princess // percy jackson

i. thirty four - one more promise

it was a bow and arrow she kept behind her back, alliah could see it now - now that she was aiming it right at her. at second glance, it wasn't just a bow and arrow. it was her own bow and arrow. alliah could recognize that golden spearhead and engraved willow bow anywhere.

alliah shot to her feet and began to back away, hands out in weak defense but annabeth only drew closer.

"annabeth, please." alliah tried. "put that bow down."

her enchanted order seemed to have no effect on the girl as she only kept the bow up even higher. there wasn't a single ounce of life on her face, alliah noticed. she might as well have been just as dead as luke.

"he was young, you know." annabeth went on, ignoring her. "he was only nineteen. just a kid. how could you let a kid die, alliah?"

when she said those words, something else appeared behind her - someone.

it was a kid. not just any kid.

this kid had red curly hair, a pale face with freckles littered all over, and emerald green eyes. it was the little boy alliah had seen in the underworld.

the kid who seemed much too young to have been there - much too young to have died.

it was then that alliah realized annabeth wasn't even looking at her, or atleast not meeting her eyes. the kid was though.

he was staring straight into her eyes - her soul. he didn't look angry or sad - he looked...worried. not for himself, for her. he was sympathetic. he seemed as if he were pitying her.

"he was much too young to have died," annabeth's voice came out low and not of her own. "he was much too young but you sentenced him to his own demise, alliah. you've killed him the moment you let him go."

alliah's gaze shifted from the boy to the arrow targeted at her.

she could only let out a gasp as the arrow was released and flew towards her.

her last sights were set upon the young boy's bright green eyes as her vision abruptly turned to black.

-

alliah awoke with a jolt and panicked search for breath.

her sights were met with a view of the camp and the sun beginning to rise above, tucked behind the hills in the distance.

she had fallen asleep outside. but when she moved to stretch, she realized she hadn't been alone. her head was rested against someone's shoulder.

she sat upright to find percy by her side. he was still fast asleep, unbothered with his lips parted open slightly. but to her relief, there was no drool in sight.

it was then that she also realized she had percy's plaid sweater wrapped around herself, keeping her warm from the chilly breeze running through her hair in that instant.

as if on cue, percy shivered, still not stirring from his sleep.

"a hero even when you're unconscious, huh?" alliah smirked to herself as she wriggled out of his sweater and draped it over its owner.

but she couldn't stop the slight blush from appearing on her face when she admired his selflessness of choosing to freeze throughout the night, rather than letting her do so. at what point had percy become so...nice?