Author Note: Things are moving along. Enjoy.

Chapter 3

The wedding preparations took over the castle the day after the proposal. Ariel couldn't go anywhere on the grounds without being stopped by a staff member and asked about the floral arrangements, her preference on jewelry, the cake, the food, the guests, and the wedding gown itself. The fittings began that weekend, just when Ariel thought she would be able to have a break. Early Saturday morning she was woken by Heather earlier than she would have liked. She had spent the previous evening on the beach with Eric, watching the water, discussing anything but the upcoming event. It was too stressful to bring it up during her time with Eric. Heather opened the curtains, sending a ray of sunshine directly onto Ariel's face. She scrunched her nose and sat up, feeling slightly annoyed.

"I'm so sorry, Ariel," she said quietly while opening the wardrobe to pull out something for Ariel to wear.

Ariel tried to determine what time it was by the sun, but it was barely over the horizon. However, just enough to penetrate the window and burn her eyes. "What's going on?" Ariel inquired, yawning.

"Diana, the most desired seamstress in the village arrived this morning requesting to do your wedding gown. She is on a very tight schedule, so I was instructed to wake you at once." Heather smiled nervously.

Ariel immediately felt excited. "Well then I better get going!" she sprang out of bed and had Heather help her dress to speed up the process.

After securing her simple dress and slipping on a pair of black slippers, Ariel darted out of the room leaving Heather to tidy up her bed. Her stomach had butterflies flying around in it at the thought of a wedding dress. The proposal had just happened a few nights ago, so she still had felt numb to the reality of it all. But somehow, the notion of a wedding dress made it all feel real. Even the ring that wrapped around her finger, as stunning as it was, did not feel real. Not until she had woken in the night wondering why her finger felt tight. In the candlelight of her room the pearl had shone and the sapphires had sparkled brilliantly. It had made her feel so loved. The ring was something she would never take off, it was a part of her now, but a wedding dress was specifically for special occasion. It was going to be worn once, on the day of her marriage.

Diana was set up in one of the many spare rooms in the opposite wing as Ariel's. When she approached the room, she heard humming. Ariel poked her head around the doorway and saw a beautiful woman. She was tall, very tall, with deep purple hair that traveled in loose waves down to her knees. She wore a simple dress of cream that hugged her curves and flaunted her large breasts. She was sticking a fabric bodice with pins through a gorgeous gold fabric with embroidered roses. Ariel knock lightly on the ajar door causing Diana to turn.

"There you are, dear!" she sounded very enthusiastic as she spoke through pins sticking out of her mouth. Ariel was taken aback by her beauty. Her eyes were large and the colour of moss. Her nose hooked slightly, but it added an interesting appeal to her long face. Her eyebrows arched dramatically, giving her a bit of an angry appearance, even as she smiled with those vividly white teeth. "Come in, come in!" she swung an arm around Ariel's waist and practically dragged her into the room.

"It's lovely to meet you," Ariel stammered once she was positioned in front of three mirrors that were positioned in such a way that she could see every angle of herself, except for her back.

Diana nodded while pulling the pins out of her mouth and jabbing them into the fabric bodice she had been working on. "You as well, dear. I heard rumors about the girl from the sea, but I have to admit I had little time to listen. But once I heard Prince Eric had asked her to be married, I knew I had to get involved." She began unlacing the back of Ariel's dress, much to Ariel's confusion.

"Um," Ariel started before the dress was pulled over her head and she was left in her shift. Her small breasts perked beneath the thin silk and she felt extremely exposed. "You'll have to forgive me…" Ariel trailed off as she covered her breasts and began to close in on herself.

Diana clicked her tongue. "Oh Ariel," she began, "there is no need to be shy around me. This is how I make sure your dress fits." Ariel blushed as Diana roughly pulled her arms to the side.

Ariel took a deep breath and tried to lessen the tension in her body. "Oh," was all she said as Diana took fabrics from her large traveling trunk and began to drape them over one of Ariel's shoulders.

The session passed more quickly once Ariel found her courage. It took several minutes before she was sure Diana was not fazed by her lack of clothing. Instead of being the slightest bit uneasy, Diana seemed even more interested in Ariel without her clothes. She poked and prodded her. Cupped her breasts in her hands and pulled a tape with numbers on it, a measuring tape Ariel learned, around her bust, pinching her nipples as she pulled. She pulled it tightly underneath her breasts and then down every area of her body, marking the numbers on her wrist with ink.

After measurements and basic questions, they decided on fabric. Ariel ran her fingers over what felt like hundreds of swatches Diana had brought with her. Each one was beautiful, but she picked what seemed to be the simplest of them all. It was the same pearl tone as her ring, the fabric a smooth silk. In the right light it almost shone with a blue tint, similar to the sapphires that embraced the pearl on her ring. After a few sketches of how the dress would look, Ariel settled on a design that had puffed shoulders and a slender waist. The bodice of the dress tight, the sleeves turning into delicate points on the tops of her hands, and the body of the dress to be large. It seemed extravagant to Ariel, but Diana insisted she make a statement.

"I'll make you some simple lace undergarments for the occasion as well!" Diana winked at Ariel, causing something in her to stir. "Oh don't look so startled, dear. What's the matter?"

Ariel hesitated. "Oh, nothing," she muttered while pulling her dress back over her head. Diana watched Ariel in the mirror.

"Ah," Diana said suddenly. "I think I understand." Ariel let Diana help her with the back of her bodice, tying the corset tightly against her slim waist. "You no longer have fins, but you have legs, and something different in between." Diana chuckled a bit while Ariel blushed crimson.

"Well," Ariel started but then stopped.

"Oh, my dear," Diana said while putting an arm on Ariel's shoulder, "don't fret. But can I give you some advice?"

Ariel gulped. "Um, yes?" it sounded like a question.

Diana turned Ariel to face her, her back to the series of mirrors. Diana brought her face very close to Ariel's, her eyes of dazzling green penetrating her. "Don't save it all for the wedding night." She winked.

Later that afternoon Ariel poured over the book Heather had given her again. She was engrossed in the pages yet again. Every detail enchanted her. She flipped through the pages more slowly this time, really taking in the details. When she got past the basics of male and female anatomy and started reading about the act of sex, her insides stirred. This was where the fire in her belly started. She remembered from her previous time reading this book that it started here and didn't stop until it nearly hurt. She would have to stop reading to make it ease and disappear.

When the ache began, she closed the cover of the book just as a knock came at her door. "Yes?"

Heather poked her head in the room. "Can I come in, Ariel?"

Ariel nodded and watched Heather enter the room then come over to the bed and sit next to her. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if I could have the evening off to go to the Autumn festival?" Heather asked politely.

"The Autumn festival?" Ariel had not heard any mention of this.

"Oh yes! The village hosts a festival to welcome to change of the season every year! It has delicious food and music!" Heather smiled and looked longingly out the window. "The dancing is so fun!"

"Of course you can go," Ariel said. She smiled sweetly at her maid, a thought already forming in her mind.

"Thank you!" Heather stood and darted from the room, clearly excited.

Ariel laid on her back across her bed, staring at the ceiling above her. Don't save it all for the wedding. Ariel thought about Diana's words. The burning returned in the pit of her stomach. Maybe the Autumn festival is the perfect way to start.

So the next chapter will probably be what everyone is desiring. But for now I leave you with this. Reviews are fantastic.