A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!
Because the wedding, crowning ceremony, and the evening banquet had been so long, Annabeth slept until late morning. Naturally, the servants thought it was due to the king's stamina and were subsequently not corrected.
Annabeth stretched lazily until she remembered where she was.
Yesterday was her wedding. Then she was crowned queen, sparred verbally with her half-sister that she had never met before, and then had a heated make out session with her husband.
Hearing noise, a maid knocked on the door, disturbing Annabeth's turbulent memories of last night.
"Your Majesty, would you like to rise now?"
"Ah, yes, please."
Annabeth ignored the maids' subtle change in expression as they covered up two pink marks on her neck. The maids were getting better and better at controlling their expressions.
"Where is His Majesty now?" Annabeth asked Lucy as Lucy handed her a cup of milk tea.
It wasn't as great as some of the bubble tea shops she frequented in New York City, but it did in a pinch without the tapioca pearls. Gods, she'd been in this world for nearly a month now. Modern life seemed so distant away. Could she ever get back?
"He left in the morning and should be with the other foreign dignitaries in a diplomatic meeting right now. He left instructions that Your Majesty be left undisturbed while you slept." Lucy answered. "Usually he oversees knight training in the morning."
So this was to explain why the king most likely would not be waking up in bed with her in the future.
"And my schedule for the week?"
Piper handed her an itinerary. Annabeth glanced over it. It was the day after her marriage and already she had to work, even if the physicians reminded her to take it easy. Well, she was a workaholic anyways. The couple weeks of just light studying and repetitive walking were getting to be boring.
The foreign representatives had been invited to stay for three days after the wedding. Most had accepted, including Kiran and Tynan. Annabeth's schedule included hosting a tea party to help foster good relations. All her studying these recent days had helped her become familiar with the other countries and their delegations.
But it was only merely ten minutes into the tea party when some trouble occurred. Naturally, it was Princess Alana who had instigated the situation with a few of the other representatives allied more with Kiran than Eldoris.
"Princess Alana, I heard that you are quite the chess player. May we have the opportunity to see your skills one day?" A duchess from a small seaside country implored.
Alana lowered her gaze modestly. "You flatter me. My skills are nothing compared to my elder sister's."
Annabeth sipped her tea dryly when Alana threw the hot potato onto her. Alana knew that Annabeth had been educated little on the skills royalty should know. But should Annabeth admit that, it would throw dirty water on her and Eldoris' reputation. But Alana's tactic might also throw dirty water on Kiran, unless Alana made it seem like Annabeth was lazy on her education.
"My sister speaks too highly of me," Annabeth answered.
"Oh my!" The duchess chortled in a shrill and fake laugh. "Perhaps we will have the honor of seeing two masters of chess today!"
"Oh, let's have a chess competition!"
"Yes, why not!"
Annabeth simply sipped her tea as Alana's cronies provided support, mentally taking a note of who seemed to be on Alana's side. If Annabeth backed down now, it would seem like she was running away.
"Well, if my dear sister does not find it unpleasant to grace us with her skills…" Alana said.
So Annabeth had no choice but to agree to play chess. If she did not, Alana implied that Annabeth had something to hide or that she looked down upon the other foreign countries for not being willing to do such a small thing.
"Sure, why not." Annabeth answered.
Lucy looked concerned while Alana hid a smile as the Eldoris queen fell into her trap. Where would Annabeth have gained the knowledge of how to play chess, much less be able to compete with Princess Alana who was famed not just for beauty but her talent in the arts?
Meanwhile, Annabeth was just rejoicing inside that it was chess that she was being provoked to play. If it was playing an instrument, Annabeth had truly no experience except for the recorder which every child in the USA had somehow learned how to play for a year. But chess she had plenty of experience in.
From a young age, Annabeth had learned how to play from both her birth mother and father. Her mother had been an Army first lieutenant and likened chess to war. Similarly, her father, a history professor whose research studied war strategies and historical battles, was also fond of chess. Oftentimes, Annabeth would play against both her parents. When the television show 'Queen's Gambit' came out in recent months, it had helped reignite a furor of chess playing in her. It wasn't as if Annabeth was rusty.
"I have never played with my sister, actually." Alana said apologetically. "I am quite excited to see what the results would be like."
Yeah, I bet you would be, Annabeth thought, you shitty motherfucker. Alana's words would now stimulate interest in the other attendees of why Annabeth had never played with Alana. Was it because the elder princess had a bad personality or was ashamed of her chess skills?
A servant brought forth a bejeweled chess set made out of ivory and gold. The chess pieces were carved out of crystal and obsidian that gleamed in the sunlight.
"Your Majesty, the king has gifted you this chess set."
Alana's smile became a little forced as everyone gasped over how luxurious the chess set was. It could be seen how favored the queen was in the king's heart.
To Annabeth, gifting this chess set meant that the king was keeping a close eye on her. Now, was the message he was trying to send that he supported her no matter what happened, or did he mean for her not to embarrass Eldoris?
Either way, Annabeth smiled and placed the side with obsidian pieces facing her. "Shall we start, my dear sister?"
An hour later, Annabeth sacrificed her queen but successfully trapped the white king in a corner using her rook, bishop and knight piece.
"Oh my, the word that the Kiran princesses were masters of chess was not unfounded." A young princess from a small country bordering Tynan exclaimed.
Perhaps because she was used to everything going her way, Alana barely managed to control her expression in time.
"Oh no, no. My younger sister must be taking pity on me and went easy, seeing my fatigue. After all, last night was quite...tiring." Annabeth smiled.
The other ladies giggled and hid their blush behind their fans as they heard Annabeth's words. The makeup had worn off a little from Annabeth's neck, exposing a hint of the pink marks.
"But this is just a game of chess. Not everyone is talented in this field, and even if they weren't, it doesn't mean that they aren't talented in other ways, am I right, sister?"
Alana's face darkened as she murmured some words of agreement. She had actually reached her mental capacity in the game, eventually falling into the net of traps.
Annabeth snorted on the inside. Like what? If she was bad at chess then she would be an unfit ruler? Like what did being bad at an instrument or painting or embroidery have anything to do with skills of management or education? Alana was doing some severe mental gymnastics if that was the case.
"Your Majesty," a servant came up. "The king has gifted these flowers for the congratulations of the first tea party the queen has held."
Maids and footmen brought bouquets of peonies in varying shades of pink and red. Their fragrance soon filled the garden where the tea party was held.
"Oh, so many flowers!" Annabeth received the largest bouquet and pressed her nose to a particularly pretty peony. "Since there are so many, do take some, everyone."
The ladies laughed and cheered as they all gathered an armful of flowers. Peering over her flowers, Annabeth caught Alana smoothing her stony face as she gracefully chose some red peonies.
Checkmate, Annabeth thought. This was a warning to Alana that Annabeth was not someone easy to bully anymore. Had she shown any sign of fear, the other ladies would tear her to shreds. These people only knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong.
It would be best for Alana to stay away. Annabeth had little time to deal with the Kirans when she was battling assassins in the very palace she was living in.
"Take care of the flowers," Annabeth handed the peonies to Lucy.
They were really quite a beautiful way to celebrate how she had suppressed Alana. She would ask Lucy to press some into books to preserve these flowers.
Back in Marigold Palace, the dowager queen fumed as she heard of the situation. Amphitrite had refused the invitation to the tea party, thinking that it would show the other countries that she, the dowager queen, looked down upon the new Eldoris queen. But now Amphitrite's intended slight was overshadowed by the new queen winning a stupid little chess game that had somehow captured the admiration of many foreign ambassadors. And then her bastard stepson had gifted hundreds of peonies.
In the language of flowers, peonies signified good fortune and happiness. But these peonies were grown in Eastern countries across the sea from Eldoris. In Eastern cultures, peonies meant a happy marriage or symbolized the power of the main wife. Could the Eldoris king mean that he would only have the Kiran half-blood as his wife?
Amphitrite tapped her long fingernails on the windowsill. She didn't like having this roadblock. Removing the new queen was a difficult task but what about inserting a few more flowers into the king's garden? When the peony was among many other flowers like the wisteria and carmenia, the freshness of peony's would be diminished. Not to mention if the peony could no longer sprout other seeds, then the king naturally would need to fertilize another garden to produce the heir.
Besides, her information sources had told her that the king had used contraception potions on the night of his marriage. This would mean there was still a chance that the next heir would not be born from the new queen.
"Mother." Triton coughed into his handkerchief.
"My dear son. Why are you up from bed?" Amphitrite cooed over her precious son.
Triton patted her hand reassuringly. "I heard that Older Brother got married yesterday? I wished I could have gone to the wedding."
Amphitrite's smile stiffened but she only had Triton go back to bed. "Where did you hear that?"
The personal maid by Triton's side shifted her feet nervously, drawing Amphitrite's attention. The dowager queen frowned slightly.
"Come now, Triton, and drink your medicine before it gets cold."
Percy's good mood after spoiling the queen with flowers was soon ruined by the entrance of Prince Octavian and his sister, Princess Reyna, of the kingdom of Barinia.
"We greet Your Majesty." The siblings bowed.
"Welcome. Grover, serve them some tea. How can I help you both today?" Percy said politely.
He already knew why the siblings were here today. Although the two siblings looked cordial to each other on the surface, both of them were embroiled in the fight of succession to Barinia. Octavian was the elder brother, but he was sickly in appearance and too sly. Being cunning was favorable to being a ruler, but Octavian did not have enough compassion to balance out his ruthlessness. Reyna was the younger sister and had less claim to the throne due to seniority, but she was a cautious yet intelligent ruler.
"Congratulations on your marriage, Your Majesty," Princess Reyna first said. "Thank you for the care you have given us."
"Yes, my dear sister here has been much enamored with Eldoris." Octavian laughed fakely.
"Is that so? I'm pleased to hear both of you are having a good time as guests. I have not been remiss in my duties as host then."
"Of course not." The siblings refuted.
"Yes, the times here have been so pleasant, I am not sure whether my sister will be able to bear it when we leave." Octavian ventured.
Percy hid a smile behind his teacup while Reyna's expression didn't change. They both knew that Octavian was trying to make Reyna as the Eldoris King's second queen or consort in order to forge an alliance with Eldoris as well as get rid of Reyna for Barinia's throne. Of course, Reyna disapproved. She thought that her brother had always been rash. What kind of person recommends another woman to a man's bed just after the man got married? This was the honeymoon period. Had the Eldoris King accepted Octavian's suggestion, Reyna would have disliked the Eldoris king and pitied the new queen who had married such a husband.
When Percy didn't say anything after Octavian's insinuation to have Reyna stay longer in Eldoris, Octavian flushed. Had the Eldoris King not been able to pick up his hints?
But it was Reyna who spoke up first before her brother could embarrass himself and insult the Eldoris king further. "Indeed. But we are grateful that both Majesties have shown us such goodwill. Her Majesty, the Queen, even gave such a thrilling show of her chess skills. I very much admire her for that. As a princess of Barinia, I have much to learn from Her Majesty so I may learn to better serve my people."
Her words were to show that she had no intentions of challenging the newly crowned queen.
"Then we shall leave first. We do not want to disturb you any further." Reyna said quickly.
Before Octavian could muster another word, Percy had Grover send them personally off. Now that Percy had seen the two royal siblings in person, he was sure that Princess Reyna would be the better fit for the throne. If Octavian inherited the throne, Princess Reyna would most likely end up exiled, married off to another country, or dead. Then it would be troublesome for Eldoris.
"Send the king of Barinia my answer to his question." Percy commanded.
The Barinian king had sent a letter requesting Percy's advice on who to pick as the heir to the throne. At first, Percy didn't like to add on to his work managing another country's affairs, but he had thought about the favor the Barinia king would owe him. There was a person he needed to locate in Barinia before he could fall to Princess Alana's hands.
"Ah, and is the letter to that person in Kiran sent?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. He should arrive in three days." Sir Grover responded.
"Good." Percy smiled.
Princess Alana was going to have a full plate of troubles on her hands soon. Consider it just a small piece of revenge for slighting Eldoris and their wedding.
It was at dinner when Percy saw the queen since that morning.
"Good work today on your chess playing, my queen," complimented Percy. "I have heard much praise from the delegations of other countries."
"Thank you. If you really think it was good, you should give me a reward." Annabeth smiled cheekily.
The other servants around them tensed up at the brazen request of the queen. Didn't the king buy so many expensive peonies to present to the queen? Perhaps the queen didn't think much of the king's good intentions.
Perhaps after their little bout in the bath, Percy felt like they had gotten a little closer. At least, he had no doubt in Annabeth's animosity towards Princess Alana and Kiran. He was also in a good mood from successfully eliciting a peace treaty and economic alliances with Tynan and a few other countries.
Percy laughed. "Did you not like the flowers?"
"I do," Annabeth affirmed. "But my other request isn't too hard. It's something that you've already promised, Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"Swordsmanship lessons. You promised to find me the best swordsman in Eldoris to teach me. You didn't forget, right?"
Her grey eyes blinked her innocence, but inside her mind she was desperate to start learning self-defense to protect herself after angering Princess Alana. Annabeth could use her intelligence, but what could she do when the opponent had magical superpowers but to learn other ways of protection?
Percy had heard that the best swordsman in Kiran was Sir Luke Castellan who was the personal escort of Princess Alana. In Tynan there was the crown prince, Prince Jason, himself. As for the best swordsman in Eldoris…
Percy smiled. Flowers only lasted for a few days but swordsmanship skills were forever.
"All right. We'll start once all the foreign dignitaries have been sent off."
The palace staff felt chills run down their necks. They already knew that the king did not tolerate any disturbances in the royal palaces. What would their life become when the queen was also tyrannical?
A/N: Woot woot! 100+ favorites!
To guest reviewer "hiii": My school has in person courses, although we can watch lectures online if we want to. I prefer to still wear masks in class, along with the majority of my fellow students. We do work closely with the hospitals, and masks prevent us from spreading diseases to the immunocompromised and the young children who aren't able to get vaccinated yet. I personally don't mind wearing masks either, because I can hide acne and not wear makeup on the lower half of my face, lol. More sleep for me instead of using the time for makeup!
And also, OMG, I saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and it's sooooo good! Tong Leung is absolutely fantastic as an actor, not to mention Simu Liu as the titular protagonist himself. Michelle Yeoh would be my perfect godmother and Awkwafina would be that one cool older sister. Anyways, just me simping for all the actors and actresses. It's kind of nice to see superheroes on screen who look like me c: Before Shang-Chi, I guess I had London Tipton/Brenda Song in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Homecoming Warrior to look up. And now that I just exposed how old I am...um good bye. Gods, I feel old. Now, even teenagers scare me.
Hope everyone stays healthy and well, and see you all next week!