Ariel snuck out of the castle early the next morning. She wanted to escape talk of Eric's current travels, the talk of the court. Though she had been into town plenty of times, she had rarely gone on her own. Ariel went out onto the streets, unsure of what to do. The streets were quiet that day. A few daily shoppers here and there, but the roads lay out a vast walking distance for Ariel. The Sunday calm counted for all. Obnoxious sellers were quieter, and talked less. Ariel was pleased to not have smelly people looking for a buck in her face. But the bare streets gave her less of a disguise.

A colorful lean-to sat to the space to the right of the queen. Smells of burning incense and herbal candles waded out into the dirty streets, filling Ariel's nose. A sign stood in front of the curtained lean-to: "Lady MoonOwl's Divination". Ariel was intrigued. She snuck in, pulling back the purple velour curtain. Inside, an older woman sat completely still, her eyes closed in ignorance to the world. Ariel did not want to disturb her deep meditation, but also did not want to be ignored. A light cough, a clearing of the throat, came from the small redhead's mouth. Lady MoonOwl stirred, but still did not awake. Ariel stood in silence, watching the seer. After seconds of anticipation, the elder opened her eyes, in surprise to Ariel's presence.

"Why hello there young girl. Would you like a reading?" Her voice was old a crinkly, just the crow's feet near her eyes.

"Yes please," the queen said with a small voice.

"Tarot, palm, or ball, my sweet?"

Ariel cringed inside, 'my sweet' always reminded her a villainous woman being fake. "Crystal ball." Ariel had never seen a crystal ball before, nor knew much of any powers crystal had. Lady MoonOwl led Ariel into a private room, held off by deep calming colored curtains.

"Sit."

Ariel obeyed, looking into the bare, empty crystal ball. Somehow she connected with the ball. It was vast and bare. It needed something more to make it into something, to complete it and make it work. Ariel had felt vast and bare ever since Eric stopped giving her the attention she needed. And now she needed him to preform magic of her own.

"Put your hands on the ball with me, close your eyes and let colors and pictures fill the insides of your eye lids." Swirling oranges, yellows, and reds preformed circus tricks on Ariel's eyelids. The colors imbedded her mind from the glowing sun she had just came out of.

"I see a new friend in your path, I see an old memory, perhaps a new adventure for you." The elder paused. "I also see darkness, something you don't want in your life right now. I see somebody hurting you badly. Tears, I see tears." Ariel's stomach lurched. "I also see a festive gathering down the line, I see growth and strength in your heart. I also see some kind of fish, an odd fish indeed. Fish symbolize success in your life, or success in your career. I see the end of your life will be happy and prosperous." Ariel smiled.

Lady MoonOwl pulled her hands of the ball, "That'll be nine pounds."

Ariel's eyes got large, "What? That was too short to be nine pounds!"

"Look little girl, you asked for the crystal ball, you didn't ask the price, pay up."

Ariel groaned, but payed this wicked lady with Eric's money. She ripped out of the lean-to, back onto the bright streets. She was frustrated that she got lulled into such fakery. Ariel scoffed as she thought of the old lady's words 'I see somebody hurting you badly. Tears, I see tears.' I bet she tells everyone that to make it seem more realistic. That's not in my future, it's in my presence. She stopped by a fruit stand to buy a red apple. The woman there was constantly smiling as she watched Ariel find an flawless apple. Ariel couldn't help but smile, "You seem pleased with your job."

The woman sighed romantically. "Everything is perfect," she had an odd accent, "I just moved from Russia to escape their system and everything is perfect here England!"

I could differ from that opinion. "How so?"

"I've got a job, I'm getting paid, and," she dropped her voice to a girlish whisper, "I'm in love!"

Tears pushed their way to Ariel's eyes, but she fought back, "I'm very happy for you."

The woman held out her right hand, Ariel moved her apple to her left palm to shake this woman's hand. "I am Olga, who are you?"

"Ariel, lovely to meet you."

"And you. You know, I'm closing up in thirty minutes, maybe you'd like to go out to lunch?"

Surprised but Olga's sudden friendship, Ariel's eyebrows went up, but she guessed this Russian hadn't met many friends in England, "Sure, and you can tell me about this boy you love." Ariel didn't want to know anything about love, it only made her sick, but she knew she had to be polite.

"Oy! I can tell you now. He is a king," Ariel wasn't sure if Olga was aware that kings and queens were only titles for those living in government built castles and were not actual royalty. "His castle is not too far from the city streets. We met when he was in London, but he lives here. He is amazing, Ariel. He is very funny and treats me very well, not like Russian men do. He was so polite, he even asked if he may sleep with me!"

Ariel was a bit shocked that an acquaintance would already be talking to openly about her sex life. She didn't consider the cultural differences between England and Russia. "What is his name?" Ariel tried to sound interested, but secretly, the talk of love fretted her heart.

"Eric." Ariel's stomach fell to the floor and the knife through her heart caused her to bleed down her chest and onto the dirt ground.