The Old Witch of Enderland was overjoyed when she heard that the prince of the Western Asia Kingdom was sailing toward their shores.
She had known from the start that the young princess of Enderland was the very girl who had saved the prince during the shipwreck—an encounter she had carefully orchestrated. Ariel was nothing more than an emotional substitute.
Once the prince met the princess, fate would be sealed!
The young and unsuspecting princess had been studying royal etiquette in a distant temple, as was required of all Enderland royalty. Now, she was sailing home to meet her foreign suitor.
Though she was the youngest princess of Enderland, she was still two years older than Ariel. A true beauty, with delicate, snow-white skin.
The Old Witch brushed the princess's hair and sprinkled fragrant spices upon her.
"My dear princess, tomorrow you will meet the prince of the Western Asia Kingdom. I have adorned you with an enchanting fragrance—no man will be able to resist you. They will be utterly bewitched."
"Take this packet of spices. Use it every day, and you will always remain irresistible and full of charm."
The Old Witch was not lying.
What she didn't tell the princess was that prolonged exposure to this intoxicating magical fragrance would warp a man's mind, ensnaring him in the darkness of her spell until he became her puppet, bound to her will.
The princess knew nothing of these political schemes.
She had no idea that her fate had been carefully planned out long ago.
She didn't know that she was merely another hidden weapon in her father's quest for continental domination.
Or that she was a tool for the court witch's growing influence within the Coven.
"I am ready to meet the foreign prince," the princess said.
She had no interest in this prince she had never met, but as a royal princess, she understood that she was merely a bargaining chip on her father's table—she had no right to choose.
She knew in her heart who she truly loved.
In the past, under the Old Witch's guidance, she had traveled to a temple deep in the forest to learn the virtues and etiquette of royalty.
One early morning, just as the first light of dawn painted the sky, she had stepped out of the temple, basking in the gentle morning glow—only to see a handsome young man lying on the shore, pale as death.
He must have been caught in a terrible shipwreck and washed ashore by the waves!
She had called for help, rousing the young man and summoning others to save him. Then, without another word, she had turned and left.
It was a fleeting encounter, but it had left an imprint on her heart.
To this day, she had no idea who that beautiful young man was.
But from his sea-soaked yet luxurious silk clothing, he was surely the son of a noble family.
With a longing heart, she lifted her gaze toward the distant horizon—
A magnificent wooden ship was approaching from afar, carrying the prince of the Western Asia Kingdom.
At dawn's first light, the grand ship of the Western Asia Kingdom sailed into the royal harbor of Enderland.
The bells of the clock tower rang out.
The melody of harps drifted from the high towers.
Soldiers saluted with gleaming bayonets.
The royal herald raised the fluttering banners.
Just before Prince Eric stepped off the ship to meet the Seventh Princess of Enderland as planned, he sought out Ariel one last time.
"Ariel, you still have that potion, don't you? The one that will restore your beautiful tail," the prince asked. "I will leave now, but I will return to this ship within three days."
He continued,
"If I do not return on time, something may have happened—perhaps I will be forced to stay until I accept the Enderland princess as my bride. It's possible that this was arranged between my father and Enderland in secret.
"If the sun sets for the third time and I still haven't come back, drink the potion and leap into the sea. The water will restore your tail."
"And I will do the same. I will drink the potion in secret and jump into the ocean.
"We will meet beneath the waves!
"Our meeting place is beneath this very ship. Then, you will take me to the palace of the deep!
"Everyone—my father and the rest—will believe we drowned together in a tragic act of love.
"They will think my dutiful younger brother has finally taken my place as crown prince of the Western Asia Kingdom.
"But no one will know that in the depths of the sea, we will be singing and dancing together.
"No one will expect that in the deep blue palace beneath the ocean, we will swear our love and share an immortal soul."
Ariel nodded softly, tightening her grip on the small bottle of brown potion. She agreed to the prince's plan.
"Oh, Eric… if you find yourself in trouble, perhaps this will help you."
The mermaid princess handed the prince a small, smooth silver mirror.
It was a gift from the magician Rhine, given to her when she first left the deep blue ocean. A magical artifact that could summon Rhine's aid, no matter how far away he was.
Ariel had never used it before.
But perhaps, Eric would need it today.
"If you speak into the mirror and tell it your troubles, Rhine will hear you—no matter the distance…"
Prince Eric thanked Ariel, waved farewell, and stepped off the grand ship.
At the lavish welcome banquet, Prince Eric finally met the Princess of Enderland.
"You… it's you!"
When her eyes landed on that familiar face, the princess of Enderland was so stunned she could hardly believe it.
And when those around her confirmed that this man was indeed the prince of the Western Asia Kingdom, she nearly thought she was dreaming.
Had she longed for him so much that her mind was now playing tricks on her?