Percabeth's Selection

7: "You know the Prince?"

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"Life is all about balance. Even when you feel like you're walking on a rope between two mountains with a pole in your hand, you can't let the winds distract you from enjoying the scenery."

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Percy wasn't kidding when he said that he was going to be busy. Annabeth didn't see him anywhere on Sunday and it was already half past three.

She had seen Malcom after lunch and it turns out he need few more sketches on building auditoriums.

Fish tanks? Really?

Eating with the Selected became better after she made a few acquaintances in the common room that morning. No one dug into harsh topics, everything they asked or said were all surface level. That said, everyone seemed to be talking about yesterday. About how the Prince surprised them like they were expecting.

Annabeth felt they were giving him way more credit than he deserved but she chose to keep those opinions to herself. She heard a few rumours and one struck out: Someone said that Percy first went to see Rachel.

She wondered if it was true.

Currently she was sitting in the common room, still wearing a dress. Piper, Katie and Stella were with her, all sitting around a round table.

"Wait--" says Piper and sips her tea "-- if you've been around for so long then you should definitely know the Prince, right?"

Annabeth shrugged.

"So... You don't know the Prince?" says Stella.

Annabeth shrugs again, not sure how to approach this situation.

"You know the Prince?" Asks Katie.

Annabeth looks at the three and decides there is no point hiding it any longer. It was going to come out eventually anyways. "We're friends"

"Isn't that unfair to the rest of us?" says Stella.

Annabeth frowns. "Is it?"

You don't have anything to lose if this doesn't work out, I will lose my best friend.

Just then Miss. Willow walks into the common room. Annabeth thinks for a moment that she is going to lecture them all on what happened yesterday, probably looking at Annabeth while doing so. She doesn't know why Willow hasn't said anything yet because Annabeth was expecting a lecture.

Yesterday. She was expecting it yesterday.

"You all should have realised by now that Prince Percy played out a trick yesterday--" several ooos and aaas erupt out of the room.

"-- It was clever of the Prince to come up with such a perfect excuse but ladies, what he said isn't false--"

Annabeth frowns. It wasn't Percy's idea, it was yours.

"-- It was just preponed. The military meetings will happen for the next three days. You needn't keep out of the common room and you are given liberty to walk but certain areas of the palace will be out of bounds"

"Should the Prince wish to accompany any of you anywhere, please dress simply and modestly. Your conversations will not be private and we'll have eyes on you. If any Selected sees the Prince with another Selected, you will not disturb, intrude or sabotage their conversation for whatever reason you find. Such actions will not be taken lightly. Kindly step out of their way."