Ariel’s Decision

Thrown out of her land at a young age, Ariel turned to a life of despair and destruction to become the world’s most dangerous mermaid. Her angelic voice has been responsible for thousands of shipwrecks, where land lovers and sailors met their demise. She was angry because of what her father and sisters did to her and placed a curse on her where she can be a human on land and a mermaid in the sea when she just wanted to be loved by her family. She has it in her mind that one day they will pay for what they did.

She has also been known to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing by getting to know her victims on land and then striking them down in the sea with no possible chance for them to escape. On the agenda tonight was a young prince named Franklin Austin who was caught trading with her father and anyone associated with her father must pay. She has three sides to her charm game on land and it's giving what men want from boosting their Ego, giving Compliments, and ending it all with romanticizing. It has worked for years and she believes it will continue to work now.

She observed as all the party guests arrived for the birthday of the prince and women lined up by the hundreds to get in good with the prince. However, Ariel was thousands of steps ahead of them and had the prince in his sights. She bit down on her lip before tripping over her feet and right into the arms of the prince. “Oh my excuse me, sir. I got distracted by this great party you are having.” he looked down at her and smiled “No problem at all miss, care to take a walk?” she smiled seeing the first step was taken care of.

Within a few minutes of talking to the beautiful Ariel and her giving him compliments, he was already ensnared in her trap when a servant came to him “Sire, an emergency SOS was just sent to us by your father, your mother is on the brink of dying. She might have a few days left, I'm so sorry” he gripped his chest from the pain of his mother, and Ariel hearing it makes her mind go back to her mother. “I'm so sorry, can I do anything?” he looked down at her before hugging her “Come with me, Ariel. It's a half nights travel by boat”

Her plan was turned upside down seeing this prince in pain and it wasn't until the boat was headed to his family's kingdom when that infamous blue fog appeared in the kingdom and the boat. This curse was getting faster and faster as each kingdom is absorbed into the human realm. “Sire I heard about this fog and how it transports others to another dimension. I suggest we...” the servant is interrupted when the fog absorbed the ship and the ship disappeared.

Franklin awakened first and saw the ship in the middle of the ocean but saw Ariel and whispered “why do I feel so connected to you?” her eyes fluttered open and saw him and she smiled “Call it fate. I lost my mother when I was young and hearing that made me think of her and how I did not want to be alone to face it.” he put his hand on her shoulder “You are noble to help me like this. Go ahead full, my kingdom is so close, and could someone explain why I am flesh and bone and not animated”

Ariel was wondering the same thing but she was stuck between a rock and hard place. Between destroying Franklin for being associated with her father and the fact that she was starting to care for him. She saw how much he loved his mother and it was something she did not see often. She looked over the rail of the ship about to finish him and his servants off. But when she looked into the water she saw a reflection of her mother smiling at her before it disappears. “Ok mother, I'll give in to love” she whispered before seeing Franklin standing beside her.

“Oh, Hello Franklin, I didn't see you there” she wiped her eyes “Miss your mom huh?” she nodded “Yes I do, every single day. If it wasn't for her death then perhaps my home life would have been better. My dad banished me from my land after her death because I would act out in bad ways. Deep down I just think that since I look like her every time he would look at me he would see her.” he put his arm around her “I'm sorry if you ever need refuge from anything you will be safe in my land”

“Thank you, your majesty but I am looking for more than just a refuge, I am needing somewhere to belong and I am needing love.” he grabbed her hand and smiled before the ship pulled up to the dock and they made a quick dash to where his mother was at. Hoping she was still hanging on. They were stunned upon walking into her room and seeing her talking with no health problems. “Mom? I thought?” she smiled “yeah apparently being pixels is what was killing me, the moment I became human all pain was gone”

His dread was turned to happiness when his mom was ok but he looked at Ariel and saw how badly this was affecting her. He sighs out and grabbed her hand before walking her out of the room “I'm happy for you, Franklin. I just wish that my mother was a walking miracle.” he gripped her hand “I know, Ariel but want to know something? I bet she would be so proud of you” she smiled before leaning her hand against his cheek before she kissed him. “I don't know about that since I have done terrible things in my life.”

He smiled and said “Haven't we all? We make mistakes but it's how we finish and not how we start. All I can say is to live the best life you can imagine and stick with it.” she grabbed his left cheek and kissed his right “I will do that, Franklin. I'm glad I met you and truly hope that this will lead to something special” he nodded “it already has, Ariel” They went back into the room of the castle and he was able to relax seeing that his mother was ok and Ariel was the one girl he has been looking for a long.

“Mother I am pleased that you are ok and wish I could stay longer but I must get back home” his mother hugged him “I understand, we will be up to visit for about a week or so next month to see how the kingdom is,” he said his goodbyes to them and soon the four of them head out to the boat to make the trip back. Franklin looks at Ariel and just knew that she was the girl for him and was already making mental preparations in his mind to make her his Queen.

As they made their way to the ship they were quickly approached by Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White. “Hello there, is something wrong? I am prince Franklin of Paradise Falls” the three were so exhausted and they look like they could use a break. Aurora being a Queen stepped up and took charge “Your majesty, I am Queen Aurora following leads of men disappearing ever since we entered this land. It seems every one of our stories has wound up being the same. All three of us fell in love with a man and the next they are under a curse and disappear”

“What can I do, Queen Aurora?” she then asked the magic question “By any chance have you or a woman you know fallen in love?” he looked at Ariel and Ariel looked at him knowing she fell also. “Ariel I'm sorry but something about you has made me fall for you. I don't know what it is but if this is true then just know that love finds a way through anything life sends our way.” Ariel ran to him and held him “They will have to take me with you, Franklin.”

He held on to her and kissed her head before Snow White said “Just be cautious, all of these disappearances happen when they receive a bite on the neck by something we need to examine if we can” at that moment, Franklin felt that bite and he closed his eyes “I've been bitten.” snow white went to the back of his neck and saw the device on him and crushed it while Ariel held tight to him “Ariel, I love you” he said before he was taken over and was gone. He was gone but Ariel hung on to his words and became hopeful “Whoever took him will wish they never hurt the most dangerous mermaid in the world. Can I join you three?”

The three smiled and welcomed her to the ever-growing company and at this point, they are upsetting the wrong women.

To Be Continued in Belle’s Book Life