Aboard the Western Asia Kingdomâs Ship
Ariel overheard the news of the engagement. She heard the royal heraldâs announcement on horseback and the hushed whispers of the crew discussing the princeâs sudden wedding.
"Have you heard? Prince Eric is getting married to that beautiful little princess of Enderlandâtonight!"
The court attendants rejoiced. Their rebellious prince had finally accepted his fatherâs arrangement and agreed to marry the neighboring princess.
But some were skeptical. They had seen with their own eyes how deeply Prince Eric and Ariel loved each other.
Ariel herself was so shocked that she could barely speak.
"How could this be? Eric only left a few hours agoâhow could he possibly be getting married tonight? I've never heard of such a rushed, hasty, and strange wedding!"
"Something is definitely wrong here!"
"Something must have happened to Eric! Someone must have forced him into this or done something to him!"
Ariel realized she had to leave.
She had to get off this ship and see Prince Eric with her own eyes to make sure he was safe.
As she stepped out of the cabin, she was blocked by a strong, battle-hardened warrior from Enderland.
"You canât leave. Iâve been given ordersâno matter what, you must stay here," he said. "The bride and groom are about to join hands. If you show up now, Princess Her Highness will surely be heartbroken."
Arielâs frustration boiled over.
"I donât care about any orders! This is a Western Asia Kingdom ship! You have no right to keep me here!" she shouted, her anger flaring.
She called upon the shipâs crew.
These were Prince Ericâs personal attendantsâpalace servants of the Western Asia Kingdom and a handful of its soldiers. They would help her.
Several crew members stepped forward, attempting to reason with the Enderland warriors.
But the warriors stood firm, forming an impenetrable line.
"Donât think we donât know about the scandal between this girl and your prince," one of them sneered.
"Now that your master is marrying our princess, itâs time to let the past go.
"If this commoner girl, with no noble blood and no proper background, were to step off this ship, crash the wedding, and interrupt the sacred moment under the priestâs witness, wouldnât that be a disgrace?" ðäÅð¤BÃð¢
Though their reasoning sounded somewhat logical, the crew members couldnât shake the feeling that something was off.
Everything about today felt strangeâespecially this rushed and suspicious wedding.
But when they saw the imposing figures of the Enderland warriors, their gleaming armor, and their sharp weapons, they hesitated.
"Good, thatâs how it should be," the warriors muttered. "As long as Ariel doesnât show up, Prince Eric will never regain his senses!"
In the wedding temple, the old witch peered through the window at the scene unfolding on the ship in the distant harbor. A wicked grin stretched across her wrinkled face.
What she didnât realize was that her entire planâto turn Ariel into sea foamâwas doomed from the start.
Because her fundamental premise was completely wrong.
Inside the Western Asia Kingdomâs Palace
"What?! My son agreed to marry the Princess of Enderland?!"
The king of the Western Asia Kingdom was stunned by the news.
In this world, magic made long-distance communication instantaneous.
"Thatâs right, Your Majesty," a messenger confirmed. "The Enderland court witch used an incredible spell to relay this message:
"The princess of Enderland is the same girl who saved Prince Eric during that dreadful shipwreck on the stormy night.
"As soon as Prince Eric saw her again, he fell madly in love with her.
"The court witch also said the wedding is about to take place and asks that Your Majesty hurry to bless the couple."
Seated on his throne, the king sighed in awe of fateâs intricate design.
"The prophecy has come true! My son is really going to marry the neighboring princess!"
"Speaking of which, that magician from the Rose Kingdom left in a hurry yesterday. By now, he must be far away.
"I wonder where that little magician is now? What is he up to? His prophecy came trueâI should have hosted a feast for him."
The king turned to his attendants and gave an order.
"Prepare the grandest ship. I will sail there myself to witness Prince Ericâs wedding and the alliance between our two nations."
This had been planned from the startâif Prince Eric accepted the marriage, the blessed couple would wed in Enderlandâs royal capital. The king of the Western Asia Kingdom was to attend and negotiate the alliance terms with the Enderland Emperor.
The only thing the king hadnât expected was how quickly Eric had agreed.
And from the fragmented message delivered by the old witch, the wedding seemed to be happening far too fast.
He had assumed that such an important event would require careful planning and preparation!
"But, Your Majesty, the weather along the route between the Western Asia Kingdom and Enderlandâs capital hasnât been great these past few days. We may run into storms on the way."
"No need to worry about that. Just make haste. I hope weâre not too late," the king urged.
He boarded the grandest and most lavish ship.
A carefully selected group of elite guards escorted the king, their gleaming weapons at the ready.
The roaring sea wind lashed against the kingâs face as towering waves surged.
With the sound of ceremonial cannon fire, the magnificent ship set sail from the Western Asia Kingdomâs harbor.
The wind was strong today.
The gales whipped through the sails, and the churning waves made the ship lurch violently.
Wine spilled from the goblets of the attendants, and sailors occasionally slipped on the deck as they rushed about.
As the grand vessel sailed across the vast and turbulent sea, no one noticed the shadows moving beneath the waterâs surface.
Now and then, something seemed to rise from the depths, but whenever the sailors looked, it disappeared.@@novelbin@@
They thought the flashes of white they saw were nothing more than sea foam.
In the Deep Blue Sea
"Great Sea King, just as Magician Rhine prophesied, the king of the Western Asia Kingdom has set sail!"
"And the storm clouds are already forming," the scout reported eagerly. "A terrifying storm is brewing in those waters!"
Beneath the deep blue waves, a merfolk scout swam toward the Sea King, his excitement evident.
The Sea King held his golden trident firmly in hand.
He was clad in armor made of pearls and seashells, his head crowned with a regal diadem. His imposing presence commanded respect.
Behind him, countless merfolk stood at attention, awaiting the command of their oceanic ruler.
They had waited far too long for this moment.
"At last, the time has come!" the Sea King declared to his people.
"For a thousand years, we have waited.
"This is our chance to forge a friendship with the humansâour chance to make them understand us once more!"
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