Chapter One.

Ariel sat in front of her vanity mirror, studing the reflection in the glass. The long, ruby red hair, the fine, delicate features, the aquamarine eyes, the bruise along her cheekbone, the cut lip. When Ariel went to the sea witch she was told that all magic would have a price. She'd thought that price was her voice, but when Ariel broke the sea shell and reclaimed her voice, thwarting Ursula's plan, magic took it's price in another way.

Ariel and Prince Eric had been married no more than 2 weeks, when her "happily ever after" came to a crashing halt. The Prince Eric she knew slowly vanished, replaced by a bitter, angry, mean man. Eric started to drink, alot. And he wasn't the nicest of drunks, the first time he hit Ariel she'd tried to ask him to curb his drinking, instead he over turned a table and and hit her across the face. The servants in the palace never said a word or made a move to help her. Why would they? Eric was their Prince. She stared into the mirror at the damage from the latest fit of rage from her Prince. She remembered how it hadn't always been like this. How she'd loved him and he had loved her. How he'd hold her close, and gently touch her face. As she stared into her reflection, a tear slid down her face.

"No use crying dearie, it won't change anything". Ariel started at the voice coming from behind her. She turned to see a man with almost lizard like skin, lounging on the bed. "Who are you?" Ariel asked warily. The man stood, and bowed with a flourish, "Rumplestiltskin, at your service". Ariel eyed him warily, while he studied her, she shifted uncomfortably as his gaze travelled over her battered face. She cleared her throat. "What is it that you want?". His high pitched laugh rang out. "Oh dearie, I don't want anything from you, but I do have something for you". He produced something from his large coat pockets, holding it out to her. Ariel studied the object, a necklace, a long silver chain, and hanging from it was a delicate round crystal, tinged faintly purple. "What is that?" she asked, still staring at it. "That dearie, is your salvation. When you wear this necklace in the water, you will change into your mermaid form. Wear it on land, and your human once again. Go on dearie, take it" he held out the necklace to her. Ariel took it from him warily, and said "What do you want in exchange for it?". "Oh nothing at all dearie. Go on, put it on! I may be The Dark One, but even i'm not so cruel as to leave you to this fate with no way to escape, besides, you will do something for me that I can't repay. I have seen it". Ariel was momentarily stunned into silence. The Dark One? She'd heard of him, she could hardly believe the man in front of her, offering her aid was this same man. "Thankyou" she said as she put the necklace over her head and the crystal rested between her breasts. She looked up and the man was gone.

~AK~

Ariel opened the bedroom door and peered outside, before slipping through the gap and closing the door quietly behind her. She hurried quietly through the castle and slipped out the door. She knew she had an hour at most before the servants would notice her absent. She hurried down to the sand surrounding the castle, and up to the waters edge. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, slipping off her shoes. She then took a hesitant step forward, and another. Finally her toes hit the sea lapping at the shore. As she felt the water on her feet, she felt the magic curling up her legs, and as her tail appeared she overbalanced, landing in the water with a splash. She gasped in delight, and wriggled further into the water until she could swim. It had worked! It had really worked! She was free! Well...at least for a few hours.

~AK~

Regina paced impatiently, her dress swishing around her. What was taking him so long?! Suddenly she felt his presence and spun around to face him. "I told you to come immediatley, this is a matter of utmost importance!" she raged. "Calm down dearie, I had something to take care of" Rumplestiltskin replied, "What is it you want?". Regina sighed irritably. "I need you to...acquire an item for me. An item that can help me finally get rid of Snow White" she grinned with satisfaction. "Of course dearie, but there is something you must do for me in return.." he trailed off smirking at her. "Yes yes just tell me then get on with it!" She snapped. "I want you to kill someone for me...a certain prince...Prince Eric" he laughed. "Prince Eric? The one married to that mermaid? Why?", her brow wrinked in confusion. "That is not your concern. Let's just say that he needs to die, in order for something to happen that is beneficial to me, now do we have a deal?", "Yes" Regina sighed and signalled for him to leave. "Uh dearie? I think it would be best if you went to do the deed right about...nowish" with a laugh he vanished into a swirl of red smoke. Regina sighed again, and made ready to leave.