The Surprise

Ether had asked her to come with the letter. However, Ariana was scared because the man had clearly instructed her not to tell anybody. But she knew that it would be too dangerous if she really did not tell anybody and went away to meet this man.

She knocked thrice. Ether opened the door and hugged her tightly. Once again, she had a new face. Ariana sometimes could not understand how Ether could do all that. At other times, she wished she'd been a witch rather than a princess because it would make her all powerful. As she was lost in thought, she handed over the letter to Ether without even realising it. There was a minute of silence.

"Ari, I am glad you decided to tell me about this letter. It was very responsible of you. But I also sense the fact that you haven't done it whole heartedly. Don't worry Ariana, sometimes in order to protect ourselves and the people we love, we must do things that might seem wrong."

Ariana heaved a sigh of relief. She knew Ether was right.

              ***************

Ryan woke up with acute headache due to the dream that he had been seeing that night.

A girl was running in the forest as fast as she could. She took a sharp right turn and bumped straight into Ryan. Her eyes were pleading and she was sobbing softly. "Help me!" She cried. Ryan held her hand and they started running together. Just then a beast came from nowhere and stabbed him in the chest and the girl started laughing with a devilish look on her face.

He knew it was just a dream, but he also knew that it had felt so real that he started feeling tired when he woke up. He got up from his bed and went to the washroom to change his clothes and wash his face. Ryan had never lost a battle and he hated the feeling that had followed his defeat. Even that day he felt as if he was walking with only half a heart. He wondered what kind of other magic could be possible in Ambrosia and he decided that he had to pay a visit; not as a conqueror, as an explorer.

                   **********

Just as Ariana returned to the castle, she found a letter waiting for her in the stable. Intense fear took hold of her. She hoped that the man hadn't found out about it.

Ether's words echoed through her ears, "You have to be very careful Ariana. Whoever this man is, he is either too good or too bad for you. I am not being able to sense much about him which is surprising. Promise me that you will keep me updated."

She picked up the letter.

Ariana,

I saw you today riding off on you horse.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She read further.

You looked beautiful I must say. But then again, you are from a magical world, so you have to. I hope you have made your decision and I trust you. If you do want to meet me, leave a note in the stable about the time and place. Don't you dare try to find out who picks up the letter. Let it be a secret till we meet.

I promise you, as long as you're honest with me, you're in safe hands.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Your friend.

Ariana had read the letter about three times till she realised the fact that this man was cocky. The fact that he had convincingly believed that she was going to say yes annoyed her. She didn't like men like that who were so sure of themselves all the time.

She'd left the note in the stable as instructed and had sent this letter to Ether with a messenger. Nothing could go wrong ; or so she thought.

She would meet the man the next day and would finally find out who he was.

                 **************

Amada was angry. He had clearly told Ryan to stay away from Ambrosia and yet he had decided to visit the place as an "explorer" again. Amada know that Ryan would never waste his time in roaming around just for fun. He had to have an ulterior motive behind it. And had to find out. He went to Brutus' room.

"Why is Ryan going to Ambrosia again. Why can't you knock it into his thick head to STAY AWAY?" He exclaimed.

Brutus smiled.

"Ever since you went away to some unknown land, Ryan has grown up to be more and more headstrong. He had to look after the entire kingdom on his home. Additionally, he had a father who passed snide remarks and a mother who hardly stopped him.

Ryan has become a man who does what he wants to do. And even though he comes across as someone who is impulsive, most of the times he knows what he is doing. I trust him. So relax Amada. He'll be fine."

Amada was furious. He had forgotten that it would be futile to appeal to Brutus or anyone else in the council for help. They would all always trust Ryan more than him. It was then that it hit him, he was absolutely alone in this battle against his own brother.

                 **************

Ariana was reading a book when she heard the sounds of laughter and cheer in the corridors. She opened her gate and rushed outside. There she saw, her dream come true.

Women were dancing to their own rhythm and the men were all opening bottles of wine. And there, amidst all of them, stood her father; Upright, all dressed up and smiling.

She couldn't believe her eyes. They were clouded with tears. She walked towards him, shaking in surprise. The happiness was too overwhelming for her to contain. She jumped with delight and hugged her father and just like that, her life began to fall into place.

Ether's words echoed in her ears, "He'll rise when it's time."