Percy could feel his knees shake at the presence of Zeus again. But he swallowed his fear and fell to one knee in front of Zeus.
"So the thief returns." Zeus sneered.
"No." Percy almost growled the word. He could feel his anger rising again. "The accused returns your property that was stolen by these two." Percy jerked his thumb behind him indicating the two large men who now seemed to be coming to.
"A likely story." Zeus eyed the men. "It would be their word against yours, and your word doesn't account for much."
Annabeth was making motions toward Percy. She would point to her mother and then held one hand palm up and the other as though it were holding a glass. Percy gave her a questioning glance before returning his attention on Zeus. "I found them not one kilometer from the city with this." Percy held up the rod.
The reaction he got from this simple movement shocked Percy. Zeus's soldiers literally ducked, Queen Athena jerked like she was about to take cover, and Zeus flinched yelling, "Don't swing it about, boy!" Percy slowly lowered it. "Hand it to me." Zeus motioned for the rod.
Percy hesitated. Annabeth was making the same motions again, more urgently Then Percy suddenly understood what she was trying to communicate. "I want guarantees that you won't kill me, and as an Athenian soldier I have the right to a trial by my queen."
Annabeth physically relaxed and gave a small smile of approval. Zeus on the other hand seemed to be upset by this.
"It would be wise to hear his story." Queen Athena urged.
"Fine." Zeus grumbled. "You hand me my rod, and I will not kill you. You may have your trial."
Percy let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He rose and cautiously approached Zeus with the rod held out. Zeus quickly snatched it out of his hand. Percy waited for the blast to come, but nothing happened. Instead, Zeus turned and headed up the stairs. Percy was motioned inside shortly afterwards. He was able to take in a lot more the the room this time around. It was truly magnificent. Percy looked at his own clothes. He hadn't changed since he had been thrown in prison and he looked it with his clothes covered in dirt and his hair uncombed. Chiron would have had a fit if he saw him like this in front of royalty. Zeus took the head throne and a look of irritation crossed Queen Athena's face before she quickly masked it and stood beside the taken throne that was hers. The room was filled with several more people who were all dressed in fine linens and attire. All royals no doubt. The only friendly face he saw was Princess Annabeth's.
Queen Athena raised her hand to call for silence. "We are here to find the truth about what happened regarding the theft of High King Zeus's property from this very palace. Here stand this soldier of my army to stand trial by his queen, as is his right. So let the questioning be done by me and only me. All agreed?" Several ayes were heard. Then all eyes were on Percy. "Please state your name and rank."
Despite his appearance he wanted to make a good impression with the queen. He straightened his back and held his head high like he did during line up. He cleared his throat. "Private Percy Jackson."
"How old are you?"
"Thirteen." There was a small murmur at this revelation.
"How were you accused by Zeus to have taken his property?"
"He was there, that's what." Zeus burst.
"I believe the question was addressed to Private Jackson." She motioned for him to continue.
Percy told her all about how he and the other recruits in his bunker had been called to help unload the trunks and put them in their respective rooms. How Zeus had ordered him to unload one of the trunks. How he laid the items on the bed and then were excused. He explained how Zeus's soldiers had ransacked his bunk and how he feared for his brother, because he doesn't take attacks well. How the soldiers mistook a lump of raw metal in his brothers hand for something else and arrested him and Percy for defending themselves. He then talked about how he and his brother were brought before Zeus. He was about to continue on about how he was threatened to return the rod or his brother would be executed, when Athena interrupted him and asked another question.
"Once you ware charged to bring Zeus's lightning back, how did you find it, when all of Zeus's army could not?"
Percy then went into how he talked to others to find out what it looked like and the details of when and how it was taken, being very careful not to mention names so no one could be punished. He talked about how he knew it was taken during the competition and how everyone was there, including himself. This seemed to upset Zeus. And how the found out that they only way the thief or thieves as they found out later could get into the room was through the window. He talked about the rosebushes and the mug left behind. He talked about the barkeepers and the hole in the outer wall. He talked about following their prints to their campsite, where they were waiting for someone. How he waited until they were asleep and hit them over the head. He talked about how he got them on their horses and brought them and the rod back. All the while he talked there was complete silence in the room. Even when he finished, not even Zeus made his objections.
"You did all that by yourself?" Queen Athena finally broke the silence.
Percy blushed slightly and answered, "No, my lady. I had help, but because of the threat of the situation, I will not divulge their names."
There was some murmuring at that comment. "Well, let us hear Private Jackson's captives on what they have to say."
Percy realized with a start that the two large thieves were standing behind him. He turned his head slightly so as to see them from the corner of his eye. They looked uncomfortable as they looked at each other.
"We were just minding our own business when this runt came up and started wailing on us." One of them answered.
"What were you doing camped so close to the city? Surely you would have preferred a room in an inn."
"We like camping." Said one.
"We were hunting." Said the other at the same time.
Percy caught Annabeth's eye who was now smirking.
Even Athena had a mock look of confusion. "I'm sorry. Which one is it?"
"Hunting."
"Camping." Came the mixed reply.
"I see by your attire that you are currently or have been serving in Ares army?"
The soldiers looked down at their red garb and back at the queen. Percy could see Queen Athena practically smirking. Could it be possible that it was going to work? Then suddenly, one of the thieves swung his cuffed hands over Percy's head and he felt a knife at his throat. Zeus was on his feet in in instant. Percy would have liked to have thought that he was concerned for him, but he didn't think so. It was probably more out of outrage that the true thieves were about to get away. Which meant that Zeus probably didn't have an problem killing Percy to get to them. Percy tried to think of a way to get out of this, preferably without his throat getting slit, but the knife was already digging into his skin while the men slowly backed out of the room.
"Inquisitions over. We'll be leaving now." The thief growled with his mouth close to Percy's ear. His breath stank of stale ale.
They had just made it out of the doors when Percy heard two thwaps. The knife began to dig deeper into his throat when the thieves bonds were cut and the thief and the knife clattered to the floor. When Percy turned to see what had happened, he saw the same soldier of Zeus's that had bested Castellan in the competition standing over the two thieves with a spear in one hand.
"Thalia!" Zeus's voice boomed behind him. "Good catch. I claim these thieves as my prisoners. They will suffer at my pleasure." Zeus sounded absolutely delighted like he was going to eat a whole bowl of candy, but the look in his eye let Percy know he didn't wan't any of it.
"I then proclaim Private Percy Jackson as innocent." He heard Queen Athena announce behind him. "You will report back to your bunker and resume your training."
"My brother!" Percy suddenly remembered.
"Release him. All charges dropped." She motioned to some nearby soldiers. The thieves were being taken by Zeus's soldiers. He almost felt sorry for them. "I trust then that the threat of war is no more?" Athena urged Zeus.
"We are at peace." Zeus reluctantly agreed.
"Good! We could use some help in some destruction the city has endured. We appreciate your help as an ally." Athena masterfully negotiated the terms of Zeus's penitence.
Zeus growled his agreement.
The soldier with the spear took off their helmet to reveal a girl with short spiky hair and vibrant blue eyes. She looked maybe a little older than himself. This surprised him. "Most people say thank you when you save their life." She glared at him.
"Thanks." he said weakly.
She snorted in acknowledgement and walked away. Percy had just turned to face Princess Annabeth when he heard the unmistakable sound of Tyson screaming, "Percy!"
He turned and saw Tyson running across the courtyard. Percy had never been so relieved to see him. He ran to meet him, where Tyson gave him a hug that nearly cracked the ribs that the soldiers hadn't already broken. "I told you. I told you everything would be alright." Percy laughed with relief.
"Do I get my metal back? Tyson asked.
Percy hesitated. He just got his and Tyson's freedom back; he really didn't feel like starting any fights over a piece of metal. But one look at Tyson, threw that out the window.
"Lord Zeus!" Percy shouted. The current din stalled. Zeus stared at Percy with a look of 'why are you still here?' Percy steeled his resolve. "Your soldiers took something that belongs to my brother. We'll have it back now."
Percy figured that no one had ever spoken to High King Zeus in such a manner before, and that accounted for all the dropped jaws pointed in his direction. Zeus himself was beginning to look murderous, until Queen Athena whispered something in his ear. Then to Percy's amazement he motioned for one of his guards. Percy groaned. Here comes the soldier that really had it in for Percy now. The soldier glared at Percy as he took out a long lump of misshaped metal and practically slammed it into Percy's hand. It hurt, but Percy didn't show it.
"You don't know what you have." He sneered at Percy and then Tyson. Then just as quickly he left.
Percy couldn't believe his luck. He looked for Annabeth to see what her take on all this was, but she was gone. Percy decided to not push his luck and guided Tyson out of the palace gates, while he held his lump of metal like it was a stuffed animal. As they made their way toward the soldier barracks they were met with lots of shouting, pats on the back that stung when they got to close to his ribs and lots of offers of ale, which Percy wasn't interested in the slightest. All Percy was interested in was a long bath and an even longer nap.