The Choosing (Percabeth AU)

2. Sleeping Beauty

Third person POV

Though there's two and a half hours left for the parade to start, everyone scrambles to reach their respective chariots. Aphrodite's voice booms through the speakers.

"Today is the start of our 15th Choosing !! For those youngsters who don't know what this is all about, we host a Choosing every 20 years. All the royals who are of age will be accommodated at the newly renovated Pallas Cyprus, and are expected to choose the person they would like to rule at the side of for the rest of their lives! In exactly one hour, our beautiful princes and princesses will be escorted to the Pallas and we will all be witnessing their Parade !!! So unless you want to miss out on a chance to see their marvelous royal faces in person, you will be here, at the location at the bottom of your screen. I, Aphrodite, am awaiting your presence !!! See you there, DARLINGS !!!!! "
There's the sound of the cameras clicking off and then Aphrodite is saying to Zeus, "That, was a very exhausting speech to give, Father. Can I please be myself next time?"
Their voices grow distinct as they walk away from the crowd.

Sally Jackson was trying to help Aphrodite out the best she could, but she lost her sons in the process, well ... at least one of them.
She quickly glanced at Tyson, who was sitting in the chariot, eating a jar of peanut butter.

Sally made her way to the back of the crowd, hoping to find Percy there. She spotted a girl with blonde hair and proceeded to ask her about Percy.
"Have you seen a boy around here? Black hair, sea-green eyes, about this tall," she raised her hand above her head, "and almost as harmless as a puppy."
Annabeth looked up from the wheel she was inspecting.
"No miss, but I can help you look for him," Annabeth replied, blushing slightly thinking of the guy from the ball.

"Thank you dear! Now if you could jus-" Sally was cut off.

"Saaaallyyyy !! Dahlingg come here for a second" chirped Aphrodites singsong voice.

"It's alright Miss .... Sally is it? I can search for your harmless puppy for a while, you seem busy. What is his name?"

"Thank you dear ...."

"Annabeth" Annabeth offered

"Thank you Annabeth! You are a life saver, his name is Percy, Percy Jackson" Sally replied, before dashing off towards Aphrodites voice.

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Annabeth looked around, wondering where to start. She started walking, with no particular destination in mind.

She wondered if she would find the man from the ball out here, at the Choosing. He'd seemed like such a gentleman.

Annabeth really wished to see him again, and be friends, if not anything more. After that day at the ball, she'd kept wondering about him. She truly regretted not asking him what his name was or asked him to at least take off his mask. It was so dim in the ballroom that she couldn't make out the exact color of his eyes. They looked almost blue then.

Suddenly she was on the ground, Luke towering over her. Hey was trembling with laughter. He held out his hand, still laughing.

Annabeth's face was red, but she took his hand and he pulled her up.
"Where you off to, Annie?", He grinned.

"Luke!" She yelled, grinning from ear to ear, wrapping him in a bone crushing hug.

Luke Castellan was the son of King Hermes, the heir to his throne. He, Annabeth and Thalia Grace, a daughter of King Zeus, were close friends from when they were kids. They'd play together at all the festivities they attended.
Until Luke had to go on a mission somewhere foreign, he hadn't told them much about it but he had changed a lot.
Not only had he gotten a large scar on his face, extending from his left eye down to his chin, he had also developed a habit of smoking.
Annabeth remember when they used to go camping together, Thalia and Luke used to argue all the time about his smoking when they thought she was alseep.
They had not wanted her to hear them fighting.They had always been protective of her, like an older brother and sister she had always needed.
Malcom was great of course, she loved him but he was never there for her they way her friends were, he was always busy, being the heir and not spending enough time being her brother.
Thought Luke, Annabeth and Thalia stopped meeting as frequently and often as they used to, being caught up with work from their own respective kingdoms, the bond they formed had always been special.
Like they were each other's own little family.

"Just looking someone. Percy, I think his name was. Percy Jackson." Annabeth replied with a smile at her friend.

"Did I hear you say 'Percy', Annabeth?" They turned to see Grover Underwood walking towards them. He was smiling really wide.

Grover was a dear friend. He was one of the Gypsies. They are,traditionally wanderers,him along with his girlfriend Juniper and a few other people ,traveled from kingdom to kingdom singing the praises of their great lord Pan and normally working as Gardner's for the palace.
That's how she met Grover.
In fact he once accidentally pushed Thalia into a pine cone tree and apologised perfusely,since then she hadn't seen him often,but did receive an occasional letter describing his Travels.

" Yes, Grover, 'Percy'. His mother was looking for him but she seemed busy, so I took over", Annabeth replied, amused.

" Well then, I suggest you check in the stables. I'll quit cheese enchiladas if he isn't there" , Grover made a face like that would be the death of him.

" That makes my job easier. I was just headed there to get Yankee."
Annabeth waved at the still grinning Luke ,making him promise to tell her everything in his life and sent him off with the mission of finding Thalia. She hugged Grover and went on her own mission.

When she reached the stables, Annabeth went straight to Yankee and stroked his mane.

Her mother, Athena, had given him to her for her 15th birthday.

" Hey boy. It's time to parade me through the streets. You ready ?" The horse neighed and Annabeth laughed at him. "Sometimes, I really wish I understood you."

She turned in a full circle, determined to find this Percy. Besides herself and Yanke, there was only one other horse in the stables.

He was a massive, pure black horse. He looked so majestic, like a pegasus.

Annabeth slowly walked towards him. When she was close enough to see properly, she noticed a man sleeping on it.

She approached him and sure enough, he matched Sally's description perfectly. So this was Percy Jackson. Only thing was, he was asleep.

She signed and punched him in the arm. Percy jerked up and fell of his horse. He landed right at Annabeth's feet, but she made absolutely no attempt to help him up. She simply glared at him.

Annabeth glared into his sea- green eyes and Percy stared right back. She studied him carefully.
His disheveled, jet black hair swept to one side as if he just gotten a walk to the beach and he even smelled like the sea. He smiled a troublemaker smile at her and Annabeth noticed his lips for the first time.

'He's kinda handsome', she thought. Immediately, she chided herself, 'Shut up, Annabeth. He's the son of your mother's greatest rival. '

Percy stood up and offered her a handshake. "I'm Percy".

"You drool in your sleep," she answered, not shaking his hand.

Stay tuned
------ S&D