*The youngest heir in the royal family of Atlantica takes upon the throne, not the eldest in this story, so, not Attina, but Ariel this time.

(Athena's P.O.V.) -20 minutes later-

I observed Eric quietly, watching him interact with Ariel as she seemed to instruct him how to eat from our meal, and I was surprised and wary about this Eric. Yes, I was grateful and relieved when Ariel told me that he saved her life from a shark, but I was suspicious for he had somehow went into Atlantica's borders without alerting the patrols.

Eric was polite enough when we spoke to each other, and there isn't any strange features about him, yet he spoke like a human sometimes, proclaiming that traveling close to the surface would change that. I couldn't keep track of all the citizens around here, but I would know if he really lives here, and he doesn't look like he's a citizen here.

So, I figured he's from Olympia back east or somewhere else south. He strangely couldn't speak Mermish, my native tongue or Greek, my husband's native tongue, yet he speaks Danish quite proficiently, thanks to his travels near the mainland here. And I could see a bond between Eric and Ariel, and it's growing little by little, since the shark incident which I presumed where it started.

I was nervous about that as Ariel has a duty, and that is to presume the throne after me. After all, it's tradition. And Olympia's prince has been looking for a princess, and I wanted the best for Ariel, yet I was torn now as of tonight, for Ariel has her eyes upon Eric. What could Triton say about this, and what he would do for this situation?

I sighed lightly to myself as I remembered my husband...How he could hold me in his arms, how he could make me laugh, how he could watch when I danced...I averted my eyes slightly, remembering that day, a burning itch in my heart as I screamed for him...saving Ariel in sacrificing his own life...

I shook my head subtly as I refocused back upon dinner, smiling softly at the gossip between my daughters, and got amused at Eric's surprised looks when the girls pestered him by asking silly questions and such, and I had to stifle a giggle at Ariel's embarrassed expression.

I truly love my family over my duty, but I knew there is a fine line, thanks to Triton's stories long before he left us. Sebastian is the other connection to my husband, and I knew I needed his advice badly. I need to figure out the situation about Ariel sooner than later.

(No P.O.V.)

For the week, Ariel and Eric decided to be secretive about talk of the human world, having found a underground secret grotto and Eric's precious thought-lost copper coin necklace in the grotto, having fallen through the hole up top, landing upon the sandy boulder.

To Ariel's shock, Eric gave her the necklace in return for teaching him Mermish and Greek, and Ariel loved the necklace, wearing it every day ever since. No one asked about it as copper is widely-seen in Atlantica and Olympia all the time.

Together with Ariel, Eric secretly swam off in form of excursions in search of adventures; gradually Ariel became more curious and daring, much to Eric's happiness and excitement. And they begin to fall for each other - but what to do? Ariel is already betrothed to a prince from a neighboring sea kingdom as her mother confessed to Ariel at the end of the week.

Two eels, who are actually Flotsam and Jetsam in disguise by a spell, approached Eric by the ninth day. They were soon sent by Urs the wizard, as to remind Eric of the remaining time, and he has to do his part of the deal. He didn't want to steal the Trident at all, having great respect for Ariel's mother, and deepening love for Ariel. He doesn't know why Urs would want anything to do with his heart, but he knew it would be bad, still.

But to Eric's horror, Flotsam and Jetsam threatened to kill Ariel if Eric won't take the Trident, and Eric realized that he was trapped. If he doesn't take the Trident before the 14th day, Ariel's life would be taken... and if he still refused to do it on the fated day, he changes back to human and his heart would be taken by Urs, never seeing Ariel again.

What was he to do now? He loves Ariel as he realized that he fell for her hard that day she saved him, and he never regretted it at all, for he truly would give his life for Ariel if necessary. But he knew that stealing a royal object, or better yet, the Trident, it is a crime, thanks to listening to Sebastian's rules and lectures from joining in Ariel's classes. Should he or should he not?