---

Annabeth snuck out again, slightly more graceful than last time. She glowed with hope and happiness, feeling content with her meetings with Reyna. They had become more frequent, whether they were short or long. It didn't seem to matter, Annabeth was happy and content.

Except, their meeting wasn't private. Annabeth was met with her godmothers and a regal figure in place of Reyna. Confusion flooded her brain, unsure of why everyone was there. More so, who the royal man was. She assumed it to be the king, standing tall and broad.

"Where is Reyna?" Annabeth demanded, looking at all of them. Piper gave her a look of sympathy, and Thalia looked to the king.

"It's time for you to come home, your birthday is in a week." The king held out his hand, and Annabeth took a step back.

"How do you know when my birthday is?" Her voice faltered. Bianca looked like she wanted to hug Annabeth, but it didn't help. The king sighed, shoulders dropping.

"Annabeth, you're my daughter. The princess." He answered, his words knocked the wind from Annabeth's lungs. She couldn't be the princess, she was clumsy and didn't look like him at all. He had salt and pepper hair with a strong jaw, straight nose and pointed eyes. His were green, her were grey. He was paler than Annabeth. He was tall, she was not.

"Where is Reyna? Is she alright?" Annabeth raised her voice again, stepping forward.

"Reyna is at the palace," The king looked at Annabeth with sad eyes, pleading coming into his voice, "Please, Annabeth. Come home." Annabeth took a deep breath, nodding. The group started off to the trail, meeting a team of horses and guards. They all bowed to Annabeth and the king.

---

Bianca sat on the bed, pale purple duvet stretched across the mattress. Annabeth watched as Bianca looked at the new dress. The new one finally fit her, almost grazing the floor. It was pale green, loose skirt coming together to a point at her hips. Her ribs and waist were tightly pulled, but loosened around her chest enough to give her breathing room. The top of her dress stopped an inch above her chest, close to her collar bones. Green sleeves rolled down her arms, leaving her shoulders bare, coming to a point down her hands and hooking on her middle finger. An inch thick strip of lace created a simple line across her sleeves and neckline.

"It's beautiful." Bianca sighs, a sparkling stick in her hands.

Piper fixes the part in my hair, dabbing my nose with a powder. "Preferrable, the dress would be pink. Not green."


Thalia sighed, "Just make it blue if you two can't agree." and she covered her eyes to nap.

Piper outed, tapping the dress with the sparkling wand and glitter tore its way through the dress, leaving behind a hot pink. Bianca crossed her arms and stood up, tapping her wand against the dress. The same pale green was back. Piper tapped the dress again, pink returned. Bianca huffed, changing the color again. Piper and Bianca narrowed their eyes, wands hitting the dress at once and a spray painted mess of pink and green covered the dress, and Annabeth's lips.

"Can we just settle on green?" Annabeth pleaded, exasperated. She sat down on the soft bed, groaning.

"Fine then. Piper sighed, changing the dress back to the pale green. A knock at the door made then all freeze, but a smooth familiar voice called through.

"Annabeth? May I come in?"

Notes

~Nova~