Silver Water (Percy Jackson and Red Queen crossover)

Where's My Epic Background Music? Part II

Percy's POV:

I was born at the war front. My mom was killed in an attack on the camp. My father is a nobleman and never knew I was born. A Red soldier saved me from the rubble and brought me home to raise as her own son. She and her first husband raised me in Archeon, and I was ignorant of my birthright or my unique ability until this morning. And now I am returned to my rightful place. I go over the story given to me by the king and queen. Oh, and Istvan is my half-brother. This will be interesting.

I used to think in the mortal world there was only the divide, Silver and Red, rich and poor, kings and slaves. But there's much more in between, things I don't understand, and, like usual, I'm right in the middle of it. Before I went to Camp Half-Blood, I grew up wondering if I'd have food for supper; now I'm standing in a palace about to be eaten alive. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm used to being in situations where I'm about to be eaten alive, but now it was more figurative than literal.

Red in the head, Silver in the heart, I remind myself as the doors at the end of the hall open.

~~~time skip to just before Percy is announced~~~

Istvan's POV - third person limited:

Istvan sat with the other Princestrial contestants, fingers tapping lightly against his leg. The king and queen were still talking about his father's late wife and he was getting impatient.

Suddenly the queen stopped her dramatic speech. After a while, her eyes drifted to the back of the room. Istvan followed her gaze to see the boy who had nearly drowned him this morning standing at the top of the stairs. The boy looked exactly the same as before, same sea-green eyes, same troublemaker grin, same relaxed and easygoing, but powerful and dangerous aura, except now he was wearing a suit in the colors of House Osanos. Istvan frowned in confusion. Why is he here? What's happening?

"This morning we saw a miracle. We watched a Red boy fall into the arena like a flash flood, wielding a power he should not have," the queen said. Murmurs rose, and a few Silvers around Istvan even stood.

"The king and I interviewed the boy extensively, trying to discover how he came to be. He isn't Red, but he is still a miracle. My friends, please welcome back to us Lord Perseus Osanos, son of Calista Nolle and Lord Thanases Osanos. Lost and now found."

Istvan was frozen. He had an older half-brother. Wait, older? His blood started to boil with anger. That would mean Perseus was the heir to House Osanos. The fact that the winner of Princestrial hadn't been announced yet was the only thing keeping Istvan from destroying Perseus right then and there. He was confident that he would win, he was after all the one who had seen Annabeth with some other girl, entering Stuyvesant High School in September and had reported it to the Sentinels, the king would for sure take that into consideration.

He couldn't be more wrong.

With a twitch of her hand, the queen beckoned the boy, Perseus, closer, to the open seat right between Istvan and Evangeline Samos. He obeyed. When he sat down Istvan glared at him. Perseus just smiled back.

"Saved from his mother's fate, Perseus was taken from the front and brought to the Red slums of Archeon," the king said, continuing where his wife left off. "Raised by Red parents, he worked as a Red Servant. And until this morning, he believed he was one of them." Everyone in the room, except Istvan, the royal family, and Perseus, gasped in response. Perseus snorted, rolling his eyes in annoyance. Istvan narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion. "Perseus was a diamond in the rough, working in my own palace, the son of my friend's late wife under my nose. But no more. To atone for my ignorance, and to repay his mother and his house for their great contributions to the kingdom, I would like to take this moment to announce the joining of House Calore and House Osanos."