Empress (a Percy Jackson AU)

Court in a Church

    By the next day, word had spread about Annabeth's return to Constantinople. Helen has indeed sent out guards to patrol the Hagia Sophia and when she drew her head out of the building to get a breath of fresh air, they peered at her and tightened the grips on their spears. "Do you think they'll storm the Church?" Piper asked, her gaze flitting between her mistress and the soldiers.

    Annabeth pulled her head back into the building. "I doubt they'll do that just yet. Helen thinks she has me cornered like a mouse."

"And you don't?" Piper asked.

Annabeth turned to face her. "She doesn't realize that I'm a cat too."

***

While she was confined indoors, Annabeth did not become bored. Sure, she felt restless and cooped up, but there was much to do. Ethan held Mass every morning and there were books she could read in the small room provided to her. There was also the building itself that Annabeth explored with awe. She noticed even Percy seemed impressed by the architecture and so she decided that should she become empress, she would build a church like the Hagia Sophia in Greece so that Seaweed Brains like him could appreciate modern architecture.

     It happened that three days after her arrival, Percy knocked on Annabeth's door to tell her someone wished to see her. "I'm coming," she said, glancing at the blueprint she was working on before standing up.

      Annabeth followed Percy to the main part of the Church beneath the dome. There, a woman was standing. The cut of her cloth indicated that she was poor and her stomach curved with the potential of new life.

     The woman kneeled and her big, brown eyes fixed on Annabeth's grey ones. "Please help me, Empress. I have heard you are wise and judicious and I need your help."

     Annabeth gestured for the women to rise and she did so, trembling like a leaf. "What do you need help with?"

    The woman looked to be about Annabeth's age and though she was weeping, she was beautiful. "I made a mistake, but it was out of love."

     A sob overcame her and Annabeth laid a hand on her shoulder until the shaking subsided and the tears slowed down. The woman raised her head and her face was wet with tears. "I am sorry, Empress, but as you can see, I am pregnant."

    Annabeth wondered where this was leading. "And?"

      "And my father is furious!" the woman cried. "I am unmarried and the father is from a wealthier family, so my father can not convince him to marry me. Now what shall I do?"

"You could take vows of the Church," Annabeth suggested.

The woman shook her head. "I'd never."

Annabeth understood where she was coming from. While she herself was religious, she didn't see why it was considered more pious to forsake the ability of having children. "Alright," Annabeth said. "What's your name?"

"Silena," the woman said.

Annabeth laid one hand on Silena's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll help you out. I'll find you a marriage even if your father cannot."