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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 2, 2013 21:03:47 GMT -5
"No one's making you go to any sessions, Daddy." Adella tried to reassure him, "Dr. Hopper is good at what he does. If someone allows him to, he can help them... He's helped me. He even saved my life once."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 2, 2013 21:36:38 GMT -5
Triton looked at Adella, surprise on his face. "'Saved' you? When?" He asked.
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 2, 2013 22:06:40 GMT -5
Adella gave a small, sheepish sort of smile. She wasn't sure if she should tell him this, considering his condition, but she was past the point of no return now.
"It was back before the curse. I was supposed to be at singing lessons, but I thought I had more time to indulge in a certain curiosity..." She looked down at this, "I went near the shoreline to see if the humans had dropped any of their things there. Ariel wasn't the only one who liked collecting their trinkets."
She looked up at him, giving him a guilty look. "I wasn't careful enough and I became trapped in one of their fishing nets that was tied to a dock. Not much longer than that, Jiminy discovered me and he chewed at the net until I was free. In return, I taught him a little or our world and he taught me a little of his."
She looked down again, wringing her hands nervously. "I know you must be disappointed with me, indulging in such a foolish endeavor, but I can't say I regret it completely. I wouldn't have met Jiminy if I never went to the shoreline and I'll always feel indebted to him for that."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 2, 2013 23:08:13 GMT -5
Triton took his hands away from hers, looking away, he was so infuriated. "I've told you... ALL of you... and yet you STILL..." He shook his head, feeling he had gone wrong SOMEWHERE as a father. Maybe even as KING. "You wouldn't have NEEDED saving by that... human... if you had stayed where you BELONG, Adella. In the Ocean, safe and far away from the land!" Her description horrified him; this Archie 'used his teeth' Yes... humans were good with their teeth, it was barbaric! Athena came to mind. He had to push it away. "Was our world truly that awful, truly that BORING that you couldn't find contentment in the many wonders that even HUMANS admire? With no thought to how it would effect your people if you went missing? Attina was already abducted, Ariel missing constantly, and now YOU... curious with the human world! What have I DONE to raise daughters so quick to abandon their birthright?" The monitor beside him was starting to beep rapidly as his heart rate increased. "If your mother had lived... she would have known how to..." He put his head in his hand.
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 3, 2013 15:51:04 GMT -5
Adella put her hands in her lap, gripping them as she felt shame at her father's words. It wasn't just that she disobeyed him about the shoreline, but that she had gone so far as to even leave her family to chase after one person without any idea of how to find him or how to get back home. She couldn't regret it completely though, otherwise she wouldn't have met Red or any of the other amazing people she had the honor of knowing. She was also grateful for everything she'd learned through that experience, but it came at such a heavy cost...
"I'm sorry I disappointed you. It wasn't that I was bored with my life or that I wanted to live as a human. It's just..." She couldn't finish that sentence. How could she explain to him that back home she felt...out of place almost? Sure, she loved her family and her people, but she was never certain exactly where she fit in with them, other than the obvious.
All of her sisters had some quality about them that made them stand out amongst their people. Attina was the oldest and wisest; she put duty and responsibility before anything and was the next in line for the throne. Alana was the most beautiful; she could light up an entire room by just smiling. Aquata was the most knowledgeable; she knew everything there was to know about merpeople and Atlantica, including its history and the magic of their people. Arista was the most creative and artistic; their people marveled over her artwork, which tended to become the centerpieces for their festivals and ceremonies.
Andrina was the strongest in both heart and body, an amazing warrior who would make a great protector of their people and guardian of the oceans. Finally, there was Ariel, who was adored by everyone, including Adella. She was the most talented singer, as compassionate as their mother once was (with her looks to boot), and the most adventurous, making her arguably the bravest of her sisters. Ariel was the pride of her family and Adella's sisters were the pride of Atlantica. It made her question where that left her.
Where did she fit in with her family? Sure, she had a knack for spotting mermen of nobility, but that was hardly practical. Any one of her sisters could do that if they tried. So, she was never certain as to what really made her special among her family. It made her realize that that was the reason she sought answers from outside Atlantica, within the human world.
Now she discovered that it wasn't just a quest to find Jiminy, but to find something worthy in herself. All of those trials on land and the only thing she found was what she was capable of doing and it wasn't very pleasant. Apparently, she was capable of abandoning the people she loved without thinking and hurting them in ways she wasn't aware of until it was too late. Only now could she see the consequences of her actions. She knew now where she was in her family...
She was the foolish one... the bumbler. Just like Cadence, who lived with no direction in life or the knowledge to find one. A person who stumbled in the dark... Tears fell from her eyes and onto her hands that felt as if they'd break if she squeezed them any tighter. She wouldn't look at her father, too ashamed of her selfish actions to feel worthy enough.
"I'm such an idiot." Her voice was broken as she spoke, "I'm so sorry..."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 12, 2013 18:40:25 GMT -5
"No... I'm sorry." He said, turning his head to stare out the room's only window. "I put being a good King before being a wise father... expecting my daughters to understand that kind of sacrifice." He couldn't bare the sound of her voice, sounding so broken and child-like. "It cost me greatly... my arrogance."
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 13, 2013 16:11:14 GMT -5
Adella sniffled a bit, wiping away the tears. "You were only doing what you thought was best for us... and you were right. The human world is no place for our people. There's so much that we don't understand about it and no one should ever have to learn it the way I had to, but I learned so much. The whole experience, as harrowing as it was, it made me stronger than I was and a little wiser too."
"Perhaps, one day, I could impart what I've learned to our people so they could be wiser for it too. If you allow it..."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 16, 2013 17:32:33 GMT -5
Wiser...
That was a tall claim, for a princess who had abandoned her people. He sighed. But at least she, out of the daughters who HAD gone missing, wished to turn the misadventure into a bridge to help her people. Adella was thinking like a leader... not a love-struck mer-girl.
Triton looked at Adella... truly looked at her. One couldn't say that he had ignored her, for Triton loved all of his daughters, but he had hoped so much for Ariel to turn out like Athena, her mother... that perhaps someday she would be the Queen that their people needed...
And yet Athena's spirit was coming out through Adella even at this moment. "Perhaps... someday..." Triton murmured. "What is this wisdom you wish to impart?"
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 17, 2013 11:39:50 GMT -5
Adella knew this would be a long-shot, considering her father's view of humans, but it was definitely worth it. Her people lived in fear of the human world, but they knew so little about it. Perhaps if she were able to educate them, even a little, they wouldn't be so afraid.
"There's a lot to learn about the human world: what it's like, how they live, what they can do with what resources they have. I believe that if our people knew these things, they wouldn't have to live in fear all the time. They'd certainly be cautious, but they wouldn't be afraid. There's power in knowledge and this could potentially make our people stronger."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 17, 2013 14:33:04 GMT -5
Triton sighed sadly, closing his aqua eyes. "Now you sound human... more strength... more power. It's not about strength or power, Adella... it's about SURVIVING."
He opened his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "In a time before the time of our anscestors, the gods created children of the elements. Of the air, beautiful and good natured. Of fire, fearsome and reptilian. Of water... in the image of the sea-life they were bound to protect. And earth... a stubborn but innovative people." He had started out fairytales like this all the time to his daughters when they were young... to teach them about fairies, dragon-kind, and mermaids... but he left off humans... left off the darkest part of the story...
"The earth people were the first to grow weary of their patch of soil, sought ways to conquer the water, the wind... and slay the fire beasts that they so feared. Believe or not, Adella... our kind DID live beside humans at one time... but it was not enough for the humans to see our magic... they wanted to possess it. The want of unbeatable strength... of unlimited power drove the soul of that foul people, so much that our kind had to retreat to the depths, to havens such as Atlantica. You think that we are a great and many people... but there was a time, Adella, when we had so many races... the oceans were teeming with us, some as great and grand as the majestic blue whale... but only those who bore resemblance to the humans were permitted to thrive. The rest...well... the humans are very innovative... I will give them that..." Triton murmured bitterly, morning the loss of such ancestors that they only had proof of in the depths where few mermaids can venture.
"Attempts have been made, Adella." Triton said, meeting his daughter's eyes. "And it ends up the same way... my father spared me from it... I sought to spare my daughters... I will not risk them for such a hopeless cause."
He leaned his head into the pillow. "A few good humans... does not outweigh the greed that in an inherant trait within their people as a whole. What is that human phrase? Oh yes... history has a way repeating itself. And while I am king... I REFUSE to see my people subjected to that again... few that we are now."
Dragons: nearly gone... because of humans and their "quests" to mark manhood. The Fairies... ignorant of their slavehood to serve the humans; being denied the basic right that all creatures have... to love. And the Mermaids... a surviving race, protecting itself to ensure it's future despite the human's efforts...
"I don't believe I am a fool for fearing and trying to protect my people... but if you see me that way... and for those reasons... I will gladly bear the title."
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 18, 2013 14:33:07 GMT -5
Adella listened to the story with a new curiosity and wonder. She had never heard that part before. So their people once had mutual contact with humans, but apparently that cost merpeople more than they could or were willing to give. She couldn't say for sure if things were different now considering she wasn't a witness to how things were back then, but she knew what she witnessed during her experience in the Fairytale Kingdom. They seemed different than what her father described and yet... not so different at all.
"I could never see you as foolish, Daddy." She smirked just a little, "Stubborn perhaps, but never foolish. I've always trusted your judgement because I knew that you know what's best for us and our people. I only ever acted out of curiosity because I felt I didn't know enough about them to understand why I should fear them so much. Yes, they killed my mother and forced our people into hiding, but I never understood why."
"I guess I thought that by learning more about them, I'd better understand why it happened. I never did get all the answers I was looking for, but I'm not afraid of them anymore. I pity them. They live in so much fear. Fear of the world, fear of what dwells in it, fear of each other, even fear of themselves."
"All of that fear makes them believe they have to do such terrible things just so they don't have to be afraid anymore, but all that does is cause even more fear and despair." She looked down at that, "I wish there was something I could do to help relieve them of that then maybe our people won't have to live in fear anymore either. Fear can do such horrible things and sometimes I wonder how much longer our people can live with it before it does something horrible to us. I just don't want to live with that anymore..."
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Post by King Triton on Jun 18, 2013 15:37:03 GMT -5
Triton held a hand up to cup the side of his daughters face.
"Does a fish swim along side of a shark... to understand why it must fear it? No. It is instinctual..." He took his hand away. "But it is my fault for not telling you why... though you never thought to ask your father first..."
He closed his eyes. "I am glad you are unscathed, Adella..." He voice wavered. "You don't know what humans will do to our kind... for a kiss... for your lovely hair... for your... flesh..." He winced. A memory of his queen, in her final moments, tore through him. "If something happened to one of you..." His eyes flashed upon. "It WON'T happen... not to another woman I love..."
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Post by Adella/Cadence "H" Williams on Jun 18, 2013 15:51:52 GMT -5
Adella grasped his hand again, holding it in comfort. "No, it won't. I don't plan on leaving my family again, not for anything. I promise. You won't let whatever happened to Mom, happen to us and neither will I. Not if I can help it."
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