"…and right before your eyes."

Eric looked at where Grimsby gestured, and caught sight of Ariel. The beautiful girl was standing in the window combing her hair. The Prince smiled. She was such an original, lovely, unrepeatable girl. Any man would be lucky to call her his wife.

He looked down at the instrument in his hand. He had played the song of his rescuer over, and over, and over again, and yet, it had not brought them closer together. Eric frowned. At that moment, it dawned on him that he was becoming a slave of that siren, that his fixation was becoming a curse. He was spending every free moment looking for her, he was becoming unreasonable – he had actually told Grimsby that he was going to marry a woman whom he had never spoken to! Most tragically, the memory of his mystery maiden had caused him to toy with Ariel's feelings…he had leaned forward to kiss her, and then pulled back…and then merely stared at her for several minutes...and finally leaned forward to kiss her again before they somehow ended up in the cold water. No, this was not love, this was a debilitating obsession!

Suddenly filled with resentment, he hurled the instrument into the sea. Then he walked back into the palace. For the first time in weeks, he felt free.

With deliberate, rapid steps, he walked through the corridors. How dearly he would love to go to Ariel to apologize for everything which had happened that evening and to proclaim his love, but he did not wish to disturb her rest and knew that propriety forbid him from visiting her at such a late hour.

Therefore, he went into the palace chapel. Here, before the altar and tabernacle and amongst the statues of saints and the smell of flowers, he always felt that he could reflect the best. Eric's late father had taught his heir very little about the principles of governing, having died when Eric was ten years old, but he had given him an important lesson one morning when son had come upon him kneeling in the chapel.

"What are you doing here, father?"

"I have an important decision regarding our navy, and I came here to talk it over with the Lord."

"Do you talk over all important decisions with the Lord?"

"Yes, son."

"Why?"

The King had reached out and tussled his son's hair.

"Because the most foolish thing that a monarch making an important decision can do is to think that he is the most important person in the universe. Excessive pride and leadership do not go together, my boy. There is a law higher than that which I can make. Remember that."

Eric did remember. And he knelt at the altar now, ready to pray about one of the most important decisions he would ever make in his life: he was about to choose a wife and a Queen.

…

Outside, on a deserted stretch of beach, a young woman surfaced from the waves and made her way to shore. Once on dry land, she straightened her skirts and began to walk straight towards Eric's palace. When she was but a few hundred yards from the magnificent structure, she opened her lips and began to sing a haunting song.

As she sang, a yellow light began to emanate from the seashell around her neck and started to creep towards the palace. It slipped in through an open window and began to seek Eric.

After a few minutes of drifting through the halls, Ursula's magic hovered at the threshold of the palace chapel. A few feet in front of it, his back to the door, Eric knelt, praying earnestly.

The curse attempted to enter the holy chamber. It could not. It tried again. Once more, some unseen force blockaded it.

In desperation, the yellow glow hurled itself toward the Prince.

And the invisible, protective Someone again repelled it, this time so decisively that the magic found itself retreating through the palace thrice as quickly as it had come in.

Eric prayed on, completely unaware what a grace had just been granted him.

Down on the shore below, Vanessa paced, still singing. She was becoming hoarse, and impatient. What was taking so long? The magic should have reached the prince by now! Why was he not walking towards her, in a trance?

Suddenly, she noticed the yellow rays of light seeping out of the palace with a velocity which startled her. Before Vanessa could gather her wits, they slammed into the necklace hanging around her neck. The delicate seashell was unable to withstand the impact. It shattered. And Ariel's voice, freed from its prison, began to rise through the air.

Vanessa jumped and tried to catch it, but in vain. The voice slipped into Ariel's bedroom through the open balcony doors, and back into her throat. The sleeping girl and crab stirred slightly, but did not awaken.

Horrified, Vanessa ran back into the sea and disappeared under the waves. All hope of using Ariel to ensnare the Sea King was gone. Now that she had her voice back, the Prince would surely kiss her by sunset!

….

As the first rays of sunlight streamed into the chapel, Eric rose to his feet. His lips were upcurved in a smile. He had made his decision, and was very satisfied with it.

He went to his own suite and dressed in a formal navy and gold suit. Then he began to make his way to the guest room which housed Ariel.

The former mermaid, for her part, awoke to the feeling of Scuttle's webbed feet walking over her bed.

"Hey Ariel!", the seagull exclaimed, reaching out and nudging her hand. "Wake up! We don't have much time left! You and that boy need to get cracking!"

Ariel came out of her slumber with a start. Scuttle was right; there were but twelve hours until her time as a human would expire. She needed to find Eric, and get him to kiss her, and quickly.

She threw back the covers and began to dress herself in the same dress she had worn the day before. Eric had seemed to like her in it; he had almost kissed her, and if it hadn't been for the boat overturning, her troubles would have been over.

She touched her throat. It felt a little different this morning. During the past two days it had felt empty and devoid of her voice…today it felt normal.

I suppose I am becoming used to being a mute, she thought sorrowfully.

She was quickly running the dinglehopper through her hair when she heard a knock. Over the past two days she had learned that in the human world, such a sound meant that someone wanted you to open the door. Wondering who it could be, she walked across the room and turning the knob, swung the door wide open.

She was stunned at what she saw beyond it. Eric was standing in the hallway, wearing a fancy suit and looking very distinguished. Her bottom lip dropped a little.

"Do you like it?" he asked laughingly.

Ariel nodded.

"I'm glad." Eric regarded her with an earnest look. "I would like to speak to you. Could you join me for a walk before breakfast?"

She nodded again, hope beginning to beat in her heart.

Eric reached for her hand and escorted her through the palace, down to the beach. Ariel sensed a difference in his manner. Yesterday, he had been completely at ease, wandering through the marketplace with her. Today, his steps were full of purpose, and he seemed…nervous?

After about ten minutes of walking, they reached a picturesque scene. On their left, the waves gently lapped to shore. On their right was a field of wildflowers. Gulls flew above them, and the sea breeze toyed with their hair.

Eric stopped and turned towards her. Taking both her hands in his own, he began to speak.

"Ariel, I have only known you for a short while, but I have been happier in the last few days than I ever remember being. You are such a warm, wonderful girl. You take delight in everything. Your joy is infectious. I don't know where you came from, but I never want you to leave."

Ariel smiled at him, blushing.

"I am sure that you will make a marvelous wife, and mother and Queen." To the girl's great surprise Eric sank down on one knee. "Ariel, will you marry me?"

Her heart overflowing with joy, Ariel nodded.

Eric broke into a huge grin, reached into his pocket, and brought out a diamond ring. He slipped it upon her finger, and standing up, cupped her cheek with his hand. Then he bent his head towards hers.

The future Queen began to feel palpitations. Finally, her long-awaited kiss was happening! Eric softly pressed his lips to hers, and in that moment, Ariel felt as if a dark fog were lifting from her soul. She had not known how oppressive it was until it was gone. She was free – free from Ursula, free from the sea, free to marry Eric.

They broke apart. Eric, seized with joy, caught Ariel around the waist, picked her up, and swung her around several times. As he did so, she laughed.

Instead of a silent laugh, such as the ones she had produced over the past two days, this one rang out clearly across the beach.

Eric, startled, nearly dropped her. He managed to tighten his grip at the last instant, and set her down directly.

"Ariel?" he asked, shocked, staring at the girl in front of him, who was instinctively clutching her throat.

His betrothed glanced up at him, still clutching her throat nervously, and hesitantly tried to say his name.

"Eric."

"Ariel! You can speak!" Eric cried out. "You're the one. It was you all the time!"

"Oh Eric, I wanted to tell you," the former mermaid exclaimed, a little more boldly.

"Now you can," the young man said joyfully. "But perhaps it is better that you did not at first, for it allowed me to fall in love with you for the right reasons, and not merely with your beautiful singing voice." He slipped his arms around her. "That must have been the world's worst cold, darling, to take away your voice so."

"I wish it had been," the girl replied, suddenly more serious. "Eric, I love you, and I am so thrilled that you love me, but before you pledge your life to me you need to know the whole truth. I…I have done some reckless things…made bad bargains…and left behind my family."

"I am sure that nothing you will say will change my mind about my love for you or my desire to marry you. But I do admit to being curious, and you seem like you want to confess something, so please do tell me all."

"Very well then." Ariel put her head on Eric's shoulder, and looked out over the horizon. "My story begins in the place you least expect it to…it begins under the sea."

THE END