"Oh, right! I got something for ya and your beau, from your sisters!", Scuttle nodded, holding up one of his legs which held a parchment scroll and a sea kelp wrapped present, tied to his leg, and Ariel helped untie it as Eric gave some grapes and bread to Scuttle who immediately went to eat.
Eric asked curiously, "From the looks of it, I guess it's from Atlantica?", and Ariel nodded, "It's from my sisters.", opening the scroll, reading it out loud.
'Hey, Ariel and Eric.
We realized we hadn't given you a wedding gift of sorts, and after lots of thinking and searching, we decided to help you out with a certain part of your newlywed lives. Daddy had to help a bit, but it's mostly from us.
Enjoy the private time underwater! We hope you love those gifts!
-Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, and Andrina. P.S. The color white is for the surface, the color gold is for underwater.'
Eric opened the sea kelp wrapped gift, revealing a pearl bracelet, and a seashell bracelet, both in white. "Uh... what are these... and what did they mean by private time underwater?", Eric looked at Ariel as it was clearly clicking fast with her, but Eric still seemed to be lost.
Ariel smiled widely and happily, "They're enchanted bracelets! Daddy enchanted them with the trident after the girls found the pearls and seashells to make bracelets, and now, we can transform into merpeople with the help of them on our wrists! White as humans, gold as merpeople!", with an excited laugh before grabbing the pearl bracelet, putting it on, and stepping over the edge to go into the shallows, and the moment the bracelet touched the water, turning gold from white, a warm glow appeared around Ariel, painless and peaceful, and a minute later, Ariel revealed her green tail, wearing her purple seashells, smiling radiantly.
"You're joking...", Eric muttered even as he was looking at her. "I think you're a few moments too late to say it, Eric.", Ariel slapped her tail and got Eric wet as she laughed.
Eric however wasn't wearing his so the water did nothing until she motioned him to put it on. Eric took a deep breath as he took a few steps into the water and was floating next to her.
Like Ariel, the moment Eric's seashell bracelet touched the water, it turned from white to gold, a warm glow appeared around Eric, painless and peaceful, and a minute later, Eric is now having his ice blue tail.
Scuttle whistled, "Wow, not bad!", and Eric blinked in surprise when he heard the voice, "Ariel, I..I just understood what he said!".
Ariel smiled happily, "Well, you're a literal merman now in reality. You can now understand any sea creature who has intelligence.", and Eric whispered, "Whoa...".
Scuttle chuckled, "Well, thanks for the share of the food, you two! Better get going! Have fun!", with a smirk and wink before he flapped his wings and flew off from the cove.
"And by private time underwater, we can finally make love in reality...", Ariel swam closer, smiling coyly and mischievously, stroking his chest sensually with her hands.
Eric still was fairly stunned for a moment, trying to take it all in, especially the fact that he was now a merman in reality, not just a dream. So, it still took him just a few moments to get his head around the tail and be able to properly swim. "I... I don't know what to say right now...".
"Thank you, the next time we see Daddy, how does that sound to you?", Ariel chuckled as she gave him a kiss on the lips, wrapped her arms around him and dragged him under the water.
Eric himself discovered that making love underwater in reality was 10 times more incredible than in their dreams, and he gladly went to make Ariel and himself enjoy the passion, and that day was spent in multiple rounds, and for the first time, he slept underwater with Ariel that night, safe from everything in the cove...
And so, the second week was spent between the cottage and the cove, having adventures together on the island and to the sea, and of course, love sessions together, and eventually, with bittersweet feelings, they had to leave the island since the honeymoon had finished for them...
They returned home to Tirulia, and so, their lives began anew, with occasional visits to Atlantica, thanking Triton and the girls, with Eric truly getting to know Scuttle, Sebastian, and Flounder, and learning how to lead the kingdom together, with Grimsby preparing the big day of the coronation a month later.
"You're more jittery than our wedding, Eric.", Ariel was trying to help Eric with his ceremonial uniform, brushing his sleeves and helping straighten it up. The honeymoon certainly was over for the two of them as a full-on month since returning really had already pushed the two of them in a happily married couple.
"Just nerves, Ariel... maybe more this time since the whole kingdom is depending on this going well rather than our wedding where it really was just mostly you who was depending on me.", Eric said.
Ariel smiled reassuringly, "You will do just fine, Eric...After all, I'm becoming queen as well.", wearing a ceremonial gown too, "To be honest, I should be more nervous than you, but for some reason, I feel less nervous with you.".
Eric smiled lovingly, "I am so glad you're here, Ariel, and I can't wait to dance with you in the ceremonial ball tonight.", grabbing her hands and kissing them affectionately.
"You're such a charmer.", Ariel rolled her eyes as Eric smirked, "Well, surely that's one of the reasons you fell for me.". Ariel rolled her eyes once more when he said that, and she replied, "Well, maybe.".
Eric chuckled warmly before taking her chin in his hand and kissed her gently on the lips, "I hope you don't mind. I need all the luck I can get.", and Ariel smiled softly, "No, I don't mind, and you're all the luck I all need, Eric.".
"Oh, Ariel, you're always one to compliment.", Eric chuckled, and Ariel giggled, "Ain't that one of the reasons you fell for me?".
Eric laughed heartily, "Touche.", before a knock came at the door, and he called out, "Come in.", and the door opened to reveal Grimsby, "Your majesties, the guests have arrived. It's time.", with a patient and warm smile.
Eric took a deep breath. "Sire, you'll do fine, your father was just as much of a wreck as you are now, believe it or not. Even when he was slightly older than you.", Grimsby assured him.
"Thanks, Grim, I needed to hear that at least. Any issues so far with any of our guests? Any 'major players' of the continent?", Eric asked; while it was unlikely that Tirulia would've received some major European kingdom as a guest in terms of a coronation, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that someone might come at a nation's behest.
Grimsby replied, "As Tirulia is a simple kingdom, the nation of Sicily, and the nation of Naples is visiting within a majority of the guests, with many of the small island kingdoms behind the shore of Italy in the north, in the rest of the guests. I believe the accents of the Italian language will be a bit of an issue, but non-troubling.".
"That's about what I thought. Didn't think we'd get anything from too far away. And our 'special guests'?", Eric, of course, was referring to Triton and Ariel's sisters. "I trust that Triton already has a plan to make sure that Atlantica doesn't get any undue attention from the rest of the continent?".
Grimsby nodded, "Yes, as Triton and the ladies are temporarily human, and standing as Lady Ariel's family and representatives of her heritage, his trident is disguised as a cane of sorts, and every person who shakes hands with him, they would only know that Atlantica is only a myth, a faded story, that Triton is an immigrant to Othonoi, and that the ladies themselves are already taken, so there won't be any trouble with...ah, unnecessary attention from the men.".
"Wait, seriously?", Eric looked at Ariel as she had a sly grin. "You sneaky...".
"Thought it would be a fun surprise. It took a lot to convince Daddy to actually pose as human along with the rest of the girls; okay, they were quicker to try it than him, but you know what I mean.", Ariel smiled brightly with a chuckle.
Eric chuckled, "Well, you certainly surprised me, Ariel.", and Ariel giggled softly, "Well, thank you. And I'm not done yet, but I'll tell you during the dance.".
"Another surprise? Ariel, I know today is coronation day, but you don't have to make me so happy when I am so glad that Triton and your sisters came for you.", Eric spoke warmly with a smile.
Ariel smiled, "Oh, I want to make your big day as wonderful as the wedding was. Now, you heard Grimsby. We cannot be late even a minute before the ceremony.", and Grimsby nodded, "Lady Ariel is right as always. Come, your majesties.".
The two of them followed him fast as they quickened their pace to make sure to be in the right position for the ceremony. After a few announcements as procedure and a tight hand hold from Ariel which he responded with a kiss; Eric stepped forward as he was to walk alone towards the throne when the grand doors opened.
Eric exhaled deeply, kept his head high, walked straight, glancing over the guests as they bowed their heads slightly in respect, and his eyes locked momentarily on Triton and the girls, and Triton gave him a small smile and nod in support, and Eric inclined his head slightly in a gesture of thanks, as he then made it to the throne steps, walked up to the priest of his town's church, dressed in ceremonial clothes, with his bearers close by, holding the pillows of the crowns.
"Your majesty...", the priest bowed his head before Eric did his as well. So far, so good, Eric thought to himself as the priest motioned him to take his seat and grab the crown and scepter that was the tradition.
Eric walked to his father's throne chair, no...it's his throne chair now, and sat down slowly, and the priest walked to the side, holding the scepter in his hands, as he announced loudly and clearly, "Your majesty, do you swear to lead this kingdom into an era of peace and prosperity as long as you live?".
"I do swear.", Eric spoke firmly and clearly, and the priest passed over the scepter to Eric's hands, and the first bearer came forward, and the priest grabbed the king's crown gently and reverently, lifting it up over Eric's head, "Do you swear as king, you'll protect, listen, and care for all your people of Truilia?".
Eric took a deep breath, and spoke clearly and strongly, "I do swear.", and the priest smoothly put the crown on his head, and Eric felt the burden grow on his shoulders, but he carried it strongly as the priest announced, "I give you King Eric of Truilia!".
Polite and warm applause came for a few minutes, and then an announcement then sounded out, "I now announce you, Princess Ariel, wife of King Eric, and daughter of Triton!", and Eric glanced in the side of his eyes to see Ariel exiting the grand doors gracefully with a polite smile, as the audience bowed their heads in respect, and seemed to beam happily when she saw Triton and her sisters, and came up the throne stairs.
"Your majesty.", the priest bowed his head as Ariel curtsied before him, and like with Eric, she took a seat on Eric's mother's throne chair, now Ariel's, as the priest then walked around to the opposite side, on the side of Ariel.
"Princess Ariel.", the priest began. "Do you swear as queen, to continue your bonds of matrimony with the king, to uphold the traditions and serve as queen of no other land but Truilia? To, if the unthinkable should occur, rise up and take charge of the kingdom and lead it into an era of peace and prosperity; should the King be claimed by death and no heir exists or is of age to truly take his place?"
Ariel certainly was a bit surprised by that, but it certainly was understanding as he said, should the unthinkable happen to Eric. She nodded. "I do swear.", she answered.
"Do you swear, as queen, you'll protect, listen and care for all of the people of Truilia despite not being of Truilia?", the priest continued. Ariel spoke firmly and clearly, "I do swear.".
The priest lifted the other crown, the queen's crown from the second bearer's pillow, and gently, smoothly put it down on her head, and Ariel exhaled, feeling a new burden on her shoulders, yet held strong as the priest then announced, "I give you Queen Ariel of Truilia!".
Polite and calm applause came, and soon, the echo of their titles rang around the room, and Eric gently squeezed Ariel's hand for a moment, and Ariel glanced to see a smile on his face, and she smiled back.
Soon, the royal couple came down the stairs to mingle and talk, having polite conversations as the ballroom is luckily next door to the throne room, with music playing. After some nibbles from the food on the table, the announcement came for the first dance of the king and queen, and so the couple walked into the dance floor, instantly moving into the waltz.
"You know, I wouldn't have believed it if I knew that you are a natural after two months of being human.", Eric whispered, smiling, and Ariel giggled softly, "Well, I had a good teacher.", with a loving smile.
"Naturally. So, what is the surprise you wanted to tell me?", Eric asked curiously, and Ariel smiled radiantly, subtly moving his hand from her waist to her belly, whispering reverently, "You're going to be a daddy.".
Eric's eyes widened at the news of that, "You're... you're serious?". Ariel gave a wide smile and nodded as she chuckled, "I had Attina check with the trident since this wasn't something Daddy needed to do, and she can use it since she's the heir. But... yes... we're going to have a child, Eric.".
Eric was speechless for a moment before glancing down at his hand resting on her belly, with her hand over his, and looked back up at Ariel before smiling so brightly that his cheeks hurt and leaned in to kiss her.
"How long?", Eric asked her after a good full minute of kissing her. Ariel smiled as she ran her hand through his hair. "Probably another eight months since our baby will more than likely be human; since we were human that first time.", Ariel informed.
Eric smiled tenderly as he caressed her cheek, "You made this the best day of my life... Triton and your sisters showing up, you at my side as queen, and now this...I hope she'll look like you.", resuming their dance, with his other hand placed a bit more firmly yet tenderly on her waist, with his thumb caressing the side of her belly.
Ariel chuckled, "It would just as well be a boy...", with a soft, loving smile. "It honestly doesn't matter, boy or girl... they'll be our child.", Eric kissed her cheek. "So... we probably should figure out how we're going to break this news to, say, the Kingdom or your father.", he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I heard stories. I think we should keep it a secret a while longer for a month or two, just to be safe...", Ariel replied as she's only a few months away from turning 17, and with hospitals being a rarity in the 1700s...
"Of course, after all... well, I don't know how it is with merfolk, but... there's a decent chance we might lose this child before it's born. Even the best doctors can't prevent that. And the palace has a good one, but there's only so much he can do." Eric said.
Ariel nodded softly with a solemn yet determined look, "I know...Merpeople has less chance of that happening, but it can still happen. And you know me. I will fight to have this child be healthy and strong. After all, I am the one carrying.".
Eric smiled warmly, "I know. And I will be there every day at your side. Heck, I would defy tradition to go into the birthing room to be there for you as I hate to see you in pain, but I won't leave you, Ariel.".
"Thank you, Eric.", Ariel smiled as she brushed his cheek. "I love you so much.", she kissed him on the lips once again. Eric smiled after the kiss, "I love you too, and I love our child already.", his thumb still caressing the side of her belly.
Ariel beamed happily, "I love our child too. You're going to be a wonderful father, no doubt about it.", and Eric chuckled, "I hope so.", and soon finished their dance, mingling with the guests again with random conversations here and there.
Ariel barely managed to keep her lips shut from revealing her secret to Triton and the rest of her sisters, yet shared a nod with Attina who gave her a little smile.
And of course, Eric was making sure to keep it to himself from Grimsby and others amongst the court; again, until a later time as they hopefully would be much surer about the child.