Freedom Has a Price

Summary: Percy and Annabeth were never supposed to meet. He was a merman, and she was a human, it was forbidden. But when they fall in love things aren't what they seem, especially when they're kidnapped by the Captain of Backbiter, Luke. Not only does he want Queen Athena's land, but also Poseidon's sea. Will the two stop him before it's too late? (AU)

"You know, Percy," Annabeth started to say, "I heard your dad was unhappy yesterday."

Percy shrugged, not particularly listening. They were at the beach, were the two teens always like to meet in secret. None of their families knew about their too kids falling in love, it was forbidden.

Percy flicked his tail in annoyance. The green scales seemed to gleam in the sunset, reflecting off one another. Percy lay back in the warm sand; it wasn't often that he actually got to be on land, his dad, Poseidon, was very strict about humans. He thought all of them were barbaric and salvage.

"Are you even listening to me?" Annabeth said, kicking him in the side with one of her legs. Her beautiful grey eyes were narrowed and her blonde hair was flowing gracefully to the left side. Percy didn't remember when they met; the only thing he did remember was they were never supposed to contact each other. Humans and mer-people don't exactly get along.

"I'm listening," Percy grumbled, shifting into a sitting position once again. "I'm just not interested."

"You mer-people are so easily distracted," Annabeth commented, before she repeated what she was hinting at earlier. "What was Poseidon mad about?"

"I might've set off fireworks in Triton's room." Percy muttered under his breath. "It's not like he noticed anyway, his room way already messy."

"Do fireworks work underwater?" Annabeth mused to herself. She ran her hand through her hair the way she always does when she's thinking. Her hand dropped and an expression of remembrance came across her face. "Oh! And I meant to tell you to watch out for ships. There's a rumor going around about a certain Pirate ship called Backbiter that's been rumored to be searching for mer-people."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Humans don't know about mer-people." He noticed Annabeth's face and quickly added, "Besides you of course."

"But still," Annabeth muttered. Her eyes turning a light grey, like the sea right before a storm. "Just be careful. I don't want you caught in a net."

Percy snorted, almost as if he was agreeing with her, but found it funny at the same time. "Me? In a net? Are you kidding?"

When Annabeth gave him a pointed look, he deflated and rolled his eyes. "That was onetime. And it was an accident!"

"And accident that almost got you discovered." Annabeth sighed, and leaned her head onto his shoulder. "If I wasn't there to save your butt . . ."

"Scales," Percy corrected with a sarcastic smile. "I don't have a butt like humans do."

Annabeth sat up, much to Percy's displeasure, and said, "Too much information. Change the subject."

"Can you tell me more about that pirate ship?" Percy asked. A person that didn't know Percy would miss the little bit of nervousness in his voice, but Annabeth caught it, just like all his other slip-ups.

"Nervous are we?" Annabeth teased half-heartily, and before Percy could protest she continued, "I've already said the ship's name is Backbiter, it's supposed to have a giant Black and Bronze hull, and it's incredibly durable. I don't know if this is true, but the Captain is Luke—" Her voice cracked at the reminder of her old friend, before he almost tried to kill her and her mother in order to get the thrown. "And I heard that they've been looking for mer-people. To prove their existence and maybe get back in control of the palace."

"You seem to know Luke." Percy commented, staring ahead into the ocean. Annabeth could see the troubling ocean in his eyes, almost as if he were concerned about something other than just the ship.

Annabeth took a deep breath. She hadn't told this story in almost five years, the five years Luke had been exiled. "Luke, he was one of my best friends before he betrayed us to the pirates. A war started, we won, but only by a little bit. Luke was exiled from the palace and we haven't seen him again."

"Until now," Percy said softly. He closed his eyes, imagining a war between humans. Humans weren't like mer-people. Mer-people never fought one another, they never betrayed each other, and they only looked out for each other.

"Until now." Annabeth agreed. "He's stubborn, persistent and he has a good sense of direction and belief. I just—I'm so confused right now."

Percy snorted. "You're confused? Look at me! I've got a flipping tail!" He waved his sea-green tail in front of Annabeth's face. She laughed and knocked it away, making Percy smile.

For a while, they sat in silence, just enjoying each other's company until Percy heard the distant barking of the palace dogs. Percy sat up immediately, alarmed, before shaking Annabeth awake. He shot her a panicked look, before flopping towards the water.

The last think Annabeth saw was his green tail slip under the blue ocean.