That evening, Athena allowed herself to sink into the mattress with a sigh. It had been a decade since she had been in a comfortable bed. As she snuggled beneath the covers, she heard her daughters' voices excitedly chattering and ringing through the walls which separated their bedroom from the master suite.

"I thought we told them to go to bed," Triton said with a stern look in the direction of his daughters' chambers.

"You are not going to discipline them for it, are you?" Athena asked, suddenly concerned.

"I would have punished them for much less yesterday," Triton admitted, settling down next to her. "But how could I fault them for being so happy today? Besides, I am not going to sleep myself tonight. I am going to stay right here and watch you sleep." Seeing that Athena was about to protest, he added, "It will be the best rest I have had in ten years."

She nodded. He tucked the blankets in around her and left a sweet, lingering kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes, and for a moment he thought her asleep. He glanced out the window and let guilt wash over his face again. He began to think again about all the damage he had done. So many citizens of Atlantica hurt. His daughters had been cheerful that evening, but would they ever completely trust him again?

"Triton?"

He glanced up and found his gaze locked with his wife's.

"My love?"

"Stop tormenting yourself about the past. It does no good. Simply make it up to your subjects and daughters and think of the future. People will understand. You made some mistakes, but so does everyone. And please stop fearing that I will condemn you. I love you, and I would be a hypocrite if I blamed you for erring when I have made some serious mistakes myself."

"You?" Triton cried out. "What have you ever done that was less than perfect?"

"Swimming for that music box for one. You must admit it was foolish and extremely juvenile to leave you and the girls in order to try to rescue a replaceable object. I should have followed you at once, and if I had the last ten years in Atlantica would have been different. I am at least partially responsible for what happened," Athena concluded softly.

Triton shook his head.

"Yes, I am. A Queen of Atlantica should have known better. The music box was lovely, but it was not worth what we all went through."

"That music box," Triton murmured, ashamed of himself again. "I suppose you should like to have it back?"

"Although I feel guilty about all the trouble it caused, I would not mind it," Athena said smiling. "I don't see it in our bedroom. Where is it?"

"I threw it away…I could not bear to hear the melody," Triton admitted. Suddenly he took a deep breath and, remembering about what his wife had said about making up his mistakes, continued, "But I remember in which direction I threw it. Let us go and have a picnic lunch in that part of the ocean tomorrow, and take our daughters on a scavenger hunt for it. Ariel is always clamoring to do something different. And perhaps we can take Sebastian along. I ought to repay him for all the injustices I heaped on his head, and the girls are fond of him. Would you like that?"

"That sounds like a perfect day, Triton," his wife murmured, her eyes growing heavy with sleep.

"It will be the first of many such days to come, now that you and music are returned to Atlantica," her husband whispered as he laid his head next to hers.

THE END