Author's Note

The characters are OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and Co.; they belong to Rick Riordan. *sob*

Revised: September 4th, 2015

Prologue

Olympia's Royal Palace

18 August 1793

3rd P.O.V

Queen Athena and her husband, King Frederick, stood by their daughter's cradle. She was their second child, the first being her three years older brother Malcolm. Their child lay sleeping in her pink silk covers. She had a few wisps of curly, golden blonde hair and stormy gray eyes just like her mother's. She had been born hours before and had made absolutely no noise since. The Queen and King were worried since all babies cried when they were first born, but the doctor assured them it happened every so often.

"What shall we name her?" Queen Athena asked her husband softly.

"It is up to you, my dear," King Frederick replied.

"We shall call her Annabeth," Athena informed him a few minutes later. "Our daughter, Princess Annabeth of Olympia."

Olympus' Royal Palace

Same Time

Queen Hera was furious. Her husband, King Zeus, had had yet another child with a commoner! The nerve of that man, she thought furiously. She had not even wanted to marry Zeus; she had wanted to marry someone else, but her parents insisted and she hated to displease her parents. She stormed over to the nursery where King Zeus was talking softly to his daughter. What infuriated Queen Hera the most was that his daughter and newborn son had the same mother; some commoner named Beryl.

"Zeus," she greeted him coldly, entering the nursery.

"Hera, my love," King Zeus tried to kiss her, but she pushed him back. "Hera, I am sorry!" he pleaded. "I will do anything to make it up to you!"

"You will do anything, my king?" Queen Hera raised an eyebrow as King Zeus nodded.

Three-year-old Princess Thalia stood by her father, watching them with her electric blue eyes. She had jet black, shoulder length hair, and Queen Hera had to admit that she was pretty.

"Very well," Queen Hera said slowly. "I want Beryl Grace executed in front of everyone so that no woman will flirt with you again. Furthermore, I want you to send them to an orphanage far away from here, perhaps in Olympia. Lastly, I wish to name the child."

Zeus looked sad, but he agreed to his wife's terms, a little shocked at her last one.

"His name shall be Jason," Queen Hera announced before she walked away, leaving her husband behind to say goodbye to his children.

Aqualonia, Atlantis

Same Time

King Poseidon sat anxiously in his lover's house. She was giving birth to their child and the doctor said she wasn't doing too well. King Poseidon knew that if his wife, Queen Amphitrite, found out that he had a child with a commoner, she would kill Sally Jackson and their son.

"Your Majesty?" King Poseidon looked up and saw the young doctor, Apollo, holding a blue blanket with a little boy in it. The boy had jet black hair and sea green eyes and gave a small cry when Apollo handed him to his father.

"Sally?" King Poseidon questioned.

"I am so sorry Your Majesty, but I could not save her," Apollo answered sadly. King Poseidon nodded his understanding before dismissing the doctor. He decided to send his son to an orphanage so that Queen Amphitrite would not kill him. He decided on an orphanage in Olympia and went to pack for the two-week trip, holding his son close and mourning the woman he wished was his wife.

Muerto, Tartarus

Same Time

Yet another child, another royal child I might add, was born that day; this one to Prince Hades. Prince Hades was to be crowned king the next day and wed to Duchess Persephone the day after. Right now, he sat in the poorest part of the village Muerto next to his lover, Maria di Angelo.

"Maria," Prince Hades persisted, "It is not safe for you here. If Mother or Father were to find out, they would kill you and our children."

Three-year-old Bianca currently sat holding her newborn brother, Nico, in a chair next to Maria's bed.

"Hades, I grew up here. I am not fleeing with our children!" Prince Hades sighed, knowing it was useless to argue. Just then, Maria's door was kicked open and guards rushed inside.

"There she is! And there are her children! Kill them all, but do not hurt the prince; the king's orders!" The captain shouted.

"Run Hades," Maria pleaded. "Save our children!" Prince Hades kissed his lover goodbye before scooping up his children and disappearing into the night.

Meanwhile, a guard slit the throat of Maria di Angelo; she mumbled "I love you Hades," before dying there on her bed. Prince Hades headed towards an orphanage in Olympia and left his children there. He was surprised to find King Zeus and King Poseidon leaving their children as well. Together they wrote a note and left their children alone, crying as they said goodbye.

Half-Blood Orphanage, Athens, Olympia

19 August 1793

Chiron Brunner, the owner of Half-Blood Orphanage, was in shock. He had five children that had appeared on the same day with letters accompanying them. Chiron opened the letter the minute he found the children on his orphanage doorstep and was flabbergasted at what it claimed:

To Chiron Brunner, owner of Half-Blood Orphanage,

Our names are King Zeus of Olympus, King Poseidon of Atlantis, and Prince Hades of Tartarus and these are our children: Princess Thalia of Olympus and her brother Prince Jason; Prince Perseus of Atlantis; Princess Bianca of Tartarus and her brother Prince Nico. Thalia and Bianca are three; their birthdays are 22 December 1790 and 15 December 1790. Jason, Perseus, and Nico are one-month-old, having been born on 18 August 1793. Their parents are Sally Jackson, Maria di Angelo, and Beryl Grace. Queen Hera, Queen Amphitrite, and Prince Hades' parents wish them dead. We beg of you to take care of them, keep their identity a secret, train them, and tell them of their heritage. We beg of you, please take care of our children.

Olympia's Royal Palace

July 1801

Annabeth's P.O.V

I stood in the center of the training room, holding my dagger in one hand. My brother, Malcolm, stands opposite me holding his dagger. We circle each other, our stormy gray eyes analyzing the other's moves. Malcolm makes the first move and the fight is on. We lunge, parry and block for about fifteen minutes. The fight ends when I have my dagger and Malcolm's dagger crossed over Malcolm's throat where he lays on the ground. I am sitting on top of him and he gives me a smile.

"I surrender," he says with pride. "Good job Annie." I punch him in the face and scowl.

"Do not call me Annie," I warn.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Malcolm mocks. We get up and he leads me over to the training room. "I think it is time for you to get your own dagger."

"You truly believe so?" I ask eagerly.

"Well, you will be eight next month, so I do not see why not."

I squeal and he leads me over to the dagger section. He knows I prefer daggers to any other kind of weapon hence why he did not ask what kind of weapon I want. Malcolm has a sword he calls 'Lightning Strike' and I have longed for my own.

"Which one should I get?" I ask eagerly. Malcolm shrugs then proceeds to show me how to choose the right weapon. After half an hour of searching, I find the perfect one. It is Celestial Bronze, a rare metal in our kingdom.

"This one has an interesting history, Annabeth," Malcolm tells me solemnly. We are both mature for our ages of seven and ten though we rarely act mature around each other. When we do, the other knows it is time to shut up and listen.

"What is it?" I ask. I love stories, especially fairy tales. Mother reads me a fairytale every night and we have memorized most of my books.

"Well, one hundred years ago, a girl named Artemisia, who was born in Greece, asked her father to make her a dagger." Malcolm began. "He argued with her about it for a while, claiming that no woman should carry weapons. Now, Artemisia was very determined to gain a weapon, so she went to the local blacksmith who had an apprentice by the name of Callias. Callias was in love with Artemisia and she loved him. They were only three years apart and he vowed to marry her once he got his own shop. Anyhow, Callias agreed to make Artemisia her dagger and soon it was done. She named it 'Agapi̱méni̱' which was Greek for 'Beloved.'" By now, Malcolm and I are back in my room, sitting on my bed.

"What happened next?" I ask enthusiastically.

"Well, Artemisia used Agapi̱méni̱ on multiple occasions and Callias trained with her constantly. Many times, Agapi̱méni̱ saved hers and Callias' lives. One day, she was attacked by wolves going to visit Callias and was saved by a man named Halcyon Green. Hal, as he preferred to be called, carried her to Callias' house, which was no more than a shack. Callias laid Artemisia on his bed and there she died. Her last words were 'This dagger will always protect the person wielding it. Take it, Hal, for you tried to save me. Callias, my beloved, I will miss you.'"

I hold back a sob and Malcolm puts a comforting arm around my shoulder.

"Hal could not bear to use Artemisia's dagger, so he got its story from Callias and then gave it away, telling the person whom he gave it to, to always tell its story. The dagger was traded until about a decade ago when it came into the hands of our grandparents'. They gave it to Mother and Father as a wedding gift and now, it belongs to you." Malcolm finishes.

"That is sad," I say. "Whatever happened to Callias and Hal? What about Artemisia's parents? Surely they were distraught."

"No one knows," Malcolm replies. "All they know is that Artemisia's last words were right. So far, this dagger has saved everyone's lives that yielded it. And it will protect you." Later that night, as I lie in my bed, I think about Artemisia and more than ever, wish I were not a princess.

Half-Blood Orphanage, Olympia

15 December 1808

Percy's P.O.V

"Bianca, Thalia," Chiron begins. We are sitting in his office, having been called here about an hour ago. We were celebrating Bia's birthday at a nearby lake and had been called the minute we returned. She turned eighteen today and Thalia shall turn eighteen next week. We knew this would come; at eighteen you are told you need to leave the orphanage. You are an adult, so you must find your own way. Chiron hates it, but it is the royal law; it was put there by Queen Helen, King Frederick's wife after Queen Athena who died three years ago. She is cold hearted and no one likes her, but we all adore King Frederick.

"We need to leave," Bia states emotionlessly. "Thalia and I will be eighteen, so we must leave. However, we are taking our siblings with."

Now, Thalia and Bianca biologically have one sibling each: Nico is Bianca's younger brother; Jason is Thalia's. However, Bia and Thalia have 'adopted' four children in the orphanage: Me (Perseus 'Percy' Jackson), Hazel Levesque, Leo Valdez, and Frank Zhang. Leo and I are fifteen like Jason and Nico while Frank is sixteen and Hazel thirteen.

"I have no problem with that," Chiron tells her gently. "I will allow you to take Jason, Nico, Leo, Frank, Hazel, and Perseus. I was merely letting you know that you have a week after your birthday to pack and leave. I was also wondering if you wished to have help from the orphanage in finding a new home." We all smile at each other.

"We have a plan," Thalia informs him.

"Alright," Chiron answers, reluctantly dismissing us.

One week later, we are packed and waiting in the front hall to tell Chiron goodbye. He pushes his wheelchair to us and hugs all of us.

"Take care. Make sure you come and visit and try not to get into trouble." We all agree and soon we are off.

"So, is it off to the harbor?" Thalia asks.

"I thought you'd never ask," Jason replies.

The eight of us take off; running like hell is chasing us. You see, one year ago we found a ship at the harbor for sale. It was broken and needed repairs badly. We were able to get the seller to sell it to us for fifty gold pieces, ten times less than it was, and we have since fixed it up. We plan on becoming pirates and sailing the world.

We arrive at our ship which we named Princess Andromeda and board it. We then take off and never look back at Olympia. We are free.

Royal Palace of Olympia

November 1811

Annabeth P.O.V

"This goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?"

I am reading Shakespeare's Hamlet when my stepmother, Helen, snatches it out of my hands.

"Annabeth," she sighs. "What have I told you about reading fictional stories? It is not lady-like nor is it princess-like."

My mother, Queen Athena, died six years ago and Father remarried Helen shortly after for a king may not rule alone. Helen has two children with him: Five-year-old boys named Robert and Matthew whom she wishes were the heirs instead of Malcolm and I.

"Mother did not care." I snap at her. "She told me to read to my heart's content and that is what I plan to do."

"Annabeth, you are eighteen years old and you have not found a suitor," Helen tells me. "Therefore, we are holding a ball and inviting all eligible, noble bachelors. I am positive we will find you a suitor."

"I do not wish to marry. I will never marry," I announce. Helen's kind smile turns to a frown.

"You will pay for your impertinence. You will be locked in your room all night. Furthermore, you may not have supper."

"That does not work on me. I am eighteen years old; that is a child's punishment," I retort as she closes the door to my room and locks it. However, the situation is less than ideal.

She took Hamlet and I have no other books in my room. With a sigh, I change into a less formal gown than the one I was wearing and open the secret corridor in my room. It leads to the training room and the library though all I want now is to curl up with a good book. So I sneak to the library and snag the Iliad by Homer and sneak back to my room to read it: "Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son Achilleus and its devastation, which put pains thousand fold upon the Achaians, hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood in division of conflict Atreus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus. . . ."