Chapter 3: The Prince
I was happily playing video games in the castle rec-room with my best friends: Grover Underwood, Nico Di Angelo, and Charles Beckendorf when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I looked at the caller id and saw it was my mother. Ugh. She's probably calling to tell me about what she calls 'marriage problems'.
"Hello?"
"Percy, I would like you to please come and see your father and I in the throne room. We have a very important matter to discuss," she said with excitement in her voice.
"Okay. I'll be right there," I say tiredly. "Hey guys, my mom is calling me so I have to go. See you guys later," I say to Nico, Grover, and Beckendorf as they are arguing about which video game is better. They are all sons of some of the dukes throughout the kingdom.
Nico is the son of Hades, my real father's brother, and Grover is the son of Travis, another duke. Beckendorf is the son of Hephaestus, the nephew of my father.
Grover is a freak of/about nature, literally. He is jittery and nervous around girls, but completely fine around us guys. Grover has wispy brown hair and dark brown eyes. He is all about protecting the environment.
Nico is the complete opposite. Grover, Beckendorf, and I like to call him Goth Boy because of how much black he wears and how black his hair and eyes are, but he denies it.
Beckendorf is a really ripped African-American teenager who all the girls swoon over at his school, Goode High School. Although, once you get to know him, he's a big softie at heart. All of them go to the same high school and I wish I could too. What shocks me most is that they all have girlfriends, not that they're not capable of getting girls…
Grover met this pretty environmental freak like him named Juniper Woods, Nico met a fierce girl who also wears all black named Thalia Grace, and Beckendorf has been crushing on this hot girl named Silena Beauregard. Since I broke up with Rachel, I am officially the single guy of our group.
I walk throughout the magnificent halls of our castle filled with different colors of blues, greens, purples, reds, oranges, and yellows. There are curtains hanging from every window that are so high I can't see where they begin. The familiar, specifically carved wood door comes into view that opens up to the throne room. I push open the heavy door and see my mother and father on their thrones with a look of anticipation on their faces.
"Father, Mother," I greet them with a crooked smile.
"Hello Percy. We have some exciting news to share with you," says my step-father.
"Well um, what is it?" I ask.
"Since the unfortunate event of your breakup with Princess Rachel has taken place, we have decided to take matters into our own hands to find you a wonderful bride," says my mother while she adjusts the crown on her head.
"That's sounds fi- wait, did you say bride?" I say with a look of shock on my face.
"Yes Percy. Your mother has come up with the idea of taking all eligible young ladies throughout the kingdom from the ages 17 to 18 years old. They will train here with one of our advisors, Aphrodite, for six months. After that time period is finished, you will meet with all of the ladies individually at a ball and you will choose the one you prefer best. Then the lucky young lady will then spend six more months here to spend more time with you and, if you are still fond of her, she will become your bride," my step-father says with a look of excitement on his face.
"WHAT! I'm only 18! How am I supposed to find the right girl in one night? Have you even thought that these girls will be torn away from their families for a year and only one of them will be chosen while the others go home crying? This is ridiculous!" I yell at my parents, my sea-green eyes blazing. My mother's smile only falters slightly.
"Percy, I thought you would be happy about this. Besides, the girls will be too caught up thinking about whether or not they will marry you and will forget their homes for the time being. I have already ordered our advisors to choose the most attractive throughout the kingdom and they are already on their way here," my mother says firmly.
I run my hand through my jet-black hair and sigh, "I just feel bad for the girls who aren't going to be chosen at all to even come to the palace. Whatever. I guess just have to deal with it," I say in a quiet voice.
"Don't worry, Percy. This will all work out in the end. You will have a beautiful bride, a nice castle to live in, and a whole kingdom to rule over," my father reassures me.
"Okay, dad. I'm going to get ready for when the girls come. Bye," I say with a sigh as I walk out of the throne room to the beach, the only place I find comfort. This is going to be a long six months.
As I'm sitting on the beach waiting for the girls to come wearing a white shirt with a black jacket over it and black jeans and converse, I take out my phone to tell the guys what my parents told me.
(Percy, Nico, Beckendorf, Grover)
Hey guys. I have some news for you.
-P
Wht up Perce?
-N
Yea?
-G
Wat up dude?
-B
My parents just told me that they r takin da prettiest girls throughout da kingdom and they r going 2 stay here for 6 months to train as princesses. Then, I have 2 choose 1 girl at a ball 2 stay for 6 more months. By the end of dat, if I still like them, I get 2 marry them.
-P
WOAH!
-G
No way!
-B
Lucky dude!
-N
I no, but I don't think im lucky. Your girlfriends might come, but don't worry, I won't choose them, but they might be disappointed.
-P
Hey! If u pick Thalia, I'll kick ur butt
-N
Watever man. Thx for not choosing Silena.
-B
I have a feelin u wouldn't have chosen Juniper anyway.
-G
Sure Nico. Well I gotta go guys. The girls r here. See ya ltr. Txt u with updates.
-P
Good luck man. Please tell me if Silena is there 2.
-B
Bye Perce. Tell me if u see Juniper!
-G
Hey! I can totally beat u up! Nvrmnd, tell me if Thalia is there.
-N
I wait in front of the door to the throne room where all of the girls are and hear my parents informing the girls about what's going to happen while they're here. Then I hear Aphrodite's perky voice saying that she will be their 'mom' for the next six months, training them to become a proper princess… blah, blah, blah. I zone out until I heard my name being said and I know that's my cue to walk in. The castle guards push open the doors for me and I walk in.
The sea of heads is overwhelming and they all turn towards me as I walk in. All of their faces look very attractive with green, blue, brown eyes and brown, blonde, black, and red hair. I make a mental note to avoid the redheads. There are squeals coming from all the girls and they all have similar expressions with their smiles and excited faces, but one girl standing in the front of the crowd stands out as I stand beside my parents on their thrones.
The girl had honey blonde hair that curled like a princess's with tan skin and a curvy athletic figure. Her high cheekbones and luscious lips bring out her most lovely feature, her intelligent looking grey eyes. She's glaring at me for some strange reason and her lips are turned in a frown.
She's the girl from my dream!
She notices me looking at her and I give her a small smile, but she rolls her eyes and looks away. Her friends standing around her whisper in her ear, but she shakes her head. Her friends are the girls I immediately recognize as the guys' girlfriends. Thalia Grace, a pretty Goth girl, Silena Beauregard, a very attractive blonde, and Juniper Woods, a pretty brunette. The girls look perfect for the guys.
"And ladies, here is my son I am sure you all know as Perseus Orion Jackson. You will most likely see him walking around the halls of the castle and you will see him at the ball in six months' time, of course," my mother says with a smile. I also smile at the crowd of girls and some of them swoon. I can't believe I have to meet with all of these girls individually in one night.
"Hello ladies. Welcome to my home. I hope that you enjoy your time here for the next six months and I am looking forward to meeting with you at the ball," I say, then give them a smile. My mother and step-father then ask Aphrodite to show the girls to their sleeping quarters and as the girls are walking out of the throne room, I can't help but watch the girl from my dream. I need to talk to her. I just have to.
As Percy watches the girl walk out, he doesn't notice another pair of eyes watching him angrily from behind a curtain that would soon bring him trouble…