Down in Flames - Rewritten Entirely

Chapter 12

"And what would she have us do?" he asked her.

Annabeth glanced at Percy, but he said nothing. He watched her closely, wondering what she would say. There was no way for him to help her, but if she was Queen Athena's daughter and the queen was as wise as they said, then surely she would know what to say.

Stepping in front of Percy, Annabeth addressed Poseidon. "Athens and Atlantis have a common enemy. Instead of fighting each other, we need to work together to fight the real enemy."

"And who would that be?" Poseidon prompted.

"Tartarus."

It wasn't just Poseidon's councilmen who began to murmur this time. The Athenian soldiers turned to each other and whispered fervently, but Percy was too surprised to understand what they said.

"Tartarus?" he echoed. Annabeth nodded. "The city was destroyed ages ago."

"But their citizens live on," she told him. She turned her gaze back up to Poseidon. "They've been gathered for years and their prince leads them."

Poseidon frowned and Annabeth moved through the group of soldiers to stand at the base of his throne.

"I've seen them, Your Highness," she said urgently. "I've heard them talk in the alleys of Athens. They wait for you and Queen Athena to destroy your cities."

"I've heard no reports of Tartarians," Poseidon replied sceptically. "How can you be sure?"

Annabeth glanced at the councilmen standing around the king and swallowed thickly before saying, "Kronos leads them."

The following uproar threatened to deafen Percy. As the shouts of the councilmen mixed with the worries of the Athenian soldiers, the throne room erupted with noise. From the back of the room, Percy couldn't understand a single word that was being said as they all mixed together. The haze of noise did not stop him from seeing Annabeth flinch as one of the councilmen shouted at her.

Percy wasn't sure how he had moved so quickly, but one moment he was behind the Athenian soldiers and the next, he was between Annabeth and the council. The promise he'd made echoed through his head, but it wasn't until he'd blinked that he realised he had moved in the first place.

"Percy." There was a warning in Poseidon's voice, but Percy didn't heed it.

"She's here to help us," Percy hissed, holding one arm out in front of her. "She will not be threatened by your council."

Around them, the shouting ceased as all attention was once again drawn to Annabeth.

"Tartarus was destroyed before your birth, child," a man from the council sneered. His upper lip curled but Annabeth stood tall. "How do you know his name?"

"I've heard his people talking," Annabeth snapped. The man looked taken aback, but Annabeth plowed on before he could scold her for her tone. "He takes in orphans of the war and promises soldiers a life of peace. While you sit in your palaces," Annabeth accused, "his army grows."

It was a big accusation, but Percy knew it wasn't a lie. If Annabeth knew the name of the prince of Tartarus, then there was reason to listen to her.

The kingdoms of Athens and Atlantis had brought Tartarus to an end years before Percy had been born and the very name of the kingdom was like a taboo. He had never heard the Tartarian prince's name spoken and he only knew of the brutal battle from history books.

"You say he's growing an army," Poseidon said, drawing the attention away from Annabeth. "Do you know where he keeps it?"

Annabeth hesitated. While she knew of an army and of Kronos's rising, she did not know where his new kingdom was located. All she knew was that the rioters had come in ships and the port had been strangely quiet since the war had begun.

"All I know is that they come in ships," Annabeth told him quietly. "They make port in Athens and wait to strike until a battle is finished."

Poseidon hummed and glanced behind her where the Athenian general stood.

"I want to send a request with you to your queen," he told him. The general straightened and the councilmen behind him looked around warily. "We will protect your princess until Kronos is taken care of."

Annabeth inhaled sharply. "Your Highness-"

"I have unfairly accused your mother, my dear," Poseidon said, turning back to Annabeth. "This war was not her fault and for that, I will apologise by keeping you safe."

"Your Majesty, if I may," a councilman said hesitantly, "we don't even know if this girl is the princess."

"Look at her, Mestor," Poseidon said, gesturing towards Annabeth. "How could she not be a daughter of Athena? We will welcome and protect her," Poseidon promised, his gaze falling on Percy for a moment. Turning back to the Athenian soldier, he said, "Until we have taken care of Kronos, she will be safe here."