PREPOSTEROUS PRINCES

Annabeth stood uncomfortable in front of her mirror.

She thought the dress looked lovely on her, but she didn't want to wear it for this occasion.

Before she went on her deadly mission, her mother wanted to hold one ball. Annabeth couldn't spy on the assassins until they ransacked another kingdom, not knowing their exact location until then. So in the meantime, Annabeth's mother decided to have a ball.

It's only been a week or so since the meeting with the other kingdoms of Greece, and Annabeth was getting nervous. She would rather get her mission done than have time to think about everything that could go wrong. Which a lot could go wrong, but Annabeth was trying to keep her mind off of that. She had another mission in front of her at the moment; to impress a suitor.

Athena would want Annabeth to be as proper as possible, but Annabeth was going to be herself. Of course, she wouldn't rant about how much she doesn't want to be queen or get married or how much she hated the way her kingdom ran. Maybe she would talk about how she loved to protect her people, and how she would love to be an architect one day. Maybe the suitor wouldn't approve of what she loves, but this way, she might find someone truly interested in her. Or at least a friend.

Annabeth's dress was as dark as the night sky with little specks of white glitter scattered over the fabric. The backside of the dress was completely open, but the straps of the dress wrapped snugly around her neck. She did not doubt that she would be sweating by the end of this, but she couldn't change the dress Drew had sewed her. The neckline was long, stopping just under the top of her chest. Annabeth would have had a problem if the dress showed any of her boobs, so luckily this one didn't.

The back of the dress poofed out, but instead of a gown poof, it was more of a cape. The thin black layer of fabric got layered with white glitters much like the rest of the dress. The dress splayed out behind her a few feet, but the front of her dress sat right in front of her. The only difference from a real cape was that instead of holding onto her shoulders, the "cape" began where the dress met at her waist. Since the back was wide open, it met where the rest of her dress did.

Honestly, Annabeth did love the gown. She was glad that Drew created it just to her liking. Hopefully, her mom wouldn't comment on how the skirt wasn't professional enough and that it looked just fine.

It looked magnificent in Annabeth's eyes, but she could only imagine what her mom had to say about it. Maybe it wouldn't be royal enough? Maybe it was too casual? Athena may or may not note that the dress doesn't accompany any of Annabeth's features, but that was the least of her worries. Long story short, Annabeth would be pissed if her mother got on her for wearing a dress like this to a ball when she just wore a gown like this at the royal meeting. It was just a little less fancy. Annabeth was not up to hear any crap from her mother today.

Cold hands got placed on Annabeth's shoulders, and she jumped slightly. Drew peeked out from under her back, frowning while peering into the mirror. She lifted one of her hands off the princess's shoulders and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. She then fiddled with the tie on the back of her neck, triple-checking to be sure it didn't untie during the dances. The tie got knotted hard and firm, resting on Annabeth's neck. Annabeth was sure her neck was going to be sore by the end of the night.

She was going to be smiling a lot more than normal. She could barely hold upon her smile when her family portrait was getting painted a few years back. How was she supposed to have a smile on her face the whole night, let alone because she got forced to?

"How do you like it, Your Majesty?" The dressmaker questioned carefully, looking at the princess with wide eyes.

Annabeth beamed into the mirror, showing the lady her appreciation. "I love it!"

She wasn't lying either, which felt like a relief on her tongue. Anymore, it was as if every word that filed out of Annabeth's mouth was a lie. That or she had to be careful what she said. Although in times like these, Annabeth felt free to say exactly what she felt. It was a freedom she rarely got, despite being a princess. With disliking how the royals ruled, Annabeth had lots to say but no one to say it to.

Drew took her hands off the princess and took the cape of the dress. She shook it a bit to get the extra glitter off, then smoothed it out with flat hands. She rubbed her hands together to get the access sparkles off, leaving them to fall to the floor. The dressmaker squealed, clapping her hands. "You look splendid, princess!"

"That you, Drew," Annabeth felt her cheeks flush red when she thanked Drew. "But you made the main attraction. I'm sure all the men will be in awe at this magnificent gown you made me."

"I do appreciate the praise, princess."

The raven-haired dressmaker appeared as giddy as ever. Her red lips pulled into a large grin, and her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were sparkling brighter than the glitter on Annabeth's skirt. Annabeth loved to see people in love with what they did. Most people that work at the castle don't get many compliments on their work, but more criticism. It must have been a refresher to get something nice said about their hard work every once in a while.

"You deserve it."

At the end of the conversation, Annabeth stared at herself in the body-length mirror once more. She turned her shoulder at an angle, seeing how well Lacy's makeup job covered her pimples. Not only on her shoulders and back, but her face as well. She flashed her manicured nails into the reflection. Her white nails brought the white sparkles out in her dress, which got fabulously done.

Her hair got done in a bun, her curls pulled back. It was a lower bun, and some strands fell out and hung around her face, but Annabeth adored the look. She wished she could make her hair look that amazing with such ease as Lacy does. Her face makeup was light, but it made her eyes pop. Black eye shadow and eyeliner near her eyes and a rose nude shade of lip gloss.

Despite not wearing makeup or fancy dresses in the house, Annabeth felt like herself. Most of the time, wherever she went out, she wore the fanciest clothing she had and the best makeup. Now, she felt like, no pun intended, a princess. The amount of makeup on her face and the dress that fit tight and perfect made her comfortable. Much more comfortable than what she was going to wear on her wedding day. That was going to be a treacherous day for many reasons.

"Thank Lacy for her wonderful makeup job, will you?" The Princess of Athens asked Drew as she headed to the door.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Drew bowed, and opened the door, quickly shutting it behind her. Drew was probably off to get her mother and father, who was going to escort her down the stairs and into the ballroom.

Annabeth truly didn't want to attend the ball. She was about to meet a few of the kingdom's richer townspeople her mother deemed worthy. She was also about to see some of her friends from the other kingdoms in Greece. Many of these boys would either have younger brothers or sisters to take over the throne. No matter the case, her soon-to-be husband would be ruling in Athens due to Athena and Frederick only siring Annabeth.

She had never been excited at the prospect of marrying young, including at the age of seventeen. Granted, depending on how long her mission took, she could easily surpass that age. Being eighteen was older but still had Annabeth uncomfortable. Too bad. She was going to do this for the peasants and not herself. She already had enough time for self-pity, and now was not that time.

Her mother wouldn't hear any more complaints, and the princess was tired of arguing to get the answer. She would argue in her way when she became queen. That way is just about reversing every law her parents set. Hopefully, she could get a husband that would see eye-to-eye with her and quickly agree. Maybe subtly hinting at changing the way Athens ran would catch attention? Maybe it could get her someone truly with the same motivation as her?

"Annabeth, dear," Annabeth whirled around so she faced the door, smiling lightly back at her mother.

Athena's head peeped through the wooden door, her high updo visible. Her red lips stood out from the rest of the makeup on her face, even the thick black eyeliner, and shadow. Her black painted nails were resting on the side of the door. By the white strap hooked around Athena's neck, Annabeth could tell her mother would be wearing a contrasting outfit. Her heavy makeup and high bun were opposite to her low bun and little makeup. Maybe Drew and Lacy got the idea from their blonde and brown hair?

"Yes?" Annabeth swallowed sharply. She didn't want to do this. Why did she have to be the first heir to her family? She clenched her fists, digging her sharp nails into her palm. She had no choice.

The Queen of Athens beamed at her daughter. "You look lovely,"

"Thank you, mother," Annabeth responded, nodding her head.

Athena then waved her hand and opened the door wider. Her whole dress got revealed, and to Annabeth's delight, it was the same. The main color was white, with black sparkles. The back was wide open, and a small cape flowed in the back. It was a replica of Annabeth's, just white with black spots. Maybe Athena did like the design of the dress? Maybe she'd approve of an outfit she wore for once?

"Your father is waiting for us at the stairs," Again, Annabeth nodded.

She didn't have anything to say. What was there to say? She didn't want to be caught dead in this situation, and here she was. She was soon going to face many boys her age or older, asking for her hand in marriage. It was not a concept she was thrilled for.

She wasn't as lucky as Silena. She wasn't going to find someone to truly love in the ball. Or any after this for a fact. Who would be participating in a ball to marry into the throne when you despise the way the royals work? Who would want to torture themselves more than they already had to? The only reason people would willingly come would be for the money.

Annabeth moved towards her mother, holding onto the top of it with pinched fingers. It would be pretty embarrassing if she were to trip and fall in front of her mother. Including when she was soon to go on a life or death mission.

When she reached the door, her mother opened it the rest of the way. Without so much as an exchange of words, Athena and Annabeth began making their way down the hall.

It wasn't as much of a hallway as it was a balcony. All of the rooms around the ballroom were washrooms and sewing rooms. Simple marble railings were forming a circle. There were six doors in total around the balcony. Two for each of Annabeth's family members. Annabeth's room was in the middle, so she and her mother had to walk further than her dad, who was patiently waiting at the top of the staircase.

As they curled past her mother's room, the princess peeked over the edge of the railing. Below, she saw about forty men of all ages. From afar, the only way she could tell the age differences was by height, fitness, and hair color. Most of the men here tonight were around her age, which made her take a breath of relief. Though, she did spot a few with greying hair.

All the boys were spread around the marble dance floor, some laughing with others, sipping wine or punch, and others simply gazed at the castle. Annabeth wasn't sure who she wanted to approach first. The group of men mingling with others seemed like the best option.

Before she knew it, Annabeth was before her father at the top of the stairs. He smiled, his blue eyes shining with pride. Her mother came forward, kissing her father on the cheek. He chuckled lightly and gave her a quick hug. "You look lovely, darling."

Athena quickly pulled away and tugged on Frederick's collar. His suit was closer to matching her mother's than anything. It was white with black fringes on the top of his shoulders. His undershirt was black, and the buttons on his suit were also black. It was a nicer mix of the two styles together. His pants were white and tucked into plain black boots.

So, the family theme just had to be contrasting. What a wondrous design choice.

Annabeth heard her mom pat on her father's chest and laugh. "You too."

Once more, the couple turned their attention towards the princess. Annabeth gripped the edges of her dress tighter, not knowing if her father was going to like the dress. Even though her mother had always been more strict with just about everything in her life, Annabeth felt the need for her father's approval. Whether the man was in this room tonight or would be some other night, she would be marrying them. She had to look nice to get the attention of the men.

His smile widened, and he wrapped his arms around Annabeth. Shocked, she slowly blinked and did the same to him. The hug was quick, not that Annabeth minded. She wasn't used to getting any affection from either of her parents, so the five-second hug was enough to please her.

Linking one arm through her right one and her mother at her left, they smiled brightly at her.

Did they think that this was showing that their daughter was growing up? Did they think this was a sign of maturity? How did they not realize that their daughter didn't want this at all? Weren't they supposed to be her parents? The ones that knew her best outside of her best friend? They didn't appear to be that close.

She only gave a closed-lip smile back.

Annabeth spotted the band near the right of the staircase right before they played. It was a soft but attention-grabbing melody. That slowly floated around the large ballroom until all of the men were silent. They were all staring at the stairs, where a royal guard stood in front of the family.

"Presenting King and Queen of Athens, Frederick and Athena Chase!" The crowd applauded as the armored guard bowed and moved to the side.

Another took his place, and Annabeth recognized it as one of the ones she bribed to get Luke out of the castle. "Presenting the Heir of Athens, Princess Annabeth Chase!" He repeated the same as the last guard, and soon the whole family got revealed to the crowd.

They smiled and waved, and before Annabeth followed she took a deep breath. Her mother squeezed her arm out of comfort, but it didn't feel that way to the princess. It was as if her mother was telling her not to fuck up. Her father didn't do anything but welcome the crowd, and Annabeth now followed. She waved and smiled the best she could, attempting to make it look real.

As they began to descend the stairs, Annabeth concentrated on not slipping. Both of her arms were laced with one of her mother and father's, so they had one arm. Annabeth had zero to catch herself in a fall. So while she kept the fake grin on her face, she focused on her steps. One foot in front of the other.

The sound of the soft lullaby playing off of the violin, piano, and harp coursed with Frederick and Athena's shoes slapping the marble floor. The created beats followed Annabeth's heart, which was only heard in her ears but overrode any other sound.

Annabeth was momentarily blinded from the shining lights on the chandelier above when they descended from the staircase. When her eyesight returned, she found the suitors searching her family. None of them peered at her mother as they did her. Their gazes traveled from the top of her dress to the bottom and back up. Thank God the dress wasn't that revealing or she might have had a panic attack then and there.

The heir of Athens faced her father when he began to speak. "I hope you all thoroughly understand that you are here to impress my daughter. Fail to, and you won't be seen by her eyes again." This made some of the men straighten up. "She shall dance with each of you once, and more if she chooses to. Now let the ball begin!"

Her mother kissed her on the cheek, while her father gave her another hug before they dispersed to the tables scattered around the dance floor.

Annabeth felt all their eyes on her and she wanted it to stop. She only liked attention when she was doing something right or making a change in the world. Getting gawked at like you're someone's next playtoy was not the way she wanted to be.

By the time the upbeat dance music began, the men were still gaping at her. Only one brave boy came forward. A crooked grin adorned his face, his eyes shining with mischief. His hand was outstretched as he asked, "May I have this dance, princess?"

Conner was his name. He was a prince in fact, not just a rich townsperson. His one year older brother was in line for the throne, still, Conner was free to marry. He was funny, and so far Annabeth had two dances with him. And she may or may not be trying to seek him out for a third.

He stood out like a sore thumb in the group. None of the men competed with Conner. He was a face Annabeth would be willing to see. He also openly listened to her and didn't stare at her. He may have done the latter, but he did listen. Most of the other guys tried to lure her into bed. How stupid did they think she was?

The music was pounding inside of Annabeth's head, making it nearly impossible to think. Her head was ready to implode with the noise inside of the ballroom. Honestly, Annabeth was ready to give up and fall to the floor when she bumped into a chest.

"Whoops! Sorry, princess!" Thank God, Annabeth wanted to praise any entity above for the Stoll.

"Conner!" She said, grabbing on the muscular arms used to catch her. "Just the gentlemen I was looking for."

She looked up at him. She may have been a taller girl, but Conner was tall. She had to crane her neck up to stare into his sparkling eyes. She was sure he would come up with another name to call her because of her height.

He gasped dramatically and guided her to an empty spot on the dance floor. "Me? Well, I'm honored."

The princess rolled her eyes but smiled. The man in front of her put his hands on her waist. They weren't too high or too low. It's as if he knew his boundaries before she glared at him for gliding somewhere inappropriate. Her hands easily found their way around his neck, locking on the back. Despite Conner being tall, her arms were long enough to reach him without issues.

It was a while of silence as they danced. Being trained to do that from a young age made it a breeze, and Annabeth couldn't have been happier. She got tired of getting her dress trampled on because of town boys that figured they could dance. Although, Annabeth had to give them some credit. They weren't all that bad for never receiving waltz lessons.

Before long, Annabeth found herself humming to the melody the orchestra began again. It wasn't one she knew, but it was a lovely tune. She found herself closing her eyes and imagining herself in another situation.

His arms were strong but had a delicate touch as if he was afraid to go too far. His curly locks were soft; Annabeth could tell from the way her fingers brushed against the ones at the nape of his neck. His smile gleamed with trouble, and Annabeth wouldn't mind. Silena always said she needed to let loose. Conner's eyes were brighter than the stars in the sky. He was never in a poor mood.

Already being a prince, Conner had previous experience with palace life. He knew how to respect maids, guards, and the people. He would know how to handle dangerous situations and speak at royal meetings. He'd know how to fix Athens, and Annabeth would have no struggle making someone agree with her. He'd know how to behave in front of the people, even if his eyes and grins said otherwise. He may even be able to relate to Annabeth in certain situations.

She was sure she only saw him as a friend. He'd be somebody she could put her trust in. Conner would be someone she could get used to. Maybe she'd never see him as more than a friend, or maybe she'd see him as something more one day. But considering the rest of the shitty suitors here, she could consider spending the rest of her life with him.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout, princess?" Conner snapped her out of her thoughts, his clear voice breaking a barrier.

Annabeth didn't open her eyes but smiled lazily. She made a daring move, seeing how Conner would react. Does he feel a fracture of anything Annabeth did? She came closer to her newly found friend and laid her head on his chest. She didn't snuggle into it, but he peacefully laid there. "Hmm…" She hummed, relaxing her arms. "Don't know how I feel about sharing that with you."

"Really?" Annabeth couldn't hear him, but she could hear the nervousness in it. His pitched voice cracked, but his body language displayed something much different. His hands gripped tighter, slowly wrapping around her waist as if asking for permission.

"Yep."

She felt the vibrations in his chest when he chuckled. "Sure hope it's not about me."

"Of course it is." She felt him freeze. Her drowsy smile grew into a large grin. "You're so amazing I can't keep you out of my head. 'A' plus getting three dances with me, by the way. I didn't expect half decent suitors here tonight."

He physically relaxed, and Annabeth swore she could hear him take a sigh of ease. "Well, I'm happy to hear that, princess."

Annabeth hoped that the other thirty or so men were staring at them. She wanted them to feel at loss. If any of them thought for a minute that they had any chance with her, they were mistaken. The only boy that had any close race to her heart was the boy in her arms.

They were all cocky, snooty, and self-absorbed. They only cared about talking about how rich their parents were, and how they were supposedly better than everybody else. They were wrong. They weren't better than anybody in the palace than some of the criminals in the dungeons below. They had little to no heart. And they weren't there for Annabeth's heart: they were there for the crown and her body.

Conner was the only boy she could imagine herself with in the future. It scared her to already be thinking that way, but he may have been her only option. She needed to think about that with every reasonable man she came across in these balls.

"In all honesty, Conner," Annabeth sighed. "I'm thrilled to have realized a friend of mine was right."

Annabeth didn't react when Conner laid his head on hers. Did she mentally freak out? Yes. Does that need to be spoken of? No. The only thing confirmed was that his chestnut curls were just as silky as they looked.

He sighed, once again out of bliss and not frustration or relief. "I'm also glad my brother's praise of you was correct."

Scoffing, Annabeth teased. "Thought he'd be wrong?"

"Not at all."

Silena had found her husband and love through the suitor balls. Annabeth may have found her future husband, but not love. Annabeth was elated to have a new friend. Maybe after a while, she'd find it in herself to love Conner.

But for now, Annabeth lived in the moment. Maybe she should take Silena's advice and loosen up a bit. And what better way than to mention Conner Stoll to her parents?

Words: 4,252

I promise this is not a ConnerxAnnabeth story! He plays an important role in Annabeth's character development! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed reading!

Thanks for the reviews and follows! Also, happy late birthday to merendinoemiliano!

[ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS GO TO RICK RIORDAN]

-Bookworm-2026