At the break of dawn, the royal couple continued with their journey back to their home. The faint light coming from the rising sun did very little to illuminate their path through the thick forest. Their cheeks were still tinted pink from the biting cold that came with the winter season and Perseus concluded that the longer they were outside the safety of the Atlantis walls, the lesser their chances of survival.
Blackjack had difficulty maneuvering through the trees without slowing his pace. For all they knew, the Olympian knights were already following their faint tracks after their search last night.
A spear embedded itself to the nearest tree trunk, cackling with electricity and burning most of the wood in the process. The Prince's eyes widened but never once did he look back. He feared that he would be facing the one person he loathed when he still lived in Olympus. He only knew one person who possessed such a powerful weapon.
A small whimper took his attention. Fear engulfed him as he turned his head slightly to catch sight of blood dripping down his beloved's arm. "Annabeth, can you hear me?" He asked her, hoping that she hadn't fallen unconscious yet.
She nodded against his tunic, her hood covering most of her face. "Listen to me very carefully, my love." He gave her careful instructions in order for him to heal her while they were still being chased. Even if Blackjack was forced to slow down momentarily, Perseus was sure that whoever was chasing them would not be able to draw near enough.
She poured the water onto her wound with shaking hands, almost dropping the container once or twice in the process. The horse neighed worriedly once he felt his side being coated with a warm, thick liquid that was not his own. The prince held her hand as she experienced the initial pain and he would not have allowed her to suffer as much if it was not crucial in the process.
His attention remained solely in healing his princess. He did not pay attention to the arrows shooting past them, nor did he care about the angered calls of their pursuers. He didn't give a damn about his life. He was trying to keep her away from their clutches. His main objective, as of this moment and probably for the rest of his existence, was to bring Annabeth home safe.
Perseus made the mistake of looking back once. The glowing dark eyes of Clarisse La Rue stared back at him with enough frustration and hatred that it made him falter for a moment. There might have been a time when he allowed the captain's daughter to take advantage of his social status. He remembered faintly how she was the reason why he accidentally destroyed a part of Olympus.
Once his attention returned to where he was going, he immediately regretted not taking control any sooner.
His sea-green eyes met with a tall fifteen-foot rock wall covered with moss and small shrubs. It was irrationally wide and the haunting fact that they would not be able to make it around this obstacle made their stomachs drop to their feet. Blackjack pressed closer towards the hard surface and Annabeth held her breath, waiting for the impending doom that was to befall them.
The loud footfalls stopped, signaling that their pursuers were in front of them already. Clarisse's imposing figure unsaddled her horse and landed on her feet with a dull thud. She did not speak nor did she immediately unsheathe her weapon, waiting for her opponent to react to her battle stance. Perseus did not move. He chose not to provoke the beast within the dame. Annabeth tightened her grip on her dagger's hilt but her instincts told her to stay where she was.
A second passed, then a minute. No one stirred, no sound was made.
The remaining members of the hunting party turned weary. The archer at the back lowered his bow, unable to keep his draw when his arms were screaming at him for rest. Clarisse's grip tightened around the hilt of her sword, looking ready to pounce but unable to calculate whether or not she has a chance of winning the battle. She feared ruining her reputation in front of her entire squad and she cared about her image more than anything else.
Annabeth, seeing that she was completely behind her betrothed, none of the opposing forces saw her examining her surroundings in order to look for anything they could use for their non-violent escape.
"Perseus." Clarisse addressed with enough malice to fuel a war. "It has been a while."
The Prince's frown grew deeper, his grip on Blackjack's reins tightening. "Clarisse." He responded in an indifferent manner. He was not prepared for a confrontation with the bane of his existence and was rather surprised that the dame could even remember his name after so long.
"You have violated a law of Olympus. I have no choice but to apprehend you and take you in as a prisoner of the king. If you show any form of resistance, we will be forced to shoot. As of now, you are at a disadvantage." Clarisse, as she said this, was smirking malevolently. "It will not be fair for your princess if she would be dragged into this because of you."
Perseus growled deep in his throat, "You do not touch her, Clarisse. She has nothing to do with this. It is I that you want. Let Annabeth return home unharmed."
"Oh but I cannot allow that anymore, your highness." She mocked in return, faking a bow. "She is considered as an associate to your little heist and she will be sent to the dungeons with you."
For a moment, grief tugged at the Prince's heart. He should not have allowed Annabeth to come with him in such a dangerous quest. He knew that nothing good will come of it. He was now at a crossroads and whatever decision he is to make will have its consequences. Agreeing to Clarisse's terms will risk his and his betrothed's safety and freedom. Escaping, on the other hand, will eventually fuel the war between the two kingdoms for he denied the punishment he deserved.
And yet, the idea of a war against King Zeus thrilled Percy. He was sure that Olympus has no chance of winning against Atlantis when Poseidon has a great advantage over the aforementioned king. No matter how large Zeus' army will be, no matter how heavy his weaponry is, he is no match against Thalia, Jason, Nico, and Perseus combined.
Therefore, with the confidence he is known for, the Prince of Atlantis took a deep breath in order to calm himself. Using the water present in the nature around him, he formed a wall tall enough and thick enough to protect them from the onslaught of arrows and spears that their opponents threw at them. Perseus took advantage of this opening and spurred Blackjack into taking off into a run. By the time that Clarisse managed to get past the barrier, the couple will be miles ahead of them.
It was noon when Princess Annabeth and Prince Perseus reached their home. Blackjack collapsed in exhaustion the moment the two royalties dismounted him and the hydrokinetic immediately gave his pet the water he needed to rehydrate himself. It was rather strange to see the strong horse breathing heavily with every step he took. He did get the appreciation he deserved for bringing them home safely and as quickly as possible. Percy promised his loyal companion as much apples as he could eat.
Poseidon greeted his son with an embrace, completely forgetting about the rather uncomfortable air between them. Perseus had to admit that he missed being in his father's arms and enjoyed the warmth that accompanied the king. Maybe he could learn to forgive Poseidon for the mistake that he made. It was only human to give in to temptation, really, and it would be hypocritical for the Prince to say that he did not commit errors for as long as he lived.
"Father, I bring you grave news." The younger of the two stated with sadness and guilt present in his sea-green eyes. "Unfortunately, Annabeth and I encountered Clarisse, a dame of Olympus, as we were escaping. She wanted to take us prisoner for a crime I unintentionally committed. We escaped as she was walking towards us and I fear that she will return to her king and report what had happened. It might lead to war."
The King remained calm throughout his son's story, eventually planting a firm hand on Perseus' shoulder as a form of reassurance. "I see that it is not your fault, my child. You were saving your mother from the hands of her persecutors. You have committed no sin against me or your people. We are more than prepared for a war against Olympus, albeit it would rather unfortunate that we will lose a few of our resources. It is necessary to defend your and Lady Annabeth's honors. If Zeus does come and declare war upon us, then we will retaliate."
"Thank you, father, for understanding." Percy bowed in respect, a sincere smile forming on his lips. "Now, if we may be excused. We had a long night and an even longer travel. Annabeth needs her rest."
The Princess shook her head to disagree but yawned against her will. Sleeping in that cave was comfortable but the chase took a great toll on her and she wanted nothing more than to just rest her eyes after a proper bath.
Perseus directed his fiancé to her quarters and handed her to Thalia. The lost princess fussed over her mistress' appearance, giving the prince the evil eye before closing the double doors at his face.
The royal couple saw each other again an hour later. They looked close to collapse although it was a lot better since they were plenty cleaner than they were when they arrived. Just like always, Annabeth climbed onto Percy's bed and settled in between his sheets. He followed her lead and encircled her in his warmth, hoping that she will be safe in whatever will happen in the future.
Lady Isabella watched as her beloved son slept peacefully with his love at his bedside. Her tears were gathering at her eyes, a whirlwind of beautiful emotions overwhelming her motherly heart as she kissed the foreheads of her children. "May the gods be with you." She whispered solemnly before exiting the room.
She had been postponing her meeting with the king for quite some time now since she arrived the day before. She knew that she could not delay it further and decided to gather her wits and face her ultimate fears. She was strong. She needed to know what happened to her Poseidon since the day they were separated.
Sally found the king seated behind the table in his study, reading letters from allied kingdoms. Her heart leapt at her chest and fear enveloped her system. If he did not love her anymore, she will not be able to live with herself. Being called a whore in Olympus is much better than a mistress in Atlantis. "My king, I wish to speak with you." Her manners remained untainted despite her 18 years of separation from her royal life.
He lifted his eyes and his shock at seeing her face made him spill the ink beside his right hand. The black liquid spread across his table and eventually dripped down the floor. "Oh my, you are still as clumsy as I remember you to be." She teased as she took a rag from the corner and dabbed at the ink.
"Sally… I-" He was at a loss for words, unable to process the fact that the one woman she loved was right in front of her. He missed her dearly when she was away and only missed her more when Percy returned to him. His son reminded him so much of his love. "I'm sorry." He finally uttered after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.
"And what are you apologizing for?" She was scrutinizing him again, just like when they were still children. "If anything, I should be apologizing to you for taking your child away from you."
He shook his head, "No. I understand why you had to do that. If I were in your position at that time, I would have chosen the same. You do not have to apologize for anything. I, on the other hand, committed a grave sin against you, my love. While you were suffering under Zeus' heavy hand, I was giving myself the pleasure of being with another woman. The product of that mistake was Tyson."
Isabella did not say anything in response. Her head was tilted downwards as her brain slowly processed the confession. "I do not hate you for what you did, Poseidon." She whispered, her grief stealing her voice from her. "I will not hate the child for the same reason. I have been away for nearly twenty years. I did not expect for you to wait until I returned. I appreciate that you told me the truth instead of hiding it from me. You are a good man and good men deserve good wives."
"I completely agree." The King stated as he carefully took Sally's fragile hand in his much larger one. "You will make a good wife, a good queen, and a good mother, not only to Percy but to Tyson and Annabeth as well. My proposal has been delayed for two decades already and I know that I will not be as certain as I was before but I will still try because I love you with all my heart and I want our son to be given the privilege of being with both a father and a mother. Marry me, Lady Isabella and I promise you the key to my most treasured possession: my heart."
She smiled and nodded once, "I do not have to give you the key to mine for you already have it. I accept your proposal, my king, not because I know that I will be queen but because I love you and our family with everything that I am."
From the distance, hiding behind the doors were two young adults- one blonde female and one green-eyed male- shedding tears of joy to celebrate the family finally reunited.
Sorry for the late upload guys. School's been killing me. Hope you like this one. Please review and tell me what you think.