Dawn had come and gone, and now a pale orange sun was peeking out through a cluster of thick gray clouds. The air still had a crisp chill, but the day was steadily growing warmer. Salty Sam sat in his cabin, that was shabby looking to begin with, but after Hannah had used his ship as target practice, his cabin was pretty much a disaster area, as was the rest of his ship. It was becoming increasingly obvious, that the Oak Leviathan was far beyond the realm of repair. He and his crew weren't going anywhere. Sam sat, with his arms crossed moodily, and his sandy boots resting atop his desk. What did he care if he left his desk a mess? The ship was in bad enough condition as it was, anyway. Presently, there came a knock at the door.
"Enter," Sam said with an annoyed sigh.
In stepped Piper, scratching his head, with a confused look on his face. Sam might have asked his friend what was wrong, but he was far too disgusted with his life at the moment, that the captain simply stared at the first mate stoically, until Piper finally spoke up.
"Um, Sam," Piper finally brought himself to say, "you have a visitor."
"A visitor?" now Sam was just as confused as his old friend, Piper.
"Yeah," answered Piper, "should I send him in?"
Sam hadn't been expecting it, but his spirits sunk even lower. Him? The captain had been hoping the visitor was Hali. He hadn't seen her since the day they had escaped from Hannah. Oh, well. She must have made up with Xavier by now, he supposed.
"Sam?" Piper called out again.
"Huh?" Sam grunted, as he was pulled away form his thoughts, by Piper's voice.
"Should I send him in?"
"Yes," Sam answered with a wave of his hand, "yes, of course."
Ariel sighed, as she leaned over the balcony of her bedroom, staring into the expansive green sea. She wondered how Hali was getting along. It had been a week since she had left for Atlantica, leaving behind only a short note disclosing her whereabouts. As much as Ariel loved her daughter, the strong willed girl sometimes drove her to the brinks of insanity.
Curiously, Xavier had gone missing shortly after Hali made her expert escape. Ariel suspected that Xavier went after the girl. But how? The queen couldn't help but think of Ursula, and how the sea witch had tricked her, after she agreed to surrender her beautiful voice. Ursula was long dead now, so she couldn't have possibly gotten her grubby tentacles on Xavier. If that was so, then who did? Perhaps Morgana had somehow found a way to defrost herself from that ice block. No. Ariel shook her head. That was highly unlikely.
Ariel sighed again, and tapped her perfectly manicured nails against the railing. Where was Eric anyway? He was supposed to be helping her take care of Melody, right now. Lance had been called back to Westland, to help his father out of some mess that he had managed to stir up, leaving Melody behind. King Leroy was slowly running the country into the ground. Once Lance became king of Westland, the better it would be for everyone involved.
Right when Ariel needed her king most, he went off chasing after that wretched pirate woman, with the aid of Hali's sailor friend, though Ariel couldn't remember his name at the moment. And now Eric was just... gone. Ariel was a good woman, wise, gentle, rambunctious, when she needed to be, but her patience was wearing thin.
Strictly speaking, Sam was floored when his visitor walked though the door to his humble cabin.
"You're looking a little pale there, Captain," Eric remarked, "Are you feeling well?"
"Sometimes I get seasick," Sam joked, "what brings you here, Your Highness?"
"I just wanted to thank you, for all your help, Captain."
"Come," Sam began, when he noticed that more than half of his crew was crowding around the open cabin door, as Spider, and the other little ones tired to peek though the legs of the sailors, "let's go for a walk above deck, so my crew can get back to work."
With that, Sam shot a warning glare at his crewmen, and every single one of them immediately dispersed. Spying on the captain simply wasn't worth latrine duty.
Once above deck, Sam leaned over the guard rail of his ship, and produced a small silver fife, which, Eric assumed, the sailor had been carrying in his pocket. Sam commenced to play an old sea shanty, that the king recognized right away.
"I know that tune," Eric said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, well, I quit," Sam sighed as he hurled the fife towards the glassy sea.
The instrument whistled through the air, before if finally cut through the water, and sank beneath the moderate waves. Eric smiled at the familiar scene. He recalled doing the exact same thing, only many years ago, when he was a young man, even younger than Sam was now.
While they were off fighting Hard Hearted Hannah, Eric had grown strangely fond of the sailor. Sam had proved himself to be a highly intelligent man, not to mention brave, and even honorable. Although, Eric knew that the young captain would never admit to it.
"Thanks to you," Eric added gratefully, "we were able to intercept Hard Hearted Hannah and her crew. They are currently all being held in the detention center beneath the palace."
"Well, the sea is a safer place now, I'd wager," Sam sighed, "so, any news on your side, Your Majesty."
"Cigar?" Eric offered, holding the Belvedere out to Sam.
"No thanks," declined Sam, "I usually roll my own."
"Well," the king continued, "things have been pretty hectic back at the palace. Hali's going to have quite the surprise waiting for her, upon her return."
"Upon her return?" Sam questioned in confusion, "did she go somewhere?"
"Atlantica," Eric answered flatly, puffing away at his own cigar.
"Oh," sighed Sam, "I guess I won't be seeing Hali anytime soon."
"You know," Eric replied with a smile, "I could always offer you a job with my navy, Captain. You'd have to start from the bottom and work your way up, of course, but..."
"And abandon my crew?" Sam shook his head, "I couldn't do that, Your Highness."
"Then allow me to give you one of my ships," proposed Eric, "Your ship is, well, destroyed. No offense, Captain."
"As much as I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty," Sam said turning to face the king for the first time, "I couldn't possibly accept. I'd lose all respect from my crew. You understand, yes?"
"Perfectly, Captain, "Eric answered, giving Sam a manly pat on the back.
With that, Eric left the Oak Leviathan, and made his way back towards the palace. He hoped that Ariel wasn't too upset with him for leaving without warning, so early in the morning. When he returned, Eric would take over caring for Melody, that way, Ariel could take a much needed rest. Perhaps then, his wife's anger at him, would subside, even if it was only by a little bit.
Ultra Special Blah Blah Blah
Who would have thought that Eric and Sam would ever become...friends? Let me just say that I am just as shocked as any of you, floored even. It seems that miracles do happen, after all.
So for all of you, curious about what's going on with Ariel, Melody, and the baby, here it is! There are plenty of clues within this chapter, hinting towards the status of the royal family. Did you find them? If not, try reading the chapter over again. The clues are in there, I assure you.
Because it's almost Halloween:
It was a one eyed, one horned, flying purple people eater,
xJadeRainx
