Down in Flames - Rewritten Entirely

Chapter 20: The Final Chapter

"How do you feel?' Rachel had asked, propped up on some of Annabeth's pillows and dressed in her nightgown. "Knowing you'll be married in just a few hours?"

"Terrifying," Annabeth had admitted.

Somehow, the thought of getting married was suddenly as appealing as jumping from a ship into the sea. Although she had never drowned before, she would guess it felt a little like this.

The feeling didn't go away when morning came, either. When the water was brought in for her bath, her stomach turned. When Rachel left, she almost grabbed her arm and begged her to stay. With a pinch in her chest and a fluttering in her gut though, Annabeth let Rachel leave and turned to the maids for their assistance.

From the moment Annabeth stepped into the bathtub until she was standing in her gown, she didn't think. Maids adjusted her gown and ensured her hair was perfect. Someone pinned a veil in place. When Annabeth finally took a deep breath, Chiron was in front of her.

"You look nervous, my dear," he said, offering her a kind smile.

Annabeth pursed her lips, thankful for the veil that hid the true extent of her unease.

"I'm getting married to end a war," she reminded him. "Anyone would be nervous."

"Yes, but in a different way."

Annabeth frowned and Chiron offered his arm. She almost didn't take it.

"You are nervous in the way all young brides are," Chiron said softly. Gently, he took her hand and placed it on his arm. "You want the best for your future, but there is this dreadful thought that wonders if this is a mistake."

"I can't back out," Annabeth snapped. "It's not my choice."

"Perhaps for most princesses," Chiron ceded, "that is true. For you, dear one, this is both a marriage of duty and of love. Many girls would do anything to be in your situation."

As Annabeth fell silent, Chiron guided her out of her quarters and down the empty palace hallway. She tried not to think about how different things would be if her father hadn't died so many nights before. Rather than walking with her father to the wedding feast, Annabeth would walk with Chiron. He was a decent substitute, she supposed, but she couldn't help but imagine how differently things could have been.

"Deep breaths, dear," Chiron said as they approached the dining hall.

Already, Annabeth could hear the chatter and cheers from behind the doors.

When the guards moved to pull open the doors, she hesitated.

Countless thoughts and worries rushed through Annabeth's head all at once and nearly made her lightheaded. Despite knowing this day was coming, she had not fully wrapped her mind around it. Even now, it seemed impossible.

Percy was wonderful, yes, but did she know him? She knew his favourite colour and she knew that he had difficulty focusing at times, but did she know him? That had to count for something as she couldn't very well marry a stranger. Perhaps they should wait after all.

The guards opened the door before she could object. With a vice-like grip on Chiron's arm, Annabeth walked through the doors as all eyes turned to her.

There was a split second where it was all too much, then she found Percy through the crowd. He was seated at a table far across the room and dressed more ornately than she had ever seen him dress before, but it was him. It was Percy.

It was Percy who knew how to get her to take a break and Percy who smiled a bit lopsided. This was the Percy who dragged her out of Athens and protected her in a camp of soldiers. The same one who let her strategize and then used those strategies instead of telling her it was a man's work. And of course, it was the same Percy who had stayed with her so many mornings and afternoons just to talk. It was her Percy who was grinning wildly from across the room.

Finally, she could breathe. Through her veil and across the room, she watched him smile wildly and quit his conversation just to stare at her. It was a shame they would be seated so far apart for the duration of the feast.

* * * * *

Never before had Percy wished for the marriage ceremony to be different. While Annabeth was seated with Rachel at her side and several other female members of the court, Percy was far from her side. Stuck between his father and a councilman, he had no other option but to count down the hours.

Old men ate slow, he realised quickly. While they feasted and joked, Percy tapped impatiently at the table. When they finally finished, only then were they halfway through.

Time dragged on until finally-finally!-the feast was finished. Despite having started early in the day, the sun was nearly gone by the time they left the dining hall. With an impatient sigh, he adjusted the garland atop his head and waited for their chariot to arrive. With it came Annabeth.

Although she still wore her veil and the entire council walked behind her, Percy couldn't help but smile. Almost greedily, he took her hand-not her wrist. He refused to do so-and pulled her to his side in the chariot.

"Percy," she said, letting out a soft laugh, "calm down."

"You're too far away," he grumbled. His grip on her hand tightened and Annabeth squeezed back in reply. "All day, you've been too far away."

"Only a little while longer until it's over."

The chariot ride through the palace gates and around Atlantis was a blur to Percy. Annabeth's hand never left his and although he knew he shouldn't be standing so close to her, he didn't move away.

It wasn't until they came to a stop in front of the palace and were showered with dates, figs, and nuts that Percy realised the day was almost over.

The procession followed them back through the palace and all the way up to Percy's private chambers. It was with great joy (and perhaps a bit too much force) that Percy closed the door on them. Even though the cheering and "good luck" wishes could be heard through the thick door, Percy ignored them in favour of looking at Annabeth.

"You could actually see me," she teased, "if you took off the veil."

A little clumsily, Percy reached forward and lifted the red veil from her head. He tossed it aside entirely and Annabeth laughed at his impatience. Before she could tease him any further though, he pulled her against his chest and pressed his lips to hers.

The long day vanished and suddenly the only thing on Percy's mind was Annabeth. That wasn't to say she hadn't been on his mind during the day, but it was different when they were alone and she was his only focus.

Against Percy's will, Annabeth broke away from the kiss to smile at him. In an attempt to draw her lips back to his, Percy pressed a kiss to her neck and jaw.

"You seem to have an agenda tonight."

He wasn't sure if that's what she'd intended to say at first, but he didn't get to find out. Shortly after he pressed a kiss below her jaw, she dragged his lips back up to hers and let him continue what he'd started.

Author's Note:
Thank you all so much for reading! This was a work that I wrote in 2016, but really needed to be rewritten. I hope I've done it justice and improved it since then!

I am rewriting the sequel as well. There is still one final chapter planned for this book and it is the epilogue/first chapter of the sequel.

I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to seeing you in the future!