Stephanie's POV

We made it to the other side of the wall… just as Max and Ariel came outside. If it wasn't for Max's barking, we never would have known that they were there and would have been found out. We ducked under water and waited until the coast was clear. We ran to an open window. Melody threw her bag in after Cindy and I climbed in. We hid behind a closet and after making sure there were no servants coming, we ran to the other side of the room avoiding all the guests. Well, Cindy and I did, Melody wasn't so fortunate. She bumped into the one of them, but pushed it off. I caught some of what they were saying.

"If you ask me, she's a little strange." The girl said.

"I heard she actually talks to fish." One of the boys said and they all started laughed. Sebastian popped his head out of her sea shell bag and gave her a pity look.

"Come on." I whispered as I guided her upstairs. Cindy and I went to our rooms and quickly got ready. We returned to Melody's room in twenty minutes. She was trying to tie her corset. I smiled and slightly laughed. "Need some help?" I asked walking over to her. She nodded and allowed me to tie it for her. Cindy helped her into her dress after wrapping her hair in a towel hoping to dry it off. Melody looked out her window and saw Ariel.

"Mother? What are you doing?" She called down. I looked over and she had her feet in the water. She nervously and quickly answered.

"Um, nothing." We all sighed with relief. "I'll be right up." Melody scrambled to get her shoes as Sebastian pulled her ribbon off her mirror. As she tried to get her shoes on, Sebastian held the ribbon up for. "Melody?" We heard Ariel call. Melody grabbed her ribbon that Sebastian was holding. She started to tie it and that's when I realized that he had never let go. It was too late to stop her. Just as Melody put her tiara on her very wet hair, Ariel came in the room.

"I'm ready." Melody said as she bowed and her tiara slipped off. Ariel smiled as did we.

"Here, let me help." Ariel said as she took a brush in her hand. Eric came in and looked at his wife and daughter.

"So… we're having a bad hair day?"

"If we were you wouldn't be helping… would you?" Ariel said with a smirk.

"Well, I'm just here to let you know, there a lot of people downstairs." Cindy and I stepped in.

"It takes girls longer to get ready. Give them two minutes." We said as we pushed Eric out the door. Cindy stayed in the room while I pulled Eric by the hand down the hall.

"Give them time. Leave them alone." I said as I let go of his hand.

"You know, there are a lot people here, why don't you try to meet someone?" I thought about it, it was a good idea. I'll give it try. As I walked down the stairs I joined everyone else that was at the party. The music was playing and I strolled around the dance floor. I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to see a handsome blonde young man around Eric's age.

"Would you like to dance?" I smiled at him and took his out stretched hand.

"Of course." We began to dance I could see Eric smile. When I was facing him, I shot him a glare. "I know where you sleep." I whispered to Eric. The man pulled back to look at me. "Nothing, I was talking to Eric." He nodded and we began dancing again. The music stopped and we all stopped and clapped.

"May I present her royal highness, Princess Melody." Everyone clapped when she came down, everyone except me and Cindy bowed. I just then noticed that she standing next to me. I smiled at her. A boy went up to her and asked her to dance. She accepted and unfortunately, it didn't take long for it to go bad. As the boy pulled her closer, Sebastian who was still trapped in her bow; caught the boy's finger. He started to freak out and threw Sebastian up in the process making himself fall into the punch. Sebastian fell into the cake making it go everywhere. Louie recognized him, pulled out a knife and began to chase him around with it. Cindy and I put our face in our hands and shook her heads. Everyone began laughing at her and she ran back to her room. Cindy and I followed her.

Cindy's POV

When we got to Melody's room, we found it locked. I knocked on it and listened. I heard her crying. It broke my heart.

"Melody, sweetheart, can you open the door?" We heard her unlock it and open it. I immediately took her in my arms. I hugged her close as she cried. I didn't care if my dress got wet or even ruined. My niece needed me right now and she was the only thing on my mind. She let go of me and ran to her bed. She took something out of her bag and held it close to her. Ariel came in and went to the bed.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong with me?" Melody asked through tears.

"Oh, nothing's wrong with you."

"Mom, I'm the princess of disaster." She buried her face in her arms. Ariel breathed heavily.

"Being a teenager is hard and um, all kids your age feel… awkward…."

"Melody? What is this, my name's on here." She opened the locket and it played a song that I haven't heard in over 12 years. She stared at in awe. Ariel, Stephanie, and I stared in shock. "That song… where have I heard it? It's Atlantica, with Merpeople and everything, mother you always said it was just an old fish tale." Ariel took the locket and stared at it.

"Where did you get this?" She asked in nothing more than a whisper.

"I- I found it." She answered shyly.

"You went over the wall didn't you?" Ariel asked raising her voice a bit.

"Actually I went under it, I hate that stupid wall." She answered with her voice cracking with that last part.

"Melody you know you're not allowed in the sea." Ariel said. Stephanie and I looked at each other. It was only a matter of time until they found out that we were helping her.

"But why and why does that necklace have my name on it…" Ariel cut her off.

"Melody listen to me."

"You're hiding something from me." Ariel's hand shook and as lowered them from her heart.

"YOU DELIBERATELY DISOBEYED ME! I NEVER WANT YOU GOING AGAIN DO YOU HEAR ME, IT'S DANGEROUS IN THE SEA!"

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? YOU'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN IN IT!" Melody started to cry hard again, snatched the necklace from Ariel, and ran out of the room as Eric opened the door. I sighed deeply and sat on chair and Stephanie sat next to me.

"Melody…I." It was too late, Melody was out the door. "Oh, no." Ariel sat on the bed putting her chin her palms.

"Ariel darling, we knew this day would come." Eric said sitting on the bed next to her. Ariel sighed again.

"Oh, Eric, you're right. It's time I trusted her with the truth." She put a hand to his chest. We went out of the room and headed outside. We stood on the stairs looking around. "I don't see her, you guys?"

"Nope, nothing. Maybe she's over by the wall." Ariel shrugged.

"MELODY!" She called. We heard a scream.

"Melody's gone, Melody's gone, Melody's gone." We went down the stairs to meet Sebastian.

"Sebastian, what are you…"

"It's all my fault, I tried to stop her, I don't deserve to live." He cried into the end of Ariel's dress.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"Out, out to the seeeeea." He blew his nose into the Ariel's dress.

"Ew." I whispered to Stephanie who just waved it off.

"What do you mean, where could she going?" Ariel asked starting to panic. Eric was surprisingly calm. I knew inside he was being torn apart. Our only thought right now, we need to find Melody.