#diana lee's voice acting SO SMOOTH

[spaceprincessleia]

"Years ago my people were all but destroyed. Our culture, our beliefs are fading into memory. Yes, I seek power to ensure my future, to destroy my enemies. My anger gives me strength. And it is that strength that I offer the Empire."

↪ Morgan Elsbeth in Tales of the Empire 1x02 | The Path of Anger

[gatesofember]

Debut

PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU Part 1

Rating: G | Pairing: Solangelo

Next | AU directory | Read it on AO3 (Recommended) | Arranged Marriage AU Masterpage

Summary: At six years old, Will is finally wearing grown-up attire like his father and older brothers and is old enough to attend public events, just in time for his aunt’s inauguration.  But Pluto is cold, his clothes are stiff and itchy, and the long journey in the carriage left Will sore, tired, and grumpy.  Just when Will starts to think that he’ll remain miserable for the rest of his life, his aunt introduces him to someone very special.

The journey to Venadica had been long and tiring.  Will hated sitting in a coach for longer than twenty minutes, so the weeks he had spent traveling had been miserable.  He’d ridden in the coach with his father and older brothers, Lee and Michael.  Michael had brought cards, so they’d entertained themselves by playing Quadratis for a while before they grew tired of it.  The scenery outside the windows of the coach changed as they left Jupiter and entered Pluto.  The golden fields that Will had seen on the countryside of Diana, his father’s duchy, had turned green as they traveled farther north.  The air became colder as the ground became rockier, and each day was more dismal than the last.  Early in the trip, Will had seated himself beside the coachman and had asked him questions about the new steering mechanisms from Vulcan, but as the weather cooled, Will found himself more interested in being inside even if the carriage was stuffy and crowded.

Apollo, along with occasional help from Will’s brothers, had spent part of the trip advising Will on how to behave when they got to his aunt’s ceremony.  Chiron—who was in the other carriage with Daphne, Will’s step-mother—had already gone over rules of conduct with him, but Will could be forgetful, so he appreciated the review, even if it was very boring.  This celebration would be Will’s first public appearance.  At six years old, he was finally grown up enough to go with his father and brothers and step-mother.  Will was relieved that he’d been given permission to attend the festivities; after all, Will’s aunt, Artemis, was being inaugurated the Matestra.

Artemis was not only a priestess—or soror, as priestesses were more properly called.  Long before Will was born, Artemis had left her younger twin, Apollo, to become the Duke of Diana when she took her Oath and joined the Sorority: the sisterhood of priestesses who served the protogenoi, cared for their temples, and led ceremonies in their honor.  It hadn’t taken Artemis long to be elected Soror Princepa, or high priestess, of Delphi—the most prestigious sororal position in Diana.  In fact, it was the most prestigious sororal position in all of Jupiter.  She had recently been elected Matestra of the Sorority, which made her the leading authority on all matters dealing with the protogenoi and worship.

Will liked his aunt Artemis.  He regretted that he would not be able to see her as often now that she would be living in Venadica, the headquarters of the Sorority.  Venadica was in Pluto, the northernmost of the three Romanus Terris, weeks away from Will.

Will was sore, cold, and grumpy when they finally arrived in Venadica.  He hadn’t been prepared for the weather; it wasn’t long before Pontonia and the temperature was pleasantly hot in Diana, but it felt like late autumn in Pluto.  Will worried that his aunt would never be able to get warm, but maybe if she was too cold, she’d come back to Diana to be with him.  After all, being Matestra was wonderful, but Will didn’t see any problem with being Soror Princepa of Delphi.

He, his brothers, and his father and step-mother stayed in a guest apartment in the Sororal Palace, while Chiron and the servants had rooms elsewhere.  Their apartment had five bedrooms, one for each of them, connected to a common room.  The Sororal Palace contained many guest apartments for occasions such as this, while the sorors themselves lived in another wing and the consors—non-sorors who trained and studied with sorors and helped the sorors with their duties—had rooms in a separate building.  Currently, some of the most powerful people in the world were gathering in Venadica for the inauguration—Will had heard that King Poseidon and his family were not staying far from them.  Will doubted he would have been invited if the new Matestra had not been his aunt; he was only a natural-born six-year-old boy, and not very important.

Venadica, despite the dreadful weather, was a beautiful city.  The architecture of the palace dated back nearly a hundred years, but the streets were modern; gravel laid over large stones in the ground to keep the streets flat.  All of the sorors wore grey and silver as a sign of their Oaths, while the puella—girls who were in training to become sorors but had not yet taken their Oaths—wore shades of brown.  In some ways, Venadica reminded Will of Phoebus, the capital of Diana, where Will lived with his family.  There were sorors and consors playing music at every corner, or showcasing their latest inventions, discoveries, and artwork at booths along the streets.  Will lost sight of his family a few times when he got distracted by a particularly interesting display, but Chiron always found him quickly.  Chiron knew to expect for Will to be absent-minded.  Will made friends with some of the youngest puella quickly and spent some time playing with them, but Chiron followed him and returned him to his family when he got too far away.

Will didn’t see his aunt until the inauguration, where he and the other members of Artemis’ family sat in designated seats in a balcony overlooking the Square of Aether—a large paved area directly in front of the Sororal Palace.  Each of the three royal and imperial families had their own balconies from which they watched.  The inauguration was followed by a celebration throughout the city, then there was a grand banquet in the dining hall of the palace.  Will spent the meal in silence, trying to behave himself.  His family was seated with Artemis and the families of King Hades, King Poseidon, and Emperor Zeus and even with all the reviews on proper etiquette and rules for conversation, Will was too nervous to speak.  Instead, he focused on using correct manners while eating, being sure to act politely and neatly.  Daphne caught his eye at one point and gave him a slight nod, as if she was trying to tell him he was doing well.

Later that evening, Will found himself sitting alone in the dining hall, resting his chin in his hands and sighing in boredom as a few groups of adults chatted about very important and dull sorts of things.  The rest of the adults were either dancing in the square or playing cards in the next room.  The puella his age had gone to bed by then.  Will probably should have, too, but he hadn’t wanted to leave his Aunt’s celebration.  Will’s older brothers were talking to puella and other guests their own age in the next room over, where they huddled around a table watching four people play a game of Quadratis.  Will wondered how Lee and Michael could stand it, after the rounds they’d played in the carriage; Will was sure he’d feel a sense of dread every time he saw a deck of cards for the rest of his life.  Meanwhile, Austin, who was three, was still in Diana with his governess, as he was too young to attend.  Will was at the awkward stage of being old enough to be present at the celebration with the adults and older children, but too young to really participate.

He’d had fun earlier that day, playing Stones-and-Stems and Wolf-in-the-Pasture with children from around the city.  They were mostly puella or the children of consors living in Venadica, but there were guests like himself, as well.  It had been fun to play outdoors after all that time sitting in the carriage, even though the weather had been terribly cold and Chiron had chided Will for getting dirt all over his clothes.  Will had been ashamed of himself; he’d been determined to act the part of a well-behaved, civilized young man at his first public appearance.  But despite his resolution, Will was devastatingly bored.

Will sighed again and shifted in his seat, trying to keep himself awake.  Maybe he should find Chiron to take him back to his room so he could sleep.  Before he could move, Daphne, who was conversing with a small group of sorors, gave him a sharp look and Will realized he was resting his elbows on the table, so he quickly removed them, sat up with a more polite posture, and ran his hands over the smooth, floral pattern of his purple waistcoat to straighten out the wrinkles.  It was stiff and itchy, but he had to admit that it was beautiful.  Will was still getting used to wearing the more grown-up style of clothing.  Daphne had attempted to tuck back Will’s unruly curls, but to no avail; none of Apollo’s servants were able to tame his hair.  They had at least managed to tie it back so he resembled something similar to a civilized young man.  His jabot had been tied far too tightly around his neck, but he resisted the urge to loosen it, reminding himself to be on his best behavior.

“Will?” said a voice Will recognized as his aunt’s.

“Your Divinity!” Will said in surprise, hurrying to get out of his chair and bow.  He nearly tripped and just barely stopped his chair from falling over.  “My apologies, Your Divinity.”  He bowed again, knowing that he was blushing to the tips of his ears.  His first appearance at a public event was not going well.  Will always ended up flustered when he met with his aunt.  After all, she was the Matestra.  He worried that he would disappoint her.

Artemis only smiled at him.  She looked stunning; Artemis was the youngest Matestra to ever be elected, and she wore the traditional silver sororal gown with effortless elegance.  Artemis had never needed to try to be beautiful, nor did she care much for fashion.  She was quite unlike the lords and ladies of Neptune Will had seen at the celebration, whose flamboyant sense of style was constantly evolving.  “No need to apologize,” she said.  “Can I not greet my nephew as kin?”

“Yes, Matestra,” Will answered with another bow.  “I’m honored.”

“You may take your seat, Will,” Artemis said kindly as she sat beside him at his table.  Artemis always had been fond of children.  She had inspired many young girls to become puella.  Will had heard rumors that Emperor Zeus’ daughter was intrigued by the idea of taking the Oath.

Will had always admired his aunt Artemis; a part of him secretly desired to follow in her footsteps and become a leader in the Sorority.  However, it was impossible for Will to do so; sorors were always women.  While Will was devoted and permitted to assist and become involved with the Sorority and its mission as a consor, he could not take the Oath.

Will and his siblings received a wonderful education, Chiron made sure of that, but Venadica still intrigued Will, even if it was unbearably cold.  Many young women and some young men travelled to Venadica for a formal education.  Venadica was known as the “City of Enlightenment” for a reason; the best minds in the world journeyed to Venadica to collaborate, study, and discover.  In fact, sorors and consors were sometimes called “venadi”—which meant “hunters” in the ancient language of Pluto—in reference to their search for knowledge.  Venadica itself was named for this pursuit of education, which was was often called “the hunt.”

Will thought he might want to become a consor to join “the hunt.”  Chiron was a consor and an excellent tutor, trained in Venadica just like Artemis.  Maybe Will could become a scholar, a tutor, or a healer, which sounded much more fun than being an earl of some county in Diana.  Plus, if Will moved to Venadica, he’d be able to see his aunt all the time.

Of course, it was a long way from home.  Will wasn't so sure he wanted to leave Diana.  If he already missed his younger brother so much, how would he fare if he wasn't able to see the rest of his family without traveling for weeks in a rickety, uncomfortable carriage?  And then there was the unbearably cold weather of Pluto to consider....

“Are you enjoying yourself in Venadica?” Artemis asked, pulling Will out of his thoughts.

“Oh, I am,” Will answered shyly, then he realized he was kicking his legs under the table and forced himself to stop and scolded himself for not behaving.  “I had fun in the city today.  The puella are very nice.”

“Yes, I’m fond of them, too,” Artemis agreed.  “I’ve always wanted to take you here.  I thought you’d enjoy it.”

“It’s too cold,” Will blurted out, then he blushed and stuttered out an apology.  “I do like it here, though.”

“It is quite cold,” Artemis said with a chuckle.  “Very different from Diana, isn’t it?”

“Yes, and very far,” Will said sadly.  “Will you come home to visit, Your Divinity?”

“From time to time,” Artemis answered.  “I will travel quite a bit now.  Maybe we’ll meet in a new city.  Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Yes, Your Divinity,” Will said.  “Although I do not like to travel very much.  It is very boring and makes my bum feel sore.”  Will blushed as soon as the words were out and clapped his hands over his face in embarrassment, apologizing to Artemis yet again.

Artemis was laughing, however.  “It isn’t very pleasant,” she admitted, and Will set his hands back in his lap politely, trying to recover and behave in a more respectable manner.  “But for now, what are you doing sitting out here all alone, Will?”

Will felt guilty; Artemis probably thought that Will wasn’t enjoying himself and he didn’t want her to feel responsible as the hostess.  “I suppose I’m just sleepy, and all of my friends have gone to bed.  I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone.”

“You are not a bother to me,” Artemis said with a fond smile.  “Would you like me to help you find Chiron to take you to bed?”

Will almost said yes, but he didn’t want to force her to look after him.  Surely he could manage to find Chiron on his own.

Before he could answer, though, Artemis said, “Or, perhaps I could help you find a friend to accompany for the rest of the evening?”

Will perked up at that.  “But I thought everyone had already gone to bed,” he said.

“There is one boy your age,” Artemis replied.  “He is in the square dancing.  Why don’t you go outside with me for a while?”

Will considered, then he nodded and slipped out of his chair to follow Artemis out of the dining hall.  “His name is Nico,” Artemis told Will as they walked.

“Like the Prince?” Will asked.  He’d been studying the names of important people that would be at the gathering.  Nico was the son of King Hades and about the same age as Will—

Wait.

Oh.

Oh.

Artemis seemed unaware of Will’s sudden panic and merely lead Will outside with her hand on his shoulder.  Will had never met a prince before; he hadn’t even been introduced to Princess Thalia or Prince Jason of the Juvian Empire, where he lived.  He quickly thought over the instructions Chiron had given him on what to do if he was introduced to someone of a higher rank than his own.

Outside, Aether’s Square was filled with light and music.  An orchestra of sorors was performing while a group danced on the paved stones.  Ordinarily, dances would take place indoors, but too many people had attended Artemis’ inauguration for it to be held inside; the celebration was open to everyone in Venadica and guests from all over the three countries had been invited.

Aether’s Square was beautiful.  There were lanterns on top of posts everywhere, so Will could see everything as clearly as he would if the sun had been up.  Chiron had told him that the square was always well-lit; it was located so that the daylight illuminated it starting at dawn, and the lanterns cast a warm glow when it was dark.  After all, the square had been named for the protogenos of light; the sorors considered it their duty to keep the area bright.

There was a massive fountain in the middle of the square depicting a scene from the aftermath of the famous battle between the protogenoi and their traitorous children, the titans.  Sculpted in the center of the fountain, the likeness of Gaea, protogenos of the earth, held the dying body of her daughter, Rhea: the only titan who had remained faithful to the protogenoi.  The story frightened Will’s younger brother, Austin, but Will thought it was beautiful.

Artemis stopped before the group of dancers and told him they would wait until that set had ended.  The formal dances that always started celebrations had already finished, and now there were more casual group dances.  Will preferred the group dances; they always seemed more lively.  Men and women danced, trading partners and meeting new faces while music filled their ears and the beautiful twirl of skirts mesmerized Will’s eyes.

“His Highness is on the other side of the orchestra, at the fountain,” Artemis told him, and suddenly Will’s anxieties were back.  He’d forgotten who Artemis was planning to introduce him to when confronted with the beauty of the square.

“Your Divinity, is it proper for me to meet His Highness?” Will asked nervously.  “Do I have permission to speak to him?”

“Certainly,” Artemis said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.  “I am introducing you.  I know His Highness quite well; I have served the royal family on more than one occasion.  His Highness is an amiable young man; I think you will get along.”

Will didn’t know what “amiable” meant, but he felt reassured nonetheless.  When the dance ended, Artemis started to lead Will towards the fountain, but they were stopped by Will’s father.

“Your Divinity,” Apollo said with a polite bow to his sister.  “So you were with my son!  I was looking to ask you to join me in the next set of dances, but it appears you’ve already found a partner.”

Artemis scoffed good-naturedly.  “Are you neglecting your wife, brother dear?” she teased.

Apollo’s lips pursed, losing the good humor he’d had just a moment before.  “She is otherwise occupied.”

Artemis gave Apollo a look that Will didn’t understand, then she turned back to Will.  “I’m taking Will to meet Prince Nico,” she explained.

“Prince Nico?” Apollo repeated.  “Well, then, take Elpis with you, Will.  Act politely and you’ll do wonderfully.”  He looked at Artemis and said, “This is quite an honor you are giving my son.  Thank you.”

“Of course,” Artemis said, squeezing Will’s shoulder fondly.  “I’ll always look after my nephews.  Pardon me for a moment and I’ll return so I may accompany you for the next dance set.”

“Then I shall wait.  May the moirai smile on you, Will.”  Apollo bowed to his sister again before disappearing into the crowd.

Apollo likely meant to inspire confidence in Will, but he’d really done just the opposite.  He nearly jumped out of his skin when Artemis patted his back and started to lead him towards the Prince again.  Will had been prepared to talk to people of a higher status; he knew that as the family as the Matestra, he would be near the royal and imperial families.  However, Will had not been prepared to be personally introduced to the Prince of Pluto.

Artemis brought him to where a dark haired boy was sitting on the low wall around the fountain, watching as the dancers reassembled.  Will’s immediate thought was that he looked like a lively young man.  The Prince was smiling while he admired the dancers and the light from the lanterns sparkled in his dark eyes.  His legs were swinging back and forth, heels clacking against the wall in time with the orchestra.  He was dressed similarly to Will, but his clothes had a more Pluton style; the waistline was higher and the fabric looked heavier, and the outfit was far more radiant than Will’s.  The brocade was green with gold accents and the buttons on his waistcoat were impeccably polished.  He was quite pretty; his face was lovely and his expression was pleasant.  He had sharp, regal features like his father, King Hades, but he wore them entirely differently.  He looked bright and handsome rather than strict and serious.  Will had seen the Prince earlier that day, of course, but only from afar; he’d seen the royal and imperial families at the inauguration and he and the Prince had been at opposite ends of Artemis’ table during the banquet.  He looked less threatening than Will expected; in fact, he looked quite friendly.  And yet, Will felt intimidated.  Nico was still a prince.  He was dressed much more beautifully than Will, his hair was in place, and he looked perfectly at ease, while Will felt like he was going to shake right out of his breeches.

“Your humble servant, Your Highness; I hope you find this evening agreeable,” Artemis greeted when they reached the Prince.  She bowed and Will quickly followed suit.

“I wish you a good evening, Matestra!” the Prince said with a wide grin.  “I hoped I’d see you tonight!  Could we play a game of Acies later?”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Artemis answered.  “We’ll play tomorrow; it has gotten far too late to start tonight.  Besides, I would like to introduce you to my nephew.”  Artemis put her hand on Will’s back and urged him forward, as he’d been lingering slightly behind her, fidgeting nervously.  “Your Highness, may I present William, son of my brother Apollo, Duke of Diana.”

Will’s bow wasn’t low enough or long enough and he stumbled over his words when he said that he was honored to make the Prince’s acquaintance.  The Prince cocked his head to the side as he looked Will up and down curiously, then he grinned again.  “How do you do, William?  May I call you Will?”

Will nodded.  “Indeed, Your Highness, whichever you please,” he said, trying to sneak back into the comfort of his aunt’s shadow.

Artemis put her hand on his back to prevent Will from hiding.  “Then with your permission, Your Highness, I will take my leave.  I promised my brother a dance.”

Nico nodded, then Artemis bowed and gave Will a smile before she left Will with the Prince.  Nico looked Will over again with the same curious expression as before.  “Why are you all alone?” Nico asked.  “Have you no friends?”

Will was going to explain that his older brothers were busy and his younger brother was in Diana, and everyone else had gone to bed, but he was still so nervous that he only managed to shake his head.

“No need to worry; I can be your friend,” Nico said.  He patted the space next to him on the edge of the fountain.  “Come sit with me.”

Will nodded and tentatively walked over to the price before hoisting himself up on the wall.  He tried to keep his posture right, but Nico was leaning back on his hands, swinging his legs like he didn’t care about showing proper etiquette.  Will wished he could be that brave.

“You see that girl there in the green gown?” Nico said, pointing to the dancers.  A few children older than Will and Nico were dancing off to the side of the square, mimicking the steps that the adults took.  “She is my sister, Bianca.  Did you know that Bianca is the best archer in Pluto?  She won this year at the Rhegalia archery competition for young archers.  She told me that she wants to be in the Sorority but I don’t want her to be a soror because if she’s a soror I won’t be able to see her as often.  So I told her, ‘Oh, no, Bianca, that won’t work; you’ve got to be the queen.’  You know, during Rhegalia, Bianca gave me this ring as a gift.  She commissioned it from a silversmith in Vulcan, isn’t that amazing?”  When he held out the ring for Will to examine, Will nodded in appreciation and smiled, not quite sure what the right thing to say was.  He didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Prince Nico.

Nico, however, didn’t seem to mind, and he kept talking.  “And see the boy in blue next to Bianca?  That’s my friend Prince Percy.”  Nico broke off with a giggle.  “Did you know Percy can sail?  He has a boat!  I like boats, especially the big ones.  Do you like boats?”  Will nodded—boats did seem amazing now that he’d heard Nico talk about them—and Nico cocked his head to the side.  “You’re very quiet,” Nico observed, but Will was unable to get a word in before Nico started talking excitedly again.  “Did you know that in ancient Pluto, they cut out people’s tongues if they were bad so they couldn’t talk?  Isn’t that wonderful?  Do you have a tongue?”  Will nodded and promptly stuck it out to demonstrate, then he quickly drew it back into his mouth and blushed, stuttering an apology for his behavior.  But Nico was giggling and he stuck his tongue out at Will, too.  Will stifled a laugh behind his hand.  Sticking your tongue out wasn’t terribly rude, but it was quite absurd.

“Say, have you ever played Acies?” Nico asked.  “I just started.  It’s quite a delightful game, you know.  My tutor is teaching me.  It’s just like a real battle!  I wish I could be in a real battle, but my tutor tells me I can’t have any weapons.  My sister gets to play archery, but no one lets me play.  Bianca is getting a new set of Acies figurines made for me.  Did you know that if you have a praetor and a centurion with the same color gemstone on one tile, they receive a bonus making their combined power equal two praetors?”

Will shook his head.  He’d seen people play Acies, but he never joined in; it was a very complicated game.  Will wasn’t able to keep the rules straight and he could never focus on the game long enough to finish a round.  After a devastating loss that had occurred in under ten minutes, Chiron had merely sighed and told Will he’d teach him to play when he got a bit older.  Will wondered how Nico was able to remember all the rules or sit through an entire round; he must be very clever to be so good at it.  Maybe he’d ask Chiron to try teaching him again when they got back to Diana.

“My new figurines will be made of black marble this time,” Nico went on.  “I had a wooden set before.  Anyway, what games do you like to do?  Do you like cards?  I love Quadratis.”

“Um, well, I am bored of cards,” Will admitted.  “I played them too much.”

“Really?  You can get bored of cards?  Then I should play them less often; I don’t want to get bored of cards.  You know, when I get older, I’m going to learn to play Belli.  My tutor says I’m too young for that game and it’s too difficult for me, but I don’t think so.”

“I like to play Wolf-in-the-Pasture,” Will piped up, thinking himself very brave for adding to the conversation.  He liked listening to Nico talk and he wanted to say something interesting, too.  Maybe he’d even impress Nico.

Nico looked puzzled.  “What’s that?” he asked.

Will was shocked that Nico had never gotten to play, but he politely explained the rules.  It was a game children liked to play outside in the summer, when one child would be the “wolf” who had to catch the other children, who were the “cattle.”  When the “wolf” caught a “cow,” that “cow” became a “wolf,” too, and that went on until all the “cattle” had been caught.

“That sounds amazing!” Nico said.  “We should play!”

“Oh, well, you need more than two people,” Will explained.

“That’s okay!  You might not have friends, but I do.  I will share them with you.  Follow me!”  Nico jumped off the wall and gestured for Will to hurry up.  He led Will to the children who were dancing in the square and, without hesitating to interrupt, he grabbed Bianca’s sleeve and tugged on it.  “Bi, listen!” he said.

The Princess missed a step in the dance and looked at her brother in irritation.  “Nico, I said I’d dance with you the next set,” she said.  “I promised Thalia first.”

“This is more important,” Nico said.  “Percy!  Jason!  Come listen!  My new friend Will has a game!”

Will suddenly found himself being stared at by three princes and two princesses while he stumbled through his explanation of how to play Wolf-in-the-Pasture.  Nico rocked on the balls of his feet excitedly as Will spoke, which Will found quite distracting.  He found himself blushing at all the attention he was getting.  Will didn’t enjoy being the object of everyone’s focus; he preferred to leave that to his older brothers while he stayed in the background with Austin.  However, Will did like the delight on Nico’s face when he nodded along as Will spoke, looking like he was very proud of the new friend he’d found.  

Nico insisted on being the wolf.  The others—Bianca, Thalia, Percy, and Jason—agreed without bothering to argue.  Will got the feeling that Nico usually took the lead when it came to games.  Percy said he knew a place that was less crowded where they could run around together.

Will had always been good at Wolf-in-the-Pasture; he was a fast runner and was usually the only cow left at the end, or, if he was the wolf, he’d catch the cattle quickly.  But usually, Will played during the day wearing much more comfortable clothing.  Will was counting on his usual speed to impress Nico, but he stumbled on a bit of uneven paving and Nico caught him by smacking his arm, then he laughed and said, “Now you're a wolf, too!”

Will shook off his mortification at having been caught so quickly when he saw how happy it made Nico, so he just smiled and nodded when Nico said, “Now you go get Jason!”

Thalia ended up being the last person to be caught; Will was proud to say that he had been the one to get to her in the end.  Nico beamed at Will in pride when the game was over and said, “You’re very fast, even if you are quiet.  How did you get so fast?  Did you let me catch you?  I want to be fast.  Are you fast because you don’t talk much so you keep all your breath for running?”

Will wasn’t sure how to respond, so he just smiled and said, “I enjoy running.”

“What about dancing?” Nico asked.  “Do you like to dance?  I like to dance.  Come dance with me!”  He took Will’s hand and called out to the others to follow him back to the musicians, where the six lined up to take part in the next dance.

Will had taken dance lessons, of course, but he forgot nearly all the steps when the music began.  He apologized when he almost stepped on Nico’s foot, then Nico frowned at him and said, “Don’t you know how to dance?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will answered, his eyes focused on their feet.  “I...I forgot how this one goes.”

“That’s no matter,” Nico said cheerfully.  “I can help you.  Bianca and I like to dance together, so I’m very good at it.”  Nico was good at it.  In fact, there didn’t seem to be much that Nico wasn’t good at.  “See, fifth position, slide to fourth position, slide to third position, back to fifth.  Not so hard, is it?”

“No, Your Highness,” Will agreed, following along with Nico’s steps.

“Do you dance minuets?” Nico asked.

“I am learning,” Will replied.

“I love minuets.  Bianca and I practice the minuet together.  No, no, Will, that’s second position.  See?”

“Yes, of course, Your Highness.  My apologies.”  Will looked up at Nico and blushed.  They were about the same height, their bodies an appropriate distance from one another but still very close.  It suddenly occurred to Will that he had physically touched a prince a few times that evening, and he wondered if there was some rule against that.

Nico smiled brightly, his dark eyes glinting in the lantern light.  “You’re doing well,” he said, and Will forgot all about his concerns.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Will said, flushing darker.  “You are very talented.”

“Yes, I practice quite often,” Nico repeated.  “If you practice, you can be good, too.”

Will nodded.  “I will, Your Highness.”

“Good.”  Nico nodded.  “Next time, we can dance a minuet.”

Will voiced his agreement without putting much thought into it.  He didn’t know when he would see Nico next, so he made a promise to himself to learn to dance a minuet when he got back to Diana.  He’d have to learn to play Acies so that they could play a round, too.  He’d talk to Chiron about it the next chance he got.

The dance ended and Nico scurried to steal his sister from Percy for the next dance, leaving Will without a partner.  Will stepped to the side quietly to wait, unable to ask any of the others to dance.  After all, they were princes and princesses, all older than he was.  He could not be the one to ask them to dance.

Will stood by alone, watching Nico and his sister dance in admiration.  The Princess was a much more skilled partner than Will and Nico kept up with the steps easily.  The siblings looked beautiful, with Bianca’s skirts fluttering and Nico’s laughter ringing in the air, their feet moving in perfect synchrony like they knew each other’s movements as well as their own.  Will wished he could dance like that.

“Well, nephew.  It seems your evening was a success.”

Will nearly jumped out of his shoes when Artemis appeared next to him.  “Um, good evening, Your Divinity,” Will said sheepishly, suddenly becoming aware of the fact that his shoes were no longer shining, his clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was poking out of its tie.  Will brushed off his coat and shuffled his feet in shame.  “I was playing,” he offered in explanation.

“I can see that,” Artemis said, looking slightly amused.  “Chiron is taking your brothers to bed.  Would you like me to escort you to your room?”

Will glanced back at Nico and Bianca and the others, then said, “Can’t I bid His Highness goodnight?”

“Of course you may,” Artemis replied.  “I believe they will be taken to their rooms shortly, as well.  It is very late.”

“Thank you, Matestra,” Will said, playing with his sleeves nervously.  “I have behaved myself very well.  We are friends now.”

“I never worried,” Artemis said as the dance drew to an end.  Patting his back, she said, “Go on, Will.  Say your farewells.”

Will nodded and hurried over to the Prince when the music came to a close and bowed in greeting.

“Oh, Will, would you like to share the next dance?” Nico asked cheerfully.

“I....” Will glanced over to his aunt for guidance.  She had said it was time for bed, but it would be rude to turn down the Prince.  Artemis smiled and waved her assent, so Will turned back to Nico and said, “I would be honored, Your Highness.”

Will stumbled and shuffled and tottered through the steps as Nico reminded him where to move his feet, feeling very embarrassed, but mostly happy.  Will usually wasn’t a bad dancer, but he was so nervous that his feet wouldn’t do what they were supposed to.  But when Nico merely laughed every time Will lost his footing, Will laughed, too.

He was sad when the dance set ended, but he bowed to Nico and said, “Thank you for dancing with me, Your Highness.  I regret that it is late and I must take my leave.”

“I had a pleasant evening,” Nico said.  “Thank you for the new game, and be sure to learn to dance better for next time.”

“Yes, I will.  I bid you a good night, Your Highness.”

“A good night to you as well,” Nico said.  He held out his hand, palm facing down, and Will faltered for a moment before bowing and kissing the back of it.  He’d seen his father and mother being greeted that way, so he didn’t think he did anything wrong, but Nico giggled at him when he stood back up.  “Farewell, Will.  May Aether light your way.”

“And may Ouranos look on you kindly,” Will replied, and with another bow, he left Nico to return to his aunt.  Artemis looked pleased when she put her hand on Will’s shoulder and guided him back inside the Sororal Palace.

“It seemed to me that you enjoyed His Highness’ company quite a bit tonight,” Artemis observed as they climbed the staircase to the east wing.

“Oh, yes, Your Divinity,” Will answered.  “Many thanks for introducing me to His Highness, Matestra.”

“It was my pleasure,” Artemis said with a smile, her eyes looking thoughtful.  When they made it to the floor where his family was staying, Artemis added, “You would make a good friend for His Highness.”

“I hope I will be able to meet him again someday,” Will said.

“Yes,” Artemis agreed pensively.  “I hope for it, as well.”  She smiled and placed a hand on Will’s shoulder when they stopped in front of the door to Will’s family’s chambers, then she leaned down to look at him eye-to-eye.  “And I hope you’ll come to visit me here in Venadica every so often.  It may be very far and very cold, but I think you’ll find that the City of Enlightenment has much to offer a bright young man like yourself.”

“Do you mean...I could be a consor?” Will asked, his chest fluttering with warmth at the thought.  He could study in Venadica?  He would be able to see his aunt all the time and grow up to be bright like Chiron, and then, perhaps, he could be a tutor for Lee and Michael’s children.  He could be a healer.  He could be a philosopher.  If he became a consor, he’d be able to do nearly anything.  Even learn to dance a minuet and play Acies.

“Give it some thought,” Artemis replied.  “Sleep well, nephew.  We will say our farewells tomorrow, but I don’t believe the moirai will keep us apart for long.”

Next

[charis-chan]

Double Date

This one became a mess... like... it got out of control, but, I’m fairly happy with how it turned out.

Beta love to @reinakonanofate​ for making this readable and for putting up with my silliness and sick ass.

I love you!!!!

Also, enjoy this one today, cause the next one will be a punch to the feelings.

Read on AO3

“This is stupid.”

“You promised!”

“… It’s still stupid.”

Kara stops walking, prompting you to smack into her back. She swirls around, her baby blue eyes fierce and penetrating. “Stop making this harder than it already is!”

Her grip in your hand is almost bruising and you cringe. You cringe not for the pain in your hand, no, but for the panic in your sister’s face. “I’m sorry, Kar. I’m just being stubborn.”

You hug her by the waist and pull her to you. You feel how she melts against you and you grunt. She’s heavier than she looks.

“This was a mistake,” she admits as she hides her face in your neck. “What if this is a disaster?”

You hug her tighter. “It’s not like they will stand us up. We are amazing, we are gorgeous, we are simply marvelous and we rock. She also made us come all the way here. But, if they decide to do something weird or stupid, we can relocate to another restaurant and have a nice dinner without their stupidity. We can stay for the weekend and see the sights.”

“Lena is not stupid.”

Your shrug. “If she does something stupid then she is.” Your nose twitches. “Suggesting this date should be a double was stupid.”

“You’re saying the word stupid too much tonight,” Kara mumbles.

You shrug again. “As I’ve said, this is stupid.”

“Aleeeex!” Your sister whines.

“Karaaaaa!”

Kara pushes you away and the annoyance on her face has replaced the trepidation that was there before. You smirk to yourself, you’ve accomplished your goal. Your sister is no longer a mess of nerves.

“You’re an ass.”

You gasp dramatically. “Kara Zor-El Danvers just said the word ass!” You feign shock. “The world is going to end!”

Kara shoves you again, prompting you to take a step back. “Why do I have you as a sister?!”

You widen your eyes dramatically. Your lower lip jolts out and you pout just like you’ve taught Kara to do when she first came live with you. “Really?” you make your voice lower to a tiny whine. “Kara?”

Your sister looks at the pout, at the widened eyes, at the slightly trembling lips and the pitiful face overall. And she groans. “You don’t play fair!”

You sniff. “I’m not playing anything.”

Kara embraces you. “You’re such a pain in the butt.”

You smile, knowing she can’t see you. You sniff again. “I’m sorry.”

Kara groans. “Oh, my Rao. Alex, stop. We don’t have time for this.”

You nod against her shoulder, feigning crying. “Yo-You’re right. We can’t keep them waiting.”

It’s your turn to push your sister away, slightly. Even if you pushed with all your strength your alien sister wouldn’t move an inch, but Kara, sweet Kara, pretends to be pushed to save your honor.

“Alex!” She exclaims, indignant when instead of your tears she’s faced with your cheeky grin.

“C’mon, Supergirl. I’m actually hungry.” You grab her hand again, pulling her behind you towards the restaurant you’re supposed to meet with Lena and her mysterious ‘second’.

When Kara asked you to accompany her to her first official date with one Lena Luthor you were skeptical and so, so, so weirded out. Kara and Lena have been hanging out with each other for months now and they have brunch at least once a week… why, now that this is considered a date-date, they need you and another one as a buffer?

Lena is amazing, you’ve already tagged along countless of times when they go out to explore the city or to try weird new restaurants. The young CEO and you have even “hang out” on your own, without Kara around due to Supergirl business, in a handful of occasions.

Why did Lena make it clear she would have a date with Kara only if you showed up too while she shows up with a friend? This is indeed stupid.

You keep walking through the busy mall, following the map you memorized when you entered through its gates. You at least were promised free food for your trouble, and knowing Lena, she’s chosen an amazing restaurant to meet… at least the clothes that she sent you this morning are soft and comfy, but accenting your assets. The heels on your feet are too loud in the marble floors and the snug suit you’re wearing draws the attention to males and females all around, making you feel just a little bit better about yourself.

(Stupid police officer that didn’t want to date you because you’re fresh out of the boat. Well, her loss.)

Leave it to Lena to choose your wardrobe tonight. Again. Part of you thinks that if Lena chose a fancy restaurant she at least should have chosen something not in a mall, but the rest of you knows that there’s no fancier place in the world than Paris and, of course, that’s where you are.

It’s not like transportation is a problem, meeting in the city of love makes total sense, right?

You rue the day Kara came out as Supergirl for Lena… it was the day Lena started taking you both to such crazy places.

You arrive at the restaurant after walking across practically the whole mall and in the back of your mind, you wonder why Kara landed you two in such a faraway entrance… it’s not like there are not that many alleyways and dark streets surrounding the massive mall.

Looking around you catch the eyes of a man that’s bold enough not to look away from you. The appreciating and the slight lust there makes you sneer and you wonder, again, if Kara made you walk all this to parade you around, as if by doing so she’d prompt someone, anyone, to ask you out.

(It’s flattering, really, that you turn heads, but it’s sometimes too much being seen like a piece of meat before you’re regarded as, well, as you.)

This stunt has been done by both Lena and Kara often, asking you to be the one fetching the drinks, making you be the one that goes back to the car to retrieve something “forgotten”, making you be the one that picks up lunch sometimes… all the while wearing whatever clothes Lena sent you that day.

Lena sending you clothes is a common occurrence and the drama that involves you telling her “thanks, but no thanks” is so tiresome that you’ve gotten to the point where you just simply take the clothes and call it a day. If you weren’t sure Lena didn’t see you that way, you’d think she’s trying to get in your pants. And, yeah, Lena is hot, but she’s more like a little, annoying sister than anything else and you can clearly see that Kara is interested in the younger Luthor so, even if you wanted something with Lena, you wouldn’t act on it.

At least your closet has more color in it now.

“Ready?” You ask your sister. The nerves are back and, wow, she is so nervous her hand is clammy in yours.

“N-No.” Kara takes a deep breath, the low-cut dress she’s wearing makes her necklace stand out and the slit at her leg is entrancing. Blue is definitely her color and given the type of fabric and cut, you know she was dressed by Lena too.

You don’t get why she’s nervous. Lena likes her a lot and she’s hot. Why the nerves?

“Relax,” you tell her softly. “I’ve told you, if Lena messes up, we’ll go have a sisters’ date.”

“I’m not worried about Lee,” she mumbles.

“Oh?” That’s new. “If you’re not worried about Lena, then what’s the problem?”

Before she can answer, though, Lena and her companion arrive.

True to her dramatic self, Lena is wearing a dress that matches Kara’s. The cut is the same and her slit is on the opposite side of Kara’s, the color she chose for herself is red and… yep, she’s wearing the matching earrings to Kara’s necklace.

Really, if you didn’t know better you’d say these two are already dating.

“Kara!” Lena squeals and launches to your sister to kiss her cheeks. “So glad you came!”

“I hope this is a good idea.”

Lena slaps Kara’s shoulder with the back of her hand. “Stop it.” She then turns to you and greets you with air kisses to both your cheeks. “Thank you for coming,” she tells you.

You shrug. “You promised food.”

Lena snorts and gestures to her companion. Only now you take the time to see who Lena brought and… holy shit.

She’s gorgeous. Like. Drop-dead gorgeous. Her eyes are dark, shiny and so, so, so wow, so soulful. Her skin is clear and it looks like she has never suffered from pimples or anything else. Lush lips, painted a faint red, are stretched in a small smirk that’s so enticing you just wanna ditch those two idiots and focus solely on her. Her dark hair is pulled back in a high bun and… are necks supposed to be that sexy?

She towers over you with those heels and her natural height, and she’s wearing a white, airy dress that hangs to her in such a way that you’re ready to kneel before her to worship her like the goddess she is.

… wait, what?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

The fuck is wrong with you?!

No one ever told you, you’d be such a mess when you discovered your sexuality!!!

“Alexandra, meet Diana,” Lena intones. Why is she using your whole name? “Diana, this is Alexandra.”

“A true pleasure, Aleksandra,” the goddess, no, Diana, says in a sultry voice that makes you almost choke in thin air. The way she says your name, how her tongue wraps around it, caressing it, it’s intoxicating. “Lena has spoken much of you.” She offers you her hand.

You are so buying J’onn a life worth of Oreos, it is only thanks to his training that you manage to answer her without making an ass of yourself. “Really?” Your voice is calm and so different from what you’re really feeling. “You have me at a disadvantage… I’m afraid this is the first time I hear of you.” You grab her hand and the smoothness makes you feel hyper aware of the callouses made by your gun in your own palm.

“Really?” She echoes you and the spark of amusement in her eyes is mesmerizing. “That’s a pity. But with all Lena has told me about you, I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.”

You snort, amused and so confused. “Lena’s been lying, then. I’m so bad at human interaction that I’m sure you will regret agreeing to this,” you tell her with a vague wave of your hand.

She laughs.

And her laugh, Rao, her laugh is rich and pleasant and soft and liquid and…

Shit.

What have you gotten yourself into?

XxXxX

Lena doesn’t disappoint with the food.

Nor with the company.

She and Kara seclude themselves at one side of the table, leaving Diana and you to entertain yourselves.

Diana and Lena met years ago at a gala to help raise funds for a series of schools for talented children and later on, they kept meeting at different events around the globe. Their friendship is built in their common interest to help minorities and wow, you didn’t know Lena was a patron of so many things.

You also learn that Diana is fluent in several languages and she and you enjoy the appetizers trying to up each other in French, Italian, German, Russian, Japanese and Elvish until she switched to Greek and you have to surrender. The reason that she beats you marvels you and lets your ego feel less wounded: she’s lived the last handful of years in Paris but she’s Greek and has spent a good chunk of time in different countries due to her charitable work.

Diana bares her life to you throughout the main course and dessert, but much to your astonishment, she’s always humble about her achievements. Not only she’s gorgeous and built her fortune on her own, that fortune is so vast she can work almost for free at Le Louvre as a curator in her spare time.

Beauty and smarts… and human rights advocate.

Diana Prince is, apparently, a voice heard all over the world regarding woman rights, human rights, and LGTB+ rights. She’s that woman all organizations want to have as patron and the woman that’s constantly called to give lectures and talks for the younger generation.

But, she doesn’t focus on herself all the time, no. She asks about you, your work, your hobbies, your preference in bikes, your favorite type of dessert. She also defers to you, always asking for your opinion when the conversation turns to politics and social justice.

Hours after arriving, the restaurant is closing and you are forced out. Diana and you exchange numbers and goodbyes and you had so much fun you aren’t be able to say what the hell happened across the table with Kara and Lena.

Overall, the double date is a success and, once you get home after flying via Kara Airlines, you can’t stop thinking on one Diana Prince.

XxXxX

Six months later a call startles you and you have to scramble so the petri-dish in your hand doesn’t end up on the floor.

The ringtone is one you recognize immediately and you grin, answering with all the excitement you’re feeling. “Ma Chérie, j’ai manqué ta voix.” It’s been a week since you last could talk to her.

Her rich laugh sends shivers down your spine like it always does. “I’ve missed your voice too, ma petite chou.”

There’s something off, you can tell. Not only there’s an odd echo in the phone, but there’s also some trepidation on her voice… it’s almost like… she is nervous?

The hairs on the back of your neck stand up in attention. Diana Prince is never nervous.

Never.

In the five months you’ve been dating Diana, she’s never been nervous. Not when she asked you out the first time. Not when she kissed you the first time. Not when she asked to officially be your girlfriend. Not when she stayed the night for the first time. Not when she sent her private jet to retrieve you for a long weekend a month ago, knowing you hate being pampered that way. Not when she told you for the first time she loved you.

Your girlfriend is a force to be reckoned with and she’s so sure of herself you are instantly worried.

“Diana, what’s wrong?”

She sighs. “You know me too well, mon ange.”

“Diana?”

“… Remember we told each other that we have secrets? Secrets that we can’t share?”

You nod. “Yes.” It was maybe on your fifth date after officially becoming an item, when she was talking about a painting she was working on with such love and ferocity, as you two watched a movie in her loft, that you felt so guilty about not sharing your all that you burst out crying.

It was after an emotional week with DEO and you just had a fight with Supergirl and you were so worn out and so frail… you couldn’t risk Diana know you work for the government, you couldn’t put such a target on her back…

So, you cried in her arms and bared yourself to her as much as you could. You told her that you had so many secrets, secrets that you couldn’t share, but that burdened you heavily. So heavily.

She held you, she shushed you, she comforted you.

And she told you she had her own share of secrets, secrets that could possibly hurt you too.

Secret she wasn’t willing to share either.

That night you agreed to be as honest as you could with each other and to know that, no matter what, you had each other backs.

Always.

“Please don’t be mad, ma souris…”

“Diana, you’re scaring me.” You have to sit down, images of the worst-case scenarios running in your mind. You’re planning now how you will let J’onn know you’re leaving now. You’re planning which jet you’re “borrowing”. You’re planning which guns to take…

“Aleksandra.” Her voice doesn’t come from the phone and you swirl around to see your girlfriend standing at the entrance of your lab. “Please don’t be mad.”

You blink once, twice, three times, before you look away from her guilty eyes and focus on the rest of her.

Because standing there, is not Diana Prince, millionaire extraordinaire. No, she’s not the woman you’ve got to love and cherish and worship for five months now. No, she’s not the goddess you promised to always follow, to always be her rock.

No.

Because standing there, is Wonder Woman.

XxXxX

Later that night, long after the alien of the week is imprisoned with the help of the amazing Wonder Woman, that there’s a knock on your door.

You know that’s not Kara. One, she never uses the door anymore and, two, Kara’s with Lena in a mountain retreat to rest and relax after this messy ordeal.

You know who it is. Even when she has a key, she has to knock.

Especially now.

You sigh and stand up to let her in. How you wish you had some booze to drink right now.

You’ve been clean for three months, twenty days, fourteen hours and nine minutes… you can’t drink. No. You won’t drink.

You owe it to Kara, to Diana and to yourself.

You open the door and meet your girlfriend. She’s changed out her uniform and she’s in one of your old sweatshirts, the one that’s too big for you to use, and jeans so snug they leave little to the imagination. “Come in.”

She smiles thinly and passes you a box of doughnuts. “Hi,” she says softly.

You smile to her, warmly and take your doughnuts to the couch. “I’m not mad,” you tell easily and honestly the moment she comes and sits next to you.

The startled look on her face makes your heart ache. “You are not?”

You shake your head. “No.” You take a bite of your doughnut and the sugar helps a little with the anxiety and the lack of alcohol.

Swap one addiction with another. You sigh to yourself. At least you work out a lot.

“Then why were you so… distant?”

You look at Diana and sigh again. “I didn’t know how to act,” you confess. Honesty is what’s let you two live across the globe from one another and still love each other. So, it’s not like you’re going to start lying now.

She tilts her head to the side, like a lost puppy. “I don’t think I understand.”

You turn so your legs are touching, but you don’t dare to see her. “I never thought I’d see you at the DEO. I never thought you’d see me at the DEO. My work… I’m not a good person, Diana. I’ve never been… and you…” You snort wetly and sadly. “You’re fucking Wonder Woman. Goodness in the flesh. And I’m… I’m just Alex.”

It’s Diana turn to sigh. “Oh, Aleksandra.”

“I’m being stupid, I know.”

“Yes, mon ange. You’re being stupid.” Diana’s soft and warm hand comes to cup your cheek and she turns your face to her. “I love you, Aleksandra, with all my being. That will never change.”

“You saw me shoot people today.”

“And you saw me almost killing a man today.”

You shrug, the tears falling down your cheeks. “But you didn’t… I can’t say the same for myself.” That last confession is said faintly, scared and so vulnerable. And that’s the cross of the matter… you’re so unworthy of this, literal, goddess’ love.

“Mon ange,” Diana’s voice is soft. “I don’t care if you’ve killed thousands. I still love you. I’ll always love you.”

The huge weight you’ve been carrying on your shoulders melts away and you sag forwards, into your girlfriend’s arms. “Rao, Diana.”

“Shh, ma souris. I’m here. I’m here.”

XxXxX

“Hey, Kara. Is Lee there?”

“Uh? Sure. Wanna talk to her?”

“Yes, please.”

“… Alex? What’s the matter?”

“Hi, Lee. I… um… I never said thanks. Like, uh, I never thanked you for introducing me to Diana.”

“… You don’t need to thank me, Alex. It was all Kara’s idea.”

“Uh. What do you mean?”

“Kara met her once and said that you two would be perfect for one another. She asked me to set you two up after our first year anniversary.”

“Lee… I- I don’t understand… Kara said that date was your first date… that you wouldn’t go on a date with her if I wasn’t there!”

“…”

“…”

“Kara, you useless alien! Come here!”

“Lee?”

“Ouch, Lena! No hitting! You’re gonna break your hand again! Alex?! Why is Lena so mad?”

“… you set me up with Diana? You’ve been dating Lena for years?!?!”

“Uh? Yeah? To both?”

“You told me that was your first date! That Lena wouldn’t go on a date if I wasn’t there!”

“… um… no? I told you that was my first double date and that Lena needed you there. You were needed so you could meet Diana. Why would you think that was my first date with Lee? You’d been third wheel to several of those by then!”

“Kara!”

“Alex!”

“Kara? What did you do to your sister? She’s all red and she’s pacing around.”

“Diana? Uh… apparently, Alex didn’t know Lee and I were dating? How can she be that clueless?”

“Oh, mon age. Please, never change.”

“…”

“…”

“Please tell me you didn’t just kiss my sister while on the phone with me.”

“…”

“Diana!”

“…”

“Oh, Rao. That sounds so gross!”

“…”

“Ew!”

[brothermarc7theatre]

“A Chorus Line” show #784

A 5-6-7-8! That iconic countdown, igniting the opening dance audition for those hoping to be cast in Zach’s new show, is an electrifying opening to A Chorus Line, eliciting similar feelings in Sierra Repertory Theatre’s audience as they watch that opening number. With Michael Bennett’s original staging adapted by director/choreographer Russell Garrett and assistant director/choreographer Jill Slyter, this triple-threat company has more than the Olympic-size talent to pull off a thrilling A Chorus Line.

(Cast members of A Chorus Line; Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

From first step-kick-kick to final kick line, the abilities of the 24-person cast are on fire, with specific praise given to the dance. Whether solo, duo, or company-wide number, the dancing is on point, en pointe, and uniformly superb. However, not just a dance-ical, James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante’s book is given an honest, at-many-times vulnerable truth in its delivery, as if this was the very cast Mr. Bennett and creative company based the show on. Mr. Garrett is able to draw out the comedy, the love for dance, and the intense competitiveness that permeates an audition in an authentic manner that is true and theatrically entertaining. The true genius of how this musical is written and composed is that every player is given just enough to shine and make their presence known, with no exception in Sonora’s company.

(Sydni Arbenido (Diana); Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

Michael Hardenberg kicks things off, in solo fashion, with a fabulously bouncy and energetic “I Can Do That.” His tone and seemingly-weightless feet propel his turns and leaps with flare and a true dancer’s strength. Sydni Arbenido is a dynamite Diana, leading her two anthems with great vocals and a stage presence that exudes the necessary gravitas needed to compel. Ms. Arbenido truly shines in a passionate leading of “What I Did For Love,” and her “Nothing” is filled with all sorts of something special. Michael Ivan Carrier is an exceptional Paul, exuding one of the top levels of triple-threat abilities among the cast. His sprinkling vocal solos, smooth dancing, and emotionally-filled monologue catapult Mr. Carrier’s Paul to one of the best I have ever seen.Molly Dobbs deliver a scene-stealing performance as the sassy Val, and gives a show-stopping performance in her enthusiastic, big-voiced “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three.”

(Michael Ivan Carrier (Paul) with Cast members flanking; Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

Timmy Hays’ performance as Sheila is a top-notch, fully-realized performance of this bitter-yet-dream-filled dancer. Sheila is one of the few characters where you get to see every bit of her personality, from aggressively flirty, to vulnerability in reliving her childhood, to working her butt off to get the job. Ms. Hays’ vocal abilities are exceptional in her contribution to the trio, “At The Ballet,” and her acting and dancing chops are consistently sublime. Bryce Valle is a fantastic Richie, serving up incredible dance moves in his piece of the “Hello…” montage. Zachary Isen delivers a sassy, comically-inclined Bobby, making every story and quip a gem. Marissa Mayer and Kristen Daniels deliver superb vocals and committed storytelling nuance alongside Ms. Hays in a perfectly staged and sung “At the Ballet.”

(Down Left to Up Right: Kristen Daniels (Maggie), Timmy Hays (Sheila), Marissa Mayer (Bebe); Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

Featured standouts come from a strong Ethan Daniel Corbett as Al and Zoe Swenson Graham as Kristine in “Sing,” a riot of a number that is pitch-perfect in its execution. Adrianne Hampton does well as Cassie, specifically in her arc as Zach’s old flame and former-featured-starlet who just wants to dance; unfortunately her “Music and the Mirror” comes up a bit short in the vocal department, a forgivable effort as her dancing is immaculately executed.

(Down Left-Adrianne Hampton (Cassie); Down Right- Russell Garrett (Zach); with Cast members Up Stage; Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

Christopher Van Tuyl’s lighting design properly illuminates the exciting dance numbers and gives intimacy to the solo spots Mr. Garrett focuses on. In addition to stellar staging, Mr. Garrett delivers a wonderfully strong Zach, giving the authoritative intimidation when called for, and letting the audience in on the few soft moments Zach brings towards some of the dancers in his audition. Anna Owen does a fabulous job in coordinating the costumes, based on Theoni V. Aldredge’s original Broadway design. And finally, the set in A Chorus Line rarely gets the praise it deserves, but Brian Dudkiewicz’s scenic design is remarkably fluid and makes excellent use of the mirrors and the line, simply-yet-effective throughout the production.

(Cast of A Chorus Line; Photo credit: Jerry Lee)

You have until the 24th of this month to catch the line and see which eight performers Zach casts in his next Broadway show. Slap on your jazz shoes and shuffle on over to Sierra Repertory Theatre in double-time so you don’t miss it. It is a rare gem to see a regional production of this demanding musical done the right way. Go see this show!

[eonculture-blog]

New Post has been published on http://eonculture.com/essence-festival-2017-artists-lineup-40-artist-performances/

Essence Festival 2017 Artists Lineup - 40 Artist Performances

The 2017 Essence music awards are looking very promising! Last year’s show was absolutely amazing. I was in attendance and recorded a number of interviews, had some great photo opportunities, and had a blast mixing and mingling with people throughout the entire festival. This year, some prominent members of the music industry are slated to be there to put yet another awe inspiring and wowing Essence festival on the record.

The 2017 ESSENCE Fest is going down in New Orleans, LA in two months. First, if you haven’t grabbed your tickets, head on over to their website to do so now! The festival is prepping to sweep New Orleans with a number of great acts from some music icons and new stars, including Diana Ross, Mary J. Blidge, Chance The Rapper, Solange, John Legend, Master P, Monica, Remy Ma, and the dozens of others listed below!

ESSENCE Festival 2017 ticket packages are on sale now! For more info about tickets, accommodations and the latest news, visit the Essence Festival page here

Below is the list of performers with images (performers list & images courtesy of Essence, 2017 Lineup Revealed) Scroll along the way to view the artists geared to put on an amazing show at the 2017 Essence Awards festival!

Diana Ross

1/40

Iconic Motown singer Diana Ross and mother to Tracee Ellis Ross and Evan Ross is an Aries. Her birthday falls on March 26.

Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images

Mary J. Blige

2/40

The reigning Queen of Hip Hop Soul will headline a star-studded evening of performances from her favorite women in music on the Main Stage.

Photo by Getty Images

Chance The Rapper

3/40

“Summer school get to losing students, but the CPD gettin’ new recruitment.”

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder

Solange

4/40

Solo will give everyone in the Superdome “A Seat At The Table” as she brings her critically acclaimed new album to the Main Stage.

Photo by NBC

John Legend

5/40

The Grammy-winning singer was offered admission to Harvard, Georgetown, and Morehouse, but decided to attend the University of Pennslyvania, where he studied English with a focus on African American literature.

Photo by Kevin Winter

Chaka Khan

6/40

Legendary songstress Chaka Khan is joining us again to shut down the Main Stage as only she can.

Jill Scott

7/40

Jill Scott will bring her chart-topping classics and feel good vibes to the Main Stage.

Photo by Fred Lee/ABC via Getty Images

Monica Brown

8/40

You definitely don’t want to miss Monica on the ESSENCE Festival Main Stage.

Jazmine Sullivan

9/40

Powerhouse vocalist Jazmine Sullivan is set to send goosebumps throughout the Superdome as she hits the Main Stage.

Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for ESSENCE

Remy Ma

10/40

Remy Ma will make her ESSENCE Fest debut as a Superlounge headliner.

Photo by Manny Carabel

India.Arie

11/40

No stranger to ESSENCE Fest, India Arie will bring her effortlessly flawless vocals to the Main Stage.

Master P

12/40

Hometown mogul Master P has much in store for the Main Stage…you won’t want to miss it!

Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty

Teyana Taylor

13/40

Multi-talented songstress Teyana Taylor will heat up the Superlounge stage this year and you won’t want to miss a moment of it!

Photo by Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty images

Rhonda Ross

14/40

Rhonda Ross will bring musical magic to the Main Stage.

BJ the Chicago Kid

15/40

BJ will bring his infectious and soulful windy city sound to the Superlounge stage.

Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for REVOLT Music Conference

Jhené Aiko

16/40

Jhené Aiko performs on Day 1 at the 2015 Bumbershoot Festival at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington.

Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

17/40

Another NOLA native, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue are sure to bring heart and soul to the Main Stage this year.

Photo by Trombone Shorty Management

Kelly Price

18/40

Kelly Price will celebrate 25 years in music with her very own Superlounge.

Photo by Getty Images

Elle Varner

19/40

Elle Varner returns to the Superlounge stage with plenty in store.

Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Tweet

20/40

Never one to disappoint, Tweet’s smooth vocals are sure to have the Superlounge rocking again this year.

Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Mystikal

21/40

New Orleans native Mystikal will join his No Limit family to light up the ESSENCE Festival Main Stage.

Photo by Management (Mystikal)

June’s Diary

22/40

The ladies of June’s Diary will bring perfected harmonies and Black Girl Magic galore to the Superlounge stage.

Photo by Paras Griffin/WireImage

Lalah Hathaway

Nobody does it quite like songstress Lalah Hathaway and she’ll be up close and personal on the Superlounge stage this year.

Photo by Paras Griffin

Sir The Baptist

24/40

Hip Hop’s rising star Sir The Baptist is ready to light up the Superlounge stage with his unique sound and infectious energy.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIDAL

Leela James

25/40

Leela James will bring sounds from her new album, as well as music from her existing catalogue, to the ESSENCE Fest Superlounge stage.

Photo by Monica Morgan/WireImage

Ari Lennox

26/40

Dreamville’s first lady Ari Lennox will grace the ESSENCE Festival Main Stage as part of Mary J. Blige’s night of all-female performers.

Ro James

27/40

Ro James is bringing his multi-talented swag to the Superlounge stage this year.

Miax

Miax attends 5th Annual REVOLT TV Global Spin Awardsat The Orpheum Theatre on February 16, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

28/40

No Limit Records’ first lady Mia X will grace the ESSENCE Fest Main Stage for the first time alongside Master P, Mystikal and Silkk The Shocker.

Photo by Rick Diamond

Silkk The Shocker

29/40

Silk The Shocker will grace the ESSENCE Fest Main Stage for the first time alongside Master P, Mystikal and Mia X.

Photo by Paras Griffin

Michel’le

30/40

Michel’le is gearing up to take ESSENCE Fest crowd on a stroll down memory lane with a performance of her classic hits on the Superlounge stage.

Photo by Charley Gallay

Lizzo

31/40

Lizzo is bringing confidence, vibrance and a one-of-a-kind sound to the Superlounge stage.

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Yuna

32/40

You won’t want to miss Yuna as she brings her effortless voice to the Superlounge stage.

Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Doug E. Fresh

33/40

Hip Hop icon Doug E. Fresh is sure to have the crowd super lit in the Superlounge.

Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

The Jones Girls Featuring Shirley Jones

34/40

The classic R&B sounds of The Jones Girls Featuring Shirley Jones will bring grace and musical magic to the Superlounge stage.

Photo by The Jones Girls

Shaggy

35/40

Get ready to groove with Shaggy on the Superlounge stage.

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images

PJ

36/40

Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Paris Jones, known as “PJ,” will bring her many talents to the ESSENCE Festival Superlounge stage.

Moses Sumney

37/40

The soothingly soulful sounds of Moses Sumney are coming to the Superlounge stage this year.

Photo by Ben Horton/Getty Images

Gallant

38/40

Gallant returns to rock the ESSENCE Festival Superlounge stage.

Daley

39/40

Daley is set to bless the Superlounge stage with another unforgettable performance.

Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage

Emily Estefan

40/40

Emily will grace the ESSENCE Fest superlounge stage for the first time.

[gatesofember]

Meadows of the Sea: Chapter 2

PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU Part 7

Rating: M | Pairing: Percabeth, Jiper, Solangelo

Prev | Next | AU directory | Read it on AO3 (Recommended) | Arranged Marriage AU Masterpage

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.

Nico and Will had arrived in Neptune a day before the wedding began.  They hadn’t gotten much of a chance to explore the city on their own yet; Percy had taken the time to meet with Nico for a while and then Jason had accompanied them for the remainder of the afternoon.  Nico had been obviously displeased about it, but Will hadn’t minded.  Will thought Jason was easy to get along with.  Besides, he knew that he would have plenty of time alone with his fiancé later on.

Will had never been with Nico for so long before.  Other times they’d met, it had been for a few days at a time, a week at most.  This time, however, they would be together for over a month—from the time Nico arrived in Phoebus, during their journey to Neptune, through Percy and Annabeth’s wedding festivities, until they went back to Pluto and Will left to continue his schooling in Venadica.  

It had taken a day to travel by carriage to the Dianan coast.  Reyna had been in the carriage with them while Hedge was seated on the outside with Mellie, supposedly acting as Nico’s guard.  Mellie was accompanying Will as a chaperone after a suspiciously sudden change of plans made Chiron unable to leave Diana.

Reyna’s presence in the carriage left Nico and Will with a pleasant excuse to sit beside each other instead of opposite.  However, it also made Will too nervous to enjoy their time together.  He’d always been a bit intimidated by Reyna, but her rage following their disappearance in Delphi had terrified him.  He had been careful to act like the perfect gentleman ever since.

Nico had not been so concerned.  He had touched Will’s hand, then held it, then linked their fingers, which left Will’s mind occupied with uninvited images of holding and kissing him.  He tried to subtly and politely communicate his discomfort, but Nico hadn’t appeared to have gotten the message.  Reyna finally scolded them when Nico started to inch a bit closer, so then Nico had behaved for a little while.  Soon after, however, he reached out and put his hand on Will’s and the cycle repeated itself.  The third time Reyna intervened, she banned all unnecessary physical contact.

Naturally, that didn’t completely stop Nico.  Will was beginning to understand that Nico did not enjoy being told what to do.  He was somewhat glad for it, even if it did get Will in trouble now and then.

After reaching the Dianan coast, they’d gone the rest of the way by sea.  Will had seen the Juvian coast and he had been on the water before, but sailing to Neptune was an entirely different experience.  The Prata Pontonia had grown more beautiful the closer to Neptune they got, and Will fell more in love every second he spent with Nico.  He suspected that the voyage from Diana to Neptune was not one that he would forget.

Will had entertained Nico with stories about his friend Leo’s silly ideas about using steam to propel boats through the water.  They’d tried—and failed—to steal a few secret kisses when they thought no one was looking.  They’d met clandestinely on the deck late in the evening, only to be caught by Reyna and Hedge.  There had been a long lecture about their behavior before they were sent off to their private rooms onboard the ship, but when Nico smiled at him during breakfast the next morning, Will nearly forgot that it had even happened.

Nico was falling in love with him.  He could hear it in Nico’s voice and he could feel it every time Nico reached out to touch him.  When Nico looked at him, he gazed with an intensity like Will consumed his whole mind.  Nico’s expressions had been so blunted at the beginning of their engagement, but Nico had begun to show Will so many new faces.  There were gentle smiles like the ones he wore when talking about his sister, shy blushes that Will had never expected to see from the Prince, and serious, passionate faces that made Will feel like he was melting.

And Will was falling in love, too.  He always had admired Nico, but something about the realization that his feelings were reciprocated made the entire thing so much more real.  Could it be that Nico saw something in Will that was just as amazing as what Will saw in Nico?  What did Will look like to Nico’s eyes?  Did Will have the same effect on Nico’s heart that Nico did on his?  Was it possible that Will occupied Nico’s mind even half as often as Nico occupied his?  These were terrifying and alien ideas.  Will still hadn’t quite been able to grasp that it was true: he was important—just as important as Nico.

I am in love and I am loved, Will had been telling himself every day since Nico had asked Will to kiss him.   I am in love and I am loved.

They had arrived in Neptune the night before the wedding celebrations began and Reyna sent them both to their rooms, allowing them no time to explore the city.  On the morning of the first day of the wedding, they met for a meal but separated to prepare for the evening’s masked ball.  Mellie helped Will get ready, but she seemed very distracted by concerns about her own appearance, constantly checking her hair and the gathers on her skirts.  Will suspected it had to do with Nico’s guard.

It was early in the evening when Will left with Mellie to meet Nico before the ball.  Will was glad that he had time to compose himself while waiting for Nico to emerge from his quarters.  He couldn’t stop looking at his coat for imaginary wrinkles or touching his hair, which Mellie had relentlessly managed to tackle into something somewhat tamed.  Mellie had told him to stop.  Will had responded to good-naturedly tease her about how she was similarly concerned with smoothing out her skirts.

Will hadn’t grown used to the mask on his face quite yet.  Although Apollo had offered to have a new one made when Will learned that there would be a masked ball on the first day of the wedding, Will had asked if he could use an old one that belonged to Lee instead.  He’d seen Lee wear it when he was still courting Lou Ellen and remembered being in awe of the golden sun emblem of the Dianan house that was on the forehead.  Lee, having noticed how much Will loved the mask, had promised to pass it down to him.  Lee’s nose was smaller than Will’s, however, so the mask didn’t lay quite right.

Will was still running his hands over his coat when the door opened and he immediately snapped his arms to his sides.  “Your Highness,” he greeted with a bow, and then he looked up.  Nico was wearing green, just like he had on the night they first met.  His coat was lined in black and silver and his mask was green like his coat, with a vaguely reptilian texture that made him look terrifying—but still handsome.

Nico looked at him in silence.  His expression was indiscernible and unnerving behind his mask.  “Your Highness?” Will asked.

Nico cleared his throat.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear black,” he said.

“Oh,” Will said, glancing down at his own coat.  “No, I don’t usually.  But it is a masked ball.  There’s no better time to pretend not to be yourself.”

Nico was quiet for a second, and Will hated that he couldn’t read Nico’s expression.  “Yes,” Nico said, his lips finally smiling.  “It has been a very long time since I have been to one.”

“Then I’m delighted to escort you,” Will said, offering his arm.  Reyna hadn’t lifted the ban on unnecessary physical contact, but touching arms to escort each other was permitted.  He glanced at Reyna and Hedge nervously to make sure he hadn’t done anything wrong.  Hedge was too busy ogling at Mellie, who looked very pretty in her pale dress and mask, but Reyna seemed to be on high alert.  She was also masked, but still wore the Sorority’s silver gown and looked as intimidating as ever.  Despite Nico’s assurances that Reyna approved of him, Will always felt like he wasn’t meeting her expectations.

Reyna nodded to him, which Will took to mean that he had permission to continue, so he led Nico out of the guest wing.  “You look stunning,” Will said, realizing that he’d forgotten to compliment Nico earlier.  Hopefully, his absent mindedness hadn’t made him seem like a neglectful escort.

Nico was quiet for a moment and Will wondered if Nico had heard him.  Then Nico cleared his throat and said, “Well, you...you look very...good.”

“Thank you,” Will said, deciding not to question Nico’s strange tone.  He did wonder, though—was it because Will had complimented him?  Will always felt flustered when Nico complimented him.  Or perhaps Nico really meant what he’d said; he thought Will looked nice.

Will was glad that his mask would cover most of his blush.  He still hadn’t quite grown used to the idea that Nico actually loved him and he hadn’t considered that Nico might find him attractive.  Will knew that he wasn’t especially handsome, but it didn’t bother him much.  His older brothers were the most attractive ones in the family, so Will wasn’t used to people commenting on his appearance; he was more often praised for his kindness.  It was embarrassing and almost uncomfortable to think that Nico might consider him handsome.  But he was also flattered, even if he did feel a bit confused.

“I don’t think Hedge will be a problem tonight,” Nico said in a low voice.

Will looked over his shoulder to see Hedge and Mellie whispering and blushing.  It seemed that Hedge would be too occupied to pay them much attention.

“So we only have to worry about losing Reyna,” Nico continued.

Will couldn’t decide whether to sigh or laugh.  “Your Highness, I am trying to make a good impression on Lady Reyna—”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.  I’ve told you, Reyna knows I’m the troublesome one.  I have years of practice sneaking.”

“I don’t her to be upset with you, either.”

“I can deal with it.  Anyway, I think she’ll be more lenient tonight because of the masks.”

Will wondered if Nico was thinking about kissing him again.  He hoped so.  The first time they’d kissed, Will had been so overcome with a desire to wrap his arms around Nico and hold him that he’d almost given in.  He had been careful not to overstep any boundaries, however; he hadn’t been absolutely sure what Nico wanted and he’d feared that he’d only ruin it.

The corridors were lined with guests outfitted in gorgeous costumes and the hall was already crowded when they entered.  Will gawked at the blue and gold walls, the massive windows overlooking the sea, and the painted ceiling depicting Pontus and his children, but Nico hurried him along.  “We’ll lose them in the crowd, just as we did the last time,” Nico was saying.

Will sighed, but followed him anyway.  “And I do recall warning you last time that it was a bad idea to hide from the chaperones.”

“Yes, and you were wrong.  It was a brilliant idea last time and it is brilliant this time.  Didn’t you enjoy being alone in Delphi?”

Will blushed.  “Of course I did,” he replied quietly.  He knew that those secret first kisses would always be among his favorite memories.

Nico glanced over his shoulder again before leading Will to the chocolate fountain.  Will reminded himself that he would have to mention it to Leo; he had never heard of filling a fountain with chocolate rather than water before.  Percy was known for being rather extravagant when it came to celebrations.  Although it had only just begun, Will suspected that Prince Percy’s wedding would be remembered for years to come.

Will left Nico for a moment to get cups of chocolate for Nico and himself.  “I love Neptunian chocolate,” Will said as he offered Nico his drink.  “In Diana, we import cocoa from Venus.”

“My mother grows cocoa, but even with our conservatories, Plutonian chocolate isn’t quite as good as Neptunian,” Nico replied.  “Our weather isn’t right for it.”

“Unfortunately, no,” Will said.  He’d had Plutonian chocolate in Venadica.  “Nothing is ever quite as good when grown outside of its native range.”

“Cocoa is not native to Neptune,” Nico corrected.  “The climate may be good for it, but cocoa comes from islands south of Aegyptia.”

“Does it?” Will asked.  He really did need to pay better attention in his trade and economics lessons.

“Neptune merely made chocolate famous in the Romanus Terris,” Nico said.  “Neptunians have a habit of claiming things that are not theirs.  For another, Neptune is famous for its masked balls, but Pluto is where they originated.”  The corner of Nico’s mouth quirked up, but his eyes remained unreadable behind his mask.  Once again, Will felt a bit intimidated by the reptilian features obscuring Nico’s expression.  But it was still Nico, whom Will had grown to not only admire but love.  It was still Nico, whom Will had kissed in a hedge maze while smoke from fireworks cooled in the dark sky.  It was still Nico, only wrapped back up in the mystery that had absorbed him before Will had grown to know him.

“Of course, masked balls are rare in Pluto now,” Nico continued, walking off towards the side of the hall like he was unaware of exactly how much he captivated Will.  “I have not attended one since....”

Nico hesitated.  Will thought he understood: Nico had not attended a masked ball since he was a child, since Pluto’s wealth was depleted, since the Scarlet Delirium ravaged his kingdom.

“Bianca and I used to play games when we donned our masks,” Nico went on after taking a sip of chocolate from his cup.  “We would pretend to be legendary heroes or farmers or miners or even animals.”

Will couldn’t think of a response before Nico turned to look at him.  His dark eyes were still beautiful and frightening and made Will stop in his tracks.  Nico took a step closer to Will, so close that Will almost moved back.  “I don’t see Reyna anymore,” Nico said.

The sudden switch in conversation confused Will for a moment.  “Reyna...?” he asked, glancing around and realizing that Nico had led him to a less crowded corner of the room, where one wall was lined with windows and the other was paneled with gold.

“It has been a while since we managed to be alone,” Nico continued.

“Less than a week,” Will pointed out nervously as Nico stepped even closer—so close that they were only separated by the cups of chocolate they held in front of themselves.  “And we aren’t really alone right now, so perhaps—”

“We are alone enough,” Nico said.  “With masks, we can pretend.”

“Pretend...?” Will asked, looking over his shoulder again.  He was almost relieved to spot a blond head in the crowd.  Most of the guests had dark Neptunian hair, so Will did not have much trouble recognizing Jupiter’s prince.  “I think that might be Prince Jason,” Will commented as he glanced back at Nico.  “Would you like to—”

Nico’s lips set in a firm line.  “No.”

“I really don’t understand why you dislike him so much,” Will said.  After Nico had left the Expo that summer, Jason had extended a few invitations to dine with him, Thalia, and Annabeth.  He had even gone to Will’s exhibit with Annabeth one morning and seemed genuinely interested in Will’s project.  Will thought that Jason seemed very likable, but Nico disagreed whenever Will expressed that.  Eventually, Nico had explained his discomfort with the fact that Jason had courted Reyna, but had admitted he knew his fear that they might resume their engagement was groundless.

“I don’t dislike him,” Nico replied in a bitter voice.  “He’s very difficult to dislike.  Did I tell you that he wrote to me a few times over the past several months?”  He said it like he was scandalized by Jason’s insolence and resentful that Jason was so agreeable.

“His Imperial Highness seems like a very kind young man,” Will said, suppressing a smile.  He found that Nico’s stubbornness could be quite endearing, even though it did sometimes confuse him.

Nico pursed his lips.  “I’d much rather spend the evening with you,” he said, then his lips softened and he smiled up at Will.

Will had to wonder if Nico had only said that because he knew that it would silence any further arguments.  Will hadn’t bothered to keep his admiration of Nico secret and Nico was clearly cunning enough to take advantage of that, as demonstrated by his tendency to cause trouble for his chaperone and guard.  But Will also knew that even if Nico was taking advantage of Will’s feelings, he hadn’t lied.  He did want to spend the evening with Will.  And how could Will argue against that?

“Stop thinking about everyone else,” Nico said, setting his cup down on the ledge of the window beside them.  “Are you trying to escape from me?  Do you not want to be alone with me?”

Will was fairly certain that Nico was taunting him.  Nico may not have had Will’s education, but he was intelligent and cunning.  He must have known exactly what he was doing to Will.

“Of course I want to be alone with you,” Will said.  “I only...I’m...I’m a bit nervous.”

“Why would you be nervous?”

“I don’t think I’m allowed—”

“Don’t think about what is allowed.”  Nico’s hands slid over Will’s and brought Will’s cup to his lips.  Will flushed when Nico took a long sip of chocolate, his dark eyes fixed on Will unblinkingly.

“Your Hi—” Will started.

Nico put his finger against Will’s lips to silence him.  “Don’t call me that now.  That’s the fun of masks, isn’t it?  I’m not Prince Nico.  You’re not Lord William.”

Will swallowed nervously as Nico’s finger slid back away, tugging gently at his lower lip.  His eyes darted around, looking for either Reyna or Hedge and fearing their disapproval, but then Nico stepped even closer and Will’s worries disappeared.  After all, it was a masked ball.  If they were not the Prince and his fiancé, what did they need chaperones for?

“Who shall we be?” Will asked.

“You are a healer in a small town in Ceres,” Nico answered.  “I am a local hunter.  We have known each other all our lives and we’ve been friends since childhood.”

“Are we engaged?” Will asked in a whisper.

“Not yet.”

“Will we be engaged soon?”

Nico grinned.  “That depends on how the game plays out.  Are you prepared to woo me?”

“I’ll certainly try,” Will said, but he didn’t know how.  Why had Nico wanted to kiss him in Delphi?  What had Will done to make Nico start to love him?

“You must,” Nico said.  “I’ve nearly given up on you.  You’ve barely spoken to me this past year.  We were so close when we were young, but then we suddenly grew apart.  I hardly see you anymore; we only meet occasionally if we’re both in the square or I find an excuse to visit your clinic.  What happened?”

Will wet his lips nervously.  It wasn’t easy to be creative with Nico standing so close or with Nico’s bottomless eyes staring at him from behind a terrifying, reptilian mask.  He thought back to times when he had played make believe with his siblings or his friends as a child.  He remembered how just a few weeks ago Kayla had suddenly handed him a doll and demanded he play with her.  He imagined the night that he had met Nico as a child, recalling how immediately he had been captivated by the other boy.  Even the next morning, he hadn’t been sure if it had really happened or if he had made the whole incident up.  For years after that, Nico had been a character in every childish fantasy Will made up.  Will had been imagining silly stories of a life with Nico since he was only six years old, but had never expected that Nico would make up those stories, too.

“I suppose I was afraid,” Will said slowly.  “I admired you even as a child, but you became so beautiful and strong as the years went by.  I thought you had outgrown me, so I let us go our separate ways.”

Nico shook his head.  “I didn’t want that.”

“Then what do you want me to do now?”

Nico didn’t answer immediately.  He plucked Will’s cup from his fingers and set it beside his on the window ledge to be collected by the servants.  “Ask me to dance,” Nico finally said.  His fingers touched Will’s wrist and slipped down to hold Will’s hand.  “We used to dance together as children, but we haven’t in so long.  You didn’t even dance with me last Chronalia.”

It took Will a second to realize that Nico wasn’t talking about dancing as children in Aether’s Square at his aunt’s inauguration; he was still talking about their made-up life in Ceres.  

“I was too nervous,” Will said, slowly starting to understand Nico’s game.  “I loved dancing with you when we were children.  We would dance together every time we heard music and sometimes when there was no music at all.  But last Chronalia, I...I thought I would only burden you.”

“You made me feel so lonely.  I thought you had tired of me.”

“Never, Your Highness.”

Nico put his finger against Will’s lips again.  “You mustn’t call me that tonight, remember?”

“What shall I call you?” Will asked, his lips brushing against the pad of Nico’s finger.  Without thinking, he took Nico’s hand but kept it close to his mouth.  He barely was able to stop himself from kissing it.

Nico’s lips smiled, his eyes still dark and unreadable.  “You will call me ‘dearest,’ and I will call you ‘treasure,’” he answered.

“‘Dearest,’” Will repeated.  His thumb brushed over Nico’s hand.  “My dearest.”

“My treasure,” Nico answered, then he pulled their hands away from Will’s mouth and towards his own to kiss Will’s knuckles.  “Pretend we are celebrating my cousin’s wedding in the town square.  Tell me you want to dance with me.”

“Of course I do,” Will said.  His mind felt fuzzy as Nico kissed his hand again.  “Will you come share a dance with me, dearest?”

Will didn’t know what to make of the smile Nico gave him.  Was it sweet and kind?  Was it teasing?  The mask made it impossible to tell.  “I would love to,” Nico said, tugging on Will’s hand to lead him to the center of the hall, where a group was preparing for an allemande.

Will lost count of how many dances they shared.  He was blinded by the gleam of lights reflected on gemstones, by the dizzying whirl of skirts, and by the masks obscuring the faces of each dancer that passed him.  Will lost Nico to another partner for a while, but it didn’t take long to find him again.  Even when masked, there was a quality about Nico’s presence that had always drawn Will to him.  Will had felt it even as a child, when he had been in awe of the strange, brave, and talented prince Artemis had introduced him to.  He had felt it again when they met ten years later and Nico had grown into a handsome, mysterious young man who Will did not understand, but desperately wanted to know.  Whatever games they might play, something as mundane as a mask couldn’t disguise Nico’s distinct aura.

Will wanted to reach behind Nico and untie the ribbon holding his mask in place.  He wanted to see Nico’s face and read his expressions.  But when Will found those words tumbling past his lips, Nico shook his head.  “Not tonight,” he said.  “For now, let us have our game.  After all, my treasure, it is the last night that we will see each other for a while; I am going on a hunt and I won’t return for at least a week.  You have told me that you admire me, but you must promise that you won’t forget me while I’m away.”

Will shook his head.  “Forget you?  How could I ever forget you?  I’ll think of you every day, my dearest.  I won’t be able to sleep until you return.”

“And so after my cousin’s wedding, I left on my hunt,” Nico said, tangling his fingers in Will’s.  “But I couldn’t stop thinking about you.  I wanted to see you again.”

“You came home early,” Will said.  “You were attacked by a wolf while hunting and your wounds forced you to stay in my clinic for three days.”

“And then I decided to stay forever.”

Nico’s smile became gentle and Will could almost believe he saw love in Nico’s eyes.  Will didn’t think, he didn’t plan, and he didn’t even recognize that he ought to restrain himself.  In one moment, his lips had found Nico’s and Will was kissing him for the first time since Delphi.

He came to his senses quickly and drew back, stammering his apologies.  “I should have asked, I—”

But then his lips were on Nico’s again, except Nico had initiated.

“Kiss me again,” Nico said.  “And then again.  And again.  Kiss me and dance with me until the night ends and we must stop pretending.  Kiss me like nothing else matters, like you have wanted to forever, like it’s our wedding and you have been waiting for this day your whole life.”

*   *   *

It seemed that the Fates had bestowed upon Jason the curse of terrible luck with women.  It wasn’t just women in the sense of suitors, but all the women in his life.  He always seemed to be left behind or let down.

Firstly, there was his birth mother, a courtesan of Emperor Zeus who had never cared for her children very much.  Jason had been so young when Beryl died that he couldn’t even remember her enough to hate her, but he still thought it was odd that he had absolutely no memories of interacting with his mother whatsoever.  Hera told Jason enough about what a nasty woman she’d been before getting herself killed, and while Jason usually would doubt his stepmother’s account, the fact that Thalia had verified it made Hera’s story seem much more credible.  It was hard to tell which of the two detested his mother more.

But Thalia, like Beryl, left him behind.  Although Jason did not blame her, Thalia was the hardest to lose.  She had always been his one reliable ally in Olympus, but when she left, she had dropped all the responsibilities of being heir to the empire on him.  When they were children, she had shared her fantasies about running away late at night when she and Jason were alone, but Jason had never realized how serious she’d been.  Of course Thalia had offered to take Jason with her to Venadica, but Jason hadn’t had a choice.  If Jason didn’t take her place as heir, there was no telling what kind of upheaval the battle for succession would cause.  It was Jason’s duty to stay, carrying the responsibilities that two older sisters had denied—first Athena, then Thalia.

Athena had never been much of a sister to begin with, so he couldn’t accuse her of ‘leaving’ him.  She was emotionally distant and generally disinterested in Jason, only bothering to approach him when she needed to discuss some sort of duty.  Even then, she usually sent Annabeth in her place.  Annabeth had always been more of a sister than Athena and had acted as his one remaining ally after Thalia joined the Sorority, but even Annabeth was leaving him.  Jason would return to Jupiter not only fiancée-less, but adviser-less, as well.  Judging by Jason’s record, he doubted he’d be any more successful at finding a new adviser than he had been at finding a new fiancée.

And that brought him to Reyna.  He had not loved her in a romantic sense—although he believed that he would have come to in time—but Jason had cared deeply for Reyna.  She had been perfect.  She was intelligent, reliable, persistent, and strong, and Jason had found her to be empathetic underneath her tough façade.  They had always gotten along well.  Jason had felt safe knowing that she would be both his wife and adviser; he knew he could trust her.  But Reyna had sought a different path in the end.

So now that Annabeth, his final ally, was leaving, Jason felt alone.  When he returned to Olympus, the only person who cared enough to speak to him would be Hera, but Hera wasn’t any more of a mother than Beryl—except for the fact that she actually interacted with Jason.  She was manipulative and calculating, resentful towards Zeus, and only interested in Jason to use him.  Jason wasn’t ignorant of her manipulative intentions, but there was very little he could do to resist.

“I’m letting you see your sister,” Hera had told him before he left for Neptune with Annabeth.  “It’s the second time I’ve allowed it this year.  You ought to be grateful.”

As though she controlled every decision made in Olympus.

Maybe she did.

Jason had fought to stay calm.  It was the only way to deal with Hera.  “Yes, Mother,” he’d said evenly.  He had no choice but to tell her what she wanted to hear.

He truly was glad to see Thalia.  It was always a bit awkward between them for a little while every time they met.  Jason knew that Thalia felt terrible for leaving him behind and although she’d had every right to choose the Sorority over the Empire, Jason might have held the smallest of grudges.  He would never tell that to Thalia, however.  She felt guilty enough already.

But yes, Jason was glad to see Thalia.  He knew that even from afar, she remained his constant ally.  “I may have become a sister to all, but you will always be my favorite brother,” she had told him after joining the Sorority.  Despite the tiny twinge of resentment he still felt, Jason knew that Thalia hadn’t truly abandoned him.  He trusted her more than anyone.

Thalia had only just arrived in Neptune the day before, while Jason was attempting to make friends with Nico.  Jason had been in Neptune for about a month, having made the journey from Olympus to Salacia with Annabeth long before the wedding.  Earlier, Jason and Thalia had been in the city together, but neither of them had seen the wedding couple all day.  It was to be expected, as Percy and Annabeth would have been busy with their prayers, but Thalia was quite irate that she had barely seen either of them since her arrival.  And now, Percy and Annabeth were nowhere to be seen.  Jason wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d already found an opportunity to sneak away from the party and were spending the evening alone together.  They could be sneaky when they wanted to.

Jason glanced at Thalia.  She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, but her posture softened when she noticed him watching her.  “I can’t believe the two of them,” Thalia said.  “Their own party, and they can’t be found.”

“Perhaps they’re just very well-masked,” Jason suggested.

Jason knew Thalia well enough to imagine the expression behind her mask.  Really, Jason? it would have said.  Do you really believe that?

“We both know they’ve run off somewhere to cause one last scandal before they’re married,” Thalia said, but she sounded amused.  “But anyway, tell me more news from Olympus.  How has the bitch been treating you?”

“Thalia,” Jason scolded.

“What?  There’s no reason to paint it over and make it pretty.”

Jason sighed.  “I’m trying to remain polite.  She’s the Empress, whether we like it or not.”

“Brother dear, I find it hard to believe that anyone likes it.  Besides, she’s not my Empress.  I serve no one but Artemis and the Protogenoi.  So tell me, is everything alright?”

Jason made a vague sound in weak affirmation.

“Jason,” Thalia said in a warning tone.

“I won’t complain,” Jason said.  “It is what it is, Thalia.  Hera will always be Hera, and I can’t expect anything else from her.”

“It’s perfectly reasonable to expect her to be a decent human rather than a reptile,” Thalia scowled.  “You know that you’d have the Sorority’s protection if—”

“No,” Jason interrupted.  “My answer hasn’t changed.  You know I can’t do that.”

“And there’s your obnoxious sense of duty again,” Thalia sighed.  “Your answer may always be the same, but I’ll never take back the invitation.  You are welcome in Venadica.  Olympus doesn’t deserve you, Jason.  You shouldn’t have to put up with that snake.”

“This has nothing to do with what anyone deserves, Thalia.”

Thalia sighed tiredly.  “Let’s not fight over this again.  It’s rare for us to see each other.”

Jason nodded in agreement.  He admired how independent and adventurous Thalia was, but he was not destined to be like her.  Although part of him wished he could run away from Olympus and forsake the throne like his sister had, he knew he could not.  Jason and Thalia had argued about it in the past, but his place was Jupiter.

“Any progress on finding a fiancée?” Thalia asked.  She held her hands up in surrender when Jason narrowed his eyes at her.  “I’m only making conversation.”

“No progress whatsoever,” Jason said stiffly.

“I’d send you a few suitors, but most of the women I know are sorors,” Thalia said.

Jason snorted in amusement.  “I appreciate the offer, but I think our family has caused enough scandals.”

“I’m sure they can afford a few more.”

“I am not going to have affairs with sorors, Thalia.”

“No, but you should let yourself have a bit of fun,” Thalia replied.

Jason sighed.  If there was anything he feared more than falling in love, it was that someone would fall in love with him.  Jason didn’t think he’d be able to bear the pain of heartbreak, but it would be far worse the other way around.  He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he hurt someone that way.

That was part of the reason he’d been so unsuccessful in finding a new suitor.  It was also because Reyna had been so ideal that everyone else paled by comparison, but more than that, Jason was terrified that he would only end up hurting someone.  Nullified engagements were messy, scandalous affairs; if he ended up making an unwise decision, Jason feared that he’d go through that again.  He certainly didn’t want to put someone else through it, either.

And then, if he did end up married to someone, that was hardly a happy ending.  What if something went wrong in their marriage?  What if he couldn’t make his wife happy?  What if he only made her life miserable?  How could anyone have a happy life in Olympus?

“I’d rather spend the evening with my sister,” Jason said.  

“How sweet of you,” Thalia said in a mocking tone, but Jason knew she was being genuine.  “But really, you ought to take advantage of the mask.  Hera isn’t even here!  No one will be throwing power-hungry women at you tonight, so you have an opportunity to actually enjoy yourself.  That’s all I’m suggesting, Jason.  I’m not asking you to find a wife.”

It almost would have been easier if she had asked him to find a wife.  Jason did not excel at ‘enjoying himself.’

“Thalia—”

“Oh, look over there,” Thalia said in a staged voice.  “Another soror.  I ought to greet her.”

“Thalia!”

“Enjoy your evening, brother,” Thalia said without listening to him, and then she disappeared into the crowd.

Jason sighed.  Yes, he considered Thalia to be his strongest ally, but they often had very different ideas about how his allies could help him.

Enjoy his evening?  Not likely.  Thalia had abandoned him, Percy and Annabeth were nowhere to be found, and Nico wouldn’t spend time with Jason unless he was forced to.  He could try to find Reyna—he’d always enjoyed her friendship—but he got the feeling that would be a bad idea.  Reyna was probably busy playing chaperone for the Pluton Prince, anyway, and he was fairly certain Nico would hate Jason even more if he attempted to speak to her.

Which left Jason alone as usual.  Thalia thought it was good for him to exercise his independence (and perhaps she was right), but she didn’t realize that what Jason really wanted was to take advantage of what limited time they had together.  Jason might as well get used to it, however.  Now that Annabeth was leaving to get married, he’d find himself even more alone than before.

But perhaps it was for the best.  Because neither Annabeth nor Percy were going to inherit significant land or power, they could have decided to live in either Jupiter or Neptune.  It was only natural that they chose Salacia over Olympus; Jason would have done the same.  Between Zeus’ hubris, Hera’s selfishness, and the rest of the court drama, no one could have a good life there.  Jason wouldn’t ask anyone he cared about to live in the imperial palace.

So as much as Jason yearned for Thalia and Reyna and Annabeth to come back to him, he knew it was better that they stayed away.  And as much as Jason yearned for a friend and ally to keep him from feeling so alone, Jason couldn’t allow himself to bring anyone into his life.  Jason was alone, and alone he should remain.

Of course, he would need to marry.  He was beginning to think that he ought to give in to one of the suitors that Hera kept throwing at him.  After all, might be better if Jason didn’t love his wife; it would save him the pain of knowing that he had ruined someone’s life by bringing them to Olympus.  Jason doubted that any of the Empress’ picks would be much different from Hera herself.

Sighing to himself again, Jason turned to leave the hall, thinking that maybe he ought to spend the evening on the balcony.  Neptunian nights were pleasantly cool and Jason might even be able to snag a book to read under the moonlight.  That seemed like the best way for him to enjoy himself.

“No partner?” asked a voice.  “What a coincidence, neither have I.  Would you like a plantain chip?”

Jason turned to the woman’s voice in surprise.  His first impression was that she was very pretty, and probably Neptunian.  She had the characteristic coloring of the people of Neptune—of course, that might not mean anything, as the upper classes often married foreigners.  Her gown and pearls were enough evidence of her wealth and high birth.  But the young woman also had the accent of the islanders, although Jason couldn’t discern exactly which part.  His untrained ear had never quite been able to pick up the subtle differences in Neptunian dialects.

“Have we met?” Jason asked.

“Not that I’m aware of,” said the woman.  When Jason didn’t take the fried plantain, she shrugged and munched on the chip, as if to say, ‘suit yourself.’  Jason tried to suppress an amused smile.  Pretty, humble, and even-tempered, it seemed.  A nice combination.

Jason scolded himself for the thought.  He wasn’t there to look for a wife.  He was celebrating the wedding of his friends.

“Well, we did run into each other earlier this evening,” the young woman continued when she finished her chip.  “Quite literally.  You complimented my gown.  Personally, I hate this gown, but I was flattered nonetheless.”

“Oh, right,” Jason said.  “By the chocolate fountain?”

“That’s it.  I hope I didn’t embarrass myself so much that I’ve lost the opportunity to ask you for a dance?”

“Oh,” Jason said in surprise.  “I...um...” He glanced around for Thalia, hoping that she’d come to his rescue, but she was nowhere to be seen.  Although he was used to having women thrown at him at every opportunity, Jason was terrible at rejecting their advances and found himself tangled in awkward situations more often than he’d like to admit.  Thalia sometimes fought off the worst of them. That was, if she was present and not too busy coaching his independence.

“Unless you already have a partner,” the young woman continued.  “I saw that you were speaking to someone before.”

Jason got the sense that she was offering him an opportunity to politely refuse her.  True, he had been with Thalia earlier, but Thalia dressed as a soror even while masked.  It would have been obvious to anyone that they were not partners.

“I’d be honored to dance with you,” Jason said.  “May I have your name?”

“No,” she said, the corner of her mouth quirking up like she was amused by the question.  “What would be the purpose of a mask if I told you my name?”

She had a point, but Jason was disappointed.  He had to remind himself that she’d only asked for a dance; she hadn’t offered her hand in marriage.  It wasn’t fair of him to expect more—especially not at a masked ball, which was meant to be a night of hedonistic disregard for duty.

“But perhaps I’ll tell you later in the evening, depending on how good a dancer you are,” said the young woman.  She grinned playfully and tapped him with her elbow before taking his arm and leading him to the center of the hall for a dance.  

Looking more closely, Jason was beginning to see that she must not have a completely Neptunian ancestry.  Her hair was long and beautiful but slightly lighter than typical Neptunian hair—dark brown rather than black.  Her eyes were not Neptunian either, although he couldn’t begin to guess where they might have come from.  Perhaps it was because of her mask, but every time she moved, the light seemed to reflect different colors in her eyes.

She was a wonderful dancer.  It was obvious that she had received excellent lessons from a capable instructor, which was further proof of her eligibility to be a suitor.  “You dance beautifully,” Jason said as she passed him, trying to keep himself from thinking about marriage for at least one evening.

“As do you,” said the young woman.  “Dancing is one of the least exhausting part of a ball.  Almost makes it worth how tightly they tied this awful stay.”

Jason was so surprised that his laugh came out as a snort.  “Well, you look beautiful,” he tried to console.

“I’d still look beautiful in a softer bodice.  I’d probably feel less restricted after making my rounds through the snacks, as well.  Have you tried the coconut shrimp yet?  It’s amazing.”

“I haven’t had a chance to try anything but the chocolate,” Jason admitted.

“Fantastic!  I’ll show you all the wonderful food, and you’ll get me a cup of chocolate.  My mother wouldn’t let me have any.”

“Your mother wouldn’t allow chocolate?” Jason asked.

“It’s the most barbaric form of torture, I know,” the woman sighed.  “She thinks I’ll ruin my gown.”

Jason laughed as the music came to an end.  “How very cruel,” he agreed as he bowed to her to finish their dance.  “The chocolate is worth a ruined gown.”

The woman smiled at him.  “I’m glad you agree, monsieur.  Seeing as we’re both here unaccompanied, would you like to be my partner for the evening?”

Jason hesitated and glanced around for Thalia, but didn’t see her.  She was probably watching him from hiding, applauding herself for leaving him to manage on his own.  But the young woman he had met seemed to be of a high enough status for the court to approve of, so—

Jason stopped that thought there and reminded himself that he wasn’t supposed to worry about marriage that night.  He was supposed to enjoy himself.  The young woman was pleasant company, and that was why he would accept her offer.

“I would be honored to accompany you,” Jason said.  “Will you give me your name at the end of the evening?”

She grinned at him mischievously.  “We shall see,” she replied.  “Come, I must show you the shrimp.”

The young woman took his arm and led him away from the assembling dancers, telling him that as much as she enjoyed dancing, the most important part of any ball was the food.  She found the shrimp first, then grabbed a few more plantain chips.  She fed Jason crab cakes and told him that they were good, but she preferred king crab to blue crab.  Jason told her that blue crab was Prince Percy’s favorite, and she laughed and commented on Percy’s odd appreciation of blue food.  Either Percy’s strange preference was well-known in Neptune or she knew Percy personally, which might be further evidence of her high status.

Of course, Jason was getting ahead of himself again.  They had barely met.  They weren’t courting.  He didn’t even know her name.  She may not be seriously interested in him.

Jason shook his head and forced the thought away just as the young woman was returning with an oyster and eating another fried plantain.  “Here,” she said, pressing the oyster’s shell against his lower lip.  “Try this.”

Jason obeyed.  “It’s amazing,” he said.

“Where I come from, we are known for our oyster dishes,” she told him.

Jason tried to remember which areas of Neptune specialized in oysters, but he couldn’t recall.  To someone from Jupiter, it seemed that all of Neptune specialized in oysters.  “Are you from Jafilius?” he asked.

“No, no, the oysters here aren’t nearly as good as they are in my home,” she said, then she grabbed a few more plantain chips before pointing to the chocolate fountain and requesting a cup.

Jason wondered if he’d ever meet her again after that night.  Would it all be over in the morning?  Would he ever even know her name?

And how would she react after learning his identity?  What if she decided she didn’t want him?  Or worse, what if that became the only reason she sought him out again?

He couldn’t help but feel like he was toying with her feelings.  Jason was looking for a wife.  And not just any wife—as heir to the throne, he was very restricted when it came to searching for suitors.  If it turned out that she wasn’t from a birth high enough for the imperial court to approve of, Jason would have to leave her.

But once again, Jason was assuming too much.  She might not be looking for a husband.  Perhaps Jason’s expectations were not the same as hers.  For all Jason knew, she could already be engaged—even married.  Besides, no one went to a masked ball to seek out a potential spouse.

Masked balls were the sort of events where scandals began and where hearts were broken.  It wasn’t uncommon for the first night of wedding celebrations to be masked; they were meant to be nights without inhibitions, to revel in the freedom of being unwed and anonymous before the bonds of marriage tied one to responsibility.  For Annabeth and Percy, it was an excuse for them to have their fun together without the threat of repercussions, not a night of unrestricted lust.  But for Jason, it was too reminiscent of his father’s adulterous habits.

Jason wasn’t looking for a brief affair; he had decided that long ago.  He’d seen enough evidence of the consequences that went along with lust and infidelity.  Affairs, he had learned, only ended with chaos and tragedy.  If Hera’s rage had taught him anything, it was that hearts were fragile and he must never even look at anyone but his wife.

Jason’s resolution had never wavered before.  Even when he’d been engaged to Reyna, he had never allowed himself to think of anyone else.  No, they had never been romantically involved, but he’d been arduously loyal to her.  He had sworn that he would never hurt her the way Zeus had hurt Hera.  Jason had cared for her and it had broken his heart when she left.  He’d never blamed her for it, however; Reyna had the freedom to make her own choices and he would not hold that against her.  Losing her had only solidified his resolution to be the perfect husband.  He never wanted to make anyone to go through the pain he had when Reyna left him.

But would it really be so wrong for Jason to allow himself to enjoy an evening with a strange, exciting, beautiful young woman?  He hadn’t made her any promises.  He hadn’t even made himself promises.  So why did he feel as if he was doing something wrong?

Because he knew that if he ended up with a wife like Hera, she would hunt the mystery lady down and drown her life in misery.  She would want do the same to Reyna, but Reyna had the protection of the Sorority.

Jason tried to stop himself again.  It was just one evening.  He wasn’t having an affair; he was talking to a dance partner.

The young woman celebrated when Jason retrieved a cup of chocolate for her.  “I have been waiting all evening for this,” she said before taking a sip, then she sighed happily.

Jason smiled, but his thoughts wouldn’t stop.  He heard himself clear his throat, then he said,  “I know this isn’t an appropriate topic for a masked event, but if I may not have your name, will you at least tell me if you are...if...is there anyone...?”

She finished taking a long drink before she answered.  “I am unmarried,” she said.  “I have no serious suitors at this time.  But I am looking.”

“And if you don’t mind my asking, what sort of marriage are you looking for?” Jason asked.  Depending on birth order, number of siblings, and the needs of her family, she may not be eligible to marry him.

“I am not the eldest,” she said.  “I have enough siblings to have the freedom to choose what sort of marriage I’d like.  And you?”

“I’m...um...I’m the eldest,” Jason said.  He wasn’t the eldest, but his older sisters had both pulled out of the succession, so it was simpler to claim that he was.  “I will inherit and take a wife.”

Another happy sip of chocolate.  “And am I to assume that you have yet to find a wife?”

“Yes, I’m...I’m looking.  I apologize, I know that a masked ball isn’t the place to play suitors and I don’t mean to assume—”

The young woman put a plantain chip in Jason’s mouth to make him stop talking.  “Then for tonight, we’ll have our fun.  If it goes well, we will play suitors tomorrow.  Are we in agreement?”

Jason chewed the chip and swallowed it.  It was the first one he’d had all evening; the young woman had ended up eating all the ones she’d picked up.  He suddenly understood why she hadn’t shared.  “I...yes.  But I don’t...if it doesn’t work out....”

“I’m not about to get my heart broken by a man I’ve just met,” she said.  “I can handle rejection.  There are no promises between us, and no expectations past tonight.  Just for this evening, forget everything else.”

Jason didn’t know how.  Thalia loved to remind him that he was too much of a worrier, but none of her advice had made it easier for him to stop.  And very little scared him more than marriage.

But then the young woman tilted her head back to empty her cup of chocolate and ended up spilling it on her dress.  She and Jason laughed so hard that he finally managed to forget.

After trying and failing to fix her gown with Jason’s handkerchief, the young woman dragged Jason back to the center of the hall to dance again.  Jason couldn’t recall the last time he had laughed so much.  Had dancing ever been so enjoyable?  Had Neptunian cuisine ever tasted so good?

The worries had stopped, but Jason couldn’t help wondering about the identity of his mysterious partner.  She was from somewhere in the Neptunian isles.  Somewhere known for oysters and pearls.  Surely he knew enough about Neptunian trade to figure out where she was from.  He thought her accent was slightly different from Percy’s, so it was unlikely that she was from the islands around Jafilius.  Perhaps she was from one of the more southern isles, then?

Oysters.  Pearls.  South.

He suddenly recalled Hera bragging about a new gown that was being tailored for her.  She’d claimed that she intended to wear it to the Neptunian royal wedding, but Jason was certain that she had never really meant to attend.  She despised Annabeth and her opinion of Percy wasn’t much higher, so it had most likely been an excuse to get an expensive new gown.  It was vibrant turquoise, accented with peafowl feathers imported from Bacchus and Venusian pearls....

Venusian pearls.  It was the island of Venus that was most known for its pearl trade.  Could his mystery lady be from Venus?

Jason wasn’t brave enough to ask.  They danced and ate and danced again, and Jason’s partner spilled chocolate on her gown a few more times.  He invited the young woman onto the balcony and loaned her his coat, and they stayed there talking and laughing until Jason noticed her eyes drooping shut.

“Perhaps we’ve stayed out too late,” Jason suggested, as much as he wanted to stay even longer.

“Definitely,” the young woman said.  “I don’t think I’ll wake up until noon tomorrow.”

“Then is this goodnight?” Jason asked.

“Perhaps,” she replied.  “But only if I may meet you again tomorrow.”

“I would like to,” Jason said.  “You haven’t told me your name.”

She looked up at him with a mischievous smile, like she knew something he didn’t.  “Find me again tomorrow evening and I will introduce you to Piper of Venus,” she said.

“Piper of Venus,” Jason repeated.  So he had been correct; she was from Venus.  “And I’m....” he stopped himself before continuing.  Would she even believe him if he told her he was the Crown Prince of Jupiter?  Would it frighten her away?  Would it change the way she acted towards him?

“I know who you are, Your Highness,” Piper said before Jason could worry himself more.  Her smile faltered a bit.  “Even a mask can’t stop gossip, especially not for someone of your position.”

“Oh,” Jason whispered, unsure how he ought to feel about that.  She’d known all along?  Had that been why she sought him out to begin with?

“I would have approached you regardless, and I wouldn’t have spent the entire evening with you if I didn’t enjoy your company,” Piper said, as though she’d heard his thoughts.  Her mischievous smile was now gone, replaced by one that looked more serious and perhaps even apologetic.  “But I won’t lie to you; I knew.  I would like to meet you again tomorrow evening, Your Highness.  No masks.  Face-to-face.  But I won’t seek you out again; it’s only fair that I leave the choice to you.  If you would like to meet, then ask for Piper of Venus.”

Before Jason could collect his thoughts enough to reply, Piper returned Jason’s coat and kissed the back of his hand, then she left him alone on the balcony.

*   *   *

Nico was not pleased when Reyna interrupted him while he was busy kissing his fiancé.  They had spent the evening dancing and kissing and making up ridiculous stories about planning their pretend wedding in Ceres.  Hedge had been busy with Mellie and Nico thought he had spotted Reyna conversing with Thalia, but Reyna had eventually found them again to say that it was time for the evening to end.  She had brought Percy with her, as he had apparently been looking for Nico to invite him to the ritual bathing ceremony that was to take place on the second day of the wedding.  Usually, only brothers or other close male kin attended a groom’s ritual bathing ceremony, so Nico was scandalized by the invitation.  He had barely spoken to Percy since arriving in Neptune.  Before that, he hadn’t met Percy since they were children.  He had tried to turn Percy down, but a glare from Reyna was enough to remind him that a rejection would seem rude.

“I’d be honored, Your Highness,” Nico grumbled.

“Oh, don’t call me that,” Percy said.  “People only call me ‘Your Highness’ if they’re upset with me.”

Percy started to ramble enthusiastically about the palace’s baths.  Nico had heard that Neptunians bathed together in large pools, but he’d assumed that it was only a malicious rumor.  He hoped that Percy did not expect Nico to join him in the baths.  That was a line Nico refused to cross.

After Percy left to deliver the same invitation to Jason, Reyna ordered Nico to stay put so she could get Hedge to take Nico back to his bedchamber while she tried to locate Jules-Albert.  “Lord William can escort me to my guest chambers instead,” Nico said, tightening his grip on Will’s arm.  He didn’t want to part with Will just yet.  He wanted a moment alone with Will.  He didn’t want to let go of Will.

Reyna looked at Nico disapprovingly and Nico blinked at her with the best pleading expression he could muster.  Please, Reyna, he thought.  Just this one time, allow me this much.

As strict as Reyna was, Nico knew that she had a soft spot for him.  If he looked at her with a pitiful enough expression, she sometimes gave in.  Reyna couldn’t always resist wanting to see Nico happy.  “I will send Jules-Albert to ready you for bed shortly,” Reyna said in a stiff voice.  “You will have only a few moments to say goodnight.”

Nico let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her thankfully.

Will bowed his head politely.  “I will behave appropriately, Lady Reyna; you need not worry about that.”

“I trust you, Lord William,” Reyna replied tiredly.  “You are not the one causing me concern.”

Nico tugged Will closer and led him away from Reyna, happily resting his head on Will’s shoulder.  “I enjoyed this evening,” he said.  “My treasure.”

“As did I, my dearest,” Will answered.

Nico tilted his head up, expecting a kiss, but Will did nothing.  Sighing, he supposed that Will had taken his promise to Reyna a bit too seriously.  He tried to lure Will into kissing him a few more times, but Will didn’t appear to realize Nico’s intentions.  Nico wondered if it would always be that way or if Will would eventually start to understand.

“Well, Your Highness,” Will said when they reached Nico’s door.  “This is where we part.”

Nico didn’t want to let go of Will’s arm.  He wanted to stand close to Will.  He wanted Will to kiss him.  He wanted Will to touch him, even if it was only to brush his hand against Nico’s.

Nico reached behind his head and untied his mask, then he looked up at Will and untied his, too.  Like Nico, Will had black makeup smeared over his eyes to hide them even more behind his mask.  The makeup did nothing to hide his eyes, however.  It only made them brighter and more blue.

Kiss me, Nico thought, as though Will would be able to hear him if he wished hard enough.  He wanted Will to kiss him suddenly and passionately just like he had earlier that evening, when they were pretending to be people they weren’t.  But even when Nico removed their masks, Will did nothing but stare at him.  Will wouldn’t kiss him again—not unless Nico gave clear permission.

Nico returned Will’s mask and clasped his hands together behind his back to keep himself from reaching out.  “Yes.  Um.  Sleep well, Lord William.”

“I wish you the same.”

“And I suppose I’ll meet you after the ceremony in the morning?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Nico reluctantly put his hand on the door to his room.  “Goodnight,” he said.

“Goodnight, Your Highness.”

Nico forced himself to look away and face his door.  Will started to leave.  Don’t look up, Nico told himself, squeezing his eyes shut.  Don’t ask him to come back.  Don’t—

Nico looked back up.  “Will?” he called.

Will turned, his blue eyes as bright as ever, shining against the black makeup.  “Yes, Your Highness?”

Nico knew he should make an excuse and go to bed.  He was making himself look like a fool.  He needed to stop.  He—

Nico’s feet were already carrying him away.  He stopped in front of Will and put his hands on Will’s arms, then leaned up and quickly kissed him.  Will looked shocked when Nico pulled back.  “Right,” Nico stammered.  He felt like his heart was going to burst and he knew his face was flushing, but there was nothing he could do about that.  He stepped back, folded his hands together behind his back, and said, “Well, goodnight, then.”

Nico turned away and fled to his room, only leaving the door open long enough for Asterion to follow him in.  He did not look back at Will again out of fear that he’d do something foolish, like invite Will into his bedchamber and ask him to stay—

Nico leaned against the closed door and hid his face in his hands, his mask dangling from the ribbon around his fingers.  He did want Will there with him.  What would it be like to share a bed with Will?  Would Will hold him while they slept?  Would Will kiss him in the morning?

Nico bit back the impulse to curse as he remembered the black silk that Will had worn that evening.  It had been in such stark contrast to his bright, warm skin and golden hair.  Will’s clothes had looked like ink every time he moved, with an almost liquid sheen that had Nico imagining the clothes melting off and....

What would their wedding night be like?  How would Will touch him?  Would Will blush when Nico kissed him?  Would he call Nico pretty names like he did in his letters?  Would he...?

Nico whimpered in embarrassment, sliding down the door until he sat on the floor with his knees against his chest.  He was disgusting, thinking about things like that.  Nico would wait until his own wedding.  They would marry in a year, and then they could....

Nico shook his head, stood back up, and composed himself, then he waited for Jules-Albert to come ready him for bed.  Nico’s unbanished thoughts kept returning, however, and he dismissed Jules-Albert after being undressed only halfway.  Nico had suffered enough mortification for one night; he didn’t need anyone discovering what sorts of effects his thoughts were having on him.

Nico finished dressing for bed on his own, then he took a sip of his sleeping medicine and climbed into his bed, where Asterion was already lying down.  He didn’t take the sleeping medicine nearly as often as he had a few years before, but he knew that if he did not take it that night, his racing heart would keep him up with thoughts of his fiancé until morning.  As he curled up under his blankets, he could not help but imagine Will being there with him.  Will would be warm, similar to the way Asterion was when he cuddled next to Nico, but Will would put his arms on Nico and make him feel loved and secure.  Nico imagined Will holding him—and he could be happy with just that much, with just Will’s arms around him and his arms around Will.

Nico reached out to hug Asterion instead, burrowing his face in his dog’s coarse fur to hide his sudden giggle.  “I’m very fortunate, aren’t I, Asterion?” he said, pulling back to rub his side.  He avoided the scar on Asterion’s hip; it had healed nicely, but Asterion still flinched if Nico pet him too close to the old wound.  

“I know you like him, too,” Nico said.  “He gives me reasons to be happy.  He has a very pretty smile, don’t you think?”

Asterion responded by sloppily licking Nico’s cheek.

“Oh, you’re disgusting,” Nico said, but he wiped his face dry and pecked the top of Asterion’s head affectionately.  Asterion rolled onto his back.  “Don’t worry, you can still sleep with me after I’m married,” Nico said, rubbing Asterion’s belly.  “He’ll have his own room, after all, and if he comes to stay the night with me, then...well, it’ll be a bit crowded, but I don’t think he’ll mind.”  Nico yawned and stretched out on the bed, smiling sleepily.  “I think I will like being married to him.  I will like it very much.”

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