True to her word, Ariel prepared herself for the festival. She combed her hair and put a hoa in her hair for her ornament. She looked thêm beautiful than ever, and the other Những nàng tiên cá envied her when she entered into the Mistress' royal hall. Citrine, Vermillion, and Noire, the three Những nàng tiên cá who jeered at her when they bathed at Misty Falls, wanted to approach her and gave her thêm annoying digs, but Ariel wouldn't let them. She was quickly surrounded bởi the mermen, who thought her the prettiest mermaid in the festival and did not want to lose a chance of talking to her.

But when the Mistress came into the hall, every sea-creature, from the Những nàng tiên cá to the octopuses, hushed their voices and gazed at her in awe. The Mistress seldom let herself be seen bởi the common sea-folk, so it was a rare opportunity to admire her.

She was a tall, dark, majestic woman-like form, with mysterious eyes and an alluring smile. Powerful yet imperturbable, she looked as if nobody could trifle with her, and she could be very charming and yet deadly.

"Hail Eris, Queen of the sea!" proclaimed the merman who guarded the door.

All sea-creatures bowed to Her Majesty. Then Eris sat on her ngôi vua, ngai vàng and gave a short speech, which ended with this sentence:

"This festival is held for the enjoyment of the sea-folk. I wish bạn all happiness, and may this celebration mark a new, brighter decade for this underwater realm."

"Salute Her Majesty!" cried the herald, and the sea-creatures bowed to their Queen once more.

Despite her trước đó objection, Ariel had quite a good time in the festival. The thực phẩm was good, the mermen and other sea-creatures were kind to her, and even Citrine, Vermillion, and Noire tried to be nice to her, because they desired the attention of the mermen. The mermen wanted to dance with Ariel, but she preferred to look around and enjoyed herself, until Eris called her to her throne.

"How do bạn enjoy yourself, Ariel?" she asked.

"Quite well, Your Highness," đã đưa ý kiến Ariel.

"I heard bạn had an objection to this festival," đã đưa ý kiến Eris.

Ariel was tense. She glanced at Eris' two attendants, Amarille and Rouge, who were good Những người bạn with Citrine, Vermillion, and Noire. Did the three Những nàng tiên cá tell them about their conversation in the Misty Falls?

"No... I didn't, Your Highness," replied Ariel carefully. "I was only not as excited as my Những người bạn about this festival. But now I'm here, I can say I'm having a good time."

"Very good. bạn may go and resume your enjoyment, Ariel. I will see bạn during the Ritual," đã đưa ý kiến Eris.

Ariel gave a sigh of relief and went away.


At midnight, the festival was over. Eris led the sea-folk into a vast, open sand clearing on the bottom of the ocean and displayed her powers. Her power took the shape of the dragon. A storm roared in the sky, and heavy rain began to fall.

"So this is the Ritual," thought Ariel. She remembered that Eris was the Goddess of Chaos, who was pleased whenever she could create a chaos. Ariel only wished there was no ship on the surface of the sea, so that no lives might be lost.

Yet on the surface of the sea was the ship which Thomas boarded. He awoke to find water rushing into his lều, cabin and the sailors shouting, "We're sinking!" He rushed to his parents' lều, cabin and roused them up.

Thomas, his parents, and his sister hastened to the deck, where they saw other passengers lowering the lifeboats and putting their belongings into the boat.

"Is there a lifeboat left for us?" Thomas asked the captain.

"Yes, there's one," đã đưa ý kiến the captain. "But it's all that's left. Let me get into that thuyền with bạn and your family."

"Of course," đã đưa ý kiến Thomas. He led his mother and sister into the thuyền and helped his father put his possessions.

Unfortunately, when his father had gotten into the lifeboat and it was Thomas' turn, the large ship tipped to the other side. Thomas and the captain, who were the last on board, fell and slid to the other side of the ship. Rising to his feet, Thomas scrambled to tham gia his family in the lifeboat.

"Thomas!" called the captain, stretching out his hand.

Thomas turned around and lent a hand to the captain. They held onto the sideboard. Thomas' father called to his son, telling him to jump, but at the same time the rope which held the lifeboat snapped. The thuyền fell into the sea.

"Jump, Thomas!" cried his father.

But the waves rolled once again. Thomas and the captain fell into the sea. The ship cracked and broke. Hanging to a piece of wood, Thomas saw the tail of a strange beast. He gasped as it smashed onto the lifeboat of his family.

"It must be the sea-beast, and it is real!" he thought in dismay.

Ariel swam up and saw the shipwreck. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Please, let no one be hurt."

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