Eric lifted Ariel's unconscious body onto his strong arms and carried her to her room, with Grimsby following him. Sebastian heard a noise, and hid. When he saw Ariel unconscious, in Eric's arms, and Grimsby there too, he decided to listen in.

"Eric, do you still want to marry Vanessa?" Grimsby asked. "I have no idea why you would. Was I just having a nightmare? Nothing of the sort has ever happened, and it's just-." It was just unbelievable, impossible.

"Who's Vanessa?" Eric asked, looking up at him. "What?" Grimsby asked, snapping his head out of the clouds. "Who's Vanessa? I never asked for a wedding, and there's no one of my kingdom named Vanessa," he told him.

Grimsby furrowed his brows together as he looked at him with confusion. "Vanessa is the brunette maiden you brought to me, and you insisted that a wedding be held at sunset. You couldn't have forgotten, you were just with her a few minutes ago." Eric looked down, trying to remember. "I―I don't remember such a thing happening, Grim. All I remember was that after you left last night, I threw my flute into the ocean and started walking my way inside, but I heard the voice again and walked over. I saw a young lady singing on the beach, and then I, I guess, blacked out," Eric explained.

Grimsby's expression lightened up in realization. "You were probably just hallucinating, because Vanessa's voice had just turned hideous before she ran out. Honestly, I see that as completely strange. She is evidently a daughter of a witch who is after you so she can be queen. So then, your dream girl is proven to be nonexistent." Eric sighed. "I guess you're right. But Ariel―she seems to be mute. I can't have a mute wife, and this kingdom can't have a mute queen. And I don't want to settle down with just anybody." (Please see the bottom of the page)

"Well, that's your problem then. I'll see you at lunch." With that, Grimsby left.

Eric's eyes became filled with sadness and heartbreak. He didn't really believe Grimsby. Inside of him, something was telling him that the girl who saved his life was real. Although he didn't remember anything about meeting someone who supposedly had his savior's voice, he knew that she wasn't who rescued him. It was someone else, but he didn't know who. And he was sure it wasn't Ariel because, right from the start, she was mute.

Eric sighed once more, then stood up and walked over to the window. "I wish I had woken up earlier when that girl was singing to me. I would've asked what her name was, what country she was from. Then I would've looked for her and she would be here with me...right now. But I lost her when she ran away."

He looked at Ariel and knelt down, taking her hand into his. "I'm not going to lose you, Ariel. Not you too," he told the slumbering Ariel. He knew he loved her. She was his type, but not his savior; he assumed she wasn't. "I wish you were her " was all he said before giving her a kiss several seconds later.

Sebastian gasped with wide eyes. He had kissed her. It was far from sunset, and he had kissed her. She would be a human unlimitedly. 'Once Eric is out of here, I must tell Ariel,' he thought.

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[A/N]

In case you're wondering why Eric can't have a mute wife, like one person commented, I'd be glad to answer:

Well, for one thing, any children Ariel would have (like in the sequel film) would not have the benefit of hearing their mother. Not just skin contact, but also their voice has a large impact on a child's life. Second, you can't expect a queen to rule being mute if the king is away. And if someone did the job for her, the only role she'd have is wife and mother. Marriage is about communication too, you know. That is one of the things that strengthen a marriage, and Ariel wouldn't like to be mute forever, would she?