As soon as they crossed the threshold, the former mermaid found her legs sliding out from under her. She gave a little cry of fear as she began to fall.

"Careful!" Eric cried, throwing a protective arm around her waist and steadying her. When he had managed to avert disaster, he added, "These floors are very slippery. The maids polish the tiles very often."

Ariel nodded and paid more attention to the shiny surface under her bare feet. Over the past half-hour she had become accustomed to walking on the sand, but this 'floor' was harder and firmer. She realized that she would have to step on it a little differently. How complicated the human world could be!

Eric escorted her into what he called 'the main entry hall'. Ariel gave a little gasp. It was magnificent! It was filled with marble and mahogany wood. Everywhere she looked were beautiful human objects which she did not know the name of. She could not wait to begin learning.

"Eric, there you are!" came a voice that sounded mildly familiar to Ariel's ears. Looking in the direction from whence it had come, she saw an older human whom she recognized from the night she had climbed up on the ill-fated ship. "You were gone for so long that we were beginning to get worried! What -," he saw Ariel and immediately changed his hasty walk to a slower, more dignified one. "Oh. I apologize, Eric. I was unaware that you had company. Might I ask for an introduction to the young lady?"

"Of course. Ariel, this is Grimsby, my oldest friend and closest advisor. Ariel saved my life, Grim."

The older human studied the redhead carefully as she gave a hesitant, uncertain smile. She suddenly realized that she knew nothing of human formalities, and did not know whether she was to speak at this juncture or whether it would be more polite to allow the older human to address her first. Even more distressingly, she wanted to make a good impression on him, as it was clear that Eric regarded him highly.

In a moment, however, Grimsby seemed satisfied with his survey of Eric's companion and relaxed into a smile. He reached for Ariel's hand, and grasping it warmly in both his own, bowed over it in a courtly manner.

"It appears I was mistaken, Eric. This mystery maiden of yours does, in fact, exist. And she is lovely. It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear."

"Thank you, and likewise," Ariel, murmured, blushing.

Grimsby straighten up, and gave her an approving nod, finding that he was already learning to like this unpretentious girl.

"I met her on the shore quite accidentally this morning, Grim," Eric continued eagerly. "She has consented to stay with us at the palace. Please see to it that the best guest room is prepared for her."

"Naturally, Eric. We would not do worse for the brave girl who saved our future king from the wrath of the ocean." He looked behind them and addressed someone who had just come into the hall. "Carlotta, my dear, could you help Miss Ariel get settled?" He looked back at the guest, "I am afraid that I will have to steal Eric away for a little while; there are enormous piles of documents which he must tend to."

Swallowing her disappointment, Ariel nodded and detached herself from Eric's arm amid his apologies and promises that he would be back at her side as quickly as he could. Apparently, kingdoms were the same everywhere – always demanding their monarch's attention.

"Come, come," said the pleasant-faced servant whom Grimsby had summoned. She came behind Ariel and gently began to nudge her in the direction of the door. "We'll show you your room, and get you cleaned up – you poor thing! Sand clinging to your feet, and dress, and even sprinkled in your hair! You must be so uncomfortable. We'll get you a bath and make you feel better in no time at all! Come along."

Ariel glanced back and gave Eric one last smile, received one in return, and then obeyed.

…

Carlotta bustled about, fussing over Ariel. Within half-an-hour, she had introduced her to her new quarters and coaxed her into a bathtub filled with fresh water and bubbles. Sebastian hurried off the princess's shoulder and hid himself among the potted plants on the bathroom's windowsill.

"You have such pretty hair, my dear. I have never seen anyone with hair so red! Let me wash it for you."

Wash? Ariel thought. Wash my hair? What does that mean?

She curiously watched as Carlotta poured a sweet-smelling, viscous gel out of a bottle into her palm. Then the housekeeper settled herself on the edge of the bathtub and began to rub the shampoo into the former mermaid's wet locks. Ariel slowly realized that this was how humans cleaned their hair and relaxed as Carlotta's experienced hands massaged her scalp.

"So you are the wonderful girl who saved our Eric from drowning!" the housekeeper began to say in a low, emotional tone. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. That boy means the world to me. I will never forget what I felt when Grimsby and the sailors came back, shipwrecked, and without Eric! Grimsby told me, his voice shaking, that there had been an explosion and that there was very little hope of him being alive. But, true to his pragmatic and loyal nature, he soon organized search parties and went out with them himself. Later that morning, when I saw Eric coming home – bruised, exhausted, but alive, I almost fainted from joy."

"I know exactly what you mean," Ariel responded, remembering her own happiness at noticing Eric's breathing as she hovered over him on the beach. "Have you known him long?"

"Since before he was born! I was only a scullery maid when I first began working at the palace. But when Her Majesty was expecting Eric, she had a habit of visiting the kitchens past the midnight hour, trying to satisfy her cravings. She was an angelic soul, and even though she was Queen she would not dream of waking anyone to bring her food in the middle of the night. I was often still there, finishing my chores, and she took a liking to me. I would fix her whatever she wanted, and as she ate she would talk to me as naturally as she would to a Marquess. She soon ordered that I be given higher and higher positions, and when Eric was born, I was one of the first who was privileged to hold him. We spent many an hour, the Queen and I, trying to coax that boy to sleep! And when the King and Queen perished in an accident when poor Eric was ten years old, he wrapped his little arms around my neck and sobbed for what seemed like an eternity. He has been almost like a son to me, even though he is my Prince."

"You and Grimsby seem to have done a wonderful job of raising him," Ariel mused. "He is a very nice young man."

"We always tried to raise him as simply as possible. He has turned out well, if I do say so myself. Like his mother before him, he knows how to reign over people's hearts by humbling himself and speaking to them like equals. His favorite pastime is to set out to sea for a few days with the sailors. However, I do wish that he would stop putting 'sadistic strains on my blood pressure', as someone I know would put it, and stay on land. The ocean is dangerous. I don't want to see my boy at the bottom of the sea."

Although she understood and shared the woman's feelings – heaven forbid that Eric was ever at the bottom of the sea, drowned! - Ariel suppressed a laugh. Her father would be horrified to know how much this human sounded like him.