Piper stepped over the scattered children across the floor as best as she could, without accidentally stepping on one. She nearly stepped on a girl's arm one time, but saved herself just in time. At the end of the room, Piper jumped stealthily on the broken steps and climbed up them to reach the second floor. She tip-toed across the creaky boards and arrived at Katie's cloth door.
Piper pushed it aside and stepped in beside Katie's window side bed. Piper clasped her hand around Katie's mouth. Katie jumped.
"Katie! It's me, Piper! Don't scream!" Piper whispered urgently.
Katie's eyes widened, and she pulled Piper's hand off her mouth. "Oh my gods! You scared the Hades out of me!" She examined Piper. "What in Zeus's name happened to you?" Katie whispered and motioned to Piper's fake crown.
Piper blushed for the millionth time that night. "Oh, that. Long story." Katie stared expectantly at her. "Alright. So…I'm a princess…kinda. But it's a long story, seriously. I'll tell you some other time, okay?"
"You better!" Katie whispered back as she sat up in her bed. "I love the dress."
"How have things been around here? Have you gotten enough food?" Piper sat on Katie's bed next to her.
Katie nodded. "Yeah. It was really weird. Today, some crazy guy who looked like an elf stopped at our door and asked to look at the building. We were hesitant at first, but then he told us he was rebuilding the building to reduce poverty. Then he left a whole bunch of food and blankets for us!" Katie lifted up her blanket, which Piper now realized had no holes and looked next to new.
"Anything exciting happen while I was gone other than that?" Piper asked.
Katie fidgeted with the lining of the blanket. "Well, Will's been going out of his mind worrying about you…and Travis proposed to me."
"Really?! That's great!" Piper whispered excitedly, but then she seen Katie's sad look. "Isn't it?"
Katie smiled sadly. "Yes, but I said no. He doesn't want to marry me. Not really. I wouldn't be the perfect wife, not here."
"Katie. Listen to me. I know that in the end, you'll choose what's right, but I'll have you know that Travis cares about you. And he doesn't care about how much money you have, or anything like that! You are Katie, and that's all he needs." Piper comforted in the best way she could. Her words must have worked, because Katie's face turned to a real smile. Katie leaned over and hugged Piper.
"You always have the best things to say, you know that?" Katie whispered.
Piper laughed quietly. "You're welcome. You've always been like a sister to me," Piper pulled away and stood up from the bed. "That's why it's hard for me to leave again. But I have to, for the good of you guys. Do you understand?" Piper asked. She was a bit worried about leaving again. She felt like she was abandoning them, but she knew they would be taken care of by her first wish and Leo.
Katie nodded tearfully. "Yes, I do. We'll be okay while you're gone. Maybe even better with this Leo guy reconstructing our building!"
"Yes, well, goodbye Katie," Piper leaned over and gave Katie one last hug, and left for the third floor.
As she arrived to her room, Piper heard soft talking, not completely friendly either. Piper pushed aside the dirty cloth and seen two boys conversing stiffly over a small candle.
"Will? What are you doing here?" Piper asked as she walked over to Jason's side.
"Nothing, Piper. Just go back to your precious prince's palace!" Will turned so violently that he blew the candle out.
Piper reached after him. "Will! I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way but-"
"Forget it." Will said and he stalked out of the room, giving Jason one last glare.
Piper didn't understand what was wrong with Will. She had long suspected that he had had a crush on her, but it wasn't like Will to act like that. Normally he was easy-going about everything, and was never that harsh towards anyone, no matter who they were.
She turned to Jason. "I'm sorry about that. He just wasn't himself today, I'm sure that's what's wrong."
Jason nodded slowly, like he had just encountered something he hadn't expected. Which was probably true. "Yeah. Okay. Do you want to leave now?"
"Yes, I think that would be best." Piper stepped over her scattered objects, stopping to pick up her dried up paints. "Aw, those are ruined. I don't know why it was necessary to tear apart my room." Piper stood against the familiar window.
Jason stepped up as well, and Piper wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ready?" Jason asked.
"Go." Piper said breathlessly. She realized how close she was to him now that her mind was off all the other things. It made her want to kiss him again. Again. Piper's stomach fluttered as she remembered that they had already kissed. He wanted her, Piper. Not Reyna, and not anyone else either.
Jason lifted lightly into the air, and they flew gently back to the palace with the night summer breeze drifting through their hair. Jason landed them on Piper's balcony. Jason brushed Piper's hair behind her ear.
"Goodnight Piper," Jason said as he walked backwards towards the railing.
"Goodnight," Piper replied. Just as Jason was about to take off however, Piper ran after him. "Jason!"
Jason looked at her bewildered. "What?"
With that, Piper grabbed Jason and kissed him. Piper pulled away and skipped back into her room, watching Jason leave as she did. After that Piper washed up and changed, then went to bed, honestly believing there was no one happier on Earth.
"Piper! Emergency, emergency! WAKE UP!"
Piper pulled the downy pillow over her head. "Go away Leo! I'm sleeping!"
She heard Leo walk across the room and approach her bed, but she stayed underneath the pillow. "Then I guess I'll have to…Jump on the bed!" With that Leo slammed onto Piper and began to violently shake the bed frame.
"Okay! Okay! I'm UP!" Piper scrambled out of the bed, trying to avoid Leo's lethal feet. She landed on the floor in her attempt and ran to her closet. "I can't believe you! I'm not even dressed!"
Leo waved it off, still jumping on the bed. "Whatever, Beauty Queen! This is one squishy bed! Royals are so lucky!"
Piper rolled her eyes and grabbed the nearest dress, which happened to be a dark blue one. Piper hurried into the washroom and threw it on. She then sat at the mirror and braided her hair. Piper looked over at Leo. "So what's this emergency?"
Leo jumped off the bed and became suddenly interested with the bed post. "So I went to town to get supplies for that new building, right?" Piper nodded. "Well, I seen Her. I swear on the River Styx!"
"So let me get this straight. You seen Hazel, a woman you personally watched die, here in the city?"
Leo looked at Piper intently. "I'm serious, for once. I don't know what's going on, but somehow she has come back to life!"
Piper was having a hard time believing Leo. But on the other hand, so many odd things had happened lately. This could be no exception. "Okay, so what are you going to do about it?"
"Confront her. And I want you to come with me, you know, for support." Leo stated.
Piper sighed. "Alright. I'll come. Just let me get my shoes on."
Piper watched from across the street as Leo stared into the jewelry shop window. Of all places, it had to be this jewelry shop! The one with her beloved necklace in it, of course. Leo hurried back to Piper.
"This is the one! I can see her inside." Leo said. Piper could tell he was nervous, just from his constant moving. The two of them crossed the busy street and slowly entered the shop. The bell chimed, and Piper as awestruck by the sheer amount of purple. It was everywhere.
"Hello, how may I-" The cinnamon haired woman stopped in mid-sentence as she saw Leo. Piper glanced over at Leo and saw that he was speechless. She decided to take matters into her own hands. Piper stepped up to the counter.
"Hello. My friend here, Leo, was wondering how much that lovely necklace in the window cost."
The woman, who Piper decided was Hazel, slowly turned her gaze away from Leo and looked at Piper. "Oh, yes. That was indeed a lovely necklace, but I'm afraid it is there no more. Didn't you look before you came in? A young man came in just the other day and bought it for his girlfriend. I'm very sorry." Hazel looked at her apologetically.
In short, Piper was devastated. Even though she knew she never would've been able to afford it, it was sickening to know the necklace was taken. Piper swallowed. "Oh. Okay. That's fine…" Piper looked over at Leo for help. Thankfully, he understood and came to the rescue.
"What are you doing here, Hazel?" Leo asked forcefully. It wasn't exactly what Piper meant by help, but it worked.
Hazel looked taken aback. "So…it is you, isn't it, Leo? I had my doubts at first." Surprisingly, Hazel smiled. "But now you are here! I can fix what I've done wrong, finally!"
"Um, what are you talking about?" Leo asked. He looked confused.
Hazel came out from the counter and stood in front of Leo and Piper. "I've been given a second chance, to fix what I've done to you. Once you are freed, I can be too! I'm stuck in this awful jewelry shop until you are free of my curse." Hazel explained. "But the question is, who will free you?"
Piper stepped up. "I will actually. I was going to save it as a surprise, but there you go."
Leo stared at Piper in amazement. "You would do that for me? Wow, that's awesome! Maybe even more than me!" Leo exclaimed. Then he turned to Hazel. "But what does that mean for you? What happens?"
"I go on, to whatever comes after death. And you will finish your life here, like you were supposed to before the curse." Hazel said sadly. "But do not worry, I'll be with Frank again. It will all be better."
Leo looked crushed by that last comment. "That's uh, nice…I guess. I think we should leave now, don't you think, Piper?"
"Yeah, we have that…appointment at the palace. Very important. Goodbye and thanks!" Piper said as they hurried out the door.
Once they got out into the street, Piper grabbed Leo by the shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Leo looked heartbroken. "I'll be fine. Probably."
Thanks for everything, sorry if this was a bad chapter, I'm sick. I did my best that I could while half awake!
