Conquer

~30~

Photo by Mathilda Khoo on Unsplash 

The courtyard is full of ending and intersecting paths. Lives end, lives intersect, lives continue. And beside me, in the midst of all is Percy. I've been holding Iytche down so the palace guards may take her away when he hurries up after being untied.

The both awed and frantic expression on his face throws me for a loop. I watch his eyes search me for serious injuries, his face scrunching more and more. My heart beats quickly in my chest. Percy meets my eyes and opens his mouth. I inhale.

"Annabeth Chase," a stern voice says from behind me.

I glance around to see the queen. She watches me stoically. My heart beats quickly for an entirely different reason now. Just then, three palace guards take Iytche off my hands, and I scramble to a stand. Sharp and agonizing pain grips my stomach, and I wince, trying to hide the great discomfort. I watch her come forward, her bloodied heels clapping on the stone ground.

Closer, closer, closer, closer, and closer.

I hear Percy stand behind me. We both await the queen's words, her face not revealing a single thing. I watch her mouth part. Percy's hand grazes mine.

"You have done the unimaginable. The forbidden. You have broken laws."

I duck my head down, heat coursing through me. You'd think I'd be ashamed, embarrassed, or upset. But I'm not. I saved so many lives, and I know my worth now. I lift my head and meet her eyes, my own simmering with anger of laws that should never have been written.

The right corner of her mouth twitches upward. "But those laws are written by feeble men. I am Queen, and what you've done is an honour. You've saved us all. Thank you."

Her words strike me in the heart squarely. I don't bother to wipe at the tears beginning to fall. Tears of pride, of joy, of disbelief, and of knowing change is finally coming. "Thank you, thank you so much," I stammer out.

She takes my hands gently. "You've changed the world for girls."

I look back to Percy who watches with what looks like pride and guilt. My hands fall out of the queen's just as Leo crushes me in a hug, the rest of the boys following suit. I cry out from pain but am too caught up in the rush of the moment. We did it. I did it.

When we break apart, I stumble back. The edges of my vision are crested with darkness, and I watch it close in on me. Placing a hand to my stomach, I see it covered in blood. Then I see Percy's face. He looks like the entire world is about to explode.

I fall. 

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