he was a prince. and Ariel was his slave.

this was the sole purpose of her creation, to serve him until

one of them passed to the realm of Thanatos.

she provided all of his needs…and desires. she fed him & bathed him, she cleaned the messes that he constantly made. she attended with great skill to the animal fevers that gripped him.
she soothed his lust.

but she was not an uneducated servant. she was endowed with superior intelligence, attained at the university that she attended, before she was taken. the prince thrilled to her teachings like a
wide-eyed boy when she spoke of the journeys of the stars across
the heavens, literature, poetry, the songs of ancient minstrels.

she revered him as her master, &, although it was forbidden, she loved him as a man. she did not debate nor question this emotion, she sincerely embraced it. he was master of her heart.

one day as she bathed him, she stroked his hair tenderly. this was not part of the normal regimen, & he admonished her sternly.

‘your hand must think it is not attached to a slave, but rather to a free woman, stroking the hair of her lover. I could have you beaten, but how would that profit me? you would be too weak to serve me. you might even die, & that would be the waste of a moderately useful commodity. you may worship me & adore me, but it would not be proper for you to love me, or any man, as you do not have that right. since I want to be sure that you understand, I will allow you, for this one moment, to speak freely.’

Ariel was on her knees, eyes cast downward, but in her mind she stood as tall & defiant as a warrior, & spoke thusly:

‘I do worship & adore my master. I am honored that my master chose this unworthy peasant as his slave. I perform the duties that my master grants in his benevolence, & I do not complain. I would kiss the mouth of pig if my master desired it.

I will kneel at your feet & bow to your authority. I will serve my master until I am unable to rise from my deathbed. you may beat me, you may slay me, if you desire. but, order me to renounce my love for you? I will never obey that command!’