Nastasya had soon found out about Eric's venture to the edge of the kelp forest; not only because he seemed incapable of lying, but because as sunset approached that day and he was yet to return home she had gone out in search of him. She had heard him before she'd seen him, and followed the sound of his cries until she had found him lying beside a half empty bag of kelp, barely able to move and aching from fatigue, whereupon she had carried him to the surface and then to shore.

She had scolded him for disobeying her; but, understanding Eric's desire to explore, and to find somebody who might be able to help him, her anger hadn't lasted for long. Questions of the golden city soon followed, and Nastasya tried to remain as truthful as possible. She knew, of course, that they could never go there, regardless of how much and how often Eric pleaded with her to do so.

As the years passed, the questions subsided, and although Eric grew in strength, the pain of his transformation still left him sucking air through his teeth. It was around the age of fourteen that Nastasya began leaving him at night, and it had been his request rather than hers. She had been reluctant to do so, but given that in eleven years not one human had set foot inside the cave, aside from Eric that was, she had eventually agreed to it.

To light a fire was a necessary risk, especially during the coldest months, and there were times when Nastasya feared Eric may not make it through the winter. If someone were to see the orange glow, an exploration would no doubt follow, but without the warmth that it provided, Eric would surely freeze to death. Over the years they had collected sails from the shipwrecks and from where they had been washed onto the shore, but with the ever changing tide and storms that often battered the coast they were nearly always damp if not soaked at the times they were most needed.

There were mornings when Eric would fail to return home, and Nastasya would have to retrieve him from the caves hours after dawn, where she would find him blue-lipped and shivering within the mass of sails that he had desperately wrapped around himself.

Those were the mornings she feared most.

As time dragged on, each day became monotonous, and Eric hardly found it necessary to think. He would wake with the sun, soaking wet or freezing, often both, and watch with a grimace as his legs fused to form one shimmering appendage, whereupon he would slip beneath the wave and swim home. His mother would greet him with a hug, fretting over every bruise and scratch, both of which became a regular addition to his complexion, as was the result of having nothing but rocks to sleep upon. They would have breakfast together, before going their separate ways, one to the shipwrecks to collect anything that may prove a useful addition to their home and the other into the forest to collect kelp. Personally, Eric preferred the former, for it always promised adventure, and the chance to see something different; unfortunately for him, today he found himself partaking in the latter.

Still, he supposed it wasn't all bad, at least it was peaceful, and there were plenty of creatures that passed through, some of which his mother had brought home for dinner on occasion. These had been crustaceans mostly, some molluscs, because according to his mother their dissimilarity to merpeople alleviated the guilt somewhat. Eric had to admit it made a welcome change to kelp, but could never bring himself to actually kill for food; and so, kelp it was.

As he cut, his thoughts returned to the golden city, as it so often did. Atlantica. His mother had told him its name, and of the King who ruled there.

'I was banished by him for something I did long ago, before you were born. It's me who's in the wrong not you, but I implore you, my love, do not go there, for both our sakes. Look if you must but please… promise me Eric.'

Those were the words spoken to him for the first time five years ago. The seriousness in his mother's voice had made it the last time that Eric had asked why they lived so far away, and why they couldn't go there, if only to visit.

'I promise.' He had replied, and it was a promise that he had kept.

Even now, at eighteen, he hadn't once set out to visit the city. Many a time he had swam to the edge of the kelp forest and gazed upon its magnificence, but never further than that.

Perhaps he would do so today, if time allowed, and he could…

His train of thought came to an abrupt halt as a distant sound caught his attention. It had sounding like a voice… voices maybe? He stopped what he was doing and listened hard.

'This way!'

Closer this time, the words distinguishable… a male's voice.

Had there been more time Eric would have perhaps considered returning home, as it were, he barely had time to think before a flurry of red filled his vision, and simultaneous pressures on his head and chest sent him reeling backwards. After floundering for a moment, the young merman gathered his senses and, putting a hand to his throbbing head, was bewildered to find a girl before him doing the very same.

The voices sounded again and although Eric barely noticed them, the girl's head whipped in their direction, before her eyes alighted upon Eric's.

'Please, don't tell them I'm here!' she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. In a flash she darted behind a nearby boulder, her fiery hair drifting like smoke for a moment before she pulled it down.

Eric could do nothing but stare, his mouth agape before realised what she had said and turning away just a two armoured mermen emerged through the kelp. Even though his wavering awareness Eric felt a pang of fear as the blades they carried halted only inches from his face.

'You there, we're looking for the Princess, have you seen her?' asked one.

Now Eric was completely and utterly confused. The Princess? He glanced subtly towards the rock, barely visible on the edge of his peripheral vision, for a split second before his eyes darted back to the pair before him, not wanting to give away her hiding place. Luckily neither seemed to notice, although they did appear mildly annoyed when he didn't answer their question straight away.

'Answer us boy! We know she came this way!'

Deciding that she must have a good reason for wanting to escape, Eric cleared his throat had prepared himself to do something he had never done before.

'I haven't seen anyone.'

Both men narrowed their eyes, and one, the second to speak, drifted forward, until the very tip of his sword rested at the base of Eric's neck.

'Lying will cost you your life,' the other said coldly, pausing for a moment before continuing. 'What are you doing out here anyway?'

Relieved to be able to speak truthfully, Eric replied. 'I live here, with my mother, we've a house not far from here.' He pointed in the general direction of his home without moving, fearful that one wrong move could be his last, these two didn't seem like the sort to take nonsense. They shared a look, both seeming somewhat surprised at first before one gave a single nod, and the other moved slowly from where he had been placed in front of Eric.

The eighteen year old let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding as the cold metal left his skin, and turned so that he could face them both again.

They glared at him, and swiftly turned away to presumably continue their search.

'Stay out of trouble boy.'

Moments later they were out of sight, and Eric was left wondering what in Neptune's name had just happened.

Another moment passed, and a pair of bright blue eyes appeared over the top of the rock. The mermaid stayed hidden for a short while, staring in the direction that the guards had left in, before emerging slowly, and with a smile on her face. With one final check to ensure they were alone, she turned to Eric, who she had been watching intently from her hiding place.

'Thank you so much,' she gasped, 'they've been on my tail for ages!'

'You… y-you're a… a Princess,' stammered Eric, awestruck by the girl in front of him.

The young mermaid looked to the seabed, seemingly embarrassed, but it was all Eric needed for confirmation. Unsure of how he ought to act around… well anyone… he bent at the waist, wanting to show the proper respect, only to be stopped by the Princess.

'Oh no, please don't!' she begged, waving her hands in unison.

Eric straightened up with an uncertain look in his eyes, but was immediately calmed by the kind look displayed by the Princess, who obviously wasn't the type for formality.

She smiled, much preferring to be treated as anyone else would. 'I'm Ariel.'

'Eric.'

Silence followed, though not the sort that made one feel at all uncomfortable.

Eric couldn't bring himself to look up, afraid that once his eyes met hers he might never be able to tear himself away. Ariel, on the other hand, seemed to be almost studying him, fascinated and contemplating the few words he had spoken since their sudden coming together.

'I'm sorry for swimming into you, you're not hurt are you?' she asked with some alarm.

'No… no, not at all, don't worry about it,' replied Eric, and then, with a little more confidence, 'why were you swimming from them anyway?'

Ariel sighed. 'My father doesn't like me leaving the city, leaving the palace actually. I just… it gets so boring, and there's nobody to talk to, and my sisters are always arguing, and everyone in Atlantica treats us like we're all some sort of deity, and'—she paused to catch her breath—'it's just nice to get out every once in a while, not to feel trapped all the time.'

'I know what you mean,' muttered Eric, wishing that he had as much courage as Ariel seemed to have, the courage to break his routine.

'Really?' exclaimed Ariel, 'but… didn't you say you lived out here?'

Eric nodded.

'How can you feel trapped out here? It must be amazing! Gosh I… I'd give anything to be able to live out here, to wake up and see all of this every day. I can see it from my bedroom window, the forest that is, and it's just… mesmerising, I find myself looking out at it for hours.' She averted her gaze. 'You probably think that's silly.'

'No!' Eric was quick to respond, 'I mean, it is beautiful but… isn't the city as well?'

'I guess, but—'

'Eric!'

The two teenagers startled at the sound, turning towards the direction the voice had come from. Eric, of course, recognised it immediately, the voice being the only one he had ever heard until today, although it took him a minute to figure out its urgency. Sunset.

'I'm coming!' he called back.

Ariel smiled, though slightly disappointed that she would soon have to part ways with her new friend.

'I should get going too,' she said as Eric turned back to face her, 'I'll have to face my father sooner or later.'

Eric's sympathy was evident in the facial expression that followed, and he desperately wished there was more he could do to help. Alas, give it ten minutes and he'd be absolutely useless. How had it gotten so late?

'It was nice meeting you,' he said.

'You too, and thank you again.' With a farewell smile, Ariel turned and sought to begin her journey home.

'Will you come back?'

The Princess laughed musically calling back over her shoulder. 'Wild seahorses couldn't stop me!' And, with that, she disappeared into the dense forest of kelp, and Eric was left staring at the tall plants with a smile on his face.

'Eric!'

Snapping out of his trance, Eric grabbed his abandoned bag of kelp and his dagger before casting one final look in the direction the Princess had swam, and swimming quickly and skilfully home, only to find his mother beside herself with worry.

'Eric what in Neptune's name have you been doing, have you any idea what time it is?'

'I know, I know, I'm sorry,' rushed Eric, placing the kelp in the kitchen only to be steered out by his mother.

'No, I'll do that, you go!'

There was time, Eric knew, but there had been too many close calls, and it was much easier on both he and his mother if he was able to get to the caves in his merman form. So, after kissing his mother's cheek, he swam upwards as fast as he could, the memories of his time with Ariel still very much at the forefront of his mind.