Discliamer: I am not Rick Riordan, I do not own some characters such as Percy or Piper.
PIPER stood, leaning against the entrance of the balcony in her room. Her arms wrapped around her, as her fingertips felt the silky material of her dress. She sighed and stared at the garden, taking in the fresh air. The sun was setting, creating a gorgeous view of the thousands of flowers. Suddenly, her servant drew her from her thoughts.
"I'm sorry you to disturb you, m'lady, but your mother wishes to speak to you."
Piper sighed before she spoke, "Thank you, Azalea. Tell the guards to let her in, please."
"As you wish, m'lady." Azalea said, before curtsying and leaving.
Aphrodite entered and sat herself on Piper's bed, "You know, Piper, you should not let your servants call you that.", she scolded, "It isn't proper. "
"Save your breath, Mother. I am in no mood for this discussion."
"You are never in the mood, Piper, but you must understand. You are not like the others. You are a Royal, chosen by the Gods to lead millions. You are the future of France."
"Chosen! Don't you mean forced? As I quite remember, I did not have a choice, Mother. "
"I did what I had to do for the best of this country."
"What about me, Mother! What about my life before all of this ever happened? All I am to you is a pawn. You don't care about me."
"Do not say that. I care about you very much, Piper. You are my daughter. My flesh and blood. You'll understand when you become Queen."
Piper rolled her eyes and said, "Just leave, Mother. I don't want to fight. Especially today. Let me enjoy my last day here."
"I am sorry, Piper, but I am not leaving. We have to talk about the alliance with Spain."
"I don't want to talk about it. Not now."
"You leave for Spain in two hours! Piper, please listen to me. There are things you need to know about it."
"What more can there be? I know what my role is. My marriage with the heir to the Spanish throne is essential to France. I will play the role of the obedient wife, in order to save France. I don't even know his name, Mother. How am I suppose to marry someone I don't love, or even know anything about him!"
"Love will come later, Piper. Do not worry about that. As for information, his name is Percy. Although, you will address him as Your Highness or Your Majesty, he is your superior. Do not forget that, Piper. You may be a Queen, but his is a King. "
"A King or Queen of exactly what? You treat me as if I were Queen already but I am not. I have no power. It all belongs to you. You are my Regent. I have no input in what happens in my country. "
"All in due time Piper. Once you marry Percy, you will be Queen of not just one, but two powerful nations. "
"Until then, I suppose you are to rule? "
"It is the same with Percy, Piper. He may be the King of Spain, but he holds no power. The Council of The Gods do not trust him, and his father serves as his Regent."
"Why do they not trust him, Mother? Is he such a foolish and idiotic leader? Am I doomed to watch as he ruins my nation?"
"No! Percy is the Savior of Olympus. He is a natural-born leader and hero. The Gods owed him their lives."
"Then why don't they trust him? If he is the Savior, shouldn't he be trusted?"
"Percy is very powerful, honey. He is the most powerful demigod of this era. The Gods fear him. How can we trust someone with such power? Especially a Royal?"
"So, you are basically afraid of being out of control? I may not know a lot about Percy, but saving Olympus could not have been an easy task, Mother. How can he prove he won't betray you, if you can't even recognize his sacrifices? You use us just a like pawns in your games! "
"Many of the Gods, including myself, trust Percy. But Percy is known to be very hasty and rushed. He does not think things through. However, you do. You think of everything. Don't you see how perfect you are for each other?"
Piper scoffed, "Get to the point, Mother. What else do I have to know about the Alliance?"
"As you know, Piper, when Poseidon offered his help for France, I had to take it. France's survival depended on Spain's help."
"Who was trying to attack France, Mother?"
"They are known as The Rebels, Piper. They are a group of rogue demigods who opposed the idea of the monarchy. The Rebels refuse to bow down to their Royal. "
"How many are there?"
"It is hard to say, Piper. The Rebels are very well spread out. Many are here in France, some in England, others in Spain, and so forth. They want to destroy the monarchy, no matter the cost. Some are less aggressive than others, but their ideals remain the same. The monarchy must be destroyed. "
"How could you keep this hidden from me? All this time! Mother, do you realize that I will be Queen someday? I will be the face of France, their leader! How could you keep threats like this away from me?"
"I kept this away to protect you. The Rebels know who you are, Piper, they would stop at nothing to harm you. Do you understand why I kept you away from the public? Do you understand why you cannot rule now? Piper, you are the sole Royal of France! I have chosen you and I cannot chose anyone else. If something were to happen to you, the legacy of France would be gone. The Rebels would succeed in their goal of destroying the monarchy of France. Do you see why I had to take desperate measures in this alliance with Spain? France could not fall into the hands of The Rebels."
Piper felt as if someone had spun her a thousand times. She sat down in a chair and looked at her mother. How could this be? All these years, trapped inside the luxurious palace and all to protect her. How many times had she cursed at her mother for keeping her in, when all she was trying to do was save her? What did this mean? What would happen to her once she becomes Queen?
"What does this mean? Once I leave the castle, what happens, Mother?"
"The Rebels grow more vicious every day, Piper. Our alliance with Spain has kept France safe so far, but even with Spain's help, The Rebels can attack us at any moment. Once you leave this palace Piper, you are no longer under my protection. You will have to face the world, and I wish you did not have to but you will encounter the hatred many hold against you. People will hate you for the simple fact that you wear a crown and are their Queen. The Rebels will target you. You stand for everything they hate but you must prove them wrong! You are the next generation, Piper. Make the change, I've failed to do. Make them understand. Make France strong again."
Piper tried to process everything that had unfolded before her. She was flooded with contrasting emotions. Overall, she felt fear. Why did the future hold for her? Could she really make France again? Was she all alone?
"Am I all alone, Mother? Am I doomed to reign, always fearing for my life?"
"You are never alone, Piper. I will always be with you. Do not forget that you are not the only monarch. Percy is in the almost exact situation. The only difference is that Percy is able to lead attacks towards The Rebels."
"Will he be able to pro—"
A guard interrupted her, as he barged in and looked Piper in the eyes.
"We must leave now, Your Majesties. "
"What? Why?"
"The Rebels have infiltrated the palace."
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS! THIS IS MY FIRST FANFIC SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME! Sorry if this chapter was bad! REVIEWS ARE MORE THAN WELCOMED BUT PLEASE DON'T BE RUDE.
