Mission Accepted: Percabeth AU (HoO)✔️

Mask

Photo by Rhett Wesley on Unsplash 

... 

Paris crushes me into a hug, and I squeak. She laughs, the sound happy and echoing throughout the dining room. "I hated that they didn't let me visit you when you were sick!"

Pulling her back to arms reach, I meet her ecstatic smile and say, "I know, I'm terribly sorry. But I'm here now!"

Monica hugs me next, saying, "You've missed so much, Tayla and Gabriella went home! Oh! And another girl was caught with a guard, so she was sent home! And we had tea with Queen Sally which was lovely and –

" – Mon, whoa, slow," Paris holds up her hands, giggling.

Piper jumps in, "It's just us now! Isn't that crazy?"

I look at them all, nodding, "Crazy."

Paris sits in her place at the now smaller dining table, the stiff big U-shaped one gone. "I heard we're now about to practice assignments of a princess and soon to be queen soon."

Monica squeals, "Oooo!"

Hasina, closer to where the Royals sit, just rolls her eyes, "It weeds out the weaklings."

Paris scoffs at her, "Like you?"

Hasina shrugs, "Neleh and Drew went home a couple of days ago. It only strengthens my chances of being the future Queen. Though I'm not surprised, I was born to be Royalty."

I just stare at her, masking my face like the other sneering and shocked girls. Truthfully, I am trying to find the clipped and calculated words Cruz uses with me. I'm trying to see under her mask and figure out if Hasina really is Cruz.

This morning before breakfast I told my fellow agents everything. I recounted all my steps, said every conversation word from word. I told them every detail I could pull from memory. Percy was able to offer knowledge of Hasina running out to comfort Monica at the ball around the time Cruz found me.

"Percy won't pick you," Piper says hotly, her eyes flicking to me. Over the hours of being back, I have noticed her and Percy treating each other more as friends, and her and Jason acting more like Percy and she should. It's no secret now between us all that Percy is allowing Piper here as a friend. I smile slightly at her backing me up, but it falls short. Hasina or Cruz, whether they're the same person or not, cannot know too much of my closeness with Perce.

Hasina only shrugs, "I offer more than any of your combined. An alliance, money, knowing how to actually rule. I was born a Queen, darlings. Now, stop breathing on me, they'll be here any moment."

All the facts point to Hasina as Cruz but it's so hard to see that when interacting with her in this way. She puts up a good mask. I catch Hasina's eye and she just smirks at me before facing her untouched meal.

The Royal family walks in and I stiffen, knowing the last time I spoke with the King it was not so pleasant. Luckily the only person who meets my eyes is Percy. The ghost of a smile lightens his eyes and I watch them take their seats. I meet Paris' eye and she gives me an encouraging nod. I force my churning stomach to consume food, knowing I need energy for this coming week.

*~*

~*~

Anne stands in front of us in the library, her stern but regal eyes watching us all for a moment. I almost sigh when she speaks, "One of you will be Queen." I see Hasina wearing a smug grin and it takes everything in me not to slap it off her. Anne continues, "You will need to manage alliances, plan parties and serve your kingdom best you can. Which is why we are hosting two kingdoms – Zorix and Ast – who are not allies but are in negotiating terms with our monarchs. You will plan a proper royal party and run it for them, two nights in a row. This will either make or break the building alliance. And in the end, two of you will go home."

I feel the air in the room intensifies. This is not just some silly task; this is actually determining allies for our kingdom. Monica speaks up first, "Will we choose our partners?"

Anne stays silent for a couple of seconds before responding, "Yes. One group of two and another of three."

Piper grabs my hand before I can even move. Monica grabs my other. I glance around and see Hasina turn reluctantly to Paris. The thought of Paris being around Cruz sickens me. I should've been with her but that'll blow any advantage I have out of the water. No, I must do this from a distance before confronting her.

Anne gestures to Monica, Piper, and I, "You three will go second. You'll be hosting Ast, a kingdom across the ocean. They are not easy to please. Good luck." 

Have a great day/night wherever you are! - The Fangirl