(Ariel's P.O.V.) -Epilogue- 10 years later-

"Was the wedding beautiful?". asked my six year old daughter, Melody, sitting upon a boulder next to her twin brother, Triton Jr. Melody has her father's hair, light blue eyes, and a pale tan complexion. Triton Jr has my fiery red hair, my ocean blue eyes, and again, a pale tan complexion.

I chuckled warmly, rubbing my very pregnant belly softly, "Oh, it was very beautiful that every single person actually made music at the moment when we were made husband and wife.".

Triton tilted his head curiously, spoke, "Uncle Sebastian said that he conducted the band himself. What does that mean?". I hummed, "That means he guided the band to be their best that day.". Triton Jr. nodded understandingly.

I perked slightly as I heard Eric's voice mentally, and Melody asked, "Mom, are you okay?", not noticing that her father is sneaking behind her and Triton Jr., making me smile. I nodded, "Yes, of course.". Then suddenly Eric grabbed the twins, making them shriek out of pretend fright, "Daddy!".

They collapsed into the seawater together in a mess, Melody with her coral red bra, and copper green tail/fins, Triton Jr with his olive green tail/sunburned kelp brown fins, and Eric with his bright red tail/seaweed green fins. I laughed lightly as Uncle Grimsby and Carlotta joined me upon the rocks, with Carlotta fretting softly over me while Uncle Grimsby managed to get his oak brown tail/very light blue fins up on the boulder.

Eric was shocked when Grimsby was courting Carlotta, but he was happy for him as he told me that Grimsby had been a bachelor for a long time, then now bonded to Carlotta happily for several years now.

"Are you alright, your majesty?". I reassured her, "Lottie, I am just content and happy. Today is such a wonderful day to be up on the surface. It's hard to believe that I am back in the cove without bad memories haunting Mother for once.". I glanced over to see Mother chatting softly as she braided one of the kids' hair.

To my shock, Andrina and Prince Thor was first to have kids, despite being married for a year while I and Eric were married for three years before having Melody and Triton Jr. I and my sisters wanted to have big families, and while some of us compromised on having small ones, the biggest families belonged to Andrina and Thor, along with Aquata and Max, whom had married after Andrina and Thor.

Mother was quite amazed, through not shocked like some of us, never expecting that Andrina would have triplets, then twins, then just one finally, nor that Aquata would have two sets of twins, and now expecting another one through she is only 6 months pregnant while I am 8 months and one week pregnant.

Andrina's triplets' names are Brooke, Caspian, and Delta. Brooke has Thor's dirty blonde hair, dark stormy blue eyes, and a pale complexion, and she has a plum purple tail with light purple fins. Caspian has dark red hair like Mother, hazel eyes like Andrina, and a pale complexion, and he has a raven black tail/fins. And finally, Delta, she has light blonde hair like Andrina, and dark brown eyes like her grandfather on Thor's side, and a tan complexion, having a coral red tail/fins. They are all 8 years old.

The twins' names are Elias, and Fox. Elias has medium brown hair like how his grandfather on Thor's side used to have, and light blue eyes, and a pale complexion, and he has a mint green tail with dark emerald green fins. And there's Fox, who actually resembles a fox in hair color and tail/fins. He has rusty orange hair, light brown eyes like Thor, and a pale complexion, and he has a rusty red tail with black fins. They are 6 years old.

Then there's Andrina's final child, a daughter named Gala. She has dark brown hair, light green eyes like Athena, and a pale complexion. She has a plum pink tail with light pink fins, being a year old.

Aquata's first set of twins are her two seven year old daughters, Harmony and Ivy. They both have light black hair like their father, and light brown eyes like their mother, and having pale skin like their father, but that's where the similarity ends, for their tails/fins sets them apart. Harmony has a ocean blue tail with sea foam green fins while Ivy has a ivy green tail with peach pink fins.

Then there's the second set of twins; Aquata's six year old sons, Jay and Nimbus, born at the same time as my daughter and son. Jay has brown hair like Aquata, dark blue eyes, and a pale complexion, while Nimbus has copper red hair, dark green eyes, and again, a pale complexion. Yet that's where the differences end, for their tails/fins are exactly the same. They both have rusty red tails/dull red fins.

The rest of my sisters are neither married or engaged, with a couple of them very early in their pregnancies. To everybody's shock, their husbands used to be Urs' prisoners, telling us that he jailed them in the pictures as the deals weren't completed to Urs' manipulation, and that Urs actually traveled beyond Denmark and Atlantica, for several of other prisoners were taken from other places, such as England, Olympia, Greece.

Suddenly, I gasped in pain, interrupted from my musings, and Eric swiftly mentally called over, "Ariel, my love, are you alright?". The pain intensified, and I suddenly saw my tail devolving slowly, and I knew at once. I spoke softly, "Carlotta, get Mother. It's time.". She nodded, responded quickly, "Yes, Queen Ariel.". I then mentally call Eric, nodding to him as I saw his eyes directed at me, "The baby's coming.".

I slowly moved into the water, with Eric joining me, assisting me to one of the underwater birthing caves. I knew my sisters would keep my twins busy through I couldn't blame them about being curious and concerned. Mother and Carlotta joined us, and the pain increased as I fought through labor, seeing that this one is a tad harder, and Eric didn't complain to my pleased surprise, for he can feel my pain.

I remembered how he screamed during the labor of the twins, through I was the one who was giving birth, not him, but it made our bond, our marriage stronger than ever before. This one, he actually encouraged me to keep on going, to push, and it lasted a hour until I heard the recognizable cry of a baby. I was not as exhausted anymore as I was focused upon my new son.

Mother cooed over him as Eric and I laid eyes upon him. He was gorgeously adorable! He has Eric's raven black hair, my complexion, and Daddy's tail/fins, exactly the shade of ocean blue and sky blue. Mother exclaimed over his tail and fins, "He has his grandfather's tail and fins! He's so cute. Triton would have been so proud of you, darling.".

I smiled, "Yes, Mom, and he got Eric's hair color as well. He's stubbornly refusing to open his eyes, the little rascal!". Eric laughed, "Come on, kiddo. You heard your mother. She wants to see you, son, we both do.". And somehow Eric's encouraging words got to our son, and he opened his eyes, blinking to reveal light green eyes, the exact shade of Mom's eyes.

"Look, Mom, he got your eyes.". I gasped, gesturing for Mom to look, and she looked delightedly happy. Carlotta was quiet, glancing at the little boy, and then asked, "What are you going to name him, your majesty?".

I glanced at Eric, "Actually, I am going to give the honor to my husband as I have named my twins myself.". Eric looked surprised, then proudly happy as he kissed me warmly, then looked at our son with a deep thoughtful expression, and I knew he was thinking privately.

He smiled at me, "What do you think about calling him Rigel?". I widened my eyes as he must have realized that we conceived this guy under the stars as I've done the math myself, and I smiled happily, "That is a unique name. I quite like it. How about you, my little star?". My son cooed and gurgled happily at that, and I chuckled, "It's official. Welcome to the world, little Rigel.".

Mom and Carlotta took a bit to warm up to the name, but they loved him anyway, and soon, we were able to return to the surface, welcoming Rigel to the rest of the family, and I swore that he loved the attention from his aunts, uncles, cousins. It was already sunset when I saw Daddy's star twinkling quite brightly, and I knew he adored his newest grandchild already if he's watching by now.

We returned home to Atlantica, and Eric was amused as I was by Rigel's awe and curiosity as he couldn't stop staring here and there on the way to the castle. Eric took his turn to hold Rigel as I went to tuck the twins in bed, and they said that they were proud to be big siblings, which made me happy to hear that, and I gave them extra kisses for that.

I was about to turn into the hallway that led to my and Eric's bedroom and the baby's nursery when I saw Mom going somewhere, and I was concerned instantly, following her to the family garden where I knew of their statues.

She cradled her hand against my daddy's stone cheek, whispering softly, and I grew terrified as I saw that she looked more weary and tired like she couldn't move anymore, and I swam out, calling out to her, "Mom, are you okay?".

She turned around, her light green eyes dimming with a hint of spark in them, sadly smiling at me before she spoke, "It's time for me to go home. My heart couldn't go on without missing your father.". I gasped, shaking my head, "Mother, no! The kids, they need you!".

Mother raised a eyebrow, "Is it them, or is it you who needs me?". I bowed my head lightly, and I felt Mother raise my chin up, making me to see her face to face, and she cradled my cheeks softly, "Darling, you've done so much already. You are becoming a great queen as I was, and you don't need me anymore. You have everybody else behind you, okay?".

I sobbed, "But I don't want to lose you, Mommy.". Mother cooed lightly as she softly hugged me, "Ariel, you don't have to be afraid for me. I am not going to be alone for I will have your father with me, and we will be with you and everybody else, including your sisters.".

I pulled back, "You promise?". Mother smiled warmly, "I promise. Will you let me go now?". I blinked, sighed heavily, and kissed Mother on the cheek, "We won't forget you, Mom. I love you.". She nodded weakly, "I know, darling. I love you, Ariel. Tell the others that I love them as well. We will be waiting.", kissing me on the cheek.

I nodded, letting her go from my arms, and she gave me a loving, bittersweet smile as she laid besides the statue, curling up like a baby, and I heard one last breath as she closed her eyes. Almost instantly, before my eyes, her cooling body has turned into sea foam, absorbing into her statue self, then the statues glowed brightly gold.

Gold sparkles flowed out, shaping two distinctly appearing spirit forms, and I recognized Mom and Daddy, somehow ageless and flawless, beaming at me with smiles, and then they swam up, dancing all the way, hearing a echoing song, their song as they sang, staring at each other with love in their eyes, body language, and emotions.

They disappeared swiftly, and I sighed softly, "The waves are changing.". I then swam back to the castle, knowing that grief will fill the palace once the day breaks, but tonight, it is a silent night of faithful strength, and Eric shall be the first to know for he felt my pain yet he will be at peace, knowing that the old Queen has returned home to her King.

Meanwhile, the stars sang as a new star has appeared besides King Triton's star, proving to the world that this is Queen Athena's star. She's home with her husband as it should be, forever and beyond, watching over their family for generations as planned.