Beyond the Storm: A Percabeth Collection

Crown of Rebellion (AU)

The campfire crackled softly in the dense woods as Percy adjusted the damp logs. The flames sputtered, reluctant but persistent, much like the group of rebels huddled around it. Piper was sharpening her daggers, her brows furrowed in concentration. Hazel sat beside her, brushing dirt off a strange coin she'd dug up earlier. Jason leaned against a tree, his sword resting across his lap, while Leo tinkered with a small metal contraption that was either a harmless gadget or a bomb—no one was ever quite sure.

"We need a new plan," Percy said, breaking the silence. His voice was rough, weary from weeks of evading the royal guards. "The last raid barely got us enough supplies to last the week."

"We can't keep hitting small villages," Jason agreed. "But going after anything bigger? That's asking for trouble."

"Trouble's kinda our thing," Leo said, grinning as he tightened a screw on his device.

"Trouble's going to get us caught," Hazel muttered. "And if that happens, we're dead. Or worse—thrown into one of those royal dungeons."

Piper's eyes flicked up from her daggers. "We need information. Something we can use against the crown. Something big enough to turn the people against them."

Percy ran a hand through his messy black hair, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. He'd started this rebellion to stand up for the common folk—those crushed under the weight of taxes and laws passed by a royal family who never knew hunger or hardship. But lately, it felt like they were running in circles, always one step ahead of capture but no closer to their goal.

"We'll figure it out," Percy said firmly, though the uncertainty gnawed at him. "We always do."

**

Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching. Hidden in the shadows of the trees, Annabeth Chase crouched low, her hood drawn tight over her blonde hair. Her heart pounded as she listened to their conversation, her sharp mind already piecing together their identities. These were the infamous rebels causing headaches for the kingdom. She should report them. That's what a loyal subject would do.

But Annabeth was no ordinary subject.

She was Princess Annabeth Chase, heir to the throne of a kingdom that she was beginning to question more and more. The luxury of palace life had never sat well with her, especially when she saw the suffering of the people outside the gilded walls. For months now, she had been sneaking out, dressed as a commoner, to see the truth for herself. And tonight, that truth had led her to this group of rebels.

Her grip tightened on the dagger at her side. She had been trained in combat since she could walk—her mother, Queen Athena, had insisted on it before she died. If the rebels discovered her now, she could hold her own. But something made her hesitate. Their words didn't sound like the mindless hatred of criminals. They sounded... desperate. Determined. Righteous, even.

Before she could decide what to do, a sharp whistle pierced the air. The group around the fire froze. Jason's head snapped up, his hand flying to his sword. Percy was already on his feet, his eyes scanning the darkness.

"Guards," Piper hissed.

Annabeth cursed under her breath. She had heard them too—the clanking of armor, the heavy boots crushing leaves. The royal patrols were relentless in their hunt for the rebels.

"Scatter!" Percy ordered, but it was too late. A dozen guards burst into the clearing, weapons drawn.

The rebels fought back fiercely, but they were outnumbered. Hazel threw a handful of her enchanted coins, creating small explosions that sent guards reeling. Jason's sword glinted in the firelight as he parried attacks. Piper used her daggers with deadly precision, while Leo's gadget spewed fire, forcing the guards to keep their distance.