PeaceMaker

Annabeth looked up at Adria, a confused expression showing in her eyes, her head tipping to the side slightly. "He?"

Adria peered at Annabeth for a moment before letting out a little chuckle, the smile on her face growing. "The boy you were dancing with. Antonio was it? Antonio Hane. The young marquess of the Hane family, a fine man indeed. With good eyes, if I must mention."

Annabeth flinched. "What? What do you mean Antonio?"

Adria laughed. "I saw you guys dancing. Quite a nice scene indeed… though it was awkward at first."

Annabeth's cheeks heated up slightly at Adria's comment. "You saw?"

"Yup yup," Adria nodded, "you guys are so cute together. I like it." 

Annabeth's eyes narrowed a little, her eyes looking away to avoid Adria's gaze as she pouted slightly. "You were watching me?"

"Not just me, the entire room was watching you two. It's so intriguing how you guys go so caught up in each other when the whole room was right there, their eyes on the new unmarried lady and the young Marquess all mothers want to marry off to their daughters," Adria grinned. "The way you followed each other around the room was nice, fun, and entertaining."

Annabeth let out a little sigh. "Was it?" she asked, her eyes falling a little, "seems like I've really damaged my reputation this time. I wonder what they'll call me… I wonder what tomorrow's news headlines would be…"

Adria let go of Annabeth's chin, her intense eyes lightening up in mood as she giggled. "It won't be you guys on the headlines, I can assure you, I'm pretty sure the world is dying to see the face of the queen to be," she smiled, her eyes dimming for a moment, "so much that it's scary…"

Annabeth followed Adria's eyes, noticing the slight dip in her mood. It wasn't long before the blue crystals brightened up again and turned to face Annabeth, excitement flowing through the,. 

"But I'm sure you guys are going to be up there," Adria smirked, "The Scandal Of The Young Marquess And The New Lady…"

Annabeth twitched, cringing a little. 

"An extravagant title it's going to be...," Adria nodded her head, taking a step towards Annabeth. Her hand raised again, her eyes digging into Annabeth, sending a shiver down her spine with her fingers touched Annabeth's face. "Especially after…" she whispered, her voice trailing off as she maintained eye contact with Annabeth. Slowly, her fingers ran down Annabeth's jawline, her touch soft and hot, leaving a trail in her wake as her fingers traveled to Annabeth's chin. 

Annabeth twitched, her eyes flickering down to Adria's hands and then back up to Adria's eyes. 

"Especially after that moment… that touch…" Adria smiled, her finger booping Annabeth's chin lightly. 

Annabeth flinched, her eyes lowering as a memory flashing into her eyes from just a few minutes ago when Adria had done the same thing. Her eyes widened, darting to Adria. "You- was that what you-"

"Yes," Adria smiled, "glad you realized it." 

"Then all the other times you got close to me… or touched me were like reminders…?" Annabeth asked, her words falling over each other slightly. 

Adria nodded her head in reply. "Yup. Took you a while though…"

Annabeth blinked in confusion, her eyebrows furrowing. "But why…"

"Because you're cute. I like you," Adria chuckled. "I found you interesting when he first met. Your demeanor was alluring so I wanted to be friends immediately."

Annabeth took in Adria's words, trying to piece together what she was saying.

"Because to me wanting to be friends, it was easy for me to spot you when you performed. You shined like a literal gem. Almost like you wanted me to notice you, like a beacon so I followed you," Adria shrugged, "thanks to that, I also managed to find another pair of eyes that were especially glued on you."

Annabeth glanced at Adria, locking eyes with her. "And that was?"

"Antonio," Adria smiled, "the same guy you sat with to eat." 

Annabeth flinched, her eyes widening in shock, "You saw that too??"

"For someone who holds such a mysterious air, you're not really that good at being discreet," Adria chuckled, "though I must say, he did a good job at picking a place for you to eat. That corner was well hidden."

Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed again for a moment before they released, a tiny sigh leaving her lips. "Why exactly are you telling me this, your highness?" she asked, her eyes dropping slightly, "it is to tell me that I've been disqualified for being accepted as a lady-in-waiting?"

Adria shook her head immediately. "Nonono!" she assured, "I was only telling you because I liked the direction in which it was going. You can like him, Marquess Antonio."

Annabeth blinked in confusion again. "What??" she asked. 

"I saw your siblings pull you away from the dance. It was good that they did-"

"You saw?! Did my parents see??!" 

"No, they didn't."

"Oh… ok good…"

"I saw and I had to tell you not to get too scared. As I said, I like you, I want to be close to you. A good friend. I can't have a good friend of mine being drowned out in her concerns and starting to lose the shine that makes her, her," Adria shrugged. 

Annabeth stared at her blankly, a look of confusion still plastered on her face. "I-" 

"I know, it's kind of weird. Me being the queen to be and all but yet sitting down and wanting to be friends with a lady like you," Adria chuckled, "but I have my reasons. And for those reasons, I have to guide you in the right direction. Keep you focused on the path to me."

Annabeth thought about it for a moment. "Ok…" she replied, letting out a long sigh. "I'm sorry for questioning things a lot, your highness. It's kind of my thing…"

Adria chuckled. "It's fine. You have a high guard. It's one of the reasons why I like you," she teased, her voice dropped as she mumbled something under her breath. "One of the most useful parts of you too…"

Annabeth cocked her head, "What was that your highness? I didn't get the las-"

"Anyways~ that was basically all I had to say." Adria smiled. "Nothing concerning, is it? I just wanted to talk to you alone. I promised to do it afterall."

Annabeth nodded her head in understanding. Her shoulders dropped slightly as she laughed. "You're a lot easier to talk to, your highness. And a lot more freer too… quite a woman of her promises."

Adria grinned glancing at Annabeth. "Only at the ones I want to keep close."

They exchanged laughter for a minute. 

"Oh right! That reminds me," Adria gasped. 

"What is it?!" Annabeth asked, her eyebrows rising in concern. 

Adria turned to Annabeth, her eyes settling into the calm but intense gaze again. "Be careful of your surroundings. This is inside the palace, the walls are thin and you are in the limelight from the moment you step out of this room," Adria muttered, "be careful of those around you because there were a few… gazes from people that you might want to be watchful of."

Annabeth locked eyes with Adria for a moment, a little smile forming on her face. "Got it."

"They might be some that'll try to get close to you and everything and those are the ones you have to be the most careful around. Afterall, most hunters catch their prey from a close distance," Adria smiled, her eyes narrowed as a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Don't worry about the majority of the others though. Most of them will quiet down after tomorrow morning. That man that you danced with… he's good at keeping his words. 

Annabeth looked away from Adria for a moment, her eyes falling to the floor. 'But, I take responsibility for the actions I make..' his words rang in her head again. "Does he…?"

Adria nodded her head. "Trust him. I'll never say that to you if I didn't mean it."

Annabeth turned to look at Adria, a gentle smile forming on her face. "Thank you, your h- wait a second… HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO US TO EVEN HEAR OUR CONVERSATION?!" 

Adria shrugged, placing her finger on her lips. "It's a secret," she chuckled.

Annabeth gazed at Adria with untrusting eyes for a moment before sighed, a little smile forming on her face. "It seems like I can't get away from her highness…"

Adria smiled. "No. Never, you can't," she chortled, her eyes locking with Annabeth's. "So don't try to." They stared at each other for a moment, their eyes digging into each other.

Annabeth shuddered a little, being affected by Adria's gaze. She smiled.. "I won't."