"I am tired of this father. I am tired of dealing with those who could not tell their nose from their navel."
"Melody please." The King was upset once again. His headstrong daughter had left the company of yet another suitor. Melody at the age of 20 was impossible to deal with. She was fierier than her mother with a good deal of backbone thrown in. Despite being a crown princess of both the sea and the land Melody refused to act like it. Preferring to lose herself in riding or a well written tome. She didn't attend many court functions and was more often away from the castle than inside it. "You can't keep acting like this. You need to make a match soon. You have already reached your twentieth year. I thought we had discussed this?" Eric was becoming weary of trying to talk to her. Melody just wasn't a biddable sort and definitely not as pleasing as her sisters.
"So is yelling at one's daughter what passes for a discussion father?" Melody retorted, folding her arms against her chest. The crown princess was dressed for a ride today in well worn leathers. Her long black hair had been braided tightly and her blue eyes were fierce with anger. "I know you need the connections my match will bring but can my future husband be someone not completely doddering. Father he was twice my age and more besides!"
Eric sighed. Trust your daughters to make you feel like a child again. "I've told you before; you have left it too late Melody. Too late. A woman is married before twenty these days. Your mother was just seventeen when she had you."
"And look where that got her. She's stone cold dead in the ground."
"Melody!" Eric grabbed his errant daughter by the arm. "Why would you say such a thing? Your brothers and sisters could have been listening. You know how they are." Melody laughed a cold and chilling thing. "They are too young to even remember her father. Stop hiding behind them." Melody turned to walk away, brushing off his grip. Eric seemed to swell.
"You stop right there Melody. I will not tolerate your disobedience further." Melody turned baleful eyes upon her dearest father. "You are a princess of this house and you will act like one or so help me I will cast you out?"
"Cast me out? Would it stem this tide of tediousness known as political relations? Would the flow of "eligible" princes dry up? Would I be free at last to live the life of my choosing?" She smiled as she saw that she had rendered Eric speechless. "Then do so father. I have no wish to be the extra princess, no more than you wish to keep me." With a small tilt of her head Melody stalked from the room. "I heard you all those years ago father, all those long years ago..." she whispered, doing her best to keep her tears to herself.
Eric could only glance at his bitter daughter's retreating back. What had happened to that bright, happy girl of so long ago, undoubtedly the same thing that had affected the entire kingdom; Ariels death. "On Ariel how I miss you still. If only you were here for her, I know you'd be able to sort this out." The king straightened his back and locked his jaw; he had to put his family aside for the moment. He was a king first, a father later. Besides he would have some feathers to unruffled, judging by his headstrong offspring's behaviour.