Ariel - The Next Generation: Kayla White

It was a little while after Kayla’s return to the palace. She woke early in the morning, but she didn’t feel like getting out of bed, so she lay there quietly and thought about the recent events, something that she hadn’t really been able to do. The past few weeks had been full of meetings to attend, plans to make, gowns to try on, and speeches to write. It had been extremely tiring.

Warren was sleeping in the next room, Virginia and Wolf were in the room next to him, and Tony was in his own bedroom at the other end of the hall. Even Gregory had a guest room – when Lord Sampson found out what he had done, he’d pretty much let Gregory do whatever he wanted, including accepting an invitation to stay at the palace for a while. It had all worked out so perfectly… and yet, Kayla felt as if everything had gone wrong. Not once had she spent time with the people that really mattered. She hadn’t realized how hard it was to plan a coronation and a coronation ball, especially since everyone was cramming it all into a few weeks instead of a few years. They wanted Kayla crowned queen as soon as possible, despite her young age. Wendell’s sudden death had sent the people of the Fourth Kingdom into despair, and they desperately needed a new leader.

It had been different with her father. His parents had governed the Fourth Kingdom well – when they died, they had left the kingdom in such an era of prosperity that it wasn’t necessary for Wendell to take the crown immediately, and he had been able to wait until he was older and more fit to be king. But now – well, Wendell and Jasmine hadn’t really left the Fourth Kingdom in such a good state, not half as well as Wendell’s parents had, and the people needed Kayla. They needed her now.

The coronation’s tonight, Kayla thought bitterly as she rolled over into a more comfortable position. Or was it relief that she felt? She couldn’t tell. The coronation would mean that life would return to normal – except for the responsibility of being queen. She wasn’t at all sure if she was ready to accept that responsibility yet.

Virginia, Wolf, Warren, Tony, and Gregory would always be there to help and guide her every step of the way. She was sure about that. But she wasn’t sure if she was choosing the right path to begin with.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. “Good morning, Sweetheart.”

Kayla looked up and smiled. “Good morning, Auntie Virginia.”

Virginia came over to the bed and sat down. “Have a good sleep?”

“I guess so.”

“Are you ready for the coronation tonight?”

Kayla hesitated. “Yes… no… maybe.”

Virginia smiled down at her. “Hey… I know that being queen might sound a little scary at first, but I think you’ll do just fine.”

“Auntie Virginia, what happens if I don’t accept the crown tonight?”

Virginia raised her eyebrows. “You aren’t having that many doubts, are you?”

Kayla took a deep breath. “I’m not sure that I’m ready to be queen, or that I even want to be.”

Virginia thought for a moment. “Let’s put it this way. You have a choice – either you accept the crown, or you don’t. If you do, there’s a whole new life out there that you’ll be able to experience. But if you don’t, you’ll be disappointing an entire kingdom that was expecting you to lead them.”

Now it was Kayla’s turn to think. “What if I rejected the crown, but turned it over to someone whom I thought would be worthy of it?”

“Who do you have in mind?”

“I – I don’t know.”

“Honey, this is a decision that you’re going to have to make on your own. But remember, we’re all here for you. Whatever you choose, we’ll support you a hundred percent. We love you, Kayla. That’ll never change.”

“I love you guys, too. Thanks, Auntie Virginia.”

Virginia smiled. “Yeah… listen, why don’t you get dressed and come on down to get a bite to eat?”

“Sure. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Okay.” Virginia bent down, kissed Kayla’s forehead, and called out a “See you soon,” before she left.

“Your Highness? Princess Kayla?”

Kayla looked up from her breakfast to see the servant standing before her. “Yes, what is it?”

The servant curtsied in respect for the princess before continuing. “Your Highness, it is time to begin preparing for the coronation.”

“So soon?”

“Yes, Your Highness. You must get dressed and have your hair done, and then you must practice your acceptance speech.” The servant turned to Virginia. “Lady Virginia, you are also required to get ready for tonight at this time.”

Virginia frowned. “And what about these guys?” she asked, cocking her head towards the men at the table.

“They will be called for later in the day, Miss.”

“Well, obviously,” Wolf said between mouthfuls of eggs. “We don’t have to struggle to get into those tight dresses, or spend hours doing our hair.”

“With the way you’re eating, you’ll be struggling to get into your tuxedo,” Virginia countered playfully. “Come on, Kayla, let’s go. Let the men pig out; they’ll pay for it later when they step on the scale.”

Giggling, Kayla got out of her seat and followed Virginia and the servant upstairs.

A few hours later, Kayla was back in her bedroom, sitting stiffly in an armchair by the window. She had been told not to move around too much, lest she soil her dress or ruin her hair, and so she sat in her bedroom undisturbed, letting the words of her memorized speech run through her head. She sighed with boredom and decided that it wouldn’t kill her to practice a bit more. She imagined Lord Sampson introducing her as she walked down the grand staircase before speaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Kingdom, I give you: Princess Kayla White!”

“Thank you, thank you very much. As you know, my dear father, former King Wendell Winston Walter White, was killed recently by someone we all loved and trusted very much. It was a horrible way for our kingdom’s beloved King Wendell to go, and it pains me to have to say these words. Nonetheless, I know that you are all eager for a new ruler to be established, and to be led out of these dark times.

“As my father’s first and only child, I, Princess Kayla White, am heir to the Fourth Kingdom’s throne, and I whole-heartedly accept this responsibility. I do know, however, that there are certain qualities of myself that I must prove to you all before my coronation can truly begin. That being said, I am ready for your tests of –“

There was a soft knock on the door, and Kayla paused, looking up. “Come in.”

Gregory entered the bedroom. He was dressed in a very fancy-looking black tuxedo, with his hair slicked back.

“Hello, Kayla,” he said, shutting the door behind him. “I just came to wish you an early good luck.”

“Well, thank you,” Kayla said with a smile. “I’ll definitely need it. You look quite handsome, Gregory.”

“Thanks. You look quite stunning yourself.”

Kayla groaned. “Thank you, but frankly, I hate this dress, and I hate my hair. I can’t believe I have to stay in these things all night.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. It’ll be over before you know it. Just think – you’re going to be queen!”

Kayla sighed. “I’m not as excited as you are, that’s for sure.” Suddenly, as she recalled her earlier conversation with Virginia, her excitement began to grow.

“Gregory, have you ever thought of being king?”

Gregory laughed. “What? I’d have to marry you for that, wouldn’t I? Sorry, Kayla, but the age difference here is a bit overwhelming.”

“But, if you had a chance to rule the Fourth Kingdom right now, would you?”

Gregory thought for a moment. “Yes. Yes, I would.”

“Truthfully?”

“Yes, very truthfully.” Gregory looked oddly at her. “Why are you asking, anyway? I’m sure you’ll make a fantastic queen.”

Kayla shrugged and smiled sweetly. “No reason. No reason at all.”

“Are you ready, sweetheart?”

Kayla looked up, surprised, to see Tony standing by her bedroom door.

“Is it six o'clock already, Tony?”

“It sure is. Come on, Lord what’s-his-face has already started speaking. You’d better hurry.”

“All right, I’m coming.” Kayla eased herself out of her chair. Her legs were incredibly stiff from sitting for so long, but nonetheless she followed Tony swiftly down the hall. The candles had been snuffed out, and the only light came from the bottom of the grand staircase. A yellow curtain on the balcony shielded them from the guests’ eyes.

“Okay, Honey, we’ve gone over this before,” Tony whispered as they stopped at the top of the staircase. “When the guy introduces you, you walk down there, wait for the applause to stop, and give your speech.” He smiled down at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “You’ll do wonderfully. I know it.”

“Thank you, Tony,” Kayla whispered. “I’ll be fine here.”

“Okay. I have to go back downstairs. See you soon.” Tony turned around and walked back the way they came, and Kayla knew he’d be taking a side staircase and entering the ballroom through a side door, so as not to disturb Lord Sampson as he spoke.

Minutes passed as Lord Sampson droned on. The rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall was beginning to make her drowsy when suddenly she heard the words she’d been dreading the whole day.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my deepest pleasure and honor to present to you… Princess Kayla White!”

The guests downstairs applauded wildly as Kayla slowly descended the staircase, putting on a fake happy face. Her eyes scanned the crowd and finally lit on Warren, Virginia, Wolf, Tony, and Gregory standing in the front. They smiled and waved, and she waved back, glad to know that they were there.

It seemed like eternity, but finally she came to a stop at the podium. As she did, the applause subsided, and the guests hushed. She took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and began to speak.

“Thank you, thank you very much. As you know, my dear father, former King Wendell Winston Walter White, was killed recently by someone we all loved and trusted very much. It was a horrible way for our kingdom’s beloved King Wendell to go, and it pains me to have to say these words. Nonetheless, I know that you are all eager for a new ruler to be established, and to be led out of these dark times.

“As my father’s first and only child, I, Princess Kayla White, am heir to the Fourth Kingdom’s throne. However…” Kayla’s pursed her lips and tried to stay calm. “…however, I do not accept this responsibility.”

The room was silent. Kayla took one look at the crowd’s shocked faces and she wanted to sink to the floor and disappear, but that wasn’t going to happen. She turned to look at Virginia, the only one with a small smile on her face, as if to say, “Yes, you’re doing the right thing.” Somewhat reassured, Kayla continued, “Let me assure you that I am not turning down the throne because I do not care for the people of the Fourth Kingdom. It is my duty to do all that I can to help better our kingdom’s present and future, but being queen is not a responsibility that I am ready to undertake.

“But do not worry. I have not forgotten my responsibility to the public. After much thinking, I have chosen a different leader for the people of the Fourth Kingdom – a man more fit to be king than any man I have ever known. His wisdom, courage, loyalty, and intelligence are way beyond his years. Even I do not measure up to what this man has become.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Kingdom, it is my deepest pleasure and honor to introduce you to the man I have appointed as your ruler in my place.”

Kayla’s eyes locked on her group of friends, and she smiled.

“I give you: Gregory Sampson.”

Hours later, Kayla was quietly roaming the upstairs hall/balcony alone, thinking about things. She had changed into a comfortable blue frock and let down her hair, and she had put on a pair of soft blue ballet slippers that she had received from Virginia as a birthday present last year.

The coronation – well, Gregory’s coronation – had gone better than she’d expected. Gregory had graciously accepted the throne, and the crowd had graciously accepted Gregory. No doubt the news would be all over the entire Nine Kingdoms by tomorrow. And just as Virginia had said, Kayla’s group of friends had supported her decision a hundred percent. They were happy that she was happy – and she couldn’t have asked for anything more.

“Kayla! There you are.” Virginia hurried up to her. She, too, had changed into more comfortable clothes.

“Kayla, sweetheart, Wolf and I have decided that we need a vacation.”

Great, Kayla thought glumly. They’re leaving, and they’re probably taking Warren with them.

“Oh – that’s nice,” she said. “Have fun.”

“No, wait! We want you to come with us!”

Kayla’s face lit up. “Come with you? On a vacation?”

“Sure! How would you like to take your first trip ever to the Tenth Kingdom?”

“Oh, I’d love to ever so much!”

“I knew you would! We had the servants pack up all of your things already, and we’ve borrowed some clothes from the palace as well. We’re leaving now – we’ll say good-bye to Gregory and be off. How does that sound?”

“Just perfect!” With a grin, Kayla ran into Virginia’s arm and gave the loving woman a hug. “Thank you so much!”

“Come on, then, let’s go!”

The two of them raced to the former queen’s room of magic mirrors, where Wolf, Warren, Tony, and Gregory were waiting for them.

“You’re coming, then?” Tony said with a smile. “That’s wonderful!”

“How could I say no?” Kayla replied with a laugh. “Are you coming too, Uncle Tony?”

“Of course I am!”

“Well, we’d better get going,” Wolf said.

They all said their good-byes to King Gregory. Kayla went last, and as she approached him, he drew her into a hug.

“I want you to know, Kayla, that I love you very much,” he said softly in her ear. “There’s always a place for you here.”

“Thank you,” she replied gently. “There’s always a place for you in my heart, Gregory.”

When their embrace broke, Wolf switched on the mirror.

“Remember that mirror I gave you, Tony,” Gregory said. “Just use it to call me when you want me to turn on the mirror.”

“I won’t forget,” Tony said. “See you soon, Greg.” He picked up the two large suitcases that had been packed for them, stepped into the mirror, and disappeared. Then, in went Wolf and Virginia.

Warren took Kayla’s hand. “Are you ready, Kayla?” he asked.

Kayla’s heart fluttered. “Ready as ever,” she told him.

And together, her hand in his, they stepped through the mirror.