Author's Note: Credit for the houses and banners/mottos are not mine, but the story is. Let me know what you think!
"She seems nice," Aquata said to her sisters as they settled down in their shared chamber. From her circular bed, Ariel brushed out her flaming hair while her older sisters settled down for the evening.
"Yes, but do you think it's a trick? I mean really, eighteen years later and she suddenly shows up?" Attina shook her head as she tucked her jewels away in the shared dresser. "It all seems so stange."
The Syreni sisters, specifically the youngest, hadn't wanted to leave Francis' island till dawn, but their father insisted they take the first boat back to their island. Just thinking about it made Ariel sigh. We hardly get to go anywhere fun, and when we do Daddy worries too much.
Adella rolled her eyes from Andrina's bed. Her fingers wove through her sister's blonde hair as she wrapped it into a braid. "Why do you have to be so negative, Attie? We should be happy for Francis! He and Lady Beatrice have been waiting for this day for so long. It's a blessing, really."
The other girls agreed with Andrina, including Ariel. The only red haired sister leaned back against her pillow, staring up at the ceiling. With Rapunzel finally home, perhaps she and her sisters could visit Lord Francis' home more often. Anything to get out of here for a day or two. With her exploration time limited, she and her dear friend Flounder only found so many places they could explore together. With the whole island covered in their footprints, Ariel was eager to track down other places.
Thinking of her servant friend, Ariel wondered if he was still awake. He was always good to sit down for a nice chat, and that was what the youngest Syreni needed. Besides meeting Francis' daughter, Ariel went to the island with hopes Ser Eric Shuttleford, a member of King Mickey's special guard. Looking back, it was stupid of her to think the pristine knight would have come all the way to Lord Francis' island to meet a woman he had likely never heard of before. Still, she had hoped between the dancing and smoozing she would find herself in the arms of her handsome knight.
Ariel shook her head. He's not your anything. You only met once. And what a wonderful night that was … Triton lived on an island for a reason. Besides his love for the sea and his affiliation with House Rapunzel, he despised anyone associated with House Mickey at King's Landing. Ariel wasn't sure what the history was, for she never paid much attention to her lessons when she was little, but it meant, for some awful reason, she and her sisters rarely went to Westeros, if ever. As her sisters got ready for bed, the young lady remembered when King Mickey and his royal brigade came to visit there island earlier in the year.
"Can it really be him, the king?" Ariel whispered to Alana as they watched from behind the dark blue curtain.
Alana nodded. "It has to be, look at that crown he wears! And see, there's his wife, Queen Minnie." The statuesque, black haired woman stood with her back straight and hands clasped before her, almost as if she knew two curious girls were talking about her nearby.
A row of knights wearing white cloaks encircled the king as he spoke with Lord Triton. Ariel's vision drifted from the handsome king to an even lovelier knight. The young woman bit her lip. "He's just like the knights in those books we read," she whispered. Handsome, fair, brave, and true …
"Who, the king?"
"No silly, look! The knight with black hair. And you can't miss those blue eyes of his." Ariel clutched the curtain the hid behind tighter. The nameless knight was taller than the king, with a faint scruff of a beard peeking through his fair skin. He stood straight with the other knights but his eyes were the only ones Ariel dreamt of looking into.
Ariel closed her eyes now and smiled. Oh yes, such a good looking man, but with so much more underneath the surface.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-" Ariel looked up and gasped. It's him! The knight, still wearing his white cloak, blinked down at her. She hadn't realized how petite she was compared to him. She barely reached his upper chest. Her heart fluttered.
The knight shook his head as a smile started to spread across his face. "It's no trouble at all, Miss …" he squinted. "You're one of Lord Triton's daughters, are you not?"
She bobbed her head, dipping into a curtsey in the process. "Lady Ariel, ser."
He took her hand and kissed the back of it lightly. She almost jumped. "It's a pleasure, then, Lady Ariel." He straightened his back, regrettably letting go of her hand in the process. "Ser Eric Shuttleford, of House Belle."
"Oh, Belle! I met her once at one of my sister's parties. Are you her brother?"
"No, just a cousin. Distant." He smiled. "Your father has been a gracious host to us. Such a party hasn't been put on for us in months."
Ariel giggled. "I doubt that. I'm sure King's Landing has all kinds of parties. I'd love to go there sometime, if Daddy would allow me." She sighed wistfully. "It must be nice to live in such a wonderful place."
Eric shrugged. "Well, it can be wonderful, but every place has its shadows." She didn't like how his brow creased together like that. She took his hand.
"Let's dance."
Ariel remembered how they spent the night together dancing. Her father typically liked her to either dance with her sisters, or a man he knew and trusted. This went against anything he ever wanted for his daughters, but Ariel really didn't care what her father hoped for. She was sixteen, and a better opportunity to make a new acquaintance hadn't come up until now.
When it was time for Eric to go, he promised he would write to her. They never embraced, nor did she allow him any special favours, but she gave him her handkerchief with her initials sew into the pale blue fabric. Just as he turned to go, he changed his mind and kissed her cheek. It was such a fleeting touch, she thought she dreamt it. Maybe she had. As she laid there half asleep, she thought of her family motto. Part of Your World. One day, that's exactly what she would be. She would find a way to be a part of Eric's world, even if it meant her father grew angry with her.
Her sister's voices died down and the lantern was blown out. As the girls exchanged goodnights, Ariel fell asleep, dreaming of Eric's lips on her cheek.
The next morning, Flounder found Ariel before breakfast. "I have a letter for you," he whispered, trying to be secretive. Ariel snatched the parchment from the blonde's hand and hid behind a column with him. The young boy followed her lead, trying to peek over her shoulder as she scanned Eric' scrawl.
Dearest,
K.M. is holding a week-long tournament next month. If you could find a way to come, that would bring me the most joy I've had in months.
Yours,
E.S.
Ariel bit her lip hard to keep from giggling.
"What's it say?" asked Flounder.
"Eric wants me to come to King's Landing next month." She pressed the letter against her chest. "He misses me," she whispered.
Flounder snorted. "Good luck getting your father to allow you to go. He'll be furious just to hear of your letters with Eric."
"Who says I have to tell him about Eric?"
"Well, no one I guess, but-"
Ariel kissed Flounder's cheek. "Thank you for bringing this to me. When I'm wed to my knight, I'll find a way to repay you." She picked up her violet skirts and rushed back to her room where her sisters were getting ready for the day. Along the way, she heard voices coming from her father's council room. She recognized her father's immediately, but paused on her rush to get a peek at who else was inside.
Sebastian, Lord Triton's chief advisor, stood before the lord. "Sir, I've just received word from Lady Kida. Her father's health has taken a turn for the worse. I'm afraid our plans may be stalled."
Triton waved his meaty hand in the air, dismissing his advisor's worry. "Lord Kashekim isn't gone yet. His daughter has been with us since the beginning. She won't back down just because her father isn't feeling well. No, we go on as planned, like Francis wants."
"Yes sir, of course. Did he happen to mention last night of any changes?"
Ariel couldn't read her father's face, what with his back turned to her, but as he stood there, tall and prouder than she had seen him in years, she wondered what exactly it was they were talking about.
Triton folded his arms behind him. "With Rapunzel's arrival, there are hopes to connect her to one of the larger land houses to finance our supplies. If all works well, we'll use that leverage to convince Winterfell to support us."
Sebastian nodded, brushing back his bright red hair. "It's a stretch, sir, we shouldn't pretend it won't be."
"It has to work, Sebastian. I cannot go another year under Mickey's thumb. The man may control Westeros, but the islands belong to those who know the water's true power. How can he, a man from a minor house?" Triton pointed to the house banner hung over the fireplace. Aqua and darker blue squares with music notes in one square and waves in another looked back at the lord. "We are the water, and we will support our true king."
Ariel turned on her heel and headed towards her bedroom. What could he have meant, our true king? The young lady's stomach clenched. A trip to King's Landing was going to be a lot harder to bargain for now.
Her sisters, as predicted, were still in the room getting ready for their day. Ribbons and stockings were tossed over chairs as the messy beds were covered in all sorts of dresses. The youngest Syreni shoved a few off the windowsill and sat down on the ledge.
"What's got your smile upside down?" asked Arista as she twisted her hair atop her head.
Ariel shrugged. "I was just thinking how, one day, we're going to start getting married and it will never be like this again. We won't all be together in here, like this."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that. Marrying off seven daughters takes time, especially this one over here," Alana teased as she pointed to Attina. The eldest tossed a pillow at Alana's head, causing the girl to laugh.
"What's got you thinking of such a thing?"
"Well," Ariel cleared her throat, "I heard King's Landing is having a tournament next month, and I was really hoping we could all go together, but you know Daddy. He'll probably say no."
Arista paused mid-brush of her hair. "A tournament?" She looked at the other girls. "We haven't been to one since-"
"Since Mother was carrying little Ariel," Allana finished. The younger girls all stared at Attina. The eldest squinted.
"What?"
"You know Daddy listens to you more," Aquata said. "If you suggested the tournament…"
"And why, pray tell, would I do such a thing?"
Andrina grabbed a pink stocking and pulled it up her pale leg. "It's like Ariel said. Once you get married we're next, and then we'll never see each other again."
"And it will be fun," Arista pointed out.
The eldest sighed. "I'll mention it to him. Although, next month might be too long. I could be married by then."
The other girls gasped. "To who?"
"What have you been hiding?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
As the sisters begged Attina for details, Ariel leaned back against the window grinning. She didn't like fibbing to her sisters, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and this was certainly desperate. She looked out the window, thinking back to what she overheard her father say. Perhaps in her next letter she would ask Eric if he knew what was going on at the castle.
I'll see you soon, my love. Very soon.