"Oh, dear!"
Ariel stopped watching her feet and looked up to see that they had reached the castle, and a stout woman was rushing towards her. Ariel bit her lip as Eric explained to the woman how he had found her on the beach, and she couldn't speak, so she must've been in a shipwreck. To Ariel's surprise, Eric asked the woman to clean Ariel up, requesting that she have dinner with him. The woman, clicking her tongue in pity, took Ariel's arm, and Ariel felt Eric leave her side. She looked over at him, seeing him give her a brief smile. "This is Carlotta. She'll help you out. I'll, uh.. I'll see you in a bit, okay?" With that, Eric turned from her and headed up the castle steps, to where, Ariel didn't know.
"Come along now, dear," Carlotta said, gently guiding Ariel up the stairs, making her walk more quickly than Eric had. Ariel, of course, said nothing, simply letting Carlotta guide her along the way. The staircase led to a massive door, which Ariel thought looked heavy but Carlotta pushed open easily.
Woah.. Ariel silently gasped at the sight of the massive room, and having gained her balance, began to wander around aimlessly, taking small steps. Quickly, though, Carlotta had rushed over to a large, circular-looking bowl, turning some kind of nuzzle to produce water. Ariel scrunched up her nose. More water? I thought humans didn't need water…
Carlotta walked over to Ariel and removed the sail, leading her into the bowl, which had filled up with warm water. As soon as Ariel stepped in, she could immediately tell that it wasn't salt water. It was a little warmer, but it definitely felt fresh. As she adjusted to the strange new surroundings, Carlotta was humming and dumping some sort of pink liquid into the bowl. Ariel watched curiously as bubbles upon bubbles began to form in the water. She giggled silently and began to scoop up the bubbles with her hands, watching how they moved through the air. She didn't even notice that Carlotta had begun to wring out and wash her hair.
"Washed up from a shipwreck," Carlotta mused, shaking her head. "Oh, poor thing. We'll help you feel better in no time." She gave Ariel a reassuring smile before picking up the sail. Ariel noticed Carlotta try to hide her disgusted expression. "I'll just… I'll just get this washed for you," she told her, tossing it aside.
After a few more minutes, Carlotta brought a soft, white blanket over to Ariel. "Here you go, dear. Just wrap this towel around you and we'll go to the guest room." Ariel did as she said, following Carlotta. Towel.. What a boring name.
Carlotta led the way up another staircase, which led to yet another door. Ariel gazed around yet again, ignoring the drops of water she felt dripping off her wet hair. Wow, this place is huge! Daddy should seriously consider upgrading to something even bigger. Then maybe me and my 6 sisters wouldn't have to share one room…
The redhead's thoughts were interrupted by Carlotta, who fiddled with the doorknob, muttering, "Oh, it's been so long since we've had another girl here. Too long.." She let out a sigh, making Ariel wonder what had happened, why Carlotta's mood had suddenly shifted. "Wait right there, let me get you something to wear. Just.." she turned and looked at Ariel, "Just don't touch anything."
Ariel did as she was told, clutching her towel tightly as she waited for Carlotta, who had gone into what Ariel assumed was a closet. As she waited, Ariel once again took in her surroundings, noticing the simple yet inviting bed, which looked like it hadn't been touched in years. She looked at the dresser (which was made of some kind of brown material, not sea glass or coral) and noticed some pictures on it. All included an attractive woman, immediately making Ariel wonder who she was. Then, her eyes glazed over a portrait. Again, the woman was there, but there was also a man, and between them, a young boy. Wait a minute, that kinda looks like..
"Here we are!" Ariel turned her head quickly, her wet hair rotating with her to slap across her chest. Carlotta had emerged from the closet, gently holding something pink. As she laid the object on the bed, Ariel immediately knew what it was; it was one of the few human things she actually knew. It was a dress, a beautiful, pink dress. Judging from the pictures she had in her grotto, Ariel knew that human girls wore dresses to fancy things. Something formal, like when Daddy had a dinner in the palace back home.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Carlotta murmured as she admired the dress with Ariel. "Come on, dear, I'm sure you'll fit right in." Ariel stepped forward as Carlotta picked up the dress, gently draping it over her. "This was Eric's mother's, you know," she said quietly, confirming Ariel's previous suspicions. "She died when Eric was a boy. It was… Well, a tragedy." Ariel looked at Carlotta with curiosity. She wanted to know more; she could tell there was more to know. Instead, however, Carlotta grew silent, simply turning Ariel around to close up the dress.
"There," she said, clasping her hands together as she took a step back and looked at Ariel. She brought a finger to her eye and quickly swiped it; Ariel wondered what for. "You look like her," Carlotta whispered. "Of course, you have your distinguishing features, such as your eyes, and of course, the fact that you can't speak, and… oh! Your hair! We have to do your hair! Come, come, it's almost dinnertime." Just like that, the mood had changed, and Carlotta practically shoved Ariel into a chair and began to brush her hair. "Oh my, your hair dries so nicely. I don't even think I need to style it. Hmph, it seems like being in the ocean for who knows how long did it some good, hm?" Carlotta scurried across the room to grab a pair of shoes, not noticing that Ariel had started to laugh silently to herself.
"This is Carlotta. She'll help you out. I'll, uh.. I'll see you in a bit, okay?" Eric's smooth words flowed out of his mouth, giving the mute maiden a pleasant, reassuring grin. He watched her nod her head and gaze back at him with a dream-like smile. Seeing that she was now safe in Carlotta's care, Eric turned away from the duo and strode towards his bedroom.
His thumping heart never ceased its rapid pace as he traveled down the hallway. No matter how calm or collected he appeared to look on the outside, his entire inside felt berserk. He couldn't express what he was feeling. Ever since that shipwreck, he couldn't think straight. Let alone now, with a gorgeous mute maiden residing in his castle. Which, now that he thought about, didn't seem too troublesome.
But what about the angelic voice women who rescued him? His eyebrows furrowed, her radiant smile popping into his mind. Eric shook his head, waving a hand through his thick, onyx locks. He stopped by his door, heaving a heavy sigh before he entered. Leaving his door slightly ajar, his eyes scanned through the dim room.
Pacing toward the bathroom, he stretched out his arms to their full extent. A tiny groan escaped him, feeling his tense muscles relax and the strained surge ebb away. He swished the door open and took a glance at himself at the mirror. A tiny frown grew on the corners of his lips, staring his reflection down. He often mused why he was getting so caught up in this pointless search for the mystery maiden.
Then, the answer struck him. The reason why he was spending all of his time trying to find this brave women is to thank her; to give her the praises she deserves. Anyone deserved an abundance of gratitude for trudging through the violent waves and rescuing a grown man from the chaotic storm; and she was no different. She risked her life to bring him to safety and that spoke volumes to the sailor prince. He bravery and gentle attitude snagged his attention the moment he awoke to her melodious harmony. To stand in her presence would give him peace forevermore.
Come to think of it, the mute maiden and the mystery maiden did seem an awful lot alike. The way their lips curved upward into a ravishing smile, the way their sea blue irises twinkled in the shimmering light, the way their flowing hair drooped elegantly over their shoulders, all lead him to believe that maybe, just maybe, the two were-
Max barreled into the bathroom, startling Eric away from his deep thought process. The gloomy mood vanished once the over enthusiastic sheepdog bounced around Eric's legs. "Hey, boy!" Eric greeted warmly, bending down on his knee and ruffling his gray fur. "You hungry, Max?" he questioned, scratching behind the sheepdog's ears. In response to the word hungry, Max barked cheerfully. "Yeah, me too." the sailor prince commented under his breath, a small smile crossing his face.
He heard a knock from the bathroom door. His eyes glanced upward to see Grimsby standing straight in the doorway. Eric hoisted himself up and gave the adviser a swift nod of the head, diverting his eyes from the aged man. "So," he began calmly, stepping inside the bathroom. "word around the castle halls is that the Prince of Denmark invited a mute maiden clothed in nothing but a sail cloth over to dinner."
Mustering all the courage Eric had, his eyes peered upward to meet Grimsby's curiously perturbed stare. After a few moments of silence passing by, Grimsby opened his mouth, but dryly laughed at the absurdity of it all. "Care to confirm?"
Just as Eric was about to reply, a low rumble emitted from his stomach. A sly smirk formed on the corners of his lips. "You know what'll help me explain better?" Eric jokingly piqued, side stepping around Grimsby and out into the bedroom. From behind, he heard an exasperated sigh sound off from the old beanpole. Eric turned around, giving the adviser a dimpled smile. "Food." he answered, nudging his head towards the door. "Come on, Grims." he prodded teasingly, leading the elder man out the bedroom. "Let's go talk about this in the dining hall."
"Perfect! Oh, dear, you look lovely," Carlotta said, stepping back to look at Ariel. Fully ready, Ariel was donned in the pink dress, which, as Carlotta had predicted, fit perfectly. In addition to the dress, Carlotta had given her shoes to wear, and she called them "heels." They made Ariel a little taller, but not by much. They certainly looked fancy. Her hair was simply draped around her shoulders, like usual. Like Carlotta had said, she didn't have to style it, as it naturally looked fine.
She was also provided with some jewelry and makeup, things that Ariel knew only through her sisters. Ariel wasn't one for accessories; she was the only one of her sisters who didn't wear a hairpiece every day, and she didn't own much jewelry. She'd always found it unnecessary, but Carlotta had insisted upon it, and it wasn't like Ariel could've done much to protest even if she'd wanted to.
"Come, come, take a look," the maid urged, taking Ariel's arm and leading her to a full-length mirror. At the sight of her reflection, Ariel's eyes widened slightly, and her lips parted a bit in surprise. For the first time, she really looked like a human. A real human girl. Even if she could speak, she knew she would've been speechless.
Just then, another woman stuck her head in the door. "Carlotta, I noticed Master Grimsby and His Highness walking to the dining hall. I think that they're just about ready for dinner."
"Thank you, Anna, we'll be down in a minute," Carlotta nodded, dismissing the younger maid. Then, she turned back to Ariel. "I'm sure you must be starving. Come now, Chef Louis will be making a delicious dish, I'm sure." She headed towards the door, instructing Ariel to follow.
Again, Carlotta led the way down another staircase and through another hall. Ariel followed in the same pace, gazing up at the many pictures on the wall. Again, she noticed the same woman from before; she assumed it was Eric's mother, and the clothes Ariel was wearing must have been hers. Remembering that, she suddenly felt nervous, and she bit her lip as she followed Carlotta.
What if he doesn't like it? I mean, maybe he didn't want anyone to touch his mother's things. It's not like it was my fault, but still… I know I wouldn't want anyone to touch my mother's things… I don't want him to be mad at me, that would be so terrible. He might have a short temper, like Daddy, and then this whole day will turn into a disaster…
Ariel's internal ramblings were only making her more nervous, and in addition to biting her lip, she began to finger through her hair. As the pair turned into another hallway, a darker one, at that, the redhead noticed a bright light shining from one of the thresholds, and sure enough, Carlotta stopped right in front of it, then turned back to Ariel, taking her hands.
"Come on, now, come on," Carlotta smiled, tugging Ariel towards the doorway. "Don't be shy." She stepped back and nodded towards the room, indicating that Ariel should go inside.
"What was I supposed to do Grim? Leave her out on the beach by herself? Let somebody else take care of the matter? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a prince's sworn duty to look after his people?" Eric asked incredulously, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table. He stared at Grimsby sitting across from him, who absentmindedly polished his pipe.
The adviser's eyes blinked away from the pipe and looked straight to the sailor prince. With a calm expression on his face, he simply shrugged his bony shoulders. "You are correct, Your Highness, in regards to a prince's obligation to protect his people." Grimsby replied, placing much emphasis on the word "his". Eric scoffed, rising from the seat. Grimsby cleared his throat and restarted rubbing away the smudges on the ancient pipe. "Yet, how can we be sure that this mute maiden is part of the kingdom? I'm sure her family must be devastated on her whereabouts!"
"She was wrapped up in nothing but a sail!" Eric exclaimed irritably, his wide eyes glowering back at the elder. "For all we know she was probably in the same position as I was!" he pointed to himself, scrunching his brows together in a frustrated manner. "The day you found me after the shipwreck, I could barely walk without tripping over myself and she was no different." His tone softened, a puzzled expression clouding his face. "In fact, it almost seemed like she forgotten how to walk altogether." Eric mused aloud, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Strange." Grimsby huffed, giving one final swipe and a victorious smile at the polished pipe. His eyes traveled over to Eric who, was yet again, pacing. This caused a heavy sigh to escape the adviser's lips which did not come amiss to the prince's attuned ears. "Let me guess," Grimsby dryly started, adjusting himself in the chair. "the mystery maiden who just happened to be gallivanting around in the ocean and just happened to come across a young man drowning in the middle of the storm."
"Who else?" Eric muttered sarcastically under his breath, giving the old bean pole a sly smirk. Grimsby rolled his eyes at the young adolescent's antics. "I'm here right now aren't I?" he questioned, gesturing to himself. "You saw how bad the current was. Those waves couldn't have possible carried me to shore. It would have swallowed me whole in mere seconds!" he proclaimed striding over to the towering windows that projected the sun's descent. "That is if it wasn't for her." he commented out loud. A small smile formed on his lips as his light blue orbs gazed over the picturesque scenery.
"Oh Eric, be reasonable." Grimsby reminded in his infamous parental tone. The sailor prince didn't restrain from rolling his eyes. "Here it comes." he thought dully. The adviser couldn't help but to smile at the silliness of what he was about to say. "Nice, young ladies don't just swim around rescuing people," he gave a little chuckle, waving his hands around. "and then flittering off into oblivion like some-"
"I'm tellin' yah Grim, she was real!" Eric abruptly shouted, whirling around and facing the adviser. He was done with people constantly telling him that she was no more than an imaginary being. She had to be real. Her finger tips gently coursed his cheek lovingly; he could feel her tender touch. "I'm gonna find that girl," he vowed loudly, his face contorting into a determined expression. Nothing would stop him from finding her; absolutely nothing. He rotated back to the window, placing his arm above his head and slanting forward. His eyes bore down at the swaying waves. "and I'm gonna marry her." he whispered more to himself than to Grimsby.
Carlotta's motherly voice echoed throughout the spacious dining hall. Eric's eyes ascended and glanced over to the doorway, waiting for the mute maiden to step into clear view.
Ariel took a careful step inside, again glancing up at the magnificent room. All she could hear was the clicking sound of her shoes, a sound she found herself enjoying. Her arms panned out, away from her face, as she kept walking forward, eventually into the light. When she did so, she stopped looking around at the room and instead looked at Eric.
He was staring at her, again with the same expression as before, on the beach. Suddenly, Ariel wasn't as nervous anymore. Instead, she smiled brightly as she walked towards him, clasping her hands in front of her as she gave a small shrug.
"Oh, Eric, isn't she a vision?" Ariel heard the other man say, but she didn't look at him. She didn't know who that man was, but she didn't really care. Instead, she kept her focus on Eric, waiting for his reaction as she stopped in front of him. She felt… confident, despite her previous worries. For the first time in what felt like her whole life, she felt comfortable, like she was finally who she was meant to be.
The fabric of time slowed. His wide eyes locked onto the radiant mute maiden. His jaw slung open in utter admiration and astonishment. My God, she was a stunning sight to behold. She swept away all of the prim and proper royals ladies that poorly attempted to glorify themselves. Her simplicity made Eric believe, even without her mustering a sound, that she preferred natural beauty rather than the cover- up disguise. Her lovely grin sent chills all around his body. All he really had the capability of doing was staring at her like a love- sick little boy.
As she elegantly stepped closer to him, he noticed a more significant detail in the dress that she adorned. It was none other than his mother's! However, a furious rage never seemed to boil from inside. Sure, he would feel slightly perturbed if any other girl decided the dress was adequate for their liking and swooped it on like it was just another piece of worthless clothing, but he felt like she loved the dress wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, she looked amazingly attractive in that the baby pink ball gown.
Did Grim say something? Something about her being a vision? Oh yeah, that's right. She most definitely is. He hadn't even noticed that the adviser stood to the side of him. He inwardly started to panic as she stopped directly in front of him, beaming up at him with her charming smile. "Say something, idiot! She's standing right there!" he mentally scolded himself.
"Uh.." he breathed, his heart beating twice as fast.
"Uh?! That's all you have to say? UH?!"
"You look wonderful." he complimented, a dimpled smile crossing his features. His eyes still locked onto her sea blue eyes, hoping that she would be okay with being called wonderful.
"Could you be anymore awkward, Eric." he thought to himself with a smile still plastered on his face.
At his words, Ariel felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. Eric wasn't mad. In fact, he seemed to really like how she looked. Her smile grew wider and she nodded her head sheepishly in gratitude. Thank you. She wanted so terribly to tell him so, and though she could've mouthed it, she knew she would only frustrate herself by doing so.
He was holding her gaze again, this time with a smile plastered on his face. Ariel studied him with the same expression, hardly noticing when the other man took her arm. "Come, come, come. You must be famished. Let me help you, my dear," he was saying in a somewhat welcoming tone, directing her towards the long table in the room. As she walked, she wasn't really paying attention. She was so thrilled to see how happy Eric was, because of her, that she didn't want to look away. And she didn't; she turned her head to look at him even as the man led her to a seat.
In the blink of an eye. Grimsby swooped in and guided Ariel over to the table. His head whirled around as the smile grew wider on his face. He saw her stare back at him as well, her rosy cheeks brimming from the bright smile plastered on her delicate face. He felt so giddy he could burst. But he had to keep it cool; be suave. Don't be awkward.
Eric bee-lined towards Ariel's seat, pushing in her chair. "Good, good. So far, so good!" He thought eagerly to himself as he strode over to his seat at the head of the table, still maintaining the loving stare at the mute beauty.
The man guided Ariel to a seat and motioned for her to sit down, which, to her surprise, she was able to do in one easy, swift motion. She felt so comfortable, so at ease as she did so, further confirming to her that she was meant to be human. When she sat down, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Eric was pushing in her seat for her, and she felt her cheeks flush again. She wondered why she felt the warmth so much today; either it was because it was more noticeable on land, or Eric was making her feel so much different than she ever had before.
No, no, don't turn into Adella. Ariel mentally scolded herself as she watched Eric and the other man take their seats. She was pleased to see that Eric took the seat next to her. I won't let myself become an obsessive, lovesick girl like Adella. As excited as Ariel was about everything, she knew she had to maintain some self-control.
Waiting for someone else to say something, Ariel looked down at the table. She gasped when she noticed a shiny dinglehopper resting on the table. Excitedly, she snatched it and, with a big smile, began brushing her hair with it. Finally there was something she actually recognized.
The redhead looked over at Eric and the other man, expecting them to compliment her on her hair or tell her it didn't need any brushing, that it looked fine. Instead, however, she was met with very confused expressions from both of them. They both stared at her as if she looked like Ursula herself.
Extremely embarrassed, she put the dinglehopper down quickly and stared into her lap, biting her lip. Maybe I'm not supposed to brush my hair at the table..
When she looked up again, however, her mood lifted, seeing that the older man had none other than a snarfblatt. She smiled brightly and stared at it, subconsciously leaning towards it to get a closer look. The man seemed to have noticed, saying, "Oh, um, do you like it?"
Ariel snatched it from his hand and did as she remembered Scuttle had done, blowing into the object with as much force as she could. When a strange black substance erupted from it, covering the old man's face, Ariel put it down and bit her lip again. The one I found couldn't do that.. Is it supposed to? Eric was laughing this time, but the man didn't look very amused, so Ariel wasn't sure if she had done something wrong again.
Well. That was slightly out of the norm. He watched her comb her hair with a fork, unable to tear his gaze away. Feeling completely bewildered by her little act, he raised a brow. He noticed the amused expression on her face froze the second she made eye contact with him and Grimsby. The two men stared appalled at her not quite sure what to say.
Taking a quick sip of water, his eyes dashed to Grim then to Ariel. From the looks of her biting her lip, she seemed greatly embarrassed by the little stunt. Honestly, Eric didn't judge. Being a prince, he has grown accustomed to the fact that everyone has different cultures, habits, and traditions, and maybe brushing her hair with a fork was one of her customs. Eric gave her a reassuring smile, as if to say that she was safe from judgement.
He watched it all go down. She snatched the pipe from Grims' hands, utterly astounded by the mere sight of the tool. Eric grinned at the fascination brimming on her features. He heard her take in a deep breath and puff into the pipe! Black smoke filtered through the air, mostly landing on Grimsby's wrinkled face.
Oh, what a sight it was. Eric couldn't restrain from bursting in laughter. Carlotta giggled beside him, making this moment all the more hilarious. Eric caught Grimsby's icy glare from behind his soot covered face. Eric straightened from his hunch and cleared his throat; dropping the cheerful expression and pulling a mock apologetic face. "So sorry, Grim." he apologized, the frown on his face deepening in humor.
"Why Eric," Carlotta said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks!" she pointed out, giving the shoulder a gentle squeeze. Eric just rolled his eyes, all the while, a gleeful smile written on the corners of his lips.
Hearing Carlotta, Ariel perked up again, the frown on her face turning into a smile. The first time he's smiled in weeks? I wonder why he's been so unhappy..
She looked over towards the man, who seemed to have easily wiped off the black stuff from his face. "Carlotta, my dear, what's for dinner?" he asked the maid in a relaxed tone.Oh good, he isn't mad then.
"Oh, you're going to love it!"Carlotta replied enthusiastically."Chef's been fixing his specialty… stuffed crab!"
Ariel's eyed widened a bit, and she tried to hide her expression. She never had crab. She could; her father and sisters had it sometimes, but Ariel had never liked the idea of eating other animals… And wait, where was Sebastian?
"Sounds delicious, Carlotta." Eric complimented, sending a sweet smile her way. The head maid gave his shoulder a gentle pat and eyed him jokingly up and down.
"They don't call it a specialty for nothing!" She retorted teasingly, wagging a finger at him. The sailor prince rolled his eyes at their humorous banter.
"Indeed they don't." Grimsby remarked, wiping the last black smudge on his face. "Now, if only Chef Louie could cook specialties on a regular basis." He said out loud jokingly, his eyes directed to Carlotta. A small smile plastered on his lips.
"Oh, don't listen to him dearies!" Carlotta cried to Ariel and Eric, placing her fists on her hips and giving the elder man a stringent scowl. "The old fart lost his taste buds a millennium ago!" she retorted with a confident smirk playing on her lips.
"True, true, my dear." Grimsby civilly agreed, nodding his head towards her. "It's amazing that I can taste your dishes though." he rebutted with equal amount of confidence on his face.
Carlotta giggled lightly at the adviser's kudos. "Oh, stop!" she waved her hand at him, shaking her round head. The corners of Eric lips flashed upwards as he took another sip of water. He made a swift glance in Ariel's direction, but he made no attempt to divert away. Lifting himself higher in his chair, he gave the mute girl a warm smile. Just as he was about to say something, a loud clatter erupted from beyond the dining hall.
All eyes turned to the doorway as the calamitous sounds grew louder. Eric cocked his head to the side, flicking his eyes in Carlotta's vicinity.
"I'd better go see what Louie is up to." she sheepishly said, immediately hustling out of the dining room.
"Well that was a bit unexpected." Grimsby commented out loud, aligning his silverware on the table.
"Sure was." Eric breathed out, ripping his gaze away from the door and back to the red- haired maiden.
"You doing okay?" Eric charmingly asked, his dimples popping out through his smile."
As if on cue, as soon as Ariel began to wonder where Sebastian was, she heard a violent sound coming from another room. Judging by everyone else's reactions, clearly that sound was abnormal. When Carlotta excused herself and Eric spoke to her again, Ariel realized her worried state must have been evident on her face.
She turned her eyes from the direction of the sound and looked over at Eric, instantly putting a smile back on her face and nodding. There were still a few objects on the table she wanted to look at but considering how the previous two items she had explored had led to embarrassment, she refrained, instead folding her hands together on her lap. It was somewhat amusing to the former mermaid how her father had always had to remind her of proper manners - slouching, keeping her elbows on the table, looking bored - yet here, she seemed to have no trouble at all in keeping her appearance appropriate.
As she thought of that, she noticed that Eric actually had his arm on the table; in fact, all of his attention was on her. She pretended not to notice, looking over at the man - whose name, she learned, was Grimsby - as he spoke again.
"Well, Eric, perhaps our young guest would enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom," Grimsby offered, mostly to Eric, though he was glancing over at Ariel. Just then, Carlotta reentered the room, carrying three plates. "Something in the way of a tour…"
Was he staring? He failed to notice or tear his eyes away. The red- headed beauty sitting across from him surpassed all of the other princesses who previously sat in that particular seat. He rested his chin in the base of his palm, his hazy blue orbs still gazing adoringly at the mute maiden. She looked so shy but, in a way, it made her seem so confident and proper. A warmhearted smile eased upon his lips. He never acted this way in front of any other women before, but he honestly didn't care.
Grimsby spoke about something. Carlotta set the dinner tray down, but Eric paid little attention. A hush came over the table. Eric blinked away from the women momentarily and turned towards Grimsby, the same love sick smile plastered on his face.
"I-I'm sorry, Grim. What was that?" the sailor prince asked sheepishly, exposing his white teeth through his bright smile.
"You can't spend all your time moping about! You need to get out." the adviser sternly seethed, leaning in toward the prince. A simple smirk plastered on his face as he wholeheartedly listened to Grimsby's hushed lecture. "You need to get out. Do something! You never li-"
"Easy, Grim, easy." Eric lightly calmed, shrugging his shoulders. "That's not a bad idea. If she's interested." Eric changed his focus back to the fair maiden, a smooth smile gracing his features. "Well, what'd yah say?" He asked pleasantly, a giddy spark glistening in his pale blue irises. "Would you like to join me on a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?"
When Grimsby started rambling, Eric seemed to have turned all his attention towards him, so Ariel sighed contentedly and looked over to the plate Carlotta had set in front of Grimsby. As he was speaking, Grimsby was lifting the cover off the plate to reveal the food underneath.
Ariel's eyes widened when she saw what was underneath. Curled on top of what looked like some kind of dry seaweed was a trembling Sebastian. Frantically, she tried to think of something to do. "Shh," Sebastian was urging her, his frightened eyes begging her not to make a scene.
Ariel lifted her hands slightly and made a face at him. Well, what do you want me to do!? You can't stay in there! He'll see you're alive, and if he sees me try to save you they'll think I'm crazy! Of course, Sebastian couldn't hear any of this, but Ariel was yelling it inside her head as if he could.
She took a brief look at Eric and Grimsby; they were still chattering away, paying absolutely no attention to her. Her eyes darted back towards Sebastian, and she quickly lifted the cover off her plate. Come on, come on, come on, come on.. Her face turned urgent as she motioned for Sebastian to hurry over towards her plate. The little crab seemed to move as fast as he could, and as soon as his last leg crossed onto the plate, Ariel put the cover back on her plate quickly, resting her arm on it and smiling at Eric, who had ironically looked over at her at just the last minute.
Phew. She made an internal sigh of relief as he asked her a question. A tour of his kingdom! Yes!She took her head off her hand and nodded happily, eyes brightening up with her enthusiasm.
"Wonderful! Now, let's eat before this crab wanders off my plate," Grimsby said approvingly. When he stabbed his fork down to an empty plate, Ariel did all she could to stop herself from laughing out loud.
Dinner ended, Grimsby retired to his room, Carlotta scurried away to the kitchen with their empty plates, and Eric found himself alone with the mute maiden. Breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air, he cleared his throat and rose from his chair. "So," he spoke, his deep voice traveling throughout the vast dining hall. He stepped towards her chair, extending his hand to her. "would you like a tour around the palace?" A warm smile widening on the corners of his lips.
The two wound around the castle, Eric often times explaining to her which room was which. Every once in a while, she would tug on his arm, causing the both of them to stop in their tracks. She pointed to some objects, a quizzical expression clouding her porcelain face. Flabbergasted, he would tell her what the object was, not real sure why she wouldn't know what the menial objects were. But he didn't spend too much time mauling over the thought, instead, he started admiring her wondrous fascination.
Time passed by and Eric lead Ariel towards the library. Maids and butlers eyed them suspiciously up and down as they strolled leisurely down the hallway. The sailor prince courteously smiled at them and nodded his head, as if telling them to go about their business. His cheeks flushed a light shade of magenta, remembering that his hand was still intertwined with hers.
He halted right in front of a oaken door, giving her a charming grin before entering the palace library with the red headed maiden in tow. A variety of books surrounded the spacious room, covering every nook and cranny, adorned with a fire place and a comfy sofa. Eric never grew tired of this library. Releasing her hand, he lifted his arms as if presenting a magnificent treasure. "Here we are! The grand finale!" a sly smirk curved upon his lips as he leaned against the desk nestled in the middle of the room. Crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes spotted the old family portrait hanging on the wall. His mother and father stood straight and tall, pleasant smile on both of their young faces. In between them was a little boy, smiling from ear to ear. Eric smirked, remembering the fond memory.
"Those were my parents," he blurted out, his eyes gazing up at the painting. "before they passed on." he said glumly, casting his eyes on the plush, navy blue carpet. Rubbing the back of his neck he exhaled heavily through his nose. "They were going on a royal trip to Providence, France; to settle a pact they had made with a dignitary. The carriage ride went smoothly, but-" his voice hitched as he in took another breath. "the ship was caught in the middle of a nasty storm. We haven't heard news of them for weeks and soon we received a letter from the dignitary in France stating that his men found large, wooden pieces scattered everywhere on the beach. The bodies were never recovered." he said solemnly, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I was pretty young at the time and I just had to grow up without them."
Eric smiled bittersweetly, shaking his onyx waves. Waving his hands, he paced towards the mute maiden. "Ah, but I grew up with Grims and Carlotta. They sorta stepped in and took care of me." A playful smirk played upon his lips. "Needless to say, I'm the strain on Grimsby's blood pressure." a soft chuckle escaped his lips as he scratched the back of his head. He sat down on the couch by the fireplace, resting his arm on the top of the furniture. "But enough about me. What about-"
"Woof! Woof!" Max barked noisily, trotting over to the sailor prince gleefully. Eric rolled his eyes at the sheepdog's over enthusiasm, but willingly scratching behind the dog's ears lovingly. "Whatcha doin' here, Max? How did you find us?"
"Well your scent isn't too hard to track, young man." Carlotta playfully lecturing, letting herself in the room. "You're starting to smell an awful lot like the ocean."
"Considering the fact that I'm a sailor, Carlotta?" Eric grinned sheepishly, ruffling Max's gray fur.
"Yes, considering the fact that you're a sailor." she repeated with a knowing smile, walking towards Ariel's direction. Gently placing her hands on the maiden's shoulders, she lead her towards the door. "Now, come along dearie, let's get you ready for bed."
Eric watched with a sweet smile creeping on his face. "Sleep well!" he called as the two exited the library.
When dinner ended, Ariel was afraid that she would be whisked away again, away from Eric. They hadn't even had the time to be alone together, since Grimsby and Carlotta were both present at dinner. So when Eric invited her on a tour of the palace after the meal had ended, Ariel was thrilled, and once again nodded enthusiastically in approval.
She took his arm when he offered it, and she mentally scolded herself when she felt her cheeks warming yet again. As they walked through the palace, Eric, of course, doing all of the talking, Ariel found herself once again awestruck by all of the things she saw. There were so many human things she'd never seen before, and she didn't hesitate in gesturing to them when she wanted Eric to explain them to her. When he spoke, she wasn't looking at him, so she didn't see how baffled he was at her inquiries. Little did the former mermaid know that the objects she wanted to know more about were simple, everyday human items.
Then, when he brought her into a very, very large room, wall-to-wall covered in books, Ariel's mouth gaped slightly. He released her - after which Ariel tried to mask her disappointment - and instead let her wander around the open room on her own. Her eyes scanned each shelf quickly as she took in what seemed like an endless supply of books. Wow.. And I thought the collection in my grotto was big! And Daddy's study… This doesn't even compare!
Then, as Eric was speaking, she noticed a large portrait hanging on the wall; in fact, it looked similar to the one she had spotted before, if not the same. She immediately recognized the woman again, as well as the man and child with her. Ariel turned her head to look at Eric, wanting to gesture to the picture so he would explain, but just as she did, he was walking towards it, looking at the image as well. When he began to speak about it, Ariel could immediately sense the sadness in his tone, though it wasn't very obvious. Her previous suspicions had been correct; the boy in the picture was, in fact, Eric, and those were his parents.
When he talked about their tragic passing, Ariel watched him, though he didn't notice since his eyes were on the portrait. In that moment, hearing about the shipwreck, Ariel felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she was reminded of her mother. So badly did she want to sympathize with him, to go over and tell him that she knew exactly as he felt, since she, too, had lost a parent at a young age. But she couldn't. And there was absolutely no way she could make gestures about it, either. Instead, she sighed and took a hesitant step towards Eric as he finished his story.
As she approached him, he seemed to brighten up a bit, and Ariel smiled at the mention of Carlotta and Grimsby. Though she hadn't known them very long, she could tell they truly cared about Eric, and she was happy that Eric had had such wonderful people as parental figures.
Just as she was about to stop next to him, she heard a thumping sound coming from the direction of the door, and she turned just to see Eric's animal… What was his name? Oh! Max! Max came bounding clumsily into the room, heading straight for Eric. Ariel silently giggled as she watched Eric interact with the large creature, and as she was about to reach out and try to pet him, she heard another voice coming from the doorway, and she turned her head to see Carlotta.
Carlotta walked over towards them, but Ariel didn't really pay attention to her. Instead, she folded her arms in front of her and watched Max circle around Eric tirelessly, a small smile on her face. Then, all of a sudden, Ariel felt the maid's soft hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her towards the door. A concerned expression spread over Ariel's face as she walked, turning her head to look back at Eric. He said good night.. Had Carlotta said something? Did she have to go to bed right now?
The redhead offered him a small, brief smile as she mouthed "goodbye" and gave a slight wave of her hand. She tried not to pout as Carlotta steered her towards another bedroom; it wasn't the same one she was in before.
"Come along, now, dear. You don't want to be too tired for your tour of the kingdom tomorrow!"
His hazy blue orbs gazed at the doorway where she walked out of. Narrowing his eyes in thought, he stood up from his seat and strode out into the hallway. His head swiveled back and forth, wondering which way the two went down. Silence echoed throughout the halls. Not a soul roamed. Eric lowered his head, slightly saddened that he didn't catch one more glimpse of her.
Deciding he needed some fresh air, he descended down the grand palace steps. What was this feeling, so sudden and new? He felt it the moment he laid eyes on her. His pulse is rushing. His head was reeling. His face was flushing. He released a frustrated sigh as he hoped off the last step. Oh, what is this feeling?!
Shaking his head, he journeyed on outside; greeted with the crisp night air. The pale moon hovered in the pitch black sky, it's luminous image reflecting on the ocean's surface. Staring at this picturesque scene washed away his tense nerves but it did not affect his position difficult predicament. Why was he feeling so affectionate for the mute maiden when his heart should be set on the mystery woman who rescued him?
His reverie shattered when Max's boisterous barks blared through the tranquil silence. Whistling to the bounding sheepdog, he couldn't help but laugh at the dog's silliness. Eric crouched down, a playful smile gracing his lips. "Hey, boy!" he called enthusiastically, Max halting his trot right in front of him. The sailor prince reeled backward as Max's sloppily kissed his face. A tight grin plastered on his face as he closed his eyes. His fingers combed through the dog's fur, resting on his large head. He gingerly lowered Max away from his face. The dog's fervent movement slowed. Eric scrunched up his face and frantically waved the sheepdog's unruly fur on his head.
Though she wanted to stay with Eric longer, perhaps try to tell him more about her, Ariel's mild disappointment disappeared as Carlotta led her to her room. Really, she couldn't complain; she felt giddy just from being able to spend only a few minutes with him. And when he spoke about his parents.. Ariel felt that he was being very open with her, like.. like he felt he could trust her. Just the idea of that brought a tiny smile to the redhead's lips.
She continued to think as she followed Carlotta; for the first time since she arrived at the castle, she wasn't aweing at everything on the walls. Eric had been sufficient enough in describing to her what each new object was; she found that as she walked, she recognized more and more things.
"Here we are, dear," Carlotta said lightly as she fiddled with another doorknob. This room was different from the one she was in before, considering Ariel hadn't been down this hallway before. It made sense; clearly, the room she got dressed in had been Eric's mother's at some point, considering how Carlotta told her to stand as opposed to sit on the bed, and that the dress she retrieved from the closet had been Eric's mother's. I wouldn't want to sleep in there anyway…
Finally, Carlotta was able to unlock the door, and she pushed it open more haphazardly than she had done with the other room. As she followed the maid inside, Ariel took a brief look at her new surroundings and soon came to the conclusion that this room must be a guest room, though it looked like it hadn't been used for quite some time. It was simple, but definitely fit for a castle. The first thing Ariel noticed was that there was a large bed in the center of the room, with another dress laid out on it. It was much, much smaller than the one she had on currently, though, and it looked much more comfortable. In addition to the bed, there was a large window that, upon closer inspection, seemed to open up and reveal a balcony.
"Well, dear, here is your night dress, the bathroom is right across the hall, and if you need anything during the night, simply stick your red head out the door and I'm sure one of the night maids will be there to help you," Carlotta explained as she bent down to fix the blanket on the bed. As she did so, however, an object fell from her pocket, making a sound as it hit the hardwood floor. Ariel turned her attention to it and gasped as a smile spread across her face. Another dinglehopper!
"Oh, my," Carlotta said as she noticed the object on the ground and started to reach for it. "This must have been from before, when there was an extra set of silverware on the table at dinner. I'll have to remember to-" She was interrupted by Ariel, who had practically rushed over to the dinglehopper and snatched it off the ground, clutching it tightly and smiling. "Uh.. Alright.. Well, I, um, I guess I'll just leave it with you, then," Carlotta stuttered as she noticed Ariel's reaction.
"Well, anyway, dear, I must head off to bed myself. Try not to stay up too late; you want to have full energy for your tour of the kingdom tomorrow!" Before the maid turned around, Ariel quickly leaned over and gave her a tight hug. Thank you. Carlotta chuckled and returned the embrace, then parted and headed to the door. "Goodnight, dear," she smiled, then left the room, closing the door quietly.
Ariel, eager to try on the other dress, which she assumed was supposed to be worn for sleeping, quickly but carefully peeled off the pink dress and laid it on the dresser, hoping it wouldn't wrinkle. Once she put on the "nightdress," she sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Much more comfortable.
She figured she would go to bed, despite her excitement for the coming day. She walked to the other side of the bed and was about to climb in it when she heard a faint voice, coming in the direction of the window. She stayed still for a moment and listened for the voice again. Once she realized who it was, her eyes widened as she gasped silently. Eric!
Quickly, she went over to the window, taking only a moment to figure out how it opened. Sure enough, there was a balcony outside, overlooking the ocean, and before she stepped outside onto it, Ariel felt a slight pang of homesickness.
She heard Eric's voice again, and Atlantica left her mind as quickly as it had come. Tiptoeing, she stepped out onto the balcony and peered over the railing to see a large, open area with green stuff on the ground. Kneeling on the ground was Eric, who was calling to Max as the creature bumbled around with as much energy as it had had before. Gosh, does that animal ever sit still?
Eric didn't seem to notice Ariel watching from above, and so Ariel made herself more comfortable, leaning her elbows on the railing with her head in her hand. She watched Eric interact with his pet with much patience as the large creature jumped around him and licked his face constantly. Ariel sighed dreamily. He's so patient and kind… I could just watch him all day… Max must make him so happy; he has such a huge smile on his face. And his laugh… I wonder if he laughs a lot. I wonder what makes him laugh… I mean, clearly Max does…
Being a prince, Eric grew accustomed to the feeling of all eyes glued to him. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling in the world, but it did have its few perks; taking or instance this moment. Wavering his scratches he was giving Max, Eric's eyes scaled upward, meeting the dreamy gaze of the cute, mute maiden.
Cute? Where did that come from? Well, she was. There was no doubt about it. Honestly, he could see her dazzling smile all the way from the bottom of the balcony! A genuine grin eased onto his lips at the sight of her. She appeared to be entranced; gazing dreamily in his general direction. Max's head swiveled up, panting heavily and wagging his tail to and fro.
Rising his hand he gave a little wave, the smooth smirk plastered on his facial features. His heart swelled seeing her revive from her trance and waving her hand back at him. He could have sworn he saw her lips part as if she was saying, 'hi'. A chuckle vibrated in his throat, watching her slowly retract back into the guest room.
A warm smile graced his lips, his hazy blue irises glimmering in the moonlight. Her silhouette in the moonlight tinted his cheeks in a light shade of magenta. "Boy," he sighed breathlessly, his dopey smile widening. "she's,-" he weaved a hand through his ebony locks, rising from his crouch. "she's something else Max." he confessed to the dog, feeling a weight being relieved from his shoulders. He had to say it to somebody. Why bother stashing it inside and burying it deeper and deeper?
It was true. He did feel something for her; rather he was beginning to feel something for the mute girl. Her radiant smile burst into his mind, his heart racing inside his chest. Max replied with a hearty bark, banging his head on Eric's thigh. His eyes descended down to the exuberant pooch, nodding his head towards the castle. "C'mon, mutt." Eric called lightly, pacing leisurely over to the palace doors. The sheepdog bounced beside him, tongue lolled off to the side. "Better get some shut eye for the tour tomorrow."
Oh, barnacles!
Lost in her trance, Ariel had continued to have her eyes glued on Eric dreamily, until… He looked up and noticed her. Though his smile was genuine and he gave her a slight wave, Ariel immediately felt the blushing sensation again as she clumsily straightened up and offered an awkward smile in return, feeling extremely embarrassed. Hi. She mouthed the word as she took a step back from the balcony, keeping the smile plastered on her face as she retreated back inside the room.
Just as she did so, she noticed the bedroom door open a crack as Sebastian made his way into the room. She noticed the tiny crab had an angry expression on his face as he scurried over to the nightstand next to the bed, a piece of that dry, green seaweed-like stuff on his shell. Ariel chuckled and brought the dinglehopper to her hair and began brushing it through. After dinner had ended, Sebastian had opted to stay on the plate to avoid being seen. Ariel, too focused on Eric, had simply left him there, and she had no idea where he was just coming from now. She just smiled as she walked over to the bed, waiting for Sebastian to have a little outburst, like usual. Three, two…
"Dis has got ta be, without a doubt, da single most humiliating day of my life!" he fumed, snatching the green stuff off his back and throwing it on the floor forcefully. As he did so, Ariel reached the nightstand and placed the dinglehopper next to Sebastian, then proceeded to give him a gentle pat on the head. Calm down, Sebastian.
"I hope you appreciate what I go through fa you, young lady,"Sebastian began in a stern tone. Ariel, hardly paying any attention to him, walked over to the bed again and tried it out, first sitting on the edge. It was much, much bigger than the one back home, and, after she sat on it, she discovered it was much softer, too. She scooted back a bit, only to sink down into the extra soft cushions.Oof!
Sebastian was still ranting."Now, we got ta make a plan ta get that boy to kiss you."Ariel, meanwhile, turned around in the bed to center herself. Okay…She moved around a bit before pushing herself off the bed, causing her to bounce up and land right in the middle of the bed.Ah…She grinned as her head relaxed against the pillow, which was just as soft as the bed. Wow, this bed is comfortable… Her eyelids fluttered a bit.
"Ya got ta look your best!"Sebastian continued, as Ariel rotated and hugged the pillow with a smile. With her eyes closed, she couldn't see Sebastian's ridiculous movements."Ya got ta bat your eyes like dis."His voice turned to a mumble."Ya got ta pucker your lips like dis."Then, the room fell silent, and Ariel knew Sebastian must've realized she wasn't paying attention.
She heard him exhale and, though her eyes were closed, she could tell he had turned off the light - the light which Eric had told her was a candle, only after she had gazed with wonder at the fire she finally got the chance to see. Now that the room was dark, Ariel felt even more tired.
"You are hopeless, child. You know dat." Sebastian had scurried onto her pillow, and she felt him brush her bangs out of her eyes with his claw. She sensed he moved away a bit. "Completely hopeless," she heard him yawn, and with that, the room fell silent again. Goodnight, Sebastian.
The smile stayed on Ariel's face as she drifted off to sleep, greatly anticipating her second day of being human.