Ariel's arms flailed in panic as she tried to resurface. Out the corner of her eye she could see Eric's body held tightly within the clutches of the sea witch. If Ariel had any breath left in her she would have surely swam to help; but she couldn't find the strength. As her face broke the surface she gulped in the air and the rain beat down harshly against her soft skin. Taking as big a breath as her lungs would allow Ariel proceeded to dive back under the water to help Eric. His weak struggles were useless in the tentacles of Ursula and his body soon slipped into violent convulsions due to his lack of oxygen. Ariel knew that Eric desperately needed to breathe and began to sob as the sea witch tightened her grip around Eric's stomach, crushing the little air he had left out of him. Ariel screamed; sending air bubbles rushing to the surface.
Although Eric was as good as dead, he turned his head to face Ariel one last time; his body shaking from the cold, his eyes stinging because of the salty water and his vision blurred due to his brains deprivation on oxygen. But he didn't care. He stared at Ariel with a look that could have been a thousand emotions pasted across his pale face. But above all, a look that told Ariel he was sorry and his eyes filled with an expression that could be nothing but pure love and admiration. All too late; the witch released the Prince, allowing his limp body to drift silently deeper, deeper into to unforgiving ocean and within a matter of seconds he disappeared… forever.
Ariel sat bolt upright as a bone chilling scream escaped her lips. She was sat in her bed panting and shaking all over. From beside her, Eric jerked out of his sleep and sat up to face her. Without saying anything he shuffled over and slipped his arm around her, pulling her head back to the pillows and using his spare arm to pull the covers over her shaking body.
"I've got you" he whispered softly, pulling her closer against him.
"I can't breathe" she gasped as she started to panic.
"Yes you can," said Eric, his voice soothing but firm, "calm down, you're okay… I'm here now." Ariel sort of whimpered and wrapped her arms around her husband, trying desperately to calm down. 'It was just a dream' she told herself as Eric planted a kiss on her tear stained cheek. That was enough to make anyone feel better. She began to relax in her husband's arms, the only place she truly felt safe and soon drifted back to sleep.