I remember it like it was yesterday. The humans took my mother away when I was just little. She was a beautiful queen. She had the most beautiful red hair and the prettiest brown eyes. Her voice was like silk and her touch was the most calming thing in the ocean. The took her when we were on an outing for oysters that day. She got tangled in their fishing nets and as they dragged her away she told me and my sisters to hide no matter what happens.
That has the last time I ever saw her.
"Ariel!" I rubbed my eyes to Arista's screeching voice.
"Five more minutes Arista." I moaned into my pillow.
She grumbled and snatched my pillow from under me making my head hit the bottom of my shell bed. "Get up Ariel! Dad is going to have my head if you aren't there on time! Please get up!" And with that she swam out.
I groaned. She was right. I sat up and stretched my arms. I stretched forward and touched my fins cracking my back. I sighed in relief. I got up and swan to the large group of mirrors where we all got ready. Alana was there brushing her hair.
"Morning Ariel!" She chimed brushing her flowing black hair.
"Hi Alana." I groaned as I picked up a brush and raked it through my bright red hair. She frowned at me and put down her brush and applied some lipstick.
"You okay? Aren't you excited! You are going to be matched today!" She said patting my shoulder.
I cringed. "Not really. I don't want to be."
She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure you will change your mind when you see all the handsome guys out there." She winked and swam out.
I groaned. "Ugh." I looked myself in the eyes and frowned. "Here goes nothing. I swam out of our room and down the hall into my fathers thron room. All my sisters were there and all smiling. They had all been matched but not married. You didn't get married untill you were eighteen. I fake smiled back and swam up to my father who was sitting on this big stone throne.
"Hello daddy." I said curtsying. He smiled.
"Good morning Ariel, you are seven minutes late." He said smirking. "I know this isn't top on your list of things you want to do Ariel but this is your duty as a princess and someday you might be queen, so please, bear with me on this. Please?" he asked taking my hand in his. I looked down at his huge hand which consumed mine and sighed.
"Okay daddy."
He smiled and kissed my cheek. "Thank you Ariel." He cleared his throat. "Bring in the suitors!" he boomed to the servants by the doors.
A long line of mermen suddenly swam in. I groaned. This was going to be a long day. I swam down in front of the line and smiled slightly. The first one swam up to me. He had long blond hair and blue eyes which matched his fins.
"Your grace, I am Victor son of James the first." He said bowing.
My eyes popped out of me. That was one of the richest families in this kingdom. He offered his hand and I took it expecting a handshake but of course he kissed it. I grimaced and fake smiled. "Pleased to meet you Victor." I said about to throw up. He frowned at my facial expression and bowed and swam away.
Forty suitors later I was exhausted. I really just wanted to die. It had been three hours of horrible looking rich men, awkward moments and kisses. Finally the last one swam up to me and to tell the truth he wasn't bad looking. Not beautiful just good. He had brown short hair and blue eyes and a red tail. His chest and arms ere sculpted very nicely. I was excited to hear this one. I looked back at my sisters and they looked excited too. Finally her reached me.
"Hello! I'm Arnold of the Carson family!" He screeched in the highest possible voice I had ever heard. I almost burst out laughing so I held my hand over my mouth and I heard a few of my sisters chuckle loudly. He glared at me and swam out of the room. My sisters all started laughing and I couldn't help but join them.
"Ariel!" We all stopped and saw our father in front of us glaring at us. There was a long silence. "All I asked you to do today was to pick a future husband and what do you do? You make a joke out of it! I'm am done with this! I am going to pick for you whether you like it or not! All of you go to your rooms! NOW!"
"Yes daddy." We all said and quickly swam to our room. When we reached the room I sat on my bed stunned. I was just rewarded with an arranged marriage. I lay down and silently cried my self into a deep sleep.
I woke up and looked at the clock next to my bed it was one in the afternoon. The room was empty. I sighed and swam out the window into the village below. The people were always so nice and cheerful. I waved and chimed hello to everyone when I felt a bony hand grab my wrist and drag me into a small house.
"Hey! What's the big idea?!" I screeched.
I looked around and saw I was in a house and in front of a small table and an old woman in a shroud.
"Hello princess!" she said with a cackle.
I grimaced. She had chipped yellow teeth, long shaggy white hair but very beautiful bright purple eyes. She motioned to the table. "Would you like palm reading?"
I looked around and saw no threat. "Sure. Is it free?"
She smiled darkly. "Yes ma'am...well mostly." I swam to the table and took a seat in the chair as she sat a cross from me. She held out her hand and I took it. She flipped it over and started to study my palm.
"Hmmm…interesting…your life is about to change. You are about to be wed?" She said raising a thin eyebrow.
I nodded and she smiled. "Well you know…we can change this." I raised my eyebrows and smiled.
"Yeah right." She gasped.
"No I mean it." She pulled out a vial filled with a purple liquid and held it up to my face. "If you drink this your whole life will change!"
I frowned. "Look I really have to go-"
"I promise!" She said in a pleading voice.
I wondered. Maybe she was telling the truth. I mean she wouldn't kill me she would be thrown in jail or killed buy my father. "What's the catch?" I asked.
She smiled. "A small price of something you would never really miss."
I pondered this. If this changed thing and I wouldn't have to be married I could be free. "This wont hurt any of my family? Or me?" I asked taking the vile in my hand.
She nodded her head. "Yes ma'am. Just sign here," She held up a piece of glowing paper and handed me a quill, "And all your dreams will come true." I took the quill and signed my name quickly. "Just remember," she said handing me the vial. "The only way to make the potion permeate is by true loves kiss..."
I eyed her and rolled my eyes. "Yeah, sure." I looked at the vial and silently prayed as I tipped the it over my lips. The liquid was hot as it ran down my throat. Nothing.
"What a scam. This is a waste of my-" Just then my voice was cut off, I tried to talk but it was no use. I looked at the woman and tried to scream for help but bubbles just came out and I couldn't breath. I gasped as bubbled came out of my mouth and I grabbed my throat. I'm going to die! That which lied to me! I heard a sharp ripping sound. The last thing I saw was the woman smiling and laughing at me before I blacked out.