Courtly Love (a Percy Jackson AU)

Romancing a Lady

***Annabeth***
I had never been courted like this before. It started with Percy sending Leo to crack a few jokes with me. I was walking down to the horse stables alone (Pipe was chatting with Hazel) when Leo appeared, his impish face scrunched up in a smile. "Do you think we live in the Dark Ages?" he asked.
    I shook my head. "England is behind Spain," Leo said.
      "How so?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.
       "Spain is a center of arts and learning, as well as a haven of peace ," Leo said. "The Muslim rulers allow Jews and Christians to freely practice their religions."
      I thought about France, where people were forced to convert to the state religion or face discrimination. Sometimes, people were even killed. "Who says we can't have that here?" I asked.
        Leo shrugged. "Does thou think King Percy could do that here?" he asked.
        "Yes," I said immediately. "He has a virtuous soul."
         "Almost as virtuous as mine," Leo said. "He can't beat my good lucks orchard either and he is helpless with repairing things."
      I couldn't help it; I laughed. "Do you think he is as brave as Beowulf?" Leo pressed.
"He hasn't fought any ogres or dragons yet," I said," so I can't say."
Leo smiled. "I am here for a reason, Lady Annabeth," he said, as we neared the stables. "King Percy wishes that thou would ride with him on horseback-alone."
I saw King Percy mounted on a gorgeous stallion. "I would desire that greatly, my lord," I told him.
He offered me a hand up and I took it. Then he flicked the reins and the horse galloped away. Leo waved at us, his figure becoming smaller as we rode away.
*****
"How was it, my lady?" Piper asked when I returned.
"Thou knew the entire time?" I asked.
She nodded, grinning widely. "His Royal Highness also requested that you dine with him tonight," she said.
     "Why is he doing this?" I asked, smoothing out my dress.
       "Il t'aime," Piper said.
        "He does not love me," I said. "Everyone says he is going to marry Princess Rachel."
        "He is courting you," Piper pointed out.
           I deflated. "He is courting me, but he doesn't want to marry me," I told her. "He wants me to be his mistress, but Rachel will be his queen."
"Don't say that!" Piper said fiercely.
"Do I look beautiful enough to impress the king?" I asked, for once caring about my looks.
"I'll get Silena to help me," Piper decided," but thou art always beautiful."
I sighed. Piper came with her half-sister, Silena, who was dressed in a pink dress with a kirtle and mantle to match. "Lady Annabeth," she said. "I shall relish in this. It's not everyday I get to help a lady impress a king!"
She looked through my dresses. "The blue one will bring out your eyes," Silena said.
My lady-in-waiting and her sister helped me prepare for the dinner. They gave me a bath and then rubbed creams on my face and body. Finally, I was outfitted in the gown and Silena put a rogue made of rose petals on my lips and cheeks. Piper got out my eau de lavende and sprayed some on my hair. "Even the most virtuous angels would swoon if they saw thou," Silena promised me.
       She left the room. "Not everyone thinks that King Percy should marry Princess Rachel," Piper said softly.
       I turned to her in surprise. "Lord Jason thinks thou art a suitable bride," Piper added.
       "Jason?" I said incredulously before pausing. "Anyone else?"
       "Apparently Lord Octavian does not endorse Princess Rachel wedding King Percy,"
Piper said.
        "He's the one who said I was too dark to be beautiful," I hissed.
      Piper nodded. "He's the one,"'she said.
       I knew that Piper faced more discrimination regarding her skin tone-and the fact that she was a foreigner. The fact that she was an illegitimate child didn't help. She was breathtakingly beautiful and those were the only reasons she didn't have dozens of suitors banging on the doors of her mother's manor. "It's time, my lady," Piper told me and I left.
I arrived at the dining hall to see that only one table was set up. Fire flickered on the wicks of tall, creamy yellow candles. King Percy was outfitted in a purple tunic and brown, fur cloak trimmed with white rabbit's fur. His mother sat beside him, outfitted in a scrumptiously made yellow gown and a black mantle. "Lady Annabeth," she greeted me.
     I curtsied. "King Percy," I said, "and thine noble mother."
       Sally's face scrunched up briefly into a smile, but she looked drawn out from grief. I sat down in the only remaining seat and servants bustled in carrying food. They brought in bread still warm from the oven and fragrantly spiced soup made of venison and leeks. We prayed briefly and began to eat. The first twenty minutes we were so busy enjoying the fine food that we barely talked, but as our hunger became satiated, we found our appetite for conversation begin to increase. "Thou may be wondering why I invited thou to dine tonight," King Percy said and then he looked as shy as a lamb. "I-I just wanted to tell thou that thou art beloved by my ovens," he managed and then turned as red as blood.
I tried not to giggle as he continued. "My ovens, I mean my heart yearns to be along your hair," he added.
I could tell he was definitely nervous now. Before he could manage to fumble with his words again, someone ran into the room. It was a tall and muscular knight with a youthful face. "King Percy," he said, his besties coming in rapid gasps. "We have visitors at the gate."
      "Visitors, Frank?" King Percy said, standing up quickly.
        "Yes, sire," Frank replied. "Lady Calypso is very sorry to intrude on your castle grounds, but her manor has been attacked and she was forced to flee!"