Prophecy of the Sea

Part One

'Yes!' I thought. I finally escaped the castle walls. I kicked my tail and swam as fast as I could toward The Quad. I had planned to meet Sonya--my best friend and Kari--my cousin. Father had locked me up good this time. I never understood why he always locked me inside the palace walls, probably because he never explained it to me either.

I had a strange feeling that my brothers would start searching for me soon, so I swam faster. I have never felt so free. Sonya waved me over to the center. Sonya's family wasn't from around these parts so it was the best place to meet.

Sonya's brownish-black hair was in its familiar braid-like style. I dove down to meet her by the statue of my ancestor. "Aranea, I'm so glad you could make it. Where is your cousin? I'm so glad to meet her." Sonya said with sophistication, more than what I use in my rhetoric.

"She's by the caravan come on!" I demanded. I pulled Sonya's arm, careful to not hurt her. The caravan set up shops to make a living here. Some are successful, like Sonya's parents, but not many. "Kari!?" I yelled. Sonya and I searched for her. "Over here." She replied calmly, but loud enough to hear.

I pulled Sonya to the area where Kari was waiting gracefully. "Hello, my dear cousin. And you must be Sonya!" Kari held out her hand. Sonya lifted her hand to shake Kari's only to be pulled into a tight hug. "Who am I kidding? It is very nice to meet you." Kari burst with excitement.

"Nice to meet you too," Sonya said with a light in her voice. Sonya seemed to relax. "Aranea, so tell me, how did you get out of the palace this time?"  Kari asked. "Well, Marissa showed me an underground exit through the kitchen several years ago. So while everyone was eating I went through the tunnel and slipped past the guard with ease."

As the words left my mouth I heard two familiar voices calling my name. "Aranea! Where are you?" "Apollo you know what father said! Shut up before she swims off again!" My brother scolded the other. Father had sent my brothers, I was surprised at how quickly they had realized I went missing.

"Did you hear that?" I addressed to Sonya and Kari. "Hear what?" They said in unison. "Um, nothing. I have to go. See you two later." I said as I kicked my tail and started swimming away. I needed to hide from my brothers as long as I could. Especially to prolong my impending punishment. I started darting past the city patrons and past the caravan. My tail had learned very precise maneuvers to avoid being caught, especially having older twin brothers to hide from.

"There she is!" My brother Triton shouted. I looked back and saw my brothers chase after me. I swam faster and faster. By the time I reached the end of the city plaza, there was no point of me racing even further. There is not much protection for me outside of the plaza. I might have made some dumb decisions but I wasn't stupid. Outside of the city for a royal was bad news. Luckily, there was a reef that was just my size, I dove behind it--secretly hoping my brothers wouldn't dare to look.

"Oh great. this is just great. Father and Marjorie are going to end us." Triton said with fury. My eyes widened. Marjorie, my older sister, I have surely offended her this time. I promised her I wouldn't escape ever again the palace again until I had father's say. However, I am always the last to realize this whenever I escape. Some lessons are hard for my young mind, being 16 is a tumultuous time.

However, I betrayed Marjorie. She's the one person I have trusted since my mother abandoned us. My sister was the closest mother figure I had and even though father and I can have our disagreements, remember Marjorie is the one thing that always brings me home. I felt Apollo and Triton coming closer and closer. My thoughts of Marjorie's disappointed face were becoming too much. So, I decided to surrender. I came out from behind the reef. "Aranea, we were so worried," Apollo said--has always been sweet to me. "Come on. We need to get you home." He cooed.

I didn't even contemplate the thought of looking at Triton. I knew he was mad. Triton gripped my arm forcefully. My brothers dragged me back to the palace. Where my father and sister were waiting. I felt like dying. I could handle my father's punishments, but it was my sister's disappointment that I was mainly concerned with. The palace guards opened the palace doors and my brother's dragged me inside. I didn't bother with fighting back. This time I knew I deserved my father's wrath.

I looked up and saw we were being led by our family butler--my personal tutor-- Bishop to the throne room. I looked back down, fighting the tears that I wanted so desperately to shed. I haven't cried since mother left many seasons ago when I was little. My father was hapy with me then, my mother and I were kindred spirits, 2 in the same. When she left, it was hard for my father and I to get along well. After my thoughts stopped swirling around, we finally entered the throne room. Both of my brothers let me go, however, they were the very thing holding me in place. I fell to the bottom of this magnificent throne room. This was the center of the palace and, according to Bishop, the center of the kingdom. As I got older, it lost its grandeur in my mind, all it is now is a warden's office in this prison life of mine.

"Aranea." his voice boomed, shaking me to the core. "Y-yes, father." My voice was shaken, which must have surprised many people. "Why did you deliberately disobey me for what seems to be the millionth time?" He said. I slowly raised my head to look up at him, but there was only one person I could see, Marjorie.

She was so beautiful and so caring. I tried to read her face but I couldn't see anything. "Father, I wanted to go out. To be out of this palace in the open, I didn't know stretching my tail was a crime." I said calmly. "Daughter, do not patronize me. Why were you out? Who let you go?" We both knew I escaped there was no point in asking those questions, but my father always wants to hear the truth. "No one," I said plainly. I looked back down, awaiting the punishment. He was silent for what seemed to be an eternity.

"Aranea, you are now hereby confined to the palace and the ground with constant supervision." He said. "But I have not committed any crimes against you father," I said. "I know. But you did go against your sister so as punishment you will not be able to leave your room unless it is for studies, political affairs, and for meals with this family. Understood?" Before I could reply, my father pounded his staff. I couldn't argue any further, it was against the roles of a princess. My lady-in-waiting, Marissa, came in.

"Marissa please take Aranea to her room. Board up her windows, take away all of her artwork, scrolls, and maps. Then after you leave, lock her door. She isn't to exit unless I say so." Father demanded.

"Why don't you just give me shackles too," I mumbled. "Excuse me?" My father asked. "And how can you call this a family? We haven't been a family since mother left. Haven't you ever thought that's the reason why I escape this place? You're no father, you treat me like a prisoner and call it being a father..."

"Enough!" Marjorie said. I looked at her and saw that she had been crying. I looked down and quickly swam back to my room. Marissa took all of my things and left the room. The windows were boarded up already. I threw myself onto my bed and unleashed all of my tears. Then the door locked and reality hit me. I, Her Royal Highness, Aranea of prophecy, was a prisoner.