Courtly Love (a Percy Jackson AU)

Hairbrushes Make the Best Weapons

***Percy***
I had sent a messenger to tell Princess Rachel's father that she had been captured three days ago. Now, he had returned. Dakota dismounted and bowed to me. "Sire, the Scottish king says he will muster troops and send them if thou cannot get his daughter back in a week," he said.
I sighed. I was hoping that the king would be more helpful. This was my first battle and I was completely unsure about myself. What if Lord Ugliano's troops overpowered mine? What if I was leading my soldiers to their deaths? I wished now more than ever that my father was beside me. I yearned for his advice, but most of all, for his love. "Alright, Dakota," I said, jolting myself out of my private brooding. "Thou can rest. Get something to eat and drink."
He bowed again and left. I gathered some of my companions together to help formulate a new strategy now that I knew we could not count on the Scottish king's aid right now. I was still surprised that he wasn't more worried about his daughter; she was his only child.
         Jason studied the map I had laid out on the ground closely. Frank was staring off in the distance and muttering under his breathe, his eyebrows scrunched together. Nico was sheathing and unsheathing his dagger, as if he couldn't sit here and wait. I felt the same. I wanted to wreck vengeance on Lord Ugliano for his sinful treatment of my mother, but I knew that I needed to rescue Princess Rachel first.
      Grover came to the meeting last. "Sire, I am sorry that I am late," he said, which I waved off. "A spy of ours found out where Princess Rachel is being held."
      "Where?" I asked.
       "In Lady Calypso's manor," Grover answered.
        "So Lady Calypso was right," I said slowly. "Lord Octavian and Lord Ugliano have allied themselves against me."
        "Thou will soundly defeat them," Lord Jason assured me, but I wasn't completely confident.
        "What would be my wisest strategy?" I asked my companions.
         "Thou needs to rescue the Scottish princess first, then lay seige on the castle," Frank suggested. "If we attack first, she may be injured."
       "What would be the best way to attack?" I asked.
         "The manor is surrounded by a moat," Frank said, "But thou art an excellent swimmer. Thou could sneak in that way."
          "Surely he'd be recognized?" Nico asked.
           "I'll go with him," Grover offered.
             "I also," Frank said and Jason nodded.
            "I need thou to stay here and command my troops," I told Nico.
The knight's eyes hardened, but he didn't argue. I had always felt strange around Nico, but perhaps I was too judgmental. I just never could figure out what motivated him. Still, out of those not accompanying me, I knew he was the finest soldier.
*****
The moon was a skinny, curved dagger that barely lit up the dark sky. I tried to keep my breathing slow and steady as I crept towards Lady Calypso's manor, my companions following me. None of us were wearing armor, which was risky, but it would have weighed us down while swimming. We were also only carrying light weapons, as swords and spears would be too bulky to swim with and Frank's wooden bow could have gotten damaged by the water.
I approached the water's edge and looked up carefully. The sentry nearest to us was chatting with another guard. I sat down and shimmied myself slowly into the water, hoping to make as little of a splash as possible. I held up my hand for my companions to join me after I had edged to the side, treading water and gripping the slippery walls of the moat.
       Grover was the one who found a fallen branch to help us out of the water. He was the lightest of us all and managed to get to the top of the most by standing on our shoulders. I stifled a groan; his feet had dug into my neck so hard that I could of sworn he had hooves. He grasped the branch and helped me up next.
       After giving myself a few seconds to catch my breathe, I helped Jason and Frank up and they both collapsed, trying to pant as softly as humanly possible. "Now, we need to locate the princess." Frank said.
     I nodded and stood up, moving slowly to not disturb the thick silence of the knight. My heart was pounding and my face was covered in a thin film of sweat. How were we going to find Princess Rachel? Just when I felt despair engulf me, I heard a loud, strident voice that made me feel a burst of hope, like a thin ray of sunlight peeking through a dense blanket of stormy clouds. "Unhand me Octavian!" Princess Rachel commanded.
       "But Rachel," Lord Octavian began.
         "I'm a princess," she said and I imagined her tossing her hair back. "Address me as my station and not like thou would greet a serf."
         "Thou will be my bride, whether thou desires it or not," Lord Octavian growled.
      We got nearer to the room where they were arguing, which was evident from their voices becoming even easier to hear. I was surprised that the entire castle was not awake. This must have been going on every night. I smiled. Princess Rachel was not one to be cowed and she had a stubborn streak that I admired.
      I heard a whimper and then Lord Octavian's voice was louder. "That's it, thou art a she-wolf," Lord Octavian spat.
        I pictured Princess Rachel standing up as we heated towards the door of her room. "Thou art as sinful as the snake that tempted Adam and Eve," she spat.
       "Thou art a woman," Lord Octavian shot back. "Thou art like Lilith herself."
         Frank knocked down the door with his bulky shoulders and I saw Princess Rachel glaring at the thin, blonde man. "And thou art foiled," she smirked as she saw us.
       Lord Octavian noticed us too and he yelled like a banshee. "Guards!" he shouted.
      Princess Rachel ran towards us, but Lord Octavian grabbed her long dress and she tripped. I rushed forward and tried to help her, but the guards arrived and we were locked in a fight. I unsheathed a knife and held out my own against a guard carrying a sword. "Traitors, all of you," I growled.
      The guard's eyes bulged As he realized that I was the king. I took advantage of his shock and sent his sword clattering to the ground. Beside me, Jason was sparring with a muscular guard with black hair and Frank was fighting two guards by himself. Grover was trying to help Princess Rachel, who was locked in a fight with Lord Octavian.
           The guard I had disarmed took advantage of my lack of focus and picked up his sword again, lashing it out at me. Then, Lord Octavian let out a screech and everyone turned towards him. Princess Rachel was smirking, a hairbrush clutched in her hands. "Thou didn't expect my womanly goods to be a useful weapon, but God made hairbrushes for a reason," she smirked.
      She ran towards me and I grabbed her hand. My companions realized that we were running and followed in our footsteps. As we ran, our breathes coming as fast as galloping stallions, we heard Lord Octavian's screams of mingled fury and shock.