A/N: Back from Chicago to deliver you this! Sorry I didn't update sooner, not a whole lot of of free wifi available to me in the city. I hope you enjoy and please review!
Eric was fitful the entire night, while Ariel slept soundly and comfortably by his side- her first good night of sleep in a long time. Eric woke up early, in a panic, and in a cold sweat. He couldn't remember what had frightened him so, but he could guess. He looked at Ariel sleeping peacefully beside him, and noticed a smile on her lips as her chest rose and fell with her soft breathing. He pushed a lock of hair out of her face and tucked it neatly behind her ear. He felt stupid for worrying so much, especially since she looked so happy and content, and they hadn't even left yet.
Eric quietly slipped out of bed to shower and dress for the day, though he wasn't sure what he should wear. He pondered this idea in the shower, laughing at himself for his ignorance. He certainly wasn't donning a shell bikini. That would be for his wife, and for her only. Eric thought of ways he might persuade Ariel to stay behind. Or perhaps he could tell Grimsby to make up some dire emergency that he'd have to stay behind on land and handle.
Stop it, he thought. This is for Ariel, and you know it. You can't just skip out on her. Don't be such a wimp. What is there to be afraid of anyhow? Eric imagined himself drowning, not being able to breathe under the water, being eaten by a shark, keeping one leg and the other one turned into a fin, being hit by a boat, being eaten by a shark, Ariel laughing at his looks, Ariel laughing at his abilities under the water, being eaten by a shark...Eric shook his head vigorously and rubbed his eyes as if to wipe away the disturbing images. Unfortunately he had soap on them, which stung his eyes immediately and prompted an "ARGGH!"
"Eric? Are you alright?" Ariel called, awoken by her husband's yell.
"What? Oh yeah. Just got soap in my eyes!" Eric called from the shower.
"Need anything?" Ariel asked.
"No, I'm fine! I'll be out in a minute!" Eric called. Stupid, nothing is going to happen, he thought as he toweled off. Ariel lived as a mermaid for all her life, if she can, why can't I for a few days? Besides, she wouldn't let anything happen to me, and I have to be there to be sure nothing happens to her. With that, Eric dressed and came back in the bedroom to greet Ariel. She was still in her nightgown sitting at her vanity table, combing out her illustrious hair. Eric came over, placing his hands on her shoulder and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
"How are you? Besides the soap in the eye thing?" Ariel asked, stifling a grin.
"Fine, I'm just fine," Eric said with a wan smile. Ariel could hear the apprehension in his voice.
"Are you sure?" she asked, turning around to look him in the eyes.
"Yeah I'm just...I just uh...just can't wait to get going," Eric lied.
"Me too! Eric, are you really sure you want to do this? You don't have to, I suppose it may seems little frightening. I never knew humans were so afraid of...what is it? Oh yes, drowning. Such a silly idea," Ariel said to herself. Eric only blinked.
"Yes, silly. Being fathoms below the sea is not a big deal, really," Eric said.
"Well I'm going to get dressed and pack a few things. I know it sounds silly but, I'm bringing some human stuff to show my sisters and Flounder. Oh! You can finally meet Flounder!" Ariel exclaimed, reveling in this new realization.
"I'm going to go find some breakfast and make sure Grimsby is ok with everything, and I'll give yourself some time. There's no rush," Eric said.
"I know, but I don't want to keep you or daddy waiting," Ariel smiled. Eric smiled at his wife and shut the door, leaving her to dress and pack her things. Ariel got a small bag out of her dressers and began to fill it with costume jewelry, silverware, and other assorted items that she had found fascinating in her first few weeks on land. She laughed now that she had ever been so intrigued and naïve, but she couldn't wait to show off her "human things" to the mermaid community.
Eric found that he wasn't really hungry, and decided to roam the castle while he still had legs to roam it with. As soon as Ariel was ready to go, she and Eric would go down to the beach to greet her father. Eric liked Triton, and certainly respected him from all the tales since he was a boy. Eric had grown up hearing about the king of the ocean, and he ruled the sea with his mighty trident. Of course, at the time, Eric had only thought them to be fairy tales. He also never believed that mermaids could ever exist. Now he was married to one, and his father-in-law was the king of the sea to boot!
"Oh Sebastian, aren't you excited? I thought you'd be less grumpy now that I'm going home, and you don't have to stick around up here with me all the time," Ariel laughed. Eric could hear her walking out of their room and down to the main entrance of the castle. Ariel often watch the kingdom's hustle and bustle from the front windows.
"No silly, Eric is just as excited. He's never been a merman before! Just think how excited I was to become human! Oh I just know he's going to love it," Ariel sighed, content. Eric sighed as well, but more a sigh of resentment. He was so mad at himself, and the anxiety didn't help that feeling. He decided he should go meet up with Ariel and check up on Grimsby one last time before heading out to the ocean with his wife. He found her at her usual spot, watching all of the excitement across the palace entrance.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Eric asked, approaching Ariel.
"Oh Eric, I love the kingdom, you know that," Ariel smiled. "I was royalty before meeting you after all," she teased. Eric couldn't help but smile.
"That's right princess, I'm so sorry to have upset your highness," Eric said with a mock bow.
"Oh stop it," Ariel giggled.
"Alright, let's go check on Grims before we go meet your father. That ok?" Eric asked.
"Anything for my big strong human," Ariel said with a grin, taking his hand to go with him to his main office chambers.
"Not for much longer," Eric muttered under his breath. After seeing that Grimsby was all set, which Eric had been doing non-stop, Grimsby had to literally push them out the door to go see Triton.
"Yes, yes Eric everything is fine. Get out of here, look at Ariel- if she has to wait any longer that excited grin will become permanently plastered on her face. Now go!" Grimsby exclaimed, shoving a beaming Ariel and disgruntled Eric out the big oaken doors. Ariel strolled hand in hand through the rest of the castle and out the back where it opened up to the ocean. The wind blew through Ariel's flaming hair as she stuck her chin out and closed her eyes. Eric simply looked at his feet.
"Well, I imagine daddy should be here at any moment," Ariel said opening her eyes. As soon as she had so, the water began to bubble furiously and a shiny golden crown surfaced, followed by the rest of King Triton. "Daddy!" Ariel exclaimed, rushing into the ocean, soaking her dress through as she ran to her father. Eric smiled.
"My little Ariel," Triton smiled, enveloping his daughter into an enormous hug. "Are you ready to visit home for a little while?"
"More than ever daddy," Ariel said. "Eric too."
"Ah Prince Eric, how are you my boy?" Triton said with a smile, calling to the reluctant figure on the shore.
"Excellent your highness," Eric said with a bow.
"Oh call me dad, we're all royalty here anyways, no need for formalities," Triton chuckled.
"That's true," Eric said with a small smile, wading out to join Ariel at her side.
"Well, who's first then?" Triton said looking at his daughter, a twinkle in his eye.
"Oh do Eric daddy! I can wait another couple of minutes," Ariel smiled. Eric froze up, all of his fear rushing along his nerves. This was the moment Eric had been fearing with the utmost dread. Do it for Ariel, he thought. Do it for her.
"Are you ready Eric? You may want to sit down for this," Triton said rather matter-of-factly.
"Oh. Right," Eric managed to say, sitting down in the cool ocean tide. He looked at Ariel, bracing himself for some sort of disaster or pain. Ariel looked at Eric, puzzled by the look on his face. it almost looked as if he was wincing in pain, and he had merely sat down. Triton raised his trident, preparing to point it at Eric.
"Daddy wait!" Ariel yelled, splashing in front of Eric. She knelt down beside him and looked him in the eyes. "Why didn't you say you were scared?" she whispered for only him to hear.
"I...I didn't want to disappoint you," Eric said, ashamed.
"Eric, if I do things like that to you and you do things like this to me, how are we ever going to have a stable relationship? I'm so sorry if all my excitement kept you from speaking up. Are you sure you want to do this? Because you don't have to come with me, I won't be upset of disappointed in you at all."
"No, I'm going to do this, I'm doing this for you," Eric said. Ariel smiled and kissed him passionately on the lips.
"Want me to go first?" Ariel asked.
"How about the same time?" Eric asked. Ariel smiled.
"Daddy? Can you change us both at the same time?" Ariel called to her father, indicating their private conversation was over.
"Anything for you darling," Triton said.
"Thanks daddy," Ariel said as she sat down by Eric. "Ready?" Ariel asked Eric with a wink.
"For my little mermaid? I'll always be ready," Eric said, and nodded at Triton. Triton raised his trident, it glowed a vibrant gold and sparkled in the sunlight. He pointed the tip of the trident down and into the water, and golden waves came rushing towards Eric and Ariel. Eric braced himself, and as the golden waves began to touch his toes, he felt them begin to tingle. The tingling sensation went all up his legs and to his waist, then continued all the way up his chest and up to his head. He had closed his eyes in fear and anticipation, and he heard a great splash beside him. The tingling had stopped and he opened his eyes.
Ariel was no longer beside him, and he looked down to see that his legs had been replaced by an enormous blue fin that went up to his abdomen. He looked at his fingers and arms, checking to be sure everything was ok. His chest was now bare and he breathed in the salty sea air. Somehow it smelled stranger than before, different- as if the air was stale. He looked down and wiggled his fin up and down, reveling in the strong muscles he had acquired for swimming. Suddenly, just a few feet in front of him, Ariel came flying up out of the air and soared over her father before splashing back into the ocean. Eric had only seen a blur of red, then green. His jaw dropped in astonishment, and Triton chuckled.
"Well?" a voice said beside him. Eric turned and saw Ariel sitting at his side once more, only she too had a long green fin that came up to her belly button. She was wearing her favorite purple shell bikini and he wet hair dripped down her bare back. Eric had to admit, she almost seemed more stunning as a mermaid.
"Well what?" Eric asked, stunned by his wife's beauty and previous stunt.
"If you've noticed, you're a merman now. I thought you may see that but perhaps the large blue fin wasn't enough to point that out," Ariel giggled. Eric splashed her in the face. "Hey!" Ariel said, and Eric only stared at her. "Oh that's right I'm so sorry Eric, you were frightened before. Are you alright? I suppose if it's as difficult as it was for me getting the hang of being human...oh I'm sorry."
"It's ok darling I just...well I don't know what I'm doing," Eric said, blushing.
"Follow me! It'll come naturally after a little bit. Walking did for me," Ariel said with a smile. With that she splashed under the water. Eric gulped. Ariel resurfaced with a frown on her face. "What's the problem?"
"Can I...can I breathe...down there?" Eric asked tentatively. Ariel laughed.
"I know you're scared and I shouldn't laugh. But of course you can silly! Do what your fish instincts tell you to do," Ariel said. Eric dove under the water after his wife and immediately noticed a difference. The stale air had been replaced by sweet salt water, and he could almost see better than he could on land. It was completely different than any other time Eric had ever been under the water as a human. Ariel smiled beside him as they went deeper into the ocean.
"See? Now, move your tail up and down to go forward, like you would kick when you're swimming," Ariel coached. "That's right, and to turn you sort of roll on your side a little and bat your fin to the side...you're a natural!" Ariel beamed. Eric had a rocky start, jerking all sorts of directions and flailing about, but as Ariel coached him, he began to get the hang of having fins. Triton smiled encouragingly, and Eric began to smile with pride as he progressed.
"Alright my son, on to Atlantica, kingdom of the sea," Triton said. Ariel grinned and swam alongisde Eric, linking arms, to guide him behind her father. Eric was slower than Ariel, but she never complained or laughed at him, and only beamed with pride and love when he glanced at her as they swam deeper into the blue.
Nothing could have prepared Eric for the sight of Atlantica. He stopped swimming once it cam into view, and Ariel smiled at him and motioned for him to continue. Once he caught up to her he she laughed.
"This is your home?" Eric asked.
"Well, one of them," she smiled. "I'm glad you like it."
"How could I not?" Eric said. He couldn't believe all of this had been under the sea and he had never known. As they approached the kingdom, Eric began to become self-conscience as other merfolk appeared on the sort of roads that led into Atlantica. He could see people whispering to each other at the sight of him with Ariel, and some even called out and waved to her. Ariel couldn't contain her excitement, her grin was too big for her face as they swam along.
"Don't be nervous," she whispered to him and smiled at the crowds of merfolk swimming into the kingdom. "Umm, I forgot to mention that daddy has set up a little welcoming party for us tonight. He'd like to introduce you to the kingdom, you know only so many mefolk made it to our wedding..."
"Oh," was all Eric managed to say. Ariel laughed.
"You don't have to perform aquatic acrobats for them. Just say hello and thank you, like any formalities you have to give when you visit other kingdoms on land. Remember? Just like those." She looked at Eric to see if he had calmed down, and she saw his jaw had dropped in awe. They had just entered the palace.
"You left all of this to become human with me?" Eric asked, still stunned.
"And I'd do it all over again if I had the choice," Ariel replied as she kissed her merman on the cheek.
A nice lengthy one for you all. I hope you liked it, I wrote this late at night in Chicago so if it isn't very good or has lots of typos I missed sorry. Well, Eric seems to be doing a little better now. Hope nothing goes wrong in Atlantica, or on land for that matter! Thanks for reading and please leave a review!
Love, Elizabeth