Dark-Hair, Sea Eyes

15

Percy landed on this planet with more caution than the last one. On Earth #72, while the water was bad, there was an acceptance and understanding of 'mythical' creatures. This planet's people were still caught in its superstitious era, dragons being one of their many depictions of evil. Abyss curled up inside Percy's hoodie in her smallest form to stay out of sight, and Percy pulled his hood over his eyes. The water here was blue, and in this country, blue eyes were a sign of evil. Any colored eyes that weren't brown were signs of evil.

He walked, keeping his head low and avoiding people by keeping off of the main roads. Eventually, he found a tavern, an old rickety brick building that threatened to implode on itself every time the wind blew the wrong way. But it was familiar, and it was how he was going to get to the Chases.

The side door was locked. The lock was shiny and new against the dark, moldy door. The dark, moldy, weak door because when Percy knocked, his fist broke through it.

Damn it, he said in his mind before sighing.

Nothing a little duct tape won't fix.

But him causing bodily harm to the door had caught the attention of the woman on the other side of the door. Someone familiar. The woman stared hard at him, recognizing him immediately. Percy recognized her too and quickly looked around for the Graces.

Twice in less than 24 hours?

Twenty-four hours for him, anyway.
It could've easily been days for the witch-princess.

"They're not here," The princess mumbled, turning away from him as the actual person he was looking for rounded the corner.

"Blue eyes! You come back and destroy my door! I've had enough of your kind lately," The elderly woman grumbled. The people of this planet didn't age as quickly as other planets. The woman had been old since Percy met her, and probably way before. She was one source of information that Percy trusted.

"Any news for me?" Percy asked, tossing a gold coin onto the table. She didn't know his name, nor did Percy know hers, but they knew each other well enough. She had information and he had money. "Well, two other pairs of blue eyes came around. Dropped her off and vanished," the woman said, cleaning a goblet and placing it in front of Percy. "Said she dabbles in the arts and needed to stay low. She's been here for a few weeks, but she gotta go. She's too pretty—foreigner or not, men or women, the pretty ones get married or get killed. I'm surprised you lasted this long, with you baring your eyes for everyone to see," she filled the goblet with a red thick wine, and Percy listened as she continued.

"The gray-eyed ones are still locked away, but they a little too pretty to be killed. They moved 'em again," she paused, looking up at Percy. "Would you like another drink, sir?" She asked, despite Percy not touching the first drink. Percy frowned, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones before conceding, downing the drink. It sat like a brick in his empty stomach.

"It'll cost extra..." She said, not pouring the damn drink. Percy rolled his eyes, reaching in his pocket to grab a silver coin. Placing it on the table, he urged her to continue.

"The king like 'em. It's rumored that they are ruling through him. Why he keeps moving them, so his subjects don't try to vanquish the 'sorcerers that bewitched their king,'" she said, finally pouring the drink she'd all but forced Percy to pay for.

She was ridiculing her country's customs, and she harbored many people that by her country's laws should be executed.

Even though that meant if she was found out, she'd be killed too.

"They are up there with the king, get past the guards and you got them," she said, vanishing into the room behind the bar before returning with a small box. "Now I know that you hate these and refuse to put them in but hear me out," the woman started, immediately causing an annoyed glance to be directed at the box.

"The princess is having a ball so she can meet suiters," she began, and Percy groaned. "You're young, attractive, and foreign. They'll love you. You'll be near your pretty blonds in no time," she urged. She gestured to the witch-princess, "and when you're done, come take her. Get her out of the country and keep her hidden," the woman asserted, under the assumption that Percy was just a visitor to this country and not a visitor to this planet.

There was a look in her eyes, alarm and worry knitted into her irises. It was that look that caused Percy to agree. He owed her anyway.

"Okay, then I will be back for her," he said locking eyes with the witch-princess. Her eyes before had been kaleidoscopic and everchanging. Now they were covered in brown contacts.

Percy looked at the box in his hand. Oh, how he loathed the brown contacts.

"And you can just waltz in there without an invitation?" Percy asked though he could guess the answer. She wouldn't have suggested it to him if it wasn't possible.

"I wouldn't have mentioned it to you if you needed an invitation."

Fine. Percy released Abyss—who'd gotten so comfortable that the dragon had gone to sleep—and placed her on the bar. Knowing he had accepted, the old woman nodded victoriously. "I'll call up a chauffeur.''
~~~
Percy swiftly weaved through the people around him, his eyes blinking every second trying to stop the contacts from moving. It felt like his eyes were trying to fly away, far far away from contact land.

He was greeted warmly, smiles everywhere and Percy even detected sincerity. Imagine how much that would change if he took the contacts out. He nodded politely at the princess when she noticed him, and her eyes lit up. But he was a safe distance away and she was surrounded by suitors so he could avoid that interaction.

"Sir, may I ask why you're straying so far from the party?"

Percy was face to a forearm to the most intimidating guard he'd ever seen. He didn't turn towards Percy but Percy could feel the sneer in his words. Percy didn't get out an excuse before a voice spoke out, "Stand down, Ahmad, he's a friend," the voice said.

Percy came face to face with haunting gray eyes, drilling into Percy's. They were the eyes of Magnus Chase—dead, soulless, and empty. The boy smiled as he took Percy in, the expression always seeming foreign on the boy's face. "You've stayed in one time zone long enough to grow. I was expecting a thirteen-year-old, " he teased. Percy sighed. Yet another person younger than him making fun of how much he hadn't allowed time to catch up to him and was still 16.

"Where's Annabeth?" Percy asked, looking over Magnus's shoulder but not seeing his other blond and gray-eyed friends. "There's a disagreement between this kingdom and one of its allies. Annabeth is giving her assistance," Magnus said. "What's her count?" Percy asked him, lowering his voice. "Three to two. This will be her fourth, " Magnus grumbled, embarrassed about being behind. Percy could take out a few heavily armed fortresses, yet these two could take over entire kingdoms. Neither of the kingdom's kings will be victorious in Annabeth's plan. Annabeth will always come out on top, which was ultimately why he came here.

"Percy?"

And that's the end of this part! Thanks so much for reading, bye!