Chapter Text
While it wasn’t the most memorable night, Percy was at least content.
The evening had been spent, warmly tucked to his mothers side reading until their guests arrived for dinner, and the book was a favorite.
“Your so smart” She told him, a small finger curling back a stray hair that Percy had missed, both fixing his appearance and giving a loving gesture.
When the dinner started he had removed himself to sit where proper for his status in the family.
His younger siblings Oliver, Whitney, and Ludwig were still straggling to the table having been running around giggling not too long before their Mother’s call had summoned them back to the table for the first course.
Percy was seated between the youngest- ugh, Cassandra, and his two elder siblings on his right, Vesper animatedly chatting with their eldest brother, Julius.
If Percy was hearing right Vesper was talking to Julius about some boy at court and he desperately wanted no part of that conversation.
So he looked over to see what Cassandra was going, more out of boredom then duty to in anyway stop her on whatever mischief she was thinking of.
Cass was dressed more formally then normal, a bid from mother likely. Her dress was a big cuter then average, with princess sleeves and a poofy skirt that of course didn’t reveal anything.
Percy let his eyes travel downward and smirked when he saw the familiar brown staining her stockings, despite not a bit on her shoes. She’d been out in the gardens despite instructions not to dirty herself.
“Practice?’ He leaned down to whisper with all the practice a noble child could have.
Cassandra’s glare was loud and he simply smiled, reaching for his drink.
“Where is your overcoat?” She asked back and Percy’s drink slid up his nose, with a barely conceived cough as he tried to clear the liquid where he’d choked.
“It was an accident downstairs, that’s not that important” He muttered.
“Hmm I’m sure. Did you burn a hole clean through?” She sniped. Percy glanced over to catch the most infuriating grin on her smug face.
“At least i listened about not going out on the grounds before supper.” He teased back and the dusting of red on Cassandra’s cheeks was well worth what happened next, in his opinion.
At first Cassandra just scowled, twisting her face into a very un-regal face, and if he glanced down he could see her hands balling into fists and a fear shot through him that he’d actually upset-
A solid heel slammed through his toes and Percy's knee shot up, hitting the table loud enough that the wine glass his mother was reaching for nearly tipped.
Everything went dead quiet as their parents eyes went to them. There was warning in his mothers eyes that Percy quickly avoided with flaming cheeks.
Vesper and Julius were snickering just loud enough he could hear and no doubt thinking of ways to tease him about this.
“Oh I’m so sorry Percy! Are you okay? I mis-stepped” Cass’s voice echoed sugary sweet and Percy sent her a scowl of his own, his sister grinning back
Oh that little-
“Children! Listen up this is important”
An unfamiliar hushed any thought of revenge and Percy smiled slightly. The Briarwoods had certainly been thoughtful company, and nice to all of the, even the youngest of them.
She was pretty for being not much younger then his mother, with soft brunette hair and tan skin that glowed under candle light. Percy found his self leaning back in his seat rapidly invested in every word she spoke in that soft accent.
The speech was a general one meant only to be a breaking of the ice before their food arrived. By the time she had finished Sylas, her husband, was looking at her with every inch radiating devotion. He looked ready to snatch her away.
There was a loud bang, and Percy’s heard thudded in his chest where guards suddenly poured in.
“What is the meaning of this!” His mother screamed, and a second later was choking where magic, dark horrible and black like night surrounded her throat.
Percy couldn’t breathe couldn’t move, could only look to his father who’s chest was seared by a sword, long sharp and black, wicked as death.
Behind it the owner grinned, and Percy glimpsed fangs, blood red eyes meeting his like a promise that he was going to be next.
He didn’t hear Vesper or Julius from next to them he just felt Cass’s hands pulling, tugging him from his chair and the blur of the halls.
In the end it didn’t matter.
Percy didn’t escape.
Things weren’t the same after that.
They would never be the same.