Chapter 6: Under the Sun
Hey everyone, sorry for being away for so long. I had a bit of trouble trying to figure out to do this chapter, as well as plan for the next one, but hopefully it won't happen again. Anyways, here's another wonderful scene in the movie to write about. I adore it so much and Ariel's childish innocence is absolutely charming and wonderful to watch. And let some shipping begin!
Enjoy the chapter!
The second dawn broke, Eric took to Grimsby's suggestion immediately. As the first rays of sunlight graced his kingdom and bathed the world in a golden light, he and Ariel had mounted a horse-drawn carriage, waved goodbye to Grimsby and Carlotta, and were off to see the village. As the equine kept a steady pace towards the rustic town a short pace away that was already starting to bustle with activity, Eric took notice of Ariel's expressions throughout the ride. A slight chuckle escaped his throat as her head kept looking back and forth and all around at all the sights he normally saw on a regular basis.
However, he couldn't find himself to chide her on her childish innocence and curiosity. The way her eyes gleamed at the landscapes and movements of people and animals both far and near, the way her facial expressions glowed with each passing second, he would feel terrible to take that away from her, even for just an instance. However, he was shocked for a moment when he discovered that she had draped herself on the back of the carriage and was leaning down to watch the underneath of the device while the horse kept trotting on. Okay, shocked was an understatement. He nearly stopped the carriage to pull her up again until he realized she wasn't going to fall down anytime soon.
As soon as they reached the village though, Eric saw Ariel's eyes grow wide and her entire face sparkle with joy and curiosity that he felt his heart swell in pride over. The kingdom itself was a marvel to behold as much as the castle. All kinds of plants, from palm trees to deciduous to all kinds of shrubs and bushes dotted the landscape. Stone bridges arching high over ravines with water heading out to the ocean connected many of the areas to one another. White buildings with red, stone-tile roofs stood on either side and even stairs leading down towards the water where boats and ferry rides floated were as far as the eye could see.
As soon as the horse reached the town square, Eric stopped him, placed him in a spot where he would not be in any harm and placed a bucket full of grain and bran over the horse's muzzle to keep him satisfied till they returned. He then walked over to the side of the carriage where Ariel sat and help her dainty form down onto the cobblestone-laid earth.
Townsfolk walked all around them, though many surprisingly didn't acknowledge that their future king was right among them. From sellers of all kinds of products, livestock, and objects to street performers to washerwomen to people running errands, Eric was sure Ariel might get dizzy from all the activities bustling around them, so he kept close to her just in case. As she dragged him along everywhere and pointed out to everything she could see, he patiently explained what they were and their function. It made him happy that she was happy and that he got to show her his world. He even let her feel around some things, like the designs etched into the stone and the different wares people had to sell, though he did have to pull her away and apologize for her when she got a little too curious around the human figures made of cloth and felt bopping one another on the head with a wooden bat.
Eventually they came across two different stands, one selling flowers and another selling freshly baked loaves of bread and pastries. Reaching into his pocket and placing a few silver coins into her palm, he asked her to go over to choose a bouquet to buy, instructing her how exchange works and to give the man the exact number of coins for the flowers she wished to get. He trusted her to go do it by herself while he went to buy some of the baked goods, knowing full well that he had taught her how to count and recognize currency when she saw it. Plus she would only be a few feet away in perfect seeing distance, so in the unlikely case that anything bad happened to her, it would take just a short amount of time for him to come over and help her.
Coming over to the baker seeling his wares he quickly bought a hearty loaf of seasoned bread, a thick slab of gingerbread for them to split, two sugar cookies and small loaf of rye bread, Grimsby's favorite. Before he could go towards Ariel, who was still looking through the different kinds of flowers while the florist smiled kindly at her while she watched, something sparkling caught his eyes. He turned his head towards another stand, just across the way, that was filled with most refined and expensive things, His eyes fell upon one of the smaller items of the others. Without thinking, his legs began walking over and he found himself asking how much it was worth. After less then a minute, the object was stowed safely away in his pocket, right where his full pouch of money used to be. As he finally started going over to Ariel though, something reached his ears and forced him to come to a stop.
"Prince Eric," came a call from a few feet away. Eric instantly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick straight on end. He didn't even have to turn around to know who it was as hurried footsteps came over towards him.
Women seeking his hand in marriage for royalty and riches instead of true emotional intimacy and relationship.
Still, at the cost of his comfortableness and for the sake of his princely etiquette, he slowly turned around and faced the two women staring eagerly and, something else that made his stomach roil, at him. He recognized both of them. Lady Arabella and Dame Isabel of Glauerhaven. Arabelle was a slender, young woman with medium brown hair, a trait of the citizens of the neighboring kingdom to his, tied up in a braided bun, pale skin and sparkling green eyes that gleamed as they fell on him. Isabel had a similar figure, slightly lighter hair then her companion that was also in a bun, almost white skin and hazel eyes.
Aside from the princess of the neighboring town that he had met just recently, these two made up part of the three ladies from there he had acquainted himself with. Their first meeting had resulted in him, after politely meeting their acquaintances and speaking with them, having both of them hugging onto his arms for dear life until their fathers had called them over to speak with some handsome, wealthy bachelors, to which they immediately abandoned flirting with him towards the unfortunate men.
Now he wished that they would be called off by their sires to somewhere else and leave he and Ariel be. He quickly looked over his shoulder towards Ariel, who was still looking through each bouquet, inhaling each of their fragrant scents by the gallon full and admiring each of their bright, silken petals, one by one. Quickly turning back to the girls, he respectfully bowed at them.
"Lady Arabella. Dame Isabel," he said politely. The girls then blushed at the shock of their lacking manners and quickly tripped over themselves to reciprocate the action, doing it quite awkwardly and ungracefully he noted.
"Your highness," Isabel began, "Me and my friend here noticed you were here by yourself, and so we were wondering-"
"If you would like to accompany us on touring the rest of your kingdom," Arabelle finished, putting emphasis on the word 'your'. There he could see it. Swirling in the centers of their eyes and sparkling against the smooth, glassy surfaces. Greed. Want. Desire. Lust. Nothing so deep for wanting a true relationship and only being their for the perks and privileges of being married to a royal. Nothing that told him that these two wanted him just for who he was, just for what he was and how he was. He felt anger and irritation surge through him, but instead calmly let out a short breath and stood firmly before them.
"Thank you both for the offer, but unfortunately I have plans today with another lady," he replied. He almost smirked at the short gasps and annoyed expressions on their faces as their plan to lure him close was foiled. However, upon realizing he was still looking at them, they quickly forced smiles onto their faces and bit down on their tongues.
"Really now? That's too bad though. I'm sure we would had had much fun spending time together," Arabelle mentioned, looking up and down his chest and torso. He chewed the inside of his cheek, but did not respond. Her friend nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. Now then, where is this so-called 'lady' you've chosen to spend time with today. I believe I would've seen her beside you when we had come up to you," Isabel added. His patience was wearing thin with these two, but instead he pushed his feelings aside pointed towards Ariel, who had picked up a bouquet of lilies and was burying her face into it's perfumed flowers.
"Her," the two said in unision, disgust evident in their voices. He did not turn back to look at them, but flinched suddenly as two pairs of hands squeezed either of his arms from behind and a head lean on each of his shoulders.
"Now Eric darling, no offense, but that girl, well she's," Isabel pointed an adorned hand towards Arel, "so plain." Arabelle nodded and rubbed her head against his arm.
"Indeed. Are you sure you wouldn't want to spend the day with us, two cultured, elegant and aristocratic ladies, instead of that, that simple, ordinary commoner?"
With a firm movement, yet still gentle at the sake of the two delicate women, he pried their clingy grips off his limbs and stepped back away from them a couple of paces before turning back to face the stunned dame and lady.
"At the risk of being rude, let me correct you both by saying that Ariel is by far simple and ordinary and is by far the sweetest, kindest, most interesting women I have ever met." He paused, before adding as on final note, "And I wish you both a good day." With that he walked briskly across the cobblestone ground towards Ariel, who was handing the florist some of the silver coins and bringing the bouquet of white and gold, speckled lilies towards her face again to smell.
"Ariel," he called out and the redhead spun around towards him and thrust the flowers into his face. Instantly, he was assaulted both by a sweet scent and pollen granules up his nose. He gently pushed the bouquet away from his face and sneezed into his elbow a few times before facing her again. "I think you chose a wonderful flower bouquet."
Ariel smiled at him before, much to his shock, daringly leaned in close and planted a small kiss on his cheek. He felt his cheeks flush and he was pretty sure his face was the color of her hair right now. When he focused on her face, he saw that she had two, dark pink spots on her cheeks as well and was smiling awkwardly at her. Realizing the awkwardness she must be feeling right now, he quickly shot a warm smile her way, then lifted up her hand to his lips and planted them on top. Her other hand came up to her mouth and her finger curled before her lips, hiding her lips, but not the smile that he could see come across her face.
A few minutes later, the two found themselves in a more lively part of the town where several musicians were laying a cheerful tune and people had chosen partners and were dancing around with them. Ariel was awestruck at the people moving almost effortlessly and gracefully across the ground in sweeping and elegant movements. She then looked towards Eric, who was watching them too before his face turned and looked at her. Taking a sudden step backwards, he then bowed before her and lifted up his hand for her to take.
"Care to dance," he asked. She nodded excitedly and grasped his fingers, though she had little idea of how humans danced in comparison to her own people's methods. Still, in her excitement, she was prepared to do anything right now.
Eric was stunned at how fast of a learner Ariel was at learning to dance. After a few clumsy and misplaced steps, she finally caught on and was, by far, the most graceful and beautiful dancer he had ever seen. Her legs seemed perfectly made for dancing. Several people and their partners came off the floor to watch the two dance, but soon everyone had moved to the sidelines to watch the prince and his mysterious, marvelous dancer friend twirl, sway and dip on the most charming set of legs and dainty toes that none of them had ever seen before. Hand in hand with her partner, she moved as lightly as a bubble and as softly as moonlight on the water. When the song had finished, the crowd that had gathered to watch clapped for the both of them.
Eventually, Eric showed her back to the carriage, all ready and set for them to get on once more. Handing Ariel the food for the place he wanted to show her where they would picnic, he took the reigns once more and started driving out of the town. The cobblestone paths soon turned to smooth concrete before turning into a dusty, slightly rough road as they headed into the forest border-lining the shore.
As they crossed several of the more smoother parts of the path, Eric turned and offered the reigns to Ariel, letting her drive if she wanted to. She didn't have to be told twice, or once for that matter, as she immediately took the reins from him and swapped the food and flowers to him and cracked down hard on the reins. Eric grasped on tight to both his seat and the bundles as the horse whinnied and charged forward at a faster speed as the driver apparently told it now to run recklessly all about. The carriage bumped around as Ariel's sudden urge for speed and adrenaline was discovered. To his shock, they soon came across a gap in the land where a river was coming out into the ocean, yet there was no bridge anywhere in sight and Ariel was racing towards it.
After a sensation of nothing underneath and a large thump, Eric soon found himself down underneath his seat, still miraculously holding onto the bundles. Slowly pulling himself back onto his chair, he looked out in front of them and saw that they were back on the path and at a brisk trot once more, heading towards the spot he pointed out. Deciding since there was no more gaps or anything else that could pose a threat, Eric leaned back and relaxed as he let Ariel finish driving them the rest of the way to their special picnic spot in the setting light of the sun.
But after this, he wasn't going to let Ariel do anymore driving until he had properly taught her how to do it that couldn't endanger them in any possible way.
In the film, before the drowning scene, Grimsby does mention the princess of Glauerhaven as one of the people Eric turned down, so I decided to use that town name for Arabelle and Isabel. I like to think that one of Eric's motivations for finding Ariel in the film and before that searching for someone he truly loves and loves him back to marry him was probably due to him having his heart broken or feeling betrayed because of women trying to get him for his status and wealth. I've seen this kind of person, the fawning gold-digger, in many works of fiction and film, so coming into this though albeit before confusing, really seemed accurate for this film. It also explains Eric's determination and desperation to find someone like that, and apart from possibly being taught the meaning of true love and that from a fake, it's logical-sounding enough for his character.
By the way, I also know that in the film it was two loaves of bread, a pair of boots, a hat and a bouquet of pink flowers with lots of leaves that were bought and then lost on the ride, but I have full right to change it is I want. I kinda felt bugged by that scene growing up and watching it, though I guess that's just my nitpicky side talking. One more thing, if anyone can guess what Eric's bought after getting the food, you will get a suggestion of yours placed in my story. Try to be specific, but I look forward to what you guessed.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review if you liked it and I'll see you again next time soon. Sincerely, v.t.7
