As the wedding ship approached the shore, Ariel gave one final wave to each of her sisters and blew one final kiss to her beaming father. She watched with equal measure of bliss and agony as seven colourful fish tails disappeared under the surface of the water along with the glowing orange sun that was slowly sinking below the horizon. She couldn't pretend she was happy to see them leave her, nor could she pretend she wasn't happy not to be following them.
Once the last inch of fin was out of sight, she turned away from the ocean to face her new husband. Eric beamed adoringly at her, he was in awe, not only of her beauty, but her courage. For she was leaving behind everything she had ever known. She had made the ultimate sacrifice, sacrificing not only her home and family but also her body, her entire state of being. She had done that so she could be on land. She had done that for him.
A sudden pang of painful guilt rippled through his chest at the thought. She had sacrificed all that for him, risked her life even, and he almost destroyed it all. He almost lost her, and for what? He asked himself what would have happened had his trance not been broken and he had married the Sea Witch. They would probably both be dead by now, both of their worlds in tatters around them. He could hardly bear the thought. His turmoil was short lived, though. A gentle voice broke the silence and washed those terrible thoughts from his mind.
"Eric, my love," was all the voice said, and his bride approached him, closing the distance between them and placing her hands within his. He could do nothing but smile down at her and tuck a strand of that beautifully distinctive red hair behind her ear. The ship gave a jerk beneath them as he did so. He released one of Ariel's hands, but kept the other firmly in his grasp as he led her away.
"Come," he beckoned softly. "We've docked."
As they stepped off the ship and onto the beach below, Ariel could not help but feel glad that she had taken off her shoes earlier in the evening. The golden sand felt wonderful beneath her feet, it felt new and soft and warm. It was a sensation she had not quite gotten used to yet, and one that reminded her of when she and Eric had first met, the day she first became human. She smiled at the memory. Sorrow befell her as the ocean reached her feet, however, and she gazed longingly out into the water. Eric moved to stand beside her, his hand falling from hers.
"I realise this is frightening for you," he said gently, also staring out to sea. "But I will never make you stay here with me if you are unhappy."
"I know," replied Ariel with confidence. "But I am happy. I long to be here on land. I long to be with you."
Eric smiled once more, finally looking upon her. "Come," he said again and reconnected his hand with hers. They walked together to Eric's palace. What a grand building it was, huge and towering and built from beautiful, pure white stone. Ariel could not help but be in complete awe of it despite having already been inside. They left their wedding guests behind and made for Eric's chamber.
Ariel had not been in this room before. As Eric moved around freely within it, Ariel stood in the doorway, awestruck and drinking in every detail, from the shiny marble floor, to the large windows, to a bookshelf stacked with more magnificent, leather-bound books than could ever be read in a lifetime, to the giant four poster bed Eric had just sat down on to remove his boots.
"Don't be shy," Eric said kindly. "Make yourself comfortable."
Ariel obeyed. She stepped timidly into the room, still staring all around herself as she sat beside Eric on the soft bed. Eric watched with adoration as his wife explored every inch of his chamber with her eyes. Ariel suddenly stood and explored the room a little. She knew Eric wouldn't mind her curiosity, after all, everything was so new. Many things in the room Ariel recognised from her collection back in Atlantica. Her eyes then fell upon a tall, wooden dresser, where a shiny, silver, four pronged instrument she recognised was sat.
She walked over and picked it up, examining it. Scuttle had once told her this object was called a Dinglehopper, and it was used by humans to straighten out their hair. With this in mind, she gripped the handle and began to run the prongs through her bright red locks. Eric chuckled heartily behind her and she turned on her heel in panic.
"Am I doing something wrong?" she asked in alarm. Eric walked over to her and gently took the Dinglehopper from her hand. He smiled reassuringly.
"Do you know what this is, Ariel?"
"It's a Dinglehopper!" said Ariel confidently. "Humans use them for their hair."
Eric laughed again, not unkindly, but he didn't have the heart to correct her at that moment. He just wanted to continue watching her explore this new world around her, and he couldn't wait to explore it with her and teach her everything he could.
He closed the gap between their bodies, pulling her close to his chest. He had never been so curious about anyone before, but of course, no one he had ever met was quite like her. He tipped her chin up with his forefinger and placed a gentle, lingering kiss upon her lips. The two of them ached with longing the moment contact was broken. Eric gazed down upon Ariel's innocent, curious face with hopeless adoration as he spoke again.
"You are fascinating to me, my love," he mused. "Simply fascinating."