(Athena's P.O.V.) -A week later-

I cannot believe that I was fooled by a mad warlock, disguising as my daughter. He couldn't keep up the disguise when he touched the Trident during the supposed ceremony of Ariel and Prince Thor two days ago. Those violet eyes, that silver hair, the octopus tentacles. He had Ariel's voiced locked up in a shell necklace, telling me that Ariel is forever stranded on the surface with Eric, human as she wished to be.

I was greatly relieved when the wrong Ariel returned, safe and sound as I was feeling guilty by then about exiling Eric as Ariel truly loved him, and those fights over her betrothal seemed silly and stupid at the time. I should have known that if it was truly Ariel, she would have been heartbroken, refusing to leave her room, crying over Eric.

My other daughters said so yet I ignored them in all the fuss of preparing the ceremony, but by then, it was too late when Urs appeared in place, immediately locking up me, my other daughters, Prince Thor, and Sebastian in the castle dungeons. Flounder somehow escaped during the chaos that day, and I hoped he'd find my Ariel, knowing if Ariel is up there, Eric is with her.

Urs has made all of the palace servants into his slaves, bound under a spell, and I never had been horrified like this before, not even upon Triton's death, but it terrifies me of the power Urs has taken, holding the Trident, my beloved husband's belonging.

I sighed softly as I heard Prince Thor reassuring one of my daughters, Andrina. I saw that they had the exact shade from Thor's tail to Andrina's fins, a sign that they are soulmates. I can see a instant connection between them, and I wished I wasn't blind to Ariel and Eric's connection for the 50th time. I was jailed up with Sebastian in a unbreakable cage, and my daughters were paired up into twos or threes, depending on the room in the cells down here.

Suddenly, I heard something in the distance, and I called out to everybody to stay quiet as conversation was quite loud. I then heard Eric's voice, "They's gonna be fine, love. Come on, we gotta break your family out.".

I held the bars tightly as I stared at the doorway, and I gasped in both relief and bewilderment when Eric and Ariel appeared, looking different yet the same as I last saw them. I breathed as I realized what they did. "You did the bond ritual.". Ariel bit her lip, nodding as Eric spoke, "We did all three at once sometime after we left. I can hear her thoughts after she lost her voice to Urs.".

I widened my eyes at that, "But he said that you were stuck as human! You came back, but how..?". Eric weakly smiled, "Let's say that we had some help.".

(Eric's P.O.V.) -2 days ago-

I yawned lightly as I woke up to the smell of bacon cooking, and I smiled brightly as I realized that Ariel must be awake, grabbing a fresh shirt, and heading out of my room, and heard Uncle Grimsby talking to Ariel. "Here you go, Ariel, fresh orange juice.".

I turned around the corner, smiling to see Ariel dressed in her lovely pink nightdress, and I warmly squeezed her shoulder as I took a seat next to her, "Morning, love. Are you excited for today?". Ariel beamed as she faced me, nodding, "Really excited, Eric! I cannot wait to see the castle. It's amazing that the King and Queen is giving a free tour for all the people.".

I chuckled, "Indeed, it isn't every day that the royals are able to give the town a pass into seeing the castle, right, Uncle?". Uncle Grimsby chuckled, "Yes, Eric, and it's still strange to see that you can understand Ariel so easily with this bond you spoke of.".

I sighed softly, "I am glad that the bond helped us both as Ariel lost her voice. After all, we are bonded soulmates, and we are in tune with each other.". Ariel pecked my cheek, causing me to look over at her, and she did a gesture, and I smiled, "Of course, we cannot forget that we are able to hear each other's heartbeats, and feel one another if we are in pain.".

Ariel nodded in agreement, and pecked my cheek softly, smiling brightly as I chuckled softly, remembering the first day of Ariel as human, how Max found us, and I telling Uncle everything, and I mean, everything, he was still a bit skeptic, but he was shockingly supportive after all was done.

"Eric, you better eat as well. The tour is to start by the hour.". proclaimed Uncle as he set a plate down before me, full of scrambled eggs and bacon, and fresh milk in the cup as well. I nodded, "Thanks, Uncle. You heard him, Ariel. We couldn't afford to be hungry in the middle of the day, could we?".

Ariel silently giggled as she shook her head, "Nope! I am really loving your world, Eric.". I nodded, and began to eat as Uncle checked the pantry, having eaten breakfast himself already. Soon, we left the cottage, heading into the village, with Max joining us. Ariel took to Max very well, and vice versa. I was really happy for that as I wanted all my family to get along, through I was thinking of how Max would be if he was introduced to Ariel's sisters.

Sometime into the tour, Ariel was distracted, having a shocked look on her face, and I asked her, "Ariel, what is it?". She looked straight at me, "Flounder's calling for us.". I gasped, and nodded, "Lead the way, love.". She grasped my hand, tugged me outside into this stairway balcony where the ocean was literally inches away!

Sure enough, I heard Flounder calling out in Mermish. Ariel knew that I was not a expert in Mermish, so she gratefully interpreted Flounder's shockingly bad news via her thoughts. I haltingly called back to tell him that we cannot go back as we can't change.

We tried, but we somehow can't. Flounder spoke about spells and stuff, then I remembered the shack! After telling Flounder of the idea, I and Ariel returned back to Uncle and Max, quickly explaining everything that's happened underwater, and Max opted to join us, wanting to help, and Uncle opted out, saying that a battle's not a place for a old man.

After finding Urs's shack, searching around for clues to make a antidote to break the spells or something, then Ariel discovered her father's crown admist evidence of his death. Unfortunately, the crown was caged up in something unbreakable, so Ariel was upset about it, wanting to return the crown back to her mother, to the kingdom.

It was late at night when I saw Triton's star, and I pleaded for a miracle, and suddenly, a flash of light, and there he appeared before I and Ariel who was waking up. He showed us the secret cupboard of potions and antidotes, and he had a heartfelt bittersweet hug with Ariel which tore at my heart, internally wishing that I had a reunion myself with my parents, but I knew that a star wouldn't make everything come true, not even King Triton himself.

He left, but not without whispering to me that he gives his blessing, and asks me to make sure that Ariel's safe. I realized his words, knowing that I can actually have Ariel as my wife, but I have to wait as we are to save her world first. After finding the antidotes to our situation, and a potion for Max, we returned to the sea in the morning, back to our old forms which I very much missed sorely, and both amused yet awed at Max's new look.