Chapter 11
"Stripping a Queen's Dignity"
As Eric and Villeneuve ran through the narrow hallways of the HMS Victory, Ariel and Vanessa trembled in fear of the perverted monster that stood before them. They could tell that he was on a mission to make Ariel and Vanessa nothing more than toys: toys that would be used over and over again to satisfy the desires of the French military, or at least in Pelley's mind.
"Now, your highness," he said, directing his attention towards Ariel. "You cannot run and you cannot hide from what is going to happen to you. I have always sought to make women properties of France and to take a Queen and make her nothing more than a mindless toy for his majesty is an honor that I have so desired."
Ariel wanted to run, but she was in a gown and couldn't do so. This wasn't about war or an act of war, this was a perverse act that would not be tolerated in any circumstance whatsoever.
"You will not get away with this, you monster," whimpered Ariel, raising her hand to strike Pelley, but was stopped by the quick thinking naval officer. "I will see to it that…"
"You will see me to what?" laughed Pelley, clutching Ariel's arm tightly. "To be brought before you and your husband in chains? I don't think that's possible. I saw what happened to you in Trafalgar, all those soldiers ripping off your clothes. There is something about seeing women in their undergarments that fascinates me. I always thought that it was just to hide the real beauty underneath."
Vanessa couldn't take any more of this and thought it would be best to intervene.
"Stop this now!" she shouted, attempting to storm over to Pelley and stop him. But she was met with a slap across the face by the devious Frenchman and sent on her back, her undergarments exposed for the Frenchmen to see.
Ariel attempted to use the opportunity to flee, but Pelley grabbed her and pulled himself to her, kissing on her lips and pushing her to the ground as Ariel attempted to scream for help. Vanessa struggled to get to her feet, the weight of her gown making it difficult to do so. All she could do was watch as the Queen of Denmark tried to free herself from the wrath of the devious Frenchman.
"Now, I'm going to make you feel like nothing, your highness," laughed Pelley as he rolled Ariel on her back and started to rip the back of her pink gown with his bare hands. Tears began to form at the corners of the ex-mermaid's eyes as she struggled to get free. The gown that held such value to her and represented her innocence was being ruined. Ariel attempted to reach for a broken glass to defend herself, but the more she struggled, the rougher Pelley had gotten.
It was then that Ariel quietly began to start praying for a miracle, trying to embrace what Vanessa had taught her about calling to God.
"Our father, who art in heaven," she cried as Pelley ripped at the right shoulder of her gown. "Hallowed be thy name."
Pelley then used his right hand to roughly yank off one of Ariel's pearl earrings that was on her right ear, causing blood to flow out. He also pulled at her hair, causing several strands of her red hair to be pulled out of her head
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," continued Ariel as Pelley then grabbed Ariel's ankles and lifted her upside down, revealing the three petticoats and white pantlettes that were underneath. "On Earth as it is in heaven."
Meanwhile, Eric and Villeneuve continued to search room to room for Pelley, while warding past British soldiers fighting the French soldiers that were still alive. They wandered through the halls for a few moments and then they began to hear Ariel's screams from the Prayer Room.
"Ariel!" screamed Eric as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. But, he couldn't get there any faster as Pelley began to pull at her undergarments, determined to expose Ariel's private areas for his viewing pleasure.
"Give us this day our daily bread," Ariel cried as her life flashed before her eyes. "And forgive us our trespasses and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…"
But before Ariel could finish her prayer, she heard Pelley scream as she fell back on her stomach. Looking up, Ariel could see that Eric had his arms around Pelley's neck, trying to choke him. A look of anger was planted on Eric's face as he threw Pelley around, punching and kicking him with every single ounce of strength in his body.
"I'm going to kill you!" growled Eric as he violently laid down his authority on Pelley.
Soon, Pelley was nothing more than a beating pulp and Eric grabbed Pelley's pistol that was on the floor and pointed it right at the bloodied Frenchman and was just about to finish him off, when a loud French voice was heard.
"No!" called the voice and Eric turned around to see Villeneuve standing in the doorway with a grim look on his face. The man who killed Admiral Nelson walked over to his counterpart and starred down at him like a stern father to his child.
"Pierre," gasped Pelley, relieved to see his comrade was freed. "At last, you have been freed. We must leave at once. Gather our prizes and…"
"What prizes, you traitor?" snapped Villeneuve, looking over at the slightly wounded Ariel, her pink and white gown slightly torn and her right ear bloodied. "The Queen of Denmark? You are a disgrace to France and I will make sure that his highness, Napoleon, hears about this."
But, Pelley didn't take this seriously and laughed mockingly, thinking that he wouldn't be punished for this cowardly act. However, Villeneuve saw otherwise as several British soldiers came in and pulled Pelley to his feet. Unfortunately for Villeneuve, since he was still a prisoner of war, he was also captured as well.
"You will suffer a far worse fate than me," he continued. "As of this moment, I no longer consider you an ally. I consider you a traitor and a pervert to the empire."
It was at this moment that Pelley's smile turned to a look of despair, for he had no idea of the horror's that were about endure as a result of his actions. Villeneuve then looked at Ariel and Eric as he was being led away back to his cell. All the Danish royals could do was just stare at Villeneuve silently until he was out of sight and then Ariel finally broke down sobbing into her husband's arms, glad to be free of the hell that she was placed through.
A few hours later, the Battle of Ortega was over when the Formidable surrendered and the English and Danish navies reigned victorious. However, the greatest victory for King Triton and Atlantica was yet to come as the first of many punishments for Pelley as a result of what he did to Ariel, his youngest daughter.