Eric, as usual, was thinking about Ariel. More specifically, what she meant to him, and how he could show that. He had called the royal jeweler in early that morning, just in case Ariel rose early again and had any other fresh ideas.

"And what do you want for the girl?"

"I want something lavish, but practical, if that makes sense. We like sailing, and swimming, and if the diamond is too big, well, it might make it hard to do that. But I want her to have something lovely. She deserves the best."

The jewelry nodded, opening little box after little box, and setting some aside. "I think these three area all lovely."

Eric pulled them all closer to him, picking up each little ring and examining them. One was especially bright, laden with tons of tiny little diamonds, as opposed to one large one. It looked like the ocean during the sunset, there was no chance of any diamonds getting knocked off, and it was beautiful.

Eric smiled, looking up at the jeweler. "I'll take it."

…

Eric suggested they take a row on the lake, but he didn't factor in how the exercise would mix with his already pounding heart. He wanted to feel romantic and loving and, in a way, it was there, but he also felt like he was going to throw up his heart and melt into a puddle.

But he loved her. God, how he loved her. He wanted to marry her more than he wanted anything else. This had to be the place – it was where he first realized the depth of his feelings for her, even before he knew she was the girl from the beach. Staring into her eyes, thinking about the joy and excitement she brought into his life…

This had to be the place.

Eric pulled the oars up and into the boat. Ariel relaxed lazily, letting her fingers drift atop the water.

"Ariel?" Eric said.

She lifted her head, smiling, to look over at him.

"You know how much I love you, right?"

"Not nearly as much as I love you." Ariel teased, sitting up.

"I will arm wrestle you to prove this."

"You think you're picking a fight you can win but I've spent my life swimming, buster. These arms are straight steel."

"You used your tail!"

"Yeah, technically. But the arms were there. Holding things."

Eric laughed, cupping her cheeks and kissing her. "I do love you. A lot."

Ariel smiled up at him, as he still held her face.

"Which is why, I want this to be perfect." Eric reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, holding it up. "Will you marry me?

Ariel gasped and threw herself at him, kissing him all over his face. "Yes, yes, of course, yes!"

Eric laughed, shifting her in his lap, and slid the ring onto her finger.

It fit perfectly.

…

Derek leaned forward, looking the maid in the eye. "Think back. What did you see. Tell me everything."

'I didn't see much of anything, sir." She said nervously, holding her hands behind her back.

Derek swung forward and struck her, and she staggered back, clutching her cheek. She wanted to yell at him, he could tell, but she didn't dare. Wise girl. Derek leaned forward, very aware of how he was blocking the door. "Now, tell me. What did you see."

"They were on top of each other. On the bed." The maid teetered. "I promised not to tell, please don't-"

"Who made you promise?"

"Prince Eric!"

Derek leaned back. If Eric knew he was doing wrong, then something had to be afoot.

"Were they dressed?"

"He was. She…she was in her shift."

"And what were they doing?"

"I didn't see. I closed the door right away. I didn't know-"

"Here's what you're going to do." Derek said forcefully. "You're going to spread this tale, in as much graphic detail as you can, around the castle. Doesn't matter who overhears. But make sure it gets around. If it doesn't get back to me, I'll know you've failed. And you'll be sorry."

The maid gasped, but nodded.

"You've been enough use to me." Derek dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Be gone, before I change my mind."

The maid picked up her skirts and ran, knowing he might very well change his mind. Derek settled back. This plan came together easily. He could only hope it would be executed just as well.

…

The maid didn't want to spread these rumors; she didn't want to do anything that would benefit Derek in any way. But what could she do? No one would believe the threat a respectable man like him posed, and anyone who would believe her couldn't do anything about it.

And he had already attacked her once. She didn't want it to happen again, and she didn't know

…

"We're engaged." Ariel breathed, still studying the ring on her finger.

"Do you like it?" Eric smiled, wrapping his arm around her.

"I love it!" Ariel exclaimed. "More importantly, I love you."

"I love you too." Eric beamed, tilting her chin up toward him.

Ariel met him with a fire and heat, pulling him down on top of her. Eric shifted his weight to his hands, as to not crush her, but relished in her pulling him close. She ran her tongue across his lower lip, bit it gently, then soothed the bite by running her tongue across it again.

Eric pushed her hair back and ran kisses down her jaw and neck, stopping at the top of her bodice. He looked up at her for a second, but Ariel squirmed a hand down to pull at the laces herself, so Eric merely laughed and pulled them loose, opening to reveal her shift. He pulled the string on that loose as well, letting it expose more of her breast.

Ariel ran her foot up the side of his calf, so Eric excitedly grabbed her thigh and hitched it up around his waist, nestling himself between her legs. He began to suck on her neck, stopping only to kiss her, and reached a hand down her shift to fondle her breast. With one exposed, he roughly pulled the shift down to reveal them both, putting his mouth on her nipples and sucking them both into hard points.

Ariel pushed his shirt up over his head, running her hands down the smooth planes of his chest and abs. She undid the buttons on the side of her skirt and Eric pushed her out of it, running his hand over her stocking as he pulled her legs back around his hips. He moved back to kissing her slowly, rubbing his hands down her thighs and eventually grabbing her ass, squeezing it so hard she yelped.

"Are you okay?" he mumbled into her neck.

"It felt good." Ariel sighed. "Make me feel even better."

Eric didn't need to be asked twice. He moved his hand down her inner thigh, slowly as well, and ran a finger through her folds, circling her clit a few times before pushing her shift off entirely, and leaving her in just her stockings. Eric moved his face down to meet her, licking the wetness from her folds and sucking her clit. She began to squirm in pleasure, opening her legs farther. As he could feel her grow warmer, he lifted his mouth off and put his thumb on her clit, massaging it harder and harder.

"Wait," Ariel said, gasping.

Eric paused, but Ariel sprung up. She undid his breeches and pulled them off, Eric happy to finally let his erection spring free.

"I want you inside me." Ariel said, straddling him and whispering in his ear. "We're practically married, let's do it here. Now."

She began to grind against his hardness, pushing him closer to the edge. He rolled over laid Ariel back on the ground and their lips met again. Aligning his cock with her opening, he just nearly felt the warmth when she bit his neck, sending him over the edge and making him jump forward and cum all over her stomach.

"Oh, perhaps not tonight, then." Ariel said sympathetically.

Eric groaned, settling back down. It had to be a sign from someone. But whoever that someone was, he didn't really like them.

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