Thoughts and Dreams
This is a brief look into Ariel's head when she's in The Grotto. Some memories, that were lost, reappear.
I didn't think of The Little Mermaid. All characters and names belong to Hans Christian Anderson and the Disney cooperation.
'Yelling, that's all I ever hear these days' she thought. Despite her father's wishes, her mind was always filled with the wonderful thought of humans. 'If only he could understand'
Her mind drifted and eventually her thoughts came upon an old memory of when she was just a mer-girl of 13. She smiled at the memories.
XOXO
At the age of 13, each mer-girl and mer-boy was finally allowed to wander freely from Atlantica without any chaperones or watchers. Her teacher stood with her and her fellow 13 yr old friends at the gate.
"Now" she said "You are about to embark on what may or may not be a great adventure. Some will travel far, others will stay close. But this is a great responsibility and if you slip up the privilege will be taken away." She looked to each teen in turn and gave one long look to Ariel. Mrs. Tula knew that out of all her students, Ariel would travel the farthest, and being a princess, this was never a good thing. So with a sigh she turned to the side and held out her arm past the gate.
The water was filled with bubbles as the class took off with Ariel at the head. Mrs. Tula gave another sigh. "I pray to Neptune that she comes back alright."
Meanwhile Ariel sped off to a rock out cropping where she soon met up with Flounder. "Isn't this great Flounder?! No grown-ups, no babysitters; just you and me swimming in the sea."
"He he, yeah, great." He agreed nervously.
Ariel smiled as a thought came to her. She had been pouring over maps the night before and realized that Atlantica wasn't far from land. Humans had always fascinated her and she'd finally get a chance to see one. She quickly tied her hair back; it was much easier to swim with it out of the way. And soon she was guiding Flounder up to the continental shelf. The water seemed to fly past them and Flounder always kept close to stay within her slip-stream. Soon, they could both see where ocean ended and land began.
Finding handholds, Ariel dragged herself up out of the water and onto a rock that jutted above the water. It took her a moment to get used to air breathing. She peeked around the face of the rock to gaze at the thin strip of beach in front of the looming castle. Her eyes zoomed around trying to burn every sight into her memory. Her vision came back to the beach and she gasped as she saw for the first time…A human!
He, (she assumed he was a he by the fact that he had a flat chest and short black hair) was walking along the beach with a…small furry thing following him. Her face was puzzled, this human was small and according to her research, humans were supposed to be bigger.
Then her mind clicked and she smiled 'he must be a kid, like me…15 maybe' He lifted something to his lips and she strained to hear him. Suddenly her ears were filled with a melody she'd never heard before. He was blowing into a shiny stick…a flute? The ones in Atlantica were different but sounded almost the same. She closed her eyes and listened to the music in the air. Without knowing it, she started to sing along to the tune.
The flute stopped and she opened her eyes. Only to see him staring right at her! She quickly hid behind the rock, her breath became labored and she could feel her heartbeat in her ears.
"Hello?" he called. His eyes and ears told him that he wasn't alone. He raised the flute to his lips again and began to play. 'Maybe if I play, it'll sing again' he thought.
The melody filled the air again. Both her breath and heart immediately calmed down. Meanwhile her thoughts raced. 'Should I sing?' she asked herself 'As long as he doesn't see me.' Her mind reasoned. She opened her mouth and once again sang to the beautiful music.
For a while they both enjoyed the others music filling the air between them; both just enjoying the peace they both yearned for. When the song ended, the human called out to her. "My name is Eric." He paused as if waiting for her to reply.
She hesitated before raising her head above the top of the rock. "My name's Ariel." She responded. Below her, Flounder gasped and pulled at her tail. She shook him off and glared at him before looking back at Eric.
"You sing beautifully." He complimented calmly but inside, his thoughts raced. 'She speaks so informally to me, she must not know I'm the prince, therefore she must not be from around here.' From the beach he could only see the waves of red hair around her face. He squinted trying to get a better look but no matter how hard he tried, she wouldn't come into focus. "Why don't you come closer?"
"I would if I could" she answered. "But thank you for the compliment, you play very well also. What's the song called?" Maybe I can distract him.
He looked down at the flute; he always loved playing it and often got the impression that if he wasn't prince his friends would mock him for playing such a girlish instrument.
"Thanks, and I haven't named the song yet." He realized she was trying to distract him. "Why are you sitting out there?" he asked.
Ariel's mind raced trying to think of a good answer. "Just a good place to think, or so I thought. Now I guess I'll have to find another setting." She started to slide back down into the water when he called again.
"No! Wait!" he said "Don't go, maybe I could come out there." He suggested and began to wade into the waters. (With the wall of rocks around the bay, he didn't have to worry about undertow)
"Stop!" she shouted.
His steps halted and confusion was written across his face. "What's wrong? Why can't I see you?" he asked.
She sighed. "Because….I can't tell you." She confessed.
He looked at her face. He could see her blue eyes now and could also see that deep "please" innocence that made him walk back to the shore.
"Thank you" she said softly. Just so he could hear her.
He smiled and raised the flute again. She began to sing along even adding some notes in when he paused for breath.
At the end of the song she looked up to see the sun starting to set. She gasped and sat up against the rock. For a quick moment Eric blushed because of her bare stomach and arms. But then she lowered herself back down so just her head was visible again. "I'm sorry but I must go." She explained. They both smiled sadly.
"Will I ever see you again?" he asked. Even though she was a girl, he admitted that he had enjoyed the time spent with her.
"I don't know." She answered truthfully. "Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a few years, maybe never. But it was nice meeting you, Eric; I do hope we meet again."
He smiled back. His eyes widened at a thought. "Oh here, something to remember me by in case we don't see each other again, he dug into his pocket and took out a pendant that showed his family's royal crest and had his name on the back. It was roughly the circumference of and orange and made of silver. He threw it to her, thinking he can have another one made.
She caught it and held it in her hands. "Thank you so much," she said with tears in her eyes. "I'll treasure it forever." They each gave one last wave to each other before she jumped into the water.
What she didn't hear was Eric's gasp. For when she leaped he caught a glimpse of her and almost feinted. The sun reflected the shining green scales on her tail before it disappeared into the water with her. "A real live mermaid." He said to himself. 'No one's ever going to believe this.' He walked back up toward the castle, deciding to keep the meeting a secret until his death bed. 'A mad prince would never become king' were his thoughts.
XOXO
Meanwhile Flounder was giving Ariel a friendly lecture on deaf ears. Her thoughts were filled with Eric and the hope of the next time they would meet. She held the pendant in both hand even though the cord was securely around her neck. Then she realized something and came to an abrupt halt. Flounder almost didn't notice. He quickly swam back to where she floated. "What's wrong Ariel, we're almost home."
She took a shaky breath "Flounder, I think--I think I'm in love with him." She confessed.
"WHAT! Ariel you can't be, he's-he's and your, you!"
She sighed and started swimming again. "I know Flounder, forget I even said it." But her thoughts were different 'Maybe someday I'll see him again, and maybe someday I'll be like him.'
As they came to the gates, Ariel saw with dread that her father was pacing from post to post in obvious worry. "Hi daddy." She called, quickly hiding the pendant in her hand
He turned at the sound of her voice and a mix of relief and anger came over his face. "Ariel! Do you know what time it is? I've been so worried about you. Where have you been? He hugged her quickly before dragging her back up to the castle.
"Sorry daddy, I guess I couldn't help but explore. And I didn't even notice the time." She explained
"Well, you did return safely and I know I can't stop you from exploring." He confessed. "Just please be careful, no going to the surface and be back by your bedtime." He bargained.
"Alright daddy, you win." She said 'What he doesn't know, won't give him a heart attack.' She thought as she closed the door to her room. She looked at the pendant in her hands and eventually fell asleep with it right next to her.