Chapter 8.
"It's happening Elizabeth, whether you like it or not!" One of the gods call.
When we go outside, mom wants me to go back with her but I explain that it's not safe for me. She hugs me and says she'll pray to Poseidon for me.
When we get back to camp half blood I rant to Jack about what's happening. We're sitting in one of the canoes next to the lake.
"You're being married off to a prince?" He laughs. He looks so hot when he laughs.
"Yeah, and it was the God's idea! This is bullshit!"
"Maybe they'll hook me up with a princess."
"Yeah, how come you don't have to marry anybody?"
"Excuse me but you need to be in your cabins!" A boy calls. He's the same boy from earlier, the blonde one.
"I'm the goddamn captain."
"Yeah but not here Jack, let's go." I say, standing up and stepping out of the canoe.
A sharp pain in my gums occurs and I stick my thumb in my mouth for reasons I don't know.
"Hey, whats the closest thing to a dentist round here?" I ask.
"Probably me. I'm a healer, and a son of Apollo."
"Right, how do I know if my wisdom teeth are coming through?"
"I'll take a look tomorrow."
"Thanks BTEC Escanor."
"Excuse me?"
"Elizabeth was that another anime reference?" Jack sighs.
"Obviously."
"You need to stop, this is a Percy Jackson FanFiction, not a seven deadly sins fanfiction."
"First of all, who decided that? And secondly, if Rick Riordan can make references to other things in his fanfiction then so can I." I argue.
"What? It's not even, just what?"
"Well Percy Jackson is basically fanfiction of Greek mythology isn't it?"
"I'm too sober to put up with this. I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight."
The next morning Percy and I are arguing over the breakfast table.
"Yeah but the pink or red ones are way better!" I argue.
"No, it's blue!"
"Pink or red sweets are usually cherry or strawberry flavoured! What the hell is blue supposed to taste like?"
"Fucking Raspberry!"
"Raspberries are fucking pink!"
"Language!" Someone shouts
"Sorry!"
"But everyone knows the red ones taste best."
"Blue sweets taste the best but whatever."
"Are those two arguing over sweets?" Someone sighs from the Aphrodite table.
"They're like children."
"I know you are but what am I?" Percy and I shout in unison, then snort.
"Creepy."
Percy and I are stuck on dishwashing duty while Chiron lectures us on not using explicit language and that we're creeping others out when we speak in unison.
"We can't help it." We both reply at the same time.
"Are you using your telepathy to do that?"
"I don't have telepathy."
We're left to clean the hundreds of dishes. Percy starts to sing a song and when I recognise the tune, I join in.
"Just whistle while you work" I begin. He sings the next line and then we're singing Disney songs. Percy doesn't go into a trance! I think I've gained control over my power!
When we finish the next song I begin singing Netsoujo No Spectrum and
Percy joins in. I look at him.
"What? You wouldn't stop going on about that goddamn anime so I checked it out and it's pretty good."
"I know."
When we leave the kitchen with our hands smelling of washing liquid, our friends are waiting for us.
Except their eyes are glassy and their phases are expressionless.
"Jack!" I scream, diving to his side.
"Annabeth! What happened?"
"It was the singing, it had to be?"
Oh my gods what did we do?
I turn to Percy "I heard that."
"You mean to say you can communicate telepathically?"
I pause, up to this point the main difference between our powers was my voice and his telepathy. If i gained telepathy, he most likely gained my siren power. I didn't learn to control it, he's immune too!
"Don't worry, they'll come out soon." I assure him, and just like that I see Jack look taken aback.
"What the hell just happened?" He asks.
"We were singing and I thought I had control when I didn't, are you okay?"
"Yeah, but my head feels a lil' fuzzy."
After a training session I receive a call from Sebastian. He says he wants to meet me at a restaurant in the city later tonight.
He assures me that I'll be safe and his security will be there.
I ask Chiron for permission first, then accept.
The restaurant has a formal dress code and the closest thing I have to formal attire is jeans and a shirt.
I don't think it's safe to go back home so I ask Annabeth for help. She passes me onto Piper, the beautiful girl I met a few weeks ago.
"Formal isn't really my thing but I'm sure my sisters will help." She says, taking me by the hand.
"A date with a prince? Can you imagine!" One girl sighs.
"What episode of Gossip Girl is this?"
"Girls, the date is in two hours! We must hurry!"
The dress is red and fitted. The design is simple but elegant and I thank the girls. "So what does Sebastian look like? Is he cute?"
"He's alright, I guess." The only guy I actually find attractive is Jack. The way his eyes light up when he smiles or how his body moves when he fights or, "ooh you're smiling! He must be cute!" One of the girl whistles.
Sebastian arranged me to be picked up in a quiet area. Jack is with me, wearing sunglasses.
"I can't believe this is actually happening." I sigh, smoothing my dress.
"Are you really going to go through with it?" he asks "are you really going to marry someone you barely know?"
"I don't know. I don't want to but I don't know any other options yet."
A car comes to us and a man in a suit steps out.
"Miss Mage?" He asks.
"Goodbye, and turn the stone in this ring if anything happens. It has a tracker and a microphone." He says, pressing a ring into my hand.
"See you tonight, by the lake." I promise.
Inside the restaurant, Sebastian is sitting at an empty table looking nervous. I take a deep breath and walk over to him.
"Good evening." I say.
One of the waiters helps me into the chair and I thank him before he leaves. I think I've been here before.
"Hey, I mean good evening." He says in a French accent. I didn't notice that before.
On a separate table I note three men who are keeping an eye on us. They must be his body guards or something.
"So, do you go by anything for short?" He asks.
"I prefer Elizabeth over shortened names." I say. "Yourself?"
"I'm not sure what I could go by." He smiles.
"Bassy?" I ask, thinking of Grelle.
"I don't think that's appropriate for me." He smiles.
"So, how do you feel about this marriage thing?" I ask. "Because as soon as you left last night I went to see my father and Zeus and basically yelled at them. Then I was told I didn't have a choice." I shrug. I realise I'm probably being too casual. Whatever.
"Well, if it's the best way to unite our two worlds then I will happily go through with the marriage." He says.
"I don't understand that logic, I'm more a part of this world than I am of the magic world. And most half bloods aren't very different from regular mortals."
"What about you?"
"Pardon?"
"Well, are you like me? How do we differ?"
"I'm female."
"Thanks for clarifying."
I order and ask Sebastian about his music taste. I'm only half paying attention, the other half is daydreaming.
There's a dull pain in the side of my head and then my cheek hits the floor.
"Elizabeth!" Sebastian cries.
I try to lift myself up but my head is being pushed down.
I feel for my ring, it's not on my finger! I look around but my vision is blurry.
My arms get pulled behind me and bent in an awkward position. I grit my teeth and then the force disappears. My forehead is warm and wet.
"Let me help you up,"
Sebastian appears in my vision. I place my hand to my head, when I pull it away my fingers are bloody. If this dries under my nails I'm going to have a hard time cleaning them.
"You're bleeding!" He gasps.
"I'll take care of it your Highness." A man says in French.
I look up and see something flying towards Sebastian's head. A immediately block it using the water in the jug and freezing it. I don't register the bang until after shards of ice shatter everywhere. Everyone turns to the person holding a gun out towards us.
I stand up and raise my fists. "Do you want to try that again?" I growl.
"Elizabeth, allow security to take care of this." Sebastian says. "Besides, you're hurt."
When the attackers are arrested, the police 'want to talk' with me.
They ask me to go with them to the police car. I agree on the condition that I can sit in the front.
"Where are you staying at the moment?" He asks.
"A place for people like me." I answer.
"Is that in New York?"
"I won't be giving any information on the location."
"Alright then."
"Am I going to be arrested?"
"You're not a criminal and I won't be getting paid to take you in. However I do get paid to make sure the public is safe."
"So, If we're not going to be arrested then what was the point in exposing us on the news?"
"Ratings."
"Can I drop you off anywhere?"
"The shore please."
The journey is a silent one. Then the car stops. We're near a cliff. I walk up to the edge, my hair blowing in the wind. Below, the waves are crashing into the cliff.
"Have a good night!" I call, turning back to the car.
"What are you going to do?"
I lean back and I can see him run up to me.
When I'm midair he looks down and then the sea swallows me.
Back at camp Jack is waiting for me.
"How did it go?"
"Well the prince was shot at." I say "and I got knocked down in one punch."
"Are you alright?" He looks concerned.
"I'll be fine but did you know we're not going to get arrested?"
"I thought there was a hunt for us?"
"So did I, but looking back now I don't remember anyone saying we were actually wanted."
"Well that's fortunate, but we both know that there are cults that will want us. It's still dangerous for us to be outside. Don't look at me like that, I know you're a strong fighter but when you're outnumbered and ten guns facing you then you'll be fucked."
"And if we prove ourselves to be a threat, the conditions may change." I realise.
"What are you going to do about this marriage?"
"I don't know. I don't want to marry someone I just met. I wouldn't even go on a date with someone I just met under normal circumstances."
"You're picky about who you find attractive aren't you?" He says. "I remember one of the sons of Venus asked you out, at least half the other girls would say yes but you didn't even think before you asked."
"Yeah because I didn't know him. What about you? Rumour has it Holly had a crush on you. Speaking of the devil where is Holly? We gained our memories, surely she should have hers back? And why was she never exposed like us?"
"Maybe there has to be a trigger. Memories began coming back when you were playing with your magical items. Yours came back when you broke something. It'll be harder for Holly. And perhaps they didn't have enough information on her."
"Perhaps."
"So, What do you think to Sebastian?" He asks.
"He's alright."
To our side I see the son of Apollo with the dark haired boy snooping around.
"Oi you hypocrites what is this?" I call out.
"Oh my god it's that girl that looks like Percy." The dark haired one says.
They come closer.
"Don't tell Chiron and we won't either." The blonde huffs. "It's Jack and Elizabeth right? I'm Will and this is Nico, son of Hades."
"You actually look a bit like Rin as well." I say.
"Not this again. She's a massive Weeb."
My eyelids feel heavy so I leave for my cabin.
When I get inside, I can see Percy asleep on his bunk so I make sure to be quiet.
