Publication Date: Unknown (Minor Emendations: Sunday, September 13th, 2015)

Sael

Chapter 4 – Trust

~Being a Momentary Respite from Difficulty~

~~~ Saturday, the 16th of November, 1805 AD ~~~

~ 11:45 a.m. ~

Christiansborg Palace – Christiansted, Sankt Croix

Eric felt Ariel press against him once again, now no longer seeking his comfort and protection but instead trying desperately to escape his grasp. In that futile effort she expended the very last of her meager strength against his unyielding arms. Her breathing grew ragged again as deepening gasps for air changed into a sudden half-sobbing, half-choked wail of pain; the girl clenched her eyes tightly, her face contorting into a mask of pure agony. Watching this unfold as he tried to comfort and calm the girl, Eric's eyes widened in terror; then he too panicked.

"Ariel!?" he cried, shocked and not understanding what was happening to his young love. His little mermaid's struggling ceased abruptly as he felt her slump against him; her slender body falling limp in his arms. "Oh God … no!" he cried softly, in a voice barely more than a whisper.

"Grim, get Doctor Østerby, quickly!"

Sailors and longshoremen climbed upon crates, barrels, and every other object to see what had happened, why silence had so swiftly descended again upon the quay. All those who could see stood riveted at the scene now unfolding before them, not the least of them Knudsen and Sael.

Hearing Eric call for Østerby, Captain Carlson managed to fight off the urge to immediately turn to the Princess' aid. It was painful for him, hearing her anguish transform into frantic choking followed by a soft agonized scream; especially since he knew that he could help. Instead, he clenched his jaw, focusing on Knudsen and the many other gathered men, one after another. He noted to himself that the eyes of every man, which had been already fixed upon the prince and his fiancée, now focused unwaveringly upon what was transpiring before them, but in their faces Carlson saw that their reactions were divided. "Østerby," he thought.

A few men apparently shared the sailor Knudsen's fears, probably hoping that the Princess would perish; the Captain noted these, watching every one with care thereafter. Most though seemed to be indifferent and like Carlson perhaps saw only a striking young lady before them, albeit one who had barely blossomed into the flower of womanhood, still almost a girl. Carlson recognized many of these men as Eric's men, sailors off Lyn mostly, easy to spot for the most by how they gathered directly before the Prince, and closest to the dock steps and Lyn. Among that group, most looked on with alarm, even compassion for the girl their eyes.

Of everyone on the quay that morning, only Carlson had watched the crowd so closely enough to note these divisions.

Eric's eyes clouded with tears as he held the seemingly lifeless young woman in his arms, the maiden he dreamt of making his wife. And for the lack of any other option, he prayed. It was a simple prayer, as were all of his prayers, asking little for himself and much for those he loved, "Please Lord, don't let her die, don't take her away from me … not after everything we've gone through just to be with each other. Please … please just let her have fainted."

… Upon a dark and starless sea she drifted, her mind and soul caught in currents of black dreams. Down they pulled her, down … ever downward into the fathomless deeps, down into the black abyss ...

Eric closed his eyes, he couldn't cry, not now, especially not in front of his men. "No … no!" he said to the girl in his arms, "You'll be alright love." he whispered softy to her, to himself, hoping more than knowing, but he refused to let her fall; he would never let her fall. For just a moment, he held the seemingly lifeless body of his beautiful fiancée in his arms, and prayed.

… "Trust me." a voice echoed … her voice.

Several more soldiers of the Guard issued from the eastern archway, an opportunity the hitherto paralyzed Lord Grimsby seized upon. "Sergeant Lundgren," he said, quickly identifying the first man out as their leader. "We urgently need the Prince's physician. Quickly please, to Princess Ariel's chambers."

Lundgren stopped, looking to Grimsby and nodded with a slight bow of his head. "Yes milord," he replied, then turned sharply to the three men behind him. "Beck, Isakson, Voss … you heard Lord Grimsby, split up, go find Doctor Østerby and send him with all haste to the Princess' apartment in the Guest Wing!"

As all of this happened around him, the sole object of Eric's attention was his little Ariel; every other concern of the world simply fell away. His plan was now the last thing on his mind, having not expected this at all; but he should have, knowing his wanting facility with public words. As fast as he might without injuring her, Eric lifted the stricken girl into his arms until her face was close to his, and stood there like that as the crowd watched silently; murmurs once again began to spread.

…. "He asked me to trust him."

Others gathered around him. Even Carlson seemed to finally relent, letting a troubled sidelong glance linger overlong on the stricken girl. For the first time a look of alarm, no … fear, etched itself upon his face, all when his eyes should have been firmly set upon the assembly of men gathered about him. He would regret that mistake.

Grimsby came to Carlotta's side as Maximillian whined by Eric's feet. The woman held Ariel's tiny hand in her own, looking at her for any sign of life. Grimsby put his right hand on Carlotta's arm, and leaned over, kissing Ariel gently on her forehead, then withdrawing with pained eyes, eyes that turned to Eric.

… "Why had he asked her … to trust him?"

Opposite Knudsen and the Prince, Hans wrung his hat as he watched until it twisted onto itself, horrified to see the girl simply collapse like that, and at seemingly so little. In his heart, fear and anger fought to decide his next action, but he just stood there breathlessly, hoping against hope that this would pass and that the girl would be unharmed. Though never particularly a man of strong faith, Hans Rubert Sael too said a short and silent prayer for her.

Knudsen, for his part, watched this development with intense interest, and knew he wasn't alone in his feelings, his suspicions, that many others shared his concerns for Eric, for their Prince. "How was it tha' a witch mi' falter so?" he wondered to himself, a hint of doubt now creeping into his previously unassailable certainty. But then, perhaps it was the hand of the divine, laying His vengeance out upon her, not just Knudsen's. That satisfied Henrik, and he watched on, hoping the red-headed witch died.

"Ariel, please, Ariel, listen to me, can you hear me love?" Eric begged, peering into his fiancée's face with growing fear for her life, a fear far more immediate than the already dire circumstances into which she had stumbled. He closed his eyes again, fighting his emotions, and lost. A sob broke through his resolve as tears welled in his eyes. "Please my little mermaid, please …" he whispered to her softly, heedless of those around him, "… trust me."

"Don't leave me alone." he added, tears running freely now down his face. "I … I can't live without you." He said, as his own chest heaved now, remembering his mother, and looking now upon the frail young woman who had been his one and only hope, his only dream in life. And he wept.

"Trust me," she heard, in a different voice now. The voice gave her hope, reminding her of a desperate love, a desperate love for a young prince, her love, her faith in him … her dream of a life and family together. That one realization slowly worked its gentle way through her seeming emptiness, through the black void that had swallowed her alive.

In that moment as he stood there, caught now in despair over the woman he loved more than anything else, Eric felt Ariel breathe. Shallow at first, her breaths gradually deepened until at last after what seemed a short eternity, she slowly opened her eyes.

As she opened her eyes, Ariel was quite surprised to find Eric's own eyes, blue as the sky itself, looking back intently into hers, full of sorrow, concern … and love.

"Ariel!" he thought, hardly daring to breathe, but stood there silently, the girl suspended in his arms, her head against his right shoulder, her long fiery hair brushing at his wet face and chest, his shoulder and sleeve. In that instant, his tears of despair transformed into those of happiness … and relief.

Slender fingers tugged at the fabric of his shirt. "Oh, how she could say so much to him with so small a gesture." Eric thought. He had felt those delicate fingers many times before now after all, the very first time but five weeks ago, on a warm sandy shore not far from where the two now stood. Now though, he knew what their gentle pull meant.

Ariel's awareness slowly returned, and as it did she found herself lying in Eric's arms, struggling to understand where she was, and what was happening. Before her and holding her hand was Carlotta. Grimsby looked down upon her from Carlotta's side. Gradually, smiles and looks of relief replaced the profound worry in their faces. Carlotta smiled lovingly at Ariel, "Ohhh, sweetheart!" she cried, tears running down her cheeks as she moved from Grimsby's shoulder to look at Ariel.

Ariel felt a tender kiss on her left temple, causing her to look wearily back to Eric again.

Then she felt something kiss her cheek, something like a drop of rain. Another drop fell upon her parched lips, and she felt then its moisture, tasted then its saltiness, and thought it like the sea itself. Another struck her lips, rolling onward into her mouth, wetting her dry tongue ever so slightly. She fixated on that drop, rolling it on her impoverished tongue until its moisture was utterly spent. "Tears," she realized, "they're tears."

She looked up again, her vision having cleared, and saw Eric peering down upon her with eyes that had never left hers since she opened them, eyes that glistened with the very tears of all his fears and regrets. He was crying for her, she realized. Looking away for a moment, Eric blinked, then looked back at her. Then she too would have cried … had her stricken body any moisture left to give.

"Are you … alright love?" Eric almost whispered as he held her eyes with his, trying to be sure she was well; but in the back of his mind, he gave thanks to Heaven that she had been returned to him.

"I…" she started, then stopped as a renewed faintness came upon her. Not moving her head, Ariel looked up Eric for a moment, then around her at the silent gathering of men that watched her, watched them. As if remembering then, she looked back to her prince and whispered, "What … happened?"

Upon hearing the maiden's voice, Derek Carlson breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and then opened them again, drilling Henrik Knudsen with his gaze like a spear. Instantly the sailor noticed and the smug and hateful look upon his face dissolved into one of doubt and unease.

Ariel paused looking up into Eric's eyes, then continued "I didn't … I didn't faint … did I?" she continued, embarrassment echoing in her voice, a voice as quiet as Eric's had been to her.

Gently, Eric kissed her again, all the while never loosening his embrace. Then, bringing his lips to her right ear, he whispered again so quietly that only she could hear, "Ariel my love, I know you're terrified, but you have to trust me. This is all going to be right. I promise. Trust me."

Slowly, the girl nodded. "I do." She said, again only a whisper, then laid her head gently on his right shoulder, letting him hold her, finding herself grateful once again that he was there.

But as her consciousness returned, so did her awareness of the sun. Now high overhead, the fiery orb looked down upon her accusingly. She felt its heat upon her face, upon her body, a body that desperately ached for moisture. "This will never end," she thought desperately. But even as the words passed through her mind, the light and heat of the sun seemed to fall away. The girl looked up, only to find something blocking her view of the sky, blocking the harsh rays of the sun. Ariel sighed in relief and again closed her eyes.

"Ariel dear, have a drink of this." Carlotta implored as she brought a glass of iced water to the girl's lips.

Opening her eyes, Ariel saw a small glass of clear liquid before her with a layer of white crystal ice floating upon it and felt its wetness against her upper lip. "Water!" she thought desperately, gasping aloud as her brilliant blue eyes widened. Putting her delicate hands to the glass almost without thinking, the girl took a deep draught of what seemed to her be the freshest, coolest water she had ever tasted.

She drank quickly … too quickly.

Carlotta reached over to the maiden, gently pressing the girl's hand down with her own to move the glass away from her lips. "Easy, dear, not too fast, or you'll just make yourself sick, sicker than you are I mean." Withdrawing her hand, she continued "There's plenty more sweetheart, just drink slowly, in sips."

Ariel looked up at Carlotta and smiled weakly, then took another small drink, closing her eyes as she did so. The water seemed so cool and so fresh as she felt it course down her dry throat. But the ice, "How can humans have ice when it is so hot?" she wondered, having only seen ice once before in her travels with her father, an adventure where she saw and suffered the cold of distant seas, seas where mountains of frozen water drifted out into the open ocean. At Eric's table though, the drinks and fruit were always chilled, which delighted her, but among all of the questions she had asked him in these weeks since she had first come to the land, this had not been one of them; she had always forgotten to ask. However it was that Carlotta had come by the iced water though, Ariel was grateful for it; for never had she before known such thirst … or such pain.

Watching as Carlotta administered water to Ariel, Eric looked to Carlson. "Captain, I want you to work with the household staff to ensure all of these men are watered, cooled, and have a good rest from the sun. I'm taking Ariel inside, but we will be back out as soon as she is well. When we return, I want every man here, do you understand? No one leaves."

"Yes, sire." Derek saluted sharply with his sword, leaving Eric to wonder when and why the man had drawn it. The Captain then began to survey both the quay and lower dock, seeking a way to meet Eric's command.

Carlotta felt the Ariel's forehead as the girl sipped from her glass. She was still burning up.

"How is she?" Eric asked, looking down to his right shoulder, finding there Ariel's red hair and her delicate but flush face. Once again, he brought his lips to the top of her head, closing his eyes as he kissed her. As softly as he had lowered his head, so he raised it, never ceasing to watch the girl in his arms.

"Not well Eric, the poor dear's afire." Carlotta replied. "You have to get her inside to someplace cool."

For a moment, Ariel stopped drinking and looked up at him, her eyes still somewhat weary. She felt guilty that she was drinking and Eric was not. "Eric?" she asked, pausing for a moment as though finding it uncomfortable to talk. The girl closed her eyes.

"Yes love?" he replied.

"Would you like some … some water?" she asked, her eyes still closed, as she weakly lifted the last of her glass to his lips.

"No love, you drink. We're taking you inside"

"But, no … I thought …" she began to protest.

"It can wait. We need to get you inside." he paused for a moment then continued, "Derek and I are working to a new plan now." He smiled down at her, "I promise, we'll come right back out and face them together as soon as you're ready." He lowered his head to hers then, continuing softly, "We mustn't be too long inside though, it has to be soon." the prince said, though not telling her why; for he hoped still to salvage the young woman's birthday.

Ariel looked back up at him and nodded, then rolled her head back into his shoulder and closed her eyes. As she did so, she heard Derek Carlson's voice, barking out orders, something about water for the men, and getting all hands out of the sun. "Why would Captain Carlson want the men's hands out of the sun and not the men themselves?" she wondered silently. Ariel sighed as she felt Eric turn and begin walking, "At least then the poor men would have some relief too." she thought dreamily.

As she felt Eric's steps beneath her, Ariel wished she could give the sweet man who had caught her in her fall some of the iced water too; she hoped that he would be taken care of, just as she hoped for something more to drink soon.

After Eric, Grimsby, Carlotta and Maximillian disappeared into the deep shadows of the eastern archway, Sergeant Lundgren ordered sentries to both sides. Turning their eyes to the gathering of sailors and workmen, the soldiers fixed long bayonets to their muskets; bayonets with sharp edges that gleamed wickedly in the bright morning sun.

"Gertrude should already be upstairs getting her bed ready." Carlotta announced, looking down at Ariel, and reaching out to touch the girl's quiet face. "She'll need a cool bath … oh, the poor dear." Ariel still felt quite warm, too warm.

Entering the Audience Hall, Eric turned right toward the north stairs, coming to and taking the right flight as Carlotta trailed behind. Carlotta turned to Max and bent at her waist, lifting her finger to the dog at the landing of the stairs. "Max honey, I know you love her and mean well, we all do, but Princess Ariel's bedchamber is no place for a puppy, even a sweet one like you."

Max stopped at the Housekeeper's feet and let out a pathetic whine, looking up at the woman with big blue hair-covered eyes. "I am not a puppy," the dog thought.

For a moment, Carlotta looked down and saw the animal staring up at her plaintively, and with a look of, what, was that irritation in his eyes? "No, it couldn't be," she thought. Only Ariel's well-known pout could cast such a potent spell, the woman mused, looking lovingly at the slender girl in Eric's arms before her. Something deep in the woman's heart though just couldn't say 'no', not now after Max had stood so gallantly to her defense out on the quay. Unable to resist his literally puppy-dog eyes, she relented. "Ohhh …, alright! But just this once."

Max barked happily, then charged past her and up the stairs after Eric and Ariel.

Eric looked down at Ariel's quiet face as he slowly and carefully climbed the stairs. Only days after the night of the false wedding and the storm that had followed it, she had literally fallen into his arms, right here on the fifth stair. He had fallen first of course, chasing a rambunctious Max up the lower flight, but what he didn't know was that she had already seen him from above, and panicking, had sped down the stairs to help him, crying out his name as she flew. When he had looked to her voice, all that he saw was his beautiful little mermaid flailing at the air as her dress caught under her shoe, and a look of utter terror on her face as she shrieked and fell.

The look she had today had been worse, far worse.

Of course he had caught her, backwards that time, as he had several times now these past five weeks. He confided in himself his secret pleasure in this, of being there for her when she was most in need, though it alarmed him, because Ariel was often in need. One should expect that might be the case with any of her kind that had come to dry land, but it was especially true for his little mermaid, given her restless spirit and gorgeous curiosity. He had just decided that he would have to always be there for her, but he worried how impossible that might prove to be.

"No more ravines," he thought. While Eric had been blessed with wealth, land, and rank; fine carriages were still expensive, and Ariel … well … she was irreplaceable.

But catching Ariel up in his arms afforded Eric a closeness to her that the staid mores in which he had been raised would otherwise have denied him. The opportunity to feel her body and breath against him, to wrap his arms around her and feel her beating heart within her breast, to feel her soul melding with his, as it would upon the day of their wedding; this is what he lived for. Moreover, his reward was usually a beautiful deep kiss with her wrapped in his arms, a perfect reward, and this was yet another treasure he would otherwise have known little of until their wedding day. There was no way that Ariel could possibly know how she made him feel, not only about her, but about himself. Eric wanted, no, he needed, to be everything for her.

Lord Grimsby followed somewhat farther behind the prince, the stairs proving as usual quite challenging to his aching knees. Emerging from the stair, he turned left, coming to Ariel's door. It was open and inside the room, Gertrude had already folded back the covers to the girl's bed.

"Eric, lay her down on the bed, gently now." The housekeeper said as she entered the room, then paused, thinking. "I'm going to the bathhouse. Aubrey, have Gertrude bring the girl's lavender chemise from the wash. Eric, I'm going to need you to carry Ariel out to the bath when it's ready."

Eric and Grimsby looked at each other, exchanging grim but knowing smiles. For once, they were both were relieved that Carlotta was again in charge; that things at least seemed to be under control. Both knew though that this was just a momentary respite.

As gently as Carlotta had commanded, Eric laid his young fiancée on the soft silken sheets of her bed. Ariel opened her eyes, looking to him as she felt the change of movement about her, having looked around only for brief moments as they had ascended the stairs.

Eric sat down on the bed beside her, reaching to the nightstand where there sat a silver tray and crystal carafe of clear iced water. A small decanter of pale yellow liquid and cup of fine sugar sat beside it. Taking a glass, he lifted the carafe and poured out its contents until it the glass was almost two thirds full of water, then brought it close to Ariel's lips. "Here love," he said softly, "drink."

With a look of grateful desperation, Ariel took the glass quietly into her hands, and began to drink … to sip that is, closing her eyes as she felt the cool refreshing liquid and tiny bits of ice course into and through her slender frame. Oh, how its moisture felt, wetting her dry mouth, her burning throat, and her aching tummy. Then, after pausing for a moment to simply breathe, she raised her head to Eric and smiled weakly. "Thank you." She said quietly. She looked at him, a strange mixture of guilt and sorrow in her eyes, then added "Why aren't you drinking?"

Aubrey watched as Eric laid his waif of a fiancée on the bed, the boy's mind and eyes focused entirely upon her. "Oh," Grimsby thought, "if only we can overcome this. Such a happiness it will be for his Eric and now this beautiful little Ariel."

"A mermaid!" he exclaimed to himself, still in near disbelief. Superstitious fairytale nonsense he had thought, even so recently. Grimsby chuckled to himself, and this from the mind of the self-proclaimed King of the Nibelung, the King of Faerië itself, he mused, reminiscing on his days at Oxford. And then, only five short weeks ago he had first seen her. Grimsby smiled as his mind recalled her entrance to the Dining Hall, where she had first cast her spell upon him.

Such a dazzling beauty, in pink no less, an angel who radiated demure charm and elegance, he paused as he considered one notable exception, unconsciously wiping at his face. Many a late night on the barbican he had considered it, how she had simply fallen into their lives, Eric's life, and given thanks as he pulled upon his pipe.

Too perfect for the whims of Fate, thought Beauclerk. No … it was Providence. Grimsby was thankful now for the hope of true love for his boy and Ariel, for children … for an heir; for the hope that he could fulfill his oath to dear Sophia before the Lord finally called him home.

His eyes never left the two, but, he thought, they never really have much time together alone now do they, as it should be owing to the demands of honor and propriety, of course. But perhaps, some time alone together was exactly what they both most needed at the moment. Quietly, Beauclerk smiled, stepped back through the doorway into the hallway, and closed the door behind him.

Eric heard a quiet click. Turning to the hallway door the young man found Ariel's bedchamber door closed, and Grimsby nowhere to be seen. Only Max remained, raising his head curiously from the carpet beside Ariel's bed as his Master's attention shifted away from Ariel, then back. "Good boy." Eric whispered, smiling to his faithful friend. As he returned his attention to Ariel, he furrowed his brows, concerned about what it must be that was troubling her. She wasn't crying, and her color was returning. What could it be? "Ariel?" he asked.

"I've made a mess of things, haven't I?" she asked sadly, looking into his eyes, then lowering hers.

Eric paused for a moment, then leaned toward her and wrapped his left arm around the girl. "No, you haven't."

Ariel turned her head to him, a surprised look on her face. "I haven't?"

"No." Eric replied. "This had to happen, had to be dealt with. It … just happened a little sooner than I had planned for."

"Oh." She sat silently, thinking about what he had said. "Wait," the girl continued, "Planned for? You knew this was going to happen?"

Eric sighed. "Yes, it was bound to happen. Ariel, I don't know what your people are like, but humans have a lot of wonderful traits … and a lot of bad ones. What's worse is that it's never easy to tell which people will have the bad ones."

"What are the bad ones?" she asked quietly, thinking now of her father's words of warning to her months ago.

"Well, what you saw out there for one thing" Eric pointed to the hallway and downward to the quay with his right hand. "Being superstitious is one of the bad ones."

"S..super … st…st… "

"Superstitious," he smiled softly, finishing her word for her when she seemed to get caught.

"Sup..super…sti…tious." she said, smiling wearily for a moment, recognizing that she had gotten the sounds right. "What is 'super..sti…tious'?" she asked looking at Eric innocently.

"Well, it's believing in things that sound frightening but aren't real, things like bad luck, ghosts, witches, elves, demons … those sorts of things."

"And … mermaids?" she added softly, looking at him and smiling somewhat mischievously before she took another sip of water.

Eric looked back at her, considering her addition for a moment. A broad smile crossed his face until his cheeks dimpled, and he laughed, then nodded "… and mermaids."

At this, Ariel broke out into a bright smile. Seeing Eric smile so always made her feel so happy, and now she was so pleased with herself at having made him laugh. She so preferred "sweet Eric" over "serious Eric." But then, as she thought about it, she was glad that both were there for her. "Serious Eric" was … nice … when things grew frightening, like they had this morning.

"Witches are real too." Ariel said quietly as she rested her head against Eric's arm, letting her head roll slightly toward his.

"I know they are." he paused, "Believe me I know that now. But you're sure not one of them."

"Eric, why do they think that? W...what did I do wrong?" she asked, with just a hint of tears in her voice as she continued, "Why do they … hate me?"

"Oh Ariel, they don't hate you. How could anyone ever hate you? You, you have such a gentle soul." he soothed. "And the answer is nothing, you didn't do anything wrong. The truth is, we'll have to ask Knud…"

"Oh that Grimsby! Leaving you two alone together in her bedchamber for heaven's sake!" Carlotta cried, causing both Eric and Ariel to start. The girl's water glass fell out of her hands and onto the bed. Fortunately, it had been almost empty … almost. "Eric! You should know better!"

"Lottie, we were just talking, and I wasn't about to leave her here alone after everything that happened down there." The boy stood his ground, nodding to the doorway immediately behind the woman.

"Lottie?" Ariel thought to herself ... and smiled, and then blushed at the thought of Eric staying with her in her bedchamber, just to protect her.

The Housekeeper stood at the now open hallway door; beyond her stood at least one soldier of the Guard at attention, keeping watch outside the Princess' bedchamber. She looked over at little Ariel, who returned her gaze like a startled doe before quickly picking up her fallen glass and holding it out to Eric for more water; her innocent eyes never leaving Carlotta's. Blushing again, the former mermaid smiled brightly at Carlotta, whose stern expression instantly dissolved, replaced by a beautiful smile mirroring that of her young ward. Carlotta was delighted, seeing how her little girl was recovering. "Oh, the magic of love." she thought.

"Ohhh… you two," the woman smiled and laughed gaily, "I'm so glad to see you feeling better dear." But Doctor Østerby is here and I have your chemise; you're going to have to change. Eric, you and Max have to leave.

"Carlotta," the boy started, then ceased instantly at Carlotta's sudden withering stare. For a moment, Eric thought he ought to have Carlotta face down Knudsen. Then he realized … she already had.

"Alright, can I come back when she's dressed?"

"Bathed, refreshed, and dressed," Carlotta corrected. "And yes … you may." She said, correcting her boy's grammar.

"How long?" he asked.

"An hour, maybe a little longer." the housekeeper responded.

Eric sighed, and completed filling Ariel's glass as she watched the swirling chips of ice whirl and dance inside its cold dewy volume. Then, looking at Eric with a sidelong glance, she smiled softly. "I'm not drinking another drop unless you do." she said, lifting her nose just a bit and averting her eyes from Eric, this despite the fact she was feeling rather thirsty again and really wanted another drink.

Eric looked at the girl, raised his eyebrow, then smirked. Reaching for another glass, he filled it and took a long draught, closing his eyes and sighing as the cold liquid wetted his mouth and quenched his thirst, if only somewhat.

"Eric," Carlotta said, "There's more water right outside. You're the one who said we have to be quick about this, remember?"

"Alright Carlotta, I'm leaving … after just one last thing." At that he stood gently from the bed at its side and turned to the tray, lifting the carafe to a fresh cold glass. Pouring the last draught of iced water from it, he reached out for the decanter and added about half of the pale liquid to the glass as Ariel watched in rapt attention.

Eric looked up and smiled devilishly at her, knowing he had her transfixed. Then he poured several silver teaspoons full of white powder into the glass. Taking the same teaspoon he smiled until his dimples showed, then stirred the mixture furiously until the sides of the glass dripped with cold dew.

Then he knelt down beside Ariel's bed, where she lay now eyes wide, looking at him and the glass.

As she leaned toward him, wonder and a little bit of anxiety filled her eyes as she looked down at the spinning liquid. It was some sort of potion. Maybe it would help her feel better? She looked up at Eric. "What … what is it?" she asked breathlessly.

Eric smiled broadly again, that way that just made her heart melt. Then her prince leaned over to her and kissed gently her on her forehead, slowly closing his eyes as he did so. Gently, he exchanged her glass for the one containing the spinning potion. After that he stood, leaving the blushing maiden to look from up at him, then to the potion now in her hands, and then back again, as though seeking an answer.

"Eric?" Ariel asked.

He stepped away, smiling to Carlotta, then left the room. "Come on Max!" he whispered.

Max barked, then turning to his master's mate assailed her with a quick slurping dog kiss, after which he bolted happily from the room following his Master. Her hands being full, there was nothing that Ariel could do to resist the mutt's drooling onslaught.

Ariel was left lying there with the cold swirling yellow potion still in hand, looking up and out the doorway. She felt a little lonely as she watched Eric disappear. Almost desperately, Ariel called after him, "Eric … please … what is it?"

The girl peered anxiously out the door, hoping for a reply as Eric's receding footsteps fell silent. After about five seconds, one came.

"Lemonade! …" she heard distantly from somewhere towards the stairs. Then all was silent.

"Le ... lemon… ade?" she asked quietly, looking up to Carlotta in puzzlement.

"Yes dear," the woman smiled at her, "why don't you try a sip. It's good for your heart."

"Good for my heart?" the girl asked innocently, looking back at Carlotta who simply nodded and smiled.

Hesitantly, Ariel complied, at first taking just a small sip; she had recently become quite fearful of potions.

Instantly, pleasure and wonderment spread across her face as her eyes at first widened, lit up, and then closed. As they did, the maiden savored the sweet cornucopia of intense flavors that tickled her tongue and mouth, and felt the wash of the drink's refreshing cold cascade running down her throat.

Then, looking out the door after Eric, she smiled wistfully and sighed, "… Lemonade."