Savior Of The Seven Kingdoms Chapter 4
16 Years Old:
Three years went by with the lessons from Vulko continuing at regular intervals.
Then when Ariel reached sixteen that's when the big guns came out.
Time for trident training.
Vulko took her away for the weekend for a bit of solo training with permission from Thomas of course.
So Vulko led her down south to do this.
The moment they got there on an island off an secluded island off the coast of the Bahamas there was barely any time to enjoy the scenery.
For instance a trident being thrown directly into ones face can definitely snap you out of it.
Thanks to her training Ariel caught the trident deftly inches from her nose. Ariel twirled the trident in her fingers until she held it in a secure grip.
Curious with the weapon, Ariel said "So what's with the trident? You've never brought one to me before."
"You've advanced enough to the point where you can use one of these. Now defend yourself," said Vulko, flourishing a spear at her.
Vulko and Ariel then engage in single hand to hand combat, trading blows with each other. Ariel is skilled to the point where she's able to easily block and parry the majority of them, but can't avoid all the impacts. One sent her smacking into the sand.
Groaning Ariel got back up onto her feet. As she moved back to face Vulko he began to twirl the spear in circles in front of him getting faster and faster until the friction creates a barrier of water. This water is extracted from the wet sand and surf.
Ariel went to penetrate it only to be deflected as if she was stabbing solid concrete instead of water.
Astonished, reaching out a hand to tentatively graze her fingertips over the barrier, Ariel said "What in the world is this?"
"I'll teach you this move once you've mastered the trident," promised Vulko.
Promises. It seems over the years he's made a lot of those, but one in particular he hasn't quite kept his end of the bargain on.
Ariel made another attempt to shatter the shield, but succeeds in only being sent sprawling onto her back from getting rebounded.
Frustrated by this, Ariel said "It's not fair. This thing is so big, awkward, and unpractical. Why can't I use a sword or a spear like you?"
"That's your mother's trident. A traditional weapon of royalty," chided Vulko, sharply, defending the traditional standard and memory of Queen Atlanna. "You'll never be a Queen until you've mastered it."
Fed up with the rouse, Ariel said "Vulko, why has she never come to see me? You were sent here in secret by her command. Why isn't she here telling me all this?"
"I told you, when you're ready-," said Vulko.
"Stop it with the lies," yelled Ariel, in vexation. "Stop lying to me! I've done everything you've ever asked! And every time I pass a test, you make up another one! When am I ever gonna be good enough to see Atlantis? I'm not a little kid anymore, Vulko. I know you're stalling, trying to keep me away." A heart wrenching thought hits Ariel. One that she's never really considered. "Does she not love me?"
Not being able to stand hearing her assume that Queen Atlanna doesn't love her Vulko no longer has a choice.
"Your mother loved you more than anything in the world," said Vulko, solemn and heavy with the confession to come. "But she had to return to Atlantis. To keep you safe. Her marriage to King Orvax was arranged a long time ago. So she had to marry him and bear him a son. Your brother, Prince Orm. When Orvax eventually found out about you he was overwhelmed with jealousy and sacrificed her to the creatures of the Trench."
Appalled and revolted by this new revelation, Ariel said "Are you saying they executed her? Because she had me true?"
No, it can't be true. It just can't be. Not after all this time. Her mother can't be dead.
But it is true. The grim and mournful expression on Vulko's face is plenty clarification on that.
An almost unbearable stinging pain lingered over her heart. Collapsing onto her knees Ariel releases a cry filled with so much pain and grief. But it's not just for her own loss.
Thomas Curry has been going down to the docks each and everyday since Atlanna left. Following her exact instructions before leaving. Hoping beyond hope that he'd actually see Atlanna one day on the docks to make their family whole again. Then he'd come away hurt and disappointed leaving the routine to be repeated all over again tomorrow. Now his vigils over the sea will never bear fruit.
Ariel doesn't know how she's ever going to tell her father about this.
One thing is clear.
From that day onward Ariel's viewpoint on Atlantis changed. She will never forgive the people of Atlantis for their betrayal against their own beloved Queen. Vulko had confided to Ariel in passing that her mother was a favorite and well loved.
Apparently that wasn't enough to save Queen Atlanna from an execution. One she didn't deserve, not in a million years.
Atlantis can go screw itself for what they did to her mother, what they've done to her family. To condemn them to a life of turmoil as equal ot her own.
She's done with Atlantis.
Authors Note:
(Singing) I have a surprise for you!
Guess what, my friends.
Next chapter it's the Justice League! Ah!
Yes, you heard correctly. The other heroes are going to come in really, really, really soon! And the first one will be Bruce.
We are heading into the actual Justice League movie. To be frank I actually did consider skipping this just leaving a brief few paragraphs of her time there, but this is way too big and important to just ignore. It's a major point in Ariel's life that just has to be told. Otherwise there's not really much of a point to it in my opinion.