Courtly Love (a Percy Jackson AU)

A Rose With Thorns

***Percy***
        I was strolling through the gardens alongside Princess Annabeth, wanting to hold her hand, but too cowardly to even dare. She turned towards me and smiled, her eyes glinting like the silver knife I had given her yesterday. "Thou desired to tell me something?" she asked.

       "I could compare thine beauty to a rose, but I will never forget that a rose has thorns," I said.

       "Sire, all delicate things need to be protected," she said.

       "But thou art not delicate," I said. "Thou art as beautiful and dangerous as a golden sword."

       Princess Annabeth smiled and her grey eyes looked more approachable now, as if they were pools of liquid silver. I found myself lost in her memorizing gaze and I mentally chided myself after breaking eye contact. "How is thine cousin fairing?" I asked, unable to think of anything else.

       "He is fairing well, sire," Princess Annabeth said. "Emperor Magnus has written to me that he has found love."

       I nodded, thinking about how I felt towards her. I wanted to be a chivalrous knight that could sweep her off her feet, but all my attempts at courting her had been feeble and clumsy. I decided that perhaps I was not fated to be such a man. "Princess Annabeth," I said. "The more time I send in thine company, the more my heart yearns to be with thou. I am unsure if thou returns my affections, but thou art the love of my life."

         I looked up at her and she laughed. It was a beautiful, but loud laugh, like the sound of waves pummeling against the shores of England. I felt my face turn crimson like the ruby-hued kirtle she had donned today. She stepped forward and her breathe warmed up my cold cheeks. I could see every one of her blonde eyelashes now and I fancied that I could even hear her soft, rhythmic breathing. As she kissed me, I felt as if I had been struck by a dagger in the chest. 

       I heard footsteps and we both jumped backwards. I ended up tripping over my feet and landing on my backside, which ended up being sorely bruised for days. Princess Annabeth, however, stepped backwards and walked into a bush. She tried to wriggle out of the prickly bush, but the thorns ensnared her fine dress and hair. 

      I got up and quickly hurried over to Princess Annabeth. She said several things in French that I did not doubt were not appropriate for younger children. In the process of untangling her, I earned several scratches myself. When I was finished, I looked up at Nico and Frank, who had interrupted my private time with Princess Annabeth. "King Percy," Nico said. "We have news for thou."

      "Alright," I said, though I was sorely disappointed that my time with Princess Annabeth had been cut short.

      "Thine mother wishes to see thou in the throne room," Frank said. "I will accompany thou, but I fear that I cannot stay. There will be other guards to assure thine safety."

     "I wish that Gleeson allowed thou to guard me more," I grumbled to Frank. 

     Frank shrugged. "He is the head of the guards," he said uncomfortably.

    "I am the king of England," I reminded him.

     Princess Annabeth gave me a quizzical look and shook her head. "Princess Annabeth will retire to her chambers," I told my two guards, both of whom looked surprised.

          When I arrived at the throne room, I realized I had not seen it so full of courtiers since the day my father had died. That realization made me feel as if I was being impaled by my own sword. I still could sometimes hardly fathom that he would never return, that I would never see him gallop into battle again, and that he would never capture another pirating vessel personally. 

       I sat down on my extravagant throne and gave a fake courtier smile. "What news doth thou wish to share with me?" I asked my mother.

       My mother looked up at me. She was over 40 years old now, but I knew that men her age thought of her as comely with her kindly smile and pleasant face. Now, that face was strained and I realized that she had grey streaks in her hair. I realized then that I had not been as attentive to my mother as I should have been. Despite the toil my mother had been bearing, I could still see a sparkle of life within her eyes. "King Percy," she said. "My son, I hope that thou is pleased with my news."

     She hesitated, playing with the blue fabric of her kirtle. "King Percy, I would desire that thou gives consent for my marriage," she finally said.

       I felt like I had been hit by an anvil in the back. "Marriage?" I echoed like a popinjay. 

     I wet my lips. "Marriage with whom?" I asked.

   "Paul is a learned man," she began. "He is a retired knight."

  "And father?" I challenged, forgetting my audience.

   "I loved thine father," my mother said simply, "but I cannot live the rest of my life alone. I wish to yield my heart to Paul."

     I saw the sincerity in my mother's gaze and I silently cursed myself for belittling her in front of everyone. "Mother, I give my blessing for thine marriage," I said.

      My mother's smile lit up the room like the sun itself. The conversation in the room started up again and I smiled at my mother, who approached me. "I know that this is hard for thou," she said, "but I will always love you and I daresay Princess Annabeth feels much the same."

     "Mother!" I whispered. "How did thou know?"

      "All the courtiers talk about it," she said with a smile. "There is talk at court that thou has already romanced her. Thou should sue for her hand; she loves thou."

      I wondered if my mother spoke the truth, but before I could rouse up my courage, Frank careened into the room, his armor cut and covered in dried blood. "King Percy!" he said. "Princess Annabeth has been captured by Lord Octavian's forces!" he said.

       I stood up quickly. "She was in her chambers," I said, my voice shaking. "How could this have transpired?"

      Frank's face crumpled. "He had inside help,' he said.

     "Who?" I asked.

    "One of the knights," Frank answered. "A man named  Luke."

      "Is that all?" I asked, trying to remain calm.

    "Gleeson just received a letter meant for thou," Frank said, allowing the short, burly guard to approach me.

      "King Percy," Gleeson said. "The Scottish king sent thou a letter. His daughter has been captured again and his son has been poisoned."