Annabeth

The next day Annabeth woke up to dazzling bright sunlight. She squinted her eyes and turned the other side. Was it already time to get up? Hadn't her school just closed for the winter breaks? Why was her mom in her room then? She never woke her up on off days. Maybe the winter breaks were all over and it was time for school again. She had dreamt about that beautiful girl with caramel hair and that stunning boy with blue-green scary eyes. What a dream it was. She wondered if she closed her eyes again that night she would see them again... specially him.

She must not think like that. What would Luke think? Luke...!?

Annabeth threw the covers off herself and sat up too quickly. Black spots danced in front of her and she had to sit still for a few seconds to clear her sight. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the bright light she looked around and her mood fell. It was not a dream. She was really there, hundred years back in time without proper electricity or television and of course no computer or air conditioner. She saw a skinny young lady cleaning the windows. Her back was turned to Annabeth and she was wearing a washed green sweater over a long black skirt. Her skin was a lovely shade of deep olive which reflected the sunlight gracefully. Her dirty blonde hair was tied up in a tight bun.

Annabeth cleared her throat and asked her the first thing that came to her mind, " Where is Percy?"

The woman turned towards her and gave her a small smile while keeping her head bowed a little, "Sir is up in his office, madame."

Her eyes were dark blue. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Was she a noble enslaved there?

"Please call me Annabeth! What's your name?" Annabeth was analyzing the woman with curiosity. Was this the outcome of captured nobles there. They became house maids. That was not too bad.

The woman fidgeted but then looked up at Annabeth with sharp eyes. That women had been a noble all right. She still wasn't used to being ordered by the people who were not. But Annabeth guessed she was smart as she quickly averted her eyes and said, "Mildred. My name is Lady Mildred Atlas Titania. The fourteenth princess of the empire."

The last part was shot bitterly at Annabeth. She realized that Mildred was not really a women and rather a girl. She couldn't be older that twenty to twenty-three. But she hated the commoners. Annabeth wondered if she was born with the hatred or if being a maid for the ones who used to serve her before had made her paranoid.

"And who are you really Annabeth? A princess? A duchess? What position did you hold in the empire?"

Annabeth slipped out of her bed carefully and stretched. She replied without looking at Mildred.

"I am not a noble."

"You lie!" Mildred screamed. "You lie because of fear of being a slave here! You know what? I also lied when I was brought here but no one believed me! But they believe you just because you have successfully seduced the wretched master of this cursed squadron."

Annabeth turned her head slightly at Mildred and glared.

"I am not a liar and that's why I have been excepted. Nothing more."

Mildred gave a humor less laugh and said, "I am not a stupid air headed princess. But good job at seducing that heartless monster. You could bring him down as a revenge for the empire. I'll be ever ready to assist."

Annabeth's blood was boiling in her skin. She couldn't imagine herself hurting Percy and much less destroy him. He had opened up to her the day before and had saved her life so many times. The image of a dumb founded Percy after she had pecked his lips cam to her mind and she got more angry at that maid then she should have been.

"Get out. I have to use the bathroom."

"You don't order me around you-"

"I said OUT!" Annabeth sneered at Mildred.

The maid huffed a little but then picked her skirt up and walked away.

After about an hour Annabeth was out of the bath and hungry. Buckets of cold water down her head had helped her cool down a bit. She made her way across the room and her well made bed and opened the cupboard attached to the wall. She had for some reason expected to see some cloths but she was met with neatly folded white bed sheets and blankets. Annabeth looked around for her cotton hospital gown. Dread filled her when it was nowhere to be seen. Mildred must have taken it for washing. What was she going to wear? For heaven's sake she was living with a boy who was somewhere in the house. She could not walk around naked!

With great determination she stood up and pulled out a bed sheet and tied it around her chest. She was glad that it wasn't transparent. As she stepped out of her room and rounded the corner she was hoping to find another maid. Even Mildred would have been wonderful. But no. The house was completely empty, devoid of soul.

"Hey is anybody in here?" Annabeth called out.

She slowly started to climb the giant staircase and hoped for a maid to pop out of nowhere. There was no one on this floor either. There was a movement around the corner most room. Annabeth turned to look, pushing her damp hair out of her face and saw that the door to the last room was closing behind someone. It must be a maid... maybe Mildred, on cleaning duty. Annabeth flew down the hall with relief clotting her senses and opened the door and stepped in without knocking. The room was a copy of hers only a lot larger.

"Excuse me but-"

Something moved behind her and she turned to look. That was a mistake because the next thing she knew was that she was pinned against the bed in that room with her back on it. Her hands were streatched together above her head. A pair of sea green eyes were looming above her. After a heartbeat they widened in recognition and then narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" He asked smoothly.

"I was just hoping to stab you in your sleep."

"What?!"

For a moment he believed her. But when he saw her barely controlled straight lips which were just waiting to burst open with laughter he quickly released her hands. His face flushed adorably.

Annabeth couldn't help it anymore. She clutched her stomach and laughed. Percy still had her caged in with his hands on either sides of her but she had long before checked him out of the dangerous list.

"Seriously. Why are you here?"

"Oh- I" Annabeth cleared her throat to stop laughing and looked back up at him, "I need to borrow some cloths."

Percy stiffened. He slowly moved his eyes away from hers and slid his gaze down her body. Annabeth suddenly felt very self conscious of her self. He had seen more of her than the bed sheet let him but this time something was different. Last time he was not looking and this time he was trying not to look but failing? Annabeth crossed her legs beneath her bed sheet instinctively. Percy slowly moved off her and went for his cupboard. Annabeth lay there, stunned and embarrassed. Her body was feeling hot in spite of the winter morning. But Annabeth just couldn't shake the way Percy had looked at her. His eyes had been raging like wild sea waves and had been very hot... very. He had never looked at Calypso or Bianca or Reyna or even at her like that in the last few hours she had known him. Then what had changed about her? Was it because she had kissed him? She couldn't have been the first one to have kissed him surely and even if she had it was barely a peck.

Percy came back and peered down at her. His guard was up again and his eyes were perfectly in control.

"Here," He tossed some cloths at her and continued, "Get off my bed."

With a jolt Annabeth was up and walking towards the door.

"I'll ask a maid to put some cloths in your room and a tailoring machine just in case." He said quietly as her fingers wrapped around the handle of the door. Annabeth nodded and pushed the door open. As she was about to close the door behind her she turned slightly and looked him up. He was wearing a white button down shirt with their sleeves rolled up and cream colored bottoms rolled up to his knees. His hair was a mess as usual. He was picking up some stack of papers from the floor. He must have dropped them when he had charged at her. Her eyes traveled to his bandaged arm and noticed that it had been changed. He must have taken a bath then. The wrap around his arm made him look thin. He was indeed lean but only a few kilos away from being skinny.

"How is your arm?" Annabeth breathed.

"Better." He said while still looking at the papers.

Annabeth nodded and just as she was about to shut the door he turned his head slightly towards her and smiled at her. Annabeth gasped. It was a full smile which reached his eyes and made them sparkle a bit.

"Thank you Annabeth."

Annabeth nodded again, turned around and fled.

Annabeth walked around the second squadron in Percy's grey buttoned up shirt and half khakis. She was mostly finding a place where she could eat. She should have asked Percy if there was anything in the house but the idea had been disarming. She was sure that he was not going to smile at her like that again. But still...

She needed to steer clear of him to straighten her mind. He was good looking and some what nice to her and was making her feel all fuzzy without meaning to. Annabeth was sure that all that really mattered to him were his squadron, this war and their survival and victory. Yeah he could make people like Reyna fall for him but he would not fall for them because he was knee deep in horrors and problems, issues and responsibilities. He didn't think like the normal teenage guys in her school and definitely not like Luke.

The thought of Luke made her reject the coffee shop she had seen a minute ago. Luke was a wimp. He didn't know what it was like to not be free. He didn't know how it was to be alone and scared and terrified. If he had been there with her, Annabeth wondered if he would have been different. That maybe he would have done her justice.

The smell of freshly cooked bread made Annabeth's mouth water. She was standing in front of a bakery. She had sauntered off towards the gate, skipping over the narrow streams and yelling kids and merry people. None of them had been hostile yet. Maybe having one of the three great leaders as your personal guardian had its perks.

She stepped into the bakery and sniffed again. Yes. The smell of fresh breads and cakes was still there. It brought water to her mouth. The place was a small dimly lit shop with empty benches and tables at one side and a counter on the other. And old bald man with an apron tied around his west smiled at Annabeth as she walked towards the glass display of the counter. In wooden racks there were cakes and muffins and breads of different shapes and sized.

Annabeth swallowed and pointed at a bread shaped like a star covered with chocolate and said, "I would like to have that."

"Sure hon!" The brown eyes of the man sparkled happily as he scooped it out from the tray. His skin was the same color as the delicious chocolate on the star bread.

"That would be fifty dollars! You want to eat it here or take it with you?"

"Hmm..."

She wouldn't be doing either. She didn't have money. How could she have not noticed that before? Could time travel effect your brain this drastically. Or was it Mr stunning and stupid Percy Jackson.

"Here you go! Add one more and serve there."

The man chuckled as he took the money from above Annabeth's head and got to work. Annabeth turned around to see a boy with an eye patch staring shyly at the ground. His other black eye was the exact same color as his slightly long hair. He was dressed in loose grey pants and an orange full knitted sweater too big for his skinny frame.

"You don't have to-"

Annabeth started but her stomach growled. She looked down in embarrassment, her cheeks tinted pink. That was humiliating.

"It's okay." The guy gave a breathy laugh, "I thought you didn't have the money. I was right wasn't I?"

"Yes." Annabeth said in a small voice.

"Then it's totally fine Miss Chase. Join me for the bread? I am Ethan Nakamura."

Annabeth followed him to the back of the shop and settled down on a bench opposite to his. She slowly looked up and noticed that he was rather paleand not too tall like Percy but taller than her. Why was she comparing a stranger to Percy anyway?

"Thank you Eth- I mean Mr. Nakamura." Annabeth quickly corrected herself. That slip up made her feel more like an idiot.

"It's okay. Call me Ethan, Miss Chase."

"And you call me Annabeth." Annabeth smiled.

Just then they were served with hot breads and mugs of warm water.

"Anything else? The shopkeeper asked."

Ethan looked at Annabeth who shook her head.

"That's all. Thank you Jack."

"Enjoy!" With that the old man Jack went back to his counter. Annabeth wondered where the kitchen was.

"So how are you finding it here Annabeth?" Ethan asked as he nibbled the pointed end of the star.

"I am really fine. The second squadron is beautiful." Annabeth took a large bite, "Tis soo gwad!" She said with her mouth full.

Ethan smiled at her and continued to eat his bread.

After a moment he asked, "There is going to be a feast outside the rebel compound today. Would you mind accompanying me?"

By feast did he mean a party? Annabeth didn't do parties.

"I am sorry Ethan but I don't think it's a really good idea for me to go." She pulled her hair to emphasize.

"Don't you think if you mingle with the rebels they would except you more?" Ethan chewed the last piece of his bread and brushed his hands on his pants.

He had a point.

"You say that this party is outside the compounds. I don't know these forests well. I won't be able to come anyway."

Ethan put his elbows on the tables and cupped both his cheeks with his hands, "I could meet you here at sundown, that is, at eighteen hours"

Annabeth thought about this for a moment. He was insisting and he had bought her a bread when she was very hungry. She had to repay him somehow. And going to a party was the cheapest way.

"I think I could come then." She smiled and at Ethan in a friendly way.

Ethan got up with slightly flushed cheeks and said, "See you at sunset then... Annabeth."

"What do you want to take me of all people?" Annabeth asked as she leaned back in her seat to look at his face. She wondered what had happened to his eye.

He looked at her for a moment before replying shyly, "You're very pretty Annabeth."

Then he slowly walked to the front wooden door and left with a last lingering look at her.

Annabeth sat there and wondered if she could bring Calypso and maybe... Percy along. She had just barely heard Ethan's last comment.

"You are not going out of the compound."

Percy said without even looking at her from his desk. His office took half of the east side of the second floor and was huge with different maps of Kyte and paintings of what looked like kings without blonde hair and blue eyes. The two largest paintings were hung just behind on either sides of his chair. One was of a very pretty women with white skin and pretty wavy brown hair that went beyond her hips and the most bright blue eyes. Her smile was kind even in the painting and the heavy victorian gown made her look like a porcelain dolls. The other image was of an older version of Percy. The man in the picture had the same messed up shock of black hair and the same startling blue-green eyes. His crooked smile could break a million hearts at a glance.

And right in between them sat Percy, nose deep in hundreds of files, basked under the glory of various spoils of wars adorned like trophies and mementos. A big open window let in the fresh ocean breeze ruffling their hair gently. Annabeth could see the blue ocean and the faraway mountains beyond them. The mountains were a blur just like her words in Percy's ears.

"But the other rebels are going so it has to be safe right?"

"It's not." Percy had a finality to his voice whiched irked Annabeth. Why was he bossing her around? She had just come to inform him not ask him!

"Why not?" Annabeth scowled.

"Because I say it's not." Percy said in a low smooth voice without looking up.

"Look at me when you are speaking!"

"Can't. I'm working." Percy pointed his chin towards more files on his desks while reading the one he had in his hand... still not looking at her.

"Fine!" Annabeth bellowed as she walked out of his big office.

"Fine what?" Percy called after her, Annabeth was sure, while signing his file and not looking at her.

"Just fine!" she called back.

If he was going to be a jerk about it, she would just have to leave on her own accord. She had also asked Calypso who had eagerly said that she would also go. She had also promised to help Annabeth pick her dress as all she had got from Percy were white or grey buttoned down full shirts and black pants of different colors and lengths and a few khakis. He had also given her two simple grey sweaters and a pair of brown leather boots. Everything he had got her were a size or two bigger but apart from that they were good.

Two hours before sundown Annabeth sneaked out of the island on a wooden raft and rowed to Calypso's tiny one. It was close by but very different from Percy's. It had little wild forest cover but most of it was a planned beautiful garden with roses, lilies and all sorts of other flower beds along with palm tree barriers and Calypso's cabin roof was covered with tendrils of morning glories. There were little bird baths here and there and different kind of birds too.

Annabeth found Calypso tending to one of the silver flower plants beside her cabin. Her hair was tied back and her white straight frock was muddy like her bare feet and hands.

"Did you do these all by yourself?" Annabeth asked in awe. She had never been into gardening but even she knew that it would take years and a large number of people to turn an island, no matter how much small, into a full blown pretty garden.

"It took some time." Calypso replied with a blush.

"Okay. Now get cleaned up or we'll miss it." Annabeth nudged Calypso's muddy side with her knee playfully.

"Ah yes! Come inside."

Calypso's cabin was a modest place with a pantry having a dining table, a small cozy living room with chimes and toys and two bed like sofas and an armchair. Then there was the bedroom attached to the bathroom. It was nothing big either. It had a small fourposter with toys on it and a large window overlooking the ocean and Percy's island. Annabeth felt a stone sinking in her stomach as she looked at his island. She could almost see him working and wondering how much he should ask the cook to make for both of them. Her stomach clenched at the thought of him. She was missing a dinner with Percy to go to a party. She wondered if she should walk out of there and go back to her room on Percy's first floor.

No she couldn't. She had to meet new people and she didn't like to be told what to do at any cost. She would go to the party without Percy and try to get accepted. She had to start a life without his help because their setting was not eternal. She flung open the doors to Calypso's closet and looked at her collection of dress.

It was time to get ready.

How was this chapter guys? I am sorry for late update but my big exams are off the hook now and I have little over two and a half month before next semester! Ain't that awesome? Please tell me how the chapter was!