It was an otherwise lovely morning, and perhaps that's what made this development so horrifying. Ariel had awoken in a sun-drowned room, the ocean wafting in. She stretched and exhaled, smiling to herself. A beautiful day.
And so many things to do! There always were, weren't there? She pushed open the cracked window and stuck her head out. Max was sprinting down the beach, kicking up sand and darting in and out of the water. Light waves tugged at small boats, most choosing to venture out a little farther than usual, due to the accommodating weather.
She pulled herself back in, and trotted off to her closet. It was too wonderful of a day to waste, and she would be outside in a jiffy. She slid on a sunny yellow dress, and pulled her hair back with a bow. She chose to disregard shoes, as the feel of sand underneath her feet would never be a sensation she could forgo. The constant reminder that her feet were there. That she was human. That, after years of wanting and yearning, after all she had gone through, she had everything.
Sliding up on the rim of the windowsill, Ariel leaned back and looked down at the beach once more. Max had halted, swimming in after something, but Eric had arrived as well! Ariel had figured he couldn't be far behind. Max bounded out of the water, dropped a stick at Eric's feet, and then shook off water. Eric laughed and jumped back, but bent down to scratch Max's ears.
Ariel waved her arm to catch his attention and called out….nothing. She dropped her arm and tried again, moving to scream as loudly as she could. Yet, again, nothing came out. Her hand flew to her throat and she slid down from the ledge. She bit her lip as she ran to the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her hand, waiting to see whatever deformity awaited her.
There was nothing there. Somehow, that was worse.
Ariel's mind raced. How could this have possibly happened? She had won her voice back! She had done it all herself, captured it from Ursula!
But…she hadn't broken the spell in time. She didn't follow through on the exact provisions. Did that change things? Did that only give her back her voice temporarily? How long had it been since that fateful third day? Roughly a year, she supposed, but today must've been a day of significance, after all, it was so beautiful.
Ursula had won. Ariel pushed her bangs back and felt tears spring to her eyes. She hadn't won completely, or immediately, but Ursula had her voice; a final, small victory. What was she supposed to do now? Communication was hard enough for those three days, but even then she believed she'd have her voice back soon enough. That, even if she couldn't now, she'd eventually get to explain her story, and share her feelings. Now, she had nothing.
Eric. She could never speak to him again. She'd never again be able to tell him that she loved him, or ask him a question about the human world. Everything would be reduced to pointing and gesturing, writing if it was convenient (which it so seldom was). Even worse, she couldn't even tell him that her voice was stolen.
Still, she had to try and brief him, let him know. Maybe, somehow, he could help. Ariel drudged down the palace stairs and out to the part of the beach where she saw him last. He was still jumping around with Max, having the time of his life. She hated to ruin it.
She tapped his shoulder, and he turned around, picking her up and spinning her. "And how's my lovely bride?" he asked, placing her back on the beach. He expected a laugh, a response, a comment, a something, but she stood there stoically, looking just over his shoulder. He paused, and his tone changed. "Ariel?"
She leaned back, and lifted a hand to tap her throat.
"Is something wrong?"
Ariel nodded, and Eric felt a shot of nervousness. Ariel tapped her throat again, and mimicked talking.
"You can't speak?"
Ariel nodded, biting her lip again.
Eric pressed the back of his hand to her forehead and made a noise of sympathy. "Darling, you're burning up! You must have a hell of a cold."
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