Chapter 16
"Dishonorably Discharged"
After a rough night's sleep, Eric and Ariel joined Napoleon and several other important dignitaries to witness the dishonorable discharge of Admiral Pelley. Villeneuve was also in attendance, but he was in a cage since he was classified as a Prisoner of War as a result of his capture. The crowds which had been gathering all morning had grown to almost all of Paris. This caused both Eric and Ariel to wonder why it would get to this level.
"Why are there so many people?" Eric asked Napoleon, who was sitting next to them. "I thought this would be a private matter."
"Because I want to show an example of what happens when France is dishonored," replied Napoleon. "I maintain standards in my army, both land and sea, and such actions will not be tolerated."
He then looked over to Ariel, who was looking down at the ground seemingly trying to not think about her assault. Although he wasn't a very compassionate person, Napoleon felt a sense of sympathy for Ariel, who reminded him of what was important.
"When I say that," continued Napoleon. "I especially say that in honor of you, Queen Ariel. I admire and respect you greatly, especially after what happened."
Ariel felt slightly better, although not completely for Napoleon was partially responsible for Pelley's assault on her. He was the one who had allowed Pelley to wear an admiral's uniform and join one of the greatest Navy's in all of Europe. She knew that Napoleon was more focused on conquering all of Europe instead of monitoring the psychologies of the men he recruits for his country's army.
At that moment, a hushed silence fell on the crowd as a black carriage pulled by two black stallions came into the courtyard. As soon as the carriage stopped, the doors opened and two British guards came out of the carriage followed by Admiral Pelley, wearing all of his medals for the time being.
For he knew of the punishment that was about to be put on him for his actions. The crowds screamed and shouted as Admiral Pelley followed the British guards to his fellow Frenchmen, who stood in view of their leader as well as Ariel and Eric, who were up in the balcony. Feeling slightly nervous, Ariel grasped Eric's hand and watched as Pelley walked up to the elite of the France. Napoleon then got up and walked down to the edge of the balcony, looking down on Pelley. The crowds fell silent once again as Napoleon spoke to his disgraced and troubled admiral.
"Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley," he began. "You have been charged with the crime of assault and treason in the name of France. I had come to respect you as one of the greatest in all of France and to trust you with maintain the reputation of France and her way of life. By assaulting the Queen of Denmark, you have disgraced the meaning to what it means to serve France and to this end, you are hereby sentenced to a dishonorable discharge from France's military and sentenced to prison on Devil's Island."
At that moment, a huge roar came from the crowd as Pelley tried to maintain his composure in front of his leader. He looked up to see Ariel still clutching Eric's hand tightly, a look of anger deep in her face.
"Is there anything you wish to say before the discharge is carried out?" asked Napoleon as the crowd fell silent again.
"I am sorry for the actions I have caused," replied Pelley, trying to not pay attention to Ariel. "My actions were for the good of France and her people. I believe that the King of Denmark is partially responsible for allowing the Queen of Denmark to be subjected to the horrors that I have brought upon her. He should not have allowed her to accompany him into our conflict."
Eric felt like screaming down at Pelley upon hearing this, but had to maintain his composure, for his people and his country, especially his wife and daughter, who had endured enough pain and misery over these next few months.
Just then, a sergeant came forward and took Pelley's two cornered hat and removed all of the regalia from it, throwing them to the floor. Next, he removed each medal that was on Pelley's uniform. All of the medals he had earned were being stripped away from him and both Eric and Ariel were taking pleasure into it. Ariel felt that with each medal being ripped away was a piece of dignity that was being returned to her. Finally, the sergeant took Pelley's sword and broke it in two, throwing the two halves at Pelley's feet. Now, stripped of his medals, the two British soldiers led the ex-admiral back to the carriage for the long journey out of Paris and to a waiting ship bound for Devil's Island.
"I ask you all to pray for me!" shouted Pelley, who was met with an angry resistance from the crowd of angry French citizens. "I shall return to serve you again!"
But the resistance grew louder as the carriage drove off from the courtyard and just like that it was over. The man who had committed the crime of perversion was been sent away to an island prison, vowing to return one day.
Following the discharging, Ariel and Eric were invited to attend a reception in one of the dining halls of Versailles, however Ariel had decided to head down to the dungeons for a visit with Villeneuve when she got a request from one of the British soldiers that he wanted to see her.
"Why do you wish to see me, Villeneuve?" she asked, motioning the British guards to leave her alone with him.
"Because I want you to understand, your highness," replied Villeneuve. "That I didn't have any intention of allowing you to be taken advantage of like that by my comrades. I was so caught up on defeating the English and Danish that I couldn't see the true battle that was going on."
"If you had realized this earlier," remarked Ariel, pacing around the room for a moment. "Then you could have stopped Pelley. Instead, you chose to focus on following your leader's orders. Your help came too little and too late."
Ariel then teared up and turned her head away, thinking that Villeneuve was not being sympathetic. However, the captured French leader could not help but feel sorry for the wife of his enemies.
"I understand your frustration, your highness," he said, trying to reach out to her through the bars of the dungeons. "I have a wife and daughter myself and I would never live with myself if anything were to happen to them. I promise you in the name of God that I will do everything I can to make it up to you. Of course, you may never forgive me, but I hope you realize that someday, you will understand what I am saying to you."
Ariel wanted to respond, but she couldn't. She had seen enough and just wanted to move on with her life. Villeneuve apologized for his actions in allowing Pelley to attack, but Ariel was not going to forgive him easily.
Eventually, she would have to forgive him…