Chapter 15

"Trying to Erase the Past"

Following their meeting with Napoleon, the Danish royal family were invited to stay in the palace of Versailles where they would witness the discharge of Admiral Pelley. It took a while for Ariel to calm down following her tirade on Napoleon. It wasn't until she had asked him if he had a wife did Napoleon agree to punish Pelley for his attack on her. Of course, Ariel was now beginning to wonder if she and Melody did the right thing by going with Eric to battle the French and the Spanish. Napoleon's question on whether it was a good idea for her to accompany Eric into battle was something that Ariel couldn't get out of her mind.

"Eric, do you think I should have accompanied you into battle?" she wondered as they got ready for bed that night. "I mean, Napoleon did have a point."

"It's as you said to him earlier today," replied Eric, as Ariel came from behind the dressing screen wearing her pink nightgown. "You did it out of love for me and Melody. Yes, it was risky, but it took a lot of courage for you do so. Remember what you said when we were married?"

Ariel then began to think back to her wedding day to Eric aboard the same wedding ship that was later attacked by Napoleon. She could well remember the vows she had made to stand by Eric and always love him in good times and in bad times.

"I do, Eric," she said, climbing into bed. "But, maybe this was a time where I took those vows too far and as a result, I was nearly stripped of everything I had dear: you, Melody, my father, my home under the sea…"

But Eric interrupted his wife by placing a finger at her mouth, silencing her.

"It doesn't matter now, my love," interrupted Eric. "All that matters is that you are safe with me and I promise to always be there for you and our kingdom that we have reigned over for over ten years now."

Ariel was still feeling uneasy about herself, but was reassured on her husband's words that he would be there to protect her at all costs, just as he did to Ariel in her moment of despair and terror.

Meanwhile, Vanessa and Victor were still at sea aboard the HMS Caesar as it neared England. After the battle, Vanessa was moved to the Caesar at her request to be near Victor, who was aboard being treated for his injuries. In a sense, it was better for her as the Victory was a ship that was the scene of horror with blood still stained on the planks on the main deck.

"How are you feeling, Vanessa?" asked Victor, stepping into their quarters. "You must still be traumatized after everything that has happened."

"Yes, I am," sighed Vanessa, sitting on the bed. "I was just thinking about Ariel and what happened to her. I can only imagine what she is going through after all she and Eric had done for us."

"Well, she is strong, that is all I can say," remarked Victor, who moaned slightly from his injuries. "No one is more qualified to rule our homeland than Eric and Ariel. After all, Queen Ariel was kind enough to let you wear her wedding gown at our wedding, when the moment comes of course."

This brought a smile to Vanessa's face as it was the one event that she was looking forward to the most. All her life, Vanessa wanted nothing more than to marry the man of her dreams. She didn't want to go fight a Navy and witness men being killed by the hundreds, if not, thousands.

"Victor, do you think that maybe all of this will go away?" wondered Vanessa, much to Victor's confusion as he walked over to her bed.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I mean, everything that has happened," said Vanessa. "I want to forget about all of this and pretend like it never even happened to begin with."

In Victor's mind, this was something that could not happen. Sure, some of the wedding guests who were kidnapped by the French were rescued, but they couldn't erase the pain and misery that started on their wedding day.

"If only that were possible, my love," replied Victor as he climbed in. "But, it's as your father said, that God creates the days as they are and he cannot change it. We just have to live through this and try to not think about it."

Vanessa could tell that her husband was right, they couldn't forget what had happened. Many families on both sides had lost loved ones in the two battles. In fact, some of the people who had attended their wedding were killed either in the attack by Villeneuve or during the two battles after they were pressed into service.

The next morning, Ariel and Eric awoke to the sounds of people screaming outside the gates of Versailles. The rain was still coming down and a large gathering was in the main courtyard. Eric watched as the crowds grew larger and larger while Ariel stood behind the dressing screen and was being dressed by several servants.

"A fine day for a discharge," remarked Eric. "It seems fitting after all that has happened, don't you think, Ariel?"

But, Ariel didn't respond to her husband's question. For she knew that all about what had happened at both Trafalgar and Ortega had said everything about what was going to happen. Instead, she chose to focus on other matters, particularly about Melody, who had stayed with John in another room of the palace

"Is Melody joining us?" asked Ariel. "She doesn't have to be with us."

"I'm sure she will join us," replied Eric, inspecting himself in the mirror, making sure he looked presentable. "She is the Princess after all."

"Eric, her title doesn't matter," said Ariel, as she emerged wearing the purple gown she wore to Melody's 12th birthday party and the ball welcoming Admiral Nelson. "I'd much rather have her not absorb any more of the terror that we had to endure. In a way, I am glad that John is with her."

Eric thought it was against his better judgment to keep Melody away, but Ariel was always the firm one in the Danish royal family and didn't say anything else.

"Besides," continued Ariel, as she placed her emerald earrings and necklace on her face. "I want her to spend some time with John, get to know him a little bit."

Eric smiled as he was starting to catch on that Ariel believed that Melody and John would start a courtship. Of course, he would have to wait until after what was going to happen in the courtyard, where Pelley would be disgraced and shipped off to an island prison with Ariel, Eric and all of France to witness it all…