Hey everyone! Sorry once again for the delayed update. There's a longer A/N down below with some important stuff, so check that out! Enjoy Chapter 8!


Chapter 8

"Time is the longest distance between two places"

-Tennessee Williams

Annabeth awoke at the sound of her chambermaid's calls. She was a very light sleeper, and the nerves concerning her impending marriage weren't helping her in anyway. She stretched in bed, dreading the upcoming meeting with her future husband. Yes, her marriage would allow her to leave this prison of a castle, but she was no more eager to marry a man she had met once when she was still a child. She rolled off of her mattress and slipped into her wardrobe to freshen up and get dressed. Upon entering, she noticed a beautiful, yet simple dress spread out on her dresser. It was an elegant shade of green that Piper knew to be her favorite. It was a long gown that would likely pool around her feet if not for the high, uncomfortable heels she would be forced into wearing. A thin strip of lace graced the waist of the dress and several gems (synthetic, of course) adorned the neckline.

After quickly lacing up her corset, Annabeth stepped into the dress and moved towards the stool awaiting by her mirror. She took a seat and allowed Piper to braid her hair tightly. Her face was then powdered and made up. Annabeth was aware of the fact that she was good-looking to some extent. It was something that was acknowledged by most of those who met her. However, being of a royal bloodline, she was required to be powdered, dusted, and painted. Sensing the princess' anxiety, Piper's face softened and she began to her mistress, her friend.

"Your highness-,"

She was immediately cut off by the princess, "Piper, how many times must I tell you. Call me Annabeth. We grew up together for the Gods' sake."

Piper nodded, used to the normal speech. "Okay, Ann- Annabeth. Either way, I want you to know that everything is going to work out. I've heard from numerous people that Prince Perseus is very handsome. He's supposedly one of the kindest men to ever roam the Earth. This marriage may not be of love, but make use of it as you may. Take the opportunity to see new lands, meet new people, make new friends. I will certainly miss you and your presence, but I'll manage. Do not be afraid of what is to come. The future is a horizon waiting to be explored."

Annabeth nodded and eased into the chair. Her tranquility didn't last long though. She spun around in her chair, turning to face Piper. "Wait. I have been meaning to discuss something important with you. I spoke to my father and he said that if I wish to do so, I can take you with me. You'd live in Corinth with me. You can do what you wish to do, and when your services are needed, you will be right alongside me, as my first-in-command."

Piper squealed, but quickly coughed to cover it up. "Of course, I would love to accompany you to Corinth. Is it okay with Queen Sally?"

Annabeth nodded and after a quick squeal from them both, they continued getting the princess ready for her meeting with Prince Perseus Jackson of Corinth.

-Ω-

Percy took a deep breath and jumped off his horse. He waved to the stable boy to take it away and slowly started walking up the steps of the palace. This was it. He was going to meet Annabeth after over a decade. He vaguely remembered her features, and his dream had helped him develop a clearer image of her over the last few days, but now, he was going to see her, speak to her. Meet her.

He slowly made his way up the large set of stairs in front of the palace. Every step was calculated. He focused every ounce of his attention to the patterned steps laying out in front of him. He didn't want to mess up. His kingdom depended on him. Every action was being surveilled. A single mistake, and every peace treaty would be gone. The King was said to be a very fickle man. One wrong move could bring everything crumbling down. And so, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Percy climbed the last of the steps.

King Frederick waited for him atop the staircase. He opened his arms and embraced his soon-to-be son-in-law.

"Thank you, Sir. It is an honor to be able to make peace between the two of our kingdoms."

"Of course, Perseus. I have been trying to figure out a way to ease our relations without having to resort to weapons, and this arrangement seems to have done the job. It's only an added plus that I have one less mouth to feed," Frederick joked.

Percy chuckled politely, and curled his fists in order to prevent himself from punching the King. That would hardly help prevent a war, even if it meant stomaching a joke that may have hit too close to home.

A moment passed with palpable tension.

Percy then decided to break the silence. "Sir, if you do not mind, may I please speak to your daughter? I don't want us to meet for the first time in years after we are married."

The King nodded, "Well, that is to be expected. Give me a moment, I'll arrange a meeting."

Frederick called for a servant to fetch his daughter. While waiting for Annabeth's arrival, the men attempted small talk, discussing the weather and Percy's long journey. They tried to keep the conversation going, but it reached a point where the discussion was so meaningless that they both gave up. After several more minutes of awkward silence, a servant came up to Percy and gestured for him to follow.

The prince was led to a secluded room in the west wing of the castle. It was lavishly furnished with futons, couches, carpets, and intricate patterns carved into the wall. It was fairly small, but was an adequate size for a small group of people. Percy took a seat on one of the chairs and nodded as the servant bowed and walked off.

In a matter of seconds, a figure emerged from behind the doorway and took a seat across from Percy. She had a pale complexion and intense gray eyes. Her hair was pulled up into a tight updo, a single strand of blond curls fell to the side. Her gown was a beautiful shade of emerald green, a color that was very familiar to him. It was a shade that he saw every time he looked in the mirror.

The princess was beautiful, albeit that fact that she had a tight-lipped glare resting on her face. She waved the guard away and signaled for him to close the door behind himself. She then turned towards her betrothed.

"Prince Perseus, we meet again…"


Hope you liked that chapter. Sorry to leave y'all hanging like that (not really)

A couple of important notices

1. There's a poll on my profile for my next Percabeth AU One shot. Make sure to check that out and vote. If you've any other ideas or requests, PM me and I'll add it to the poll.

2. My story Quirks is going to be combined with the PJO Request One shots story, so be sure to check that out soon.

3. Review Replies:

Percabeth824: Sorry about the long wait. I'm currently working on another fic and I kinda focused my energy towards that. I'll try for the longer chapters, but I spread them out accordingly, so I can't guarantee that they'll be longer than 2k words. Thak you so much for your time!

Guest: I try! Thank you!

Sally Stevens: The more you guess, the less likely it is to happen. Call me a bad writer, but large portions of my stories are improvised to fit new ideas that I have. So I recommend keeping the guesses on the down-low ;D. Thank you for steadily reviewing and responding to every chapter!

That's all for today!

Thank you all for your support!

Love,

-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter