"The pirates returned... and took her.", Eric said. "I was so terrified of losing her again, I quickly got the ships moving and went after her... and Triton as well since Sebastian quickly brought him to the surface. A few moments of talking as he wanted to try and make at least some amends since he found out he lost Ariel to humanity per se. We all caught up with the ship and Ursula, and while we fought on the surface with the pirates and their ship, Ursula took Ariel back under the sea.".
Melody widened her eyes as she listened before she blinked in confusion, "But you were human! You could have drowned!", and Ariel nodded, "Ursula changed me back with dark magic, back to being a mermaid...She had the pirates treat me like a meal on a stick, after they confessed basically that they killed Mother when they saw the similarity between me and her. I was nearly free, thanks to another friend, Scuttle, but Ursula saw him coming. She kept me trapped in her tentacles, and...after she got me back under the sea, she did more dark magic on me...turning me into stone...".
Melody exhaled in horror, "That's terribly scary!", and Ariel nodded, "Yes, it was, and I wasn't able to warn Daddy who came in, furious and terrified to see me like that...He was so ready to kill Ursula on the spot if not for her tentacles around me, stopping him in place...And then came the worst part of Ursula's plan...If Daddy didn't trade his life, his crown, his trident, I would have completely turned into stone, but with Ursula pressuring him, Daddy made the deal...".
"So... Ariel was freed but Ursula had no more need of her and used the power of the trident to be... well, big. She went to the surface... after I saved Ariel. I almost forgot, she nearly vaporized her with it, but if not for a harpoon toss from me jumping into the water, and Ariel pulling that witch's hair, we'd both have been dead. The two of us were separated once more in the storm and I found myself getting on board to the pirate's ship and using its forward bow as a giant spear... and fatally struck Ursula.", Eric explained.
Melody smiled widely, "Yes!", and Ariel chuckled, "I would have done the same if I knew it was happening, but in the separation during the storm, I was pulled into the humungous whirlpool, and crashed into the bottom of the sea in the middle of the whirlpool's eye...With the injuries from the ship, the crash, I was her target, and she was...shooting at me, to kill me...I dodged so many shots that I almost lost count as it was so painful every time I moved, and then she caught me, shooting off so close to me...I crashed into a rock...My tail became shattered...I was dying...Last thing I heard before going into limbo was her ironically last words, last thing I saw was her aiming the trident at me before I had memories of Eric running through my mind, with my whispered proclamation of love for him, and then I knew nothing...", with a deep sigh.
"But... you're here now...", Melody said as Ariel nodded, "Well, it was thanks to your father and Daddy. They found me, Eric was holding me in his arms as he was sobbing, saying what he wanted to do with me when we would get back, marrying me, spending our lives together...".
"Triton went forward and used his trident to heal Ariel, bring her back from the brink. He had been restored to himself again when Ursula died, along with all her other victims...", Eric said.
Ariel nodded, "And during limbo, I reunited with Mother, your grandmother...She truly missed Triton, my sisters, and me...She was so proud of me, approving of Eric, and after hearing that I can go back to Eric, I was sad to see Mother go again, but I was happy that she's at peace as the pirates had been killed properly, and they wouldn't hurt or kill anyone ever again.".
Melody blinked in surprise, "She must have been really beautiful...", and Ariel smiled, "She was...I think she would have loved you so deeply...", before giving out a little sob, "At least she's keeping Tazio company...".
Eric shushed her, comforting her, rubbing her arm in reassuring strokes, "It's okay, my love.", and Ariel shakily took a deep breath, looking up at him with a little smile, "I'm alright...".
Melody exhaled, "You came back home and got married, and eventually, had me and Tazio.", and Ariel smiled, "Yes...The honeymoon on Othonoi was wonderful. When I found out that I was pregnant with you and Tazio, I was admittedly nervous as you know, I wasn't technically raised by Mother, but I grew up with six sisters, so I had some idea, yet I knew I truly wanted to be a wonderful mother to you two...".
Eric chuckled softly, "I was afraid too, but when I got to know you two when you were growing in your mother's womb, I became confident enough to know that I can be a good father...Of course, we knew that things could happen with pregnancy, and thankfully, it went well for six months until...your mother got poisoned by that...that monster, that horrible student of Ursula...".
Melody suddenly gasped as it clicked. "Yes... Tazio died because that monster... a creature similar to Ursula with much of her same powers... he poisoned me and sadly, we didn't realize until the damage was starting to be done. Daddy quickly arrived and helped, but... Tazio took much of the poison to protect you...", Ariel said.
"He...he saved me...", Melody whispered in shock, and Ariel nodded before she sobbed into Eric's chest, and Eric sighed heavily as he rubbed Ariel's back, and looked at Melody, "Your mother was vigilant, making sure you two were growing healthy and strong to survive the birth...You were perfectly fine, announcing yourself to the world...Tazio...oh, he tried his best, but he was sickly...Despite the doctor's attempts to help him get better, Tazio remained sickly even when he gained weight, and he was smaller than you a bit...Yet he fought so hard every day that we were anxious every night, praying that he'd get better, and he somehow found a way to make your mother smile despite feeling so terrible as he didn't want her to cry...Then you know what happened...".
Melody nodded wearily, and spoke softly, "I knew I had something missing all my life...Even when I visited the island with you two, it was like...a dark cloud...", and Ariel spoke, "I really tried...I really wanted him to live...I'm sorry, Melody...You are fortunate in a way that it doesn't hurt so much when you think about him, but for us...especially me, it's like a storm in my heart every day, hurting when I see him in you, or Eric...It's not your fault...nor Eric's...That's one of the reasons why I wanted to protect you...especially from the sea and your heritage...since Tazio, and then your 1st birthday...".
"My 1st birthday?...What happened?", Melody asked softly, and Eric sighed deeply, "Your mother was getting so much better by then...I was worried for her...I was relieved when I saw her smile again, laugh again, and of course, sing again...All the kingdoms of Tirulia and Atlantica adored your mother, and was devastated when they heard about Tazio...So, when they saw your mother smiling and singing again, they truly thought the dark cloud has left your mother, even when they knew that the memory of Tazio would always hurt her and me, the pain would ebb away over time, little by little."
"We went out on the royal barge for your birthday, meeting with your grandfather and aunts. Everything seemed alright... until that monster showed up again and took you right out of our hands.", Ariel said as she closed her eyes tight.
"He admitted he was the one that poisoned your mother, was the one who led to Tazio's death and then nearly tried to kill you if not for Scuttle swooping in and saving you... and then I took the brunt of his anger when I was fighting him...", Eric added.
Melody widened her eyes in shock and horror, now seeing why her mother has been so overprotective of her, and blinked in thought before something clicked, "Your friend, this Sebastian...he saved Dad's life...How?".
Ariel exhaled shakily, "The monster had a shark, a face I knew in my past...Glut...He was seeking revenge for all the times I escaped from him in the ship graveyards...You...were dangling above him...Daddy and Eric went into action as I was in shock, helpless...I was terrified...Daddy vaporized Glut just as Eric attacked the monster, causing him to drop you...Scuttle saved you, but that action enraged the monster to fight back at Eric, trapping him in his tentacles...".
"I fought back the best I could, but I was choking...I honestly thought I was to die, leaving you and Melody...Then Sebastian came...Flounder had flipped him out of the sea, and Sebastian landed on the head of the monster, and he blinded him with his claws since he was a small red crab...", Eric whispered, shivering as he stroked his neck...The suction cup markings were long gone, but the memory hasn't...
"However, freeing your father came at a cost as that monster quickly grabbed Sebastian... and...", Ariel teared up. "I'm sorry...", Melody whispered as Ariel didn't need to say any more.
"He quickly made his escape after he got Sebastian off, fled before your grandfather could finish of that monster.", Eric said.
Melody exhaled, "So, it's why I am not allowed to swim here when I was allowed to swim back in Othonoi.", and Ariel nodded, "That's why we traveled there often, but on different times and of course, traveling overland mostly, as Othonoi is basically a safe place for us all, but yes, here, you aren't allowed to swim here in the sea because that monster knows that we live here, even if Daddy has put a magical shield over the palace, refreshing it every few years.".
"Oh...You never found out of his name?", Melody asked, and Eric sighed, "Unfortunately not, but we both want you to be safe as he's extremely dangerous since he was a student of Ursula, and even more powerful than her.".
Melody sighed deeply, and glanced at Eric who raised an eyebrow, remembering that he knew of her sneaks to swim in the sea, and not wanting to fight with Ariel, she then asked, "If I can't swim in the sea...is there a way to see Atlantica?".
"Can you promise not to go anywhere besides the palace and the town?", Ariel raised an eyebrow, and Melody nodded, "I can do that, Mom.", before Ariel smiled, "Good, because I want to trust you since you are turning 12. Eric...could you?".
Eric nodded, getting up from the bed, leaving the room, and Ariel replied, "He's getting something really special that your grandfather gave you on your birthday.", and Melody widened her eyes, seeing the gesture of trust in her mother, and she was ashamed for a moment that she couldn't tell her that she has been actually sneaking away to swim in the sea...She couldn't help it...There was something drawing her to the sea.
Eric returned back to the room from the master bedroom, holding a golden seashell locket with Melody's name on it, and gave it to Melody who was awed by it, "It's beautiful!", and Ariel smiled wistfully if sadly, "Go on, open it, it's even more beautiful on the inside.".
Melody took a deep breath and opened it, falling in love with its contents upon first glance as she stared at it. Ariel chuckled, "You know what's funny... I honestly don't find it as mesmerizing as you or your father do.".
"Maybe because you lived there and were used to it.", Eric smirked. Ariel gave a small laugh, "True.", as Melody was enraptured by the beauty of Atlantica within the orb, "Wow...So, this is Atlantica...", while listening to the lullaby, "That's your lullaby, Mom!".
"Actually, it was your grandmother's lullaby in the first place, and now you will have it as part of your life, hopefully passing it on to your children in the future.", Ariel smiled softly before giving a small sob as Tazio showed up in the projection orb.
Melody peered closely before gasping, "Is that...?", and Eric nodded, "That's your twin brother...Tazio, if he was supposedly healthy...As he never did actually go to Atlantica, his tail is that way, switching colors like a rainbow, so we don't know what he would have looked like...".
"He's forever a merbaby in this locket, huh?", Melody murmured softly, and Ariel sniffled, "It was the least your grandfather would do...Your father gave a painting of Tazio when he was alive, to your grandfather...Now, you have always a part of your brother, this, and the fact that he lives in you... all of us...", her hand nearly reaching out, almost touching the orb, to Tazio as he giggled silently, playing with the sea turtle.
"And the monster?", Melody asked as Eric shook his head, "No sign of him since your first birthday... and that's why we still do what we do. If he was caught and destroyed... then believe me, we'd take you to Atlantica in an instant.".
Melody nodded softly as she understood, and glanced at Ariel as she drank in the sight of Tazio, "Mom?", before Ariel exhaled sharply, "I'm okay, Melody...No matter how many times I or Eric open this, even with a hurting heart, I really miss him. We're sorry that we hid this away, but we were waiting for the day where you'd be responsible enough to have this...".
"I understand, Mom...", Melody smiled genuinely as she softly closed the locket, and Ariel smiled in relief, seeing that Melody doesn't hate her...Melody put it on, caressing the engraved name of hers on it before looking up at her parents.
Melody then exhaled, "Can I go to town? I just want some free time for a couple days before the birthday ball...", and Ariel glanced at Eric, sharing a look, and she then glanced back at Melody, "Be back for dinner, okay?".
"I will, guys!", Melody smiled widely, and Eric then replied, "Just remember-", with Melody reciting, "Don't talk to anybody I or you guys don't know of. If I get hurt by playing too hard, send a message to the palace. And no spending money on things until I am absolutely sure that I want or need it.".
"Good girl.", Eric smiled as Melody took a deep breath and headed out. "Well... that was a bit easier than I thought.", Eric said to Ariel once Melody was gone.
"It feels... it feels better to tell her all that... and I'm glad she's not resentful...", Ariel exhaled in relief, feeling something leave her shoulders.
"Well, as we said, we were just trying to protect her. Wouldn't want four-year-old her worried about getting into a bathtub if we told her about that monster...", Eric replied with a light chuckle.
Ariel nodded, "Indeed, especially when she loves the water.", and Eric smiled softly, "I'm so proud of you, Ariel...I know your mother, Sebastian, and especially Tazio, is proud of you as well.".
"I know, Eric...", Ariel smiled warmly before sighing deeply, "Well, I need something to distract myself since I had done the planning for the ball already...", and Eric chuckled, "I'd use some help on the remaining paperwork in my private office.".
"Paperwork? You're usually finished with those by now.", Ariel raised an eyebrow, and Eric smiled sheepishly, "Well, Melody came in the middle of it, and well, I didn't come back to it as I was focused on finding you, and just recently as of now.".
Ariel nodded, "Oh, I guess that makes sense. Okay, let's get that paperwork done, and then we can head for dinner.", and Eric chuckled, "Dinner isn't for another couple of hours, and paperwork usually lasts an hour without breaks, that is...I was thinking of something else...", craftily caressing her knee under her skirts.
"Eric... this early?", Ariel blushed as Eric chuckled, "What, you'd rather wait until after Melody is in bed or something?".
Ariel chuckled, "Well, I said I need to distract myself, so I am eating my own words, I suppose.", before kissing him shortly, and got off the bed, smiling back at him coyly, and Eric grinned, getting off the bed, joining her as they got out of Melody's bedroom, and down the stairs and a hallway to Eric's private office to alternate between paperwork and personal fun time, with some ingenious thinking to get under Ariel's skirts.
Meanwhile, Melody is wandering through the town, greeting familiar village faces and such, deep in thought as she held her locket occasionally, glad that she's out of the palace, as the story her parents told was still running in her mind despite taking her time to listen.
Melody quickly turned down an alleyway after walking a bit and taking a deep breath as she opened the locket once more when she felt she was all alone. Her mind was still rushing from everything that she had just learned today; and while part of her was a bit upset at her parents for not telling her sooner, she could understand why. After all, she had just learned that she cheated death at least twice before she was even born and a baby, and that's not even including accidents or diseases.