At Mercy to the Sea ［Rewriting］

[UNEDITED] X-I don't want my crown

Knock knock knock

The sound of hands against my hard wood door echoes through the room. I frown, I know exactly who it is but I keep quiet pretending that I was a sleep.

"Your Highness, it's time to wake up! Or you will miss your flight!" Hermes called from the door.

"But, it Sunday" I told him back trying to sound as tired and annoyed as possible.

Hermes sighed outside the door "Exactly, its Sunday. You have a date with Miss Dare today because it's the only day your free in the week."

I put my head against the hard mahogany table, papers scattered everywhere across the desk.

I haven't even touched my paperwork in the last two weeks, since I met Annabeth.

I frown to myself, I should be paying more attention to Rachel she is my future wife. Annabeth is a friend only a friend, she will only ever be a friend. Nothing more.

I sigh at my own logic, and get up from my desk. I wish things could be different, I changed out of my bedtime clothes and slipped on a pair of long dark slacks.

I look at he mirror and see myself, my fishy pajamas with a pair of dark pants. I look pathetic in my outfit, my eyes drift higher. Up to my head, as I see light flicker of my crown.

The crown is a mask, without that mask people see me as a pathetic, loser or what you can call the naked me.

With my crown, people look past my fouls and cons and see me as a brave courageous ruler. I tear my eyes away from the mirror, I sigh.

It is hopeless no matter what everyone will just see me as somebody that I am not. I look back at the mirror, looking myself in the eyes.

My hands go up to my head as they settle on the cold hard metallic surface of my golden crown.

My hands grip onto the crown as it brings it down setting it on a nearby table, I look back at myself.

My messy black hair sticking out in all ways, looking at me now I can pass as anyone from a farmer to a blacksmith, everyone but, a prince.

I smile as I see my plain self, my smile slowly turns into a grin. I turn around and head out of my room ready to go.

I don't turn around. I don't want my crown. I don't want a mask.

Today I want to seem as pathetic and lame as possible.

~

My hands run across the cool granite walls of the castle as I wait for Rachel to come. In the garden of the palace lies a big red and purple striped hot air balloon.

The balloon as tied down with a thick rope to stop it from flying away. Four heavy sandbags lay on the sides making the basket extra heavy.

Out in the distance I see a girl with wild red hair hopping up and down the hills of the garden. She was wearing a knee length light blue summer dress.

She smiles at me with a big grin on her face. "Hey Perce! Good to see you here! I was afraid you were too cowardly to show up!"

I roll my eyes, at least someone seems very happy today.

"Come on, Rachel you wouldn't want the balloon taking up without us!" I call out to her, personally I really wouldn't mind if that happened.

I looked back at the balloon, I see guards preparing the hot air balloon. Maybe Jason is here, I could talk to him!

I ran over to the balloon and called over to the guards, "Hey! Guys, have you guys happen to see Superman in the nearby vicinity?"

They looked back at me confusion written on there face. "Who's Superman?"

I curse to myself, of course they don't know who superman is. "I mean Officer Grace"

One young guard raises his eyebrow "Of course I haven't seen him, he has been running off for a couple of days in a row now. If this continues he will get fired!"

Jason? A rule breaker? Now way! That good-two-shoes is always perfect!

Well...unless I'm included in it in someway... What did I do again?!

A hand tugged my shirt as I turn around to see Rachel.

"We better go now, Percy!" She pleaded at me.

I give her a half-hearted smile and took her hand leading her to the balloon.

As Rachel and I walk past the guards they all bent down and gave us a little bow.

The guard by the balloon step up the steps and opened the door for us.

I'm not a little kid anymore, I can open doors by myself, What did I do wrong again? I question myself.

We both get inside the balloon as we took a seat on either side. The guards started the fire as the balloon slowly rose off the ground.

A guard on either side of the rope took out a pocket knife and sliced the rope. Rachel scooted closer to me and held my hand.

"Good luck, with your date Aquaman" Called a voice from below.

It hit me, wait. Was that Jason?! I stood up from my seat and peered over the edge the people down below were getting smaller and smaller.

If Jason was down there I would see him now.

I took a seat back down, Rachel's big green eyes were staring at me with interest.

I look back down out her, "Stop looking at me like that, I don't like it."

She looks away, as tears start coming out of her eyes.

I sigh, I never know what to do when girls start crying. How am I spouse to rule a kingdom?

"Rachel," I ask softly "are you OK?"

She looks back at me eyes red. "What do you think?! I love you? This is all for my kingdom."

I looked at her confused, "What do you mean? You don't love me?"

She hides her head down in shame, "Look I never wanted to do this, I never wanted to get married! This is all for my kingdom."

"Rachel?" I ask her, "If you don't like me then why do you always act so strange around me?"

"Look OK, don't you get it?"

She scolded me "I don't love you, our country is on the bridge of bankruptcy this is the only way our people can survive."

"If I don't love you, I have to at least try to look like I like you"

"Why?" I ask her, "I don't love you, I don't try to show that I love you."

She throws her hands up in anger, "Don't you get it, if I don't love you there is nothing left for me back home.

If I don't get this marriage my father will disown me, then I would have to live on the streets." She kicks the basket. Hard.

"Well, at least you have all the village girls mooning over you!" She spats in my face.

An sound splits through the air as we quiet down.

Craple kriple crick

The fire of the hot air balloon flicker out.

She blushes under her breath, "Sorry"

"Well this day can't get any worse can it" I told her.

The basket started to violently shake, I sigh to myself, Well I guess it can.

I frowned as we were lowered to the ground, she basket started shaking more. Rachel tripped and fell down to floor of the basket.

Her hand flicked the side of the hook that held the basket in place.

The ground of the basket sliced open, as we both started falling towards our deaths