Its The Pirate's Life for Me

A History Lesson

Annabeth smirked as Percy finally came back to visit her. It really seemed like it had been forever, probably because she was bored to death in here. It was late evening, and the moon was out, so she had a little light, which kept her from falling asleep where she was tied up in Captain Percy's cabin. 

He sighed as he caught her expression when he walked through the oaken door, and he just frowned down at her, coming down to sit next to her, propped on his knees. "Will you please just tell me what you know about the Lightning Bolt?" 

Annabeth launched into the tale with fervor, despite the fact that it was getting late. She did love a good history lesson, after all.  "The Grace family line has held the throne of Olympus for centuries, as I'm sure you know, Atlantean," she remarked with a scoff. "When the scepter went missing, everyone tried to keep quiet. My mother, however, has connections," she explained, without elaborating, "and see was tasked with keeping the incident quiet, while my father was sent to explore the realm and hunt for the missing Lightning Bolt. I went with him, for the sake of adventure, and I overheard a few things. For instance, I know it had to be a Counselor who robbed the king's precious scepter." 

The Counselors were advisers to the king, usually in some way related to him. "One of the members of the group is his daughter and future Queen-sister, Thalia. The others are Lady Katherine Gardner, Sir Castor Balthazar, Lady Clarisse La Rue, Sir Lee Fletcher, Lady Silena Beauregard, Sir Charles Beckendorf, and Sir Luke Castellan. One of their part-time members is Lady Zoe Nightshade, though she has other duties that frequently take her out of town. They are also the people with the closest access to the king." Annabeth continued. "They would be the first and foremost people who would have obtained the scepter." 

Percy mused over this information before he spoke up. "I'm a Counselor as well, but I remain one of the few my father holds close." 

Annabeth rolled her eyes at his introduction of irrelevant information to the conversation. "See, but that doesn't matter because you have never been near the king." She tapped her chin. "I have some theories about which of the Counselors is responsible, but it's inconclusive." Percy just frowned down at her, and she crinkled her eyebrows up at him. "Why are you so concerned about looking for the Lightning Bolt anyway? Aren't you afraid someone will presume you stole it if you're seen with it?" 

Percy glared at her, but his expression softened as he took in her point. "I have two reasons, neither of which are your concern," he responded stiffly. He turned, moving to get up. "We'll set sail under cover of darkness, heading towards Olympus. From there we can investigate to locate the scepter." 

Annabeth was pretty sure he was talking to himself, but she had an idea. She quickly clasped his wrist, bringing him back towards her. "Percy, take me with you. Let me help you find the Lightning Bolt. It's important to me and my kingdom too, which is motivation enough, but I've never had a real adventure. Besides that, I'm clever, and I know the landscape of Olympus as well as the people." 

Percy's dark eyebrow rose. "You don't call sneaking a ride on your father's ship an adventure?"

Annabeth scowled. "You missed like half of that proposition," she pointed out. "I made very good arguments, all in all." 

Tempted to chuckle at her logical attitude, Percy pretended to think about it. "Perhaps I could use your assistance. But there will have to be measures to ensure you won't attempt to run away. Someone is eventually going to pay a ransom for my captive prize," he declared, smirking. He reached for her chin, his hand sliding under it, but she jerked back. 

"And how do you propose I will be able to help you if I'm bound and gagged?" Annabeth shot back, giving him a warning look. 

Percy's smile never left his face. "I'm sure I can arrange something." He stood up, pacing on the wooden boards of the ship, his face shining in the light of the moon. "I'm thinking less on the gag, more on the bound. Especially because if you don't stay quiet, I'll slit your throat." He paused to look at her, but he wasn't smiling anymore.

He didn't mean it. Annabeth somehow knew he wouldn't kill her. The thought should have been a triumphant one, but it was really just sort of a pleasant tingle in her head. At least the roguish pirate did have some moral principles - the words were merely swagger. She was going to be the one to find the Lightning Bolt, and then maybe her mother would finally acknowledge that she was proud of her. What would happen to Percy, though, if he marched into Mount Olympus, the palace of the king, wielding the man's own powerful family heirloom? Part of Annabeth said she didn't really care - the other part said she would do her best to protect him, but if it failed, she wouldn't be to blame. Percy was, apparently, willing to be so bold. 

Instead of telling him that his threat was merely a bluff, Annabeth nodded. "I'm just as concerned as you seem to be about the scepter," she reminded. Then, hesitating - "Percy, if you want me to work with you, you have to tell me why you want to find the scepter so badly. No son of Poseidon would risk going into the land of his father's opposition without good reason." 

Percy had a cold light in his eyes as he looked down on her. He crouched down to her level again; in the darkness he would have looked like an apparition if not for his dark, almost black hair. "I'm going to tell you so that you understand, Olympian, why I hate your kind so much. My father's trident disappeared around the same time as your king's scepter," he spat, and Annabeth noticed that he didn't use the king's real name. "Your people came and stole my father's most prized possession because they wrongly assumed we had stolen the Lightning Bolt. No one ever bothered asking or holding council, they just jumped to the conclusion that was incorrect."

Percy looked down as he spoke, and his shoulders hung, like a great weight was on his shoulders. "I am not the heir to my father's throne, but the weight of his kingdom is on my shoulders as much as it is any child of Poseidon's," he related. Then his expression dropped. "On top of that, your Olympians kidnapped my mother, unjustly. We have reason to assume it was in retaliation for the scepter incident, but perhaps they just have no love in their hearts." His voice was edged with barbed wire, but Annabeth was grateful he was saying "them" and "they" instead of "you," which would have felt far more personal. "She was taken hostage after a run in with the Minotaur, who is known to have the blood of former Olympian kings." The Minotaur was a cruel gladiator who was the son of an ancient king and had been born a misshapen man. 

Annabeth felt heartsick, hearing that Percy's mother had been taken away from her home and her family. Then ice grew in her heart as she found that Percy was a hypocrite - he lamented over his mother's kidnapping, yet had the audacity to turn around and kidnap her! She understood why Percy was after the Lightning Bolt now, but that didn't mean she liked him, that she felt compassion for him. He was just as bad as the person who had stolen his mother away. 

She glared at him, and he looked taken aback by the expression, as if he had been expected pity or something of the like. "I will help you, Captain Jackson," she icily announced, "but do not expect me to feel sorry for you, hypocrite." 

His green eyes widened as he caught her meaning. For a minute, she thought she saw a hint of remorse in his eyes, but the next second he was gritting his teeth. "The feeling is mutual, Miss Chase." Without another word, he turned and stomped out the door, slamming it. 

It left Annabeth's head echoing, and she knew she was exhausted from the experience she was enduring. Her thoughts drifted instantly to where Percy was going to sleep if he had just marched out of his room. Not that she minded being alone in the cabin - she far preferred it - but she was concerned (a small part of her) about where he was going to stay. 

Without resolving it, she leaned her head against the nearest hard surface and quickly fell asleep, anticipating the adventures to come. 

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