A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!
Annabeth had many things to mull on her mind when she got back to her family's mansion without any further incidents. She had thought about it before these past few days when there seemed to be only a few limited options going forward.
Option one: She could proceed with her engagement to Luke, and then plan to expose him and Kelli, while avoiding all poisoned tea in the future. But this option was far from desirable. She might end up being suspicious of all foods in the Castellan mansion. Not to mention, Annabeth would have to be wary of all the servants as well. That option was quickly thrown out the window before she even thought of it.
Option two: Find a legitimate reason for breaking the engagement since both families were viewing the engagement positively. She could do this by providing proof of Luke's infidelity, but that would not lead to the outcome she wanted. So Annabeth needed something to display a change of heart. It would be next to impossible to convince Luke to break off their engagement, since he was probably after her wealth no matter what.
Annabeth's mind wandered to Percy. It had been a few weeks since she last saw him. Last she heard in the past before she reincarnated, he had been looking for a second wife.
Percy had married his first wife, Lady Rachel, about a year after Annabeth had married. Annabeth had met Rachel a couple times and rather liked the extroverted Lady Rachel. But Annabeth could tell that Duke Percy and Duchess Rachel had a relationship built entirely on business.
The couple was amicable and polite to each other but did not love each other any more than friends. Rumors around society went that Lady Rachel preferred not to marry but accepted Percy's proposal when heavily pressured by her family. Percy himself needed to marry only because the Jackson family needed an heir to solidify their positions. Despite such a business-like relationship, Percy had never run around having relationships with other women during the entirety of their marriage. That respect between the two was something Annabeth now realized she had been inherently jealous of compared to her own disastrous marriage.
Then a year later after the Duke's marriage, Lady Rachel had passed away from complications while giving birth. Her son did not live much longer than she did.
Annabeth touched her own stomach. She, too, could understand the pain of losing a child.
But now her mind was turning gears. Even if she managed to break her engagement to Luke, she would eventually have to marry someone else. What if she chose someone before that happened? At least it would be her choice and not her family's.
If she could get engaged to someone with a similar amount of influence and prestige or more as Count Luke Castellan, then it would be easier to not only cut ties with the Castellan family, but also gain enough leverage to plan her revenge.
Annabeth walked out to her bedroom's balcony and looked out to the view. Even from far away, she could see the sea where a fleet of ships were docked. Though she couldn't see the emblem on the flags, she could tell the flags displayed black dragons. They were ships of Duke Percy's fleet.
Perhaps the person she needed was Percy. Annabeth had always gotten along with Percy. He was the head of the Black Knights Order and had a higher title than Luke's. His was a peerage that not even the greedy and ambitious Kelli could aspire to. There had been one incident before Percy's marriage to Rachel where Kelli had tried to get close to Percy but Percy had rejected her politely but coldly.
Annabeth couldn't help but smile when she remembered the dumbfounded look on the beautiful Kelli's face as Percy shook off her advances. Then her smile dimmed as she remembered the dark expression that Luke had when he saw Kelli's advances on Percy. She had thought that it was because Luke disapproved of Kelli and how she tried to seduce the Duke. Now Annabeth understood that her former husband's expression was jealousy.
There was just a small twinge of sorrow. She would be taking the place of Lady Rachel. But Lady Rachel would have passed away giving birth if she married Percy. Perhaps she could think of it as saving Rachel's life this way. Annabeth touched her stomach again. There was a chance that she, too, would have complications, but it was a risk that she was willing to take. Besides, now that she knew that she had gotten pregnant in her past life, she was sure she would be able to have children.
Now, she just had to engineer a way to meet him formally and propose a contract.
Percy checked to make sure the handkerchief was safely stowed in his coat pocket. Though he had found the identity of the mysterious maid-who-was-not-a-maid, he didn't think he would meet her again so soon.
It was the first night of the Autumn Harvest Festival, and the kingdom celebrated with a ball in the royal palace and a festival in the city streets. In his younger days, Percy often felt awkward at such balls. No matter how high his rank was, he always felt like he was prey. Families would introduce their sons in hopes they could be his companions and business partners and thus elevate in rank. Others would push their dolled up daughters onto him so they might be potential candidates for his wife. Now that he was older, not much had changed.
He was of marrying age, and his own family were pressuring him to find a wife. His own mother, the previous Duchess, even threatened to set him up with a lady at the end of the year if Percy hadn't found his own wife.
But tonight felt different than the other balls. Perhaps it was because of a certain lady with curly blonde hair Percy had his eyes on.
Now that he was observing her, Percy remembered he had seen her a few times at other societal events. Most of the time, she was escorted by Count Luke Castellan. Word in society went that the two would surely announce their engagement soon. It was quite a pity, Percy thought. Tonight, she had arrived alone, which unbeknownst to Percy, was because she had deliberately come earlier to avoid the count.
Though there were numerous beauties at the Autumn Harvest Festival ball, Lady Annabeth Chase caught and held his attention the most. Sweeping over her shoulders and framing her pretty face was her long hair, with red roses and pearls braided into the golden locks. Rich red silk embroidered with gold thread flattered her slim form. Small but delicate golden pearls embellished the bodice. A ruby necklace showed off her slim neck.
With a merchant's eye, Percy could tell at a glance at what Annabeth was wearing that the Chase family was quite wealthy for a Baron's title. But it was her straight posture and air of confidence that made her stand out the most in the crowd. She was a beautiful red rose among the common patch of daisies and plain violets. But even the most beautiful of roses had their thorns.
As if feeling someone's eyes upon her, Lady Annabeth turned towards his direction. Percy felt himself anticipating her reaction. Would she be startled as she was when they met in the alley? Would she brush him off as she did earlier?
Her eyes widened just a fraction, but then her rosy lips began curving themselves up into a fond smile. Her smile was unlike the nervous adoring smiles or the simpering ones other noblewomen sent him. It was as if she was meeting an old friend after not seeing them for a long time. For some reason, Percy felt himself returning her gentle smile.
Lady Annabeth curtsied as he approached.
"I don't believe we've formally met." Percy teased lightly. "I am Duke Perseus Jackson."
Her pearl whites showed as she grinned. "I am Annabeth of Baron Chase's family, Your Grace. Thank you for your assistance the other day."
"It looked like you were handling things quite well, but it would be a stain to my honor as one of the Black Knights Order if I did not help."
"Still, I am grateful."
"Well, Lady Annabeth, if you are truly grateful, I don't suppose I would be allowed to know the reason why you were dressed as a maid?"
Annabeth's eyes twinkled. "I don't think we're close enough to share secrets just yet, Duke Perseus."
"Fair enough." Percy scanned the ballroom for a sign of the White Knights Order uniform. "I don't see your fiance. Is he accompanying you tonight?"
Her grey eyes turned stormy and cold. "Count Castellan is not my fiance."
"Ah, I see. I apologize for my mistake." Ouch, Percy thought. Trouble between lovers?
"Despite the gossip floating around, I have no interest in marrying the count."
Percy's eyebrow went up questioningly. Before he could say anything else, the orchestra began playing dance music. Percy offered his hand instead. "Well, if no one is accompanying you, fair lady, may I have the honor of being your partner for the first dance tonight?"
"I would be honored to accept." As she curtsied, the lights twinkled on the glistening pearls in her hair, capturing his attention once more.
Annabeth took his hand and followed him to the dance floor to join the other dancers. He put one hand gently on her waist while the other continued holding her hand. She smiled quite nice, the fragrance of fresh roses reaching his nose.
"You fight quite well," Percy complimented as he guided her.
It was not unusual for noblewomen to learn some self-defense skills, but it was the first time he had heard of a noblewoman using a knife to fight. One had to be skilled with the knife or else an enemy might easily use one's weapon against him or her. And where had she pulled her knife from under her dress?
"I'm sure it's nothing compared to yours, Your Grace." Annabeth returned his praise.
Percy gently twirled Annabeth in a circle at the proper beat of the music. "How did you recognize me back then? Have we met before?"
Most of all, he wanted to know how she knew his nickname that only the people close to him were allowed to call him by.
Annabeth's eyes flashed with something Percy could not decipher. "We haven't been formally introduced, but I have heard of you. Your daring exploits on both sea and land are nothing to sneer at. The kingdom of Cuora owes you for your protection. As such, I thank you as well, as a citizen of Cuora."
Her words and tone were appropriate. Seeing as his position was the head of the Black Knights Order, it could be true that Annabeth came to know of his name and what he looked like, especially as he was the counterpart of her supposed fiance. Luke and he had trained together at the Knights' Academy and were acquaintances, but Percy couldn't say that they were particularly close either. Especially as the two were on opposing political sides.
Speaking of Count Luke Castellan, Percy could feel someone staring daggers at the back of his head. The head of the White Knights Order had arrived. Luke was standing in the midst of the crowd watching the dancers, glaring at the pair dancing. Jealousy perhaps? Was Lady Annabeth using him to get back at her lover for a transgression? Percy's amicable feelings towards Lady Annabeth dimmed somewhat.
"Your rumored future fiance doesn't appear to be happy that you are dancing with another man."
Annabeth frowned. "Then that is his problem. Like I said earlier, I have no intention of marrying Luke. Especially not one who sees other women behind his supposed fiance's back." She said the last part so quietly Percy almost didn't catch her words.
Luke Castellan seeing someone else behind his lover's back? Percy didn't know either Luke and Annabeth well so he couldn't judge Luke to be unfaithful or Annabeth's words to be false. And he couldn't be sure that Annabeth hadn't want him to hear the last whispered words.
But his experience interrogating criminals had also told him Annabeth's words held a ring of truth. Dancing with the intriguing Lady Annabeth, Percy couldn't tell why the count would do such a thing to neglect such a beauty. The supposed illicit lover of the Count must be an otherworldly beauty indeed. Perhaps it was none of his business but he could get his men to investigate into this matter. Percy's perception of Annabeth became more favorable again. There was just something...interesting about her.
"Percy, ah, Duke Jackson." Annabeth's eyes bore into him with an intensity he felt he had to match. "How would you like to enter a contract with me?"
A/N: I feel compelled to say this, but yes this story is M-rated, barring a reviewer who was caught reading M-rated stories by her parents. Oof, if my parents knew I was writing M-rated stories, um, yikes.