AN: So, if you didn't read Elephants Deserve Love Too's latest update, all was revealed! I am intending to major in Chemistry! Now, who saw that coming?

Today is Frozen!AU. next week, Mutant!AU.


'Come on! Let's go and play!'

Eight-year-old Princess Reyna groaned and shook her head at her three-year-old little sister.

'Hazel, it's the middle of the night.'

Another voice piped up.

'The sky's awake, so we're awake.'

That was five-year-old Piper, one of her other sisters. She certainly had a flair for the dramatic.

Reyna heard a voice from the bed nearest hers. That would be Annabeth, seven, her fourth sister.

'Since we're all awake, we might as well, Reyna.'

Annabeth looked at her from over her book (she must have either stayed up very late reading or woken up very early to read it).

Reyna gave a small smile, which slowly grew wider as Hazel beamed, Piper grinned and Annabeth smiled too.

'Okay, then.'


The ballroom was full of snow and ice sculptures.

Reyna laughed as little Hazel slid down a hill, landing in a snowdrift, and emerged with her curls covered in snow.

Piper and Annabeth were playing a game of tag, with Annabeth's already brilliant strategic mind ensuring that she was definitely winning.

Hazel climbed to the top of the hill again, intending to slide down it once more, but she slipped and fell.

Reyna watched it happen, almost as if in slow-motion. She had to do something.

She reached out her hand, willing her powers to do something.

A beam of her magic shot out...and struck her baby sister in the head.

Hazel fell to the ground, unconscious, a streak of white appearing in her hair where she was struck.

Reyna ran over to her and screamed. Her skin was ice cold.


'Please, help. My daughter!'

Their father, with Hazel in his arms, entered the clearing in the forest. Behind him stood his wife, Reyna, Annabeth and Piper.

There was a cloud of smoke, before a young woman with red curls and vivid green eyes, who appeared as old as Time itself, paradoxically, appeared.

She walked closer to the royals.

'Your Majesty.' She gestured to Reyna. 'Born with the powers or cursed?'

'Born. And they're getting stronger.'

The woman, known as The Oracle, knelt to examine Hazel.

'You are lucky it wasn't her heart. The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded.'

The King and Queen nodded to the woman.

'Do what you must.'

She nodded, resting a hand on Hazel's head.

'I recommend we remove all magic, even memories of it, to be safe. But don't worry, I'll leave the fun...'

She drew a golden ball out of Hazel's head, before reaching out and drawing a green one out of Piper's and a grey one out of Annabeth's. Both of the other Princesses slumped to the floor, seemingly asleep.

The Oracle smiled.

'She will be okay. They will all be okay.'

Reyna looked up at her.

'But they won't remember I have powers?'

The Oracle nodded. Her father spoke.

'It's for the best.'

The Oracle bent to Reyna's level.

'Listen to me, Reyna, your power will only grow. There is beauty in your magic, but also great danger. You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy.'

Reyna met her eyes, holding her head high and her countenance resolute and strong.

She would learn to control it.

She would not hurt her sisters.

She would not hurt anyone.

She would be strong, and she would be in control.


The castle gates swung closed.

'...We'll lock the gates. We'll reduce the staff. We will limit her contact with people, and keep her powers hidden from everyone...including her sisters.'

Hazel, Piper and Annabeth looked confused when they woke.

There were now only three beds in their room.

Reyna's bed was gone.


Four-year-old Hazel knocked on the door of Reyna's room.

'Reyna, do you want to build a snowman?'

There was no reply.

Hazel frowned.

'Don't you want to build a snowman, big sister?'

'Go away, Hazel.'

Tears welled in the little girl's gold eyes.

'...Okay. Bye.'


Years passed.

The Princesses grew up, and grew apart, slowly.

Reyna remained secreted in her room, struggling to stay strong and contain her powers.

Annabeth sat in her tower bedroom, which overlooked the town on one side and their private cove on the other, reading, and yearning to experience what she read about for real.

Piper ran around the castle, acting out grand displays in her imagination, longing for adventure and romance, rarely returning to her own tower bedroom.

Hazel alone remained in the room they'd all once shared, and spent much of her time in the gardens or the stables or some other secluded place, wishing for friendship and family.


Nine-year-old Hazel knocked gently on Reyna's door.

'Reyna, do you want to build a snowman? Or even just come out for a walk?'

No reply.

'I think some company is overdue. Piper's going mad from boredom, Annabeth's read every book in the library, and I've started talking to a horse. It's getting really lonely without you.'

There was no response at all.

Hazel sighed and decided to go talk to Arion.

At least the horse seemed to talk back.


Thirteen-year-old Annabeth stood on the castle's private beach, watching the sea with her stormy grey eyes.

Her serenity was disturbed seconds later by a boy wading out of the surf.

He had dark hair and sea-green eyes, and was about her age. (She ignored the voice in her head that commented on his handsomeness.)

She recognized him, in the sense that she'd seen him from her window, playing with three other children, two boys, one exceptionally large, and a girl, for years. When she was younger and less wise, she may or may not have waved to him (and he may or may not have waved back), but that hadn't happened for some time.

She walked up to him, keeping composure just like a Princess should.

'This is a private beach. You aren't allowed to be here.'

He pouted.

'Come on! I swam all the way here on a dare from Grover, and that's what you say to me? Seriously, since you're locked up in the castle all the time, you've got to be desperate for company by now!'

Her eyes flashed steely.

'Do you have kelp for brains? Is that any way to speak to a Princess?'

He shook his head earnestly.

'No, but it is the way you speak to a friend.'

She huffed.

'We're not friends.'

'You were stuck in a castle and waved to me for years whenever you saw me. I think that counts as being friends.'

'You're a seaweed brain. An absolute seaweed brain. Waving does not constitute a friendship; trust, honesty, companionship, care and support constitute a friendship!'

He smirked.

'Wow, you're wise, Wise Girl.'

She glared at him.

'Shut up, Seaweed Brain.'

(She learned his name was Percy and he learned that hers was Annabeth, but they kept using Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl anyway. He kept coming back to see her, and eventually, she stopped telling him off. They became each other's little secret. Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl.)


Ten-year-old Hazel, checking to make sure that no-one was around to see her, slipped into one of the dungeon cells, and climbed onto the wooden bench inside, so that her head was level with the iron-barred window.

She smiled at the pudgy thirteen-year-old on the other side.

'Hi, Frank.'

He grinned at her.

'Hi, Hazel.'

He handed her a pretty flower and a letter, before looking very apologetically at her.

'I'm so sorry, Hazel, but I can't stay and talk to you today. The guards are patrolling on a different schedule today, because there was a security scare earlier.' He looked really sad, and spoke as if it was somehow his fault. 'I'm really sorry.'

She smiled at him, but shook her head all the same. Oh, Frank…

'It's not your fault, Frank. Thank you for these.' She held up the letter and the flower.

He blushed a little, and smiled at her.

'You're my best friend, Hazel.'

She beamed back, a little pink herself.

'You're my best friend too, Frank.'

His cheeks turned even pinker. Somewhat awkwardly, he waved goodbye. She waved back and watched him go, her precious flower and letter in hand.

Frank was the son of two of the guards.

They'd met a year ago.

Hazel had explored the dungeons of the castle, and found that she could actually see outside the castle from this 'window' in one of the cells. One day, Frank had fallen over (he was rather clumsy), and hurt himself, and she had run and fetched some bandages for him, pressing them through the grate.

They'd spoken for a little while, and had been friends ever since. They exchanged letters, and talked when they could, and Frank brought her little things from the outside, like flowers they didn't have inside the palace or pinecones from the forest. She gave him drawings that she made in return.

Hazel missed her sisters, but at least she had Frank. At least she had a friend. A best friend, too, and one as nice and sweet as Frank.

She smiled as she examined the flower Frank had given her (she would make a nice drawing of it for him), and opened his letter eagerly.


Eleven-year-old Hazel knocked hesitantly on Reyna's door.

'Reyna? Please, I know you're in there. People are asking where you've been.' Her voice broke. 'They say have courage, and I'm trying to, we're all trying to. We're...we're all here for you...just let us in.'

Hazel slumped against the door.

'We...we only have each other. It's just the four of us now. What are we doing to do?'

She smiled wanly.

'Do you want to build a snowman?'


After their parents died, they drifted even further apart.

Hazel tried, gods, she tried, but what could she do? They'd been cooped up together so long, and they all wanted so many different things, and they were all so different, she didn't know what to do.

The best she could do was try and reach out to all her sisters, try and comfort all of them.

(She wasn't terribly successful, particularly with Reyna and even Annabeth. In fact, finding Annabeth had become rather difficult of late...)

She was almost twelve when the big fight happened.

'There's no one here to keep us in anymore! Why can't we just open up the gates and go outside?'

Piper's kaleidoscope eyes flashed all kinds of colours, her choppy braids swinging as she paced the corridor outside Reyna's room.

'Piper, I have explained this to you. As much as we would like to go outside, we cannot open up the gates until Reyna is of age. Our parents left a provision in their will that-'

'I don't care about their stupid will, Annabeth!'

'It's a legally binding document; you have to care about it!'

Reyna's voice, firm and strong, interrupted Piper and Annabeth's arguing.

'We are not opening up the gates! We obey our parents' wishes, and do the right thing. Do what they would have wanted. End of argument.'

Piper and Annabeth opened their mouths, and the three older sisters ended up in a three-way argument.

Hazel watched, powerless to interfere.

She felt anger bubble up inside of her, watching them all yell at each other and accuse each other. She struggled to bite it back.

'Why can't we just get along? I barely remember those times, but we were close friends, like sisters should be, once. What happened? Why aren't we like that anymore?'

Following her outburst, Annabeth and Piper looked at her, and both gave a small shrug.

They didn't know.

Hazel felt tears well in her eyes.

Unbeknownst to the others, alone in her room, Reyna broke down and cried.

Why couldn't it be like that again?


Seventeen-year-old Annabeth woke up half an hour earlier than usual, as planned. Today was Coronation Day. She required the extra time to get ready.

That fact sent a little jolt through her system, not unlike when she and Percy kissed.

Today was Coronation Day. Today, the gates would open. Today, she could see the world that she'd read so much about.

She grinned.


Fifteen-year-old Piper grinned to herself as she got ready.

Coronation Day! Finally, the gates would open!

There'd be real people, and dancing and music, a real Ball!

She couldn't wait to meet everyone.

Her eyes glazed over.

Perhaps she would meet the one.

She imagined a scene in her head; her standing in her gown, draped against the wall, eyes meeting with a beautiful stranger, tall and fair, across the room, dancing and laughing together all night...

She sighed.

Finally, her chance at love had come.


Thirteen-year-old Hazel put on her gown and looked around the bedroom they'd all once shared as children.

Today was Reyna's 18th birthday. Her Coronation Day. The day the castle gates would open.

Perhaps the breaking down of the barriers between them and the outside world would finally break down the barriers within her family. Maybe if they weren't trapped in here together, if they could pursue their own interests and wants and have their own friends, they would be closer together.

Maybe they could be as close as they were when they all shared this bedroom again.


Reyna gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

She appeared strong, that she knew, and stood with the dignity of a queen.

She let that slip for a moment (it was no mask, it simply just wasn't her entire self), and let herself show weakness for once.

Today was Coronation Day. Today, the gates would open.

Today, there was a chance that her secret could be revealed, the secret she'd fought so hard to keep all these years.

Today, there was the chance that she could hurt her sisters, or someone else, the way she'd hurt Hazel all those years ago.

No, she swore to herself, she would not let that happen. She could not let it happen.

She would not fear it occurring.

Fear will be your enemy.

She looked down to find that she'd frozen her hairbrush.

She took a deep breath.

She would be strong. She had to be strong. She was strong.

She opened her door.

'Tell the guards to open up the gates!'


Piper smiled to herself as the returned to the castle for Reyna's coronation.

Out at the docks after the gates were opened, she'd met the most wonderful man.

He was handsome, and charming, and a Prince, and he was everything she'd ever wanted and more.

Dylan.

She grinned wider as she recalled his name.

This was love, surely.


After her coronation, Reyna stood in a small chamber off the ballroom, waiting to be announced.

Her three sisters were ushered in, and they stood there, facing each other awkwardly, for a moment.

It was Hazel who broke the silence.

'Happy Birthday, Reyna!'

She hesitated for a moment, before throwing her arms around her older sister.

Reyna was frozen for a moment, shocked and scared and worried, but gently hugged her back.

They broke apart, and Hazel handed her a scroll.

'I drew this for you.'

Reyna gave her a rare smile.

'Thank you, Hazel.'

Annabeth stepped up, smiling at her.

'Happy Birthday, Reyna.'

Reyna smiled back at Annabeth, before glancing at Piper.

Of all her sisters, Piper was the most likely to hate her...

But the girl smiled at her after a moment's hesitation.

'Happy Birthday.'

Hazel beamed at all three of them, and Annabeth and Piper looked fondly at her, while Reyna smiled.

For a moment, it was just like old times.


'The Duke of Weaseltown.'

The straw-haired man shook his fists, the teddy bear (what was with that?) on his belt bouncing.

'Wesselton, it's Wesselton!'

Hazel and Piper giggled.

Piper stopped laughing a moment later when she ended up dancing with him.


'May I cut in?'

Piper smiled up at Dylan as he rescued her from that crazy Duke. (He kept stepping on her toes.)

'Thank you.'

'Anything for you, milady.'

And they did laugh and talk and dance all evening, and Piper was sure that this was true love.

What else could it be?


'Will you marry me?'

Stars in her eyes, she grinned.

'Yes!'


'We would like-'

'-Your blessing-'

'-of-'

'-our marriage.'

Reyna stared at Piper and this Prince Dylan. Behind her, Hazel watched with wide eyes, Annabeth with surprised but evaluative ones.

'...Marriage?'

Piper grinned, clutching the Prince's arm.

'Yes!'

'No one is getting married.'

It was the couple's turn to stare at her. Piper's eyes changed colour.

'Wait, what?'

Reyna turned to her sister.

'May I talk to you alone, Piper?'

The girl glanced at her beau, before straightening and turning back to her sister.

'No, whatever you have to say, you can say to both of us.'

Reyna kept her face impassive.

'Fine. You can't marry a man you just met.'

Piper glared at her.

'You can if it's true love! I love him, Reyna!'

'You're too young to know what love is, Piper!'

Piper's gaze turned fiery.

'Just because you have ice for a heart-'

Reyna winced internally, but fought to keep her composure. She had to be strong.

Annabeth's voice rang out, laced with steel.

'Piper, Reyna, this is no place for this conversation. You are both being foolish-'

'Stay out of this, Annabeth!' Piper didn't stop glaring at Reyna. 'You don't understand, just like the ice queen here!'

A look of pain flashed across both of the older sisters' faces. Then anger.

Piper continued.

'All you know how to do, all you understand, Reyna, is shutting people out! Ignoring them! Being cold and distant and cruel as ice!'

Reyna fought back the tears that threatened to come.

She glanced at her other two sisters.

Annabeth, the stiffness in her back betraying anger, being practical as ever, shooing guests away and apologizing.

Hazel, looking angrily at both of them, doubtlessly upset over how harsh they were being to each other.

Reyna straightened her back.

'Enough!'

She made for the door, hoping that Piper would stop, but she was stubborn and kept yelling. She didn't even hear what she was yelling, but in that moment, she lost her control.

'I said, enough!'

Ice shot out from her hand, causing ice spikes to cover the floor before her.

The remaining guests cried out in shock, and backed away.

Octavian spoke up.

'...Sorcery. I knew there was something dubious going on here.'

Reyna ran.

She broke out of the castle's front gates, and the crowd cheered.

'The Queen!'

'Long live the Queen!'

'Congratulations, your majesty!'

All of her strength sapped and gone, unable to regain her control and composure (ice heart, cold, distant, cruel), she was backed into the fountain, which froze immediately under her touch.

Gasps of shock and fear rang out across the crowd.

Octavian and his men emerged from the gates.

'There she is! Stop her!'

'Just stay away from me. Stay away!'

Ice shot out of her hand again, causing Octavian to trip.

'Monster...monster!'

The crowd panicked.

Reyna ran, and didn't look back.

She didn't notice the ice and snow she left behind her.


Piper watched helplessly as Reyna fled and the kingdom froze behind her.

This was her fault.

She barely paid any attention to the Duke's accusations, barely heard Dylan assuring the man that Piper and her other two sisters were completely ordinary.

She even barely noticed the dark-haired teenager who'd appeared by Annabeth's side, or the fact that a sobbing Hazel was being comforted by a bulky boy in an apprentice guard's uniform.

She raised her voice, making it as persuasive and strong as she could.

'Tonight was an accident. Reyna was scared. She didn't mean it, she didn't mean any of this...Tonight was my fault. I pushed her. So I'm the one who needs to go after her.'

Annabeth stepped forward.

'I'm going with you.'

Hazel raised her head, but didn't let go of the boy's hand.

'I'm coming. She's my sister too.'

The tear stains on Hazel's face made Piper feel even guiltier.

She lowered her voice and addressed Hazel only.

'I'm sorry, Hazel, I let it get out of hand. I shouldn't have...we've all been so...distant from one another lately.'

Hazel nodded, her eyes earnest.

'I know.' She looked guilty. 'I'm sorry for being mad at you.'

Piper shook her head.

'It's not your fault.'

The guard squeezed Hazel's hand.

'If you're going, I'm going to.'

She smiled wanly at him.

The dark-haired boy next to Annabeth echoed that sentiment.

Piper knew that there was something going on between those boys and her sisters, but her mind was too occupied with Reyna, so she began to march off towards he stables, Annabeth, Hazel and the two boys in tow, not sparing it any thought.

Dylan reached out and grabbed her wrist.

'Piper, no. It's too dangerous.'

'Reyna's not dangerous. We'll bring her back, and we'll make this right.'

Dylan frowned.

'Are you sure you can trust her? I don't want you getting hurt.'

Piper opened her mouth to reply, but Hazel beat her to it.

'She's our sister; she would never hurt us.'

Annabeth and Piper nodded in agreement.

Dylan looked unconvinced.

'I'm coming with you.'

'No, I need you to look after the kingdom.'

She glanced at her two sisters, who nodded, then at him again.

He saw the desperation in her eyes.

'...on my honour.'

Piper raised her voice again.

'We leave Prince Dylan in charge.'


Piper, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank and Percy trudged up the snow-covered mountain. (They'd had to abandon the horses, much to Hazel's sadness, when they'd reached the mountain. It was too dangerous to ride in the rocky, snowy, unfamiliar terrain.)

They were very nearly run over by a large sled, laden with blocks of ice.

'Leo! You need to watch where you're driving! And drive slower!'

A boy of about fifteen who looked an awful lot like an elf or an imp, down to his pointed ears, grinned at a blond boy who appeared to be around the same age.

'But Jason, going fast is so much more fun! Besides, since this super-hot stuff made some modifications, this thing doesn't even go slow anymore!'

'You nearly ran over some people!'

'Key word: nearly!'

Piper suppressed a grin. Percy laughed, while Hazel bit back a giggle. Frank was smiling, and Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

It was the strangest of meetings, but they somehow ended up with two new friends and a ride up the mountain.


They stopped at sunset to make camp.

It was too dangerous to continue throughout the night, according to Jason, so they had to stop, he said, even if they were desperate to find their sister.

Jason, it turned out, was none other than the son of Zeus, who had a monopoly over the whole kingdom's ice business, and many of its other businesses as well.

He'd decided that he really needed to know, as his father's heir, how these businesses actually worked, so here he was, learning the ice business with Leo.

Piper liked Jason a lot. He was a leader, noble, modest, heroic, polite and gentlemanly, as well as exceedingly handsome. (She pushed back those thoughts. She'd already found her true love.)

They collected some wood together to make a fire, but they had no matches. Piper shared a glance with all the others.

However, Jason and Leo seemed completely unconcerned.

Suddenly, Leo's hand was on fire.

They all gasped, even Annabeth.

Leo threw a fireball at the wood, which started crackling merrily, and then put out his hand, grinning at the shock on their faces.

They all stared at him, wide-eyed.

Hazel, Piper and Annabeth shared a glance.

'You...you can...'

'Make fire? Yeah, pretty hot isn't it, Beauty Queen?'

His voice was teasing, so at least he wasn't hitting on her.

Annabeth was clearly running possibilities through her head. Frank seemed to be as well.

Hazel spoke next.

'You...you can control your powers...' Her voice took on a hopeful note. 'So surely that means Reyna can too?'

Leo shrugged.

'Maybe.' He grinned his manic grin. 'I can definitely try and teach her.' He turned to Jason, who pinched the bridge of his nose immediately. 'What do you think, Jason? Fire and ice? Match made in heaven?'

Piper threw a snowball at him, but her mind was elsewhere.

There was hope.

As they sat around the campfire, having just finished breakfast, waiting for the sun to rise properly before they continued, Jason and Piper talked.

'So you are engaged to Prince Dylan.'

Piper nodded in response to Jason's statement.

'...And you just met him yesterday.'

Again, she nodded.

Jason frowned.

'Forgive me, because this is an improper question, but how can you marry a man you just met?'

'Because it's true love!'

Jason looked sceptical.

'Are you sure it can be true love if you've only just met him?'

Piper crossed her arms, and opened her mouth to reply (he'd struck a nerve; of course she knew, it was true love! With Dylan, she didn't feel alone anymore, it was everything she'd ever thought it to be, of course it was true love!), but Leo interrupted her, apparently sensing the tension. He stared at Jason in mock shock.

'Who are you and what have you done with Jason Grace?' He leaned over and whispered to Piper. 'He used to be heaps more proper...then he met the smoking hot yours truly.'

Piper gave a small smile in acknowledgement.

She glanced around at the group.

Percy and Annabeth were throwing little snowballs at each other (or rather he was throwing them, and she was retaliating), Annabeth more relaxed than Piper had seen for years.

Frank was telling Hazel what sounded like really silly jokes in an attempt to keep her spirits up. Hazel was smiling, and occasionally giggling.

For some reason, that made Piper really upset.

Her sisters had someone.

And here she was alone.

They'd had someone for what seemed to be years (she still hadn't gotten the full story, but how else would they be so comfortable with Percy and Frank?), while she'd been all alone.

Piper was the sister who wanted romance and true love.

Yet she was the one who hadn't found it. (Well, until she'd met Dylan, of course.)

And they hadn't told her, or shared their secret, or anything.

Weren't sisters supposed to gossip about boys together?

Weren't they supposed to share?

An anger rose in her chest. (She'd never admit it, but perhaps a good deal of it was to do with Jason's comments. Maybe she was a little doubtful whether she'd actually found true love with Dylan, looking at how her sisters really had, and the fact that it had taken what seemed to be years. Maybe she was jealous.)

Piper rose and spoke.

'Gentlemen, if I could speak to my sisters alone, please.'

(She'd learnt from what happened with Reyna. Annabeth was right. Some things needed to be done in private.)

The four boys rose and walked off a ways to prepare the sled and pack up the remnants of their camp.

Piper caught the way that Percy kissed Annabeth quickly before he left (completely oblivious to the source of her anger, though Annabeth seemed to at least have an inkling), and the way that Frank glanced at Hazel, who nodded at him, before he stood and followed the others.

That made her just a little bit more upset.

But she didn't catch the way that Jason glanced at her with concern in his eyes as he followed Leo away.

Piper faced her two sisters, trying not to get mad. (Look what happened the last time, after all.)

Hazel walked hesitantly over and took her hand.

Piper fought the urge to withdraw it in spite.

Annabeth regarded her with her grey eyes, which were strangely soft, and spoke in a gentler tone than Piper had heard from her for years.

'Piper, are you upset because we didn't tell you about Percy and Frank, or because you didn't have anyone all these years?'

Hazel squeezed her hand gently.

Somehow, Piper felt less angry, less upset all of a sudden.

'I don't know. Both, probably.'

Hazel looked down at the snow-covered ground, then back up at Piper.

'I'm sorry, Piper.'

Annabeth nodded.

'As am I.'

That was a big apology from Annabeth, whose pride very rarely allowed her to apologize.

The three sisters looked around at one another, guilt shining in all their eyes.

It wasn't their entire fault, not really. The circumstances had been dreadful, after all.

But they'd drifted apart, and they had to take some blame for all of that.

They hadn't been the best sisters to one another.

But that changed today.

Piper forgave her sisters. She opened her mouth to speak.

'We've all made mistakes. We let ourselves grow distant from one another, and didn't do what sisters should have done; let each other in. But that changes today. We're going to be here for one another. We're going to be good sisters to one another.'

Hazel beamed. Annabeth smiled. Piper felt herself smiling too.

She stood, pulling the other two up with her.

'Now, let's go get Reyna back.'


'Reyna, there are people approaching.'

The dark-haired young woman turned to face the black-haired boy behind her.

His name was Nico, he was fourteen, and the two of them had become fast friends since she'd encountered him in a cave on top of the mountain.

Nico had even moved out of his cave and into the ice palace she'd constructed.

It was bizarre, but the two of them planned to live in isolation together, as contradictory as that seemed.

They had to, in order to keep everyone else safe.

Reyna had her ice powers.

Nico could control the dead.

There was nothing like mutual self-loathing, both having gone through years of suppression and isolation, and both having dangerous powers to make two people friends, she thought wryly.

'How many?'

'Jules-Albert said there were seven. Three females, four males, all about our age, maybe a little younger than you.'

Reyna closed her eyes for a moment.

Three girls.

Her sisters, surely.

(Jules-Albert, one of Nico's zombies, wouldn't recognize them, and neither would Nico, but who else would it be?)

'Just...just make them leave. Please.' Her voice cracked. 'But don't hurt them.'

They made eye contact for a moment, understanding passing between the two.

'Of course.'

She smiled sadly at him.

'Thank you.'

He didn't smile, but his eyes softened ever so slightly.

Nico turned and left, leaving Reyna all alone.


The seven walked onwards.

They'd been confronted by all manner of zombies and ghosts on the way, seemingly intent on scaring them away.

But none of them had hurt them, though they were wary. Piper and Annabeth gripped the daggers they had taken from the armoury tightly (they had refused to let Hazel have one, but Frank had noticed her taking one anyway. He didn't say anything.), while Frank held Hazel's hand in his left and a sword in his right. Jason and Percy too held swords, while Leo had a handful of flames.

They crossed over the crest of a hill and stopped in shock.

A huge castle of ice rose out of the mountain.

The sisters shared a glance.

Reyna.

They quickened their pace.

They had almost reached the door when Nico appeared, seemingly out of the shadows.

He drew some more zombies out of the earth.

They flinched, but stood their ground.

'I can't let you go any further.'

Piper glared at him.

'And why not?'

He scowled at her.

'Reyna doesn't want to see you.'

Hazel took a step forward, and a second later, Frank did too, as if to protect her from the stranger.

'She's our sister!'

Nico suppressed the memories that those words created. He willed himself not to waver. He had promised Reyna.

'So what?'

Hazel's voice was angry when she spoke again.

'It means that we're there for her, and we love her and support her!'

Nico wavered ever so slightly on the inside, but did not let it show.

'You haven't, at least not lately, from what she's told me.'

Annabeth stood up straighter, stormy eyes regarding Nico.

'No, we haven't. But we're determined to be. We've made mistakes, but we are going to fix them.'

Piper nodded.

'I...I said some things to her that I regret. Now I'm here to make them right.'

Hazel looked at him, a slightly pleading, yet firm, look in her eyes.

'We're here to bring our sister home. Please.'

Nico regarded the group.

Reyna was lucky, he thought.

He had no-one left now, no family, no-one to care for him, not since his mother and Bianca had passed.

He was well and truly alone, except for Reyna.

Who had a family that was willing to love her and accept her, and had come all the way up the mountain, in the cold and in the snow, and faced down a boy who could control the dead, to make things right between them and bring her home.

He wavered.

Sorry, Reyna. But I think you'll thank me for this later.

He and the zombies disappeared.


Piper, Annabeth and Hazel stepped into the ice palace, with Jason, Leo, Frank and Percy following behind. (It had been agreed that this was something the sisters had to do with minimal interference from the others.)

Reyna's eyes widened slightly as she saw them, before her face returned to its usual regal expression.

Annabeth glanced around at the palace.

'Reyna, this place is amazing...'

Hazel's eyes were fixated on her sister.

'What happened to you? You look so different; freer and more powerful and even stronger...'

Reyna gave a tiny smile.

'Thank you.'

Piper stepped forward, closer to her oldest sister.

'Reyna, I'm so sorry about what happened. If I'd known-'

Reyna backed away from her.

'It's okay. You don't have to apologize. But you should probably leave. Now.' She swallowed. 'Please.'

Piper stepped closer to her, trying to be as non-threatening as possible while she did so, as did Annabeth and Hazel.

'But we just got here!'

Reyna looked at them, and they could detect a hint of sadness in her eyes.

'You belong back there.'

She pointed back down the mountain.

Hazel stepped even closer towards her sister, intending to take her hand or put a hand on her arm or shoulder. Reyna didn't step back from her youngest sister; she couldn't bring herself to, but moved her hands behind her and shifted slightly away.

'So do you.'

Hazel's eyes were insistent and earnest.

Reyna smiled sadly at her naivety. Hazel had a determined optimism to her, and she hoped that her little sister would never lose it.

'No, I belong here. Where I can be who I am without hurting anybody.'

Hazel looked dismayed, and tears started brimming in her eyes, but she did not let them fall.

Piper took a hesitant step forward.

'Reyna, we were so close as kids. We can be like that again.'

Even Annabeth nodded in support of her words.

Reyna found herself smiling, before a memory returned to her.

She glanced at the white streak in Hazel's curls.

She turned away and started up the stairs.

'No, we can't.'

Piper started after her.

'Reyna, wait-'

'I'm just trying to protect you all!'

'You don't have to protect me!'

Hazel and Annabeth made for the stairs as well.

'We're not afraid.'

'Please don't shut us out again.'

They reached the top. Glancing at one another, Jason, Frank, Percy and Leo began to make their way up the stairs as well.

Reyna stood on the balcony, her back to her three sisters.

Piper walked closer to her.

'Reyna, we understand now. We can fix this, together. You don't have to live in fear.'

Hazel walked right over to where Reyna was standing, reaching out a hand almost as if to touch her arm.

'We're here for you.'

Reyna turned to face all of them.

'Go back home, please. Your lives await. Enjoy the sun, open up the gates.'

'Reyna-'

'Hazel, you mean well, but leave me be. Maybe I'm alone, but I'm free.' She turned away again. 'Stay away from me and you'll be safe.'

Annabeth spoke up from her position near the doorway. (Comforting people had never been her strong suit.)

'Actually, we're not.'

Reyna turned around.

'What do you mean you're not?'

Hazel wrung her hands, while Piper fiddled with one of her braids. Annabeth bit her lip.

She was the one who spoke.

'The kingdom's covered in deep, deep snow.'

'What?'

'You've set off what we think is an eternal winter, all over the kingdom, not just here.'

'Everywhere?'

Reyna looked panicked, almost.

Piper reached a hand out towards her.

'It's okay, you can just unfreeze it.'

Eyes widening in horror, Reyna caught a look from Hazel.

Her youngest sister nodded encouragingly at her.

You can do it!

Reyna shook her head, dread building in her.

'No, I can't. I don't know how.'

Annabeth took a step forward.

'We can work out a solution. Every problem has a solution.'

'Don't panic.'

Piper's voice was calm and smooth, but it did Reyna no good.

Hazel looked up at her.

'We can fix it together. We can.'

Reyna couldn't take it anymore. She lost control.

A giant blast of ice rang out.

Hazel fell to the ground, unconscious, another white streak appearing in her hair.

Piper dropped to her knees, clutching her chest.

Annabeth screamed.

Reyna gasped.

No, no, not again...

That was the moment that the four boys entered the room.

Frank immediately rushed to Hazel's side, face full of worry, and lifted her off the ice into his arms. He glared at Reyna, and she knew that if she wasn't Hazel's beloved sister, if Hazel hadn't surely insisted that she would never harm her intentionally, and if his arms weren't otherwise occupied carrying her youngest sister, he would hurt her for harming her, Queen or not. Even then, Reyna wasn't sure if he'd hand Hazel over to one of the others and do it anyway.

'Hazel? Oh, gods, Hazel...'

Percy hurried over to comfort Annabeth, sword in hand but not in a threatening position, keeping an eye on her.

Jason and Leo rushed over to Piper's side, Jason's eyes full of worry, Leo uncharacteristically still and sombre.

'Piper, are you okay?'

She nodded in response to Jason's question, and stood shakily.

'I'm okay...I'm fine.'

Reyna backed away from them slowly. Leo watched her, almost with a sense of understanding and concern. Reyna shook her head, clearing those thoughts.

'You have to go, now.'

Piper shook her head in response.

'No, we can work this out together...'

'Piper, I think we should go.'

'Jason, I'm not leaving without Reyna.'

Reyna looked at her sisters. Piper, clearly in pain, leaning on Jason for support. Hazel, unconscious in Frank's arms. Annabeth, watching on in horror and shock in Percy's embrace.

Her eyes full of sadness, she raised her hands.

'Yes, you are.'


The seven winced as they were put down, none too gently, by the giant menacing snowman a good distance from Reyna's castle.

Frank, who was still carrying Hazel, looked incredibly concernedly at her, placing a hand gently on her cheek.

'She's still unconscious. And ice-cold.'

Piper shivered, one of her choppy braids turning white.

'Piper, your hair. It's turning white.'

Jason worried his lip, making the scar above his upper lip more prominent.

Annabeth looked grim.

'Reyna struck both of them. By accident. We need to get them help.'

Leo nodded.

'Follow me.'

They all stared at him for a moment.

He managed a grin.

'Hey, what, I'm the super-hot McShizzle, of course I know where to go!' He looked more serious again. 'We're going to see a friend of mine. She helped me to learn to control my powers.'


Piper shivered.

Jason glanced worriedly at her.

'Are you cold?'

'A little.'

He moved almost as if he would put an arm around her, but let it fall.

Then, his face lit up as if he had an idea.

'Leo! Could you give us a little fire?'

The other boy obliged, and held a small flame in his hands. Jason gestured to Piper to hold her hands over Leo's.

She felt warmer. At least, her hands did.

She smiled gratefully at both of them, perhaps lingering on Jason slightly longer.

'Thank you.'

They entered a clearing.

Leo called out.

'Hey, Oracle, you home? We got visitors!'

The air filled with mist, and moments later, a red-haired woman with green eyes appeared.

The woman approached, looking at Hazel and Piper with concern.

She reached Hazel first, and after sharing a look with Frank (I mean her no harm), placed a hand on her head. Hazel stirred a moment later.

'You were lucky it wasn't the heart. Heads can be persuaded; hearts are far more difficult, they require an act of true love.' She smiled. 'Though, I do not think that would be much of a problem for you.' She glanced meaningfully at Frank, who turned bright red and stared at his feet, flustered. Hazel, too, blushed, and started fanning her face.

It was at that moment that Piper collapsed. Jason caught her.

'She feels like ice.'

The Oracle sighed, and shook her head sadly.

'I cannot help her. She was struck in the heart, and she will need an act of true love.'

The others all glanced at one another.

Piper spoke, very weakly.

'...Dylan.'

They hurried off towards the castle.


They reached the gates.

Jason carried Piper up to them.

She opened her eyes briefly.

'Jason?'

'I've got you.'

She looked gratefully up at him.

'Are you going to be okay?'

He smiled at her.

'Don't worry about me.'

He handed her over to one of the castle guards.

He and Leo stood together and watched as the others entered the castle, both with worried looks on their faces.

Leo turned to leave. Jason lingered for a moment longer. Leo noticed.

'Hey, you going to be okay, Jason?'

He nodded, but he wasn't sure.

It felt like something was missing. There was something that should be there, something he wasn't quite sure of himself yet, that just wasn't there.

'Yeah, I will be.'


Reyna groaned in frustration as her bonds froze over. If she could just free her hands, she would be so much more comfortable, she wouldn't feel as trapped and confined...

The soldiers had shown up not long after she'd thrown her sisters and their friends out of her palace. She had forced Nico to run and leave her, not wanting him to be captured and killed as well.

She had fully expected to die, and had come to terms with it.

Her sisters had each other. They were closer than they'd ever been before, and she'd seen the way that those boys had cared for them and looked at them.

They would be happy.

They would be fine without her.

But here she was, still alive.

She owed that to Prince Dylan.

Perhaps she had misjudged him.


Dylan rushed over to Piper immediately, taking her into his arms.

Part of Piper wished it was Jason, but the rest of her told it to shut up. Dylan was her true love after all.

'You're so cold.'

She looked desperately at him.

'Dylan, you have to kiss me.'

He looked confused.

'What?'

'Now, here we go.'

She tried to reach up and kiss him, but found herself too weak.

Behind her, Hazel clutched Frank's hand tightly with her right, and squeezed Annabeth's with her left.

Annabeth quickly ushered Hazel, Percy and Frank out.

'We'll give you some privacy.'

Dylan nodded in thanks.

'What happened out there?'

'Reyna struck me with her powers.'

He looked aghast.

'You said she'd never hurt you.'

Piper sighed.

'I was wrong, but it was an accident.'

She crumbled further into his arms.

Wordlessly, he carried her over to the couch.

'She froze my heart...and only an act of true love can save me.'

A look of understanding passed over his face.

'A true love's kiss.'

He smiled tenderly at her, and placed a hand under her chin, leaning in...

Then, he stopped.

'Oh, Piper, if only there was someone out there who really loved you.'

She stared at him.

'What?'

He stood and paced over to the fireplace.

'...You said you did.'

He laughed.

'I'm thirteenth in line to the throne in my own kingdom. Do you really think I'd ever get the throne? No, I knew I'd have to marry into the throne somewhere...'

Piper's stare changed from confused to angry.

How dare he?

(And why was she so foolish to fall for it?)

'...As heir, Reyna would have been preferable, of course, but no-one was going to get anywhere with her. Annabeth would not be so easy to trick, it would take far too long, and I didn't know how long I could keep up the act...besides, she didn't seem interested at all. Hazel was too young, of course, I knew that I'd arouse all of your protective instincts if I tried for her and likely get discovered. Besides, one of your guards was glaring at me when I danced with her, so he'd probably get suspicious and work it all out, and killing him would have made things so messy...'

He smirked at her. Her anger built.

'But you were so desperate for love you were willing to marry me, just like that.'

He stepped over to a pitcher of water, and flung it on the fireplace. The fire went out.

'I figured, after we'd married, I'd have to arrange a little accident for all of your sisters. Though, I suppose I could have let Hazel live...'

Piper still had the dagger she'd taken from the armoury.

Weakly, she grasped it and flung it at him.

She missed.

He laughed at her pathetic attempt.

'But then Reyna doomed herself, and you were stupid enough to set out after her. All that's left now is to kill her, dispose of your other sisters, that pesky guard and that other boy, and bring back summer...'

She glared at him, pouring all her hatred, anger and resentment into her voice.

'You're no match for them.'

He bent down and locked eyes with her. She wondered how she'd ever found him attractive.

'Oh, no, you're no match for Reyna. Neither are any of the others. But I, on the other hand, am the hero who is going to save the kingdom.'

She practically spat venom at him.

'You won't get away with this.'

He smirked again.

'Oh, I already have.'

He left without another word and locked her in.

Piper shivered.

'Please, somebody, help.'

She collapsed onto the floor.


Octavian shivered.

'It's getting colder by the minute. If we don't do something soon, we'll all freeze to death.'

Dylan entered, a distraught expression on his face.

Octavian turned to face him, as did the other dignitaries.

'Prince Dylan.'

'Princess Hazel is desperately ill, as is Princess Annabeth. Princess Piper...is dead.'

'What?'

'No!'

'What happened to them?'

Dylan sunk into a chair.

'Princess Hazel and Princess Annabeth were hurt, and Princess Piper was killed, by Queen Reyna .'

'Their own sister.'

Dylan put his head in his hands.

'At least we got to say our marriage vows before...before she died in my arms.'

He looked as if he was going to cry.

Octavian turned to him.

'There can be no doubt about it. Queen Reyna is a monster and we are all in grave danger.'

One of the other dignitaries looked gravely at the Prince.

'Prince Dylan, the kingdom looks to you.'

Dylan nodded.

'With a heavy heart, I charge Queen Reyna with treason, and sentence her to death.'


Dylan smirked as he walked down the corridor in the dungeons to Reyna's cell.

His plan was going perfectly.

Piper was dead.

Reyna was as good as.

Annabeth and Hazel, and those two boys, were safely locked away. The two Princesses would recover from their 'illnesses', but he could easily bend them to his will. He'd seen the way they looked at and treated those two boys, and the way that the two surviving Princesses had looked at each other; it was a weakness he could exploit.

He entered Reyna's cell.


Reyna pulled furiously at her manacles.

She had misjudged Dylan, and badly.

He was evil.

He was planning on seizing the throne...and it seemed that he had succeeded.

Bitter tears rolled down her face, and for once, Reyna didn't even try to fight them.

Piper and Hazel were dead.

And it was all her fault.

She'd killed them.

Reyna let out a horrible scream. Then another.

The storm grew more intense.

The ice on her chains grew thicker.


'You should go back.'

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose.

'Leo-'

'You're in love with her.'

'Leo-'

'And she's in love with you.'

'Leo-'

Leo rounded on Jason, with a strange look in his eyes that he couldn't quite read. Sadness, anger, and a whole other mix of emotions...

'Look, Jason, you've got a really hot, really awesome girl who also happens to be a Princess who definitely really, really likes you. And you definitely really, really like her. Why are you here instead of with her?'

'She's with her true love, Leo!'

Leo raised an eyebrow at him.

'You really think so? She'd only just met him!'

Jason looked at him, an indescribable mess of emotions on his face. Hope, denial, sadness...

'We've only just met too.'

Leo rolled his eyes.

'Well, then you're at least as much her true love as that Dylan guy.'

At that moment, the storm around the castle picked up. Ice grew out of seemingly nowhere, covering its walls.

Jason stared, a look of immense worry on his face.

'Piper.'

He took off towards the castle in a run.

Leo smirked, but there was a hint of something else in his expression.

'That just proves my point. Who's da man? I am!'

He ran off after his best friend.


'Piper, wake up!'

The Princess forced herself awake.

Kneeling over her was none other than the black-haired boy who'd summoned the zombies.

'How...how do you know my name? And how...how did you get here?'

Nico looked at her with a look that she didn't understand.

'Reyna. And I have other powers besides summoning the dead. My name is Nico, by the way.'

He hurried over and lit the fire.

'We have to get you warm.'

As soon as the fire was warm, and she scooted closer to it, Piper felt a bit better. A bit stronger.

'How...how did you know? To...to come help me? About...about Dylan?'

His face was cloaked in shadow as he replied.

'I saw your fight with Reyna. You wouldn't have seen me, no one would have, but I saw it. I watched you leave. I was there when they came for Reyna. She...she made me run, leave her.'

Piper smiled very, very weakly.

'That sounds like her.'

Nico continued his story.

'I followed. I saw her being put in the dungeons, I saw your other sisters and those two boys being locked up there too. I heard Dylan talking to himself, and I saw him leave this room.' He paused. 'I'm sure you get the picture. I see a lot without people seeing me.'

Piper shivered again.

Worry flashed very briefly across Nico's face.

'Jason is coming back for you. I saw him. You'll get your act of true love.'

Piper sat up a little straighter, hope welling in her chest, along with some other feelings that she didn't quite understand (but thought just might be love, real love). For once, she was lost for words.

'He's...he's...'

Nico rolled his eyes, a scowl on his face.

'Yes, he's in love with you.' He paused for a moment. 'Love...love is putting someone's needs before your own.' Nico seemed almost to be speaking from experience. 'Like when he brought you back here and left you forever.'

Piper tried to stand. She stumbled, and Nico caught her.

'I've got to go find him.'

Nico shot a look at her.

'You're too weak. I can take you-'

She shook her head firmly.

'No, you have to go rescue Annabeth, Hazel, Percy and Frank, and Reyna. You're the only one who can.'

Her gaze was resolute and strong. Nico understood, and stepped into the shadows.

'You're a good person, Piper.'

She smiled at him. A weak smile, but one nonetheless.

'So are you.'

She swore that he smiled too, ever so slightly, as he vanished into the shadows.

Piper staggered towards the door.

Jason.

She had to find Jason.


'Your sisters are dead...because of you.'

Dylan's voice rang in Reyna's head as she fought to run through the storm, over the frozen lake, back towards her mountain sanctuary.

She'd failed.

Now, she would pay.

She already had, but she had to pay more.

She had to.

Hazel, sweet, innocent, strong Hazel, and Piper, bold and fierce and kind all at once Piper, deserved so much more.

She would make sure she paid.

She would.

Reyna ran.

The blizzard intensified even more.


Piper fought through the storm, shielding her face with her hands.

'Jason!'

She had to find him. She had to.

'Jason!'

Far away, she heard an answering call.

'Piper!'

'Jason!'

Unable to see one another, but determined to find each other regardless, they fought on through the icy wind and snow.


Annabeth, Percy, Frank and Hazel stumbled through the storm, Hazel clutching Annabeth and Frank's hands, Percy holding Annabeth's, as they fought to stay upright and move through the storm.

They searched desperately for Reyna and Piper, but could not see through the snowstorm.

They still didn't quite believe what had just happened; they'd been locked away in the dungeons, resigned to their fate, Hazel and Frank talking quietly about Reyna accidentally hurting Hazel, clearing things up, Percy and Annabeth curled up together, the blond in shock, Percy doing everything he could to comfort her. Then, that dark-haired boy who'd summoned zombies, Nico, his name was, had shown up and filled them in, and here they were.

(He'd mentioned that he was going to fetch Leo and they would try and calm the populace. It crossed Annabeth and Frank's minds that this was a terrible plan, since they were likely to be the worst at that, but they didn't say anything. There were far more important things to worry about.)

They glanced at one another, or tried to, before continuing to struggle through the whiteout.


'Reyna! You can't run from this!'

Dylan's voice echoed behind her.

She turned.

'...Just...just take care of Annabeth for me.'

He laughed coldly.

'What, the only sister you didn't kill? Reyna, you can't run. You're a murderess, who killed her own sisters. Her own sisters. They're dead because of you!'

It hit her even harder this time.

She dropped to her knees, broken and spent and weary.

Suddenly, the storm stopped. All was still.

Dylan approached, his sword suspended in the air...

Reyna heard it coming, but didn't move...

She deserved this.


Suddenly, they could see. They weren't forced to bend double, or struggle anymore.

It was eerie.

And then they saw.

Reyna, on her knees, while Dylan held up a sword above her...

Hazel didn't think or hesitate. She just ran, and flung herself between her sister and that evil man.

'Reyna!'

A second later, Annabeth, too, joined Hazel.

Frank drew his bow, and did his best to get a clear shot.

Percy simply ran at the Prince, intending on tackling him.

But they were too late.

Frank shot, but missed by a hair's breadth, grazing Dylan's arm only as he made a sudden movement, stepping out of the way of Percy, who was going too fast over the ice to stop and change direction.

Moments later, before Frank could fire off another arrow, before Percy could recover from his face-plant into the ice, Dylan had already knocked both Hazel and Annabeth out of the way (they hit the ice with a horrible noise that made both Frank and Percy wince and want to pulverize that Prince). He approached Reyna again, sword high in the air, seemingly determined to relish the moment...


The storm cleared suddenly, and Piper saw Jason, as clear as day.

Her heart seemed to beat stronger, and with renewed strength, she moved slowly towards her, while he broke into a run.

'Piper!'

Behind her, Piper heard Hazel cry out.

'Reyna!'

She turned immediately.

Dylan stood, sword raised high in the air, Hazel and Annabeth standing defiantly between Reyna and the Prince.

Piper glanced back at Jason, throwing him a longing look...

I'm sorry...

She ran as fast as she could, sapping her remaining strength, pushing herself just that bit harder when she saw Hazel and Annabeth hit the ice, and flung herself between her sister and the sword.

'No!'

As she cried out, Piper slowly turned to ice.

Reyna watched in horror and shock.

She rushed over to Piper, and gently touched her sister's frozen cheek.

'Piper!' She sobbed. 'No, please, no...no.'

Reyna hugged her fiercely and cried.

Jason stared in shock and despair.

From the walls, many of the citizens, roused by Nico and Leo to witness the truth, echoed his expression.

Percy and Frank had successfully knocked Dylan out, and a weepy Frank now cradled a wide-eyed and teary Hazel in his arms, while Percy tried to help Annabeth, who had tears running down her face, up, with sadness in his own eyes.

Suddenly, Piper began to thaw. The ice started to disappear, and her flesh changed back...

Gasps echoed all round.

Slowly, Piper bent her arm and embraced Reyna.

'What? Piper?'

The girl in question opened her eyes slowly. She smiled at Reyna, and then glanced at her sisters, relief in her eyes.

'Oh, Reyna.'

The two hugged.

'...You sacrificed yourself for me?'

'...I love you.'

That was the truth. For all their differences, she loved Reyna. She really did. Just like she loved all of her sisters.

Hazel stood shakily, clutching Frank's shoulder.

'An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart.'

Reyna and Piper stared at one another.

'Love...will thaw. Love...of course.'

The Queen looked at Piper, confidence and strength growing in her eyes.

'Reyna?'

The young woman in question smiled.

'Love.'

She raised her arms, and slowly, the kingdom began to thaw. The ship below them lurched and rose, bobbing up on the water like it should.

Summer had returned.

Cheers erupted from the walls, Leo's voice clear over the crowd. Percy whooped, as did Frank. Even Jason did.

Hazel grinned at Reyna.

'We knew you could do it!'

Annabeth smiled at her, while Piper tightened her arm around her shoulders.

Hazel ran up and embraced both Reyna and Piper firmly, with Annabeth joining in a second later.

The whole kingdom watched fondly.

Sisters. No matter what. Sisters.

Dylan stirred as the four sisters were caught up in their embrace.

Immediately, Frank, Jason and Percy were by him, restraining him. They were joined seconds later by Leo and Nico, who had shadow-travelled.

They all shared a glance, and agreed on one thing.

The fate of his absolutely horrible excuse for a human being was in the hands of the four young women he'd hurt the most.

Leo, of course, was the first one to speak.

'Hey, ladies!' They broke apart slowly and turned to him. He gestured at the Prince, grinning. Nico had a sardonic look in his eyes as he looked at the Prince, while Jason, Percy and even Frank seemed very satisfied with that arrangement. 'We've got something for you!'

The four sisters shared a look.

Reyna gestured at Piper.

'Be my guest.'

She sauntered up to Dylan. (Jason stared at the swing of her hips. Percy elbowed him hard in the stomach.)

He stared at her, confused.

'Piper? But...but she froze your heart?'

Piper smirked.

'The only frozen heart around here is yours.'

She turned away from him...before turning back and punching him in the face. Hard.

Everyone winced. Leo cheered. Jason stared some more.

Piper met his eyes, and her grin grew a little bit wider. He grinned right back at her.

Annabeth stepped up next.

She judo-flipped the Prince, and he landed with a thump on the deck. She pulled out her dagger, and held it threateningly up to him.

'I could castrate you, I read about a most interesting technique for it, and I've been dying to try it out...' She paused as if thinking. 'Or perhaps I could use you for anatomy studies. I've always wanted to try a hands-on approach...'

Her stormy eyes grew even darker.

'Keep that in mind.'

She walked away from the cowering Prince.

Jason kicked Percy in the shin. 'You're drooling.'

Leo stared at him. 'Seriously, man? Seriously?'

Hazel stepped up, armed with a frying pan she'd picked up off the deck of the ship.

'This is what happens if you try and hurt my family.'

She whacked him hard with the frying pan. A loud crack was heard.

Everyone stared. She turned away from the evil man, and met Frank's gaze. He was staring at her in awe.

'That was freaking incredible!'

She grinned, somewhat sheepishly, and fanned her face, flustered.

'One of the coronation guests mentioned to me that a frying pan was pretty handy weapon.'

There were a few laughs, even from Reyna, who then stepped up and glared at Dylan.

'I think my sisters have made it pretty clear, but just in case...I'll make it as clear as crystal.' She raised an eyebrow. 'Or maybe it should be ice.'

She waved her arms, and Dylan found himself chained up with ice chains. Another wave, and he found himself wearing ice flotation devices.

Reyna then pushed him overboard into the lake.

Serves him right.


Dylan was tossed into the brig of a ship, none too gently.

'...I will return this scoundrel to his country. We shall see what his twelve big brothers think of his behaviour.'


Octavian protested as he was escorted onto a ship.

'This is unacceptable! I am a victim of fear! I've been traumatized!'

The guard rolled his eyes.

'I have a message from the Queen. The Duke of Weaseltown, while trade with his kingdom is still welcome, is henceforth banned from this kingdom.'

Octavian shook his fists, teddy bear on his belt bouncing furiously.

'Wesselton! It's Wesselton!'


Piper laughed as she dragged Jason and Leo by the hands through the city.

They passed Frank and Hazel, who were sitting in the marketplace, eating ice-cream, Hazel laughing at something that the guard said. A moment later, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, turning his cheeks red.

Piper beamed.

How adorable!

They passed the beach, where Percy and Annabeth were standing, about knee deep in the water, bickering as he tried to splash her with water. Eventually, Annabeth gave up on staying relatively dry, and just tackled him into the waves.

'Wise Girl!'

'You didn't see that coming? You really do have seaweed for brains, Seaweed Brain!'

Piper, Jason and Leo shared a glance, suppressing laughter.

Those two were crazy. Crazy good together, yes, but crazy.

They passed Reyna, who was setting up an ice-rink in the middle of the city, making it snow. The local children stared in awe and wonder.

She raised an eyebrow at Piper (You coming later?), who nodded (Wouldn't miss it for the world!).

Not long after passing Reyna, Piper finally stopped.

She gestured to a blacksmith's shop, newly outfitted and kitted out with the latest in everything.

Leo gaped.

She smiled at him.

Jason beamed, and squeezed her hand.

'It's yours, Leo.'

He turned to her in shock.

'Are you sure? I...I can't accept this...'

'You have to. Queen's orders. You're now the official tinkerer and inventor of the kingdom.'

Leo marvelled as if all of his Christmases and birthdays had come at once.

He actually hugged her.

'Thank you, Beauty Queen! I love it...I could kiss you...' He glanced at Jason, who didn't look very happy with that idea. Leo smirked. 'But of course I won't, don't worry, Sparky.'

And without another word, he rushed off to examine his new workshop.

Piper turned to Jason, who was still a bit pink.

She cupped his cheek gently.

'Are you sure you don't want a reward too? I mean, Leo's got a workshop, and we gave Percy a year's worth of blue food and promoted Frank...'

He smiled at her.

'Nope. I've got everything I want.'

He bent down to kiss her, and as she kissed him back, Piper had never felt warmer.

They broke apart, just as Reyna, followed by Annabeth, Hazel, Percy, Frank and half the city's children, skated past, laughing and smiling.

'Come on, Piper! You too, Jason!'

Reyna waved her hands, and Piper and Jason suddenly had skates on their feet. The Queen skated over, and grabbed Piper by the hands, pulling her onto the giant ice-rink she had created, which seemed to cover half the city.

Piper grinned as she skated around with her loved ones.

Once, she swore she even saw Nico, watching from the shadows.

Her grin grew wider.

All was well.


AN: I admit that I feel that Piper, and to a lesser extent Reyna and Jason, are out-of-character (as are some more minor characters like Octavian and Dylan), but this was the best I could do to make this AU work, and I really, really wanted to write it. I know that characterization is important for the readers of this story, and it is very important to me too, but I got this idea and I just had to write it- please forgive me?

Also, logically, since Rachel could teach Leo to control his powers, she should have been able to teach Reyna, but she didn't offer, because it requires too much time spent with her, she knew Reyna's parents would never accept it- Reyna is to be Queen. Also, the whole thing kind of had to happen to bring the sisters together this way, and you know, Fate.