PeaceMaker

"Good!" Adria chuckled, "I would hunt you don't immediately if you did-"

Annabeth flinched, fear passing by her eyes. 'The certainty in her eyes… and the calmness of her voice…' she thought to herself as she gazed at Adria, a shiver running through her body again. 'She means it. She will..' 

Adria smiled, the intense light in her eyes disappearing as quickly as it overtook her blue crystals. "Yay! I think I've said what I wanted to say. Should we go back now?"

Annabeth nodded her head, a smile forming on her face. "Yes, your highness."

Adria turned to the door and began her walk to it. "I wonder if I kept him waiting for long… hopefully, they found some way to continue the conversation while we were gone," she chuckled, a light skip appearing in her light steps. They barely made a sound. "This event is way too long- oh!"

Adria paused, her hand frozen on the door handle. She turned back to Annabeth, a grin on her face. "I almost forgot."

Annabeth locked eyes with her, her head cocking to the side in confusion. "What is it, your highness?"

"Your highness…" Adria muttered, her grin thinning to a little smile, "don't call me that when we're alone. It's Adria to you then."

Annabeth flinched, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh.."

Adria chuckled, turning back to the door and turning to the handle. "Now shall we go?" she asked, looking back at Annabeth for a moment.

Annabeth nodded her head, her head lowered slightly to hide her smile. "Yes, your highness."

*

They both walked back into the ballroom, the loud sounds of music washing over them like a wave and sounds of chattering like the water crashing against rocks. It was loud. Loud and stifling, nothing like the fresh breath of air that was outside of the room.

There were eyes following them as they walked. Eyes followed the queen-to-be, then looking back at the person that followed her. The young new lady. The new beauties of the night. That was to be Annabeth's title, one that was whispered amongst them for her and her sisters. For her brother, it was the young knight.

"There you are, love!" Adria called out, her pace quickening when she saw her fiance, a bright smile forming on her face when his eyes met with hers. 

"Adria," Theodore greeted, reaching out his hand. Adria slipped her hand into it, her eyes locking with Theodore's. "I missed you, you took so long."

Adria blushed, her smile evolving to a grin. "Me too."

Annabeth watched them quietly with her own smile as she walked to her brother's side, who shot her a questioning gaze. She ignored it. 

"What did you even talk about that took so long?" Theodore asked as he pulled Adria closer, his head lowered to look at his fiance. A face he was obsessed with. A face he would forever be obsessed with. 

Adria smirked, throwing him a wink. "It's a secret," she whispered, her eyes catching Annabeth's for a moment before she turned back to her love, "nothing you need to know."

Theodore huffed, his cheeks growing defiantly. "Nothing I need to know? He repeated, "I thought we said never to keep anything from each other…"

Adria chuckled immediately, nodding her head. "Yes, yes, we did. I'll tell you later~ for now, let's focus on the people in front of us, right?"

Theodore sighed but nodded his head, a mischievous grin crossing his face. "Yes, my queen," he whispered close to her ears to which she blushed. The reaction he liked seeing from her the most. It was cute. Captivating in every way.

"What did you talk about? Adria asked, turning to the Crowly's, "nothing too big while I was away, right?"

Mr. Crowly immediately shook his head. "Nono, just some politics and other soft topics. In fact, we were talking about how we were going to leave in just a bit."

Adria's eyes widened. "Really?!" she announced, turning to Mrs. Crowly, "already??"

Mrs. Crowly immediately bowed her head, an apologetic smile on her face. "Sorry. We have to be home since we just recently came to the main city. There's a lot of things we have yet to get used to…" 

"Hmm…" Adria mumbled, a grin forming on her pretty lips, "or are you trying to hide away your beautiful and handsome children till the next time we see them?"

Mr. Crowly burst into laughter, accompanied by a little chuckle by Mrs. Crowly. "My, my, even if we were it won't be that long. Afterall, my girls wish to be your ladies in waiting. They would love to be able to go around with your royal highnesses."

Adria chuckled, looking at Mrs. Crowly, "Really?" she asked.

"Of course, a pretty item is meant to be worn, not hidden away," Mrs. Crowly promptly noted. "I'll love to allow them to be able to mix with people of their age more often."

Adria giggled, her laugh almost in sync with her fiance's. "Agreed."

Annabeth glanced at her mother slightly. 'More often?' she thought to herself. 'How often is often?' on her face was a little smile. A smile Adria noticed. 

"Well then.." Theodore smiled, "We better not keep you for any longer."

Mr. Crowly shook his head. "Nono, you can keep us for as long as you want. We'll happily stay."

"I'd hate to deprive you of rest though. It's very important," Theodore refused, "the event is basically over and the results of who got accepted will be coming out tomorrow. It's already really late…" he glanced at Adria with a little smile. "Rest assured that after this, I'll be getting a good rest myself.

Adria chuckled. "Please be aware of those that are in our presence, your royal highness."

Theodore grinned, nodding his head at her comment. "Yes, my queen."

Mrs. Crowly looked at the two with a little smile on her face. It was nice to see them as they were. In love, that is. It had been a few years since she'd felt as special as Adria looked. She missed it. 

She looked down at the hand that was still on her waist, her smile remaining on her face. Maybe those days were close. She turned back to Theodore and Adria. '...Maybe.'

"Well then," Adria smiled, turning to all of them, her eyes locking with Annabeth's momentarily before she turned back to Mr. Crowly. "I think it's time to say goodbye."

Mrs. Crowly bowed her head. "It's been an absolute pleasure to have been able to talk to your highnesses. We are deeply honored to have your attention."

'I'm sure you are..' Annabeth thought to herself as she looked at her father who was grinning happily at Theodore. 'Can't even look at the queen…'

"Goodnight your highnesses," Mr. Crowly bowed to which his offsprings immediately bowed. 

"It's been an honor speaking with you, your highnesses," Justin commented.

"We look forward to speaking to you once again," Annabeth added, in unison with her sisters. 

Adria's eyes looked down at Justin, Jena, and maria. Watching them scanning them. Digging into their eyes. She turned to Annabeth with blank eyes but a smile on her face and looked back at the family, her hand raising to wave at them. "I'll see you all later! Hopefully the next time as my ladies-in-waiting and another as a knight-in-training." 

To that, Mr. and Mrs. Crowly bowed then turned around and began to walk away, their children following behind them. 

Annabeth turned back to look at Adria, their eyes meeting for a mere second. They shared a smile.

*

The ride back was quiet. All of them tired from the evening as the moon hung above them, shining a dreamy light on them. 

Despite the calming atmosphere, it was still tense. There were questions in the air. Waiting to be asked, waiting to be revealing and curiosities waiting to be filled.

There were also faces to remember and problems to deal with. It was all waiting, the rocky carriage ride home the least of their worries but rather the path leading them to it. The little bridge where loads of worries waited on the other side. 

Annabeth gazed out the window of the carriage, her eyes watching as people passed by, as houses passed by, as lights flowed by. Wind touched her elegant face and stung her lungs when she inhaled it. 

'It's cold…' Annabeth thought to herself as her eyes slowly closed. 'And loud…' 

She relaxed into her seat and drowned out the silence of the carriage, her ears taking in the sounds of the night. Her shoulders dropped as she let out a sigh. 'That's better.. It's quiet.'