p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"emTick… Tock… Tick… Tock… /emAll Ariel could hear was the slow ticking of the clock in their master bedroom. With an anxious sigh, she turned her heard yet again to glance at the time, only to see that a minute or so had passed. Folding her arms across her chest, she turned back to face the ocean./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Usually, looking out at the ocean made her feel relaxed and helped her keep calm when she was waiting for something. But today, the sight only made her more anxious. Instead of the lapping waves glistening in the sunlight, they were roughly knocked to shore by the stormy tide and being pounded by the huge raindrops./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"For the past two weeks, there had been nothing but clear skies, warm weather, and sunshine. Of course, it just emhad /emto rain the day Eric was coming home after his three-week trip to another kingdom across the ocean. The couple hadn't been separated for this long for over a year, and Ariel had forgotten how much she really did hate it. In addition, the redhead knew how badly stormy weather could affect a voyage, and she didn't like the idea of her husband having to navigate through the unresisting showers./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Her blue eyes were glued to the sea, despite the rain. She was standing on the border of the balcony and bedroom, not wanting to be soaked when Eric did get back. All day, she was preoccupied with watching the ocean line for any signs of the ship. She must've asked Grimsby at least a hundred times when the ship was expected to be back; he only knew that they had departed this morning on schedule./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"She continued biting on her lip, foot tapping impatiently as she watched the dreary weather. However, as she was about to turn around to look at the clock again, she saw a very faint silhouette coming up on the horizon. Her stomach leaped as she focused in on the profile; within a few moments, she was able to see that it was indeed Eric's ship./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"So much adrenaline had built up in the princess that she just had to go meet Eric, despite the rain. Quickly, she turned from the sight and went to their closet, raiding it for what Grimsby called the "royal rainwear." In reality, it was just a pair of black rubber boots./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"After tossing her ballet flats aside and slipping on the rain boots, Ariel glanced outside again to see that the ship had docked and the crew was beginning to disembark. Practically squealing with excitement, the former mermaid raced out of the bedroom, thankful that the dress she was wearing today was an extremely casual one that fell just below her knee. Perfect for running./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Ariel sprinted out of the castle so fast that she left the maids and butlers staring after her with shock. No one else had even realized that the prince had returned, making Ariel seem absolutely crazy for running out in the rain./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Once she got outside, the redhead looked down toward the dock, almost hidden by fog. She couldn't see anyone, so she stood in the rain for a moment, staring intently towards the dock while ignoring the downpour that was soaking her red curls./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Finally, the princess noticed someone jogging towards the castle. At the sight of a silhouette with broad shoulders, carrying two luggage bags and wearing black boots, Ariel grinned and started racing towards the figure, going as fast as her feet would take her through the wet sand. She could hardly see through the rain, and her hair was soaked, sticking to her face./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Ariel finally got close enough to see Eric's face, and he saw her, too. He dropped the bags he was carrying and opened his arms at the sight of his wife racing towards him. He caught her with a laugh as she jumped into him in a strong embrace. His arms were under her thighs, her arms coiled around his neck. When she pulled back, they locked eyes for a moment, saying nothing. Carefully, the redhead brushed a damp block lock from Eric's wet face, never breaking eye contact./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Unable to restrain herself any longer, Ariel took Eric's face and kissed him passionately, completely ignoring the rain. They kissed over and over again, making up for lost time. Both could tell how much they had missed each other. However, after a few minutes, a strong, stormy gust of wind raced through the beach, causing Eric to lose his balance and fall to the ground with Ariel./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Both were laughing as they recovered, brushing the sand off their hands. As Ariel was doing so, Eric looked at her, struck by how beautiful she looked in this condition. Before she caught his expression, he moved to kiss her again, and she fell back into the sand, enveloped in their passionate embrace./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;""I missed you," Ariel mumbled between kisses./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;""Not as much as I longed for you, Miss Mermaid," Eric replied huskily./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"The rain was relentless, but they didn't care at all. Their entire bodies were soaking wet, with Ariel's dress sticking to her and Eric's shirt becoming practically transparent./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"The royal couple stayed outside for a long time, but neither cared at all. They were so in love and so in need of each other that the weather was no bother to them. All that mattered was that the sailor prince and his mermaid princess were back together again, unwilling to be separated for so long ever again./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Usually, looking out at the ocean made her feel relaxed and helped her keep calm when she was waiting for something. But today, the sight only made her more anxious. Instead of the lapping waves glistening in the sunlight, they were roughly knocked to shore by the stormy tide and being pounded by the huge raindrops./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"For the past two weeks, there had been nothing but clear skies, warm weather, and sunshine. Of course, it just emhad /emto rain the day Eric was coming home after his three-week trip to another kingdom across the ocean. The couple hadn't been separated for this long for over a year, and Ariel had forgotten how much she really did hate it. In addition, the redhead knew how badly stormy weather could affect a voyage, and she didn't like the idea of her husband having to navigate through the unresisting showers./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Her blue eyes were glued to the sea, despite the rain. She was standing on the border of the balcony and bedroom, not wanting to be soaked when Eric did get back. All day, she was preoccupied with watching the ocean line for any signs of the ship. She must've asked Grimsby at least a hundred times when the ship was expected to be back; he only knew that they had departed this morning on schedule./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"She continued biting on her lip, foot tapping impatiently as she watched the dreary weather. However, as she was about to turn around to look at the clock again, she saw a very faint silhouette coming up on the horizon. Her stomach leaped as she focused in on the profile; within a few moments, she was able to see that it was indeed Eric's ship./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"So much adrenaline had built up in the princess that she just had to go meet Eric, despite the rain. Quickly, she turned from the sight and went to their closet, raiding it for what Grimsby called the "royal rainwear." In reality, it was just a pair of black rubber boots./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"After tossing her ballet flats aside and slipping on the rain boots, Ariel glanced outside again to see that the ship had docked and the crew was beginning to disembark. Practically squealing with excitement, the former mermaid raced out of the bedroom, thankful that the dress she was wearing today was an extremely casual one that fell just below her knee. Perfect for running./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Ariel sprinted out of the castle so fast that she left the maids and butlers staring after her with shock. No one else had even realized that the prince had returned, making Ariel seem absolutely crazy for running out in the rain./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Once she got outside, the redhead looked down toward the dock, almost hidden by fog. She couldn't see anyone, so she stood in the rain for a moment, staring intently towards the dock while ignoring the downpour that was soaking her red curls./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Finally, the princess noticed someone jogging towards the castle. At the sight of a silhouette with broad shoulders, carrying two luggage bags and wearing black boots, Ariel grinned and started racing towards the figure, going as fast as her feet would take her through the wet sand. She could hardly see through the rain, and her hair was soaked, sticking to her face./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Ariel finally got close enough to see Eric's face, and he saw her, too. He dropped the bags he was carrying and opened his arms at the sight of his wife racing towards him. He caught her with a laugh as she jumped into him in a strong embrace. His arms were under her thighs, her arms coiled around his neck. When she pulled back, they locked eyes for a moment, saying nothing. Carefully, the redhead brushed a damp block lock from Eric's wet face, never breaking eye contact./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Unable to restrain herself any longer, Ariel took Eric's face and kissed him passionately, completely ignoring the rain. They kissed over and over again, making up for lost time. Both could tell how much they had missed each other. However, after a few minutes, a strong, stormy gust of wind raced through the beach, causing Eric to lose his balance and fall to the ground with Ariel./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"Both were laughing as they recovered, brushing the sand off their hands. As Ariel was doing so, Eric looked at her, struck by how beautiful she looked in this condition. Before she caught his expression, he moved to kiss her again, and she fell back into the sand, enveloped in their passionate embrace./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;""I missed you," Ariel mumbled between kisses./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;""Not as much as I longed for you, Miss Mermaid," Eric replied huskily./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"The rain was relentless, but they didn't care at all. Their entire bodies were soaking wet, with Ariel's dress sticking to her and Eric's shirt becoming practically transparent./p
p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; font-family: Gibson, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"The royal couple stayed outside for a long time, but neither cared at all. They were so in love and so in need of each other that the weather was no bother to them. All that mattered was that the sailor prince and his mermaid princess were back together again, unwilling to be separated for so long ever again./p