Percabeth's Selection

9: "Fail : We three meet sea mirror six"

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"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."
― C.S. Lewis.

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They silently climb up the stairs and get into Percy's room. Two guards with full armour are always stationed in front of his room, no matter the time or day. When they see Percy, they bow for him. He nods his head in acknowledgement.

"A few friends will come over in a while. Keep the doors open. If Annabeth grants them permission, let them in.", The guards look at each other. Percy goes in and starts removing his coat. Annabeth stares at nothing for a minute and decides to go in too.

Only, she can't because one of the guards stop her by crossing their armour. Annabeth blinks.

Percy turns around at the sound. "Okay, Why do I have new guards now?"

The guards only look at each other. Neither of them dare to look inside Percy's room. Percy comes up behind them. "First things first, SHE is Annabeth. She is the one who is supposed to give permission to enter the room" The guards come to ease position and let Annabeth in.

"Turn around, and remove your face shields" Percy says. He stretches his hands to the left guard who says "Ethan Namakura, 4"

The right guard removes his face shield and Annabeth jumps forward to hug him. "LUKE!!"

Luke freezes and looks at Percy who is frowning. Annabeth pulls back, slightly awkward and looks at Percy. "Percy you remember Luke, right? He is the one who took me in custody after... "

"Oh. So you're Luke"

"Yes.. um.. Luke Castellan"

She turns to the left guard, "I'm Lady Annabeth Chase. Selected". She sees Luke raise an eyebrow and glances at Percy.

"So what happened to my guards, the stoll brothers?" He asks.

"Transfers, your majesty. Our shift starts at 9am and ends at 9pm", says Ethan.

"Is it permanent? I don't know you and I usually have people I know as guards."

They look at each other but Annabeth replies. "Percy you can trust Luke, he is a good guy."

"Fine, I'm gonna go take a shower. You let people in and please this time they should remember the password", he holds Annabeth by her shoulders and slightly pushes her just out of the room. "Password please", he grins.

"No. You are an idiot to think I would ever say that"

"Okay. Stay out", and he goes inside.

"Fine! I have to catch up with Luke anyway.", she scoffs.

Percy turns sharply, looking surprised. "Fine. Come in.", he gets into the attached bathroom.

"No", she replies.

.......

Luke was Annabeth's temporary guardian when her mother passed away. Her father had remarried to someone who grew to hate Annabeth. Both her father and mother knew the royals well because they both served for them. Percy's parents were friends with them. That's how Annabeth met Percy when she was 10. They didn't get along too well then. Luke was with her for a year before her dad found her and took her back home. Luke was also her first crush but he was the one who insisted her to go.

Befriending Percy happened sometime when Annabeth was 12. She used to visit the palace with her father sometimes and she started to attend a summer camp called Camp Half-Blood here. She introduced the game 'Capture the flag' to a few people and Percy one day came in saying he wanted to play too.