The Christmas Prince
Has a lot of Percabeth fluff. I love Percabeth, by the way. This is a mortal fanfic, so no demigods fighting off monsters during the time being. I will (probably) do one where there are demigods, but that seems so difficult. Probably because I'm really lazy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson & the Olympians. Do I look like a middle-aged dude? Nevermind... All I'm trying to say is that I'm not Rick, so Percabeth doesn't belong to me. The plot is entirely mine, though. Thought up by this really stupid brain.
~ Yours truly, S.V :D
"Up!" I heard my step sister shouting.
"Maybe later?" I replied, turning over in my queen sized bed. "NOW! We're only a few hours away from the wedding!" she shouted, storming into my room. I could hear her footsteps pounding against the wood flooring.
She dragged me up and pulled me into the living room. "I'm tired," I complained. "I don't care if your tired or not, I'm getting married in a few hours, and I need your help!" I attempted to rub the sleep out of my eyes. "Fine," I grumbled and sat her down on the couch. "I'll make some pancakes, and then I'll get you ready for your big day."
"Thank you, Annabeth."
"No problem, Sarahlia."
"Don't call me that," she told me furiously. "Fine, Lia." I corrected myself. She nodded her head in approval before I walked to the kitchen. After today, I would have this house to myself instead of sharing it with my older step sister, Sarahlia. I again attempted to rub the sleep out of my eyes, accidentally poking my eye in the process.
"Ow," I muttered. At least that woke me up, I thought to myself. I got out the pancake batter from two days ago and set out the griddle. After that got heated, I poured the batter in, making perfectly round pancakes. Then I dumped in a bunch of chocolate chips.
"That smells delicious," Lia said, poking her head in through the doorway. "Just think, soon you'll be the one cooking!" I exclaimed, for I was the one that did all the cooking at our house. "Ugh, don't remind me," she said, rolling her eyes at the thought. I almost laughed, but I caught myself. "If you think it's so funny, who're you bringing to the wedding? Your pillow?" I snorted and said, "As if I would bring anyone to your wedding, you know me. I hate all boy kind." I waved my pancake flipper to get my point across better. This time she was the one to snort and said, "Whatever, Annie."
"Don't call me Annie," I said, narrowing my eyes at her. "Pancakes," she sang and walked back into the living room. I'm so relieved I don't have to live with her anymore. Sisterly love is terrible, I thought to myself and smiled. She was older than me, but living off my money. Lia only worked at a McDonalds across the city. She was even lucky to have a car. But now with a soon-to-be husband to help her onto her feet, she'll be living with the love of her life and keep me out of the picture most of the time.
The pancakes were done sooner than I expected. Honestly, pancakes just keep surprising me. Anyway, I plopped the stack onto the dining room table, and Lia bounded toward me. "Breakfast is served," I said, faking a bow. She replied with a, "Thank you, milady. Your service is quite helpful." We both laughed and pulled out a chair, sitting down and immediately digging into our food.
"I swear, you're trying to get me so fat I won't be able to get into me wedding dress!" she joked, leaning back and patting her stomach.
I smiled at her and said, "How'd you guess?" She rolled her eyes and we both laughed again. "I sure will miss your cooking." I looked at her and said, "Well, dress time." She smiled at me.
Lia's dress was a normal wedding dress. It was white with a three foot train. It was sleeveless and the top ended as a heart above her chest. It gripped her body well.
"Well, hair and makeup," I told her, rubbing together my hands. I walked around her, examining her curves, her blonde hair, her dazzling blue eyes, and her slightly tanned skin. She was skinny, and not very muscular. I took her hair and put it in a bun inspired by Cinderella. Then I grabbed my makeup kit and started applying her makeup. I wanted a simple look on her, but also made her every feature stand out. I put a light blush on her cheekbones to make then seem to stand out. I added a thin layer of eyeliner around the top and bottom of her eyes. Then I put on a thick layer of black mascara on. I added white eyeshadow and then a simple pale ruby lipstick and she was done.
"There," I told her giving her a mirror so she could gaze upon her reflection. The door creaked open and a shrill cry was heard.
"Oh my darling! I had never thought I would see the day! One of my girls are getting married!"
"Mom!" Lia shouted, and ran to the front door. "You are looking like a princess. Worthy of the Prince. Look who I brought with!" she exclaimed. I had never had the best relationship with our mom, but I slowly edged forward to see my younger step sister behind mom.
"Nicole!" I shouted, hugging her tightly.
"Annabeth!" she shouted back, hugging me as tightly. "I had wanted to come see you so bad, but Mom said I had to stay by my apartment down in the city."
"I hate you driving around to who-knows-where," Mom replied sternly. "That's alright. But I missed you too." I pulled her back and looked at her. Her blue eyes sparkling happily. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
Sarahlia is 25, I am 23, and Nicole is 20. Lia and Nicole both have straight dirty blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes. They both also have slightly tanned skin. Mom has brown hair, dark blue eyes, and tan skin. Dad had slightly tanned skin, brown eyes, and golden blonde hair (although mom's hair is graying) They all have bone-straight hair. I have boring grey eyes, tan skin, golden blonde princess curls, and a lean athletic figure. Honestly, I don't look anything like any of them, so I feel left out when we go places. Nicole and Lia are the only ones that treat me like family. Especially Nicole, she always had room in her heart for me.
"Oh! I have your dresses."
"Good," she replied. I was eager to get them changed and do their makeup, too.
I showed them to the bathroom, where their dresses hung. I had gotten Mom a light blue one that went down to her ankles. It had sleeves that went to her elbows. I had found Nicole a light gray dress that went down to her knees and was tight to her curves. It had no sleeves and ended as a heart above her chest.
"Beautiful!" Nicole exclaimed. "How much was it? I'll pay you back!" I smirked. "Call it a Christmas present." She hugged me and hurried us out of the bathroom so she could change. Once she got out, I was amazed at how it looked on her. "You look stunning, Nicole." she smiled and twirled, which did nothing to her dress. "Your turn mom. I'll do Nicole's makeup and hair while you're in there."
I shuffled Nicole to the couch and applied a thin line of eyeliner, a thin amount of mascara, silver eyeshadow, and cherry red lipstick. I put her hair in a loose bun that had a few straight hairs tucked behind her ears. "Perfect," I told her, putting a mirror up to her face so she could see herself. "Thank you," she breathed out. "No problem. I do this all the time." I smiled at her and she smiled back.
"OMG! Have you seen the news?"
"No, I was sleeping."
"I mean the recent news, dummy!" she exclaimed, smacking me on the side of my head. "One: ouch. Two: no, I was doing Nicole's makeup and hair."
"Well, Mom got out of the bathroom a couple minutes ago and turned on the news. Come watch!" Lia shouted, pulling me and Nicole out of the living room into her bedroom.
"This just in. the royal prince, Perseus, has parted ways with Princess Calypso. He is a newly single man. All you single girls out there have my luck today!" I groaned at the picture of the Prince. "We have a place booked at the palace. Seeing our family is friends or friends of friends of friends with the royal family." Lia informed me. Information I already knew. "We might be able to meet him?"
"Oh definitely. You single people are lucky!" Lia shouted. "Whatever, I still need to do Mom's hair and makeup, along with my dress, hair, and slight makeup."
"Well why are you just standing there then?" I rolled my eyes and swiftly moved to Mom. I put her hair in a tight bun on the top of her head. She grumbled a bit at the tugging, otherwise she was good. I put on a thick coat of everything on Mom and added light blue eyeshadow over her eyelids. I added apple red lipstick onto her lips to make them shiny and, well, apple red.
"Okay, on to me!" I said and rushed into my room. The bridesmaids were allowed to wear whatever we wanted, but they had to be in the same color range. I pulled out a dress I specifically made for the wedding. It was an eggshell white and had patterns around its waist that were sparkly gold. It fit to me until my waist, where it puffed out and ended at my feet. I had gotten glass slippers for my birthday last year and decided to wear them along with the dress. I figured I would do my makeup when we got there. I pulled my hair in a Belle style, so half of it was a bun and the bottom half was swept over my shoulder.
I walked out and found my sister (Nicole) happily giggling and jumping up and down. "Yes?" I asked cautiously. "You will not believe what just happened!" she exclaimed. "Looks like there's going to be more than one wedding." Lia said, walking up from behind me. "What? Nicole? You're getting married?"
"Psh, no!"
"Wait, what? I'm confused." I looked at them strangely. "You're the one getting married," they both said simply. "What!" I shouted. "Never you mind. We have a wedding to get to."
"Right, um, yeah," I stuttered, following them out of the house. Locking the doors behind me, and stuffing the keys into my small purse. I slung my purse over my shoulder and kept following them.
We had finally arrived at the palace. And we were early. Great. Just great, peachy really. We were the first ones there, so we had time to wander. I was amazed at the architecture of the palace, so, of course, I was trailing behind them. I was off in my dreamland, wondering what they were talking about. Something about me getting married. Like that would happen any time soon, I thought to myself, rolling my eyes at my family's strangeness. I fingered the necklace my father gave me a few years back before he died. I missed him and wanted him back. Strong hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me into a room.
"Hey!" I shouted, whipping around to see a boy in a hoodie and jeans.
"You're wandering the palace halls, what do you think you're doing? Especially in a dress like that?" I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm here for the wedding. We were early. You look like a suspicious character, what are you doing in the palace?"
"I live here." I looked closer and pulled down his hoodie. I kept my hard glare even though I knew who it was. "Wow, no 'Ahhhh! It's the Prince?' You do know who I am right?"
"Who doesn't know who you are? I know you're Prince Perseus." I curtsied and said, "Prince Perseus, pleasure to make your acquaintance. More or less." I added the last part in a hushed tone and he looked at me and said, "Excuse me?" I glared at him and replied, "Well, you pulled me apart from my family, and now I'm lost." He looked at me funny and apologized, "I'm really sorry. I can help you, if you want?"
"Sure," I replied hesitantly. "Great, follow me!" As we were walking towards the direction my family headed off in, he pulled his hoodie back over his head to hide his face. I hadn't really caught his features, but he was taller in person. Probably about 5'10 or 5'11. It bothered me because I was shorter than him by a few inches. I'm 5'9 by the way.
Coming back to reality, I saw him reach his hand in front of me and push open a huge door. I checked my phone and saw it was about ten minutes away from 8:oo in the morning. The wedding would start at 8:15, about twenty-five minutes away. "Oh my, everyone's going to be worried. I'm their makeup!" I rushed through the doors to find my sisters and Mom. "Oh, we thought we lost you! When I looked back, you were simply gone." Nicole rushed to me and tried to hug me. I held up my hands to stop her and motioned to my dress. "Oh, right. Sorry," she muttered, backing away before looking past me to see the Prince. "Who's that" she asked. I pretended not to hear what she asked and tried to find my makeup bag in my purse. "Did you finally bring a date to my wedding?" Lia asked jokingly. "Nope, I doubt he wants to stay.
"Right?" I said, directing the "right" in Perseus's direction. "Actually, let me change and I'll be here." I glared at him and he ran out the door. "Who's that?" Lia asked me, raising her eyebrow at me. "Uh… nobody. He's… nobody." I stammered. I could not believe that the prince was going to the wedding, with me of all people. I gaped at the closing door and just stood there for a few minutes. "Seriously, how'd you get him?" I looked at her baffled for a minute, surprised that someone was talking to me. Nicole repeated her phrase multiple times before I actually heard her. "Um, well, I-I passed him in the corridors," I stuttered. "You never stutter about a boy. Do you like him?"
"I just met him! And I have a reason to stutter!" I shouted.
"Who are you talking about?" he said as he appeared next to me. "One: don't freak me out like that. Two: none of your business," I snapped, then covered my mouth. "Sorry."
"No problem," he replied calmly. I let out a breath of air. "AHHHHHHH! Oh, my, god! It's the PRINCE!"
"This is how people react when they see me, Annabeth." I rolled my eyes and said, "Well I'm sorry I didn't like being taken away from my family." He looked upset for a minute but then said, "Well you looked suspicious in that dress." He pointed to my dress. "You looked suspicious in a hoodie, slinking around the shadows." Lia looked at us with her mouth wide open. "You two argue like an already married couple! That's so cute!" Lia cooed. "WHAT?" Me and Prince Perseus asked at the same time. "Oh, you two don't know about that?" Nicole asked. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about. I swear, you're going crazy." Nicole looked at me indignantly and huffed. Prince Perseus looked at me and said, "Wait, you're the Annabeth Chase?" I raised an eyebrow and said, "Yeah, why?" he looked at my sisters and said, "You haven't told her? What kind of family are you?"
"We just wanted to see her reaction after the wedding. Please don't tell her. She'll ruin the wedding."
"Wow, I feel so special. I hate thinking that I'll ruin your special wedding day. I mean, I did do your makeup, hair, dress, catering, etc." I said sarcastically. "Okay, okay, sorry. Just calm down, okay?"
"Fine," I grumbled back to her. Nicole smiled at me and said, "Well, we need makeup, again." I sighed and moved to her. I reapplied all that I applied before and then moved to Lia. I reapplied everything that I applied before to Lia, along with Mom. "Done." I clapped my hands and took a step back to see my work.
"Brilliant, that's amazing!" Prince Perseus exclaimed, popping up next to me. "I know. It's my job." I replied snarkily. Picking up a mirror, I applied a thin layer of mascara and strawberry flavored lip gloss. "There," I said, putting my mirror back into my bag along with my makeup kit.
I was locked in an extra bedroom along with my sisters and mom. "When can we get out of here? I don't like being locked in places."
"Relax, sister. We'll be gone in a few minutes to start the wedding," I sighed and said, "Yay!" I could hear someone unlock the doors and say, "Time for the wedding." It was Prince Perseus. "Alright, let's go!" I shouted, jumping up and down and racing through the halls. "Slow down!" someone shouted behind me. I slowed to a stop and whipped towards the person talking. "Thanks. I am really bored and hate staying in the same place at once. Blame it on my ADHD."
"You have ADHD? So do I!"
"Not something you should be happy about. It's terrible. I'm going to be terrible at the wedding. Shuffling on my feet, whistling the entire time. Being my usual annoying self." He shrugged. "At least you'll never be boring." he pointed out. I shrugged. "I guess," I said slowly. He took up my hand reassuringly. I shied it away quickly. It was a little bit more than awkward between us. "Sorry."
"You're fine. It was me. After all, who wouldn't want to hold hands with the Prince?" I smirked. He smiled at genuine smile and replied, "Well, everybody but you, seeing you don't react like other girls." I laced my fingers through his and he smiled. "Even you can't resist my charms."
"I think you can't resist me," I replied. "Why do you think that?"
"Because you held my hand first." He smiled and said, "Touché." We laughed silently together. Stop, Annabeth. Do not do this to yourself again. Do not get hurt, I thought to myself. Pushing back the thoughts, I walked along in a normal human being pace. We let go once my family caught up to us, which included a lot of running on their part.
Finally reaching the doors, I stopped and waited to stand next to Lia. "Father would have been so proud to see you today. You look beautiful. Always remember, Lia, he's still here with us." I pointed to her heart. "In here." She smiled and looked as if she was going to cry. I took my finger under her eye and wiped the oncoming tears away. "Thank you, Annabeth. That means a lot to me." I shrugged. "Don't thank me, all I was saying was the truth. But it's what sisters do, we stick by each other. And I'm glad I'll be walking my older sister down the aisle."
"When you get married, I'll walk you down the aisle." I smiled at her and said, "I want you and Nicole if I ever do get married." She smirked at me and we locked arms. I pushed open the doors to find a room with practically all windows. Some of them were stained glass, bathing the room in a different array of bright colors. I could hear Lia take in a sharp breath at the beauty of the room. I looked at her fiance, giving him a silent warning with my eyes that only he could see.
We walked forward in unison. Once we got to the end of the walkway, I walked to her right side, for I was her bridesmaid. Two of her friends came up next to me. Their names were Elizabeth and Mary. Then Steven's friends came up, Aiden and Brody. I sighed smally once the wedding started. All that was boring, so I'll skip that for you.
You're welcome, that was long and hard. For me at least. Anyways, when we were leaving the beautiful room, Prince Perseus stopped me. "Hey. There's something me and your family need to talk about."
"My family? And the royal family? Psh, yeah right."
"I-I'm serious, we need to talk about something your father gave you before he died. It's important, so important that there may be a potential marriage to gain it."
"The only thing my father gave me is my necklace." I told him, taking my necklace and cradling it in my hands. It wasn't much, only amethyst that glowed because of a never-ending light in its base. "No, no, this is nothing special. It was just a gift from him before he died. Nothing more."
"It holds special information for the royals, and if it got in the wrong hands, that would be disastrous." I took a sharp breath in and slowly let it out again. I repeated that until my heart beat didn't seem to be crawling up my throat. "Anyway, let's keep going and talk over dinner."
"Wait… dinner?"
"Yes, your family is staying with us for a few days. To… prepare." The way he said prepare didn't really reassure me, but I shrugged it off and followed him.
A while later, we finally arrived at the dining room. It. Was. Huge. Period. That's all I'm going to say about that matter. If I started descriptions, we would be here all day. All you need to know is that it's huge. I was swept out of my thoughts when a hand gripped me and pulled me over to a chair.
"Thanks," I said, trying to free myself of the grasp.
"No problem," he replied. Letting go and sitting next to me. I sighed in exasperation and then noticed the food sitting in front of all the chairs. My family gathered around me and sat.
"This looks scrumptious," Nicole said, I could almost imagine the drool coming out of her mouth. I snorted quietly, because of holding in my laugh. Nicole looked at me funnily and I gave her an "I'll-tell-you-later" look. She nodded and went back to looking at her food. "May we eat yet?" I asked Prince Perseus. "If you're hungry, you may eat." I repeated that to Nicole and she dug in, along with Mom, Lia, Prince Perseus, and Steven. I sat there, I wasn't very hungry. Then the King and Queen came in. I sat up straighter, and made my shoulders squared more. They looked pretty much nothing like Prince Perseus. The queen had straight dark brown hair that went to her shoulders. Her dark blue eyes sparkled and she looked like a kind figure. She had tan skin implying that she was outside a lot on her spare time. The king had fierce sea-green eyes that held the slight twinkle that Prince Perseus's did, slightly graying midnight black hair, and tan skin also implying that he was outside a lot. Prince Perseus had messy raven hair and his bangs fell into his face. His eyes, oh my, his eyes, they were sea-green and twinkled with a mischievous look, and he was tan. That implied that he was outside every waking moment. Like his parents.
I still hadn't eaten and the sight of food made my stomach growl quietly. I wanted to hear what people were talking about before I ate. Something about marriage, my worthless necklace being important, something so important the royal family would marry someone from my family for, something someone would kill for just to get their hands on it. The suspense was killing me.
Finally I asked, "I am so sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I can't help but wonder what you all are talking about. Something my father gave me before he died that has important information in it?" The King looked at me with distaste. The Queen looked at me with pity. Why pity? But she finally answered my question.
"Your necklace, dear, holds information your father was supposed to give to us before he died. In order to get that information, someone from the royal family has to marry the owner of that artifact in order to get it again. That needs to happen because he left it in his will to a specific person. That person, dear, is you."
"Wait, no. I'm not marrying someone I barely know. Never, why can't I just give it to you?"
"It was in his will. The person he gave it to had to marry someone in the royal family. We can not break his wishes, dear."
"I-I understand my Queen." I hid the anger and shock inside me, and I felt like I was going to burst. I took a breath in and said, "I'm not that hungry anymore. I think I'll just go get some fresh air."
I smiled and hurried out of the dining room. Somehow finding a way outside, I sat on a bench in their beautiful garden. I sobbed, then quickly removed my makeup to make it look like I was okay when I went back in. If I ever went back in. Taking the necklace in my hands, I thought about breaking it, but I knew better. I looked at it solemnly. Then I hiccuped, and started to sob again. "This can't be happening. I won't let this happen."
"I'm afraid, Annabeth, you have no choice. This is for the good of the kingdom, and you need to understand that. Plus, the guy your marrying isn't that bad."
"Please, all royals are bad."
"Even me?" I looked up and saw him. "I'm sorry. Spur of the moment. Sorry," I apologized. "Do you really mean that? What you said?"
"Yes… no… maybe? I don't know anymore. All I know is that you're not all bad."
"Good, because you're marrying me." I tried to keep my face expressionless, but I must have let some emotion slip. "I didn't agree to this either, but, you're not entirely bad. I suppose."
"I'll take that," I said, laughing a little. He laughed back and sat next to me on the bench. He laced his fingers through mine and I relaxed a little bit. Then he hugged me. At first I was still like a statue, but I gradually sank into the hug. "By the way, merry Christmas, Annabeth."
"Merry Christmas to you, too." I replied, looking up to face him. His eyes shone with care and were swirling with playfulness. I took a breath in a let it out again, repeating that until I felt my tears dry and I was back to almost normal.
We sat there for what seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes. I laid my head on his shoulders and he laid his head on top of mine. When I knew we had to go back inside, he lifted up his head and kissed me on my head. I felt my face heat up and looked at him. His did too.
"Well, time to go inside," I said, standing and pulling him up with me. We kept our hands laced together as we walked inside. I was pretty happy. No, I was extremely happy. Smiling to myself as we kept walking inside, I thought how this was the best Christmas I ever had, which was saying a lot.