A Pirate's Life For Me

Princess Returned

The Doriana sailed into the harbor under full sail. Someone (Leo, to be precise) had removed the pirate's flag that had previously flown at the top of the mast, replacing it with a light blue flag that flashed several birds in flight.

Annabeth stood next to Reyna as they sailed in, picking at her dress. They'd stopped at a harbor town a few miles back along the coast and spent a pretty drachma on some better quality garb for the princess so that she could look her part once again. Piper had spent an hour putting her hair up in some semi-elaborate do that would keep it out of her face so others could see her properly... it also conveniently covered the thin scar stretching across the back of her neck.

"We've got patrol boats!" Leo barked from his spot in the rigging. "Three, five oars a side on each!"

"Loose the sail." Reyna responded calmly, nodding. Her crew jumped to work, working to halt the ship's progress.

The three patrol boats closed in and circled around, then a man stood up from the one closest to the stern. "Who goes there?"

Reyna looked at Annabeth, and she sighed. "I never liked dealing with these kinds of things...."

The crown princess of Athens stepped to the edge of the deck and waved. "Princess Annabeth of Athens, returning home! Inform my father that I have returned!"

"Didn't miss that." Piper muttered under her breath.

The men in the patrol boat that Annabeth had addressed burst into conversation for a few moments, then the man who had called before shushed them all.

"Permission to come aboard?"

Reyna grunted. "Permission granted."

Sherman tossed a rope to the man as the patrol boat got close. He hauled himself up onto the main deck and Annabeth met him there.

"I presume your intention is to confirm that I am who I claim to be."

"Yes, that is." The man straightened himself up importantly. "I happened to have been very close to the princess before she was kidnapped."

Annabeth regarded him with an expression bordering on a sneer. "I hardly spoke to you, Vlassis. Run along and inform my father that I am back and both myself and the crew that rescued me are all exhausted."

Vlassis seemed affronted by the comment, but Annabeth snapped her fingers sharply to regain his attention.

"Very well, Princess." He said finally, bowing. For a moment he looked around the ship, taking in the scene of hardened warriors who were clearly watching, but then he went back to the rope to drop down to his patrol boat.

Annabeth huffed and marched back up to stand by Reyna. "I cannot believe that sleaze would attempt to say something like that."

"He sounded like he wanted attention." Reyna rolled her eyes.

"He always did. The first patrol boat will pull away, and the second and third will escort us to a wharf where we can dock." Annabeth pointed to each boat as she spoke. "Just follow them..."

"It would be so much easier if Percy was awake." Reyna grumbled. "Jason, keep us moving!"

"Yes ma'am."

They coasted calmly after the two patrol boats. Annabeth paced back and forth, rehearsing conversations in her head. She suddenly walked to the railing that looked over the main deck. "Piper."

The daughter of Aphrodite looked up.

"You might want to go belowdecks for now."

Piper sighed, but nodded. She swept her hair out of her face and walked belowdecks, going to her hammock and flopping down.

The Stolls jumped to work as the Doriana bumped against the dock, hopping down to tie off the mooring lines.

A group of soldiers was marching onto the docks as Annabeth made her way down the gangplank that Sherman and Frank had set up. She held her head high and approached them confidently.

"Princess Annabeth!" One of the younger soldiers exclaimed, excited. He was quickly shushed by the others.

Annabeth's lips twitched upwards, then she turned to the crew that was getting off the ship.

"I have all of you to thank for my return home, and I shall ensure that you are taken care of and that your reward is fitting. Come along to the palace with me."

Reyna nodded, answering for the group. "Thank you, Princess. We're glad that we could save you from those men."

Annabeth turned to the guards again and waved a hand. "Let's be off then. I've clearly missed quite a lot."