Fairytale Land

I walked through the forest heading towards the ocean. I couldn't go the way I usually went if I actually wanted to make it to the water. I stepped over a log, and nearly fell flat on my face. Damn it! I hate land, I hate legs. It's so much easier to move around with a tale.

"This way," A voice shouted from behind me.

I turned to see who'd said it. I could see several of dad's guards running towards me off in the distance. Crap! I took off heading towards the water. I had to jump over several logs, and duck under several low hanging branches. I could hear the sound of men running behind me. I picked up my speed. I dashed out of the forest and onto the beach a few seconds later. I dove into the water, and let my tail form where my legs used to be. I smiled at the familiar feel of my tail swishing back and forth in the water. I swam out to sea, my bag gently bumping against my back as I swam. I stopped for a second to look around me. I didn't exactly think this through.

I had no idea how I was going to find food, or any of the things I would need. I felt a bump against my side. I looked down to see a fish by my side. I smiled at the fish that I'd named Flounder. I saved him from a fishing net one day and he's stuck by my side ever since. Suddenly I felt a rush of water above me. I looked up to see a boat gliding through the water. I swam up to the surface, and peaked out at the boat to see that it was one of my dad's. Oh great. I swam back down under the water, and started swimming…

SeaQuest {One week later}

I sighed, and sat back in my seat. I'd been released from the medical bay last night. Dr. Smith was worried about the fact that I couldn't remember who I am, or that I'd injured my vocal chords. But apparently that's how I was born, with no voice. For the past week she's been trying to teach me sign language. I'd learned the basics but I was still learning. I was currently waiting for Lucas and Tony to come get me. They said they had someone they wanted to introduce me to.

"Ariel," Lucas exclaimed, walking into the room. He looked around for a second before he spotted me.

"Ah there you are you ready to meet Darwin?" He asked. I nodded my head. Everyone had taken to calling me Ariel seeing as how I was found floating out at sea, and how my necklace said Ariel. I followed him and Tony down the hallway and into a big room. I could see a pool of water that took up most of the room. Lucas walked over to the wall and pulled a device off the wall.

"Darwin come here I've got someone I'd like you to meet," He said. A few seconds later a head popped up out of the water. It took me a second to release that it was a Dolphin.

"Lucas play?" A voice asked. I looked around me.

"Oh no Ariel it came from here," Lucas held up the device in his hand, "It translates for Darwin so we can understand him. Darwin this is Ariel," Lucas said.

"Ariel fish Ariel swim with Darwin," Darwin exclaimed.

"Ugh Darwin I think you need your eyes checked Ariel isn't a fish," Tony stated, bending down in front of Darwin.

"No Ariel fish, Ariel tail, Ariel swim with Darwin," Darwin replied, shaking his head back and forth. I smirked at him, and I heard Lucas chuckle.

"Darwin she doesn't have a tail," He explained.

"Not now, darkness take away Ariel tail, bad fog take Ariel away, dump her in water," Darwin stated, shaking his head back and forth causing water to splash out of the tank.

Lucas and Tony looked over at each other, at me, then down at Darwin. He sounded crazy, but what he said somehow made sense to me. I not sure why but I felt myself believing what Darwin was saying. I frowned. Wait that can't be, people don't have tails.

"Darwin what are you talking about?" Lucas asked.

"Are you sure he didn't eat some bad seaweed or something," Tony stated.

"Maybe the vocorder's translating what he's saying wrong," Tony suggested.

"Could be," Lucas muttered, looking down at the device in his hand.

"Lucas play, Ariel play, Tony play," Darwin exclaimed, splashing around in the water. I smiled despite what he said a few seconds ago. I nodded my head at him, but Lucas was busy messing with the device in his hand, and Tony wasn't looking at me. I frowned.

"Ariel want swim to," Darwin exclaimed, nodding his head up and down. Lucas looked up at me, and I nodded my head.

"Ugh sure I guess we could swim with Darwin for a while, we just need to put swim gear on," He stated. I smiled. I don't know why but the thought of just being in the water made me happy…

Fairytale land

I pulled up onto the beach, and just laid there. I'd been swimming for several days and I was tired. I'd only stopped once to rest inside a cave I'd found. I don't know how far I'd traveled but it must have been pretty far since I reached land. My stomach growled, and I sighed. I felt my tail melt away leaving legs in their place. I slowly got up on wobbly legs. I tried to take a step forward and almost fell but somehow managed to catch my balance before I fell.

"All right Ariel time to find a town," I muttered, taking a shaky step forward.

After a few minutes of walking I came across a well-traveled path. I followed the path into a small town. Everyone stopped to stare at me as I walked by. I walked over to a small cart that was selling apples.

"How many?" The man asked, not even looking up from the book he was reading.

"How many can I get with this?" I asked, placing several coins on the stand.

"Ten," He muttered, grabbing some apples and shoving them in a bag.

He handed me the bag and pocket the coins not even looking up from his book once. I took the bag, and made my way back the way I'd come. I put all of the apples expect for one in my bag. As I walked out of town I ate my apple. I walked back down to the beach. I could see a group of docks in the distance. I was about to head into the water when I saw a ship pull into the docks. Is that my dad's ship? I quietly and quickly raced up to the docks where my dad and several of his guards were walking off the ship. There was a group of people waiting to meet him.

"Hello King Triton what brings you to our land?" A man asked.

"My daughter Ariel has gone missing. She took off from the castle a few days ago, and I believe that sooner or later she may end up here. I would appreciate it if you would tell your people to keep an eye out for her," Dad stated.

"I'll spread the word, I'll even put up a reward for anyone who brings me information on her," The man replied. Crap, this is so not good. Dad's never going to leave me be. I'm never going to be free to roam the world am I?

"Thank you king George until I find my daughter I'll be sailing to each kingdom spreading the word," Dad said, nodding his head at the man. He turned on his heel and walked back onto his ship. I stood there for a few minutes, and watch as both the ship and kind George and his men left.

"Ugh why can't he just leave me be?" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in frustration.

"Sounds like someone has a bit of a problem," A voice exclaimed from behind me. I turned to see a scaly skinned man standing there.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Rumplestiltskin," He replied, giving a slight bow. I eyed him warily. My eyes darted over to the water and I contemplated just diving into the water and swimming off.

"I believe I can help you with your little problem," He stated. I looked back over at him.

"How?" I asked.

"Well I know of a way you can get to a place where your father can't reach you," He answered.

"Really, how, where is this place?" I asked.

"How is my business, but I can tell you that the place I'm sending you is in another realm so your father won't be able to reach you there," He replied, with a slight wave of his hand. This all seems too good to be true.

"And what do you want in return?" I asked.

"Ah smart girl, well my price isn't much just something you won't really need seeing as how you want to live in the water," He said, smirking at me.

"And what would that be?" I asked, once again eyeing him skeptically.

"Your voice," He replied. I was taken aback.

"My voice? Wha… What would you need my voice for?" I asked.

"That's my business, now take it or leave it," He stated, holding his hand out. I hesitated for a second before taking his hand. He smirked, and waved his hand at me. A cloud of smoke enveloped me, and for a second I couldn't breathe. There was a jab of pain in my throat, then it was gone along with the smoke.

"Well Dearie time to send you to your new home," He exclaimed, pulling something out of his pocket. I looked at it. It looked like a bean. I tried to say something but my voice wouldn't work. He smirked, and tossed the bean onto the ground behind me. I looked back to see that a hole had opened up in the ground.

"Well Dearie here's your chance to be free," He said, waving his hand at the hole. I took a shaky step forward, and suddenly I was plunged into darkness…