The world above, is a wonderful place. But, everyone knows, the true magic lies, under the sea.

Where the water is clear, the fish swim free, and the merpeople live in the beautiful kingdom of Altea.

Altea was a beautiful kingdom. Colourful and vibrant, it reflected the moods of its people. Music and laughter filled the kingdom day and night.

King Shiro ruled the seas with a fair hand.

As Shiro emerged from the castle, the people stopped and cheered for the beloved king. Women waved at him and Shiro waved back with a smile on his face. While the women fawned over him, they knew he would never turn his back on the one who held his heart already.

And an open heart.

As Shiro smiled at a couple's baby who gave him the biggest smile, he jumped feeling small hands on his back and his smile grew upon seeing his youngest child and only son. Keith.

As a couple swam by, Shiro plucked the flute the boy had in his hands and stared at it. The couple froze and turned, as is they were worried he would say something horrible. Keith also watched with wide eyes as his father held the flute to his mouth and blew. However, no music notes came out, only a loud horn.

The couple and Keith burst into laughter as the blowfish swimming by puffed up and floated up in shock. Shiro soon joined in and handed the couple back their flute, the couple bowing and swimming off.

"I believe your mother is waiting," Shiro said opening for his arms for Keith to swim into. "Shall we go and see?" Keith had yet to learn how to properly speak so he nodded with a toothy grin. Shiro smiled and headed back into the palace.

No one loved music more than Shiro's beloved husband, King Adam. He and his 7 darling children filled his life with joy and most of all, song.

As Shiro headed into the large bedroom his children shared, he heard his husband starting to sing the lullaby he sang to put his children to sleep. Keith gave his father a hug and swam in, landing on his bed and listening to his mother's singing.

"For the waves roll low

And the waves roll high and so it goes"

Shiro smiled hearing his husband's voice and watched as his daughters and son drifted off.

His oldest, Allura was laying in her bed, tucked under her blanket, her teal eyes closing ever so slowly.

Beside her bed was his second-oldest, Hira. She was sitting up under her blanket, her arms on the curve of her tail and her head laying on it.

His third oldest, Axca was already asleep in her bed, her starfish plushie snuggled in her arms.

Then there was Ezor, who was sleepily sitting in front of Adam, who was sitting on the windowsill.

Sitting on the other side was Shay, leaning against Allura's shell bed, her green eyes drifting closed.

Sitting beside Hira on the edge of her bed was Narti, her blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she drifted off. Leaning against Hira's shoulder.

"Under the bright blue

Endless Sky"

As Adam continued to sign, the parents tucked their daughters into their beds before moving onto their youngest.

"Waves try to measure

The days that we treasure"

Keith let out a giggle as his parents both kissed his cheek and tucked him into his bed.

"Wave hello

And wave goodbye"

Shiro and Adam joined their hands and swam to the doorway. Turning back to their drifting off to sleep children with fond smiles.

"Goodnight my loves," Adam whispered, the couple then exited the bedroom and headed off to bed themselves.

A week later, Shiro had brought Adam above the sea to the lagoon. He claimed for it just to be a date the two of them, but Adam could tell something was up.

Ah yes, Shiro loved his husband, and he took every opportunity to show him.

"Shiro, what are you hiding?" Adam asked to which Shiro smiled.

"Alright, you caught me," Shiro said reaching his arms behind him and pulling out a blue and gold coloured seashell-shaped music box. "I had this made for you."

"A jewelry box?"

"Open it," Shiro said softly. Adam rolled his eyes but did as he was asked. His eyes widened when he opened it. A swirl of gold magic appeared and a figure of the couple dancing started to turn as a familiar song started to play.

"Is that?"

"Endless sky," Shiro sang with a smile.

"Our song," Adam said with a smile.

"Our song," Shiro said grabbing Adam's hand and kissing it softly.

A splash drew their attention beside them and Adam turned to Shiro with a knowing look as the merfolk from the kingdom appeared. Some holding instruments which were playing the lullaby.

"I knew you were up to something," Adam said setting the music box down beside him.

"You always do," Shiro said with a smile as he watched the merfolk play their instruments and splash around the lagoon.

From behind a rock, Allura, Hira, Axca, Ezor, Shay, Narti, and Keith appeared and watched as their parents leaned in to kiss. They started giggling which caused the parents to stop and smile. Shiro turned to Adam and held a finger to his lips, which caused Adam to let out a soft giggle.

The children seemed to have caught onto what had happened and quickly ducked behind the rock, Ezor having to be dragged down because she was caught daydreaming. As they hid, they hadn't noticed their father had snuck up behind them. Until they found themselves ripped out of the water and into their father's arms.

However, as strong as Shiro was, he wasn't able to hold all his children for long and they all tumbled down into the water. The merfolk watching with smiles on their faces and erupting into laughs themselves.

But, even the brightest days can be darkened by an unseen tempest.

As Shiro tossed Keith into the air, Keith's body froze and he let out a gasp as something caught his eye that terrified him. As he caught him, Shiro turned and his eyes widened. Dark clouds started moving in, hiding the sun from view. However, that wasn't what caught his eye.

What caught his eye, made the rest of the merfolk freeze in horror.

A pirate ship heading straight for the lagoon.

"Shiro!" Adam called which made Shiro turn into protective mode.

"Go!" Shiro yelled which snapped everyone out of their frozen state. Merfolk cried out in terror as they jumped back into the ocean and back towards the kingdom, back to safety.

"Allura, take your siblings back to your room and wait there for me and your mother," Shiro said to his oldest.

"Right," Allura said with a nod, diving into the water, her sisters and Keith following. Everyone except Shay. Her tail had gotten stuck between two rocks in the panic and she was stuck.

"Mama!" Shay called out. Adam turned and quickly crawled over and pushed the top rock forwards, enough for her to get free.

"Go follow your sister!" Adam called out to which Shay nodded. Adam let go of the rock and turned around, only to see the music box Shiro gave him was almost taken away. The pirates were taking the instruments and loading them onto their ship.

Somewhere in the chaos, King Adam was lost to us.

Shiro had dived into the water after he'd seen the last merfolk dive into the water. However, looking around, he noticed Adam still above the surface.

"Adam!" Shiro yelled as Adam swam towards the rock the music box was on.

"ADAM!" Shiro yelled again starting to swim to the surface.

"Watch out!" one of the pirates yelled, during the siege they hadn't noticed how close to the rocks they had gotten. Adam's eyes widened as he turned and the ship crashed into the rock where he was. The music box slipping out of his hands in the process.

"NOOO!"

After the sea had calmed down, Shiro headed to the surface and tried to find any trace of his husband. However, he was unable to. He turned hearing the song play from the music box and picked it out of the water, just as a familiar pair of glasses floated towards him.

Shiro's heart clenched and tears filled his eyes.

Each note of that little lullaby seemed to deepen the king's anguish. He couldn't bear to hear it.

Shiro slammed the box shut and growled as tears of frustration slipped down his cheeks. With an angry yell, Shiro threw the music box as far as he could and turned his back, slamming his fist against the rock.

From that moment on, the king's heart grew dark. And music was banned from Altea.

Forever

Before anyone asks, yes I did cry while writing this prologue. I actually planned to write this AU shortly after my Little Mermaid 2 AU but because I started writing it like a few days after Season 7 dropped, I started crying while writing the scene where Queen Athena (Ariel's mom, played by Adam in this AU) dies. And turns out, yes, that scene is still emotional. But I managed to write it and so I'm pretty pleased with it.

The next update will be soon, school keeps me pretty busy, but I write chapters when I can.

Until then,

~Alchemygirl8