| |
The floating kingdom had fortified itself with a barrier, an extension of the sea king’s power. The underwater city had turned black, for it was a war that the siren queen was waging against Brutus, both for his trident and his throne.
With her pet Kraken by her side, the sea queen unleashed her attacks on the floating kingdom. The crystal palace shook as the monster lashed itself on the floating city.
Ariana watched her father helplessly through the barrier. She could hear screams and crying of others. Only the barrier, and her father stood in the way of the attacking monsters.
Ariana watched in horror as a crack appeared in the barrier above. Her father’s powers were failing.
Brutus knew the stakes as he unleashed his power on the siren queen. He had to save his daughter. He had to save his kingdom.
Soon, the battle was over. The sea king had injured both the siren queen and the Kraken. They retreated to their lair to recover. The king knew he had not much energy left in him. He returned to his castle already having made a grave decision.
He called for his daughter Ariana to his chamber.
“Father! They hurt you!” Ariana exclaimed.
“Yes, my child, but don't worry about that. I want you to listen to me. Take my ring and hide on the surface. Go far away from the ocean,” Brutus said to his only daughter. “The siren queen thinks the trident is the source of my power. She doesn't know about my ring.”
“I cannot do that, father. I cannot leave you like this,” Ariana cried.
“The sea witch is dead, and I cannot fight the siren alone for much longer,” The king said, urgently. "You need to protect the oceans, and you need to save yourself."
“Then give me the ring and I will go fight her myself,” Ariana said.
“Promise me you will not. I will not lose you like your mother. Go to the surface and live your life as a human,” the king pleaded. "Do not let the siren queen get her hands on this ring."
Ariana wanted the ring, and her father wouldn’t give it to her until she promised, so she did the only thing she could. Ariana knew it was wrong, but she lied and promised that she would do as her father said.
“Thank you, my child. I can be at peace knowing you will be safe. Let me rest now,” the sea king said. “Let me rest before the siren queen returns.”
Ariana left his chamber with the ring. Had he known, what she had planned next would have devastated her father.
Just facing it alone was madness, but Ariana set off to face both the Kraken and its master, the siren queen.
“Where are you going?” said a familiar voice.
Ariana stopped. She couldn’t believe that it was Victor there before her. He was wearing his mother’s immortality ring.
“Victor, you are back?” Ariana asked. She wanted to know she wasn’t seeing a ghost.
“Yes, I had no choice but to return,” Victor said. "Onyx told me about everything that was going on before she died."
“Onyx is dead?” Ariana asked, numb with shock.
“All the siren sisters are dead. The siren queen killed them,” Victor replied.
“My sisters are gone? The siren queen killed them all?”
“Yes, they told me to come find you and protect you,” Victor said.
“My dear sisters! I could do nothing for them,” Ariana cried.
“Why did you not call for help?” Victor exclaimed.
"How could I? I have taken so much from you,” Ariana replied. “I did not want your pity.”
“Then you shall have none,” Victor replied coldly. “What will you do to stop the queen?”
“I have my father’s ring. I will use it to defeat the siren queen,” Ariana said. “Do not stop me, Victor. I don’t care about my life.”
“You think I will stop you to save your life, Ariana?” Victor asked, coldly. “If you go there now, you will lose the only chance we have of defeating the Kraken and the siren queen. “
Ariana knew Victor was right. If her father couldn’t stop the siren queen, what chance did she have when she could do no magic?
“Tell me what I should do, Victor. I cannot see a way to defeat her,” Ariana said.
“We cannot hope to defeat the Kraken and the siren queen together... but we might defeat them each alone,” Victor said.
“How can we do that?” Ariana asked. “Nothing penetrates the Kraken’s skin... no weapons and no magic.”
“There was a time when the creature was injured and weakened. I think I know how it happened,” Victor said. “The Kraken goes to the surface every few days. I found an account in a mortal book about ships being wrecked by a giant creature. The mortals rallied together and slammed one of their ships into the Kraken’s belly. That was the injury that caused it to be weakened, and my mother then could trap it in her spells.”
“We would need the mortals’ help then. But who would help us?” Ariana asked.
“We will have to talk to Prince Richard, Ivan’s older brother,” Victor replied.
Ariana thought she would never hear the names Ivan and Richard again, but here they were spoken by Victor.
“You know Richard?” Ariana asked, surprised.
“Yes. He told me to come find him, if there was ever a time I needed help,” Victor said. “I believe he was speaking the truth, so I will go to him.”
“We will go together. This is my fight as much as it is yours,” Ariana said.
“You want to meet Richard? Are you prepared to face your past?” Victor asked.
“Yes. It is time I faced everything,” Ariana replied.
Victor and Ariana returned the ring to the sea king. For the first time in months, Brutus felt hopeful after seeing Victor. Victor did not tell him what Ariana had planned to do alone. He did, however, shared with him the plan to defeat the Kraken with the help of the mortals.
“I never thought I would see the day when we had to ask the mortals for help,” the sea king said.
Victor waited for the king’s refusal, but was surprised when Brutus said, “I only agree because you believe them, Victor.”
“Thank you. I will not let you down, my king,” Victor said.
“You never have, my son,” the sea king replied. “I trust you more than I even trust myself. Go talk to the mortals. Maybe both our worlds can save each other, together.”
———
While a mortal, Victor learned how humans send messages to one another with messenger birds. He enchanted a bird, an albatross, to send one of his messages to Prince Richard.
Bird of flight, take my word,
Find the prince. Let the message be heard.
He sends a message to Richard to come meet him by the shore. He mentioned Ariana would be there too, and that it was an urgent matter for both worlds, as countless lives were at stake.
While Ariana and Victor waited, they heard the sounds of two horses approaching. On the first horse, it was Richard that dismounted. On the second was a young woman.
Richard’s appearance startled Ariana, for he looked so much like his dead brother. They had the same blond hair and blue eyes... but no; they were quite different, Ariana quickly realized. Where Ivan was open and smiling, Richard was reserved and somber. Ariana remembered painfully that Richard was not the one who deceived her.
“You are Ariana. I never thought we would get the chance to meet. Though my brother paid with his life, I am sorry for the pain he put you through,” Richard said solemnly.
“Perhaps it would have not happened this way, if I had understood Ivan better,” Ariana replied. Victor was quietly listening to Ariana’s words, but his face didn’t reveal what he was thinking.
“There will be a time for healing, right now we have more dire matters to consider,” the young woman who came with Richard said.
It was Sarah, Ariana realized. Ariana hadn’t seen Sarah since she was in King Stephen’s castle. The days before it all went to chaos. The days before Prince Ivan’s tragic death.
Richard bowed to both Ariana and Sarah before leaving with Victor. He left Ariana with Sarah, as he went with Victor to discuss what was at stake.
“Ariana! I was afraid I might never see you again!” Sarah said.
Ariana immediately felt guilty. She didn’t want to see anyone that reminded her of her foolishness, and Sarah had tried to warn her.
“Sarah, I am afraid to ask how Ivan’s parents are, especially Queen Martha?” Ariana asked.
“They are grieving his loss and wish it didn’t happen,” Sarah replied.
“It breaks my heart. It happened because of me. I couldn’t protect him!” Ariana exclaimed.
“There isn’t much you could have done, Ariana,” Sarah said.
“I should have listened to you, Sarah. I should have told Ivan to talk to my father,” Ariana said, sadly. “Then perhaps the sea witch would not have tricked Ivan.. and he would still be alive.”
“My dear, do not blame yourself. You could not have done or said anything to Ivan that would have changed his mind,” Sarah replied.
“I should have at least tried to talk to my father,” Ariana said with regret.
“I am afraid even that would not have stopped Ivan’s death,” Sarah said.
“What do you mean, Sarah?” Ariana asked. “Is there something you know about Ivan?”
“I do not want to speak ill of those that have gone. Ivan has already paid with his life... and I am dearly sorry for his loss... but I cannot let you live your life in regret, without you knowing all that Ivan did,” Sarah said.
“All that Ivan did? What did he do, Sarah?” Ariana asked, surprised.
“Before you abruptly left the castle, Ivan went to see the sea witch,” Sarah said.
“Yes, I realized he must have met Ursula before our wedding took place... was to take place. That was when she gave him the poison disguised as a potion,” Ariana said.
“This was after he met the sea witch and before you two left the castle... Richard followed Ivan, he saw him with the sea witch, and confronted him about meeting her,” Sarah said.
“Richard saw him with the sea witch?” Ariana asked, alarmed.
“Yes. Richard asked Ivan about the potion, and he told Richard that it was to defeat the sea king. Richard begged him to think about you. He begged him to think how hurt you would be if you found out, but Ivan didn’t listen,” Sarah said.
The sea witch told Ariana that Ivan took the potion of his own free will, and that he wanted to defeat her father.. but she hadn’t completely believed her. Here Sarah was saying Ursula’s exact words. The sea witch had been telling the truth.
Ariana was in shock.
“I know it is hard to hear this, Ariana, but it gets worse. Richard told Ivan to speak with your father, to come up with a diplomatic solution,” Sarah said.
“Richard told him to speak to my father?” Ariana asked, numbly.
“Yes. Richard told Ivan to do the right thing or if he couldn’t do that, then he should let you go...” Sarah said.
“What happened after that? What did Ivan say?”
“It was no use.. Ivan had gone mad. Ivan said he wanted to marry you and keep his kingdom. He wouldn’t let anyone stop him... not even his older brother. He hit Richard, left him unconscious in the heavy storm. Ivan left him for dead. Ivan took Richard’s horse with him so he wouldn’t follow,” Sarah said. “By the time Richard came back to the castle, both of you had left the castle. Richard wanted to find you, to warn you, but he blacked out again. He had caught a high fever walking back to the castle in the storm. He was too feverish to move.”
Ariana was trembling. Her heart broke knowing Ivan’s complete deception. Not only had Ivan tried to hurt her father for greed and power, but he hurt his older brother too. Tears fell down Ariana’s cheeks. She was too speechless to say anything.
Sarah quickly wiped Ariana’s tears with her sleeve and embraced her.
“I am sorry for causing you further hurt, my love... but you needed to know the complete truth. Nothing that you could have done would have changed the outcome. Nothing could have prevented Ivan’s death,” Sarah said.
“He was my first love,” Ariana cried bitterly.
“He will always be your first love, Ariana... but that doesn’t mean he will be your last,” Sarah consoled her. “You will live, and learn, and even learn to love again.”
“The hurt is too much to bear,” Ariana said.
“Let it hurt, my love, but don’t let it break you. You have much to do... there is so much you could do,” Sarah said.
“What could I do?” Ariana asked, bleakly.
“You can save our worlds. You can stop the sea monster and the siren queen from taking more lives,” Sarah said.
“Why are you so kind to me?” Ariana sobbed.
“You are my sister. It could have been Isabelle, and Ivan would have done the same. He would have hurt anyone for power,” Sarah said.
“I will do all that I can. I could not save Ivan, but I will save others. Can you do one favor for me, Sarah?”
“What is that, my dear?”
“Can you return this locket and this ring back to King Stephen and Queen Martha? It is the last remaining token I have of Ivan. They would want it back,” Ariana said. “Tell them I am sorry and please tell them to forgive me.”
“They know everything about Ivan, and they do not blame you... I will send them your message, if it will lessen the burden in your heart,” Sarah replied.
“Thank you, Sarah,” Ariana said. “Thank you for everything.”
Sarah nodded. She saw Richard and Victor returning to them.
Victor and Richard returned to discuss the strategy they had planned. Their plan was that Ariana and Victor were to distract the Kraken away from the siren queen. They would bring the Kraken towards the surface, where Richard would wait with a dozen or more ships. The ships will attack the monster from above and hopefully injure it enough so that they could trap it with spells again.
Once they defeat the Kraken, Ariana and Victor would think of a way to defeat the siren queen.
“Do you think it could be done?” Richard asked. “Do you think it is possible to defeat the monster this way?”
“Yes. I believe this is the only chance we have,” Victor replied.
“I will get my ships ready. Bring the creature to the surface, and my ships will take care of the rest,” Richard replied.
“I hope this plan works,” Sarah said with concern to Victor and Ariana. “You two will place yourselves in great danger. Please be careful!”
“We have to be careful, and the plan has to work,” Ariana replied grimly. “The fates of both our worlds depend on it.”
———