Chapter 14: Malcom's warning

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The princess of Athens found herself outside the boy's chambers, scared to knock.

The guilt of hurting him was almost too much to bear, not even a good training session could ease it.

She promised herself she would apologise all morning, and so her feet firmly planted her here.

She missed the boy,the days seemed slower without his twinkling eyes. She missed talking to him, felt his absence in ever sense.

All she wished was that he would forgive her for her outburst yesterday. She still didn't  know what possessed her to lunge at him.

Annabeth inhaled deeply, pushing the door to his quarters open, sliding through the crack.

She saw the boy asleep on his bed, the sunlight illuminating his handsome features.

The princess of Athens found herself rooted in place, unable to look away from the boy.

He was exceptionally handsome. As if sculpted from stone by the hands of song Gods.

Annabeth moved towards him almost in a trace, the pit of her stomach twisting in an odd manner as she kneeled on his bed.

She reached out to cup the boy's face, his dark lashes fluttered against his skin, "are you awake?" she called gently.

Her eyes fell upon the bandage against his leg. She felt utterly horrible.

The boy's eyes immediately snapped open, the sunlight making his sea-green eyes shine like diamonds

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The boy's eyes immediately snapped open, the sunlight making his sea-green eyes shine like diamonds.

Annabeth moved aside as he adjusted himself on the bed, propping himself up against the pillow.

"You drool in your sleep," she mused, collecting herself.

The princess of Athens took a deep breath, "I would....I would very much like to apologise. I don't know what came over me yesterday...I never want to see you hurt and....I am sorry."

"Furthermore..." she continued, "I realised I've missed you. I've missed spending time with you, and it seems that we've both been so busy that we seldom have time with each other....I hope you could make more time for each other in the future," she finished, hoping her apology was enough.

It was the longest one she made in her life.

The boy smiled, taking her hand in his as he sat up straighter.

Annabeth's skin tingled against his.

The boy placed her hand over his heart, patting it thrice.

"I'm forgiven," Annabeth smiled in relief to herself, "thankyou"

The boy offered her a crooked smile, no motion to drop her hand.

They looked at each other in silence, their eyes speaking volumes.

Annabeth could feel the boy's heartbeat rhythmically thudding, faster and faster as the moments passed by.

"How about we go to the town today? It's the festival of Athena," she asked.

"Perfect," Annabeth smiled, "I shall see you in the evening then," she said, bidding him a sweet goodbye.

The day passed by in an almost lavender haze for the heir apparent, the thought of meeting the boy fueling her further.

She'd never felt at ease during the festival of Athena, for it honoured her late mother who passed a day prior.

In recent years, her aunt had turned it into a sort of pageant, ordering herself a dozen new dresses and trying out whatever pastries or jewels her heart desired.

In her mind, the day was to celebrate her too. After all, she was the twin sister of Queen Athena.

It never bode well with Annabeth nor Malcolm to celebrate, which extended to her half brothers Matthew and Bobby as well.

Their own little tradition was the exchange and consumption of a gooseberry pie, sprinkled with lemon, the late queen's favourite.

They would swap the said pie between households, making it entirely themselves. The twins however, were entitled to some help from  Helen.

Towards the end of the day, the siblings had been covered in flour, sitting by their mother's grave as they ate their pie.

"I've never seen you this jolly before on this day," Malcom commented, his face covered in gooseberry filling, "You're always more grumpy than I am."

"I am not grumpy," Annabeth retorted, biting into her own handful of pie.

It was probably the best one the twins had ever made. It was not charred or burnt in the slightest, unlike last year, when the pie arrived almost burnt black.

"The boy and I are  going to town to watch the lanterns float by, would you like to join us?" she offered.

"You know how I feel about celebrating, sister," Malcom sighed, "I'm surprised you of all people would indulge the celebrations"

"Perhaps I've changed my mind?" Annabeth replied, disheartened by her brother's comment

"Or perhaps you've grown quite attached to the boy," Malcom smirked

Annabeth could feel her face flush, "that's ridiculous....we're just good friends."

"He is a good boy," Malcom continued, "But be careful, Annabeth. There's much you do not know about him. Stay away and stay safe."

"Is there something you know that I do not, Malcom?" Annabeth rasied her eyebrows, "It seems that you know more than you're letting in."

"I'm just looking out for you," Malcolm replied, fiddling with his coat buttons, "I do not want to see your heart broken when he leaves."

"Who says he will leave ?" Annabeth asked, questioning her brothers behaviour, "he may choose to stay. He's a wonderful solider and soon he'll have a worthy rank."

Malcom sighed, "All I want you to remember is, don't get too attached. We do not  know what the future holds," he said, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

"You need a haircut," Annabeth diverted, wishing to get away from this conversation.

Her brother rarely offered her direct advice, and when he did, it was to be heeded.

But for once, the princess did not know if she had it in her to heed her brother's warnings.

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