Sighting At Sea
Ariel watched the unconscious human in front of her. The two had arrived at this nearby beach about an hour ago and he still wasn't waking up, which just caused her to worry more. What if he did die? He can't be dead. But how would she know? How do you check is a human is dead or not?
Suddenly, a white bird landed on the other side of Eric and Ariel felt a small bit of hope rise in her. Scuttle would know about these things! With his wing, Scuttle opened up the man's eye, his blue eyes dull, not an ounce of brightness they had before. Ariel chewed at her bottom lip before speaking.
"Is he…" She didn't want to say the word, she didn't want there to be a possibility. "Dead?"
She watched as Scuttle ran to Eric's feet, lifting one up. She didn't question the bird, he knew more about the human world than she did anyway. But the lurching in her stomach wasn't going away and she needed to know now. Her heart dropped as Scuttle spoke.
"Oh, I...I can't make out a heartbeat," Scuttle told her apologetically. Ariel felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as she turned to look at the handsome man laying in front of her. However, her heart leaped into her throat when she noticed his chest rising.
"No, look!" The happiness evident in her voice. "He's breathing…" She sighed.
Even though she couldn't see his eyes, that couldn't take away from the man's obvious good looks. She brushed a wet strand of hair away from him, looking at his face that seemed to be sculpted by gods. She didn't know why she was so attracted to him. She never showed much interest in the mermen back home, but there was something about him. She couldn't say what, but she just felt drawn to him.
She placed her hand on his smooth cheek, softly turning his face to see her's. He really was so beautiful. Softly, she began to sing to him. The song coming to her as if it was meant for this moment and this moment, alone. His chest rose with each breath he took, which encouraged Ariel to continue her song and stay by his side. In his world. Even if she isn't a human, at least for right now, she could be.
Slowly, his eyes opened, those bright blue eyes looking up at her wearily. He lifted his hand to touch the one she laid on his cheek. Although his hands were wrinkled and callused, his touch was soft and gentle. She knew once he opened his eyes that she should leave, before he sees the lower half of her. But something in him drew her closer to him, inch by inch.
"Oh my…!" Ariel turned her head to the sound, her eyes widening at the sight. Standing off to the side was Belle, her brown hair now cascading down her back, her apron ripped apart and walking barefoot. Her hazel eyes showed her confusion, fear, and wonder, and her mouth was formed into an O shape, her ability to speak gone from her now.
Ariel was frozen into place by the woman standing in front of her. She saw her. She knew what she was. Was she going to kill her? Was she going to eat her? Ariel felt tears sting the corners of her eyes and dived into the ocean.
"Wait! Come back!" Belle called towards Ariel. A part of Ariel told her to turn around. To see the beautiful woman one more time and to make sure that Eric was alright. But the other part told her to leave, to get far away. And for once, Ariel listened to that voice.
"Ariel! What is the meaning of this?" Standing on top of her best friend, Flounder, was the court composer and red crab, Sebastian. Ariel couldn't answer, she just hid behind a rock in the middle of the ocean, attempting to calm her racing heart. How could she be so stupid? How could she let someone see her like that? She should've just left once she saved Eric, but she had to make sure he was okay.
Ariel, hearing the voices on land, peaked over the edge of the rock to see Belle helping Eric up.
"Are you alright?" Belle asked Eric as she helped him up, her eyes still looking out into the ocean. She knew what she saw. A red-headed woman with a green fish tail. She has read stories about mermaids before, but never thought they existed.
Eric also looked out into the ocean, though his eyes were soft and curious.
"A girl...rescued me," Eric spoke, his voice matching the softness in his eyes. Not exactly a girl, Belle thought to herself. Eric pulled away from her and Belle cautiously held her hands out, ready to catch him if he fell. He stepped towards the ocean as if he was about to dive in himself, but he moved to the side.
"She had the most...beautiful voice," Eric said, as he remembered the melodic voice that greeted him as he opened his eyes. Although his vision was blurry at the time, he could still make out the blue eyes that looked down upon him with admiration. He could still remember the feeling of her hand pressed against his cheek, wrinkled as if it had spent years in the water, though gentle. He should have done something to stop her from leaving. Why did he let her go?
"Eric!" Belle exclaimed as Eric's knees buckled. She placed her arms around him, steadying him. Even though he had nearly fainted, his eyes still searched around for the girl. She saw the need in his eyes and felt her stomach lurch as she wondered how he would react to finding out the girl that rescued him was actually a mermaid.
"Did you…" Eric started, swallowing hard before continuing. "Did you see her?"
Belle debated if she should tell him she did. If she said she did, he would ask her where she went and what she looked like and Belle didn't have the heart to tell him that. But then again, she wouldn't feel right knowing she lied to her close friend who had took her and her father in after her mother died.
She glanced towards the ocean, as if it would give her the answer. She thought she saw a flash of red hair in the distance and narrowed her eyes at it. However, when she looked closer it was just a rock. Sighing, she looked back at Eric, his blue eyes begging for her to say 'yes'.
"I...I didn't." Belle told him, watching the hope fade from his eyes and his mouth tighten into a frown. She silently took his right arm and placed it around her neck, her other arm wrapped around his waist.
"That's alright," Belle looked up at her friend at his words. "I'll find her."
Belle bit back her tongue as she guided the two in the direction of the palace. Before the two began to walk away, she looked over her shoulder at the ocean. Red hair, blue eyes, green tail. Biting her lip, she started the two on the way back.
Ariel watched the two humans leave the beach, her heart still beating hard against her chest. She saw Eric looking out towards the ocean and she saw Belle looking back. She wondered if Belle would tell Eric about her, or maybe the rest of the humans she saw on the ship. She wondered if Belle would hurt her. She wondered if Belle would come looking for her again. She found herself wanting Belle to look for her again.
As the wind blew across the sea and land, another song came to her in that moment. A song of promise. She knew she would see the two again. She knew one day she would be able to talk, laugh, and smile with them. She knew, one day, she would be part of their world.
That night, Belle couldn't get the memory out of her head. She paced around her bedroom, thoughts swirling through her head. She saw a mermaid. There is no mistaking it. She saw the mermaid's fin move as she dived back into the ocean, swimming away from land. She saw her blue eyes widen in shock as they landed on Belle and she saw her red hair, redder than an apple, disappear into the water. What did the mermaid want? Why was she singing to Eric? Was she a siren? She read that sirens are dangerous. But if they were, why did she save Eric? Was she trying to kill him?
"Urgh!" Belle groaned as she fell to her knees in the midst of her pacing. She needed to know what that mermaid wanted with her friend! She refused to let anyone hurt him. She needed to find that mermaid.
That same time, under the sea, Ariel sat in the window of her and her sister's bedroom. It was the middle of the night and all of her sisters were fast asleep in their beds. However, Ariel couldn't sleep as easily as them.
She was seen by a human. She had saved a human. So many thoughts swirled in her mind. What if Belle told Eric she was a mermaid and Eric wanted nothing to do with her? What if Eric knew she was a mermaid, didn't care, and still wanted to see her again. She saw the way he looked at her, she knew he felt something for her just as she did for him. What about Belle? What if Belle has sent sailors to find her and kill her? Would Belle do that? She didn't know Belle but she didn't seem like the type to do that. But her father told her they are all barbarians. But she saw the treasures they possessed. How could a world that makes such wonderful things be bad?
As Ariel looked up, knowing what was above the waters she had lived in for years, she made a decision. Glancing back to see if her sisters were still asleep, she swam. She didn't bother to look back, even though the need to do so was there. She needed to see them again. She needed to find that human.
Belle wandered the beach, pulling her cloak tighter around her as the cool breeze whipped past her. She brushed back the few strands that had left her ponytail, wondering how she was going to find this mermaid. The water lapped at her ankles and Belle yelped at the coldness. She pouted as she realized she should have worn something warmer than her nightgown.
She noticed a movement in the water and her eyes narrowed, trying to find any sign of bright red hair or a green tail. She groaned when neither showed up. How was she supposed to find a mermaid? What do mermaids even like? Belle kicked at the sand, realizing that this was a mistake. She turned to head back to the palace, though something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She saw it, she knew she did. Red. Something red.
She turned back to the ocean and noticed a movement by a rock in the middle of the ocean. Cautiously, she stepped into the water until it reached her knees, pulling her dress up so it wouldn't get wet. She narrowed her eyes, noticing something green flashing out from behind the rock. A grin broke across her face, knowing who it was.
"Excuse me?" Belle called out, noticing the red hair that peaked from behind the rock. "I know you hear me, can you come here please? I need to talk to you?"
Silence followed and Belle wondered if the mermaid was going to come closer or not. Maybe she got her hopes up, maybe there wasn't even a mermaid to begin with and now she was just hallucinating. Sighing, she turned to head back to the palace. Maybe she was just crazy.
Suddenly, the sound of something splashing into the water caused her to turn around. She looked down to find something swimming towards her in the water. Something red and green. She stepped back on to the beach, tripping over a rock and falling backwards. As the figure rose out the water, Belle's eyes widened.
In the water, the red-headed mermaid rose until the water reached just below her purple seashell bra. The mermaid's eyes were blue like the ocean and looked at Belle with wonder, admiration, and confusion. Her eyes twinkled like the stars in the sky and her lips were just as red as her hair. Her skin was fair and the salt from the water clung to it, like bubbles did after a bath. Belle blinked at the sight in front of her. The mermaid was absolutely gorgeous.
"Um...uh…" Belle stumbled, attempting to find the right words to say. She never met a mermaid before. What do you say? What did she even come here for again? It seemed like every thought that Belle had left her.
"Um...hi." The mermaid spoke, her voice melodic as if she was singing a song. Even if she wasn't singing, Belle could tell she did have a beautiful voice.
"Hi…" Belle replied, waving her hand awkwardly. Silence came between the two as they stared at each other, neither knowing what to say.
Ariel couldn't take her eyes off the sight in front of her. The beautiful woman from before was right in front of her and Ariel didn't even know what to say. She noticed how the woman's hazel eyes seemed to shine brighter under the moonlight and how her fair skin seemed to reflect the glow of the moon. Her cheeks were flushed pink, just like her lips, and Ariel knew at this moment, that she was the most beautiful woman, mermaid or human, she has ever seen.
"You're a...mermaid?" Belle asked her and Ariel nodded, looking down at the water. There was no point in lying if Belle already saw her. A part of Ariel told her that she shouldn't be here. That she should leave before something happens. Should she leave?
"I've never seen a mermaid before." Belle told her, softly. Ariel looked up and it felt as if everything around Belle blurred, causing her to only focus on the human in front of her.
"You're...very pretty." Belle stated, before gasping and covering her mouth. Ariel cocked her head to the side, confused at the human's reaction.
"Thank you," Ariel thanked her, before continuing. "So are you."
Belle's face turned a darker shade of pink that Ariel could only describe as cute. "Thank you." She replied.
Once again, silence followed and Ariel wondered if she made a mistake coming here. Maybe she should leave. But at the same time, she couldn't leave. Ariel pouted, upset at her mind being caught in two directions.
"I wanted to ask you something," Belle spoke after a few seconds and Ariel looked back up at her. "Why did you save him?"
Ariel narrowed her eyes at Belle, cocking her head to the side. Why would she ask such a question? Did she think Ariel was going to kill Eric? Why would she do that? Shouldn't she be thanking her for saving him instead?
"I saved him because I couldn't let him die." Ariel answered, causing Belle's eyes to widen. Ariel realized her voice came out stronger than usual and wondered if she should apologize to Belle for how she sounded. Before she could though, Belle spoke.
"Why couldn't you let him die?" Belle inquired, causing a blush to appear on Ariel's face. Should she tell her? How would she react? It's not like the two could be together anyway. What if she told her and Belle went to get Eric so she could see him again? Would she do that for her?
"You like him." Belle stated, causing Ariel to pull her head back. How did she know? "Your face says it all."
Ariel blushed deeper, mad at herself for how obvious it was.
"Thank you," Ariel furrowed her brows at the brunette's words. "For saving his life."
At that moment, a thought came to the little mermaid. What if Belle likes Eric? The two seemed close. But Eric isn't settled down yet. What if they are together? What if Belle is upset at her for liking him? What if Belle tries to kill her? Ariel shook her head, trying to get the thoughts out of her head. This was a mistake, this was all a mistake. She turned, needing to get back home before it was too late. However, something gripped her wrist, preventing her from doing so.
She turned to find Belle looking at her with a worried expression. Ariel glanced down at her hand that had wrapped around Ariel's wrist. Her touch was gentle but firm. Ariel felt something tickle down her spine and her face turn hot at the contact. Ariel looked back up at Belle, realizing how close the two actually were. She could see the flecks of green in Belle's eyes and the light pink in her cheeks. Beautiful, Ariel thought to herself.
"Please don't go," Belle pleaded with her, her voice almost like a little child's. Despite the nagging voice in her head, Ariel nodded, causing a soft smile to appear on Belle's face. Seeing the little wrinkles appear at the corner of Belle's eyes and the way her teeth shone, Ariel smiled too. Belle let go of Ariel's wrist and Ariel found herself missing her touch.
"Do you…" Ariel grimaced as she continued her question. "Like him too?"
Ariel jumped as Belle began to laugh, her voice ringing in Ariel's ears. It was a beautiful sound, though Ariel was confused as to why she was laughing.
"Not like that, he's my friend," Ariel let out a sigh of relief at the confirmation. She felt a small tinge of hope in her heart, realizing that Eric was indeed single. A new question formed in Ariel's mind.
"How long have you been friends?" She asked. Belle smiled, a nostalgic smile this time, before answering.
"He's been my friend since were kids, running around the village." She answered. "After my mother died, he convinced the palace to let my father and I reside there. We've basically grown up together."
A frown fell on Ariel's lips. Her mother is dead? Ariel glanced down at the water, a small memory appearing in her mind of a red-headed mermaid singing her a lullaby, her green eyes full of love. Her vision began to blur and she blinked before the tears could fall. Looking up at Belle, she had a somber expression.
"I'm sorry for your lost," Ariel told her, her voice sincere. Belle just gave a tight smile and shook her head.
"It's alright," Belle started. "The pain from her death is never going to go away and neither are the memories I have of her. I choose to focus on those instead."
Ariel nodded, taking in Belle's words. The mermaid found herself smiling, her shoulders relaxing and her heart lighter.
"Um...what's your name?" Belle asked her, leaning closer.
"I'm Ariel." Ariel told her, watching how her eyes lit up at the name.
"Ariel…" Belle said the name. "I'm Belle."
She held out her hand and Ariel glanced at it, unsure of whether to take it or not. However, looking up at her kind and shining eyes and genuine smile, Ariel decided to shake her hand. The warmth from her hand caused Ariel's face to heat up and she felt something tickle her spine as the two shook hands. Ariel's blue eyes met her hazel eyes and it felt as if time stopped in that one moment. Ariel felt how reluctant Belle was to let her hand go and Ariel felt sad at the loss of her touch.
Suddenly, her mind went back to her secret grotto and she remembered all the human treasures she hid there and all the questions she wished to ask the humans. Now she was in front of a human and could actually get some answers. Her face lit up at the thought.
"Um...Belle?" Ariel asked, liking the way her name sounded. "Do you know what a dinglehopper is?"
Belle furrowed her brows and cocked her head at Ariel, whose face turned red at the reaction. Did she say something wrong? Does she not know what a dinglehopper is? Was Scuttle in the wrong? She rushed to explain herself.
"You know, a dinglehopper," Ariel's voice was smaller than before. "You know, you use it to straighten your hair out."
"Are you talking about a comb?" Belle asked her, attempting to hide her laughter at the mermaid's confusion. Ariel pulled her head back, never hearing about a comb before.
"No, a dinglehopper." Ariel stated, wondering if Belle was probably the one confused. "It's silver and it has four points at the end of it."
Belle pouted her lips in thought before gasping and clapping her hands together.
"A fork!" Belle exclaimed. Ariel simply squinted her eyes and shook her head, confused by her words.
"What's a fork?" Ariel asked.
"It's what we use to eat." Belle explained. "What you just described is a fork. There's no such thing as a dinglehopper, Ariel."
Ariel pouted, upset at her seagull friend for lying to her. Maybe she should've asked a human about the stuff in her grotto instead of a bird. However, a grin found her face at the way Belle said her name. She didn't know she could like the way her name sounded from someone else.
An idea found Ariel's mind and she clapped her hands together, causing Belle to look at her with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.
"You know a lot about human things, right?" Ariel asked to which Belle nodded. "I collect some of the human treasures I find under the sea and I was wondering if it would be okay for me to bring them here to show you."
Belle pouted as she thought this over and Ariel felt her heartbeat quicken with each second that passed.
"Okay," Belle nodded with a smile. "Tomorrow, same time as today."
Belle held her hand out again which Ariel took with much enthusiasm. Suddenly, it seemed as if the moon was shining brighter than it was before.
The second chapter has been released. Next chapter will feature an appearance from our favorite sea witch.