In the next month, Annabeth grew used to her new routine. In fact, she relished in it. She had finally been put in an environment that encouraged rather than stifled her. She had more power as the wife of a ring-giver than the daughter of one.

     At first, Annabeth had been wary and she still was, but that wariness was tempered by hope and as fine wore on, affection. She didn't know how to describe it as anything else. As the daughter of a king, she had always expected to be married off at some point. She also knew that these marriages were often strategic, but she had never imagined her father would seek an alliance with the enemy.

     But as she grew to know him, Percy seemed less like the enemy and more like — well Annabeth wasn't sure what exactly — or maybe she just didn't want to admit she was in love. It wasn't a new feeling — she had felt that same giddy feeling as if she were riding a horse as fast as the wind before, but there had always been a barrier. She had liked Luke and he had fancied her, but both knew they would likely never marry. With Percy, it was completely different. They were married, but she wasn't sure if she loved him or he loved her.

     Annabeth was thinking these thoughts as she worked on repairing one of Percy's torn tunics. There was a nasty split on the left side of it after Percy had a run in with some rogues. Percy, Annabeth, thought; when did he become Percy to me instead of King Percy?

A rapping at the door interrupted her thoughts. She turned to Piper who had been mending some of the thanes' hole-ridden rocks. "Go answer the door," she said.

Piper, who had been setting down her the sock she had been mending, nodded and obliged. Annabeth looked behind her shoulder to see her husband striding into the room. His sea-green eyes glinted with the mixture of mischief and curiosity that both infuriated and awed Annabeth. His wind-tossed hair was messier than usual and he was wearing the simple garments he always wore when they spared.

"You ready?" Percy asked, before taking a look at her deep blue gown and coloring.

Annabeth gave him a pert smile. "I shall change first."

***

The soaring began with a warmup. Then, Percy demonstrates a few new moves which she practiced on an imaginary enemy. Finally, they began to spar. The wind was blowing hard today and Annabeth notes that it stirred up dud that made Percy squint. She slowly shifted her position, doing it in a way that it felt unnoticeable, until Percy was facing the being of the wind.

He grimaced and squinted harder. Annabeth realized that now was the moment. She changed her sword against his and deftly executed a move: twisting the hilt of her sword against his so that his clattered to the ground. Annabeth pointed the sword to his chest.

"I win," she said with a grin.

It was the first time. Percy returned her smile. "Rematch?"