Over the past few days, Ariel had felt sick, exhausted, and just overall unhappy. She wasn't sure what was happening, and she was starting to become afraid that it was some kind of defect from the trident. She'd only been married, and therefore human, for a few months.
After about a week and a half of Ariel's discomfort, Eric arranged for a doctor to come examine her. Within a few days, he arrived, and Eric, Ariel, and Carlotta met with him in the master bedroom.
The doctor examined Ariel thoroughly, but couldn't seem to find anything wrong with her. Finally, he asked her if she and Eric were involved in much "bedroom activity." At his question, Ariel felt herself blush furiously and she simply nodded, feeling embarrassed.
The doctor went to examine her again, and after a few minutes, he stopped and smiled up at her. "Well, Your Highness, it seems that you are pregnant. Congratulations."
Carlotta gasped and Eric let out an excited chuckle, but Ariel simply looked around at everyone, confused. "Pregnant?" She asked, having never heard the word before. She looked from one person to the other for an answer.
"Oh, love," Eric took her hand. "You're going to have a baby," he smiled at her. "We're going to be parents."
Ariel almost screamed. A baby!? How could she take care of a human baby!? She'd only been human for a few months herself!
"Wha.. How did this happen?!" she exclaimed, a look of panic on her face. On Ariel and Eric's wedding night, he had explained some things to her, but most of the feminine things he had left to Carlotta. She had declined to tell her about this aspect of human womanhood, simply because it wasn't necessary at the time.
Immediately, everyone's smiles faltered. The doctor excused himself, and Eric whispered something to Carlotta before kissing Ariel on the forehead, saying he'd be right back.
When just Carlotta and Ariel were in the room, the maid sat down next to Ariel on the bed and explained to her everything that Eric couldn't, from how this had happened to what was to come. After she finally explained how the baby would come into the world, Ariel felt even more sick than she had all week. In a way, she was excited, but she also felt extremely anxious and unprepared.
Carlotta fetched the shocked princess a cold, wet cloth, then left to get Eric. As she sat there, waiting for her husband, Ariel tried to make sense of what had happened. She didn't have a clue that this was how humans had children; it was way different than mermaids, to say the least, and seemingly much more complicated.
Eric hesitantly entered the room, walking over to Ariel and sitting beside her, taking her hands in his. "How do you feel?" he asked her, a genuine look of concern on his face.
"Nervous. Scared. Shocked," she said simply, biting her lip. She looked and felt so vulnerable, and Eric seemed to sense it, too. He enveloped her in a bear hug, pulling her onto his lap and kissing the top of her head.
"It'll be okay. I'll help you, okay? I want you to be as comfortable as possible." He paused before continuing softly, "I'm so happy."
Ariel turned to look up at him, and despite everything, she smiled. "Me too," she whispered. And it was true. She was excited, of course. She knew she wanted to be a mother someday. She was just shocked that it seemed to happen so quickly. She was only 16, but then again, she was married, too. This shouldn't be too much of a shock, right?
She knew that, whatever happened, Eric would be by her side, helping her. There was going to be a new little addition to the family, and despite all the worries and confusion and anxiety that she was feeling, Ariel was happy.