The drawings of names in city state II had always been thrilling, but not when the ruler Aegeus's son Theseus got chosen. It was the 20th year of the drawing of names' and the town was getting restless. Soon the time came and the ruler himself stood on the tall stage with his fingers inside a container filled with names. Princess Ariadne, King Minos's daughter, was standing in front of the massive screen in city state I's town square and holding her breath for who would get chosen.  

"Not Theseus, not Theseus, please gods" she pleaded quietly, for she worshiped the hero and all the good things he had done. King Minos, on the other hand, wanted the young hero dead. He himself had bullied Aegeus into picking his own son, Minos wanted to see whether he could beat the Minotaur.  

Aegeus pulled his fist out of the container. He already knew the name, he had clutched it ever since it had been put into the container, 

"Theseus!" he shouted out, "Theseus, come up here." 

"No," Ariadne whispered.  

Theseus, who knew all along this was coming, walked up to the stage, his head held high.  

 

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Ten days later, Theseus of city state I arrived. Ariadne was standing next to her father, her face pale as Theseus walked into the hall.  

 "King Minos," he bowed.  

 "You have two hours until you are to be dropped into the labyrinth," Minos snapped, "Now get out of my sight." 

Theseus obeyed, walking out of the hall. Ariadne followed him, her hands clenching a small bag. In this bag, was a string that would lead Theseus out of the labyrinth, right back to her, and a sword to kill the minotaur. She finally caught up to Theseus, who was walking towards an altar to pray for himself. He turned around, and gave her a puzzled look, wondering what King Minos's daughter was doing here. Ariadne wanted to say something, but just nodded and turned into the dining hall. She spent the next two hours doing this exact thing. Finally a gong was issued, signaling that Theseus was about to enter the Labyrinth. Ariadne ran, through halls, through doors, and rooms, until she was finally outside, standing right behind him.  

 "Wait," she said before she was even ready, "use this," she pressed the bag into his hands, turned, and fled.  

Watching Theseus battle the labyrinth was brutal, but Ariadne still found herself glued to the screen all day, softly cursing every time Theseus didn't make the right move. Finally he found the Minotaur. The battle was ugly, sometimes one had the advantage, sometimes the other. Finally the Minotaur knocked Theseus off his feet, and he fell to the ground covered in blood.  

 "No!" Ariadne shouted, "No! Use the sword! It will help you!" and as if he had heard her, Theseus scooped up the sword and just as the Minotaur lunged at him, he stabbed it, right in the heart.  

"Yes!" Ariadne cheered, running right into the Labyrinth. Before she knew what she was doing, she charged right at Theseus and threw herself at him.   

"You saved me, O' daughter of the mighty King Minos" Theseus exclaimed, "I must marry you." 

"NO!" King Minow roared, "Get away from him, Ariadne!" 

Ariadne just stayed where she was, getting filthy with the blood of her half-brother, but she didn't care.  

"Listen! O' great King Minos and the people of City State I! There will no longer be a drawing of names because the Minotaur, whom you all fear, is dead!" Theseus shouted, "And thanks to you, O' Mighty Minos, I will be marrying the great Ariadne of City State I!" 

 

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The two of them set sail back to city state II the next afternoon, with King Minos doing everything he could to stop them.  

 "Come back to me once you don't want him anymore, Ariadne!" he would shout, "I will accept your apologies!" but Ariadne was too happy, she was marrying her hero.  She just knew it would end in a "happily ever after", just like the stories she loved to read.  

But a happily ever after was not in the fates. For, after about 3 days of sailing, a wicked storm hit, sending the boat this way and that. Theseus, who had been steering the boat, fell off the side right into the terrible waters.  

 "No! Ariadne shouted, "Hang on, Theseus, I'm coming!" She tried with all her might to pull Theseus out, but no luck, Theseus was drowning slowly.  

 "What kind of hero am I?" she demanded of herself, "Theseus would have had me out of the water by now, but I can't save him." 

 "Do you want to save him?' a melodic voice asked in Ariadne's ear.  

 "Yes!" she cried, "Please! I'll sacrifice myself." 

 "No! Ariadne, no!" Theseus shouted, "Don't, I–" but his words got cut off as he finally submerged in water.  

 "Done," the voice agreed.  And Ariadne threw herself into the water.  

 "She felt a whirlpool and heard Theseus splash out, shouting for her.  

 "Ariadne, we can still come out alive," he pleaded, "don't leave me!" 

 But Ariadne just looked at him, her vision blurred, from water or from tears she did not know.  

 "Good-bye, Theseus," she whispered, and dipped her head into the water.