Hi! If you are reading this you may be one of my readers of the Many Ties of Percy and Annabeth. If you are, I'd like to tell you I will update ASAP, just not this weekend, I have a huge final coming up and I need 2 study. :)

This is a Goose Girl by Shannon Hale fanfic. If you haven't read it, you may still like this, but if you have, you'll understand it best. So happy reading!


The royal guards eyed the young woman as she dismissively ordered them to open the palace gates. They creaked open, and she lifted the hem of her dress and continued up the newly furbished path.

The echo of footsteps sounded as the Kildrenean girl entered the castle, her heels clicking on the tile and her yellow hair trailing behind her.

One of the palace hands curtsied deeply as she walked on the velvety carpet through the grand hall. "Good evening, Princess Anidori-Kiladra. Have yourself a nice outing?"

In return she gave him her signature sickly-sweet smile and replied, "Ah yes, but I must hurry now, the prince is awaiting me." She carried on, and the servant bowed deeply again.

The impostor strolled up to her lacey pink bedroom, and entered the luxurious bathroom she had been using for the past months. The exotic bath soaps and fluffy towels on the bench beside her shower, the colorful moisturizers her serving women had encouraged her to lather on, and the gleaming tiles, bathtub, and sink looked back at her from the interior.

Approaching the mirror, she smiled haughtily at herself, how clever she was, to devise such a plot, to get the despicable "Crown Princess" out of the picture, to grant herself such lush living conditions and power, to trick the prince into a romance while really courting her lovely Ungolad… she ought to receive a prize for it all.

Knowing that she must look top-notch before consulting the prince, Selia checked her gown; adjusting the frilly lavender garment with deft fingers. She then braided her hair into a long golden plait, tying it with a plum-colored ribbon. She looked into her reflection and smiled her winning smile, and freshly applied lipstick to her lips, smoothing them as she went along. Selia pinched her cheeks to give them a fuller, pinker look, and exited the bathroom, satisfied with her appearance.

She then walked through the hall to the prince's room, were he was staring, point-blankly, out the window. Selia knocked politely and then folded her arms curtly across her chest. Geric opened the door sullenly and she greeted him with a bright smile.

"Prince!" She gave him peck on the cheek, but he simply raised his eyebrows. She ignored it."How wonderful to see you. I have been out, visiting a royal relative of yours-"

"-my uncle, a nobleman by the name of Hirald-"

"-yes, him, quite a charming man your uncle is." She smiled again and gestured towards the prince's broad sofa. "Please sit down, my Geric."

He cringed at her casual way of addressing him, but she seemed so attached to him that he couldn't possibly refuse her company, even if he was hugely tempted to.

He sat down beside her, and Selia extended her arm to his shoulder. Geric felt like shuddering.

"My dear, how has your day been?" her voice was like butter, smooth and slick, sliding easily across her tongue. Though meant to be soothing, the voice irritated Geric. This princess seemed so in love with him already, apparently, and her refused to believe it. She was pretty, of course, and desirable to many, but Geric simply didn't feel any chemistry between them. He dreaded the moments of bondage their future marriage would bring. Besides, he was afraid he had already fallen in love with someone else…

"Prince? Geric, honey?" He became aware that he was staring into space. For a moment her eyes betrayed impatience and irritation, but quickly the girl soothed herself and stroked his hair.

"Is something the matter? You seem downcast, Your Highness." She kissed the top of his head, and he mustered up a weak smile, while thinking, why is this girl trying so hard? It is obvious she doesn't really love me.

"I am fine, Isi, I-I-I mean, Princess," he couldn't catch himself in time, and stared at his lap in horror. Had he just called her Isi?

She stood up in a furious air. "What did you just call me?"

"Er… I-I called you Isilee, after your grandmother," he smiled sheepishly, but she narrowed her eyes. "Such a pretty name Isi-Isilee is, right? Not as pretty as Anidori-Kiladra, though, of-of course."

The tension eased and Selia sat back down, though now confused. "Oh. Well, why call me Isi? My name is long enough, why say all of it?" She laughed a breathy, lovely laugh to which he attempted to match with a nervous smile.

"So true, yes, ha…"

-To be continued!


Thanks for reading and please comment! Thanks and bye! :)