Alternatively

Plethora of Princes and Princesses (ii)

"Now," his eye brows furrowed, finger tracing under the words as he read. "It says we are to give restitution for sixty percent of the damage?"

The paper rustling paused. "Yes."

He looked up, waiting for her to meet his gaze. "Is that fair?"

"It was your father who invaded the east."

"But it was your mother who starved out an entire city."

She set her documents aside, leaning forward with a frown. "Your father refused to send politicians to negotiate peace for seventeen years."

"Your mother pinned the majority of the war crimes on my country, even though it was split between you, me, and Vanderston."

"Regardless, your crimes caused the most monetary damage."

He shoved the parchment away. "Numbers, Your Majesty, would surly be needed to back that up."

"If you took the time to actually read the supplements, maybe you'd-"

"Sires, if you please."

They both snapped a glare to Chiron, the advisor frowning as he gathered his own set of papers. His eyes were tired behind his glasses and he wasn't as alarmed as he had been the first few times.

"Would you like to take another break?"

"No," Annabeth sat back in her chair, brushing a loose hair back. "No, we have to get through this."

Percy wanted to slam his head on the table. They had been reviewing the treaty all morning and without much success. Though Vanderston had been fine with the document, the treaty had been written without any Jyruna conference, as Jason's father never fully forgave the two countries for the war. Even though it was Annabeth's decision to create an official document and not her mother, it took two years for King Zeus to even make contact.

"We have to call General Zhang back in later this afternoon to review the alterations," Chiron said. "If many more changes are made, it would be in our best interest to contact King Poseidon."

"You should contact the king," Percy grumbled.

Annabeth shot him a nasty glare, planting her hands on the table as she stood. "Actually, I will take that break."

He watched her swirl out of the conference room and then slowly exhaled through his nose. Though the stress of the ruse wore off an hour into their first fight, it was replaced by the responsibility of a nation he would never govern. It weighed heavier than the sky on his shoulders and though she was the cause of his worries, he knew the queen felt it tenfold.

"You are concerned."

"Just overwhelmed," he straightened the pages in front of him, meeting the advisor's eye briefly. "She is very intense."

Chiron chuckled. "Always has been. Her Majesty will come around, though, given the right argument."

"Considering how many of those we've had today alone, shouldn't be too hard to find one."

He smiled warmly and gestured to one of the servants, asking for more water to be brought to the table. A soft breeze pushed Percy's hair around and he glanced longingly out the open window as the gauzy curtains drifted up. Rolling waves blended into rolling hills of green, houses spotting the countryside as the commons surrounding the castle bled away. He could hear whinnies, a stable not far away. When he was younger, he used to sneak off to the royal stables and sit in the hay, listening to the horses shuffle in their stalls or snuffle in their troughs. He had always laughed when one sniffed through his hair and he was, in hindsight, grateful to the stableboy who always turned a blind eye to his presence, so long as Percy cleared out when a noble entered the vicinity.