The bedroom that Piper had been given  was known as the Pompeiian Room. It had yellow wallpaper printed with designs taken from the ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum. The four poster bed had a pale yellow canopy and cover pane. Copper colored curtains were hung in the windows.

Between the windows was a pink wooden dressing table with a matching chair.

Piper had never cared much about her appearance but she put extra effort into dressing for dinner that evening. She put on one of the best gowns she had packed: a purple and white zone front gown with a red and white striped sash. A red and gold turban was tied around her head.

"Don't you look lovely in that color?" Annabeth gushed from her seat on the bed, "You're hoping that one of the heroes you read about in your novels will show up tonight and steal you away? No! You want to impress Lord Skye."
Piper lowered her eyes and turned away from her friend.
"Don't be cruel," Piper replied, tartly, "You know you're going to outshine every other girl there like you always do."
"Don't worry, dearest, I have my eyes on someone else."
"You mean Lieutenant Jackson..."
"Possibly."
Piper had no doubt that Lieutenant Jackson would soon be conquered. That evening, Annabeth was dressed in a zone front gown with a white bodice and petticoat and a blue striped over skirt and sleeves. A gauzy lace fichu crossed her chest.

Her curls had been dusted with a hair powder made from crushed rose petals.

Annabeth offered Piper her arm.
"Come, let's go downstairs."

Piper found a seat by the window in the drawing room. Beyond the grounds of Skye Castle was a marshy plain a long the River Styx. Thick bunches of reeds grew along the banks of the river which were perfect for basket weaving. The sky was the ultra-blue that raw copper sometimes is and this coppery effect was heightened by the orangish-yellow rays of the setting sun. Piper was reminded that she had recently purchased spools of satin ribbon in those shades.
"Here he is, Piper," Annabeth whispered to her.
Lord Skye was wearing a coat of azure colored wool which brought out his blue eyes. His blond hair was un powdered and pulled back into a simple queue with a black velvet ribbon. A starched linen cravat was elaborately tied around his neck. His breeches were midnight blue and showed off his long, shapely calves to perfection. A grey silk waistcoat was buttoned over his broad chest.

He took her breath away just as he had done when they were first introduced. Piper had heard that Jason Grace, Marquis of Skye was handsome but had not been prepared for just how handsome he was. They had met earlier that day when Lord Skye came to greet his guests. Their only interaction had been a polite exchange of bow and curtsy.
Lord Skye had shown the guests around the castle. Annabeth monopolized the tour, pointing out different architectural features from the priest hole to the baroque chapel, which were in the old parts of castle that had been built over several decades earlier during its Neo Palladian restoration. A priest hole was a hiding place built into the floors or walls during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when Catholics were persecuted by the law. The priest would be hidden in there when the authorities searched the premises. While other noble families converted during the Protestant Reformation, the Graces had remained staunchly Catholic to that day. Towards the end of Charles I's reign, when the puritans came to power, they had built a new chapel in the Baroque style. Lord Skye explained how the chapel had been damaged during the Civil War then repaired during the Restoration.
A/N The English Civil War (1642-1651). The restoration took place in 1660, when Charles II, son of the executed Charles I, retook the throne after nine years of rule by the Puritan controlled parliament- the only time England has been without a monarch.

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Generations of Graces had been attending mass there ever since. Piper herself had been raised a Catholic by her French mother.
Over tea, Annabeth, Lord Skye, and Dona Reyna, the Spanish girl who was visiting the Graces, had discussed Alexander Pope's translation of The Iliad, which Annabeth was currently reading. Piper was mostly quiet during tea, having little to contribute to this conversation. Dona Reyna's dark eyes had glared at her dismissively.
"That girl has set her cap at my brother," Lady Thalia informed her, "She won't take kindly to a rival so be careful."
Dona Reyna was a gorgeous brunette with flashing dark eyes. She could quote Latin and Greek with ease and keep up with in-depth conversations on ancient literature. Piper doubted she could compete with such a specimen of feminine excellence.
Accompanying Lord Skye into the drawing room was Annabeth's Lieutenant Jackson. While Lord Skye was broad and muscular with blond hair and serious blue eyes, Lieutenant Jackson was slim and lithe with dark hair and roguish green eyes. He was rather good looking but looked unimpressive next to Lord Skye.
Annabeth rose from her seat and walked towards the two young men.
"Lieutenant Jackson," she asked, "How is your head?"
"Much better, Miss Chase," he replied, "Thanks to your care."
"Be more careful in the future. I believe it was Theseus, not Perseus who defeated the Minotaur."
"From what Grace told me, you acted as Ariadne today, leading the way through the labyrinth."
"Miss Chase practically gave the tour of the castle this afternoon," Lord Skye joined in, "And she took care of you after you fell. She's quite a remarkable young lady."
"My Lord, there's someone who's been dying to speak with you all day," Annabeth took Lord Skye's arm and lead her over to where Piper was sitting, "You've met my friend, Miss McLean?"
Lord Skye took Piper's hand and kissed it. His lips softly touched her knuckles.
"Charmed, Madam," he beamed. His voice was deep with a pleasant gravel to it.
Piper felt flushed and dizzy, like she was coming down with a fever. Perhaps the fire was too hot and there were too many candles? Maybe she had sipped her wine too quickly.

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Annabeth looked over at them with the satisfaction of a job well done and went to speak with Miss Levesque.
"How was your journey here?" Lord Skye asked her.
"Very pleasant," Piper replied, "This part of the country is lovely, with its rolling green hills doted with sheep and cattle and lazy, tree shaded rivers."
"The coast is twenty miles down the Styx. You should see the cliffs at Elysium this time of year. They're covered in corn marigolds and silver ragwort. When the waves crash against the shore and wind blows through the grass, it sounds like people laughing."
"I would love to see it."
Their conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Lord Skye's parents. Piper had not yet met the Duke and Duchess but was looking forward to making their acquaintance.
His Grace was a large, handsome man with dark hair streaked with silver and blue eyes. Lady Thalia had inherited his black tresses while Lord Skye received his strapping build. Her Grace was petite, slim, and girlish in white satin, pearls, and peacock feathers.

She had given Lord Skye his golden hair and Lady Thalia, her beauty.
"Nico, my boy," His Grace clapped Mr. Di Angelo on the back which nearly shook the boy off of his feet, "How you've grown."
Mr. Di Angelo was a small, delicate looking boy. With his pale skin, large, deep set eyes, button nose, and rosebud mouth, he looked like a pretty little doll, though the dark circles around his eyes and his surly expression took away from this effect. His thick, wavy, dark hair was pulled back into a loose queue. He had mostly kept to himself all day. The only person he seemed comfortable around was Miss Levesque, his half sister, the natural daughter of his father. Miss Levesque was a small, sweet-faced mulatto girl with large, golden eyes. She wore a simple, oriental style dress which crossed over in front and tied at the waist with a blue chiffon sash. It's pale, iridescent dove grey silk-satin gleamed like a pearl in the candlelight and looked striking against her coffee colored silk. Her cinnamon-gold hair was tucked under a turban which matched her dress. A pearl necklace and earrings completed her outfit.

A/N My inspiration for Hazel's outfit is this portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay, a mixed-race woman whose life was the inspiration for the film Belle. Dido's life was very different from the majority of black people in 18th Century England, in that she was raised as a lady and moved in high society.

The combination of golden hair and eyes, dark brown skin, and pearlescent silk-satin was breathtaking.
A bulky young Chinese man entered the drawing room carrying a silver tray. He had a pleasant, babyish face and wore a dark blue robe with a mandarin collar over a matching pair of trousers and a red skull cap. A coppery blush came to Miss Levesque's cheeks when she noticed him. Piper wondered if they had met before.
The Chinese boy brought his tray over to the Duchess. It contained a sherry glass filled with laudanum sweetened with brown sugar, and a small bottle of ether and orange blossom water which the Duchess used to steady her nerves and for a pick-me-up. Then he rung a gong which signaled that dinner was ready.
The Duke took Dona Reyna's arm to lead her into the dinning room. Dona Reyna looked a regal as a queen in a dark purple striped gown, matching feathers bobbing from her head as moved.

Lord Skye lead his mother, the Duchess, who was in a daze from the laudanum and ether.  Next to quit the drawing room for the dinning room were Lieutenant Jackson and Lady Thalia. She looked unhappy in an outfit she obvious hated: a zone front gown with a white stomacher and petticoat and sleeves, bodice, and over skirt that were dark blue and pink striped and a pink sash tied around her waist. On her head was a frilly white bonnet overloaded with white feathers, purple flowers, and pink ribbons.

Piper imagined that the Duchess had picked this out for her. She herself had to accept the begrudgingly offered arm of Mr. Di Angelo.
Before there were two more ladies than there were gentlemen, Annabeth and Miss Levesque were left unescorted. Annabeth adopted a pompous masculine voice and bowed to Miss Levesque.
"Would you do me the honor, Ma'am?" she offered.
Miss Levesque smiled and took her arm.

The dining room had mint green walls, and cream colored classical inspired moldings. The ceiling was painted with scenes from Greco-Roman mythology. 

His Grace and Her Grace were seated at either end of the long, oval table. Piper was seated next to Lieutenant Jackson. Across from them, Annabeth sat with Lord Skye.
"You should ask Miss McLean to play and sing for us after dinner," Annabeth suggested, "She's the most musically accomplished young lady of my acquaintance."
"Then I would love to hear her," Lord Skye added, "Miss McLean, would you honor us with a performance?"
"The honor would be all mine," Piper responded.
The centerpiece of the first course was a juicy and flavorful roast beef spread with mustard, which gave it a spicy taste. At its left side were baked potatoes and broiled beets. These were served in a tarragon-butter sauce that suited the sweetness of the beets and livened up the blandness of the potatoes. On the right side was a basket of Yorkshire puddings, golden and crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, to be spread with butter and mustard and dipped in the juices from the roast beef. 
Between mouthfuls of food, Piper chatted with Lieutenant Jackson , who sat to her left, and Miss Levesque, who sat to her right. Lieutenant Jackson told a story about his latest expedition, which had taken him to the port of Tripoli in North Africa. His ship, the Argo II, had done battle with a crew of Barbary pirates. The crew's captain, the notorious corsair, Sciron, had stripped Jackson of his weapons and made him stand on the bow of ship to use him for target practice. They had missed the knife that Jackson had hidden in his breeches, which he discreetly used to cut himself free. One of this mates then tossed him a flintlock and he shot the corsair dead.
"Lieutenant Jackson," Annabeth rebuked, "I believe you are showing off for the benefit of the ladies."
"Are the ladies duly impressed?" Lieutenant Jackson retorted with a wink.
The second course consisted of stuffed mackerel dressed with hard boiled egg; hard boiled eggs were one of Piper's favorite foods. The mackerel was seasoned with the same garlic, parsley, and thyme infused butter that was drizzled over the asparagus served along side it. Cabbage with onion, bacon, and egg balls served as the other side dish. Piper disliked cabbage so skipped this one.
"My Lord," she asked Lord Skye, "Do you have an edition of Richardson's Clarissa? I finished the second volume during the carriage ride here and I was hoping that you might have the third volume?"
"Certainly," Lord Skye responded, "Ask me tomorrow and I'll show you where it is in the library."
"I simply must know if Lovelace succeeds in carrying off Clarissa."

When dinner was finished, Piper was pressed to make good on her promise to play and sing for the company. She searched through the Grace family's collection of sheet music and chose two selections from The Beggar's Opera.
"Can love be controlled by advice?" she sang from behind the piano forte, "Will Cupid our mothers obey? Though my heart were as frozen as ice, at his flame t'would have melted away. When he kissed me, so closely he pressed, t'was so sweet that I must have complied. So I thought it both safest and wise, to marry for fear you should chide."

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Piper turned the page and began to play another song:
"Youth's the season made for joys, love is then our duty. She alone who that employs, well deserves her beauty. Let's be gay while we may, beauty's a flower despised in decay. Youth's the season made for joys, love is then our duty. Let us drink and sport today, ours is not tomorrow. Love with youth flies swift away, age is not but sorrow. Dance and sing, time's on the wing. Life never knows the return of spring. Let us drink and sport today, ours is not tomorrow."

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A/N fun fact: The Beggar's Opera was the first musical performed in New York City.

The Duke stood up and clapped.
"A nightingale," he declared.
"I agree, sir," Lord Skye added.
Piper made a slight curtesy and went to sit with Annabeth.
"He was staring at you the entire time," Annabeth informed her.
"Who?" Piper asked.
"Who do you think?" Annabeth turned to look at Lord Skye, who was sitting with Dona Reyna, "If music be the food of love, play on."
"Speaking of food, lets get some dessert."
A table had been set up in the drawing room which was spread with glasses of sweet wine, slices of glazed lemon pound cake, and small almond flavored fairy cakes decorated with candied borage flowers.
Annabeth raised her glass of wine.
"To a successfully begun campaign," she toasted.
Piper tapped her glass against Annabeth's.
"May we see it through to a victorious end."

The fine weather continued over the first few days at Skye Castle. On such days, Piper grew restless and rambled over the marshes to gather reeds to weave a basket. The day was dry and sunny and she pulled her bonnet over her face to keep it from getting sunburnt. The marshes rose and fell like the waves of a stormy ocean and getting around required a fair amount of climbing and leaping. Through the day was dry, the marsh grass was damp under the thin soles of Piper's boots. She stepped down from the higher crests in the sea of grasses and reeds, expecting to land on solid ground.
Piper had gone out onto the marshes unaware that it was high tide. Her foot slipped on wet grass and she fell into several feet of icy water. The skirt of her dress and her petticoats spread out around her and became waterlogged. She struggled to find her footing upon the slimy mud below.
A group of gentlemen with fishing rods was also making their way across the marshes. One of them had noticed Piper's distress and rushed over to aid her.
"Miss," he shouted, "Take my hand,"
Piper grabbed onto his outstretched hand and he pulled her out of the water. Looking up from where she knelt, shivering, she saw that her rescuer was Lord Skye.
"Sir," she told him, "Thank you."
Lord Skye removed his coat and wrapped it around Piper.
"Let's get her back to the house," he said to his companions, Lieutenant Jackson and Mr. Di Angelo.

Lord Skye carried Piper back to the castle where she was changed into dry clothes. He and Annabeth insisted that she be wrapped up in blankets and placed by the sofa near the fireplace in the drawing to prevent her from catching cold. A cup of tea and a bowl of chicken broth were sent up to her. Piper resented being fussed over but cheered up when Lord Skye came to join her, carrying the third volume of Clarissa. He sat down in the arm chair next to the sofa and read aloud to her.
"Recovering my spirits a little," he narrated, "as he kept drawing me after him, O Mr. Lovelace, said I, I cannot go with you—indeed I cannot—I wrote you word so—let go my hand, and you shall see my letter. It is lain there from yesterday morning, till within this half-hour. I bid you watch to the last for a letter from me, lest I should be obliged to revoke the appointment; and, had you followed the direction, you would have found it.
I have been watched, my dearest life, said he, half out of breath—I have been watched in every step I took: and my trusty servant has been watched too, ever since Saturday; and dared not to come near your wall. And here we shall be discovered in a moment.—Speed away, my charmer—this is the moment of your deliverance—if you neglect this opportunity, you can never have such another.
What is it you mean, Sir?—Let go my hand: for I tell you [struggling vehemently] that I will sooner die than go with you.
Good God! said he, with a look of wildness and surprise, what is it I hear?—But [still drawing me after him, as he retreated farther from the door] it is no time to argue—by all that's good you must go—surely you cannot doubt my honour, nor give me cause to question your own.
As you value me, Mr. Lovelace, urge me no farther. I come fixed and resolved. Let me give you the letter I have written. My further reasons shall follow; and they will convince you that I ought not to go.
Nothing, Madam, can convince me—by all that's sacred, I will not leave you. To leave you now, would be to lose you for ever-"
Wrapped up in blankets on the cushion softened sofa, chicken broth and tea in her belly, and a fire crackling on the hearth, Piper had fallen asleep. Lord Skye closed the book and left it on the table.
A/N I would recommend everyone watch this video: "The "I like you" game" by Hayden Daviau. Jason and Percy get way too into it.

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#gayforRaRa

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