Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original The Little Mermaid or The Little Mermaid II characters. I do, however own characters of my own creation such as Christella.
Last Time: Nobody noticed the cloaked figure drifting through the water. Nobody saw it approach Andrina's baby son, who was gurgling happily. Nobody noticed until it was too late.
Chapter 3: The Funeral
When the figure grabbed the child from behind, the baby began to scream. Andrina reacted instantly, but she was to slow.
The cloaked thing swam up to the ceiling and released an ink bomb. When the cloud cleared, nothing remained. Andrina sank to the floor looking dazed.
"They said it would happen, they warned me! They did, and now he's gone so I have nothing!" Andrina cried to nobody, but perhaps the ocean itself.
Andrina's husband scooped up his wife, who had curled up into a ball, with a look of unrestrained grief clear on his handsome features.
"We must leave this place," he said in a sorrowful voice, "We cannot stay after what has happened."
Ariel nodded looking concerned, while Christella and Melody exchanged glances. Eric frowned and moved to put an arm around his wife.
"Who warned you this was going to happen," asked Ariel, her features now unreadable, "I see that you must leave, but who warned you of this?"
"We got a… a letter," sobbed Andrina, "It said… It said…" "'Leave now or your young ones shall be stolen from your arms and you shall be locked in a mind of sorrow,'" said Andrina's husband in a whisper. "I wanted to leave right away, but Andrina wanted to stay for the funeral and I yielded."
Ariel, Arista and Adella were spending ever increasing amounts of time together, organizing the funeral, managing the Kingdom and all leaning on each other for support.
Christella was happy to notice that her mothers mood was subtly lifting. She, Melody and Derek had become very close too, and Derek was having a great time showing them about various areas in the city.
Derek, much to Christella's annoyance, had begun calling her Christy and Christy-Ella. Melody found it very amusing until Derek started calling her Mel-Mel.
The day of the funeral definitely came too quickly for Christella's liking. The two coffins came in the middle of the procession through the city including a funeral band and important guests in sea-horse and dolphin drawn open carriages.
The streets were crammed full and everyone was cloaking in black. Leading the processional was Ariel with Arista and Adella. All three were weeping openly. The next carriage contained Christella, Melody, Eric, Derek, Sebastian and Flounder.
The public service was held in the city square. The square was absolutely packed with merpeople and sea life and there was not one who did not sorrow.
Normally, Christella would have been interested in the proceedings, but today she could do no more than cry
The ceremony went for an hour or more, with speeches, prayers to Poseidon and other traditions. After the ceremony, a smaller group moved towards the private funeral.
The smaller group traveled for about half an hour before reaching The Volcano of Poseidon. It was a big underwater volcano, used to 'cremate' especially important merpeople.
The volcano only rarely erupted naturally, but the Holder of the Trident could make it erupt. There were no official speeches or prayers now, except those going silently through everyone's heads.
One by one, the merpeople filed past the coffins, looking at their past leader and his oldest daughter for the last time.
Ariel was last in line. She heaved a great sigh and, using the Trident, made Aquatta's coffin disappear. Everyone watch in awe as Aquatta's lifeless body drifted over to the mouth of the volcano.
Aquatta hung as if suspended by some long string. She almost looked alive. A great rumbling began to shake the water. And a jet of super-heated water, steam and magma blasted the mermaid's body.
As soon as it had begun, it was finished. Aquatta was gone.
The same thing occurred for Triton. When the rumbling began, an anguished wail came from the crowd.
And, again, it finished and Triton was gone.
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