PeaceMaker

Nobody really knew what to say after she left so the room hung in an awkward silence.

Annabeth survieled the surrounding. Her sister Jena was tapping the edge of her plate absentmindedly, Justin simply drank his tea and bit out of his biscuit in silence, his father at the head of the table seemed twice as nervous as Maria who looked like she was going to stand up and run out of the room. Annabeth was going to beat her to it.

Annabeth finished her tea and stood up from the table. She stood for a second as everyone at the table turned to look at her but she could care less and simply leaned in and too a biscuit from the middle of the table.

She looked around the table and chuckled, "What's with the faces everyone? Haha, your skin looks whiter than the powder I have on my table."

She turned to her father and smirked, "Are you anxious father?"

It took a second for her father to turn to face her. "Do not begin spewing dirty words now, Annabeth."

"I'm notttt, I'm just wondering what you're anxious about," Annabeth shrugged and began to walk away from the table, each step she took watched by those in the room. As she began to leave she stopped at her father's side and peered down at him.??

"Whether you're anxious about what happened and how it's going to pan down or???" Annabeth leaned into her father's ear, "the fact that she might not act the way you want her to today?"

Annabeth peered down at him, chuckling when she noticed his quivering lips. "Finish soon father, you'll be neeading the energy for today," Annabeth grinned patting his shoulder. She looked up at the others at the table and locked eyes with a few of the servants. They bowed their heads immediately.

She looked down at her dad with pity, "That's if you're able to eat anything in this stifling atmosphere."

Annabeth giggled and began to walk away.

"Annabeth!" Mr. Crowly called out to her.

She paused and craned her neck to look at him, pute annoyance displayed on her face. She forced a smile. "Yes father?"

They locked eyes and he looked at her pleadingly. "Where are you going?"

Annabeth sighed and turned around to address him. "We are going to see the king today, where do you think I'm going? To my room to sleep?"

Mr. Crowly looked away for a moment.

"If that's all, I'll be taking my leave now," Annabeth nodded, taking??a bow and then turning around to leave.

"Wait!" Mr. Crowly called out again.??

Annabeth clenched her fist to suppress her anger. She turned around again, her face fully displaying anger. She forced another smile. "What is it again Father?"

"Your mother," Mr. Crowly muttered, staring at the seat her mother had been in the moment before. He turned to Annabeth desperately.??

Annebeth read his mood immediately, she hated it. Her smile broke down into a scroll. She wasn't going to hide it this time.??

??????Annabeth can you-" He bagan.

"Check in on mother?" Annabeth cocked her head, "cheer her up."

Mr. Crowly's face lit up when Annabeth guessed what he wanted. He was ashamed to say it out loud.??

"No," Annabeth answered with a nonchalant shrug. "I don't want to."

Mr. Crowly's smile melted and was filled with anger, "ANNABETH."

Annabeth chuckled. She wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. "Why should I?"

"What?" Mr. Crowly cocked his head in disbelief. "Have you forgotten you position in this house?"

Annabeth scoffed. "You seem to be forgetting the reason why we're going to the palace father. Do you think we're going there because of you? To examine all the good things that you'e done? Don't make me laugh."

Mr. Crowly pursed his lips, unsure of what to say next.??

"The only reason you're going to be seeing the king today is because of me father. Why are you pushing me around on the day of my entrance into the palace? You seem to have forgotten how quickly my mouth can run when my fuse is lit," Annabeth chuckled, her smile wiped off her face in meer seconds of it showing. "I can bring this family to shame in one word and yet you try to upset me before the entrance? Do you not value the family's name?"

Mr. Crowly flinched.??

"Oh and also, I haven't forgotten anything, I know very well that I am the daughter of the family. Not the father," Annabeth smiled, "you want me to calm mother? Do I look like you? Why would you ask me to comfort your wife? Don't tell me???" Annabeth walked closer to her father and leaned into his ear. "Don't tell me you can't comfort her yourself?"

Mr. Crowly shivered, his hand curling up into a fist.??

Annabeth chuckled, noticing his fist. "Hey there??? calm down," She patted his shoulder with an amused smile, "I was only speaking facts afterall."

Mr. Crowly clenched his jaw, his fist tightening.??

"Oh and before you think it's our fault she's like this so we have to take responsibility, you'd be wrong. I think you need to pay more attention to your surrounding before she gets sick of your ignorance," Annabeth shrugged. "I' sure they'll be others waiting if you somehow end up not being able to handle a treasure. By the way things are going, I think that'll be better for her."

Mr. Crowly snapped. "HOW DARE YOU TALK TO YOUR FATHER IN SUCH A DEMEANING SPEECH?!" His hands rose up to hit Annabeth.

She didn't flinch and just stood there in strong eye contact with her father, not a strand of fright in her eyes.??

A second before his hand hit her cheek it froze, unable to hit Annabeth.??

Annabeth chuckled. "What are you waiting for? Go ahead and hit me," she growled, "you liked you had been craving hitting me so why stop now, go ahead and hit me. Hit the face that will be seeing the prince. Go ahead, don't hesitate. HIT ME."

Mr. Crowly trembled and hit hands fell to his side.??

"Ah???" Annabeth looked down at him, "you can't control your family, comfort your wife and neither can you discipline your children." She eyed him up and down. "How pathetic."

Mr. Crowly let out a shaky frustrated sigh.??

"Here I thought we'd make some progress. How sad," Annabeth ran her hand through her hair.??

Annabeth turned around to walk away but Maria stood behind her. In a blink of an eye, Maria's hand rose up to slap Annabeth. They never got to reach her cheek, Annabeth caught her hand mid-swing.??

"Do you think you have the right to input yourself in this conversation right now Maria? Don't be foolish," Annabeth tossed Maria's hand away.

Maria pulled up her left hand and rose it up to slap Annabeth again. It was swatted away.??

"Really? Again?"

Maria looked up at Annabeth, tears forming in her eyes. "Why are you doing this Annabeth, please stop."

"You're going to try to stop me now?" Annabeth chuckled, "Don't be pathetic and go get dressed with those jewels you worked so hard to collect."

Annabeth pushed Maria away and began to walk away when she stopped to talk to her father. "Oh and father. I don't think bags and jewels can fix the issue this time. She already has too many of those???" Annabeth glanced at Maria, "well that's if you even have enough money to buy a bag now."

"Annabeth???" Mr. Crowly called out again.

"Go solve the issue by yourself father. You are the head of this family for a reason. Don't act like the tail now," Annabeth rolled her eyes. Before another interruption, she turned around and left the room.??

She was sick of having to talk to them.

Annabeth walked down the hall, her feet the only thing bouncing off the walls. It was quiet, not a single sound to be heard.??

She walked to her mother's door and stood in front of it for a moment. She could hear sniffles of a muffled cry. She continued down the hallway without a second thought and walked to her room.??

"Why get married to him now mother. Look what you've done to yourself???" Annabeth muttered with a sigh of disappointment. "This where all your work has led you??? it's a bit sad."

Annabeth pulled open her door and glanced down the hallway one more time. "Hold on a bit mother??? I'll try to change things." She entered her room and shut the door.

Down the hall, her mother laid on the bed quietly, silent tears falling down her cheeks without restraint. It was a bad moment for her, leaving her with nothing but a blank mind on a wide cold bed as she tried to drown in its soft covers.??

This all seemed like a mistake. Her dress was a mistake, her smiles were mistakes, her happiness was a mistake. Her family was a mistake..??Her ring was a mistake.