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Percy didn't know what had come over him. Maybe it was because Annabeth hadn't recognized him. Why didn't he just say he was Prince Percy? He knew why. He liked it when people didn't recognize him. Every day, it was, 'your highness this,' and, 'your highness that.' It was nice to just be a lord for once. Why had he used his mother's maiden name? Well, part of it. He'd been afraid Annabeth would recognize it if he told her Jackson. So, now he was Lord Jack. He didn't mind. There was a knock on the door.
"Your highness?" The voice on the other end of the door said.
Percy sighed. He'd come back to his chambers after the library.
"Come in," he said.
His gentleman-in-waiting, Grover came in the room.
"Your father, the King, wishes you to come to the throne room immediately."
Percy looked at him with confusion.
"What for?"
"He wasn't specific. He just wants you to come down now."
Percy sighed.
"I'll be right there. Let me put this book down."
Grover looked at the book Percy was holding.
"Where did you find that?" He asked. "I thought it was lost for good."
"Oh, Tales for Young People? Annabeth, the new head librarian found it for me."
"Oh, I think I met her the other day. How did she react, meeting Prince Percy?"
Percy squirmed a bit.
"Well, she doesn't know."
Grover stared at him.
"What do you mean, she doesn't know? Everyone knows about you."
"She's only been here a few weeks. She didn't recognize me."
"Didn't she recognize you when you said your name was Percy?"
"I didn't say that. My name is Lord Jack."
"What on Earth compelled you to... Well, never mind. The King requests your presence. We can talk about this later."
Percy followed Grover to the throne room. When they got there, Grover announced to his parents, "Your Majesties, Prince Percy."
"Thank you, Mister Underwood," Percy's dad, the King, said. "That will be all."
Grover left the room.
"You asked me to come down here?" Percy asked.
"Yes."
"What for?"
"Come, sit."
Percy sat down on his throne. What did his father want with him? Had he done something wrong? The King must have seen the worry in Percy's face because he laughed.
"You're not in trouble, son."
Percy relaxed a bit.
"Remember, the other day when I talked to you about finding a wife?"
Percy immediately stiffened again. Is this what he was talking about? Did the King want him to get married? Well, of course, he wanted Percy to get married, but so soon?
"Yes, I remember," he said.
"I'm getting older, son. I won't be able to rule forever. You're a handsome young lad and even if you weren't a prince, you would be able to find love quite easily, I should think."
"What is this about?"
"I want you to find a wife. I want you to invite eligible young women to the castle and pick from them a bride."
Percy groaned. He didn't want to find a wife. He liked being a Prince and having fun hunting and swimming in the pond. Being married meant he'd have to settle down. Then, he had an idea.
"What do you mean by, eligible young women?" He asked. "Do you mean, just noble women?"
"No. I mean any woman, be her noble, commoner, or servant. After all, your mother was a commoner when I met her."
Percy's mom smiled. She had said nothing through the whole conversation. Percy wondered what she thought about it. He knew that she wanted grandchildren, but he didn't think so soon. The King gripped the Queen's hand and smiled at her. Percy knew his parent's love was true. He did want a love like theirs, but where would he find it?
"I want you to pick a bride within a year from your birthday, which is in two months, or I will pick one for you," The King said.
Percy stared at him.
"A year?"
"Yes. I am planning to make a royal edict that the Prince is in need of a wife. We will narrow down the hundreds of eligible young ladies to fifty, which will be chosen by you, your mother, and me."
"How will we decide from so many?" Percy asked.
"Each lady will write a short essay about why she should be your wife. She will also include a photo of herself."
Percy rubbed his fingers through his hair and covered his eyes.
"That's hundreds of essays. How will we go through them?
"You will have help from your gentlemen in waiting and so will I. If you don't want to read the whole essay, just look at the photo and decide from there."
Percy glared at his father. That was so shallow. But, he knew that would work. Maybe Annabeth would write an essay. He knew her photo would be sufficient for anyone, his father, his mother, and himself. But, he wasn't so sure he wanted Annabeth for his bride. After all, they had just met. Maybe, if she came as a candidate for his hand, he could get to know her better. Maybe, she could be his wife. But, then he'd have to tell her who she was.
"I am announcing the plan tonight," The King said, interrupting Percy's thoughts. "You'll have one year, starting on your birthday, to find a bride. If you don't, you will marry a princess from a neighboring kingdom. Perhaps Princess Rachel."
Percy gulped. He knew Princess Rachel. She was nice, he guessed, but she was not his type.
"You're sending out the edict tonight?" He asked.
"Yes."
"So be it."

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