That Pathetic Soul

After Ariel finished taking her bath, she strode to her walk-in closet. She dismissed Thana who asked for permission to go on her date.

"Thana... oh Thana..." Ariel frowned after calling Thana's name in her head. She couldn't figure out the kind of person Thana was. Although, Thana is her maid they barely conversate.

Ariel got dressed and headed to the throne room after eating her breakfast. The guards didn't stop her this time as she walked majestically inside the throne room.

"Ariel!" King Lexis stood up from where he was sitting. His eyes were fixed on Ariel as he couldn't stop staring at her with so much guilt in his heart.

"Father." She hurried to meet her father and they both enveloped each other in a warm embrace. After that, King Lexis motioned her to sit. He found it the perfect opportunity to tell her about the arranged marriage he'd already planned for her with the help of the Prophetess.

Ariel sat opposite her father and they both started discussing the Kingdom's welfare. Ariel was interested in politics and she was able to defend herself from any harm that comes her way. The martial art training helped her a lot.

"Father, I came to discuss something very important with you." She said while staring at her father waiting for his response.

"I'm all ears." King Lexis said giving her a chance to voice out whatever was in her mind.

Ariel told her father about her dreams and how she wanted to meet the Prophetess. Her father could only nod in disbelief. He believed Ariel's dreams were all fantasies and he didn't pay attention to that. Although, the fangs and claws she talked about disturbed him a little.

"Ariel quit it with your wild imaginations. It won't help us to solve our current situation." King Lexis blurted out almost yelling at her.

"Father, they ain't just wild imaginations. I think it's no ordinary dream and I need to meet with the Prophetess." Ariel retorted.

King Lexis shook his head in disapproval. He wouldn't allow Ariel to meet with the Prophetess now until when she'll go to the Kingdom of Vallat as per his plans with the Prophetess. Also, he disapproved of the woman's style of dressing. If it wasn't for the little clothing that covered her private organs, she would have been completely naked and he thought she wouldn't mind that fact.

King Lexis didn't want Ariel to imitate the Prophetess's style of dressing, so he told the woman beforehand that she should were something more appealing than being naked but the latter bluntly refused.

There was a moment of silence and King Lexis went on to break it. Now he was digressing from Ariel's topic and bringing his.

"Ariel, take a good look at yourself. You're not getting any younger and you're already ripe for marriage." King Lexis said as he help her with both hands to confront her.

"Father, I don't want to get married now. The only man I have in my life now is Prince Richard and I don't have any intention of getting married to him." Ariel forced a smile, withdrawing from her father's hold.

"Prince Richard. That pathetic soul. His father stopped the importation of food and raw materials from entering our Kingdom; Macbeth. He also made a boundary between both Kingdoms." King Lexis let out a sigh. Ariel could tell from her father's expressions that he was highly troubled.

"Father, I understand. But you should also know that I know not a man. None seems to come my way." Ariel protested.

King Lexis took advantage of his daughter's predicament and proceeded with his plans of luring her into marrying the King of Vallat.

"I've arranged a suitor for you."

"And who is the so-called suitor," Ariel asked in confusion.

"He's the King of Vallat." King Lexis let the cat out of the bag as he revealed it.

"But father, the King of Vallat has an unknown identity and I bet you don't know him too." Ariel almost yelled.

"I know that my dear but the Prophetess is a close friend of his. He is willing to save our Kingdom from distress only if you agree to marry him." King Lexis said skipping the fact that it was the supernatural beings' plan for both Ariel and the King of Vallat to get married.

"The Prophetess?!" Ariel's eyes widened in awe.

"Yes, the Prophetess. She came to pass the message to me and now I'm passing it to you. It is the only way our Kingdom could be free from suffering. Think about it Ariel, aren't you tired of listening to the complaints of the people, aren't you tired of hearing the numbers of people that die on a particular day." King Lexis said in a hypotonic tone.

"Father you can't just go ahead and arrange a marriage for me. It's against my will. I know it's the only solution we have at hand but did you ever consider my feelings." Ariel angrily stood up from her seat.

"Of course, I cared about your feelings and I knew you'll act this way. Ariel, you have only three days now to think this through. If you fail to get married to the King of Vallat within three days then we'll be completely doomed and our Kingdom will slowly be wiped out of existence." King Lexis frightened Ariel with his words as Ariel just left his presence angrily with a heavy eye.

King Lexis couldn't help but feel guilty. He never wanted to see his beloved daughter forced into marriage. He wanted her to marry out of love and not for redemption. It's because the purpose of her marriage to the King of Vallat was to redeem the Kingdom of Macbeth from its endless suffering.

King Lexis gazed upwards to the ceiling, his mind was clouded with millions of thoughts and unanswered questions. He didn't know where to start or who to ask.

Suddenly, a mighty rushing wind blew inside the throne room and King Lexis could feel a strong g aura and was a bit tensed. He knew he wasn't alone in the room but he could not see anyone.