𝑹𝒆𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 [𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧]

9- Gossip

11 July, 2396

My maids were the ones waking me again. They had me change into a knee length emerald green dress with transparent heels. As I walked out my door though, Katrina stopped me.

"Miss, the guard will be following you, so I request that you don't freak out." She told me. I glanced toward the guard behind me. He was Leo, the small hispanic guy from my date with Percy.

"Why, though?" I asked her. It was quite shocking to most of the Selected that I had developed a close friendship with my maids.

"I can't tell you that." the Russian told me and I pouted, causing Katrina to smile lightly.

I made my way down the stairs toward the dining hall, trying my best not slip in my heels, I was still getting used to them. The guard was following me like stink on a warthog.

I entered the dining hall, causing Reyna and Piper to send me a troubled look. I frowned at their expressions and took a seat on our usual table.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

My friends looked at me with incredulous expressions.

"You haven't heard?" Piper asked me, looking shocked. I noticed that most of the girls were in a tense mood.

"Is it because of the Report?" I asked, and Reyna shook her head vigorously.

"I don't think anyone is nervous about sitting in front of a camera and looking pretty." Drew squealed from somewhere behind us. Reyna gripped her cutlery hard and Piper gritted her teeth.

"Since that's all you can do." I taunted and my two friends chuckled.

"Watch it, Chase. You don't want me digging something up on you. Just because the public thinks of you as the Prince's favourite doesn't mean you need to get concieted about it. Everyone knows I'm going to win anyway." she spat, heading to her own table.

"What was she talking about?" I asked, staring after Drew.

"What rock are you living under?" Reyna asked, surprised.

"Really. The new magazine issue came out earlier today, it says that you've got the Prince wrapped around your finger. Here." Piper said, passing me a magazine she brandished out of nowhere.

I opened to the article about the Selection.

ANNABETH CHASE, A FIVE, HAS THE PRINCE WRAPPED AROUND HER FINGER.

'She's very manipulative,' Drew Tanaka, fan favourite, tells Illéa Daily. 'That's how she's gotten the Prince in her clutches. She must've struck up some sorry little pity party and the Prince, being the phenomenal man he is, must've felt sorry for her. I assure you she practically begged Prince Percy to offer her the first date.'

I rolled my eyes at the article, unbothered. It didn't effect me much, to me, it made Drew sound desperate. And it's not like I had feelings for the Prince or anything.

"And then there's the bigger news." Reyna gulped. "Northern Rebels broke into the Palace last night." I felt all the blood drain from my face. Only a week ago, Percy had said they were anticipating an attack on the Palace.

"The Selected aren't supposed to be in the know yet but I have friends among the guards. Leo Valdez to be more specific, told me. He said that there were around four of them, but they were caught before they could cause any damage." Piper informed. I gulped but no spit made it down my throat. That's how dry it was.

"Princess Thalia Grace, daughter of late Prince Zues, is set to question them tommorow. They've also sent a mass recruitment letter to anyone willing to join the Palace as a guard. They bet many of the people from the lower castes will join." Reyna said.

I didn't say anything, just gathered my thoughts. I was scared, and part of me wanted to leave. But the mysterious force pulled at me again, tugging at my spine, making feel more and more attracted to it.

The royal family entered again but this time the King was missing. A few moments after Percy entered, his head swirled around to me. Our eyes met and he slowly tugged on his ear, taking his seat.

A sign to talk.

I pretended to brush a strand of hair behind my ear and tugged on it whilst doing so. Percy solemnly looked at his plate and began to poke his food. Worriedly, I too ate my breakfast.

•○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○°○•

"I'm worried." Percy told me later that day as we were taking a walk in the grounds.

"Justified." I said, squeezing his arm, which I was holding gently.

"Really? That doesn't make me weak?" He asked me, as if looking for reassurance.

"You're the Prince, I think being worried about your kingdom is very justified." I said, giving him a smile.

"It's not the kingdom I'm worried about." He said, not meeting my eyes.

We walked in silence and stopped infront of my room.

"Until tonight, Wise Girl." Percy said, kissing my hand.

"Till then, Seaweed Brain." I responded with a grin as he left me at the door to my room, not looking back. I swung the door shut behind me and sat on the desk, reliving the best date I'd ever had. I had been thinking about that night more than I'd have liked to admit.

That's when I realised what he'd meant when he told me he wasn't worried about the kingdom.

As my maids got me ready later, reapplying my make up and losing in argument with me. (Hey, they wanted me to change my clothes, I didn't), I found myself rehearsing what Percy had told me under my breath.

I didn't understand why it was stuck in my head. Sure, Percy was handsome and I must admit I liked him a little, but I loved Luke, I knew that. And, I'd already told Percy I wasn't interested in marrying him. Plus, we were friends and I personally really liked our friendship.

I shrugged off the thoughts, there was no way Percy would like me. And he'd already gone out on dates with plenty of other girls. I gulped as a guard escorted me to the auditorium, where the the Report was held. The Royal family was seated and the cameras were almost ready to roll. I hurried to take my seat next to Piper.

"Where have you been?" She whispered.

"Bit late. Sorry." I apologised and my friend shook her head.

The Report was mostly news. The King revealed that there had indeed been an raid on the Palace by the Northern Rebels.

They were pretty harmless according to Percy. He had told me it was the Southerners who actually caused problems. The Northerners just foiled around the Palace, destroying ornaments and vandalising the property for reasons unknown.

But the Southern Rebels, they were a real threat. Percy had told me that they had killed several of the Palace staff last time they broke in.

Suddenly, a large bang echoed from inside the castle and the auditorium's roof caved in. Speak of the devil...