Daughter Of Poseidon

The Trenches

"What the hell are these things?" Arthur asks. "The Trench! We're here! There are too many of them! Come on, inside! They're from the depths." "They're scared of the light. Here!" Ariella exclaims. Mera, Arthur, and Ariella use light to lead them through. "Come on! You ready to jump?" "Over there! That thing will tear us apart." "We don't have a choice! Arthur!" The three jump, "Mera!" "Mera!" "Mera!" "Mera!" "Mera!" "Arthur." "Mom?" Arthur asks. "King Orvax sacrificed me to the Trench, but I survived. I fought my way through as you did, and I ended up here." Ariella bows to the Queen, "Your Majesty." "You've been here alone for 20 years?" "Yes. Come. Sit here. You must forgive me. Forgive me for everything." "This happened because you had me." "Not for having you. None of this is your fault. I made a choice. I had to leave. To save you, to save your father. Tell me. Tell me about him. Is he—" "He still walks to the end of that dock. Every morning. Every day. Waiting for you. Why didn't you ever come back?" "Because the portal that brought you here won't let us return. The Trident is the only way back. But it is guarded by the Karathen. The creature from our legends, it's real. It lies beyond the waterfall." "We'll go with you, Queen Atlanna," Ariella says. "We can fight it together." "No. It's too powerful. I've tried many times over the years. The creature will only allow the true King to pass. You're afraid." "Yes." "Good. You're ready. Atlantis has always had a King. Now, it needs something more." "But what could be greater than a King?" Arthur asks. Ariella kneels in front of Arthur. "A hero." Atlanna says. "They need a hero like I needed a hero, go get that Trident, then let's go back to Atlantis and you kick Orm's ass." "Don't worry, Princess, I plan on winning, if I win, he leaves both land and sea alone, and I get the girl." Ariella smiles, "Oh yeah, you sure you want her?" Arthur laughs looking down at Ariella, "I do." Arthur makes his way towards the cave, disappearing. Mera is already on her feet. "What girl?" Mera asks. Ariella looks at her, "Me." "You? How and when did become a bargaining chip for King Orm, M'Ariella?" "It wasn't very long ago Orm tried to kill me, more than once because I refused to marry him." "Wait a damn minute, you jumped from Orm to Arthur?" "No, I never had any feelings for Orm, my Mother set this up. The night I was supposed to marry Orm, I stayed on land with Arthur and that's where I've been for over six months now," Ariella explains. "You bitch, you stood Orm up because you didn't want to marry him?" Mera asks. "You don't know the whole story, Orm was going to keep me held against my will, he didn't love me, he just wanted a Queen. Orm nearly killed me, twice." "Maybe you shouldn't have disobeyed him." "I wasn't going to stay away from the surface to please him, I obey no man!" "We know you don't listen, you never have." "You know what Y'Mera, you've never liked me, I've just been waiting to see how long it took you before you reverted to your old ways. Always thinking you're better than everyone else!" "Yes, I am better than everyone else. Unlike you, my father wasn't exiled to the Trenches!" "My father was rescued from the Trenches!" "You knew about the Trenches?" Atlanna asks. "Yes your Majesty, we all know about them." "But you knew how to get past them!" Mera exclaims. "It's common knowledge, Mera." "Oh my god, you knew that Atlanna was still alive all these years, you knew!" "I did not! Had I known I would have told Arthur!" "M'Ariella, did you know I was still alive?" Ariella looks at Atlanna, "I had no idea, your Majesty, I swear." A few moments later Arthur emerges from the cave with Atlan's Trident in hand. "He's done it!" Mera says. "I knew he could do it the whole time," Ariella says with a smile and rushes to Arthur's side. "I knew it, I knew you could do it." Arthur smiles and walks over to his Mother and Mera. "My baby is the one true King," Atlanna says hugging Arthur. "Let's go kick some ass, win the war, and get you the girl. Whoever that may be," Mera says as Ariella walks over. "M'Ariella." Arthur says with a smile, they walk past Mera. "I'll lead, Mom and Ariella follow and Mera you take up the rear." "Of course, Arthur." Ariella walks past Mera with a smirk.