War Within the Depths (PercAres)

ep 3.

Reminder:  The aforementioned fanfic, and this chapter in particular, contain various triggers. The reader bears full responsibility for proceeding.

Chapter Three:

Percy was dreaming.

As a demigod, strange dreams were nothing new to him. Things like this happened all the time.

He found himself standing in a grand, ancient-looking bathroom. The furnishings were far from modern. There was a massive golden bathtub, and steam was still rising from it as if it had just been used.

Wide areas of the floor were covered in a thick carpet, which Percy found baffling, but hey, who was he to argue with the ways of antiquity?

In the corner of the room, Percy suddenly noticed a young woman.

She appeared no older than twenty, with large, dark eyes, and her brown hair was carelessly draped over her shoulder, a stark contrast to her regal appearance.

Even with that frightened look and the disheveled braid, there was no mistaking the girl’s royal lineage. Something about her exuded authority and nobility, and the whole situation seemed completely out of place with her appearance.

The girl held a thin, long knife with a slightly curved, sinister-looking blade. Percy tried to understand why she was holding it, wondering if she was hiding from someone. She trembled and was pale in the bathroom. But suddenly, the girl lifted the knife and pressed its tip against her chest.

“Gods,” she whispered, her voice choked and tears flooding her eyes, “I call upon you now. I, Smyrna, daughter of King Thias who sinned in her love for him, do not deserve to live.” The words tumbled from her lips as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

“Do not punish my soul,” she sobbed.

Percy felt helpless. He wanted to stop her, to prevent this beautiful and fragile princess from carrying out the horrific act she was about to commit. He reached out his hand as she raised the knife.

“No!” Percy shouted, though he knew she couldn’t hear him.

Just as the blade descended, the door burst open.

“My lady! Stop!”

For a moment, all Percy saw was a blur of dresses and blood as the maid lunged at her mistress, and a few moments later, she stood triumphantly, the knife gripped in her bloodied hand, she wasn’t holding it by the hilt.

Smyrna sobbed loudly, still lying on the floor from the struggle.

“You don’t understand!” she screamed, blinded by her tears, “Now that he’s not in the palace, this is the best chance.”

Percy realized she was referring to the king, his heart pounding at the unfolding scene before him.

“Hush, hush—my dear lady,” the maid soothed, throwing the knife far from them and falling to her knees, pulling the princess into an embrace and stroking her hair.

“Ansis… you don’t understand.” Smyrna continued to cry, though her hands held Ansis tightly.

“I’m in love with him. I see him every morning and evening at the meals, and he is so beautiful to me. I see the mistresses he takes, and I am filled with envy. I am the one who should be in his bed! I know him better than any of them! But how can I do that, Ansis? He is my father.” Her eyes filled with tears again, her hand trembling between the comforting hands of the maid.

“I can’t live like this anymore,” Smyrna managed to say with difficulty, “I need to die.”

“My lady, my amazing and brave princess,” Ansis stroked Smyrna’s face.