"Prince Eric, we need to be going," Grimsby called up the stairs.

Eric turned away from the looking glass and grabbed his small trunk from the foot of his bed. It had been six years since the king's death, six years of lessons and training. Now, at almost eighteen years old, Grimsby had decided that it was time to find Eric a wife. Eric shook his head at the thought. In all of his seventeen years, he had never thought much of girls. Plenty of young ladies threw themselves at him when Grimsby invited them to the palace for balls, but he had never found anyone he was truly interested in.

And so, he and Grimsby planned a year long journey that would take them around the surrounding nations. Eric had a feeling he would know when he found her.

He slid down the banister and dashed down the halls, his trunk balanced on his hip. He felt like a little boy again as he climbed onto the ship. The crisp air and swaying ship made him shiver with excitement. Grimsby, on the other hand, looked uneasy. He seemed out of place among the strong sailors. Max darted around him and jumped into Eric's arms, greeting him with a mix of barking and furious licking.

"Easy, boy, easy," Eric laughed. "Down." He made his way to Grimsby. "Hey, Grim. I'd love to start helping the men. Where are my quarters?"

The older gentlemen blew his nose and said, "They are just off the main deck." He pointed before making his way over to the boat's railing, his face a sickly shade of green.

Eric's chambers were on the right side of the ship. It was a rounded room with a small bed and a desk. It was located at the back of the ship and was, as Grimsby said, just off the main deck.

Within the hour, the ship was at sea, and the kingdom was a mere speck on the horizon. Eric wanted to help sail the ship but Grimsby had other plans for the young prince.

"You must be well versed in the ways of Glauerhaven royalty before we arrive."

Eric groaned. "But, Grim! The whole reason i wanted to make this voyage on a ship was so I could help the-"

"Come now, Prince Eric," Grimsby said, walking toward the door directly next to Eric's room. Eric followed glumly. This room was a library of sorts, with desks and bookshelves filled with charts and maps and books of every size. It was a classic Grimsby playground. "Sit down over there," said the older man. "And we'll begin."

And so, Eric spent the entire journey studying Glauerhaven. He learned that they had a long history of peace in their country, that the king and queen were kind people, and that they only had one daughter: the Princess of Glauerhaven. The day they were meant to arrive, Eric searched the books for a picture of the princess. He had never met her before. Grimsby told him that the princess had never attended any of their balls, which Eric found strange. When he asked Grimsby about it, the grey haired gentleman shook his head.

"Her parents are very sheltering, Eric. Not even I have ever met her."

That caused Eric to hesitate.

"Get back to your studying, Prince Eric. We'll be there in a few hours."

When they got off the ship and reached the castle, Eric tried not to be nervous. This was a woman he could potentially spend the rest of his life with.

I hope I like her, Eric thought.

But she has to be perfect.

^v^v^v^v^v^

She wasn't perfect. At least, not to Eric. There was nothing physically wrong with her. In fact, she was rather pretty. She had a well shaped face and big brown eyes. Her hair was thick and the same color as her eyes and it hung around her shoulders in a curtain of ringlets. A purple dress hung on her thin figure loosely, and her feet were the tiniest she had ever seen. Eric didn't mind how she looked, but when she started talking, he knew he could never fall in love with her.

"OH! PRINCE ERIC! YOU'RE HEEERE!" She squealed. Eric was reminded of the honking of a goose. The girl rushed down the stairs to where Eric stood with Grim and her parents, the King and Queen of Glauerhaven. A stern look from her mother was all that prevented the sixteen year old princess from flinging her arms around him.

He took a step back, looking at Grimsby for direction. The older man cleared his throat and sniffed.

"Prince Eric, may I have the pleasure of introducing Princess Feliciana of the sovereign land of Glauerhaven?"

The princess curtsied awkwardly and the prince bowed in response.

"You took far too long to get here," Princess Feliciana honked. Eric flinched inwardly at the loud sound her voice produced. How could someone as cute as she was have a voice like a seagull?

She jabbered all the way to the dining hall about nonsense like the weather and how terrible his journey must have been over such a revolting sea, and right then Eric knew he needed to look elsewhere for a wife.

^v^v^v^v^v^

After two full days in Glauerhaven, Eric told Grimsby he had made his decision. While the princess was kind and beautiful, she hated the things Eric loved the most: the sea, dogs, and music. He explained that he could never be with someone who despised the things that made him who he was.

"Are you sure, Prince Eric?" Grimsby said. "We were meant to stay here until your birthday. It's only one more week and I'm sure-"

Eric groaned. "Grim, come on. Think of it as an early birthday present. I don't want to lead this girl on. She's not for me."

And they left that very night.