Duke Zaral is a character and the true main antagonist of the Japanese anime/animated series, The Story of Cinderella. He has a daughter named Isabel.
Background[]
He is the Duke who serves directly to the king and queen of Emerald Kingdom. He knows about Prince Charles' adventures outside the palace, but keeps them a secret as he mostly has no proof to show of this. He has made many attempts to arrange a marriage between Isabel and Charles. However, Charles is not at all interested in marrying Isabel. He is also plotting to overthrow the King and take over the kingdom, and uses a band of supporters as his henchmen. He is a very wealthy nobleman and has many connections to people he reaches out to in order to make his schemes take place.
Physical Description[]
Duke Zaral is a lean, tall man with grayish-brown hair in a ponytail and a matching beard. He normally wears a purple coat and a white ascot.
Role in the Series[]
In the ninth episode, "There's Something Strange About That Boy", Duke Zaral is chased out of the palace because Prince Charles suspected him of replacing his tutors. Charles pursues Duke Zaral, and Cinderella helps. Duke Zaral then orders his henchmen to capture the prince. The henchmen overtake Cinderella and she overhears his plans. She is later rescued.
In the twelfth episode, "Pleased to Meet You, Prince", The King and Queen host a ball so Prince Charles can find a wife. Duke Zaral schemes to have Charles marry Isabel, and will threaten to tell Charles' parents about his adventures in town if he refuses. Cinderella finds out about this and, with the help of her fairy godmother Paulette, disguises her dog Patch as a lion to cause chaos at the ball. Patch chases Duke Zaral through the grounds, and the rest of the ball is canceled. This allows Charles to refuse Isabel.
Duke Zaral pays a visit to Cinderella's stepmother's house in the sixteenth episode, "The Prince and House Work". Cinderella is sick with a fever, so Charles comes over to help. Charles tries unsuccessfully to prepare dinner. When Duke Zaral tries the soup, he is furious and criticizes the Duchess for serving him a disgusting meal as she and her daughter's took credit for making it, and promptly leaves the house.
Isabel, in the meantime, rebels against her father due to disagreeing with his actions and his constant attempts to get her to marry Prince Charles, and in the twentieth episode, "Traveling Towards Happiness", she leaves him and elopes with her friend she's loved since childhood Flora Melville, a rich young nobleman and they sail away from Emerald Kingdom.
The Duke finally unleashes his plans in the twenty-third episode, "Eliminate the Prince", where he attacks and takes over the palace. His men kidnap a commoner named Marcel, who is dressed up as the prince for a costume party. When the henchmen attack the palace, Prince Charles fight them off and restore the order of the kingdom.
Duke Zaral's final appearance is in the twenty-sixth and final episode, "A Happy Marriage". He and his men attempt to spoil Prince Charles' wedding to Cinderella. They kidnap Cinderella and seemingly kill Charles. But Charles is alive and defends his future bride from Duke Zaral. After a duel, Duke Zaral is knocked off of the castle and falls to his death.
Template:The Story of Cinderella