Ariel found himself at the Empire Palace. He'd only visited a few times in his life, but he knew exactly where he was. The expensive curtains — dyed in different shades of purple, green and black. The expansive rooms that stretched far beyond what was necessary. And Maren, humming quietly to herself in the corner of the room.
Her golden blonde tresses cascaded long down her back as she stretched her arm out for a book that was just out of reach. She wore her signature blue dress that fell just above her ankles, swaying around her softly.
They were in an office space, the one that the Emperor Regent used during his reign with the Emerald Empress. Maren had shown him the room once before when they'd ditched a party together.
At the time, they knew what the consequences might have been, but they cared not. All that was on their mind was having fun. They galivanted through the halls, their laughter echoing loudly.
For Maren, Ariel knew it was nothing more than a simple party. But for him, that night marked something far more meaningful.
"Ariel?" She asked, the book in her hand.
He perked up, meeting her gaze as she turned toward him.
Maren walked toward him, slowly. Her dress swayed gently around her ankles as she moved, holding the book out in front of her.
But it was her eyes that held him captive, shocking him.
A look that he had only ever seen her direct at one person.
Ariel had spent most of his life in Toberville, attending school at the Academy, but it wasn't until his 6th year, at the age of 15 that he truly met Maren. They'd been introduced sporadically when they were very young, but a year or two for a child is like a decade. Each time Ariel met Maren, it was like meeting a stranger all over again.
His mother would ask him questions like 'isn't she pretty?' or 'wouldn't she make a fine wife one day?'
Even then, Ariel knew exactly what the adults were doing. He understood his place as a prince and as the only child of the Kingsley's of Avelle. His path had been intricately laid out for him, like a war plan.
But at the age of fifteen, when Ariel met the fully blossomed Maren, all those ideals came crashing down around him.
She was a princess of the Empire, but she refused to let people treat her as such. Unlike Cora, who utilized her status to her full advantage, Maren made it a point to put herself on the same level as others. She helped with classroom duties and joined the gardening club.
The only time both Princesses met the other on the same level was when they were competing in class. Both Maren and Cora were wickedly intelligent. Goddess forbid they had the same class because everyone knew they would spend the year trying to win one over on the other. Maren wasn't even competitive in nature, but Cora forced it out of her.
But over the course of their first year, Ariel came to know her more deeply than the future Empress of Carbouran. Maren wasn't just pretty — she was bright and intelligent and curious and thoughtful and patient and truly, genuinely kind. His friends went wild when they met her. He could feel the fire that her presence burned within each of them.
But when he looked at her, Ariel knew his own fire was different.
And so, as time went on, he pushed those feelings away and refused to pay it any mind. But that night at Cora's 19th birthday ball, he allowed Maren to whisk him away. He remembered the look on her face that night — that joyful facade that hid away something deeper.
He always knew that Maren loved Cora, whether she knew it herself or not. He saw the way she looked at her. The way Cora lit a fire inside of her — when nobody else could.
And as they ran around the castle together that night, Ariel realized how badly he wanted to feel that way about someone. Even though Cora's behavior caused her suffering, Ariel wanted to know that feeling.
To feel something so deeply, it's all you can do but run away.
He admired her bravery — her honesty.
And as he gazed at Maren in the dim lighting of the desolate palace halls, Ariel realized something. Whatever strange magic was at work, simply wouldn't work on him. Perhaps once, many years ago, he could have been seduced by the idea of this perfect life. He'd idealized it over and over in his mind, like an actor dedicated to his script.
But seeing her now, he knew why he clung so desperately to that idea.
Maren was kind and safe. A future beside her was what his family wanted. It made sense.
But that dreadful feeling of resignation that toiled in his chest spoke more truth than a thousand convincing delusions.
This so-called "perfect" life would never make him happy. [1]
Ariel didn't need magic or some great emotional reveal to show him what he feared.
He'd known it for years.
***
Lexi opened her eyes to sapphire light, gazing back at her.
Maren held a hand out for her, and when Lexi took it, she savored the soft warmth of it. She had held Maren's hand many times before but something about this felt far more intimate. It was something in the way she looked at her and the calm in her presence.
Her breathing relaxed as Maren's fingers closed around her wrist, pulling her to her feet.
"Looks like you needed some help," Maren said with a smile.
"Yes," Lexi mumbled, furrowing her brow. "Except I can't seem to remember where I was or why I needed help."
"You were lost in the woods," Maren responded, her eyes shining with innocence. "I heard you call out for your teammates, but…I didn't hear them answer. So, I came running."
That's right, Lexi thought. I lost my teammates.
She looked around, trying to gauge her surroundings, but it was almost too dark to see. Maren's shining eyes lit up the area just enough for Lexi to see that they were somewhere deep in a forest, but visible landmarks were undiscernible.
Lexi had been lost — separated from her comrades. She remembered a sharp crunching beneath her feet. And suddenly, she was alone — her teammates nowhere to be found.
But why am I here? She asked herself.
But then, another more chilling thought made its way into her mind.
And more importantly…why is Maren here?
Lexi's eyes scanned Maren. She looked the same, down to the detail of her Starblessed markings and even her facial expressions. Maren wore a beautiful gown, almost white but tinted a soft pastel yellow. It was made of light fabrics, easy to move in and adorned in lace accents and pearls. But no matter how unfathomably distracting she thought Maren looked, Lexi couldn't shake this sense of discomfort inside her.
The situation just didn't make sense.
"Come," Maren said, snatching Lexi's hand. "Thirteen is waiting for us at the end.
Maren led the two of them through the forest with ease, tiny wet twigs and leaves crunched beneath their feet. The air was humid and filled with moisture. Lexi thought it was far different from the weather in Toberville.
Then, something flashed through Lexi's mind.
An image of her training.
Thirteen gazing up at her with a serious expression.
And Maren.
Lexi blinked and was instantly brought back to the moment — Maren's hand in hers, leading her through the dark.
She let out a gasp under her breath and swallowed, confused. A dreadful feeling passed through her that she should be sharper. That she should be on guard. But she didn't know why. She didn't understand those flashes of memory.
Suddenly, Lexi began to hear laughter in the distance. Her feet ground in place and her hand met the hilt of her sword.
"It's alright, Lexi," Maren said, jostling her arm casually. "It's just a party."
Maren interlaced her fingers with hers and they continued on. And soon, they emerged from the forest to a space that was far brighter than Lexi had anticipated. What awaited them at the end of their journey was exactly what Maren had promised.
Warmly lit lanterns brightened the clearing in the forest. Tables were laid out with lavish entrees and appetizers. A small group played songs and people jovially danced in the space, laughing and cheering and singing.
Lexi felt herself instantly relax.
"What is all this?" She asked.
Maren smirked and looked up at her, "it's our wedding party of course."
Lexi blinked. "Our wedding party?"[2]
[1] Author Note: Initially, I thought about making Ariel's hallucination more intense, but I don't think I've written him as an intense character. These are adults and I think Ariel is self-aware enough in his adulthood that he wouldn't have those kinds of feelings. I think even with his honesty, his current resignation to the situation is enough to keep him trapped. Like executive disfunction. He knows he doesn't like women that way, and yet, he doesn't know a way out.
[2] Author Note: I am genuinely so excited to write the next chapter --- Lexi's hallucination. Her character is so complex, intelligent and lore heavy. Lexi is definitely one of my favorite characters.