A/N: Sorry this took a while! Exams and things. But after Wednesday I haven't got a single exam until November and I never do my homework, so no distractions! Hope you all enjoy it, because things are about to get even worse.

Check the note at the end for info on the end!


Annabeth stood over Luke, breathing heavily, the dagger clenched tightly in her fist.

"Annabeth, don't kill him. We need to find Clara." Percy pleaded desperately from beside her.

Annabeth sighed, and realised he was right. Reluctantly, she stepped off Luke and moved to stand next to Percy, not once taking her eyes off Luke or releasing the dagger. She could see from his expression and from the way the ragged circle of guests stepped back a bit that her expression showed that she was not to be trifled with. Only Percy stayed relaxed—perhaps from being used to her anger, perhaps not.

Luke slowly rose to his feet, his hands in the air, surrendering himself vulnerable. Annabeth prepared to relax and drop the blade.

But something stopped her.

A deep chuckle bubbled up from Luke's throat, as he took a single step towards them. As if he knew something that they didn't. Almost exactly in sync with his foot hitting the ground, there was a boom, then unbearable heat.

Annabeth yelped as she grasped that it was a fiery explosion.

"The guests!" Percy yelled from beside her.

Three loud booms.

More explosions.

"Everybody, up the stairs and out the building!" Annabeth shouted at the top of her lungs.

Only when everyone was charging towards the door did Annabeth realise this was exactly what Luke wanted her to do. And sure enough, when she turned around, Luke and Charles had gone. No doubt swept up in the ground and already fleeing the city walls. She gritted her teeth and stepped forward to search for them.

"Too late to get them." Percy grunted from beside her. Then he was holding her arm and pulling her towards the steps. They were the last people to leave, and Annabeth had barely made it through the door when the first pillar fell.


Annabeth walked into the strategy room behind Percy, as they entered there was a deafening silence. They'd clearly been speaking about the previous night's events. Annabeth cleared her throat noisily.

"I suspect you all already know who our traitor was. Be assured, he will be caught and killed." Annabeth said solemnly, "Let him be the example. This Kingdom will nottolerate any treacherous behaviour. Any man standing in here, willing to betray us, is a fool. Leave now if you feel this kingdom is something you do not want to be a part of. This is the only chance you will receive to escape with no penalty and your life."

When Annabeth stopped speaking, there was a tense moment hanging in the air. During the silence, no one moved—barely a twitch.

"Good." Annabeth smiled. "Let's get down to business."

Annabeth stepped forward to the table and began plotting a new route.

"We'll be attacking each camp individually, with the hope of avoiding a large, bloody battle. Attacks will be unscheduled so the soldiers must always be alert. Someone needs to notify the tavern owner that he is not to serve any of this city's soldiers for the next three weeks. Bribe him if necessary. Tonight is the final night that every single one of us is allowed to drink."

Annabeth pointed at the first random man she saw. "You. Go and notify the Head of Military Command, then the tavern owner." The man nodded his head and scampered off. Annabeth turned her attention back to the table map.


A week later, Annabeth sat on the edge of the city walls, her legs dangling over the wall. She closed her eyes and allowed the strong breeze to blow away her cares and worries from the past several weeks.

"The hundred metre drop doesn't faze you?" A reassuring voice said from behind her.

"You really shouldn't sneak up on people when they could plummet to their deaths by merely moving their legs," Annabeth said calmly, unshaken by Percy's sudden appearance.

Percy snorted, then he climbed up next to her, swinging one leg over the wall and letting the other rest firmly on the ground. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the peace of it all.

"It's good to see you in trousers again," Percy finally said.

Annabeth stared fixatedly at the moat below her. She knew that water could kill her if she landed on it wrongly, yet she wanted to jump. She suddenly felt conscious of the tight fitting trousers, inappropriately showing the shape of her legs. But had anything she'd done in the last month really been appropriate?

No, she had to admit, it hadn't.

"It's good to be back in trousers." Annabeth confessed.

"I see you're wearing the pendant." Percy said quietly. Annabeth breathed in deeply, allowing the fresh air to wash over her. She'd been wearing the pendant since he gave it to her a week ago.

She finally turned to look at Percy. His raven-coloured hair blew backwards from the force of the wind, revealing a thousand emotions that coursed through his deep green eyes. Anxiety. Fear. Uncertainty. None of which she would expect from the crowned prince.

"What is this relationship thing?" Annabeth asked suddenly.

Percy remained silent for a long time. Just when Annabeth assumed that he'd ignored the question or didn't hear her, he began to speak in a strained voice.

"Do you know," he whispered softly enough that she could barely hear her over the wind, "how little I want to be Prince? Once my father is gone… all these people… they're all going to look to me for advice… comfort… leadership... And what if I can't lead them? I've already lost my sister thanks to my ineptitude…" Annabeth winced then, because that was technically her fault.

"There is a war going on… So instead of being the leader that I'm supposed to be… I went to a ball. And I failed to notice a traitor under my own nose. What sort of leader am I?" Percy finished, throwing his hands up, before letting them fall back down onto his legs.

His voice threatened to overflow with pain and guilt, and Annabeth felt a stab of pity. She had never considered that being in charge was a curse rather than a privilege. She shuddered at the thought of it.

Watching the men that put their lives in your hands die around you. Listening to the screams of accusation as the take their last breath. Your dreams dark and clouded with a chaotic swirl of faces and screams, each more menacing than the last.

And your live is filled with "what ifs." What if I'd been faster to save this man's life? Would he still be here? Would he be an important member of my army? Would his friends and family think better of me than as, "the Prince who couldn't save our loved one"? What if?

Annabeth silently took Percy's hand, still not looking at him.

"I understand then." She confirmed. "We're just Percy and Annabeth from this point onwards, okay? You're not a prince, and I'm not the insane fighter from the streets. We're both the same. Different from the others. And there's nothing we can do about it, except stick together, because who else can help us?" Annabeth said. She finally turned to face Percy, who looked more upset than she'd ever seen him. His sea green eyes were clouded with pain.

"I'm announcing that we're fighting in two days tonight. We could both use a distraction." Annabeth whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.

"How could you tell I needed a distraction?" Percy smiled softly. He turned and gazed at her like she'd just stepped next to him and helped lift the weight of the sky.

Annabeth smiled back. Finally, a question she could answer. She slid over until Percy's knees pressed against her thigh, and leaned in until the tips of their noses touched. His eyes softened, and he squeezed her hand, his warm smile finally reaching his eyes. She spoke in a whisper as her lips descended softly on his.

"Because we're the same. And all I want to is jump off this wall right now, just to take my mind off things."


Annabeth had become Percy's unofficial fighting partner over the last four fights. She defended his weak spots and watched his back. Percy did the same for her. She didn't know it, but he already knew he would die for this girl. It was her plans—lightly veiled by his words—that won them every minor battle they fought.

"Your left!" Annabeth shouted over the sounds of clanging swords. Percy swung, swiftly ending the life of the traitor who'd been prepared to kill him in return. He turned to see Annabeth fighting off one man, while another charged towards her. Annabeth had plunged her sword into her opponent's belly, and Percy knew he wasn't getting back up. But she still didn't have enough time to defend herself against the man.

"Duck!" He yelled. Annabeth had barely flung herself against the floor when Percy swung his sword in a full semicircle over her head. The flat of Percy's sword struck the man in the leg, there was a sickening crunch, and the man fell to the ground awkwardly with an agonised scream.

Silence filled the air, as they won yet again. A deafening roar of cheers rose up as Percy helped Annabeth to her feet. They both mounted their horses, and began slowly heading back to camp.

"This is futile," Annabeth declared at one point. "We're no closer to finding Clara."

"You can't give up. Luke has the answers. If we just find him first." Percy said hopefully.

"Exactly. Luke has the answers, and I have a plan." Percy didn't like Annabeth's tone, the one she used to deliver bad news.

"Tell me." He said dubiously.

"Luke knows there is something between us. He doesn't know what it is, but he was at that ball Percy, and he saw us. If Luke finds me crying in a forest on my own, he'll waste no time trying to recruit me onto his team, if I have a valid reason for hating the kingdom." Annabeth said.

"Absolutely not." Percy forbid immediately. Lose his best fighter… their best strategist… And more importantly, the girl he might just love? Never.

"If I tell Luke you ended things between us, and that I've sworn revenge on you, he'll have no reason to doubt me." Annabeth said quickly

Percy was still shaking his head.

"It's too dangerous." He said firmly. It was a pathetic argument. One that would definitely not go down well with Annabeth.

"And me being a female and fighting isn't? I risk my life fighting. I would gladly give up my life for you! That is what is dangerous here! You tell those men tomorrow that they took me, you haven't seen me, and that Luke may threaten me into cooperation against my will. This is a good plan. One that could get back your sister and win this thing." Annabeth said angrily. Then she was turning her horse, the stony look set on her face. Percy knew there was no stopping her now.

"Annabeth," He said, turning to face her. She turned around on her horse.

"What?" She demanded rudely. But Percy was too worried to start an argument. So he simply smiled sadly.

"Don't take this too far. Bail out if there's trouble." He whispered.

"Why should I?" Annabeth insisted defiantly.

Percy reached forward and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. He left his hand on her warm cheek, knowing that—very soon—he wouldn't be able to see her, let alone touch her this way.

The words came pouring out before he could stop himself, but he found that he had no regrets, and no uncertainties about saying it.

"Because I love you, and I want you to come back alive."


So is this the part where I get mobbed by angry Percabeth fans?

This was never meant to be a very long story, and I aim to be done by chapter 15!

I have two endings planned, and two very different epilogues ready to go.

I'll only be posting an epilogue if this gets to 100 reviews, and the second one might be posted if enough people ask.

The endings are polar opposites, one extremely good, the other not so much.

I've said too much.