Courtly Love (a Percy Jackson AU)

At Least I'm Better At Courting Than Lord Dylan

***Percy***
Courting Princess Annabeth was different than anything else I had ever done. I had truly never felt the same way around around another woman. Princess Annabeth left me feeling like a burning icicle sailing on a Viking ship that cut through a wind-tossed sea. I had felt affection that bordered on romance before, but Princess Annabeth was the first lady I ever truly desired to marry. The problem was, I was not sure if she felt the same way towards I.

I was thinking these thoughts as I walked down to my large dining room for dinner. I was hosting a feast tonight, as Lord Dylan was bidding me a visit after returning from a voyage to Italy. I stopped walking when I heard familiar voices, though I couldn't tell what they were saying. I closed my eyes and focused on where the voices seemed to come from.

I opened my eyes and moved closer, now able to clearly hear Lord Dylan and Annabeth's lady-in-waiting, Piper, arguing. I could see that Piper was flustered; her dark skin was tinged pink and she looked like she wanted to slap Lord Dylan. By contrast, Lord Dylan was looking downright happy. He smiled at Piper-showing off teeth as white as ivory-like he was God's gift to illegitimate ladies everywhere. "Thou would do well to marry me," he told her, moving closer.

I stepped forward and placed one hand on the knife I kept with me at all times, ready to intervene if necessary. "Leave me alone, Lord Dylan," Piper said. "I have no interest in marrying a man like thou."

"And why is that?" Lord Dylan asked, leaning closer to her. "Thou art an illegitimate child. Thou should take advantage of any marriage offer that thou receives and I doubt thou receives many."

Piper stepped back as if he had stabbed her in the heart, but Lord Dylan grabbed her arm tightly. Without thinking, I leaped forward and blocked the knife he had prepared to plunge into her chest. Piper managed to wriggle out of his grasp and pull out her dagger, its tip glinting in the candle-lit hallway. "Gaurds!" I shouted.

Lord Dylan's face crumpled when he realized that he was fighting me, the king of England, and he jumped backwards and gave me a clumsy, low bow. "Sorry, sire," he said too quickly. "I didn't realize it was thou."

"Thou attacked a lady," I said in a voice as sharp as the knife he still held in his hands. "Thou tried to force her into romance."

Lord Dylan's face grew as pale as swan feathers. "Sire, I truly was mistaken-"

"No," I said forcefully. "Thou knew exactly what thou was doing when thou tried to couple with Piper."

By now, others had arrived at the scene. Frank stepped forward and sent Lord Dylan's knife clattering to the ground, the sound echoing throughout the now bustling corridor. Lord Jason stood next to Piper and threw a withering look at Lord Dylan, whose once solid confidence had now turned to dust. "Are thou alright, Lady Piper?" Lord Jason asked her.

Piper turned towards him, her eyes red and puffy. "Thou is the only person who has ever addressed me as a lady," she said so softly that only Lord Jason and I could hear her words.

Princess Annabeth drew forward and held her companion's hands in her own. "Piper," she said. "What happened?"

"Lord Dylan tried to pressure me into marrying him," Piper said, her eyes as red as the gown she wore.

Princess Annabeth said something angry in French about Lord Dylan and I doubted it was complimentary. She turned towards me. "Thou will punish Lord Dylan?" she said, her eyes blazing in anger.

"Whether Piper was a peasant or a queen, no woman should be treated like that," I said.

I turned to Frank, who had Lord Dylan pinned against one of the tapestries in the hallway. "Frank, take Lord Dylan to the jail," I ordered. "Tell Briares to put him in the most secure jail cell he has. Nico, follow them and make sure Lord Dylan doesn't escape."

Frank nodded and left with Lord Dylan firmly in his grasp. Nico followed him, a sword ready in his hands in case Lord Dylan tried to escape. Princess Annabeth turned towards me, her grey eyes looking as dangerous and beautiful as a sword made of steel. "Is that it?" she asked. "Why will thou not punish him further?"

"I'm going to strip him of his land and titles," I said, trying to keep my irritation in check.

"Lord Dylan deserves worse than that!" she exclaimed.

"He'll spend the rest of his life rotting in jail!" I snapped back.

"Thou art so aggravating, Percy!" Princess Annabeth said before stalking away.

"Princess Annabeth!" I shouted, but she ignored me.

I tried to run towards her, not paying heed to eyes of countless courtiers on me, but Lord Jason held me back. "Sir," Lord Jason said. "Let the princess's temper simmer for awhile."

I turned to Piper, who still looked shaken, her multi-colored eyes looking like shattered gems. "Lord Jason is right, sire," she told me. "Princess Annabeth is very protective of her companions, myself included."

"Does thou think I should punish Lord Dylan more?" I asked her. "If thou desires, I could have him executed."

Piper shook her head. "I would not desire that," she said. "Only that he does not have the chance to wrangle with other women and that I may one day find someone to settle down with."

She looked so defeated then and there. I thought back to how she had told Lord Jason that she had never been called a lady before. Was it right that she was judged for something she couldn't control? "Lady Piper," I said. "I expect that both of thine wishes will come to pass and that others will address you as a lady one day."

She looked at me in shock as I walked away to my chambers, the feast having been canceled. Lord Jason gave me a small smile when I looked back, but all I could think of was the anger I had seen in Princess Annabeth's eyes. Though it was directed towards me, the furious passion for her lady-in-waiting only raised her in my esteem and I gloomily thought that I still had much to learn about how to court a lady-especially a French princess.