"Happy birthday." Ariel scooted closer to Eric in their bed and reached up, giving him a kiss on his cheek. "Nineteen, right?"
"Nineteen." Eric repeated. "I was thinking I would go out sailing. Would you like to come with me?"
"I think I'll pass. I don't want to die quite yet. Now that I think about it, you shouldn't go either. I don't want you dead before Melody is born."
"Nothing will happen, darling."
"I remember you told me what happened during your last birthday. What if it happens again?"
Eric sat up in the bed and yawned. "Why are you worrying? What happened during my last birthday was cause by bad weather. The weather is perfect today."
"Fine go, but I won't stop worrying about you until you're back in bed beside me here."
"So you don't want to come then?" Eric asked grinning.
Ariel watched from the balcony in her room as Eric's ship departed port. She was just hoping a ship wreck would not occur this year. Ariel always gets worried when Eric goes out sailing just because of that. But she has to trust and remind herself Eric will be fine. She just wishes he never told her about his accident on his eighteenth birthday. Once Ariel was unable to see the ship in the far distance, she walked into her unborn daughter's nursery, that they just finished decorating, and sat down in a rocking chair beside the window with her hands rubbing her seven month belly.
"Please don't be like your daddy."
"Grims, Isn't this great?" Eric asked, breathing in the air. "The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face... A perfect day to be at sea!"
"Oh yes... delightful." Grimsby said leaning over the ship.
"A fine wind and a following sea. King Pontus must be in a friendly-type of mood." A sailor said.
"King Pontus?" Eric questioned.
"Why, ruler of the merpeople, lad. Thought every good sailor knew about him." Another sailor said.
Grimsby rolled his eyes. "Merpeople! Eric, pay no attention to this nautical nonsense."
"Hmm... No, I'm actually quite interested in hearing about these merpeople." Eric said. "Have you seen one before?"
"With my very own eye, mate. She was beautiful; long brown hair with green eyes with a red tail. I tell you lad, I will never forget how she looked."
"Interesting..."
"Please Eric, do you actually believe this nonsense?" Grimsby asked. "Now silence, silence. I'm now going to present Eric with a very expensive, esteemed, gift. It was meant to be a wedding gift but it took a bit longer to be made than expected."
"Ah, Grims, you shouldn't have." Eric said.
"I know, happy birthday." Grimsby pulled the tarp off, revealing a statue of Eric.
"Gee, Grim. It's err.. It's err... Really something." Eric said.
"Yes, I commissioned it myself. I'm glad you like it."
"I'm sure Ariel would like it more."
It was already ten and Eric was still not back. Ariel was beginning to get worried because he doesn't normally stay out this late sailing. Ariel decided she would just go to sleep and not wait up any longer for her husband's arrival. She just hoped to see him when she wakes up in the morning.
Ariel woke up the following morning around nine. She looked over to her left and saw her husband wasn't in bed beside her. Her immediate thought was that he had gotten into a shipwreck, but what else is she supposed to think? Eric was in one his last birthday, so there is a chance he could have been in one.
Ariel got out of bed and headed down into the dinning hall once she was all dressed. She sat down in her usual seat and waited for Carlotta to come with her meal.
"Good morning, Ariel."
Ariel looked up and saw Eric sitting across from her. "Oh, I didn't see you in here. How was your night?"
"Enjoyable."
"When did you get in? I was up until ten waiting for you."
"You were worried about me,darling, weren't you?" Ariel shook her head. Eric laughed at her denial. "I didn't get back until midnight. Oh, I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?"
"Yes. Grims had it specially made for me but... Come on, I'll show you."
"What about breakfast? We're hungry." She said referring to herself and Melody.
"Don't worry, dearie, Louis will have it finished by the time you both get back." Carlotta said.
Eric had Ariel follow him to the front of the palace, outside, where he had his sailors leave the statue. He was covering Ariel's eyes with his hands, when they exited the palace, and stood her in front of the statue.
"Okay. Open your eyes." Eric moved his hands and Ariel started to laugh.
"What is this?"
"Me, look." Eric was mimicking the pose of the statue. "Doesn't it look like me?"
"Oh definitely." Ariel smiled. "You look very sexy. But I don't think you go that big of muscles."
Eric laughed. "I suppose I don't."
"I feel like this belongs in the center of town. Let the people know who their powerful king is and what he looks like."
Eric smiled and wrapped his arm around Ariel, pulling her closer to him. "I don't know where its home is going to be. Definitely not in town though." He and Ariel walked back inside the palace and into the dinning hall where their meals were waiting for them. "How was your day yesterday?"
"It was alright, I guess. My feet were very sore and you weren't around to give me a foot massage!"
Eric chuckled. "I'm sorry. Do I need to give you one after we eat?"
"Maybe later so stay close."