Love Story (A Percabeth Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

That night, Annabeth fell asleep with a smile on her lips and a name appearing constantly in her mind. Percy. Something about him, something she couldn't quite point out, made her want to know more about him.

***

The next morning, Athena was terrible late to breakfast. Annabeth waited at least 40 minutes before the queen stormed in and stood in front of her. Annabeth could practically touch the anger boiling from her mother. She quickly decided against talking, as that would probably make Athena ever angrier. She was right.

"Do you have any idea what position you put me in by dancing with him that much?" Athena shouted. Annebeth jumped a bit, she hadn't been shouted at ever before, no one shouted at a princess. "The entire kingdom thinks we are giving up and sharing our lands with The Kingdom of Oceania. Like I would ever surrender. To that Poseidon scum of all kings. No way," she continued, and glared at Annabeth before she took a deep breath to continue. "But now, thanks to your little show, our people think I backed down, and accuse me for not being a strong leader enough, telling me I need a new king to rule with me." Athena looked even more furious than before.

Slowly, like syrup dripping, realization hit Annabeth. Dance, King Poseidon, the constant war between Athens and Oceania. Percy. His face so familiar, but only from paintings in books. Perseus Jackson, Crown Prince of Oceania, her future enemy if the war continued even when they took over the thrones. Of course a cute boy couldn't be only that. Was he there to spy? He had said he was here doing business for his father, so it wasn't impossible, rather very logical. Still, Annabeth had such a good time, she really hoped he just came to the ball because he wanted to.

"I didn't know he -" Annabeth started.

"Don't bother," Athena snapped. "I don't have time for any excuses, I need to fix this mess as fast as possible."

With that, she was out of the room, leaving Annabeth with a sincere "Sorry" on her tongue, and feeling horrible guilty. She knew how much her mother fought for being accepted as only ruler after the King, Annabeth's father died. She really didn't want to ruin that.

***

Annabeth spent the day in her room, thinking of ways to put things right and trying to push Percy's handsome face out of her brain. Neither worked very well. She just kept thinking about his smile, how she hoped it was meant for her and not just an act. She hated not knowing. She always had. When she didn't know something, she went to the library and read books and asked people about it until she found out what she wondered. That didn't work with people, and it annoyed her. Scared her maybe described it better, nothing certain like with science and history, but rather the choice of trusting someone or not. Yes, scary was the right word. She tried shaking all thoughts out of her head and grabbed a book and sat down in a chair by the fire.

She read until it was dark and she herd something outside her window. It sounded like someone whistling, the melody reminded her of something the bands at balls and parties used to play. Annabeth put her book aside, marking her page, and went to the window to look. All she could see was the garden, with all its exotic flowers and trees, almost glowing in the moonlight. Just as she decided she'd probably just imagined the sound, a shadow appeared from behind a bush. Annabeth opened her mouth to shout for the guards, but she saw the person raising a hand to wave. She squinted her eyes, trying to see who it was, it was way to dark, but the person came a little closer to the castle, so he stood directly in the light of the moon and stars. Of course it was him, of course it was Prince Perseus, and of course he grinned and gestured at her to come down. And of course she did.

Her whole brain screamed at her about how it was a bad idea as she changed from her night gown to another dress. She knew just how much of a bad idea it was and how much she could ruin if she got caught as she went down the corridors, grabbing a torch as she hurried. She just couldn't help it. She wanted to see him again so bad, the logical part of her brain just shut down.

***

Annabeth couldn't find him at first, she thought she had looked everywhere, and she was really tempted to call for him, but she didn't dare. That didn't matter though, Percy came out from behind a bush moments later, grinning like crazy. Her heart made some turns that she didn't want to acknowledge.

"I didn't want to risk getting caught," he said, brushing dirt from his clothes. His hair was as messy as yesterday, and his eyes just as beautiful, maybe even more in the moonlight.

Annabeth bit back a smile. "Why didn't you tell me who you are?" she demanded, keeping her voice low. She started walking away from the castle, to make sure no one could hear them. Percy shrugged.

"You wanted to dance with me, and -," he started, but Annabeth cut him off.

"I just offered because you looked lonely," she said.

"You didn't want to dance?" he asked raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"Of course I did," she muttered, hating that he was right, and hating what her stomach was doing. Butterflies.

"So anyway," Percy continued, "I figured you might not would've wanted to if you knew who I was."

"You could have told me after," she suggested.

"No one calls me Perseus, so I did," he said simply. "You know, leaving out the royalty part."

***

They walked in silence for a long time, but it felt right.
When they reached the very back of the garden, Percy sat down on the grass. Annabeth looked curiously at him, there were benches not far from them. He seemed to understand what she meant with her expression.

"Why not?" he answered her silent question.

"Because you'll get dirty?" she suggested.

"I already am."

"Fair enough." She sat down beside him. She wasn't allowed to wear the same dress twice anyway.

"Do you like being a prince?" she asked him after a moment, having to tilt her head upwards to look at him. She wondered how it was possible to look good from every angle. She wondered if he was aware he did.

"Sometimes," he said. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again. "I mean," he said again, but pausing, trying to find the right words. "I always say I don't like it, but I don't think I would've liked to live any other way either. I'm born for this, and I can't change that." She understood so much what he was talking about, feeling so much the same way, but she didn't say anything, she didn't have to, so she just nodded.

"I wish the war would stop," Percy said when they had been silent for too long. Annabeth put her hand on his, stilling his tapping fingers.

"Me too," she whispered. There wasn't anything else they could say. She knew he was from the enemy's side, and for him, she was, but she trusted him. And when he pulled away his hand from hers to put his arm around her waist, she knew he trusted her too. She shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Before she fell asleep, she whispered again.

"Me too."

***

She woke up one time. She lay on her side, turned towards him.

Her head fitting perfectly between his shoulder and chest.

His arm still around her, holding her like it was the most natural thing in the world. It felt like it.

They breathed in unison.

She had never felt so home.

***

(A/N: Thank you for reading, comment and vote and I'll love you forever, and yeah, see you next time <3)