EPILOGUE

Sebastian swam up on the beach a while later, bringing King Triton and his six daughters behind him. He had left under the impression Ariel was marrying the Prince, and had gone to tell her family the good news. Triton and his daughters had come to wish her congratulations, and to say good-bye. They swam up into the shallows, calling and waving to us. Ariel ran forward, splashing clumsily, and threw herself into her father's arms. Then she hugged each of her sisters in a row, kissing each of them. Her family was delighted to see her safe, and not in the clutches of the Sea Witch. But they were a little confused. They had expected to come and find Ariel married to the Prince, probably wearing a wedding dress and surrounded by well-wishers. But instead they had found just her and I, wearing wet dirty clothes, and Ariel's hair cut off the same as her sisters.

"My daughter," Triton said, holding her face, "I was afraid I would never see you again. I was afraid Ursula would claim you and keep you forever. Now I find you here safe and untouched by her, and I am more grateful than words can say. But I assumed I would have your human prince to thank for this. Sebastian told me you were marrying him. Where is he?"

Ariel shook her head, and started to mouth words. I couldn't understand what she was saying, but Triton watched her carefully and apparently could make out everything she said. I wished I could do that. I was sure I could learn how if I tried hard enough. She looked sad and ashamed as she spoke, and I guessed she was telling them how sorry she was she had run away, and how sorry she was for hurting them, and how she loved and missed them. They kissed her and forgave her. Then she said some more, though I still couldn't make it out, but I think she was explaining what had happened.

At last Ariel finished with a smile, and Triton laughed heartily. "So I have none other than the little merboy Urchin to thank for saving my daughter!" I went red all over. She had been talking about me. Triton swam up next to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "You've grown into a fine young man," he said. "Ariel has told me everything you've done for her, and now there is no one else in the world I would trust with my daughter more than you."

"King Triton," I asked, "Is there any way you can bring Ariel home? Is there anything you can do?"

"The two of you made contracts with the Sea Witch," he said sternly. "It was foolish and reckless of you both. Luckily I think both of you have learned your lesson. However, contracts are binding, and Ursula's magic is strong. There is a good chance I can change Ariel back, but only because she is my daughter, and my magic is stronger with her. I can't return her voice, but I can bring her home. For you, Urchin, I'm very sorry, but I don't have the power to change you back. Perhaps someday if we catch Ursula - but at the moment she has disappeared again, and her magic is too strong for me to touch."

I felt downhearted then, because Ariel could go home and I couldn't. I didn't mind so much not being able to go home, because I didn't have much of a home to return to. But once again I was faced with never being able to see Ariel again.

Ariel silently mouthed something to her father, and he looked at her seriously and said, "Are you sure, Ariel? Is this your decision?"

She nodded, and to my surprise walked over to me and took my arm, smiling at her father and sisters.

"My daughter has told me," Triton said to me, "That she would go home if both of you could. But she will not return without you. If you must stay on land, then so will she."

I looked at Ariel with wide eyes. "But Ariel," I protested. "What about your father, and your sisters? You should go home, really! You don't have to worry about me."

Ariel stayed on my arm and looked resolute. "If she had chosen anything else," Triton said, "I would not be so proud of her."

I looked at Ariel smiling at me, and saw how much we both had changed. We weren't the same people we were when we first met. We weren't even the same people we were three days ago, when we washed up on the shore of a strange new world. We had made mistakes and learned from them, and realized what was really important to us. We realized it had been in front of us the entire time, but we had to go through all of those trials and all of those mistakes just to see it there.

Three days ago, she had been a girl running away from home, and I had been just a boy chasing after her. Now we were grown up, and smarter and less selfish, and we were in love.

"Then I have just one thing left to ask of you," I said to Triton, pulling gently away from Ariel and stepping up to him. "I must ask you for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Triton and all his daughters beamed. They didn't laugh, or scowl, or even frown, as I had once feared. The girls took me in their arms and hugged and kissed me, and Triton took me in his arms and smiled and told me he accepted. Then Ariel kissed each one of them again, as they all said their good-byes. They were all crying, but more for happiness than sadness. They were sure they would see each other again. Ariel picked up Sebastian and Flounder and kissed them too. At last she pulled from her father's arms and waded onto the shoreline where I stood waiting. I took her hand, and we waved good-bye as the others swam off into the distance. They waved and shouted and blew kisses at us, and finally disappeared beneath the waves.

We stood together on the shore of that strange new world, the world Ariel had always dreamed about. It was our world now. We figured we would return to the palace and give our fond regards to the Prince and his new bride. Then I would take her and introduce her to the human friends I had made, the man and woman who had found me on the shore and taken me in. But we wouldn't stay for long. The world was too big, and full of too much, and we wanted to see it all. It would be just like the old days of us exploring and having adventures, except they would be better than ever. Now we could walk and run and sing and dance, just like Ariel had always dreamed of, and now I had a home, just like I had dreamed of. This was Ariel's story, but I had interfered and changed things around. I had rewritten the ending. But it was a good ending, and we couldn't imagine it any other way.

I looked at her, and she smiled.

"We're going to live happily ever after," I said.

THE END