaming.

"If you wish to live, leave now, or else your carriage will burn!" Annabeth yelled, moving out of the way for them to run. They scrambled out of the carriage, crying as they raced down the path. Luke unhitched the horses, and they ran away as well. The driver, however, could not be saved.

Luke had a motto he liked to follow; save anyone who is salvageable enough to save. They weren't murderers, they were just thieves.

They probably had two minutes before the whole carriage erupted in flames, so each of them grabbed as many goods as they could. Bags and bags of jewelry and gold. Annabeth laughed in pure joy at all of the money. They would eat for weeks!

"Let's go!" Luke shouted, and the group raced off, away from the burning carriage. The bags of riches bounced by their sides as they raced off into the forest. Thalia let out a war cry as they hurried towards their base, and each of them hollered in approval.

The sound of gold jingling by her side made Annabeth's heart race, and she knew her dad and brothers would be all set for food for at least two months with this amount of gold.

She knew her father didn't approve of her methods, but even if he gave her disappointed looks whenever she came home with pounds of bread and food for days, he shut his mouth and ate the food. It was because he knew that without Annabeth's thefts, they would have starved ages ago.

She had to do, what she had to do.

A knock at the door caused Percy to turn his head. He had just finished adjusting his suit and robe, flattening out any wrinkles and bumps

"Come in," he announced, while turning to face himself in the mirror again. His green eyes shone back at him through the mirror, and he adjusted a few pieces of his dark hair so he didn't look like he just rolled out of bed.

"You dress up nice, Perce."

Percy's cousin, Jason, walked up behind Percy in the mirror. He was dressed in a dark suit with a red robe draped over his shoulders. Percy almost matched him, but he was in his dark blue suit with golden stitches and embroidery. It was his favorite.

"Back at you," Percy said with a grin. He turned away from the mirror and walked over towards his dresser. He put on the golden ring his father gave him when he turned sixteen. It was studded with sea-green gems, and Percy wore it wherever he went.

"Could you please look at least happy to be going to this thing?" Jason asked while he followed his cousin.

"But I'm not happy," Percy pointed out obviously.

"You've never even met the girl-"

"I don't have to." Percy said, rather harshly. He looked up at Jason, and sighed. "Sorry."

"I know it's not your ideal way to get married, but just think about all of the benefits," Jason pointed out. Percy sighed and twisted his ring around his finger.

"Oceania and Olympus joined together will be nearly unstoppable. Your marriage to Princess Piper will ensure peace between the lands for generations to come," Jason continued. "Besides, I heard Princess Piper is insanely beautiful."

Jason cracked a grin at his cousin, and Percy hated how infectious Jason's smile was, because soon he was smiling himself.

"We'll see," Percy said with a grin.

There was another knock at the door.

"Enter," Percy announced. In came one of Percy's guards, bowing before he entered completely.

"Excuse me, Your Highnesses, but your father insists that you be escorted to the lunch now," the guard said.

"Thank you, we'll be on our way," Percy said. The guard bowed once more before he exited the room. Percy turned towards Jason and sighed.

"Here we go."