Chapter 13: The Wedding Must Go On

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"Don't think that I do not know why you want to marry me," Tiadora said as soon as she entered Oberon's chambers, "You want the five elements at the last stage, right?"

"Is that all?" Oberon smirked. He was wearing a robe in his spacious grand blue room. His bed was plain but was decorated with many crystals and gems. One of them, she saw, was the Crimson Sapphire. She crept forward to his bed where the sapphire was hung. Oberon looked up from where he laid down and smiled gleefully. The sapphire was plastered on the wall right above where Oberon laid. Tiadora walked to the left side of the bed, closing in at the sapphire above the wild hair of the Merlon king. She stopped and looked down towards Oberon.

"Go ahead. Ask," Oberon looked away. Tiadora moved closer towards the sapphire and started to ask, "Show me the magical descendants of Sir Galahad, Sir Thomas, Sir Arthur and Sir Lancelot!" But as soon as the question was asked, Oberon pulled her hands, got out of his bed and forced Tiadora on his bed. He pushed her two hands against the walls, with his tail in between her legs. He eyed her fiercely, not believing what he heard, "Do you really believe that you could defeat Xana?"

"I know I will! Because if the 21st Century is a good future, then my victory is sealed!" Tiadora yelled back at him. Oberon looked deep, trying to find for something. He kneeled down closer to her face. "History, fate, and destiny can be changed," Oberon whispered in her face, "It was my destiny to serve King Selis as his pitiful advisor, but look where am I now? I wear the High King's crown. All credits go to Xana's brilliance!" Tiadora couldn't believe her ears. Was he crazy? Then a thought came to mind.

"You're not you," Tiadora gasped at the thought. Oberon still plastered his smile on his face. It was true! But before she could relieve from her shock, Oberon pressed his lips on her's. Tiadora could feel a strange-tasting liquid flowing from his mouth, down her throat. It was very bitter. She struggled to get her hands free but it was no use. His weight was pressed against her body, making it more complicated to get loose. Luckily, moments later she was saved by the bell. A bell that sounded like a siren. Oberon detached himself away from Tiadora and covered his ears. Booming in Tiadora's ears as well, she also covered her ears from piercing scream. Once the shrieks were over, a guard forced open Oberon's door, panting from swimming. "There's a commotion at the dining hall, your highness!"

Oberon floated up from Tiadora and headed towards the guard. He smiled calmly, "Not to worry, general. Just get ready to catch them when they fall." With that, Oberon took a small sword from the general's gear and made a small cut on his wrist. "King Oberon! Your hostage is escaping," the general pointed over to the chamber window. As calm as Oberon's face looked, the general was given instructions to prepare for the wedding that will take place at twelve midnight tonight.
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Tiadora swam out as soon as Oberon got distracted. The dining hall window was still open. She could hear the banging of swords and screams of Merlons. Or humans. She quickened her race at the thought of losing her friends but a strong pain strike her heart. It was an unbearable sensation. She clutched her heart with her right hand and it immediately stopped. The pain came to a halt. She could feel her alone rushing out from the two bitten holds of her right hand. What was that pain? Was it that black substance that Oberon transferred? STOP! No time for a break as she continued to glide her way through the small open window.

The floor was scattered with the bodies of Merlons, including Jason and the rest. Oberon was hovering over her friends talking about something so soft that from where Tiadora stood, she couldn't hear. It must have been a bad comment as Jason shouted back angrily, "You bastard! Tiadora's not a toy!" With Oberon still distracted, Tiadora landed a strong kick at his back, sending him flying over the long rectangular white table. Food was spilled over the floor. There was even a guard who was buried under a pile of seaweed.

However, Oberon was faster. He leaped out from the stained table and cast a spell which Tiadora managed to dodge out of the way, furthering away from the others. Oberon kneeled over Jason and pulled his blond hair as Oberon reached for the nearest sword of a guard and pressed gently against Jason's neck. Blood slowly trickled onto the clean out sword. Oberon started panting deeply. Tiadora was at the end of the room and she wasn't able to use her powers. Kiara, Cornelia and David were knocked out cold. Tiadora couldn't form a perfect plan. There was only one thing to do. Surrender.

Tiadora raised her hand to surrender. Things were going Oberon's way and Tiadora didn't like it. Especially when a loud blaring sound filled the eerie silence of the room. It was followed by a Merlon who spare through a trumpet. He was making an announcement. "Dear Merlons of Oceanatic, your beloved King Oberon has decided to bring forward the marriage with his bride, Tiadora, at midnight tonight. Rejoice for his majesty's wise decision. Bring along your families to enjoy tonight's festivity. Long live King Oberon!"

Confused and shocked, Tiadora stood there rooted to the ground as two Merlon guards seized her from behind. She struggled to break free but Oberon threatened, "I'll kill this boy in front of your eyes if you don't obey my commands!" Defeated, Tiadora stopped her struggle. It was completely useless. Tiadora didn't have a plan. Everything was happening so fast. Jason was trying to resist the pain that inflicted upon his fair neck. A plan was forming in his mind but he couldn't put it to work now. He had to be patient.

"Guards, send her to the dressing quarters and get my bride ready," Oberon ordered as he released his grip on Jason, throwing him towards the general, "Use him and dump the rest of them in a cage." The general managed to catch Jason in time, tying up his hands to his back with a rope as the general pressed a weapon against Jason's side forehead. The same weapon the Merlons had used to infect Jason with the poison. The two guards, who held Tiadora, swam swiftly towards the dressing quarters and handed Tiadora over to four Merlon-servant girls as they guarded the entrance of the door.

"Where have they taken her?!" Jason seethed at Oberon as he was brought to a decorated spacious room, full of crystal slaves, furniture and done that laid on two tables. In front of the wide space were two grand chairs that were of the same shade of blue. It was brightly designed cravings of many gems that glittered the two chairs as bright as the enormous chandelier that too hung from the ceiling. "Respect the king, you filthy creature," the general knocked his gun-weapon at Jason's head, "..Bow down!"

"You're talking to the wrong dude, man!" Jason stood still as the general forced him down on his knees. For a fish, he was quite strong, Jason thought. Oberon stroked his throne gently not noticing about the commotion behind him. He lifted up his crown from his wild red hair and admires its colourful features. "General!" Oberon bellowed as the general gave up on forcing Jason down. "Yes, your grace?"

Oberon turned around to the general and smiled. Jason's starting to hate that smile. "Please welcome our guests."