Another chappie! I don't own Percy Jackson.
Annabeth sat on the porch of her beachhouse and her eyes widened when she saw a magnificent procession on the beach.
Royal white banners were streaming from crystal poles and wind horses were galloping on the sand, with a white one at the front. A seventeen year old, fit and muscular, tan with blonde hair sat on it. His blue eyes, so plain compared to Percy's fascinating green ones stared at her.
"Hail, Prince Jason!" one of the men on horses shouted and the prince turned toward her, then stared at Annabeth with a soft look in his eye.
She nearly blanched. Oh no. She'd seen that look before on Percy's face. She tried to turn around to go inside but one of the men shouted "You, there, miss!"
She turned around reluctantly and walked toward them with an oddly steely glare on his face. "Yes?" she asked with fake cheerfulness.
"Hi, sorry about this," the Prince apologized. "I've been looking for a new bride all over my kingdom, the most beautiful, the most mysterious. And you seem to fit the description."
"Excuse me?" Annabeth asked.
"You have the look of a bleeding heart," he said softly.
"Someone I loved died," she said shortly, glaring at him.
He held out a hand. "Perhaps I could heal your broken heart?"
Annabeth took a step back. "Look, Your Majesty, this is very kind of you. But I run this lighthouse. Without it, people will die. I live here. This is my home."
One of the guards barked out "The Prince may wish to choose whichever maiden he wants to marry!"
Annabeth quirked an eyebrow at Jason. One look and he wanted to marry her? He blushed. "I'm sorry, I don't even know your name."
"Annabeth."
He grasped her hand. "Annabeth. I'll have my men run your lighthouse for you. I can take you away from this dreary place if you want."
"Its not dreary!" Annabeth exclaimed. "It's my home."
Jason smiled. "I've always like a fiesty girl." He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Listen if you really don't want to marry me I won't force you. But I promise you'll be happy."
"Happy," Annabeth muttered, almost in a daze. She hadn't been happy for so long. The only way she really would be happy if she had Percy back. But Seaweed Brain would never return.
She recalled what she said 'Death cannot stop true love. Only delay it for a while.'
"Oh, Seaweed Brain," she whispered and Jason sat upright.
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry," Annabeth apologized and one of the guards hoisted her up on the horse.
She gasped in surprise and drew her knife. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I am not marrying someone just because they see me and think I"m pretty. I need time to think this over."
Jason nodded. "Of course M'lady." He set her down and she immediately ran back to her home, wondering what to do.
Oh, how she craved happiness! She wanted it so badly.
"He's never coming back, Annabeth," she chided herself. "He was wrong. Seaweed Brain is gone. You might as well enjoy life before you go too."
Luckily, when she went back out, Jason and his men were gone. Annabeth sighed with relief and ran to the lighthouse and quickly lit the lamps just as the night sky turned the color of black ink.
Annabeth spent the night, sleepless, gazing out onto the horizon, pretending that she was back in the days before Percy had been killed by pirates and he had helped her run it. She couldn't let this all go. Or...could she? As long as someone took care of the lighthouse and she visited from time to time...maybe it was best to have those painful memories shut behind her.
When dawn came, she walked out to see the Prince arrive in all his trumpeting glory. She walked up to him and sighed. "I'll marry you," she said half-heartedly, not sure what else there was to do. Annabeth regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth, but Jason had already lifted her onto his horse and they were already galloping back to a gleaming white palace in the distance.
The moment Annabeth's eyes laid on it, she knew she had to get out of here.
"Oh Seaweed Brain, what have I done?" she mourned to herself as Jason helped her off of his trusty steed.
He led her up the polished marble steps while she thought of a way to escape. This was all a huge mistake. Annabeth had to clench her fists from taking her dagger out. Prince Jason led her into the palace and to a stunning white room with clean draperies and a large bed. She was almost afraid to sit on it, in fear she'd get everything dirty.
After Jason left, Annabeth leaned against the wall and groaned as a fanfare echoed outside and a loud voice announced
"The Prince Jason has a new bride! You will meet her on the morrow!"
"No, no, no" she muttered. Everything had happened so fast.
Annabeth was going to get out of here. Tonight wasn't exactly an option but she vowed to herself she would only sleep on this bed once. After the palace had settled down, she would sneak out in the middle of the night and run back to her lighthouse.
She kept her dagger tucked under her pillow and laid onto the bed, then fell asleep.
Bright sun rays danced across her face and Annabeth sat up slowly, stretching and yawning.
She peeked in the closet and grimaced at the sight of dresses-gold, white, pale pink, smooth blue, and vibrant green, all made out of the finest silks and satins. She pulled on the simplest one she could find, a piercing green floor length gown with a forest green sash. The color reminded her of Seaweed Brain's eyes.
She mounted the gold and white steps but couldn't find her way-anywhere. It took multiple passageways, endless corridors, and tripping over five servants to find Jason sitting in a large dining hall with a beautiful woman with long blonde hair sitting next to him, a regal crown perched on her head and a sweet smile.
"Ah, Annabeth!" she exclaimed, taking Annabeth's hands and squeezing them. "Oh, Jason, please tell me you helped her get comfortable. The poor dear looks as though she hasn't had a shower in days...my, she smells like the ocean!"
Annabeth was pretty much speechless.
Another girl slouched into the room and Annabeth was surprised to see she looked nothing like Jason or their mother. She had short spiky black hair with a striking black gown with a dark blue sash and silver slippers. Her eyes were intense-electric blue and Annabeth instantly had a feeling she and the girl would get along just fine.
"Thalia!" the queen exclaimed, her nose wrinkled. "Dear, your gown looks as though rats chewed on it during the night. And you didn't even brush your hair out! We have a guest here."
"Uh huh I heard, Mother," Princess Thalia growled and looked at Annabeth who imitated a little eye-roll at the queen when Jason wasn't looking. Thalia grinned and then dished herself some french toast.
Annabeth made her way towards a seat next to Thalia but the queen pulled her next to her and began to ask her frantic questions to which Annabeth answered vaguely. She felt it kind of creepy that the queen was taking such an interest in her but after all, she thought she was going to be her daughter-in-law. Annabeth shuddered at the thought of living here in this stuffy perfectly spotless palace with the perfectly mannered queen and her perfectly looking husband. Ugh. Percy had been a lot more perfect looking than Jason for sure.
"Mother, I think Annabeth has had enough questioning for one day," Thalia muttered. "I could take her out to show her the gardens and such."
Annabeth nodded as Thalia winked at her and grabbed her hand. "Yes, uh, see you later!"
She gulped in a breath of fresh air as Jason's sister whisked her outside into a plentiful garden. "Thanks," she breathed heavily.
Thalia shrugged. "No problemo." She gave Annabeth a look of sympathy. "So my bro chose you huh?"
"Yeah," Annabeth grumbled. "He's nice and all-but just not for me."
"Is he forcing you?" Thalia asked worriedly.
Annabeth sighed heavily. "No, not exactly. It's kind of a long story, one that I really don't want to tell."
Thalia nodded. "That's ok." She smirked. "Hard to believe Jason and I are related, right?"
Annabeth nodded. "No kidding! You guys don't even look alike! Are you demigods?"
Thalia nodded. "Yup. Kids of Zeus. What about you?"
"Daughter of Athena," Annabeth answered.
Thalia shrugged. "That's cool." She sighed. "We should go back in. Mother will probably be dying to get you out in front of the crowd."
"What?" Annabeth groaned.
"Yeah, its not fun. Just put on a fake smile, lift your pinkies up, and you'll be fine. Come on." Thalia led her back to the dining hall where the Queen dragged her into a pristine dressing room, putting clothes on her at random until she decided on a cream colored gown with a soft green sash and a silver necklace. "It suits you," she decided and then took Annabeth up onto a golden balcony.
Jason joined them, dressed in a gold and white suit. "Ready?" he asked her and took her arm. "Don't be nervous."
"I'm fine," Annabeth assured him, though she felt as though she was going to throw up.
The Queen gave them a gentle little shove onto the balcony and Annabeth tried with difficulty not to trip in her soft white slippers. She tasted bile in her throat and pushed it back as she stared at the multitudes of people, throwing their hats in the air and yelling up at her with grins on their faces.
She was relieved to see there was not one judgemental or angry face in the crowd. A bouquet of flowers came sailing towards her and she caught the white roses in her hand, grinning cheekily below, confidence boosting her morale. Annabeth felt guilty- pretending to be their next queen when she was planning to run away tonight.
After beauty-queen waving and smiling until her face hurt, Annabeth stepped off of the balcony with Jason and ran into her room, ready to spend the rest of the day in quiet solitude. She wasn't ready for this.
An eager expression filled her face when Annabeth saw shelves of bookshelves waiting for her when they hadn't been before. She pulled one of the shelf and dived into it, startled by the knock that came at her door when she was at page fifty. Thalia stepped in and grinned. "You like it? I had them bring it when I heard you were a Daughter of Athena. Figured you like it."
Annabeth grinned and hugged her new friend. "Thanks Thalia! It's really awesome!"
Thalia smiled. "You know, I've never had a friend here before. It feels nice."
Annabeth gave her an excited smile. "It does feel nice." Then guilt surged through her. She shouldn't be making friends! She was leaving. Tonight. Right?
But maybe she shouldn't. She couldn't abandon Thalia, after all her friend had done for her. It just wasn't right.
Annabeth still didn't want to marry Jason. She'd go soon-but not right now.
"Feel free to explore," Thalia told her. "I have to go to classes and don't worry, you aren't exempt. They're just giving you a while to settle in. See you, Annabeth!"
Then she trudged off, leaving the Daughter of Athena, alone and worried.