Ariel's Charm

by Marnie Lester

  His black eyes glared at her as she now stood facing him. Ariel noticed a peculiar feeling and realised that the charm had begun to vibrate against her chest. After retrieving his weapon, Largo approached her, a malicious grin spreading across his face.

  ‘I am the ruler of Walhalla,’ he called loudly making sure that everyone heard him. ‘This child will fall to my power as did her parents.’

  Again, Ariel became conscious of the charm vibrating against her skin and suddenly she knew what she had to do. Taking advantage of Largo’s momentary distraction she shoved him in the chest with all of her might. Surprised, Largo fell to the ground. There was a huge audible intake of air by those watching. Moving quickly she slipped the charm from around her neck and before he could stand she dropped the heavy chain over his head. She heard a few people cry out in disbelief at what she had just done. Surprised, Largo grasped the charm and a sudden blinding light shone out from his closed hand. This light engulfed him and seemed to move and flow like a living thing. It wove itself into a thick web until he seemed to be encased in a glowing cocoon. She was not sure what was happening though some instinct told her that she had done the right thing. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

  The extraordinary light that was enveloping Largo became brighter and brighter. She had to raise a hand to shield her eyes against the brilliance of the living light and realised that she could not see him. Ariel could hear the cries of the people behind her clearly fearful and confused at the mystical scene that they were witnessing. She turned back to Largo as the extraordinary light began to pulse and emit a strong humming noise. Suddenly Ariel’s blood froze as a piercing scream could be heard coming from inside the glowing cocoon.

  The cocoon seemed to contract suddenly and a frightening image of Largo being crushed filled her mind. Even after everything that he had done to her family Ariel was sickened by the idea of someone being crushed to death. The cocoon continued to contract. Ariel shrieked as she heard a loud chilling inhuman sound. As quickly as it appeared the cocoon gave one single blinding flash and then vanished. The charm seemed to hang in the air for a moment then fell to the ground. Largo was gone.

  Chapter 44

  An overwhelming silence filled the valley as the stunned people tried to absorb what had just happened. Ariel stood still for a moment staring at the spot that her nemesis had filled. It was as if she expected Largo to reappear. However, stepping forward Ariel could not resist but touch the ground around the charm with the toe of her boot. Finally she understood that he was really gone and bending down she picked-up the charm and placed it around her neck. She turned to face the people. There, for a moment, was stunned silence. Suddenly a roar of cheering erupted from the crowd. Ariel stared at the cheering masses, her mind still trying to come to terms with what she had just seen and the result of what she had done.

  She raised her head as she contemplated the fact that she had just taken a life. Ariel knew that she had done what was necessary to save her world. She knew that Largo would have ended her life without hesitation and not given her another thought. Just as he had ended her parents’ lives without hesitation or regret, for Ariel now knew this was the truth.

  The sounds of celebration drew her attention and feeling a smile on her face she approached the cheering citizens of Walhalla. People were hugging each other and she was surprised to see the men of Largo’s army joined in the cheering. It made her realise that many of them had been forced into service by a cruel dictator.

  Anxiously, Ariel scanned the crowd. She needed to know that Reynaldo and Marco were safe; if they were still alive. She looked around and saw the still form of Patrail lying at the base of one of the blockades. But where was Reynaldo? Her head shot up when she heard her name being called. Suddenly Reynaldo was running toward her. She felt her heart about to burst with joy as the man who was the closest to a father that she had ever known swung her into a tight embrace.

  ‘I thank Pallagrin that you are alive,’ he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. ‘Are you sure you are unhurt?’ Ariel nodded and he continued, ‘I am so proud of you, Ariel.’

  Ariel saw the tell-tale glimmer of tears in his eyes and enthusiastically returned his hug. It was over! These people who had suffered under a tyrant for so long were now free. The citizens of Walhalla continued to cheer, hugging each other. Many were openly weeping as exhaustion and exhilaration combined into an outburst of emotion. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned to see Marco. He looked dirty and exhausted from battle, a bright bloodstain visible on his shoulder. Ariel hugged her best friend and was overcome by emotions of relief and joy. It had been a difficult day with the loss of many lives.

  Those who were wounded were attended to and Ariel washed and bandaged the ugly hole in Marco’s shoulder. A fenced enclosure was quickly assembled and a group of men rounded up the drallions. Ariel was again surprised at how easily the men of Largo’s army worked with the rebel forces. Many were enjoying reunions with family members whom they had not seen since being forced into Largo’s army. Eventually the air of celebration would overcome the grief of those who had lost loved ones but not that day. The people first needed to grieve and bury those who lost their lives.

  The rest of that day was spent on counting their losses. For those who had fallen, graves were dug and prayed over. Ariel genuinely mourned every life lost. When the people of Walhalla saw the emotion on their young queen’s face, they knew that their time of fear and deprivation was over. Whether she would be comparable to her mother and father was, as yet, in the future for Ariel and the people of Walhalla. The emotion of these ceremonies brought home to Ariel that she was now part of a larger family, the family of the people of Walhalla. She mourned with the people who had lost fathers, brothers and husbands. She held children who wept and hugged friends and family of the fallen.

  Ariel knew that the dead had to be honored so she silently made a vow that one day a monument would stand in this place as a way of paying tribute to the fallen.

  The hardest to bear though was the burial of Elizon.

  Dalmar stood beside his grave, ashen faced, his lips compressed into a tight line. The elandril riders flanked him and added their support to their grieved leader. The other elandril stood in line behind their riders, their heads bowed and wings spread in respect for their fallen comrade. After the beautiful bird was laid to rest Dalmar lingered over his grave. Everyone else withdrew knowing he needed to say goodbye.

  After the wounded had been seen to and meals prepared, Ariel noticed Dalmar sitting quietly on the edge of the clearing. She approached him slowly and sitting beside him she placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. Reynaldo saw them and soon joined them, adding his own support to their grieving friend.

  ‘Dalmar, I know it is small comfort but you know Elizon gave his life to protect you. It is the elandril nature to serve and protect their riders,’ Reynaldo said.

  Dalmar nodded. Ariel was grateful for Reynaldo’s gentle wisdom. She sat beside two very dear people and felt a sense of joy bubbling to the surface. She was exhausted, dirty, moved and more than a little overwhelmed by the journey that still lay ahead of her but she knew that she was home.

  Chapter 45

  The following day the multitude of people had hitched wagons to the remaining drallions and headed for Golden City. The sound of laughter and singing accompanied the travelling party. Ariel sat on the driving board of the lead wagon. Reynaldo used the reins to guide the two drallions pulling their wagon and Marco sat on her other side. Dalmar rode in the rear of the lead wagon, his face still a mask of grief and shock. Ariel’s heart went out to him and she wondered if she would ever hear his hearty laughter again.

  In a short time they began to pass through the townships that Ariel had travelled through on her arrival to Walhalla. The villages were quite different than the first time she had seen them. Now scores of locals lined the roadway and cheered. It would seem word had already
reached them that they were free from Largo’s tyranny. As they passed more townspeople joined their ranks. Soon what seemed like thousands made up the party travelling to Golden City.

  The journey to Golden City took a day and a half but the air of celebration made the distance travelled unimportant. Food was passed back and forth between the wagons to sustain them; bread, fruit and cheese passed from hand to hand. Again Ariel marveled at the changed spirits of the people of Walhalla. The change from apathetic oppres-sion to excited anticipation reminded her of the inmates of Brentonville overcoming the bullying prefects.

  Soon a familiar rise came into view and Ariel knew that they were approaching Golden City. A band could be heard playing from the other side of the rise. As they crested the hill people rushed forward to meet the wagons. Ariel could see a group of men playing instruments approaching the train. She felt an excitement and sense of belonging that she hoped would carry her through the times ahead. This feeling of belonging was encouraged when a group of people near the wagon lifted her to their shoulders and carried her into the palace courtyard.

  A few days later a memorable scene took place in Walhalla. The huge central courtyard of the palace had been trans-formed. A platform had been constructed in the centre of the huge triangle of gold tiles in the courtyard cobblestones. The throne of Walhalla rested on the centre of the platform. Many people had been celebrating enthusiastically for the last two days. They were celebrating the regaining of their freedom and the promise of a better future. Although some now nursed sore heads from the merriment, it did not curb their enthusiasm. An excited crowd surrounded the platform. Their voices carried to the upper reaches of the palace.

  Ariel sat in the chamber that had belonged to her parents and which was now her private suite. The portraits of her parents were mounted on the wall opposite the huge cano-pied bed that she had not, as yet, adjusted to sleeping in. Too many years sleeping on hard, narrow cots made the huge comfortable bed intimidating rather than inviting. The portraits of her parents had been restored after spending time in the palace storerooms during Largo’s despotic rule. Largo had them removed shortly after taking over in Walhalla. Ariel spent what felt like hours gazing at the faces of the two people whom she had never known.

  Her mother was beautiful. She had a heart shaped face with high cheekbones. The artist had captured her large, heavily lashed green eyes to perfection. Her long dark hair was piled into an elaborate style on top of her head. Her father’s portrait showed a laughing, handsome man. Ariel recognised the slanting dark, grey eyes that he had passed on to his daughter. Both parents were dressed in exotic formal attire; her mother’s long embroidered golden gown flowed around her slim figure. Her father wore a heavily ruffled shirt under a matching gold satin embroidered waistcoat.

  Ariel’s regret at never knowing these handsome people haunted her. As she stared at the portrait of her father, for an instant his face changed and another took its place. Ariel’s jaw dropped as she realised that there was a resemblance between her father and Largo. How could that be, she wondered? Surely Reynaldo would have told her if they were related. Ariel shook her head. She decided that she must have imagined the resemblance. To consider anything else would be unthinkable.

  Chapter 46

  The day that Ariel was to become queen had arrived. She sat before an elaborate dressing table and almost did not recognise herself as the same girl who had spent most of her life in an orphanage. She was dressed in a slim-fitting golden gown with long, widely draped sleeves and a full, flowing skirt. The fabric was a heavy, elaborately embroidered gold satin. She recognised it as the same fabric of her mother’s gown in the portrait adorning her wall. Her hair had been braided and coiled into a knot at the nape of her neck. On her wrist she wore a heavy gold bracelet that had been a gift from Marco and Reynaldo. Small hearts and miniature elandrils adorned the heavy links. Ariel knew that she would never remove it as it symbolised the love and loyalty of those closest to her.

  The palace maids fluttered around her adjusting her gown and smoothing her hair. Today was her coronation and the excitement of the event made these young women fret over every detail of Ariel’s appearance. She smiled reassuringly at them and finally they were satisfied with their new queen’s ensemble. A moment later she heard a small cough behind her. Ariel turned and saw a handsomely dressed Reynaldo waiting to take her down to the ceremony that would change her life. She rose and walked toward him. He smiled as he took her hands:

  ‘You look beautiful, Ariel,’ he hesitated. ‘I must get used to addressing you as Your Majesty.’

  Ariel laughed and kissed his cheek. ‘I will always be Ariel to you.’

  He looked very smart in a full sleeved dazzling white shirt with a crimson velvet waistcoat over the top. His leather breeches had been replaced by black cloth, matching his black boots that had been polished until they shone. She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and the two walked down to the waiting people. A dark red carpet led from the top of the curving marble staircase down to high arched doorway. As Ariel walked with Reynaldo down the curving staircase she looked at the doorway ahead and a sense of trepidation filled her. She paused on the stairs, fear suddenly gripping her. She knew that she could not do this. How could she be a queen? Reynaldo must have read her mind for he squeezed her hand and drew her attention.

  ‘Ariel, you will be just fine,’ he paused. ‘I will be beside you every step of the way.’

  She smiled at Reynaldo and nodded. Ariel knew that the door she was about to pass through would lead to the platform holding the throne and to her future. Smartly dressed guards stood on either side of the doorway and clicked their heels together and touched their right fist to their left shoulder in the traditional Walhalla salute at the approach of their supreme commander. As Ariel drew near they spoke the salute that had been a motto of Walhalla for many seasons.

  ‘Walhalla will endure!’ said one guard.

  ‘And prevail!’ replied the other.

  Ariel’s heart swelled with pride as she passed them to move outside.

  More guards lined the red carpet and repeated their gestures of respect. A loud cheer erupted from the crowd at the sight of their new queen.

  Ariel walked slowly in the careful, halting steps that she had been taught the night before by Reynaldo. Ariel noticed a beaming Marco standing to one side of two low steps at the base of the platform which held the throne. She reached out and squeezed his hand before she ascended the steps and turned to face her people. A smiling Dalmar stood near the rear of the assembled crowd wearing his new insignia as leader of the drallion and elandril corps. Ariel knew that he was still consumed with grief. Ariel hoped the position that she had appointed him to would give him the purpose that he needed to move forward. She knew that he would lead her forces with wisdom, courage and dedication.

  An elaborately dressed minister stood beside the throne and Ariel noticed that there was a low table containing a silver platter on the other side. The crown of Walhalla sat on the platter. The throne itself was a tall high-backed chair covered in red velvet with elaborately carved gold plated arms that had been polished to a high luster for this special day. The staff which performed the task saw it as a labor of love. Scrubbing the dust and mould from each nook and cranny was symbolic of cleansing the throne of all traces of Largo. A small matching footstool with delicately carved legs stood in front of the throne.

  The crown was a woven domed cap of braided gold lengths crisscrossing each other. Ebonite stones flashed between them. Ariel had been told that the crown had been designed by a famous goldsmith who was commis-sioned by King Rufus. The crown was presented to Queen Marissa on their wedding day. She could not help but feel a sense of pride and excitement at the prospect of wearing the same crown worn by both her grandmother and her mother.

  A flourish of brass horns signaled Ariel to step to the front of the throne. She stood straight and proud, her gaze forward to the people of Walhalla and to the future,
her arms by her sides. The minister moved directly behind her and, lifting the heavy jeweled crown, he held it high over her head. He cleared his throat:

  ‘Do you pledge to uphold the laws of Walhalla? ‘

  ‘I do,’ Ariel replied in a clear voice.

  ‘Do you pledge to serve, lead and protect the people of Walhalla?’ he continued.

  ‘I do,’ Ariel responded.

  ‘Do you pledge to carry out the duties of your position with compassion, integrity and benevolence?’

  ‘I do,’ Ariel responded again, knowing with an inner conviction that she would do everything in her power to keep the promises that she had just made. More than anything, she wanted her parents to be proud of her, for them to know that their sacrifice had not been in vain.

  He hesitated a moment longer then lowered the heavy crown onto Ariel’s head. She was surprised at the weight of the crown but knew it paled to the weight of responsibility now placed on her young shoulders. Ariel knew that the time ahead of her would be challenging and yet she refused to be daunted. Despite the terrors that she had dealt with in recent weeks she faced the task ahead of her with courage and determination. Ariel knew that she now faced the challenge of restoring Walhalla to the land her parents had ruled. It was a challenge that filled her with excitement and trepidation at the same time. The damage that had been done by Largo would linger in the minds of the people of Walhalla for many seasons to come. Ariel hoped that one day they would once again enjoy the security and prosperity that they had experienced under her parents’ reign.

  Queen Ariel moved forward from the throne and beamed at the cheering crowd who chanted her name over and over. She gazed out at the sea of people who she would live for, work for and do everything in her power to protect. Mostly she sought out the three people who had come to mean the world to her. Reynaldo stood closest at the base of the platform, beaming with pride as he looked upon the girl whom he saw as his daughter and his Queen. Dalmar stood at the back of the crowd and appeared to be leading the cheering.