A Mermaid's Tail
DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its fabulous characters. All recognizable players, dialogue, and/or magic spells belong to ABC and Disney.
Chapter 4
After dinner Ariel was invited to spend the night. It had not been something she was planning; if anything the suggestion was a surprise for all.
It had happened after the bowls of chowder and slabs of cheese had been set out and everyone at the table was eating. The dish of steaming stew had smelled so good Ariel had wanted to just dunk her hands in and start eating. Trying hard to reel her mermaid instincts in, she carefully watched Eric out of the corner of her eyes to see how humans eat. She tried not to be so obvious but he caught her watching and smiled straight at her.
"You'll like it, I promise," he said gesturing to the bowl in front of her, "I caught the mackerels myself."
Hesitatingly, Ariel carefully picked up the carved wooden utensil set next to the bowl and tried to mimic Eric's movements of scooping and placing the food in the mouth. It was delicious! Much nicer than any human flesh she had ever eaten. She quickened her pace and was soon slurping as much of the chowder into her mouth as the small wooden spoon could hold.
Eric's smiled widened "Told you you'd like it. Here, try some of this."
He cut a slab of hard cheese from the large wheel in the middle of the table and held out a generous portion to Ariel. She took it but could not stop herself from smelling the item to gauge the flavor. Smoky, almost like wood, bitter…what was the last smell…? Nuts? From a tree?
"It's smoked cheese from the dairy" Eric explained, biting into a slice of his own. "I traded it this morning. Really good."
Since he had just bitten into it, Ariel assumed it was alright for her to do the same. Her fangless incisors pierced the creamy flesh and she was surprised at the burst of flavor in her mouth. This was even better than the chowder! Her eyes almost crossed with ecstasy as she relished the sensation of the firm cheese flavor gliding across her tongue.
Next to her Eric chuckled "Good huh?" Her mouth was full of the cheese and she nodded vigorously with bright, happy eyes.
Those eyes made Eric feel like laughing with happiness himself. Ariel's face was always so full of expressions and wonder. It was as if she had never had tasted cheese before in her life; that was of course impossible but Eric liked to watch her. As she continued to chew and take in the scrumptious flavors Eric could not help but wonder at this extraordinary girl. He had known her for all of one afternoon but she seemed different than other girls. Not just the voice, but something else…she was so full of marvel, curiosity, and excitement. She could not talk but the atmosphere around her was full of her expressions and thoughts. It was clear that she was lost and alone in the world but somehow that did not worry her one bit. And the way she was so pretty...an amazing girl.
Ariel continued to relish the cheese and chowder, oblivious to the impression she was giving to Eric sitting next to her. His parents were also amused at her enthusiasm for the simple meal but they tried to steer the table towards small talk in order to distract. Subjects included the morning catch, the new taxes installed by the queen, the upcoming market time ...all very unfamiliar topics for Ariel. Eventually, a few inquiries were directed at her. Conversation with Ariel was limited for obvious reasons, but she did the best she could to truthfully answer some questions. About her destination she could only nod or shake her head; it left a lot of holes in her story but thankfully she had no way of answering them.
"So Ariel, do you know where you are headed?" the man John asked. Of the three humans, he seemed to be the most reserved. Ariel was sure that he did not believe her to be a simple girl traversing the roads between two kingdoms.
She shook her head to answer and casually scooped another mouthful of chowder into her mouth. Let the human male think what he wanted of her, it was of no concern to her.
"Would you like to stay here for the night?"
The question had come from Eric and it had been so sudden Ariel almost gagged on her food. Apparently, this body reacted to surprises similar to how mermaid's bodies did: with a sudden urge to inhale a lot of breath.
Eric was looking at her with eager anticipation and his parents were looking at him with astonishment. Ariel herself did not know how to respond; she could only stare back at Eric and blink her eyes in surprise.
John finally spoke, "Eric that is very considerate of you but you don't know if…"
"She needs a place to stay and rest. It will be dangerous out in the forest at night" Eric said quickly turning to his father across the table.
"Son...that is not the point. Perhaps she already had plans for the night?"
All three turned to look at Ariel. She answered the unintended question by lowering her eyes and giving a small shake of the head.
"See. Please will you stay? I am sure it will be safer for you" Eric asked earnestly.
"He does have a point Ariel. The woods are filled with all manner of creatures and bandits at night" Jenny spoke from across the table. "Perhaps it would be better if you stayed the night."
Ariel opened her mouth to explain that she had already spent the night in the woods and had seen these creatures and bandits first hand. She certainly had not been afraid then and would not be now. Of course, no sound came out. She shut it quickly trying not to appear too surprised at her lack of a voice.
"If you are interested…I have a dress that does not fit anymore that you are certainly welcome to as well" Jenny continued, placing a hand in John's and giving a light squeeze.
Ariel lifted her eyebrows at the offer. Her tattered sail cloth had been getting very itchy and uncomfortable as the day progressed. It also seemed to draw a lot of attention from human eyes, especially in the village. Could she dare hope for something more comfortable and appropriate?
"I think you should stay too" finished Jenny with an affirmative nod of her head.
Ariel chewed the last of her chowder slowly and considered her options. The offer was sounding more and more ideal: a place to sleep, some clothes, and shelter from the elements. Her new human body was more vulnerable to heat and cold that it had been when she was a mermaid so she would have to plan her excursions in this world with more care. Still, she did not want to appear too eager; that would imply weakness.
Glancing back at Eric next to her, she saw that he seemed very hopeful of her staying. But his eyes did not hold pity like his mother's had…it seemed friendlier, like he would really enjoy her company if she stayed for a little longer. The thought was confusing but nice in a way. She herself wanted to spend more time with this human boy. She didn't know why but she just did. He was fun, cheery, and very kind to her.
This idea made up her mind more than anything, she would like to stay. A thought came to her, But I have to do one more thing…
Ariel shifted her eyes to John sitting across the table and asked the question by pointing to herself, raising her brow, and gesturing to the house they were in. Even without her voice, she was trying to ask permission herself if she could spend the night.
John was as surprised as anyone else. His wife and son (although with good intentions) had already made it clear that this stranger was welcome. He was more cautious about inviting in this girl out of concern for the safety of his house and his family. It was not a cruel heart, but rather a guarded mind that had prevented him from readily accepting the idea. But looking at her sincere blue eyes and her disheveled state, his mind suddenly changed. The respect she was showing by asking her own permission also won over his stoic sense.
"Yes…you are welcome to stay here" he said with a firm nod of the head.
Eric's face lit up like a beacon. His father's answer gave him greater joy than he had thought possible. Ariel also beamed widely at the acceptance. She almost grabbed Eric's hand to express her joy, but then thought better of it.
"Well, that's settled then!" Jenny said brightly, rising from the table "Now who wants dessert?"
Ariel did not know what a "dessert" was until Jenny returned from the kitchen carrying a plate of small, square items of an odd brown color and consistency. Eric explained they were called "maple syrup cakes" and bit into one whole-heartedly. Ariel did too and almost gaged at the ultra-sweet flavor. Such curious things these humans ate and drank!
After dinner had been cleared and dishes stowed away Jenny showed Ariel the dress she had mentioned. It was a simple, peasant-style gown that had once been a dark shade of blue but much washing and wear had changed it to a lighter indigo. Jenny held it up to Ariel's body to gauge the fit.
"Yes, I think it will be very nice on you dear" she said with a nod and a smile.
Ariel fingered the soft cotton with relish thinking it would be far more comfortable than her sail cloth. She was very eager to try on her first real piece of human clothing. Undoing the larger knot of rope on her side, she started to slide out of her sail wrap.
"Ariel no!" Jenny suddenly raised her voice and snatched the falling cloth to bring it back up to Ariel's bare shoulders.
The former mermaid was startled and confused by the sudden change in her hostess. What had she done wrong? Jenny had offered the dress to her hadn't she?
Jenny leaned toward Ariel a bit as she spoke quietly, so that others wouldn't hear. "You do not undress in front of the men". With a nod of her head Jenny gestured towards Eric and John, who were behind Ariel seated in the chairs in front of the hearth.
Ariel felt her face flame as she lowered her head in embarrassment. Again, she was called out on a human custom that she had no idea existed. Learning to be human was harder than she had thought.
Jenny led Ariel into a small room jutting out from behind the kitchen. There was a large bed shoved against one corner with blankets and pillows, a wooden dresser but little else. In this room Jenny helped Ariel out of her tattered, blood-stained wrap and into the dress. Running her hands over the bottom portion Ariel could not help but think that her human body looked very different now. Her legs were no longer visible, her arms were half-way covered with more cloth, and her bare feet poked out from under the folds of the skirt. So much cloth felt oddly constricting and enveloping.
Jenny gently pulled Ariel's long hair out from underneath the back end of the dress and fastened the ties to bind it up. The outfit really did suit the girl; the clear, light blue of the dress matched her piercing, crystal-clear eyes that gazed out at everything. There was only one other thing that needed work…
Ariel was too busy admiring the dress to notice that Jenny briefly left her side to pick up an item from a small, wooden dresser. Feeling a contact on the top of her head gave her a fright and she whipped around with her arms raised; Jenny was standing behind her holding some sort of small wooden rake.
"I'm sorry dear I didn't mean to startle you," she said gently. "I was just trying to sort out your hair, it really is quite lovely."
Ariel understood the function of the small rake then. Her sisters had often times played with each other's hair and twisted it to lovely long braids with combs made of coral. It was a grooming activity shared by all, even Ariel, which solidified the family bonds. Ariel herself had many times fashioned strings of seashells and kelp into her hair, but it had always fallen off and she found the effort to be wasteful anyway. She nodded to Jenny and turned her head around.
Jenny slowly ran the comb through Ariel's very snarled hair. Her red hair was full, lush, and long, complementing the contours of her young face very nicely. But most of it was salt encrusted and very filthy, curtaining down to the teenager's lower back. Her hands were scraped and her knees bruised like none Jenny had ever seen.
If this were my child Jenny thought, she certainly would not go about in such a state.
Still, all young women liked little compliments. "You have such lovely hair Ariel. The color is very beautiful" Jenny gently stroked the back of her head.
Ariel scrunched her face. Beautiful? She was the only one in her pod with hair this color and no one had ever told her it was beautiful. Her sister Aqua had once said that it was the same color as human blood staining a bed of coral. She had not found the analogy particularly flattering.
Ariel felt Jenny finish with the comb. She then set down the instrument and held out a light blue ribbon.
"This will help keep it up and it matches the dress so nicely. And your eyes," Jenny said to Ariel fondly.
Again, Ariel was confused. Her eyes were nice? No one had ever told her that before. Granted, mermaids use their beauty as bait for their human prey. She understood that mermaids were unearthly attractive to sailors and their exquisiteness was renowned by all, but this woman was complimenting her when she was clearly no longer a mermaid. Almost as if she really meant it.
Ariel felt Jenny's fingers gently tie back some of her hair into the ribbon. It was a rather pleasant sensation to have some of her hair out of her eyes.
"There you are" Jenny said with satisfaction.
Ariel fingered the ribbon and her hair as she turned around to face Jenny again. In the woman's eyes she saw something that was an unfamiliar to her as walking. Affection. She saw it gently unfolding in her stare. Ariel did not know what to think of it so she dropped her hand and fidgeted with the folds of the dress. The passion in Jenny's gaze eased, loosening its hold on her.
"Would you like to show Eric?"
Ariel glanced up and nodded brightly. She wanted to see what Eric would think now that she was in a nice dress.
Both women stepped out into the living space, Ariel slightly in front of Jenny. John and Eric were both still seated at the hearth talking about something called a "skiff". Eric's back was to Ariel so John saw her first. His eyes widened.
"Oh my. Eric…" he lightly tapped his son's forearm and gestured with his hand for him to turn around. Eric twisted and glanced over his shoulder. His kind grey eyes took in the transformation of Ariel and he suddenly felt overwhelmed.
Both men rose politely as Ariel stepped forward grinning shyly. This dress seemed to greatly surprise the two of them but it was a nice kind of surprise; she rather liked it. She came up to Eric because she cared more about his opinion than anyone else's.
"Eric, isn't she a vision?" Jenny said behind Ariel. She saw the look in her son's eyes very clearly and it made her grin.
"Uh…you look…you're…" Eric stammered on his own voice. It was very amusing and Ariel ducked her head to hide an entertained smirk.
"You look wonderful," Eric finally got it out.
Ariel looked up and took in his eyes. Odd that she should care so much about what he thought, she had never needed anyone's approval before. But looking at Eric now, Ariel felt as if she was the most beautiful mermaid in all the human world. Without her tail of course.
…
Meanwhile, in the castle of the Dark One…
Rumplestiltskin gently stirred the remaining potion in the miniature cauldron suspended over a portable blue flame. The procedure was very delicate and needed to be done with the upmost care, least he cause a fatal accident. The dark blue substance gave another hiss as the consistency changed with his final stroke of the glass stirrer.
The imp sniffed at the escaping gas and judged the potion to still be unready. The thought gave him a wave of irritation, he was impatient for this concoction to be finished so he could get his revenge on the one being he blamed for so many bad things in his life.
The sea shell with Ariel's magical voice inside of it was perched on a high shelf in a place of honor amongst Rumplestiltskin's various magical paraphernalia. For now, it was the most important element for his revenge mission. After all, what magical being could resist the lure of a siren's song?
…
"Come on Eric and Ariel!…We don't want to be late," called out Jenny.
The two teenagers came bounding around the corner of the house, Eric carrying a basket of fish strapped to his back and Ariel a sack of oysters.
"There you two are! Market time is almost about to begin and we have not even started," Jenny scolded brightly, placing her hands on her hips.
Ariel folded her arms and leveled a look at Eric.
"Oh I see…all his fault huh?" Jenny asked with a teasing smile.
"No fair! We were both busy with the nets and just lost track of time!" Eric explained with a playful lilt and amusing eyes.
"Well the time is 'Start heading to Market to meet your father'! So march you two!" his mother said laughing.
Ariel and Eric also joined in with similar laughter except Ariel's made no sound. Not since…
Ariel had been living with the family for nearly a month now. She had never asked specifically if she could stay longer than her first night, but it had ended up happening without it. It never occurred to her to go anywhere else; she was away from her sisters and her queen and that was enough for now.
That first night had been the oddest. Jenny had laid out a small pallet stuffed with clean straw next the hearth and Eric brought a few folded blankets as well.
"It's not much but it's better than sleeping outside," Jenny had said with an apologetic shrug. She laid out the blankets on top of the mattress carefully.
Eric seemed troubled. "I still think you should just take my bed Ariel. I could sleep out here."
Ariel shook her head firmly, pointed to herself, and then the pallet on the floor.
I'm sleeping here so get over it! she thought with amusement and a raised eyebrow. She was wearing a borrowed nightshirt that belonged to Eric; it was miles too big for her but it was the only extra one amongst the family.
"Yeah but it gets cold and you're a guest" Eric protested still, running his fingers through his spikey, black hair. Ariel recognized that motion as one he did when he was anxious, she wondered why she had already started picking up on his habits.
Ariel gave Eric a look that suggested she thought he had not been paying too much attention. There was no way she was going to put out someone from their bed. To emphasize her point she plopped cross-legged down on the mattress in front of the two humans, grinning mischievously up at them.
Jenny smiled and knelt down next to Ariel to brush a strand of her hair back. She leaned away not wanting the contact but Jenny's hand followed. Ariel recalled the way her queen had done that same gesture just the night before but the same action from the human woman seemed different somehow. It was gentle and kind. Nice even.
"I'm sure you'll be just fine here Ariel," she said softly, "Now get some sleep. I think you really need it." She rose and walked out towards the bedroom.
Ariel nodded and curled up in a tight ball, not even bothering to wrap herself up in the blankets. Eric was about to point this out to her when he saw that she was already falling asleep. It must have been an exhausting day for her. He sighed and smiled before heading off to climb the ladder to the loft where he slept.
That had been the first of many nights in front of the fireplace for Ariel.
Now, as the three of them walked along the busting lanes towards the weekly market it felt as if she had been living with Eric, John, and Jenny forever. They had taken her in, treated her as one of their own, and had always made her feel more than welcomed. Jenny, the mother, in particular seemed to enjoy her company. She was always asking if Ariel wanted to learn how to do things around the house, go to the village, or come with her to the forest. Since the whole world of humans had virtually been opened up to Ariel she was more than eager to do it all and learn it all. Jenny seemed to be aware of Ariel's oddity for not knowing how to do even the simplest things so she was very good at explaining things. John was slower to start warming up to her. It seemed that he remained suspicious of her but did not say anything to that effect. Ariel was aware of his hesitation towards her though, it made her nervous but she chose to do nothing about it yet.
Most of all Ariel loved spending time with Eric.
He was always smiling and his eyes were always lit up with life. As a fisherman's son he had his share of work to do around the house but none of it seemed to put him down and Ariel loved helping him. He taught her how to mend nets, splice a line, bait a trawl line, and even repair minor boat damages on his skiff. She was an eager student and whenever she had questions for him she simply pointed and asked with her eyes.
The whole family had gotten used to Ariel's muteness very quickly. She had a way of conveying her thoughts through her blue eyes, her vibrant hand gestures, or simply her lively expressions. She had even begun to develop specific signs for various objects that had some importance to them. She loved exploring this wacky, new surface world.
As they both stepped casually along the path Ariel slipped her hand into Eric's effortlessly. He responded by giving a light squeeze and a warm smile. It was strange to Ariel how the both of them could come together so easily even though she did not care for contact in her previous life. No words were ever exchanged during these small moments of connection but Ariel felt as if they were complete even without them. To their right, Jenny saw the look exchanged between her son and the girl and she smiled warmly.
The hustle and bustle of market day at Venn broke the magic of the moment. The stone-paved streets were awash with people walking from stall to stall, selling, trading, bargaining, and various other market activities. Animals joined in the chorus with brays, squawks, neighs, or oinks. Ariel consciously avoided going near any horses tethered to posts. She was still wary of the animals even after a month from the incident with the queen of the land.
"Over here!"
A familiar voice had called out over the clamor of market. John was waving from the stalls set up for meat and fish. The three of them headed carefully through the courtyard full of people.
"There you are. I was starting to get anxious" John said as he gave his wife a small kiss.
She smirked and touched the stubble on his cheeks, "You worry too much John, and you know that right?"
The man gave a half-smile of agreement and helped unload Eric's basket. Market time was an occasion for the fishermen of Venn to sell and trade for various items. After helping set up the stall and seeing to it that the area was ready for sale, Eric tugged lightly on Ariel's hands.
"Want to walk around with me Ariel?" he asked.
She nodded eagerly and the both of them turned away quickly.
"Just a moment you too!" John's voice made the two of them turn. "There is much work to do today…"
"John dear, we are more than capable of handling these ourselves. Let the young one's have a day huh?" Jenny spoke gently and touched her husband's arm.
"Please Father?" Eric asked. Ariel threw in a pouty face that she found was particularly good at getting a response.
John let out a sigh that suggested exasperation. "Alright. But be back in time to help clear up."
"Promise!" Eric called over his shoulder as he and Ariel bounded away.
There was so much to see, smell, and hear! Ariel was excited as she pulled Eric's hand along the various rows of stalls and carts. Mounds of vegetables, fruits, and various other eatables were piled high on numerous stands. A gaggle of cackling geese passed by in a small cart and Ariel giggled silently at the funny noise they were making.
What a strange way to laugh, she thought. The little mermaid had never had a chance to giggle before.
Eric seemed to be having a good time too. He strode along, occasionally pausing to wave and call out to some friends of his. They all noticed his company and nudged each other knowingly at the sight of Eric with a pretty girl.
Ariel paused at a flower stand and inhaled the scent of a rose deeply. Scents were still a new experience for her; things did not have smells in the ocean like they did on land. Ariel fingered the soft red petals, a look of wonder on her face.
Do they taste as good as they smell? she longed to ask Eric but could not.
"Pretty huh? I like the marigolds myself" Eric also leaned forward to sniff a group of yellow flowers.
Ariel nodded and inhaled again. As she straightened herself up she heard the sound of a small tune drifting over the hubbub of the market. They had music here! She tugged eagerly at Eric's hand, pulling him away from the flowers towards the central portion of the market.
"Hang on! Hang on!" Eric breathed as he tried to catch up. Ariel's unbound energy never ceased to amaze him.
Rounding around a cart that specialized in roots and tubers Ariel pulled Eric to a covered wagon that had a large group of mostly children gathered in front of it. The kids were gawking at the various items set up for sale in front of the wagon, mostly brightly-colored stuffed animals and playing gadgets. Their eager faces were alight with curiosity at the marvels of toys, puppets, and various other items crowding the table.
They have items just for children? How clever! Ariel thought.
She let go of Eric and approached the table of goods, just as eager as the kids to take a look. Gently nudging her way up to the front, she paused to admire a fancy clockwork mouse resting near a stuffed teddy bear. That is when she saw her.
A woman was standing behind the covered table, in her hands she waved a metal, rounded object where the small tune emanated from. To all other observers the woman looked feeble, old, with snaggled teeth and layers of beaded clothes. The face was wrinkled and peered out at the world through narrowed, black eyes. It was a face no one was supposed to know. But the face that Ariel saw was all too familiar.
The queen of the land. The one whose carriage had almost ran Ariel over that first time she had walked on the road traversing to the village. The one with the eyes of a shark. Ariel saw clearly through the disguise of the queen's magic.
Ariel's blue eyes widened in shock. What is she doing here?
The queen was talking to a man and a small girl in front of her wagon. The little girl had been holding a stuffed toy rabbit dressed handsomely in a vest and waistcoat when the queen reached over and plucked it from her small arms. Ariel heard the false accented voice but the face remained the same. It was the queen alright.
"I will not take no for an answer," the man was saying with a harsh edge in his voice.
"Papa, please…" the little girl was saying. She gazed up at her father with large, sympathizing eyes.
Ariel barely heard them. Her full attention was fixed on the woman as she took the toy rabbit and hobbled around the corner of the wagon. Ariel rounded the table to follow cautiously, ready to see what the queen was up to. The disguised woman paused at a polished glass hanging along the side of the wagon. Ariel gasped silently when she saw the face of a man in the glass speaking to the queen as if it was a being.
"Well that was awfully cruel. You could have at least let the girl have the toy" the voice echoed.
The queen had paused to exchange some words with the man in the mirror and flash a devious smile that was chilling to behold.
"Where's the fun in that? Hmmm?" the cold, calculating voice of the queen answered.
Does anyone else see this? Ariel frantically looked around her but to all other passersbys the teenager girl was gawking at an old gypsy woman looking at a mirror. No one else saw what she had just seen.
"Something I can help you with?" the accented voice was back.
Ariel jerked her eyes back to stare directly at the queen of the land. She felt her heart hiccup and her throat close up in panic. There could be no other reason for this disguise than magic and Ariel was certain it was for ill ends. Having her defenses at an all-time low with no mermaid abilities made her a bit panicky. She certainly did not want the wrath of a powerful, magical queen upon her!
She shook her head rapidly and ducked away desperately scanning the crowd for Eric.
Regina frowned heavily and clucked her tongue at the hasty departure of the young woman. She recalled seeing that face nearly a month ago on the road traversing the two kingdoms, it was hard to miss fiery red hair like that.
"You seem troubled now," the voice of the trapped genie came quietly to her ears.
"That one saw me. I wonder…" she replied without turning her head to acknowledge the presence in the mirror.
She made a mental note to investigate why that red-headed trouble maker saw through her magic disguise when no one else did. There was something fishy about that girl and she would find out what.
Ariel pushed her way fast through the throngs of people in a panic, desperate to get away from the wagon. She finally found Eric standing nearby. He had not wandered off; he simply got overtaken by a large group of children trying to push their way to the toy cart.
"There you are! Did you see anything you like?" he asked Ariel.
Ariel desperately shook her head and mouthed, "The queen!"
"What was that?" Eric narrowed his eyes trying to read her lips.
Ariel waved her hands frantically towards the cart and tried again, "That woman is the queen!"
Eric shook his head to show that he still did not understand.
Ariel panted from the effort of running, but more from her rage. She agitatedly circled her hands over her head trying to mime a crown with her fingers.
"Ariel calm down…you're really starting to make me nervous" Eric grinned a little.
Ariel let out an infuriated grunt and grabbed her head in frustration.
Why can't you understand me? She wanted to yell her pounding thoughts out loud.
She desperately wanted to thrash out in her anger. As a mermaid whenever she had been frustrated or upset she had allowed herself a release of rage onto the waves. Enduring the cruel teasing of her sisters and the taunts of her queen had left Ariel with a very short tolerance level. But she was no longer a mermaid who could pound the water in her frustration. Now she only had Eric, the human boy. She did not want to lash out at him though.
"Ariel are you ok?" Eric asked innocently, his grey eyes filling with worry at her appearance.
What could she do? Ariel shook her head and spun away fast, least he see the fear and desperation in her eyes. He was always very good at reading her.
Eric called after her "Ariel where are you going?"
She did not stop to turn around but continued running away. The concern in his voice nearly broke her heart despite her confusion and fear. She could not even explain to him why she was upset! Seeing the queen of the land had been too much, an unknown enemy with great power. She wanted to lash out, to strike back, just as a mermaid should but how could she do that as a human? How could she fight? Her heart was pounding so hard and her breathing was very unsteady because of her fear. This was too much…she wanted to be alone for now. She needed to think.
Eric did not try and stop her from leaving, but he did throw up his hands in frustration and did his signature run through his hair. That girl was so infuriating sometimes! He really really liked her but sometimes Eric felt as if he could not even begin to understand her, and not just the voice thing.
What did I do? he wondered.
"Hey Eric!"
Eric's hand stopped mid crown when he heard the voice. He stifled a groan and turned to see a teenage girl skipping towards him.
"Hi Vanessa", he said weakly.
Vanessa was the daughter of a rich merchant from the court of King Christopher. Although she was very attractive with sharp, dark eyes and a lovely narrow face she was profoundly snobbish and vain. Eric had been in her presence many times when her father and his discussed business and merchandise. He had not found her company to his liking.
"It's sooo good to see you! Why have you been away for so long? Did you miss me?" Vanessa streamed out her questions in a very shrilly, fast voice.
Eric felt a little intimidated and overwhelmed all of a sudden. He did not know what to say, almost like his voice caught in his throat, and he had to make an effort to smile politely.
He settled on the truth. "I've been busy with the lines and teaching Ariel a few things."
Vanessa scrunched up her beautiful features into a disgusted expression. "Is that weird deaf girl still living with your family? I thought she would have left by now."
Eric felt his anger rise, but he kept it in check by hardening his voice a little. "She's not deaf Vanessa. She just can't talk. And she is welcome to stay with us as long as she needs to."
Vanessa rolled her dark eyes with a really-don't-care expression on her face that Eric found aggravating.
Eric let out a heavy breath. He turned away from Vanessa, looking towards where Ariel had disappeared, before turning his attention back to the girl.
"I should go. I need to find Ariel."
Vanessa's eyes glided down the length of Eric's body before returning to his face. "Uh huh…sure…you're coming to the Harvest Festival?"
Eric avoided Vanessa's eyes deliberately. He had thought about the Festival constantly for the past few days, but with a very different girl in mind.
"Umm…I was thinking…" He didn't have it in him to give a full out refusal, too polite.
"Great! I'll be sure and give you the honor of a nice, long dance with me" She spoke as if that would be doing him a great service. "Don't be late silly!" Vanessa turned away in a flurry of long, expensive silk skirts.
Eric could not contain his groan this time. How did these situations happen to him? It had only been last month that he had trouble even talking to a girl but now he had two vying for his attentions.
How'd I get so lucky? He rounded in the direction that Ariel had fled, forcing his feet to a steady pace.