First entry in the competition! This was a real challenge... the prompt was essentially to take you OTP from the series and make them hate each other with a passion. Please note: this story is an AU and the OTP chosen was Percabeth (obviously). Enjoy. MaiaPapaya4Life
There wasn't much Annabeth Chase hated about her life.
As Princess of Olympus Ville, she had always lived with comfort and safety in the small castle she called home. Sure, there were boring board meetings, etiquette lessons and war strategy classes that sometimes dragged on a bit, but overall she found her life calm and content.
Annabeth was officially 18 years old. She was finally eligible to run her country, as Queen, from then on. After all her hard work in classes and training she felt ready to lead all the people of her county. She had plans, big plans, for their future.
Most of which, she admits, involve turning away from Atlantis City and their horrible new ruler, Prince Percy.
But at the time, she was currently responsible for one job, not being late for the meeting about her entire future as Queen. Apparently there had been some rules that needed to be followed in order for her to become Queen.
She ran down the halls, full speed, in order to not be late. Usually, Annabeth was there on time. Early even. But today, she had been resting in the garden with a book in hand. Just as the main characters were about to kiss for the first time, she had realised what time it was.
Her feet felt cool under the smooth floorboards of the castles grounds as she sprinted. She turned the corner, still sprinting, until she slammed straight into a hard wall. When she looked up, she realised it was not a wall she had run into.
"Perseus Jackson." The name feels bitter on her tongue.
"That's Prince Percy to you, Princess." His dervish smirk widened as he saw her. He was so frustrating! He thought he was such a hero, a knight in shining armour, just because of his newest project.
His project, which Annabeth was sure his parents had come up with, was about giving the poorer people in his country money. For free. Annabeth would sound like a jerk for saying that some of the people didn't deserve it, but there were others who did not.
Drug dealers, gang leaders, thieves... anyone with a small salary or no salary was given a yearly $200 cheque. Of course, in their countries drug dealers were arrested if caught. But there were people who had not been caught. He could be giving away money for crimes. There was no way of telling how people would spend it.
If Annabeth had designed the project, she would have put the money towards an education for each of these people, or towards finding a job. Maybe to support medical bills or feed hungry families. But the public had eaten it up, loving their Prince Percy for saving them all from poverty. It had not helped with his ego.
"The meeting is this way," Percy pointed out, shaking her from her thoughts. Annabeth let out a distasteful huff, before walking around him speedily.
Inside, Annabeth's parents, Queen Athena and King Frederick, sat behind the large, mahogany desk. On the other side of the desk sat Queen Sally, King Poseidon and now Percy (he didn't even deserve the correct title).
"Mother, why are they here? I thought we were discussing my rise to the throne today?"
"We are, Annabeth. After checking through the rules and regulations we realised we were missing some key parts of your ruling. For starters, page 4 line 6, 'In order for a Queen to rule a country, she must have a King beside her.'" Annabeth's jaw dropped, in a very unladylike way. Her etiquette teacher would have been disappointed.
