Chapter 21

"Being brave isn't the absence of fear. Being brave is having that fear but finding a way through it."

-Bear Grylls

"I need an army. At least 20 men. Now. We don't have time to lose," Percy shouted across the armory where the military was assembled.

Sally came rushing out at the sound of her son screaming. "Percy? What is happening? Where's Annabeth?"

"I went after her, but she took a horse from the stables. She said she had to deal with this on her own. I refuse to let that happen. I am her husband. Her problems are my problems."

"I understand that Percy, but why are you assembling all these men? Think rationally. You have to go after Annabeth, yes, but we also need to guard the kingdom. We have no idea which side the Persians may approach from. We need all the forces we can get. Annabeth is strong. She can handle herself. We're talking about a girl who spent close to a decade and a half locked in her room learning to wield weapons from the smartest, most strategic general in the whole union. Stay back. She doesn't need saving."

"Mother, I can't do that. I need to be there with her. Fight beside her. I'm leaving, with or without an army."

"Then be careful. I'll station troops along the border." Percy nodded at his mother's suggestion and began to move towards the stables. "Percy?" Sally called. "Before you go, answer one question. Do you love her?"

Percy shook his head. "I care for her deeply. But it isn't love. It is my duty as her husband and as the crown prince of this kingdom to protect the future queen. And if I don't go, I will fail my people and my duties."

And with that, Percy jumped on a horse and followed in the direction that Annabeth had left in, just hours prior.

-Ω-

"Please Ma'am. Please. I have children to feed. I cannot be sent into this alone," the poor soldier begged, kneeling in front of his leader.

"You knew what you were getting into when you joined me. There are sacrifices that need to be made if we want to get justice for the cruelty that Annabeth Chase's family has caused our people. Your complaints show your weakness. They show your ungratefulness. That is as good as being dead," Nadia exclaimed, anger building up in her voice.

She unsheathed the dagger that was strapped to her right arm and held it up against the throat of the man on the floor. "You dare complain? Do you care to return to your family alive?" The man nodded vigorously, but not enough to let the dagger nick his skin. "Then you'll do as I say and keep your mouth shut. UNDERSTAND?" The man nodded again, rising to his feet shakily as Nadia backed away.

The rest of the army of Persians watched with horror, sharing knowing looks amongst themselves. This had been the fourth incident where Nadia had threatened a member of her army in three days. They found themselves tiptoeing whenever she was present, scared to make a single noise which may set her off. When they had signed up to help Nadia on her mission for vengeance, she had been kind to them. She had promised them that they would get justice for the family members that they had lost at the hands of the Greeks.

But that kindness had quickly descended into a demanding nature, dictatorial even. Once respected elders of the kingdom, the members of her army had become peasants, subjected to consistent abuse by their leader.

Nadia hadn't noticed the tension that was building up among the members of her army. She was so focused on monitoring Annabeth Chase's every move that she was barely around her soldiers. She didn't hear the whispers, the fear, the rage that lived within the very people who worked with and for her. And that was her one weakness. Not her thirst for vengeance or her ruthlessness, but her diligence for her work and her ignorance of her surroundings.

The army collectively stiffened as Nadia turned her attention towards them. "Does everyone understand me? We do not tolerate the weak. Our weakness got our families killed, and we will not let it happen again. Annabeth Chase has left the boundaries of Corinth. This is our one chance to act. Assemble! Move! Time is not a commodity that we hold in abundance."

Nadia led the group as they travelled in the direction that she had previously seen the Athenian heir travel down. As they approached the main exit of the kingdom, through the woods so they wouldn't be seen, Nadia observed the crown prince himself foolishly following after his wife.

"Stand ground!" She called out to the army behind her, causing everyone to halt and stiffen. "Prince Perseus has left, likely following Annabeth. If we want vengeance, this is our way to get it. I need some ten men to go behind Perseus and bring him to the location that we had discussed earlier. Don't go right away because guards are swarming the palace and will be quick to capture you. Lucky for us, the fool didn't bother to bring any backup, so it shouldn't be too difficult to defeat him. Now go."

Nadia's men took off ahead of her and she pulled the remaining soldiers deeper into the forest to continue their training. As they sparred with one another and sharpened their weapons, Nadia penned a letter to both Queen Sally and to the Athenian palace about their crown prince's disappearance. Her army had learned Greek well enough to hold conversation and document basic information, but Nadia had immersed herself in the language. She studied it vigorously, with an unnerving passion. Know thy enemy better than ye know thyself.

-Ω-

The path ahead was narrow, surrounded by tall trees and abundant greenery. Within a few minutes of riding, Percy left behind all signs of the nearby palace, entering entirely forest domain. It wasn't a new or jarring experience. After his mother married Paul, they hunted and trained in the forest for years until Percy was given official palace duties. But never did he think that he would hastily be racing down the narrow trail in the forest chasing after his wife who had left to lure away the princess of a Persian city whose parents had been killed by the King of Crete. Though no one really would have anticipated such an elaborate situation.

In any case, Percy was very familiar with the territory and the terrain that he was travelling through. So at the sound of unfamiliar, unexpected rustling through the shrubbery that surrounded the trail, Percy immediately became alert. He had spent so much time in this forest, not just with Paul, but also with Charles and Silena. Every bird, every cricket, every single creature had become a timetable in Percy's mind. There was a schedule. A pattern. And anything out of the ordinary rose suspicion in the mind of the prince.

Percy tightened his grip on the horse's reigns and carefully watched the forest around him, searching for any signs of irregular behavior. His sword remained attached to his hip and one hand automatically reached for it as he monitored his surroundings. Silena had always told him that the most important thing to do if he thought he was being followed was to keep one hand on his weapon and his eyes and ears open.

Percy was never the most attentive student. He had trouble focusing and staying on task. But he did recall that during one of his history lessons, Chiron, his instructor, had mentioned that Persian war tactics were quite similar to those of the Greeks, which is what made wars continue for long periods of time. Percy racked his brain trying to remember any more information from his lessons as a child, but he had no such luck.

All of a sudden, Percy was surrounding by approximately ten men, trapping him in every direction. He jumped off his horse and leapt forward, managing to disarm two men, but he was still severely outnumbered. Pulling a sword from one of the fallen men, Percy jumped through the reins of his steed, piercing both the shoulders of one more soldier. Pushing off of the third fallen warrior, Percy kicked the fourth straight in the stomach, causing the latter to fall back into the shrubbery.

Percy continued to try and disarm the men that surrounded him, but even with his extensive training, a ten to one match was difficult. Eventually, of the four men left standing, two managed to tie Percy's hands together while one more blindfolded the prince. Nadia's men led Percy in a direction that seemed to be the same as the one he was initially travelling in, but with the blindfolded it was difficult to tell exactly which way he was taken.

After travelling for what felt like hours, with Percy continuously struggling against the warriors' grip, they came to a standstill, pushing Percy into a wooden chair. Two men untied his blindfold and cuffed his wrists to the back of the chair. In front of him stood a statuesque woman, surrounded by fifteen more men. She had short brown hair and bright, bold brown eyes. She was slim, but looked strong. A description that matched someone who had thrown Percy's life out of something. Nadia.

Percy shook his head, trying to release the scarf that had been tied around his mouth. Nadia chuckled, and pointed one of her men in the direction of the scarf, giving him directions in a language unfamiliar to Percy. Her voice was sharp, and showed no mercy whatsoever. She's cold, Percy thought. No respect for her men. That could be of use.

Being the trained warrior that he was, Percy scouted the small hut that he was in. It was poorly constructed, the thatched roof barely hanging in equilibrium. The walls looked like they could collapse any second. Bales of hay and straw were used to hold up pieces of the broken structure.

"Perseus Jackson," Nadia crooned, pulling Percy out of his observant reverie. "What a pleasure. I'm Nadia Jahandar, but you knew that already didn't you?"

Percy was slightly taken aback with her openness. She must have spies in the palace, watching their discussions. She couldn't have just assumed that he knew of her identity.

Percy glared back at the princess, refusing to acknowledge her by speaking.

"We have a quiet one, now don't we?" Nadia whispered, moving closer to the prince. "Well isn't that nice. I'd presume he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise with Annabeth Chase his wife. She's trained you well, darling."

Percy simply spit at her feet and looked back up, daring her to hit him.

"You call yourself a prince? Did your mother not teach you any manners?" Nadia shook her head in mock disappointment. "What a vlacas. Now you're probably wondering why you're sitting here all pathetic and tied up. Well let me tell you a story. My Greek sounds nearly perfect to you, right? Well that's because I've spent more time learning it than you probably have. Which also means my writing is near perfect as well. So I've sent a little letter to both your mother and your friend Grover in Athens informing them of your disappearance and the terms of this agreement. It's quite simple. They get you back, unharmed, unscathed, untouched, as long as I get your wife. Simple enough, isn't it?"

Percy face hardened and his fists clenched behind the chair. He knew that Sally wouldn't make the tradeoff, and neither would Grover, but Annabeth? She was determined to take care of Nadia on her own, and would do nearly anything to ensure that she was the only one who came in harm's way.

"They won't do it," Percy spat, trying- and failing- to contain his anger.

"Ah, the dumb mule speaks. Well dear, that won't be the problem. Annabeth will find out herself, and we all know how foolish that bitch can be. She'll come searching for you herself, and no one will be able to stop her. It's a trick, a trap of sorts. So don't try and be heroic. Because if you act up, then not only does Annabeth get hurt, but you do too. I'd watch that tongue of yours if I were you."

-Ω-

It was another two days before Annabeth reached Athens. She had travelled the rough terrain without much of a problem, after all, it wasn't like she hadn't come back after getting married to visit her friends who didn't follow her to Corinth. It wasn't the lack of familial welcome or the absence of the palace employees that concerned her but rather the fact that Grover was waiting on the steps of the palace with a piece of parchment in hand and the general of the Athenian army waiting behind him.

"Grover! It's so nice to see you."

"You as well, Annabeth," Grover smiled, worry still evident in his eyes.

"Something is wrong isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," Grover said, handing over the piece of parchment to Annabeth.

It was a letter from Nadia addressed to Grover and the Athenians.

Your princess was foolish enough to leave ahead of her husband and to trust that he would remain in Corinth despite her departure. I have only observed the Corinthian royal family for a short period of time, but even I have learned that Prince Perseus' loyalty is unmatched by any other. In another world, I would have found it admirable. But now? And here? It is foolish, more so than your princess' departure itself. I write to notify you that Prince Perseus has been captured by my men, each of whom are equipped with weaponry that could match both the Athenian and Corinthian arsenal. His life hangs delicately in balance here, so be careful with your decision. Either Princess Annabeth Chase is brought to me, or Prince Perseus dies. Simple enough, is it not? Do not try to deceive me. Prince Perseus has clear instructions that if he tries to be heroic, he dies regardless, so you better hope he behaves. In any case, Annabeth must show up to the location listed below by tomorrow at midnight, or you can say goodbye to your precious Crown Prince.

Upon reading the letter, Annabeth turned pale, re-reading it several times to make sense of it.

"Grover. I-I have to go. I came her to lure her away, but if she went after Perseus, then I can't just sit here," Annabeth said in a panic.

"I know," Grover replied, sympathy evident in his tone. "But that is exactly what she wants you to do. She wants you to show up and trade your life for Percy's. You doing that gives her the power as the negotiator, and that could hurt not only you, but hundreds of innocent people."

"W-what do I do? I cannot let him die at the hands of a woman who only wants to kill me."

"Sally received the same letter. She wrote informing me that she would hold off on any action until you arrived and were made aware of the information. That is why I have General Solace waiting here to help you. You have access to all the troops you need from Athens."

"But my father? He gave permission for this?"

"Oh no, not at all. Quite the opposite when we asked actually. But then your brother Malcolm got involved. He made it clear that the loyalties of nearly everyone who was employed at the palace lay with you, and that if he did not offer his support for you, the palace would be nearly in shambles. So, without any other available options, your father has allowed for any troops that you could potentially need."

"That sounds far more likely. Thank you. I will meet with the general and allocate the troops necessary. If you could write to Queen Sally and let her know that we will need some personnel from Corinth as well to meet us at a location not far from where Nadia is holding Perseus, that would be wonderful."

"As you wish," Grover responded, as Annabeth turned in the direction of the armory. "Oh, and Annabeth? One more thing. Be careful and take care of yourself, okay?"

Annabeth smiled, "Of course."

-Ω-

Sally paced back and forth in the throne room, anxiously awaiting any form of communication from Annabeth or Grover, or really anyone else. She knew when Percy was a kid itself that he would cause trouble. He loved harder than anyone she had ever met. Whether it be a poor villager who offered him a little toy or his own mother, Percy could not help but love. And when he loved, there was no force strong enough to stop him.

Poseidon had warned her that Percy's fatal flaw could indeed be fatal, but she had initially dismissed it as harmless. But now, as she wanders the halls of her palace, more helpless than she has ever felt in her life, Sally wonders when Percy's overwhelming loyalty would get him killed. And the worst part, she fears he may already have.

The hours couldn't go by fast enough. Sally did not know how to pass her time. No matter what other business she attended to, her mind wandered back to the fact that her son had been captured by a vengeful psychopath who would not hesitate to kill him. And her daughter-in-law may not have even gotten the news yet. Jason, Piper, and Thalia tried to keep her occupied, but to no avail. A mother's worst fear is harm done to her children.

After about four hours of frantic pacing, a page arrives with a message from Annabeth.

My Queen,

I was going to have Grover write this message, but I felt it would be best if I were to contact you. I first and foremost want to apologize for leaving so abruptly the other day. That is what got us into this debacle in the first place. I should have known that Perseus would have come after me. I hope that you have it in your heart to forgive me for my impulsive actions.

More importantly, I am writing you from my father's palace in Athens. I have received formal access to any necessary troops from the Athenian military, as well as full command from the general. I fear that recovering Percy with too many soldiers could be potentially harmful, so I have simply taken twelve men and ask that you send the same amount from the Corinthian forces. However, I have requested the rest of them to remain ready for battle.

It may seem too soon, but Nadia's actions cannot go unpunished. I had initially set out to Athens to lure her away from Corinth so I could speak with her and resolve this conflict peacefully. Unfortunately, that path of reasoning is no longer likely to be effective. This is not something we should take kindly to. For that reason, I suggest that Corinth draft a formal declaration of war against the Persian kingdom to which Nadia belongs. Since Perseus and I are also heirs to the Athenian throne, any war declared by Corinth is also applicable to Athens, so my father will be forced to loan us his troops.

Our analysis of Nadia was incorrect. She has strength in numbers and we must overpower her with our might. I hate nothing more than physical violence, but this woman provides a threat against the entire union. We must take action immediately.

I will be on my way to retrieve Percy very soon. My only objective in this mission is to ensure his safety. I will not be attacking Nadia. I pray for our family.

With love,

Annabeth Chase-Jackson

Having read Annabeth's letter, Sally let out a breath of relief. To her, Annabeth was as much of her daughter as Percy was her son. Her safety was just as important. But she immediately regained her composure and set out to her ministers. The time had come. War was inevitable. And it was a last resort. But it was also a necessary evil.

Sally rushed through the many corridors of the palace, arriving at her head minister's office.

She burst into the room and addressed the ministers seated around the round table.

"Prepare the documents," she announced. "Greece is going to war."

Just want to make some clarifications about the last chapter. There were some feeling about that kiss, and it may have confused a few of you so here's what went down. Percy and Annabeth are not "together"- yeah, they kissed, but that was more just a "if I never see you again, remember me by this" kind of moment. Percy himself clearly states in this chapter that he is not in love with Annabeth. He cares about her and her safety, but they still maintain a very platonic relationship. Don't worry, Percabeth is coming. But just not yet. Maybe I'll have them sit down and talk about the kiss. Let me know if you want to see that.

Anyway, the story is really starting to pick up y'all. Shit went down in this chapter. I'm super excited for you guys to see what happens in the next few chapters. We'll see if I can get that up soon.

On another note, Happy belated New Year. I can't believe it has been three years since I started this story. My life and writing have changed so much since then and I just wanted to say that FF has played a big role in that. While I love this story with all my heart, I'm hoping to get it wrapped up before its fourth anniversary. It's a big year for me, so I don't want to disappoint you guys.

Anyway, be sure to check out my Soulmate AU like graffiti, can't ignore it and my Coffee Shop AU watching our movie in my mind. I think I've got a serious obsession with The Girl and the Dreamcatcher lyrics. I have a few more things coming up so be on the lookout for that.

Thank you all for being so supportive and reading.

Love,

-AnnabethGinevraJacksonPotter