I smile as Annabeth chases me across the hard gravel grounds leading in a twisted path to the castle. Blackjack galloped under me as his hooves hit the ground. I look behind me as I see Annabeth's old mare failing behind.

I pull Blackjack to a stop as Annabeth races up to me.

"Percy! For the last time! That wasn't fair!" She huffs.

I give her a smirk, " Come on Annabeth you were the one that wanted to ride your horse. I said that you could ride with me. "

Annabeth gasped " I didn't want to put my arms around your sweaty body!"

The horses trot side by side as I pull Blackjack to a stop. Annabeth does the same to hers. "We're here," I whisper, "Let's not get caught."

We tie the horses carefully against the branches of the low hanging tree.

Annabeth strokes her horse carefully, " Don't worry princess I'll come back for you."

She gave the horse a slight hopeful smile and quickly turn towards me. "I have been monitoring the guard schedule while we were racing, I calculated that if we cross at 53 the chances of getting caught are drastically less then here."

I chuckle lightly, " You have been at the castle grounds for less than thirty minutes and you already know the castle better than me."

"Well, I like to know what I am facing before I get there."

"Whatever Wise girl"

Her eyes widen, "Sorry, Annabeth did I do-"

She cut me off as she pulls me to the ground behind the thick evergreen bushes, I hit the ground with a thump.

"What was that for?!" I ask her.

"Shush, are you trying to get caught or what I was trying to-"

A pair of hands reached into the bushes and parted the leaves, I look up to find the uniform of a guard looking down at us.

"Um, Your highness uh... should I leave you guys alone?"

I look up to the deep voice, with a slight hint of an ancient. He had dark black hair that was neat but not as neat as Jason's. He had an Asian face but the build was tuff. He was about two inches taller than me.

"Ya... maybe that would also be a good idea if you don't tell my dad."

"As you wish your highness." He smiled at me with his bow in his hands.

"Officer..." I look up to his name tag "Zhang, its a pleaser to meet you."

"The pleaser is mine, your highness and..." He looked over at Annabeth. "You would be..."

Annabeth spoke up for the first time since our encounter with Officer Zhang.

"Annabeth" She rolled her eyes, " I would be Annabeth and you would be Frank."

"How did you know-"

"We were in school together." I looked at her.

She raised her eyebrow at me, I gulped yep... end of story.

"If you could we would like your help," I asked Frank. "We would like you to take us inside without getting caught."

He gave me a slight nod, trying to avoid his gaze at Annabeth. He leads us out of the trees into a big plain with a shed inside. Inside was dark spider webs lined the door frame. I looked back at Annabeth I could see the fear in her eyes.

What was she afraid of? The dark? Is she Claustrophobic?

(Ho Ho Ho MERRY CHRISTMAS)

Inside was an unlit lantern, Frank took a pair of matches from his pocket. He lit the lantern, the light was dim but it was enough.

He took us down the shed with a series of twist and turns to a dead end.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Annabeth piped up.

He looked back at Annabeth but didn't say a word. He ran his hands across the walls and pushed in. A doorway opened to the back of a wooden block.

He smiled at Annabeth "As you wish your highness." He pushed the lever against the wall and the bookshelf swung open.

Annabeth and I cautiously creped into the room. I know I have been living in this castle for all my life but you can never be too careful. One time I fell through a trap door under my desk.

Annabeth gasped in awe as we saw the room. It was an old bedroom even though it looked like it hasn't been used in years the room still lit you up with awe. The side of the room we were one had a balcony of bookshelf's stacked up with history.

Annabeth laughed to herself "Someday I want to design something that will last forever. Something more majestic than this."

"Percy" She looked at me, " You invited me to come to the castle but I didn't know if you meant it like this but if I could stay can I please use this room?"

"Annabeth you can have any room you want in the whole castle "

~Time Skip~

My dad called me up to his office after dinner that night.

I knocked on his office door. "Come in!" He replied. I pushed open the door and helped myself to a seat.

"Percy, that last conversation we had we talked about princess Rachel Elizabeth Dare. You asked me if you could have a ball to meet someone else." My father started.

"Yes, sir. "

"It been almost a couple months since that time and I have been thinking about another solution to our "Problem" ." I could see his carefully phrasing his words. "Yesterday, Miss Dare requested an audience with me, I accepted."

I gulped this was not going to go the way I wanted.

"Do you know what she told me?" His tone was steady, that's what made him more intense. "She told me that she didn't love you and you didn't care for her back."

My father took a deep breath, "She told me that she didn't want you, she told me that this wasn't going to work."

"Do you know what I told her Percy?"

I closed my eyes for a second, "No, sir."

"I told her that when you have a whole country to take care of there is no love in marriage."

"I know that sir." I recited.

"I know you do, in three days time you are going to go, go to Rachel, propose just in time for your birthday ball."

My eyes widen, I didn't love her. Not in the way I should if I opt to marry her. "Father, I-"

He cut me off, "In three days time you are going to propose to her, announce it at your ball and there is no going back. I gave you time to adjust to her, and do you know what I find you doing? I find you with another girl."

"In three days time, you are going to get your only choice as the crown prince's happily ever after."

This couldn't be happening, I wasn't worried about myself. I was worried for Annabeth, what my father would do to her if he found out she was right under his nose.