𝑹𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 [𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]

12- You're all like, one big family

12 July, 2396

Many of the Palace staff had been killed or injured, but my maids were just fine, it's not like Katrina would get hurt by anything anyways.

The three of them, in all their glory, didn't wake me the next morning. It was either Reyna or the thunder.

"Wake up." Her deep voice murdered my sleep. I opened my eyes to see her dark one's staring at me. She was wearing a black dress, velvet. I wanted to tell her it was July and velvet was really not needed.

"Good lord." I said, jolting backwards in in bed. My friend laughed.

"Hey, just wanted to check up on you, and I think I owe you an explanation."

I sat up in bed, glancing at the clock and noticing that it was five in the morning, that's probably how Reyna had gotten here. I patted my comforter, and Reyna took the sign to sit.

"So, Jason and Percy told you why I'm here?" She asked.

"No shit."

Reyna smiled. "It's simple, really. My dad doesn't know I'm bi, I was dating Princess Thalia Grace, scratch that, I am dating Thalia. But my dad wants me to be the future Queen of Illéa, and I don't want that. So I'm here, Percy's going to eliminate me once I get to the final five and I will never go back to my psycho father. Thalia and I are planning to get married, so I'll live in Illéa." she completed her story with a shy smile.

"That's so smart. And YES, I really want to see you in a wedding dress." I said, giving her a hug. Reyna laughed soundly, and another male laugh came from my doorway.

"GAH, PERCY." I yelled, staring daggers at the Prince.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were up, their honouring the dead." he said sadly.

"My maids?" I asked.

"They won't be coming." Piper popped out from behind Percy.

"AHGH." he shouted.

"Jeez, I didn't shoot you. Clam down." Piper said, smacking Percy upside the head.

"Don't tell me you two grew up together too." I said, throwing my hands up in the air. They both turned beet red and Reyna begun to laugh. I huffed.

"Leo, your ex guard, who is now my guard, is my step brother, we don't share a parent, my mom and his dad got married before they had us and they never got a divorce, so here we are. And his father is the Royal mechanic, my mother is the announcer for the Report, how did you not expect me to be friends with the Prince?" Piper said, leaning against my doorway. I had expected to feel angry and left out, but I realised that they probably had good reason to not tell me.

"Why are you in the Selection?" I asked her.

"My mother's a psycho, she entered six out of her nine daughters in the Selection." Piper informed.

"Four of whom I've eliminated." Percy added.

"May you be blessed for that." Piper said sarcastically.

I smiled, I liked this group of friends that I had made. "Are there any other people from this gang I should know about?"

"Frank. Heir to the throne of China. Nico, Bianca and Hazel, who is Frank's long distance girlfriend, Prince and Princesses of Italy. Though Hazel is not really Italian, her mom was African and Hades had Marie Levesque pregnant when he was married with Italian Queen Maria Di Angelo, thus Hazel was born." Reyna stated.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense." I said.

"Well, he cheated on Maria. It's common for Royals to do that." Piper shrugged. I looked at Percy.

"But, both women unfortunately passed, so Uncle H, as King of Italy, married Persephone." Percy completed.

"So, you're all like, one big family?" I questioned.

"In a manner of speaking." Percy said with a grin.

"Complicated." I said, getting out of bed. "Are my maids okay?"

"They're fine. They did loose their friend Carol though, so the Queen gave them a day off." Piper informed. I nodded.

"That's why we are here. We'll help you get ready." Reyna said, grabbing a neatly ironed black dress from the chair.

"And why is Leo my ex guard?" I asked Percy, as the girls dragged me into the large bathroom.

"Jason transfered him to Piper. You'll be getting a Carolinaian guard soon, until then, Jason will be your escort." he replied, waving to me as Piper finally succeeded in dragging me by the wrist.

°•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○°

The rain was heavy. Jason was right behind me, holding up the umbrella, the dead were laying in front of us the King paid ode to them in a speech. I couldn't hear the bastard speak over the sound of the rain, but I wanted to skewr him anyway.

"Easy there." Jason whispered into my ear. "We don't want him dead and have ourselves hated by the entire kingdom." I let my clenched hands fall peacefully to my sides.

A strained breath left my lungs. My heart felt heavy for those who had died. Precious lives had been lost, for what? The Rebels didn't have a particular motive, why did they do this? Why did so many people die because of them?The questions swirled in my head as we were dismissed. Food was to be sent to our rooms today.

The thunder rumbled again, Jason continued to follow me to my room. Other passing Selected looked at me like I'd killed their cat, all excpet for one. I saw her emerald green eyes fixed on me, not with jealousy, or hatred. But with sheer fear. I was confused about my feelings but I enjoyed the way she was looking at me. I felt triumphant, as I'd won a trophy.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare turned on her heel and marched up the stairs to her room.

Later, a guard knocked in my room door, and I opened it. He handed me a box, and a note was attached to the long rectangular container.

"What is-" but the guard walked off, ignoring me. I slowly unravelled the note and read it.

Hey Wise Girl, I know this is probably the suckiest birthday you've ever had, with everything that happened I couldn't find the right time, but I still have something for you.

-Seaweed Brain

I gasped, amid everything that had happened I forgot it was my birthday today. I looked at the time, and sighed as I noticed that it was past midnight. I sighed, but opened the box with a smile. I reached in slung the pearl necklace around my neck.