'Why?' Nastasya's question was drawn out and laced with suspicion, her brow raised inquisitively.
Eric had been in high spirits upon returning home this morning, more so than she had seen him for a long time. He had, to her surprise, been to town last night, acquiring a pair of boots while he was there without any trouble at all. Then, despite his previous misgivings, he had disclosed his plans to return there immediately. It was a drastic change of mood, and Nastasya ought to have been pleased. She was, to an extent, but it was a feeling edged by wariness.
'To see if I can find anything else, a coat perhaps,' said Eric, shrugging in response to her question.
'That's not what I meant. Why the sudden change of heart? Before now even the thought of going into town made you anxious, what's changed?'
Eric was, in truth, a little hurt by this line of questioning. He hadn't thought it would be a problem. If anything he thought that she'd be encouraging, willing him to explore beyond the caves, to seek out items that would make his life easier, more comfortable. Her suspiciousness of him only cemented his theory that she had something to hide.
'I just... I've realised that it's not that bad, that there's no reason to be afraid,' he told her. 'Do you not trust me?'
They were sat at the table, had just finished their breakfast when Eric had asked whether she possessed any more coins. He had thought of searching without her knowledge, else attempting to find his own amongst the shipwrecks. He had decided that this would be easier and, apparently, had been wrong.
'Of course I trust you, my love,' sighed Nastasya, 'but I'm not comfortable with the idea of you going there too often. What if somebody starts asking questions? What will you tell them? Eric if people start recognising you they'll wonder why they only ever see you a twilight.'
Eric thought on this. She had a point. What would he tell them?
'I'll be careful,' he promised.
Nastasya held his gaze, deciding perhaps whether she believed him. Then, she rose, pulled a wooden box from beneath the bed, and placed the refilled purse on the countertop for his collection that evening.
'Make sure that you are,' she implored, 'and after tonight you're to leave it a while before your next trip. Do you understand?'
Following this exchange, Eric took a moment out of his day to sulk. It was childish perhaps, and he was glad that Ariel wasn't there to witness his moodiness, but he felt it would do him better to confront these feelings than push them down.
He took himself below the deck of a decaying vessel, found an upturned cabin, and sat himself upon the naked bed-frame there. His mother's lack of trust towards him had stung, especially so given his certainty that it was she who harboured secrets against him. It was hypocrisy, her suspicion of him. And hadn't she been the one encouraging him to go into town in the first place? She'd told him countless times her wishes that he might live a life less divided, less restricted, and yet when he sought to make the most of his situation she only reprimanded him! It felt unfair.
It was, by now, a certainty in his mind that she and Nikolaj had known one another. The exact nature of their relationship he couldn't know, and perhaps it was unreasonable of him to expect to be told, but if it pertained to him in any way then he felt he had that right.
He looked up, caught sight of his fractured reflection in the broken mirror atop the dressing table. He looked human, his tail hidden beyond the boundaries of the glass. If so then he was drowning. He pressed his fingers into the cobalt scales to reassure himself, filled his lungs, tried to feel somewhat connected to who he was down here. These feelings of uncertainty came often, washed over him like a wave. He wanted, more than anything, to know himself entirely, to have some sense of belonging instead of this limbo he found himself stuck in. Surely there was someone out there who could help? Surely it wasn't too much to ask?
He pushed this sudden identity crisis aside, perturbed by it, and considered instead what Freja had said last night. Her ramblings about Nikolaj's drunkenness had, in a very short space of time, more than doubled what Eric had known about him previously—though, granted, that had been hardly anything. He was a prison guard at the palace, and the palace had... a mermaid. It was a frightening thought; but was it true? Eric couldn't image it being so, what would be the point of it? To imprison another creature, and one so like yourself, simply for show was an obscene thought.
Eric reminded himself that there was an equal chance of this information being pure fabrication, and he hoped it was so. Nobody could have the heart to do that. If it were true, wouldn't more people know about it, instead of such knowledge being imparted exclusively on one rambling drunkard?
He heaved a shaky breath, weighed down by all these possibilities, tired of carrying them alone. If Ariel were here he might have been tempted to share the weight, and in realising this was once again glad that she was not. What right did he have to burden her with his troubles? None, he decided, and he wouldn't. He would pluck up the courage to speak with his mother and sort through this himself.
But first to focus on tonight. He wanted Ariel to know how appreciated she was, to thank her for never failing to make him smile, and he had the beginning of an idea as to how he might achieve that.
Ariel arrived that night to find her company pacing, a pastime which, judging by the copious imperfections in the damp sand, he had been engaged in for a while. So distracted was he, that Ariel was able to lift herself onto the sand without his realising.
'Oh the novelty of having feet,' she quipped, unable to suppress her smile as Eric startled, having been caught entirely unawares. 'There's no need to show off, Eric.'
Her friend smiled, shook his head fondly at her lighthearted banter.
'I wouldn't dream of it,' he promised, lowering himself to sit beside her. He had been nervous, nothing more, anxious for her arrival.
The result of his trip to town sat between them, a box secured with a blue silk ribbon, but it was what lay draped over the rocks further back that drew her attention first, perhaps because Eric had made no attempt to conceal the object.
Ariel had seen the likes of it before, it's shape an obvious indication of it's use.
'A dress?'
Eric sensed her her puzzlement, and it was understandable. They had come across dresses before; not, then, in keeping with yesterday's promise. He had, in fact, found this one at the shipwrecks that very day. It had been a coincidence and, given its relevance to that which he had intended to buy later, he had carried it to caves at noon, hoping that the afternoon sun would restore it somewhat. It was less sodden than it had been, but the fabric remained heavy with seawater—this was, Eric decided, of no consequence. He confessed this to Ariel, admitted that he had found rather than bought it, and gently directed her attention to the box.
Ariel had not failed to notice the present initially and was surprised at the effort. Yesterday's gifts hadn't been concealed in such a way, nor did she expect as much, they were tokens, glimpses of humanity. This, it seemed, was something more.
'Eric you didn't have to,' she told him, 'I don't expect you to get me something every night.'
'That's just as well, because I don't know when I'm going to be able to go back. But this... I wanted to give you something, something that would last,' he assured her, smiling shyly.
Ariel's heart melted at her friends adorability, at the apprehension in his voice. She pulled the box closer, intrigued by it—it was heavier than she had expected. The ribbon came loose with ease, the silk gliding across itself and slipping to the sand. As she lifted the lid the four sides fell away, revealing the contents within, and Ariel's breath was momentarily stolen from her.
There, frozen in motion, stood a pair of tiny humans caught in one another's arms. Ariel reached out hesitantly, gracing the outstretched silver limbs with the lightest of touches. It was not identical to that which her father had destroyed, but equally as beautiful, and captivated her all the same. She ran her fingers around the platforms gilded circumference, pausing at the arrival of a slim protrusion. She twisted it once, gingerly.
A soft, tinkling music set the figures in their dance, the plate on which they were secured turning slowly. Ariel watched as through caught in a dream, her eyes glistening. It was completely magical. Only when the music slowed and finally came to an end did she flick her eyes upwards to Eric, the movement sent a single tear to her cheek, but her eyes shone with nothing but adoration.
'Eric...' she began. There existed no words though, to express what she felt in that moment, to accurately portray the fullness of her heart.
Eric only smiled, lowered his eyes briefly to the sand. 'Will you dance with me?' he asked hopefully.
Any question as to how they would achieve such a thing evaded Ariel's mind entirely; she only nodded, cheeks aching with the persistence of her happiness, eyes shining with tears of joy. She had never worn a dress before, thinking when coming across them previously that it would be impossible without legs. Such, it seemed, was not the case, and when placed Eric the damp fabric her arms she felt a rush of excitement coarse through her.
Garment delivered, Eric averted his eyes. It seemed inappropriate to watch her dress, though he would later realise the irony of it, given that she had never been less exposed than she was at that moment making herself. Still, it seemed a respectful thing to do. Only when she politely cleared her throat did he return his gaze to her. The sight that greeted him took his breath away and his heart skipped a beat. For a split second, with her tail hidden beneath the skirts, she looked as much a human as he was.
The gown was a simple one, a shade of green somewhere between her tail and her fluke, with layered skirts and sleeves ending in a flounce of gossamer white at the elbow. There existed a small tear here and there, a loose thread or two, and the sea salt had solidified in places, but in the dim light it's blemishes could almost be forgotten. What couldn't be forgotten though—what Eric would never forget—was Ariel's radiance, how pretty she looked in the dancing firelight, how elegant with her skirts pooled around her.
Eric approached, moved the statuette to her hands and held out his own.
'May I?' he asked.
Ariel answered with a nod and promptly found herself suspended in a pair of strong arms. She blushed at their closeness and, as Eric stepped towards the rocks, wondered what exactly he had in mind. Her queries, however, remained silent; she trusted him.
Concentration etched into Eric's brow as he set out across the rocks. If he slipped as he had yesterday and Ariel got hurt he would never forgive himself. So, he took his time, treading carefully with his precious cargo, her skirts brushing against his leg with every step. He had considered remaining within the cave and dancing like this, Ariel caught in his arms, his legs working for the both of them. But Ariel derived such joy from experiencing things for herself, and he would allow her that pleasure if possible. He had decided that, in this instance, it could be.
The rock pools were behind them now, open water ahead of them. Eric, waist deep, lowered Ariel to the water. He took charge of the dancers and placed them upon the relatively flat surface of rock, itself protruding a foot or so above the surface. He turned to Ariel. She was swaying, twisting gracefully from side to side, her eyes on the swirling fabric as she did so. When soft music filled the air she paused, looked up.
The silvers figures caught the moonlight at they spun.
Eric, beside her now, caught her hand in his, a silent invitation. She accepted with a beaming smile, closed her fingers around his, set her free hand on his shoulder as his, somewhat haltingly, found her waist amidst the wafting clouds of fabric. Then, in time with the melody and the soft waves, half submerged in an ocean that seemed to sway with them, she allowed Eric to guide her in dance.
They remained entirely focused on one another, Ariel's tail flowing with ease even beneath the dress, Eric's legs heavy, working hard to move with fluidity through the frigid water. He hardly noticed, entranced as he was in twirling his little mermaid. He lifted her once or twice, to her delight, spinning her above the water, the starlight catching the droplets of water than clung like glittering diamonds to her dress.
At length the music slowed, stopped, the night silenced once more.
'Ariel... I...' Eric's voice was breathless and Ariel hushed him with a finger to his lips.
His hands trembled against her, barely perceptible, but noticeable as nervousness. She held his gaze, looked upon that handsome face and those kind eyes, and realised with a radiating certainty that, for the way he treated her and the things he showed her, she loved him with all her heart.
The space between them closed slowly, their lips connecting with a soft warmth that lifted their hearts. It was not a long lasting kiss, nor was it forceful, but it left both with a feeling of wholeness, as though they had found in that moment something neither had known to be missing.