Hello there. This is my first fanfiction so I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed thinking it up. I will not give too much away because most of this story I would like to keep a surprise. I hope you like it. Thanks for reading.
There once lived a young prince. And as all young princes do, they grow up and get married to a princess that they have rescued. They become king of their land and watch as their parents grow old and help out the villages and avoid war. But princes also get threats. They are sent on dangerous quests and trained to survive when needed. They skirt around as many problems as they can without harming anyone. Life as a prince isn't ever easy.
The story I am about to tell you is unlike any other. It's about a young prince as he fights for his survival with his guard. It's about an unlikely friendship, a forbidden romance, and a bitter betrayal. It's about doing what's right for his people. But most of all, this tale is about searching for loyalty and what one must achieve to believe in the right person.
So from hear on out, I present to you, "My Knight In Shining Armor."
~Atlantis, The Kingdom of the Sea~ One week ago~
"Betrothed? On my birthday?"
A young Perseus Jackson asks when his guard escorted him to the throne room by orders of the king. It's only a week before the prince's eighteenth birthday and he hears the shocking news from his father, King Poseidon. His wife, Queen Amphitrite sits stiffly next to him.
"Yes, I know that it's a big shock, but Percy, you knew this was going to happen sooner or later. You have to become king and a king needs a queen to rule with him. Without a queen, the kingdom is incomplete."
"But father! I'm only seventeen! There's still so much I want to see!" Percy cried. "I want to explore the world and see beyond the castle walls. I've been stuck here my whole life and I really do wish to search for adventure before I become betrothed." King Poseidon sighed and put his hand to his forehead.
"Percy, my son, I know that exploring is what is important to you, but you must know that this is what's best for the kingdom. I hope you understand later. I can't change the fact that you have to get married."
"But-"
"No buts. I'm sorry." Percy's face dropped. He knew that it must be hard for his father to see him unhappy, but he also knew that his father was right. It's time for him to rule as the king of this nation. But King Poseidon was not finished yet. "However, the castle will establish a ball for all the ladies near and wide to attend. There, you can meet them all and pick out your own bride."
Percy smiled weakly. He thought, 'It's better than getting an arranged marriage with someone I've never met before.'
"I understand father." He knelt down to the king and queen, then, left the room with his guard. A dark and sad expression cast over his face.
As he left the room and shut the doors behind him, he muttered under his breath, without his guard hearing, "I understand that this is not the life I would like to live."
~One Week Later~
"Hurry up Prince Percy, you are going to be late for the royal ball," cried out the maid as she attempted to shake up the sleepy prince from his bed.
He groaned. "What time is it?" he asked, sleepily.
"It's almost noon. You need to get ready. The preparations in the ballroom have yet to be displayed! They need your approval on many things, sire. Please get up!" It was clear to Percy that his maid was frantic. So he shot up as fast as he could, showered, dressed, and got right into doing what he needed to do.
First things first, he needed to set up all everything for the castle. A week ago, after receiving the message from his father about his betrothal, he had spent the entire night hand writing letters to all the fair ladies from wealthy and poor families to come attend the ball. Social status did not matter and so didn't age. As long as Percy was to find the most appropriate bride, the king let him do whatever he wanted.
Now, you may be wondering why Percy would be doing all this if he has servants. The fact is, yes, he does have many servants, but because of his simple minded head, he was very kind growing up and didn't like to trouble many people. That is one duty as a prince he had learned right after his birth.
He reached the ballroom with his guard and noticed that there were servants, butlers, and maids everywhere, trying to hang things onto the stone balconies above. They hung drapery over the arches and a magnificent chandelier on top.
Before he was able to check up on the other decor, a butler stopped himself in front of the young prince. "Sir," he started, "would you like an ivory or cream colored napkin for the guests?" He held up two identical colored napkins to show to Percy. He stared at them confusingly.
"There really isn't much of a difference. Can you make them..." Percy thought. Then, his expression brightened. "Can you make them blue?" The butler seemed surprised.
"B-blue?" Percy nodded. "But sire, we do not use, 'blue' napkins. It is very nontraditional. Nor is it a very humble color." His attempts to change Percy's mind blew through.
"Blue it is then." He smiled. The butler sighed and shook his head as he walked away from him. Percy chuckled.
He began to walk straight ahead to examine the silverware on the table when a middle aged woman with brown hair in a messy bun and almond eyes came rushing towards him.
"Young sire, what would you like better as the centerpiece of the tables?" She, just like the butler, had objects in her hands. She first pulled up a bundle of red and white roses. "The roses were cut just this morning and will complement very well with the table cloth as well as the classical theme we try to amplify." She put down the roses and held out her other hand, which held a bunch of soft pink peonies. "These peonies are an excellent choice for finding a young bride. It represents wealth, luck and happiness, as well as elegance and poise."
The prince thought for a while again. He decided to use a different kind of flower, one he has seen many times as he walked through the garden.
"Can you use lilies for the centerpieces?" he asks the maid. She seemed just as surprised as the butler.
"If you don't mind me asking, why would you choose lilies over peonies and roses?" Percy smiled.
"Lilies are delicate and beautiful, as well as fragrant. However, they are also bold and humble. I believe that this is the best choice to use for the ball." The maid still seemed unsure, but Percy widened gave his best shot at the most 'puppyish' face he could attempt.
"Oh, alright." The maid turned and left to order the workers outside of the castle to cut bunches of lilies and use them as centerpieces.
Hoping for no more distractions, Percy walks around, inspecting the room with his guard.
He noticed that there were gold and silver pillars rising from each end of the room, draped in bold purple and white curtains, ending with a fringe. Angels statues were scattered across the room, some holding lyres as if they were to play music, others looking like they were dancing through the air with their little wings. He took notice of the grand staircase that was centered in the south end of the magnificent room, which leads to the carriages outside and the walk through garden. Reaching the other end of the room was his throne, directing sitting across the staircase.
He inspected other small details, such as the bright windows scattered across the room in order. The ceiling had paintings of gods and goddesses, as well as angels and clouds. The floor was glossy and checkered with granite, all of the same beige color. Crystals were lined throughout the room, glistening in the light as if the sun had reflected it's rays off of the ocean. Percy walked closer to his throne as he passed many other busy workers in the castle.
When he reached his chair, he did not sit in it, but rather stared at it for a period of time. His eyes took in the elegant blue color that represented the kingdom and of courage. He noticed the gold lining and lacing that was created to help it stay in place. He scrutinized the different size seashells that were carved into the chair, reminding him that his home lies by the waters.
There was many other things to check up on, but Percy decided it was time to see what was happening in the kitchen.
His guard escorted him into the kingdom's biggest kitchen, big enough to fit everyone in the castle, as well as almost a fourth of the village. He walked over to the main chef, who had a fancy top hat and a thin, dark mustache.
"Ah, my prince," he said smoothly as he noticed Percy walk over. He was at least a foot shorter, but still was very professional in his work to cook the best meals for the royal family. "We are almost done finishing the appetizers. Next is the main course." The chef held up a plate with what looked like little pieces of meat on salad. "For the appetizers, we will be having tea smoked chicken, marinated overnight with Chinese black tea and spices, then served on a bed of lettuce with Asian chili sauce, soy-ginger sauce and lime. We also have onion and potato tortilla with chorizo, roasted peppers, or goat cheese. As for the main course, we will be having grilled boneless leg of lamb with black olive puree, grilled chicken with curried couscous, spinach and mango, or shrimp in spicy Thai coconut sauce. We are still working on the side dishes and the dessert."
Percy smiled and breathed in the heavenly scent in the kitchen, tried a little bit of food from all over the place, and left to check up on other things. He walked through the castle grounds and into a large office room in the south wing of his home. There, he saw his servants working on the guest list for tonight. They needed a name and home country. Percy looked around the room to see if he had recognized anyone. He did not. However, there was one name that he found peculiar.
"Does this 'Chase' person sound familiar to you?" he asks one of the workers. He asked a young man around his twenties.
"I think it is because that is the last name of your very personal guard, sire." Percy immediately remembered and felt stupid not being able to recognize the name. He turned to his guard, who was wearing full armor, including hiding the face. All of the royal guards had to keep their face hidden for safety reasons.
"Is this the name of your family?" he asks. The guard nodded. Percy smiled. "So that means I get to meet your family, huh? Well, only the people in the castle know each others' last names, so we'll be in good shape." He thanked the worker and told everyone to keep the good work up.
Lastly, it was time for Percy's clothes fitting. In a few hours, he will be dancing with a significant amount of young ladies.
When he reached his room, his maid had already set his things on his bed.
"Ann, thanks for the clothes," he thanked the middle aged lady. She smiled, showing off her teeth and her brown hair swayed across her forehead. "It was nothing, young master." Percy had always been so fond of his maid. He would do as much work as he could to make sure she didn't have something to do all the time. He especially liked the walks they had with his guard in the royal garden. To him, she felt like a mother.
He went behind a large folded curtain and had help from Gretta to help him into his clothes properly. When he stepped out, he was covered in an elegant dark blue and black outfit. There were gold lacing and metal works around his shoulders, as well as some fringe hanging off of it. His buttons were delicately sewed on to match the shoulder pieces and curly designs were marked on the back of his collar. Percy wore dark dress pants that reached his black, Blucher oxford shoes.
On his head, he wore a traditional crown covered in sapphires and aquamarines, as well as some opals, turquoise, and blue diamonds. The crown was silver and gold with waves that seem to wash up the gems from the sea.
He stumbled out to show the people in his room.
He asked Gretta, "What do you think?" She smiled and replied, "I think you look very handsome, Prince Percy. The girl that you will be married to will be a very lucky girl." Percy gave her a fake smile and turned to his guard.
"How bout you, Chase?" The guard merely nodded. He smiled. "As usual, huh?" He smoothed out his clothes and looked at the time. One hour until the ball. Percy looked out the window and noticed that it was getting late. The sun has almost set and a few guests in horse-drawn carriages have already arrived.
"Well, I guess I'll be going now," he tells Gretta. "I'll make sure that you'll be able to come too." Gretta smiled.
"It's okay, young sire. Just helping you is good enough for me." Percy flashed her a bright smile and started to leave the room with his guard. When they walked down the hall to a room by a large window leading out to the garden and courtyard. He turned and said, "You should probably go get changed too. I'll be waiting downstairs at my father's throne if you need to find me." His guard nodded and left to go change.
Percy walked down the rest of the way until he reached his father's throne. There, he saw King Poseidon lounging on the chair with his wife. When the king caught Percy coming in, he smiled.
"Ah, Percy my boy. Tonight is the big night!" he exclaimed. 'He's more enthusiastic than me,' Percy thought to himself. The queen, on the other hand, was just as stoic as usual. "I hope that you will be able to find yourself a nice bride to rule the kingdom with. I wish you the best luck. When the main ceremony is starting, I will come in dancing grandly." They talked for a while more until the castle's clocks chimed seven.
"Well, I guess we'll be going now," Percy tells them. He begins to leave when he notices his guard standing there by the door. He walks over to him. "Why didn't you just walk up? You didn't have to stay there for so long." Again, the guard merely nodded. Percy sighed. "I guess its time to go. Come on."
The two of them walk down to the grand ballroom and as Percy opens to door, he hears noise coming from every direction. When he walks in, the room was filled with light and life.
Fancy gowns and suave suits were everywhere. Women had their tied as fancy as they could. Men tried to complement themselves by adding any pins worthy enough to show off. Both were chatting and others were dancing in the middle of the room. The chandelier above shown off a brilliant light of vibrant colors and the whole floor seemed to be the ocean itself.
Classical music filled the air and ears as he walked through the crowd with his guard escorting him. The tables were just as he hoped them to be. Blue napkins, white tables, both centered with beautiful lilies in vases beautifully decorated with gems of sea green and silver. Everywhere Percy turned, he noticed the liveliness in the room. He couldn't believe that this is what a real ball looks like. This was his first time attending a formal one, since his father never allowed him to go to any when he was younger.
He noticed that there were a few small children playing around. No one seemed to care about each others social statuses and they looked like they were having the time of their lives. Percy smiled, not being able to wipe the silly look off his face.
Suddenly, a young woman with a black and green Victorian gown came up to the prince.
"You must be Prince Perseus, am I correct?" She had bright red hair that almost looked like a fire. When she smiled, her eyes glittered from the lights and her freckles shown through her random strands of hair.
"That is correct," Percy answered back, "but you can just call me Percy."
"Just playing it casual, right?" The young lady chuckled. "My name is Lady Rachel Elizabeth Dare, but you can just call me Rachel." The two of them hit it off immediately. After a bit of chatting while standing, they decided to dance.
"So tell me, Percy, what is it like to become the next successful king to this nation?" He led her through the waltz with his hand on her hips and hers on his shoulder.
"Well, I wouldn't say successful, but I'm trying. Anyways, I'm just trying to grasp onto the concept as to why princes like me have to marry at such a young age. I want to explore the world. That's all I've wanted as a kid. I never liked the idea of growing up stuck here, like a cage. I'm learning all these useless things when I can be out meeting new people or discovering a new species of fish or something."
Rachel chuckled. "A man with a strong sense of what he believes in. I like that." The two of them continue to dance for a few more songs. Then, it was time for meeting of each person there. Percy excused himself from Rachel and walked over to his throne in the back of the room. His trusting guard was right next to him.
The men and women who want to meet the prince have their chance of doing so as they line up on the grand staircase. An announcer was to call out their names, one by one, and where they were from. Others stayed on the floor and watched. Most of them were castle workers, already blessed with the chance to meet the prince. Some presented gifts to him, others letters.
'This better go quickly,' Percy said to himself, already feeling uncomfortable sitting in his chair, only ten minutes into the meeting.
The next person was called.
"Lady Delia of Rowan and her escort, Sir Johnson." They walked down the stairs and greeted the prince, then, left. This carried on for about thirty more minutes.
Another person was called.
"Sir Nakamura of Atlas." A young man, around the same age as Percy, walked down the stairs in a black outfit. Nakamura was of Japanese descent and had a slim build. He had glossy black hair which reached down to his neck and seemed to be about the same height as Percy as well. What Percy noticed the most about this person was that he wore an eye patch on his left eye.
The room was eerily quiet and Percy sensed danger.
Sir Nakamura approached him and knelt down at the foot of the throne. He was slightly closer to Percy than he wanted him to be.
"Sire, it is an honor to meet you." He was still kneeling down and facing the ground. His hair was covering most of his face besides his mouth. "Thank you for inviting me to your royal ball. I hope that one day you will find your bride." Suddenly, a grin flashed on his mouth, making shivers go up Percy's spine.
"I would like to present you with a gift, if you can accept. Although it isn't much, I hope that you will find it very handy to ward off your enemies." Sir Nakamura slowly reached into his coat, but kept his hand in.
"FOR I HAVE FOUND IT VERY USEFUL TO KILL PEOPLE!"
The man shot up from the ground and pulled out a sharp dagger. He held it up and the crowd screamed. Percy didn't have any weapons on him. He was entirely defenseless.
He could hear the shouts of his father, who was watching from the sides. He could see Rachel's eyes widen as she noticed the dagger in the young man's hands for the first time. He was able to see the horrified look on Gretta's face as she watched the dagger come down at the sitting prince.
He closed his eyes.
But he did not feel any pain.
Breathing heavy, Percy opened his eyes very slowly. It was blurry at first, but it finally cleared. He heard the crowd draw in a dangerous gasp and the painful sound of ripping flesh. And he also noticed that there was a figure in front of him.
When Percy finally was able to realize what had happened, it was already too late.
Percy's guard was standing in front of him,blocking him from harm's way, with a bloody dagger thrust deep into his chest.