New chapter. Thanks for the reviews!

Sounds Tortured

Annabeth had never been to the prison. She knew that it was very possible for her to go there, but she never got around to visiting.

As the guards hauled Percy away, it was all she could do to keep from trying to fight them, to get to him. Instead, she demanded fair treatment and her own imprisonment. Frederick didn't have much of a choice, seeing as a crowd was starting to gather.

The prison was underground, so once they reached the fortress, they immediately started down the many flights of stairs. After what felt like walking down the tallest tower at the palace several times, the guards finally pulled her into the cell block. The cells turned out to be little more than holes dug in the cave, five or six prisoners in each. Iron gates that creaked every time they swung open were the only barriers between the prisoners and the guards.

Rough hands shoved her into the nearest cell, one already occupied by five other girls. Annabeth immediately noticed the varying levels of neglect for each of the girls.

Three huddled in one corner, whispering amongst each other as the gates locked behind Annabeth. The trio dressed similar to each other, their dark grey dresses reaching their knees and looking more comfortable than Annabeth's own outfit. One girl stared at the Princess, as opposed to her friends' fleeting glances. Something about her just screamed that she was their leader. Her dark hair was elaborately twisted into some kind of braid that Annabeth had never seen before, maybe foreign. The other girls, one with reddish hair and the other with black hair, wore it in a similar fashion. She soon realized something wrapped around the lead girl's head, a circlet that once looked as it was worth a substantial amount. It had dulled in time, its silver blending in her hair. The girl's dark eyes flashed at Annabeth as she caught the blonde eying the headpiece.

A prisoner sat near the door and watched it as it swung shut. Her rich-colored brown hair was cut at different lengths, looking as if she had let some toddler cut it with a knife. Her skin was darker than most people Annabeth associated with in her kingdom, aside from Hazel, but this girl's skin glowed in a different way. She was probably some poor traveler and didn't know the law. A feather was tucked in her hair, brightening her otherwise drab outfit, which consisted of a rough, brown dress and matching sandals. The girl shivered as the guards finally left us to continue their patrol.

"Your M-Majesty," The last girl stuttered from her spot in the corner. She wore a dirty white dress that was thinner than what most people would have described as appropriate for the public. Her almond shaped eyes were dull, her auburn hair stringy from neglect, and Annabeth could see the dirt under her nails from across the room. It was obvious that this girl had been there the longest.

"No need for that title," Annabeth addressed the use of it. She really hated all the titles, her actual name worked just as well. "Call me Annabeth."

"Piper." The girl with the feather in her hair stood and shook hands with the Princess. The exchange felt weird for Annabeth, but at the same time, she had never felt so normal. For a short moment, she thought back to Silena's sister, the one who shared her name with this girl. She couldn't be the same one though, her skin was way too dark and she looked nothing like Silena or her other sisters. Of course, Annabeth had never actually met the girl.

The trio in the back stood as well. The girl with the circlet on her head took a step towards Annabeth and Piper. "I'm Zoe and they are Phoebe and Bianca," She said, pointing to the strawberry blonde and dark brunette respectively.

They all turned to the girl who had spoken first. She blushed and quickly introduced herself as Calypso.

Annabeth smiled warmly at each of them. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you here?" She asked as they seemed to relax a little.

"I'll tell if you do," Piper chirped as she inched closer to where the Princess had settled in the middle of the cell. The brunette plopped next to her and waved her hand at Calypso to join them. Soon, all six girls sat in a circle. Annabeth gave poor Calypso her cloak to try and stop her shivering, but she could tell that her trembles were from way more than some chilly air.

"Well, I was part of a group that got together to sing or dance when we could. My father found out I had been sneaking out and put two and two together." Annabeth sighed. "Most of us got away when I went to warn them. Everyone but my boyfriend and I." The girls smiled sadly as they remembered their own captures.

Zoe launched into her own story, Phoebe and Bianca adding in from time to time. The other three girls listened in amazement as Zoe described their adventures with their sister, Artemis, and how their little group used to move from kingdom to kingdom. The guards caught the three a few days before when they tried street performing for some money. Zoe's cheeks reddened as she explained how she had mixed up which kingdom had forbidden music. Bianca giggled and Phoebe shrugged as if it had happened before.

Bianca turned to Piper with curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What got you tossed in here?"

Piper, while she already kind of liked Annabeth, was cautious with her next words. She couldn't let them know the real reason she sat behind bars, especially with the Princess listening.

Don't worry, Pipes. I won't leave you here. I'll get you out.

The last words her love had whispered to her a week ago haunted her. His blue eyes had been so concerned as he glanced down at her stomach. His grip on her arm had tightened as he ran his free hand through his short blond hair. Piper still loved every bit of him, from the scar on his lip to the way he sometimes squinted when he needed to read. Even as he locked her in her prison, her heart fluttered at the thought of him.

"I was just traveling through and no one thought to tell me the law," Piper lied smoothly. Most of the girls seemed pretty convinced.

Calypso just stared at her. She knew it was a lie. Of course she did. She saw Piper with the guard, saw the gentle way he held her, and heard the whispers of love between them. The shivering girl didn't say a word about it. She just watched Piper carefully until Bianca repeated her question to her. Her eyes swiveled to the small, overeager girl.

"Nothing."

Her answer was quiet, but the other five heard it clear as day. Annabeth couldn't help but hate her father suddenly. She had thought she felt some resentment towards him before, but nothing like what she felt at that moment. Those poor girls didn't deserve to be in prison for their petty crimes. As the others sat in silence, the blonde stood and walked towards the bars.

As a guard walked past their cell, he was stopped by the shocking sight of the Princess glaring at him from the other side of the bars.

"Bring my father here at once," She commanded, then sat back down in the circle again.

The guard watched fearfully for a moment as Annabeth started humming to herself before he dashed to send a message to the King.