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gatesofember · 6 years ago

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Meadows of the Sea: Chapter 4

PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU Part 7

Rating: M | Pairing: Percabeth, Jiper, Solangelo

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Summary: Prince Percy couldn’t be happier. After years of waiting, he is finally marrying the friend and lover he has been betrothed to since childhood. Prince Nico invites his fiancé to accompany him to the wedding, where he can’t help but dream about his own pending marriage. Prince Jason, who has been unable to secure a new engagement after Reyna’s rejection, may finally find the right woman to make his empress.

Piper had expected a lecture from her mother when she returned to their rooms with the front of her dress covered in chocolate after the masked ball. She was almost looking forward to it, in fact.

Aphrodite expected Piper to conduct herself with ‘the proper poise of a young lady,’ but making a mess of her gown wouldn’t stop Piper from getting her chocolate. If she was going to end up married to the man, then he ought to know exactly what he was getting. Harmless scams? Piper could fake her way through those with the elegance of the ideal young lady her mother wanted her to be. But when it came to marriage and chocolate, Piper wasn’t going to play games.

Well, she’d play games. Just in a fun way.

To Piper’s disappointment, Aphrodite hadn’t looked surprised by the state of Piper’s gown. She hadn’t even looked bothered by it. Nor had she appeared bothered when Piper told her that she had left it up to Jason to decide whether they would meet again. “There was a reason I decided to send you after the Prince and not one of your sisters,” Aphrodite had explained. “They could certainly draw his eye, but you are the only one who has the impulsive, daring, and charming spirit required to turn all of his attention to you and then keep it on you. I trust you to decide how to ensnare the Prince.”

Now, despite her mother’s confidence, Piper was standing alone at the ball feeling miserable and looking tragically gorgeous in her canary yellow gown. She wondered if Jason would even show up. She almost regretted the way she’d ended their meeting the day before, but she knew that she had done the right thing. Their second meeting had to be on Jason’s terms. To put them on even footing, Piper had to sacrifice having the upper hand. She refused to be just another person manipulating the Prince.

Piper stared forlornly into her cup of chocolate as she went over everything the planned to say if Jason showed up. Never before had she felt so nervous or hopeless that chocolate failed to cheer her up.

While she was wallowing in self-pity, she hardly noticed Percy approach her. “Evening, Piper,” Percy greeted. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“I’m...” Piper started, about to honestly answer that she’d had better days, but she looked up and noticed that Percy was accompanied by Prince Jason. When he shyly smiled at her, Piper noticed with surprise that he wore spectacles. It was strangely cute; his entire face was impeccably sculpted, but the spectacles acted like a single piece of evidence to show that he wasn’t completely flawless.

“My friend asked me to introduce the two of you,” Percy said when Piper couldn’t find the words to answer his question. “I present Prince Jason of Jupiter. Jason, this is my good friend, Piper of Venus.”

“It’s a pleasure to properly meet you,” Jason said kindly.

“It...yes,” Piper agreed, trying to keep herself from exploding in an outburst of joy. “I’m glad that you...uh...I’m glad that....”

Percy looked back and forth between the two with a wide grin. “Well, I have a few more people to visit, so I suppose I’ll be on my way!” he said cheerfully. He winked at Piper and patted Jason’s shoulder before escaping to cause trouble elsewhere.

After opening and closing her mouth a few times like a speechless fish, Piper finally managed to speak. “I didn’t know if you would want to see me again.”

“Neither did I,” replied Jason. “Percy said that he got along with you, so I decided to try. And I appreciate that you were honest with me about knowing my identity last night.”

“Honesty is the best way to begin a relationship,” Piper said, remembering the speech she’d rehearsed in the event that Jason decided to meet. “Which is why I would like to be honest with you again, if I may?”

Jason nodded and gestured for her to speak, so Piper took a deep breath and gathered her courage. “Last night, my mother sent me to seduce you into marrying me,” Piper said. “I understand that it is not the first time something like this has happened to you.”

Jason’s expression was enough to confirm that.

“I do not wish to take advantage of you, Your Highness,” Piper went on. “I wanted to tell you this so that we are on even ground. If I have displeased you, I will be on my way.”

“I certainly would not claim to be pleased to hear that,” Jason said. “But it doesn’t surprise me; I suspected as much. I decided to meet you again tonight because despite that, I felt that you were honest with me. And...I enjoyed spending the evening with you yesterday. Besides, we couldn’t claim to know each other after one evening, could we?”

“No, Your Highness. I do not wish to be a pawn any more than you do, I suspect—although I admit that my goals aligned with my mother’s on this occasion.”

Jason smiled and blushed a bit, which gave Piper more confidence. It meant that a bit of flirting wasn’t completely out of the question.

“Mine might align, as well,” Jason admitted. “I’d like to see where this goes. We’ll try spending the rest of the evening together. At the end of the night, if we do not wish to continue each other, we will part ways and that will be the end of it. If we do, however, we can discuss what we would like to do going forward. What do you say to that?”

Piper nodded in agreement. “I was hoping for that answer, to be honest,” she said. “I think we ought to take this time get to know each other. I want to have a happy marriage. A happy marriage does not begin with deception.”

“Then we are clear on one thing: both of us are interested in marriage,” Jason said. “That is our intention, correct?”

“That is correct,” Piper confirmed.

“I must make this clear: while my input will be considered, I don’t have the authority to choose my partner on my own,” Jason said.

“I think I will meet the Imperial Court’s requirements,” Piper said confidently. “Anyway, my mother can be very convincing. I do not believe we have to worry about that.”

Jason smiled at her briefly, but said, “Nonetheless, I cannot make promises at the time. I am the only representative of the Imperial Court present in Salacia. My sister Athena was supposed to be here, but she has not yet arrived. If she comes, and if she approves of this match, then I believe her report would be enough for the rest of the Court to allow it.”

“Then all that’s left is for us to decide whether or not this is something we would like to pursue.”

Jason nodded, suddenly looking a bit lost. “I’ve never conducted a first consultation like this on my own,” he admitted. “Would you like to dance?”

Piper examined the hand Jason had offered and noticed a barely perceptible nervous tremor. Aphrodite had warned her about Jason’s lack of independence, so his awkwardness was unsurprising. Piper would have to take the lead at first to show him how to have an effective and enjoyable first consultation. “Would you like to dance?” she asked in return, raising a challenging eyebrow.

Jason looked like the question had caught him off guard. His outstretched hand balled into a fist and dropped to his side. “I...no.”

Piper nodded in approval. He was honest when pushed; that was a good start, at least. “Then what would you like to do?”

“Talk to you,” Jason answered. “Outside, perhaps? Away from the crowds.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Piper said with an encouraging smile. She got to her feet and took Jason’s arm. “Let’s go to the terrace. The view is beautiful.”

On their way, Piper stopped to pick up two fresh cups of chocolate, which warmed her to her toes when they stepped outside and felt the cool evening air. They stood with their elbows on the railing, looking over the Prata Pontonia. After a moment of silence, Jason admitted, “I...I don’t know what to talk about.” He offered Piper a sheepish smile that was so endearing it made her want to hug him.

“Marriage consultations are always a bit awkward in the beginning,” she said instead. “Don’t worry; if it works out, it’ll get easier the longer we talk. We’ll start with basic questions, like...what is your favorite season?”

Jason’s head tilted to the side just slightly, which made Piper want to hug him again. “Is this important to determine our compatibility?” he asked.

“No,” Piper said. “This is important because it will help establish our compatibility. A consultation isn’t merely a test to see if our goals and priorities align; it’s a way for us to learn about each other to start to build a relationship. Preferences of no consequence may seem unimportant, but knowing little details helps you feel close to a person.”

Jason blinked. “I hadn’t considered that,” he said. “Then I think I would have to say...summer.”

“I also like summer,” Piper said. “Now you must ask me a question.”

“What is your favorite type of food?” Jason asked.

Piper grinned and took a sip from her cup. “Guess.”

Laughing, Jason replied, “Chocolate?”

“That is a drink, not a food. But yes, chocolate is the most delightful substance ever to be known to humankind. I daresay is the beverage of the gods.”

Jason’s favorite color was purple, Piper’s favorite dance was the canarie. When Jason asked about her home, Piper talked about Venus and its beauty, about the busy city and the quiet, colorful forest. She mentioned the spot not for from Aphrodite’s chateaux where she liked to spend her spare time, where a steady stream of water trickled down black island rocks into a cool, clear lake. She told him about the view from her bedroom window, where she could see the island of Bacchus in the distance on clear days. Piper talked so much that she forgot about the cup of chocolate in her hands, and the next time she took a sip, it was cold.

When she asked Jason about his favorite parts of Olympus, he looked like the question had caught him off guard. Eventually, he said his favorite part of the city was its sky. “The palace is built into the side of the mountain. My quarters are on the highest floor, at the end of the east wing. There’s a ledge outside my window, large enough for me to sit on, and I sometimes like to go out there and look at the clouds or the stars, or watch the sun set behind the west wing. There’s a small window in one of the alcoves in the library that opens over the roof of the dining hall. I like to read there. It’s quiet except for the wind, and at night there’s enough light from either the moon or the inside of the library. Sometimes I just lie there to look at the sky when I don’t want to be found.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Piper said. “The sky must be amazing that high up.”

“It is,” Jason answered. “If we marry, I can show you the best spots to view the sunset.”

Piper smiled. “I’d like that.”

Jason smiled back, but blushed and looked away. Clearing his throat, Jason changed the subject. “Tell me about your mother,” he said.

“My mother is really quite clever,” Piper said. “She knows how people work and what they want, and she knows how to use that to manipulate them into doing what she wants. Still, she is not heartless. Vain, yes. But she cares about others very much. That is why the people of Venus are so happy.”

“And do you mind if I ask about your father?”

“He is a Nereid,” Piper answered. “I write to him and we meet every so often. He was not allowed to marry my mother—his family wanted him to marry another Nereid. It wouldn’t have been a good match anyway. I am a legal child of my mother, however. She never married, but she took the steps to make all of my siblings legitimate. What about your mother?”

“My birth mother?” Jason asked. “She was a courtesan of the Emperor. I never knew her. What about your siblings?”

Piper noticed Jason’s quick change in topic, but did not question it. She noted to herself that it seemed Jason’s birth mother was a sore topic.

Piper told him about Mitchell and Lacy, the most kind-hearted of her brothers and sisters. She didn’t spend much time on Drew, her surviving older sister, but spent a full minute talking about Valentina, the youngest, before telling him about the rest of her sisters and brothers. She must have lost Jason at some point, because he looked confused.

“Wait a moment. How many siblings do you have?”

“Eleven living,” Piper answered. “And will you tell me about your sisters?”

Piper had already heard of Athena and Thalia, of course, but only in rumors. Jason’s eyes looked brighter when he talked about Thalia, but his expression grew dull on the subject of Athena.

The doors to the hall opened and a large group entered the balcony, laughing loudly and carrying one or two glasses of wine each. When the noise didn’t subside, Piper suggested a walk and they explored the terraces around the palace. They abandoned their cups of chocolate, which had become too cold to enjoy, and instead linked their arms together to steal each other’s warmth as they walked.

Piper told him about the time she had sneaked out to board a fishing vessel and learned how to sail. Jason explained that he loved reading because he always felt like words on a page were able to captivate his entire being and drag him away from the world. When Piper mentioned that she liked to sing, Jason requested a song. She sang one that her father had taught her when she visited him as a child; a traditional Nereid song with an odd, syncopated beat that had always entranced her.

Piper led Jason to the front of the palace. She sat on the ledge at the top of the Grand Cascade and invited him to sit by her. The air was cool and a light misty sprinkle hit their backs as the fountain sprayed water, but the heat of Jason’s body beside hers was enough to make her feel warm. The lights from the palace were so bright that it was difficult to see the stars, but Piper was able to find a few constellations. She leaned back to watch the stars and accidentally put her hand on top of Jason’s, but neither of them moved away from the touch.

“What do you value most in a friend?” Piper asked after they’d been talking for a while.

“Trustworthiness, I suppose,” Jason answered, then he looked conflicted. “Or maybe...honesty. I think what I find the most valuable in a friend is how safe I feel around them. What about you?”

“I like friends who are a bit adventurous,” Piper said. “It’s important for me to feel comfortable being open with them, so I feel like I need friends who are able to adapt and have fun and accept me when I’m not perfect. I don’t want to constantly pretend to be someone I’m not. I do that enough already.” She paused and looked away from the sky to face Jason. “I think that you and I are a bit alike in that way,” Piper went on. “We both have to pretend to be perfect all the time. We both want a bit of relief.”

“You don’t seem perfect,” Jason said, and then he blushed. “That wasn’t what I meant to say.”

Piper laughed. “Then what did you mean?”

“I meant that you seem genuine. You don’t appear to be pretending. It doesn’t seem that you are acting a certain way to get my attention or my favor.”

“Not with you, no. I approached you with the goal of marriage in mind. I don’t want to be in a relationship with someone I must constantly lie to. You ought to know exactly who I am before you decide whether to marry me.”

Jason looked at his hands and quietly said, “I think I like ‘exactly who you are.’”

Suitors didn’t catch Piper off guard very often. She was usually immune to flattery, but something about the shy expression on Jason’s face made Piper feel like she was just a little bit special.

Suddenly, Jason said, “On the subject of friendships, I am on good terms with my former fiancée. Does that bother you?”

“Why would that bother me?” Piper asked, genuinely confused by the question.

Jason sighed. “If we are speaking honestly, the Empress can be very jealous and I know that the Emperor’s affairs hurt her. I don’t want you to be hurt or to lose my friendship with Reyna.”

“Oh, I see,” said Piper, remembering all the nasty things her mother had to say about the Empress. “Well, I would not be hurt by you having a friend. Besides, I have also courted before. We both have our pasts.”

“And have you had any serious suitors?” Jason asked.

“I have had a few brief affairs, but sometimes, there are differences between a person you would court and a person you would marry,” Piper said. “I haven’t courted someone whom I felt I could be serious with.”

“And what do you want in a marriage partner?”

“I want to marry someone kind and open with their feelings. Someone I can talk to. Someone exciting, but serious. And what about you?”

“I want someone who I can trust, has a good heart, and is strong enough to not let Hera beat them down.”

“I think I can take her,” Piper joked, making a motion like she was preparing to fight.

“I think you can, too,” Jason said with a quiet laugh. “Actually, I would very much like to see that.”

“I get the feeling that you will,” Piper said, because it seemed unlikely that she would get along with the Empress. Then she blushed when she realized her answer sounded like she’d already decided to pack her belongings and move to Olympus. “Do you want to be married, Your Highness?” she asked to cover her embarrassment.

“Yes, very much,” Jason said. “I believe that I’m ready to commit my life to someone. Now I must simply find the one to commit to. Do you want to be married?”

“Of course. I’d like to settle down, fall in love with someone, and spend the rest of my life with them.”

“And do you think you could fall in love with me?” Jason asked quietly.

Piper looked over and saw that he was blushing and focusing on his hands again. “I think so,” she replied. “Do you?”

Jason raised his eyes to meet hers. “Yes.”

Piper wondered if it would be out of place to kiss him. Kisses didn’t usually happen on the first consultation, but her mother always told her to do it when the timing felt right. And at that moment, something about the timing felt right.

She leaned forward, watching Jason’s reaction before she went any further. His eyes flickered to her lips. He didn’t lean closer, but he didn’t lean away, either.

“Your Highness?” Piper asked.

“I wouldn’t mind if you called me ‘Jason,’” he said.

“Then...Jason? Would you like to kiss me?”

Jason looked surprised, then hesitant, then embarrassed. “I’ve never...” he started, then blushed and turned his eyes away.

“Never kissed anyone?” Piper asked.

Jason shook his head. Piper was surprised; Jason had been engaged to Reyna for years before she joined the Sorority. “Not even Reyna?” she asked.

He shook his head again. “We never had that sort of relationship.”

“I see,” Piper said slowly, her heart clenching at the thought of how adorably innocent the Prince must be. It made her want to kiss him even more, and maybe do a few things to dirty his virtue a bit. She scooter closer and asked, “Would you like to try?”

Jason’s eyes flickered to her lips. “I still can’t promise that I’ll be allowed to marry you.”

“That’s alright,” she said. “A kiss doesn’t have to be a promise. If you want to kiss me, you should do it.”

“I do want to kiss you,” Jason said, his voice soft and barely audible over the sound of water spraying in the Grand Cascade. He looked up and met her eyes. He seemed uncertain and nervous, but something in his expression became calm when she squeezed his hand. Moving a bit closer, he reached out hesitantly and cupped the back of her head with a delicate touch, like he was afraid of breaking her. “If you’re certain that it won’t hurt anyone, then....”

“You would have to be a spectacularly bad kisser for it to hurt,” Piper said, which got Jason to smile. “The entire point of kissing is that it feels nice.”

Jason laughed a little, but more importantly, some of the tension in his body disappeared. “Alright,” he said. “After all, it might help us build our relationship.”

“Exactly,” Piper replied. Their faces were so close that their noses almost touched. “Physical affection helps bring people together.”

“Then, if you insist...” Jason whispered, but although the side of his nose touched hers, he did not kiss her. Piper waited a second longer before realizing that he wanted her to take the final step and close the gap between them.

Piper moved incrementally closer and let her lips brush over his, barely enough for it to be considered a kiss. He returned the gesture, like he’d been waiting for her to show him what to do. Piper’s second kiss had a bit more pressure behind it and held the contact a fraction of a second longer, and she smiled against Jason’s lips when he did the same back to her.

“You’re doing nicely, Jason,” Piper said. “It is imperative that I marry a good kisser.”

Jason laughed sheepishly. His breath tickled her lips. “Then I suppose I’ll have to improve.”

“I have no problem helping you learn,” Piper. “Shall we continue our lessons?”

That time, Jason initiated. His kiss was too long, too firm, and a bit clumsy, but Piper kissed him back to show him what to do. She taught him how to give light, gentle kisses first, then kisses that were deeper but still chaste. He responded eagerly but with restraint, like he’d been starved for affection for so long that he wasn’t quite sure what he ought to do. They broke apart a few times to exchange a couple of brief words or to giggle nervously, but the more she kissed him, the more confidence he seemed to gain.

An interruption came in the form of the mischievous bride and groom, whose tireless energy had led them to seek a private spot to desecrate the palace’s walls. There was an awkward moment when Percy and Annabeth realized that another couple was already occupying the space and Piper and Jason realized exactly what Percy and Annabeth had planned to do. Then Percy and Annabeth got the signature suspicious glint in their eyes that always meant trouble.

“What are you doing out here?” Percy asked with a grin.

“We were talking,” Jason said. It was true, but Piper had intended to do some more kissing, as well. “It was getting loud on the terrace, so we went looking for a more quiet spot,” he added, which sounded much more incriminating. His face was certainly red enough to provide sufficient evidence for their conviction.

Percy and Annabeth exchanged a look. “‘Quiet spot,’” Annabeth repeated. “I see. Percy and I were also looking for a ‘quiet spot.’”

Both Jason and Piper blushed at the implication. Although Piper supported her friends’ relationship, they’d been together for so long that they were quite comfortable giving away too many details about their private activities.

“Come on,” Annabeth said, waving Piper and Jason over. “It’s getting cold. I know a place inside that won’t be occupied tonight.”

Piper should have known that Annabeth was plotting. Annabeth was always plotting. But she looked so sincere that Piper and Jason stood up and followed her into the palace, straight into the suite of private apartments where she and Percy lived now that they were married, and they allowed themselves to be ushered into a private room with a dark fireplace, a few plush chairs, and a tall set of windows.

Piper turned around to escape, but Annabeth and Percy were blocking the exit, looking very proud of themselves for having forced their friends into a room together. “Percy and I will come back to check on you later,” Annabeth said. “Should you require it, my bedroom will be empty tonight and I would be happy to loan it to you. Enjoy your evening together!”

Percy leaned closer to whisper in Piper’s ear. “There’s no pressure, but I can assure you that Jason’s clothes are hiding some very nice amenities.”

Piper blushed and Jason looked mortified, but Piper couldn’t deny that she was a bit interested in investigating those ‘amenities’ for herself. Without offering them an opportunity to reply, Percy and Annabeth closed the door, clicked the lock, and left Piper and Jason alone in the room.

Piper turned around to look at Jason, hoping that she didn’t look too interested by what Percy had said. She noticed his hands trembling. “They like to tease, but they’ll let us go,” she said.

Jason looked confused. “What...?”

“If you want to, we can leave. You seem hesitant.”

Jason blinked. “I’m not hesitant.”

“I can tell you’re nervous,” Piper said. “You barely had your first kiss; you can’t be comfortable with being locked alone in a room with a woman.”

Jason shifted his weight awkwardly, but didn’t say anything. Piper looked him up and down, trying to read his body language. “Unless...you’re alright with being alone with me?” she asked.

Jason’s blush had begun to cool, but he turned red again. “I...well. I don’t mind. We were already alone together before. Now we’re just...locked up and alone together.”

“Right,” Piper agreed, but the discomfort between them was still palpable. She would have to remember to get revenge on Percy and Annabeth somehow. She and Jason had been getting along perfectly well before they’d decided to meddle.

Piper was so caught up in her plan for vengeance that she almost missed it when Jason spoke up. “I was hoping you would continue to teach me,” he said.

“Teach?” Piper asked.

Jason gestured between them vaguely. “The...um...kissing. I would like it if you’d continue.”

“Oh,” Piper said in surprise. She tried to contain her enthusiasm about the idea. Her mother wanted her to seduce Jason, but Piper had promised herself that she would court him honestly. “I’m not trying to seduce you into wanting to marry me,” she said slowly, mostly to remind herself.

Jason shuffled his feet. “Yes. Well. It’s a bit too late.”

Piper tried to reply, but she didn’t know what to say. “Then you want to do more?” she eventually managed to ask.

“More?”

“Kissing.”

“Oh. Yes, I would. Of course, I’d also like to continue talking to you. I....” Jason sighed and shook his head. “I did warn you; I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Piper wet her lips and stepped closer. “You may touch if you would like,” she said in a quiet voice that she hoped still sounded confident.

“Touch...” Jason repeated. “Touch how?”

“Allow me to show you.” Piper’s fingers slid down Jason's arms until she had her hands on his. She placed his hands on either side of her waist and held them there, then smiled at him. “There,” she said. “Do you like that?”

Jason swallowed and nodded.

“Good,” Piper said. She let go and reached up to cup his jaw, but Jason’s hands shook and fell away. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he answered, too quickly.

“Why did you let go?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Do you want to stop?”

“No.”

“Did you not like it?”

“I liked it. I just...can you show me again?”

Still confused, Piper took Jason’s hands and put them back on her waist. “Like this?”

Jason nodded. “Yes, thank you. I...I’m nervous.”

“Why are you nervous?” Piper asked.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” he answered. “Nothing. At all.”

“Exactly how innocent are you?” Piper blurted out before she could stop herself. “Do you even know what a naked woman looks like?”

Instead of reddening, his face went pale. “I saw one. Once. It was the worst moment of my life.”

Piper laughed and had to let go of Jason’s hands. It seemed that there weren’t going to be more kisses any time soon. “Was she that ugly?” Piper asked.

Jason shook his head. “No, she was fairly attractive. But...she was one of my father’s courtesans.”

Piper pursed her lips together to stop herself from laughing again. “Ah. I can see why that might make you uncomfortable.”

Sighing, Jason turned his head to avoid her eyes. “That’s not the worst of it. The reason I saw her naked was that my father had...scheduled an appointment for me.”

“No!” Piper gasped. “You don’t mean—”

Jason grimaced. “I think you know exactly what I mean.”

Piper couldn’t restrain herself. She laughed so hard that she had to take a seat in one of the plush armchairs in front of the cold fireplace. “My gods, with his own courtesan? Didn’t it cross his mind that it’s a bit odd to share a courtesan with your own son?”

Jason took the seat next to hers and said, “Apparently not.”

“You must tell me what happened.”

Jason rubbed his temple. “My father thought it was best to provide me with a bit of experience to ensure I knew how I was to go about producing an heir. I was sent to a private room, where I was greeted by a naked courtesan who told me that she had been assigned to educate me in bedroom activities.”

“And then?”

“What do you expect?” Jason said with a frown. “I fled.”

“Just ran straight out?” Piper asked. “Didn’t even politely turn her down?”

Jason shrugged and leaned back in his chair like the story had exhausted him. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“That’s reasonable,” Piper said. “So while we’re on the topic of procuring heirs, do you want to have a large family?”

“I would like my children to have siblings, yes,” he said. “Athena and I have never been close and Thalia left in her adolescent years, so I have an idea of what it’s like to be alone. I don’t want that for my children. What about you?”

“I love having so many siblings, so I want lots of children,” Piper answered. “Next question is your turn.”

Jason thought for a moment. “If you could have any wish fulfilled right now, what would it be?”

“I wish to have a hot cup of chocolate,” Piper answered without hesitation. She and Jason both laughed until she asked, “What about you? If you could have any wish fulfilled right now, what would it be?”

“To kiss you.”

His answer took Piper off guard. She hadn’t expected Jason to be ready for kissing so soon after reliving the trauma of being propositioned by one of his father’s courtesans. Her surprise must have shown on her face, because Jason blushed and said, “If you’d like to try it again, I mean.”

Piper smiled. “Yes,” she said. “I’d like that.”

* * *

Nico was having a miserable day. It had gotten better during the fencing competition when he successfully vanquished Jason and collected multiple kisses from his fiancé, but soured when Jason’s sister managed to barely win against Reyna in the women’s tournament. Nico thought that it was merely a bad stroke of luck, but the tournament did not allow for rematches between competitors, so he was unable to prove his adviser’s superiority.

Soon after the tournament, the belated horror of his actions settled in. The excitement of the competition had led him to ask his fiancé for multiple public kisses—behavior that was completely unacceptable for someone of his status. He was so embarrassed that he could hardly look Will in the eye. What made it even worse was the undeniable truth that Nico had enjoyed every single one of those scandalous kisses.

Nico was almost glad when Will left him alone at their private table to request their plates. Several rooms had been set apart for dining at that evening’s ball. They’d managed to find a table before they all filled up.

Nico’s eyes drifted to Will’s breeches as he walked away. What would Will’s bare legs look like? Surely they would be attractive. They would be nice to touch, as well—

Nico flushed and berated himself for thinking of such things. He was not a barbarian like Percy. He would wait until his wedding night like a respectable young man was supposed to.

As if summoned by Nico’s thoughts, Percy suddenly appeared and plopped into the seat next to Nico’s. “Hello, Nico!” he said. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

Nico scowled in annoyance and refused to look at Percy, partly because he was annoyed that Percy had joined him without an invitation and partly because he was busy looking at Will’s retreating figure. “Prince Nico,” he corrected.

Percy ignored him. “I noticed you and your fiancé come in a moment ago,” he went on. “Won’t you introduce me to him? I’d love to get to know your future consort.”

Nico wished he could turn Percy down, but he knew that wasn’t possible. “Where is your wife?” he asked instead of answering directly.

“She’s visiting with a few friends, so I thought I’d do the same,” Percy replied.

Nico hoped that Percy wasn’t trying to imply that he and Nico were friends.

“Anyway, I wanted to thank you for coming to the ceremony this morning,” Percy said. “I liked having you there.”

What a ridiculous lie. Nico’s presence at the bathing ceremony had been completely pointless. If anything, Nico had made a mess of it; Reyna had already lectured him about calling Percy a ‘heathen.’ Nico didn’t remember saying it, but Percy must have deserved it. Still, it hadn't been very appropriate.

“You never did tell me much about your fiancé this morning,” Percy continued. “I hear he’s a consor and the son of the Duke of Diana, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Nico replied shortly.

“Between us, I think clever people make the best spouses,” Percy said. “You and I have similar taste.”

“I suppose,” Nico mumbled.

Percy grinned and leaned forward. In a quieter voice, he said, “We also seem to share a weakness for blondes.”

Nico flushed, but refused to acknowledge his admiration of Will’s hair.

“You seem awfully fond of him,” Percy said annoyingly. “I noticed all those little ‘victory kisses’ that you kept stealing earlier. I can’t believe that your chaperone had to instate a kissing quota!”

Nico bristled. He turned to snap at Percy, but the moment he caught sight of Percy’s face, he recalled seeing him naked that morning. Thoughts of Percy naked once again led to him imagining Will naked, then a few obscene ideas about things he could do to Will’s naked body crossed his mind.

Nico shivered—but with disgust or arousal? He could not tell. The thought of Will naked was undeniably enticing....

Furious with himself, Nico shut down those thoughts as quickly as possible. He would keep his mind free of such impurities. He could think highly of Will, but his thoughts must remain decent.

And private. There was no reason for Percy or anyone else to be aware of his feelings for Will. At the very least, Nico should not be the subject of teasing or gossip. He was a prince and he would conduct himself with the proper poise and etiquette befitting someone of his status.

Except he hadn’t been conducting himself very appropriately around Will lately. The excitement of leaving Pluto for the first time had swept away Nico’s sense of propriety and his attraction to Will had caused him to behave indecently, demanding multiple public kisses and sneaking away from his chaperones whenever the opportunity arose. Of course he was the subject of gossip! Reyna had given him multiple warnings and scolded him for his behavior, but Nico had been too caught up in his feelings to listen. And where had that led? To his current obsession with seeing Will undressed.

That could not continue. There was a proper distance to be maintained between royalty and non-royalty. Nico liked Will and wished to be friendly with him, but there were limits. Perhaps they could behave differently in private after they married, but for the time being, Nico could not allow it.

Percy babbled for a few more minutes before Will returned with drinks for himself and Nico. “Good evening, Your Highness,” he said when he saw Percy. He bowed in greeting after setting the drinks down. “Congratulations on your marriage. I did not realize you would be joining us. Shall I ask for another plate to be brought out?”

“No, I’ll leave the two of you to eat alone,” Percy replied, which relieved Nico. “And you may use my given name; no one calls me ‘Your Highness.’”

Nico did not like the idea of Will using Percy’s given name. If it wasn’t appropriate for Will to use Nico’s given name yet, then Will certainly wasn’t close enough to Percy to use his.

“Then it is an honor to meet you, Prince Percy,” Will said.

Nico inwardly scowled, but reminded himself to wait until their wedding to give Will permission to call him ‘Nico.’ He had been far too brazen with Will lately. That could not be allowed to continue.

“Nico is so fond of you,” Percy added. “You are fortunate to have a fiancé who cares for you so much.”

Will blushed and glanced at Nico, who sank into his chair and wished the ground would swallow him whole. “I care for him very much, as well,” Will said.

Percy looked fiendishly delighted at Will’s reply. Nico would have been overjoyed to hear Will’s response if it had been in private, but in public he was embarrassed.

Nico praised the Morai when Percy left them, happy to be alone with his fiancé (and his chaperone an appropriate distance away) again. Will looked so happy to see him that Nico almost forgot why he’d been upset in the first place.

Almost. He was still so angry with himself that he remained mostly quiet while they ate. Fortunately, Will didn’t seem to notice. When they finished, he offered Nico his arm and asked for a dance.

“I think I’d like to sit for a while,” Nico said, even though he desperately wanted to accept.

“Why?” Will asked. “Are you hurt from the tournament?”

“Uh...I’m a bit sore, yes,” Nico lied. Really, he was just afraid that if he got up and danced with Will, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from kissing him.

Will looked concerned for a moment, but then he smiled happily. “Then shall I take care of you?” he asked.

Dozens of debauched scenarios flashed through Nico’s mind at the question. “What?” he squacked.

“Don’t you remember, Dearest?” asked Will with a soft, pure smile that made it clear he had no idea what he was doing to Nico. “You stayed in my clinic after the wolf attack and I took care of you.”

“Oh...uh....” Nico swallowed, remembering the game they’d played the night before. He imagined lying in Will’s clinic, imagined Will’s hands touching him, asking him what felt good....

“Dearest,” Will said in a gentle voice, reaching out to put his hand on Nico’s upper arm.

A wave of heat surged through Nico’s body. He wanted to tackle Will to the floor and kiss every inch of exposed skin. He wanted to push Will into a corner and devour him. He wanted Will’s legs to wrap around him and he wanted—

The thought had barely entered Nico’s mind when the heat in his body was replaced by nausea and disgust.

“Do not touch me!” Nico snapped, snatching his arm away. “Remember your place, Lord William. Tonight, there are no masks and no pretending. Do not forget that I am a prince.”

The expression on Will’s face had been so filled with adoration, but in the blink of an eye, he looked shocked and afraid. Nico instantly hated himself. Will was always polite and respectful. Nico was upset with himself, not Will.

But before Nico could do anything to fix it, Will spoke up. “Right,” he said, his hand falling to his side. “My apologies, Your Highness.”

“No, I...” Nico started, but he had no idea what to say. “That wasn’t what I meant. I apologize. I should not have snapped at you.”

“I understand,” Will said, but Nico got the feeling that Will didn’t understand at all. “I’m not offended. I’ll be more careful in the future, Your Highness.”

“Come dance with me,” Nico said, hoping to redeem himself by being kind again. He stood up and offered Will his arm.

Will looked puzzled. “But I thought....”

“It’s alright,” said Nico. “I can handle it, so let’s have a dance.”

Will reached out hesitantly and accepted Nico’s arm, but his grip felt awkward when Nico led him into the hall. He was normally a beautiful dancer, but there was a stiffness to his movements all night long and no amount of kindness seemed to cure it.

At the end of the evening, Hedge accompanied them as Will escorted Nico to his guest chambers. “Good night, Your Highness,” Will said with a respectful bow. “I will meet you again in the morning.”

“Yes,” Nico said. He stepped a bit closer, hoping for a goodnight kiss.

It didn’t come. Will smiled at him and waited patiently for Nico to turn away and enter his chambers. Nico tried to tell himself that it was just because Will did not want to initiate a kiss around Hedge. In fact, Will rarely initiated kisses at all. But Nico wanted him to and now it seemed that he never would.

Nico knew that he wasn’t an easy person to get along with; he had sabotaged more marriage consultations than he cared to remember. The reason that he’d ended up engaged to Will was that Will’s excess of kindness made up for Nico’s deficiency.

Nico had thought that he was starting to become kind. He’d begun to hope that he could prove himself to be worthy of someone like Will. Just when Nico was starting to believe that he would have a happy marriage, he had hurt the person he wanted to cherish.

* * *

Everything about Percy was devastatingly alluring, in Annabeth’s opinion. Firstly, there was his figure, which Annabeth could dedicate entire sagas to. She would fight wars for that body. Percy carried himself with a carefree, debonair grace, like he was either tragically unaware of how good-looking he was or so confident in his appearance that he’d become indifferent to it. He could charm even the strictest of tutors with nothing more than a pout when he didn’t get his way. Percy was mostly unaware of exactly how magnetic he was, but he appeared to be figuring it out. That could mean trouble for a lot of people, Annabeth included. It was fortunate that Annabeth didn’t mind Percy’s particular style of trouble.

However, despite how unfathomably attractive her new husband was and despite the fact that it was their wedding night, Annabeth was lying next to him in bed, staring at the ceiling, not touching him except to hold his hand. It had been a long, tiring day. Although she’d normally seize any opportunity to sully the bedsheets with Percy, Annabeth wasn’t in the mood.

“I’m hungry,” she said.

“So am I,” Percy replied with a yawn. He didn’t seem to be in the mood, either, which made Annabeth feel better. She had planned for their wedding night to be filled with wanton indulgence and disregard of reality, but it wasn’t going quite as expected. They had both received quite a few bruises at the fencing tournament earlier that day, then they’d spent the rest of the evening either dancing nonstop or plotting, and it appeared that the soreness in their bodies had finally caught up to them.

“Do you want to get something from the kitchens?” Percy asked.

“Is that allowed?”

She felt Percy attempt a shrug next to her. “Probably not,” he answered.

“Fantastic,” Annabeth replied. “Let’s go.”

Some people were scandalized that a prince sometimes cooked for himself. Annabeth loved it. It meant that she could get all the midnight snacks that she wanted.

It was Percy’s mother who taught him to cook. Sally had been a kitchen maid in the palace when she met Percy’s father. After ending their relationship, Poseidon arranged the marriage of Sally to a nobleman, intending for it to be a gift to show his favoritism. The marriage had been a disaster, but fortunately, Gabe was long gone. Percy was close to his mother. She had insisted upon being the one in charge of raising him despite suggestions for the King to find Percy a governess, so Poseidon had ultimately granted her wish. Eventually, Sally ended up becoming the palace’s head chefs and marrying one of Percy’s favorite tutors, and now she, Percy, her second husband, and her young daughter made up a happy little family that Annabeth was thrilled to be a part of.

There were still a few dozen guests in the hall dancing when they sneaked out of the palace to walk along the beach, snacks in hand. Neither of them had bothered to put on shoes. They’d only slipped some simple clothes over their undergarments before leaving. Annabeth loved the feeling of the evening chill as they walked. The sand felt soft under her feet and between her toes, and the occasional wave felt refreshing against her skin. With Percy on her arm, feeding her spicy little sandwiches, Annabeth couldn’t imagine being happier.

They splashed in the water when they finished their sandwiches, then Percy found a sea star and brought it to Annabeth to show her before putting it back in the ocean. Her skirts were wet almost to the knee when she noticed the Juvian ship in the pier.

“Percy?” she called. “Was that ship there earlier?”

Percy stood up from where he’d been examining a crab. “I don’t think so. It looks like it’s just docking now,” he answered.

Annabeth turned to him, even more excited than before. “It must be Athena,” she said. “Let’s go and greet her.”

Percy smiled back at her. He didn’t get along with Athena (most people didn’t get along with her), but he knew how important it was to her that Athena was at their wedding. Percy took her hand and they climbed up the beach to get to the pier just as Athena stepped onto the docks.

“Athena!” Annabeth called, pulling Percy along to meet her.

Athena turned and her lip curled when she saw their clothes. “Why are you wet?” she asked with disdain.

Annabeth felt her smile fall. Athena hadn’t greeted her with a “congratulations!” or an apology for being so late, or even a simple “it’s good to see you.” No, the first thing Athena did was scowl and question Annabeth’s state of dress.

“We were taking a walk,” Annabeth answered.

“It appears that you lost your way and wandered into the ocean,” Athena said coldly.

“Welcome to Salacia, Lady Athena,” Percy cut in. He bowed to her politely. Annabeth gave him a look of appreciation when he caught her eye. Percy had a bit of a temper and was not known for his tact, but he also knew when Annabeth needed his help trying to keep Athena pacified...or trying to keep herself pacified.

Athena eyed Percy with an air of disapproval. “Thank you,” she said without feeling. “Am I to assume that you have a carriage waiting?”

“We don’t,” answered Annabeth. “We walked.”

“Pity,” Athena said, like she’d expected that answer and had only asked to let Annabeth know that she wasn’t pleased. “I suppose we’ll wait for my carriage to come off the ship so I can return you to the palace.”

Annabeth exchanged another glance with Percy. It was very like Athena to look at someone who had polite intentions and only see an inconvenience. Annabeth kept herself from speaking up. She did not want to ruin her wedding by having another fight with her guardian.

Annabeth and Percy remained silent until Athena’s carriage and horses were ready for them. Athena turned to them and once again curled her lip when she glanced at their bare feet and wet clothes, like all she could think about was them dripping water and ruining the floor. She let them in, but did not appear happy about it. She spent the entire trip to the palace with her arms crossed, sneering out the window like she was offended by the garish colors of the Neptunian houses. Annabeth recommended that they exit the carriage early to climb the stairs beside the Grand Cascade, which was especially beautiful when lit up at night, but Athena turned her down, saying that she wanted to get to her room as quickly as possible.

“Would you like me to escort you to where you’ll be staying?” Annabeth asked when they arrived at the palace. “Your room is in the same suite as Jason and Thalia’s.”

“That will do,” Athena said before Annabeth had even finished. She looked displeased about having to share a suite with her two younger half-siblings, but she didn’t complain.

“Then it’s right this way,” Annabeth said. Before she could start walking, Percy tapped her arm and gave her a questioning look, like he was asking if she wanted him to come along or not. Annabeth shook her head. She wanted to try to talk to Athena alone.

“I’ll wait for you at the east staircase,” Percy said quietly, then he kissed her forehead and left.

“Where is he going?” Athena asked, looking at Percy’s retreating figure like she was offended that the Prince wasn’t personally escorting her.

Annabeth sighed. No matter how hard she tried, every choice she made seemed to displease Athena. “He’s taking care of some other business,” Annabeth lied. “Your room is this way.”

Athena was quiet as they walked. The guests seemed to have all gone back to their rooms for the night, so the only sound was the heels of Athena’s shoes clacking against the marble floors and the soft padding of Annabeth’s bare feet. The marble felt hard and cold—even colder than the ocean water. Her wet skirts felt heavy and uncomfortable, but even worse was the feeling of Athena’s stare of disapproval, silently judging her state of dress and choice of husband.

As they approached the suite, Annabeth finally worked up the courage to clear her throat and say, “I thought you’d be here earlier.”

“Well, I wasn’t,” Athena said shortly. “I’m here in time for gift-giving day, so you need not worry; you will receive your present tomorrow.”

“Present...?” Annabeth slowly repeated. “You think I wanted you to come to get a present?”

“Why else would my presence be required? I came as you wished, Annabeth. I don’t appreciate the way you are speaking to me.”

Annabeth felt like she’d been splashed in the face with cold ocean water. “I...I wanted you to be there for the procession,” she said.

Athena scoffed. “Why would I want to stand in a crowd just to watch you ride in an uncovered carriage through the city?”

“But I wanted you to take the role of the mother at the bathing ceremony.”

“I’m not your mother,” snapped Athena. “Besides, you aren’t Romanus. Why do you care about their ridiculous traditions?”

Annabeth frowned. It was one thing when Athena voiced her disapproval of Annabeth—Annabeth was used to that. But it was different when Athena insulted Percy’s entire culture. “I’m marrying—married to a Romanus man! Of course I care about their traditions!”

“Be reasonable, Annabeth. Does it really matter?”

“It matters to me!”

“Well, perhaps if you’d married in Olympus I would have gone to your silly ceremonies. When you were a child, this match seemed decent enough, but far more suitable candidates became available later on. It was foolish of you to insist upon this marriage and soon you will come to regret—”

“Stop it!” said Annabeth. “Stop it, Athena! Why can’t you support me this one time? Is it too much to ask for you to be happy for me? I thought that you might at least pretend because I am leaving Jupiter and I won’t see you often anymore. I know that I have never been good enough for you, but I hoped....”

“You hoped that I would pretend to support a marriage that I have opposed for years?”

Annabeth’s blood ran cold. Of course. What had she been thinking? How could she have tricked herself into believing that Athena would behave any differently just because it was her wedding? Athena had never approved of anything she’d ever done, so why would she start then?

“You’re right,” Annabeth said, her voice cracking. “It was foolish of me to think that you....” She swallowed and forced herself to meet Athena’s eyes. “Maybe it would have been better if you hadn’t come after all,” she said. “Goodnight, Athena.”

Annabeth turned away without waiting for an answer, barely able to keep herself from running. She held her head high as she walked, refusing to make a sound even though her eyes were burning with tears.

Like he’d promised, Percy was waiting at the foot of the east staircase. When he saw her, he looked sad, but not surprised. “I’m so sorry, Annabeth,” he whispered, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“I’m alright,” Annabeth croaked. “It’s just who Athena is. This will be the last time I have to put up with it.” Percy helped her dry her eyes and she did her best to compose herself, then she realized that she’d left Athena at the door of the suite without taking her inside. “Oh no,” she said with a bit of a laugh. “I forgot to show her which bedroom was hers. She could walk into Jason or Thalia’s bedroom and—wait, oh gods! Jason!”

“What about Jason?” Percy asked.

“We left Jason and Piper locked in the sitting room,” Annabeth said in horror. “We never let them back out.”

Percy swore and took Annabeth’s hand. They ran up the stairs and into their apartments, fished the key out of the sloppy pile of clothes in Percy’s bedroom, and unlocked the door to the sitting room.

Piper and Jason were less offended than Annabeth had feared.

“You forgot about us and left us locked in a room for three hours,” accused Jason.

“Well, yes,” Percy admitted. “But if you’d really wanted to escape, you would have noticed that the balcony behind you conveniently connects back into the rest of the suite.”

Piper’s eyes narrowed. “Well, it’s unfortunate that you didn’t give us a tour before locking us in a room for three hours.”

“I’m sure you had a nice three-hour bonding experience,” Percy said with a guilty smile.

Jason shook his head, but stopped when he looked at Annabeth. “Annabeth? You look like you’ve been crying,” he said. “What happened?”

Annabeth rubbed her eyes again. “Athena came,” she said coldly.

Jason paused before saying, “I see.”

Annabeth didn’t want to say anything else.

“It didn’t go well,” Percy told him quietly, putting his arm on Annabeth’s shoulder like he’d sensed that she wanted him to fill in for her.

“Nothing ever goes well with Athena,” Jason said. “She’s always like that, Annabeth. You know that.”

Annabeth nodded, but it wasn’t true. It always seemed like Athena was harder on her than she was on anyone else.

“I do not want to deal with her right now,” Jason sighed tiredly. “She always stays up late to read. You ought to lock me back up until she finally goes to bed.”

“Jason, you can just stay here,” Annabeth cut in. “She might have invaded your room, anyway.”

“Come with me,” Percy said, taking Jason’s shoulder. “I’ll get you a dressing gown.”

“Piper, you might as well stay, too,” Annabeth added.

“Now, wait a minute, Annabeth,” Piper demanded, putting her hands on her hips. “You already locked me in a room with a man for three hours, and now you’re going to put us both in your bedroom?”

Annabeth tried to laugh, but she was too exhausted. “No, you and I will take my room,” she said. “Jason will stay with Percy.”

“Don’t worry; the sheets were changed, so they’re clean,” Percy said as he led Jason off to his wardrobe.

Piper sighed. Annabeth wouldn’t admit it, but the only reason she and Percy referenced their sex life around people as often as they did was because the reactions were so amusing.

“Come with me,” Annabeth said, putting her arm around Piper’s shoulders. “I’m sure I have something that will fit you. We’ll all take our breakfast together tomorrow morning.”

“Are you sure your husband won’t be jealous that you’re spending your wedding night with me?” Piper asked dryly.

Annabeth winked. “Oh, Piper,” she said with a flirtatious smile. “Percy has known about us for a long time.”

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