Chapter Text
Annabeth was 17 when she was crowned queen. There was a war on her doorstep and she knew, without a doubt, that no help was coming.
It was only when the rubble had cleared to show her still standing that the Continent reluctantly accepted she was for keeps. Then they put their knives back in their sheaths and armed themselves with a deadlier weapon: diplomacy.
Hermes, always known to be quick of feet, made the first move. A delegation came to Athens with the promise of friendship and trade. Prince Luke Castellan came with it. Handsome, charming Luke. He sang her praises for anyone to hear, calling her the greatest queen since Athena Parthenos herself. Yet he always seemed to be bringing the topic to how she needed a king to rule by her side. A strong king. I am plenty strong, Annabeth wanted to say. And I’m not alone. “Who could that be, my lord?” she said instead, batting her eyelashes and not doing much to hide her condescension. Her newly appointed queensguard had had a sudden coughing fit. Luke left the kingdom a day later, sulking.
Her quick refusal sent a message. She wasn’t a naive little girl who would fall for the first pretty face she saw. But it didn’t completely stop the marriage offers. On the contrary, the older she got, the more offers she started to get.
The daring Prince Michael won an archery tournament in her name. His brother Lee wrote sonnets embellishing the beauty of her eyes. (Percy had quoted it for a whole month, the little shit) Of course, trade concessions and alliances were implied in both cases. Lady Aphrodite offered riches and secrets to go with whichever son she chose. The one silver lining in this whole situation had been that Prince Triton had never asked for her hand in marriage. Now that was a can of worms neither Annabeth nor Percy was keen on opening. It was lucky that he and his father were too occupied with squabbling with Hermes over the eastern shores.
“It’s a pity. He could’ve been a good match,” said Chiron reluctantly, when they were discussing the matter in her chambers. “Strategically speaking, ” he added hastily when he saw her expression.
“And what would Triton offer me that I don’t already have?”
“Passage to the sea. An armada.”
“And he would ask from me my kingdom in return.”
“Your brother could rule in your place if you don’t want to unite the two kingdoms.”
“Oh, my brother? Did you talk to him about this? Because my impression was that if Malcolm could spend the whole of his day in the library and never see another politician again, he would.”
“He is not a little boy anymore. With an alliance in the south, no one would dare bother Athens.”
Annabeth didn’t respond. After a minute of tense silence, Chiron sighed.
“I just want what is best for Athens, Annabeth,” he said. He looked older than he was with worry lines etched onto his face. Annabeth would feel guilty for putting them there if they weren’t arguing about this for the hundredth time. “I know, you have your… reasons,” he said carefully, “not to marry. But alliances are made through marriage. And we need allies.”
Annabeth knew that. Of course, she knew that. But she didn’t want to force Malcolm to carry the load of a kingdom alone any more than she wanted to marry the brother of the love of her life.
Sometimes Annabeth couldn’t help but imagine if Percy hadn’t been a bastard. Would the second son of King Poseidon be a good enough match for the queen of Athens in the eyes of her advisors? What about Percy himself? Would he be a general in his father’s army? Would he be proud and vain, like many princes she had met or his compassion still shine? Would he want Annabeth? Would he ask for her hand? Would she sneer at his offer like she had many a man, or would she be able to see all that they could be in his unwavering gaze?
No, Annabeth thought. I won’t imagine the what-ifs and whatnots when what I have is as good as it is. She wouldn’t trade something as empty as convenience for the man she loved, body and soul, heart and mind.
So she made herself quite clear to her advisors that, no, she was not planning to get married. There were other ways to find alliances. If Chiron disagreed, he didn’t do so in front of her ministers.
Of course, the rumors spread about why she wouldn’t marry. Let them gossip, she thought. It was only when the commonfolk went hungry and mothers lost their sons to endless wars that people cared about those things. She was loved by her people. As long as she was a good queen, rumors could do nothing to her.
Annabeth didn’t get offers for some time after that. At least, until the news of King of Pluton’s intention to come to Athens to discuss “dire and urgent matters regarding the wellbeing of both of our kingdoms”.