Mission Accepted: Percabeth AU (HoO)✔️

Sky Full of Possibilities

Photo by Kai Pilger on Unsplash 

The day begins with me jogging down the hallway after our meeting, in a maid's uniform. My hair is let loose, covering my face as I duck it down anytime, I pass someone who knew me as Lady Annabeth. Palace helpers scramble everywhere, prepping everything for the palace for one of the biggest events in history.

I've barely seen much of Piper, but she's communicated in her earpiece of her own. Percy has allowed her to stay in the palace in her suite. It is tradition anyway that all the Selected girls be present during the choosing declaration. I am updated on everything she sees or hears in the Selected girl's suite hallway.

I almost trip running into the kitchen. Upon entering, my senses are bombarded with cooks completing a quick dance around each other – delivering plates on counters, adding spices to soups, cleaning up appliances – with lots of shouting over loud stoves and kettles, and the amalgamation of breathtaking smells from gourmet cuisines.

Someone shoves a paper of the order of courses for tomorrow, saying, "Pin this on the board."

Bowing my head down, I slide into the practiced dance around the kitchen. Throughout dodging from crashing into pots of boiling water, bumping into a man washing dishes with efficiency, a woman yelling for curry, and almost falling on a spill someone was cleaning up – I finally reach the board at the back. Pinning the paper up, I listen to the multiple conversations sprouting around the kitchen.

"More sauce!"

"Did you hear about the Royal Spies hunting someone?"

"QUICKER!"

"What if I accidentally spill this on one of the girls?"

"Scrap it."

"What do you think he'll do?"

"HURRY WITH THE CURRY GEEZ!"

"I think he'll eliminate Monica."

"Another spill! UNDERWOOD!"

"Absurd! She's wealthier than all of them combined!"

A man bellows from across the room, "UNLESS THE TEA IS TASTIER THAN YOUR MEALS, I SUGGEST YOU KEEP WORKING!"

The kitchen stays just as loud with shouting, but any gossip is nowhere to be seen. I am pushed to a sink and instructed to wash the dishes quickly for them to use to set the tables tomorrow morning. I glance over my shoulder to see the three remaining Selected girls being shown around the Great Room, a head organizer explaining where things will be. He gestures to the kitchen and I whip my head back to the dishes at hand, scrubbing them a little harder than necessary.

Hesitantly, I look back to see them greeting family members who look around in awe. I forgot that at this stage the Selected girl's family members are to come and stay for the remaining day, awaiting the declaration from Percy. I watch Paris crying as she hugs this man, a small smile on her lips. Then there's Monica who embraces two young girls who giggle up at her. And then Hasina who stands stiffly, bowing her head to her regal-looking family. Each girl is so different, raised in contrasting situations, and yet they all share the same awed look in their eyes as I watch them imagine Percy on the stage, announcing their daughter as his future wife.

I slip a plate into the drying section, scrubbing utensils now. This is the closest I can get to Cruz, whichever one she is. I look back at the girls for merely two seconds, going over my thoughts. So many factors point to Hasina, none to Paris, none to Monica. But what if it's Monica? She's always just been there, slinking below the radar. Or Paris? She's been a friendly face since the beginning, but could it be possible it was all just an act?