Disclaimer: PJO is not mine to claim. Please no sue.

Blackjack had been strong enough to bring them to Atlantis in one night. This also meant that his horse will be resting for a very long time and no one could possibly say otherwise. It was alright, though, for Perseus. He was sure that he will not be leaving any time soon.

The guards blocked them at the gates, staring at the mysterious stranger in front of them. Dark eyes met sea-green ones and realization dawned on the two knights, mumbling apologies as they moved away and granted the lost prince entrance.

Servants were already at his feet, fussing over his horse and his things. Perseus should learn to never announce his arrivals if it meant so many preparations were needed. But he figured that these people just missed attending to a prince seeing that there has never been one for the past eighteen years.

His clothes were stained with mud and earth and his muscles ached from riding on Blackjack for so long but there was clearly a massive smile on his face as he observed the unfamiliar surroundings. This was where he belonged. He just knew it.

A man who seemed to be an older version of him stood at the foot of the marble staircase, regarding the visitor and trying to confirm if this really was his long lost son. "Perseus?" He asked to confirm his doubts, watching for any signs of deceit.

"Father," The other man kneeled in respect, keeping his head down but grinning all the same. "I have returned."

"Indeed you have." Lord Poseidon answered in disbelief, striding to the boy gracefully and pulling him up. "Oh you're grown to such a handsome young man."

Perseus was no stranger to his physical appearance. He had caught the eye of plenty of women as he went through the streets. He had the good looks of a Roman god but the social status of an outcast.

He had long jet black hair that reached the base of his neck, usually windswept from all the rides he takes with his horse. His build was lean for he doesn't get the privilege of eating regularly but all of the heavy lifting and sword training he puts himself through had clearly made him muscular. It also helped that he swims in the lake more often than not.

"Is it true? Am I your only son?" The question caught the king off-guard and a small sigh escaped his lips.

"I'm afraid it is. Your mother was the only woman I have ever cared for and I have never given myself the ability to bed another. But Sally was afraid that you will grow up in such a hostile environment that she couldn't let you stay here. She promised me that, when the time was right, you will return to me. If I had known how Olympus had seen her, I wouldn't have let her leave." Poseidon looked ten years older than he did moments ago. His guilt was almost palpable and Percy had obviously forgiven his father already for his past mistakes. He was never one to hold grudges.

The two created idle (yet awkward) conversations. Poseidon subtly apologized, and profusely at that, while Perseus shared stories of his childhood. He wished that his father had been there with him during those many milestones.

His bedchamber was probably bigger than his mother's house, as expected. Poseidon would only want the greatest for his only heir and would never let it be less than perfect. Perseus was not used to having so much room for himself but decided to keep that inside. His father didn't need to know how uncomfortable he was in his supposed home.

"Lord Perseus," A servant bowed to him, "My name is Grover and I was assigned by the king to be your man-servant."

Grover was a dark skinned, rather skinny young man, probably a year younger than the inexperienced prince. His curly red-brown hair was a mess on his head and he always shifted nervously on his feet. But his eyes showed so much loyalty and kindness that Perseus already liked him.

Once his father was sure he was settled, he finally dropped the façade and crashed against his bed. It was much softer than what he used to lay on back in Olympus. "Grover, I don't want you to call me 'lord' or 'sire' or 'prince' or anything related to that. I don't see myself as royalty for I am merely just a servant to my people. You will call me Percy starting now until you meet your death."

"Yes, my lord. I mean, Percy." The prince smiled at his newfound friend, placing a hand on the shorter man's shoulder before leaning back on his pillows once again. "Is there anything you require?"

"No, no. I'm more than fine, thank you. You can now return to your own duties and I'd just call you if I'm feeling lonely." Perseus saw his servant nod, bowing once again before walking out the door.

He stared up at the intricately decorated ceiling, admiring the artist who had the patience to do such a masterpiece. In fact, he felt very out of place inside this castle. He has lived all of his life inside a very small yet comfortable home and now he was forced to play the part of a crowned prince and heir to a kingdom. How could he possibly take care of thousands of people when he could barely protect his mother from persecution?

He examined the clothes currently covering him, smelling the scent of earth and ocean and his mother. This was the only familiar thing that he was currently experiencing. He was ten feet tall to the eyes of those people yet he has never felt so small.

A knocking on his door snapped him out of his rather depressing thoughts. His eyes landed on the wooden barricade and sighed, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed. "Come in," He managed but it was barely audible to the ears of his visitor. Nonetheless, the door creaked to signal an entrance.

"I apologize for coming in so late, my lord. I understand that you need your sleep but I am to be your bride and I want to meet you as soon as I could." Her voice was soft but filled with confidence that it caught his attention.

Percy cocked his head to the side in confusion, "A bride? I will have a stranger that I barely know for a wife?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I am to be wedded to either you or another nobleman if you hadn't come when you did. My mother and your father have been at war for many years now and they have agreed to unite the kingdoms with a marriage." She came closer to him, hiding her face and keeping the appropriate amount of distance. Her robes barely kept her from the freezing cold of the prince's room.

"If you are to be my bride," He stated simply, a laugh managing to escape his mouth. He stood and took a step towards her, reaching out to brush away a lock of golden blonde hair that had fallen over her face. "At least tell me your name."

She met his eyes for the very first time, nearly stumbling over by the intensity of the color. She has never seen eyes as beautiful as that and that is saying plenty seeing that she had a very long line of suitors who want nothing more than to bed her. "My name, my lord, is Annabeth."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful woman." He too was caught up with her irises, entranced by the stormy gray color that called for him enticingly. "I am honored to be your husband, my lady."

Annabeth blushed for the first time in a long time, watching as her fiancé bent down to place those velvet lips on the back of her hand for a soft, brief kiss. "I know that it is rather bold of me to ask this of you, princess, but would you mind staying the night?" Her blood froze in her veins, eyes widening in both fear and surprise.

"I apologize, that came out wrong." It was now him who turned as red as tomatoes, pulling back completely and starting mumbling profanities. He took three deep breaths and stared at his feet in embarrassment. "It's just that I feel very homesick and only want the company of another person. It's alright if you refuse my offer. My man-servant would be the one to grace me with his presence."

She was rather amused by how his personality changed from the cool charming prince to a shy clumsy commoner in mere seconds. This has never really happened to her before. She has never found a man this interesting in her life yet here she is, "I don't see that disturbing Grover will be necessary, Perseus. I accept your offer for as long as your intentions as pure." It was strange how she already knew that he didn't mean to do her any harm. It was like she already trusted him with her life after mere minutes.

"Of course, Lady Annabeth. I swear it on my life." She nodded and strode gracefully towards one of the chairs, settling herself there and making sure that her position was comfortable. "If we are to be married, I want to know everything about you and you will know everything about me."

They talked as if they've known each other since birth. The sun rose and people woke yet they never stopped conversing. Annabeth felt so comfortable with him and she didn't know why. She was already convinced that this prince wasn't like anyone she knows. He has been through things that a normal nobleman would never dream of experiencing. She hid her surprise well when he mentioned about his powers but she should have expected this since Lord Poseidon did have full control over the tides.

She only realized her current state of dress when he noticed his eyes transfixed on her figure. For the fifth time, she blushed and pulled the robe closer to herself. She should commend him for his self-control. If it was any other person, they would already have her pinned to the wall and took advantage of her vulnerability yet here he was, face as red as hers and looking at anything but the beautiful goddess before him.

Perseus coughed once, standing from his seat and stumbled over to the dresser. He shuffled through his endless supply of clothing, ignoring how the different fabrics felt on his fingertips. He smiled in triumph when he found the article he was searching for, haphazardly tugging it from the hanger and throwing it to the barely clothed princess.

Since he was in front of his closet already, he should really change as well. Unaware that Annabeth was watching, he tugged his mud-stained shirt off and expertly tossed it to the hamper. Time seemed to slow down for the young woman as she stared at the half naked man in front of her, transfixed by the way his back muscles flexed and relaxed with every movement he made.

Finally, her resolve snapped and she stood up, still wearing his shirt and nearly forgetting what she would do when she was so intoxicated by the scent that currently surrounded her. "I'm sorry, my lord, but I really have to get going." She bit her lip at how pathetic she must have looked. "My maidservant will surely be worried if she doesn't see me in my room. I'll meet with you again later on."

Percy must have realized why his soon-to-be wife was so flustered because he properly dressed himself once again. "I believe you might be right." He mumbled, running a hand through his hair and giving her a sheepish crooked smile that made her swoon. "I'll be seeing you for breakfast?"

"Yes, of course." She headed towards the door, eyes still locked with his future husband. She broke the contact, however, when she reached for the handle but missed the first couple of times. "Thank you for the night."

"Annabeth, wait." He called in a fit of desperation. He made his way towards her and boldly pulled the princess in his arms, cupping her face with his strong hands and placing a soft kiss on her full, pouted lips. It was brief but the feeling of his mouth on hers gave pleasurable tingles up her spine. "Thank you for spending time with me."

She nodded, unable to formulate any proper words. She had kissed men before but it never made her melt into a puddle of goo. Did she like? Very much. Was this normal? She wasn't sure.

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