Since they had built the wall to protect Melody from evil Morgana, no threat had come to Eric and Ariel's kingdom for many years. Now Meldoy was eight years old and she was becoming a vivacious and beautiful girl. Sebastian had to run around keeping an eye on her. The family was happy althought Ariel knew something was missing. Ah, the sea. How long could she keep it from Melody? She better enjoy peace for now.

But times of peace do not seem meant to last. Prince Eric started to recieved news form a warlord who was supposedly putting together an army in order to take over their kingdom. He had sent dignataries to visit this warlord, Lheureux, in his fortified castle, but no one seemed to be able to find out where he was keeping his troops, if they existed at all.

"We have to be prepared, nonetheless", the prince said.

"You don't think they will come here, do you?", Ariel wondered. "Attack out home?"

"If they do, we'll defend it. The problem is we don't have idea of how many men he has, if he has ships with cannons, cavalry, anything."

"If there are ships, my father can help us from underwater. They won't be expecting that."

"That's a start. But we need more allies."

"But who?"

"There are some options, some landlords who remain loyal to us... ", Eric said. "Some of them I don't like too much, but we can take any risk. I'll start sending letter, invite them to come to the palace to talk to them and find out whom we trust. I'm counting on you and Melody to make them feel welcome."

"Of course, my love."

So a few days later, Princess Ariel hurried around the palace making sure everything was ready to recieve their guests. Everything had to be perfect: the bedrooms, the dinner, the service, all. Melody, now a beautiful teenager, observed her mother go to and fro giving instructions, making plans and stressing away. At his side, Sebastian

"Would you let us help?", Melody said. "Dad"said he counted on both of us.

"I'm sorry, Melody, it's just... I want it to be all perfect."

"Ariel, you know how many times I planned banquets for your father and they were exectuted with utmost perfection", the crab said with his Jamaican accent.

"I know", she sighed. "All right. Melody, you will help me to recieve the guests. Sebastian, can you please take care of the ambient music?"

"Can I?", Sebastian exclaimed. "It's my specialty!"

"Sebastian"

"Yes?"

"Ambient music. Something calmed. Remember they'll come to discuss a possible alliance, not to make a conga line."

"Alright, alright. I can do solemnity, you know."

Sebastian did not like to work with the palace's musicians, because they never took him seriously, no matter he had a privileged place in Prince Eric's court. But they would have to do. Only a string quartet, he thought as he walked down the hall towards the music room. That would keep him away from the temptation to burst into a samba or something like that. He started to go through his scores; he knew most of them by heart. Sebastian was an accomplished musician and composer, and he was well reknown in Atlantica. But out there in the human world, he had a hard time being recognized. But now it was not time to complain, he had to do his part so the kingdom is safe.