Love Story (A Percabeth Fanfiction)

Chapter two

The following four days were just as bad. Annabeth had to get up inhumanly early to have breakfast with her mother, were Athena told her about the wedding and dates and dresses and gods know what else, Annabeth couldn't pay attention. Her mind spun around how badly the date had gone the night before, and how the one she was having later that day probably was going to be even worse. After five hopeless dinners with dumb power seekers, Athena decided it was time to change tactics.

"This isn't working" she said at breakfast the day after another terrible dinner. Annabeth bit back a snarky comment about how that was obvious after the first two dinners. "We better get this done more effective, you'll want to know your future husband a bit before you get married, won't you?" Annabeth nodded.

"So what I'm thinking is a ball. Obviously not as big as the one for your wedding, but just a simple one to which everyone can attend. That'll make you meet a lot of people. After that we can set up some more dinners with boys you feel more comfortable around," her mother continued. Annabeth nodded slightly and said, "Sounds good." She didn't actually think it sounded very good, how was she supposed to find someone she liked among hundreds of people? But given the circumstances, it was as good a plan as any.

***

The ball took place only two days later. The summer weather was lovely, and the gates to the castle stood open to everyone. Annabeth had been prepared since the minute she woke up. She had gotten her hair trimmed, then it was made to an updo, her make up had been done over and over until it was absolutely perfect, and she wore the most stunning turquoise dress, with ribbons and pearls in gold. People had always told her she was beautiful, just like her mother, but when she entered the ball room and everyone was staring at her, she felt like it for the first time ever.

***

Annabeth went to the buffet table to pause after at least ten dances with different persons in a row. She was, despite herself, smiling. She had given up the thought of finding a future husband, and just enjoy herself, and she did. It was fun doing something, and she was good at dancing, so she was having a good time.

She took a piece of cake from the buffet and went to a corner of the ball room to take one minute to catch her breath before she went back to the dance floor. She stood there, watching everyone laughing and dancing.

Well, everyone except one boy who stood alone, looking very out of place with his dirty but fancy looking clothes and his messy black hair. Annabeth decided that he needed company and walked over to him.

He lifted his head and turned to her just before she opened her mouth to say hello. He studied her for a short moment, and she saw a shift in his eyes as he recognized her. He looked a little uneasy, but he didn't bow, which Annabeth wasn't very used to, but she liked it, the less formality the better. She felt like she recognized him too, but she couldn't for her life remember where from.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes," the boy answered, still looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there. "I should apologize for looking this," he gestured to his dirty clothes, "I didn't realize it was a ball for you, I was expecting a less formal ball." Annabeth noticed his accent. She didn't think she had heard it before.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Annabeth said and smiled. "You're not from Athens, are you?" If he was, he definitely should have known the ball was for her.

He shook his head. "I'm traveling, making businesses for my father. Thought I could use a night off," he explained.

Annabeth nodded. Then she looked curiously at him and said, "Why aren't you dancing? You should dance."

"Oh, um yeah," the boy said, looking around the room.

"Well?" Annabeth asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Um, who should I ask?"

She stared disbelieving at him. "Me, obviously," she said, laughing quietly at his cheeks that were turning a bit pink.

"Of course," he mumbled. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "May I have this dance then?" he asked and offered his hand. Annabeth put her hand in his.

"You may."

***

The boy was a good dancer. They danced to song, after song, after song. While dancing, Annabeth couldn't help but stare at his face. He was all sharp angles, cheekbones, chin, nose. She felt like it should make him look older, but something in his eyes seemed so alive and innocent, and together with his messy hair it made him look about her age. She liked his eyes. First time you looked at them the looked green, but when you came closer the color of the ocean seemed like a more fitting description. They were green and turquoise, with some sprinkles of gold. Like her dress, she realized. The thought made her smile.

They kept dancing. They didn't say much, but it was a comfortable silence. They were actually really good together. Annabeth briefly noticed that everyone had stopped dancing to watch them, but she didn't mind. It felt like she was flying over the floor, like it had felt the time when she tried dancing for the first time and decided to become good at it. It was just her, the boy (who she realized she still didn't know the name of), and the music. She loved it.

After so many dances she had lost count, a figure appeared in the corner of her eye. The Queen. She came to them and putted a hand on the boy's shoulder so they had to stop.

"Don't you think you should let someone else dance with the princess?" Athena asked the boy, voice so sweet it sounded deadly.

The boy raised his head high and tilted his chin slightly upward, just like Annabeth was taught to do when she was asked to do something she didn't necessarily liked. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said, more formal than she had seen him all night, and let go of Annabeth's hand. He turned to leave, but Annabeth grabbed his arm.

"You didn't tell me your name" she said, not wanting him to go just yet.

He smiled so bright she thought the sun would be jealous. "Percy."

(A/N: That was it for chapter two! I won't update this frequently very often, I just wanted to really get it started so you can get a feeling of what kind of story it will be. Please vote and comment what you think!)