Chapter 11

WITH an exhilarating buzz coursing through her veins, Ariel stood by the windowsill in her chambers, unable to sleep. Her thoughts danced with the memory of Prince Eric's unwavering generosity and kindness towards her, her lips still tingling and burning from their truly enchanted kiss.

A sense of anticipation filled her chest as if she were trapped in a vivid dream. The sea breeze whispered to her, finding its way through the open window she had intentionally left ajar to invite the refreshing air. At that moment, nostalgia washed over her, and she yearned for her father, her sisters, and even the melancholic gaze of her dear friend Flounder. The hushed murmurs echoing within the castle walls had rendered her too excited to find rest.

Despite a nagging worry that nestled in the depths of her heart, hinting that something might be amiss, she couldn't quell the overwhelming joy that engulfed her, causing her azure eyes to widen with gratitude.

Eric had shown her genuine kindness, and she longed to feel his lips upon hers once more.

If only he were present, she sighed wistfully. The thought of it sent a warm flush to her cheeks, but her elation was soon dampened by the recollection of the old man's cautionary words. Eric, the man she adored, could only marry a princess, and without her father's proof of lineage, she felt utterly incapable of validating her royal heritage.

Overcome with the sudden desire to see him, Ariel felt the beginnings of a soft and affectionate smile tug at her lips as she wondered if Eric, like she too, was too giddy to sleep. If he would still be awake. Her heart grew happy at the thought of the handsome Prince, and she thought she could easily get used to Eric's care and concern for her.

As the relentless rain continued to pour outside, its rhythmic sound echoed through the castle, urging Ariel to leave the comfort of her chamber. Determined and anxious, she couldn't suppress her overwhelming desire any longer. She had spent the afternoon with Prince Eric, and during their time together, she had come to realize the undeniable truth: she had fallen deeply in love with him. It was a feeling she could no longer deny, and she was determined to confess her emotions to him, regardless of the outcome.

Ariel swiftly made her way through the halls, following the path that Helena, a kind servant, had shown her on her first day in the castle. Pulling on a velvet robe, its dark crimson hue nearly blending into the shadows, she instantly felt warmer. The robe's long sleeves clung to her arms, providing a comforting embrace against the chill in the air.

She hastily grabbed a scarf, winding it tightly around her neck, knowing her fiery red curls would offer additional protection from the cold. Uncertain of Eric's whereabouts, Ariel decided to make her way to the castle kitchens, wondering if he had sought solace there, indulging in a slice of almond pie or a steaming mug of his favorite pumpkin soup. The mere thought of those dishes made her mouth water and her stomach flutter with excitement, momentarily distracting her from her nerves. However, as she approached the grand oak doors leading to the Great Hall, Ariel's heart skipped a beat. Her hazel eyes widened, fixing upon the figure of Lucas, the other prince, standing with one of his men. Instantly, she froze in her tracks, her body tense with apprehension.

The sight of Lucas, whose intentions were often shrouded in mystery, ignited a sense of caution within her.

Ariel weighed her options, torn between continuing her pursuit of Eric and avoiding a confrontation with Lucas. She knew her path forward was uncertain, but she couldn't allow fear to consume her. With a deep breath, she steeled herself, determined to follow her heart's yearning, even if it meant facing unexpected obstacles along the way.

She must have thudded the heel of her boot heavy enough when she stepped off the bottommost steps of the stairwell, for Prince Eric's nephew turned to face her. A shudder ripped through her as she looked at the young blond's darkened eyes, dull and lifeless, and she shook her head slowly as he stepped closer, an impish smile finding his face and it reminded her too often of her aunt's wretched pet eels, the snakes, Flotsam and Jetsam.

W-what? Her shimmering blue eyes trembled as she caught the sound of Lucas emitting a fierce growl, resonating with masculinity, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She shook her head. Please, I don't...I've never...I don't...

But whatever Ariel had hoped to communicate to the Prince's nephew died in her eyes as she stepped even closer.

"What are you doing out here, Dane?" he growled. "I don't know why my uncle insists on inviting the enemy of our people into the castle, wench. But Eric is not here to save you this time, is he? I'm glad you're here. I was hoping that you and I could...have a little chat, but you've not had a moment to yourself since you came here. Eric should've turned you away from Ipswich the moment he found you. Your spells might work on him, witch, but I remain unconvinced. You're nothing but trouble, girl," he snarled, his lips curling into a twisted sneer.

Ariel vigorously shook her head.

I'm not... I'm not trouble, Your Highness. You don't know me! she desperately tried to convey as he closed in on the minuscule distance separating them. Now, they stood uncomfortably close, their noses nearly touching.

Prince Lucas frowned at her pleading expression and scoffed, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"I can see how eager you are to worm your way into my uncle's life, having Eric wrapped around your pinky finger. He's already talking about marrying you to anyone who will listen."

Ariel felt her blood drain from her face, her mind spinning as she struggled to process the young prince's words.

Eric...wanted to marry her?!

But before she could dwell on them, Lucas continued, his tone rising to match his angry mood.

"But you are disrespectful, entitled. You manipulate and lie to anyone in your path to get what you want, witch. What a twisted existence you lead. Do you even possess a soul, witch? Only Dane witches have hair as red as yours," he hissed through gritted teeth. "I look into your eyes and see nothing but destruction for Ipswich. Keeping you here with Eric will bring nothing but trouble, and if it were up to me—" he began, but an angry interruption came from behind, cutting off the prince abruptly, and the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard coming from Ariel's left on the bricked floor, coming, and coming quickly.

"Lucas, you will let Eric's woman pass or I'll take your tongue, let's see how much bile you can spew then, you snake," came the hoarse voice of Darius as the man emerged from the darkened hall, sidling up to Ariel like a phantom in the night.

Darius rested a strong calloused hand on her shoulder, glancing at her only briefly to see the relief at her rescue in her eyes before he returned his attention to Prince Eric's nephew in front of Ariel. Ariel had the brief satisfaction of seeing the color drain from Prince Lucas's face and he spluttered over his words as he tried to explain.

"She—" he began, though Darius let out a frustrated exhale and turned toward Ariel.

"My apologies, Ariel, for Lucas. Lucas's head here is hollow," he snorted, a shadow of anger clouding the man's handsome features as he watched out of the corner of his eye as the Prince's nephew turned red.

"My head is fine, Darius," he snapped, clenching his fists, and looked up at the Prince's best friend with what Ariel could only describe as hate in his eyes.

But Darius dismissed the Prince's protest with a curt wave of his hand and once more rolled his eyes.

"Yes, yes, Lucas, it would make a fine bucket," he sneered. "Return to your chambers, and mark my words, Eric, and Grimsby both will hear of you tormenting the lady. Leave this room immediately, take no detours, and do not make me say it to you a third time, boy. You of all people know I hate saying things a second time," he threatened with an edge of a knife to his voice that was not there before. But Lucas had not budged an inch, though the young man nearly jumped out of his skin as Darius lost what little patience he had with the young Prince. "LEAVE! NOW!"

Prince Lucas stiffened, but after a moment, he lowered his head in begrudging reverence toward the lieutenant of his uncle's guard. He turned his back, clearing the corridor and leaving Darius and Ariel alone.

Only when the prince had departed did Darius allow himself to speak, shooting Ariel a furtive guilty look.

His pained expression reflected the older man's turmoil.

"I... apologize for Lucas, Ariel. He often speaks without knowing the weight of his words," he grumbled, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on the spot where Eric's nephew had stood moments ago. After a pause, he shifted his watery blue eyes back to Ariel. "Lucas remains... confused. But I'm grateful that you're here. It's Helena, Ariel. She's in danger." Darius's voice cracked and broke, leaving Ariel horrified and stunned as tears welled up in the man's eyes.

Ariel gulped anxiously, shaking her head in a futile attempt to push aside Darius's words.

But they lingered, refusing to be ignored.

What has happened? she asked, using hand gestures to convey her question as best she could.

Darius appeared to understand her intention.

Darius's voice trembled as he struggled to speak, his words coming out in fragmented gasps.

"I... I've... I've as good as caused my wife's death," he confessed, his face contorting with anguish. His composure shattered, and he fought back sobs that threatened to overwhelm him, tears welling up in his eyes. The mermaid, her azure eyes filled with confusion, shock, and disbelief, stared at Darius, unable to comprehend his statement.

What?! What do you mean you've 'killed her'? she asked, her expression tinged with urgency and desperation.

Darius parted his lips, poised to respond, but before the Prince's friend could utter a single word, a guttural and anguished screech reverberated from somewhere above their heads in the passageways. The sound was muffled as if it emanated from behind a closed door, yet Ariel immediately recognized the distinct tonality of Helena's voice.

It had to be her. In an instant, Ariel's composure shattered, replaced by frantic urgency.

That was Helena, Darius! Ariel's frantic blue eyes desperately searched Darius's face which had gone ashen for an explanation. What's wrong with her? Her eyes grew wild with panic for her dear friend, fearing the worst, that her sickness was only growing worse, that her time was upon them.

However, Darius stubbornly ignored her, swiftly turning on his heel and fleeing down the corridor, leaving Ariel rooted in place with legs that felt as though they could barely bear her weight. Before she could fully comprehend what had just happened, the Prince's lieutenant was already halfway up the stairs, leaving a shocked Ariel behind.

The realization struck her like a physical blow—her friend was in grave danger. Without a moment's hesitation, Ariel's instincts kicked in, propelling her up the stairs in pursuit of Darius. Desperately, she reached out, attempting to grasp the man's arm and turn him to face her, but he was unstoppable in his frantic rush.

Ariel's robe threatened to entangle her feet as she nearly stumbled, her heart pounding in her chest. The air quivered with another anguished and tormenting scream, more urgent than before, resonating from Helena's mouth somewhere above them. With renewed determination, Darius quickened his pace, driven by fear for his wife.

Ariel, half consumed by worry and driven to the brink of madness, followed closely behind, their minds consumed by a shared sense of dread.

Upon reaching the second story, Darius swiftly veered to the left, sprinting down a narrow corridor. His urgency was such that he nearly collided with Eric, who had seemingly followed the echoes of his friend's desperate scream.

Ariel caught a glimpse of Eric rounding the corner, her heart briefly soaring at the sight of him.

However, her concern for Helena overwhelmed any other emotions, leaving her unable to focus on the revelation Lucas had inadvertently revealed about Eric's desire to marry her.

Eric swiftly closed the distance between them, his hand finding Ariel's as they exchanged worried glances, keeping pace just inches behind Darius. Ariel's mind whirled, unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation, but one thing was clear: they needed to reach Helena as quickly as possible. Fear clenched Ariel's heart, and her imagination ran wild with countless horrifying scenarios, each one more dreadful than the last. She didn't know the exact nature of her friend's suffering, but she was determined to be by Helena's side, to offer her support.

However, their progress came to an abrupt halt as an ear-piercing scream erupted, so intense that it seemed capable of shaking the very foundations of the castle walls. They stood frozen, terror-stricken, unable to move forward.

Before worry or fear could solidify in either one of their minds, Ariel froze at the next sound they heard.

The wicked cackle of her aunt's laughter, coming from inside the room.

A/N: Rather short this time, but I thought I would post it now as we near climax rather than leave it for later and save the climax for future chapters, which could be another 4,000 words or so and another few days before the next update. I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!