Part 4

The Little Mermaid: Kiss the Girl

No.

Annabeth couldn't get married.

Ethan had not even tried to make Percy return to his room after he broke the news. He awkwardly sat by Percy's side while the merman freaked out, staring determinedly at the floor.

Take me to her, Percy silently begged his friend. Please.

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. He fiddled with the edge of his eyepatch as he responded, "My job is to protect Princess Annabeth. And a lot of people think that's just, you know, making sure she doesn't get assassinated or injured. But it's more than that. It's my job to make sure the princess is okay, in every sense of the word: physically, mentally, emotionally, the whole deal. Annabeth's always been fine, but not good. Never happy, I mean. She's not sad or depressed or anything like that. She was just – bored. Unexcited by life. Then you came along. You and your utterly ridiculous ways. Don't look at me like that! It's true – you traded a pearl for a rock."

"Then, my princess starting smiling more. She starting engaging more, with her guards, with her subjects. She was happier. You make her…happy." Ethan finished, still not looking at Percy. "I should thank you for that. For me, and for everyone. These last few weeks, she's been the happiest I've ever seen her. She…she likes you a lot. But she's going to marry him."

Percy closed his eyes. He did not want to hear this. His heart felt like it was tearing in two.

"Our people always come first to Princess Annabeth. Her mother told her that this marriage would bring peace between our nation and our neighbor, who we have fought many wars against in the last few years. So she's going to marry him. I'm sorry. I wish it could be different."

So do I, Percy thought bitterly.

"You still want to see her don't you?" Ethan asked. Percy nodded firmly, he needed to see her. He felt as if his head were trapped in a high pressure zone, numb and distant. He could not accept Ethan's words, he couldn't.

"Yeah, I thought so," Ethan sighed. "I'll see if she wants to see you."

Ethan's words stung. The thought that Annabeth would not want to see him, that she would make him wait or worse, made his stomach twist unpleasantly. Ethan extended a hand down to Percy and the merman let himself be pulled to his feet. He anxiously followed the guard down the hall, feeling slightly ill.

"Wait here," Ethan warned, fixing a stern look on Percy. "If she doesn't want to see you then you will respect that. I will drag your ass out of here if I have to understand?"

Percy nodded, shifting from foot to foot as his stomach churned nauseatingly. He did not want to think about what he would do if Annabeth did not want to see him. She had to see him. Ethan knocked on the door.

"M'lady? I know you said you didn't want to be bothered but... Percy's out here if you..." Ethan faltered, sounding unsure. "M'lady?"

The door opened and Annabeth peered out. She looked awful. Her face was drawn and tight, her hair frazzled as though she had been tugging and worrying at it.

"Percy?"

Percy stepped forward, so his landwalker could see his worried face over Ethan's shoulder. Ethan automatically moved to block him from view but Annabeth shook her head.

"It's okay Ethan...let him in."

Ethan stepped aside, glancing at Percy with his one good eye, an apologetic and pleading look shining through. Percy slipped inside Annabeth's room and the princess shut the door behind him. She cleared her throat and tried to smooth her hair down in an effort to make herself look more presentable.

"I assume Ethan told you about my mother's letter." Annabeth said, schooling her expression into a blank mask that she usually reserved for court. Percy hated that it was directed at him. He stepped forward, distressed, holding his hands out for her to hold.

"Don't," Annabeth said softly, her mask breaking as she took a step back. "Please, don't make this harder than it has to be. I -" She looked away, blinking rapidly.

She cleared her throat and met his eyes again. "I have to do this. We… we have been at odds with our neighboring country for years, since before I was born. We have fought wars on and off with them for years. Hundreds of my people have lost their lives in this dispute, from fighting and embargoes and sabotage. Now, I have a chance to try and reconcile us. My mother thinks this –" she choked, unable to see that terrible word " – "arrangement could bring all that to an end. A new era."

"It's not personal," Annabeth pleaded, her voice finally cracking and betraying her emotions. "It has nothing to do with me or you. It's about my people. I... I have to do what's best for my people. You have to understand that."

Her words broke his heart and he winced with every cool calculated sentence. He did understand. She had to do this for her kingdom, for her people. Percy understood; your people came first. His throat clogged. This was it then. Trading his legs, leaving his people behind, the pain and agony he pushed his body through... improved relations between landwalkers and merpeople. All for nothing, all for waste.

"I know that I shouldn't ask this of you," Annabeth said, drawing him out of his despair. His beautiful landwalker – no she was not his, not anymore, not ever - shifted nervously, her eyes full of apprehension and fear. "But…but could you be there? I just… I would like you to be there."

That she was referring to the wedding went unsaid. Could he do that? Could he stand there and watch as she pledged herself to another man, unknowingly throwing away any last hope of reconciliation between the sea king and her people. Unknowingly sentencing him to death. The thought idly crossed his mind, Oceanus' dire warning echoing through his head. The moment she wed this foreign prince he would die. Annabeth's eyes bore into his and Percy knew he could not deny her this last wish. He would do anything for her. He forced a smile, a thin lifeless thing that made her wince as he nodded.

"Thank you," came the soft reply, and he could hear the relief mingling with guilt in her voice.

She held his gaze and the thousand words he wanted to say but could not hung between them. She tried to give him a smile, but it fell worse than his. Sighing, Percy took a small step forward, enough to invade his – no – the landwalker's personal space with enough room so she could step away if she wanted to. She did not. She watched him with sad eyes as he reached forward and took her face in his tan hands. Even now she was beautiful. It was enough to make him smile a little, a small sad twitch on his lips as he bent her head forward. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, breathing in her scent, relishing the warmth of her body, the sound of her breath – before pulling away.

He pretended not to see the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as he turned away. He opened the door, feeling her eyes burning in the back of his head, and slipped out into the hall.

The reality of his situation did not hit until much later, long after he left Annabeth standing alone in the middle of her room. He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, when it hit him. Annabeth was getting married. The spell would break, and it would kill him. He was going to die. He was going to die with two legs, on land, far away from his father and brother and the salt of the sea. Panic gripped him and he doubled over, curling into a ball as he struggled to breathe.

He failed.

No, he did worse than that.

He failed Hestia, Triton, his father, his people. He failed them all. Gods, he was so stupid! How could he think this would ever work? How could he risk so much on such a small chance? His father was right, he was reckless and stupid and now people would pay for his mistakes.

How long would it be before Poseidon found out what happened? Would he blame Oceanus, Grover? No, he would blame the landwalkers Percy realized with sickening clarity. He would blame Annabeth for marrying someone else and the landwalkers as a whole for taking Percy away from him. The very thing Percy set out to do, he went and did the opposite. Poseidon would hate them for all eternity, as would Triton, the successor, the next generation's hope. Ruined, because of him.

Failed.

What if he never found out?

Percy paused. What if Poseidon never found out? If he never knew what happened to Percy; that his son died on land in pursuit of the very beings he deplored? It would devastate him, the uncertainty, the fear, the days and months and years of waiting only for Percy to never return. Poseidon had lost so much and Percy wasn't sure if his father could survive this. Percy was his baby, the glue that kept the family together. Triton would be desolate. Would he ever trust Poseidon again?

No. It would tear the king and his last prince apart. There would be no one there to mediate their fights, instead Percy would be the catalyze. He ruined his family. He may have even ruined the entire ruling monarchy.

But the landwalkers will be safe, Percy tried to console himself as his body shook with silent sobs. If he died on land and his body never cast out to sea, Poseidon would be none the wiser. It would destroy the sea, but Annabeth and her people would be safe. That at least, he could do.

He did not want to die on land, alone without the comfort of the sea or his father and brother. He did not want to die at all.

Your fault, he reminded himself bitterly as tears ran down his cheeks. All your stupid fault.

He wished he had never seen Annabeth. As soon as the thought crossed his mind he shied away from it. That was a lie. He was glad he had met Annabeth. He was glad he got to spend time with her, no matter how short it was. He was glad he got the chance to know her. And he hated himself for that selfishness.

Stupid.

The following morning was bright. Percy thought it was terribly unfair. Ethan tried to make him eat, but the sea prince shook his head. He could not eat. He was empty inside, a hollow cavity of pain and regret. Annabeth was getting married at sea. Percy bitterly appreciated the irony of it; looks like he would die at sea after all. But not in it. He could not go in it because then Poseidon would find out, and he would doom two people instead of one.

He felt ill.

"You don't have to, you know," Ethan said at one point. The one eyed guard had, oddly enough, been at his side the entire day. He hovered anxiously around Percy, like a mother whale watching her newborn calf that needed constant supervision so they would not drown. Ethan need not worry, Percy had already drowned.

"Go," Ethan clarified when Percy stared at him blankly. "I know the princess asked but… you don't have to. You can say no."

His concern, so obviously evident in his tone and on his face, was touching. Unnecessary, but touching. Percy was dead either way, he might as well grant Annabeth one last wish. He gave Ethan a small smile.

"What are you going to do? After I mean," Ethan asked. "Are you… will you stay?"

Percy shook his head. Disappointment clearly flashed across Ethan's face and the guard did not even try to hide it.

"I figured as much. It's just…I think I might miss you. You can always, that is if you want… You still have friends here." Ethan finally said, steadily meeting Percy's eyes.

How could Poseidon ever believe landwalkers are so bad? Percy wondered, clapping Ethan on the shoulder in thanks. His heart ached. Poseidon would never know of the strength and the heart of these people. Another failure to add to the list.

Percy expected the day to crawl on, but instead it went by in a blur. Before Percy knew it, he was standing on the ship he admired from beneath the ocean's waves as landwalkers scurried around on deck. But they were not hoisting sails or dropping anchors, they were putting the last minute details on a wedding. Annabeth's wedding.

Annabeth's... the princess's... the groom stood at the helm, dressed in fine silky clothes as dark as night. There was a smug sort of grin on his face that made Percy want to punch him. That aside, there was something about the foreign prince that seemed almost familiar to Percy. Percy wanted to hate him. He wanted to with all his heart. This man was going to marry the woman of his dreams, an act that would end Percy's life and ruin his family leagues below. But he found he could not. He was too empty to feel anything. All he managed was a "make sure he's good to her" to Ethan earlier.

He had a seat, right up front on the bride's side. But Percy knew he could not sit there. He could not ruin Annabeth's day like that, but more importantly he could not do that to himself. He wanted to be by the sea when he died. On a boat was not good enough, but he would have to make due. He wanted the ocean to be the last thing he saw, not his love pledging herself to someone else.

Music started. I'm not ready, Percy despaired, staring out at the calm sea. He did not want to die. Unlike last time, the landwalker's music sounded like hell to his ears. A funeral march. From his spot lingering back by the gift table, Percy watched as Annabeth strode forward, arm in arm with her brother. She was beautiful. Her dress was whiter than even the brightest pearl and trailed behind her almost like a mermaid's tail. It hurt to look at her. Annabeth's head turned and grey eyes met his. Her face barely changed, but he could see her jaw tighten and mouth thin in distress as she held his gaze. I'm sorry, her eyes said.

I know.

She looked away and Percy thought he could feel his heart break. The man at the alter held out a hand and Annabeth placed hers in it. The ceremony began, words running together in meaningless garble. Percy could not stay, he could not bear it. Annabeth's back was to him, her head held tall and back straight with purpose. Poised, elegant. Regal.

I love you, Percy thought fiercely. For whatever it's worth, I love you.

He turned and left. He pushed his way to the back of the ship, gasping as though short of breath. This was it. Annabeth would say "I do" and he would die. He wondered if it would hurt. Would he be in pain, or would it be quick? He wished he thought to ask. But maybe he was better off not knowing. The salty wind sliced across his face and he longed to be in the sea. Every fiber of his being wanted to throw himself from the railing and crash into the warm ocean's embrace. To be with his father and brother.

He was scared.

He sat down and leaned against the side of the boat, closing his eyes. He tried to focus on nothing more the ocean; the sound of the waves against the boat, the seagulls in the sky, the spray against his face and salt on his tongue. Breathe in, out.

"Percy? Percy!"

For one ludicrous moment, Percy thought his mother called to him. But then the cry came again, closer, and he recognized the familiar voice. Annabeth. He opened his eyes in surprise and saw Annabeth come to a stop before him. She was slightly out of breath, her primly done hair in disarray, but her eyes were bright.

At his confused look she declared, "I said no."

Percy's eyes widen and Annabeth grinned, reaching out to pull him to his feet. "I said no. I said no."

Percy gaped at her as she laughed almost giddily, holding his face in her hands. "I said no. There's got to be a better way. Arranged marriages are so antiquated and they rarely solve anything. They don't stop wars or soothe over decades of animosity. Trade, political favors, those are better ways to create new alliances not arranged marriages. I don't know what my mother was thinking, she's usually more practical than that. So no. No I'm not going to marry him. I – "

Percy did not let her finish, silencing her with a kiss. He grinned and she grinned back then he was kissing her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her forehead as she laughed.

"Seaweed Brain," she murmured, but somehow it did not sound like an insult.

"I demand an explanation!"

Percy peeked over Annabeth's head as several figures came barreling around the corner. Ethan's back was to the pair, his shoulders squared and arms splayed out to prevent someone from coming any closer. Drew slipped next to Annabeth, her face hard and ready as she suspiciously glanced at him before narrowing in on the figure Ethan detained. It was Annabeth's would-be groom, looking flustered and furious.

"I thought I explained it well enough earlier," Annabeth said stiffly, casually trying to smooth the hair Percy had run his fingers through moments before. Percy could not resist inching closer and putting an arm around her waist. The man's eyes narrowed.

"I find this whole ordeal to be rushed and unnecessary. I mean no offense to your person of course, you are a fine prince and undoubtedly would make a fine husband," Annabeth lied smoothly, "But I feel an arranged marriage is a mistake."

Annabeth went on, explaining in greater detail what she told Percy earlier, but the merman was no longer listening. He frowned at the irate prince that swelled with each calm assertion Annabeth put forth. He looked familiar. He was broad shouldered and dark haired, his eyes narrow almost snake like slits that angrily found his.

He looked like…but he could not be.

"You ruin everything," the angry hiss was not directed at Annabeth, who faltered in her speech in confusion, but at Percy.

Oceanus. Percy could hardly believe his eyes. He stared at the once mercreature in confusion, not understanding. What was Oceanus doing here? He was not a landwalker prince.

"And you still don't get it," Oceanus laughed bitterly at his confusion. "Gods, you always were so useless and stupid. I thought I finally found a use for you, but you went and screwed that up as well! You can't even die properly."

"Hey now," Ethan interrupted, his hand going to the sword at his side. The landwalkers all stared at Oceanus in confusion, but Percy's mind was slowly coming to a conclusion he did not like.

"Do you know who I am?" Oceanus thundered at the one eyed guard. "I am Oceanus. I used to be revered, feared, the all-powerful and terrible ruler of the sea. Now, people don't even recognize my name."

He let out a bitter laugh as Percy gave an inaudible gasp. Before Poseidon ruled, the sea had been a conglomerate of chaos. The ocean was governed by several violent clans, with every shifting boundaries and wars that ravaged the seaside. Local princes, warlords, ruled the clans before Poseidon drove them out and collected all the merpeople into one unit. Oceanus was an exiled prince. Ethan went for his sword and Percy hastily stepped forward to stop him, dragging the landwalker away from the furious ocean deity.

"I was a king – no I was better than a king! I was a god. I had power and might and then your father showed up with his fancy trident and promises of peace and prosperity," Oceanus bitterly spat. "He cast us out as though we were vermin! I was a god!"

The ship swayed dangerously as Oceanus' fury rocked the waves. Percy threw his hands out, instinctively trying to calm the ocean. Oceanus laughed, a hysterical garbled sound that sent chills down Percy's spine.

"Do you think your power outdoes mine boy? I am hundreds of years older than you, I have seen the far reaches of the sea, traveled through the darkest abyss. I know the secrets of the ocean, I can brew death itself in a bottle, what makes you think you're better than me?"

The waves grew taller, crashing against the boat with increasing ferocity that threatened to tip the ship. Percy tried desperately to stop them, to smooth out the ocean's surface. Annabeth clung to his arm, her eyes wide as she tried to process what was happening.

"All you had to do was die!" Oceanus cried as Percy worked to quell his storm, "That was it, terribly simple. All your foolish naïve hopes, of landwalkers and merpeople living in peace. It wasdisgustingly easy to convince you it was possible, to get you to foolishly leave the protection of your father. Then you would perish and your father would lose control. Merpeople would finally understand and see him for the weak spineless guppy he was and come running back to me. Poseidon would crumble, his own heir turn against him! The ocean would fall into chaos and I – I would come in and take it all back."

Percy stared at Oceanus in horror. This whole time, he was nothing but a pawn. Oceanus was using him to destroy his own family, to destroy his father and brother and all they worked so hard to build. And Percy almost let him. Anger surged within the sea prince and the ocean still under his raised arms, smoothing out to a calm state as Poseidon's youngest son trembled in rage.

"That's…not possible," Oceanus murmured with a frown.

It is, Percy thought ferociously. I am not some weak young guppy you can push around. I am Prince Perseus, son of King Poseidon and you will NOT hurt my family.

"I'm sure whatever you're thinking is very impressive," Oceanus said, "But know I am not cowed, young prince, you are but a shrimp to me."

Percy's mouth thinned and he took a threatening step forward, keeping a firm grip on the ocean so Oceanus' temper could not rile the waves. Oceanus sneered, his face flushed with anger.

"You think you frighten me boy? You do not. I could sink this ship in a heartbeat, drowning you and all your little friend."

Oceanus gaze slipped behind him at the confused landwalkers and Percy stepped in his way, hiding them from view.

"Percy," Annabeth's soft voice called as the ocean rippled below. As one, Oceanus and Percy glanced out at the water.

Poseidon, the waves seemed to whisper, the sea king comes.

"No, I will not lose again," Oceanus snarled as Percy grinned.

The sea prince barely had time to be grateful for his father's omnipotence when Oceanus seized him around the neck and pulled. Percy flailed uselessly as the pair toppled over the side of the boat. He heard Annabeth calling his name as he crashed into the water below. The waves rushed up to meet them, cocooning Percy as he sank deeper. Oceanus still had a tight grip around his neck and Percy twisted, trying to dislodge him. Oceanus' legs had disappeared, his long thin tail returning instead and it wrapped around Percy's chest as the prince tried to escape.

His lungs burned as his body remembered he no longer had gills. Percy clamped his mouth shut tight and twisted hard to try and escape Oceanus' constricting grasp. His tail wrapped tightly around Percy's center, squeezing what precious little oxygen Percy had out of his weakening body. The ocean responded to Percy's call and air surrounded the prince. It was enough to keep him from passing out, but with Oceanus constricting around him, he still struggled to breath.

Percy kicked out against Oceanus, wishing savagely for his strong tail, which was solid muscle and strength unlike his weak legs. The ocean rebelled against Oceanus, tearing at the mercreature as Percy fought against him. But Percy's vision was already darkening, his breath coming in short straggled gasps and his control over the ocean was fading with his strength. He hazily thought he saw gold, beautiful flowing gold like Annabeth's hair.

Then he could breathe again and Percy took in great gasps of air. There was an arm wrapping around his waist, but it was gentle and soft and definitely not Oceanus. As he opened his eyes, he saw Annnabeth. The landwalker pulled on him, trying to get him to move towards the surface. The water around them was tinted red and Percy could see Oceanus belong, hollowing as he pulled a knife from his torso.

Percy let the air bubble extend to his landwalker and he pulled her towards the surface, away from Oceanus. She gasped as she found herself suddenly able to breath.

"I knew it," She babbled almost hysterically, "I knew it was you."

She did not have time to say more, nor he explain, as Oceanus yanked the sword free of his body and turned his angry eyes on them. He started for them, but a figure darted in the way.

"How dare you lay a hand on my brother!"

Triton.

His brother floated protectively in front of Percy and Annabeth, on arm stretched out to shield them and the other tightly gripping the thin trident lookalike Poseidon gifted him when he came of age. His teeth were bared and he glared furiously at Oceanus, eyes flashing as he dared the mercreature to make another move.

Triton, be careful. Percy warned, relieved and frightened at his brother's intervention. He was one of the old princes.

Triton's grip on his weapon tightened as he heeded his brother's warning.

Dad's coming, don't worry little brother.

Out loud, Triton declared, "No one is allowed to lay a hand on him understand?"

"Foolishness runs in the family I see," Oceanus snarled, his tail twisting and coiling as he advanced.

Triton raised his weapon, but before he even had to use it the ocean swirled. Water swelled protectively around the princes and Annabeth and viciously bombarded Oceanus below, trapping him in place and taking the very oxygen from his gills. Poseidon appeared from the chaos, his face hard and almost frightening in all his fury. His trident glowed with power as its deathly three pronged tip pointed in Oceanus' direction. Nobody moved, nobody said anything as Poseidon glowered at the struggling creature below, his face void of pity as he watched Oceanus struggle to breathe.

"Percy," his father's deep voice called. "Are you alright?'

I'm okay.

"Triton."

"We're safe," Triton said grimly, his eyes flickering over his shoulder to check Percy over. His eyes hesitated briefly on his legs, but his brother made no comment. Percy was grateful. It was not as if Poseidon had not noticed anyway.

"I showed mercy to you Oceanus. I banished you from my kingdom instead of killing you like you did to so many of your enemies. Yet, after all my kindness, you dare attack my son," Poseidon said, his voice deathly calm as he allowed water to flow through Oceanus' gills once more. "And then you threaten my heir."

Oceanus coughed and hacked under Poseidon's unsympathetic eye.

"What have you to say?" Poseidon demanded.

"I should have killed him when I had the chance," Oceanus snarled, his hate filled eyes glaring up at the king of the sea.

Poseidon's mouth twisted in displeasure and he raised his trident. Before Percy could protest, or even make a sound, Oceanus disappeared in a flash of eerie green light. Annabeth gave a little gasp and Percy pulled her against him. The spot Oceanus previously occupied released bubbles and particles that the ocean's current swept away. Dust to dust, lost to the forever changing and moving current of the sea.

Poseidon lowered his trident and turned to his sons.

"Percy," he said, one flick of his broad tail and he was at Triton's side and Percy found himself staring at a pair of concerned faces. Poseidon did a quick check, his eyes running over both Triton and Percy, not even fazed by his youngest's lack of tail. He did hesitate at the sight of Annabeth tucked into Percy's side however.

"She saved him." Triton supplied somewhat reluctantly as he begrudgingly nodded at Annabeth.

"Then I thank her," Poseidon said, reaching forward to pull Percy to his side. Or at least, he tried to. Annabeth clung tight to Percy, afraid of letting go and Percy was reluctant to release her as well. He eyed his father suspiciously.

"I shall not hurt her," Poseidon huffed. "She will continue to breathe even if you do not hold her. I have gone many long weeks fretting over you, so you will forgive me if I want to hold you myself."

Sheepish, Percy let his father drag in for a tight hug. Annabeth hovered nearby, still breathing perfectly normally, watching the pair with wide eyes. All things considered, she was handling this rather well.

"It puts my heart at rest to know you are safe, my son," Poseidon rumbled into Percy's hair.

I'm sorry I worried you.

"Do it again and I'll kill you myself," his father threatened without heat, his arms holding Percy tight.

"Yeah, yeah, you love him but he's an idiot." Triton said, "let the poor kid go."

Poseidon peered over Percy's head at his eldest son, and there was a glint in his eye that made Percy nervous.

"I love both of you," Poseidon said sweetly, reaching out to snag Triton before his brother could escaped. "And you are both idiots."

"Hey!" Triton protested as he was forced into the impromptu family hug.

"This is terribly awkward," Triton complained from where his face was wedged between his father's shoulder and Percy's neck. His tail accidentally whacked against Percy as he tried to escape. "And the legs are weird as hell."

"Yes, those," Poseidon said with a frown as he released both of his sons. He gently tapped the trident against Percy's forehead – Percy heard Annabeth cry out in alarm – and his legs were gone. In their place, his long powerful merman's tail reformed.

Suddenly Annabeth was there, grabbing his face and pulling him away from Poseidon, her eyes wide and frightened.

"It's okay," Percy quickly assured her. "I'm okay. He wouldn't hurt me."

His voice seemed to echo in the waves and he paused, turning to his father in surprise. It had been so long since he heard his own voice, it almost sounded foreign. Poseidon looked offended at the accusation, and he stared at Annabeth in obvious confusion before addressing Percy's concern.

"I fixed it," he said simply. "Reversed the potion."

"Potion?" Triton repeated, obviously lost.

"Have Hestia explain it to you," Poseidon said cryptically while Percy winced. He wondered when that conversation happened then figured it must have been today. He wondered if Hestia panicked when she found out Annabeth was to wed another. He wondered if his family realized how close to death he really was.

"Give us a minute?" Percy entreated as Annabeth's fingers dug into his skin. Triton looked like he was going to argue, but Poseidon laid a hand on his shoulder.

"A minute," Poseidon allowed. He pulled Triton a reasonable distance away and Annabeth watched their tails flick in that analytical way of hers.

"Um," Percy said, which was so strange after weeks of silence. His throat actually rather hurt from disuse. "So, you're not crazy. You really did see someone, something, rescue you that night. It was me, the, ah, the merman me." He paused and then added, "I'm a merman."

"I knew you looked familiar," Annabeth said, an almost hysterical giggle bubbling out her mouth.

"Yeah, are you alright?" Percy asked in concern.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay," Annabeth said. She composed herself and gave his tail an experimental poke. "You're a merman."

"Yes."

"Okay," Annabeth said, as if that was that. Which, he supposed it was. He did not know what he expected, bulging eyes, disbelief, denial – Annabeth skipped right over all of that to settle on fascinated acceptance. It made him grin as she scratched one of his scales.

"I remembered you," Annabeth said softly.

"You did," Percy agreed with a smile. He leaned his forehead against her, pulling her close against him. He kissed her lips gently, "And I am so grateful."

Annabeth gave a little laugh, burying her fingers in his hair she returned his kiss.

"What now?" She asked against his lips.

"Hm?"

"The man I was supposed to marry turned out to be a crazy exiled sea prince," Annabeth said, her fingers tightening in his hair, "and the one I wanted to marry is a merman."

"Hm, what?" Percy asked, her words cutting through his fog of bliss. He pulled back and stared at her. "Say that again."

"Say what again?" Annabeth asked, a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"You wanted? You want - " Percy babbled, disbelief and giddiness rising in his voice.

"Is...is that still possible?" Annabeth asked hesitantly, worry in her eyes.

"If it's not I'll make it possible," Percy declared, kissing her deeply. He grinned, feeling like the luckiest merman - landwalker - whatever - in the world.

"Percy?"

"Hm?"

She smiled and ran a finger over his lower lip, "Your voice is deeper than I expected. Does it only come back in the water?"

"Ah, no that was a side effect of a potion and you know what? I'll explain it later," Percy said, kissing her again.

Someone cleared their throat and Percy remembered they had an audience. He loosened his grip on Annabeth and turned to face his father and brother, who had obviously decided the pair had enough alone time. Annabeth stayed firm at Percy's side. If she was nervous she hid it well as Percy made introductions:

"Dad, Triton, met Princess Annabeth. Annabeth, this is King Poseidon and Crown Prince Triton."

"I don't know how to curtsey underwater," Annabeth confessed in his ear and he fought the urge to laugh as she simply awkwardly nodded her head at them.

Poseidon eyed Annabeth wearily. "You really like her don't you?"

"I do." Percy said, tightening his grip on Annabeth.

The king of the sea sighed and motioned with his trident. "Come then. We have much to discuss."

Poseidon spent the better part of the night explaining merlife to Annabeth. His landwalker soaked it all up, her wide eyes taking in all the strange sights and creatures around her. Somewhere along the line, when the excitement of the night wore down she remembered Ethan and her crew and panicked. Promising to return, Percy took Annabeth back to the shore. The ship was safe, but the crew was frantic. They thought Annabeth was dead.

Annabeth elected to only tell a few select people the truth. Ethan was one of them. It stemed his lecture on their reckless behavior as he stared at Percy's fin in disbelief. He did make an obvious effort not to stare too much, to Percy's amusement. Annabeth did not think the other landwalkers were ready for the discovery of Poseidon and his people quite yet. She would integrate it gradual she told Percy, who was not exactly sure what that meant but trusted her judgement. Atlantis was not built in a night after all she said. (It was actually built over several decades but Percy felt it best not to tell Annabeth that.)

Percy did not expect his father to accept Annabeth, or landwalkers in general, overnight and Poseidon did not disappoint. It would be slow going, but progress was progress and he never insulted Annabeth in front of Percy so the youngest prince thought it was going well. He gave Percy a trinket that allowed him to trade his fin for legs anytime his heart desired. Poseidon looked terribly sad and resigned when he gave it to him, so Percy promised him that he would never leave the sea. Even when he was on land, Percy carried the ocean with him. He was, and always would be, a Prince of the Sea.

His father and brother spoke to each other more now. They gave Percy more freedom and argued less. Triton was going to make a fine king one day, Percy thought fondly. One day, just not anytime soon.

On land, Annabeth's mother finally returned. She was furious to learn of her daughter's almost marriage to the false prince. Annabeth herself wrote up a new agreement between the countries to improve their deteriorating relations. So far, her negations seemed to be turning out for the better. Percy was proud.

As for the merman himself, Percy now divided his time between land and sea. Sometimes he would go days without seeing Annabeth, others he would spend days as a guest in her castle. It was a chaotic, ununiformed schedule but Percy loved it. He was happy and that was all that mattered now. At the moment, he laid half in the ocean, half in sand as Annabeth leaned against him, her head on his shoulder as they soaked up the last of the sun's dying rays.

"Are you going to tell your mother?" Percy asked.

"Yes. I just don't know when." Annabeth said, lazily tracing patterns on his tail with her fingertips. "It'll probably have to be soon. She's irritated enough that my fiancé disappears for days at a time."

Percy hummed in response, grinning ridiculously at the word 'fiancé'. They had made it official once the excitement of Oceanus and Annabeth's discovery of merlife died down. No plans were set in stone, to the growing irritation of Annabeth's mother and the relief of Percy's father, but they were working towards it. Percy was willing to wait. He would wait forever for Annabeth.

"We should get married here." Annabeth declared suddenly.

"In front of your castle?" Percy asked in confusion.

Annabeth rolled her eyes but placed a kiss to his cheek and muttered; "Seaweed Brain. No, I mean here on the shore, in the surf. Both on land and at sea. This is where I found you and where you brought me to shore. Besides we need the water, your best man is a shark."

"Shh," Percy cried, panicked. "Triton doesn't know yet. He's going to be so pissed I chose Grover over him. But ah, yeah, that sounds like a great idea. Perfect actually."

"I thought so," Annabeth said. She closed her eyes and buried her face against his neck. "I know I shouldn't be, but I'm glad you drank that potion. I wouldn't trade those first few weeks for the world."

Percy kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad too."

He laced their hands together between them and held her close as the sun finally sank below the ocean's surface. He smiled down at her and she smiled back; they did not need words to know what the other was saying.

A/n I hope the tooth rotting sweetness at the end makes up for any aghast at the beginning. I struggled with Oceanus' death, should it be dramatic? Should Percy have his life spared? In the end, I chose this. I think it's the most fitting of all of them. I don't think Poseidon would have spared Oceanus' life, since he was already in exile for violent behavior and he almost killed Percy. Poseidon is not very forgiving when it comes to his sons. And I didn't want Percy and Poseidon to argue in the last chapter. All in all, I think it still wrapped up nicely. Like in life, sometimes the end goes out softly.

That aside, I am now masquerading as an 'adult' here at a big university. So far nobody's notice so maybe I blend in well. So from now on, I'm going to write the fairy tale in its entirety before I start posting chapters. That way there might be a two-four week gap between fairy tales, but no interruptions once I start posting the story. The next fairy tale should have four parts again and I'm excited for it.

Sorry for this lengthy author's note. A big thank you and hug to all my reviews from last chapter, your guys' support and love really means the world to me. I hope I can live up to it. As always, I hope you enjoyed ~*