The Peace-Weaver (a Percabeth AU)

The Morning After

    Annabeth woke up in a large bed that was exceedingly comfortable. It was a bed fit for a king and Annabeth wondered why her father was letting her sleep there. Then, the memories of last night flooded over her. She was married!

Her slumber-heavy eyelids blinked rapidly as thoughts whirled through her mind. She was a queen now. She, who had only been a mostly forgotten princess treated with neglectful luxury, was now a queen. What would this entail for her? Would she have more freedom or less? Annabeth resolved to figure this out as soon as she could.

     "Morning, Annabeth," came a sleepy voice from the other side of the bed.

     Annabeth sat up and turned her head to look at King Percy. He looked much less regal in the morning with disheveled hair and exhaustion still visible on his face.

     "Morning, my lord," Annabeth said, feigning a smile.

      "How did you sleep?" Percy asked.

        "Alright," Annabeth said. "Your bed is quite comfortable."

      Percy smiled slightly. "Is the blanket to your fancy?"

     Annabeth nodded. It was thick, spun of soft wool, and decorated with images of waterfowl. She appreciated the craftsmanship more this morning than she had yesterday. Last night she had been too anxious about what the night would entail to pay much attention to the room.

"My lord," Annabeth said. "Stop me if I am too intrusive, but if I may beg a question: is there any reason for last night's events?"

She tried to say this with practiced nonchalance, but a bit of desperation crept into her voice. She lowered her eyes and when she looked up, she saw a crease between Percy's eyebrows.

"Do you have any reason to be upset with my conduct?" he asked after a few moments.

Annabeth considered her next words carefully. "No, my lord. I am only surprised by your restraint. I wondered if there — if there was a reason for that."

"You mean aside from the fact that our marriage is supposed to be an alliance and not a triumph on my part?" Percy asked.

Annabeth nodded slowly, wondering how shrewd her husband was.

"I suppose I wanted to start our marriage off peacefully," Percy said. "Also, my mother once told me a story of the fifty daughters of Danaus."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. She had never heard this tale before.

"Danaus was my father's uncle," Percy said. "After his brother, Aegyptus, bested him in a battle, the two drew up a peace plan. Each of Danaus' daughters was to marry one of Aegyptus' sons."

Annabeth nodded. She figured the daughters of Danaus had been peace-weavers.

"But Danaus didn't want to accept this humiliation," Percy continued. "So he told each of his daughters to kill their husbands on their wedding night. They all harkened his advice except for Hypermnestra. She spared her husband, Lynceus, because he was the only one who didn't force himself on his bride. He respected her."

    Annabeth nodded and gave Percy a smile. It was brilliant, but calculated. Perhaps her husband had her best interests at heart, but perhaps his decision was motivated by tactical reasons rather than moral ones.