Washed Up News
"I think you already know, Annabeth," Naomi said quietly.
But Annabeth didn't want to accept the truth. There was no way to get out with Luke right outside her door. So that left one things to do.
"I do. I was just hoping you'd have more ideas." Annabeth looked very disturbed.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Naomi looked very worried. "I'll be waiting down the hall when everything is taken care of."
The Princess nodded. She had no other choice.
"Good luck, m'lady." The maid hugged her friend, knowing that what she was about to endure was something that she never would have thought she would have to do. She was about to marry another man for the love of the gods.
"I'll be right out," Annabeth promised.
Naomi walked out of the room and greeted Luke.
"The Princess wanted to speak with you privately, sir," Naomi said quickly before leaving as fast as she could.
The guard was more than delighted to venture into the room. He had barely seen the Princess since she was sick. He insisted on her seeing the doctor, but Annabeth swore that it was just some feminine issues. Nothing to fret about.
"You wanted to see me, your Highness?" Luke asked as he walking into the room. He didn't see her at first, but he quickly found her on the bed in her night gown.
"Luke," She called softly.
Outside the room, Naomi had never felt so terrible. She was basically whoring out the only friend she truly had. She paced back and forth down the hallway for what seemed like eternity. The sun soon set below the horizon. She napped out of it when Annabeth tip-toed out of the room. Her hair was askew, but that was the only thing that seemed off about her.
Unless one looked into her eyes.
She grabbed Naomi and both ran down the hall.
"Where is the best way out?" Annabeth asked Naomi once they had left the Royal Quarters.
The maid looked a little confused for a moment as she got her thoughts together.
"Through the western entrance and out into the orchard." Unfortunately, she didn't look entirely sure.
"Right. We just got to make sure the guard at the entrance is distracted." A voice joined them.
Annabeth was happy to see Reyna catching up to them.
"You're helping us?" The Princess asked, her glimmer of hope growing.
"Of course. You're one of my closest friends, Annabeth." Reyna grabbed her hand and squeezed it as they went. "Your new maid was also very convincing."
"How are we going to distract the guard?" Naomi asked, out of breath, trying to stay on topic.
"Leave it to me." Reyna let go just as soon as she latched on. She looked between Annabeth and Naomi. "Take care of her. She'll change the world one day." Reyna patted the younger maid's shoulder as the girl nodded.
Reyna ran ahead, the two following. As soon as the guard and Reyna disappeared from his post, they ran out into the orchards.
Annabeth couldn't help but remember running towards the beautiful palace a year before with Percy.
So much had changed since then.
Annabeth had done things she had never wanted to do. Bury her mother, sleep with a man other than Percy, let her father win. Only, the last one could still change in her favor if she got back to Atlantis.
"Hey! Stop!" A man yelled from behind them. Annabeth and Naomi shared a look of fear. It was Luke who was running after them.
"Quick! Switch cloaks with me!"
"What! Are you insane?" Annabeth looked down at her newest friend. Once a nervous maid, Naomi looked more determined than ever. The look on her face was one of a strong woman ready to stand for what she believed in.
"Just do it, Annabeth. Only one of us needs to get out of here. That's you."
Annabeth felt numbness in her body as she draped her cloak around Naomi. It reminded her of Calypso back in the prison. It had been to save the girl from the cold. Now it was to condemn a girl hellbent on saving her.
"I'll come back for you," Annabeth promised.
The maid smiled. "As we all know you will." Then she ran in the opposite direction of where they were supposed to go.
Luke, oblivious to the change, ran after her. Annabeth ran too, knowing that she could never forgive herself if she got caught then, not when both Reyna and Naomi may have just given away their freedom for her.
And the baby.
She was past the wall surrounding the palace in no time. She stopped to empty the contents of her stomach in a nearby alley before heading back out onto the streets. She tried to blend into the crowd at the market, but was immediately recognized.
"Annabeth!"
Only this time, she was happy to hear them.
"Caylpso?"
Both squealed as they ran and hugged each other.
"I thought we were going to have to go in there and get you," The brunette was saying, but Annabeth could hardly hear. She was simply overjoyed to have left. She needed to get back to Percy. She needed to tell him what happened.
"Calypso. We got to go. They might be after us."
The smile slipped from her friend's face. She nodded and took her arm.
"Piper and Hazel are around here somewhere. We got separated for a bit, but they should be close by." Just as she said it, Piper spotted them from across the market, Hazel on her toes by her side, trying to see.
"There they are, lets go now." Annabeth started towards them, but her name was yelled behind her.
"Annabeth! Please don't leave me! We were meant to be together!" Luke's voice sounded broken. Many citizens looked around for the guard curiously. Not Annabeth. She took Calypso's hand and ran as fast as she could to her other two friends. But it was no use. they had barely made it halfway across the courtyard when the guard grabbed Calypso's arm and yanked her from Annabeth. The brunette had been dragging behind.
"Calypso!"
"Go! Please just go!" She cried before going limp and dropping to the ground, pulling Luke down with her in surprise.
It was enough for a nauseous Annabeth to reach Piper and Hazel and run from the market.
Calypso was left with a nightmare. A man she had spent the past year trying to forget. A guard who took advantage of her. He was the cruelest of the huards.
Come on, Calypso. You're a criminal. You deserve this.
His words still rang in her ears.
Despite that, she was glad she could help Annabeth. Even if she was left with Luke Castellan.
