"A ball, do you mean it?" Belle asked excitedly, and Marcus chuckled a little.

"Yes, a ball."

"And am I really to go?" She looked as if she couldn't believe it, and Marcus nodded,

"Yes, at the end of this week."

"Thank you, Lord Marcus, I've never been to a ball before."

"Thank Aurora," Marcus said, settling his arms over his chest. "It was her idea." Watching how excited it had made Belle, he almost wished it had been his idea. She moved about the library, distracted in thought, when she stopped suddenly.

"But," she glanced down at her simple dress, "I have nothing to wear!"

Marcus raised a brow, "I'm sure we can find something that will do."

"I may be able to help with that," They turned at the voice at the door as Eric entered, "Forgive me," he said, "Andrew said you were in here."

Marcus clasped his hand in hello as Belle turned to him in question, "Help with what?"

Eric rummaged through his sack and pulled out the slippers. "These are from your pupil, as a thank you."

Belle gasped and came forward excitedly, "They're beautiful! Where did they find them?" She caught Eric's face and waved a hand, "Oh, never mind, please thank my student for me." She grinned at him before dropping a half curtsy to Marcus before scurrying out the door.

Marcus turned to Eric, "Have you learned anything yet?"

"No," Eric shook his head, "But hopefully we will soon."


A couple mornings later Eric returned from gathering food for the mermaid while she took her lesson, to find her standing in the middle of the room, as if waiting for him. The instant she spotted him at the door, she held up a paper almost triumphantly.

"Arr-el?" He asked, squinted at what she had written. There was an AR, followed by a single E and a single L.

She shook her head, shaking the paper for him to try again.

"Arrr, elle?"

She huffed and pointed at the "AR", before waving her hands about her, gesturing at nothing. Eric stared, wondering if she had lost her mind. She ran to the window and made sweeping motions into the room, when that didn't work she began almost panting, waving towards her face.

"You need air?" He questioned, then jolted, of course, "Air." he stated, and she nodded exuberantly, causing her long red hair to wave erratically.

"Air-el?" he tried, and she shook her head, pointing to the e, tapping it repeatedly.

"E." more nods, she tapped the "L"

"Elle" he stated, and she was nodding incessantly, staring at him expectedly.

"Air-e-l?" he tried, and she leapt up and down with obvious excitement.

"What's an Ariel?" Eric asked, and watched as she triumphantly pointed at herself.

"You're an Ariel, your name is Ariel?" Eric asked, excited despite himself, and she clapped her hands happily as the paper fluttered to the floor. Eric laughed, "Ariel," he repeated thoughtfully, "I'm pleased to meet you, Ariel."

She did her best imitation of a curtsy before scooping up her paper and skipping to the corner to put it away.

Eric slid her food through the bars, and she took it, retreating to eat as Eric told her about some of the things he had seen in town. She cocked her head in question when she didn't know what something was, and Eric would elaborate.

He had just finished explaining what a Ferrier was when a sudden voice filled the tower. In a panic Ariel lunged for the mirror, knocking over her plate of plants.

The same question floated from the mirror, "Show me mirror so that I may see, who could be fairer than me."

Ariel grasped the mirror, staring into it.

"What's happening, let me see." Eric demanded. Unthinkingly he snatched up the keys and unbolted the door, rushing in side.

Ariel was hunched over the mirror, staring into the Enchantress's face. No other scene came through the mirror, no answering voice, and the Enchantress smiled smugly.

"Is that what happened last time?" Eric demanded as the image of the Enchantress's face faded away.

Ariel nodded, turning to look at him, she started when she realized he was in the room right beside her, and Eric fell back.

He scrambled to his feet, standing between her and the door, and held out a finger.

'Don't even think it."

He watched, heart pounding, as Ariel rolled her eyes and calmly set down the mirror. She placed her hands primly in her lap and sat quite still.

"You're not going to try and escape?" Eric asked, dumbfounded, and Ariel shook her head.

"Why, why not?"

Ariel threw up her hands, giving him a look that clearly said, "Where would I go?"

Eric nodded slowly, but began backing to the door.

Ariel stood, and he jerked, his hand going to his sword. Ariel frowned at it almost sadly before turning and walking pointedly far across the room, back towards the open door.

She heard it shut a moment later, and when she looked back Eric was watching her through the window, a quizzical look in his eye.

He left then, to tell Marcus what they had heard. It seemed an odd thing for the Enchantress to care about, but it was obviously important.


Ariel sat by her window after he had gone. She practiced her writing for a while, before letting the paper fall away. She had come to like Eric, in a way, despite his insufferable personality, and it made her sad that he did not trust her.

She did not know why she was being kept here, but she did know that the Enchantress was making him keep watch, and she wouldn't risk bringing her wrath down on either of them. Eric didn't have a choice, and by working with the mirror they were trying to find a way to stop the Enchantress.

Eric had been tempted to use the mirror to spy on the Enchantress, but Marcus had warned against it, saying some people with magic could often feel themselves being watched. It was up to them to gather what they could from the moments she used the mirror herself.

It was almost dusk before she heard a sound on the stair, but Ariel didn't turn to the door as Eric arrived, choosing instead to watch the shadows creep across the land below.

There was a sound of a key turning and the door being pushed cautiously open, and Ariel spun around in surprise.

Eric stood there, looking both wary and sheepish.

"I brought you more food," he said, holding out the sack, after she had spilled hers earlier. Ariel didn't move, not wanting to startle him.

Except for the few moments before, this was the first time she had gotten a good look at him, and she studied him a moment curiously. His hair was brown, usually mussed, and matched the freckles on his cheek and nose. The green of his eyes she had noticed before. He wasn't fair and as regal looking as Philip had been, instead he looked rough and a little worn. He was as tall as she, maybe only slightly more so, but looked sturdy. She wondered why he would be frightened of her.

She remembered the stories he had told of mermaids then, and frowned,

"It's alright," Eric said, holding out the pouch still, "I think I was unfair earlier. I will trust you not to run if you give your word you will not."

Eric watched Ariel debate, and felt maybe he was being foolish, but Ariel had never given him a reason to think she would trick him and if they were going to work together, maybe he should begin trusting her.

She smiled then, and nodded, before coming closer.

She took the pouch and when she had opened it, her head come up and her eyes flashed with surprised happiness. Eric shifted, "Marcus's castle isn't so very far from the sea." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. She gave him a happy smile and moved to her little seat to enjoy the seaweed he had brought.

As she ate, she cast curious glances at him as he wandered about the room. It was dusty and full of broken things, and the floor was hard cold stone. Guilt stirred as Eric looked around, considering the condition she had been kept in. It was hard at times, looking at her, to remember that she was a mermaid, a creature of the dark sea capable of ruining entire ships.

She had done little things here and there to brighten up her tower. Made little coves in the stacks of broken furniture where she could sit and study each little trinket she had found. He saw, by the window, a cleared place where she had taken pieces of ribbon and laid them out side by side. She took almost a child's fascination with the simplest things.

On her writing desk rested a book, opened to an illustration of a little provincial town. The description said it was called Edenland, and on sudden impulse Eric crossed to the mirror and lifted it.

"Show me Edenland."

The mirror shimmered and Ariel's head came up in surprise. She rose and crossed to him suddenly. Eric jerked a little back in stiff surprise, but then carefully showed her the mirror. She stared as the scene from the book seemed to come to life in the mirror itself. Little homes with people passing in between, vendors and townsfolk bartered while children ran in-between.

Reaching out she took the mirror, wanting to see more and more, and her mouth opened in a silent cry as the scene faded once Eric had released it. She looked up at him, pressing the mirror into his hands, wanting him to do it again.

He spoke the request again, and the mirror came to life. Ariel pressed close to see everything she could, and Eric tried not to shrink away. Her full attention was on the little village deep inside the mirror, every so often she would see something new, and look up excitedly, pointing. Eric tried to explain what they were, but his simple explanations felt lacking compared to the wonder on her face.

She stood for a long while, staring down into the mirror, when abruptly she crossed to the book. Turning to a new page, she pointed emphatically to it, and Eric hid a sigh, he had a feeling they would be at this for a while.