Hey Guys! Long Time No see! This is our last death oriented chapter! Time for Ariel to start anew!

Thank you so much for the support of this story! You don't know how happy it makes me to know that you enjoy my work!


Tears in the Sand

Ariel sat in the carriage; the current was soft. Ariel could remember a time in her life when the soft currents and the rocking of the carriage would soothe her. It didn't work this time.

"Its okay to cry."

"Crying doesn't help daddy. All I've done is cry. I feel miserable… I can't even act rational."

Triton sighed. His youngest had struggled so much through her 30 some years of life.

"Daddy its… their… over there." I guess I can't hold my tears back… its no use.

Triton stopped the carriage, the back up carriage with the guards stopped as well. Together they lifted the coffins one by one. Both were white with golden trims.

Eric's had a crown, with a red rose further down. Melodies had a tiara with a white rose.

Ariel watched as the guards removed the sand, pile by pile; they uncovered Ariel's work, the ring exactly where she left it. Ariel's tail swished from left to right. The rate, at which tears slid down her face, was almost synonymous with the speed of her tails movements.

When they had finally recovered Melody, Ariel couldn't handle it. She collapsed. Tears flooded her and she just couldn't stop.

Triton just watched as Ariel's shoulders shook. Her whole body shook. If you looked hard enough you could see her heart beating, faster and faster with each sob.

With the coffins loaded, and the guards heading to the royal cemetery. Triton debated on whether to let Ariel cry a little longer or just head to the cemetery.

Ariel was crawling toward the graves. Triton then made his decision.

Triton grabbed Ariel before she had a chance to reach the grave that she was heading to.

"Let me go! Let me go! I need to be dead! I…. I…."

"Sh… its okay Ariel… we'll be okay… this is not the answer."

"Yes it is! Daddy… I want a casket too! How can I go on?" More sobs.

Triton made a note in his mind to assign more guards for Ariel, she was suicidal, and he couldn't bare the thought of loosing her.

"I know how you feel, Ariel. I walked this same path years ago. But I had to stay around for you and your sisters. Now I can't imagine not being here. Just have hope."

"Daddy… who… wh… do I have to lo… lo… look… after? Is Melody alive? Is she hiding somewhere in the shadows? Is Eric…" Ariel cried softly to herself. She said she would be strong today, but she couldn't handle it. Nothing made sense.

"Just give it time." Triton kept going along the path, wiping Ariel's tears with one hand, while the other held the reins.

Within minutes, the carriage stopped. It seemed as though the whole kingdom had come to this funeral.

Father Khan Sword, the priest for the royal family, stood solemnly in the center of the burial hall. The lights were dimmed low, and no schools of fish dare cross it.

On either side of the Father were the caskets. Each slightly glowing from the dim lighting shining down on them.

"Good day, everyone." Silent nods.

"As you may know, King Eric and Princess Melody died as a result of unfortunate circumstances on land. That is why we have gathered here today, along with Queen Ariel and the royal family, to bid farewell." Gasps. Ariel clung tighter to her pearl necklace.

Father Sword waited until the crowd calmed down before he started reading from the Ocean's heart.

"The road for these two people has ended. And although our hearts shatter with unbelievable sadness and yearning, we know that someday our path will some day reconnect. The currents will carry you with the waves, and we will carry you in our hearts. Now we will hear from those who wish to speak."

Triton slowly rose. The congregation bowed.

"King Eric, was known to you as a king, but to us he was family. He will be remembered for his loving nature, for his curiosity. We thank you for being here with us." Triton sat back down wiping a tear from his eye.

Ariel swallowed hard, and hoped her eyes weren't too red. It was time for her t osay good bye.

"I…Want to thank you for coming today. Eric and Melodies hearts will live on forever, but my pain will never subside. I would rather be in the casket with them… I just don't know how to go on…" sobs. As Triton helped Ariel back to her seat, more sobs echoed. The service is over.

The guards carried the caskets once more to the royal cemetery. Triton had ordered that Eric and Melody be buried next to Athena.

Ariel floated to the bottom. Peering at the inscriptions. King Eric of the land and sea. Princess Melody, princess of both worlds.

Her tears fell softly onto the sand. She had nothing to live for. She had no purpose.

When she thought no one was around, Ariel laid on top of the freshly dove graves, wishing with all her might that she could have one too.

Ben watched from afar. He knew this was inappropriate. It was wrong to engage in sexual dreams about Ariel; right now she needed a friend, not a crazed lover.

He couldn't help it. Her blue eyes intrigued him. Her long flowing hair felt like it was teasing him. He would help her with this pain. When it subsided, he would make Ariel his wife. He would be the man of her dreams.