Eric paced impatiently on the island, wondering if it was possible that the magic of the islands could have worn off. Either that or he was just becoming more and more impatient…
While pacing, Eric thought of Ariel and Melody. It seemed like just yesterday him and Ariel had met. Her sweet face had caught his eye, a face that he had remembered. The disappointment that had overcome him when he discovered that the mystery girl on the rock couldn't talk was indescribable, a sensation he wouldn't wish upon his worst enemy.
Next the image of Ariel in mermaid form in front of him for the first time popped into Eric's head. He chuckled to himself, remembering that discovering Ariel was a mermaid wasn't what had bothered him. It was more the terror that ran through his veins when he saw the girl he loved being taken from him into the ocean depths by an octopus. An octopus he had almost married…
Melody entered his thoughts after that. The first time he held her in his arms, he never wanted to let go. She had reached up for his face and grabbed his nose, almost a way of saying hello. Now, eighteen years later, she was practically a woman. The older she got, the faster time slipped away. She was going meeting suitors now and learning how to be a proper princess of the land and sea.
Eric smiled as he thought of his only child. She truly had proven to him that the love a parent had for their child was something that nothing else could ever replace.
His feet aching from walking, Eric sat down and threw his shoes off. He began to think of what he would say to King Triton to make his request seem rational. His stomach churned at the thought of the king's response and reaction to Eric's request.
He had never been invited to Atlantica and, while he had never asked why, he had always wondered. Maybe the truth lay within King Triton's uneasiness around humans. His discomfort was easily noticeable as well as understandable. Eric knew that if he ever lost his wife from a foreign force, he would be upset as well.
However, it had been twenty years since human and merfolk began interacting and it seemed as though Triton was more comfortable with humans than ever. Also, of all humans, Eric would be the last one to ever even think of hurting merpeople. So, why hadn't he been invited?
Then again, why hadn't he ever asked? If he had asked, Ariel surely would have put up a fight so that he would be allowed to visit Atlantica. Sure, things in the kingdom had been busy the past ten or so years but…
Suddenly, it occurred to Eric. He had never asked because he had been too busy. Too neglectful even, in spite of his own family. He had been so concerned about his work that he had forgotten to acknowledge and respect Ariel (Now also Melody's) world.
The knot in Eric's stomach tightened and he felt overwhelmed with guilt. He became aware of the fact that he could have shown Ariel, through not asking, that he didn't care. That the world of Atlantica, the wonderful sounding world below, didn't matter to him.
He hoped that after today, any of those feelings that she had would become obsolete.
Melody kept a respectable distance from her grandfather. She didn't know how to get to the islands from underneath the water as it was and if she turned back now, she most certainly would get lost trying to find her way home.
Triton was swimming fast and Melody could barely keep up. When the sea king made a quick stop, his granddaughter lost her distance trying to stop. Before she knew it, Melody had slammed into Triton's back, causing the merman to hastily spin around.
"Melody!" he cried out. "What on earth are you doing?" Sighing, the king shook his head. "You are exactly like your mother, do you know that?"
Melody hung her head and nodded. "Yes sir, I do…" She brought her gaze back to her grandfather with a pleading look on her face. "Please, grandfather, I heard you and mom talking about someone tapping the water at the islands. If something's wrong with dad, I want to be one of the first to know. Plus, I can't go back home; I don't know the way back!"
Triton looked into the girl's persuasive eyes and shook his head, in disbelief that he was allowing her to come along.
"Fine, Melody," he said. "But I am only saying yes because if I sent you home alone… Only Neptune knows what would happen." Melody smiled brightly and hugged Triton close to her.
Once they had parted, Triton looked to the surface and heaved a sigh. "Sweetheart, we may not like what we hear or see up there. However, you have to promise that no matter what, you won't swim away and get lost on me." Melody nodded diligently and flicked her tail, causing her to come to the surface. Triton soon followed and squinted towards the islands, the sun in his eyes.
"C'mon, let's get closer!" Melody leapt beneath the waves and swam until she could see the largest island from beneath the water. When she resurfaced, she saw her father marching back and forth while wringing his hands. Triton rose next to her and was perplexed by what he saw.
"At least we know that your father is alright but, Melody, have you ever seen him so nervous before?" Melody shook her head and continued to stare at Eric. An urgent desire to call out to Eric came over her.
"Dad!" Screaming over the ocean winds wasn't necessarily an easy thing to do but if anyone could do it, Melody was the girl for it.
Upon hearing his daughter's holler, Eric turned to see Melody merely a couple of dives away. His heart sank when he saw her because he knew that if Triton did grant him his wish, it wouldn't be a surprise for Melody.
"Melody, what are you doing here?" Melody swam closer into the shallowest part of the water she could get to.
"Is something wrong?" The alarm on his daughter's face confused Eric and he suddenly realized that coming to the island without warning had been a mistake. He brushed a piece of wet hair back into Melody's ponytail and smiled at her.
"Nothing is wrong, Mel," he answered. "I just need to talk to your grandfather. Would you please go under the water and wait?"
Melody's eyes shone with comprehension, and she grinned widely, hoping that what she thought her father was talking to King Triton about was true. She nodded and swam away, vanishing below the waves.
When he saw Melody go back under, Triton swam to the same place where she had just been floating.
"Eric, I'm so glad to see that you are alright!" the king bellowed, beaming at his healthy son-in-law. "However, I'm completely at a loss as to why you are here. What do you need Eric?"
Eric sighed and kneeled. "You're going to have to really hear me out here. As in, understand that I'm not joking or kidding in anyway. I'm not mocking you either. Can you do that for me, your highness?"
Triton nodded, still puzzled as to what Eric could possibly want from him. "Of course, but what is it that you're so serious about?"
Eric took a deep breath and looked straight into his father-in-law's eyes. "I want you to change… I want you to change me into a merman."