Chapter 14

"Visiting the French Empire"

Following the events at Trafalgar and Ortega, it was another long two months at sea before the victorious British and Danish fleets reached the other side of Europe. The objective for both fleets now was to return Admiral Pelley to France where he would be brought before Napoleon as a traitor to the French government for his actions against Ariel. The idea to bring Pelley to the French Emperor belonged to Villeneuve, who had developed a hatred to his counterpart. It was just after Christmas by the time that the fleet arrived at Cherbourg in France and then it was a long, long coach ride to Paris across the French countryside.

"I hope Villeneuve had a good idea," sighed Ariel as the cold rain fell on the coach that she, Eric and Melody were riding. "Are all people like him, Eric?"

"It's like I said Ariel," he replied. "Not all people are like him. What he did to you during the battle was deplorable and perverse. Villeneuve said that men in the military who committed crimes of this nature are discharged and sent to an island prison far away."

Ariel was surprised to hear this as this to her, was just another part of the world she still needed to learn about. When it came to diplomatic missions, Eric would always be the one to take part while she was left to run Denmark.

"Is that what will happen to Pelley?" wondered Ariel. "He will get sent to the island prison?"

"Yes," said Eric, reassuringly. "Napoleon may be a brute, but he doesn't tolerate men like Pelley who claim women like you as trophies."

The word "trophies," sent a sharp chill down Ariel's spine and instantly took her back to that moment when she and Vanessa were alone with Pelley. Ariel couldn't imagine what would have happened if Eric had not met the escaped Villeneuve and intervened. She could have been brought back to the French fleet with nothing on her body and she could have been continuously assaulted on a daily basis.

"Please don't say that, Eric," whimpered Ariel, turning her head and closing her eyes. "It makes me feel uncomfortable and it reminds me of the stories that daddy used to tell me about humans."

"I'm sorry, Ariel," remarked Eric, now regretting that he even said that word. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm just so disgusted right now. First, the French attacked a wedding ship in the sight of our kingdom and now this. When we get to Paris, I can't wait to let Napoleon know what I think of his men."

Soon, the entourage arrived into the city of Paris and approached the gates of Versailles palace, which were opened almost immediately. It seemed that Napoleon had been expecting Ariel and Eric to arrive when word of what had happened at Ortega had caught his attention. After a brief greeting, Eric and Ariel were led into Napoleon's quarter while Melody remained with John and the rest of the British forces.

"Eric, my friend," he said in a quick witted French accent as they sat down for a drink of wine. "As the victor over my navy, I extend my congratulations to you and our enemies for a well-deserved victory."

"This isn't about victories, Napoleon," Eric said, giving the French dictator a hard stare. "Something happened during the battle that is far greater than any battle. My wife was assaulted by one of your best admirals."

Napoleon took in another sip of his wine and then turned over towards Queen Ariel, admiring her for a moment and it seemed for a moment that Napoleon could understand why she would be targeted in such a manner.

"I see," said Napoleon, pretending not to care. "Why would the Queen of Denmark, who wasn't even born a human, be assaulted? Isn't she able to just swim away like a mermaid or something?"

"This is serious, Napoleon!" snapped Eric, slamming his hand down on the table. "One of your admirals is nothing more than a pervert that needs to be punished."

Napoleon then rose from the table and walked over to the window overlooking the courtyard of Versailles palace. It seemed to him that it was inconceivable for one of his admirals of the greatest navy in Europe to carry out such an atrocity.

"Eric, if this is because of what happened to the wedding ship," he said. "Then, I suggest you leave at once. I'm sorry for what happened to that lovely bride and her family, but I have a continent to conquer and have no time for squabbles. Besides, you made a grave mistake by bringing a woman, let alone the Queen of Denmark, into a private war that doesn't even concern you to begin with."

It was at this moment that Ariel rose from her seat and decided to reason with Napoleon one on one. She was a victim of nearly losing her virginity, her dignity and her self-respect, not once but twice

"I can't believe that you are oblivious to what is going on," cried Ariel. "Eric is trying to tell you what happened to me and you just pretend to not care. If my father were here right now…"

This caused Napoleon to turn towards the Queen of Denmark with a sharp glare, almost as if he wanted to pick up where Pelley left off. However, he had to set a good example for his empire and allowed Ariel to speak.

"Napoleon, your majesty," she said, curtseying, out of respect despite Napoleon's disgusting manners towards her. "You may question why my daughter and I chose to accompany Eric and the English to fight your navy. It is because I love my husband and I could never live without him, something that you will most likely never understand."

It was then that Ariel began to cross personal boundaries with Napoleon and asked him a very personal question.

"Do you have a wife, Napoleon?" she asked, defiantly. "Tell me, do you have a wife?"

Napoleon grew slightly irritated with Ariel's question and turned to her with a glare, but then suddenly realized what she was trying to say to him.

"I do have a wife, Queen Ariel," he replied, sighing. "And I would do anything to protect her from harm."

"Then listen to what we are trying to say to you," protested Ariel. "Would you want this man to attack another queen or any other woman for that matter? What if my daughter was the one that was standing before you instead of me?"

Eric was amazed at how defiant Ariel was being. In a sense, Ariel was channeling her father's inner anger, the way how he got angry with her when she defied him.

"Queen Ariel," he sighed, trotting back to his seat and clutching his glass of wine. "If you could prove to me that what you are saying what happened to you is true…"

"Of course I can!" retorted Ariel, bending down to Napoleon's level while Eric stepped back to give his wife space to reason with the French Emperor. "I was assaulted twice during the battles with your navy. They would put their hands on me and tear at my dresses. In fact, the gown I wore when Pelley attacked me was a gown that I had treasured ever since I became a human. I wore it when I had my first dinner with Eric, you know. It represents my innocence, my happiness and your disgusting admiral tried to rip it off of me like it was nothing more than a rag! Have you ever had something that represented you, Napoleon?"

Ariel could feel tears forming in her eyes, but she had to stay strong, especially in front of someone like Napoleon. She was a Queen that had to set an example for her people and there was no better time than now.

"I have, Queen Ariel," replied Napoleon. "I have a son that is illegimate as a result of an affair that I had during my campaign in Egypt. I may not have been thinking clearly, but I treasure that child as if he were my own. Even if he never becomes emperor."

"Then deal with the man who attacked me," cried Ariel. "We have him as our prisoner and are willing to turn him over to you."

It seemed at that moment that Ariel's plea for justice would fall on deaf, but to her amazement, Napoleon understood what she was trying to say to him. In his mind, Pelley was indeed nothing more than a troublemaker to Napoleon.

"Very well then, Queen Ariel," said Napoleon, taking in what Ariel had laid out on him. "I will deal with Admiral Pelley for you. Every word you said to me confirms that what Pelley did to you was wrong and uncalled for. He will be discharged and then sent to Devil's Island in exile."

Feeling as if Napoleon had listened at last, Ariel and Eric returned from their meeting and Pelley was brought into the palace in chains before being led to the dungeons.

It was a small victory to say the least, but it was only the beginning of the events that would soon transpire over the next few days…