Ariel smiled fondly, "Scuttle is one of my friends. He's ditzy, but he means well...He often helped me out on the names of the human stuff I discovered, yet I have a feeling that he might be wrong about the names and their uses... And as for Sebastian, another friend, yes, but he's also the advisor of my father, and the court composer...I hope they're okay, along with Flounder, another friend of mine. Scuttle is a seagull, Sebastian is a crab, and Flounder is a tropical fish.".
Eric gave her a look as she chuckled. "Can you not understand Max?", Ariel asked as Eric shook his head. "No, uh, humans don't... talk to animals. Well, we can, but we can't usually understand them. I tend to know what Max wants or is trying to do, but I can't talk with him like I am with you.", Eric explained.
Ariel chuckled softly, "Ah, I see. Well, you had him for a long time, so you know him very well, and as for me, I cannot understand true land animals...It's only sea creatures on land I could understand and talk if they are able to talk back to me without gestures and all, and for true sea creatures, mainly fish and intelligent marine mammals like Sebastian, which is good as we merpeople depend to thrive on sea kelp, plankton, sea cucumbers, algae, seaweed, sea grapes, and clam shell flour flapcakes.".
"I was just about to ask you about your people eat." Eric said as he pointed to her chest. "And am I to guess you obviously use those clams for other needs?", Ariel blushed as Eric did too. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-", spluttering in embarrassment. "It's okay.", Ariel assured him.
Eric nodded softly, and Ariel gave a little giggle, "And you're a bit off. They're seashells, not clam shells, and they're worked up to be soft yet stiff for all girls from 13 and above.", and Eric breathed, "Ah. Got it.", before shaking his head slightly, "You ready for the next piece?", with a soft smile.
Ariel took a deep breath, "Maybe you should take two at once...That way we're almost there to the end, with the only last one left.", and Eric looked at her, "I can't do that to you twice over!", as his heart cannot stop wrenching in pain from hearing Ariel's pained screams.
Ariel teared up. "I'm not going to be able to handle this for much longer, Eric... the sooner it's done... the better.", she said as Eric closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I have to do this one at a time to make sure. I need to make sure I have enough strength and grip to get them out or a smaller shard might be stuck with me unable to get it.", Eric explained as he then took a deep breath, opening his eyes.
Ariel sighed heavily, "You truly are compassionate, Eric, that's something you can be when you are king. And okay, you're right, let's not stop...", and Eric looked at her, "You're brave, Ariel, and that's a good thing.", before going for the third to last shard of glass, "I'm going to get it. Brace yourself.".
Eric yanks and Ariel screams like before; but at least this time, the two remaining shards are the smallest of the big ones that Eric had removed so the pain hopefully would be lessened. Eric grabbed another piece as Ariel nodded; getting these last three quicker would be the better thing. He took another deep breath as Ariel braced herself and another shard was removed. Ariel still screamed but the pain was less than before.
Eric asked in concern, "Do you need a minute now? We only have one left.", and Ariel took deep breaths, cuddling Max who is licking her face and nuzzling her, whuffling softly.
"I'm alright...I'm ready.", Ariel looked at him, bracing as she took a deep breath, and Eric nodded, taking another deep breath as he reached for the last one, and pulled, and Ariel shouted in pain, panting as Eric went to clean all the new wounds.
Eric asked softly, "How long do you think you'd heal?", and Ariel sighed wearily, "Maybe a week. I'd never been to the royal healers much in Atlantica.".
"I see. How are you feeling at least?", Eric smiled softly, and Ariel returned a smile back, "Better. Far better than earlier. Thank you, Eric.".
Eric nodded, "You're very much welcome.", and Ariel was about to reply when she gave a moan-gasp in surprise, blushing as she looked down, and Eric was confused, looking down before he blushed, widening his eyes as he saw a spot of scales receding back into some sort of vent, his thumb brushing against it accidentally as he was cleaning the last wound.
"Jesus Christ... I'm so sorry!", Eric quickly stood up and took a few steps back, smart enough to guess what exactly that specific anatomy of a mermaid that was. "Eric... it's okay.", Ariel blushed as she covered that spot. "It was just an accident, I know.".
"Thank you...", Eric nodded as he still was just as red as her. "Sorry, it's... different from a human woman's.", he said.
"How so?", Ariel asked, her tone obviously one of naive curiosity. Eric rubbed the back of his neck, "Er... how's about we just save that question for another day with it being very... um... personal, alright?".
Ariel nodded, "Okay, that's fair, but I ain't leaving that for long...I may be stubborn, but I am also headstrong. After all, I have so many questions for you about the human world.".
Eric chuckled weakly, "You are going to be the smartest mermaid on human knowledge if I let you read the books in my library.", and Ariel grinned, "You have books?", looking at him excitedly as she lifted her tail in a way where she is looking like she's resting her arms on her knees, covering the spot where it's slowly resuming back to scales.
"Lots of books, yes.", Eric slowly lost the blush as he is relieved that Ariel is changing the topic, nodding, and Ariel smiled, "What kind of books?".
"History, fantasy, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, faith, you name it.", Eric chuckled before his belly grumbled, and Ariel blinked, "What was that?".
Eric chuckled, "Big sign that I am hungry. Are you hungry? If I can find fruits, are you okay to eat them?", and Ariel nodded, "I'm hungry, and I am half human, I should be fine with fruits.".
"You say that now... but...", Eric sighed as he stood up. "Okay, look, I'm going to go out and see what I can find in this place, hopefully I can also find out maybe where we are too. Max, stay with her... and make sure anyone but me cannot know she's here.".
Max barked firmly, snorting as he sat next to Ariel, and Ariel smiled, ruffled Max's fur on his head, "My hero. We'll be fine, Eric. And if anything happens, I will slip off further into the water to hide in the rocks or something...even if my tail hurts still.", sighing as the pain is less, but still sharp enough for her to know.
"I know, but... listen, I just don't want anything to happen to you and I don't really trust anyone with you. For all we know, we might be in Barbary territory.", Eric feared as he took a deep breath. "Just wait a bit, I'll try not to be long.", he assured her.
Ariel exhaled deeply, hearing the tone in Eric's voice, and nodded, "Okay. Just be careful, Eric...", and Eric smiled at her, "I will, Ariel.", before leaving her and Max, going through the hole in the cliff wall, from the cove bay, watching carefully for ships or people as he ventured to the trees, searching for familiar fruit trees if any, wishing that he had a knife to mark his way, but did the best he could by landmarks and his footsteps, planning to clean them off with a leaf or something when he goes back to the cove.
It felt much too long for Ariel's tastes at times, seeing the light move in the cove as the sun moved in the sky, somewhat similar to the light that shined through her hiding place back home. She knew it had been a while before she started to hear noises. Max went on alert for a few moments as there was brief worry in Ariel's mind. Was Eric right about the pirates? Had they captured or killed him and now coming for her?
Max growled, barked, protecting Ariel, watching the hole in the cliff wall before Eric's voice sounded out, "Max!", as Eric then emerged out on the other side, shirtless and carrying a makeshift bag of fruit, and a bundle of wood under his other arm.
It was getting hotter and hotter as the sun had moved closer through the sky, and Eric, not having a way to carry fruit while carrying wood since he immediately knew that he would need fire to stay warm on cool nights especially when it's March, so he ventured to make his shirt into a bag.
"Eric...", Ariel gave a sigh of relief. "Sorry I kept you waiting, Ariel... the terrain here is killer... like the mountains back home in Italy.", Eric explained as he put down the food. "But I found quite a lot of food thankfully. And I think we might not be in Africa because I found these.". He smiled as he showed off small black orbs that Ariel certainly had never seen before. "You ever had an olive?"
Ariel shook her head, "No, I haven't...They look similar to sea grapes, though, yet sea grapes are bright green and smaller than those olives.", before picking one olive up, and went to nibble on it as Eric also got kiwi, oranges, and peaches, and he asked warmly, "Well? How is it?".
"It's... it's not bad.", Ariel admitted. Not enamored with it, obviously, like it was the greatest thing she had ever tasted, but it certainly was something nice.
"It's certainly a range of taste. You should try it as oil, makes quite a difference with some meals.", Eric smiled as Ariel chuckled.
Ariel nodded, "I suppose that makes sense. Not every merperson has the same likes and dislikes.", before noticing the other fruit, "What are those?".
Eric chuckled, "Kiwi, oranges, and peaches. Kiwi is kind of refreshing, a bit tangy, with some sweetness. Oranges are tangy, slightly bitter, and peaches are sweet and refreshing at the same time.".
"We're not going to eat them all at once, are we?", Ariel asked as Eric shook his head. "Obviously not. But I thought it might be better for you to at least try some of the surface food just to make sure. Besides, I can obviously get more.", he explained as Ariel gave a small smile.
"And... our location?", Ariel asked as Eric shook his head, "Don't know. I think we're on an island, I was up pretty high on a hillside at one point, but I certainly didn't see any other land around... nor did I see any people.".
Ariel sighed deeply, "At least we're all okay...", and Eric nodded, "Yeah. All the same, I better stick close to the cove here...Just until you're all healed, and then I don't have to worry about you...", as he fiddled with the bundle of wood, grabbing some rocks to create a circle.
"What are you doing?", Ariel asked curiously, and Eric smiled, "Making a place to build fire...Sun will fall sooner or later, and it will be cool tonight and so on.".
"Cool?", She asks as Eric looks at her funny. "Is temperature not a thing in Atlantica?", Eric asks her back. "Well, I don't know if the sea stays a nice warm temperature all the time, or if it affects you, but, well, on land, humans can't be too hot or too cold.".
Ariel blinked in surprise, "Oh, is that why humans kept having different clothes on throughout the years?", and Eric nodded, "We have four different seasons; summer, fall, winter, and spring. Right now, it's late winter, early spring.".
"Oh...Atlantica only has two seasons underwater; spring and summer, and we just don't notice much, really, with the water temperature changes...", Ariel explained with a nod.
"Lucky.", Eric gives a sly smirk as he takes a few deep breaths when he leans back against the cave wall. "Something wrong?", Ariel asks as Max walks over to Eric and sits next to him, with Eric ruffling Max's fur absentmindedly.
"Just thinking... about, well, everything. About today, about what's going on back in my kingdom. Did any of the rest of the crew survive? I might be the last one to survive for all I know.", Eric bit his lip and grimaced anxiously.
Ariel replied, "Well, I heard that old man...Grimsby, calling for you in that small boat with some of the crew, and the other small boat was nearby as well, and that was the last thing I saw before I scrambled into the deck to find you...Good thing the rain was helping me slide around.".
"That's good news, at least, to know that they are alive...Carlotta would be so worried sick...next to Grimsby...", Eric sighed in relief before frowning. Ariel shuffles out of the water, wincing slightly at the pain, but made it to Eric, patting his knee as Eric slides down to sit down next to her.
"Same thing for me...Daddy would be really frantic...It's possible that this island is out of his reach with the Trident as I am not currently in the sea, as fresh water doesn't allude to himself being king of the sea. My sisters would be worried. My friends would probably wonder where I am.", Ariel replied.
"I'm sorry.", Eric apologized. "You're sorry? What? About me saving you? You'd rather have drowned with the ship than cause me to be separated from my home? Eric, you sound very humble and very foolish at the same time there.", Ariel gave a knowing smirk.
Eric blushed in embarrassment yet relief, "I guess you are right, Ariel...I am grateful for you saving my life, and to be honest, I'd probably would still think that mermaids were a myth to start with, if I had Max at my side the first moment when I would leave the ship on one of the lifeboats...", ruffling Max's fur, and he barked, panting as he smiled at his master.
Ariel chuckled, "True...How come Max didn't go with Grimsby?", and Eric sighed, "Max must have spooked at the first sound of lightning, running for my cabin as it was the safest place for him...He hates thunderstorms...If it was a simple rainstorm, he would have been fine about it.".
Eric then patted Max on the head and scratched him behind the ears, "If we ever get back home, I'm sure Grimsby probably will complain about me going back for Max, but there's no way I was gonna leave this mangy dog to drown. Not after all the years we've been together.".
Ariel smiled warmly, "Sounds like a best friend to me. Flounder is my best friend, and he may be a scaredy guppy, but he is loyal and quite often, he's the voice of reason, trying to pull me away from adventures, but he still goes with me.".
"Yeah...", Eric took another sigh as he got up and started to set things up for a campfire. "Better get this started soon while it's still fairly warm.".
"Need any help?", Ariel asked as she watched him. "No, I think I'll be fine... just need to get some branches from some of those nearby trees but that'll be it.", Eric replied.
Ariel nodded, understanding as she never experienced building fire, though she had glimpsed fire sometimes in the distance on the mainland, and scuffled back to the water, sighing softly as she looked at the leaf-bandaged wounds on her tail.
She probably will have to change the bandages once in a while, but the wounds will diminish into scars...She will definitely have a hard time to explain why her tail isn't beautiful anymore...
"Hey, you okay, Ariel?", Eric asked gently as he started to look for two sharp rocks to spark some fire into the wood, and Ariel replied, "My father wouldn't believe that you basically helped me with the glass shards...Maybe some of my sisters would believe a bit, but it's hard to say...A few of them are obsessed with beauty...They wouldn't say it to my face, but they will see the scars on my tail once the wounds heal up...".
"You might get lucky and have those fade overtime and not scar.", Eric admitted. "I once suffered a bad dueling wound right here against my chest.". He pointed to the spot, "As you can see though, no scar.".
Ariel glanced at his chest, and sure enough, there's no scar. She exhaled, realizing at last that he's not wearing his shirt, and asked quietly, "What's dueling?".
Eric chuckled as he then focused on clicking the two sharp rocks he found into the set wood, "Dueling is like a sport of swordsmanship, and it helped me with the pirates last year as I'm quite adept at dueling with a sword, thanks to several years of training, due to my father's insistence.", not noticing that Ariel was admiring his chest...