She still felt unsteady as he guided her along the shore. Clutching to the prince's shoulders, she looked down at her feet in amazement and wiggled her toes yet again. She just couldn't get enough of it. She glanced back a second time hoping to see her friends but they were already out of sight.
So this is what it's like, she thought. The beauty of the sky, so rare to her, took her breath away. She reached up to her throat and swallowed, noting the strange emptiness she felt inside. Recalling that she'd never again be able to speak or even sing made her heart ache, but it was all worth it. And she couldn't believe it, here she was, walking by his side on dry land, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin.
His blue eyes were amazing, his voice friendly and inviting. And when he smiled? He had dimples. She wanted to run her fingers through his dark hair but feared it was too forward, instead resting her head on him and enjoying the feeling of his body next to hers. How soon would she have a chance to kiss him? There was no time to waste and she couldn't afford to scare him off.
It had all happened so quickly but she refused to let herself be overwhelmed. She had never given much thought to how heavy her limbs might feel but she quickly got used to it. She loved the way his arm felt around her waist and enjoyed every little move he made. Feeling more confident about her legs by the time they reached the castle, she proudly found her balance as he let go of her waist. Then she noticed the stairs and felt faint. How would she ever be able to climb them?
When the world turned on its side she realized he'd managed to get a hold of her before she inevitably fell. Cradled in his arms, she looked up at his face as he carried her up to the doorway. He seemed preoccupied, almost like he was trying to avoid looking back at her. Was he blushing? She felt an unexplainable feeling rising within her, as if she were ready to burst, but she couldn't put her finger on it. How could she convince him to kiss her without a voice if he couldn't keep eye contact? Once inside, he gently set her back down. While she wanted to stay in his arms like that forever, she instantly became distracted at the smooth, cold floor against her feet. She looked down at her toes once again and noticed her faint reflection gazing back at her. He took a hold of her hand to make sure she kept her balance and looked all about the room.
"Carlotta?" he called. After a moment a kind, matronly figure approached them from another doorway, gasping at the sight of the beautiful young lady in rags.
"Oh dear! Why Eric, who is this?" she exclaimed.
He shrugged. "I found her down on the shore. I'm not sure exactly what she's been through, but she must have been a survivor of some shipwreck," he said. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "She can't speak. Have we received any word of a missing crew?"
Carlotta shook her head. "Perhaps it's best to discuss that later," she softly replied. She looked over to the young lady, offering her a kind smile. "Well, don't worry, we'll get you all cleaned up and taken care of." She took her by the hand and lead her away from the prince.
After making their way through a long and confusing set of corridors, they approached a room with a large tub full of water. Carlotta helped her remove the rags tied around her and was surprised to find her wearing a top made of two large clamshell halves. She brushed her long hair aside and untied it from the back. The young lady held the shells up to her chest for just a moment before letting them drop. She winced at the loud crash they made when they hit the floor, glancing down to see if they were okay. Whew, they weren't broken-- it was one of the few things from her old life that she planned on hanging on to. She had to remind herself that things did not gently float around out here in the open air. She looked over at the very inviting water, but she'd never seen bubbles like those before! Still holding the rags in her arm, Carlotta helped her climb in. She took a nearby pitcher and poured water over the young lady's head.
"Washed up from a shipwreck? Oh, the poor thing. We'll have you feeling better in no time." Humming, she held the rags up, not noticing the tiny set of eyes peering from it. "I'll just uh, I'll just get these washed for you," she said as she stepped out of the room. But the girl barely heard her, too fascinated with scooping up the bubbles and and blowing them off her hands.
As excited as she was about being on land, it felt good to be even in this small amount of water again. But this water felt different. The temperature, even the texture felt foreign to her. She rubbed her fingers all over her skin, which had never felt so slippery before, letting them travel down past her waist.
How strange-- all of her life she'd had that small fin where skin and scales connected, but of course it was gone now. What would her father think if he saw her now? She giggled at the thought of her defiance, hoping to make herself forget the somber fact that it was likely she'd never see him again. The giggling abruptly came to a halt when she let her hands travel down to where her new legs parted. Woah. Not knowing a thing about this new part to her body, the strange feeling caught her attention and she allowed herself to explore it a little.
She immediately realized it had to have something to do with coupling and looked up to see if Carlotta or anyone else was watching. Of course it was bound to be different, she was no longer a mermaid. She was vaguely aware of what it was all about in her previous life but she'd have to start over again in this form. Feeling chills running up and down her spine, she traced the mysterious divide between her legs with her middle finger and instinctively pressed her entire hand against it. Enjoying the sensation, her finger slipped past the outer lips and was now surrounded by her soft folds. She rubbed the entire length of it, sensing an opening toward the back and finding something small and irresistable to touch in the front. She deliciously stroked at that small something, with not a clue as to what it was except that it made her feel extraordinary all over. Spreading her legs apart and leaning her head back, she wondered exactly what she and Eric might do beyond holding hands and kissing as she inched toward that mysterious opening.
Her entire body tensed as she inserted her finger inside, but it wasn't enough. She pulled it out slightly, adding it back in with a second finger, then a third, finding a wonderful new satisfaction from it. She found that small something again with her other hand as she worked those fingers in and out, adding to the stimulation and wondering if these feelings were all just a part of being human. It was if all the emotions of the past few days were coming to a head; missing the concert, saving Eric from the storm, arguing with her father, even exchanging her voice for a pair of legs-- none of that mattered anymore. She leaned forward with her eyes at half-mast, unable to stop as her body was taken over by shockwaves of pure pleasure. Her back arched, her legs flexed, and her toes curled, but of course her scream could not come. And as the release she so desperately needed began to fade, her body fell limp. She felt her face hit the water, snapping her back to the moment at hand. She sheepishly sat back up, catching a look from a very concerned Carlotta.
"Honey, are you alright?" she asked, rushing back in after hearing the loud splash.
The girl nodded with a dreamy, satisfied look on her face. She'd have to try that again soon, but maybe outside of the water next time.
Carlotta raised an eyebrow. "Well, come along. We need to get you rinsed off and dried so we can get you dressed. I do believe I have the perfect gown for you. It should be the right size and will be a soft compliment to that fiery red hair of yours." She laughed excitedly. "Oh, it's too bad that you can't even tell us your name."
And what if I could talk, thought the girl. Where would I end? Where would I even begin? "Hi, my name is Ariel and I'm from under the sea?" She wondered if she was better off without a voice- she'd never have to hide or lie about anything ever again. Well, no time to think about that anyway, she only had three sunsets to complete her lifelong dream and get that prince to kiss her.