Disclaimer: PJO does not belong to me.
Thalia and Grover walked in on them in that position, trapped in each other's comforting embrace as they dreamt of a world miles away from their own. It took some time for the two servants to absorb the sight before them, not at all as scandalized as they should have been. This was something they would get used to seeing when their masters would finally be wed.
The two made idle conversation as they exited Lady Annabeth's bedchambers, hoping that they didn't attract too much attention with what they were talking about. There were just some people who would do anything for a good gossip and they'd rather not risk their best friends' reputation like that.
The King just so happened to pass by when Grover mentioned his only child's name, stopping dead on his tracks only to return to the two servants he trusted deeply with the lives of his heirs. "Do you know where Perseus is? There are some urgent matters to attend to and it's crucial to have my son present."
"Oh…" The manservant stuttered stupidly, rubbing the back of his neck as sweat accumulated in his body. "M-my Lo-lord, Percy… he's k-kind of… um… busy r-right now."
"Whatever he is doing is more important than the needs of the kingdom?" Poseidon said in surprise, although secretly finding amusement in Grover's squirming. "I have to speak with him, where is he?"
Thalia decided to step in this time, feeling bad for her friend. "He's with Lady Annabeth, sire." She answered with confidence, "They are asleep as of the moment."
"Hmm, I believe that is quite a difficult choice to make. Alas, this is something that he has to wake up for. Grover, do you mind bringing a conscious Percy to the throne room. There are some people he should be meeting."
Both of the commoners bowed as the King exited, looking at each other nervously once they were left alone. "I can't wake them up!" Grover moaned out in guilt as he thought of committing such a horrid act.
"Well you have to, Goat boy." The maid gave him a small pat on the back for support, accompanying him on the trip back to the room holding the sleeping couple. "I'll be right here so don't hesitate to scream when Annabeth decides to kill you." The thought of a murderous princess brought goosebumps on the darker skinned man, hands shaking as he reached for the door handle.
Fortunately for him, the prince was already awake. He was resting on his side, watching as his beloved slept comfortably against him. He seemed mesmerized by her beauty but didn't dare do anything to soil her innocence. Percy was certainly an admirable man for having self-control that bested many priests in the convent.
Grover suddenly felt so… evil… for ruining such a precious moment. He hoped he could make it up to his master in the future. "My lord, I am deeply sorry for bothering you but your father is requesting your presence in the throne room."
"Can't it wait?" He asked sadly, his grip on Annabeth tightening considerably as if to make a point.
"I'm afraid not." The servant's heart dropped to his feet as he watched the Prince untangle himself from the sleeping maiden, bending over just to place a kiss on her forehead.
"Tell her when she wakes to meet me in the palace library. I will be joining her shortly."
Grover nodded and his shoulders slumped, watching as the princess tossed and turned in her bed at the loss of her groom. "I'm sorry, Percy."
"It's not your fault, my friend. Responsibilities are sometimes just more important." He smiled reassuringly, the kind of smile that would normally make any person smile in return. This only made Grover's frown deepen.
Percy had his hands behind his back as he strode towards the throne room, hoping that whatever his dad needed him for was actually important enough that he had to leave the woman he loved. He wondered if Annabeth was already awake and waiting for him.
With a heavy heart, he pushed open the double doors leading to the throne room.
He was met with the sight of two strangers arguing at the very center, his father exhaustedly watching them throw insults at each other. The woman was rather beautiful with chocolate brown hair pinned up in a mixture of neatly done braids, eyes changing from one color to another.
The person she was fighting with was shorter than her by a few inches and had a rather lanky build. His dark brown curls were a mess on his head and brown eyes focused on his companion. "Father, do you mind making some introductions?"
At the sound of his voice, the visitors stopped talking completely. The woman blushed in embarrassment as she covered her face with a handkerchief, giving a small curtsy at the prince. The man, on the other hand, was more bashful and decided to wrap an arm around Percy's shoulder, as if they had been friends forever.
"Ah yes, my son," Poseidon sighed in relief, walking over and greeting his heir with a hug. "I would like you to meet Lord Leo and Lady Piper, the children of Duke Hephaestus and Duchess Aphrodite from Olympus."
Percy's nose scrunched at the name, remembering all the terrible memories he had at that place. In fact, he should be fetching his mother any time now. All previous discontent washed away, though, as he politely made his way towards Piper, reaching for her hand and placing a small kiss at the back of it.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," He stood straight and nodded once at Leo, "Both of you." His gaze moved to his father then, a pleading look in his eye. "Is this all you want me for?"
"Actually, I have assigned you to keep them company for the rest of their stay here. I hope you don't mind." For a moment, the Prince was silent and then he sighed a pained sigh, giving the king a frustrated look as he clenched his fists.
"No, father, I don't mind at all." He said this calmly but the nearest goblet of water exploded.
After gesturing for the servants to take the visitors' bags, he headed straight for the library. His mood was still plenty sour but it soon alleviated when he reminded himself that he was a prince now and he needed to do what was right for the kingdom. He hoped that he didn't have to sacrifice so much in his future duties but he knew he wouldn't be so lucky.
Annabeth was patiently waiting for him on one of the padded seats, legs crossed and eyes fixed on the contents of a large leather-bound book. The creaking of the doors signaled someone's entry and she immediately looked up only to see the same sea-green eyes she fell in love with, together with two other pairs who were unfamiliar to her.
Almost as if on cue, the one with the elfish features made his way towards her and extended a hand. She took a quick glance at her prince and he shrugged nonchalantly, managing a small mischievous smile that made her heart leap in her chest. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure to meet your acquaintance, kind sir." She mused as she allowed him to help her up.
"My name, milady, is Leo, son of Duke Hephaestus of Olympus." He kissed her hand and flashed what could have been a seductive smile if it was given to the right person. "And you?"
"Princess Annabeth of Athens." She stated with pride, moving her gaze towards Percy and bit her lip. "And future Queen of Atlantis."
At the mention of her last title, Leo took a decent step backward. He shifted nervously in his place, cheeks red and eyes downcast. How was he supposed to know that the woman she was flirting with was already engaged to be married? "Ah, yes."
Annabeth heard a small giggle from the doorway and she almost forgot that there was another person waiting. "I'm Piper, Leo's sister." She was a lot more casual than her sibling, pulling the princess into a friendly hug. "Oh it's an honor to finally see you in person!"
"I've heard plenty of stories about you, as well, Piper." The blonde princess giggled as she gracefully made her way towards her betrothed, greeting him with a small peck on the lips.
The two foreigners shifted in discomfort until the brown haired woman decided to say something else to keep the awkwardness at bay. "All good things, I hope."
"Of course." Annabeth answered, giving Piper a small wink that no one but the receiver saw. "Wouldn't it be ideal to give you a tour of the castle first? Perseus?"
The Prince had been so mesmerized by the goddess in his arms that he nearly missed the statement, blushing sheepishly as he nodded. "Yes, I believe that would be nice." He cleared his throat and headed to the door, gesturing for Thalia and Grover to follow them.
"Thalia," Piper asked, a small frown forming on her lips. "Why do I feel like I have seen you before?"
The maidservant's electric blue eyes widened to the size of gold coins, blabbering out unintelligible words as she tried to get over her shock. Grover and Annabeth looked at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, not really understanding why she was making such a big deal out of the question. "I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else, milady." Thalia replied in a low, anxious voice.
"But your eyes…." The Duchess' daughter continued stubbornly, "Your eyes remind me of someone's"
Annabeth decided to save her friend from further humiliation, placing a hand on Piper's shoulder. "There are plenty of people in the kingdom who have blue eyes."
"Yes, I believe so." She still wasn't convinced, though. There were certain attributes that distinguish one royal family from the other and it was mostly related to eye color. No one in the world have a shade of blue like that except for King Zeus. It was very much like how Prince Perseus and King Poseidon were the only ones who have irises the color of the ocean.
But if her suspicions were correct, what would the Lost Princess of Olympus be doing as a maidservant to the Princess of Athens?
"I apologize, milady, but I am getting rather uncomfortable with your staring." Thalia admitted, knowing full well that someone already recognized her. She had to be very careful now or else she would have to return to that hellhole she never considered home.
Percy had been watching the whole exchange silently, observing the maid fully for the very first time since his arrival. For a moment, the face of King Zeus appeared before him before it returned to Thalia's pale, freckled features. "I've been meaning to visit Jason for a while now." The prince said casually, a smile quirking in his lips when he saw the servant jump.
"But my lord," Thalia stammered, "Why would you request for the company of my brother?"
"I've been looking for a decent combat opponent and have been hearing rumors about a man named 'Saving Grace'. He claims to be the greatest fighter in the land and it was a challenge I certainly cannot refuse. Lead us to him, Thalia."
The murderous intent present in the maid's eyes spoke a thousand words. Yes, they were certainly hiding something. But she couldn't really refuse a direct order from a Prince and merely nodded, head bowed meekly as she led him to the courtyard.
A tall, blonde boy with handsome features and muscular build was sharpening the swords left after practice. When he thought no one was watching, he started twirling the three foot long steel weapon and making jabs and blocks at some invisible person. Percy had to admit that he was rather good and well trained, save for the messy attacks every once in a while.
"Jason Grace," The Prince called out, his pen in between two fingers as he approached Thalia's brother. "I challenge you to a duel."
"Your majesty, I am a mere commoner and am not deserving to be your opponent." He bowed in respect but couldn't help but feel attracted to the brunette standing beside the princess.
Perseus regarded the man before him for a moment before he came to a conclusion. He and his sister did not belong here. "In all honesty, my friend, I see you as a rather endearing fighter. You could make a valuable knight if you only had a noble background."
Jason stood straight and cocked his head to the side, "But I do not. My parents died when I was very young and they were certainly nowhere near wealthy enough to gain a regal status."
"I'm afraid you gave me the wrong answer." The Prince ignored the strangled gasp that came from the audience. "I do not tolerate liars, Jason. It couldn't have been a coincidence that you have the eyes of King Zeus."
At this, the man turned pleadingly to his sister. Fear and horror replaced his usually cool and collected façade. Even Annabeth started to doubt the stories her best friend told her. "I don't know what you're talking about, sire." Even when his insides were threatening to explode, he still kept his voice smooth. His body language obviously gave away everything.
"You're still lying." Percy was circling him now, a trail of water following him as he walked. This only made him even more intimidating.
A lightning bolt appeared from nowhere and hit a nearby tree. The onlookers jumped in surprise but the male heirs weren't fazed. "Your temper got the best of you, my friend." Poseidon's son said tauntingly, "You should learn to control it better. Wasn't that what you were arrested for?"
"How did you find out?" This was said through gritted teeth and clenched fists, exasperation present in his lightning like eyes.
The Prince of Atlantis chuckled, "I'm not an idiot, Jason. I've been a victim to your father's corrupted rule. Just because he had powers he thought he was a god, that everyone around him was not good enough. That's why you and Thalia left, right? Because you were sick and tired of seeing innocent people suffer." There was a sort of sadness in his tone now, his gaze faraway as he stared at the angry looking sky. It was going to rain soon.
"My mother died a few months after I was born and dad had never been the same. He took advantage of his abilities and would kill those who told him that there are others out there who can control different elements, like you and your father. Thalia thought that we would be fine, that nothing would happen to us until my father remarried." The Lost Prince sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
Thalia took a step forward, a frown on her lips. "Our stepmother was cruel and tried to get rid of us because she said that we weren't her children. She tried to sell Jason as a slave and I… I lost it. I killed her accidentally, electrocuted her and it was horrible. We ran away like that, without even packing anything. I was twelve, Jason was eight."
"We used all the money we had on us to go here, to Atlantis. Poseidon found us starving in the streets and took us in, said that we could live in the palace for as long as we want. He didn't know who our real identities are and we decided not to tell him because he might bring us back to Olympus."
The first droplets landed on Thalia's tear stained face. It was light, almost soothing for the first minute of silence and then hit them with an almost painful force. Annabeth was soaked but she didn't care as she ran towards her best friend, sobbing silently on her shoulder. Piper walked slowly to the Princes, bottom lip quivering in an attempt to hold in all the emotion.
For a moment, Jason just stared at Perseus. He was unsure whether or not he should hate him for letting him remember all those painful memories he chose to let go of but then a part of him wants to thank the heir of Atlantis for actually helping him acknowledge the fact the he, too, is a Prince and had a birthright to claim once his father was gone.
"I apologize for the horrible first impression." The hydrokinetic stated, smiling as he extended a hand for the other man to shake. Thankfully, Jason accepted his offer and his grip was firm against his. "Can we start over?"
"No, no." The 'Saving Grace' stated with a chuckle. "I would like to remember this as a first meeting from now on. It's very unique."
"Ah yes, but you're forgetting that you are talking to a very unique person." It took a while but the two soon formed a brotherhood-like friendship, something that will certainly benefit the kingdoms in the future.
The constant thundering indicated that the rain has yet to stop but Annabeth couldn't feel the downpour anymore. She lifted her head from the crook of Thalia's neck, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she looked up only to be met by an invisible water shield. "Oh gods." She breathed out in amazement, realizing that the shield extended to the entire castle.
Lady Annabeth was sure she looked like a mess but she found Percy's gaze and she felt like the most beautiful woman existing. This must be how it felt like to be irrevocably in love with someone. She almost continued with the waterworks again as she felt his large palm against the skin of her face, soft lips meeting button nose. "I love you," She sighed as she relaxed in his grip.
"And I, you, my Princess." He returned with utmost sincerity and passion.
That day, new relationships were formed and others blossomed almost perfectly.