The Peace-Weaver (a Percabeth AU)

Annabeth's Loyalty

"Stop!" Annabeth cried as she ran forward.

She felt someone grab her and she was pulled back. She turned around to see Piper breathing hard. "You can't go in there," Piper said.

"I need to," Annabeth said. "I can stop the fight."

"Queen Annabeth, please listen," Piper said. "These men will hurt you."

"My fathers' men!" Annabeth exclaimed. "They would never."

"Then why are they attacking your husband?" Piper asked.

Annabeth wasn't sure, but it made her feel dirty — as if she had done something dreadfully wrong. The rational part of her brain pushed away this guilt; you were not part of whatever this is. Annabeth looked at Piper more closely and realized why she was so insistent on Annabeth not entering the fray. Her hair was disheveled and her dress torn. She was covered with bruises and cuts.

Annabeth felt a rush of anger. Her father's men would attack a woman who used to live under the same roof as them? She ran forward and grabbed a sword from a fallen soldier. She brandished it and soon found herself fighting one of her father's most trusted thanes.

"Why are you attacking me?" Annabeth asked.

"You need not fight," the man said. "We only need to defeat your husband."

Annabeth hesitated for one brief moment — frozen with shock. The thane used that moment to unarm her. "They'll be no more fighting for you today, princess," he said.

"Excuse me," Annabeth said. "I'm a queen."

She would have said more, but a commotion eclipsed the attention of everyone in the room. Annabeth gasped as she saw her husband kneeling on the ground. Luke was standing over him, a sword pointed at Percy's chest. Percy was disarmed and holding up his hands in surrender. His fine garments were stained with blood. The sight of it made the room seem to tilt. Luke attacked my husband? Annabeth felt a rush of emotions: fear, confusion, hope, dread, but most of all: a deep sense of pain.

       "King Percy, you are hereby demoted to the common rank of an exile," Luke said. "You will atone for your sins and the sins of your father. King Frederick now has possession over this land and the loyalty of its thanes."

    Without thinking, Annabeth rushed forward. She stood between Luke and her husband. "You cannot do this!" she said, lifting her chin,

      Luke's expression softened. "Annabeth, I know it's difficult, but this is the right thing," he said. "Your father is avenging the deaths caused by the war with King Poseidon."

       "But my marriage was supposed to end the war!" Annabeth exclaimed.

       "I forgave you despite the death of my father at your hands," Percy growled. "I accepted your treaty. Now you break it?"

    Luke smiled. "You should have known it was a plot to dupe you."

      "No!" Annabeth cried.

        Luke's jaw hardened. "Step aside, Annabeth."

      "I will not have you hurt my husband!" Annabeth said.

      "You have no need to worry," Luke said, giving her a wry smile. "Percy is leaving now. You are safe. Your father told me that if this mission was successful, then I could marry you."

     Annabeth felt the burning gaze of the entire room shift to her. If this has happened the night after her wedding, she may have agreed to this. But it wasn't that night and Annabeth had gotten to know Percy. He was kind and loyal — if a bit slow and very annoying.

      "No," Annabeth said, surprising herself with the strength of her voice. "Where Percy goes, I go. We walk this life together."

     Luke's expression soured. "Fine," he said. "Then I shall tell your father you died in the battle. Better he think that than know you betrayed him. Leave, Annabeth. Run away with your pathetic husband and never come back."