Disclaimer: PJO does not belong to me.
Perseus had awoken from another blissful night, green eyes slowly adjusting to the bright sunlight that managed to pass through the drapes. He sat up slightly, examining his surroundings only to be met with the face of a goddess.
Annabeth was still peacefully dreaming, mumbling his name every now and again with different tones of voice. She would shift closer to his arms and nuzzle her face on his neck as if she was trying to mould herself against him, something he was sure she was already very much successful at.
His father told him that they were expecting a visitor from Elysium, a kingdom far south ruled by a man named Hades. Unlike any other places where foreigners were mostly welcome, you have to prove yourself worthy before they let you in. The people there live content, comfortable lives for the King was just and merciful (except for some extreme cases).
Elysium and Atlantis had an alliance that lasted for more than a century, an impressive feat indeed. There were many times when it was threatened to be broken but they eventually resolved it without doing any drastic measures.
But that was beside the point.
Lord Leo and Lady Piper have decided to extend their stay to another month. Of course, that was to be expected when Prince Jason of Olympus just so happened to fall in love with the Duke's daughter. No one but the teenagers knew the truth behind the Grace siblings so they would never understand it if they saw any public display of affection. It would have been dubbed as a scandal by most housewives and would definitely ruin Piper's reputation.
The five of them (plus Grover sometimes) would always be seen together, unless they were performing duties in which they couldn't possibly refuse. Although there were some mishaps every once in a while, such as the time where Percy and Jason decided to argue about something where it led to a battle of lightning and water once again and a half-destroyed meadow or that time when Leo decided that he was attracted to Thalia only to be electrocuted enough to have his hairs stand up on end for an hour.
King Poseidon, too, noticed the friendship forming between the noblemen and the servants. He didn't know whether or not he should confront his son about his unusual relationships but then realized how idiotic the idea seemed seeing that equality and freedom were one of the most important rules of the kingdom. Perseus can do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.
The arrival of Prince Nico was announced at noon, just after their meal.
The trip to Atlantis from Elysium was perilous so the King understood well why he brought companions with him. Princess Hazel was at his side, wearing a tunic and leggings with her dark, curly hair braided to keep it from falling to her face. Her body language was on the defensive but her golden eyes were calm and warm.
Lord Frank, on the other hand, was a little more relaxed. His light armor was well polished and sword was secured perfectly on his side. His large, muscular figure was intimidating enough but the infant-like features seemed too innocent for a knight.
Behind the three stood a massive, jet black dog with blood red eyes and piercing teeth. She was on all fours, growling at any stranger who got too close to her. Her bark shook the entire castle and each step was enough to make the ground quake. "Down, girl." Nico called soothingly, placing a palm on her side.
"Your majesty, if you will allow me, I would like to present a gift for your prince to celebrate his return." He gestured to the hound and Percy raised an eyebrow before smiling.
Poseidon turned to his son, watching in amusement as the sea-green eyes that perfectly matched his were glistening with awe. "Perseus, do you accept?"
Said Prince nodded once, trying to keep his collected face on for as long as possible. Without any fear present in his step, Percy strode towards the dog, hand outstretched and gaze not faltering once. In return, the animal stared back at him, wondering whether or not she could trust her new owner. "Does she have a name?" Nico shook his head at the question, his lip threatening to move upwards at the pure innocence that the King's son exhibited.
"You will be Lady O'Leary." Percy stated with finality, scratching her behind the ear and laughing hard when she licked him happily.
"That's a rather unusual name for a dog, sire." Grover commented whilst trying to muffle his inevitable chuckle.
Perseus merely smiled, "She's an unusual pet." He replied nonchalantly, "But it suits her, don't you think?"
Everyone present at the moment agreed without hesitation, already accepting Lady O'Leary as part of the family. Percy could only imagine how Blackjack would be reacting to his new friend. It was humorous how vivid his vision already was.
Annabeth was introduced to the hound as well, mostly because her betrothed insisted but she secretly did want to meet the newest member of the guard. At first, Lady O'Leary resisted and growled in defense but the look on her new owner's face indicated that it was alright.
It was more than safe to say that the Prince very much enjoyed his present.
Nico had been watching the interaction between the foreigners and his colleagues from a distance. It wasn't that he didn't want to make any new friends here. He just didn't feel as comfortable with them as his sister does. If anything, he's been aiming to properly introduce himself to the maiden with the stunning blue eyes at Princess Annabeth's side. But the Prince of Elysium always had a problem with expressing his emotions properly. With his luck, he might even worsen their nonexistent relationship by making the worst possible first impression.
It was only when Perseus approached him with a friendly smile when he finally felt at ease. "Hello, Nico." The son of water greeted happily, clearly opposing the disapproving frown present on the other heir's face.
Nico merely nodded in reply. His interested gaze was still on the maidservant although he did manage a small, almost unnoticeable, glance towards the person he is conversing with. "Why don't you join us for a drink?" Percy asked as politely as possible, hoping that his discomfort didn't show in his features. "Lady Thalia would surely appreciate it if you would."
The attraction between the prince and the maid was almost palpable and Perseus was smart enough to catch up on it. It surely brought a pleased smile to his face when he saw his companion turn to the color of ripe tomatoes. "I hope it is alright…"
"I was the one that asked, my friend." His laughter was audible to anyone close-by and Annabeth felt herself sigh. "Come, you have to meet everyone."
"And if they don't accept me?" Nico questioned, a slight fear screaming at him from the back of his head. He was used to being rejected by the others his age. What makes this group so different?
Percy glanced at him briefly, an eyebrow raised and the corner of his lip tugged upward. "You will never know unless you try, am I right?" For a brief moment, Nico hesitated. He did not belong in this world. He will gain nothing from being here. And yet, why does he feel that social companionship was much more important than any other treasures in the world? His kingdom was rich with gemstones and yet that was nothing compared to what he might be able to have now. What will he lose?
That was the very first time the prince of darkness was fully accepted by his peers. He had never felt so comfortable in another's presence before and was glad that he made friends on this trip to a land he wasn't looking forward on going to the first time. He would have to thank his father for this.
There was a dinner in honor of the Elysium guests. Knowing Poseidon, he was a rather enjoyed large celebrations even for the little things. This, of course, did not mean that the tax money allotted for the improvement of the kingdom was spent on preparations. The king will never turn anywhere near corrupt, not like Zeus who did not care anymore about his people.
Lord Frank had formed a small rivalry against the Duke's son. How could he not when he found Leo flirting with his betrothed? If that wasn't bad enough, there was plenty of name-calling that happened between them until it came to the point where the Perseus had to interfere to keep the peace. Hazel, of course, being the center of the argument, agreed to dance with both her fiancé and suitor.
The Prince of Atlantis watched contentedly from his throne, hands entwined with his beloved's as people from all social statuses mingled before them. Sometimes, a brave soul would approach the podium and create conversation between any of the members of the royal family. More often than not, a young woman would come to Percy, giggle profusely and return to her original place. Annabeth had been disturbed about this at first but she eventually found it as amusing as her lover does. Percy was, after all, as much of a tease as his father.
The night was young and the less sober adults turned bolder. The teenagers regrouped in the far corner of the venue, laughing quietly to themselves as they watched more and more commoners approaching the king as if they made a bet on who could annoy Poseidon the most.
It was Jason who convinced his peers to head outside. The chattering had turned plenty louder to the point of it being uncomfortable and Thalia was very close to losing her nerves after pushing away a drunken nobleman away from her. In all honesty, the lost prince did not want to handle a murder case as of the moment. It was much too tedious of a process. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to spend more time with his colleagues, even if they would usually be seen together in the first place.
The fresh air did well on the nine youthful souls. The rose garden had always been Annabeth's favorite place in the palace and she especially enjoyed it when she was in the company of others. Who cares if her dress was tattered and stained with mud at the bottom or if her shoes lose its former glow? Strands of hair fell on her face and Perseus' coat was on her shoulders to ward off the cold. She looked towards all the other girls only to find them in the exact same state as her, some worse than others. Leo was ahead of them by a few steps, walking backwards as he told stories of his 'adventures'- only to be ruined by Piper's constant "that wasn't how it happened" and "the dragon you defeated was a toy, Repair boy".
Nico had a smile on his face, a rare occurrence coming from the usually depressed man. A tint of red was on his cheeks as Thalia leaned casually on his side, holding hands and sharing warmth.
Piper frowned, as if she suddenly remembered something unpleasant. "When the time comes and we are forced to separate ways, what would come of the relationships we formed today?"
Annabeth sighed sadly, "Hopefully, when that time does come, we will come together frequently. No one is allowed to pass off an invitation to a celebration. It is also for the sake of the alliance, after all. If the leaders are well-acquainted, or in this case near-brothers, surely the conflicts that happens in-between kingdoms wouldn't be as bad as it is."
"I can't believe we'd be thinking about the welfare of an entire population, especially when we're all so used to making decisions based on our selfish desires. I don't want to be the ruler who ruins the perfect civilizations my ancestors strived to build for centuries already." The son of lightning sighed, pulling his beloved closer to him. He was afraid of losing her just as much as Thalia was terrified of letting her newfound lover go.
But even Percy and Nico share the same worries. They would come to power soon, once the present kings would step down due to many different reasons. One wrong move will result to the loss of many innocents. An individual choice affects collective action. They have to be more aware of the choices presented to them, consider and reconsider the opportunity cost and the sacrifices they would make. Even the thought of it was heavy on the heart. What if they didn't make good leaders? What if they would cause the fall of an entire century-old civilization?
"When we finally inherit the thrones," Perseus started after a moment's silence, gathering his thoughts and staring the stars in wonder. It may be too ambitious but he wished to have his own constellation, his name resonating all throughout history in the best way possible. But a man can dream. "We will never forget this night, will we?"
"Never." Jason and Nico agreed immediately, giving loving glances towards the maidens they fell hard for. Annabeth felt her cheeks heat up when she felt soft lips brush against her temple.
Percy smiled, nodding once towards his closest companions, praying to the gods that this night will never end. "Never."
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