Hello again! Meggie here with your next chapter :)

Thanks again to everyone who's reading this!

When Percy woke in the morning, he didn't move, nor think, nor attempt to remember anything; rather he just lay, and allowed the fog to drift slowly from his mind.

But the clouds passed and his life tumbled around him as if he was caught in a rip in the sea. He could remember Annabeth's relieved face when he had distracted everyone from her, and the way her eyebrow was always slightly up, and the way her lips parted when she smiled.

He had to admit that she was very different from the upturned nosed, prissy Lady he was expecting.

Percy climbed out of bed. A quick look to his nightstand told him that it was three in the afternoon. Percy washed, dressed and plucked an apple from the fruit ball on the table near his front door. He walked out to his balcony, preparing to just welcome the world.

The view was momentous. His balcony faced the sea, and, as the castle was on the edge of a cliff, it felt as though he were flying above it. The waves crashed and the wind smelling of rotting seaweed and salt wafted throughout his room, entrance gained through the doors he had left open.

Percy gave a start when he realised he was not the only one appreciating the view.

Annabeth?

She was just standing, leaning on her elbow, face propped on her hand. Her balcony was the one next to his, although 'next' gives the impression they were close, when, in fact, almost a quarter of the castle separated them. She hadn't noticed him yet, and for this Percy was grateful. He wouldn't know what to do, he wouldn't know whether to speak or salute or bow. Percy hated uncertainties, and meeting someone new whom you were expected to get along with made it all the more difficult.

And so Percy headed inside. He'd seen the sea, he's seen the waves crashing and the gulls squawking, he needed nothing more.

Percy headed out of his rooms and headed down to the throne room, the place where things were almost always happening, the place where he was likely to find Grover.

When he arrived, it did not take him long to find his friend, reading a book, sitting quietly while people around him gossiped and shrieked. Percy tried to ignore the fact that the talk hushed quickly when he drew near, he was sure that it was all about himself and Annabeth, yet he did not want to give them the satisfaction of seeing it affect him.

"Good morning," Percy greeted Grover. "Or perhaps I should say, afternoon."

"Yes, you should," Grover said, smiling slightly. "You were dead to the world when I was ordered to wake you. I'm afraid to say you may not like the excuse I gave to your mother."

"Which was what?" Percy asked with a sinking feeling, wondering whether he was going to find the precise source of the gossip.

Grover looked apologetic. "I told her that you were giving the princess a tour, she was absent as well. You and I both are lucky she hasn't made an appearance yet."

Percy tried not to scowl. This was exactly what he needed. Not a day had passed since they had set eyes on each other and all of a sudden they were taking romantic walks through the seldom seen areas of the castle.

"And now my mother is going to ask where Annabeth is?" Percy guessed.

"Oh yes," Grover returned to his book. "Almost definitely."

"Where is my mother?" Percy asked, trying to converse before Grover became too lost in his book.

"At a meeting with your father and the heads of the army," Grover said, his voice monotone, disinterested. "She'll be back soon, though, I am guessing."

At this point Percy knew that prying information would be near impossible. Grover's eyes were glazed and his mouth was moving slightly, a sure sign he was deep inside his book.

"And now I am going to have to go and talk to her," Percy said aloud.

He pushed through the hoards of giggling men and women and hurried up to where he thought the princess was staying. He couldn't be sure, however, the only idea he had came from her balcony, and anything less than exact was not to be desired in a castle with as many doors as his, but it was something.

Percy knocked hesitantly on the door. If she was still out, looking at the sea, she would not have been able to hear him, but only a few moments afterwards the heavy wood creaked open and Annabeth poked her head out.

"Oh!" Annabeth exclaimed, looking taken aback, but nevertheless opening her door a little wider. "Percy! And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"My mother," Percy said flatly. "And Grover as well, really. Both are equally to blame, although one had their heart in the right place and one did not."

And her eyebrow rose slightly, in that way she seemed to have mastered, at his mood.

Percy walked into the room. He did not have much opportunity to look around, but what he could see was a four poster bed, gold carvings on the ceilings and several adjourning rooms. Light poured in from the doors left open leading to her balcony, and the breeze off the sea swirled around it.

Percy denied her an opportunity to speak. "I would not wake up, and Grover saw fit to, rather than pour water on me, or something equally successful in reviving people who refuse to wake up, he told her something she could not be unhappy with. He told her that I was taking you around the castle."

Annabeth frowned a little. "And not telling your mother the truth would have resulted in..?"

Percy huffed. "Nothing, well, not much. I would have perhaps have had water poured on my head, and Grover would have been able to laugh. I would have been awake though, and if I remember correctly, I was tired enough to sleep for weeks."

"First the letter writing and now this," Annabeth said, smiling grimly. "We certainly have put on a show of friendship."

"Oh yes, the gossip has begun," Percy stated, guessing one of her worries. "Although it was inevitable, I suppose. Noble birth certainly doesn't equal a clever or courteous mind. That is for sure."

Annabeth wasn't sure what to think. A prince at her door, gossips down the hall, letters between betrothed and a stroll around the castle. All seemed the actions of a romance novel, disregarding the fact that two were not real, and the gossips and prince were both referring to them.

Annabeth smiled. "It certainly does not."

They stood there for a moment, in a silence that, while not uneasy, was not the most comfortable experience Annabeth had ever had. They were in silent agreement with nothing more to say.

Finally, Annabeth decided to talk. "Would you like to come into my dining room? I had lunch brought up, and have not started on it yet. There is more than enough to share."

Percy's face softened and he grinned. "That is certainly an offer one must not hastily disregard."

Annabeth smiled back. "Good! I had no idea what I would do with all the food left over."

Annabeth began to walk towards her dining room and Percy, after pushing the door closed, followed her. "If you ever come to such a situation again, Princess, my door is always open. Any food is good food, and good food is easy to find when Maureen is the head chef."

"Maureen?" Annabeth inquired. "The Maureen? The one invited by almost every kingdom to be their head chef?"

Percy grinned. "The very same."

Annabeth pushed open the dining room door and walked inside. "I am certainly lucky then."

The light from the frosted window allowed a decent amount of light in, and lit up the mahogany table beautifully. Around the room were portraits and paintings, framed poems and stories. Then, at the walls, couches and chairs surrounded the room. Around the table were four high backed chairs, two of which had the back to the windows, and two of which faced them.

On the table was a platter of cold meats, fruit and cheeses, mounds of pastries sat to one side of it and two tall jugs of lemonade sat next to it.

Percy raised his eyes. "Perhaps Maureen had heard the rumours and misinterpreted them from just two people to the whole of the kingdom. I don't even think I could eat this much."

"Well you are lucky you have me to help you," Annabeth said, smiling at Percy and sitting with her back to the sun.

Percy sat opposite her and, despite herself, Annabeth had to admit that with the shadows the sun cast across his face, he really was quite handsome.

"So," Annabeth said, slightly awkwardly. "Help yourself."

Percy loaded his plate with as many meats, cheeses, biscuits and fruit as he could, before anymore would have rolled easily off his plate. As starving as Annabeth was, she ate less than half then him, placing only what she could recognise on her plate.

Percy noticed her lack of food (as in compared to him) and offered her a orange pastry. "I know you would not like to eat something you do not recognise so soon after arriving somewhere new, but these are Maureen's specialty. I solely blame her and these on my unnatural love of food."

Annabeth laughed and accepted the pastry, setting it to one side of her plate.

They ate quietly, both too consumed in consuming, that conversation had become very dull, centring on the weather and the colours in the room.

Annabeth was nearly finished when Percy raised his eyebrows at her plate. "Do not care for my recommendations, Princess? I swear to you that the Pastry will be the best thing you shall ever eat."

Annabeth picked it up and judged it warily. "If you are wrong, you must give me a tour of the castle for real. It is unsettling not knowing where everything is."

Percy grinned. "I'll take you even if it is the very fruit of the gods. You've had to lie for me twice, a simple tour should make up for that."

Annabeth smiled a little, at the man across the table, before focusing on the orange pastry. She lifted it to her mouth, took a tiny bite, and waited for the tastes to appear on her tongue.

She widened her eyes and the rest finished within two bites.

It was perfect, sweet and salty and sour and everything, flavours that shouldn't have gone together did. It was amazing, she thought she saw stars, she thought it tasted like falling in love, she thought it tasted like happiness.

Annabeth focused, and looked, her eyes wild, across the table at Percy, who was grinning, used to this sort of reaction.

"That was amazing! That was…" Annabeth shook her head, bewildered, her thoughts a mess. "Food can taste that good? Food can taste like happiness?"

Percy laughed. "Well, only when Maureen makes it."

Annabeth grinned. "You must show me the way to the kitchens, if only to tell your chef how completely she changed my life."

Percy leapt up. "Can we drink the lemonade as we go? We still have quite a bit left."

Annabeth jumped up as well. "Only if you're prepared to carry it."

Percy picked up the fuller jug, pulled out a cup and poured himself a very full glass. He downed it in secounds. "Now we are more even."

"We are not!" Annabeth said indignantly. "Mine is fuller than yours because of that."

"But you seemed so confident, Princess," Percy said, grinning.

Haughtily, Annabeth poured herself a very full glass, emptied it and turned back, grinning, at Percy. "Now we are more even."

And so they continued this until there was only dregs left, and their stomachs were both full of the lemon and sugar that made up the majority of the drink.

The pair stared at the two empty jugs.

"That was a shame," Percy said, smiling, his eyes betraying the laughter he was holding back. "I was looking forward to besting you in something else."

Annabeth raised her eyebrow. "And pray, what have you bested me in so far?"

Percy listed off his fingers; "Fiddle playing, eating, waking up at three, being the prince of—"

Annabeth cut him off, "Waking up at three? If the rest of the things you have beat me in are equally ridiculous I don't see how you have won at all!"

Percy grinned. "But it's still a victory, in my eyes, at least."

"Either an optimist," Annabeth mused. "Or something equally delusional."

"You think optimists are delusional?" Percy asked, intrigued. "And I think that all wins that could be taken, should be taken. It reminds you that life is full of challenges, even if you create them after you have succeeded."

"I think that many optimists take looking at the bright side too far," Annabeth said. "I think that as depressing as it can sometimes be, being a realist is far the most reliable road to travel."

"And so you're a realist?"

"I am."

"So you have not hope?"

Annabeth thought a little before answering. "Of course, I have hope. It is simply when the darkness has closed in, and the very worst is imminent, that having hope is foolish."

The two studied each other for a moment.

"Now, I think, would be a prime time to begin your tour," Percy said, opening the door and holding it, waiting for Annabeth to follow.

"To the kitchens first," Annabeth instructed.

Percy chuckled. "We'll get there soon enough."

So anyway, PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.

I love hearing what you guys have to say :)

Reviews are equivalent to hot cups of italian hot chocolate and the brownies my friend makes :D