Chapter 9: Poseidon's Story

After her encounter with Neptune, the Sorceress became a big part of Atlantica. The Atlanticans were almost always talking and gossiping about her so called upcoming return for revenge and some they even went as far as talking about the king's broken heart that was still held by the Sorceress, even though he moved on when he married his queen.

Years past however, and she stayed away for all of that time. Atlantica became a thriving kingdom, and Neptune and his queen had three children, a daughter who was married off to another kingdom, a son who died of a fever when he was only ten, and the eldest son, Poseidon, who was left to become the next king.

It wasn't long after my great-grandfather become of age to rule that Neptune passed down the throne to his son. People still talked about the Sorceress and his horrible execution of the situation, and even though that experience definitely made him change his ways and become a great king, he knew he could never fully gained the people's trust.

All went well and Poseidon was a wonderful ruler. He listened to his wife, his people, and his father. His wife was even pregnant with a child―a child that would soon become my grandfather.

Then, one day he received word from his sister. Her guards had spotted the Sorceress in her kingdom trying to create an army, and she was afraid that she was only starting to plot her revenge on Atlantica.

Poseidon knew how dangerous the Sorceress could be, so he sent out orders for the Sorceress to be captured, and while her guard was let down, they caught her and she was brought back to the king.

He ordered her to be executed the next day, but his father, returning from a trip, had caught wind of what happened. Neptune still didn't like the idea of her dying, even though that's what he vowed to do to her. It was clear that part of his heart was still held by the Sorceress.

"You can't kill her," Neptune argued. "She deserves a second chance."

"She already had a second chance!" Poseidon shot back. "Letting her go will only be giving her the second chance to kill you. What second chance would you give her then? Would you invite her to your funeral?"

"I'm not telling you to let her go. Just don't harm her. Imprison her for life for her crimes if you want. Just don't harm her, please," Neptune begged. It's hard to understand how someone could still love the one who tried to kill them.
"But, Father, you already warned her you would kill her if she came back, and she did! You have to keep you word. What type of leader would that make you look like if you didn't follow through with your word?"
"That doesn't matter anymore. I'm not king. You are," Neptune shot back. "It's up to you now, son. You can do what you want, but I'm telling you, it won't matter if you kill her or not. She won't do any more harm either way, so why should we unnecessarily kill someone?"

"But what if she escapes? We know what she's capable of and I don't want her trying to hurt my wife or child. Doesn't that matter to you?" my great-grandfather asked.
"It does, but she won't harm you or your family. She wants me, but she'll never try to hurt me again," Poseidon said. He truly believed that.

Poseidon had ever seen his father this way. It was strange. All throughout his life he watched his father love and cherish his mother more than anyone in the world, but now he seemed like he loved the sorceress the most. The rumors he had heard and always denied about his father all seemed true now.

However, he was still his father and he and he didn't want to disappoint him, so he obeyed his wishes. The Sorceress was unharmed and imprisoned in the dungeon where she had a guard outside of her cell at all time to ensure she didn't escape.

Rumors swirled around the kingdom of the Sorceress's return and how she cheated her death. The people knew that it was Neptune's decision to not kill the sorceress, but it was Poseidon who was left to deal with the burden since he was the only one who could order them not to execute her.

While Poseidon was greatly accepted by his people, they quickly became skeptical of him too. He had very good intentions, but they worried that he could be too much like his father. The Atlanticans had always worried that the young king would one day give into his desires much like his father did and falling into his father's pressure was a good example of that.

Poseidon had lost most of his people's trust and Atlantica waited for the day when they would have a great king that could truly lead them into prosperity and would hopefully be untouched by the Sorceress.

So the Sorceress had left her mark in so many lives, but she wasn't anywhere close to done yet. She had yet to meet my grandfather, the one who's life she would impact the most.