There was noise. She was aware of it but did not feel it. The overjoyed cheering and clapping and gushing from the crowd as a warm hand closed over Annabeth's and squeezed.

Jason.

Despite everything, she took comfort in it. And as she met his eyes, she knew this announcement was a shock to him as well. There was pain, and a desperate need to do the right thing. Jason. Always so good, even when he was hurting so much inside.

Annabeth squeezed his fingers and turned away from her mother. They walked toward the crowd. They parted with smiles and bright eyes as the pair drew together and music rose around them. She could not lift her eyes above Jason's throat as they danced.

'Smile,' he murmured.

'How?'

He drew a hand from her waist and lifted her chin with his finger. His smile was soft, his eyes hard.

'You know how, Annabeth.'

And she did. For all of the years she had practiced smiling when she wanted to cry. She politely conversed when she wanted to scream. She pressed herself into a box when she wanted to run.

She met his eyes and thought of Percy's green ones. She smiled. And she thought it might kill her.

Throughout the dance, Annabeth willed herself to remain calm. To copy Jason's calm demeanour and not express the war raging inside of her. She was furious with herself; for the past few weeks she had been living in denial. She knew things would not last the way they were. Despite the progression in the talks, there was still tension between the two leaders, the two cities. Annabeth had known for a long time that her mother planned on using her as a diplomatic solution.

The idea made her furious. How had she become a bargaining chip? Nothing more than a card to be dealt at the right moment. All her life, she had been working towards becoming a leader. She wanted to be strong and wise like her mother. She wanted to lead, to make a difference, to help people. She had not imagined that this would be her way of doing so. Now she was serving her city by becoming a wife.

They danced in silence, with forced smiles and tight grips on one another's hands. Annabeth could feel the tension in Jason's shoulder and watched as his eyes flicked so often to the edges of the room. He was looking for Piper. Of course he was.

Eventually, the music broke and they were called to be seated for dinner. Annabeth and Jason sat at the centre of a long table against the back wall with the large tapestry hanging behind them. So that the whole room could see them clearly. Annabeth felt a shock go through her as she realised this is how she would be seated at her wedding. Her wedding to Jason, in just two weeks.

To her left sat Athena and on Jason's other side was Zeus and Hera. Annabeth felt trapped, not for the first time, as she sat next to her mother and the boy she would be marrying.

Dinner was its usual extravagance. Creamy Butternut Squash soup with cracked black pepper scattered over the surface and crusty brown bread. The main course of succulent roast ham with thick white sauce, roasted vegetables and fluffy potatoes. A pudding of tart plum crumble, softened by sweet cream.

Annabeth ate numbly, feeling the food on her tongue and not tasting it. Her mother's words ran in and out of focus as she spoke to Chiron on her other side.

'The talks finish this week. We were running out of time.'

Chiron's response was almost a plea. 'There was never an agreement on this Athena. Did you even discuss the matter with her?'

'Of course I did.' Her voice was low. So much that Annabeth had to focus on quietening her breaths as she picked at her crumble and inconspicuously leaned closer. 'She has known this was the plan for weeks. Do not act as if I am some grand villain here Chiron. I am only trying to do the right thing.'

'I know that, but…another way…sudden does it not? You act as if…option. Are things so…' His words were broken and lost in the noise of the hall. Annabeth leaned closer still to catch her mother's response.

'I don't think you understand the seriousness of the threat Zeus poses to our city. He is power hungry. If this marriage is what it takes to quell his greed, then I will happily have my daughter marry his son.'

Annabeth swallowed, drawing away from her mother. Jason was a statue beside her. Had he heard it too? Or was he still searching the room for Piper? Either way, Annabeth could not find enough energy to care. The room felt as if it were closing in around her. Her breaths came out short and fast and her vision began to blur. She gripped the table and stood up, causing her chair to scrape angrily against the floor.

'Annabeth?' It was her mother, reaching for her. Concern in her voice. But Annabeth knew it was only concern for how erratically her daughter was behaving in front of an entire room of people.

'Fine,' Annabeth muttered, 'need some fresh air.'

She scurried away from the table before her mother could object and felt more than one pair of eyes on her as she walked along the length of the head table. Keeping her back straight and her eyes forward. She slipped out through an archway at the side of the room and broke into a run, hitching her heavy skirt up to her knees. She ran the length of the stone corridor, feelings its cold seep into her as her harsh breaths echoed off the walls. Eventually, she came to a stop and leaned against the wall, panting. It was a minute or two before she heard her own name called through the darkness.

'Here,' she said, closing her eyes and tipping her head back against the stone as Jason caught up to her.

'You cannot just run off like that,' he chided quietly.

'I cannot do anything at my own will. I am a prisoner in my own life.'

Jason said nothing. When Annabeth opened her eyes, she found that he was leaning back against the wall opposite her with a mirrored expression of dejection. His usual broad, strong stature was broken.

'But then we both are, aren't we?' Annabeth whispered.

Jason's eyes opened and met hers. He smiled sadly. 'I wish I could hate you.'

She laughed – a quiet sad noise – and swallowed. 'I wish I could hate you too. It certainly would make it easier to be angry – to have someone to direct it towards.'

'We can direct it towards our parents,' Jason suggested, 'though I already do that on a daily basis.'

Annabeth's tone sobered. 'What do we do?' she asked him, quiet and scared as a child lost in the dark. Feeling more vulnerable than she had ever felt before him.

Jason looked as lost as she felt. 'I have no idea. Perhaps we could run away.'

His words reminded her of Percy's; what if this world was ours? He had asked her as they clung to each other in the water. She had wanted to run away with him. To stay with him and forget everything else, but her duty had kept her here. Her loyalty to her mother. Her mother who lied to her and used her like a piece on a great chess board. Not even a queen or a knight, but a pawn. Easy to give away, disposable.

Annabeth's anger flared, she pushed away from the wall and began pacing.

'This is not fair. None of this is right.'

'Annabeth,' Jason said tiredly, 'there is nothing—'

'Why?' She whirled to face him. 'Why must we be pawns in this petty game of old men and women and their greed? I always thought that I could change the system for the better when I grew up, but is this all I am capable of? Marrying an enemy's son to patch up an old quarrel nobody can remember the source of anymore?'

'Annabeth—'

'Why are you not more annoyed?'

'I am,' Jason said more forcibly, moving to stand in front of her. 'You think that I want this. To be married off against my own will like my sister was? Thalia may be happy now, but she will always resent her marriage for how it came about. She will always resent Luke, no matter how much she loves him.'

He turned away from her and began tugging at his hair. 'We are a perfect match. I can see their logic and it is infuriating. We would make powerful leaders, unite cities, bring peace.' He faced her again, looking dishevelled and hopeless. She wanted to wrap her arms around him. 'Is our own happiness a fair price for that?'

'What do you want?' she asked softly.

He blinked at her, his anger fading. 'What?'

'You do not want to marry me. You do not want a war. You do not want to disappoint your parents. I know what you do not want, but what do you want?'

He sighed, closing his eyes and clenching his jaw before speaking. 'Piper.' Her name was a whisper on his lips. 'I want Piper. I want to be allowed to choose her.'

His eyes opened slowly and met hers warily. 'Though you are supposed to be surprised by that confession.'

Annabeth's lips quirked into a smile. 'Piper is not as good as you are at keeping secrets.'

He smiled faintly, before dropping his head back with a groan. 'What can I say to her? What can I possibly say to make this situation better?'

'She knows you do not love me,' Annabeth offered in a meek attempt to ease his worry. Her own concerns of Percy were threatening to flood her thoughts, and she focused on the boy in front of her instead.

Jason laughed; a short harsh sound. 'That will mean nothing if we are to be married. I cannot involve her in this. I should never have—' He hit the wall with the flat of his palm. 'This would never end well and I knew that. Why did I let it get this far?'

His question was not meant for her to answer. But as she thought of her own actions, of Percy, she could not help but apply the question to her own cause. She had known their relationship was doomed from the beginning. She had known they could never have a life together, and yet…

'Because you love her,' Annabeth said.

Jason pressed his forehead to the wall, letting his eyes drop closed. 'Yes. For the life of me I do. And what good does that do us?'

'I have no idea. But perhaps it will help us to not give up hope. Perhaps there is another solution here.'

Jason turned his head, leaning back against the wall and watching her curiously. 'A solution?'

'Perhaps.'

Annabeth knocked furiously on the small wooden door. Rain crashed around her, soaking through her hood and into the seams of her boots. The morning was dark and grey, still in its dregs of sleep.

Eventually, the door swung open, revealing a rather dishevelled, annoyed-looking Leo. He dragged a brace over his shoulder as he spoke.

'Yes,' he said, 'how can I help you on this fine—' he leant out and narrowed his eyes at the dim sky '—morning?'

She pushed him aside and swept into the house, removing her coat and shaking out her wet hair. Leo shut the door and took the cloak from her with a resentful stare, which looked out of place on his usually grinning face. Annabeth supposed he was not a morning person.

'Where is Rachel?' she asked, wringing out her hair and twisting it over her shoulder.

'Still asleep. Annabeth it's not yet dawn, what are you doing here?'

'Something has happened. I need to speak with her.'

Leo studied her, wincing slightly under her fierce stare. He sighed. 'Fine. Go through to the kitchen and wait there.'

Annabeth did as she was told as Leo disappeared through a side door and down a narrow stone corridor. She followed another, more familiar corridor through the quiet house. The kitchen was empty and cold, not at all like she usually remembered it to be on her other visits. She suddenly yearned for the normalcy of it. For Hazel to be sat at the table, her practiced hands working over shining rocks, her quiet smile. For Leo's wild laughter, his happiness filling the room better than candlelight. For Rachel and her quiet words, her endless wisdom. And for Piper. Annabeth wished Piper was there with her more than anything.

But she was up at the castle. Annabeth had yet to see her after Athena's announcement the previous evening. She felt a pit of guilt open up in her stomach as she thought of her best friend. Of what she must be thinking at this moment. Would she be resentful towards Annabeth? Did she still consider her a friend?

Her worrying was cut short as Rachel padded into the kitchen. She wore a heavy blue dressing gown over a white nightdress; her hair a wild red tangle over her shoulders.

'Is everything alright?' she asked with a throaty voice, moving to the stove and placing the black cracked kettle over the hob.

Annabeth sunk onto the bench. 'Jason and I are to be married.'

Rachel turned to face her, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning. 'You knew this weeks ago did you not?'

'My mother made the formal announcement last night. The wedding is in two weeks.'

Rachel's eyebrows shot up. 'So soon?

Annabeth chewed on her thumbnail. 'My ascension is a week and a half away. I will become queen and marry Jason three days later. It has all been organised very efficiently,' she added bitterly.

'Annabeth.' She looked up as Rachel slid into the bench opposite her. The soothsayer was studying her carefully. 'What would you have me do?'

'What?'

'You have come to me for more than a person to confide in. What is it that you want me to do for you? How do you expect me to fix this?'

Annabeth dropped her hand to the hard wooden table and stared at the girl. 'I do not—' She swallowed. 'You are a soothsayer.'

'Yes.'

Annabeth grit her teeth in frustration. 'So what do you see? Will I marry Jason? Is this as hopeless as we think it is?'

Rachel remained infuriatingly silent for a moment, simply watching Annabeth as she glared back at her. She tilted her head to the side and held out a hand. Annabeth rolled her eyes and thrust her own into it, allowing Rachel to trace her fingers along her palm and read the truths hidden there, beyond the sight of blind eyes like Annabeth's.

'You will become Queen,' Rachel murmured after a moment. Annabeth leant forwards, eyes intent upon her face. 'Alone.'

She fell silent and dropped Annabeth's hand. Rachel stood up from the table and moved to the stove, where the kettle was beginning to whistle.

Annabeth flared in indignation. 'I already knew that! My ascension will happen before our wedding.'

Rachel said nothing as she poured tea for them both. Annabeth held in a groan of frustration. The soothsayer was supposed to have the answers. She was supposed to be helpful, guide Annabeth on her path. Not state the blindingly obvious.

Rachel came back to the table and set a delicate blue china cup and saucer in front of her, filled with the familiar translucent brown liquid and dregs of leaves floating on the surface. Annabeth stared at it for a moment before lifting the cup to her mouth and taking a scalding sip.

'Annabeth,' Rachel said after a moment, 'the future is not a picture box. I cannot simply open up a door and see it written out plainly and clearly. It is a winding road with many paths. I may see a glimpse down one of these paths, perhaps a few of them. But our future is not engraved upon the world like our past is.'

'So what are you saying?'

'I am saying that I cannot tell you what will happen. But your destiny a changeable thing, you just have to be brave enough to change it.'

Annabeth frowned, taking in her words. 'I should disobey my mother? Refuse to marry Jason? But the treaty would fall apart; the relationship between our two cities would crumble.'

Rachel raised her eyebrows. 'Perhaps.'

'You are utterly useless,' Annabeth complained.

The hint of a smile curved the edge of Rachel's mouth. 'So your initial opinion of me remains intact?'

Annabeth allowed herself to smile back. 'Absolutely. I make an excellent judge of character. And you are a complete fraud.'

Rachel's smile softened. 'Yes you do Annabeth. Tell me, do you hate Jason?'

Annabeth frowned at the change of course in the conversation. 'No, of course not.'

'What was your initial judgement of him?'

Annabeth stared at her tea, thinking back to the first time she saw the son of Zeus. He had sat between his parents, stony faced and quiet. When she had given him a tour of the castle he had listened with interest and curiosity.

'Kind,' she decided, 'but proud.'

Rachel motioned a hand for her to continue.

'He knows the importance of his position. I thought him reserved, but he shows innocence when he thought no one was looking. He is still a child, bearing the weight of an adult's shoulders.'

'Does remind you of anyone?' Rachel asked quietly.

'I…' Annabeth frowned. 'No it does not.'

'Annabeth, you just described yourself.'

She thought over what she had said. She knew she could be proud; she was brought up to lead. How could she not be a little proud? She was not perhaps as reserved as Jason, but she certainly kept to herself a lot of the time. Her last description brought her up short. Was she still a child? Were either of them still so innocent?

'Why are you saying this? What is the point of it?'

'To show you that you and Jason are more alike than perhaps you realise.'

'So our marriage would not be so torturous,' Annabeth flared, feeling a stab of anger towards Rachel's calm demeanour.

Rachel blinked evenly. 'You are very hot-headed today,' she observed. 'I merely want you to realise that you and Jason can use each other. Independently, you are both intelligent, but naive. Together, you may be able to work out a solution.'

'A solution?' Annabeth asked, hearing her own words to Jason from the previous night ring in her ears. She had come to Rachel for answers, for help. But perhaps she should not have. Perhaps the person to help solve the problem had already been in front of her. She sighed. 'You will not help me any further?'

'I will answer any questions you have for me Annabeth.'

'But not with the answers I want.'

'Perhaps not.' Rachel smiled. 'But maybe with the answers that you need.'

Slight filler chapter? sorry

the next one is in progress I promise and hopefully will not take as long for me to actually finish and post. thanks for your patience guys, you all rock and I love you

okay bye