Royally Screwed

Chapter 1

                                                                                                ~Percy~

"PERCY JACKSON!"

I grinned as I ran, my feet pounding on the stone streets. I could hear the rest of my gang running behind me, all of us breathing heavily.

We were making our usual midnight run, so the streets were dark except for where the moonlight reflected off of puddles left over from yesterday's rain. I clutched the sack closer to my chest as we ran, avoiding the palace guards.

I had never initially wanted to be a thief. Sure, absolute freedom has it's perks, but we have to avoid the guards- they'd recognize us on sight. The entire reason behind our thievery: We call came from extremely poor families. I can't just let my mom and step-dad starve. Everyone in the gang is in the nearly same situation, which was why we formed in the first place.

A few guards chased after us, hell-bent on throwing myself and the entire gang and the palace dungeons.

I threw the sack to Nico, who caught it gracefully, and whipped around. I pulled out Riptide and slashed at the wooden pole that held up a small roof piled with crates of fish. The roof toppled on top of the guards, burying them. Guards: 0, Percy: 1. I grinned and ran after the rest of the gang.

We stopped under an awning, climbing over the crates to the roof of the local marketplace. We all gave sighs of relief when we finally had a chance to rest.

"Yo, Perce", Nico said, handing me the sack. "What's the haul this time?" He stood up and brushed the dirt of his pants.

"A pretty good one." I replied, smiling. There's enough food for all of our families for about a day. I sat down and undid the tie, opening the sack and letting the others see the contents: three loaves, about five apples, a couple of bananas and peaches, and even a few peaches. A real haul, if I say so myself.

Connor and Travis glanced at the food and fist bumped, while Thalia smirked. "Take that, filthy rich snob." She shouted in the direction in which we ran from.

"Shut up, Thals. The guards might hear you." Nico came up behind her and flicked her on the head, which made her scowl. I grinned at my two cousins. "Let's not start a fight like last time, okay guys?"

Thalia narrowed her eyes at me. I smirked back.

My cousins and I get along pretty well, if you don't count the insults and physical abuse. That's just ow we are.

Leo grinned wildly from his perching position on the side of the roof, like he was on sugar high. "I love my job!"

I rolled my eyes. Leo didn't really have a specific reason to join the gang. His dad has left him and his mom when he was about three, he had  told us. His mom died in a fire when he was eight.

I swear this kid has the worst luck, but he's always so happy and energetic, not to mention his extreme ADHD. I suspect he joined because, 1) He had nowhere else to go, and 2) He gets a rush out of running for his life.

Thalia, Nico and I's dads had all been brothers in the royal army, but had died in a battle when Nico was five, I was seven and Thalia was nine.

Since then, my mom married Paul, my current step-father.

Connor and Travis are identical brothers, whose parents live in poverty just like the rest of us here. Just like Thalia, Nico and I, they need food for their family.

I glanced at the horizon. The moon hung in the sky behind the place, surrounded by stars.

Nico glared at the palace bitterly, as did I. I knew it wasn't their fault they were born royalty; I just wondered if King Frederick could stop taxing the villagers so much. Then we wouldn't be in this situation.

Travis suddenly got an evil grin on his face, making his weird elfish features look dark. He glanced at the palace, grinning.

"What is it, doofus?"Questioned Thalia in an annoyed tone.

"I think I know a way to make without stealing."

"And what would that be?" Thalia crossed her arms and cocked her hip out, her hunting knives strapped to her belt.

Connor smiled evilly once again. "You guys know what a ransom is?" We all nodded and he continued. "Why don't we kidnap the princess, hold her for ransom money?"

"We could get caught by the palace guards, you dolt!" Thalia raised her voice, careful not to alert any villagers to our presence on their roof.

"Percy has Blackjack," Connor reasoned, and continued before I could protest, "And we're all pretty slick. We could get- what's the princess's name?" Connor asked.

I racked my brain. "Annabeth. Princess Annabeth." I supplied.

"Right." Connor said. "We could get her out of there faster than the king could say 'money'."

Travis, Nico and Leo all nodded, while Thalia still looked skeptical. "Let's think about it first." I decided, and everyone returned to a lapsed silence.

Eventually, I sighed and stood up, scoping the food back in the leather sack. "Time to drop it off."

We made our way through the woods to each other's houses;  we couldn't risk getting caught. Connor's and Travis's mother had showed up at the door, and gratefully took a loaf of bread, an apple, a banana and a pastry. We continued until we came to my house, or,my former house.

"Percy!" My mother wrapped me in a warm hug as soon as she saw me in the back door-frame.

I wiggled out of her grip a little, smiling. "Shh, get me arrested, why don't ya?" I said jokingly.

She laughed warmly, that laugh I always missed whenever I was away. I pulled the last of the food out of the sack: half a loaf of bread, a peach, an apple, and one pastry.

My mom kissed me on the forehead, wrapping me in her embrace one last time before she closed the door.

I walked back over to the guys and Thalia, and we set off back towards our hideout. I took one last glance behind me, wishing I could go back to when my dad was alive, when things were so much simpler.