Author's Note: I had originally thought to include this chapter as the conclusion of the last. Doing so though would have produced an inordinately long chapter, and there seemed to be a natural break point in the previous one with Eric considering his happy doom, having fallen under the entirely innocent spell of an entirely innocent, yet completely enchanting, little mermaid.

Regarding the thoughts and especially concerns offered in The BritCrit's review of chapter two, I must sadly admit that her observations are valid, and the inclusion of these elements is in fact integral to the underlying concept and design of this and my other stories, which I like to think of collectively as "Ariel's Isle."

As a bit of a spoiler, I just want to assure you that above all of her many virtues, the quality I adore above all others in Ariel is her essential goodness. This is a quality she shares with Eric, and neither of them would countenance presiding over a land founded upon such a wicked institution such as slavery. More importantly, such loving characters are necessarily informed and nurtured by those around them, their loved ones; and this also pertains to my story, giving each of the characters depicted to date substantial depth. I have hinted at and alluded to these factors throughout all of my works, which I intend to form a coherent, integrated whole.

I'll have to just ask that you trust me as I tell my tale, wishing me luck in getting it right.

Publication Date: Friday, January 1st, 2016 (Emendations: Saturday, January 2nd, 2016)

Juletræ

Chapter 3 – How to Warm a Mermaid's Heart

~~~ Saturday, the 30th of November, 1805 AD ~~~

~ 4:46 p.m. ~

Christiansborg Palace – Christiansted, Sankt Croix

"Of course sweetheart." he said, smiling at her. "We'll go when the weather gets better. I'll ask Derek about it when we get back to the palace. How does that sound?"

Ariel nodded, the excitement in her eyes unmistakable. "It sounds wonderful! Thank you Eric!" she cried, wanting to kiss him but knowing that Trooper demanded her full attention, always a difficult requirement for her. She sighed happily, resolving to thank her prince once they returned. Of course she had already intended to do so before their day together had even begun, but throughout had found ever more reasons to more sweetly reward not only his kindness and attention, but the deep happiness he had brought and continued to bring her.

Ahead of them stood Christiansted, with its little haven and its straight, crossing roads. Beyond that stood Printsensbakke, the tall hill which rose up south and east of the town where Christiansted drew closest to Eric's palace. Slender tendrils of gray smoke, far more than she could easily count, rose silently from the many chimneys within the town's ochre walls. Despite the cold, gray light, crosses and steeples glistened over churches as the rainwater ran down from them in thick sheets, streaming down the broad red arched rooves and falling into the streets below.

Passing over the canal on the town's western side and through its broad gate of gray stone, the carriage wound its way along wet cobblestone roads, past the little shops and houses, and beneath the majestic aqueduct into the bymidte. Many of the names for the things she saw and thought of Ariel had already learned, many she would not learn until long after; but the former mermaid would always remember this little trip, and her carriage ride with Eric in the cold, driving rain.

Like the countryside, the princess found that the watery and windswept gray skies had tinted the walled town in much more subdued shades than she was accustomed.

Only a few people were out in the wet streets, most of these being in the market and other open spaces. Given her own discomfort, she suspected that most people were hiding inside warm houses against the unwelcome bitterness in the air; certainly she would have been, and she was grateful for the warmth of Eric's body and enfolding embrace.

As a gust of wind caught her hair, chilling her outstretched arms and fingers, Ariel thought that the heat of the preceding week might have been preferable … had it not stricken her down so terrifyingly.

Slightly before and behind the carriage rode their escort, Privates Jens and Anders on their right, Privates Bech and Brandt on their left. Ariel could just imagine, almost feel, how cold they and their horses must be, but despite their obvious wetness and exposure to the wind and blowing rain, they kept pace with the carriage, never falling behind or away, never ceasing to peer back and forth along the road and into the many side streets and alleys they passed by, never failing to peer into any place she guessed the men worried a threat might arise.

Ahead of them, but not as far as beforehand, rode Captain Carlson, whom she was following, more or less. Despite having danced with her on her birthday and what he had told her the day before about what had happened on her third day of life as a human girl, he had kept a distance, not speaking to her unless she first spoke to him. It bothered her, adding sustenance to her lingering fear that for some reason he didn't like her. Still, he too never failed to look after her.

Before her birthday she might have chafed at having such a guard put on her, but everything had since changed, and she didn't entirely understand why. It helped that the men were kind and friendly, each in their own way, but now after Henrik, she was ashamed to admit that she was afraid. She didn't want to talk to Eric about it, simply because she worried he might think she was regretting her choice of becoming human, of regretting him; and she wasn't.

Even though she had hope of winning Henrik's acceptance, she knew there were others, must be others, who felt the same way given what Carlson had told her, or others even more hostile to her, if that were even possible. She didn't know this world like she had her old one, and even that she hadn't known very well, not like her father, or Archimedes, or Apollo, or even Urchin. In fact, her desire to learn more about the world around her was what had driven her explorations in the first place.

For the first time in her life, she found that knowing others were watching over her while she slept actually helped her sleep at night. Such a lingering fear had never been a complication she had expected before entering the human world; instead, she had imagined only its countless wonders. When they returned to the palace, she decided that she ought to thank the four men and the Captain too.

Eric had been quiet, simply guiding her hands and fingers with slight movements of his own, freeing them only to point out when to turn into the next street or in which way to direct Trooper. Each time, his hands returned calmly to take hers back into them, girdling both palms and fingers and imparting to them such a welcome warmth.

Eric was quiet because he was happy. His love lay in his arms safely against him, a little damp but not wet, a little cold but not freezing, and she felt so warm to him, smelled so wonderful to him. Her every little move to him seemed so … beautiful; when she was confident and daring, when she was uncertain and shy, he loved her either way.

Holding her closely thus as they rode together was an opportunity to experience her feeling, her thinking, these betrayed to him by the little nuanced expressions of her delicate wrists, hands, and fingers. Even in this way, she had so much to say to him. He wondered if she knew.

Had he kissed her that night in the lagoon weeks ago, had she never regained her lovely voice, he would have loved her nonetheless. The language of their love would have been different, but all the things they would have done, all the feelings which they would have shared … they would have been just as deep.

It seemed to Ariel that though he was silent, Eric was speaking to her, saying little things no words alone could ever say; just as she had spoken to him, or had tried to their first time together in this lovely place. Just a gentle squeeze, a caress of the back of her hand, a slight tug, a little nudge, his wrapping her hand and fingers in his own when he thought that hers might be cold, which of course they were.

And she, in turn, spoke back to him, with her smile, by letting her delicate fingers play with and caress his, by laying herself contentedly into and against him, her head nestled just beneath his own and against his neck.

As they passed through the pretty bymidte she watched how ahead of them Captain Carlson took the low fountain to his right as he rode. It was so pretty in the rain, she thought, noticing how its waters burbled forth, how they danced and splashed beneath the falling rain, and how driven by the gusting winds they sloshed and broke over its low stone walls.

As Eric watched, keeping Ariel's hands warm in his own, feeling her little directions to Trooper through the reins, he began to understand that there was a conversation going on between her and the trusty horse. The stallion would cant his head, pulling slightly at the rein, as though he knew where he wanted to go, and if Ariel disagreed, she would gently pull the reins back the other way. Trooper did nothing of the sort with Eric, as a good a horse as he was! For a moment he was completely fascin …

Ten yards ahead of them an ox-cart burst noisily out of a street into the bymidte between the phaeton and Derek Carlson. Both of the forward riders veered off sharply and halted their horses. Eric felt the reins slacken slightly as Trooper indicated his desire to slow, with not just a little alarm radiating from the horse. Out of the corner of his eye, Eric saw that Ariel's eyes were turned slightly away from the town square ahead of her, looking instead toward the fountain.

Against her fingers Ariel felt a gentle tug as Eric pulled the reins taut, bringing Trooper and the carriage to a stop.

To her surprise and alarm, an animal pulling a large cart and an old man had just emerged from a street ahead unseen by her and was passing directly in front of them. Immediately, she realized that had Eric not intervened, she would have struck man and beast headlong. The old man looked up at them, then at her, his bushy gray eyebrows narrowing as an accusing look flared in his eyes.

"Watch where you're driving that thing girl! What are you doing at the reins anyway!?" That's your man's jo …"

Ariel quickly lowered her eyes and head feeling her throat tightening as she resolved to herself not to cry, not to cry even though she felt so terribly embarrassed and incompetent.

Their four outriders quickly drew back in around the carriage as a sharp hissing ring sang out from behind the oxcart followed by a softer clicking noise, but one Ariel's keen ears distinctly heard. Behind the man from out of the rain loomed Carlson, blade drawn and pistol at the ready, pointed at her accuser's head. Even in the gloom, the sword seemed to catch the light about it.

"Watch your tongue sir." Carlson threatened, glancing first to Ariel and Eric, then surveying the bymidte. "Have you any idea to whom you're speaking?"

Looking back, the carter slowly raised his hands, finally beginning to realize upon whose procession he had intruded, and at whom he had yelled, and that she hadn't been the one at the reins. Moreover, he was quite aware that he shouldn't have entered the bymidte without looking first for oncoming traffic.

Finally, the man's eyes focused back instead on Eric, whereupon his earlier accusing look evaporated. He quickly stepped to the side and bowed. "Your Highnesses." he said, then pulled the cart out of their path. "Please excuse my hasty words."

Eric simply nodded quietly in reply, at which the man goaded his ox and cart along into the square, then across the north limb of the fountain.

Rain spattered in the background as sheets of water poured from the surrounding rooves and eaves of houses and buildings.

Before them, Carlson looked about the otherwise now empty bymidte and then back to Eric.

"He seemed innocent enough your Highness. We're ready to move along when you and the Princess are."

"Thank you Captain. We'll be just a minute I think." Eric replied quietly.

Nodding and bringing his blade to salute the prince, the officer turned his stallion and trotted out about five paces ahead of them while he holstered his pistol beneath its oilskin cover. His sword, however, he left unsheathed.

Ariel sat there quietly, upset and shaking slightly, but not from the cold.

"Hey." came a soft voice, not a whisper. "It's all right love." he said, tightening his embrace around her. "Now, don't be sad, you're learning. These things take time, and this is only your second." he said, his eyes lost momentarily in memory.

With his curled left forefinger he gently lifted Ariel's chin, causing her to slowly open her eyes. His head was tilted slightly forward, turned toward hers, his eyes looking into hers. Despite what she had feared, there wasn't a scolding look in his eyes, nor one of disdain, nor reproof. Instead she saw just that part of his smile that always shone and glistened within his eyes.

Slowly, he brought his lips to her forehead, causing her to close her own eyes, reflexively, modestly, as she felt her future husband kiss away the raindrops from her brow, then gently pull back from her.

"It's all right love; it is. There are just so many things you have to learn to watch for, and I know you have so much on your mind, so many things you want to see. It's just going to take time and practice. I'm here for you through all of it though, right here."

"But I almost hit them." she sniffed as Eric drew a little farther back from her to look her in the eyes once again.

"Well you didn't, and you won't in the future either. You're already driving well Ariel, and I think Trooper loves you. I can tell. Don't you boy?"

The horse didn't answer of course, save to pull the reins taut in their interwoven fingers. Ariel could just feel how the pretty and brave horse wanted to be moving again, and wondered if he liked her guiding him as Eric had said. She hoped that he did. She certainly liked him.

"I think that might be a vote of confidence, how about you?" Eric asked her, gently squeezing her hands in his own.

A slightly embarrassed smile spread across her face.

"Ready to go then?"

The former mermaid smiled softly and nodded, giving the reins a little snap, setting Trooper into motion.

As she took them out along the bridge over the little inlet and out through the East Gate, she felt Eric lean over her, placing yet another kiss atop her head, all the while keeping her held warmly in his arms. Ariel couldn't help but smile. It made her feel so happy and loved when he did so; and the rain seemed to be lessening somewhat; well, a little … hopefully.

In the distance beyond the low Altona lagoon stood the Christiansborg, its three tallest towers adorned by pennants long and pale that streamed and coiled in the wind. The thick outer walls of the palace caught the wind and rain, spilling gusts upward like storm-driven waves, the fine spray to be seen as they crested and broke upon the high battlements and crenellations. From the palace's many chimneys rose long, thin columns of smoke, quickly drawn out and pulled apart by the winds, while out upon Prince Frederick's bay, the seas wroth with the storm rode greenish white, surging and frothing, spewing their wind spun foam into the landward airs.

Upon seeing this, a part of Ariel's mind thought of home, out there beyond and below the wild surf and the mounting green seas. Her terrible homesickness had lessened greatly now, knowing now that she would see her father, sisters, and friends more often as a human than she had ever had dreamt she might.

Smiling softly, her thoughts returned to their earlier conversation.

"Americans."

That had been the word she had heard Eric say, the one she had lost. Well, he had said America too, hadn't he? These were words, names actually, that she had known even when she had been a mermaid, especially when she had been a mermaid.

"Americans." she said softly, almost as though to herself, then she continued, this time to Eric, her voice betraying more than a little excitement now. "Eric, what are … Americans?"

Eric smiled, wondering what had suddenly excited his fiancée so. "Well, they're people from the United States, a country to the north of us. Most people just call the people from the United States that, but there are other people from the Americas too, like us."

"Like us?" Ariel asked, trying to keep her eyes on the road ahead and Trooper when every bit of her being instead wanted to look at Eric. Oddly, given her previous enthusiasm for the reins, she wished that Eric were now driving so that she could look at him as he answered her questions. With a quick withdrawal of her hands into her cloak, she quickly left him with the reins, giving him her full attention.

Eric laughed as he took the reins after a moment of surprise, and couldn't help having his breath taken away by the imploring look Ariel gave him as she sat, nestling cozily against him, her head turned up and back toward his, her eyes now fixed upon his.

"Well," he chuckled. "I suppose that we should all be called 'Americans' and probably would be had the name not already been taken. Just so you know, the people to the north of the United States are still British, those to the west and south of it are Spanish, and those from the islands around us here in the Caribbean are a mixture. Many islands here have more than one nationality. Oh, and the people from South America, they're Spanish too, and Portuguese."

Ariel thought about everything he was telling her. It seemed like a lot to apprehend. She had read about Britain and England but didn't understand the difference between the two save that they were somehow related but not quite the same. Likewise, she knew of Spain, France, and America because of books she and Archimedes had studied. What she really didn't know was anything about those human realms, what they were like simply beyond their names and in some cases, locations.

One thing that she did know though was that Inwilya was the native language of England, and for that one reason alone, England was her favorite! Most of her favorite books and things had come from England, even though few things of human paper long resisted the touch of the sea. England, sadly, she knew to lie far across the great oceanic wilderness, beyond the most populous northern provinces of her father's kingdom, not just beyond Atalantë proper.

Then a thought occurred to her, and being the way she was, a thought in Ariel's mind was often never far from her lips. "Eric. What's an e …empire?" As she said the word, she watched his expression to see if she had pronounced it correctly, which she was almost certain she had, being able to still hear how Eric had pronounced it a while ago. She was happy when she saw in his eyes that she had.

"An empire?" He smiled at her as they approached the gates to the Christiansborg. Down the road ahead of them, Carlson was signaling the gate guards. After a moment the tall wooden gates began to swing open inward.

From the Southwest Tower he could now make out a faint ringing, one that grew stronger as the wind shifted slightly in their direction. Soon the whole Palace would know of his and Ariel's return. Hopefully Carlotta would have something warm for Ariel to drink, and maybe a hot bath and later a warm dry gown for her to slip into. Despite his best efforts, there was only so much he could do with body and cloak to keep his little mermaid comfortable against this sort of unnaturally cold wind and rain.

"Well," he continued, "an empire is a collection of countries and colonies, usually ruled by the king of the most powerful country."

"They all have one king, all of the countries in an empire?"

Ahead of them, Derek Carlson turned his stallion, stationing himself before the easternmost tower of the gatehouse barbican and stood there, waiting for the prince and his princess to pass.

"Yes and no, each country might have a king, but the most powerful king is also called an emperor or an empress because he or she rules more than just one country." He stopped, searching for an example that might make things clearer for her, other than that of his own kingdom, of course. There was no sense in bringing that subject up now. He would sometime later. "And some countries like Britain and Spain have just one King ruling over all of their possessions."

"As a matter of fact, from what you've told me, your father might be considered an emperor because he rules over many different regions and realms of your people."

"Oh!" she replied, still lost somewhat in thought. "I think I understand now, like a Tararan, but wait. Girls can rule over empires too!? There can be empresses? Can queens rule over queendoms!?"

"Yes, in some empires." Eric had noted the word Ariel had used, but decided to ask her about it later, being more interested in answering her questions. "Spain and Great Britain have both had ruling queens, empresses, but it's not allowed in other countries. They're still called kingdoms though, or just realms."

Why a realm ruled over by a queen would still be called a 'kingdom' was confusing to the former mermaid, but of interest because it pertained to a dilemma her father and family had faced since her mother Athena had died. Unless the lesser kings accepted Attina as successor, nearly an impossibility, having no male heir would eventually doom their dynasty to extinction; and at the very least, dispossession.

"And there's an English … I mean a British one … an empire? You mentioned a British one earlier."

Ariel looked up, surprised as they passed beneath the tall gates and battlements of the outer walls. "Oh!" she cried, "We're home!"

"Yes, there … most certainly is." Eric replied somewhat darkly, though because of her excitement, this nuance was lost upon his young lady. He quickly regained his thoughts. "And yes love we … most certainly are."

Eric had to suppress a smug grin at his alliteration … or rhyming … or whatever rhetorical technique he had just cleverly used. He couldn't remember the name for it, and sincerely hoped that there was one. Wait! Parallelism! That was it!

"The British Empire, is it part of Eng … England!?" Ariel continued excitedly, quite conscious that she was pronouncing the word to a human for the very first time, and resisted the urge to call the country instead by its Eärya name, Inwilan, as she habitually did.

As they entered the courtyard, there standing beneath the sheltering eaves of the Grand Entrance they saw both Carlotta Grimaldi and Aubrey Beauclerk nestled amidst a quartet of the Household Guard that fanned out around the phaeton as soon as it began to slow. At their fore was the unmistakable silhouette of the Christiansborg's own household Goliath, Sergeant Rudolph Lundgren.

Eric drew the reins in and brought Trooper to a halt as his men surrounded them. Corporal Holm stepped forward, offering him a furled parasol, which the prince took with a thankful nod. Turning to his fiancée he spread it open and with his left hand lifted it above her.

Ariel giggled softly, delighted and rather amused that she, who just two months ago had been a resilient if admittedly rather small, mermaid, should be so troubled by a few falling drops of water. It was the oddest thing, that as a human in a rain this cold, she really did not want to get wet.

Thinking about it, even as a mermaid she probably wouldn't have liked water so cold. Being human though, sometimes it just made things so, different.

"Actually, England is the most powerful country in the British Empire." Eric replied quietly, continuing their conversation as he stood, and trying to speak factually and objectively rather than from his strong feelings on the matter. Stepping down from his side of the phaeton, he quickly slipped around its canopied back, coming around then to Ariel's right. "It's the wealthiest and most populous of all the British countries and colonies." he continued.

Without his warmth at her side, Ariel immediately felt the wind's cold bite once again. She wrapped her arms around herself as she too started to stand. Fortunately, it was mere seconds before Eric was again at her side, offering her his hand before she realized he was even there. She took it of course.

"Careful love, the step is wet. Remember, being wet makes things slippery."

Two weeks ago she might have giggled at Eric for helping her down a single stair, but after that day with Hendrick, it no longer seemed so humorous, or safe. Ariel looked down at the glistening wet tread of the step and nodded. She knew what that shimmer meant, as she had seen wet ice before and remembered how slick it was. Given her now justifiable and growing fear of falling, Ariel took the narrow step with care, holding onto Eric's hand as though her life depended upon it and being sure to feel her slight weight firmly alight on it through the insoles and heels of the dark green pumps she wore.

It occurred to her that perhaps the flats she often wore might have been a better choice that morning, but she had wanted to look her prettiest for Eric and these particular shoes were among her favorites. Still, save for the weather, the day had gone perfectly; she hadn't fallen, slipped, or even stumbled, not once; an accomplishment of which she was very proud. She wondered if Eric had noticed.

Stepping down onto the wet grass, Ariel breathed a sigh of relief once she felt both of her feet firmly upon the ground. A stroke of panic shot through her as she felt her heels sink into the wet packed earth and grass beneath her, and she felt herself momentarily unable to move.

"Oh!" she gasped, forcing a smile as she looked back at her prince, but it became more genuine as she realized that she wasn't going to fall, and as she felt Eric's arm once again wrap about her waist. Not wanting to seem as unnerved as she actually was, the erstwhile mermaid tested her legs, noting how they still felt firm beneath her and under her full control.

Holding the parasol outstretched above her, he moved to also place his much larger body between hers and the raw wind and rain. "Come along sweetheart. Let's get you inside and warm you up." He smiled back at her as he drew her along, shepherding her over the twenty paces to the waiting Carlotta and Grimsby.

With a slight pull the girl felt the mud release her stuck shoes, though she had to almost walk on her toes to keep herself from sinking in again as Eric drew her across the courtyard. As he did, her mind turned back to the conversation she had been having with him.

So that was the relationship between the England and Britain! Even though she had been with Eric more than a month, she still had so many unanswered questions, and they sometimes, no, oftentimes, came to her as she and he spoke and spent time with one another. Sometimes, she mused to herself, Eric was just like a human book, albeit one that talked back to her … he knew so much!

"Do they all speak English in the British Empire?" she asked, remembering how Eric had said the word so that she too pronounced it correctly.

After a moment of surprise, realizing and impressed that Ariel was continuing their earlier conversation, Eric replied. "Yes, but also Welsh and Gaelic in Wales, Scotland and Ireland."

Ariel found herself thinking about this. The people in England spoke Inwilya, but so did the other people in the British Empire, causing her to wonder how large that empire was. But there were other languages too, languages of which she had never heard. She felt slightly disappointed, even upset at this, worrying that her original assumption might have been wrong. Nonetheless, she took a chance and asked.

"Eric, if the United States used to be part of the British Empire, and that's almost the same as England, do the Americans speak Inw … English … too?"

"Oh good heavens child! Eric! She must be soaked to the bone!" Carlotta cried out. "And you too Eric! You two must be freezing!"

Eric blanched, though it would have been hard to tell that he had given his already half-frozen face and the chill that had crept into him. He imagined that Ariel could hardly be any better than he was and was quite glad that Carlotta was there for her. "I'm sorry Lottie, I did the best that I could. I just can't believe this rain, and the cold! Have you ever seen anything like it, Grim?"

"I cannot say that I have, not in these waters." answered Beauclerk. "It is most frightful weather indeed my boy. And, how is our young lady?" he smiled, taking the parasol from Eric as the four passed under the eaves of the palace.

Twin white doors stood open before them. In the room beyond stood two maids.

"Oh, I'm fine Aubrey! A little cold, but Eric kept me warm. We had such a nice time. I saw the piglets again, and the puppies, though I couldn't find some of them. Oh! And there was a new foal! It was so beautiful!" Ariel cried in delight, emphasizing the last two words before she hugged the elder Lord. "I'm so happy!"

As the girl wrapped her arms around him, he smiled at the unexpected display of affection, returning her embrace and patting her gently on the back. "Indeed, my dear." the older gentleman drolled, smiling slyly at Eric and then Carlotta as he did so. "I am quite certain that he did."

"You poor dear." the maid interjected, pulling Ariel away from Grimsby and Eric, taking her hands into her own. "Oh my!" she cried. "Your hands are like ice! Honey, you must be so cold; and you too Eric! Now both of you, come inside here, right this instant!"

"Fortunately, we have every hearth we could find in the palace alight, and warm baths being drawn for the both of you." Grimsby noted dryly as he stepped aside.

Now shared between the three, Ariel realized that she had forgotten to do something very important to her that she had promised herself she would. Two somethings to be precise. Well … three.

"Wait!" she cried.

"Ariel, what …" Eric began before Ariel turned and smiled sweetly to him, wrapping him in a moment's hug.

"It's all right Eric, I almost forgot something!" she exclaimed, turning back to the large portico and darting back out onto the grass.

Eric would have followed, had he not felt Grimsby's hand gently catch his elbow, holding him back. The young prince looked back at his minister.

Grimsby simply smiled. "Let her, my boy …" he replied to Eric's unvoiced question.

Confused, Eric turned his head back to watch his fiancée in whatever task she had appointed for herself.

Looking out across the courtyard, Ariel quickly found what she had sought. Beneath the eaves of the stables were gathered Carlson and the four men who had escorted her, along with Sergeant Lundgren, Corporal Holm, and several other soldiers of the Guard. Lifting the hem of her skirts above her ankles against the pooled rainwater, Ariel dashed out again back into the rain and across the wet courtyard, slowing slightly when she felt her shoes begin to catch in the mud beneath her, reminding her to take care in her steps. And she did.

"Captain!"

At the sound of her voice the Captain and his men looked over to her, and as she approached the officer doffed his tall shako hat.

"Men, hats off for the Princess." whispered Lundgren, whereupon the eight soldiers quickly followed their Captain's example.

The princess's small wet footfalls were all to be heard as she approached the group of silent men, a smile spreading across her face, now dripping from the rain. None of the men knew what to do, though Carlson allowed his gaze to drift across the courtyard back to find Eric, Lord Grimsby, and Mistress Carlotta, just standing, watching the young maiden approach them.

With a brush of her hand she stepped under the eaves and swept her drenched crimson bangs from her eyes. "I just wanted to thank you!" she said, looking from Jens to Bech, then to Thomsen and Brandt and then the rest of the men. Looking to the Corporal and the Sergeant, she pulled Eric's wet woolen cloak around her, and then smiled up at the Captain. "… for watching after me and Eric. I'm so sorry, I know you have to all be at least as wet and as cold as I am, and I felt bad for you out in the rain."

There was a momentary silence, after which Carlson spoke. "Princess, I assure you, it is the pleasure of each man here to be your escort, no matter the weather, no matter the circumstance."

To this the young woman blushed, ducking her head slightly in obvious embarrassment. "I still appreciate it, both of us do." she offered, looking back over her shoulder to Eric, who smiled at her and nodded his head in silent approval. Did he know what she was saying to his men, or was he simply encouraging her to do what her heart and mind asked?

"If you don't mind me saying so sir," interrupted Sergeant Lundgren in his bass but uncommonly cultured voice, "… just a reminder that if the Princess would like to further express her appreciation, there is sure to be some fine fiddling to be heard and dancing to be had in the common room after the start of the first watch tomorrow night. Both she and the Prince are welcome to join us of course."

Both Carlson and the young princess, the latter of whom who stood quite obviously shivering before him despite being draped in the Prince's now soaking wet cloak, seemed surprised at the man's interjection, but its effect was to merely make the girl's smile grow even wider, and her eyes even happier; if that were possible.

Ariel looked up to the giant of a man who like no other she had seen reminded her in sheer size of both Henrik Knudsen and her father, and then to Captain Carlson, smiling. "Oh! I would love to! May I? May we?" she asked happily, looking back over her shoulder to Eric. "It was so much fun the last time!"

With a pause, Carlson looked at his Sergeant and returned the maiden's smile. "Of course Princess, but the invitation is not mine to give, but rather the men's; and it seems to have been given." he concluded, looking back to Lundgren.

The girl smiled and blushed, looking to Carlson and then the other men. "Thank you Sergeant." It was an odd feeling to feel her face turning so warm while the rest of her body was still so cold.

"Is … Trooper … already inside?" she asked, looking to the stable doors and peeking in between them.

"Why yes, princess," Carlson replied. "Is there a reason you ask?"

She nodded sweetly, "May I see him?

Carlson looked to the Sergeant, who turned and swung both large doors open for the girl.

Still smiling, the young princess slipped through the doors. The interior of the stable held twelve spacious stalls, evenly spread along the two sides of an open center walkway. Beneath them lay a floor of packed earth from which a thick layer of fresh yellow straw lent an earthy air to the place. From the far unseen corner came a snapping, crackling sound. Though it was darker inside, the air in here much felt warmer, causing Ariel to wonder if that was because of the fire that she heard or merely because she was now sheltered from the outside wind and rain.

In eight of the stalls stood horses, Trooper being in the second closest to the right of the door. Over the rail beside him hung a thick woolen blanket while on the straw below sat twin wooden pails, one filled with oats, the other fresh water. At the horse's side brushing him down was one of the stable boys, Thomas Hawke.

At Ariel's approach, Tom started, doing his best to stand at some sort of attention or whatever gesture of respect was appropriate when one was in the presence of a princess, and a beautiful one especially, and one who had been a mermaid just weeks ago, as anyone the Prince trusted to keep her secret now knew.

"Hello Master Tom!" Ariel smiled sweetly at the boy, taking care to address him in the manner especially respectful to young boys, or so Carlotta had told her. She liked practicing her new human manners and etiquette, thereby getting to know as many new humans as possible. "How is he?"

Hearing the Princess use his first name in that lovely voice of hers, which Tom rather liked along with the princess herself, the young lad smiled. "Oh, he'll be fit and full soon enough Milady, umm, Princess."

Ariel smiled at the boy, "I just wanted to see that he was all right and being taken care of." she offered innocently.

Then, leaning over to the cold, wet horse, she began to stroke his sleek dark head and long neck, looking into his eyes as she began to speak to him, "Hello Trooper," she cooed, letting her small hands caress his neck and behind his ears, "… you were so brave out in the rain with us and with that mean man and his cart and whatever was pulling it. Thank you for keeping us safe."

The horse twitched his ears back in approval at the sound of her voice and nuzzled the former mermaid as her gentle caresses and scratches ended with a warm, soft embrace around his neck.

"I'll come back to see you again before I go to bed, I promise!" she ended.

"He's ready for his cover Princess." Tom said, lifting the blanket from the rail. To Tom's surprise, she took the opposite end of it, looking up at him and smiling. "Master Tom, when no one's looking, please call me Ariel, just like you call Eric "Eric" when no one's looking." She giggled as she took the blanket in hand and helped him draw and drape it over the horse.

Tom didn't quite know what to make of this. One didn't just call a princess and the daughter of the King of the Seas by her first name … did one? Was Ariel her first name? If so, what was her last name? Did she even have a last name?

"Now you'll be warm sweetie." she said, cooing to Trooper just a little more while planting a kiss on the horse's nose and picking up a handful of oats for him to eat from the left pail.

The horse munched happily away on the offered handful.

As Tom listened and watched, he couldn't help but think how the other steeds in the stable had reason to be greatly jealous of Trooper. Why, he himself was, to see the young beauty giving the stallion such love and care.

As she stood there, it occurred to Ariel that a warm blanket would feel good on her too as she felt the chill working its way into her now, despite the relative warmth of the stable.

"Thank you Master Tom. I have to go! Try to keep w … warm, all right?" she asked looking at him and then Trooper. "Both of you, p … please?"

"I'll be fine Princess, not to worry about me!" Tom smiled back, blushing rather obviously. "There are two hearths, here and there." he said, pointing to the fireplaces at the opposite corners of the stable. "I'll get a better blaze going in each and Trooper and the other horses will be just fine. But it sounds as though you need to go get yourself warmed up pretty soon, if you don't mind me saying so."

Ariel nodded, lowering her eyes slightly as she smiled at the boy, "T … thank you Master Tom, b … but, I'll be al … all right."

From the sound of the growing tremor in her voice and the sight of her shivering, Tom wasn't quite sure she would be all right though, and was half inclined to wrap one of his own blankets around her, princess or not.

Before he could, though, she turned quickly toward the doors and started back on her way out, only to stop at the sight of several soldiers looking at her. Ariel didn't know what to think, with so many eyes on her. They weren't bad looks, but rather pleasant ones, like they were almost in awe of what they were looking at, and they were looking … at her. It made her feel nice … and made her blush furiously as well.

As soon as she stopped and began to blush, Privates Jens and Anders drew back along with the other three, striking their positions of attention again along the doors, their eyes caged forward as they had been before.

As Ariel emerged from the stable, she looked up at each of the soldiers, Sergeant Lundgren, and Captain Carlson, each of whom had been apparently waiting quietly for her, also looking on perhaps. She ducked her head and felt a little odd for some reason she didn't quite understand, struck by a thought that unlike Henrik Knudsen, so far at least, these men seemed to actually like her … and wanted her to be a part of their world.

Smiling softly then, Ariel turned and fairly skipped back across the muddy courtyard. As she neared the far portico, she whirled quickly about and raising her right hand at the elbow waved her fingers to them as the rain continued to fall in a soft drizzling mist about her. "B … bye by … bye! Th … thank you a … again." she said, loud enough to be heard by the men just above the rain before she felt Eric's arms wrap around her slender, shivering frame, this time draping a warm thick woolen blanket around her.

"Eric, bring her in here!" Carlotta said from beneath the portico eaves. "She'll catch her death out there in that rain! The both of you will!"

"Oh Er … eric! They in … vited us to come and … dance with them to … tomo … rrow!" she said, looking up at him excitedly as she shook within his arms, as he brought her past the open double doors and into the Grand Foyer where Carlotta, Grimsby and one of the two maids still stood, having watched everything that had transpired.

Eric chuckled, "Well, this time I'm definitely going with you." He paused. "Here she is Lottie, cold and wet, but well I think." He smiled, then turning to his fiancée continued. "So, what was that little visit all about?"

Ariel smiled, wiping her bangs away from her eyes and the cold water from her face. "I j … just wanted to th … thank them for ta … king care of us; mostly … me, I … I m … mean. Troo … per too." she replied, looking to Eric for some sign of approval.

And of course it was there, in his eyes, in the way he took her back into his warm embrace and kissed her softly upon her lips as she, following his example, slipped her arms around him. So they stood, heedless of servants and soldiers, Carlotta and Grimsby, caught up in each other's arms, caught up in a kiss both deep and passionate, until at last he parted his lips slowly from hers and they both opened their eyes.

Ariel was glad for the warmth of his embrace, in more ways than one.

"You're wonderful Ariel, do you know that?" he whispered.

To which she could only smile, shaking her head softly as she lowered her eyes, being at just a little loss for words, and wondering why he had said so. She was really feeling the cold now and her whole body was shaking.

"I love you." he said, whispering again, and after a second's pause continued. "And Carlotta has a nice hot bath and warm, dry clothes waiting for you upstairs."

"I love y … you too." she replied shyly, thinking to herself how nice a hot bath and something warm to wear would feel. "Will I s … see you for din … dinner then?" she asked hopefully, smiling, feeling slight pangs of hunger and thirst along with the chill now biting into her. "You pr … promised." she smiled.

"Of course."

She had known, or thought she had known, what the answer would be, but merely desired the comfort that it provided, the surety that she would see Eric again soon.

"Come along dear. Let's get you warm and dry again." Carlotta entreated, taking the girl gently from Eric's arms.

As the Housekeeper drew the young princess into the Foyer, Grimsby and Eric followed. Eric looked over with a hopeful and questioning look on his face, to which the older man replied with his characteristic thin wry smile and a discrete nod of his head. An expectant smile slowly spread across Eric's countenance as his eyes turned to study his fiancée just ahead of them.

Ariel immediately felt the dryness of the white marble Grand Foyer around her, albeit not much warmth, as its outer doors had been open so long awaiting her and Eric. As Grimsby had said, fires burned in each fire place, each hearth. Candles had been lit against the gloom and they too burned, filling the room with a sweet waxy scent. It made her realize again how cold she was.

As they walked, Carlotta could feel the young woman still shivering beneath the thick and now somewhat damp woolen blanket. It would be a few minutes still before they reached her room and the Housekeeper was sure that Eric would want to see his princess up the stairs to her room, especially given Eric's new living arrangements … and Ariel's recent walking difficulties.

And of course, there was likely to be a, delay, getting her to her warm room.

"So honey," she began, taking her little girl's hand "Tell me about your day. I heard you telling Aubrey something about piglets, puppies, and horses. Was it the same as on your birthday?"

"Oh, Car … lotta, it was w … wo … wonderful!" the girl shivered dreamily as she pulled the woolen blanket tighter around herself. Blankets weren't as warm as Eric was however, and now that her excitement had somewhat subsided, she was feeling how very wet and cold she was, having crossed twice through the frigid wind and pouring rain to thank the Guardsmen and Trooper.

"It was so p … pr … etty out when we left this m … mor … ning, C … Carlotta! Eric let me drive Troo … per and the c ... arr .. .iage most of the way once we left. We stopped to look at a wi … wind … mill on top of a hill, and then walked in … in the fields. The sky was such a pretty blue, with long wh … white clouds like …" she paused for a moment, trying to think of something comparable in her experiences. "…like s … sea ... seaf … oam!"

"Oh, that sounds lovely dear." the Housekeeper replied, trying to hide her concern for how much worse the girl was beginning to sound now that she was truly suffering from exposure. "I do wish the weather had stayed nice out all day long and not spoiled your trip." Carlotta was beginning to wonder if their little diversion for the girl was a good idea after all, rather than taking her straight into the warm bath waiting for her. She wondered if Eric was faring as poorly.

The girl sighed, "S … so … do … I." she said, agreeing with the Housekeeper while wondering what she should talk about next. Fortunately, even when soaking wet and cold, words about her experiences were never far from Ariel's mind.

"This time though … we got to go into Fred … erik … sted and s … see all of the s … shops, and there were so many boa ... I mean s … sh … hips out on the water. We had ap … ple juice and …" she paused, trying to remember the name, "vee … veener … broed!" she smiled, looking back at Eric to see if she had gotten the word right.

Following behind her, Eric watched as his beloved walked with Carlotta, listening to her voice and how she spoke of her day, the sounds not just of her words, but her emotions and feelings. A gentle warmth kindled in his heart despite her shivering and halting voice, hearing how she had experienced the day he had given her with such joy, and when she looked back at him, a beautiful smile gracing her pale face, his heart nearly melted.

It was all that he could do to simply nod that she had pronounced the word for the traditional Danish pastry correctly and not catch her up in his arms and make her warm again. Some day he thought, she would speak his tongue as beautifully as she spoke English, and maybe … he would speak hers too, so that he could tell her in the language closest to her heart ... that he loved her.

Delighted that she had gotten the word right, Ariel ducked her head at the loving look she had brought to Eric's face and turned shyly back to Carlotta.

"But the s … shops were op … en today, so we were able to go in and …. and see s … so many th … ings. Eric told me all about c … clocks, and c … candle making, and how hu … mans make met … al things like t … tools, and horse … horseshoes."

The girl lowered her eyes slightly, her already soft voice growing even softer and quieter. "… and he g … g … gave me … flo … wers."

She paused and slowed, looking slightly panicked, starting to turn. "Oh n … no! Eric, I … I have to g … go back and get the b … beau … tiful things you gave me today, I … l … left them in the c … car … riage!"

Stepping up to her side, Eric took her left arm and elbow in his hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "It's all right. Don't worry love, they're being brought in."

"Oh." she smiled, looking up at Eric appreciatively. "Th … they are?" she asked, noticed how Eric too was shivering slightly, and how pale he looked.

"A … are y … you … g … going to get w … warm t … too Er … Eric?" she asked, a worried look now creeping onto her face.

Eric nodded, wanting to reassure her, with the smile on his face and his joy at hearing Ariel's gorgeous voice never lessening. "Tell Carlotta more about our trip."

She smiled, wanting to lean up against him, a desire conflicting directly with her nearly equal desire to tell someone, anyone, about everything she had experienced and how it had made her feel. Sometimes she just wanted to share her joy of discovery with others, but it had never occurred to her why.

Following Eric's encouragement, Ariel continued, speaking of the Boyd Plantation, and how this week it had been different, how there had been a new baby horse, and how the little pigs and puppies were each larger, and more playful than the week before, though some seemed to be missing, which puzzled her.

The similarly decorated and adjoining Jomfruøerne Room and Salon each proved successively warmer and Ariel began to feel the coldness within her subsiding more and more as she passed through them. She had learned their names as well as those of what she knew to be those of the most important rooms in the palace through her wanderings and explorations, mostly with Eric but some by herself.

It still confused her, the nested repetitiveness of it all, the unnatural regularity with which humans built, the straight, exact angles, so different from the organic and flowing curves of cultivated and husbanded coral, where each shape and each structure was also alive and unique. Human structures were beautiful and magnificent, even perfect in a way she found herself unable to articulate, but she found it so terribly easy to get completely turned around and lost inside one, even inside Eric's palace wherein she had now lived for many weeks.

Entering the South end of the colonnaded Audience Hall, she found the room lying in its customary silent, shadowed state, with the early evening gloom leaving it even more dark than usual. To their left was the warmly-lit Grand Stair, its landings and marble flights illuminated by lanterns hanging suspended from the curving walls above.

As Carlotta led her upward hand in hand, Ariel was careful to watch where her feet fell, lifting the hem of her water laden gown so that she could see her shoes during each cautious step, shoes that held feet she could now barely feel. She wasn't going to let herself fall again if she could help it, not after having succeeded in doing so for the whole day.

"I wish that I could have seen those little ones!" Carlotta replied to Ariel's description of the foals and other baby animals in which the girl had again apparently found such delight.

"Oh … Carlotta, they're s … so ado … rable and s … sweet."

As Eric listened, enjoying the delight in his fiancée's voice as much as the chill in it worried him. As he did so, he caught an admiring and rather pleased sidelong glance from Grimsby. Eric furrowed his brows to which Grimsby simply smiled and chuckled to himself.

To this, continuing his silent conversation with the young prince, Grimsby leaned over. "If, my boy, you were wondering what she might desire for a certain upcoming special day, I should advise you to listen closely."

Eric listened and thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded; not the least because the coolness that had prevailed between him and Aubrey seemed to have warmed somewhat.

Finally, the four emerged out onto the south floor of the Dance Hall.

Feeling that she was now on a flat floor and safe, Ariel looked back over her left shoulder at both Eric and Aubrey, realizing she wouldn't see her love again until dinner, however long from now that would be. The thought of being separated from him after having spent the whole day together left her feeling quite sad, and already a little bit lonely.

She was surprised though at what she saw, Eric seemed to be staring at her as he followed her up the stairs, and so did Aubrey; both also seemed to be trying to keep from smiling, and not succeeding very well at it she thought.

What did that mean?

Innocently she smiled back with a curious and somewhat puzzled look gracing her eyes and face. Then the former mermaid turned her head back in the direction Carlotta was leading her.

And there she stopped, frozen where she stood at the south end of the Hall, her dark blue eyes widening and delicate chin dropping, as she tried to recognize what she was seeing before her.

"Eric …" she whispered softly. "Wh … what is it?"

Author's Note: If you are interested in my thoughts on how Ariel is reacting to the troubles and threats in her new life, a new commentaries in my profile,

8. The Little Maiden - An Inverted Lens on Ariel in the Human World

9. Regarding the Weather - Depictions of Weather and Climate in "Ariel's Isle"

10. Saint Croix

Acknowledgments and Credits:

Cover Art: As Before

Creative Contributions: As before, though I would like to thank the BritCrit for her thoughts on the setting in her review of chapter 2 and offer that I hope the way I address her concerns will prove quite exciting as well as satisfying. I also want to thank TheQueenieofCourse for her thoughts on little mermaids learning to drive!