Plot reveal time! Yes, you now get to see why Thor was so weird back in Ch 15. Please take into consideration how troubled he is about the situation.

Enjoy anyway! And Happy New Year! (I'm sure you've heard enough times by now.)

Chapter 21

Ariel knew that she had eavesdropped on something important, but didn't say anything. Tsunami was having enough trouble with his kingdom being attacked, yet not attacked. This force was something that knew what it was doing. The princess had only ever seen that once when her father had been turned into a merboy. She couldn't think of any other incident where this kind of strategy appeared.

"We need a plan of attack," Tsunami announced when he entered the throne room, everyone looking at him. "One of which my subjects will not become wary of the situation. I have already thought of sending a few guards to Atlantica and warning Triton of our current dilemma."

Thor was deep in thought while Ariel glanced at the two mantas floating nearby. She knew Evil Manta wasn't evil anymore, but she was still cautious around the giant creature. Little Evil was a sweet manta, until his father who had always been a villain. The younger one had been a friend to her since she met him and showed him the different things he could do with his tail—art, target practice on shells, and much more.

"I could send word to my father for help when we need it," Thor suggested. "He would be more than eager to oblige."

Tsunami nodded and faced Ariel. "I know we are not fully allies yet, but I do hope you can ask for your father's assistance in your next letter or sooner if possible."

The princess smiled. "I already use dolphin mail to keep in touch with them. Asking Daddy for help will be no problem at all."

Both princes smiled in thanks as Thor looked uneasily at the two others in the room. "What about them?" he asked nervously.

Manta nearly glared at the merteen prince. "I can provide assistance in holding off the threat. However, Ursula and Emperor Sharga still believe I am on their side. I can trick them into giving me a few potions or tactics to aid us. My son can help as well in that area." He laid a hand on his son's frame as he spoke. "He will not let his friend down as I will not protest to his wishes anymore."

Ariel grinned. "So it's decided. We have our spies, tactics and aids until further information arrives."

Both princes agreed and went their separate ways as the mantas left for home.

Little Evil glanced back at his friend. "We'll start right away Ariel!" he called over his shoulder as he left with his father.

The princess thanked him and went to her room to start her letter for her father. She was already milling over how she would ask for his assistance when she had entered the room. When reaching the desk to think, Ariel saw a dark spec outside her window, stopping to see what it was. The spec became larger as it came closer. The red-head gasped as the figure became clear, revealing a Sharkanian century. He growled at her, barring his teeth.

"I have a message for you," he snarled in his gravelly voice.

Ariel tried to back away but couldn't move from her spot. Her voice wouldn't even work.

"Tell Prince Thor his deal is still holding," he explained.

She became confused. "Deal?" she barely squeaked.

He ignored her question. "If he delivers the news of his kingdom to Prince Tsunami, Emperor Sharga will kill his father, along with destroying the kingdom of Olympia." With that, the Sharkanian swam off into the murky blue.

A look of confusion rested on the princess's features. Ariel didn't know what to think of what the evil shark had just said. She did only one thing: she swam to Thor's room and asked him what was going on in Olympia. That might have been a mistake.

"What?!" Thor shouted angrily. "A Sharkanian came to you and said that I had to keep the deal or my father and all of Olympia are finished?"

Ariel nodded shakily. "I don't know what the deal is or what he's talking about, but—" She stopped when Thor broke down, falling onto the floor and sobbing about the change in events. She didn't know what to make of this.

"W-why did he d-do that?" he said between sobs. "I t-told him not to, b-b-but he did anyw-way."

"Thor?" Ariel knelt next to him. "What are you talking about? What did who do?"

Thor sniffed, wiping his tears with his arms as he continued to hiccup sobs. "Father. He m-made a d-deal with the Sh-Sharkanians, trying to s-spare the k-kingdom and f-force an alliance w-w-with Lerdois."

"He sent you to get me because it would be the easiest way to make them convincing, didn't he?" she guessed.

He nodded, tears still spilling from his eyes. "He said it w-was the only w-way it w-would work."

The princess sighed. "Well, he guessed right. Someone's setting you up and is using your home as leverage."

The prince was starting to breathe normally when he spoke. "I think you w-would be the same way if you w-were in my p-position."

It was cleared his voice was shaky over the whole ordeal. Ariel couldn't blame. She would be in the same condition if it were her instead. But she would find a way around it. This princess always found a solution, and she wasn't going to give up now or any time soon. She thought about how she had stopped the Sharkanians in the past. Urchin had helped her stop the Magic Lump when they helped Sebastian pretend to be king once. She almost forgot the real problem when she thought of Urchin.

He's helped me so much! How can I not think about him without remembering I love him now? she thought to herself, trying hard not to sigh.

She tried to think about the Sharkanian threats again and remembered that they only do what Sharga orders them to. That was there weakness: if it's not from Sharga, it's not something they're supposed to do.

"Maybe Daddy can help with that…"

Thor gave her a strange look.

Yes, that is why he was uptight a few chapters back. Please leave constructive comments. I will have more details later.