Absolutely everything had changed for the worse. It had only been a week, and Ariel's life had been altered and structured completely around the fetus in her womb. Eric had spoken with Carlotta and any woman in the castle who was a mother. He had met with the doctor, and he had had all of these conversations so quickly she was not aware of them until her life changed due to them.

The best hours for exploring she was now confined to her bed, as the doctor was developing a theory that too much sun on a womb was bad for the baby. So, every day, from ten in the morning to four in the evening, Ariel was to rest, and rest in or bed, or sometimes on a couch, if she needed a change of scenery. Breakfast and lunch were supposed to be served to her where she was resting, but she could venture out for dinner – at least until it was later in the pregnancy. The doctor estimated that her last trimester, at least, should be full bedrest, and many of the older maids agreed.

And, of course, there was no movement allowed. No sports, no swimming, no running, no horseback, no archery, no anything that was above and beyond the average range of motion she needed to simply exist.

"Why don't you just hire someone to feed me, too?" Ariel had snapped when Eric was explaining everything.

"I'm only caring for the fetus-"

"Eric, it'll be fine if I lift a spoon or go for a walk!" Ariel crossed her arms. "You talked to the maids, most of them worked – worked! – up until their babies were near born!"

Eric furrowed his brow. "You're right."

Ariel exhaled a smiled a little.

"I need to give them more time off. It's not fair to expect a person to scrub floors while eight months pregnant, is it?"

"No!" Ariel exclaimed, surprised. "I mean, yes, that's a good idea, they whole giving-them-time-off thing, but that's not what I was getting at."

"Ariel, do you really think it's more important for you to ride horseback than to make sure that the fetus is okay?" Eric asked, in a tone that indicated he already knew what he wanted the answer to be.

"I'm just saying – ugh!" she exclaimed, tossing up her hands and looking away for a minute.

What about her? Why did he only care about the growing fetus in her belly, why did he seem to forego her completely? She didn't stop being a human, she didn't stop being his wife when she got pregnant! The baby hadn't knocked her brain out of her head – she was perfectly capable of thinking for herself and knowing what was right.

But how was she supposed to tell this to him? Eric wanted this baby, more than anything, she could tell. Maybe even more than he wanted her. But she had to try – if they couldn't even communicate, what was the hope for their relationship?

"I just…I'm already stressed about the baby-"

"That's why I'm trying to take care of everything!" Eric insisted. "I even picked out a maid to tend to you specifically, and, when it is born, everything the baby needs."

"Please, don't interrupt me." Ariel said calmly, but annoyed.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I'm already stressed, because I'm not ready to be a mother Eric, I'm really not. One day – yes! Absolutely! But I'm barely seventeen and I don't know the body I even have right now! I'm not fully sure how it works, what it does, or why it does what it does – how can I be ready to create another one?"

"Oh, angelfish." Eric stepped closer and put his hand on her stomach. "You know what that it?"

"My fat?" Ariel said.

"Beneath that – our child." Eric said. "You're ready to be a mother, because you're set to be one! I promise, everything is going to be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"You can't, Eric. That's what I'm trying to say. Listen to me, please, push aside the fatherly instincts you have for, just, ten minutes. I'm telling you the honest truth – I'm not ready to be a mother, and I'm scared, and I don't like this. I don't want nine months of bedrest!"

"Ariel, please!" Eric huffed. "I'm only doing what the doctor said! You think I'm not scared, too? I've never been a father before, and I'm just as worried as you, I'm sure. Everything is going to be fine, we'll get through this – together."

"Just…just-" Ariel didn't finish her thought – she didn't know how to articulate the frustration she was feeling – so she merely threw her arms and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Eric called after her.

"My room! I'm supposed to be on bedrest anyway!"

…

Ariel wished she had learned painting before she and Eric had left before the honeymoon. She was watching a street festival; hundreds of brightly costumed men and women were dancing about, swishing clothes and capes. They laughed and clapped and seemed to produce a glow about them. If she could paint, or sketch, then maybe she could've captured the scene. Instead, she had no option but to stare at it intently, and close her eyes in hopes that it would remain on the back of her eyelids.

"How many places have we been Eric?" Ariel asked, laughing. "50?"

"I don't think that's quite possible, love." Eric laughed, looping an arm around her waist. "We always tend to spend a few days in each place, and we're only a month in."

"It feels like 50."

"We'll call it 50, then. I'm keeping a diary for official records, so I don't suppose it matters what we say." Eric smiled down at her.

"I love you. I love this." Ariel smiled back at him.

"I love you, too." Eric said sincerely.

"We can do this again, right?"

"Of course. We don't even have to go home now, if you don't want to."

"I don't. I love everything about this trip. And I love spending time with you. Everything is…perfect."

"When you are ready to go home, let me know." Eric said. "We can go whenever you want. Whenever you're ready to just settle back and spend time with your stupid ol' husband."

Ariel laughed and hugged him. "I always want to spend time with you, Eric. You're my husband, but you're not stupid."

"Well I'm glad you think so."

"I do-look! A bull!" Ariel exclaimed. "I saw one in the books!"

"I miss our honeymoon." Ariel said quietly.

Eric sat down on the bed next to her and watched her push food around on her tray. "Yeah," he beamed. "that really was a swell time."

"We should've stayed longer. I was too eager to come home. I didn't realize it'd be so different."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Ariel sighed, placing her dinglehopper down. "we spent all day, every day together. And I knew once we got back you'd have princely things to do as well – and that's fine! That's great! I knew that was going to happen. But I thought I'd have princessly things to do as well – I thought I'd have my lessons to keep me occupied. But every day I'm up in this bed, during the best parts of the day, and you're running around to get things ready for the baby…I hardly ever see you." She tapped her hand a few times, considering if she should launch into her frustrating feelings again, but decided to give articulation another try. "And I don't want you to talk to me like you did earlier today. I don't like it, Eric. I know how I feel and while I don't quite yet know my body, I know my mind. You have to trust what I'm saying, and not dismiss it as something stupid or overblown."

"Honey, I'm sorry." Eric sighed. "I didn't take your feelings appropriately into account. I've just…I'm so excited for this baby, and I know that women sometimes lose children, so I want to do everything to ensure that that can't happen."

"I know you mean well." Ariel nodded. "And I'm not mad at you. This whole situation is just so…overwhelming. But we need to compromise, Eric. I can't spend my days lying abed and waiting for you to check in on me. I want to see you. I want to do things with you. Things without mentioning the pregnancy."

"Okay." Eric nodded. "That's fair."

"And I don't want to be on bedrest."

"Will you please do so later in the pregnancy?"

"How much time have you decided to give pregnant maids off in the palace?"

"A month – the legislation is on my desk."

"Then I'll take a month of bedrest." Ariel nodded firmly. "It's only fair, don't you think."

Eric grimaced a bit, but accepted what she was saying. "Yes, that seems fair."

"Good." Ariel smiled. "Then, come here." She said, tugging him closer by his shirt and pulling her husband in for a kiss.

…

"I can't believe you got this position!"

"Me either! I don't know how I was chosen?" Catherine said excitedly, bouncing a little.

Bethany smiled at her friend. "Because you're excellent at your job! What exactly do you do?"

"Well it's my job to attend to Princess Ariel and, when the child is delivered, the baby!" Catherine ticked off jobs on her fingers. "I'll make sure she's up and fed in the morning, watch over her, ensure she gets plenty of rest, fetch her anything she needs, make sure she's warm, those sorts of things."

"You're gonna get to spend soooo much time with her." Bethany said, clasping Catherine's shoulder.

"I'm so excited! I'll be the ear of the princess!"

"And you must promise to tell me everything." Bethany said seriously.

"I will!" Catherine nodded. "After all, you helped me get this job! It's the least I can do."

Bethany smiled and pushed her curly hair back over her shoulder. "You're the best pal a girl could ask for, Catherine. Now, don't you have a princess to attend to?"

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