Erica slowly walked towards the doorsteps of the lighthouse and shook in fear. She knew that once she knocks on the door, there was no going back. Quietly, she knocked on the door and the door swung open slowly. Erica gulped and walked inside.

"He-hello." she asked quietly as she looked around.

All around the area were broken down pieces of wood on stairs and on floors, chains and any iron related have been rusted for not being used, and a few cobwebs all around the area. She knew that this place was old, but never expected the warlock to be in a place like this.

"I knew you would come." a voice replied in the lighthouse.

"Where are you?"
"Up here."

Erica glared up towards the ceiling and lo and behold, the warlock was coming down with a working elevator he had made out of wood. As the elevator came towards her level, he pulled the lever up, opened the door, and walked towards her.

"What can I do for you, my dear?"
"I want my father back from the dead."
"Why should I help you?"
"I-I.."

He then glared at her to see what she wants.

"I'm sorry. I'm not able to raise anyone back from the dead."

"Why not?"
"There's not a spell or curse that can do such a thing."

She then sigh in defeat.

"However, what I can do is to take you back to time to prevent your father of his death."
"How?"
"Just below this lighthouse lives a lake that can take you back into a different time, where life will reverse itself, but you will be placed as a different creature."

"What do you mean 'different creature', sir?"

"Didn't you mentioned that you would dream of being a mermaid?"

"Yes, but-"

"The lake of time can be able to transform you into a mermaid in that particular."

"But, if I change time, wouldn't it effect the future?"
"That all depends on what you change."

"So, if I go back on time to prevent the change of events, that could save my father."

"Exactly. However, this does not come freely for you to use the lake of time."

"I don't have any money."

"I knew you would say that. Then, if you can't pay, then you can do one simple task for me as payment."

"What?"
"When you go back into time, take this dagger, cut a piece of the merman's hair, and bring the hair back up to the surface."

"You want me to what?"

"Cut the merman's hair. Their hair contains power beyond imagination. If you cut a strand of hair without his knowledge, what he won't know can't hurt him."

She then stood there to think of what needs to be done. If she went back on time, her father will remain alive for another day. However, if that happens, Aqua's beautiful and perfect hair will be cut off and she will give her price to the warlock. If she doesn't go back on time, her mother will accuse her or Aqua of killing her father.

"Do we have a deal?"
"How far back are we talking here, if I may ask?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the day of the accident could help."

"No. That's too soon."
"Fine, four weeks before the accident."

"Okay. You have a deal."

He then pulled his hand out to reach for hers. In hesitation, she moved her hands towards his and at that moment, he dragged her in the elevator and pulled the lever down to the bottom of the lighthouse. As they went down, she then noticed that he was up earlier before.

"Not that it's any of my business, but what is up on the top?"
"It is something that I keep for privacy."

"Is it where you keep the children when dead?"
"Now why would you think that, my dear?"
"No reason."

"I see."

The elevator then came to a stop and was showing the lake which was as bright as the stars, the water which glistened in the moonlight, and the entire cave as dark as the night.

"Behold, The Lake of Time."

Erica gulped slightly. Her hand shook in fear and knew that once she stepped in the water, there's no going back.

"Whenever you are ready, you can go."

She then took a deep breath and walked slowly towards the lake. Smiling evilly, he pulled the lever up and the elevator went upwards. All alone, Erica stood at the Lake of Time.

"Alright. You can do this. This is for my father."

She held her breath and went down under the water. All around Erica was a power unlike anything she has ever felt before. It has struck her so bad that she couldn't breathe at all underwater. Through all the pain she went to, her mind went blank. As she started to wake up, she then noticed that she was seeing fish swimming through.

"How did-" she replied loudly as she came to realize something.

The fishes are in the ocean and if she is seeing them face to face, then she is underwater. With much hesitation, she started to gasp for air, but then realized that she saw fins on her body instead of legs. Suddenly, it hit her. If she sees fins on her, then she was a mermaid herself. As she glanced at herself, she was all that she had dreamed of: a beautiful blue tail with a white colored seashell top and a red sash that was tied on her shirt and tail.

"If I'm a mermaid, then that means...I went back into time."

She then knew what she had to do. Erica had to find the merman and tell him of what has happened and what can be done to prevent the event to happen. However, as she started to swim by, she didn't know how to find him.

"This is going to be harder than I thought it would be."

As she sat down to think, she then notice a few dolphins were coming back from the surface. While passing through, a merman passed through and noticed her for a moment.

"Excuse me, madam. Are you lost?"

She then turned to meet the merman from before.

"No, but I came to find you."

"Me? Why me?"

"There is something that I need to tell you."

Before she needed to state what it was, they heard a call from one of the seahorses.

"Prince Aqua! Prince Aqua!"

He then turned around and he then noticed that the seahorse from his mother.

"Wait. Prince?" she stated quietly in her mind.

She was shocked to find out that he was royal for the very first time, but at the time of crisis.

"What news do you bring?" Aqua asked.

"Your mother is in need of you at once, Prince Aqua."

"At this very moment?"
"Indeed. This is a very important business that she needs to discuss you with..."

The seahorse then noticed Erica for a moment and looked at Prince Aqua.

"Who is she, your highness?"
"Well, um...I'm..."

"My personal fiancé."

"What?!" both the seahorse and Erica blurted.
"Need I remind you that the law states that you should marry someone from royalty, not just any mermaid?"

"You do not understand." Aqua stated. "She is royalty.

"How so?"
"She's one of the daughters of the neighboring kingdom."

"What? The king of the neighboring kingdom is already here?"
"Not quite. I actually met her before her family came to town."

"I see. By any chance, are you Ariel, the youngest daughter of the neighboring kingdom of Atlantica?"

Erica had no idea what to say to the seahorse. She wanted to say no, but then she would make him a liar, but if she told him yes, then she would be making herself a liar. Erica had to make the hardest choice ever.

"How did you guess?" she replied.
"Well, only King Triton would have a magnificent daughter with the most beautiful voice. You do look exactly how the queen has pictured you only in different hair color. I guess the queen must have been mistaken, but I wouldn't know about that since she is the queen."

Aqua then cleared his throat.

"As you were saying..."

"Yes. Your mother needs to see you at once."
"Very well. We both will come in the presence of the queen."

"As you command, young prince."

The seahorse started to swim towards the kingdom while Aqua and Erica stood there.

"Thank you." he replied.
"For what?"

"For agreeing to be my fiancé for a while."
"Why is that?"

"Well, you see, the law clearly states that for the royal family, only the youngest of the family needs to rule as King of the Sea. Since I am the youngest heir to the throne, I am to be married by a member of the royal family."

"Wow."

"I need you to make this work for me please. I honestly do not want to marry, but I can't go through without one."

"Okay..."

"I appreciate your help, Miss..."

"Erica."

"That is an amazing name."

"Thank you, Prince Aqua."

"Please, Aqua is fine."

"Okay then. Aqua."

He started to hold her hand, but she placed them to her side. She knew that if she let him touch her hands, the powers may glow between them, like always. Aqua and Erica both swam together towards the kingdom. She knew that her family's fate was at hand and had to fulfill her promise to the warlock: cutting a piece of hair from the prince of the sea.