Annabeth watched the daughter of Kronos -the daughter of Luke- sleep peacefully on the fur covered mattress seemingly without a care in the world. One arm separated her head from the lavender pillow, while the other was stretched out with her hand just hanging over the edge. One bare leg rested on top of the blanket made of what appeared to be the fur of a gigantic bear, while the other was tucked underneath. Her snores were deafening and frequent, Annabeth likening them to the whine of a chainsaw. Every few minutes she would stop and smack her lips in her sleep, mumble something unintelligible, and go back to sawing logs. Queen, the girl had called herself, looked just like any other teenage girl (save for the glowing), but she scared Annabeth more than anything else ever had.
"How could this have happened?" she asked herself in the dark of the sprawling bed chambers for the umpteenth time. But like every other time she asked that question, she was met with snoring instead of answers.
The girl before her and her siblings could have only resulted from a catastrophic failure on Olympus' and, more importantly, her part. Somehow during the brief window of time when Kronos had possessed Luke's body, the mad titan had found the time to sire at least three children; and knowing Kronos she would bet her soul that it wasn't out of love. They were part of some grand scheme to topple Olympus. Possibly the real scheme all along. Meaning all she had done, all she had lost, was for nothing. And if the hushed conversations she heard between Queen and Luke-lookalike were to be believed, they were part of a prophecy.
And that scared Annabeth.
She knew that it was impossible to prevent a prophecy from unfolding, but she also knew that they could be delayed. It had worked for the first Great Prophecy, what with the Big Three killing off their children and swearing to not father anymore mortal children. And part of her was beginning to wonder if the second Great Prophecy was delayed because of Hazel's untimely death. Because of that she believed that if the other Olympians would have assisted Poseidon in trying to destroy the Princess Andromeda, this unknown prophecy would have been delayed for centuries; even if that did mean losing Luke earlier.
Luke...
She couldn't place the blame solely on the gods, even though she wanted to do nothing more. A large portion of the blame could be placed on her, and she knew it. She now saw Luke's visit the summer before the war reached a head in a new light. Perhaps he knew what Kronos planned to do with his body and that was his way of seeking help. That if she would have agreed to go with him they would have ran away together. But at the same time, she doubted that Luke knew about Kronos' plan. As no matter how much he hated the gods he wouldn't have brought a child, let alone three, into the world for the sole purpose of destroying Olympus. And there was no way he wouldn't have tried to warn her before he sacrificed himself to save them, just as he wouldn't willingly send his mother to Tartarus.
Still though, it was easy to blame herself.
Just as it was easy to blame Percy.
The son of Poseidon had told her all about his trip with Nico to Luke's childhood home and their encounter with the elder Castellan. The piles of moldy lunches the old women made everyday for a son that would never return home, the trays of hockey puck-like burnt cookies, the more-than-likely delusions of Hermes visiting her, and the seizure-like prophetic visions. All of which made it perfectly understandable why Luke left and became as bitter as he did. And why Percy promised he would go check on her and try to inform her of the fate of her son.
But that obviously never happened... She reached up and touched the golden necklace around her neck, only to pull her hand away when electricity arced to her fingertips. And now I'm a slave because Per- her stomach began to burn, and her chest tightened at the thought of her former lover's name- he didn't keep his promise.
"Chewie... That tickles..." the girl murmured as she rolled over in her sleep.
Did he ever keep a promise?
----
Some hours later Luke's only daughter (or so she hoped) sat upright in her bed suddenly and stretched her arms in the air with a massive yawn that would have made her stepmother chide her for being unladylike. The teen then rolled her fists in the air before looking around the room, before finally settling on her. "Good morning Annabeth!" Queen chirped, brushing her raven-hair with her fingers. "Did you sleep well?"
For a moment Annabeth thought that the girl was being sarcastic, as even Phineas could have seen that she had been up all night. While testing the limits of her collar (it worked, and it hurt like crazy), she had caught a glimpse of her reflection in a polished bronze shield and had not been pleased by the dark bags under her eyes, how dirty she was, and how much of a rat's nest her hair had become. She didn't consider herself to be vain about her appearance, but it did hurt to see herself in such a state. "I didn't sleep at all," she stated coldly, slowly rising to her feet as her first crush's daughter did the same. "Call me crazy, but it's hard to sleep knowing you're surrounded by monsters."
"You're crazy?" Queen asked, as she adjusted her nightshirt. "No one out there would harm you. They're good people."
"Eleven years of experience say otherwise," Annabeth muttered loud enough for Queen to hear. She had seen the way the armor-wearing monsters had looked at her when she tumbled into the hallway, all of them waiting for an excuse to kill her. I will give them credit where credit is due: they waited to kill me instead of attack on sight. "There was hardly a time where a monster didn't attack me on sight."
"Did you ever think it might have been the same for them?" the girl asked as she took a few uncertain steps away from her bed; seemingly scanning the room for something.
"What are you talking about?"
"You say that monsters attack you on sight, but what if it is also true the other way around?" Luke's daughter asked as she gathered up her strange clothes and cloak from the floor. "What if they attack first because they've been attacked in the past? What if this cycle of hatred is the result of centuries of misunderstandings?"
"I wish I was half as naïve as you," she scoffed, though her thoughts momentarily drifted to Tyson and Ella.
"You are really unpleasant, you know that, right?" Queen sighed as he circled around the bed, looking about as if she was lost. "Ummm... Have you seen a bathroom anywhere?" the girl asked, crossing her legs.
Annabeth rolled her eyes at the childish display. "I can only move twenty meters away from you." The girl continued to stare at her. "No, I haven't seen a bathroom anywhere," she said with an exasperated sigh. "And how do you not know where the bathroom's at in your own room- home- palace- whatever you want to call it?!"
"Because this is my first full day here?" the girl shrugged, her eyes set to the left side of "T" shaped main chamber. "When we left for Gaea this place only existed on paper. And I may have never bothered to pay attention when my brother was explaining the layout to me?"
Yesterday? That can't be right... While running with who she somewhat thought was Luke, she had managed to see a considerable amount of the greater structure. The scale was beyond titanic, with the central hall alone having what appeared to be its own ecosystem, and she doubted that even the gods could create something so ornate, large, and complex in twenty-hours hours. And there were signs that it was older than a day; some of the floors showing signs of ware, a layer of dust on some of the horrific statues, the size of the forest in the hall, and the way the other monsters knew their way around spoke volumes about the structure's true age. This place has got to be at least a century old... But that boy was acting like he designed it... Queen said they were eighteen and some change...
"Um, Annabeth?" Queen asked, snapping her back to the present. "Do you mind following me? I really need to use the bathroom, but I don't want you to get hurt..."
She blinked. She had not expected the children of Luke and Kronos (Oh gods! Never think that again!) to take her into consideration with their movements, believing that they would just walk away and let her writhe on the ground as her collar electrocuted her. But then again, they did chase after me last night like they didn't want me to get hurt... "Sure thing."
----
Life isn't fair.
That was a fact of life she had learned at a very young age. Her father had seemingly favored his career and his new wife over her when she was little. Her grandfather, a man she could barely remember but seemed to genuinely love her, died when she needed him most. Thalia, the girl she regarded as a big sister, was turned into a tree. And a hundred other events taught her that life lesson.
But she always believed that whatever life sent her way was better than being in Tartarus. A belief that was strongly supported from literally being in the hellish realm.
But apparently she had it backwards.
Apparently, Tartarus was the place to be for a life of luxury.
In their search for the bathroom the two teenagers encountered room-after-room of lavish luxury. A walk-in closet that was twice the size of the Athena cabin that was filled with hundreds of handmade outfits of the finest materials that would have put the Aphrodite cabin in tears when they realized their clothes were rags in comparison. And even though she was more of a jeans and a t-shirt kind of person, she could appreciate the finery within, unlike Queen who simply asked why she would ever need so many outfits (Fair point, but come on!).
From there they found a gym that would have had the Ares campers drooling. The walls were covered in racks holding weapons of all shapes and sizes composed of the three divine metals, plus a few she didn't recognize. Two faceless, Celestial Bronze automatons stood in the center of the room wielding blunted swords and shields, acting as readily available sparring partners. Several pristine weight benches sat against the far wall with stacks of Imperial Gold weights ready to be swapped out at a moment's notice. Tucked away in one corner was an elliptical machine facing a curved screen, granting the user the illusion of running through different terrains. In another corner, several padded mats were placed on the ground with several small incense burners placed around them, creating a small meditation area. And finally, there was a massage table next to a wooden door that she would bet her ponytail led to a sauna.
"That is nice... right?" Queen had asked her, before hurrying on to the next room.
Next came the library, which may have made her jaw drop a little. A lot. It dropped a lot. Two breathtaking stories of an unheard of, but not unwelcome, fusion of gothic and Greek architecture. The room was an octagon with five dark wood shelves packed with books and scrolls on the bottom level, and a curved staircase leading to the small walkway that allowed access to the eight shelves above. Eight black stone pillars inlaid with streaks of gold, stood equidistant from the outer walls, supporting the walkway above and framing the overstuffed chairs and black, stone desk in the center of the room. And the massive stone fireplace behind the desk, its mantle carved into dozens of haunting mist-like women, somehow made the room both intimidating and inviting.
"I could spend days in there," she had muttered to herself, eyeing the hundreds of scrolls and leather-bound books.
"You're more than welcome to," the girl smiled, before her stomach growled. "Just after I find the bathroom..."
Then came the theater, which she was positive would have made Leo and Piper drool with envy. A two-story tall white screen occupied one wall, with a projector hanging from the ceiling pointed at it. Dozens of speakers were strategically placed around the room for an unparalleled sound quality. Two purple love seats and three black leather recliners occupied the center of the theater, with a silver coffee table in the shape of a 'ђ' between them for snacks and beverages.
"That's a very nice... white wall?" Queen had said, before scurrying away to the next room.
And finally, after finding the entrances to a greenhouse, billiards room, bowling alley, what appeared to be a stable, dining room, and an office, they darted back across the hall and found the bathroom; Queen running inside and slamming the door shut behind her. A couple minutes of awkwardly-standing-at-the-door later, Queen's muffled voice called out for her to come in, which was weird, but she obliged.
And once again her jaw had dropped.
What had laid before her most likely did not legally qualify as a bathroom; even if it did have a toilet made of solid gold with a matching sink and medicine cabinet. The bathtub was bigger than an Olympic swimming pool, made to look like a natural pool. There were no faucets for the insanely large bathtub, as that would have been impractical for the size. Instead a waterfall continuously poured steaming hot water into the rocky basin; the mist and steam it churned up were prevented from entering the true bathroom area by a clever use of temperature-controlled air vents.
"Woohoo!" the stark-naked granddaughter of Hermes cheered before diving headfirst into the oversized tub.
Which is why she now sat at the water's edge, half-watching the daughter of Kronos bathe and swim, while the other half of her fought a desperate battle to keep her emotions in check. Percy... she thought, ignoring the stabbing pain of the name, carefully dipping a finger into the warm water. I hope you hate me... It's what I deserve. Salt water began to mix with the steamy air, forcing her to wipe her eyes into the back of her arm. Keep it together. You were lucky you weren't killed last night, so don't push your luck. Focus on the problems at hand: getting out of here to warn Chiron and the others. She frowned. That's the long term though. Short term I need to get this collar off...
"Aren't you going to join me?" Queen asked, swimming up next to her and resting her arms and head on the tub's edge. "The water is just about perfect. My only qualm with it being it lacks the tingle of the Phlegethon."
Annabeth arched an eyebrow. The tingle of the Phlegethon... wow... She still gagged at the thought of drinking the burning waters and nearly vomited whenever she smelled gasoline, but this girl talked about the fiery river as if it was just water with a bath bomb. She opened her mouth to snap Queen but stopped herself. She's one of the three that control the collar, and she wants to be your friend. You can use that. She turned around and put on her best smile for Luke's daughter. "I don't know... Is it safe?"
Queen dropped back into the water and filler her mouth, before sloshing it around and spitting it out. "I still remember who I am, I don't feel like giving up, and the only heat I feel is from the temperature. Plus, it looks and tastes like that nasty filtered water my Grandma May used to drink. So, it's safe!" the girl beamed.
She rose to her feet and looked at the pool's steaming water. Am I really going to bathe with a girl I don't know in water that could be dangerous? The golden necklace shifted against her throat, providing her with the answer. "No risk, no reward," she mumbled to herself as she pulled the loose fitting camp T-shirt over her head. The bright blue bra she had worn for Per- him (what was I thinking? Was I going to rip my shirt off for him? Gods, I am a mess...) was taken off without issue and tossed on her shirt as she kicked off her shoes. She then slid off her jean shorts and-
"Titanas," Queen gasped, her eyes wide as he stared at her thighs. "Are you okay?"
It took her a second to realize what had startled the girl but looking down jogged her memory. Oh yeah...
Her inner thighs were just one giant bruise, the result of weeks of psychological conditioning to keep herself in check around the son of Poseidon. She would admit that the results were mixed. But it did buy her several seconds before turning into a total psycho, and the damage she inflicted on herself wasn't nearly as bad as it looked; thighs just bruised easily was all.
"I'm fine," Annabeth sighed, noticing the doubt and concern in Queen's dark eyes. "It's not that bad. Barely even hurts." She finished undressing and stepped into the water; a soothing heat shooting up her toes to her calves. That does feel good... She took another tentative step into the rocky basin before stepping off the ledge into the deeper waters. There was a brief moment where her muscles tensed up at the sudden heat, but they quickly loosened and let the warmth flow through her body. This beats communal showers every day of the week...
"Did- did Percy do that?" Queen asked, gesturing under the water at her bruised lower body.
She scowled at the question. As if Bob really did tell the children of Kronos about them, then they would have known that- Oh... She sank in the water up to her ears and closed her eyes in shame. I screamed that he hurt me...
"Annabeth?"
She stood back up and sighed. "No, Percy-" her stomach twisted, and her vision flashed red "-didn't do this. He- he would never hurt me. I did that to myself."
"Is that a normal thing to do?" Queen asked, swimming to the ledge and retrieving two bars or soap but leaving the bottles of shampoo and body wash; looking at the items strangely. "On Gaea, I mean?"
The question caught her off-guard, only for her to quickly realize that Luke's children would have a very minimal grasp of what was considered normal behavior because of their secluded upbringing. I can use that to my advantage. She kicked off against the bottom of the pool and swam to meet Queen halfway, taking one of the bars of soap. "No. It's not. I was hurting myself because I thought it would help solve a problem."
Queen dunked her head underwater and quickly resurface; her long dark hair now covering her face. "Did it?" she asked, brushing aside some hair blocking her left eye.
Annabeth opened her mouth to answer that it did, only to quickly snap her jaw shut. What were you thinking?! Subjugating yourself to that kind of torture? Even though it was a finger pricker you could have seriously hurt yourself! She hung her head and shook it. "No. And looking back now I was incredibly stupid to do it. But when you're desperate you do stupid things..."
"Oh," was all Queen said as the two of them floated in the steaming water.
The two of them then began to clean themselves with their bars of soap, a thick lather soon forming on the water around them and a floral scent filled the air. The soap stung on her knuckles, the result of her having punched the floor repeatedly the night before in an emotional outburst, but it was a fair price to pay for removing the dried blood. And as she scrubbed away the blood and dirt, she began to relax a bit and felt closer to her normal self than she had in months. The only thing stopping her from fully relaxing was the fact she was in Tartarus, and that the daughter of Kronos kept looking at her.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, folding her arms to cover her chest.
Queen blushed, and her glow intensified for a split second. "No," she said with a shake of her head. "I've just never seen another mortal woman before. Well, my age anyway... Sorry if I've offended you in some way."
That... makes a lot of sense actually. Annabeth dropped her arms and swam to the edge of the pool, returning the bar of soap and taking a bottle of shampoo in its place. "Normally it's considered rude to stare at someone while bathing, but there's no way you would have known that." She opened the cap of the bottle and sniffed the contents before placing a small amount in her hands; with Queen watching her every movement like a hawk. When her hand didn't melt or transform into a hoof, she began to gently massage the green gel into her hair. "But I can assure you that I have ten toes, ten fingers, two legs, two arms, one torso, one head, and all the other bits just like you do. Just like everyone else."
"I see," Queen hummed before sinking down to her chin in the water; her eyes focused on Annabeth's lathered-up hair. "Thank you for that information."
She dunked her head under the water and vigorously worked the soap out of her hair before resurfacing; flipping her hair back and arching her back like Ariel in The Little Mermaid to give the daughter of Kronos a show. "Can I ask you something now?" she asked, wiping the excess water from her eyes.
"Of course! You are our guest!"
Her false smile faltered for a moment. "You don't know what shampoo is, do you? You don't know what most of the things in your chambers are either."
Queen's smile faltered, and she paddled around in place before sighing. "I told you this was my first full day here, meaning not only do I not know the layout, but I don't know how to work any of the gizmos and doodads here. I thought that champ-pooed-
"Shampoo," she corrected.
"Yes, shampoo," the girl nodded, "was a beverage or potion."
Annabeth flashed back to a time when it was just Luke, Thalia, and her on the road. They had snuck into an RV park to use the showers (much to her chagrin), and Thalia wasn't having her temper tantrum. While she cried and screamed that she didn't want to wash her hair, the daughter of Zeus shoved the pilfered bottle of shampoo in her mouth and squirted some in before pulling it out and filling her own hands. The bitter-sour taste had made her cough and gag but gave Thalia the chance to wash her younger self's hair. After that event she never argued about bathing again, though Luke always questioned how Thalia got her to behave. "Trust me," Annabeth said, smiling at the memory, "you would know instantly it isn't a drink."
"That bad?" Queen laughed.
"I still question why the bottle said no tears," she chuckled. She then pushed herself out of the water and sat on the edge (and did her best to hide her shock at the sudden temperature change). "Here," she said, patting the side of the excessively large tub. "Why don't you come here, and I'll wash your hair. Give you a hands-on demonstration?"
"You would? Thank you!" the girl squealed in a way that made Annabeth doubt that she was really eighteen. The daughter of Kronos then swam over to her and placed her between her legs; forcing Annabeth to remind herself that she didn't know any better. "This is amazing!"
"No problem. I'll even help you figure out the other things in your room," she whispered sweetly, squeezing some of the green, scented gel in one hand.
"Really? That's- ooo! That feel weird," Queen laughed as Annabeth began to gently massage her long, dark hair. "That's so nice of you."
"Think nothing of it." She leaned down so that Luke's daughter could see her face and smiled. "I'm just glad to help a new friend."
"We're friends?" Queen asked, the muscles in her back tensing up. "So soon?"
Annabeth noted that the girl's voice had lost some of its cheerfulness and gained a slight edge, but she wrote it off as the girl never having a friend before. "If you want to be?" she shrugged while gently massaging Queen's scalp. "It would certainly make things easier," she said, glancing at the golden ring on the girl's left hand.
"Then yes, let's be friends," Queen nodded.
"Good," Annabeth smiled. Let this battle of hearts and minds begin...
"OW!!!! Is it supposed to burn my eyes?!"
----
"Feel free to wear whatever you want," the daughter of Kronos called out from behind her. "And chances are I've never worn it. If that makes a difference..." the girl mumbled.
"Oh, thank you," she replied in a painfully sweet voice.
The shared bath continued on for around another half hour after Annabeth showed her new 'friend' how to use shampoo and conditioner and explained their purposes; the girl nodding along and repeating everything she said. During that time, she managed to get some useful information out of Queen by asking her questions that she claimed would help get to know her better. Queen asked her questions in turn, but strangely she only asked about mundane things like how big her family was, what she did for fun, and how she received her education; the gods and camps not ever being mentioned. And if Luke's kid wanted to know what a half-brother was, then it was a more than fair exchange for what she learned.
They were raised by their grandmother, the titans Hyperion and Krios, the manticore Dr. Thorn (that brings up some unpleasant memories....), and each child had their own mentors. Jack was under the tutelage of the minotaur, Knight was apprenticed to some cyclopes whose names sounded familiar, and Queen spent her time with three nosoi.
They did not know Luke was a separate person from Kronos but had heard the name before. Queen said that their grandmother sometimes said the name in reference to their father, but the titans and others twisted it into a nickname. She tried to make Queen question how Kronos could have two mothers and a father, but the girl didn't understand the issue.
They were fed a story that Kronos was a benevolent ruler and that Zeus, and the others usurped the throne. They had no idea that the titan had devoured his children or that there had been a second titan war. Queen had looked at her like she had grown a second head as she asked that line of questions.
They had never met their father, or at least didn't remember meeting him; though Queen did mention she thought she dreamed about him once. According to Queen, the three of them and their grandmother had been spirited away to Tartarus just hours before his defeat; the titan sacrificing himself to save them.
The information was disturbing to say the least, as it meant she would have to slowly feed them small snippets of the truth, otherwise risk losing what trust they had in her. It would take a considerable amount of time, but time seemed to be the only thing she had an abundance of.
I hope...
Annabeth sighed, readjusting the black and purple towel wrapped around her body before looking through Queen's clothing once more. A river of blacks, purples, and gold snaked its way around the closet that made her feel like she was backstage at a heavy metal concert and brought to mind a certain daughter of Zeus.
Thalia would feel right at home here...
She pulled what could best be described as a purple blouse off a hangar and held it against her body. This feels like one of those cliché sleepovers in movies, she thought as she grabbed a pair of black leggings. Next, we'll be doing each other's nails and gossiping about boys we like. But if that's what it takes to get out of here... An annoyed groan escaped her throat at the idea, but she quickly turned it into a cough to avoid raising any suspicion. Might as well try to get some more information while it's still the two of us...
Annabeth tucked the clothes under her still moist chin and turned to face Queen, who was staring at the selection of clothing with the same confusion she herself had felt only moments before. "Why do I need so many clothes?" the daughter of Kronos mumbled to herself.
"Who's your mom?" she asked, kneeling down to open a drawer under the racks of clothing above. Please tell me they have underwear...
Queen nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden question, pulling a sequined cloak that would make Elvis jealous off its hangar. "P-Pardon?"
Jackpot, Annabeth smiled when she opened the drawer to reveal dozens of perfectly folded pairs of black boxers. "Your mom? I know your dad is Kronos, but you never mentioned your mom. Did you ever meet her?"
The daughter of Kronos tried to replace the tacky cloak but clearly had no idea how to use a clothes hangar. "Uh, no? I don't think we even have a mother..."
Annabeth did her best to not show her surprise and shock. Are you kidding me? "Well, I guess not everyone has a mother when it comes to demigods," she hummed, trying to not make the girl feel like an idiot. The last thing that she wanted was to make her only source of information hesitant to talk because she embarrassed her. "I know some people with two biological dads or two moms, but everyone requires two parents to be born. And with Kronos being your dad-" and using a mortal's body "-it makes sense that you would have a mother instead of another father."
Queen gave up trying to rehang the cloak and shoved it behind a row of black leather boots. "Oh, that makes sense. I guess? But neither Grandma May or the titans ever mentioned us having a mother. They only told us about our father." The girl looked over her shoulder and furrowed her brow. "Is that strange?"
"No, not at all," she laughed. Just more insight into what kind of messed up world you grew up in. She dropped the blouse to the carpeted floor and unfolded the leggings with a shake of her hand. "It's just that it might explain a few things about you and your brothers."
"What kind of things?"
"Like, your ability to-"
"Hello?" a strangely familiar voice called out from the main chamber. Light footsteps echoed down the corridor, but there was something off about them. As if there was more than one set walking at once. "Queen? Darling, are you here? I wanted to see you before you departed on your goodwill tour, or whatever the Senate is calling it...."
Annabeth took a step back away from the entrance as the skittering footsteps grew nearer and looked to the Luke's daughter. "Who's here?" she hissed, looking around the room for something that could be used as a weapon. A clothes hanger? Guess I could try to poke them?
"Relax," Queen laughed with a dismissing wave of her hand. "We're in here Arachne!"
Fear clenched her heart as she turned to face the entrance just in time to see the first segmented leg enter into view. Then another. And then another. For the briefest of moments, she was sent back to that unstable subterranean chamber in Rome, about to face her greatest fear with a sprained ankle, her dagger, and her wits. But somehow, she would have gladly changed places with her past self, as now she couldn't run, had no weapon, was next to naked, and Arachne would without a doubt remember their last encounter.
And she doubted they would laugh at the memory.
"Oh good! You found your wardrobe! I do hope you find everything to your liking, but I understand if some of my more outland-,"the cursed weaver's jaw dropped the second she saw her.
And Annabeth's jaw did the same at the sight of the mother of all spiders. You've got to be kidding me!
The last few months had apparently been far kinder to Arachne than they had been to her; the weaver's appearance having done a complete one-eighty. Her lower body was neatly groomed, and golden rings adorned each of her legs like ankle bracelets; all evidence of the eons of dirt and filth that had been caked in her hair and joints gone. A white leather belt with a small golden belt buckle hung loosely at what passed for her hips, where dozens of needles, spools of different colored thread, a small pair of scissors, and several colored pencils were held in place by loops and small pockets. A pristine white suede jacket with golden buttons and a simple white blouse replaced the crude web wrappings that had preserved her decency. Her long, claw-like nails that had threatened to tear her to pieces before had been filed down considerably and painted a vibrant purple. A pair of four-lensed sunglasses hid her eyes, and her once greasy brown hair had been washed and cut into a sensible bob cut.
The eight-legged demoness that had haunted her childhood nightmares had become a fashion designer.
"YOU!" Arachne hissed, rearing back on her eight legs. "STAY AWAY FROM THE GIRL!"
Before she even had a chance to unpack the arachnid's words, she was knocked on her back; the clothes hangar clattering uselessly to the floor.
"I WILL NOT LET YOU RUIN THIS!" the weaver screeched as two human-like hands wrapped themselves around the daughter of wisdom's throat and a pair of spider legs began to crush her torso. "ATHENA WILL NOT TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME!"
Annabeth grabbed at the hands around her throat and tried to pry them free as a strangled gasp escaped her throat. She wildly kicked at the first arachnid's legs, but Arachne's wide stance made it such that her toes barely touched her. She dug her nails into Arachne's arms as a last-ditch effort to loosen her grip as black spots began to appear at the edge of her vision, but the suede jacket sleeves protected the weaver from what little damage they could deal.
"YOU WILL TAKE NOTHING MORE FROM ME!"
Her arms fell useless to her sides as her vision became nothing more than a pinprick of light. I deserve this... For what I did to Percy... The invasive rage tried to make its presence known, but it had nothing on the backbreaking embrace Arachne had her in. Percy, I will love you until my soul-
"RELEASE HER!"
Suddenly, the vicelike grip around her neck and torso let go, letting her collapse to the floor. Her jaw wrenched itself open as she took a desperate deep breath, before bursting out in a fit of coughing. Still unable to see, she rolled onto her stomach and blindly scurried forward; her arms and legs impacting the drawers and knocking down an untold amount of footwear. She didn't stop moving until her head collided with a wall, where she curled into a ball to shield herself.
"Queen! You don't understand!" Arachne's voice rang out. "She's-"
"My guest," Queen's voice finished. "And we don't attack guests."
Annabeth took another deep breath and opened her eyes; peeking out from under her arm. Her vision was still dark and blurred, but she could make out the form of Arachne and a naked Queen standing between her and the weaver. The girl holding her staff of intertwined Stygian Iron serpents, the gemstone that sat in the serpents' mouths glowing a haunting purple. What...
"Your guest?!" the weaver spat in shock, dramatically removing her sunglasses and tossing them aside. "Queen, you can't- she's- don't make the same mistakes I did!" Arachne let out a frustrated growl and tried to scurry around the Tartarus-raised demigod, only for Queen to block her path. "She will manipulate you by playing to your deepest desires! She will make you destroy not only yourself but all that you care about! She is a master of words! An-"
"I know," Queen sighed.
What?
"-Emotionless-" Arachne blinked. "What did you say?"
"I said I know," Queen repeated, her form turning around to look at her. "Bob has told us much about Annabeth. He described what she looked like, her personality, her strengths, her weaknesses, and how she fights." Kronos' daughter strode across the room and knelt before her; Arachne following close behind. "He said that she was quick with a blade, but quicker with her tongue. Preferring to confuse her enemies rather than slicing their throats. A fact Nyx herself reluctantly vouched for..." The staff stopped glowing and Queen set it on the ground beside her. "And one that I experienced just recently," she said with a humorless chuckle. "While bathing she claimed to be my friend. Think of it? To claim to be a friend so soon after being abducted. She must take me to be a fool. You yourself despised me for years after our first encounter..."
"Then if you know she's dangerous, why keep her around?" the weaver asked, readjusting her jacket and plucking off a blonde hair from her sleeve; tossing it away with a look of pure disgust. "Slay her with Stygian Iron or toss her off the edge."
Queen reached forward and brushed a hand through her hair, and it took all of Annabeth's self-control to not recoil at the touch. "Because that would be the easy thing to do. The Olympian thing to do." The girl sighed and gently patted her shoulder. "But we're not like them. We're going to do things the right way. We're going to show her that the people of New Tartarus are good and that they only desire peace. That the coming war is the result of the Olympian's arrogance."
War?
"So, the rumors are true," Arachne hummed. "Your meeting with the Olympians did not go as you wanted..."
The daughter of Kronos solemnly shook her head. "No, but things may have worked out in our favor. It's the demigods and mortals who stand to lose the most. But enough of that." Queen rose to her feet and scooped up her staff. "Please take her to my bed. I'll get her some water from the Phlegethon. I don't want Knight to see her with those bruises on her neck."
"Alright," Arachne nodded. "But if this girl tries to hurt you, your brothers, or anyone else, I will kill her. Understand?"
"Understood," the girl said, stepping away from her. "But I hope it doesn't come to that. I really do think we could be friends if given time."
"You are hopeless child..."
Only the Fates knew how she didn't shudder or scream when she felt Arachne slide her arms beneath her and lift her from the floor; just as how the Fates only knew how they thought she was unconscious. But perhaps (and very likely) it was because her mind was racing from the conversation she had just overheard. She had grossly underestimated her enemy, mistaking a lack of technical proficiency as a lack of social skills. Such a mistake could have proven deadly if she remained unaware that the enemy knew she was playing them, but now she could adapt her strategy to overcome this little setback. And I won't be underestimating you or your brothers again. I'll treat you in a way fitting of a child of Kronos and Luke...
"Do you want me to dress her?" Arachne asked as she spun around on her eight legs. "Try to turn this trash into something presentable?"
"That would be nice. Though, she's not trash."
Uh, thanks? And I guess I better "wakeup" soon...
----
"It's really them! They're really back!"
"Praise the Triumvirate!"
"Please bless my child!"
"Look at that! Our Lady has already taken her first prisoner!"
"They'll protect us!"
"Olympus will fall by their hand!"
"Lady Queen looks so regal!"
"This is the greatest day of my life!"
"Hotdogs! Two for five Jacks!"
Those were but a few of the hundreds of shouts and cheers that assaulted her ears, cried out by the thousands of monsters of all shapes and sizes that had gathered in the great hall of the palace to catch a glimpse of the children of Kronos.
They stood packed at the balconies of every floor, many with binoculars and telescopes depending on the number of eyes they possessed. A great many were leaning dangerously over the handrails, the only thing stopping them from falling was a concerned friend or family member grabbing them by their pants or toga. Larger monsters lifted their children or smaller friends onto their shoulders for a better view; some smaller creatures liked that idea and scurried up the bodies of the unwilling.
Those lucky enough to be born with wings flew this way and that over the great hall. Many of winged fiends carried what appeared to be cameras if the flashing lights and their shrieks and squawks calling for a smile were any indication. Armed guards and winged drones were the only thing keeping scavengers away. the drones deploying a mesh overhead and the guards discouraging them with a small shock from the cylinders they carried.
Down below in the tiered valley that she still couldn't decide if it was entirely artificial or had been natural and altered, families of monsters could be seen lounging about or engaged in a variety of outdoor activities. Some groups sat about on red and white checkered blankets, enjoying a picnic lunch while watching the excitement above them. In a large clearing, monstrous parents helped their young fly kites of all shapes and sizes; some of the more aggressive parents seemingly goading their children on to try and hit the winged creatures above. And though she only caught a fleeting glimpse, Annabeth swore she saw a baseball diamond at the far end of the forest.
It was all so much to take in, putting her on the brink of sensory overload. But in a strange turn of events, the onslaught of sound, light, and colors faded to the background as three misty beings took turns whispering threats in her ears. She had only caught a glimpse of them for a split second, but their horrific appearance left an impression. Upper bodies of emaciated little girls that faded into swirling mist, sunken faces whose non-existent cheek bones threatened to pierce their non-existent flesh, and hollow black sockets instead of eyes that made it feel like she was looking into a malicious void.
"Queen is our sister," what she pegged as the most mature voice hissed in her left ear. "If you harm her in any way we will return it to you and yours tenfold."
"But I'm sure you're nice," a timid voice whispered reassuringly in in her right ear. "But like Zika said, I will make your friends and family bleed out of every orifice until they die if you hurt Queen or her brothers."
A pair of misty talons grabbed the sides of her head as those disturbing eyeless sockets appeared before her. "You even look at Jack and I'll give you full-blown Aids!" the wildest spirit spat in her face. "Got that bitch?! Jack. Is. Mine."
Annabeth nodded out of reflex. "Got it!" she yelped.
The spirit released her and patted her cheek twice. "I'm glad you understand," it chuckled, its lips twisting into a haunting grin. "Just remember: every STD imaginable if you touch my Jack." It leaned in close and kissed her forehead. "That's a lot of itching and burning," it laughed, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Annabeth? Is everything alright back there?" Queen asked from the front of her armed entourage. The spirit reappeared behind the daughter of Kronos' head and made a quick motion through its own throat with one gnarled finger.
"Just- Just taking in all the sights and sounds," she replied with the biggest smile she could muster. Which mostly consist of your psychotic friends threatening to kill me...
"Yeah, it is... a lot to take in," the girl said, turning her head to survey the assembled masses. "Reminds me of when we bound Tartarus, except everyone here is happy." Queen's head snapped back to her and smiled. "Why don't you come up here with me? We're almost there and Flos would prefer only worrying about defending one area rather than two."
A quick glance to the centauride told Annabeth the guard's priorities, namely that she wasn't one of them. That the only reason she was encircled by the Stygian Iron armored entourage was because their lady asked them to. And while most of the onlookers seemed to disregard her presence, there were some that looked as if the only thing that stopped them from attacking her was the armed presence.
"Sure thing," Annabeth nodded, lifting her skirts slightly higher so she could walk faster without worrying about falling. Again. "Damn that spider," she mumbled under her breath. I would say I hope she rots in Tartarus, but apparently that's no longer an option!
Despite "waking up" when Arachne deposited her on Queen's fur covered bed, the two refused to let her go back to the massive closet to pick her own clothes; the weaver convincing Queen that she should rest and that as an expert on fashion she would pick her out the perfect outfit. Her protests went unheard as the arachnid skittered away, with the daughter of Kronos patting her on the back and telling her that Arachne was the best there was.
At first glance the ensemble Arachne brought back for her actually looked halfway decent, something she could only describe as Thalia-meets-Cinderella. A long-sleeved, black gown with gold trim, a pair of violet leggings, a pair of black, thick-heeled boots, and a large, violet ribbon that the weaver used to tie her hair up in a high ponytail. It was definitely outside of her normal wardrobe choices, but it was better than going nude and it made her collar look more like a fashion choice rather than a mark of bondage.
Plus, it had pockets, which absolutely amazed her.
But when she tried to take her first steps she discovered the weaver's trap: it was next to fucking impossible to walk in heeled boots with a skirt that trailed to the ground.
"I'm going to find me a can of Raid and spray it in her face the first chance I get," Annabeth grumbled to herself as the station platform came into sight.
"What was that?" Queen asked as she finally reached Luke's daughter.
"Nothing!" She quickly answered, making the girl jump. "Just lamenting the fact that-" her eyes followed the line of divine metal armored guards and saw that it led to a set of stairs "-I have to climb up some stairs in these," she sighed, hanging her head low. "Fuck me..."
The daughter of Kronos giggled. "You say that word a lot. What does it mean?"
"What-" her heel snagged on skirt and she nearly tumbled forward had Queen not grabbed her arm. "What word?"
"Fuck. Or, fucking."
The centauride's head spun around so fast Annabeth thought it was going to snap off. "My Lady! That kind of language is-"
"It's the most versatile word in the English language," she smirked devilishly at the wide-eyed guard. "I'll tell you and your brothers all about it."
"That sounds wonderful," Queen smiled, offering her a hand to help her climb the offending staircase.
"It is," she nodded, looping her arm around the girl's without hesitation (anything was better than falling face first onto the polished floor again). "In fact, I'd encourage you to use it in all your public speeches, if you do such a-" Annabeth's jaw dropped.
She had fought her fair share of hellhounds in her life (if there was such a thing as a fair share) and had seen the black beasts come in all shapes and sizes. Some had been no bigger than a husky while some had been as large as cattle, with the average falling somewhere inbetween. This had made her believe that the tank-sized Mrs. O'Leary had been something of an outlier, a fluke of nature brought about by Daedalus' care. But the hellhound curled up next to the train made her realize she needed to reevaluate her scale.
The sleek golden train it was lying against was around three stories tall, yet the beast's back came up to about the halfway point whenever it inhaled. Its head was as big as the efficiency car her stepmother used to drive her brothers to school in, and its tongue that dangled just out of its open mouth was as wide as the carpet in their entryway. Its legs were thick, long, and muscular and a quick comparison to the train for reference allowed her to estimate the hellhound would be nearly as tall as a giant when it stood on all fours.
How can such a monster exist? The daughter of Athena asked herself as she took an involuntary step back.
"CHEWIE!" the girl beside squealed with joy as she rushed forward to dozing hellhound; seemingly lacking any sense of self-preservation.
One of the Hellhound's glowing red eyes cracked open at the high-pitched cry only to fully open when it realized who was approaching it. The massive beast leapt to its feet with an excited bark that shook the platform with such force everyone on it nearly lost their footing. It spun around in place twice, its wagging tail nearly taking out the Luke-lookalike and the two cyclopes she had seen yesterday, before bounding forward to meet Queen halfway; where it licked the entire length of her body.
"You've grown so big!" Queen laughed, flicking her arms clean of the excess drool. "I take it Bob and Damasen fed you well?"
The hellhound bent down and slapped its front paws against the ground, cracking the tiles, and barked in the affirmative.
"You got that right!" the ponytailed boy in furs and leathers laughed as he ran up to his sister and the black beast. "Chewie's practically an alpha now! I bet in a few years he'll be big enough!"
Annabeth did a double take at the hellhound. "He'll be big enough?" The implication that there were hellhounds even bigger than the one before her was terrifying to say the least. Any plan she could come up with to slay the one before her involved a team of demigods, siege weaponry, and Festus, anything bigger would require the Roman legion or a god's aid.
The two siblings turned around at her horrified question, with the hellhound narrowing its eyes and unleashing a deep, throaty growl. "Easy, Chewie," Queen cooed, placing one hand on the hellhound's nose, ending the threatening rumbling. "Annabeth is a friend." She then gestured for her to come closer. "Why don't you come and say hello to Chewie. I'm sure he'll love you once he gets your scent."
Of course, your dog is Godzilla-sized! Also, you have a dog! Why would I expect any differently! But she did her best to hide her fear, swallowing the lump in her throat and hiking up her skirt. She took several confident strides until she was next to the brother and sister; noting that the boy took a step away from her and clenched his thighs together. "Uh, hi? Chewie was it?"
The monstrous hellhound sniffed at her; the force of the inhale making her hair and dress fly forward. It narrowed its glowing eyes and bared its teeth, but she stood her ground and stared right back. Chewie tilted its head to its side and folded its ears back- only to pounce forward and lick her with his massive pink and black tongue; his tail rapidly beating against the side of elevated train making it sway side-to-side on its five tracks.
She did her best to hide her shock and disgust at being soaked with dog slobber (but by the way the two children of Kronos were laughing into their fists told her she had failed) and shook her arms and head to rid herself of the larger deposits of spittle. "Good dog," she smiled, reaching up with one hand and scratching the hellhound's snout. Chewie apparently liked being scratched there as he fell to his side and rolled onto his back; making several creatures scream in terror and flee from the hellhound's hindquarters. "Very good dog," she chuckled, gently patting the hellhound's warm nose.
"Yeah, he is," the ponytailed boy smiled. "And an excellent judge of character too." He turned away from the wriggling dog and held out his left hand. "I'm... uh... Jack by the way. And I'm really sorry about what happened."
Annabeth briefly wondered if Jack was unaware it was customary to shake with the right hand or if he was left-handed, as his sister had offered her right hand, but she took it anyway and gave it a firm shake. "Annabeth," she smiled, still dead set on making Queen believe they were friends. "And it's-"
"Don't be getting too friendly with my Jack," the psychotic spirit whispered in her ear. "Remember: every itchy, burning, and painful STD imaginable until you finally keel over."
"-okay," she gulped. "I think given time we can all be friends and we can bring peace between our peoples."
For such a blatant lie Jack seemed to swallow it up as he beamed like a small child, though she did notice a flicker of doubt on his sister's face. "Really?! That's great! I knew Knight was-"
"WOULD SOMEONE SETTLE THIS BLASTED DOG DOWN!" someone roared from behind Chewie.
Jack's face flushed cherry red and he smiled at her and Queen sheepishly. "I'm... just going to get Chewie out of here." He then gave her a slight bow which made the nearby crowds explode in shouts and camera flashes. "Okay... not sure what that's about..." he said, scratching at his temple with his strange claw-tipped gloves. "I'll see you two in Gnosis!"
Annabeth watched as Jack ran to the side of the panting hellhound and rapped his knuckles against its soft stomach. Feeling his master, Chewie rolled onto his stomach and wagged his tail eagerly. For a moment she wondered how Luke's son was going to mount the overgrown dog, if he was going to scurry up its side like it was a furry tree (which brought back a few pleasant memories from what felt like a lifetime ago) or if Chewie would pick him up by the nape of his neck like a puppy. But instead, the air around the boy shimmered with a golden light and a dagger tipped chained rocketed out. Jack grabbed the chain and used its momentum to pull himself into the air, landing on Chewie's back with ease.
"See you tomorrow!" Jack shouted as Chewie bounded forward and slid into the shadows.
Leaving her along on the platform with Queen, the cyclopes, guards along the perimeter, and the Luke-lookalike.
"I love that boy like he was my own son, but he's got to learn he can't take that dog everywhere," the shaved cyclopes with a Celestial Bronze hand grumbled as the two approached her and Queen. "I've got doghair on my suit now!"
The ponytailed cyclopes rolled his eye. "Just use the lint roller in your hand," he sighed. "And its not like we have anywhere else to be. The launch went off with out a hitch, the initial wave sold out in under an hour-"
"Bless these idiots who think they need better picture quality," the other cyclopes smirked, his eye glancing toward the crowds. "We couldn't have timed things better if we tried."
"Speaking of time," the other cyclops chuckled, turning his attention to Queen. "How are you doing this lovely morning, Queen? Are you ready to see how much the world has changed for the better?"
"And break the news that we're on the brink of war- OOF!" the one-handed cyclops cried as the other butted its elbow into his gut.
"I'm doing just fine. Brontes. Steropes," Queen smiled with a bow of her head to each of the looming, suited giants. "And thank you so much for the metal fruit! I already used it last night to talk to Knight!"
"Metal fruit?" the ponytailed cyclops repeated, looking to his brother in confusion.
And while the two one-eyed giants were trying to make sense of the daughter of Kronos' words, Annabeth finally pieced together just who Brontes and Steropes were and how she knew them.
"You two were supposed to help me redesign Olympus!" she blurted out, pointing at the two of them with an accusing finger.
After being granted her wish of becoming Olympus' chief architect, her mother had visited her to explain the how the process would work. She was to come up with designs to for each god, incorporate their feedback (which was usually a complete redesign), and once it was approved, pass it on to the three elder cyclopes. She had asked why Hephaestus wasn't going to receive her documents, but her mother merely brushed the question aside and said he had better things to do.
Which really made her question just how much of an honor she was really granted.
Nevertheless, she did as instructed, but only ever received confirmation from Arges. She thought nothing of it at first, but when the time between responses grew longer and longer she reached out to find what was wrong. Only to learn that the other two forge masters had disappeared from Olympus shortly before the final battle with Kronos.
"Is that what Olympus would have us doing now?" The ponytailed cyclops smirked to his brother. "Following the orders of some amateur teenager?"
"Leaving sounds more and more like the best decision we've ever made," the shaved cyclopes laughed. "Ah, who am I kidding?! It was!"
The two cyclopes burst out in laughter, while she fumed at being called an amateur; Queen standing between them looking torn on how to react. She had studied architecture since she was eight, longer if you counted her meticulously detailed crayon drawings and complex building block constructions. An amateur couldn't tell you the difference between a rounded arch and a rounded headed arch. An amateur wouldn't draft their designs with the construction crews' ability and comfort in mind. An amateur wouldn't work late into the night pouring their heart and soul into their work to make it a home that a family would cherish for generations. "Well Arges had no problem working with me! And at least he isn't a traitor!"
The two elder cyclopes abruptly stopped laughing and narrowed their eyes at her, a deep growl emanating from their throats. "Do not speak of things you know nothing about," Brontes growled.
"What's there to understand?" she snapped. "You joined up with Kronos -which I don't understand why- and left Arges by himself! Not only are you traitors, but your terrible broth-" Brontes' metal hand transformed into a blade and pressed the tip of the blade against her throat "-ers..."
"Listen here, missy," Steropes growled, leaning in so close she could feel his hot breath. "We left Olympus because they betrayed us."
"What? Not happy they made Hephaestus the god the forge and fire instead of you?" She asked mockingly. "Did it hurt your feelings when they gave the job to the new kid with a bum leg?"
"Though Zeus did promise us respect, we let that one slide by," Brontes growled, twisting his blade against her throat. "Our freedom from Tartarus was more than enough to make up for that."
"Not every immortal desires attention," Steropes growled. "Some of us are quite content with the quiet life."
"Hey guys? Could you let her go?" Queen asked, waving one hand in front of Brontes' glaring eye. "She's just very tired is all. I know I get a little moody when I don't sleep well," she added with an awkward chuckle.
"A nice, clean workshop, a place to rest our heads, a place to spend time with the ones you..." Brontes trailed off as his blade started to quiver.
And suddenly everything clicked. "Asclepius. You left Olympus because of Asclepius," Annabeth gulped.
It was common knowledge that Zeus had slain the god of medicine while he was still mortal for discovering the cure for death. What was less well known was how Apollo reacted to the death of his son. Asclepius had been one of Apollo's favorite children, so he naturally wanted to avenge his son's death. But Apollo couldn't go after his king unless he desired a similar fate, so he directed his rage elsewhere: the children of cyclopes who forged the lightning bolt that took Asclepius' life. The stories differed on how the Apollo killed them, but the constant was that he killed all four of them.
"They were children!" Steropes spat, his entire body trembling. "Barely old enough to hold a hammer, and that bastard slaughtered them in their rooms!"
"And Olympus did nothing!" Brontes cried, tears welling up in his eye. "Zeus didn't so much as send a strongly worded letter to that blond bastard!"
"So you tell us why we should have stayed?" the ponytailed cyclops asked. "Why should we continue to aid the people who allowed our children to be slaughtered to the point they couldn't reform? Why should we consider Arges our brother when he told us to just "get over it"? Hmmm?"
"I-" At that Annabeth had no answer. She knew the gods could be cruel, but she couldn't imagine having to take orders from them after they had killed the ones she loved. She had considered rebelling against them after her son of Poseidon had been taken but managed to pull herself together before she did something stupid. "I don't know..."
"That's what I thought," Brontes sniffed as he retracted his blade.
"Is... Is t-that true?" the daughter of Kronos stuttered. "Did you really have children before?"
Steropes gently patted the girl's head and smiled sadly. "It is, but don't you shed a single tear little one. We've built a new family with the three of you."
"You may have two eyes, but we considered the three of you our children," Brontes smiled, playfully punching Queen in the shoulder with his massive bronze fist.
For some reason Annabeth flashed back to Per- him and Tyson horsing around at camp when the latter came to visit, and she smiled at the memory of the two boys horsing around in the lake. Her smile faltered though when she realized that there would be no one to gently break the news of Percy's passing to the baby cyclops. I'm so sorry Tyson...
"And that's enough of the past," Steropes sniffed, shooting her one last dirty look as he adjusted his tie, "let's look to the future." The two cyclopes turned away from them and strode across the depot. "Your brother -and these people- have been waiting for you for some time now. Go greet him so the three- er, two of you can figure out what to say to these... scavengers."
"Don't call them that," Queen chuckled, following closely behind the suited giants. "All peoples are equal."
"You only say that because they haven't rooted through your trash yet," Brontes grunted.
I guess paparazzi are the same anywhere? Piper would get a kick out of that. She mused to herself in a pathetic attempt to raise her spirits. Not wanting to test her collar any further, she hiked up her skirts and chased after the strange family unit; only stumbling in her boots three times. I think I understand why Thalia was so grumpy all the time... Boots are freaking murder...
"Good morning, Knight!" Queen chirped as they approached the Luke-lookalike. "Did you sleep well after last night's... events?"
"No, I was worried about you and Annabeth," the blond said, looking down at what appeared to be a smartphone made of Imperial Gold and Celestial Bronze. "But I managed to distract myself with the Pomegranate 7, which may have been a mistake. Jack might be interested in the be-" the Luke-lookalike lifted his head as he spoke, and his pupils nearly doubled in size "-autiful," he gasped, his jaw dropping.
"Oh, thank you Knight!" Queen laughed, her cheeks flushing as she spun around on one foot. "Arachne said you would notice this outfit!"
"Yeah," Knight gulped. "You look beautiful."
But Queen could have been wearing nothing for all he cared, as he wasn't looking at his sister, but at her. And she found herself gazing back into those light blue eyes just as intently. Just not for the same reason... For she realized that this obvious lovestruck fool was her ticket home. She wasn't happy with herself for what she would have to do, but it was for the greater good.
She walked passed Queen and right up to Luke's son and curtsied like some fairytale princess. "I apologize for my behavior last night," she said in a flirty voice, bowing her head down. "I hope we can put that ugliness behind us and start over." She raised her head and gave him a knowing smirk, that made his face burn red. "Let me start: I'm Annabeth Chase, and it is such a pleasure to meet you, Knight."
And the flashes of hundreds of cameras caught every moment.