Chapter 14

"Ensuring Passion"

While the bodies of the Prussian soldiers continued to be accounted for, Melody and John retreated to another room where they could be alone as all the attention their parents were giving to was to the dead bodies. Although she was brave about it, seeing dead bodies caused Melody to feel a sense of fear flow through her veins.

"Who would do such a thing, John?" she gasped as they walked into her private quarters. "I may be brave, but that was too much for me to take."

"It was too much for me to," added John as he shut the door. "My father had always taught me that Bony would do anything that would get the attention of his enemies. There is no doubt that we will be fighting soon."

Both Melody and John realized at that moment that their feelings to one another were starting to grow wildly. The act of war had struck fear into both the English and Danish navies and everyone on board the ships were affected, including the Danish royals. John could see that Melody needed to be comforted before the ensuring battle and was going to do everything in his power to do just that.

"You know, Melody," he said. "Has anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful princess in all of Europe?"

Melody had somehow taken this an insult, given the fact that this was a compliment that was given to her after a horrible act of crime was committed.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she cried. "I thought we were just friends, John. I'm much too young to be thinking off anything like that."

"You're never too young to realize what you can truly become," whispered John, getting close to Melody. "To me, you are a beautiful young woman who has a grand future ahead of you."

He then placed his lips on Melody's lips and although Melody wanted to scream, she could only feel a sense of relief flowing through her veins. It was at that moment that Melody had felt the most comfortable since becoming a mermaid. For a moment, she could feel free as John slowly undid the tie in her long black hair and then slowly unzipped the back of her pink gown.

"He makes me feel comfortable," thought Melody as John slowly pulled her pink gown off and over her shoulders. "I shouldn't be doing this, but it's relaxing."

Melody then slowly unbuttoned the top of John's uniform and then pulled down his britches while he pulled down her white petticoat, leaving Melody in her white camisole, corset and bloomers while her pink stockings and high heels remained, only to be kicked off. However, both Melody and John suddenly realized what they were doing was wrong and quickly stopped. Both of them then let out a sharp gasp upon seeing each other in their undergarments and quickly gathered their discarded clothes together.

"What are we doing?" gasped John, quickly putting back on his uniform. "My father is going to kill me for this!"

"Mine too," cried Melody, who quickly went over to grab her nightgown. "I don't know what I was thinking! You'd better get out of here before my parents return!"

John then finished putting his uniform back on and quickly darted out of the princess' quarters, trying to not show that he and Melody tried to engage in passion. Melody then shut the door to her quarters and went to bed, realizing that what she and John did was relaxing, but wrong.

Meanwhile, Ariel and Eric had returned to their own quarters after accounting for all the dead bodies that had been recovered. Ariel had gotten sick to the point of nearly vomiting from her stomach. She had never seen dead bodies in her life since the death of her mother and she was only a woman of 28 years old.

"Eric, why do people get treated like this?" asked Ariel, still in shock over what had just happened. "I never saw anything like this in Atlantica."

"Because not everyone cares for one another," he replied. "There is a reason why we declare war on countries and this is why."

"What can we do?" sighed Ariel. "I thought this was about rescuing those from the wedding ship that was attacked."

Eric then removed his long black boots and thought of a way to calm his wife down. She was frightened and that he needed to do something that most husbands would use to calm their wives down. Walking over to Ariel, he sat down next to her and his placed his gloved hand on hers.

"I think I can help you calm down and reassure your mind," he said and placed his lips on Ariel's while he rubbed his fingers through her red hair, undoing the neat bun and knocking the crown off of Ariel's head.

Continuing their passion, Ariel unbuttoned Eric's tunic while he unzipped the back of Ariel's purple gown, pulling it over her head, leaving Ariel in her white petticoat, while she kicked off her purple high heels. In a sense, it helped Ariel feel so alive for her bare feet to touch the carpeted floor.

After sliding down her petticoat and stepping out of it, Ariel and Eric continued their passion in their undergarments until Ariel was in her camisole, corset and bloomers and Eric was left in his long johns.

"It sure feels good for a moment," sighed Ariel as she stroked Eric's bare chest. "I wonder how long it will last."

"I don't know," replied Eric. "But, no matter what happens, we are going to be together and I will always love you."

With this reassurance, Ariel fell happily asleep with her husband at her side, unlike Melody, who feared of the repercussions of her getting close to John. Nevertheless, the feel of battle continued to be felt across the combined fleets on both sides. Admiral Nelson walked out onto the deck of his ship and looked out over the French and Spanish fleet, who had now gone into the port of Trafalgar.

"Sleep now while you still can, you French cowards," said Nelson, as a strong gust of wind blew through the fleet. "At high noon tomorrow, you will be annihilated and the people you hold hostage will be liberated."