As long as we're together {Percabeth one-shots and meet}

Chapter 19: Of royalty and love (Part II)

Previously: « Next to him, Annabeth stood up and exited the room quietly excusing herself. Soon after, dismissing the assembly with a motion of the hand before he hurriedly walked after his wife, knowing she would probably be in their room. »

He crept to his room as quietly as possible and wasn't surprised when he saw his wife curled on their bed, breaking down into the sheets.

"Annabeth," he whispered as he made his way towards her.

"Leave me alone." she sobbed, not taking her face away from the bed. Percy tried to get her to sit up, but she gripped the cover, not wanting to let go. Finally, he managed to make her turn slightly and got her to his chest, letting her cry.

"Shh." He appeased. "It's going to be fine Annabeth. It's not your fault, we'll try some more."

"But if I can't Percy? I've been married to you for two years. Two years! What if I can't? Then you'll repudiate me? I've already lost two babies. Two! What will you do?" She looked at him, her usually so lively eyes brimmed with tears than threatened to fall.

"Of course, not Annabeth! How can you believe that? I love you and I'm not letting you go. Never!" He vowed, stroking her hair, trying to soothe her.

She looked up, a sudden look of determination in her eyes he knew all too well that never meant good news. "You need an heir Percy. If I can't have one you will have to marry again. It is your duty as a King!" She declared, wiping her tears away and walking away from his grip.

"I won't have it, Annabeth. It's you I love, no one else! I don't care about an heir. There will always be family! I have cousins! They can have the throne if it means staying with you." He urged, trying to reach for, but she wouldn't let him.

"You don't you believe that. Your first duty is to the throne. And you know it." She trying to convince him, looking him in the eye.

"We're young Annabeth. We're twenty! My mom had me at twenty-five! You know women usually have miscarriages before they do have a child. Please Annabeth, we can try again." He made her promise. Annabeth didn't want to concede, but the look on his face was one of so much distress she could not say no.

"Fine. But we haven't heard the end of it, Percy."

"Sir! Sir!" A guard came hurriedly, gasping for air after the long distance he had had to fulfill in a record time. "Sir..." he breathed, "it's the Queen, your Majesty!"

Percy, who was taking a week with one of his advisors, rushed the guard, shaking his shoulders, "Where?" He asked desperately, shaking the man some more.

"In your room." He rasped. He had just finished his sentence that the young king was already running toward the palace.

Percy dashed to the royal bedroom but was prevented to enter by a doctor.

"Sir. It is not your place to come in. Wait here." He tried to restrain the young monarch from coming in.

"I am not waiting here. Let me pass!" He cried, releasing himself from the man's grasp. He opened the door, and rushed to his wife's bedside, where Annabeth was convulsing, her face distorted in pain.

"Annabeth!" He cried out, taking her delicate sweating hand in his big one. He saw the sheets covered in blood. Her blood.

"I'm sorry Percy." She panted. "I couldn't do it. I tried. Please forgive me." She gasped in pain and closed her eyes a moment to contain her screams, knowing Percy could not bear to see her in any kind of pain.

"Don't say anything, love. You'll do it. Your always do." He whispered, his voice shaking in uncontained sobs. He buried his head in her hair, breathing the lemon scent she always smelled.

She smiled through the pain and caressed his messy hair. Her throat clutched in pain but when Percy looked up to stare at her, he saw she had a look of resignation in her eyes.

"Kiss me Percy. Please. One more time." He sat up on the chair next to her, not letting go one second of his hand.

A midwife came next to him. He looked up at her, not liking the expression on his face.

"The baby is much too young. He cannot live. It is impossible. Your wife can be saved, but there is little hope."

He turned away, not wanting the old lady to see his tear-stained face. He kneeled next to Annabeth and whispered in her ear. "Annabeth. Listen to me. You must listen to the midwife; she was the one who assisted my mother at my birth. Listen to her. Can you promise that?"

She nodded her head, incapable of talking.

"How is she?" Percy urged the midwife.

"She lost a lot of blood. She is in the Gods hand now." She sighed. "She is strong, Sir. Very strong. Don't lose all hope. She might make it. Do you want to see your son before..." she finished, unsure how to finish.

Percy's eyes ripped form the now still form of his sleeping wife. "Yes, please." He stood up and looked at the tiny body of his son. His heir. He took him in his arm, his heart breaking as he saw the tiny toes and hands if the little boy.

"Please. Let me with him a little." He begged. The people in the room left, letting the mourning father with his child.

"Goodbye son." He whispered, kissing the already cold frame of his newborn. He rang the bell and let a guard take him away.